Betty Crocker Molasses Cookies REVIEW/GIVEAWAY

Congratulations, Melanie! You are the winner of the Molasses Cookie prize pack! Happy baking!

'Tis the season for cookies! Last night, I went to a cookie exchange with a bunch of ladies from my women's Bible study small group. There were piles of yummy treats, and of course my kids dove on my stash the moment they saw it.

My girls love baking. Sydney is always game for hopping up on the counter and "helping" me bake. Georgia and Audrey are actually helpful and are developing great kitchen skills.

So that's why when I was offered to participate in the Betty Crocker Molasses Cookie mix review, I knew Audrey would love to try them out.

I decided to let Audrey (age 9) do the entire thing by herself. She was so proud to try, and got right to work. Since it was a cookie mix, there was not a lot she had to do. She cracked the egg, softened the butter,  mixed it all up, and formed the cookies. She was able to make cookies, start to finish, all by herself. The kids loved them (except for Sydney, who doesn't like gingerbread)!

Would you like to win a Betty Crocker prize pack of your own? Just leave me a comment, telling me your favorite Christmas cookie. US addresses only, please.

I was provided with a Betty Crocker prize pack as a thank-you for posting. I was not otherwise compensated. All product, prize pack, information, and the giveaway have all been provided by Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark.

Fyrflyz: Review and Giveaway

Do your kids like to catch fireflies? Mine sure do! Recently, we were asked by MomSelect to review a new toy that kids can use to do light tricks. Since it's intended for kids ages 8 and up, I asked my 9-year-old daughter, Audrey to review it for me. Here's her take on it, and her first foray into vlogging!

Hi, I'm Audrey and I love the Fyrflyz toy. It is kind of like seeing fireworks in your own backyard. You hold the handles loosely and spin it. Then, when you have it wound up, you pull it tight. At this point, you should be having optical illusions which make you see all kinds of cool shapes!

My friends who I gave them to, love the Fyrflyz toy, also. I love to try to make hearts (when a triangle blends into a circle) with one of my friends.  One time we were trying to do it with the lights off.  She got a lights-out heart without ever having gotten one before! She was so mad because no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get a heart with the lights on before. She eventually got a heart with lights,though.

I think that this is a fun, easy toy that almost all kids would enjoy.
     

Would your kids like to try out a Fyrflyz? We have one to give away to a lucky reader. To enter, just leave a comment telling us who you would give it to. Make sure you leave your email address if it's not linked in your profile. US addresses only, please. Contest ends Friday, September 2. Winner has 48 hours to respond with his/her address, otherwise we will have to select another winner.

Fyrflyz are available at Toys R Us stores.


I was provided with a free Fyrflyz toy by MomSelect and Fyrflyz to facilitate my review, as well as two additional toys to give to Audrey's friends. I was not compensated in any other way for this review. All opinions are my own or those of my daughter.

CSN Stores: GIVEAWAY!

Our 4-year-old, Sydney, is allergic to red food dye. It is so severe that one time when her preschool teacher made Sydney's footprints on a piece of paper with red paint that she had a reaction. Now Sydney does not use red paint unless she is using a paintbrush.

Then a couple of weeks ago, she came home from school with red marker on her hands. She had been tracing her hands for a picture, and some of the (washable) marker got on her skin. Later that day, of course, she had a huge meltdown of the dye variety.

So right away I decided that I had to find her some natural markers, if any existed. Lucky for me, I found some online. Even luckier, CSN Stores carry them! CSN Stores are a group of online stores that have over a million products, from baby equipment to shoes to lighting and rugs. And luckiest of all, I was in the process of doing a review of their stores for this blog.

So I quickly ordered some Clementine natural art products for Sydney to try. The prices were great--lower than at another large online retailer you might know. Many items from CSN ship for free, or shipping is free once you spend a certain amount. The items I ordered came very quickly, even earlier than I was told when I placed my order. I was very happy with the speed and variety of products offered by CSN.

Sydney liked the markers and crayon rocks I ordered for her. There were only four colors of markers, but they were bold and colorful. The crayon rocks were fun, and came in a package of nine different colors. Hopefully now she can trace her little hands without having a problem!


If you would like to win a set of Clementine natural markers and crayon rocks, leave a comment telling me who you would give them to. Make sure you leave your email address if it's not linked to your profile, U.S. addresses only, please. Contest will end next Thursday, 5/19.

I was provided with a gift card to facilitate this review and giveaway. All opinions are my own.

Yoplait Original: Review and Giveaway

We all know that it's important to get enough calcium in our diets. I don't know about you, but I tend to consume most of my calcium at breakfast time, with the milk on my cereal and my glass of calcium-fortified OJ. Audrey doesn't like to drink milk, so she often eats yogurt instead. I like to eat yogurt with a little sprinkle of granola or some frozen fruit on top.

Yoplait is running a campaign now to encourage women to get enough calcium. Here's what they had to say:

"In an effort to further educate women about the importance of maintaining strong, healthy bones through an active lifestyle and a diet rich in calcium, Yoplait is partnering with TV host and celebrity mom Nancy O’Dell on a one million cup giveaway of Yoplait Original yogurt, beginning December 13th. Visit Yoplait on Facebook to sign up for your free cup and make a personal commitment to meeting your calcium needs each day. While you’re there, take a moment to enjoy daily calcium tips from Registered Dietitian Katherine Brooking and healthy lifestyle advice from Nancy O’Dell."

"Now with two times the amount of calcium of the leading yogurt, that’s 50 percent of the Daily Value in one convenient 6-ounce cup, Yoplait Original yogurt provides women with an easy and delicious way to get the calcium they need. Yoplait Original also contains 50 percent of the Daily Value of vitamin D, which helps with the absorption of calcium. Yoplait is committed to women’s health and is proud to offer a product that has even more of the calcium and vitamin D they need for strong, healthy bodies."

I was sent a prize pack, including a coupon for a free cup of yogurt, a duffle bag, a jump rope, a water bottle, and a sports towel. My girls scarfed up the yogurt. They love the mixed berry flavor, although their favorite Yoplait product is the Yoplait Whips.

If you would like to win the same prize pack, leave me a comment about your favorite flavor of yogurt OR your favorite way to get extra calcium in your diet. (US addresses only; Yogurt coupon is not valid in California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota and Tennessee.) Contest ends Friday, 3/4/11. Please leave your email address in your comment if it is not linked to your profile, otherwise I will need to pick another winner.

This coupon, prize pack, giveaway, and information were provided by Yoplait through MyBlogSpark. I received a prize pack to facilitate my review, but was not otherwise compensated for this post.

At-Home Date Night: GIVEAWAY!

Everyone can agree that date night is important. It is great to get away with your spouse for a couple of hours, have a break from being mommy and daddy and just be husband and wife again. But with four little ones at home, including a four-month-old, it is hard to get out of the house. Babysitters are expensive and I just wouldn't feel comfortable leaving little Joel with a teenager yet.

So we like to do at-home date nights. We feed the kids, put them to bed, and then often order take-out. We like to watch a movie or play a board game. It is almost as good as going out, and a whole lot cheaper!

Take-out can add up, though. Fortunately, Wanchai Ferry and Macaroni Grill, through MyBlogSpark, sent me some dry dinner kits to try out. Rich and I tried the Wanchai Ferry Orange Chicken. You just had to add your own chicken (or pork or shrimp) and everything else was included. I followed one of the tips on the back and added half a bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables. It was tasty! There was plenty of sauce for the chicken and the veggies, and there was also enough to drip down over the rice (always a concern for Rich). We enjoyed this meal. Other flavors include cashew chicken, spicy garlic chicken, and Kung Pao chicken.




We also got a box of Macaroni Grill Creamy Basil Parmesan Chicken to try for our next date night. Yummy!

If you would like to win a prize pack, including a Wanchai Ferry meal, a Macaroni Grill meal, and a $25 gift card for your own at-home date night, leave me a comment about your favorite way to enjoy at-home dates. Or you can tell me about a memorable first date you had! US addresses only, please. Make sure I have a way to contact you if you win! Contest ends October 31.

If you want to try the dinners out right away, MyBlogSpark has provided my readers with a coupon for $1.50 off of two boxes.

I was provided with a prize pack including two boxed dinners and a gift card to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

Trivial Pursuit Steal: Review and Giveaway!

My husband is the kind of person who remembers Everything. Little, unimportant details, statistics, events, they are all somehow stored in his brain.

So it logically follows that one of his favorite board games is Trivial Pursuit. For a long time, I was frustrated whenever I played with him, until I realized that I just need to be on his team. Problem solved! We always win!

I was excited to hear that Hasbro is introducing a new game in their line of card games called Trivial Pursuit Steal. It takes the fun of Trivial Pursuit and adds a new twist that allows players to steal wedges of pie from other players.

The other night, Rich and I broke out the new game. The nice aspects of the game were that we were able to play in a much shorter time than traditional Trivial Pursuit (about 15-20 minutes). Also, since it's a card game, it is much more compact and great for taking on vacation. It also seemed that players could be on a more even playing field, since there are "steal" cards. If you get a steal card, you can take another person's piece of pie to complete your pie.

This aspect of the steal was a fun twist for me, but I will have to be honest and say that it frustrated Rich. It may have been because I stole four pieces of pie from him and won...

Maybe next time we play I will have to shuffle the deck a little more thoroughly :)

Would you like to give Trivial Pursuit Steal a try? I am giving away THREE games to THREE lucky readers! To enter, just leave me a comment telling me one of your favorite board or card games. I will pick a winner on October 17. US addresses only, please.

I was provided a free game of Trivial Pursuit Steal to facilitate my review. I was not otherwise compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own.

Crayola Green Back-to-School: GIVEAWAY

It's that time of year again, time to start thinking about going back to school. This year, I have three little school girls! Audrey will be starting fourth grade, Georgia is going into first grade, and little Sydney will be starting her first year of preschool (sniff, sniff). It's a good thing that I have my two-month-old snuggle bug, Joel, to keep me company.

And what would back-to-school be without Crayola products? This year, Crayola is featuring their new "greener" line of supplies. According to MyBlogSpark, Crayola has "greened" three of its products:

• Crayola Markers - Thanks to new, innovative ways to manufacture Crayola markers from recycled bottle caps, "black" is the new "green!" Crayola markers will now have black barrels instead of white, which allows for more recycled plastic to be used and gives a second life to more than 1 million pounds of plastic bottle caps. Plus, switching to black barrels keeps hundreds of tons of plastic out of landfills each year. Available in 10-ct. Broadline Classic Colors, 10-ct. Broadline Assorted Colors, 10-ct. Fineline Classic Colors, 8-ct. Washable Broadline and 8-ct. Washable Fineline.


• Crayola Green 24-ct. Crayons - The quintessential school supply found in virtually every elementary classroom will be made with the power of the sun. More than 26,200 solar panels will convert sunlight into electricity, generating the energy required to make 1 billion of the 3 billion crayons Crayola makes each year, which equals 60 million 24-ct. boxes. Mother Earth will be smiling down on every forest green, pine green and jungle green crayon that rolls off the assembly line!


• Crayola Green Colored Pencils - Committed to protecting the rain forests since 1987, all Crayola colored pencils have been made from reforested wood instead of wood sourced from tropical rainforest or endangered species. For every tree used, a new tree of the same species is planted. The 12-, 24-, 36-, and 50-ct. boxes of Crayola Colored Pencils will be among the first to carry the "Eco-Evolution" callout on their packaging.

Each package explains how Crayola is lessening the impact on the environment.
My girls put the new supplies to an early test, and they reported that the new markers, colored pencils, and crayons worked just as well as the old ones. Just as good, and better for the earth. It's a win-win.

If you would like to win a back-to-school pack, leave me a comment and tell me what is (or was) your favorite school supply to buy. Winner will be chosen Tuesday, August 17. US addresses only, please.

Crayola provided me with the products, information, and giveaway through MyBlogSpark for this review and giveaway. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated in any other way for this post.

LikeWear Clothing: GIVEAWAY

Although this week in Philadelphia has been rainy and chilly, I am pretty sure that it is finally time to pack away the warm clothes and pull out the T-shirts and shorts. But sometimes when I pull out the tubs, the old stuff doesn't quite look so cute anymore...

So that's why I was excited when LikeWear and MomSelect offered me a chance to try out a new concept in kids' (and adults') clothing design. LikeWear allows customers to choose from tons of popular graphics and apply them to a variety of different clothing items to come up with custom clothing so you can "Wear What You Like!"

I picked out two items for Audrey:


I'm not sure you can see it, but this one is a long-sleeved layered look shirt with a heart made of conversation hearts. Very cute, and great for early spring or these chilly days we've been having.


This one is a short-sleeved t-shirt with a strawberry Tootsie Roll Pop on the front.

LikeWear has a TON of different designs to choose from, anything from popular cereals, to candy of MANY kinds, to sports and just cute icons.

Their website is not too fancy, and was easy to navigate. The only problem I had was that I couldn't find any sizing chart so I just guessed and ordered size Medium in both shirts. They both ended up being too big for Audrey (but they will fit her next year). I would've liked to have been able to use her measurements or regular sizes to correlate with the sizes they offer.

Since the shirts are too big for her, I haven't washed them yet, but they seem to be high-quality and are definitely made of thick and soft fabric. The graphics are bold and bright, and look like they will last through many washings. And hopefully through three girls!

The interesting and unique thing about LikeWear is that it is a direct marketing company, where people can sell the products at home parties (I'm sure you can think of other examples of direct marketing companies). So they are not only a company started by parents, they support parents trying to make money for their families.

The best part? LikeWear is offering one of my readers a $50 merchandise credit to try out their clothing for yourself. To enter, just visit their website and tell me which graphic you might pick if you win! Be sure there is a way for me to contact you through your Blogger profile or in your comment, or you will forfeit your win.

But for all my readers, LikeWear is offering a special discount--25% off your entire purchase! Just enter the code OCCUPATIONMOMMY when you place your order. Code expires 6/19/10.

US addresses only, please. Contest ends Monday, May 31.

I was provided a gift certificate to choose some items to try, as well as a gift certificate to give away, by LikeWear and MomSelect. I was not otherwise compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser: GIVEAWAY

Who doesn't love a Magic Eraser? My personal favorite chore to use it on is to clean the refrigerator doors and handles. For some reason, other cleaners just don't get into the textured surface like a Magic Eraser does.

Mr. Clean has recently released a new version of a Magic Eraser specifically for cleaning bathrooms. It has the scent of Febreze and is larger for bigger jobs.

Mr. Clean sent my my own pack of Magic Eraser Bathroom Scrubbers to try out. They are billed for being useful for grout, tile, shower walls and doors, tubs, sinks, and counters. I tried it out on our shower floor, which has always been my toughest bathroom surface to clean. It is nubby like the front of a refrigerator, except even more textured. The dirt and soap scum get stuck in those crevices and is very hard to get out.

I have tried various scrub brushes and even regular Magic Erasers, but using the Bathroom Scrubber worked better. I liked the clean, Febreze smell as I was scrubbing, too.

Now I do have to say that you still have to scrub with the new Magic Eraser. But after scrubbing, I was able to achieve a clean shower floor.

I would recommend the Magic Eraser Bathroom Scrubber. Follow package directions to avoid damaging your surfaces or anyone's health.

Would you like to try them out yourself? Mr. Clean would like to give one lucky winner your own two-pack of scrubbers. Just leave me a comment telling me your toughest bathroom surface to clean. I will choose a winner on April 15 and the winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email. Please remember to leave a way for me to contact you!

I was sent a free pack of Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Bathroom Scrubbers to try out. I was not compensated in any other way for this post.

Poster Print: GIVEAWAY!

I know I have among my readers some great photographers. Here is your chance to get a BIG print of one of your favorites!

UPrinting is one of my blog sponsors. Among other things, they do poster printing. This could either be a photograph, or something more along the lines of something for a business. These posters would look great hanging in a baby's nursery or anywhere, really.

Leave me a comment if you would like to win a poster print from UPrinting! Below are the specifics of this giveaway:


18x24 Poster Print for One (1) Winner

Paper Stock: High Gloss or Semi Gloss

Specifications: 1 Business Day Turnaround

Shipping: FREE UPS Ground Shipping

Eligibility: Limited to US Residents only

This giveaway has a short turnaround. It will end on Monday, March 29 and I will need to hear back from my winner within 24 hours. Be sure that you leave a way for me to contact you, either in your Blogger profile or in the comment itself.

UPrinting has agreed to supply me with a poster print of my own. I have not been compensated in any other way for this post.

Minimizing Morning Madness: GIVEAWAY!

Anyone with a schedule that involves arriving at a certain location by a certain time knows that mornings are hectic. There are lunches to be packed, hair to brush, shoes to find, and permission slips to sign. And we all have ways of dealing with the hassle, from being super-organized (we all know that's NOT my way), to running frantically around the house with a brush in one hand and a pair of socks in the other. By this point in the school year, we are all pretty sick of running around every morning.

That's why I was so thrilled to be invited to a spa morning hosted by Janice Croze of 5 Minutes for Mom and sponsored by Scrubbing Bubbles! They invited some Philadelphia area bloggers to a center-city spa for some pampering and ladies' time. Beth and I hopped on the train and headed down together. Even though we are neighbors and see each other all the time, it's fun to be able to hang out sans kids once in a while!



Janice flew all the way from Vancouver to hang with us! That is some serious dedication. I sure hope your pedicure holds up for a WHILE, girl!

There were tasty treats...

Spa treatments (I got a facial and pedicure! Squee!), and time to hang out with the girls. I have to say, this was my first facial Ever. And it was amazing. I was so relaxed and my skin felt great!

(Here are Mommy Esquire, yours truly, Classy Mommy, and Janice)

Before we left, we each got a basket filled with morning helpers, like Scrubbing Bubbles, coffee, and this cool waterproof pad of paper for the shower.

And Scrubbing Bubbles has generously offered to send the same basket of goodies to one of you! Just leave me a comment and you will be entered to win. US addresses only, please. Contest ends March 31. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email (make sure I can contact you!) or I will pick another winner.

My spa morning was paid for by Scrubbing Bubbles and they also provided me with a basket of goodies for myself and one for a reader. I was not compensated in any other way, and my opinions are my own. Pictures are courtesy of Janice Croze and Scrubbing Bubbles.

Rainbow Brite CD GIVEAWAY

Call me crazy, but I think that having all the toys I loved as a kid available to our little ones now is a lot of fun. I loved Strawberry Shortcake, My Little Pony and the rest, and I get to share the fun with my girls!

The newest throwback to the 80s is Rainbow Brite, and were my girls excited to get a CD with games and songs to introduce the colorful character. I was given a CD for my girls to enjoy, and a bunch more to share with my friends and readers.

"Rainbow Brite has blasted back onto the doll scene with a vibrant makeover, continuing to delight children with her empowering and imaginative adventures as she spreads her positive messages of courage, kindness, and hope." Georgia (5.5) and Sydney (2.5) loved the Rainbow Brite games on the CD and are still asking to play it. I think Audrey (7.5) is a little old for it, but for ages about 3-6 it is fun.

Rainbow Brite dolls are coming back to stores, as well. I saw one in Target last week, and they should be available in other stores soon. There is also a website featuring Rainbow Brite, where kids can go to get even more of their new friend.

If you would like to win a Rainbow Brite CD for your little princess, leave me a comment about what your favorite toy was as a kid. US addresses only, please. If you are a local, leave me a comment and I will give you a CD when I see you. One non-local commenter will win a CD, and I have 7 more I can give away to local buddies.

Disclosure: I was given a Rainbow Brite CD for free to review, and a pack of CDs to share with my friends and readers. I was not compensated in any other way for this post.

Disney on Ice: GIVEAWAY!

We love Disney at our house, so when Mom Select and the Feld Family Activators asked if I wanted to help spread the word about Disney on Ice, of course I jumped at the chance! Disney on Ice is coming to Philadelphia starting on October 14. If you want a great night out with the family, just use coupon code MOM when you order your tickets from ComcastTix and you can get 4 or more tickets for just $11 each for Monday-Friday matinee shows, and $4 off of Friday night and weekend shows!

Even better, I have a family 4-pack of tickets to give away for Wednesday, October 14 at 7:00, which is opening night. If you live in the Philadelphia area, just leave a comment telling me your favorite Disney character. This contest will end on Wednesday, October 7 at 12:00 noon EST.

Greeting Cards: GIVEAWAY!!!

This is your lucky day. I have another fantastic giveaway for you from UPrinting! How would you like to have 250 7 x 5" (folded to 3.5 x 5") Custom Greeting Cards ($96 value)?! Well, that is today's giveaway. UPrinting offers Greeting Card Printing for any type of cards you can imagine. I am so excited about these cards. I will be using my set for our family's Christmas cards this year, but they would also be great for invitations to a big party, great birth announcements, or some beautiful notecards. Note: Envelopes are not included, but shipping is!


If you would like to win these notecards, please leave me a comment telling me what you would use them for. For an extra entry, blog about this giveaway and link back to this post and UPrinting. (And then leave an extra comment with your link). US addresses only, please. Contest ends Friday, 10/9/09. Good luck! And when you win, be sure to send one of your cards to me :)

Vinyl Banner: GIVEAWAY!!

Today, I have another fabulous giveaway from UPrinting.com which I am so excited to tell you about.

How about a huge 24" x 36" vinyl banner with grommets ($62 value)? There are endless possibilities for your banner. If you have a club or business, you could get a banner with the logo. Or if your neighborhood has an annual event or yard sale, a banner would be perfect. A "Happy Birthday" banner would be fun:



I think I will be using my banner for our church's nursery school. It would be great to hang at an information table if we had an information booth at a fair, or even to hang out during events.

If you would like to win your own banner, leave me a comment telling me what you would do with yours. For an extra entry, blog about this giveaway and link back to this post and UPrinting. US addresses only, please. Contest ends next Friday, 10/2/09.

Photo Poster Giveaway!

This week, LargeFormatPosters.com will be giving away a custom poster to one lucky reader!

You can win an 18x24” Rolled Poster Print courtesy of LargeFormatPosters.com. You will love this photo-quality poster prints! Create your own photo enlargement or custom poster for free!

For more information, check out:

Poster Printing - http://www.largeformatposters.com/

Large Format Printing- http://www.largeformatposters.com/large-format-printing.html

Along with one of my lucky readers, I will be getting my own free 16x24 poster print. I think I will have them blow up one of the pictures we took on vacation in Myrtle Beach this summer. I love pictures of my girls at the beach, especially when I can enjoy them in winter.

US residents only, please. FREE UPS Ground Shipping for US residents.

To enter, just leave a comment explaining how you would use the Poster Print if you won.

For two extra entries:

OPTIONAL – Blog about the giveaway and link my blog as well as LargeFormatPosters.com

OPTIONAL – Tweet the Giveaway @uprinting with trending topic ‘#giveaway’

For each extra entry, please leave a separate comment for each with the link.

Prizes will be awarded by coupon code. All coupon codes will be sent out in bulk e-mail on Oct. 1, 2009.

Contest ends on Monday, September 28, 2009.

Harumika fashion doll-Review and GIVEAWAY!

Audrey and Georgia have always been very particular about their clothes. Audrey, in particular, has clear opinions about what does and doesn't look good, and what does or doesn't go together. She went through a stage where she loved it if her outfit didn't match. Fortunately, I think that stage is over.

I was recently sent a new toy for my girls to review, and it played right in to their desire to dress the way they like best. The Harumika fashion doll is a dress form that comes with swatches of fabric and stickers so girls can design their own fashion ensembles.

The cool part about this toy was the easy way children can get the outfits to stay on the dress form. It has a special slit that kids use a stylus to push the fabric in, and then it stays wrapped around the doll. Here, it's easier to just look at the picture:







After the fabrics are folded, wrapped, and secured around the dress form, girls can use stickers to add details. The stickers include trim, decorations, jewelry, and accessories.

My girls enjoyed designing an outfit with this kit. The package indicates that the toy is for ages six and up. Audrey, 7, was able to play without any help. Georgia, 5, needed help with pushing the fabric into the back of the doll with the stylus. I think this would be the perfect gift for a little girl's birthday party.

For even more fun, kids can visit the Harumika web site and share their favorite designs.

Harumika has graciously offered to give one of my readers a fashion doll of her very own. To enter, just leave me a comment about a crazy outfit your child (or you!) has left the house wearing. US addresses only, please. The contest will end next Wednesday. Good luck!

Final Crayola Creativity Pack Giveaway and Winner

Congratulations, Stimey, you are the winner of my third Crayola Creativity Pack! Email me with your address and your pack will be on its way. I know you and your boys will absolutely love it!

But don't worry if you didn't win, you still have one more chance to win this great prize! Crayola and My Blog Spark have generously offered one more prize pack to my readers.

This week's Girl's Night Out topic, sponsored by Crayola, is Back-to-School Tips (making the back-to-school shopping season fun and affordable). So join in the fun on Twitter and share your best tips tomorrow from 9-11 p.m. EST.

If you would like to enter, just leave me a comment and tell me about your back-to-school shopping tips. US addresses only, please. I will pick a winner next Monday.

Crayola Winner Week 2 and Giveaway

Congratulations, melanie, you are this week's Crayola Creativity Pack winner! If you email me your address, your prize will be on its way.

And if you didn't have a chance to enter last week's giveaway, you are in luck because this week I will be giving away #3 of four Crayola Creativity Packs. Crayola and My Blog Spark are sponsoring this giveaway in honor of this week's Twitter event, Girl's Night Out. This week's topic is Creative Connections (building and strengthening relationships and character through creativity). I know I will have a lot to say, because I find that the times I enjoy my girls the most is when we are doing crafts together. Join in the discussion on Twitter tomorrow night (Tuesday, August 11) from 9-11 pm. EST.

We have received our Crayola Creativity Pack in the mail, and in next week's giveaway post I will tell you about all the fabulous things we made with our new art supplies. So enter to win!

To win, just leave me a comment telling me how you build and strengthen your relationships with your children or teach them about character through creativity. I will pick a winner on Monday, August 17. US addresses only, please.

Crayola Creativity Pack--Giveaway and Winner!

Congratulations, commenter #2, wigirl, you are the winner of last week's Crayola Creativity Pack. Please email me your mailing address and your prize will be on its way.

And don't feel bad if you didn't win, because I have another Crayola prize pack to give away this week. Join in the Girls' Night Out tomorrow night on Twitter to discuss Back-to-School Survival tips. Since I will be sending two children to "big kid" school for the first time this year, I am sure I will find some tips to survive the big transition.

I took part in the Girls' Night Out last week, and I will be honest, it was a bit overwhelming. There were tweets flying everywhere, all at once. But it was fun because there were tons of people participating and sharing great affordable activity ideas. So I encourage you to try it out!

If you would like to win the Crayola prize pack, leave me a comment about a back-to-school tip or a fun back-to-school story. US addresses only, please. I will pick a winner next Monday. Good luck and see you at the Girls' Night Out!