My Little Life: Reviews and Giveaways

Samsung Power Foam

2011-06-08T09:00:00.003-05:00

Winner Update: The BlogHer randomly selected winner is #72, who is:

Congrats, Janna! Check your email!

Ahem...testing, testing, 1, 2, 3...

Can I have your attention please?! I have something to tell you, something very exciting that could change your life forever and ever, amen.

Are you ready?

Okay...there's this new laundry technology from Samsung, that (excuse me please, while I try to contain my excitement...squeeeeeeee!!!!) sounds like my dream come true. Friends...this new "Power Foam" technology may be the best invention since sliced bread.

First of all, lets talk size...and when we're talkin' laundry, size really DOES matter! You guys, this machine can wash up to 28 towels. Did you hear that? TWENTY EIGHT!! I'm not even sure I own 28 towels, but you can bet your cute little heiny that I'd be dancing a happy jig to be able to wash every single stinkin' one of my towels...IN ONE LOAD.

I'll betcha anything that that means I could also wash all of our jeans at once. I don't know for sure, but 1 pair of jeans has to be pretty close to one towel, right?

See, here's the thing...my husband is a hard worker, he wears jeans to work everyday (and gets them really dirty) and our kids (and I) each wear jeans most days of the week, which means at the end of the day, we've got 7 pair of jeans, 4 days into the week and we're at 28 pair. Currently, I can fit about 7 pair of jeans into our machine (and that's pushing it)...so, imagine if you will, (oh, I'm getting a little giddy thinking about this!!) that instead of doing 4 loads of laundry, I could do one instead.

ONE!!!!!

*THUD* <------------ That was me fainting from excitement!

Holy smokes...with all that time I'd save, just THINK about what I could do!! 1 load vs. 4? Since laundry takes of 99.9% of my time, I could maybe focus on keeping the rest of my house in order, or maybe I could finally get around to sorting through all the baby toys in our closets, or cooking up fabulous nutritious meals every night, or, gosh...forget all this "work" stuff, imagine the FUN we could have with all the extra time I'd be saving!

Trips to the zoo, days at the beach, picnics on the lawn, shopping with friends (which, really, only ends up equaling more laundry, right?!), evenings to enjoy the company of my hubby!

Honestly, this Power Foam technology sounds like music to my ears (oh, and BONUS!!, it also has technology that keeps it virtually silent! Perfect for my main floor laundry room!) and I'm pretty sure I need it. Like, NEED, as in "need" like I need air, food, and water.

Now...if only Samsung could come up with a way to fold my laundry... ;)

Samsung and BlogHer are giving YOU a chance to win a $100 Best Buy gift card! Just leave me a comment telling me what YOU would do with the extra time you'd save with the Power Foam technology and you'll be entered!

Visit the Promotions & Prizes section at BlogHer and Visit the Official Rules. Sweepstakes runs from 6/8-6/30:

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry
methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment
on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on
this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about
an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be
selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

Gatorade Sports Moms and Stephanie Hamm

2011-06-01T09:00:00.002-05:00

Winner Update: I received word from BlogHer on the winner...their randomly selected number was #50, who was:

Congrats, angie lilly!! I've sent you a confirmation email that needs your attention!

"Athletes are athletes all day long."

-Lisa, GSSI Scientist

I recently had the opportunity to take part in a conference call with Stephanie Hamm (mother of famed soccer star, Mia Hamm) and Lisa Esposito, scientist with the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.

Holy smokes, guys, did I learn a lot!

First off...Stephanie Hamm is an inspiration! She raised six kids as a "military mom/wife" and had some great tips for those of us who are "Sports Moms". What amazed me about Stephanie, was her ability to provide attention to each one of her children while raising a superstar athlete!

Stephanie was amazingly down to earth and candid about her life as a Sports Mom. I would've LOVED to have been able to sit down, one-on-one, with her and pick her brain about her life as a super Sports Mom!

Gatorade.com/moms features Stephanie Hamm as their "Sports Mom" in their recent YouTube video...check it out, you'll see what I mean about how amazing Stephanie is!

Our time on the call with Lisa was incredible. The information that we received was eye-opening, and made me realize how little I knew about the science behind Gatorade and the needs of our young athletes.

"The better you fuel, the better you feel." Like mentioned in my last Gatorade post, 70% of our young athletes are showing up to perform dehydrated. THREE out of FOUR kids are exerting their bodies when they are not at their prime.

That still amazes me.

Sweating is our body's way of cooling us down and, obviously, when we sweat, we lose fluid. Think, then, that most of us are sending our kids to their sporting events with depleted fluid reserves...in other words, with less reserves to cool their bodies when they need it most!

When we sweat, not only do we lose fluid, we lose sodium among other electrolytes. The more sodium lost, the greater the likelihood of your athlete getting cramps.

I also mentioned in my last post, that it is important for our athletes to consume protein after exercise...but did you know that carbohydrates before AND during activity can improve performance?

(Oh, and also, sticking out your tongue may also improve performance...or maybe not!) ;)

It's true! Do you know what this means for your runner or your swimmer? Talk about bettering their times!

Taking what I learned from this call, I have realized that I need to focus on getting my kids to eat differently and DRINK MORE!! Particularly during our summer sports, when kids lose fluid from exertion, as well as from the heat. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Do the pee test to see how well hydrated you are. Your pee should have a slight color to it (clear pee means you're over hydrated, which means that what you're putting in is basically just going right through...)...if it's dark, like apple juice, that can signify dehydration.

Lemonade pee? Just about perfect! ;)

All of this said, I realize I need to step up my game. I need to take the knowledge I received and act on it. Packing protein for the Pal to snack on during the bus ride home, encouraging him to push the fluids during games (preferably, carbohydrate containing fluids, like Gatorade), and making sure he is well hydrated to begin with!

Want a chance to win a $100 Dick's Sporting Goods gift card? Just leave me a comment (official sweepstakes dates are 6/1-6/30), and tell me how you fuel up your kids before performance!

Be sure you check out the Prizes & Promotions section for more posts from Sports Moms and more chances to win!

Don't forget, you can Visit the Official site to check out everything Gatorade has to offer.

Visit the Official Rules and see the following for the complete list of rules:

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry
methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment
on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on
this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about
an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be
selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

Clarisonic

2011-04-19T21:54:00.005-05:00

A month, or so, ago I received a product I was DYING to try. Ecstatic to be able to review it...I wanted to give it a fair shot, so I planned to use it for a couple of weeks, then write (what I was sure was going to be) a glowing review!

Then, life happened...and little Miss Appendicitis derailed that plan...BUT! the train is back on track!

So, my friends...let me tell you about my lovely little "Mia"...a Clarisonic product.

The "Mia" is touted as Clarisonic's "little sibling"...packing a large punch into a smaller package (and comes in an adorable array of colors!). The brush head is the same size, but the body is smaller and provides just one speed vs. two or three.

What I LOVED about this product, is that it is completely waterproof...use it in the tub, or the shower, or the sauna, or the hot tub (well, okay, that'd be weird, but still, you COULD!!). I found it extremely convenient to be able to cleanse my face right in the shower.

I dunno about you, but I'm a busy lady. My face has long been neglected, mostly because, a multi-step facial cleansing regimen just, frankly, took too much time. However, with the Mia, I was able to wash my face while I was rinsing my hair...talk about multitasking!

My skin issues consist of breakouts, blackheads, oily patches and (ugh) fine lines. At 34, I kinda expected to see a few fine lines, but zits?!! C'mon! I thought those were for teenagers!

I was mostly hoping for my Mia to clear out my blackheads and get rid of my breakouts...and while I have seen an improvement in those areas, I think my order was a bit too tall (or, perhaps, the one speed wasn't "tough enough" for my years old blemishes!!). I have definitely noticed an improvement in my "fine lines" and an overall increase in the smoothness of my skin.

So, while the Clarisonic wasn't quite the miracle I was looking for...I am still in deep like with it! (And, for the record, I haven't been religious about using it day and night. Often times, when it's bedtime, I just want to go to bed...clean face or not.)

Pros:

Versatility

Small size

Keeps a charge for quite a few uses

Smoother skin

Reduction in fine lines

Cons:

Price (the Mia retails at around $149 online at Clarisonic.com or Sephora.com and also in Sephora retail stores)

Not a noticeably large reduction in blackheads

As you can see, the Pros far outweigh the Cons!

In the end, I am very satisfied with my Mia!

--------------------------------------------

Clarisonic provided me with the "Mia" at no cost for a review. I was not compensated in anyway or paid to provide a "positive" review.

Gatorade Sports Moms

2011-03-31T11:00:00.004-05:00

This is a sponsored post from BlogHer and GATORADE.

UPDATE: Winner chosen at random by BlogHer was clc408...#63!! Check your email for instructions on claiming your prize! Congratulations!

Baseball, gymnastics, football, wrestling, tennis, t-ball...our seasons don't just consist of weather changes, they consist of changes in gear, uniforms, and practice schedules!

With wrestling winding down and gymnastics and baseball gearing up (secretly, between you and me, I LOVE baseball season. I love the sport itself, but it also means that we're putting the horrors of winter behind us! But shhhhh...don't want to play favorites...), I find myself looking forward to the change...even though it means our schedules are about to become a lot more hectic!

Mealtimes, practices, and games, OH MY!

I often find myself struggling with mealtimes the most during athletic seasons. Not only the logistics of eating together as a family (very important to us) but also finding things that will nourish and appease "The Picky One". Our oldest, who is by far our most involved athlete, is NOT a good eater, and I worry that he is not getting the nutrition he needs, particularly when his body is being worked it's hardest during practices and games.

Gatorade recently conducted a survey and discovered that 75% of Sports Moms were unaware that to help aid muscle recovery, an athlete should consume protein within 30-60 minutes post-workout.

Count me in that 75%.

I had no clue.

I also learned, from Gatorade, that 70% of kids show up for an athletic event dehydrated. Wow. Here I thought I was being a good Sports Mom by providing my firstborn with a steady supply of Gatorade (not a plug, just the truth...Sam's Club is our best friend for staying stocked up on Gatorade during sports seasons!) during his games.

Turns out, I should've thought about pre-game as well!

Gatorade has launched a website dedicated to we hard working Sports Mamas. This site has a plethora of information...articles about common sports injuries, video stories of "real Sports Moms" like you and I, information on the G Series products, and a lot more. It excites me to think of the potential this website has for helping ALL Sports Moms in our plight to help our athletes succeed.

To help their bodies perform their best BEFORE they hit that ball diamond or tennis court or wrestling mat...and to know how to support them as they come off the playing field.

And, because this video makes me laugh, and makes the Pal shake his head in teenage disgust at his mother who screams wildly for him...I thought I'd share it with you!

If you're a Sports Mom, or heck, even if you just wanna check out some great info, Visit the Official site or have a peek at the Gatorade videos.

Wanna know something else? Gatorade and BlogHer are letting me give away a $100 Dick's Sporting Goods gift card! AND, you have several more opportunities to win with other bloggers by visiting the Prizes & Promotions section over at BlogHer.com!

Official Sweepstakes Dates are 3/31-4/30, Visit the Official Rules.

CSN March Winner!

2011-03-30T21:58:00.003-05:00

Oh dear...will you guys forgive me? I was supposed to pick a winner last week...then our world got all topsy turvy when my daughter's appendix decided to turn all gangrenous on her and cause her all sorts of strife...we JUST returned from the hospital tonight.

After a week. Ugh.

Anyway...I have a WINNER!!!

As always, I headed on over to random.org and plugged in the numbers...and here's what number was chosen out of 60:

Number 39!! And that is...

So, katychick, YOU are the lucky winner!! I'm sending you an email right now...please reply as soon as you can and I will forward you all the info you need to claim your loot!

Congrats!

CSN Giveaway Time!!

2011-03-22T22:10:00.002-05:00

Who's ready for a giveaway?!

Well then, how 'bout we get this party started?!

CSN has offered to sponsor a giveaway for a $65 certificate to one of their 200+ stores! CSN is an incredible site that sells everything from Le Creuset to wooden swing sets!

Wouldn't you just love to have $65 to spend on ANYTHING over there? I know I would!

Lemme just show you a couple of things...(photos from CSN site)

Look at this adorable outdoor table and chairs...LOVE!

And, I've totally been eyeballing some FiestaWare...must. get. soon!!

So, what say you...wanna chance to win?

Just leave me any old comment for a chance to win!

**Only one entry per person, comments (entries) will be closed Thursday night and a winner will be drawn via random.org and announced Friday morning! Winner will be contacted by email and has 24 hours to reply, or a new winner will be chosen!

CSN has generously offered the sponsorship of this giveaway. But even if they didn't, I'd still think it's a great site!

Skin MD Natural Winner!!

2011-03-14T21:41:00.005-05:00

Yikes!! 'Bout time I announced the winner of the moisturizer, huh?!

Well, my last giveaway resulted in number 1 being the lucky number...and guess what?

Yup...out of 12 entrants...number 12 won!!

Congrats, Jules! I'll shoot you an email to verify your win, and when I hear back from you, I'll forward your email addy onto Skin MD Natural (with your permission!)!

Skin MD Natural

2011-03-09T22:32:00.001-06:00

Recently, I was asked to review a moisturizer from Skin MD Natural, a skin care company that prides itself on it's use of natural products.

Before I get to my review, let me show you what the company says about it's line of Skin MD Natural moisturizers:

"A shielding lotion does the real work to prevent dry skin in two ways.

First, it assists the inner layers of skin to absorb moisture. The humectant (an ingredient that attracts moisture) used in Skin MD Natural is unique to it and has been laboratory tested to be 6 times more effective than any other you will find in common creams.

Second, a shielding lotion enhances the power of the top layer of the skin to resist environmental irritants while protecting the inner natural moisture.

This can be a big benefit for those who cook, wash dishes and garden because Skin MD Natural helps skin retain its natural moisture and oils in the face of all those irritating soaps and chemicals.

The manufacturer's website www.skinmdnatural.com has hundreds of dermatologist and user reviews including many addressing severe dry skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis. People with sensitive skin -- and those of us who like to live as naturally as possible -- will appreciate that Skin MD Natural is hypoallergenic, free of fragrances, parabens and colorants. It is made with more than 90% natural ingredients and 100% food-grade ingredients that are on the FDA's "most safe" list."

With all the talk "these days" about renewable energy, I found it very interesting that Skin MD Natural is made in a facility that is 100% solar powered!

I found Skin MD Natural to be a very lightweight, effective moisturizer, that does not have that "greasy" feeling at all. It is not a heavy moisturizer, and while we don't have chronic skin issues in our family, we do live in MinneSOOOOta, which basically means we live in some sort of state of dry skin or another.

If it isn't dry winter air sucking the moisture out of our skin, it is summertime and too much sun that's drying us out! And, speaking of too much sun...Skin MD Natural also has an SPF containing moisturizer, too!

I appreciated the lack of fragrance in the moisturizer...sometimes, a girl just needs a good ol' fashioned SCENT-FREE moisturizer to soothe her dry skin, right?! Being that it is a lightweight moisturizer, I did find that I needed to apply it several times throughout the day to keep my hands feeling soft.

Being that the bottle boasts "face" as one of it's treatment areas, I went right ahead and sacrificed this old face of mine...and you know what? It's not too shabby! I didn't notice any breakouts, and it did not leave my face feeling oily at all!

All in all...I'd give Skin MD Natural two (nicely moisturized) thumbs up!

Would YOU like a chance to try Skin MD Natural? Just leave any old comment on THIS post between now and Friday, March 11th at 9pm, CST, for your chance to win a bottle of your very own!

**I was not compensated by Skin MD Natural for a favorable review. What I've stated above are my honest accounts of the product. Skin MD Natural did provide me with a full sized bottle of their moisturizer for this review.

$50 Visa Gift Card Winner!!

2010-12-13T10:22:00.003-06:00

Ohmigosh. In the history of, like, forever...something happened! I went to random.org, plugged in the numbers...and got this:

NUMBER ONE??!!!!! I've never seen THAT before!

So, that means that our winner is:

Congrats, Mami2jcn!! You've got 24 hours to reply to my email (or I'll hafta pick a new winner...) starting...

NOW!! GO! ;)

CSN Winner!

2010-12-09T10:50:00.004-06:00

As predicted, I'm not announcing to winner until later than I first said! It's still (kinda) morning, right?!

Okay, friends, without further ado...*insert drumroll*...I would like to announce the winner of the $65 to CSN is:

random.org gave me #20...and that was Brooke!! I'll send you an email, Brooke, please confirm you have received it in 24 hours or I'll hafta pick a new winner!!

Congratulations Brooke!! I hope you get something fabulous!

(Don't forget, I have another giveaway going on for a $50 Visa card...it's from Pull-Ups, but don't worry...ANYONE can enter...Pull-Up user or not!) ;)

Your kid pooped their pants?

2010-12-08T10:43:00.008-06:00

There's an app for that!!

For real!! Huggies Pull-Ups has created a FREE app to help you and your kiddo with potty training!!

A long, long time ago, I was contacted by the fun people at Huggies to try out their new app! I was so excited (it came with an awesome "incentive"...a FlipCam!) to try it out! Then...life fell apart on me.

And the review got pushed to the back burner...but, what matters, is here it is now!

I put together a video to show you how much fun this app is!!

My Baby Girl loves playing with this app...and I really think the "iGo Potty" app could be a great tool for potty training!

Huggies is also offering a giveaway with this review!! A $50 Visa Gift Card, as well as a couple Pull-ups coupons (if you want them!)!

(***Disclaimer: For years (14, to be exact) I poo-pooed Pull-ups. Until I actually tried them! While I still firmly believe underpants only!! during the day, I am now a Pull-Up fan at night! Thanks for opening my eyes, Huggies!)

You get TWO entry options with this one!!

1. Comment on this post! Anything will do!

2. Tweet this (and leave a comment that you did!): Win a $50 Visa gift card from @5crookedhalos and @PullUpsBigKid! http://bit.ly/ePiZTV

Thanks Huggies, for this awesome opportunity!

Contest will run until Sunday, December 12th, at 11:59 pm. I will announce the winner on Monday! Good luck!

**Pull-Ups® training pants provided me with a Flip cam and product coupons to try out the new iGo Potty iPhone app and document my experience, as well as conduct a reader giveaway with a $50 visa gift card and product coupons. However, my opinions on the product are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive sentiments towards Pull-Ups® or their products.

LG Interview...Answers!

2010-12-08T07:13:00.002-06:00

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and LG Text Ed

I have to admit, when we agreed to get The Pal his phone, we had grand plans to sit down and hash out rules and regulations. Do's and Don'ts. Must's and must nots. Turns out, that we got him a phone at what transpired to be a crazy, busy, stressful time in our lives.

What should have been a priority, got swept under the rug by fallen trees and other miscellaneous stressors. So, I was pleased to be handed an opportunity (with a deadline!!) to chat about texting with The Pal!

To say I was enlightened is an understatement. I realize he could be pulling the wool over my eyes, but I was very impressed with the sincerity and honesty that he answered these questions with. (I did have to bribe him with a treat at Perkins for it, tho...)

Without further ado, here is the interview the Pal and I had:

Via Kate:

I work with 75 teenaged girls on a weekly basis. It seems they keep the school drama and rumor mill going all night long via texting. Are boys doing this too or do the just let it go?! School bullying shouldn't follow a kid home.

Via Mrs. Werginz:

I work in a MS and girls seem to be texting pictures of themselves to boys...like in bras or even a bare breast. Ask your son if he knows he can be in major trouble if one is ever sent to him and found out about it at school?! They will take the phone and ISS/OSS may occur depend on how graphic the picture is! I just want teens to respect themselves and feel they have to do that in order to feel "cool" or "liked" by the opposite sex.

Via Lysana:

Ask him whether he's ever sent a text or a picture that he ended up really regretting because it got passed along to unintended recipients - or if not, if he knows someone to whom that has happened.

Via This Daddy:

Ask, has there ever been an instance where he wanted to play a joke on someone by sending what could be a hurtful text. Also, has he ever gotten any texts that have made him feel uncomfortable and wanted to bring it to your attention. Another, is there any case where he would go to your husband (dad) before coming to you with a text he has received.

Here's what The Pal had to say:

To Kate's question:

No. Guys aren't like girls, if we get mad we *makes motion to punch*. Guys don't talk about each other.

(My input: If ever I've discovered a difference between boys and girls, it is in their conflict handling ability. He is opening my eyes to how boys can just "let it go"...where as girls carry it on. And on.)

To Mrs. Werginz question:

I know you can get in trouble. Yeah, I know you can get in real trouble. They talked to us about it in school.

(My input: I've had several discussion with him regarding different stories I've heard about teens getting in trouble legally and the implications that can have on him for the rest of his life. I think he gets it...but do teenagers really ever "get" anything completely?)

To Lysana's question:

No. *rolls eyes* Gosh mom.

(My input: I then proceeded to tell him about the young girl who sent a "sext" of herself to what she intended to be her boyfriend, but what was, instead, her entire contact list. Which included her parents, grandparents and pastor, and resulted in some investigations. That got his attention.)

To This Daddy's questions:

No, I've never played a joke...or gotten an uncomfortable text. (I told him I had...and he will, at some point, receive something that is not appropriate or comfortable...he said he would delete it.)

In response to the last part of This Daddy's question:

He didn't say much. Just smiled and shook his head...at which point I said, "I know you...you wouldn't come to any of us, you'd just take care of it yourself, wouldn't you?"

He laughed and answered affirmatively!

I then asked him if he thought parents should have the right to, unannounced, take their child's cell phone and go through the texts. I'll admit, he hesitated just a bit, then said, "Yeah. They should."

I don't doubt that he may not be telling me the entire truth...but I do trust that he has a good head on his shoulders and knows what to do if he should find himself in a difficult texting situation.

Now that I've written this, I realized we didn't even approach the driving and texting topic...I'll have to bring that up!

As a reminder, because this topic is so important for our kids and their futures,BlogHerreally wants to get the conversation about texting, sexting and safety going...both with our kids and among parents. It will match LG’s donation of .50 to dosomething.org for every comment on this post, so please give me your suggestions on questions for my son!Dosomething.org will get a $1.00 for each and every one of your comments!

65 Bucks to CSN!!!

2010-12-06T13:08:00.002-06:00

I'll totally be honest with you here...I wanted to keep this 65 dollars all to myself. I was dreaming of the gifts I could knock off my list with 65 bucks to, essentially, anywhere!

Have you ever shopped CSN? It's incredible...tons of stores, under one "roof"...er, website, I guess! They've got bathroom cabinets and kids furniture, lighting and toys...you need it? They've got it!

Lemme just show you a couple of things from CSN...

Their site is crazy easy to navigate...and you'll find something for that special someone on your list!

All you need to do to enter is leave me a comment. Any comment'll do!!

**Contest runs through Wednesday, December 8th, at 11:59 pm, at which time I will shut off comments and announce the winner! Well, really, I'll probably announce the winner on Thursday morning!

Good luck!

(This giveaway is sponsored, in it's entirety, by CSN.)

Sexting...Is Your Teen "Doing It"?

2010-10-19T21:06:00.002-05:00

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and LG Text Ed

Do you know what your teen is texting?

I know we've all heard about "sexting", and I trust that we all have ground rules for our teens, but do we ever really know what our teens are sending (or receiving) from their cell phones?

Sexting is a real and serious problem...what a teenager could perceive as "funny", could actually land them in some very serious legal trouble. According to this ABC News story, the possibility of your child being charged with "possession of child pornography" is real and true.

Just ask the Wisconsin boy that it happened to.

Do our teens understand the devastating consequences of these charges? What the repercussions are of having charges like that on their records or what it would mean to them to have to register as a sex offender?

Probably not...their brains aren't wired to make wise and long term decisions, which is where we, as parents, come in.

(Photo Credit)

We need to make sure that our children are not only being responsible with their cell phone use, but that they realize the importance of respecting themselves and others around them. It isn't enough for them to just erase the photo...it just plain old needs to stop.

As parents, we need to impress upon our kids how "uncool" it is to send, forward, or receive inappropriate photos.

Who would've thought 10 (heck, even 5!!) years ago, that we'd need to include "sexting" in our "birds and bees" talks with our kids? Not me...but I've realized that, indeed, it has come to that.

-----------------------------------------

Every comment on this, or any of the other "BlogHer and LG TextEd" posts raises a $0.50 donation to DoSomething.org, an online site for teens that encourages offline activities for them!

EcoStore: A Review!

2010-10-03T21:20:00.006-05:00

A little while ago (okay, okay...I'm lying. It was quite awhile ago! Sorry ecoStore USA! I started out planning on using the product for a bit, to really get a feel for it, and then summer blew up on us, and here we are...nearly into winter. Please forgive me!) ecoStore asked me if I would be willing to review a couple of products.

Well...anything that proclaims "No Nasty Chemicals!!" is right up my alley, as I am trying to be more cognizant of what I put in and ON my children's bodies, so I jumped on it and said, "Yes, yes, YES!!"

The two products I chose were the Baby Moisturizer:

And the Baby Bar Soap:

Let me just say, that I hoarded these. That I put them high up, out of the reach of the kids hands, 'cuz I didn't want them to "waste" it! I LOVED these products...and, so, okay...I did let the kids use them, I mean, I did it for them, afterall!

But...in the sake of a review I, of course, had to try them. I mean, I couldn't just rely on my two year old for an unbiased review, right?

Let me just proclaim, for all the world to hear, that the bar soap is something straight from heaven. We have hard water...and by "hard" I mean that it's so hard, it hurts when you take a shower.

Getting soap to lather is an extraordinary feat of it's own...but this soap? This fabulous, heaven-sent bar soap? It lathered with the most silky suds you'd ever imagine. It was love at first lather. (And, for real...I put it up high. Since my kids tend to squeeze the soap when it gets all warm and melty, I didn't want this happening to my heavenly soap. But, I did let them use it under strict observation.)

The bar soap also had a fabulous smell. I say "smell" and not "scent" because, remember? There are "No Nasty Chemicals!!", so the "smell" is more of a natural, soft, clean, pleasing, chemical-free scent. Lovely.

The Moisturizer was almost equally wonderful. Unfortunately for it, I used the bar soap first, and it would've been hard for it to trump the soap. But, love it I did!

It was better than any moisturizer I've used before...it felt more...more...well, more moisturizing than most moisturizers! (I was a die hard big name chain-store brand prior to using this...of all the bottles and scents of the that chain-store lotion that I have laying around, I usually choose the EcoStore bottle over anything!)

Not an overly thick moisturizer, it went on smoothly, and absorbed quickly. I never felt sticky or oily after applying it. And again...the "smell" was wonderfully soft and natural.

I'm in love. ecoStore has won me over...and I am in love with their product! Thank you ecoStore!

Check out ecoStore USA's Twitter and Facebook pages!

*ecoStore USA provided me with 2 products of my choice to review. I was not compensated for this review, other than with the product provided, and my review is completely my honest opinion.

CSN Giveaway #2 Winner!!

2010-07-28T10:25:00.005-05:00

Update: New winner! I didn't hear from Brae...so my new winner is:

April!! Congrats! Contact me and I'll give you the info!

Original Post:

Random.org picked a low winner for the second time in a row!

Very envious that they gets to spend 60 bucks to get something totally amazing!

Our lucky winner?

Brae and Joey!!!

Congrats!! Send me your email and I'll get you the details soon!!

(PS--Brae and Joey are an item...as in one winner...) ;)

CSN Giveaway #2!!

2010-07-20T15:12:00.001-05:00

Who's ready for another CSN giveaway?!

I was contacted by them again, recently, to do another giveaway...for a $60 gift certificate...good at any of their online stores!

I sorta wanted to keep it for myself...the Mr. and I are discussing a major overhaul for our main bathroom...and I'm talkin' major! Ripping out walls, a new tub, a new bathroom sink, new vanities and cupboards...we could find a bazillion things to spend 60 bucks on! (I'm not sure what we'll be getting ourselves into...I just know that I'm sick of living with a defunct bathroom.)

So...whaddya say? You in? Would YOU like to nab 60 bucks to any of over 200 stores of your choosing?

Remember when I did this giveaway? You could get that, or buy your little one one of these adorable guys:

Or...how 'bout this step stool? (Is it strange that I really want this?)

As for the aforementioned bathroom sink, whaddya think about this (and, without being too Pioneer Womanish...can I ask for your input along the way, while we remodel?):

Wanna know how you can be entered to win $60 to spend as you wish?! Easy peasy lemon squeezy! Just leave me a comment below this post and you'll be entered!

One entry per person, please...contest will remain open until Monday night at 11:59 (11:59 'cuz I never know if I say "midnight", will people think Sunday night or Tuesday morning...did I just confuse you? 'Cuz I confused myself.)

---------------------------

*This contest is sponsored by CSN.

Baby Boutique Winner!!!

2010-05-26T13:49:00.003-05:00

There I go again...making it sound like someone has won a whole stinkin' boutique!

What I mean, is...Baby Boutique Gift Certificate Winner!!

And, the winner is:

And, #6 was Jenny, from SIDAC!! Congrats, Jenny! Send me your email address so that I can get your info to mybabyclothesboutique.com and you can start your shopping!

(PS--Jenny, I'd LOVE to see what you get!)

Beautiful Baby Boutique Giveaway!!!

2010-05-20T10:26:00.004-05:00

Giveaway now closed!!! Winner announced shortly!

When I was approached by My Baby Clothes Boutique to do a giveaway, I was very excited!

Then, I visited their site...and I was ECSTATIC! (That's a fancy word for excited!) ;) So many fun things!

One lucky winner will win a $25 gift certificate to shop away!!

I totally got lost in the amazing baby clothes, they have sooooo many cute, unique options!

And the baby headbands?! TO. DIE. FOR!! Just look at this one!

And then? And THEN! The baby hats! Oh my gracious...check this one out!

I can hardly stand it, they're so cute!! And there is sooooo much more over there...you've just gotta look around!

Here's what you need to do to enter...

Visit one (or all! you won't be disappointed!) of the links above, and leave me a comment with feedback about the site. Did you like what you saw? Was it easy to navigate? Did you see something you just can't live without?

Easy peasy! I will leave this giveaway open until Sunday night and I will announce the winner on Monday morning, when a lucky someone will get to start shopping!

Oh, and one more thing...(I think you're gonna like this...)

Anyone who adds mybabyclothesboutique.com to their blog roll will get a special gift! Just email shannon@mybabyclothesboutique with your link to receive your gift!

Epic Fail Bars...in a Le Creuset Pan!

2010-04-19T01:56:00.000-05:00

Waaayyyyyy a long time ago...like, eons ago...I was given a piece of Le Creuset to review.

It's gorgeous.

Almost "too good to use".

It's a bar pan.

And, I'm not a baker...hence the major delay in getting this review out.

But, anyway...I may not be a baker, but I'm a stick to my worder. That's for sure!!

So, lemme tell ya 'bout these Epic Fail Bars, of mine. They were disastrous. Well, okay, they were edible...but no one edibled them.

I dunno what it was. But, let me show you what I did (and how beautiful my Le Creuset Pan was!!)...

Sigh...gorgeousness. I wish all of my cookware could be Le Creuset. But, it's not. This, this fabulous, Epic Fail Bar pan, is all I've got.

All I'll probably ever have.

I have no idea why I'm even showing you the ingredients to these.

It's the hidden food blogger in me, I guess. My feeble attempt to cling to whatever smidge of pride I have when it comes to cooking.

(Trust me, tho...when I say these were "epic fail"...)

I began this epic misadventure, by first, believing that I could be creative in enough in my culinary skills to come up with something all on my own. (Mistake #1)

After I had sufficiently deluded myself into thinking I was even somewhat capable of baking, I enlisted some child labor, and had my oldest daughter help me with the sugar cookie crust.

Once again, disproving the fact that I am even somewhat of a food blogger, I forgot to tell you that you needed Heath bits as part of this "Disaster Heard Round the World" (or at least heard round my house)...

But anyway...I then pressed Heath bits and chopped pecans into the crust. Sounds yummy enough, right?

This...this next step is where, perhaps, I began to go wrong.

I used some leftover Christmas caramel (I'd be lying if I told you the caramel itself wasn't epic fail. I cooked it for ever. Like, seriously, for freakin' ever! Two hours on the stove top...and STILL not set up enough to cut and wrap. Stoopid caramel.) that I had in the fridge.

Nevermind that it was probably a month old. I used it anyway.

Then I baked it.

And, I don't remember at what temperature, or for how long...but I baked it. And it looked decent coming out of the oven.

And, this may be the second instance in which I make it blatantly obvious that I do not deserve to be gifted such fabulous things like a Le Creuset bar pan...I used leftover Chocolate Ganache, straight from the Pioneer Woman.

Ahhh, that's the recipe that was straight from P-Dub...not the left over ganache...although, I've got nothing against her leftover ganache...not at all! In fact...she tweeted me once upon a time about what, exactly, I could use left over chocolate ganache for.

These bars were not a part of that tweet.

Anyway, when the bars were coolish...I poured the reheated, ganache over them.

I was disillusioned to think that ganache makes anything taste good. Take it from me...

It does not.

When it was all said and done, the bars looked delicious...especially because they were residing in a beautiful blue bar pan from Le Creuset.

But, alas...looks can be deceiving.

They were awful...but, I hafta say...they were evenly cooked...the pan held up beautifully, without any scratches or marks, and cleaned up easily after the bars were dumped into the garbage.

The only lasting ill effects on the pan, are my association of it with the Epic Fail Bars.

Which, I guess, is more damage to my psyche than it is to the pan.

*I was provided this bar pan by Le Creuset in exchange for a review. I was not compensated monetarily for this review.

Buggy Car Giveaway!!!

2010-03-25T01:08:00.000-05:00

Oh my word...seriously, have you ever seen anything cuter than this (besides, of course, your children...)???

I was contacted by CSN stores about collaborating to do a giveaway...and I got to choose what I was gonna giveaway!! CSN is an online company with over 200 stores...everything from kids stuff, lighting, cookware and barstools! Seriously...one stop shopping at it's finest!

So, when shopping to figure out what I was gonna giveaway, this little guy popped right out at me as something my kids would LOVE to have! With the warm weather upon us...I really wanted something that could be used outside for your little one(s)!

Whaddya say??? Wanna win it?!!

All you've gotta do is leave me one measly little comment on this post! That's it! (I like ease and simplicity!)

This contest will remain open until Monday night, and I'll announce the winner on Tuesday morning!

***This giveaway is sponsored by CSN, I did not receive any compensation to host this giveaway.

KettleWorx Winner!!!

2010-02-22T09:25:00.000-06:00

After almost forgetting...I headed over to my trusty old friend, random.org...plugged in the numbers and got...

(I hafta say...I feel so high tech now that I've finally figured out how to take a screen shot!!!)

So...#19?!!!

That is lucky...

Dondi!!!!!

Contact me, Dondi, so we can determine your best KettleWorx fit!!

KettleWorx--A Giveaway!!!

2010-02-14T22:01:00.000-06:00

Whoa...do I have a giveaway for YOU!!

The awesome peeps at KettleWorx sent me something to review...and review I did! KettleWorx is a 6 week fitness program designed to work your entire body in 20 minute workouts 3 times a week.

In 20 minute workouts...TWENTY minutes! I mean, gosh...who can't handle that?!!

In return for my review...they are sponsoring a giveaway of the KettleWorx Ultra 5...the same exact "kit" that I have been using since I received it. (For ease and "fairness" to the review...I only did the recommended 6 weeks...I did not try any of the "extra" DVD's, although, I'm gonna start now!)

Yes, you read that right...since. I. received. it.

Never before, have I been so sold on a fitness "program". I used to be a fitness video junkie, but what always tripped me up, was (well...the tripping up for one..why, oh, why do all those other "videos" require so much coordination?!) the boredom!

Ugh...I couldn't take watching the same video over and over and over again. *yawn* *sigh* *hello boredom*

What's awesome about KettleWorx is that there are three main DVD's; "Core", "Cardio", and "Resistance"...and each DVD has 6 separate workouts. For someone like me, that is a HUGE bonus, as I never feel like I am getting bored.

Ever.

Never, ever!!

And, also...no coordination required! No "grapevines" or funky dance-ish moves to get all tangled up in!

Big ol' *sigh of relief* from this uncoordinated chick!

Within a week or two of starting the recommended 6 week routine, I was feeling a difference. My husband started noticing a difference at about that time. (For real?! Yes...for stinkin' real!)

It wasn't long, and I was able to talk him into "trying" it out...lemme just say he has since purchased a heavier weight and is just as sold on it as I am! He has recommended it to his sister, and I to my mom, my bestie and countless co-workers!

My hubby has been dealing with hip pain for awhile (he was certain it was diabetes *huh?* or MS or that he needed a hip replacement), but, since starting KettleWorx, the pain has improved so drastically, that he rarely even notices it anymore!

I am loving it, 'cuz I feel stronger, I stand straighter, my jeans are looser and I don't dread working out!

Sure, some days are more difficult to get motivated than others, but gosh...or 20 minutes, three times a week...who can't do that?! And that is exactly why I am so sold on it!

It's do-able! Even for a busy mama, like myself...it's totally, and completely do-able. It's realistic and results are achievable!

Let's look at some pros and cons, shall we?

Pros:

~Time commitment is small.

~Many workouts to keep your interest.

~It's "mentally" do-able because you know that in 20 (or so) minutes you are good and done with your work out for the day!

~No dance skill/coordination required.

~Your core is strengthed quickly, resulting in less back pain/injury.

~The program is designed to uniformly challenge hundreds of muscles simultaneously...in "3D" is what they call it. (Similar to an athlete, using many muscles at once.)

~Your entire body gets a workout...not just specific areas (although, there are extra videos for those trouble spots!).

~Easily adaptable to your personal fitness level.

~Quick, effective warm ups and cool downs.

~Ryan, the trainer, has a great Canadian accent! ;)

Cons:

~My hubby thinks the upper body is not challenged enough (I thought it was fine).

~I would've like to have seen better results with my pesky saddle bags (my love handles have gotten smaller, tho!)

~There are a few (rare) editing "inconsistencies" that result in an uneven number of reps per side.

~An occasional workout will reach 25 or so minutes...picky much? Yes...but it's a mental thing (*Hey! You told me 20 minutes!!!*...you know?!),

So...I'm telling you...if you've been looking for a workout routine that is "do-able" with results that are "attainable"...KettleWorx is for YOU!

To enter the giveaway for the KettleWorx Ultra 5, just leave me a comment here, on this post!

I'll close comments on this giveaway on Sunday, the 21st...and announce the winner on the morning of the 22nd!

Good luck!

An "Enlightening" Review...with a Giveaway!!

2010-01-07T12:28:00.000-06:00

Maxxima Style, the awesome company that sponsored this giveaway...asked me to do a review for them!

As a mother of five, with readers who are in the same (or nearing?) mothering boat that I'm in, I'm always interested in learning about new products!

This one happens to be very "enlightening"!!

Maxxima Style, sent me two nightlights to review...and 6...yes, six!!, to giveaway! Both of these nightlights use LED lights, so they remain cool to touch (not to mention...good for the environment!)...they are also "light activated", so they're off during daylight hours, or when lights are on...and then turn on when it's dark!

So, let's get down to business!

The first is this:

I'll call it the "let there be light", nightlight!! As in, holy moly mackerel!! That's a lot of light!

That particular nightlight gives off a TON of light. Like, lot's...I came home from work, and the baby's window was glowing!

Bad? Nope...in fact, I think it would be the ideal light for a family with a newborn...just enough to change a poopy diaper, not enough to wake the neighborhood! Or, perhaps in a dark hallway that leads to the bathroom?

It just wasn't ideal for a bedroom situation!

This next light, is my favorite! When I first saw it, I thought, "nope...not gonna like it" (see how I make rash judgements like that?!!), but, when I plugged it in...I found that it gives of the most wonderful glow!

It's a warm "amber" and just the right amount of light for a kiddos bedroom! It's awesome...just enough light to scare the boogeymen away, but not enough to keep the kids awake!

I love it!

Wanna win one?

Leave me a comment, and lemme know whatcha think!

Want a second entry? Visit Maxxima Style, and tell me which nightlight is your fave!

For a third entry...tweet or retweet about this giveaway!

I'll close this giveaway Sunday night, and announce the winners (remember...there's SIX to giveaway!!) sometime on Monday!

Final Hydrasip Giveaway!!!

2009-12-29T11:24:00.000-06:00

Well, ladies and gentlemen...this is it!! Our final Hydrasip Stainless Steel Water Bottle giveaway!! Enter now...or forever hold your peace! This is the last of the bottles they have generously sponsored to us!

This week, it'll be this bottle:

The girly girl in me totally loves that it comes in pink! PINK!! Can you imagine? That was the first one we gave away...it's so awesome (right, Helga?!!)! And, I totally love that they are ergonomically shaped for comfort!

I, myself, am so completely enamored with these BPA free bottles, that I bought three of them! Three lucky people in my life are getting one of these bottles for Christmas!! (Shhhh...don't tell them!!)

There are sooooo many great things about these bottles! The ones we have chosen to giveaway are the double walled bottles. The double walled bottles are great for cold or HOT drinks!

Tea drinker? Coffee drinker? Live in MinneSOOOta and wanna tote along some hot chocolate to prevent you from freezing your buns off?

Then, these double walled bottles are for you! Don't like hot drinks? That's A-okay!! 'Cuz it's double walled, it'll keep your drink cold, too!!

Another bonus? The bottles always...every. single. time...come with two covers! One cap, and one "sippy" cap! Most "other" bottles require a second purchase for the sippy cap, but Hydrasip includes both caps with every purchase!

Seriously. How could it get any better?

Wait, wait!! I know!! I have to tell you, that the customer service is amazing. Through my contact with Hydrasip, I have found that this is an awesome company that aims to please. If you have any questions, hesitations, qualms...contact them. They are incredibly easy to work with!

So...you want one, dontcha?!! Well...you can just leave any old comment under this post to be entered! Or, if you've linked up over here...you'll be entered automatically (i.e. no need to comment here!!)!

Good luck, my friends!

Hydrasip Giveaway--AGAIN!!!

2009-12-22T10:28:00.000-06:00

Jody, my extremely wonderful and generous contact at Hydrasip, has agreed to sponsor TWO more giveaways!!

This week, it'll be this bottle:

I, myself, am so completely enamored with these BPA free bottles, that I bought three of them! Three lucky people in my life are getting one of these bottles for Christmas!! (Shhhh...don't tell them!!)

There are sooooo many great things about these bottles! The ones we have chosen to giveaway are the double walled bottles. The double walled bottles are great for cold or HOT drinks!

Tea drinker? Coffee drinker? Live in MinneSOOOta and wanna tote along some hot chocolate to prevent you from freezing your buns off?

Then, these double walled bottles are for you! Don't like hot drinks? That's A-okay!! 'Cuz it's double walled, it'll keep your drink cold, too!!

The girly girl in me totally loves that it comes in pink! PINK!! Can you imagine? That was the first one we gave away...it's so awesome (right, Helga?!!)! And, I totally love that they are ergonomically shaped for comfort!

Another bonus? The bottles always...every. single. time...come with two covers! One cap, and one "sippy" cap! Most "other" bottles require a second purchase for the sippy cap, but Hydrasip includes both caps with every purchase!

Seriously. How could it get any better?

Wait, wait!! I know!! I have to tell you, that the customer service is amazing. Through my contact with Hydrasip, I have found that this is an awesome company that aims to please. If you have any questions, hesitations, qualms...contact them. They are incredibly easy to work with!

So...you want one, dontcha?!! Well...you can just leave any old comment under this post to be entered! Or, if you've linked up over here...you'll be entered automatically (i.e. no need to comment here!!)!

Good luck, my friends!

The Portion Plate Giveaway--#2!!

2009-12-15T11:15:00.000-06:00

To help support, encourage, and "incentivize" you...we're having another giveaway!!

The wonderful people at "The Portion Plate" have generously offered us a couple of Portion Plate kits!! The plate that helps you visualize your portions!!

The giveaway today, will include the above plate, as well as a children's portion plate!

Today, whoever links up with their progress over here, or anyone who leaves a comment on this post, will be entered to win a plate, placement, and portion information pamphlet!

These plates are adorable!

And, I haven't even eaten off them, yet! ;) No, seriously...they are so cute...another item I so wanted to just keep for myself!

They offer a great visual and great information for helping to control your portion sizes!

It was incredibly eye opening for me to see how warped my "view" of portions was...this will definitely help you control those portion sizes!!

Okay, so...head on over here to link up and be entered, or leave me a comment for an entry after this post (you know, if you aren't participating in the Hot and Healthy campaign!!)!

Hydrasip Giveaway--#2!!

2009-12-08T10:32:00.000-06:00

Oh boy!! Am I excited about this!!

You know all the talk about BPA and the potential harm it has on your bod? Well...stainless steel is takin' off...and have we got something for you!

Hyrasip, a company owned by three women, has agreed to donate this water bottle in support of the Hot and Healthy Thru the Holidays campaign!

I talked directly with one of the co-owners, and she was delightful, and full of excitement about getting people to drink more water, and so willing to offer the product they believe in!

I have this (except the giveaway one is black), a double walled stainless steel water bottle:
Sitting in my bedroom...just waiting for someone to win it!

As we discussed here, water is awesome for your bod!

I've also heard, that warm beverages may help protect you from the H1N1 virus! This bottle will keep your beverage warm...keep it cold...it's easy on the eyes and comfy to hold! (Wow...sounded like a poem, huh?!!)

All you need to do, is link up with your Hot and Healthy progress over here or leave a comment under this post, and you'll be entered to win! We'll announce the winner next Tuesday, with the linky check-in post!!

Good luck!

Bodylastics Giveaway!!!

2009-12-01T09:38:00.000-06:00

Man, oh man!!

Have we got a giveaway for you!!!!

The amazing, wonderful, generous people over at Bodylastics, are sponsoring one of our giveaways!!!

They have donated one of their phenomenal Bodylastics, resistance band sets...valued at $60.00!!! Just for you!

Seriously...do you have any idea on how hard it is for me to give this away? I sooooo wanna just keep it for myself...or, I guess...I could just head over here and buy one!

It would totally be worth the money spent. This is an amazing resistance band set. The photo above is the exact set you could win (including an instructional DVD)...just by linking up over here or by leaving a comment under this post!

The winner will be announced next week...during link up Tuesday, for Hot and Healthy!

Good luck!

Portion Plate Giveaway!

2009-11-24T10:10:00.000-06:00

To help support, encourage, and "incentivize" you...we're having another giveaway!!

Only this time...there's a twist!

This giveaway will be "open to the public"!!

We have had such generous vendors offer such great products, that we wanted to be sure to give them some more exposure...so, welcome to the first "Hot Giveaways to stay Healthy Thru the Holidays"!!!

The wonderful people at "The Portion Plate" have generously offered us a couple of Portion Plate kits!!

Today, whoever links up with their progress over here, or anyone who leaves a comment on this post, will be entered to win a plate, placement, and portion information pamphlet!

These plates are adorable!

And, I haven't even eaten off them, yet! ;) No, seriously...they are so cute...another item I so wanted to just keep for myself!

They offer a great visual and great information for helping to control your portion sizes!

It was incredibly eye opening for me to see how warped my "view" of portions was...this will definitely help you control those portion sizes!!

Okay, so...head on over here to link up and be entered, or leave me a comment for an entry after this post (you know, if you aren't participating in the Hot and Healthy campaign!!)!

Hyrdasip Giveaway!!

2009-11-17T11:00:00.000-06:00

Oh boy!! Am I excited about this!!

You know all the talk about BPA and the potential harm it has on your bod? Well...stainless steel is takin' off...and have we got something for you!

Hyrasip, a company owned by three women, has agreed to donate this water bottle in support of the Hot and Healthy Thru the Holidays campaign!

I talked directly with one of the co-owners, and she was delightful, and full of excitement about getting people to drink more water, and so willing to offer the product they believe in!

I have this, a double walled stainless steel water bottle:
Sitting in my bedroom...just waiting for someone to win it! And...perhaps, we might just have another to give away, soon! ;)

As we discussed last week, water is awesome for your bod! I've also heard, that warm beverages may help protect you from the H1N1 virus! This bottle will keep your beverage warm...keep it cold...it's easy on the eyes and comfy to hold! (Wow...sounded like a poem, huh?!!)

All you need to do, is link up with your Hot and Healthy progress over here!

Good luck!

Maaxima Pedometer

2009-11-12T11:09:00.000-06:00

Hey Hot and Healthy friends!

Keely and I are so super excited to have the support of Maaxima Style to help promote our Hot and Healthy Thru the Holidays campaign!

They have provided us with a digital pedometer to award to one of our hard working, dedicated campaignees!

You should see this pedometer!

It's so cute! Little and blue and shiny and in it's own little box?!!

Seriously, I wanted to just keep it for myself.

But, that wouldn't be fair...so, one of you who linked up on Tuesday, will win this cute little guy!

He can be your little companion, your little cheerleader to help you get your 10,000 steps in, like Keely recommended!

A great, big "Thank You!!" to Maaxima Style for supporting us all on our endeavor to be:

Hot and Healthy!!

You can find the latest health tip here or fitness tip here.

What's This?!

2009-11-06T23:30:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone!

If you're coming over from my main blog...I'm starting this blog to comply with my BlogHer contract!

I have a review coming up...so stay tuned (it'll come with a giveaway, too!!)!

Thanks friends!