Back up and Running

I have been Missing In Action for a little while. However, I had been posting a few things to my other blog but now I can not get into it to view, transfer, or post. So it is almost like i am starting fresh back on this one. I am missing Tons of posts on this one and it looks as if i have not posted on here since August. That Does not make me happy. I had been waiting to hear back from someone, anyone! But, No answers, no help. Just my wonderful Blogger friends who have been trying to help. So I just gave up for a while. I have felt lost and out of place not posting, researching, reviewing, and interacting with y'all! I just want to say I'm sorry for not being here but with all the problems i have been having, A part of me just want to start over but then again, it took me such a long time to get to where my blog was before all the problems hit!

It wasn't just the Blogger/Blog Problems. I lost my Job in June due to Cutbacks. (I REALLY loved that job too!) but I found one a few weeks later (But Seriously HATED that one) only to loose it again to to closing. Dang you Crappy Economy!!!!!

My Computer also went down in November and It took me over a month to get it back (Grrrr!) I'm Trying to catch up, contact my contacts (hehehehe) reconnect with my blogger friends, twitter friends and Facebook Family and just find time between my Husband, Farm, and 2 Kids to blog.

I have a few things to review and I am trying to confirm about Giveaways as well but I will be posting on a few things Just to get you all some really great Info on some Really great products. (I'm so In Love with Purex right now! LOL)

Big Love to you all and Thank you for hanging in there.

something is wrong with my blog!

Ebeanstalk Toy Review

Recently, I did a Site review on Ebeanstalk. (you can view that post Here) I really liked the way they have all the items in their own "space" and how easy it is to find just what you are looking for. They offer everything from Baby toys to Toddler Toys .

I had a Chance to Review a toy from ebeanstalk.com with my 9 Month old Boy. We received Vehicle Fun Links By Wow Toyz.

Right away I knew that my little man would love this toy! It is one of the best Baby Toys for his age.  The way that He has to connect the cars or trains together will really help his hand/eye coordination and help his confidence level move up. He is very into seeing how things work (Just like his Daddy!) so the fact that this set of toys is very simple is a plus. Another reason I love the design of the toy set is it isn't distracting from what the toy is supposed to be about. So many toys now have flashing lights, sounds, and bright colors,  and that can be very distracting from the Act of Play. Playing with toys is our kid's way of learning how things work (Wow, this falls if i drop it) how things feel (this is bumpy and this part is smooth) and my favorite, Imagination. That is why I like the simple toys. I feel that imagination is something that is being lost on most kids due to technology. But that is a whole other post!

All in all, we really liked the toy we received and will be using it often. Even my 4 year old daughter enjoyed playing with it! 

So head on over to eBeanstalk.com  and take a look around. See what they have to offer and how easy it is to find the perfect toy! With so many toys to choose from, it's hard to pick out the perfect ones for your children. Ebeanstalk wants to make sure they have the best toys around and they could really use your help. Head on over to ebeanstalk and tell them what your favorite baby toys and kids toys are! It's important to them to provide great toys by age and the only way they can make sure they have the right ones is to get feedback from moms like you and me!

Disclosure:  This post was not edited by anyone but myself.  All opinions are 100% mine. I received a toy from the company free of charge in order to do this review. I was in no way paid or compensated for this review. For more information on my disclosure policy, Please visit the "Disclosure Page" located at the top of this page.

Glee Gum Review and Giveaway

Glee Gum. Just the name sounds fun! But there is more to it than just gum! It is an All natural Gum made with sustainably harvested rain forest chicle.

Sure, you can get it ready to chew but you can also get the Make Your Own Chewing Gum Kit! You can also get Make Your Own Gummies Kit and Make Your Own Chocolate Kit! Talk about good fun!

When It came time for me to decide which one we wanted to try, I let my 4 year old daughter pick out which one she wanted to try. It really surprised me that she chose the Gum (she is a huge Chocolate freak just like her momma!

Last Christmas 

But she Decided that the gum would be great fun and she was right! When we opened the box it had a few different samples of the ready to chew gum.

Glee Gum Kit

I must say, it was very good! Even my husband liked it! I really enjoyed making it with my little girl, spending the time with her and letting her choose the flavors. It was very simple to do too. You just soften the chicle gum base (we used the stove top. I'm not a huge fan of the microwave.) Then I let sprinkle the sugar on the table and add the corn syrup. She did a great job when it came time to knead it too! We made part of it in the Cherry flavor but didn't use the Cinnamon (i don't much like Cinnamon flavor) We used some Jello mix to make our own flavors. To our surprise, it came out very good! My favorite flavor is strawberry so we did that one (its the only flavor we had! HA!)  Macayla really liked that she could do most of this, with my help of course! 
They have some wonderful suggestions for the kits such as using it at a Birthday Party.  



Cant wait to try it? You can visit Glee Gum  To order your own kit, or ready made products. You can also find a store near you that sells Glee Gum.

Win it! One lucky person is going to Win their choice of Make your own kit! You can choose from Chocolate, Gummies, or Gum! Want to know how to win? Ok!

Manditory Entry:

This MUST be done or all other entries will NOT count!

Go to the Glee Gum Site and Tell me something you learned and what kit you would like if you win. (leave one comment.)

Extra Entries

1. Like Mommy Reviews on Facebook.
2. Like Glee Gum on Facebook
3. Follow Mommy Reviews on Twitter
4. Follow Glee Gum on Twitter 
5. Grab my button! (right sidebar). Make sure to leave a link to where I can find it. (2 entries=2 comments)
6. Blog about this giveaway with a link back to this site.  Make sure to leave a link to the post. (3 entries=3 comments)
7. Tweet about this giveaway! You can do this once per day. Make sure to leave a link to the tweet. 1 entry each. 

This giveaway will end on 2/10/11 at 11:59 PM CST. The Winner will be notified by email/DM on twitter and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. If you see your name posted on the winners post but did not see an email from me, Check your spam or send me an email/DM and I will get with you.
To avoid getting flooded with spam,  you can leave your email in this format: mgmommy0930(at)yahoo(dot)com

That's it! Make sure you leave your Email and/or Twitter handle in at least 1 comment. If you win, I wont be able to get you your prize if I don't have it!

Disclosure* I received my choice of Make your Own Candy Kit in order to do this review. I was not paid to do this post. All opinions are 100% mine and not edited by the company. Please visit my Disclosure page for more information.

NOTE-Individual results may vary. Do not leave unattended while heating. Please make sure to stay with your child as you are making this product. Do not leave small children unattended while chewing gum or eating Gummies to avoid choking.

Winners!

I want to thank everyone who entered my giveaways and visited my site! The 2 Giveaways that just ended were very exciting for me to host on my site because they are things that I already love and couldn't wait to share with you! I will be having some more very exciting giveaways coming up here in the next few days so please make sure to keep checking back and telling your friends!

Here are the winners from the Ritter Sport Giveaway.
Each winner will get a box of assorted flavors (84ct)

34 129 45 66 

Timestamp: 2011-01-12 17:54:25 UTC

via random.org


 #34 is

 @AvonLady02 who said...

    #1 grabbed your button it is on my right sidebar at http://avonlady02.blogspot.com/

#45 is

 Di who said...

    I follow you on GFC - most likely as my Twitter profile :)

 #66 is

Angie who said...

    already follow with gfc.


And #129 is

 Peggy who said...

    Follow Ritter Sport on FB

I have already sent an email out to those winners. They have 48 hrs to respond or another winner(s) will be picked.

Here are the 2 winners from the Protect-a-Bed Luxury Pillow System Giveaway:

18 26 

Timestamp: 2011-01-12 20:08:47 UTC
via random.org



#18 is
karasceviour said...

    I like you on facebook ( Kara

#26 is
 Di  said...

    I have your button at http://www.freesamplemomma.com/blog

LUCKY LADY MOMMA! WOW!


Congrats! an email has been sent to my winners!

*NOTE* as you can see, I have included a time stamp of the random number page along with a link to the page that the numbers are from. Just in case! ;)

Ritter Sport German Chocolate- Review and Giveaway 4 winners!

CHOCOLATE!!! 

Yeah, That about says it all. Well It would but this stuff I'm talking about is hands down, 100%, No Lie, The BEST darn Chocolate I have ever put in my mouth. I'm talking May The Good Lord strike me down now If I'm lying. OK good. I'm still here. See? Still here. I tell you people the truth!

And just what is this super amazing wonderful stuff I am talking about? RITTER SPORT! . Oh yeah baby. It is the STUFF!!! So here is the deal, I'm a bit of a chocolate freak. I have it hidden in every room of my house. Just not the bathroom. That's just nasty. Anyway, if anyone ever needs just a little sweet snack, I have you covered. 

Let me start at the beginning. 

I grew up living with my grandparents,(my Oma and Opa). My dear Grandmother Passed away in 2001. She had Lupus too. (That stuff, It sucks!!) Anyway, we did not eat much American food. German, Irish, Italian, Yes. American, No. I can't remember the first time I had  Ritter Sport but I do remember the first time I bought it for myself. I was 17 and went to New Mexico to help watch my young cousins who lived on an Air Force Base in Alamagordo. (spell check says I didnt spell that right but I'm not sure How to spell that. Oh well. its been 11 years!) anyway, I wound up watching like 7 kids that summer. I was supposed to be there for 6 weeks but Sweet Lord! I so couldnt handle that. My Mom and Dad came to get me like 1 or 2 weeks early. But I digress! While I was there, I went in one of the shops on base (It was a combo of American and German Military) I went down the Candy isle. Like always! I saw this Chocolate and Thought It looked familiar. I'm one to try odd products. Ask my Husband. LOL! I saw the Yogurt filled Chocolate and was like "Heck Yeah!" I bought 5 bars I think. I also remember that it lasted all of 2 days. 

I think I spent at least 50% of the money I made that summer on Ritter Sport Chocolate. I went about 6 years without having anymore untill I found this little German shop. I bought every single Yogurt bar. I'm not kidding. Santa Brought my 4 year old 12 bars for Christmas. The sad part is, its really for me! 

Ritter Sport is a great Company. Here is a quote from the website. NOTE: I totally agree with everything you are about to read. 

"Ritter Sport is the square chocolate with a difference: Quality. Chocolate. Squared. Founded in 1912 by Alfred and Clara Ritter in Waldenbuch, Germany, the Ritter family is dedicated to producing the finest quality chocolate from the best ingredients in the world. Its iconic square shape and colorful, snap-open package symbolize Ritter Sport’s commitment to its customers, quality and innovation. All of the 13 chocolate masses are expertly blended to complement the hand-selected ingredients featured in each variety. True to its family roots, every cocoa mass and ingredient undergoes rigorous quality control testing.

With Alfred T. Ritter, grandson of Alfred and Clara, now at the helm, Ritter Sport has further increased its commitment to the environment. In 1996 Ritter Sport became the first company in the confectionary industry to organize environmental protection systems at the company level. Ritter Sport’s environmental initiatives include promoting sustainable cacao agroforestry through its “Commitment Nicaragua” project, its own combined heating and power station, and, of course, Ritter Sport’s fully-recyclable, single-layer polypropylene packaging."

They care about the earth. I think that most companies do now but they did back when the laws were not in place for "green".  

Please visit their page  to learn more about them. It's a great family business. 


Guess what!?!?!?! They are so great, They are going to give 4, yes 4 of my readers a great prize! Want to know what it is???? NO? ok. I wont tell you. 

Kidding! Each of the 4 winners will win a sampler box of assorted flavors of chocolate. Each box contains 84 mini bars. I'm jealous! 

Here is how to win that HUGE box!
Mandatory Entry: Visit the Ritter Sport  page and tell me something you learned in a comment.


Extra entries:


1) Like my new Facebook page.


2) Follow me on Twitter.


3) Follow this blog via GFC.


4) Follow Ritter Sport on Twitter 

5) Like Ritter Sport on Facebook 

6) Grab my button for 2 extra entries. (leave 2 comments with a link to the site)


7) Write a post about this. leave a linkback to here. (Leave 3 comments with a like to the post)

This Giveaway will end on 1/10/11 at 11:59 pm CST. 4 Winners will  be contacted by email and will have 48 hrs to respond or the prize will go to someone else. If you feel you have won and not seen an email please check your junk or spam folder. 


Good Luck!


Disclaimer: I received some products from Ritter Sport in order to do this review. I have years of experience in eating this chocolate so that was a huge bonus. I was in no way compensated for this post other than stated above. All opinions are my own. Please note: This product may contain nuts. for more Information, Please visit my Disclaimer page. 

Toys! Ebeanstalk.com Site Review

There are so many places that you can find to buy toys. So many in fact that it can be so very overwhelming! I know exactly how that feels. Sure, you could type in an age group of toys to search for or even a type of toy. But lets be real, Amazon, Sears, or some other huge name will more often than not come up first.

I have found the answer! Ebeanstalk.com is a great place to find your kids toys. It is so easy to navigate and search for toys for your  one year old , toys for your two year old and even baby toys.

They make it so easy to find just what you need by giving you the option of viewing toys for boys, girls, or top sellers. If you are looking for just the right toy(s) for your little one or even a birthday gift for a friend/family member's child, I really think you will love this site! The toys are picked by other moms so you know that they are going to be loved by all!

Visit the site and leave me a comment about what you like or don't like about it!

Protect-A-Bed Luxury Pillow System- review and giveaway!

To start this post off, I just want to say I have had a few posts up and I guess they have not been showing up. One or two have but since I made a few changes to my blog, Only a few of my posts have been up. I would like to say how sorry I am to the sponsors and to my followers. I am doing everything in my power to make sure that NEVER happens again. I want all of you to know that I am an Honest, Hardworking Mother. That being said, Let the giveaway begin, Again!

I love to sleep. What person doesn't? However, us moms don't get to sleep as much as we would like. I have a 7 month old and a 4 year old. Now the 4 year old has been the best sleeper but my 7 month old, not so much. He sleeps about as much as a new puppy. Yeah, with the whining, and the waking up around 4 to 5 times a night. He has no teeth yet so no chewing on the furniture yet. LOL! So when I get the chance to go back to sleep, I want to be as comfy as possible. 

I have all kinds of pillows in my bed. (My poor husband) Oh how I love my Pillows! 

I had the chance to review the Luxury Pillow System  by Protect-a-Bed. When it came I was thrilled! My daughter who loves to steal my pillows quickly decided that it was for her. Sorry sister This one is for Mommy! 

Protect-A-Bed is a great company that started in South Africa under the name
SNUGFIT™. (That name was already taken in the U.S. so that's how they came up with Protect-A-Bed)

Protect-A-Bed is actually a Health product. It helps protect your bed from all kinds of things that make us sick like Bed Bugs and allergens that can Get in our mattress or pillow. They have tons of items to help, well Protect your bed! Items from regular mattress covers, crib protectors and yes you guessed it, Pillows! You can browse all the Items  Here. 

I am the type of person that when I find a good pillow, I stick to it. Yes, my pillows tend to be on the ragged side. Nope, I'm not going to throw them out. Or so I thought! I have to say one of my main pillows has now been replaced.  No, Pigs are not flying around although they should be. Ha! I really love this pillow. I mean L.O.V.E. this thing! It is large but not to large. Its soft but not too soft. It even came with extra stuffing that I can add to it if I need to make the pillow a little more firm. 

The first time I used the pillow, I was having one of those nights that my hands and legs hurt, my back hurt and i kept having to shake my hands and feet for some reason. I just couldn't get comfy! (I wound up on the couch that night.) But a few nights later, I decided to give it another go. It was like I was sleeping on a freaking cloud! I did  not need the extra stuffing. I made a very small pillow for my daughters dolls and stuffed that with the extra stuffing. I slept so good for the 2 hours at a time my baby lets me sleep. (ahhh the early years....) But those where the most restful 2 hours of sleep I've had in a long time!

So the pillow was a WINNER and the fact that it helps keep us safe and help keep us healthy all while helping this down right tired momma sleep is an amazing combination! 

Here is a bit of info on the pillow direct from the sponsor! 

"Protect-A-Bed’s Luxury Pillow System includes Protect-A-Bed’s new Luxury Pillow with a waterproof pillow protector. The Luxury Pillow features a microfiber filling, with the same comfort and feel of down, and a unique zipper closure that allows users to adjust the amount of filling to achieve exactly the right balance of height and firmness or softness to suit individual comfort levels.

The pillow protector has a soft and silky feel. It is hypoallergenic, waterproof, antibacterial and features Protect-A-Bed’s Miracle Membrane®, which ensures breathability and dust mite protection. The pillow protector also features the patent-pending Breathe-A-Vent™, a unique flap-covered vent that allows the pillow to breathe.

Valued at $99.99, The Luxury Pillow System is ideal for sensitive skin and healthy sleep environments and is the ultimate in pillow comfort."

Protect-A-Bed provided me with a Complimentary Luxury Pillow System for Trial. They are so great to

that they are going to give 2 of my readers one!
Here is how to enter:

MANDATORY

1) Like my new fan page on Facebook

2) Follow me on Twitter

3) Follow me on GFC

4) Like Protect-A-Bed on Facebook 

Tell them you came from Mommy Reviews!

5) Follow Protect-A-Bed on Twitter 

Let them know I sent you! (@mgmommy0930)

6) Post about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to my blog.  for 3 extra entries. Make sure you leave the link back to your post in each comment.  (please leave 3 separate comments)

7) Grab my button! Leave a link to where the button is posted in each entry.  For 2 extra entries (please leave 2 separate comments)

THIS CONTEST WILL END ON JAN 8TH AT 11:59PM CST.

Here are a few rules:

Please do the tasks as stated in each entry. I will check and If I find that a contest entry comment is not completed by that task in that entry option, I will delete all comments by that person and they will NOT be eligible to win this contest. I have had such a problem with that the last few times. 

Make sure you leave your emial in each comment or atleast in a few of them. The best format to use is mgmommy0930(at)yahoo(dot)com. That way random spammers cant get your email and well, spam you!

If you have any questions please email me at the above email or tweet me @mgmommy0930.

Good Luck!

The 2 winners will be announced on Jan 9th. I will email the winners and they will have 48 hrs to respond with the requested information so I can pass it on to our sponsor. If any winner does not respond in that time frame a new winner(s) will be chosen where they will have the same amount of time to respond. 

Note: This was posted back in December but for some reason It never came up as for public reading. The contest should have been over by now so the only thing I changed in this post was the ending date. At the original time of this post, My son was 7 months old and has now turned 8 months old and has 2 bottom teeth in. No chewing on the Furniture yet but everything else is subject to be chewed on at this time. He really likes to get a hold of sissies toys. But that is another post all together. 

Disclaimer: I received a Product sent by Protect-A-Bed in order for me to do this review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own. Please visit my disclaimer page for more information.

Two Of A Kind, Working On A Full House, 5 winners of a $100 American Express Gift Card!

Wow! I could really use this and I'm sure you can too! My friend over at TTwo of a Kind has a huge Giveaway going on right now for a $100 American Express Gift Card! The best thing is, There will be 5 winners! We have been having a very hard time with money the last few months. I'm sure a few of you know that I went from making $2200 a month to about $400 a month a while back. Its tough around this time of year too with my kids. I want to get them things for Christmas but Its really not possible right now. They will have a gift or two waiting on them but nothing big. I really hope I get to win one! Go HERE to enter and please, Let me her know I sent you! Oh, and If you are a lucky winner let me know!

Stock-N-Go Finally Launched!

YAY! Stockn'Go is Here! 

If you have been on Twitter, Then you may have seen people sending tweets out over the last few months about Stockn'Go and their web site. Well, the wait is OVER! StockN'Go is here! And to celebrate, They have teamed up with WishPot to give us a great Giveaway! The prize you ask? They are giving away a beauty gift basket (retail value over $250) filled with brand name beauty products. Now I don't Know about you but I have had a very rough year and I could totally use that! 

Its super easy to enter too! All you have to do is go Here. Read on for info on how to enter. Just let them know I sent you! Its that easy!!!!!

This giveaway is for a week only so hurry! And if you do win nothing would make me happier to know about it!

$75 Sears Gift Card Giveaway

Today, The Sears HTS Blog Listed me as their feature Blogger on their site! Please check out the post Here on their site and also Here on my site. That is so exciting for me! Sears HTS is Going to give one lucky reader a $75 Gift Card! I know that it will be a Huge help for Christmas shopping!

Here are a few things to know to enter the giveaway:

1. Please make sure you leave your email or twitter handle in your comment(s)
2. The Winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hrs to respond or another winner will be chosen.
3. If you think you might have won but dont see an email from me {mgmommy0930(at)yahoo(dot)com} please check your spam or junk mail folder.
4. Make sure to leave a comment for each entry.
5. There is a mandatory entry which MUST be done or all other entries will not count. I will delete them.
6. Please be fair! dont leave an entry comment if you didnt do the task. 
7. GOOD LUCK!

MANDATORY ENTRY:

• Like my Brand New FacebookPage!

EXTRA ENTRIES:

• Follow this Blog Via Google Friend Connect
• Follow me on Twitter 
• Visit The Sears Blog and Leave a comment on my post!
• Like SearsHTS on Facebook 
• Follow Sears on Twitter Let 'em know I sent you!
• Grab My button! Leave a Link to where I can find it. (3 entries=3 comments)
• Blog about this giveaway with a Link back here!! Leave a link to the post (5 entries=5 comments)
• Add My page to your blog roll! (2 entries=2 Comments)

This Giveaway will end on 12/6 at 11:59 PM CST. The winner will be chosen using random.org.

Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way to host this giveaway. Sears is sponsoring this giveaway because I was chosen to be a featured blogger on their Hometown Blog. Please visit my Disclosure page for more information.

Washer and Dryer Running Away?

Kids. Kids and sports. Kids, Husbands, and Sports. That is a combination that can make my washer and dryer want to sprout legs and RUN away! That and my husbands farm work! Think about it, kids already know how to get into every kind of mess there is and when you add sports to it, thats where you get the biggest mess!

Softball takes a huge toll on a Washer. You have that red clay dirt and those grass stains! I swear, I figure i'll never get that stuff out!

 If your like me, then you need to visit Sears appliance showroom! You know Sears! They always have the top of the line....Everything!

Sears also has a huge selection of washers and dryers that will meet every budget! Just think, your Child has this huge tournament, Double Elimination and all that. Those kids play their heart out sliding to catch every ball or to beat the odds and make it to that home plate. I mean sweat, dirt, grass and who knows what else is ground into their what was once pristine white pants! Now how in the world are you, Mom, going to get those clothes back to a presentable state for when they go to the "last team standing" game!

Well, you make sure that you have an amazing laundry system to back you up! And you know you start at SEARS! It dosent matter if its your local hometown store or the online store, you will get great customer service, and a really good deal. Almost as if you had a family member working there! 

I have bought 2 Washers and 2 dryers from sears over the last 10 Years. No, nothing was wrong with the first set. We just moved and I thought it was a perfect time to get a new set. Hubby and I were both happy, I got a new washer/dryer, and He saved TONS of dough!

To get the best deals around, Just visit  Sears.com and pick out your favorite color and style of Washer and Dryer. Order it online or at your Hometown Showroom. I bet you will be surprised at how stylish they are and just maybe, It will make you feel that much better about keeping your athlete's clothes looking new!

 

A Note About Me: My name is Elizabeth and I live in North Alabama with my husband of 10 years, My 4 year old daughter and 6 month old son. We own and operate a large working poultry farm and Love every minute of it! Visit me on my blog Mommy Reviews where I do Honest and Real Product Reviews and Giveaways for "everything a mom needs".

Tips for Surviving Black Friday

Getting ready for Thanksgiving to me means planning the family meal, getting the house ready for decorating, and planning for BLACK FRIDAY! I love Black Friday! I usually go to the same stores but only plan to shop at one or 2. The other stores, such as Wal-Mart, the only reason I go to those stores is to "people" watch. And If I happen to be lucky enough to get a good deal then WOO-HOO!

I do try and make an action plan before I go. I tried a few years to just kinda go with the flow and see what I get and where I go but that never worked out so well. You know, Look at the ads, go to the stores web sites and also visit Consumer Search. Consumer Search is an award-winning Web site that helps consumers make informed shopping decisions. They analyze a mix of expert and user-generated product reviews and recommend the best products to buy based on their findings.

Here are a few things I do to get ready for the start of the Holiday shopping season, (AKA: Black Friday) As well as tips from Christine Frietchen, ConsumerSearch’s editor-in-chief from ConsumerSearch.com

1. This is one that both Christine and I agree on:  Do your homework, many Black Friday circulars are leaked early online.  ConsumerSearch.com will be analyzing leaked circulars from Kmart, Sears, Kohl’s, Lowes and more on our Productopia blog.  Some so-called door buster Black Friday deals aren’t worth getting in line early.
   http://www.consumersearch.com/blog/tag/black-friday
2.  Check on the current price of Black Friday sale items. Sales circulars often tout “a $50 savings” but that’s off of the MSRP. The savings off the street price is usually much less dramatic. We found lots of items selling for the same or less right now – no waiting, no lines. Example: you can find some Items on Amazon.com for less than the black Friday in store prices at other stores. And you can already Shop the Amazon.com Black Friday prices Now!
3. Check for reviews. Try ConsumerSearch.com, we analyze the best editorial and user reviews to create an easy-to-read report to make sure you love what you buy- we do all the research so you don’t have to.  You can also try a Google search for PRODUCT + Reviews. Also look at the store’s site, since most retailers allow customers to post reviews. Dont forget to check out your favorite review sites! You know you will always get a well thought out, Honest review. At times, A person who works for the company or store will go and write their own fake reviews just to get the ratings up. I have seen this on all types of Items but mostly on Phone applications. If your in doubt, Just ask your friends!
4. See if there’s something better. We found this to be especially true with cameras and GPS: The product might be a good deal, and might even get decent reviews, but a much better product often costs the same or only $5 or $10 more for a much better gadget. Hey, just because its on sale on Black Friday dosen't mean that its the best one for the price out there. It just goes back to doing your homework. 
5.  Set a spending limit. Leave the credit cards at home and bring cash so you HAVE to stick to your budget.  Don’t go shopping with your “spendy” sister or friend who tends to get caught up in the Black Friday excitement. You Really do need to stick yo your guns here. If you dont you are going to be like me about 6 years ago. Oh man its kinda funny. I go to get just some trees and decorations or whatever. I have NO plan. I didn't look at an add. I just GO! I had by best friend with me. She parked our Shopping cart in a strategic central location and I would weave my way in and out of the crowd and just Grabbed stuff! (She did have to go get the tree for me. I'm kinda a weenie). We had an amazing crazy fun time but I think we spent like $300 when I really didnt need all the stuff. 

I hope you all take the time and spend it with the family tomorrow. Thats what its all about really. Please be Careful when you are out on Friday. You know, Crazy people and all! 
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and Be truly Thankful for all you have.

I do love each and every one of you and I want you to know that I am Thankful for you all. 

With much LOVE,
Elizabeth 

Caress Whipped Souffle Review and Giveaway Ends 11/19

This Giveaway now has a winner! Congrats to Barbara who said:

I'm now following Caress on twitter. Barbara

November 7, 2010 7:35 PM

An email will be sent and she has 48 hrs to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Out of 79 entries, Random.org came up with {Result: 15}
Thank you so much to everyone who entered! Keep watch because I have a huge "blog event" comming up with lots of giveaways!


Ok my dears, this is the first post using my new laptop! I'm so happy to have a computer that i can use for more than 20 min without it freezing up on me! To Celebrate, I have a few giveaways to get to! Here goes the first one!

Caress was so kind to provide me with my choice of the New Whipped Souffle body wash! I chose to try the Peach and it smells so good! I have always loved using Caress Products so I knew this would be great too.

The different thing about the Whipped Souffle is that you can feel the softness just sinking into your skin. You know that it isnt going to wash away when you rinse the soap off your body either. The smell is wonderful too. The Whipped Souffle comes in White Peach and Silk Blossom and Blackberry and Vanilla. Caress uses the new Unique Silky Fragrance Infusion to deliver the best experience possible.

I Couldn't pull a picture off their site to put on here but trust me, the packaging is so nice! Caress will also be offering a beautiful gift pack just in time for the Holidays! You can find them at major Retailers such as Walmart.com.

This is one of the items I am adding into my "Must Give" Holiday Gift List!

Win it!  

One lucky reader will win a bottle of body wash and 1 (one) Beauty bar! 

*please leave a separate comment along with your email and/or Twitter id for each entry. 

*Random.org will be the program I use to choose the winner.

*The winner will be e-mailed and will have 48 hrs to respond or another winner will be picked. 

*PLEASE do not enter unless you want to win. I have had to choose an alternate winner on almost all my giveaways due to the first winner not resopnding to any emails or twitter messages I have sent. 

*If you think you may have won and don't see an email from me, check your junk mail or go ahead and add my email to your address book: mgmommy0930{at}yahoo{dot}com. 

Thank you and GOOD LUCK!

This Giveaway will end on 11/19.

This entry is mandatory and must be done before any other entries will count!
1) Tell me what your favorite Bath product is! Don't Worry, It dosen't have to be by Caress!

2) Follow this blog on GFC. 

3) Follow me on Twitter.

4) Follow Caress on Twitter.

5) Blog about this giveaway and leave a link back to this post. Give yourself 3 extra entries! (leave 3 separate comments)

6) Grab my button for your blog! (2 extra entries. Leave 2 separate comments. If you have a button "up for grabs" let me know so I can put yours up!) 

Disclaimer- Caress supplied me with one of the discussed items in order for me to do this review. I have in no other way been compensated for this review. All opinions are my own and this post has in no way been reviewed or altered by said company.

CSN Review

I know that many of you have heard of CSN. But for those of you who haven't, CSN Stores have so many items its crazy! They have everything from Dressers, to dining room chairs, kitchen items and great stuff for the Bathroom. CSN is made up of over 200 online stores and has something for everyone and every budget. 

I have a small farm house that is 2 bedrooms, one bathroom (yikes!) and a huge living-room that flows into the kitchen. With the new baby, there isn't enough rooms for us all! So my wonderful husband is building  on to our house. YAY! I'm getting a new Super Huge bedroom,  massive closet and a nice size laundry room along with a smaller bathroom. He says the bathroom is for "The Men". Never mind that the other "Man" is still only 5 months old! But I'm not complaining! This bedroom is HUGE! I have been looking for a few items to put in my new space and I don't think I will ever be able to decide on just a few things!

I saw this bench  and thought it would look great at the end of my bed! The addition to the house also means that we will have to furnish my sons room so I was looking at the kids area and I was so surprised to see that CSN also offers things such as Baby Carriers  and strollers. That Is GREAT! I saw this amazing, Beautiful Cradle. I don't need one as I already have one for the baby but all I can say is WOW! Look at how detailed this is! I wish I could have this! 

Green Frog Art Old World Cradle

I'm telling you, They have it all! I can't wait to browse this store some more to see what I can find! Christmas is comming up you know! Now i think i know just what to ask for: a new set of pots and pans! Yes, I got a new set about 3 years ago for Christmas but I love to cook and I, for some reason, think I must have a new set every few years! I MUST have this Rachael Ray set! I just love her!

Seriously, if your in the market for Anything at all, Stop by CSN first. They have all the top brands all in one place. They even offer free shipping on most items! Not in the market for a new bed? Just take a look and drool over what you might choose when you are!

*Disclosure* CSN Will provide me with a $35 E-Gift Code to use at my discretion for my review of the CSN site. All opinions are strictly my own and were in no way influenced by anyone other than myself. I was in no other way compensated for this review. For more information on my disclosure Policy Please Visit my Disclosure page.

*ENDED* Yo Gabba Gabba LIVE! Book/CD Giveaway

We have a WINNER! Random.org picked the winning comment, number 29-

Leandrea at Coupons Are Great said...

I follow YGG on facebook. They have the cutest pictures!

 Congratulations! An Email has been sent! She has 24 hours to respond to the email.
Thank you to everyone that entered!


I have to say, Yo Gabba Gabba is one of those childrens shows that are so great to teach often overlooked things such as standing in line, waiting your turn, no biting, and saying I'm sorry. My 4 year old girl and my 5 month old son really like the show. It has different parts to the show that all tie in together at the end which is great for little ones attention span (or Lack thereof). I know, I know I'm going to have people thinking "She shouldn't be letting her 5 month old watch TV!" Well guess what, I DO! He Really loves that show and it's a great way for me to be able to do things around the house or even read that magazine article i've been trying to read for a week. I've given up on books (tear) until I can put the baby down to play with out him screaming his head off! He thinks he MUST be held at all times and if not, well, he will LOUDLY let you know what he thinks of that!

Back to the reason of this post: Did you know that Yo Gabba Gabba is on Tour sponsored by Kia Sorento CUV? Yes!

Yo Gabba Gabba LIVE! Tour

I think it is so great that they have gone on tour and even more excited that something like this is close to where I live! See, I live in Alabama and for the most part, any type of Tour just dosen't come even close to here. Thank goodness that I live just about 45 min North of Birmingham and that were are finally being seen as a "stopping place" for concerts and tours. Yo Gabba Gabba will hit Birmingham on October 19th (my little brothers 16th birthday!) and I am so excited to get to take my daughter to see it! To find out when the Yo Gabba Gabba Live! Tour will be in your city click here.

 In addition to the tour, there is a great Sweepstakes going on!

 The prizes are great and will be a wonderful way to spend time with your family. Here is a little information on the contest:

The Cool Tricks Contest
"provides an opportunity for fans across North America to show-off their unique talents.  Gabba fans are invited to upload a :30-:60 second video demonstrating their Cool Trick to win the opportunity to receive a VIP Family 4 Pack and have their winning video played during intermission at the KIA Motors Presents YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! show closest to their hometown. All participants are also automatically entered into a sweepstakes where one lucky fan will receive a five night trip for four to the Caribbean or Mexico"

"In addition, each winner will also receive $100 worth of organic baby food, toddler, and lunchbox snacks and two “Party In My Lunchbox” Yo Gabba Gabba! Live! concert t-shirts from Revolution Foods and Plum Organics. Grand prize includes roundtrip air, Junior Suite accommodations, and all meals to a choice of Palladium Hotels & Resorts."

Wow! What a great big prize pack! Here is the Info you need to enter! Upload your "Cool Trick" to the Yo Gabba Gabba Live! Facebook page Here (Official Rules are also available there.)

Cool Tricks begins on Wednesday, August 18 at 10AM EST and winners will be notified and announced prior to the show date in each local market.  The entry period for the grand prize sweepstakes will end on Sunday, Dec 12. 

Now for the fun part! I am so excited to be able to Host a giveaway for a Yo Gabba Gabba Prize pack!

1) Yo Gabba Gabba!, Party in My Tummy Book: Lift the flaps, sing along, and find out what everyone in Gabba Land is bringing to the party!

2) Yo Gabba Gabba!: Music is Awesome Volume 2: jam-packed with Super Music Friends & all of the songs you’ve grown to love including those from Weezer, MGMT & Jimmy Eat World.

Wow! You can also get a sampling of the record with a free download of our favorite Super Music Friends – Weezer’s track “All My Friends Are Insects” at  www.yogabbagabba.com/freedownload

MUSIC IS AWESOME! VOLUME 2 is also be available digitally on all music services.  A deluxe edition with bonus tracks is now available for pre-order at iTunes (link below): http://itunes.apple.com/us/preorder/yo-gabba-gabba-music-is-awesome/id388019174

Here is how to enter to win! ***Please leave your email in your comments!l

1) Follow Yo Gabba Gabba on Twitter or Facebook. Leave me a comment below telling me which one you did.

2) Follow me Via GFC. Leave me a comment saying you did or you already do.

3) Post about the Cool Tricks Contest on your blog with a linkback to this post. Leave a link to your post. (3 Entries= 3 comments)

4) Visit the Yo Gabba Gabba  site and tell me what city you would like to see the show at!

Thats it! This Giveaway will end on 10/16 at 9pm CST. The winner will be chosen via random number Generator. The winner will be notified by email and will have 24 hrs to respond to that email or another winner will be chosen. 

Disclosure: I will receive 2 Tickets to the Show in Birmingham, AL for my review. I was in no other way compensated for this post. For more information on my disclosure, Please visit my disclosure page. 

BedHead Styling Review and Giveaway!

If you have hair that is anything close to mine, you have a hard time doing anything with it other than a pony-tail! I have some seriously fine, thin hair. OK, When my husband and I got married 10 years ago, I wanted a beautiful up-do with those defined curls (i guess they are called pin curls? lol) Well, I got the beautiful up-do with those curls-but it took an entire can of hairspray to do it!

From time to time, I use hot rollers, different size curling irons and such to try and get even the smallest wave in my hair. NOTHING! It just turns out to be a mess. One side is kinda nice. One side is just sad. I have had my hairdresser teach me how to do it, just in case I'm not doing it rite or something! I have even gone so far as to put 3 perms in my hair within a years time, just hoping that it will hold enough that win i do style/curl my hair, it will hold. NO LUCK!

Thank goodness for Bed Head! They have traditional styling products and tools but also tools. Yes, the specialty tools look very strange. But so interesting!

I was so excited to gave the chance to test/review a styling tool from Bed Head, I cant even tell you! I thought, "here is my chance to find something to style my hair with that actually works!". You all know their quality products that Bed Head offers from Ionic Dryers, Flat irons, traditional Curling irons to the new Specialty Tools. The product I tested is called "The Wave Artist".

Wave Artist

 When I opened the box I thought "Lord, I hope this works!" I honestly was going to wait until the next day to try it out because It came UPS and they run between 5:00 and 6:00 PM at my house. But I really couldn't wait! I just wanted to test part of my hair, just one little section!WOW! I just did the front parts of my hair and kind of held back the part I didn't do to get an idea of how it would look. I was so cute! It reminded me of how Taylor Swift does her hair, You know, those beautiful waves? So i just brushed my hair out thinking it would leave a very small wave like when you pull your hair back in a pony tail when its still damp. Uhhh...... NOPE! The defined waves stayed! Seriously?!?! MY hair actually held a wave? Never mind that it wasn't a full blown curl! I was so excited to wash my hair that night, Put some product in it, and try to do my hair with the Wave Artist the next day!

I watched the instruction video and prepared my hair that night. It said to use Bed Head Masterpiece Hairspray, but I didn't have any so I just used my super mega helmet head spray I had on hand.

After I used the Wave Artist, my hair did look like Taylor Swift! I was very happy with how it looked.

I decided that the next time I used it, It would look even better! Its one of those things that takes a time or two to get just right. But all in all, I Loved It! Those great people over there also sent me 2 of their new head bands and some clips to fix my "Bed Head"! My 4 year old stole them....... But they were so cute! (My camera isn't working so i cant show you the the pictures i took of them)

The wonderful people at Bed Head are going to give one lucky reader their very own Wave Artist Styling Tool! Thanks Bed Head!

Can't wait to win? The Wave Artist is Available now at Ulta and Amazon. Just click Here
   
How to win: The mandatory entry MUST be done or all other entries will not count.

 *NOTE* Please Make sure you leave your email address or your twitter handle so I can let you know if you win. (Leave your email in this form so that you don't get spammed! mgmommy0930(at)yahoo(dot)com) Also, Leave a comment for each entry.

Mandatory: Visit Bed Head  and tell me what you would love to have out of everything they offer! 

Extra Entries: 

1. Follow this blog via GFC
2. Like Bed Head on Facebook 
3. Follow me on Twitter
4. Follow Bead Head on Twitter
5. Post my button on your blog (make sure to leave a link!) 2 entries-2 comments 

That's it! This contest will end Sunday, October 10th at 9 PM CST Where a winner will be chosen by random draw. The winner will have 24 hours after receiving the notification email/tweet to reply or another winner will be chosen. This has happened in 2 of my giveaways already, so PLEASE if you want the product enter. If you dont, want it, give everyone else a fair chance


*Disclosure* I was given one Wave Artist Styling Tool in order to do this review. I was in no way paid for this review. All opinions are 100% my own. Results and Satisfaction may vary from person to person. For more information on my Disclosure, Please visit my disclosure page.