A Family Completed...

Big G Cereal and DC Comics- GIVEAWAY

2011-11-16T09:03:00.000-08:00

Big G cereals and DC Comics have joined forces to create a powerful breakfast for you and some of your favorite little sidekicks. Available now, specially marked Big G cereal boxes will feature collectable DC Super Hero comic books starring members from the Justice League, from Batman to Wonder Woman to Green Lantern!

Each box will be packed with action, adventure, and delicious cereal, not to mention a cut-out DC Super Hero mask your child can use to help the Justice League fight crime at breakfast time!

I'm so excited about this! My daughter who is eight loves reading books that have comic strips mixed into the pages. It really encourages her to read so I know she will love reading through the colorful comic's included in the box. My son who is four is all about superhero's and love being read to. He also can enjoy the comics as it is something that is a huge interest to him! He also loves the cut-out mask on the back of each box.

Participating Big G cereal include:

Cinnamon Toast Crunch (17 oz.)

Lucky Charms (16 oz.)

Honey Nut Cheerios (17 oz.)

Trix (14.8 oz.)

Golden Grahams (16 oz.)

Reese’s Puffs(18 oz.)

Cocoa Puffs (16.5 oz.)

Let Big G cereals and DC ENTERTAINMENT feed your family’s bodies and minds while also giving them a super start to their day! Visit www.BigGCerealHeroes.com for more information on Big G cereals and DC Comics.

The Giveaway

One winner will receive a prize pack including:

1 box of a participating Big G cereal
1 set of the collectable DC Super Hero comic books
1 Green Lantern action figure

To enter: Must be a follower of my site and answer the question:
If you could have any super power, what would it be?

This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top left of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

2- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com) 5 extra entries

3- Add my button to your site. 1 extra entry

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

4- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie Enter to win a prize pack from DC Comics and Big G Cereal RT http://tinyurl.com/8y4q9a6 #MyBlogSpark #giveaway 1 entry for each tweet per day. Max 1 a day.

Contest ends at 7:00 am PST on November 30th I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before December 3rd and they will have 48 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open to bloggers and non-bloggers within the US only!

Disclosure: A prize pack was provided in exchange for a honest review. In addition for providing an honest review they offered a reader of A Family Completed a chance to win a prize pack of their own through a giveaway hosted on the blog, A Family Completed.

Breakfast and Books from Kellogg's and Scholastic Giveaway

2011-10-06T14:40:00.000-07:00

My daughter is currently in the 3rd grade. This year is especially monumental since this is the first year children are required to read, comprehend and answer all test questions independently. For adults this may not seem so daunting but for students this is a huge responsibility. Students with lower reading levels will not do as well as students who excel in reading. Now it's more important than ever to have children reading and increasing their reading levels.
For us the best way to get my daughter reading is by offering a variety of books she is interested in. Reading anything is better than reading nothing. Every month she comes home excited with a Scholastic catalog and has her favorite books circled. I love ordering through Scholastic. Not only does it help my daughters school but it's the same company my mother ordered books for me from when I was a kid.

Wondering how to take a great thing and make it better? Well, Wal-mart has teamed up with Scholastic and Kellogg's promote reading! Only at Wal-mart will you find specially marked packages of Kellogg's products that contain a code, codes can be entered and redeemed for books on the Scholastic website. Two Kellogg's products can score you a $5 coupon! Even better there is no limit to the number of codes you can enter and the redemption period doesn't end until 7/12/11! That's enough to keep your child reading all school year!

Want to get started with reading in a big way? You have the opportunity to win 4 books and 5 full size specially marked Kellogg's products! That means your on your way with 5 free codes! And last but not least a $15 Wal-Mart gift card! This is huge!

To enter: Must be a follower of my site and leave a comment on their child's favorite book, or their favorite book to read to their child(ren).
This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Giveaway Closed Congrats: Elena

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top left of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

2- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com) 5 extra entries

3- Add my button to your site. 1 extra entry

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

4- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie Enter to win a HUGE prize pack from Scholastic and Kelloggs and a $15 GC to Wal-Mart RT http://tinyurl.com/3qm3yfh #giveaway 1 entry for each tweet per day. Max 1 a day.

Contest ends at 7:00 am PDT on October 14th I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before March 16th and they will have 48 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open to bloggers and non-bloggers within the US only!

Disclosure: A prize pack was provided in exchange for a honest review by me. In addition for providing an honest review they offered a reader of A Family Completed a chance to win a prize pack of their own through a giveaway hosted on the blog, A Family Completed.

Official Rules

Chore and Behavior Charts from Goal For It Review

2011-03-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

I had recently become interested in Chore Charts and Behavior Charts for my children. My daughter is in elementary school and is at an age where she has become interested in allowances. Our struggle was she seems to have difficulty staying on task and completing her daily chores. I began searching for charts that would help her. I wasn't able to find anything like what I had pictured in my head. Many charts were not customizable and didn't fit into our routine.

I was introduced to GoalForIt.com and was really impressed. They offer many charts and to do list and they are all customizable and even better they are FREE! The process is really simple, after siging up you go through a series of questions and customize your chart. I really love that I could choose what I wanted on our chart and the order, and was also able to include behavior and healthy habits all on one chart. There is even an option to make a custom tile if you don't see what your looking for.

I really think this is a great site for parents and children to help make goals visible. My daughter can look on her chart to see what is expected of her and can work towards her rewards. I enjoy that I can print out a copy for her, or can do it all on the computer with "stickers" the program offers. It has been so great that I am working on a chart for my 3 year old with small goals for him to work towards.

Overall Goal For It is a great site for the entire family. Teens and adults can also use the site to set goals for themselves. Parent's and children can use it to create goals and to help kids stay on task. Being able to visually look at a "to do" list has really helped my daughter and has minimized frustrations for everyone. She loves being able to work towards something and see her accomplishments and areas she may need to work on a little harder. I would recommend Goal For It to all my friends.

I was offered compensation in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are mine.

Wordless Wednesday- A place to call home..Hopefully, Someday

2011-02-23T10:52:00.001-08:00

I was pretty happy with how these turned out given they were done with my point and shoot. This is Folsom Lake in CA. My husband and I, and even the kids are really hoping a move to this area is in our future.

Thanks for visiting, while your here be sure to check out my Umi Shoe's Giveaway ends 3/17

For more WW check out 5M4M.

Umi Shoes Review and Giveaway

2011-02-23T09:51:00.000-08:00

My son has been a huge Umi fan, him being a rough tough boy has made me a huge Umi fan. My son is a runner, climber, jumper and digger of dirt with his feet. Umi shoes were made for him! They have become the most durable shoes he has worked on destroying. They are the shoes he outgrows before he outwears and they still look good.
His latest pair of Umi's will be put up to a new test as he grows bigger and has really begun to enjoy many crazy boy things. The Oleson style was made for little explorers like him. These stylish trail shoes have extra traction layered on traction that are perfect for outdoor exploring this spring and tree climbing this summer. These shoes are also equipped with Umi-Tex waterproof membrane, which means no more uncomfortable rain boots for us!
My son recognized the Umi red shoe box when it arrived and has since fell head over heels in love with his new shoes. Umi shoes aren't just well functioning shoes they are also very stylish shoes. They have so many cute shoes for boys and girls in size ranges for infants to big kids and have made ordering a snap. They have a easy to follow shoe size guide, offer printable rulers to help with sizing and they offer free shipping and returns on ALL orders!

Buy it: Visit Umi Shoe's and order directly through the site or use their location tool to find a store near you!

Bonus: When ordering shoes use code LBCD1 for a FREE Laurie Berkner Band CD.

Win it: One A Family Completed reader will a pair of Umi shoes from their site.

To enter: Must be a follower of my site and leave a comment on their favorite shoes from the site.
This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top left of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

2- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com) 5 extra entries

3- Add my button to your site. 1 extra entry

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

4- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie LOVES Umi Shoes and wants YOU to WIN a pair of your own! Enter to WIN before 3/17 http://tinyurl.com/47hmrnx #giveaway 1 entry for each tweet per day. Max 1 a day.

Giveaway is Closed. Congrats to leanne_mac!

Contest ends at 7:00 am PDT on March 17th I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before March 18th and they will have 36 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open to bloggers and non-bloggers within the US only!

Disclosure: A pair of shoes was provided in exchange for a honest review by me from Umi. In addition for providing an honest review they offered a reader of A Family Completed a chance to win a set of their own through a giveaway hosted on the blog, A Family Completed.

I have a Love for Daily Deal Sites- CityDeals.com Giveaway

2011-01-25T10:55:00.000-08:00

There are many deal sites popping up everywhere, and I love each of them equally. I was excited to learn about a new deal site that is expanding to my general area- San Francisico!
Unlike other daily deal site I subscribe to, citydeals.com is different. They offer deals that don't just last for one day! This is great for my super busy days that I forget to check in only to find out I've missed the deal. Very upsetting. I'm looking forward to trying out some of the great SF Bay deals they will be offering.

As part of their move to San Francisco, CityDeals is launching a fun I ♥ San Francisco Giveaway! (Details here: http://sanfrancisco.citydeals.com/) for their local friends! It’s a quick two week contest with amazing prices including:

Date Night on the town including dinner, flowers, jewelry and more ($697 value)
8GB iPod Touch
iPad
San Francisco Giants game package which includes tickets, food and apparel.

Please go enter! Be sure to tell them that Tonya Crain referred you!

Don't live in the San Francisco area and feeling left out? Don't be CityDeals.com serves many locations throughout the country and their site features lots of internet deals that can be used nation wide as well!

*This giveaway shared with my by the One2One Network. By posting this I am entered to win a $25 Gift Card.

Umi Shoes Winter Clearance!

2011-01-10T10:12:00.000-08:00

Anytime Costume Review

2010-10-17T15:46:00.000-07:00

Last year I was I discovered a great convenient way to buy costumes... ONLINE! I was really excited to discover AnytimeCostumes.com. I loved the easy of sitting at home and browsing costumes with my daughter without the stress of picking one out after wandering the Halloween store for an hour and finally just settling. My daughter also really enjoyed the experience. Win Win!

I was given the opportunity to review another costume from AnytimeCostumes.com. My daughter spent about a day browsing through the huge selection of costumes they have to offer before finding "THE ONE!" I love that we are able to get accurate sizing with a size chart so I was confident her costume would be a perfect fit. We received our costume really fast, which is a plus since my daughter is 7 and starts to get antsy in anticipation.

The costume is great quality and she is sure to be a huge hit on Halloween. I love that AnytimeCostumes.com is a huge carrier of many sorts of costumes not just limited to a Halloween variety. You can find a great selection of holiday costumes which are great for school plays, they also carry many adult and plus size costumes! AnytimeCostumes.com comes highly recommended by me, check them out and be sure to take advantage of FREE UPS shipping on orders over $50.

I was provided with a costume in exchange for a honest review.
The opinions expressed are purely my own.

Barbie: A Fashion Fairy Tale Review

2010-10-17T15:45:00.000-07:00

We have owned several Barbie movies as my daughter has grown up. She has always been a huge fan of them and even based a few years worth of Halloween costumes off their characters. I wish they had them when I was a kid as I know I would've been hooked as well. As she has grown older her interest has began dropping off in them, that is until Barbie: A Fashion Fairy Tale came out!

This movie has hit the nail on the head in all her interest. She may only be 7 but she is a tween in the making, but a child at heart. She is into what she's wearing how her hair looks and trying to be cool, but still loves playing with her Barbie's and dolls.
In Barbie: A Fashion Fairy Tale, Barbie is a ousted actress who thinks she has been burned by her longtime boyfriend Ken. I giggled at the references to well known paparazzi type websites that Barbie is reading from and all the modern add's to this Barbie movie I haven't seen in past movies. Barbie decides she needs a break and heads to Paris to visit her Aunt a Fashion designer, only to discover that she is closing up shop and pursuing other interests.
The movie had a perfect pairing of fantasy and reality that drew my daughter in and made her really love the show. There are villain's and fairy's that your familiar with with Barbie movies that are fun and important lessons to be learned.
I would recommend Barbie: A Fashion Fairytale for any young girl, especially ones who are transitioning from little girlhood and may be moving away from really fantasy sort of Barbie movies.

I was provided with a copy of the DVD in exchange for a honest review.
The opinions expressed are purely my own.

Wordless Wednesday- Halloween Ready!

2010-10-12T20:06:00.000-07:00

Visit 5 minutes for mom for more WW

Costume Discounters Review

2010-10-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

There is a new and exciting trend in searching for the perfect Halloween get-up, and it doesn't involve crowds and overpriced Halloween stores. The newest trend is shopping online! More and more are turning to the net not only to find the perfect costume but to find the perfect price!

I was introduced to Costume Discounters for the first time this season. I was really impressed with the competitiveness of their pricing, they offer a low price guarantee, if you find the same costume somewhere else they'll match the price and knock off an additional 20%! I also really love that they offer FREE EXCHANGES which made me feel more secure in choosing a costume for my 3 year old. I have found that sizing with toddler costumes can be difficult and although having a size chart present have had issues in the past. The shipping was super fast and the costume was perfect in every way and fit like a glove! Yay!!

Costume Discounters has a wide variety of costumes and featured some that I hadn't seen on other sites I'd checked out. We found a great Hobo costume for my son, and we feel confident he won't be a carbon copy Halloween Eve.

I highly recommend Costume Discounters to everyone. Low prices, fast shipping and a wide variety of great costumes, really you can't go wrong!

I was provided with a costume in exchange for a honest review.
The opinions expressed are purely my own.

Happy 6th Birthday Umi Shoes! Discount Code!

2010-09-14T08:40:00.000-07:00

Hurry to Umi Shoes to save 15% using code Bday6 today through September 17th!
Also, enjoy FREE SHIPPING on orders over $50!

Dash Away from Surf City Garage Review and Giveaway

2010-08-03T12:39:00.000-07:00

I very rarely have ventured down the automotive aisle in my favorite stores, or even to a store that sells nothing but automotive supplies. It's intimidating with aisles of bottles and parts I know nothing about. When I need a automotive cleaner I will venture to my husbands "car section" of the garage. Honestly this can be rather overwhelming also. We have a large selection of cleaners in our garage, from "tried and true" to "went on a limb and failed" they all sit together on the garage shelf.
My car especially is in a sad shape. I'm the mom taxi and my backseat shows that my passengers are all under the age of 8. I have a pretty strict no food in my car rule, you couldn't tell that by the amount of stains that are hanging out back there. I have so many unidentified markings and stains that nothing has seemed to really clean them up.
When I was contacted by Surf City Garage about their Dash Away product I was eager to give it a go. Excited that I may have found a product that would blow my husbands mind! What bragging rights.

The bottle of Dash Away states that it can be used on carpet, cloth, vinyl and smooth leather. It's been so hot out here I was pretty much dreading going out and working on my car and thought maybe I can try it on my leather couches just to see how well it worked.
My leather couches use to be ivory before I had children. Now they are a color I call "dinge and feet". After reading the simple spray and wipe instructions I tried a little patch on the seat of my couch. I let it sit about 15 seconds before wiping and was BLOWN AWAY. I haven't seen that color on my couches in years! Really the result is amazing, with just one application my couch was clean! My husband was equally blown away, and has a new weekend project to add to his list on top of doing his truck and my car. This is our new go to product and will defiantly be purchasing Dash Away from now on!

Buy it: Visit Surf City Garage and order directly through the site or use their location tool to find a store near you!

Bonus: Have a Pep Boys Store near you? Surf City Garage has a 25% off Coupon for their product line at Pep Boys! Woo Hoo!

Win it: One A Family Completed reader will win a bottle of Dash Away.

To enter: Must be a follower of my site and leave a comment.
This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top left of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

2- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com) 5 extra entries

3- Add my button to your site. 1 extra entry

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

4- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie Have Kids? Have a Car? You NEED Dash Away! Win a bottle f@ A Family Completed Ends 8/25 http://tinyurl.com/2ewtv3r #giveaway 1 entry for each tweet per day. Max 1 a day.

Contest ends at 7:00 am PDT on August 24th I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before August 25th and they will have 36 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open to bloggers and non-bloggers within the US only!

Disclosure: A sample of Dash Away was provided in exchange for a honest review by me from HHPR. In addition for providing an honest review they offered a reader of A Family Completed a chance to win a set of their own through a giveaway hosted on the blog, A Family Completed.

Purse Of Hope

2010-07-16T16:37:00.000-07:00

From the Site:

What is human trafficking?

Trafficking in persons is modern-day slavery, involving victims who are forced, defrauded or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation. Annually, about one million people, mostly women and children, are trafficked across national borders. That is in addition to the millions trafficked within their own countries. Traffickers generate billions of dollars in profits every year while victimizing millions of people around the globe.

* The average age of victims is 11-14.
* Approximately 80% of victims are female, with 70% of those females trafficked into the commercial sex industry.
* After drug dealing, human trafficking is the second largest criminal industry worldwide reaching $32 billion annually.
* Sex trafficking is an engine of the global AIDS epidemic.
* By 2010, sex trafficking will be the number one crime worldwide.

Trafficked persons are forced or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation. Under international law, all children who are commercially sexually exploited are considered trafficking victims, even if no force or coercion is used. Sex trafficking is one of the most lucrative sectors of the trade in people, and involves sexual exploitation in prostitution or pornography, bride trafficking, and commercial sexual abuse of children.

Purse of a Hope was set forth in 2007 to provide aftercare for women and children exploited in the commercial sex industry.

From the site:

Almost all exploited girls lack the capacity to change their circumstances, yet they’re desperate for the opportunity to have a greater dignity and purpose restored in their lives. Our rehabilitation residence, Total Impact House, is the perfect example of what can happen when vulnerable girls are given that opportunity. This program provides comprehensive and ongoing support to meet the complex needs of our beneficiaries. It includes: a nurturing, family-like environment, individual and group counseling, Bible study and prayer, creative therapy such as dance and drama and writing, and formal education and/or vocational training. Purse of Hope is committed to helping girls and women rebuild destroyed lives. Our goal is to equip them with the life skills necessary for self-sustainability while helping to heal the lingering wounds of abuse, poverty, and exploitation.

Kmart is a awesome young lady who is traveling to Uganda in September to work as a house mentor to these women and hopefully helping to provide these women with love, stability, and the love of Jesus. She is seeking donations to help fund her 9 month journey. If you would like to help donate and to see a cute little video she put together check out her blog HERE.
Donations can be made electronically via Paypal or via "snail" mail.

Please send checks to:
Katie Martin (write “purse of hope” in the memo)
464 Central Ave
San Francisco, CA 94117

Ringling Bros. Circus is Coming to Town!

2010-07-07T19:00:00.001-07:00

We were fortunate to attend the circus last year for the first time, you can see my posting about that HERE. It's hard to believe it's been a whole year since the show, partially since it' something we all still talk about! We will be attending this year's show and I haven't even told the family yet since it will be all I'll hear about for the next month! Feld Entertainment would love for you and your family and friends to come to the show and have offered up some great coupons to entice you, be sure to tell your friends. Don't forget to catch the pre-show and the animal open house (Oakland only) they are great fun and a fun warm up for the show.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey^® is roaring into town with Barnum’s FUNundrum!^SM, a new jumbo-sized, un-miss-able event celebrating the 200^th anniversary of the birth of legendary P.T. Barnum, the Greatest Showman on Earth!

From the moment that you arrive, the momentum explodes as The Greatest Show On Earth^® comes to life in a way that can only be inspired by the greatest showman who ever lived. At Barnum’s FUNundrum!, the funtastic and funbelieveable experience answers the FUNundrum! so get your tickets today before this train leaves the station!

Come experience

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Barnum's FUNundrum

Oracle Arena-August 11-15

HP Pavilion at San Jose-August 18-22

SPECIAL OFFER

WEEKDAY SHOWS-Purchase a 4-pack of tickets for only $44 (not valid for CC/ FR/ VIP seating); redemption code: MOM

WEEKEND SHOWS-$5 off tickets to all performances (not valid for CC/ FR/ VIP seating); redemption code: MOM

Log on to http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/ih92w2 and enter redemption code: MOM

This is a sponsored post but the opinions and descriptions presented belong solely to A Family Completed, your experiences and reactions may differ from mine.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-06T20:44:00.001-07:00

A Few shots from 4th of July evening at Lake Tahoe.
For more WW Check out 5 Minutes For Mom.

World's Largest Wagon Mosaic from Radio Flyer

2010-06-30T10:52:00.000-07:00

Since 1917, the famous little red wagons by Radio Flyer have been a favorite of families and kids everywhere. Boasting more than a dozen award-winning wagon models and a complete line of tricycles, scooters, and other ride-ons, Radio Flyer is as synonymous with outdoor play as summer itself.

There are endless ways to enjoy your little red wagon, from standing out in the crowd at the Fourth of July parade, to toting all the ingredients for a fun summer picnic. Not only will your red wagon provide hours of outdoor adventures, it will bring a lifetime of memories too. That's why Radio Flyer is celebrating the beginning of summer by launching the World's Largest Wagon Mosaic. Simply capture your families' Radio Flyer moments on camera and go to www.RadioFlyerArt.com to add your photo and help the legacy of the little red wagon live on!

Mommy and Me Monday

2010-06-28T09:32:00.000-07:00

We are a sun loving family and we are serious about sun protection. My daughter it's hard to see but is dosed in sunscreen (she is suppose to have her hat on) my son is wearing his UV Skinz shirt, SPF 50 swim shorts water shoes to protect his feet and a hat on his head. This was his first trip to Tahoe. It was such a great time!

This is his first encounter with the water he was so excited!

iHeart Faces- Pets

2010-06-28T08:20:00.001-07:00

11 Boredom Buster Ideas

2010-06-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

With summertime upon us many parents are struggling to find ways to keep young minds busy and entertained while no breaking the bank. Thanks to Dr. Mary Zurn, Vice President of Education for Primrose, here is a list of some great summertime boredom busters.

1. Boredom Buster Jar: At the beginning of the summer, sit down with your family and brainstorm a list of activities that can be done alone or that you can enjoy doing together. Encourage your children to share their own ideas and help you decorate and label a simple jar as the family "Boredom Buster Jar." They'll feel more involved in the project and more likely to think this is a "neat" idea, if they participate in the creation and idea generation. Next, write everyone's ideas down on slips of paper and as a group decide which ones should go in the jar. Anyone in the family can pull any idea out of the jar to fight the summertime boredom blues.

2. Stories Alive: It sounds too simple, but reading is one of the most important ways to keep young minds engaged during the summer.Make reading even more fun by finding ways to bring the stories to life. For example, in the book Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran, children create a make-believe town in the desert out of rocks, boxes, and their imaginations. Read the book with your children and then challenge them to create their own town with materials they find in the backyard.

3. Art Start Box: You'll need to gather basic art supplies-child safe scissors, glue, markers, tape and construction paper. Put them in a special box along with empty oatmeal boxes and paper towel rolls, colorful magazines and bits of aluminum foil. Occasionally add a special surprise like chalk, stickers, or stamp pads so there's always something new for the children to find. Even if you normally have these supplies around the house, it's fun for children to know that the Art Start Box is just for them. They'll probably have some good ideas of other household items that can be recycled to fuel their creative energies.

4. Family Performances: Break out old clothes or costumes and encourage children to make up characters and create a play to act out. They are the directors, actors, and producers. They can also make musical instruments out of pots/pans, wooden spoons, empty canisters and have a parade; or everyone can play along to your family's favorite songs. Record or video the performances, and enjoy the replay. You'll also be capturing a bit of family history everyone will enjoy for years to come.

5. Family Dance Party: Crank up the music and encourage your entire family to boogie down. Dancing gives children a great outlet for self-expression through their own motion and helps build self-esteem. It also enhances motor and coordination development by incorporating skills like jumping, landing and leaping. Dancing is a great activity that can involve the whole family and doesn't take very much preparation.

6. Fort Building: Children love to build all kinds of structures--from small towns to large towers. Constructing forts or tents is an activity that can keep children focused and problem solving for hours. All the items you need can be found around the house- some chairs, cushions, blankets, and of course adult supervision.

7. Cookbook Fun: Have you ever shared your favorite cookbook with your children? Take it out and ask your children to choose a recipe to try. Measuring can be a fun and easy way to keep math skills fresh.

8. Summer Scrapbook: All you need for this project is a spiral notebook. Encourage everyone in the family to draw pictures of favorite activities and collect mementos from special events throughout the summer. Children love to go back through scrapbooks and albums and tell about what happened at each occasion. They will also be building their storytelling skills at the same time.

9. Listening Game: Lie down in the backyard, in the den or at the park and listen. What do you hear? Do you hear what I hear? Can you imitate the sound? This is similar to watching the clouds and naming the shapes, and it encourages everyone to slow down and focus on listening.

10. Camping Out: Pretend to camp-out in the backyard. Plan a meal, pack a backpack and set up a campsite. You might even decide to spend the night!

11. Scavenger Hunt: Make a list or picture cards of common household items and have your children find the items on the list. Invite friends or neighbors to join in the fun to make it a competition.

Disclosure: I was entered for a chance to win a gift card in exchange for this post. No monetary exchange took place.

Pediped Memory Foam Technology

2010-06-22T09:25:00.000-07:00

I reviewed a wonderful shoe last year called Pediped. Not only are their shoe's adorable but the are also very comfortable. You can read me review HERE. I loved their motto which seemed to fit perfectly, 'Next Best Thing to Bare Feet'.
Just when you think a shoe has been perfected they went and upped their own game by introducing their newest feature in comfort...Memory Foam Technology (MFT)!
Pediped will feature the MFT in their line of sandals and ballet flats to maximize comfort for those little kiddy piggies. The new MFT line for fall/winter will be debuting next month also so be on the lookout as back to school approaches!

Suddenly Salad Prize Pack Giveaway

2010-06-09T19:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks to MyBlogSpark I was given the opportunity to try out the newest variety in the line of Betty Crocker's Suddenly Salad. This was a Greek variety. Although many of the other salads look really great this one wasn't a family favorite. I will say it could be because I made it straight from the box without adding any additional ingredients. Betty Crocker has so really wonderful recipes featuring the Suddenly Salad variety I think we would've enjoyed more had I tried one f those. I think I will give Suddenly Salad another chance because it was extremely easy to make and I think the recipes look great maybe next time I'll try Club Pasta Salad.

The prize pack as a whole is really awesome. It came with a Pyrex dish and lid a mixing bowl and a insulated tote! All summertime must haves. The insulated tote is adorable to which is always a plus.

Win it: One A Family Completed reader will win an identical prize pack like the one I received.

To enter: Must be a follower of my site and leave a comment.
This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top left of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

2- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com) 5 extra entries

3- Add my button to your site. 1 extra entry

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

4- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie Win a Suddenly Salad Prize Pack Ends 6/30 http://tinyurl.com/3yclduk #giveaway 1 entry for each tweet per day. Max 1 a day.

Giveaway is now closed: Congratulations to Dana!

Contest ends at 7:00 am PDT on June 30th I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before July 1st and they will have 36 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open to bloggers and non-bloggers within the US only!

Disclosure: A Suddenly Salad Prize Pack was provided in exchange for a honest review by me from Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark. In addition for providing an honest review they offered a reader of A Family Completed a chance to win a set of their own through a giveaway hosted on the blog, A Family Completed.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-08T21:04:00.001-07:00

Triple threat, beautiful, powerful and smart.

Sesame Street LIVE Giveaway! Closed

2010-06-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

We attended Sesame Street LIVE last year for Elmo's Green Thumb and had a blast! This year I have a family four pack of tickets to give to one lucky winner. Ticket Vouchers are good for the Oakland Show this coming weekend!

I also have a coupon code to use for a discount on tickets! Use code: ERNIE to save $3 off tickets (Excludes Gold Circle seating & Opening Night).

Click the image above to go to ticket master to check show times and to purchase tickets.

Win it: Just leave me a comment on this post with a valid email address.

Giveaway closed Congratulations to Brian! I know your family is going to have a blast at the show.

Giveaway ends June 9th 8am pst, winner's must respond ASAP otherwise a new winner will be drawn the 10th so I have time to mail the tickets.

Lands' End Harbour Island Twitter Event

2010-03-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

Tonight there is a BIG twitter event from Land's End. Lots of prizes! Here are the details:

Join Lands' End and representatives from the Islands Of The Bahamas and iexplore.com for a Twitter Event to celebrate the Lands' End's Bahamas Adventure to Harbour Island promotion at The Hub www.landsend.com/thehub. The site features engaging content focusing on travel through the summer as well as the chance to win a trip for four to the pink-sand beaches of Harbour Island.

Be a part of this exciting Twitter Event and tweet with representatives from Lands' End, the Islands Of The Bahamas and iexplore.com. The event will feature more than 25 fun giveaways ranging from Lands' End luggage, beach towels, travel kits, beach bags and gift cards.
Date: Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Time: 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. CST
Location: #landsend

Join the fun and follow:
@LEprMichele, @LEprMolly, @LEprLibby, @VisitTheBahamas,
@iexplore and @iexplore_Amanda

Blockbuster Express Code

2010-03-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

I love the newest ways of renting movies for my family... Kiosk! They make life so simple without having lines to wait in and easy return option's! I especially love that I don't have to pay MORE for the service. I can rent top hit movies with ease and pay a simple flat rate of one dollar a night. Even better with Blockbuster Express I can go online search movies and do a search of kiosk to see where it's available and reserve the movie ahead of time!

Blockbuster Express is giving a coupon code for you, your friends and family to all use but hurry the code is good for a rent one get one rental free until March 31st! Use Code 555G13B

This is solely the opinion of A Family Completed. Other people may have different experiences with the product/site/show.

Thank you to Blockbuster Express and MomSelect for providing a discount code .

Everybody Loves... Babies!

2010-03-24T15:07:00.001-07:00

Working as a Bzz Agent I am delighted to inform my readers of a new movie premiering Mother's Day weekend, May 7th. Everybody Loves.. Babies.

The movie is a documentary chronicling the first year of four sweet faced babies from four corners of the world. You will experience their first breaths to first steps. I love that it will feature the first year of their lives and give a insight look into how different and how alike the first year is across the world! The children featured hail from Mongolia, Namibia, United States and Japan. I can't wait!

Free Dunkin' Donuts Coffee!

2010-03-11T08:21:00.000-08:00

Disney on Ice Worlds of Fantasy Review

2010-03-04T13:35:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Feld Entertainment my family was able to enjoy a night out with Disney at the Disney on Ice Worlds of Fantasy show. We are no stranger to the Disney on Ice shows and have seen many since my daughter was two. We have come back time and again for the wonderful family time that is affordable and remember-able.

The World's of Fantasy tour features Car's, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King and Tinkerbell and her fairy friends. I was really curious to see how they would portray the cars show on ice, but confident that I wouldn't be disappointed. We attended opening night, I was surprised they would have a show start as late as 7:30 and wondered how my children who are use to a 8pm bedtime would fair throughout the show. They did wonderfully, they were entertained throughout the entire show and not once did we have a single complaint!

After a fun introduction from Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy the Car's cast performed. The crowd was roaring so loud it was amazing! The cars looked just as they do in the movie and were actually Car's on ice! It was really neat and probably the highlight of the show for me, my son was cheering so loud I was worried he wouldn't have a voice this morning. Next on stage was The Little Mermaid. I have seen many shows featuring The Little Mermaid and the music is always fun and the colors bright and great. The Lion King was up next and right before intermission, this was the highlight for my seven year old daughter. the costumes were fantastic and Timon and Pumba were really funny. A really great lead in for intermission to leave you pumped and talking. The end of the show took place in Pixie Hallow with Tinkerbell and her Fairy Friends. It was so fun seeing the fairies take center stage and the plot line was really fun. I can say out of all the Disney on Ice shows I have seen this has been my favorite! The skaters were phenomenal the costumes fantastic, music and plots were great too. This show really offers something for everyone in the family. I would probably go again tonight if given the chance we enjoyed it that much!

I mentioned one of the reasons we love attending the Disney on Ice shows is because they make them affordable. Ticket prices start at about $16 dollars a piece. We are sure to eat before the show as concessions are on the pricey side so having to buy less is beneficial while we're there and the kids were happy just having a smaller treat that was easier on the wallet.

A SPECIAL OFFER FOR YOU!

Purchase a 4-pack of tickets for only $44 for weekday shows (excluding Friday evening, VIP, FR)

or receive $4 off weekend tickets (excludes VIP/ FR) by logging onto http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/7qk2w7 and entering the coupon code: MOM.
Please make a note that you will still be responsible for service, facility and handeling fees.

This is solely the opinion of A Family Completed. Other people may have different experiences with the product/site/show.

Thank you to Feld Entertainment for providing a tickets to attend the show.

Rainbow Brite Adventure Pack Review

2010-02-18T15:16:00.000-08:00

I love that so many childhood toys I loved are being re-invented and introduced to my children to fall in love with too. One of my favorites was Rainbow Brite. I'm so happy to see Hallmark bringing her back to life with a new makeover and great friends for my daughter to fall in love with. This is something we enjoy together and I "get".
I received ten Rainbow Brite Adventure Packs to review and have reviewed by other mom's and children, the outcome was very positive. We handed these out to my daughter's friends at her birthday party. The mother's were all excited to see Rainbow Brite back and with a cool updated look. Although a few of the mother's missed the childlike Rainbow Brite they grew up with. The children who reviewed the cd-rom ranged in age from 4-7 all the girls really loved cd-rom's and meeting Rainbow Brite and her friends. Each had a favorite character, and all loved the horses, Puppy Brite and Sprites. A huge hit with each and everyone of them!

The cd-rom came packed with tons of fun activities, fun games and cool coloring pages. It kept my daughter really entertained and allowed her some computer time. She is really excited to see the new Rainbow Brite fashion doll collection that is available at Target and Toy's R Us. She was really excited to hear that Rainbow Brite was something that I loved growing up and now she has a chance to play with it too.

Feeling left out? Don't worry Hallmark has a huge Rainbow Activity Center that includes all the games, coloring pages and fun activities you and your child can go and enjoy online for FREE! There are even free mini episodes and a sing along theme song. There are lots of bright fun colors and so many activities that will only will your child be introduced to Rainbow Brite and her friends but will really get them excited and coming back for more!

This is solely the opinion of A Family Completed. Other people may have different experiences with the product/site.

Thank you to MomSelect & Hallmark for providing a product to test.

Tommee Tippee Sippy Review

2010-02-18T08:12:00.000-08:00

My son is a big sippy lover. He always has one at hand, which isn't a problem except having a full sippy at hand doesn't always mean he's thirsty. This becomes a problem with leaks. He will often leave a cup laying on the carpet next to him while he is playing and it will slowly drip until there is a little milk lake on my carpet. Being that he is in the "helper" stage he will usually grab an item of clothing and rub it into the carpet creating more for me to clean. I've tried many sippy cups over the years having two children and had yet to find a truly spill proof cup.
Being a reviewer for Mom Blogger's I was given the opportunity to try out a UK based sippy manufacture Tommee Tippee. This company is huge in the UK selling a Tommee Tippee product a estimated 1 every 3 seconds! With good reason, Tommee Tippee has been around since 1965, and has earned a great reputation for their products including their spill free products.
I was sent four cups from the Tommee Tippee Explora line. The colors and print on the cups were really nice. I liked the grippers on the bottom and sides of the cup, No more runaway sippy on the table or slippery sippy from banana covered hands. It has a soft spout which my son prefers. Two of the cups we received are Stage One Trainer cups with the handles on the side. I really liked the wide mouth and larger size than other cups I've seen that are similar. The stage one holds 9 ounces of liquid! We love these cups on cold days, my son prefers holding a handle rather than a cold cup. We also received two cups from the Stage Two Sippy Cup, this is a traditional sippy without handles. It also features the wide mouth and larger 11 ounce size. Additional both sizes had a built in lid which has been a HUGE hit with both my son and me. It's nice to be able to flip the top and throw the cup in my bag and not worry about it getting dirty, and my son has made a habit of closing the lid when he isn't drinking. The main reason we have become a Tommee Tippee loving family... We have been using the cups exclusively for over a week, we even brought it on vacation (a very long 4 hours ride) and we have yet to see one drop of fluid come from our cups! Not even a sprinkle after being upside down in the car for over a hour, that has been unheard of in our other sippy's.
Tommee Tippee's entire product line is BPA- and Phthalate-free, they feature a advance-flo valve which requires almost no sucking force to drink from but is spill and leak free. In addition to the five stage Explora line Tommee Tippee also carries a expansive line of feeding accessories, bottles and pacifiers. Tommee Tippee has made their debut in the US at Toy's R Us and Babies R Us stores. Online until February 20th you can receive buy 1 get 1 half off!

This is solely the opinion of A Family Completed. Other people may have different experiences with the product.
Thank you to The Mom Bloggers Club & Tommee Tippee for providing a product to test.

Umi Spring Line and Freebie

2010-02-02T11:13:00.001-08:00

I'm excited to see the new line of Umi's! These have been great shoes that my kids have loved all winter and they still are looking great. You can read my original review HERE.

Looking for cute affordable Valentines? Umi has a FREE printable on their site for 4 adorable little Valentine's day card and with a price tag of free it makes them even harder to pass up!
Want to stay up to date on the latest Umi happenings? Check out their Facebook Fan Page!

America's Cutest Last- MinuteTax Deduction Contest

2010-01-06T07:21:00.000-08:00

With a full moon and a "blue" moon the month of December there should be plenty of entries for the annual America's Cutest Last-Minute Tax Deduction contest from Turbo Tax. Enterants must've been born in the month of December 2009.... why? Well because December babies are the best and they are ever so lucky to spend the rest of their lives with friends and family giving them "birthmas" gifts and cards. Nothing like having your birthday present wrapped in Christmas paper and a little note informing you this will also be your Christmas gift. Can you tell I'm a December baby :) Growing up all I ever wanted was a pool party, never happened.
Nowadays December babies are embraced looked at for their true wonder and appreciated for all the joys they bring. Come April, mom and dad will be reaping the tax benefits of their new little December baby and be thankful that little one didn't wait until January. Now parents can rack it in even more thanks to Turbo Tax. I know your busy with a new little one, how can you be expected to take one of the million snapshots and send it in... let's see how does $5000 sound? Pretty great prize, that's alot of diapers and toys, or a great start to a collage education!

To enter, parents or legal guardians should submit a photo of their baby born between Dec. 1-31, to www.cutesttaxdeduction.com. The deadline for submissions is January 7, 2010. Judges will select 10 finalists, and America will determine America's Cutest Last-Minute Tax Deduction and the $5,000 grand prize winner!

You need to hurry though tomorrow is the LAST day to get those submissions in!

Wordful/Wordless Wednesday Jan 6th 2010

2010-01-05T20:42:00.000-08:00

Happy Wordful/Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-22T20:40:00.000-08:00

I had to snap a picture of the kids together for a heirloom blanket that is being put together for their Great Grandma for Christmas sooo I thought why not share it.
For more WW head over to 5 Minutes for mom and 7 Clown Circus.

Wordless/Wordful Wenesday

2009-12-15T20:50:00.000-08:00

My children got a early Christmas gift today. She currently has no name. Any great suggestions? We had anticipated adopting her and her sister but the sister was adopted before we could go and get both. This sweet little pup, her sister and her parents (Mother a white boxer, and father Australian Shepherd) had been abandoned after their family's home was foreclosed. Thankfully some neighbors saved all of them and now she has found her way into our hearts and home.

For more WW check out 7 Clown Circus and 5 Minutes For Mom.

My Storytime Friends Review and Giveaway

2009-12-09T15:56:00.000-08:00

Being a reviewer for The Mom Blogger's Club comes with some great perks, such as the opportunity to review great products like My Storytime Friends.
I was excited to give this to my son. He loves stuffed animals and is really into listening to stories. When our package arrived I my 6 year old was also drawn to the box. Inside we found a really soft sweet teddy bear and a hardcover storybook "A Winning Dream". Both my children were delighted and my daughter was a bit envious of her little brothers new teddy, and he isn't sharing.

The My Storytime Friends set includes a unique combination of a plush stuffed animal, an inspiring hardcover storybook written by award winning author Andrew Wolfendon and a lifetime membership to the My Storytime Friends Book of the Month Club. My Storytime Friends membership also includes free access to My Storytime Friends online, an interactive place to learn and play.

These would make an excellent gift that keeps on giving for preschool/kindergarten parties and for Holidays. My Storytime Friends has an option to purchase any books in hardcover as well if you prefer to have a copy on hand for just $6.95 with free shipping. You can also choose to read through the free narrated flip page book online, or even print a colored PDF copy or black and white versions for coloring. I think one of my favorite features is being able to download and playback stories on your MP3!! Errands anyone? This can be a real lifesaver during holiday shopping.

My Storytime Friends is a lifetime of fun that will be a hand me down any younger sibling would love to receive!

Buy it: My Storytime Friends set sells for $39.99 and includes a lifetime membership to the site and access to 12 new storybooks a year.

Want to win? One lucky A Family Completed reader will have a chance to win their own My Storytime Friends set!

To enter: Visit My Storytime Friends and let me know if there is any store within 100 miles of you; if there isn't then let me know your favorite bear and who you'd give this to.
This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Follow my blog. Go over to my left sidebar and click on Follow This Blog! Current followers count too! 1 extra entry

2- Enter my Talkin' Sid the Science Kid plush Giveaway (link on my right sidebar) 2 extra entry

3- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top left of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

4- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com) 5 extra entries

5- Add my button to your site. 1 extra entry

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

6- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie Win a My Storytime Friends Set w/ Lifetime Membership Ends 12/15 http://tinyurl.com/mystorytimefriends #giveaway 1 entry for each tweet per day. Max 1 a day.

Contest ends at 7:00 am PST on December 15th I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before December 16th and they will have 36 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open bloggers and non-bloggers within the US only!

Disclosure: A My Storytime Friends set was provided in exchange for a honest review by me from My Storytime Friends. In addition for providing an honest review they offered a reader of A Family Completed a chance to win a set of their own through a giveaway hosted on the blog, A Family Completed.

Wordful/Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-08T20:17:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe how fast this week has flown by! Here we are at WW again! Next Tuesday will be my daughter's belt testing for karate. She is so excited, I am too. I took her to have some pics done for her binder. These are a few of her pics.

Now this is NOT a easy pose to hold... and hold it with a smile, lol.

For more WW visit 7 Clown Circus and 5 Minutes for Mom.

Talkin' Sid the Science Kid Review and Giveaway

2009-12-07T08:11:00.000-08:00

I first reviewed Sid the science Kid a few months ago on dvd, my daughter enjoyed watching the shows but after reviewing the dvd's my son was really intrigued and enjoyed them a lot. You can read my initial thought and review HERE. Since then Sid and his friends have become a regular program in our house. I love that things are explained to children in a way that I may not always be able to do. I also really like that they have a question that is likely to be asked by a child; Why do banana's bruise? Why are my shoe's too small? They then tie it is with other examples related to science. There are a lot of bright colors and really fun songs. In one episode you learn, laugh, sing and dance. And staying with the times and keeping up with questions our children ask, Sid had a special episode on vaccinations just in time when our children are getting their flu shots and hearing all this talk about the H1N1 vaccination. I loved how that there was a episode directed towards a real concern for my daughter and her fear of having the vaccination, it really helped to calm some of her nerves.
I was really excited to be introduced to the new Talkin' Sid the Science Kid plush. My son loves plush and doesn't have any talking plush. I new this Sid would be a great addition to his morning time favorite. He was so excited to sit down with his Sid and watch the show. He has mastered the easy to push tummy and laughs when he hears Sid talk.

The Talkin' Sid the Science kid is a generous 12 inch and comes complete with his microphone in hand. He says 7 of his favorite phrases and even comes with a special dvd "The Sticker Chart". This is a great gift for any toddler or preschooler. Recommended age is 3.

Buy it: Toy's R Us has the new Talkin' Sid the Science Kid with dvd for $24.99. They also have mini plush featuring Sid and his friends for only 6.99!

SAVE $3.00: Go to www.coupons.com, on the left side, click the “Toys and Games” link. The $3 off should appear on page 2.

Want to win? One lucky A Family Completed reader will have a chance to win their own Talkin' Sid the Science Kid plush.

To enter: Tell me who you would give this too.
This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Follow my blog. Go over to my left sidebar and click on Follow This Blog! Current followers count too! 1 extra entry

2- Fave me on Technorati! 1 extra entry

3- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top left of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

4- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com) 5 extra entries

5- Add my button to your site. 1 extra entry

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

6- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie Win a Talkin' Sid the Science Kid Ends 12/21 http://tinyurl.com/SidtheScienceKid #giveaway 1 entry for each tweet per day. Max 1 a day.

Contest ends at 7:00 am PST on December 21st I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before December 22nd and they will have 36 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open bloggers and non-bloggers within the US only!

Disclosure: A Talkin' Sid the Science Kid plush was provided in exchange for a honest review. The producers of the Sid the Science Kid series, The Jim Henson Company and KCET (PBS/Los Angeles) are also providing the Talkin' Sid Plush for the giveaway.

Wordless/Wordful Wednesday

2009-12-01T21:05:00.001-08:00

If you followed my WW the last few weeks you've had little snippets of this years Christmas card... Here is the FINAL product:

Check out 5 Minutes for Mom and 7 Clown Circus for more WW.

WCatDD PictureItPostage Giveaway

2009-11-29T16:09:00.000-08:00

I would love to win a set of personalized postage to use along with my custom Christmas cards! Enter at WCatDD before Dec 2nd.

Shop Kushies for Black Friday Deals!

2009-11-27T17:20:00.000-08:00

Wordless/Wordful Wednesday

2009-11-24T20:14:00.000-08:00

Last week a shared a picture that will be featured on our Christmas card and this week I will share my daughter's picture that will also be on our Christmas card. I'm so happy that I was able to get them done and ordered and picked up today! Costco is featuring a coupon for their cards, they are a great size 7.5x6! I loved that I didn't even have to use one of their generic templates, I was able to create my own and upload it. They look great and printed beautifully! 50 cards with envelopes for just 9.99 after coupon can't beat that! Next Wednesday I will post the finished cards for everyone to see. Trying to build the suspense, is it working? So here she is the 6 year old poser, lol really she comes up with her own poses some are just odd but some work ;)

Be sure to check out more WW at Seven Clown Circus and 5 Minutes for Mom!

eBeanStalk announces the Cutest Kid playing with a Toy Contest!

2009-11-19T08:09:00.000-08:00

With Christmas quickly approaching wouldn't it be nice to have some extra cash to use for toys?
EbeanStalk announced their Cutest Kid playing with a Toy contest they are giving out twenty $50 gift certificates to be used on their site! Never Visited EBeanStalk? Well

Ebeanstalk is a website dedicated to selecting great, safe unique and toys for children as young as 1 years old. They rely on the opinions and feedback of bloggers and moms around the country. Also their team of child experts help to pick out learning toys...but you be the judge!
Want to be 1 of the lucky 10 readers? Here's How to enter:
Take a picture of your little one playing with a toy, and email the picture to emily@ebeanstalk.com could that be any easier?
Be 1 of 10 lucky winners to win a $50 gift certificate at ebeanstalk this holiday. Entries will be chosen on their cuteness-level.
Privacy ensured! Entrants will not be spammed. Do not send your address for privacy purposes - just email and the FIRST name of your child.

As a added bonus:
All blog readers will receive a 10% discount at ebeanstalk of any purchase. Enter the code ebeanstalk100 at the cart!

Need help determining what is a cute picture of a kid playing with a toy... yeah I didn't think so but I'm gonna add mine anyways. This is my son concentrating hard to do his puzzle.

Little Brown Books- Fanny & Annabelle Review

2009-11-18T08:47:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the Classy Closet Review Panel and Little Brown Books I was given the opportunity to review a book by the best selling author of the series Toot and Puddle, Holly Hobbie.
Fanny & Annabelle is a unique children's book as it has a story inside a story. Fanny is a little girl who began writing her own book and illustrating pictures. Annabelle is her main character fittingly named after her favorite doll which she also created. Annabelle is in search of a golden locket that she can fill with pictures for her dear Aunt Sally for her birthday. I really loved how the book shows her writing and pictures in her book. It really reminded me of something my daughter who is six and a half would create.
Fanny was surprised at how easy the story had come to her and how well it had come along, then she reaches a problem in the story and has to think of a exciting way to solve it so she can end her story. During a trip to the ice cream store, Fanny stumbled upon a pink envelope and inside there were two fifty dollar bills. She brought the envelope home with her, this finding she was able to add into her story and Annabelle also found an envelope. I loved that the story had a moral conflict and was something I could pause and ask my daughter in that situation what is the right thing to do? She was excited to see how the outcome in the Fanny's story as well as how it resolved with Fanny.
I especially loved the ending of the story. It tied in the whole story that Fanny had been writing and again is a real conflict and resolution my daughter would face and try to solve. This book is perfect for a child her age she related so well to Fanny which isn't always something you get from character in children's books.
I wish the book was a book she would be able to read on her own, but being a early reader this was a little too advanced for her. So as our library is consisting of more and more early readers this is a great book we can read together and both enjoy.
This would be a great book to add to your collection and with Christmas coming up it would be a fun thing to add under the tree. Check out the Classy Closet Review Panel for more great reviews. Fanny & Annabelle can be purchased through Little Brown Books, they also have many more great titles for kids, teen and adults! Hardback Fanny and Annabelle is just $16.99. The quality of the hardback is built to last even in tough little hands!

Wordless/Wordful Wednesday

2009-11-17T22:12:00.000-08:00

I had a vision yesterday of how I wanted our Christmas cards to look and decided to get busy with making them happen. Well, the only person available to shoot was the 2 year old and he is my least willing and cooperative so it was best to start with him in case I needed many re-shoots, lol. I got him all dolled up and kept telling him how handsome he looked, we headed outside and he sat down said "cheese" I took a picture and he was off to play int he rocks. That ended up being the shot, even though I didn't have him facing the right way. I snapped a few more when I could get him to come withing 10 feet of me. This one in particular I just thought was too cute.

I'm holding the chosen one for when I get the cards all done :P

Check out 5 Minutes For Moms and 7 Clown Circus for more WW Wednesday.

Umi Shoe Sale

2009-11-11T08:08:00.000-08:00

We love our Umi shoes! They really are some of the greatest looking and most comfortable kids shoes I've come across. You can read my review of Umi Shoes HERE. Until November 20th you can get some Christmas shopping done and save 30%!

Wordless/ Wordful Wednesday

2009-11-03T20:31:00.000-08:00

What else? Halloween pics!! Presenting Sleeping Beauty and Buzz Lightyear...

I hope everyone had a fun safe Halloween! Be sure to check out more WW at 7 Clown Circus and 5 Minutes for Mom.

Free Diaper

2009-11-03T10:16:00.001-08:00

I personally love Kirkland Diapers and have never had an issues with leaks with them and the fit has been great. If you head over to Costco.com you can request a free sample in the size of your choice! You don't even have to be a member! VISIT HERE to request a sample.

Wordless/Wordful Wednesday

2009-10-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

For more WW check out 5 Minutes for Mom and 7 Clown Circus.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-20T20:46:00.000-07:00

I have missed the last few weeks, but this week I'm back and with a picture I think could a cutest baby contest.

This is my baby boy 4 months. Isn't he sweet. I love reminiscing. Happy WW Everyone! For more Wordless/Wordful Wednesday check out 5 Minutes for Mom and 7 Clown Circus!

Disney on Ice Princess Classics

2009-10-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

We are a Disney loving family and the Disney on Ice Princess Classics did not disappoint. The show is jammed packed with all our favorite princesses and kept us entertained throughout the show.
I brought my six and a half year old daughter and my two year old son and both of them really enjoyed the show. My son was very scared and wanted to leave when the show first began because it gets dark and loud really fast. I planned ahead and brought a lollipop and he sat on my lap until he warmed up. Although, this is Princess Classics he was still able to really enjoy the show. The fun colors and music...Genie and the 7 dwarfs what's not to love!

I was disappointed to see the cost of the souvenirs at this particular event. A snow cone in a "keepsake" cup was $15, I recommend stuffing your kids to the gills before going otherwise the night can get a bit pricey.
The performers where fantastic it's incredible, I love watching ice skating they make it look so effortless. I loved seeing all the little girls dressed in there favorite Princess attire. And hearing them all yelling "NO" to Snow White when she was considering the apple. It was cute. The black lighting effect where fun during the little mermaid and the elephant and carrage with horses was equally impressive.
Do you want to catch the show before they leave town? You can catch the show at Oracle Arena the rest of this week into the weekend then next week in San Jose. Want to save money? Of course you do enter code MOM on Ticketmaster.com in the "MC Promotions" Box. The code is good for 4 tickets for $44 for Monday-Friday matinee shows, and $4 off Friday evening and weekend shows. In order for the code to be valid, you must purchase at least 4 tickets. Need to purchase more than four tickets? That's okay too any purchase above 4 tickets for the weekday show will still be priced at $11.

Thank You Mom Central and Feld Entertainment for sending us to the show!

Must See Sid the Science Kid

2009-10-15T08:13:00.000-07:00

If you and your children have not watched the PBS show Sid the Science Kid I highly recommend turning it on. My kids love the show and it answers so many questions I don't always have the answer too. I recently did a review you can check out HERE.
Sid the Science Kid will be featuring a special episode on the H1N1. They will touch down on getting the shot, germs and staying healthy. I know so many people are on the fence about whether to vaccinate against H1N1 or not and I think whichever way you go this episode would be beneficial for you and your children to watch.
The H1N1 is a daily discussion everywhere we go and our children need to know the ways to help prevent the spread of germs. Unfortunately we had a all too real wake up call on how "real" the H1N1 virus is when a child from my daughter's school contracted the virus and died a few days before school let out. I know I want my daughter to watch the episode and will discuss and try to answer her questions.
The show will premier Monday, October 26th so mark your calendars! there will be a few rebroadcasts:

- Thursday – 10/29/09

- Sunday – 11/1/09

- Tuesday – 11/3/09

- Saturday – 11/7/09

- Wednesday – 11/11/09

- Thursday – 11/19/09

I hope you will find time to watch with your family.

iHeartFaces/ Silly Kids Contest from 5 Minutes for Mom

2009-10-11T21:00:00.000-07:00

This is a SOOC image I snapped of my son playing outside. He was tickled to throw pine needles, rocks and bark in the air and have them rain down on him.

I'm also using this as my entry in the 5 Minutes for Mom Silly Kids contest! This is the first picture I thought of when I thought of my silly boy. He is a total goofball and a total boy! Hasbro is giving the winning photograph $1000 to spend on education classes or teaching items for children! 2nd place will receive $300! How generous!!

While your there be sure to checkout this awesome coupon deal! Perfect for Christmas.

Click here to download a printable coupon for $4 off any Elefun & Friends game! The coupon is valid until December 31, but can only be downloaded through October 31, so hurry and snag one!!

For more entries or to enter yours for theme "Excitement" visit:

Disney On Ice Princess Classics

2009-10-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

I'm super excited to check out the Disney on Ice Princess Classics. This is one I think all mother's and daughter's will love. I grew up loving them and blessed to pass on that love to my daughter. I haven't told her we are going yet so it will be a big surprise for her, I'm working on getting Mema to come join us too!

Thanks to FFA and Mom Central I'm excited to offer a coupon code to my readers. If you are planning on attending a show they have some awesome deals for you. Visit Ticketmaster and in the MC Promotion box enter code "MOM" to receive 4 matinee tickets for $44 or 4 dollars off a Friday Evening or weekend show (4 tickets will need to be purchased for the code to be valid). You can check out Oakland (October 14th-18th) and San Jose (October 21st-25th) show dates and times HERE

Orglamix Cosmetics Review and Giveaway

2009-10-08T14:13:00.000-07:00

I was given the opportunity to review some mineral eyeshadow from a Etsy shop called Orglamix. I jump at the chance. I love mineral make-up and love that she makes all her own products! She must be doing it right, since opening in July 2009 (yes just 3 months ago!) she has had over 800 sales that's incredible.

I chose to review the Twilight Collection. and when it arrived and I applied it I was surprised at how the vibrant the colors are. I like that I can chance the look from day to night just by adding more or not tapping off. You can go really subtle or bright and dynamic. Perfect for Halloween.
My daughter loved the make-up on me and told me how pretty my eye's looked... slightly envious. She may luck out and I may allow her to wear some for Halloween if the colors go well with her costume. These shadow have turned into my everyday shadows I love them so much. Thanks Classy Closet Review Panel (check it out to find more giveaways and more chance to win!) and Orglamix for the opportunity to review and host a giveaway.

Want to win a collection of your own?

Win it: Orglamix is offering 3 A Family Competed reader a Twilight Collection I reviewed! You'll love it :).

To Enter: Visit Orglamix and let me know your favorite collection besides the Twilight Collection I reviewed!
This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Follow my blog. Go over to my right sidebar and click on Follow This Blog! Current followers count too! 1 extra entry

2- Fave me on Technorati! 1 extra entry

3- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top right of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

4- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com/) AND AnytimeCostumes.com 2 extra entries

5- Add my NEW standard button to your site. 2 extra entries

6- Check Out and Follow my Sister blog "Fave Giveaways from A Family Completed"

7- Become a Facebook fan of Orglamix and get great offers for fans only!

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

8- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie Enter to win a Orglamix Mineral Makeup Collection 3 WINNERS! http://tinyurl.com/yk4dcq4 1 entry for each tweet per day. Max 1 a day.

Contest ends at 7:00 am PST on October 22nd I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before October 23nd and they will have 36 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open bloggers and non-bloggers Worldwide!

AnytimeCostumes.com WINNER and Another chance to WIN!

2009-10-02T16:05:00.000-07:00

I firstly want to apologize for my absence. I have had some issues with blogger that I think have been worked out!
Random.org selected number 68 as the winner:

Bobbi S. said...

Follow & tweeted
http://twitter.com/giveawayaddict/statuses/4022041531

Congratulations Bobbi I sent an email for you!

AnytimeCostumes.com is holding another giveaway at their site for any item up to $75! This can be used for anything! An adult costume, accessories no limits :) So if you want to take advantage of another chance to win be sure to stop by their and enter! There will be 20 Winner's!

Anxiously Awaiting my Coffee

2009-09-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

America Run's on Coffee and Although I don't have a Dunkin' Donuts near me I do love their coffee!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-22T20:14:00.001-07:00

More WW at 5 Minutes for mom and 7 Clown Circus

Winner's

2009-09-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

I have a few Winner's to announce!
I want to say a BIG Thanks You for all your really great tips for the Flip for Fall Campaign. I have submitted them all and am waiting for the list to come out. The sponsor is blown away by them amount of great idea's everyone had!

Aller-Ease Winner: #61 TJ and Amy who has my button on her blog!

Pillsbury Back to School Winner: #54 Julie who is a follower!

Congratulations thanks so much for fallowing and having my button up, extra entries really pay off!

More on Aller-Ease Flip For Fall Campaign

2009-09-16T10:25:00.000-07:00

Check out a quick video and then head over to the GIVEAWAY to enter to win your own Aller-Ease products! Get your house prepared for Fall before Allergy season!

I want to send out a BIG Thank You to TheMotherhood and to Aller-Ease for this opportunity.
Stay tuned for the Ultimate Checklist that is sure to get your home into tip top shape for Fall!

Flip For Fall Aller-Ease GIVEAWAY Hurry it's a fast 5 Day Giveaway!

2009-09-16T09:33:00.000-07:00

So as I hope you all read I'm participating in a wonderful Flip for Fall Campaign. If you haven't read about that you can do so HERE So we are looking for your BEST fall tips on the way you get your family ready for fall. We had one week of Fall here last week and boy was it a wake up call! My eyes were itchy red and watery and I was so congested. Every year I hope it will be my last for these pesky Fall Allergies but I'm never that lucky!

Aller-Easy and Motherhood teamed up for this campaign and sent myself and 9 other bloggers a package to try out. We received 2 Deluxe Aller-Ease pillows, 2 Aller-Ease pillow protectors and a Queen size Mattress protector. I have been using the pillow and I have really been getting great night sleep since I haven't been up itching my eyes well into the night! These pillows are great!
This is going to be a really quick giveaway. Aller-Ease is working on compiling a list of all the best tips for Fall. Is there special preperations your family takes? Do you change batteries in smoke detectors? Dust all the blinds? Change Air Filters? We want to know! If Aller-Ease chooses to use your tip, you will be notified and receive a special Thank You, a Aller-Ease Pillow, 2 Aller-Ease pillow protectors and a Queen size Mattress Protector!

In addition there is a giveaway here!

Win it: Aller-Ease is double rewarding your tips! I'm giving away 2 Pillows, 2 pillow protectors and 1 queen size mattress protector!

To Enter: Leave a comment with a tip your household does to prepare for Fall! This is a unlimited entry!! Leave a separate comment for each tip you have. If you have 5 tips leave 5 separate comments for 5 chance to win!

This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Follow my blog. Go over to my right sidebar and click on Follow This Blog! Current followers count too! 1 extra entry

2- Fave me on Technorati! 1 extra entry

3- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top right of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

4- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com/) PLEASE LEAVE A LINK TO THE POST 2 extra entries

5- Add my NEW standard button to your site. 2 extra entries

6- Check Out and Follow my Sister blog "Fave Giveaways from A Family Completed"

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

9- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie Enter to win a Great Prize Pack of Aller-Ease Products http://tinyurl.com/rcxbdg #FlipForFall UNLIMITED!

Contest ends at 7:00 am PST on September 20th I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before September 21st and they will have 36 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open bloggers and non-bloggers !

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-15T19:31:00.000-07:00

This is my son. He looked so cute through the fence and enjoyed playing on it.

In typical boy fashion he felt the "need" to conquer the fence. I told him not to climb the fence and well he wouldn't listen...

So I had to snap a pick of him before I saved him. I had to pry him from the fence he was holding on so tight.

Check out 5 Minutes for Mom for more WW, and Seven Clown Circus for Wordful Wednesday!

Be sure to check out my side bar for so awesome giveaways!

AnytimeCostumes.Com Review and Giveaway

2009-09-14T22:05:00.000-07:00

I work very hard to not be a "last minute" mom. At time's it's hard and sometimes nearly impossible to get it all done and all done on time! I have turned to the internet a lot to help me get these things done in a timely fashion. Last year was the first time I had ordered Halloween costumes online for my children and it was so nice not having to go out in the "rush" and crowds last minute hoping they would have the costumes they wanted and in the price I needed! I was surprised at the amount of costumes available online, unfortunately it was hard to find a "steal of a deal" from many of the sites I came across.

This year I was determined to find costumes my kids would love but also at a price I would love also. I came across AnytimeCostumes.com and was blown away by the selection and the prices! There selection includes many costumes under $30. And even offer FREE shipping for order's over $45 now through September 17th! You can order all your costumes and accessories for your whole family in one easy stop. Ever been in a bind looking for a costume during "off peak" season?? AnytimeCostumes.com carries costumes year round and for various holidays too!

My daughter received the Child Elizabeth Pirate from Pirates of the Caribbean. Now in all honesty she has never seen the movie and has no clue who Elizabeth Swan is but she wanted to be a pirate. I was so excited this was the first year she wouldn't be a princess or a fairy since she was too young to pick out her own costume. I loved the feminine look of this pirate costume and was excited to see it on her. She is so excited about her costume and loves it, she wants a parrot, eye patch and a sword now to complete the look... she may need to settle for a decorated bag with all those things! the costume was defiantly worth it's price and will be a great dress up after Halloween. My daughter love how comfortable it is, with no itch spots and thinks the top would be good for school after Halloween, it really isn't but she would wear it if I let her.

Win it: AnytimeCostumes.com is offering one A Family Competed reader a Costume of their choice from their infant, toddler, child or teen collections!

To Enter: Visit AnytimeCostumes.com and let me know the costume you'd choose if you win!
This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Follow my blog. Go over to my right sidebar and click on Follow This Blog! Current followers count too! 1 extra entry

2- Fave me on Technorati! 1 extra entry

3- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top right of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

4- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com/) AND AnytimeCostumes.com 2 extra entries

5- Add my NEW standard button to your site. 2 extra entries

6- Check Out and Follow my Sister blog "Fave Giveaways from A Family Completed"

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

9- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie Enter to win a Halloween Costume of your Choice from AnytimeCostumes.Com http://tinyurl.com/kk7n72 1 entry for each tweet per day. Max 1 a day.

Contest ends at 7:00 am PST on October 1st I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before October 2nd and they will have 36 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open bloggers and non-bloggers US ONLY!

Pillsbury Back to School Cookies GIVEAWAY

2009-09-14T12:31:00.000-07:00

We are officially in our 3rd week of back to school! I can barely believe it. We are settling down into a routine and it feels good to have that schedule back. I was very excited to be invited to try out the Pillsbury Back to School sugar cookies. I always loved the cute designs and who doesn't love sugar cookies??

I think the greatest part about these cookies is that my six year old daughter can easily help me make them. I love the new packaging. New it may not be but I clearly remember buying the log and having to slice out each cookie. It was a pain in the rear. My daughter loved placing the cookies on the sheet pan and helping me back the cookies. She loved even more eating them!
The cookie coupon came in a package with a few other school supplies that have come in hand for my first grader. A lunch bag that will be great for field trips or as back up, a ruler, and a pencil case. The pencil case was really cool because it is double sided.

Win it: One lucky reader can try out the Pillsbury Back to School Cookies and receive the back to school supplies!

To Enter: Leave me a comment with your favorite meals for your kids lunchbox OR let me know your favorite treat to bring to the class for their birthday!
This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Follow my blog. Go over to my right sidebar and click on Follow This Blog! Current followers count too! 1 extra entry

2- Fave me on Technorati! 1 extra entry

3- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top right of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

4- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com/) 2 extra entries

5- Add my NEW standard button to your site. 2 extra entries

6- Check Out and Follow my Sister blog "Fave Giveaways from A Family Completed"

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

9- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie Enter to win a Pillsbury Back to School Prize Pack! http://tinyurl.com/qc4ldb 1 entry for each tweet per day. Max 1 a day.

Contest ends at 7:00 am PST on September 21st I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before September 22nd and they will have 36 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open bloggers and non-bloggers US ONLY!

Flip for Fall with Aller-Ease

2009-09-14T08:22:00.000-07:00

As Labor Day came and past it marked a very exciting time for us. The turn from Summer to Fall. With Fall comes so many wonderful things for us. The children are back in school, the beautiful Fall colors as the leaves on the trees begin to change, relief from the hot weather, warm cider and coco and the joys of upcoming holidays. It also marks another BIG event in our home, Fall allergies and impeding sniffles.
I suffer pretty bad from eye allergies. My children also suffer of allergies. I was fortunate to be invited to participate with TheMotherhood and Aller-Ease Flip for Fall Campaign. They are searching for the BEST tips for preparing for Fall. I was sent a starter package that will help me prepare my bedroom and help guard me from allergies. And gives me a chance to win a larger preparation package!

This is a competition that will benefit you too! Does your household take extra steps to prepare for Fall? Visit TheMotherhood Flip For Fall Circle and leave your BEST tips for preparing for Fall and if your tip is added to the Ultimate Flip for Fall Checklist you will be sent a special Thank You consisting of a Aller-Ease Pillow, Two Pillow Protectors and a Queen size mattress protector!

Some of the things my family does to prepare for fall is:

We pull out Fall/Winter bedding that has been stored and wash it all.
We change our air filter!
We do a deep cleaning
This is our BIG clean we go through and dust and clean everything; blinds, window sills, shelves in closets. Nothing is left untouched!
Since we are really in the prepping mood we take advantage of having the ladder out to change batteries in smoke detectors. Nothing is worse than being in a nice warm bed on a cold fall night and being woken to a beeping smoke detector that needs a new battery!
We vacuum our couches. I really want a high power vacuum like a Dyson or one that kills dust mites like the Halo but for now mine will have to do!
I pull out coupon and look for sales on lotions to help prevent dry itchy skin.
We also pull out humidifiers. We are using cool mist humidifiers this year and I'm really excited about them. My daughter received a really cute Pig from Crane and she can't wait to use it.
I also since I do have eye allergies make sure I have some allergy eye drops.

So here is the challenge should you choose to accept it.

I need you to think of your favorite and best tips that your family takes to Flip for Fall. Visit TheMotherhood and leave this tip on the Flip For Fall Circle page using code AFC (A Family Completed) this lets them know that you came from my site. If your tip is selected for the list you will win a Aller-Ease Pillow, Two Pillow Protectors and a Queen size mattress protector! Pretty cool prize pack and I can say the pillow has already helped with my eye allergies, really it came at the perfect time!

To Enter: Visit TheMotherhood and join the Flip For Fall Campaign Circle and leave your tip using the code AFC. This is really fast and easy to do, I promise.

You can even leave me some comment love here too. And visit the other participants to see what great tips they have to share for their Flips!

Stephanie @ And Twins Make 5

http://andtwinsmake5.blogspot.com/

Kimberly @ Pretty Pink Momma

http://prettypinkmomma.blogspot.com/

Caryn @ Rockin Mama

http://rockinmama.net

Bing (aka icefairy) @ Icefairy's Treasure Chest

http://icefairystreasurechest.blogspot.com/

Dianne @ Something Snappy

http://somethingsnappee.blogspot.com/

Whitney @ It's Gravy, Baby

http://www.itsgravybaby.com

Stacie @ The Divine Miss Mommy

http://thedivinemissmommy.com/

Robyn @ Robyn's Online World

http://robynsonlineworld.blogspot.com/

Angie @ My Four Monkeys

http://myfourmonkeysproductreviews.blogspot.com/

Stay tuned for ANOTHER giveaway here on my site from Flip For Fall Campaign and Aller-Ease!

Land's End FeelGood Campaign

2009-09-10T13:08:00.000-07:00

With the cold winter months ahead it's important to remember that many people are not as fortunate to have a warm home to reside in. Land's End has developed the FeelGood Campaign and for every FeelGood sweater purchase Land's End will donate it's signature yarn to One Heart Foundation's Warming Families, a national knitting charity. Volunteer's will be knitting hat's for homeless and displaced families. They are expecting to knit up to 25,000 hats!
Do you want to help? Well you can, visit any Land's End and buy yourself a sweater or you can knit some hat's yourself to donate! Now if your like me you always wanted to knot but aren't really sure how. I have a GREAT tutorial below made by Vickie Howell, star of DIY Knitty Gritty, to take you through the steps and have you knitting in no time. Land's End even has a pattern for you to use! This is a great cause and I hope everyone will find a way to participate!

Wait there's MORE! There is going to be a twitter party!!

Upcoming FeelGood Twitter Party
Join Lands’ End and Vickie Howell, host of TV’s Knitty Gritty, for a Twitter Party to celebrate the kick-off the FeelGood Campaign! The party will feature more than 20 fun giveaways ranging from the FeelGood sweater and Vickie Howell’s books to Lands’ End gift cards and FeelGood yarn.

Lands’ End FeelGood Twitter Party
Date: Wednesday, September 16th
Time: 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. CST
Location: #landsend

Launched a Sister Site!

2009-09-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

Fave Giveaways from A Family Completed is up and running. This will feature giveaways from around the blogsphere that I'm excited about and entering! Be sure to visit me there and follow so you can stay up to date on cool happening. There will also be a MckLinky posted right ontop for you to add your giveaways too! I plan to keep this as a ongoing Linky so come back anytime and add your new giveaways!

Big Birthday/ Back 2 School WINNERS!!

2009-09-09T07:01:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-08T20:20:00.000-07:00

While in Tahoe last month we visited historic Virgina City, NV. These are a few shots I took while there.
Check out 5 minutes for Mom for more WW.

Quick Reminder Giveaways Closing!

2009-09-07T21:17:00.000-07:00

All 30 giveaways will close on Wednesday the 9th at 7 am PDT. I hope everyone has enjoyed the giveaways for the Bash and get those last minutes entries in! Check out my sidebar for direct links to each giveaway.

Labor Day Extra Entries

2009-09-05T12:03:00.000-07:00

In honor of Labor Day and to reward those who have entered ALL Big Birthday/ Back 2 School Bash Giveaways I'm giving bonus entries.
Hoops: Well you have to Labor away and enter EVERY Big Birthday/Back 2 School Bash Giveaway. Yup that's right you have to or have had to already entered all 30 giveaways.
The reward: You can go ahead and have 5 bonus entries into EVERY giveaway!
Please leave separate comments for every extra entry example "LABOR 1", "LABOR 2" ect.

iHeartFaces- Fix it Friday

2009-09-04T11:33:00.000-07:00

Original:

My Edit:

I just played with a color pop action, contrast and brightness, sharpened eyes, played with the lights and darks too.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-01T20:02:00.000-07:00

My son is a Barney Fanatic. He memorizes episodes "On Demand". This is a decent video but doesn't even show him going full force with Skip to My Loo

See more WW at 5 Minutes For Mom

Living Rooms Direct Review

2009-09-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I mentioned I was super excited to review this really adorable Car's themed Toy Box with storage shelf and bins. You can see that post HERE. We have had some issues with storage space since my son was growing older and his toy collection was ever expanding! We also felt ready to make the transformation from nursery to big boy room.

Discovering Living Room's Direct has been a real lifesaver. They have just about everything under the sun and the prices are reasonable. Living Rooms Direct is apart of the CSN family that features tons of stores that allow you to search for anything you could ever imagine! The shipping was quick, I love they have a a quantity counter along with the product information so I know if the item i want is close to being out of stock and what's even better they accept Paypal! I love when stores take Paypal. I would recommend Living Room's Direct to anyone looking for furniture and accessories and feel confident they were getting a great deal from a trustworthy store!

Big Birthday/Back 2 School Bash- Kushies Bag My Review

2009-08-31T11:45:00.000-07:00

I got to try out another really cool item when we headed to Lake Tahoe for family vacation. Everyone in our family has their own travel bag. This was my son's first vacation and he didn't have a bag yet. I found a really cute bag and was able to try it out. The bag is from Kushies and is know as My Bag.

The size of the bag was perfect for my son's clothing and the side pockets were perfect for his accessories like hats and sunglasses and socks! I love the heavy nylon the bag is made from and the duffel look. The brown and blue coloring is so cute and boyish and loved how the sides read "Stuff". There is a easy to open zipper top and a extra velcro closure that was really handy. My son loved the dog on the front.

Not only is this a really cool designed and looking bag, it also comes packed full of extras. There is a travel pillow and blanket that is perfect for trips or for daycare. There are separate bags for shoes, clean clothes, dirty clothes and soiled clothing. There is also insulated bags for snacks and for medicine! They have thought of everything. This makes packing up for grandparents, sitters, or daycare a breeze. No more check off lists!

Buy it: Kushiesonline.com sells the My Bag for 79.99, all My Bag orders receive a free Kritter! Use code "afc10" to receive 10% off all orders!

Leave me a comment here letting me know you read this review (leaving relevant comments is always a plus:) ) and gain 1 extra entry in ALL BIG Birthday/ Back 2 School Giveaways! Leave a comment on each giveaway letting me know you "commented on Kushies review" must leave a separate comment for each giveaway for entry to count.

Big Birthday/Back 2 School Bash- Kokopax Review

2009-08-31T11:09:00.000-07:00

Kokpax is the home of some really cool carriers, it was even named Best All Around Carrier by Pregnancy Magazine March 2009! They also have a line of totes, sunhats and organic accessories.
I recently tried out their line of totes. I received a Blakely Tote in bubbles. It arrived just in time for a trip to Lake Tahoe we were taking. I decided that would be the perfect time to test this baby out.

The tote itself is really attractive. I love the canvas exterior as it is easy to wipe clean and easy to keep clean. The interior is a really pretty and soft nylon material. I loved that it came with a matching "coin" purse, or mini tote. This would be ideal for makeup or other smaller items to keep them from getting lost. I brought our tote with use to the beach and it was great to have a place to store some cash for lunch! The tote worked perfectly for us for a day at the beach. I was able to fold up some towels and store them and even tote along sunscreen and some water and diapers. In addition to the mini tote the bag had a zipper pocket and three storage pockets to put things like car keys! I loved that the tote has a metal rim around the handles it gave the tote a sturdy feel and made the tote comfortable to carry. The tote still looks brand new even after week at the beach!

Buy it: The tote sells on the Kokopax site for $79.99, use code "afc2009" to receive 10% off!

Leave me a comment here letting me know you read this review (leaving relevant comments is always a plus:) ) and gain 1 extra entry in ALL BIG Birthday/ Back 2 School Giveaways! Leave a comment on each giveaway letting me know you "commented on Kokopax review" must leave a separate comment for each giveaway for entry to count.

GotFreeCards.com Review

2009-08-30T20:27:00.000-07:00

I have a great site bookmarked on my web browser called GotFreeCards.com I love this site, I have used other "free" ecard sites that had a limited selection and usually the card I would want to send wasn't free at all! That's not the case with GotFreeCards.com. Not only are all the ecards free they have a great selection of free animated ecards! What really set this site apart is that the cards are personalize-able. I have edited the type of cake on the card even the clothing on the character. You can add a picture or a voice message. You really make these cards your own, I found one card in particular I could send to all the little girls in the family and completely change the look of it for each of them!

I'm notorious for remembering important events up until the day of then I have a major brain fart and forget! With GotFreeCards.com I am able to schedule when I want the card sent! When I remember a birthday or other event is coming up I can pop on and pick out a card and schedule it for when I need it and not worry about if I forget GotFreeCards.com does the rest! It's fast and easy to use GotFreeCards.com also, I love that I wasn't required to register or to sign-up for any unwanted emails. This is easily become my favorite way to send greeting online. If you the type who prefers to hand deliver or mail out cards check out their huge selection of free printable birthday cards. I just printed out a Happy Back to School card for my daughter who starts school in the morning. I know it will make her day and make her feel special. Who doesn't feel special receiving a card!
GotfreeCards.com is the best resource for free ecards it has a large collection of free printable birthday cards and free birthday ecards that one can Print or email.

Big Birthday/ Back 2 School Bash-Cloud B Review

2009-08-28T15:03:00.000-07:00

Growing up I had a very special teddy bear that I adored. I loved it so much I kept it with though that there would never be another teddy to ever live up to him. What made him special is when I would hug him his his heart would beat. I loved laying on him like a pillow and listening to his beating heart.
After years of searching I was correct that no teddy quite lived up to him. I gave him to my daughter when she was young and she loves him, even today. My son Loves him two and he becomes a object of many fights. I began searching to see if I could find a new teddy just like him. I found Cloud B. I had seen many reviews on the Twilight Turtle, Twilight Lady Bug and the Twilight Sea Turtle. I always admired the creativity of these little cuddle light up's. I even entered many giveaways hoping to win one. I searched though their other items, I was actually surprised to see how many items they carry, since I had only ever seen the twilight creatures. I came across the Polar Cuddle Cub. I loved how he had the same relaxing look as the other Cloud B animals did but also was struck by the fact that he "shivered" when held. I wondered if this could be the same effect that my beloved teddy had.

We received the Polar Cuddle Cub and I had to admire how adorable he was before even opening the packaging. I mean really he is adorable. He has a look that makes you want to cuddle him. I opened his packaging and checked out the insert. It featured two modes, shiver and heartbeat! I was so excited. In addition, you could set it up to do one of these two things hen hugged or on a timer! My son was immediately in love and walked around holding his cub saying "aww" and he loves to lay down and listen to the heartbeat the way I did when I was a kid. My old teddy is no longer fought over this darling cub is!

The Cloud B Polar Cuddle Cud also Eco-friendly, anti-bacterial soy based fabric! It also has really great memory foam paws. What is it about memory foam that makes it so fun to squeeze? I love that they incorporated that into this bear! I would highly recommend the Polar Cuddle Cub for any one!

Buy it: Visit Cloud B, the Polar Cuddle Cub we reviewed retails for $29 or buy two for $54!!

Leave me a comment here letting me know you read this review and gain 1 extra entry in ALL BIG Birthday/ Back 2 School Giveaways! Leave a comment on each giveaway letting me know you "commented on Could B review" must leave a separate comment for each giveaway for entry to count.

Big Birthday/ Back 2 School Bash-Pediped Review

2009-08-28T15:00:00.000-07:00

Pediped was created in 2004 by a mom and dad who were looking to provide their daughter with style and comforta and also be the healthiest for her feet. Did you know that it's best for children to walk barefoot? That's a far cry from the hard white walking shoes I was brought up wearing! And the ones my husband's grandmother insisted our children needed! The parent's behind Pediped, Angela and Brian Edgeworth set out to create a line of shoes that would be the next best thing to being barefoot. Their creation coming from Pediatrician and the Latin word foot is called Pediped!

In the five years Pediped has been around it has become increasingly popular offering many adorable styles shoes for girls and boy from infancy until early elementary school. There line has grown to include the newest Pediped Couture, these would be awesome for everyday and great with Christmas dresses! They also are carring Non Slip hair clippies now! How cute you can buy accessories to match your children's shoes.

My daughter was sent a pair from the Leilani from the Flex collection to try out. She love's them, they color's are bright and high contrast between the blue and brown's. They are really stunning and like the Flew implies they are flexible. I really love that they feature a rubber toe so I know they will last longer with her rough playing at school the park and everywhere. They shoes are built to last!

Buy it: Visit Pediped, the Leilani shoe's we reviewed are on sale for just $23! The Fall Winter Collections have just been released and start at $32

Leave me a comment here letting me know you read this review and gain 1 extra entry in ALL BIG Birthday/ Back 2 School Giveaways! Leave a comment on each giveaway letting me know you "commented on Pediped review" must leave a separate comment for each giveaway for entry to count.

Big Birthday/ Back 2 School Bash #30- Little Fit Hats

2009-08-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

My son has a love of hats. While other people struggled to keep them on their children's head's we have a child who will wear one everyday if we let him. He has so many different styles from cool beanies to baseball caps. As he has gotten older we wanted something "cool" for him to wear. It seemed we were stuck between a "dorky" little boy cap and the too big cool big boy caps. Little Fit solved that problem.

Little Fit has really cool designs that aren't "dorky" by any means. There hats are scaled down versions of a adult cap. No short bill here! They have great fitted styles as well as, trucker styles.
We had the opportunity to try out the Skull & Bones Black Trucker. My son was so excited to get his new hat, and couldn't wait to wear it. it went from box to his head and didn't leave it for a good week! Because of the trucker style it has an adjustable back. My son is two and the cap adjusted to fit his head perfectly. My daughter also really loves the hat and although she is six the hat adjust to a size that fits her as well! So I know this cap will be around for years to come.

Their great style aren't just limited to the cool boys in your life. Their girl styles are totally awesome as well. I know my daughter would want one of each. My favorite girl style is the Leopard Cap. My daughter loves animal prints and I love the busy pattern as I know it wouldn't show dirt as well!

Win it: Little Fit is offering 1 lucky reader a hat of their choice!!

To enter: Visit Little Fit and let me know your favorite style.
This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Follow my blog. Go over to my right sidebar and click on Follow This Blog! Current followers count too! 1 extra entry

2- Grab my BIG BIRTHDAY/BACK 2 SCHOOL BASH Button and put it on your blog! 1 extra entry

3- Fave me on Technorati! 1 extra entry

4- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top right of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

5- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com/) and Little Fit 2 extra entries

6- Add my NEW standard button to your site. 2 extra entries

7- Enter Any Back 2 School Giveaway at Forever and Always and leave me a comment here letting me know which one's you entered 1- extra entry for each giveaway entered

8- Follow Little Fit on Twitter 1-extra entry

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

9- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie Enter BIG Birthday/ Back 2 School Bash #30- Little Fit- Cool Hats for Little Kids! http://tinyurl.com/nb4t62 1 entry for each tweet per day. Max 1 a day.

Did you have my Big Birthday/Back 2 School Bash button up BEFORE August 11th, or did you blog about the event? Did you leave a comment HERE? Then be sure to leave me a separate entry for your early bird bonus entries?

Contest ends at 7:00 am PST on September 9th I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before September 11th and they will have 36 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open bloggers and non-bloggers WORLDWIDE!

Big Birthday/ Back 2 School Bash #29- Pedoodles

2009-08-27T11:43:00.000-07:00

What's better than safe comfortable flexible shoes for your children? Well how about Eco Friendly, safe comfortable shoes for your children? That is what drew me in to Pedoodles, well that and the fact that their shoes are adorable. The PedFlex soles are made from recycled materials, the leather is lab tested and the packaging is also made out of recycled materials!
The Styles of Pedoodles are bright and fun, I love that they have mix match styles, and really fun names. The style I tried is called Blue Bumper Cars which is the "opposite" of Bumper Cars or you can get one of each called Fender Bender. It's really creative and a lot of fun and gives you a lot of choices! The shoes have a wide foot bed that is really comfortable for my son. He can wear shoes longer when they are not too snug on his feet. They have a velcro closure but I love the look of the faux laces! I really love the "nubby" soles that really help with traction.

Pedoodles is gearing up for their newest fall collection! I have seen the collection and let me say they are adorable. I have a few pictures to share with you! Shoes like these actually make me excited for fall! Pedoodles have new boot styles that are adorable. My favorite style for the boys is the suede brown and olive green shoes. Those are some of the cutest shoe's I've seen.

Guess What?!? Pedoodles is having a sale right now until August 31st. By entering code: backtoschool you can save 25% at the checkout. How cool is that?

Win it: Pedoodles is offering 1 lucky reader a pair of Shoes!

To enter: Visit Pedoodles and let me know your favorite style, or let me know which shoe from the Fall line your most anxious to get on your little ones feet!
This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Follow my blog. Go over to my right sidebar and click on Follow This Blog! Current followers count too! 1 extra entry

2- Grab my BIG BIRTHDAY/BACK 2 SCHOOL BASH Button and put it on your blog! 1 extra entry

3- Fave me on Technorati! 1 extra entry

4- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top right of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

5- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com/) and Pedoodles 2 extra entries

6- Add my NEW standard button to your site. 2 extra entries

7- Enter Any Back 2 School Giveaway at Forever and Always and leave me a comment here letting me know which one's you entered 1- extra entry for each giveaway entered

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

9- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie Enter BIG Birthday/ Back 2 School Bash #29- Pedoodles, Safe Comfortable Eco Friendly Shoes! http://tinyurl.com/lgd28f 1 entry for each tweet per day. Max 1 a day.

Did you have my Big Birthday/Back 2 School Bash button up BEFORE August 11th, or did you blog about the event? Did you leave a comment HERE? Then be sure to leave me a separate entry for your early bird bonus entries?

Contest ends at 7:00 am PST on September 9th I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before September 11th and they will have 36 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open bloggers and non-bloggers US and CANADA!

Plasma Car 1 Day SALE! Save $15- extra entry opp.

2009-08-27T11:27:00.000-07:00

So, have you entered my giveaway for a Plasma Car? If not please go and enter, these are awesome and you children are sure to love them.
Wooden Toddler Toys is having a great 1 day sale on Plasma Car. Use code PLASMA15 and take $15 off their already low price!! This would be a great Christmas gift! While your their find my review helpful (click on the YES button on the bottom of the review) and gain a extra entry into the Plasma Car giveaway! It's easy to find I'm the only review on the page!

Big Birthday/ Back 2 School Bash #28- Mabel's Labels

2009-08-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

My daughter has surprised me with what she can loose. The first day she wore her brand new jacket to school it came up missing! I was first asked "Well, is her name on it?" nope it wasn't. I was sent to kindergarten lost and found, yes they have their OWN lost and found. I dug through piles of jackets, socks, t-shirts and lunch bags. It was is shock at what these kids leave behind. When her jacket wasn't there I was sent to the cafeteria to dig through 1-5th grade lost and found. I felt like crying when the lady pointed to a mountain of clothes and informed me there was more in another location. I never found her jacket. I scoured kids daily waiting for someone to show up wearing it and that never happened either. We never saw it again!

I was surprised to see the items that were in lost and found. These kids would lose their heads if it wasn't attached. I figured it was time to tart marking her clothing. The thought of taken a permanent marker to clothing I just purchased didn't sit well with me. There had to be a better way, and there is... Mabel's Labels!

I love that I was able to essentially customize my daughters labels with a design and color of her choice. The Ultimate Back-To-School Combo Pack is huge and covers everything from shoes to backpacks to school shirts! We will not lose another jacket this year! I refuse to buy two, and fill confident this year with Mabel's Label's help I wont have to!

Buy it: The Ultimate Back To School Combo Pack features 108 labels for just $39. It is available for just a limited time so hurry before it's gone!

Win it: Mabel's Labels is offering 1 lucky reader a set of the Ultimate Back To School Combo Pack.

To enter: Visit Mabel's Labels and let me know your favorite design and color!
This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Follow my blog. Go over to my right sidebar and click on Follow This Blog! Current followers count too! 1 extra entry

2- Grab my BIG BIRTHDAY/BACK 2 SCHOOL BASH Button and put it on your blog! 1 extra entry

3- Fave me on Technorati! 1 extra entry

4- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top right of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

5- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com/) and Mabel's Labels 2 extra entries

6- Add my NEW standard button to your site. 2 extra entries

7- Enter Any Back 2 School Giveaway at Forever and Always and leave me a comment here letting me know which one's you entered 1- extra entry for each giveaway entered

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

8- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie Enter BIG Birthday/ Back 2 School Bash #28- Mabel's Labels- No more writing in your kids underwear! http://tinyurl.com/nfmtrn 1 entry for each tweet per day. Max 1 a day.

Did you have my Big Birthday/Back 2 School Bash button up BEFORE August 11th, or did you blog about the event? Did you leave a comment HERE? Then be sure to leave me a separate entry for your early bird bonus entries?

Contest ends at 7:00 am PST on September 9th I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before September 11th and they will have 36 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open bloggers and non-bloggers US AND CANADA!

Big Birthday/ Back 2 School Bash #27- Carolina Pad

2009-08-26T15:41:00.000-07:00

Carolina Pad- Everyday Product. Extraordinary Designs. Really they summed it up with that motto. They have some of the coolest designs I've seen on any school or office supplies. Have you ever watched your favorite show and wondered where they got a item? Well, Carolina Pad is one of those companies! Their product have been featured on many t.v. shows!

We got to try out many products in a lot of their different patterns. The colors are bright and fresh and fun. I really love colorful items. My daughter immediately started claiming her own items.

Carolina Pad has so many different collection so choose from and something to fit everyone style!

Win it: Carolina Pad is offering 1 lucky reader a set from the Kendall Collection OR Sasquatch Collection.

To enter: Visit Carolina Pad and let me know your favorite Collection, also which collection you would choose!
This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Follow my blog. Go over to my right sidebar and click on Follow This Blog! Current followers count too! 1 extra entry

2- Grab my BIG BIRTHDAY/BACK 2 SCHOOL BASH Button and put it on your blog! 1 extra entry

3- Fave me on Technorati! 1 extra entry

4- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top right of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

5- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com/) and Carolina Pad 2 extra entries

6- Add my NEW standard button to your site. 2 extra entries

7- Enter Any Back 2 School Giveaway at Forever and Always and leave me a comment here letting me know which one's you entered 1- extra entry for each giveaway entered

8- Follow Carolina Pad on Twitter @Carolinapad 1-extra entry

9-Sign up for the Consumer Insights Panel on Carolina Pad. 1-extra entry

10- Become a Facebook Fan of Carolina Pad. 1-extra entry

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

11- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie Enter BIG Birthday/ Back 2 School Bash #27-Carolina Pad Collection Giveaway courtesy @Carolinapad http://tinyurl.com/m6ywug 1 entry for each tweet per day. Max 1 a day.

Did you have my Big Birthday/Back 2 School Bash button up BEFORE August 11th, or did you blog about the event? Did you leave a comment HERE? Then be sure to leave me a separate entry for your early bird bonus entries?

Contest ends at 7:00 am PST on September 9th I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before September 11th and they will have 36 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open bloggers and non-bloggers US ONLY!

Big Birthday/ Back 2 School Bash #26- Built NY

2009-08-26T15:00:00.000-07:00

Built NY is unlike any other company I've seen. They are unique int he sense that there products are made of Neoprene. You know the stuff wetsuits are made of, only Built NY doesn't make wetsuits. They make cases for laptops and other gadgets, lunch totes, water bottle covers, baby bibs and more! There selection of neoprene items is huge and everything looks really neat. My favorite item I would love to try is the Cargo Camera Bag, This has to be the nicest camera bag I've seen and I know it would be so light weight and perfect for all my camera supplies!

We were sent a Tasty Tote to try out. It's really light weight and came in a fun stripe print. It's the perfect size for a lunch for myself or for my daughter. I could fit a small Tupperware in it along with a snack and drink no problems. I love the big zipper closure the makes it easy for my daughter to use. Even with the tote packed full with heavy items the neoprene handle was very comfortable to hold and comfortable. When it's not in use it fold's nicely and can be tucked away into a purse or backpack. This is essential for my elementary aged daughter. She never forgets her lunch bag when it has food in it but when it's empty it tends to get left at school. her being able to put this bag in her backpack will eliminate having to carry another item around! I'm excited that this year I will be able to end her to school with a hot lunch, the neoprene keeps food hot or cold for up to 4 hours! She will be thrilled to have mayo on her cold lunches this year also since last year I couldn't use it for fear it would be hot and spoiled before she got to eat it. The Tasty Tote also contains no PVC or Vinyl and is tested for lead safety!

Buy it: Tasty Tote sells for $20-22 at Built NY.

Win it: Built NY is offering 1 lucky reader a Tasty Tote!

To enter: Visit Built NY and let me know your what else you love from their site!
This is required for an entry into the giveaway and must be done before the extra entries count.

Don't you love...EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do, otherwise they won't count!

1- Follow my blog. Go over to my right sidebar and click on Follow This Blog! Current followers count too! 1 extra entry

2- Grab my BIG BIRTHDAY/BACK 2 SCHOOL BASH Button and put it on your blog! 1 extra entry

3- Fave me on Technorati! 1 extra entry

4- Subscribe to my newsletter. You can enter your email at the top right of my page. 1 extra entry Current subscribers count too!

5- Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my Blog (http://afamilycompleted.blogspot.com/) and Built NY 2 extra entries

6- Add my NEW standard button to your site. 2 extra entries

7- Enter Any Back 2 School Giveaway at Forever and Always and leave me a comment here letting me know which one's you entered 1- extra entry for each giveaway entered

UNLIMITED ENTRIES

9- Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for a bonus entry everyday! Be sure to leave me the link for it to count! (ID Mom2LinzNOkie) you can copy and paste: @Mom2LinzNOkie Enter BIG Birthday/ Back 2 School Bash #26- Built NY Tasty Tote, Cool Neoprene Lunch Tote http://tinyurl.com/l7zj73 1 entry for each tweet per day. Max 1 a day.

Did you have my Big Birthday/Back 2 School Bash button up BEFORE August 11th, or did you blog about the event? Did you leave a comment HERE? Then be sure to leave me a separate entry for your early bird bonus entries?

Contest ends at 7:00 am PST on September 9th I will then draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile, or make sure to check back here to see if you won. I will notify the winners before September 11th and they will have 36 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner! Contest open bloggers and non-bloggers US ONLY!