Movie night just isn’t movie night without a bowl of popcorn in your lap to munch on.  My 5-year-old never lets us forget that, so I was happy to have a sample of Pop Weaver’s new microwave popcorn on hand as we settled in for our most recent family movie night.  As soon as I announced we were going to watch a movie, I heard, “Yay! I want popcorn!”

I had recently received a sample Pop Weaver’s Light Butter microwave popcorn cooked in their newly formulated canola oil blend to try out so I tossed a bag in the microwave.  In addition to tasting great, the popcorn popped up light and fluffy with just two minutes in the microwave.  Plus, with only 210 calories per bag popped, it is a snack I don’t feel bad feeding my children.  That isn’t the only benefit though.

Pop Weaver’s Canola oil blend is primarily comprised of “heart healthy” polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which help to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, and supply Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9 fatty acids, helping to protect against coronary heart disease, heart attacks and strokes. And the popcorn provides other health benefits, as well, since it is a good source of whole grains. Not only does it contain fiber, but a study released this summer found that popcorn also provides healthy antioxidants. In fact, because it is unprocessed, according to the study, popped popcorn provided more antioxidants than any other snack food tested.

What more can you ask for in a quick, tasty snack?  I have to admit that I would like a little more butter flavor on my popcorn, but Pop Weaver has that covered with the Butter and Extra Butter flavors for just a few more calories per bag.  I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for it the next time I’m strolling the aisles at the grocery store.  At only 21 cents per bag, it’s a great snack to have on hand!

Giveaway Time!

If you would like to try out Pop Weaver’s new microwave popcorn made with canola oil, you’re in luck!  I have two 8-count boxes of popcorn to give away to two lucky commenters! 

How to enter:
All you have to do to enter the giveaway is leave a comment below. I’d love it if you would tell me what your favorite healthy snack is or what you like to munch on during movie night. Be sure to leave an e-mail address where you can be reached if you win!

Contest will close Wednesday, August 18th, at 11:59 p.m. CST. You must be a U.S. resident, or have a U.S. postal address to participate. Two winners will be chosen from all eligible comments via random.org and notified by e-mail.

A few weeks ago I received a copy of Ladybug from Butterflyfish.  When I put it in the cd player on the way to preschool/day care one morning, the kids fussed at me.  It wasn’t their usual Laurie Berkner that they were used to listening to during the morning ride.  Fortunately, it didn’t take long for them to adjust. After just a couple of listens they were singing along!

Matthew Myer Boulton, Elizabeth Myer Boulton, and Zoë Krohne formed Butterflyfish after chatting at a picnic about how to explore the spiritual side of life with their children in new ways. Agreeing that most spiritually themed music made for families were “pretty thin broth, both musically and spiritually,” they set out to create what they had been searching for.  Their first cd, Ladybug,  has gotten great reviews, even being called “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” for kids!

Ladybug is a great collection of folk/bluegrass style songs with a spiritual message.  Mixed in with a collection of Boulton’s originals, are new takes on some of the old classics such as “Jesus Loves Me” and “Deep Down In My Heart.”  The music is light-hearted and fun, while also introducing biblical stories and context. My 4-year-old’s favorite song is “What Jonah Learned Inside the Whale,” and I keep catching him singing it even when the cd isn’t on.  The best part though, is that it has him asking questions and wanting to know more.  After listening to “When the Spirit Sings In Me,” we had a long discussion about what “the Spirit” means and how it relates to our lives.

Don’t think this music is only for kids though.  I’ll admit to playing it (and singing along) even when I’m in the car by myself!  I can’t resist the harmony on “Music.”  Even my husband, who is not at all fond of Folk music, likes it and it’s rare that he’ll admit to liking anything that isn’t hard rock or metal.

For my family, this cd came at a perfect time.  We’ve been trying to re-commit ourselves to going to church and just started attending a brand new church in our area.  I love that the music is helping my son become more interested in God and to be quite honest, it really puts me in the mood to worship on Sunday mornings!

I was actually quite surprised at how much my family loves this cd.  We have all been singing the songs for a couple of weeks now and haven’t tired of it yet. Because we love it so much, I e-mailed Elizabeth and asked if she would be willing to provide another copy of Ladybug for me to give away to my readers.  She graciously said yes!

How to enter:
All you have to do to enter the contest is leave a comment below.  I’d love it if you would tell me what your favorite song (spiritual or otherwise) was when you were a kid.  Are there memories attached to it or did you just like the song?

Contest will close Tuesday, December 15th, 2009, at 11:59 p.m. CST.  One winner will be chosen from all eligible comments via random.org and notified by e-mail.

To find out more about Butterflyfish, go to www.butterflyfishband.com.  You can sample and purchase Ladybug in the store, or check out some of the other fun stuff, such as the yummy Strawberry Lemonade recipe!

Disclosure: I received a copy of Butterflyfish’s cd, Ladybug, for the purposes of this review.

This giveaway has ended and the winner, Jamie P, has been notified. Keep checking back for more great giveaways!

It’s time for another fun giveaway from UPrinting.com. Just in time for the holidays, UPrinting is giving away 50 Custom Thank You cards and envelopes! These cards are perfect for thanking friends and family for all those holiday gifts or even giving away in a gift basket! Don’t need Thank You cards? Customize it and turn it into a greeting card instead. UPrinting cards are printed on high-quality paper and cardstock and are perfect for just about any occasion.

Here are the specifics of what you can win:

Prize Offered: (50 ct.) 7 x 5″ (folded to 3.5 x 5″) Custom Thank You Cards with plain envelopes
Shipping: Free UPS Ground within United States
Eligibility: Limited to US Residents due to shipping costs.

Enter to win the 50 Custom Thank You cards by leaving a comment below telling me how you plan to use them! Be sure to leave a valid e-mail address with your comment so you can be notified if you win.

This contest will close on November 29, 2009 at 12:00 Noon (Central).  A winner will be chosen from all valid entries by Random.org and notified by e-mail.  The winner will receive an e-mail directly from UPrinting with a code for their 50 free cards on December 5, 2009.

Disclosure: In appreciation for hosting this giveaway, UPrinting is also giving me a set of 50 Custom Thank You cards with envelopes.

Entries are now closed. The winner of the 100 postcards giveaway is Average Jane!

It’s time for another fun giveaway from my blog sponsor UPrinting.com! This time UPrinting would like to offer one lucky reader a set of 100 custom postcards.

So, what can you do with a postcard? Only about a million different things! Postcards are very versatile. You could use them for party invitations, holiday cards, business advertisements, change of address, save the date cards, sale ads, thank you cards, and so many other things. There are so many options I don’t even know what I would use them for!

One lucky winner will receive 100 custom postcards as detailed below:

Size: 4×6
Paper: 14pt Cardstock Gloss
Printing: Full color both sides    
Shipping: FREE UPS Ground Shipping in the US (Canadian residents pay shipping and taxes. Offer not available to residents outside of the US and Canada)

How to enter:

Got a creative idea of how you would use your postcards? Leave a comment below telling me how you would use them and you’re entered in the contest! Be sure to use a valid e-mail address as that is how you will be notified of your prize.

Contest is open until Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 12:00 Noon Central. Winner will be chosen from all eligible entries via random.org and notified by e-mail. A coupon code for the postcards will be sent to the winner’s registered email by UPrinting.com on November 6, 2009.


Disclosure: In exchange for hosting this giveaway, I will also receive a set of 100 postcards from UPrinting.com.

A couple of weeks ago I was sent a copy of the new Kenny Loggins cd, All Join In, from the One2One network.  I’m not a huge Kenny Loggins fan myself, but since my kids both love listening to music, I thought I’d give it a chance.  I was pleasantly surprised when I turned it on.  There are some great songs on All Join In, including old favorites like “You’ve Got A Friend In Me”, and some new material from Kenny as well.  The kids really enjoyed the album and I have to say it was pretty good from an adult perspective as well.

Want to hear it yourself?  Walt Disney Records and Kenny Loggins are offering up four free MP3s from the album in exchange for answering a short survey.  To get your four free downloads, follow these simple instructions:

1) Go to http://wdig.vo.llnwd.net/d1/walt_disney_records/Kenny_Loggins/Microsite%202/
and listen to the 4 songs on the music player. (I couldn’t get the player to open in Firefox, so you may need to try a different browser if it doesn’t show up. It seems to work fine in IE)
2) Answer the survey questions listed on the site.
3) Make sure to leave a valid e-mail address and you will be sent a link to download your 4 free MP3s.

There’s nothing like seeing your baby’s first few wobbly steps.  They work so hard to get across such a short distance, only to end up falling to the floor.

With my son, I remember spending hours trying to get him to walk between his daddy and me.  To him, it was just a fun game, but to me, it was watching my baby turn into a toddler.

My daughter preferred to do it on her own.  She took her first steps at day care holding onto a rolling toy.  By the time we got home that night, she was practically running across the room holding onto her toy.

When my kids were learning to walk, everything I read said not to put them in shoes, and if you must then to make sure they were soft soled shoes. Regardless of what the “experts” said, I felt like my kids needed to be in shoes. I only wish they could have had a pair of Stride Rite’s new Sensory Response Technology™ (SRT) shoes! Not only do the SRT shoes allow babies to feel and grip the surface beneath them, they also help to distribute their weight properly to keep their balance.

The best part of the Stride Rite SRT collection is all of the adorable styles! The fall collection has four great styles for boys and seven for girls in sizes 3-8, with various widths for the perfect fit. Additional styles will be released in the Spring, but I’m already having trouble choosing which ones I like the best! You can take a look at all of the available styles on Stride Rite’s Facebook page.

So, why am I telling you all of this? Because you have a chance to win one of five pairs of SRT shoes courtesy of Stride Rite and the Momfluence network!

5 winners will be chosen to receive one pair of SRT shoes, available in sizes 3 to 8 infant/toddler (including medium and wide). Each pair is a retail value of $50. In order to enter, readers must fill out the following form: http://bit.ly/zb2Qb

This contest is open to legal U.S. residents 18 years or older. The giveaway begins at 12:00 a.m. ET September 14th and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET September 28th. Five winners will be chosen to receive a pair of SRT shoes – toddler size only ($50 RV per pair).

I was so excited when I got to give away 250 Custom Greeting Cards from DigitalRoom.com earlier this week, but thanks to my awesome blog sponsor, UPrinting.com, I now have another incredible giveaway from Digital Room!  How would you like to win 500 free business cards to help promote your business?

There is no better way to share your information than on a greatly designed business card.  Business cards are so versatile.  Not only do they include all of your important contact information, they can also be a great way to showcase your work if you are in a design related business.  Plus, they are small enough to keep a few in your pocket or purse at all times.  You never know when you might meet a prospective client!

Don’t have a need for business cards?  There are tons of other uses!  You can use them to pass on your phone number at playdates or school functions, to promote your web site or blog, or even as gift tags.  With all of the great business card sizes available, surely you can think of some way to use these!  I personally love the die-cut business cards and am dreaming up some fun designs using the different shapes.

The Digital Room website allows you to easily design your own cards, use a pre-made template on the site, or download their easy to use templates to create your own original design.  And the best part?  They’ll send you a free proof before you pay to make sure you are getting exactly what you want.

Can you tell I’m excited about this giveaway?  Okay, here are the details:

TWO (2) PRIZE WINNERS WILL RECEIVE

500 Business Cards

Choose size: 2×3.5”, 2×3”, 2×2″;

Choose paper: 14pt cardstock (matte or gloss coating) & 13 pt cardstock uncoated

Choose Color: (4/4) Color both sides; (4/1) Color 1 side , B/W backside; (4/0) Color 1 side, black backside

Shipping must be paid by Winner. Offer Valid for UNITED STATES SHIPPING ONLY.

How To Enter:
Leave a comment below telling me how you will use your 500 business cards from Digital Room. Make sure to leave a valid e-mail address where you may be contacted if chosen as the winner.

Contest will remain open until September 10, 2009 at Noon (Central time). Two winners will be chosen at that time by random number generator at random.org. Winners will be posted here and also notified by e-mail.

The Custom Greeting Card giveaway is officially over and I have chosen the two lucky winners via random.org.  The two lucky winners are Cass and Jessica Fry!

Ladies, you can expect to receive your coupon codes for your free greeting cards via direct email from uprinting.com. Enjoy!

One of the best ways to let someone know you’re thinking of them is to send them a greeting card. Maybe it’s their birthday, graduation, a special holiday, or just to let them know you miss them. No matter what the occasion, a greeting card from a friend with a special note inside is bound to cheer the recipient up.  Hey, everyone loves getting mail when there isn’t a bill inside, right?

But what do they do with that card after the 30 seconds or so that it took to read it? They might set it up on the table for a while where they’ll see it when they pass by. Eventually they’re going to tuck it away in a drawer, stick it in a pile of other papers where it will be lost for eternity (wait, is that only me?), or maybe even toss it in the trash. They may remember the sentiment, but let’s face it – that card will probably never be seen again.

So how do you make your cards stand out? How do you make your card the unforgettable one that doesn’t get pushed aside or tossed in the trash? Make your own custom greeting cards of course!  You can use your own design, logo, or photo to make your greeting card an original. And guess what? The ones with photos on the front are the ones I always keep!

Custom printed cards can be used for thank you notes, invitations, sending holiday greetings, or just to let loved ones know you care.  I personally love sending custom postcards for my kids’ birthday party invitations.  They are so much nicer than the generic ones you pick up at the store, and are also a wonderful keepsake for the baby books.

What would you use custom cards for?  Does this sound like something you’d like to do?  I hope so, because DigitalRoom.com wants to give two (2!) of my awesome readers a set of 250 custom greeting cards!  Two winners will receive the following:

250 7 x 5″ Greeting Cards (Half-Fold); 10 pt Cover with matte or gloss Coating

Full Color Outside and Blank Inside (4/0)

Winners must be willing to pay shipping for their cards and they will be shipped within the U.S. only.  Even with paying shipping this is an incredible deal!

How to Enter:
Leave a comment below telling me how you might use your custom greeting cards. Make sure to leave a valid e-mail address where you may be contacted if chosen as the winner.

Contest will remain open until September 1, 2009 at Noon (Central time). Two winners will be chosen at that time by random number generator at random.org.  Winners will be posted here and also notified by e-mail.

Have you ever said the wrong thing to a client?  Have you ever been caught not paying attention on the line?  Have your kids screamed something crazy during a call…

If so – Packetel wants to hear about it!

If not – try out Packetel’s Web Conferencing services FREE for 30-days and tell us about your experience!

Packetel Turbo Meeting makes web conferencing simple and easy to do.  Here are just a few of their web conferencing features:

Win an iPhone for my misdeed on a conference call? Yes! Here’s how you can win:

1. Fill out the form below, including your blooper story
OR
2. Try out Packetel’s Web Conferencing Service for FREE for 30 days, fill out the form including your experience with the server

Entry form: http://cli.gs/PsvX9W

Bonus Entries! After you’ve completed 1 or 2 above and filled out the form you can also…
- Blog about Packetel’s Online Fax Service and link the text “packetel’s web conference service” to: http://www.packetel.com/web-conferencing-turbo-meeting-main.asp\
- Become a Fan of Packetel at their Brand New Facebook Fan Page here: http://facebook.com/pages/edit/?id=121265230239#

Contest ends 7/31/09 at 11:59 AM ET.  This contest brought to you courtesy of the Momfluence network.