Bet On Your Baby Blog App & Giveaway

Have you heard of Bet on Your Baby?  Bet on Your Baby is a new show where parents play fun games with their toddlers, and try to "bet" on what baby will do next!  If they guess correctly, the family wins $5,000 in college tuition money, and the chance to play for $50,000!  These heartwarming and hilarious games are played in a toy-filled room called the Baby Dome.  Do you think that you can predicts what baby will do next?

Bet on Your Baby airs Saturdays 8/7c on ABC in partnership with Luvs!


Check out the above Blog App!  You can take the Would You Survive That Baby Dome Quiz?  And you can view the Bet On Your Baby Game Gallery - view the cutest clips of the stars of the show!

Ready for a giveaway?

One winner will receive a three-coupon pack for Luvs Super Absorbent Jumbo Packs!  Luvs Super Absorbent diapers give your baby the protection they need at the low price you're looking for - complete with a money back guarantee.  New Luvs Super Absorbent Jumbo Packs have an everyday low price of $6.97 at Walmart!  Enter below and good luck!

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Disclosure:  Thanks so much to ABC and Luvs for providing this information and sponsoring this giveaway.

Space Warriors Blog App & Giveaway

Have you heard of Space Warriors?  Space Warriors is the second film in the Walden Family Theater original lineup featuring great family entertainment, airing Friday nights exclusively on Hallmark Channel.  Walden Family Theater is creating films for the whole family to enjoy together, so make sure to mark your calendars and gather around the television to watch all the great upcoming films!

About Space Warriors:
Six highly skilled teenagers are handpicked to be part of a summer space camp competition at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. As the competition heats up, the kids have no idea that their ultimate challenge will be to solve a life or death crisis aboard the International Space Station as the world anxiously watches.

Starring: Thomas Horn, Danny Glover, Josh Lucas, Dermot Mulroney, Mira Sorvino and Booboo Stewart.

Past films include: "The Chronicles of Narnia" series, "Holes", "Nim's Island", "Charlotte's Web", and "Return to Nim's Island."

 
Watch Space Warriors on Hallmark Channel May 31st at 8/7C for your chance to win a trip for the whole family to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center's Space Camp!  Keep an eye out for the secret keyword for a chance to go on location where Space Warriors was filmed and train like a real astronaut!



So, what do you think of the new Blog App?  You can find our how Spacey Are You by taking the quiz above.  You can watch the trailer and you could win a family trip to Space Camp!  Remember, tune in to Space Warriors on Hallmark Channel May 31 at 8/7c for the secret keyword to win a family trip to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center's Space Camp!

Now, onto the giveaway!
Ready for a little giveaway?  One of you will win a Space Warriors Blue-ray Combo pack!

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Disclosure:  Thanks so much to Walden Family Theater for providing this information and sponsoring this giveaway.

Pennington Smart Feed Sprayer System

My latest Bzz Agent campaign is with Pennington and their Smart Feed Sprayer System. 

 

 My awesome Pennington Bzz kit!

What is the Pennington Smart Feed Sprayer System?  It's an easy way to apply fertilizer, with no mixing, no measuring and no mess.  You just attach the sprayer to your hose, load in a pre-measured fertilizer tablet and spray to release essential nutrients for your plants. 

 

 Here I am attaching it to our hose in the front yard.

This system is extremely easy to use, you only need one hand.  The clear chamber will allow you to see when each tablet is dissolved.  The Smart Feed Sprayer has four different settings so you can select the right spray pattern for your needs. 

 

 Using my Smart Feed System on my flower beds out front.

Tablets are available in all purpose, flowers & blooms, and tomato & vegetable.  The sprayer system retails for $12.99 while the tablets themselves start at $9.99.  They are sold at Walmart, Home Depot and Lowe's so you shouldn't have a problem finding one near you!  I am really looking forward to starting my next garden and using this system to hopefully grow bigger and better veggies!

Disclosure:  I received a Pennington Smart Feed Sprayer System, Refill Tablets, and Coupons for free with my Bzz Kit for participating in the Pennington Campaign.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

The Offering Book Review, Blog Tour, Giveaway & Facebook Party

I have another book to tell you about, The Offering by Angela Hunt.  This book tackles many hard and sometimes controversial topics including surrogacy, adoption, and infertility just to name a few.  I think the topic that is the most "fleshed out" in this story though is surrogacy.  After Amanda talks to another military wife who she learns is acting as a surrogate she starts to wonder if that is the right path for her family to take.  She would be helping out a couple who couldn't have children and be providing supplemental income for her own family simultaneously.  This is the path she decides to take, not alone though.  Her husband, Gideon, while uncertain and resistant at first ultimately jumps on board.  Only everything does not go according to plan.  There are bumps in the road and plot twists and turns that ultimately lead to tragedy, loss, and a "beautiful sacrifice". 

While a somewhat difficult book to read (just from the sheer nature of the topics discussed) I found this book to be eye-opening in many ways and I believe to some degree it has given me a greater appreciation for my own family.  I thought the author did a fabulous job and I would recommend this book!

Read more about the book and author below.  And don't forget to RSVP and join the author chat facebook party on June 5th!  And you can check out the full blog tour here.

About The Offering: 
From bestselling author Angela Hunt, the heart-wrenching story of a young mother who unknowingly gave away her own child after serving as a surrogate for a childless couple.

After growing up as an only child, Amanda Lisandra wants a big family. But since she and her soldier husband can't afford to have more children right away, Mandy decides to earn money as a gestational carrier for a childless couple. She loves being pregnant, and while carrying the child she dreams of having her own son and maybe another daughter. . .

Just when the nearly perfect pregnancy is about to conclude, unexpected tragedy enters Mandy's world and leaves her reeling.  Devastated by grief, she surrenders the child she was carrying and struggles to regain her emotional equilibrium.

Two years later she studies a photograph of the baby she bore and wonders if the unthinkable has happened - could she have inadvertently given away her own biological child?  Over the next few months Mandy struggles to decide between the desires of her grief-stricken heart and what's best for the little boy she has never known.

Interested in purchasing your own copy, click here!

Meet Angela: 
With over four million copies of her books sold worldwide, Angela Hunt is the bestselling author of more than one hundred books, including "The Nativity Story". Hunt is one of the most sought-after collaborators in the publishing industry. Her nonfiction book "Don't Bet Against Me", written with Deanna Favre, spent several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Angela's novel "The Note" (with sales of over 141,000) was filmed as the Hallmark Channel's Christmas movie for 2007 and proved to be the highest rated television movie in the channel's history. Angela's novels have won or been nominated for several prestigious industry awards, including the RITA, the Christy Award, the ECPA Christian Book Award, and the Holt Medallion. She often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers' conferences, and she served as the keynote speaker at the 2008 American Christian Fiction Writers' national conference. She and her husband make their home in Florida with mastiffs. In 2001, one of her dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest dog in America.

Learn more about Angela here!

 Angela Hunt is celebrating the release of The Offering with a Nook HD Giveaway and an Author Chat Party on Facebook {6/5}.

  One winner will receive:

• A Nook HD
• The Offering by Angela Hunt 

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 4th. Winner will be announced at the "The Offering" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 5th. Connect with Angela for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Angela will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Offering and join Angela on the evening of June 5th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 5th!

Disclosure:  Thanks so much to Litfuse Publicity Group for allowing me to be a part of this tour and providing me with this book to facilitate my review.  All opinions expressed are my own. 

Old Navy Women's Active Wear Sample Share

 My local Old Navy

Guess what?  I was selected to take part in another Old Navy Sample Share through Crowdtap, this time for their Active Wear.  You may not know it but Old Navy actually has a large selection of Women's Active Wear including graphic tanks, graphic tees, semi-fitted tanks, compression tanks, 1/4 zip running tops, mesh tops, mesh-bubble tanks, padded camis, go-dry tanks, go-dry tees, printed compression pants, fold-over yoga capris, fitted compression capris, compression mesh capris, side-mesh running shorts, jackets, various sports bras and more - you get the idea - they have a lot!  You can check out their full selection here.

A friend and I both received an Active Top and Bottom of our choice, a complete outfit!

 Some of the selection of Old Navy's Active Wear

My friend is pretty fun and awesome to be with :).

So, what did we end up with?  I chose a mesh top in Icy Aqua and side-mesh running shorts in carbon stripe.

 My selection

My friend choose black yoga pants and an active jacket in black jack.

 My friend's selection

I actually have this same jacket in purple and it is amazing, it has breathable mesh panels and thumb holes at the cuffs.  Do you have any Old Navy Active Wear?  If so, what do you think?  Or what would you have picked?  I would love to hear your thoughts.

And you can check out some of my past Old Navy Sample Shares at the following links: Best Tees,  Fall Dresses, Swim Suits, Spring Dresses - enjoy!

A big thanks to both Crowdtap and Old Navy for this sampling opportunity!  I was blessed to receive an Old Navy Active Wear top and bottom of my choice and take a friend along for an Old Navy Active Wear top and bottom of their choice.  All opinions expressed are 100% mine.

Happy Birthday C!

A trip down memory lane, love you son!

The day you were born!

 One year later!

 C turning 2.

 And 3...

 

 My 4 year old

 Happy 5 year old and his baby sister!

Taken today, 6 years old!

Shark Attack - C's 6th Birthday Party

Remember C's Shark Invitations here!  Well, his party was last Saturday and I do believe he had a blast.

 Here is a collage I made of his Shark Cake!  David did a great job.

And I made a Shark Watermelon, yummy!

 We had a 3D shark coming out of our walls.

And C loved his shark grabber machine from Grandma and Grandpa.  It was fun to let the kids get their own party favors.

Thanks so much to everyone who was able to come celebrate.  My son is growing up!

Endorse Mobile App

Have you heard of Endorse?  It is a free mobile app for your iPhone or Android. 

Endorse is a simple, free way to get cash back for buying your favorite products in stores.  You can earn from 10% up to 100% cash back on your everyday purchases wherever you shop including Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Kroger, Safeway, CVS, Whole Foods, Costco and Trader Joe's.

I have been using this app for several months and have already earned over $40.  I have definitely found it to be worth it.  I love getting cash back for buying diapers!  If you are interested in signing up click here for my referral link!

How does it work exactly?  You download the app here, browse offers, upload your receipts and get rewarded!  And with each receipt you earn points to fund local school projects.

It is really a cool thing.  If you check it out, please let me know what you think!

Disclosure:  I will receive $1 for every person who signs up with my referral link.  Thank you if you choose to sign up.  I hope you find it to be worth it as I have.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Once Upon a Prince Review, Blog Tour, Facebook Party & Giveaway

I have a new book to tell you about, Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck.  I found this to be such a delightful read.  It was fun, entertaining, romantic and I read the entire book in one sitting!  I personally felt sucked into the story at the very beginning during the emotional breakup.  Hauck does a great job developing the characters charm quickly and you cannot help but root for Susanna and Nate's budding relationship to blossom.  Sure, I felt like the ending was a bit predictable in some ways but I am A-OK with that!  If you are looking for a clean romance book with a modern day fairy tale feel then look no further, this is a book for you. 

Read more about this book below and be sure to check out the facebook party and enter to win!  You can check out the complete blog tour here.

About Once Upon A Prince: 

The Royal Wedding Series Book One

Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess---just to marry the man she has loved for twelve years. But life isn't going according to plan. When her high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life.

The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simon's Island is the queen of his heart. A prince has duties, and his family's tense political situation has chosen his bride for him. When Prince Nathaniel comes to Susanna's aid under the fabled Lover's Oak, he is blindsided by love.

Their lives are worlds apart. He's a royal prince. She's a ordinary girl. But everything changes when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel's coronation.

It's the ultimate choice. His kingdom or her heart? God's will or their own?

You can purchase a copy here!

Watch the Trailer: 

Once Upon a Prince, Book Trailer - Rachel Hauck

Meet Rachel:

Rachel Hauck is the bestselling author of Carol Award winner "Sweet Caroline", and RITA Finalist "Love Starts With Elle", and of the critically acclaimed fiction collaboration with multi-platinum country artist Sara Evans, "The Songbird Novels". She lives in sunny, though sometimes hurricane plagued, central Florida with her husband and their ornery pets. Rachel earned a degree in Journalism from Ohio State University and is a huge Buckeyes football fan. She is the past President of American Christian Fiction Writers and now sits on the board as an Advisor.

Find out more about Rachel here!

Rachel Hauck is celebrating the release of Once Upon a Prince with a fun "Royal Wedding" Giveaway and connecting with readers at her May 28th Facebook Party.

One "royal" winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 27th. Winner will be announced at the "Once Upon a Prince" Facebook Author Chat Party on May 28th. Connect with Rachel for an evening of book chat, wedding trivia, laughter, and more! Rachel will also be sharing a sneak peek at the next book in the series and giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Once Upon a Prince and join Rachel on the evening of May 28th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 28th!

Disclosure:  Thanks so much to Litfuse Publicity Group for allowing me to be a part of this tour and providing me with this book to facilitate my review.  All opinions expressed are my own. 

Adventures in Odyssey Summer of Service A.C.T.S. Blog Tour

 

Have you heard of Adventures in Odyssey?  I really hope you have because if not you are really missing out!  Adventures in Odyssey, the beloved audio series from Focus on the Family, has encouraged kids toward a stronger faith for 25 years.  Whit, Connie, Eugene, and the other lovable characters from Odyssey have shared countless adventures with kids across the world in the classic audio dramas, books, videos, and devotionals, fulfilling the AIO promise to help kids discover, imagine, and grow.  I am proud to partner with Adventures in Odyssey and Tyndale House in joining them in their Summer of Service A.C.T.S blog tour. 

Join Adventures in Odyssey this summer to discover how fun it can be to serve others!

This summer, Adventures in Odyssey is joining with Christian bookstores across the country, inviting kids to participate in a Summer of Service.  They’re promoting the biblical message, “When you serve, everybody wins,” encouraging kids to serve their families, their communities, and their world.  Whether it’s baking cookies for an elderly neighbor or putting together a care package for missionaries overseas, kids will discover that serving can be a blast!

How the A.C.T.S. (A Call to Service) challenge and contest works:

Kids who join A.C.T.S. can pick up a service log and collect fun character stickers for hours served at participating bookstores throughout the summer, or download a serving log online at whitsend.org.  At the end of the summer, kids can record and upload a short video telling how they serve and why they’d like to become an Adventures in Odyssey Ambassador.

A hundred winners will get the brand new AIO Album, and after online voting, two grand prize winners (one boy and one girl) will get to travel on an exciting Good-Goers Mission Based Adventure trip to another country with a parent!  The out-of-country destination will be announced on a live podcast May 22—hosted by AIO actors Katie Leigh (Connie) and Chris Anthony (Chris)—which you can watch at whitsend.org/acts.  You don’t want to miss it!

On May 22, there will be a webcast launch

Why serve?  And how to serve?

One of the best things we can do to build selfless, confident children is to help and encourage them toward a growing and thriving faith in God which includes serving others!  We do not serve because it makes us feel good - although, most of the time it actually does but instead we serve others because we are following God's instructions.  Modeling and encouraging serving will help build faith that our children can carry with them into adulthood—which is one of the greatest gifts any parent can bestow on their children.

For David's 35th birthday this year the kids and I put together a "blessing box" as one of his gifts. 

 Some of our ideas

The box contained 35 ways that we could bless others within our community.  These ideas included hiding $1 bills in our local Dollar Store, placing free red box codes on the machines, giving out reusable bags to those who forgot them, handing out Chick-fil-A gift cards, bags to be left at changing stations that contain diapers and wipes, snack bags (juice/granola bars) to hand out to those in need, Gatorade to distribute, Cliff bars to hand out, bags of change to be left on vending machines, and Hershey bars to be given out for a sweet treat to name a few. 

 

 Have you ever been out and about with a little one and forgotten diapers and perhaps wipes?  We thought this could really bless people with little ones.

Ready to distribute

The kids and I are also planning on baking cookies to distribute to the local firefighters in our area for all the work they do.  We want to bless them in a practical way and show them the love of God and thank them for their service!  David and the kids and I have been having a great time distributing the contents of his "blessing" box.  These are just a few examples of simple ways to bless and serve others.  What ideas do you have?  Please let me know!

Click here to gain access to the free downloadable mp3 file of the AIO Service episode!  And there is a free PDF download of summer service ideas for kids available here.  Hope you decide to participate!

kidecals - personalized kid's name labels and decals

 

Have you heard of kidecals?   They offer personalized, water-proof kid's name labels and decals.

Personalized Kids Name Labels can come in handy on bottles, clothing, books, toys, sports gear - really you name it!  kidecals are durable, dishwasher/washing machine/dryer safe and they do not damage surfaces - what is not to love?  There are even clothing labels perfect for summer camps!

Another great use - allergy notifications!

Their Waterproof labels are also durable and can stick to just about anything and stay put.  These are especially handy for pool toys and you know that summer is almost here :).

Fun Mustache Stickers are a fun touch.  If I had known about these I would have gotten them for my nephew's mustache bash last month!  These partystache stickers can be used as drink markers and the mustache chalkboard stickers are a fun way to label and organize anything in your pantry or craft room.

The variety of options adds a bit of character!

kidecals makes some of the prettiest designs when it comes to chalkboard labels.  What an easy and fun way to get organized fast and the fact that they can go through the dishwasher is amazing to me.

I love this chalkboard design.

If you are interested in purchasing kidecals I have a special promo code for you.  Save 15% off kidecals by using promo code, bestlabels, here!

 

kidecals always has FREE shipping!

Magazines.com & Giveaway

Disclosure:  I will receive my own magazine subscription from magazines.com - Parenting the Early Years.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own.  Thanks so much to the sponsor for providing this giveaway.

   

   

 

Mother's Day has come and gone but it is never too late to think of Mom or even celebrate her throughout the year!  Magazines.com offers people a fun, easy way to discover new reads and helps them track their magazine subscriptions.  They have several great Mother's Day deals on magazine subscriptions.  You'll find incredible savings on cooking, celebrity, crafting magazine subscriptions and more.  Don't forget about all the Moms in your life - your aunts, sisters, grandmother - you can give a gift that keeps on giving.  Check out all their current deals here!

Parenting the Early Years

I am excited because in just a few short weeks I will be receiving a subscription to Parenting the Early Years.  I look forward to reading the articles and information. 

Would you like to win a free magazine subscription to Magazines.com?  Just enter the giveaway below and good luck.

Here are a few of the titles that you could win:  Cooking with Paula Deen, Martha Stewart Living, Parenting Early Years, Parenting School Years, Prevention, Weight Watchers, Working Mother, Victoria, People, Southern Living, Food Network, Real Simple, Southern Lady, Crochet Today, Tea Time, Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting, Entertain Decorate Celebrate, Taste of South, Creative Machine Embroidery, Just Cross Stitch, Quilt, Quilter's Newsletter, Sampler & Antique Needlework Quarterly, Creative Knitting, Quilter's World, Sew News, Crochet World, Creating Keepsakes, Crochet and Card Maker.

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ABC's About ME!

Thanks so much to Marla for this wonderful idea.  In an effort to share more with you about who I am...These are the ABC's of me!

A. Age?

 I’m 35!

 B. Book?

 This is really a hard one as I read a lot!  I am really loving the Jesus Storybook Bible.  I know it is geared for children but even as an adult it is extremely touching. 

 C. Cake or Pie?

 Mostly Cake
(Although my friend Jenn makes the best homemade Peanut Butter and Chocolate Pie - I would actually choose these over cake (but only these))

 D. Drink of Choice?

 Iced water with lemon, Unsweet tea with lemon, and I do like Dr. Pepper

 E. Essential Item?

 My iPhone.  I never thought it would be but if I am honest this is it right now.

 F. Favorite Color?

Green

 G. Game to play or watch?

 I love word games - Scrabble and Words with Friends.

 H. Hometown?

League City, Texas

 I. Indulgence?

 Anything chocolate

 J. Job?

 SAHM, I used to work as a veterinary technician.

 K. Kids?

 5 Kids whom I affectionately refer to as A, B, C, D and E

 L. Life isn’t complete without?

 My hubby, David, and the Lord

 M. Music group or singer?

Love Toby Mac!  Really, he is awesome :)

N. Number of siblings?

I have one sister, Stephanie, and one brother, Brian

 O. Oranges or apples?

I really like them both!
 

 P. Phobias/Fears?

 I really don't like heights or snakes.

 Q. Favorite Quote?

I really like Isaiah 61 which is about the year of the Lord's favor.

 R. Reason to smile?

My family 

S. Season?

Oh, I really like them all for different reasons but if I had to pick just one it would be the Fall.

 T. Tattoos?

No way, not for me
(I have been known to wear a temporary at children's parties)
 

 U. Unknown fact about me?

  I have never broken a bone.

 V. Vegetables you love?

 Broccoli, Corn on the cob, Carrots, Snap Peas, - most!

 W. Worst habit?

Yelling.  I wish I never yelled.

 X. X-rays you’ve had?

 Dental, jaw - not sure if there were any others, Mom?

 Y. Your favorite food?

 This is really hard -  chicken fried steak (I am from the South).

 Z. Zodiac?

Libra but I don't put any faith into this

Did you find we have anything in common or were you surprised by any of my answers?  Let me know!

Wazoo's Family Fun - My Review

Remember when I first told you about Wazoo's here?  Wazoo's is an indoor bounce house facility for kids up to age 12 - perfect for A, B, C, D and E.  The kids and I went down to Wazoo's a few weeks ago and had a blast!

 There is a special Toddlertown for children ages 3 & under.  D and E loved this section.  There was a small slide, animal bouncers, tunnels, a ride in canoe and much more.  I loved that they were encouraging imaginative play.

 Here is E enjoying the giraffe bouncer in Toddlertown.

There is a food area complete with snack bar.  Outside food and drinks are welcome which is what we did.  I love that they allow this option.

A small portion of the snack bar.  You cannot see in this photo but there are several large containers of hand sanitizer throughout the food area as well.

 B and C racing through one of the large bounce houses.

Here you can see B running through.

 Climbing fun with C and D.

And ultimate climber that goes almost to the ceiling.  My older kids loved this one.  There is a double slide in the back.

 D having a blast jumping.

 

B sliding fast.

 They even had a bouncer geared more for the little ones.

 Jumping as a family.

As you can see there are several different types of bounce houses and slides for kid's enjoyment.  We didn't have a problem enjoying ourselves for several plus hours.  And if it hadn't been time for E to take a nap, we would have stayed even longer.  Wazoo's is open daily from 10am-8pm and they charge $9 for all day play and readmission.  Remember you can bring your own drinks and food but if you forget their snack bar can help you out.  My family had a blast and the kids are already asking to go back!  Check out the video I made below to get a better idea of the fun.



Disclosure:  Thanks to Wazoo's and US Family Guide for providing my family with the opportunity to enjoy a day at Wazoo's for free to facilitate my review.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own.