Dial $65K Gold Giveaway

If you read my blog it is no secret that I am a fan of Dial.  I reviewed their Coconut Body Wash here as well as their kids body and hair wash (6+) here and their kids body and hair wash (2+) here.  Dial body washes work and leave you feeling fresh and clean.  If you have never tried them before or if you yourself are already a fan stick around for your chance to win a bottle of any Dial body wash.

 

Have you heard about the Dial $65K Gold Giveaway?  To commemorate the Dial brand's 65th anniversary, Dial is giving away $65,000 in gold to one lucky winner!  What's more, everyday from June 16th to August 19th, 65 daily winners will receive a year's supply of Dial Body Wash.  Just head on over here to enter now!

Participants may enter once a day on facebook to increase their chances of winning, as well as share the sweepstakes through social media sites to receive an exclusive Dial coupon.  Don't forget to enter here - you could be the lucky winner!

Are you ready for a coupon giveaway here?  Three people will win a coupon for a free bottle of any Dial Body Wash (Maximum Value $4.49, expires 8/20/14).  Good luck!

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Disclosure:  I participated in this campaign as a Purex Insider.  Purex provided me with these coupons in exchange for sharing the Dial sweepstakes.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Have Morning Sickness? Try Three Lollies

Have you heard of Three Lollies?  Three Lollies makes all natural products for nausea associated with morning sickness, travel sickness, cancer treatment and all other types of nausea.  Their products are drug-free and doctor recommended.  I am in the throws of morning sickness and I am really looking forward to reviewing their Preggie Pop Drops, stay tuned for my upcoming review!

And you can Save 20% Off Any Order at Three Lollies, Natural Nausea Products with this coupon here (expires 5/30/2014).

Do you know who is who?

I am often told that my kids do not really look like me or my husband.  Some people disagree.  However, one thing people do agree on is that my kids favor each other.  So, I thought I would have a little fun with this idea.  I took baby photos of all five kids and cropped out their faces.  Do you think you can guess who is who?  There are photos of A, B, C, D, and E on the sidebar if you need a little help.  Just comment below by letting me know which number corresponds with each child (1. E, 2. A, etc.).

Good luck!  It may be trickier than it looks.

Etsy Spotlight: The Angelorian Tradition & Giveaway

I have a new Etsy shop to tell you about, The Angelorian Tradition.  Crystal has a fabulous variety of metal stamped vintage flatware, custom guitar picks, one of a kind wedding favors and accessories, craft supplies, party supplies, home decor and jewelry items just to name a few.

Crystal started her shop in early July 2012 out of her home.  She can often be found working on an order in her shop area in the corner of her garage or in her art room upstairs devising something new!  Being creative and precise to the greatest possible degree are a part of her creative drive and passion, but with age Crystal has come to understand that sometimes it is the little flaws of handmade character that makes something beautiful and absolutely unique.  I totally agree with you on this Crystal!

Check out these awesome custom herb markers!

And how fun are these custom puzzle stamped key chains?

These rainbow swirl cupcake liners would be a great addition at any bash.

And if you know my husband and his passion for ice cream this would be the perfect addition in his sock for Christmas. 

And what a unique way to pop the big question!

If you haven't done so yet, head on over to Crystal's shop here and take a look around.

If you would like to make a purchase at The Angelorian Tradition I have a special coupon code just for you!  Use the Coupon Code: CUMA1 to receive 15% off $5.00+ purchase (expires July 8th).

Angelorian Tradition Prize Pack

How about a giveaway?  Crystal has generously offered a prize pack containing a pink resin rose pin ($6), a hand-made pink wool felt barrette/pin flower ($6.50), a re-sizable peach resin rose ring ($6), an Irish penny from the 1960's Lucky Magnet ($2), a roll (5.5 yards x 1/2 inch) of floral fabric tape ($2.40), a pink velvet ribbon and a Swarovski crystal book mark ($4) for a total value of $26.90!  Enter below and good luck!

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Adventures in Odyssey - Imagine & Giveaway

Remember when I told you about Adventures in Odyssey A.C.T.S. theme of service here?  Well this week's theme is Imagine!  Imagine creative and fun ways to serve using your unique gifts!  My kids are full of  imaginative ideas and I love the ways that they naturally explore and play.  You put them in a room together and the possibilities of what they will come up with are endless.  They might blast off to some unknown planet, start their own restaurant (Cummins Cafe), create their own jungle - you just never know.

 

Here is C as a clown

 Cowgirl D

 And E as SpiderBaby - ready to help when someone is in need

However, this post is more than just imaginative ideas and games.  I hope this is an encouragement to focus those imaginative ideas and give feet to them so to speak in order to bless others in your home, neighborhood, city, state and even the world.  It really does make a difference.

I was actually surprised when my kids concocted plates full of their own made-up desserts (basically candy decorating the tops of saltine crackers, stuck on with frosting) and insisted on delivering them to as many neighbors as they could until we ran out of saltines.  But what really makes my heart smile is that they loved it - it was their own idea, and they got to share a simple blessing of kindness and generosity - awesome!

Unleashing Imagination
Adventures in Odyssey is all about great stories - and the power of the imagination.  The beloved audio dramas are heard on over 700 radio stations, and AIO has recently expanded to books and devotionals - including The Imagination Station series, a fast-growing line of early chapter readers.  You can check them out by downloading a FREE e-book of Imagination Station #1: Voyage with the Vikings!  We own this book and my kiddos love it.

This summer, Adventures in Odyssey encourages kids to write their OWN stories, as they join in ACTS: A Call to Serve!  AIO is helping children use their imaginations to serve their family, community, and world this summer - maybe by sending a care package to a missionary or baking cookies for the local fire department.  Check out  www.whitsend.org/acts for the details and a chance to win fabulous prizes, including a mission trip with a parent to Costa Rica!

More important than prizes are the stories your child or children will tell about the creative ways they served others, and how they grew as a result.  And what they come up with really might change the world!  An ACTS "Summer of Service" kit is available for download here.

A Creative Story of Service
Fourteen-year-old Matthew, a dedicated Adventures in Odyssey fan and natural tech whiz, was inspired by a trip to the Apple store to create a smartphone app for his church.  Since then, he has created 21 apps for different ministries, indcluding his local pregnancy resource center, Joni and Friends (an international ministry for people with disabilities), and even an "Adventures in Odyssey Fan News" app!  Matthew used his God-given talents and imagination to bless others through technology.  Which of your kid's unique gifts are waiting to be unleashed for God's use?

Ready for a giveaway?  One of you will win Adventures in Odyssey Imagination Station books #1-3!  Enter the giveaway below and good luck.

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Growing, Growing, Growing

Meet the Littlest Cummins - still in utero

For those of you who do not know, we are expecting baby #6 and we are super excited.  Admittedly, this was a bit of a shock at first but we are thrilled to be blessed with another bundle of joy.  Our littlest one is due to make their appearance sometime in early January - but you never know with little ones, they sometimes have a plan all their own.

 This is how we told our small group.

Our announcement cake

Of course, no one really "got it" until after we cut the cake and said, "We have an announcement to make."  So there you go.  Do you have any creative ways that you have shared news with others?  And it doesn't have to be pregnancy related, it can be anything really.

SeaWorld San Antonio AdventureCon13

 AdventureCon13 Participants
(Special thanks to the photographer for allowing me use of this photo)

Last weekend I had the privilege to attend my first ever blogging conference, AdventureCon13 at SeaWorld San Antonio.  It was an amazing experience chock-full of great information, fabulous people and of course was hosted by a one-of-a-kind park!  I learned tips and tricks of how to think like an editor, ways to attract brands, how to improve my photography skills and found out about a ton of blogging tools I had never heard of.  I will be spending the next few months really diving into the material and seeing how I can incorporate what I learned here on Cummins Life.  Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the conference and a special thanks to SeaWorld for really striving for relationships!

While I was there I had the opportunity to experience being at SeaWorld.  Let me show you some of the fun!

 

Did you know that SeaWorld San Antonio has an Animal Ambassador program?  You can find them at the Animal Connection Conservation Center at the park.  They also travel (so be on the lookout for them coming to you) making media and public appearances to raise awareness for conservation and species in danger.  I met two of SeaWorld's Ambassadors at the conference.  Above I was able to get the closest I have ever been to an armadillo.

 Meet Wilson -  adorable

Meet Alena 

I have always been fascinated by lemurs so again this was a super fun experience to get so close.  I love SeaWorld's passion for conservation and education!

I was able to see three different shows at the conference: One Ocean (Shamu Show), Azul and Pet's Ahoy.

Amazing leaps and jumps


Shamu poses

One Ocean will entertain you and educate you at the same time.  We can all make a difference and have an impact in our world.  

Azul features Beluga whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, an array of colorful birds and superb acrobatics!  You will see the animals , the trainers and the acrobats all perform incredible tricks.  Expect to be entertained and remember this show really is a must see.

Pet's Ahoy is a brand new comical show featuring an array of animals rescued from animal shelters including dogs, cats, birds, rats, pot-belly pigs, and an assortment of feathery friends.  I loved seeing this show in action and it had me in stitches!

 Aquatica

I made my way over to Aquatica which in some ways reminded me of a tropical paradise.  They have a bit of something for everyone.

 Seating in the sand

Just want to relax, no problem.  How about the beach chairs in the sand?  And if you are looking for a more interactive experience, you must check out the stingrays.

Stingray Encounter features a unique opportunity to get in the water with stingrays.  You will be able to touch them, feed them and stand in awe of these amazing creatures. 

These encounters happen at certain times during the day so make sure to book ahead.  I will definitely be taking my family back for this one.

Again, a big thanks to the Wildside Bloggers, other attendees of the conference and SeaWorld San Antonio for everything they did to pull this conference off.  I met some truly superb people and I hope to have opportunities to get to know them even better.

Disclosure:  I was provided with discount tickets to SeaWorld and Aquatica through participating in AdventureCon13.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Blast Zone Crocodile Water Slide Giveaway

I don't know about you but I'm so ready to get this summer started!  MomsRBomb has teamed up with Blast Zone to offer you this amazing giveaway!  Moms R Bomb was given the opportunity to review the Crocodile Water Slide and you can read the full review here.  What better way to get your summer started than having this Crocodile Water Slide in your yard!  I'm pretty sure this will make you the coolest mom on the block.  I think my kids would be living on this slide this summer along with all of their friends :).  Well, and let's not forget me!



This giveaway is being Co-Hosted by: 

• Shopping Wives 
• Branson Mama Saves
• Familial Ramblings
• The Crafeteria
• The Stuff of Success

This giveaway will run from June 12th to June 30th.  All entries are optional! However, the more entries you complete the better your chances of winning are.  All entries will be verified.  This giveaway is open to residents of the USA only.  Once a winner has been notified they will have 48-hours to respond or another winner will be picked!  Cummins Life is not responsible for shipping.  Blast Zone is responsible for shipping the prize to the winner.  This prize is valued at $599.  Please enter and good luck!

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Cascade Platinum Shines in Performance

Disclosure:  I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Cascade.  I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Do you love washing dishes?  If you are like me, then the answer is no.  I don't really like pre-rinsing or even worse double-washing if my dishes do not come out clean the first time, who has time for that?  For the last week I have been using Cascade Platinum Pacs and I am super impressed.  Not only has it become super convenient to just pop one of the Cascade Platinum Pacs in my dishwasher (no mess, no measurements, no fuss) but my dishes have never looked cleaner.  My glass is actually sparkling.  I had forgotten that it was suppose to sparkle.  I guess my previous dishwashing product was not holding up and it took Cascade Platinum to show me that!  Let me show you a few examples.

 What Cascade Platinum Pacs look like.

 A very dirty pot - yep, spaghetti night!

 Not a drop of sauce!

 Remember my breakfast smoothie?  I left the remains in my cup for a few days and put Cascade Platinum to the test.  I did not pre-rinse at all but instead put this glass straight into my dishwasher.

How about that glass?  Amazing, right?  I was beyond impressed.

 Impressively clean glass bowl

More About Cascade Platinum Pacs
Cascade Platinum Pacs deliver the most powerful clean available from Cascade while simultaneously helping to maintain the sparkling look of your clean dishwasher interior.  Cascade Platinum Pacs feature an advanced triple action recipe that is specially designed to leave dishware virtually spot-free and help prevent build-up of hard-water film on dishwasher walls.  These Pacs power away tough, 24 hour stuck-on food, eliminates the need to pre-wash dishes, and helps maintain the look and cleanliness of your machine.

Cascade Platinum Pacs are available in Fresh and Lemon Burst scents at mass merchandisers, grocery and retailers nationwide.  More information can be found here!

Cascade's Partnership with Gail Simmons
Now, more than ever, people eat with their eyes, and the evidence is all over sites like Facebook and Instagram.  With that in mind, Top Chef judge and editor of Food+Wine magazine, Gail Simmons, has partnered with Cascade to discuss why presentation is just as important as preparation.

Learn more about Cascade's partnership with Gail Simmons by viewing videos available on the link to the Cascade Facebook page here and Cascade YouTube page here.


Cascade Platinum Contest Details
Cascade has a "My Platinum" contest on Instagram!  The contest runs for four weeks and fans are encouraged to upload photos related to the weekly contest themes.  Show off how sparkly Cascade makes all your pots, pans and plates!

Visit the contest page here for information on how to enter and submit images (you will need to have an Instagram account).  Each week, two contestants will be selected to receive a brand new Whirlpool dishwasher.  Additionally, one lucky grand prize winner will receive a Platinum kitchen.  In order to win, you have to both register and upload a photo with the #MyPlatinum hashtag and tag @MyCascade.  Here are the weekly themes.

Week 1: My Platinum Plate (Entry Period: 6/3-6/9) Show us your best dish styled from the sparkling plate up!
Week 2: My Platinum Bite (Entry Period: 6/10-6/16) Show us your best bite and most creative use of sparkling silverware!
Week 3: My Platinum Clink (Entry Period: 6/17-6/23) Show us how you serve up creative concoctions in sparkling glasses.  Cheers!
Week 4: My Platinum Table (Entry Period: 6/24-6/30) Show us your sparkling tablescape for your most special celebrations!
Grand Prize Winner (Entry: 6/3-6/30)

My days of pre-rinsing are over.  I am handing that job over to Cascade Platinum for all my future loads.  Cascade Platinum Pacs worked on my glass, non-glass, pots, crock pot, you name it.  These Pacs cleaned both the inside and outside of my dishes and that is important.  If you haven't tried this product yet I would highly recommend it!

Nuby Ultrasound Picture Show Off Contest

Are you pregnant or know someone who is?  Nuby is running a fun ultrasound contest on their facebook page.  Show off your sweet ultrasound photo on the Nuby facebook page and be entered to win a free Nuby Prize!!  Scans must be dated after August 1,  2012 and this contest ends June 17, 2013.  You still have time to enter - good luck and let me know if you win!

Afloat Blog Tour, Book Review and iPad Mini Giveaway

I have a new book to tell you about, Afloat by Erin Healy.  This is the first book I have read by Erin Healy and it will not be the last.  This was an action packed read filled with mystery, intrigue, supernatural, romance, and so much more!  Healy has a true talent for character development - you will find yourself loving some and not others though!  I was amazed at how she developed so many characters in such a short novel.  I loved getting back history on many of the characters past and how that contributed to the present picture of who they had become, especially Vance.  I was fascinated with his floating house design and his motivation and heart behind it.  And who doesn't love a good read that is redeeming?  To prevent any spoilers I can safely say that you will find some plot twists and turns with unexpected surprises and I do not think you will be disappointed!

Read more about the author and this book (including plot summary) below and check out the complete blog tour here!

About Afloat:

Who will you trust when dark waters rise?
Eagle's Talon is an architectural marvel-shining residential units afloat in a protected cove of the gorgeous Rondeau River. The project is nearly complete, partially occupied, and ready to make investors rich when a sinkhole gives way. Then torrential rains and a flood leave a ragged collection of builders, investors, and residents stranded in one floating building, cut off from the rest of the world.

They're bitterly divided over what to do next.

Architect Vance Nolan insists they should sit tight and wait for rescue.  Developer Tony Dean wants to strike out into the darkness.  And single mom Danielle Clement, desperate to protect her young son, Simeon, struggles to hold their motley band together.

Power failure, a pall of unnatural daytime darkness, explosions in the distance, then a murder ratchet tensions to a boiling point.  But Danielle's young son, Simeon, has spotted something strange underwater-beautiful, shifting lights in the dark water below.  In this watery world where everyone's secrets will eventually come to light, salvation may mean more than just getting out alive.

Another stunning exploration of the human spirit and supernatural possibilities from best-selling author Erin Healy.

You can purchase a copy for yourself here!


Meet Erin:

Erin Healy is the best-selling co-author of "Burn" and "Kiss" (with Ted Dekker) and an award-winning editor for numerous best-selling authors.  She has received wide acclaim for her novels "Never Let You Go", "The Baker's Wife", "House of Mercy", and "Afloat".  She and her family live in Colorado.  Eric can be contacted through her website ErinHealy.com or through Facebook at erinhealybooks.  Find out more about Erin here!

Erin Healy is celebrating the release of her latest novel Afloat (Thomas Nelson) with an iPad Mini giveaway.

One winner will receive:

• An iPad Mini 
• iTunes gift card
• Afloat by Erin Healy 

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 15th. Winner will be announced on Erin's blog on June 17th. Save the date and click HERE to see if YOU won the iPad Mini!

Don't miss a moment of the fun; ENTER today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Visit Erin's blog on the 17th!

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.