Purex 31 Days of Fun Coming to an End

Just a quick reminder that there are only two days left in the Purex 31 Days of Fun Sweepstakes.

Today's prize - a Playstation 4 or an XBox One!

Go here to enter this sweepstakes!  Remember, you can enter everyday for a chance at that day's prize - just two days to go.  Good luck! 

Disclosure:  Thanks so much to the Purex Insiders program and Purex for allowing me to be a part of this campaign including an advanced look at the sweepstakes prizes!  As part of this campaign I am eligible to win prizes!

The Ultimate Life Blog App & Giveaway

Are you living the Ultimate Life?  Opening in theaters September 6, The Ultimate Life (the sequel to The Ultimate Gift) reminds us some things are worth more than money!  Isn't that the truth.

Between the pressure of running a foundation started by his late grandfather, being sued by his greedy extended family, and seeing his beloved Alexia leave on an extended mission trip to Haiti, Jason Stevens' world is unraveling.  But when Jason discovers a journal that his grandfather began as a Depression-era lad, his writings transport Jason on an incredible rags-to-riches ride.  With everything he loves hanging in the balance, Jason hopes he can discover The Ultimate Life.

Check out The Ultimate Life Blog App below and take the quiz to find out if You are Living Life to the Fullest!


You can also discover 6 Ways to Live the Ultimate Life PDF - read Jim Stovall's (author of The Ultimate Life book upon which the movie is based) insightful ways to live better!

And how about a little giveaway?  One person will receive an official ultimate life prize pack!

The official ultimate life prize pack will contain a DVD of The Ultimate Gift, The Ultimate Gift book by Jim Stovall, The Ultimate Gift charm bracelet and The Ultimate Life leather-bound journal!  Enter the giveaway below and good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  Thanks so much to The Ultimate Life for providing this information and sponsoring this giveaway.

$1,000 Back 2 School Giveaway

Would you like to win $1,000?  I know I would :).  Purex has another opportunity for you to win an amazing prize, $1,000.  Not only that, you also win a year's supply of Purex with Dirt Lift Action Detergent.  Now that will put a smile on your face and a spring in your step for certain.

Basically you can get all your back to school gear on Purex!  Head on over here and enter today.  As always, good luck!

Disclosure:  Thanks so much to the Purex Insiders for providing me with this information and allowing me to be a part of this campaign.

PowerMyLearning - Helping Kids Get Ahead in School

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post on behalf of PowerMyLearning.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own.  I will receive a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Have you heard of PowerMyLearning?  PowerMyLearning is a great website with everything Kindergarten through 12th grade students need to help them get ahead for the upcoming school year!  This site provides educational on-line games that incorporate things your child already loves such as trains, animals, fashion and so much more.  I love that it is a resource for students, parents and educators. 

This site is easy to navigate and covers numerous subjects including Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Art and Music, Technology and World Languages.  Here are a couple of examples of games.

Movement and Growth Game

In the movement and growth game (under Biology) you learn to identify the different types of skeletons on different animals in this interactive game.  

 Ice Ice Maybe

In Ice Ice Maybe (under Math), you help the penguins cross the deadly ocean by estimating calculations.

 When your estimation is good, the penguins will bounce to safety on the other side.

As a homeschool Mom I really like that this can be used as supplemental material with our curriculum to build and increase knowledge on topics we are currently learning and those coming up in the future.  PowerMyLearning is a site that definitely helps make learning fun and my kids ask to use it!

B will be starting 2nd grade in just a few weeks and she loved taking some of the 2nd grade Math quizzes to see what she knew!  Her virtual gold medal that she earned put her on the moon.

 Here she is taking math quizzes.

I had hoped to do more school this summer than actually happened and PowerMyLearning is a great resource to help retain knowledge.  Instead of heading into school rusty so to speak, children can head back with confidence.  Not to mention they think the site is incredibly fun!  I wish I had discovered PowerMyLearning sooner.

What are you waiting for?  Go here today and register for your free account!

Purex 31 Days of Fun Sweepstakes Reminder

Just a quick reminder that there are still some great prizes to be had in the Purex 31 Days of Fun Sweepstakes. 

 Take a look at today's prize for example!

Go here to enter this sweepstakes!  Remember, you can enter everyday for a chance at that day's prize.  Good luck! 

Disclosure:  Thanks so much to the Purex Insiders program and Purex for allowing me to be a part of this campaign including an advanced look at the sweepstakes prizes!  As part of this campaign I am eligible to win prizes!

A Tribute to my Grandmother Kathryn

Three generations of Kathryn

(My Mom, My Grandmother and Me)

My grandmother, Kathryn, passed away yesterday morning.  Her health had been failing the last few months and we expected that she wouldn't be on this Earth much longer, but death is never easy.  She did have a long and blessed life.  She had seven children (2 boys and 5 girls), 17 grandchildren (7 boys, 10 girls) and soon to be 19 great grandchildren (10 boys, 8 girls and our surprise).  That is a big legacy to leave behind.  I am grateful that we were able to visit her on the 4th of July, which is the last time I saw her. 

  This is my grandmother visiting A for the first time in the NICU.

Goodbye Grandma.  I am glad that you are no longer suffering and are at peace.

122 Years of Borax Sweepstakes

Yes, I have another sweepstakes to tell you about, the 122 Years of Borax Sweepstakes!  One lucky winner will win $1891.  Why $1891?  A long time ago, in a valley far far away, the Pacific Coast Borax Company was born.  The year was 1891, and no one could have known that 122 years later, Twenty Mule Team Borax would still be helping people clean all around the home.

Not familiar with 20 Mule Team Borax.  Check out my review here from earlier this year!

This sweepstakes is going on NOW and will run through September 17th.  Please go here and enter.  You could be the big winner!

Disclosure:  Thanks so much to the Purex Insiders for providing me with this information and allowing me to be a part of this campaign. 

I Am Second and Seconds Change Review

Disclosure:  I was provided with a shirt and bracelet for sharing these campaigns with you.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own.  Thanks so much to FlyBy for providing this information.

   

Have you heard of I Am Second or Seconds Change?

I have now watched several of the I Am Second videos.  They are really amazing and truly inspirational.  Everyone's testimony is powerful and it is wonderful to see these amazing videos being shared with the world.  There is a broad range of topics as well from abortion, anger, cancer, death, abuse, disabilities, divorce, fatherlessness, marriage, prison and the list goes on.  Two videos that I particularly enjoyed were Alex Kendrick (the pastor who made the films Flywheel, Facing the Giants, Fireproof and Courageous) and Kathy Ireland (the famous super model) - both names you have probably heard of or are familiar with.   Their videos were so real and I appreciated their hearts and sharing their stories including how God met them where they were.  Is there something that you are struggling with?  Could you use some encouragement?  Please check out the videos at iamsecond.com and choose to be second!

About I Am Second
Actors.  Athletes.  Musicians.  Business Leaders.  Drug Addicts.  Your next-door neighbor.  People like you.  The authentic stories on iamsecond.com provide insight into dealing with typical struggles of everyday living.  These are stories that give hope to the lonely and the hurting, help from destructive lifestyles, and inspiration to the unfulfilled.  You'll discover people who've tried to go it alone and have failed.  Find the hope, peace, and fulfillment they found.  Be second.

About Seconds Change
Give Change , Make Change - Many more stories are waiting to be told.  You can help.  Commit $2 every Tuesday to build film funds, and your contribution will be used to develop, produce and promote new films.  Join the project and become an I am Second insider with access to exclusive content via Facebook.

Flower Girl B

We attended a family wedding over the weekend and had a blast!  B was asked to be the flower girl and she was so excited.  I love the photo above because you can see the beautiful bride in the background and it is a great shot of B!  Oh, and B had a great time on the dance floor - ask anyone who was there :).  Congrats to the happy couple - our whole family is excited for both of you.

Win $1,000 Gift Code from Purex and Little Tikes

I have an exciting new sweepstakes to tell you about!  Purex and Little Tikes have teamed up to provide one lucky winner with a $1,000 gift code to be redeemed at www.littletikes.com plus a year's supply of Purex detergent!

Sadly, summer is almost over and many people are scrambling to find the best deals on back to school sales and gear.  Purex and Little Tikes are here to help relieve some of that pressure.  So kick back, relax and put your mind at ease as we all prepare for a fun-filled school year!

This sweepstakes started on August 5th and runs through August 30, 2013.  What are you waiting for?  Go here and enter now!

As always you check out the latest happenings on the Purex facebook page here.

Disclosure:  Thanks so much to Purex for allowing me to be a part of this campaign and giving me all the information to share with my readers.

Zact - Helping Parents and Their Children Have Mobile Success

Disclosure:  I participated in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Zact.  I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Even though my children are young they consistently want to use my phone, specifically my Iphone.  And I am amazed at how quickly they have learned how to pull up games, photos, movies - you name it.  When I first got my Iphone, I joked that they probably knew how to use it better than me.  I am waiting for the day when they ask for their own smartphone, I know it will be coming.  I think most parents, including me, have concerns about their children's mobile device usage.  The team at Zact conducted a survey to find out what is behind those concerns.  They found out that 73% of U.S. parents are concerned about the lack of parental control of their children's activities on mobile devices.  Yes, this is a concern of mine.  Honestly, I don't want my children on the Internet or to accidentally find themselves at inappropriate sites.  Do your kids currently have a smartphone?  While my kids do not have their own, they do have some access to mine.  For me, I want my kids to be safe - in the real world and the cyber world.  I am not surprised that others agree with me on this, 75% of parents are concerned about their children exploring the web too freely.  As my kids grow, they will certainly be allowed more privileges including Internet usage.  Internet safety will definitely be something that we talk about.  I am not sure if they will have smartphones at the age of 12 but there will definitely be discussions and boundaries set when they do!  For those that don't know, Zact designed parental control software and loaded it into their phones.  When your children are younger, you can set higher restrictions on the phone and as they grow, you can change the restrictions accordingly.  When that day comes and my children do receive a phone, I think this is the way to go!  See the Zact, U.S. Mobile Families Survey 2013 info-graphic below for other great statistics on kids and mobile usage!

For 3 days only starting today (8/13, 8/14, and 8/15) the Zact team is giving away three Smartphones, all with three months of mobile service!  Please enter here for your chance to win and learn more about Zact's services!

Purex 31 Days of Fun Sweepstakes

Just a reminder for you to enter the Purex 31 Days of Fun Sweepstakes.  And for clarification, you should be entering every day to have a shot at that day's prize!  Go here and enter now.

 Today's prize is a $200 cookware set!

I also have a mini blog giveaway going on where you can enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card.  Check out that post and enter here!

Purex Fels-Naptha Review & Giveaway

I want to tell you about a Purex product that to be honest I had never heard of - Purex Fels-Naptha.  What is it?  Purex Fels-Naptha is a laundry bar that works overtime to remove your toughest stains.  How do you use it?  You rub the stain with a wet bar of Purex Fels-Naptha and let it sit for a few minutes or you can wet your stain and then rub with your bar.  Then wash your clothes as you normally would and say farewell to tough stains!  This Purex Laundry Bar is a great stain remover - treat oily stains and remove greasy stains.  Where can I purchase it?  Purex Fels-Naptha is available at Walmart stores nationwide.

I have some children around my house who are notorious for staining their clothing.  So, what better opportunity to put this Purex Fels-Naptha bar to the test!

 Stained shirt, especially on the bottom

I wet the whole shirt in water.  There are multiple stains on this baby.

 Then I rubbed each stain with my Purex Fels-Naptha bar.

 After letting it sit a few minutes I added it into a load of wash.

 What do you think?  Not bad!

Looks like I will be using my Purex Fels-Naptha laundry bar to help our clothes keep stain free.  I look forward to trying this bar out on a variety of stains.

And now let me tell you about the 120 Years, 120 Winners Sweepstakes!  One lucky winner will win a $500 grand prize and 119 second place winners will receive a coupon for a free bar of Purex Fels-Naptha Laundry bar.  That's 120 winners for every year Fels-Naptha has been helping remove America's toughest stains!  This sweepstakes runs through August 28th!

You can enter this sweepstakes here.  Good luck!

Want another opportunity to try Purex Fels-Naptha for yourself?  Enter the giveaway below.  Three winners will each receive a free product coupon (Maximum Value $1.75 and expiration 12/31/14).

Be sure to check out the latest from Purex on their facebook page here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
Disclosure:  Purex provided me with a sample of Purex Fels-Naptha Laundry Bar in exchange for a product review as well as the coupons for this giveaway.  However, all opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Bird Theme Baby Shower

Here are the hostesses and the guest of honor (in black).  This could also be an 18 week photo of me.

I told you about the bird cages I made but I didn't show you photos of some of the other decorations or food so here you go.  My friends and I had a lot of fun planning it and I am very pleased with how everything turned out!

David made an Italian Cream Cake

The food spread!

I made the two small bird diaper cakes on the table there, my first ever!  It was pretty fun to come up with my own idea too :).

 My friend Jenn is the cookie master.  Look at some of her creations.

Check out these super cute nests my friend Mellissa made as favors!

If you are planning a bird themed party anytime soon there are truly so many different things you can do.  As it turns out, it is a pretty easy theme to work with.

DIY Bird Cages for Bird Themed Baby Shower or Party

I helped co-host a baby shower over the weekend and it was so much fun.  My friend is having her third little girl this October and the theme was birds.  You can do a lot with that!  I made some bird cage lanterns inspired from the Bride's Cafe.  I did make a few changes.  Hope you enjoy this tutorial.

 Scrapbook paper I picked out.  

Our main two colors were pink and green and I wanted to mix in a few fun designs as well.  Really, there are tons of options here.

 Other supplies needed.  

I chose a golden textured scrapbook paper to make the cage.  You will also need scissors, hole punch, thread, double sided tape, brads, ruler, birds (find a template and cut them out) and I used coasters for the base (I had to tape two together because I needed more width but I liked the look better than using ice cream pint lids).

Cut strips

Cut a strip of colored scrapbook paper 1.5 inches wide.  I had to cut two strips and tape a bit of the second strip to the first to go all the way around the cage.  Take your golden paper and cut four strips slightly less than .5 inch (when you fold them over your four strips will seem like 8).

Find the centers of the strips and hole punch them.

I made a small hole in the bird, tied thread on it and put it through the strips.  I secured everything together with a brad.

Tape two coasters together and then place double sided tape all along the sides.

Attach the strips to the tape and then secure your colored scrapbook paper along the sides and voila - finished bird cage!

 We attached them to a baby banner.

 Poof balls and bird cage display

 And another type of banner

As you can see, you can get really creative with what you do with these cages.  If you make these please let me know what you do.