RandomLine Squiggle Game Beats the Rest- Hands Down! Review + Giveaway

 We love family game night. We also have a problem finding stuff that is fun for us, and the kids. As a mom of a gifted child, finding a game that he likes, that's not too babyish or too advanced, is a struggle. Also, he hates to be creative, but given the right opportunity to, he's extremely creative. While looking for games for the kids for the holidays, I happened to find this amazing company called RandomLine.

RandomLine products encourage just the use of your imagination- no batteries, no noises, just pure fun. Travel pads are available for long trips, birthday favors, or stocking stuffers. Whether your child is 4 or 40, this line of games is sure to be a hit.

Alphabet SQUIGGLE is a unique, educational board game that introduces letters to children in a fun and creative way. Kids will learn and improve letter recognition and handwriting while strengthening their vocabulary and building self esteem. This item is geared for children 4-7.

Approx. Retail Value: $20
Available at Randomline, Amazon, eBeanstalk, and more. A travel version is also available.

Kids that are 8 and up can enjoy the traditional Squiggle game, Squiggle Connect, or the brand new Hurry Up! The Dice Game. SQUIGGLE CONNECT is a hilarious drawing game where players compete by changing a squiggly line into a picture. No artistic talent required . . . just your imagination!

It all starts with a roll of the “dot” cube and then the dots are connected by random lines using the “connect” cube. Once everyone has their unique squiggly line in front of them, play begins. Players have 60 seconds to transform their wavy and wacky line into a picture. They can be as simple or detailed as they want. When time is up, each player explains their drawing to the other players. This is where you may fall over laughing as you listen to some real nonsense! Once each player has had chance to explain what they drew, voting begins. Each player votes on only one other players drawing using a voting card.

The voting cards offer either a descriptive praise or a nuance of criticism such as "put that in a doggie bag" or "a monkey can do better". Each card also has a point value and players give them to each other based on their picture and description. It’s hysterical!

We were recently given the opportunity to review the travel game, Squiggle Mix Up. I introduced it to my friends at a ladies night get together to get their opinions on it. We took turns spinning the wheels and creating hysterical hybrid animals, then trying to guess what the animals were, and create names for our creations.


You start off by spinning the wheels of animals. You then take the pad and start your drawing with the squiggle on the page. It's much harder than it sounds, especially because normally the squiggle doesn't look like it can belong in any of your animals without difficulty. Once you get over the fact that working with the squiggle is going to be tough, you get crazy creations like the ones pictured on the left.

The best part is that it doesn't matter whether or not you can draw or not, you just try.. that's what makes it even more fun. As you can see, there were varying levels of artistic ability at the house that day, but I truly believe that spinning the right type of squiggle truly makes the difference. If anything, the varying levels of creativity definitely makes for an afternoon or evening filled with laughter!!

We laughed so hard at points we were crying! We play a lot of games on ladies nights, and let me tell you, this game has been requested multiple times!

What I love about the travel version is that I can bring it in the car, grocery shopping, where ever, and no matter where I am the sound of the kids cracking up is all you hear. Abbie can't really do it well right now, but she loves watching Alex draw "the crazy animals".

I also love that there's no pieces to lose or misplace, as the wheels are attached to the cardboard backing, and so is the pad. It comes with a little pencil, but you can use pen, pencil, marker or crayons on the paper.

It sells for approximately $8 and makes a great stocking stuffer, grab bag gift, or gift for the people, kids or families that seem to have everything. I'm thinking about picking a couple up for my nieces. Everything they own is electronic. I like taking it back to the basics.

Our new friends at Randomline have offered one of our readers their chance to WIN a Squiggle Mix-Up game for themselves!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER!!

Please refer to our WINNERS PAGE for more information on how to claim your prize.

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Shutterfly Makes Holiday Memories Last Longer! Review + Giveaway

I cannot tell you enough how much I love picture cards during the holidays. Being 1500 miles away from 99% of my family means that unfortunately we do not see each other as often as we would like to. Often the holiday cards we receive is the only pictures we get of certain family members; and we love seeing how the children or family have grown through the year.

We've used several different sites for cards, digital pictures, and photo gifts, but honestly the majority of our products are from Shutterfly. I just love the quality of the products, our family enjoys the quality of the photo gifts, (for mother's day I made calendars once), and I would even go to the extent to call ourselves a "Shutterfly Family". In fact, preparing for this post, I logged into my account and checked the account history and copied some of our cards from previous years. These were from 2005, 2006, and then the photo I used for 2007. I had found pretty picture slide-in type cards that year, and ordered the pictures only, to fill them that year.

Even with my own kids, I love seeing how they've grown and matured through the years. We always take the pictures in front of my mom's Christmas tree, mainly because it's usually set up the weekend after Thanksgiving, and we usually have a real tree that's set up only a couple of weeks before Christmas Eve.

This holiday season, Shutterfly is offering some great deals on photo holiday cards, and many start at only $0.32 a card. This includes the photo, a personalized message, and an envelope. One year for Father's Day, I paid a little extra and had the three Father's Day cards I ordered shipped directly to our Dad's and to my hubby. It was great not to stress about misplacing the product before I could get them to the post office, or getting stamps, or any of that. If you have the extra money in your budget this year, I highly recommend using that service. Granted, if you're sending 150 cards, that will probably be too costly, but definitely look into it.

If you're a blogger and would like to spread the word about the great deals at Shutterfly, you can earn 50 Free Cards. Bloggers, click here for more information.

Our friends at Shutterfly have offered 5 of our lucky readers their chance to WIN 10 Free Holiday Cards! Enter multiple times for your chance to win up to 50 CARDS!!!

Here's How:
Visit Shutterfly.com and check out the large selection of holiday photo cards. Come back here and tell me which one you would order if you won!


EXTRA ENTRY OPPORTUNITIES:

• LIKE us on Facebook- 4BabyAndMom
• LIKE Shutterfly on Facebook and write a post on their wall with your favorite holiday design. Be sure to let them know that 4BabyAndMom sent you! 
• Follow 4BabyAndMom on Twitter 
• Follow Shutterfly on Twitter
• Create your own tweet or R/T the message below, or use the Share button at the bottom of this post to Tweet on Twitter (two per day, spaced out, please)

Make Holiday Memories Last Longer @4BabyAndMom! WIN up to 50 Holiday Photo Cards from @Shutterfly ! http://bit.ly/fPU2zY Ends 12/6 #Giveaway

• Follow 4BabyAndMom publicly through Google Friends/Blogger
• Subscribe by Email, so you never miss a giveaway or article. (Leave your email address in your comment, please)
• Leave a comment on a post which is NOT a giveaway and tell me which one.
• Enter any of our other open giveaways.
• Post about this giveaway on your blog or website with a link back. Tell us where to read it in your comment. 2 Entries!
• Use the Share tool at the bottom of the post to book mark/fave/etc. 4BabyAndMom on your favorite social media/bookmarking sites. Leave the appropriate link(s) in your comment. You may use multiple sites for extra entries! 2 Entries!

This giveaway is open to residents of the US, and anywhere Shutterfly ships to. For more information, visit shutterfly.com . This giveaway will end on December 6, 2010 at 11:59 PM EST. The 5 winners will be chosen using Random.org, and all winner information will be posted on our WINNERS PAGE and on this post. After winner validates entry, the gift code will be emailed directly to the winner. Please include a valid email address and your user id in your comment. If we cannot find a way to contact you, we will not, we will choose another winner. We do try to email all winners, but due to the volume of giveaways offered on our site, delays can be expected. If you catch your name before we email you, please feel free to contact us first. :) Any unclaimed prizes will be redrawn accordingly and at the discretion of 4BabyAndMom. Special thanks to Shutterfly for providing us with 50 free cards and for extending this giveaway to our readers. As always, what you have read is strictly the opinion of 4BabyAndMom. Your opinions may differ.

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Wendy's Pick 2 for $4.99 Makes a Great Stop While You Shop! *Giveaway*

When we eat fast food, our first stop is typically Wendy's. Recently they've introduced their "Pick 2" Value Meals. For only $4.99 you get to choose from 28 different possible combinations. Selections include a half sized version of their new Garden Sensations salads, plus one of seven items from Wendy's menu.

The gourmet Garden Sensations salads are amazing, with ingredients like sweet cranberries, fresh pico de gallo, shaved Asiago cheese and roasted pecans, these salads are sure to satisfy whatever you're craving. You can choose any two combinations, but from the salads you can choose either one of these:



* Apple Pecan Chicken Salad, a perfect mix of peak-season red and green apples, real blue cheese crumbles, sweet cranberries and roasted pecans, topped with warm grilled chicken

* Baja Salad, a hearty Southwestern salad that features fresh pico de gallo, guacamole and Wendy's original chili, all topped with a red jalapeno dressing

* Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad, offering hand-chopped Romaine lettuce and sweet grape tomatoes topped with shaved Asiago cheese and warm spicy chicken

* BLT Cobb Salad, which mixes crispy Applewood Smoked Bacon with real blue cheese crumbles, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes and an avocado ranch dressing

To compliment or join your delicious salad, you can add one of these:

* Wendy's Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, featuring a hot and juicy beef burger with American cheese and fresh-cooked, thick-cut Applewood Smoked Bacon

* Wendy's rich and meaty chili

* a Baked Potato (cooked in an oven, not zapped in a microwave)

* One of our grilled or spicy homestyle Chicken Go Wraps

* A refreshing Dasani bottled water, a cool and creamy small Frosty, or any other small-size beverage


Eighteen of the new combinations are less than 600 calories (without dressing), and all of them combine fruits, vegetables, nuts, dairy and proteins. Not only does it satisfy your wallet and your pallet, but your waistline doesn't have to suffer as much as a typical "on-the-go" meal. For more information about the nutritional values of Wendy's foods, please visit http://wendys.com.

New on the menu you'll find Natural Cut French Fries with Sea Salt, giving a new fresher alternative to traditional fries. I haven't had a chance to personally try them yet, but I can't wait!

Our friends at Wendy's have offered 2 lucky winners their chance to win a gift card to try your favorite "Pick 2" combination!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS!

Please refer to our WINNERS PAGE for more information on how to claim your prize.

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Our Favorite Black Friday Deal

At a price like this, be sure to arrive with plenty of time to spare!

Walmart has an Emerson 32 inch HDTV for only $198! I have a friend of mine that is planning on staying at Walmart from 10pm tonight to get hers! Happy Shopping, Black Friday shoppers!

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We Are Thankful For...

We are thankful for you, our fans, our readers, our followers, our advertisers, our sponsors, our partners, our new, inquisitive friends, our long time friends and family that has shown your love, support, and encouragement through the years. Without you, there would be no us, and for that we are beyond grateful.

From our families to yours, have a very Happy Thanksgiving!!

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About One- One Site for Your Whole Life Review + Giveaway

This review is a little different than most reviews I do, because I'm really, really over protective of my children and my personal information (like social security codes, birth certificates, etc). I am also crazy disorganized when it comes to my files. I try to keep things in one place, then I need them for an appointment, or my husband needs to update records with work, and I go for them the next time, and have to rip through the house because they're not in the file they're supposed to be in, I get uber upset, to the point of tears, then they turn up, and I put them back in the box they belong in. It's insane.

Recently I was introduced to this website called About One, and asked to log into my new account to learn about it, customize it, and post on 4BabyAndMom what I thought about it. I loved the cute intro video and felt very optimistic about the site. Check out the video here:

To log in, try it for free, and/or sign up for an account, it was super easy. It took only a few moments, but after that was when I really had to take a minute to learn the site. Don't get me wrong, the site is very user friendly, but this time of year,especially, I am a uber busy mom on the go. I can only add morsels at a time. For a new or expectant mom, I could see getting off to a great start in 'Mom-dom' by signing up for About One.. in fact, I wish this site existed when I was pregnant with my oldest!

Experienced moms have a lot to gain from About One, as well. (Especially if you have a smart phone.) I have a newer phone, but it's google based, so I cannot access anything online that most smart phones can until I get my new phone this February; until then, my phone is only a little brighter than the rest. But I digress... I love the fact that if your precious bundle of joy has to head to the ER for some reason that when they ask you for their social security number, you don't have to call your grandmother who lives 1500 miles away, because she's the only one who has it besides you. You can pull up the scanned copy of their social and give it right to the doctor there. I cannot tell you how many times I've needed my little one's social and haven't had it. I have Alex's social memorized, but I cannot get Abbie's if you paid me. That mere factor alone is worth its weight in gold.

I could see this site being especially great for moms of tweens and teens. With 900 different clubs and sports and lessons, and multiple children who use the internet regularly, About One could really help bridge that communication gap a lot of parents have with their older kids. No more fighting about events that they swear they told you about months ago, or practice they almost slept through.

I also love the fact that you can add family members to receive a newsletter of all of the events and pictures you've uploaded to About One. In the past, I've used picture sites to keep record of our special events, edited text underneath and that's how my family got the scoop on what was going on in our world. What I don't like is that I haven't been able to see if you can add family members email addresses to receive the newsletter without officially adding them to your family that you're updating. This option may be available, but I have not had the option to really search for it.

Uploading photos is super easy, and very quick. I was very impressed with this feature. I also love the bulletin board that shows up as you're adding new events, upcoming events or important information. I am still learning how to really use the site, and I know that after our upcoming move, the craziness of the holidays, and well, everything else life dished at us this season that I will be able to really figure it out and customize it completely to our needs.

All in all, the site is really easy to use, it is secure and safe, and it's available to access through your mobile phone. Three really big plusses in this day and age.

Our new friends at About One have offered a free year membership to 5 of our lucky readers!!

Here's How:
Go check out About One. Poke around and come back here and leave me a comment saying why you think you'd like to try their site. Will it help you with organization? Do you have a scatterbrained spouse that needs constant reminders? Busy kids with different schedules of sports and after school activities?? Sign up for a free trial, if you'd like.

EXTRA ENTRY OPPORTUNITIES:

• LIKE us on Facebook- 4BabyAndMom
• Follow 4BabyAndMom on Twitter
• Have Early Bird Entries? Use them now! (please leave separate entries, ie: #1, #2, etc)
• Create your own tweet or R/T the message below, or use the Share button at the bottom of this post to Tweet on Twitter (two per day, spaced out, please)

Get Organized this New Year! Enter to WIN a year membership to About One!@4BabyAndMom Ends 12/1 http://bit.ly/ggkgAT #Giveaway #Holidays

• Follow 4BabyAndMom publicly through Google Friends/Blogger
• Subscribe by Email, so you never miss a giveaway or article. (Leave your email address in your comment, please)
• Leave a comment on a post which is NOT a giveaway and tell me which one.
• Enter any of our other open giveaways.
• Post about this giveaway on your blog or website with a link back. Tell us where to read it in your comment. 2 Entries!
• Use the Share tool at the bottom of the post to book mark/fave/etc. 4BabyAndMom on your favorite social media/bookmarking sites. Leave the appropriate link(s) in your comment. You may use multiple sites for extra entries! 2 Entries!

This giveaway is open to residents of the US & Canada.  This giveaway will end on December 1, 2010 at 11:59 AM EST. The 5 winners will be chosen using Random.org, and all winner information will be posted on our WINNERS PAGE and on this post. After winner validates entry, the gift code will be emailed directly to the winner. Please include a valid email address and your user id in your comment. If we cannot find a way to contact you, we will not, we will choose another winner. We do try to email all winners, but due to the volume of giveaways offered on our site, delays can be expected. If you catch your name before we email you, please feel free to contact us first. :) Any unclaimed prizes will be redrawn accordingly and at the discretion of 4BabyAndMom. Special thanks to Double Duty Divas and About One for extending this opportunity to us. As always, what you have read is strictly the opinion of 4BabyAndMom. Your opinions may differ.

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Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales for Wii *Review*

When I was a kid, some of my fondest memories were playing Yahtzee with my parents at the dining room table. I hope that as my kids get older they treasure and remember the time we've spent together doing fun stuff the way that I did.

I love spending time with my family. We do family game nights, and make a mess with chalk or paint or fun dough, and everyone always has a blast. We got a Wii in March this year, and since then we've been spending family time playing games both for fun, and competitively. The kids love watching me beat daddy on one sport or board, and they love it when daddy totally annihilates my record high score. It's still super new to us and we love finding new and exciting games that will keep the kids entertained and will still be fun for us.

We all win sometimes, and we all lose sometimes, and I really feel like it helps teach the kids to have fun-whether you're winning or losing. 

We were recently given the opportunity to review the brand new Wii game, Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales, rated "E" for Everyone.

Inspired by Disney/Pixar's wildly popular animated shorts of the same name, Cars Toon: Maters Tall Tales brings Mater together with Lightning McQueen and the Cars gang in a collection of pick-up-and-play games. With 30 levels, you'll have enough variety to keep everyone in your family entertained, whether you want to try death-defying stunts in "Mater the Greater," run with the bulls in "El Materdor," or help a friend with "Rescue Squad Mater." Plus both cooperative and competitive games give you the option to team up or take on your kids in a fun head-to-head family challenge. The kids will delight in the fun stories and adventures that may or may not have happened.

With a seven and a four year old at home, the movie Cars is a favorite in our house. We've had Mater's Tall Tales and Pixar Shorts on our DVR since last holiday season when they were on television for first time. Every time new shorts come up, the kids love them, and now that the Disney channel has started randomly playing Mater's Tall Tales, the fire for Mater and Cars had been reignited even hotter!

Keep them full of laughter with what we have named a 4BabyAndMom Must Have, and one of the HOTTEST games for this Holiday Season! In fact, we even bragged about it on Twitter! 

So what are you waiting for? Find this game anywhere Wii games are sold, online at retailers such as the Disney Store and Amazon and more.

"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Disney Interactive Studios and received the Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales Wii game to facilitate my review."

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Some Blues that won't get you down . . .

I feel that I must come clean--I am a music junkie. Seriously. I am addicted to music; all of it. The list of music I can't listen to isn't a list so much as a statement including one genre--pointless rap. This doesn't include all rap either, just the stuff that really has no meaning or point. Point being, I am a pretty eclectic person when it comes to ear candy. Which is why I was sooooo excited to receive the opportunity to review Norah Jones' new album: . . .Featuring Norah Jones.




First off, if you've never heard her, Norah is incredible. I dare you to listen to her album Come Away With Me and not reach the same conclusion. She has an amazingly rich bluesy voice, which she mixes with a jazz/bluegrass musical vibe. Listening to her makes me want to veg out on the couch with a glass of wine and just get lost in the sound. (Which is saying a lot, because I don't even like wine!) She just has a great sound to unwind and relax too.

Her newest album hit stores in November, and it is crazy awesome! This album is a collaboration with musical geniuses from all genres. Like Rock?? The second track is the Foo Fighters (my all time favorite!!!) and Norah. Like Country?? Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson both have tracks with her as well. For those of you who like hip hop, Q-Tip and Outkast also make appearances. The list continues with many other spectacular voices, including Ray Charles!

With so many voices "featured" on the album, I wasn't sure what to expect. But this album is pure Norah, and fan of hers will undoubtedly be delighted with the sound. The first song, titled "Love Me" is an awesome throwback that instantly made me think of Patsy Cline; the moment I heard it I knew it was going to be good!

So, if you love Norah, or know someone who would appreciate some great blues tunes--stuff a stocking with this album. It's sure to please and won't break the bank either! :)



This album was provided to me at no cost by the One2One Network in order to facilitate my candid review.We were entered to win a gift card through One2One network for participating. As always, what you have read is our opinion, and your opinion may differ.

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Crisco Campaign Asks What's For Dinner?? Contest + Promotion Ends 12/31

I love the holidays! Aside from the fact that I get to spend time with family that I love, it's a time where we make a ton of ethnic food that we don't typically eat through the year. I remember going to my grandmothers for a whole spread of Spanish food, from arroz con pollo, to pasteles, to pastelillos, to pernil, my grandmother, mom and aunts would always put out a smorgasbord of stuff. As a child, I remember staring up at all of the yummy goodness, wishing and hoping I could make "that" one day.

Over the years, I've adopted and learned many of my grandmother's recipes, and I love sharing it with my family- especially my kids. When most people think of holiday food, the first thing that comes to mind is COOKIES! It's no surprise that when the cooler weather rolls in, moms all over the world start baking and using the oven. It's this time of the year that I can really stock up on all of my baking goods, including Crisco products.

I love checking out the recipes on Crisco and CriscoEnEspanol.com for great tasting appetizers, entrees and desserts.

I just wanted to share the recipe for Bocaditos de Tocineta y Queso, (Bacon and Cheese Bites), and yes, I know they're not a typical latino dish, but I had everything in the house to make these, and they were SO good!! They were really quick to make, and the ladies loved them!

INGREDIENTS:

• Oil stick Crisco ® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 1 / 2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon water
• Mix 1 cup Hungry Jack ® Buttermilk Complete Pancake & Waffle Mix (Just Add Water)
• 1 / 2 cup (2 oz) Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 / 4 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• Paprika

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

HEAT oven to 400 ° F. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

COMBINE sour cream and water in medium bowl. Add pancake mix, cheese and bacon bits. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. With a spoon, form the snacks on the prepared cookie sheet.

BAKE 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with paprika. Serve warm

*                                                 *                                             *

This season, Crisco teams up with chef Michelle Bernstein to offer Latino home cooks delicious recipes and the chance to win prizes every day!

From Crisco:

ORRVILLE, Ohio (DATE, 2010) – Crisco®, one of America's leading producers of cooking oils, shortening and cooking sprays, has joined forces with popular Latina Chef and James Beard Award winner, Michelle Bernstein, to help Latino home cooks learn new recipes and answer the age-old question: What’s for Dinner? Home cooks can log onto www.criscoenespanol.com for Chef Bernstein’s latest Latin-inspired creations and the chance to win prizes – every day though December 31, 2010. Throughout the promotion, Crisco will award more than 1,000 entrants with prizes including $20 gift cards and one grand prize including a set of gourmet cookware.

“The kitchen is the heart of the Latino home, and meals make memories and bring people together,” said Chef Bernstein, who grew up surrounded by the aromas of her mother's Argentinean kitchen. “Home cooks can rely on the full line of Crisco cooking oils, shortening and cooking sprays to help them create dishes they can proudly serve their families.”

Home cooks eager for dinner ideas can log onto criscoenespanol.com to find a wealth of recipes with Latino flair. Chef Michele Bernstein is the owner of Michy’s and Sra. Martinez restaurants in Miami and author of “Cuisine a Latina.” Chef Bernstein frequently showcases her delectable creations on shows like The Today Show and The Martha Stewart Show and has appeared as a guest judge on Top Chef. Chef Bernstein is sharing some of her own unique recipes on criscoenespanol.com, including Empanadas with Sweet Corn Filling and Papa a la Huancaina, that will inspire home cooks.

“The question of ‘what’s for dinner?’ pops up in almost every household on a daily basis,” said Maribeth Badertscher, Vice President, Corporate Communications, The J.M. Smucker Company. “But Crisco is here to help home cooks – especially busy moms – with easy, creative and tasty recipes that are sure to wow the family.”

The promotion ends on December 31, 2010 and is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C., 18 years of age or older. Void where prohibited. Visit http://www.criscoenespanol.com/ for complete details and Official Rules. First time entrants who register for the contest will receive a link to an online coupon.

Go visit criscoenespanol.com for more details on the What's For Dinner giveaway and contest, to learn new, exciting recipes, and develop deep-rooted holiday traditions. Celebrate the season, and celebrate your family. The contest makes it even better! Don't forget to enter every day, and share it with your friends.
 



Special thanks to the PR company that represents Crisco for presenting me with this opportunity. We received a basket of Crisco products in exchange for facilitating this article.

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Family Flick Night from General Mills! *Giveaway*

When was the last time you and your significant other went out on a date night? When was the last time you took the kiddo's too? Chances are, it's been awhile. Well, at least for us it's been awhile.

I wish we could go out on date nights more often, but financially, it's unrealistic for us at this moment. Our date nights used to be like the first date night described below, now the few times a year we do go, it's more like the latter situation.

Think about it- a baby sitter ranges from $5-12/hr depending on where you live, dinner at an Italian restaurant costs roughly $30-45, and then a movie is at least $24 in tickets alone, plus popcorn, drink and snacks, you're looking at over $100 for Scenario 1. Sure, date night could be less expensive (scenario 2) if you ask grandma to watch the kidlets, and you attack the dollar menu, then raid your drug store and buy the $1 boxes of Good 'n Plenty and hide them in your bag, but even that way it's at least $35- excluding the gas and time to drive the kids to gramma's and back home again. If you decide to take the kids, add another $10/child to the totals above.

Unfortunately, my hubby and I usually resort to scenario 3- popping on the television and renting a movie from one of those boxes at the grocery store and diving into a bag of microwave popcorn. Family movies usually consist of me and the little ones while my hubby works late. It's not ideal, but it works for us.

This November, General Mills Big G Cereals are offering a fourth scenario to encourage Family Flick Night.
Now you can earn a FREE movie ticket when you purchase two specially marked packages of Honey Nut Cheerios® (17 oz.), Cinnamon Toast Crunch® (17 oz.), Lucky Charms® (16 oz.), Trix® (14.8 oz) and Reese´s Puffs® cereal (18 oz.).


After purchasing two participating cereals, visit generalmills.com/moviecash to enter the unique code found inside each box of cereal and then print your free Movie Cash certificate (good for one admission of up to a $12 value at participating theatres). To find a participating theater in your area, log onto http://emoviecash.com/dis_locator/.

General Mills (through My Blog Spark) sent our family a Family Flick Night Gift Pack in exchange for our review, and would also like to provide one of our readers with the same gift pack we were given!

One lucky 4BabyAndMom reader will receive 2 boxes of General Mills Big G cereals plus 4 Movie Cash certificates!

Here's How to Enter:
Which cereals are you looking forward to purchasing to earn e-movie cash? How do you like to make movie nights special for your family? Share with us!


CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER!

Please Refer to our WINNERS PAGE for more information on how to claim your prize!!

This giveaway is open to residents of the US.  This giveaway will end on November 30, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be chosen using Random.org, and all winner information will be posted on our WINNERS PAGE and on this post. After winner validates entry, the gift code will be emailed directly to the winner. Please include a valid email address and your user id in your comment. If we cannot find a way to contact you, we will not, we will choose another winner. We do try to email all winners, but due to the volume of giveaways offered on our site, delays can be expected. If you catch your name before we email you, please feel free to contact us first. :) Any unclaimed prizes will be redrawn accordingly and at the discretion of 4BabyAndMom. Special thanks to My Blog Spark and General Mills for extending this opportunity to us. As always, what you have read is strictly the opinion of 4BabyAndMom. Your opinions may differ.

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Avon Gifts Make Perfect Stocking Stuffers! Review + Giveaway

I remember dreaming when I was younger, about how I was going to be a professional business woman with a porcelain face and a perfect pencil skirt, with matching jacket, running through the streets of New York City, on my way to some important meeting.

Then I grew up, married and then I decided to be a stay at home mom. It's one of the greatest jobs in the world, but although I'm not dashing to and from business meetings, I am dashing between the car-loop, grocery store, bank, PTA meetings, and random, miscellaneous events for both of the kids. I'm not doing it in a glorious business suit, (or with my perfect face on), but I am doing it.

This year I made a resolution to start wearing makeup more often. It was actually part of the Fly Lady series that we had at the school last year, and I really made a lot of personal progress. In high school and college I always left the house with some makeup on..yeah.. not so much anymore.

The one time of the year you could always count on me looking "dolled up" is during the holidays. I have great eyes, and really love experimenting with new products. A few months ago I purchased the PERFECT WEAR Eyewriter Liquid Eye Liner in Beaming Bronze from Avon.

I absolutely love this eye liner. I can apply it thick and dramatic, or thin and sleek. The bronze color gives a great dimension to my eyes, and every time I wear it I get a ton of compliments! The retail price is only $8, and I happened to get it on sale, so it was even more affordable. I am absolutely in love with this product and cannot gush about it enough, without it sounding fake. Let's just say.. if you are in the market for a great liquid liner, give this bad boy a shot!

Marissa adores the Foot Works line from Avon. Foot Works are products that pampers your feet the same way a pedicure does.. without the expense. Plus, she feels the quality of the them are "more than spa quality", and the results last even longer than professional pedi's do!

During the Holiday season, I tend to purchase a lot of stuff from Avon. They carry so much more than makeup. They carry spa products, winter wear, jewelry, fragrances, and even stuff for the men and kids in our life. Their prices make it easy to make a dollar stretch, and online there is usually some sort of discount code or free shipping promotion, which is amazing this time of the year.

They even have toys, stocking stuffers, and holiday themed items, as well. Everything on my nieces wishlists have to do with beauty products this year; teens and tweens will be delighted with something glittery in their stocking or under the tree from Avon.

When was the last time you looked at an Avon catalog? I could seriously get lost in it, they offer so much!

Our Avon consultant wanted to spread holiday cheer and has offered one lucky reader their chance to WIN a $15 Avon Gift Certificate!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER!

Please refer to our WINNERS PAGE for more information on how to claim your prize.

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The only bank worth investing in

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of CryoCell International.

All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you or a loved one expecting a little blessing soon? This can be such an exciting time for anyone; all to quickly plans start being drawn for the future--painting the nursery, putting together furniture- like jigsaw puzzles, and even college funds. Another thing that begins to cross your mind at an increasing rate is your child's health. One way to protect their future is to save their cord blood. Cord blood is truly a miraculous thing! Umbilical cord stem cells are known to treat over 75 diseases and have been used in over 12,000 transplants worldwide. Your baby is only born once, and that is the only time these stem cells can be harvested. It makes too much sense not to do this.

Cryocell International is the industry's family bank leader with more quality accredidations than any private bank can offer. Cryocell was established in 1989, three years before any other well known banks and registries, and are also FDA registered--so they are a name you can trust with your child's precious cord-blood.

I know in this trying economic time you may think that this may not be financially feesible, but it isn't as expensive as you may think. The total price for the first year fees of cord blood services at Cryo-Cell are only $1720! This is not much when you consider how beneficial securing this blood can be for your new child. Cryo-cell's costs beats the other cord banks prices by over $400, which means you will have more to spend on diapers, and toys, and cute little outfits!!

For more information on CryoCell and to compare against other leading banks and registries, visit Cryo-Cell

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Agoo Argyle Leggings 40% off Coupon + Giveaway to Celebrate International Argyle Day!

Nothing is cuter than a baby with leg huggers.. well, maybe if the leg huggers are argyle! Tomorrow celebrates International Argyle Day, and to celebrate Agoo is offering 40% off of your purchase from now through the end of November! At the checkout just use the coupon code argyle40off to receive your discount.

What are Agoo Leg and Arm Huggers?

Bamboo leggings for your baby, toddler child or tween that provides a colorful splash to their adorable outfits.

There are 33 different designs of arm and leg warmers for you to choose from at Agoo4u.com for boys, girls and babies. One size fits all from infant through tween-age children, and are super cute under just about anything. These innovative, eco-friendly accessories are made from sustainable Bamboo fibres. No complaints about being itchy with Agoo Bamboo baby leg warmers, because they are so soft and silky, and perfect for kids with sensitve skin.

These leggings stretch and still maintain their designs, which is hard to do with most competitor brands. Many tweens have even started wearing them as arm warmers under tee shirts as a fashion statement, and they've grown in popularity in this market tremendously.

Our friends at Agoo have offered 1 of our readers their chance to WIN a three pack of Argyle leggings for their child.

Here's How:
Visit the Agoo Facebook page, click "Like" then leave them a message on their wall. Be sure to let them know that @4BabyAndMom sent you!! Then, come back here, and tell me what you wrote on their page!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER!

Please refer to our WINNERS PAGE for more information on how to claim your prize!

 This Giveaway has been chosen by Prizey.net as a Prizey Editor's Pick!

This giveaway is open to residents of the US &Canada.  This giveaway will end on November 28, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be chosen using Random.org, and all winner information will be posted on our WINNERS PAGE and on this post. After winner validates entry, the gift code will be emailed directly to the winner. Please include a valid email address and your user id in your comment. If we cannot find a way to contact you, we will not, we will choose another winner. We do try to email all winners, but due to the volume of giveaways offered on our site, delays can be expected. If you catch your name before we email you, please feel free to contact us first. :) Any unclaimed prizes will be redrawn accordingly and at the discretion of 4BabyAndMom. As always, what you have read is strictly the opinion of 4BabyAndMom. Your opinions may differ.

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Celebrate the Season with Amazon! $30 GC Giveaway

So we're off to a start at 4BabyAndMom, and we would like for you to get just as excited as we are for our Hyped for the Holidays event.

We have a lot of great vendors participating this year, some amazing companies, and we're going to share with you what we think are some of this season's hottest gifts- 4 Moms, Babies, Kids, Tweens, Dads, and even those hard to buy for people on your list!

To jump start this event, we are offering the first giveaway- a $30 Amazon Electronic Gift Code. On Amazon, you could purchase just about anything.. From toasters, to books, to clothing and accessories, to a ton of downloads on your new Kindle, Amazon has it all.

What will you use your $30 on? Will you use it towards a big purchase, or lots of little gifts?
Share with us, for your chance to WIN!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER!!

 

Please refer to our WINNERS PAGE for more information on how to claim your prize. Congrats!!

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Beauty Product Junkies Check Out GoGo Girlfriend! Totally Perfect Tween Gift!

Have a special tween in your life? Hate trying and buying the latest and greatest makeup or beauty products and having them totally bomb, not be the right shade, and take up precious space in your makeup caddy, bathroom drawer, or cabinet?

Check out GoGo Girlfriend, a great site dedicated to current or future-fashionistas that want to be 'in the know' with today's hottest products.

Six times a year, a ginormous box of 10-12 trial to full size products get mailed directly to your door. Then after you give them a whirl, take a few seconds to log in to the website and share your opinions about the products you've received.

Every box is sure to surprise you with all the cool stuff valued at $150.00 or more!

With your GoGo Girlfriend Membership you'll get:

• GoGo Girlfriend Gift Box Packed with 10-15 Top Brand Trial Samples Shipped 6X a Year.
• 5 entries into our giveaways upon new membership signup
• Access to Member Product Reviews on Items Shipped in Gift Box, Each Review Completed is an Automatic Entry into Monthly Giveaways (up to 15 entries)
• Special Offers Page with great discounts from our sponsors
• Special Girlfriend Discounts via email
• GoGo Girlfriend Newsletters
• * GoGo Girlfriend Editorials and Product Review Page
• * A Percentage of Your Membership Fees are Donations to Lynne Cohen Foundation for Ovarian Cancer Research

Membership is only $4.99 a month to help cover cost of shipping and donation to Ovarian Cancer Research

Membership is billed every 2 months upon signup and anniversary date of signup. The box is 7" X 7" so it will have a lot of goodies for you to try. You may receive a surprise exclusive sponsor box from time to time in addition to their regular shipments.

Special thanks to GiveawayBlogs.com for sharing this information with us.

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Wishing My Cousin and her Groom the Best of Days!

Today my cousin Jodi is marrying one of the nicest men I've met in a long while.

I am so excited to be able to participate in their special day.

Congratulations to the Bride and Groom on this beautiful Sunday. May you share the best of years together, and experience all of the happiness the world has to offer.

We love you!!

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Happy Holidays- 4BabyAndMom Style!

Who's ready to win some super fun stuff?

It's that time of the year again, and we need you to get the word out. Our Hyped for the Holidays Gift Guide and event will be kicking off this week.

We are putting the finishing touches on the Gift Guide and Giveaway event, and cannot wait to share all of these great products with you. We will be highlighting some of our favorite products through the year, as well as introducing you to some really fun and new companies and items.

To help us spread the word, you'll get up to 12 Early Bird Entries to ALL of our giveaways during this time frame! Here's How:

• Tweet about this!
• Writes a post on their blog (linking back to 4BabyAndMom).
• Shares our Holiday badge on YOUR website, blog, or Facebook page WITH LINK!

For Facebook entries, you can leave the link in the caption underneath the pic, but you must share the badge on your wall! For those of you who are not familiar with tagging people in your status, if you do not start typing (@-4-B-a-b-y..) it will not tag us by copying & pasting @4BabyAndMom. (If you LIKE us already & put @4BabyAndMom in your status update, it will also show up on our wall so that we know that it's there. Ex: Come celebrate the holidays with @4BabyAndMom and enter to win some cool prizes!)If you have any questions or technical difficulties, please email us.

So, what are you waiting for? Four opportunities to share 4BabyAndMom with your network of friends, and earn 3 Early Bird Entries for each way you shared our Hyped for the Holidays Event! Don't forget to report back to this post and leave me the links to the ways that you shared.. I can't wait to see your blogs, your tweets, and your statuses!!

<a href="http://4babyandmom.blogspot.com/search/label/Hyped%20for%20the%20Holidays" target="_blank"><img alt="4 Baby And Mom" src="http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5/Fluttergirl0117/4Babyandmom/Hyped4Holidays125.png" /></a>

FINE PRINT:
If you want to earn up to 12 extra entries, you NEED to leave a comment here (with links to verify) with how and where you shared this. If you shared it three times, leave three comments. If you shared it once, leave one comment. All methods of Early Bird Entries will be verified. Any "enter me" type comments will be deleted and will not be honored. You will receive 3 extra entries to all of our giveaways this holiday season for each method of sharing completed and verified, up to 12 bonus entries- max. We are not and will not be held responsible for bonus entries being added to a giveaway; it will be in the same manner it has always been. Please refer to any giveaway for details on how to redeem your bonus entries. Any questions or comments, please feel free to email us at 4BabyAndMom at gmail dot com.

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HealthyWomen Top 12 Time Saving Tips Revealed!

I remember when my kids were young. Young enough that getting them to sleep through the night was a victory. Then, we got on this fabulous schedule long enough for me to really start catching up on sleep, and then it happened... Daylight Savings.

Whether the time "Springs ahead" or "Falls back", I cannot seem to make it work. Normal people "spring ahead" because time falls back in autumn, but not me. The first two days I wake up a little earlier, but the kids. Oh the kids.. They never seem to get used to it, it always takes a month.

I really hate this time of the year, because as a busy mom I'm always running to and from nine trillion different places. When I wake up it's dark, and when I serve dinner it's dark.. my days seem to get shorter and shorter the older I get.

So would you believe that most women feel most pressed for time in the early morning hours of their day, from 6am to 9am? Many also report that the biggest time pressures during early evening, from 5pm to 8pm., when many families are preparing for and eating dinner, as well as finishing up tasks from the day.

To help us cope with Daylight Savings Time, HealthyWomen, supported by an educational grant from Instead Softcup, presents a number of helpful time-saving tips to help us get organized and stay stress-free. These tips suggest multi-tasking activities that avoid drawn out tasks or painstaking efforts.

With the help of survey respondents, HealthyWomen compiled this list of the top 12 time- saving tips:

Domestic Duties
1. Make Fridays left over night – you will clean out the fridge and save time and money.

2. We know you want to be watching TV, but how about making that personal time a bit more productive? Use commercial breaks to squeeze in some of the end-of-day chores – sort laundry, start the washer, vacuum a room, unload the dishwasher, organize the kitchen counter.

3. Sign up for free automatic bill-paying services for all recurring bills such as utility bills, etc. Then set up an online bank account for free, one-click payment of all other bills - saves time, postage, and gas!

Running Errands
4. Combine as many errands as you can into one outing – grouping them by location and reducing travel time.

5. Ask for help! Keep a list of your errands and an ear open in case your spouse, relative or friend is headed to the same place.

6. Ride your bike, walk or run to run local errands – eliminating the need to take time to exercise later.

Communicating with Others
7. Set a schedule and establish boundaries throughout the day. For example, at the beginning of each conversation, tell others how much time you have available. It’s as easy as saying, “I’m glad you called, but I’ve only got about 10 minutes to chat…”

8. Make email more efficient – spending the time to unsubscribe for all the junk emails will give you an inbox with just the information you want, and less time deleting the stuff you don’t.

9. Take public transportation to work, and use that time to read, update your to-do list, or answer personal emails.

Health and Beauty
10. Reconsider your definition of clean and don't shampoo every day - your hair will be healthier and shinier and your shower will be shorter.

11. Keep your period light – at least packing for it. Wear a menstrual cup all day and save time packing up other protection.

12. Tried and true – set your clothes out the night before. Women who don’t can waste time trying on different outfits or having to iron at the busiest time of the day.

We hope that these tips and time savers really help you get some of your day back.. especially during Daylight Savings Time. It's really hard getting yourself back on track, and feeling that sense of accomplishment on these shorter, colder nights. Know that you're not alone, and that in a few short months, we will "Spring Ahead" again, and be back to longer hours of daylight.




“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of HealthyWomen and Softcup and received a $30 gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

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Holiday Gift Guide + Giveaway- Hyped for the Holidays!

With the economy in such a crunch this year, I'm finding it's hard to find a lot of people who are crazy happy and excited about the upcoming holiday season. In our family it's definitely more the "reason for the season" that we celebrate, but the gift factor definitely impacts my mood. I love to give!

This holiday season we will be hosting our HYPED FOR THE HOLIDAYS Gift guide and giveaway event. We will be celebrating our blogoversary and highlighting some of our 'Must Haves' that we've chosen through the year, and offering some great reviews and prizes for Moms, Dads, Kids, and around the house!

Some of the amazing giveaways we'll be offering is from Avon, Shutterfly, Randomline (who makes one of the coolest games EVER!), Union28 and so many more!

We have very few spots remaining, so if you are a PR rep or company that wants your product featured, please do not hesitate to contact us at 4BabyAndMom at gmail dot com.

We are so excited to host this event, so keep on the lookout for our Hyped for the Holidays buttons and banners to add to your own personal website, blog, or Facebook account! Who's getting excited????

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Filtrete Gives Families Fresh Air + Water and Saves You Money!

You know, I'll be honest. When I was approached to do this review I saw the brand name, Filtrete, and thought "air filters". I had no idea that the name I know, trust, and use when we battle our allergies branched out and is now offering a line of water filtration products for better tasting water.

Our allergies are killer. In fact, my son has had his share of hospital visits for his severe allergies (with asthmatic tendencies). Living in Florida, our heating and air conditioning is run by a central air handling unit. We only use Filtrete air filters, mainly because we've tried using all the other brands, and when we use Filtrete filters, I notice a change in our symptoms.

By helping to clean the air you breathe and improve the air quality in your home, the Filtrete Elite Allergen Reduction Filter from 3M:

* Captures 94 percent of large airborne particles such as pollen, smoke, dust mite debris and pet dander from the air as it passes through the filter

* Captures up to 40 times more microscopic particles than ordinary fiberglass filters

* Helps maintain airflow in heating and cooling systems, which may help prevent stress on the system and reduce the amount of energy needed to warm your home this Fall and Winter

We've had the ability to try several different brands of water filters over the past two years. Many of them had expensive filters you need to refill often, one barely changed the taste of our water, and we resorted to buying a fridge with a filter in it that actually worked better (or just as well) as some of the bottled water we were drinking. Our biggest complaint from all of our filtration systems was that it took forever and a day to filter. What's the sense of filling a resivoir with a cup or two of water, coming back in a few minutes, and repeating unitl the bottom of the pitcher was "full", when you could just grab a bottle of water and go?? 

Yes, it's not eco-friendly, but bashfully, I admit, it's a lot easier. I've never found a good balance of good tasting water, is cost efficient, and is quick to filter. For on-the-go families looking to increase their water intake without the hassle of buying separate water bottles or bottled water, the Filtrete Water Station provides the convenience of bottled water without the cost or waste:

* Filters water directly from the tap into four reusable BPA-free water bottles in seconds and reduces sediment and chlorine taste and odor from tap water

* Bottles are dishwasher safe and feature a leak-proof cap, making them great for school lunches or soccer practice

* Provides the approximate recommended daily water intake – 64 ounces – and helps reduce up to 3,000 plastic water bottles worth of waste from landfills per year

I can honestly say that when we received our pitcher to review, that setting it up took a second. Once we turned the water on, (at about the same speed you would fill a cup of tap water), the water started filtering immediately. It is not like a "traditional" water pitcher because there is no resivoir to fill, the filter does the job it needs to quickly and easily so you can continue on with your life. The 12-cup water pitcher costs about $30 and the Filtrete fast fill refills only cost about $10 and are available online and at stores like Home Depot, Wal-mart, and Ace. 

To help busy families, Filtrete created Clear Advantages. You can register to receive seasonal e-newsletters featuring money-saving offers, air and water filter change reminders, better home living tips and more by visiting Filtrete.com.

You can also follow Filtrete Water Filtration Products on Twitter or like the brand on Facebook for healthier living tips.




“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Filtrete and received the water pitcher to facilitate my candid review.”

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