Pink Together Giveaway Help Save Second Base

It's hard to believe that October is almost over. Everywhere you look there are reminders that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. I cannot stress how important it is to check yourself regularly. This past year has been very difficult for me. My mom just got over Breast Cancer, and around February, I found a lump in my breast. In the exact spot where my mom found hers.

I'm not even thirty yet, have two amazing kids, life as I knew it changed... In a huge way, that I can't even begin to explain. Thankfully, after months of tests, I found that it was just a "scare", but it was a bigger scare than I ever wanted to experience.

One of the biggest pieces of advice that I have to give is the way a lump feels. Across the internet, you'll find many articles saying that it feels like a frozen pea. For me, it did not. It was hard, long, but flat-ish, and was sensitive. I can't tell you exactly how it felt aside from saying I knew it didn't feel "right".

It takes only a few moments, even if you don't check regularly, be sure to stop reading this now, and cop a feel. Feel under your breasts, in your cleavage, and under your armpits, where your breast tissue extends. Have your significant other help- if you're not familiar with how your girls feel, I'm sure he does.

If you've never had a scare, chances are you might know someone who has, or who had Breast Cancer, or someone who survived Breast Cancer. Visit PinkTogether.com to share your personal story and messages of hope and read about others´ personal journeys. To encourage personal connections, General Mills will donate $1 to the Komen organization for each Message of Hope that is sent to someone who has shared their story on PinkTogether.com (up to $25,000) during October. This is in addition to a $2 million donation General Mills is making to the Komen organization.

This year, for the first time in its five-year history, at PinkTogether.com consumers can choose how $1 million of this donation will be shared between two important Komen programs: the Treatment and Assistance Program, which assists women in securing care they otherwise may not be able to afford, and Prevention Research, which helps unlock the keys to preventing breast cancer. Visit PinkTogether.com from September 19, 2011 through April 14, 2012 to make your choice. Results will be announced on Mother´s Day 2012 - Sunday, May 13.

To help spread Breast Cancer Awareness, General Mills and MyBlogSpark have put together a Pink Together Prize Pack for one lucky reader. The winner will win a spectacular selection including a 16 oz. box of Total cereal, VIP coupons valid for one box of Cheerios and Multigrain Cheerios cereal and one cup of Yoplait yogurt, a
Betty Crocker Living with Cancer Cookbook Pink Together Edition, (which includes a collection of more than 150 delicious recipes with complete nutrition information and a 32-page Pink Together Survivor Ambassador bonus section that shares inspirational personal stories of survival as well as recipes), a Water bottle and removable silicone awareness bracelet, a drawstring sport backpack, and pink rhinestone ear buds.

Here's How to Enter:

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Betty Crocker Fun-da-Middles Review + Giveaway! Ends 10/31

Halloween is almost here, which means that it's time for moms to put on their creative hats to come up with some fun new ways to impress their little monsters.

At this year's party or get together, be sure to check out Betty Crocker's new Fun da Middles cupcakes. The deliciousness that you know, with a burst of cream in the middle, is a great surprise to your guests.

Frost your cupcakes with black icing and add licorice strips to make fun spider cupcakes. Decorate them in shades of orange and add funny faces to make age appropriate pumpkins. Use green food coloring for the surprise in the middle to make it green alien slime!

I will admit, I was a little nervous to make these, but it was so much easier than I ever envisioned. They tasted amazing, and the kids thought it was spectacular. (Watch this video on "How To" make Fun-Da-Middles!) Click here for money saving coupons, and be sure to check out the 

Our friends at MyBlogSpark sent us an amazing Fun-da-middles prize pack to try these out, and let me tell you, and we had a blast! Our gift pack included:

• One sample of new Betty Crocker Fun da-middles cupcake mix
• One cupcake pan
• One oven mitt
• One package of cupcake liners
• One box of cupcake gift notes

The best news is that they are offering a gift pack to one of our lucky readers!!

Here's How to Enter:
**We are trying something new, so if you have ANY problems, please let us know right away on our Facebook page.**
Leave a comment on our blog telling us what special occasion you would like to make these delicious treats for. There are many extra entry opportunities, be sure to click them in the RaffleCopter widget after you complete them.

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Sea World Halloween Spooktacular 2011

Every weekend in October, the streets of Sea World come alive with creatures and costumes like no other. Dazzling outfits, and incredible make up, stilt walkers, fish faces, and so much more capture kids attention and make for memorable memories.

Safe trick or treating along the destined path allows kids of all ages hop from place to place and trick or treat- in costume or without one. While you're visiting, be sure to check out the carmel apple stand and Sand Art station. Just make sure you plan on these activities during a time you want to stand and wait, (that was our onlycomplaint last weekend, was that the lines were LONG for these special activities!)

If you are in the area, have season passes, or are just looking for a fun Halloween themed activity for the family that will be memorable, be sure to visit Sea World for their Halloween Spooktacular Event. If you'd like it to be especially memorable, check out the Sea World Spooktacular link to find special event or happenings within the park this weekend and next weekend. Be sure to check out Count von Count's Spooktacular Breakfast Boo-fet... packed with your child's favorite Sesame Street characters, print out your Spooky Map before you go- so you don't miss a thing!

Don't forget to visit the Mermaids, or see Shamu's show, or take a ride on the new Manta ride while you're there with the big kids, too. Party in the "after hours party" with the kids, and all of the characters in costume, for a night to remember! The best part? Right now tickets are half price for the kiddos with the purchase of an adult ticket. There's only two weekends left to enjoy this event, so hurry... before it's too late!!

Special thanks to our friends at Sea World for allowing us to come and visit the Halloween Spooktacular event in order to facilitate this article.

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Cut your cell phone bill with TracFone

This post brought to you by TracFone. All opinions are 100% mine.

With kids in two different schools, the idea of getting our middle schooler a cell phone for some time. I wasn't sure if I wanted to just add him to our current cell phone plan or buy a prepaid type phone to stay in contact.

I came across some good deals from TracFone, so I figured I would share them. With TracFone there are no contracts, no credit checks, no activation charges or cancellation fees. The maps show that there is great nationwide service (which is good when we travel), and they sell many brand name phones, not no-name cheap phones.  We were looking at a few phones we really liked from Motorola, Kyocera, LG, Nokia and Samsung. What I likes was there were regular phones and smart phones as well.

There are prepaid cards at many local retailers, as well as many across the country, and even have a one year service card for only $119. Plus, you get double minutes for the life of your phone, and starts you out at 800 minutes. If you don't want to do a whole year, you can purchase "Double minutes for the life of your phone” for only$19.99, but some phones include it as a perk. Some phones are packed with features like camera/video recorder, web access, app capabilities, mp3 player, and full QWERTY keyboard, for only $29.99. Calling and texting capabilities are available for under $10. The more I researched, the more I thought this was a great deal.

I did notice that TracFone also offers International Long Distance for the same price as any other call. This is great for people who have families out of the country, or college kids who are studying abroad. With the International Neighbors program, you can provide family and friends in Mexico or Canada a local phone number in those countries to reach you at your TracFone in the U.S.! This would be a great Senior Value as my grandmother has many snowbird friends who live in Canada.

<iframe frameborder="0" width="480" height="270" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/xlhbgf"></iframe><br /><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlhbgf_tracfone-makes-it-easy_tech" target="_blank">Tracfone makes it easy...</a> <i>by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/LittleBard95" target="_blank">LittleBard95</a></i>

Check out this video Get into Everywhereness and visit any nationwide retailer (like Wal-Mart) to learn more about TracFone products.

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Let the most wonderful time of the year begin!

As a native NYer, this time of the year makes me miss home the most. All over Facebook and Twitter, my friends are starting to post gorgeous autumn trees and their changing leaves, stories of their excursions to apple orchards, pumpkin farms, and the best pie place on Long Island. Pictures pop up daily of little ones who are growing in leaps and bounds surrounded by the largest pumpkin, on a haystack, and bundled up to battle the crisp air.

To say I'm jealous, is a humongous understatement.

This week, my husband and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. I cannot believe how fast life is flying by. This anniversary really made me stop and think about where we are, and where we wanted to be, when we were preparing to start our lives together- and how drastically different they were from each other. It was actually kind of a downer... we've been through a lot together. But at the same time, it totally gave us hope.

Then the hubster and I took a moment, after the kids were at school, and talked about life. We talked about and set new goals. I applied to go back to college. We're still "officially" waiting on financial aid to say 'yay' or 'nay', but I will be starting on November 9th. I'm excited. Hubster is too. The kids.. well, Babs loves her school. She's a kindergartener. Aside from Alex's experience, I've never heard of a horrible kindergarten experience. Alex loves his teacher and his classmates, and is making amazing strides. We're still trying to learn as much as we can about Aspergers, and his teacher is an awesome addition to our worlds. There's one little problem. She's moving to teach 5th grade, so Alex will have a new teacher. We're hoping that he makes enough growth between now and then that it doesn't send him on a downward spiral. Friday is our first Odyssey of the Mind meeting- (I'm a coach this year!)- and I'm nervous, but excited. So is Alex.

The hubster is actually looking at going back to school within a year of my start date. Our goal is to see how I'm handling everything, and go from there. Marissa is rocking at her University courses. We are busy preparing our Holiday Gift Guide, so we can share with you some of the coolest and hottest toys for this upcoming season. We've found quite a few different items, perfect for stocking stuffers for all ages, and some awesome boys toys.. we're just looking for those perfect girl toys to share with you! Along with our gift guide comes our giveaway extravaganza- be sure to bookmark our site, and share it with your friends. As soon as we have an official date- I will let you know!

All in all, life is good. 

Share with us- what upcoming holiday is your absolute favorite? What is your most favorite activity/pastime to enjoy??

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How Clean is Oxi-Clean?

Stains, Stains, everywhere are stains! School is back in, and I assure you my daughter's wardrobe states that she is clearly a kindergartner. Her adorable new school clothes come home every day with a new stain: paint, marker, crayon, grass, lunch, mud, and my personal favorite--"MY GOODNESS, WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?" I have tried just about every stain treatment available, and while some have been better than others, they are all pretty darn expensive! If I'm paying top dollar, then I want top results.



We were given the opportunity to review OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover. I have never used OxiClean products before, so I figured,"What the heck, why not!" I have honestly never been a fan of infomercial products or gimmicks. I always had reservations whenever I looked at OxiClean at the grocery store because it was one of those 3 a.m. ads. I would pick it up and then just put it back, thinking it would do what all other infomercial products do and leave me crying into a spaghetti-o stained Easter dress. So, I don't know that my expectations were high going into the washing machine armed with oxygen power.


Whatever the expectation was, I was very pleasantly surprised by the stain-lifting muscles the OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover flexed on those nasty sock stains (by the way, what do children and husbands DO to their socks to make them that black on the bottom?) and the sports stains on my son's baseball pants!


I figured, being a frugal mom, that if this worked so well on clothes, that why not see if it worked as well on other things around the house. My towels get terrorized by my husband, and apparently no matter how many times you explain the difference between a good towel and an everyday towel, husbands just don't get it! The good news is, now I have a line of defense, because the OxiClean Stain Remover really made them bright again and kicked that mystery stains butt.

It was fairly easy to use: pre-soak, then wash. Not rocket science, or too difficult. Which is what a helpful product is supposed to do; make my life easier! It is not too expensive either; I found this product for about $6 at Wal-Greens. I will definitely stop being so prejudiced against infomercial products, as this one was really a good one. I will also be stocking up on some more OxiClean products next time I am out.

OxClean products are available in most grocery chains. For more information, visit:http://bit.ly/pCX5wO

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of OxiClean and received OxiClean items to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

www.momcentral.com/mcc

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