Like so many people I am trying to lose a little weight before I have to wear a bathing suit in public and I’m really watching my calorie intake. I gave up soft drinks for Lent (OK OK and I cheated on my daughter’s 5th birthday but I had to have a fountain Coke) but one thing I haven’t given up is my morning coffee.
Starbucks Frappuccinos are a treat for me, but they have a lot of calories and sugar. However Starbucks has introduced a new light version of their mocha and vanilla Frappuccinos. Can I get a caffeinated Amen! There was a time when “light” drinks tasted light, if you know what I mean, but these are really yummy.
The mocha light Frappuccino has 40 percent fewer calories and 60 percent less sugar than regular mocha Frapppuccinos, while the vanilla light Frappuccino has 50 percent fewer calories and 60 percent less sugar. Each new variety has just 100 calories so you don’t feel guilty drinking them.
Want to win a four-pack of Starbucks’ new lite Frappuccino which will include two bottles of mocha light and two bottles of vanilla light? Just leave a comment about your favorite coffee drink from Starbucks, or if you have never tried Starbucks leave a comment about which new Frappuccino light variety you would like to try.
For up to three additional entries (please leave a separate comment for any of these you do):
Tweet @blondemomblog is giving away Starbucks’ new light Frappuccino on her review blog http://tinyurl.com/yemaznj
Leave a comment on a post at Blonde Mom Blog, my main mommy blog
Link to this giveaway post from your blog
Subscribe to the Savvy Housewife feed (I typically post a giveaway a week so this is a great way to keep up with those posts!)
Here’s a link to a dollar off coupon for Starbucks Frappuccino in case you want to try it NOW. Fair warning, though. They are addictive.
A winner will be chosen from all eligible comments (U.S. residents only please) left by midnight Wednesday, March 24 using Random.org. Thanks and good luck!
Disclosure: Thanks to Starbucks for providing me Light Frappuccinos to try out!
As I mentioned on my main mommy blog, Dove contacted me about hosting a fun red carpet theme girls’ night out Oscars weekend at a local Nashville restaurant to promote their new Visibly Smooth deodorant. I am already a fan of Dove products so it took me about 2 seconds to respond yes.
I invited a group of Nashville area bloggers to join me for dinner at the fabulous Red Pony Restaurant on Main Street in beautiful downtown Franklin, a great restaurant in the heart of the historic district that has a hip modern vibe.
Want a chance to win a sample of Dove Visibly Smooth? Five winners will be chosen at random from all eligible comments. Simply visit the Dove Visibly Smooth website Leave a comment on this post about one thing you learned about this new deodorant from Dove.
For up to four additional entries (please leave a separate comment for any of these you do):
Tweet @blondemomblog is giving away Dove’s new Visibly Smooth deodorant to five winners on her review blog
Leave a comment on a post at Blonde Mom Blog, my main mommy blog
Link to this giveaway post from your blog
Grab my swanky Savvy Housewife blog button from my sidebar and post it to your sidebar
Five winners will be chosen from all eligible comments (U.S. residents only please) left by midnight Tuesday, March 23 using Random.org.
Good luck!
To participate in the Dove Visibly Smooth VIP program, I was provided with five (5) product samples to giveaway on my blog as well as ten (10) product samples for my guests, and compensation for dinner out with my friends. Dove provided me with these items so I could organize the event myself and without any influence from Dove.
With two kids and two dogs I am constantly washing my hands, reminding them to wash their hands (the kids, not the dogs), and making sure my arsenal of hand sanitizer is well-stocked. Lysol has a new Healthy Touch No-Touch Hand Soap System that I wanted to try because, let’s face it, sometimes it’s a struggle to get my girls to wash their hands after school and before meals with good ole old school soap and water, especially with the ease and convenience of hand sanitizer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends hand washing as the number one way to avoid getting sick and prevent the spread of germs to others. Lysol’s No-Touch Hand Soap System helps cut down on the spread of germs by eliminating the need to touch germy soap pumps. The system also makes hand washing fun for kids, eliminating the whine factor.
We received one No-Touch Hand Soap System to review. It was easy to put together and it came with batteries (bonus!) We all love the cucumber splash scented soap. I also like that it is fairly neutral for any decor since the unit is primarily white. We’ve been using it in our main bathroom and my girls love it so much I have to remind them to not waste the soap, which is the only downside to having a fancy soap dispenser. The special soap refill bottles are also a tad on the pricey side, but work with the special soap dispenser. I think the new Lysol no-touch hand soap dispensers would also be fantastic in the kitchen. I hate to handle raw meat when cooking and I’m always trying to turn on the faucet with my elbows to avoid spreading germs.
Here are some tips from the CDC on the proper way to wash your hands:
Wet hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water if it is available
Rub hands together to make lather and scrub all surfaces, including underneath the nails and back of the hands
Continue rubbing hands for 20 seconds, long enough to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice
Rinse hands well under water
Dry hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use a paper towel to turn off the faucet.
Want to win a Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap System?
Visit Lysol’s website and check out the soap refill scents for the No-Touch Hand Soap System. Leave a comment on this post about your favorite.
For up to three additional entries (please leave a separate comment for any of these you do):
Tweet @blondemomblog is giving away a Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap System on her review blog http://tinyurl.com/ya7px9v
Leave a comment on a post at Blonde Mom Blog, my main mommy blog
Link to this giveaway post from your blog
A winner will be chosen from all eligible comments (U.S. residents only please) left by midnight Friday, March 19 using Random.org.
Good luck!
Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post other than the item provided the item for review.
Chili’s Grill & Bar is one of my favorite restaurants. I have commented to my husband on more than one occasion that our community NEEDS a Chili’s. There is one, however, right around the corner from my office and it’s a great favorite spot for he and I to meet up for lunch on a work day.
Chili’s recently made some changes to its menu, adding new items focused on freshly prepared recipes and their marketing team contacted me last week to see if I would like to help spread the word. It took me about 1 second to respond to the e-mail with a resounding yes.
My husband and I went yesterday for lunch and I checked out the new Fresh Pairings menu. For just $9.99 you can choose an appetizer (I chose the half order of Southwestern egg rolls, which are a favorite of mine) and an entree. I chose the new crispy shrimp mini tacos. I thought this was a great deal because my husband and I split the appetizer and I had four mini tacos, which were actually good size. Don’t let the “mini” fool you! My order also came with a side of Chili’s beans and rice, which are definitely not your usual “canned bean” type side that is popular in so many Southwestern style restaurants.
The shrimp tacos were excellent and were flavored with fresh cilantro and a yummy cilantro based cream sauce that I would love to replicate! The new menu items also include amazing sounding Caribbean and Asian salads (with a choice of grilled chicken, salmon, shrimp, or steak depending on the salad.) The next time we hit Chili’s I’m ordering one of the new salad offerings.
If you haven’t checked out Chili’s in a while and you are a sucker for Southwestern food seasoned with fresh ingredients, such as lime and cilantro, you definitely need to stop by! If you’re an iPhone mama like me, you might want to download their free iPhone app, too.
Disclosure: Chili’s marketing team provided me with a gift card so that I could try some of their new menu offerings.
Spring is finally around the corner and I always get the itch to pack away the winter clutter and accessorize for spring, and that includes around the house. Z Gallerie (which locally in Nashville has a location at Green Hills Mall) offers a variety of high-quality, affordable home décor, including furniture, artwork, lighting, tabletop items, textiles and decorative accessories from around the world. Since its beginning days in 1979 in Sherman Oaks, California, as a family business launched by two brothers and a sister, the retailer has grown to 54 locations in 18 states.
I do most of my gift shopping online and Z Gallerie has a wonderful online gift section categorized by recipient. Think Mother’s Day! Z Gallerie sent me this gorgeous glam photo clutch–definitely not your usual mommy brag book.
These Casablanca lanterns are in a new fun green (one of my favorite colors) and would add a great pop of color to your patio this spring. The medium 18-inch lantern is priced at just $14.95.
With two young children and two dogs my days of white pillows are temporarily on hold. However, I love this dreamy white rose pillow.
Sometimes all it takes to dress up a room is a new twist to a timeless accessory. I love these silver link candle holders.
Z Gallerie’s exclusive Bolinas box features a gorgeous mosaic of square cut mirrored glass and opalescent polished oyster shell on a white wooden box. This would make a lovely Mother’s Day gift (just slip a little something extra inside!)
Although I am not in the market for a new bed, I can’t help going back again and again to look at this gorgeous bed with the upholstered headboard and footboard from Z Gallerie’s Domingo line.
The queen bed is priced at $899, which I think is a great deal for such style. Z Gallerie is running a great 10% off special on all furniture priced $500 or more.
This giveaway is closed. Sher E. who commented, “We recycle! I use my leftover dishwater to rinse the jars and cans..saves water as well!” is the winner. Thanks to everyone who entered and be sure to stop back by to enter future giveaways I have planned for OxiClean and Starbucks!
I’m always searching for new natural home products. I like using cleaning products that are as free from chemicals as possible. I was happy to hear about the new Martha Stewart Clean home products available at Home Depot, because Martha Stewart is such an iconic brand. My mother had one of her decorating books in the late 1980s and to me Martha epitomizes the homemaker.
I had the chance to check out a few of the products – the all purpose cleaner, the bathroom cleaner, and the dish and hand soap. They have a very subtle, clean scent, are clear and do a great job. My favorite of the three is the all purpose cleaner, which is safe to use on all surfaces and is 99 percent plant and mineral based so there are no harmful chemicals. I really like the dish and hand soap, too. I’ve been using both in our kitchen. I also, of course, love the packaging (I am a self-confessed sucker for Martha’s products.)
Want to win a set of the new Martha Stewart Clean products, featured in the March issue of Body + Soul magazine in a story entitled “50 Tips for a Greener, Cleaner Home?” Just leave a comment about one green thing you do every day as part of your household routine.
For up to three additional entries (please leave a separate comment for any of these you do):
Tweet @blondemomblog is giving away the new line of Martha Stewart Clean green products on her review blog http://tinyurl.com/yg9h3al
Leave a comment on a post at Blonde Mom Blog, my main mommy blog
Link to this giveaway post from your blog
A winner will be chosen from all eligible comments (U.S. residents only please) left by midnight Monday, March 8 using Random.org. Thanks and good luck!
I don’t do much shopping for myself any more. Gosh that sounds so cliche now that “I’m a mother” (more cliche!) but it is true. I am a big bargain shopper, though, and I still love to shop.
Dress Barn, which offers women’s fashions for less, challenged me to a fashion mission and I gladly accepted. I had no idea what they were going to send me, but they promised to send me a wardrobe basic for my challenge. I had to then come up with three looks: work, going out with friends, and a casual day with my family.
When I opened my package from Dress Barn I was delighted to find a white cotton blouse with unique silver clasps for buttons. I knew I could come up with a TON of different looks with this one blouse and it is also a great staple to have for any season. A crisp white cotton blouse really transcends seasons because you can wear it alone or layer it with a fun cardigan in a bright color or with a blazer.
At work this week I paired the white blouse with boots, tights, a fun skirt, and a black leopard cardigan but you could easily make it more buttoned up corporate by wearing it with a pencil skirt and a blazer and pearls. My office is casual so I can get away with more non-traditional, non matchy matchy outfits.
My center outfit is a fun look for meeting friends out and it’s my favorite of the three. I’m wearing the Dress Barn blouse with a denim skirt I bought for $2 at Goodwill and a khaki cropped ruffle blazer adorned with a fun hand crafted fabric flower pin.
On the far right I’m wearing the blouse with jeans, a fun long red beaded necklace that reminds me of candy, and a brown coat. I was going to throw on some Mary Jane style athletic shoes but it was too darn cold that afternoon and I was freezing just waiting for my 7-year-old to snap the photo! We were about to head out to pick up her little sister and then go car shopping and out to dinner with my husband.
So there you have it. I’m sure I will come up with dozens of new outfits with my new white blouse from Dress Barn! Here’s a coupon for 20% off your next trip to Dress Barn. Since they already offer reasonably priced fashion, this is a great deal! And you know you deserve a little somethin’ somethin’ new for spring.
p.s. Today through February 28 Dress Barn is running a One Suit One Weekend charity event. Bring in a gently used business suit to Dress barn and they’ll donate it to Dress For Success…every woman deserves to have that one great suit so she can land the perfect job!
This giveaway is closed. Susan Varney who commented, “Pink Polka Dot” is the winner.
As a mom to two girls I am constantly on the lookout for well-made clothes with a fun edge to them. Rock-A-Thigh baby thigh high socks are not only warm and well made, but they are incredibly cute!
Designed by Jennifer, a mom of four little girls who recognized a need for socks that don’t fall down, Rock-A-Thigh baby socks are fashionable and provide extra warmth (not to mention an extra punch of color to a stylish girl’s outfit.) Rock-A-Thigh socks are a great alternative to tights and although my girls are way past the diapers and Pull Ups stage, I so wish I had had these when they were that little. They would be fantastic for keeping little legs warm minus the hassle of wrestling with wriggly ones in tights! They also have my all time favorite feature on children’s socks: no slip grids on the soles!
Sizes range from 0-6 months to 4 years of age and can be purchased on the Rock-a-Thigh Baby website. Their newest color for spring is a cute lilac. Rock-A-Thigh baby thigh high socks sell for $14 and shipping is always free!
Visit the Rock-A-Thigh Baby website and come back to this post and leave a comment about which design you like best.
For up to four additional entries (please leave a separate comment for any of these you do):
Visit the Rock-A-Thigh Baby Facebook page and become a fan
Tweet @blondemomblog is giving away a pair of Rock-A-Thigh Baby Socks on her review blog http://tinyurl.com/y87eflj
Leave a comment on a post at Blonde Mom Blog, my main mommy blog
Link to this giveaway post from your blog
A winner will be chosen from all eligible comments (U.S. residents only please) left by midnight Monday, March 1 using Random.org. Thanks and good luck!
Disclosure: Rock-A-Thigh Baby sent me a pair of socks for my youngest daughter to try.
Do you have a personal goal you have always dreamed of attaining but have never been able to follow through on? When I was in my 20s, just after college graduation, I was invited by friends to fly to Greece for vacation. The following year the same group of friends went to Ireland. At the time I was the one friend in our group who had immediately started on her career post bachelor’s degree, while they were still trying to decide if they wanted to continue on to graduate school. I always regret not taking the time off from my new job in the busy news and public affairs office of a local university to travel with them.
What are you most passionate about? What unfulfilled goal or dream have you put aside? Is there something you gave up pursuing because you didn’t have the resources?
Prilosec OTC is going to help 10 people realize their passions by providing sponsorships averaging from $1,000 to a maximum of $4,000. What would enable you to take your favorite hobby or something you are passionate about to the next level? From a commercial oven to turn your baking into a business, to plane tickets and travel accomodations for taking cooking classes in France to the application asks: “Tell us who you are, what you love to do, and what you need to do it better. We also want to know, if sponsored, who you would tell about it.”
The fifteen categories include food and cuisine, arts and crafts, family, home and garden, entertainment and leisure, health and fitness, travel, sports, and professional pursuits. There’s an area for everyone. Hurry, though. The deadline to enter is February 22!
I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Prilosec OTC. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.
I’ve been familiar with Pizza Hut’s Book It! program since my oldest daughter was in preschool so I was excited to hear about a fun event they are hosting today which encourages both a love of reading for children and helps shed awareness on the devastation still impacting Haiti.
Children, parents, and teachers can join the Pizza Hut BOOK IT!® Program and Golden Globe winning author and actor John Lithgow today to celebrate a love of reading for a great cause. Just log on to Bookitprogram.com to view a special webcast featuring Mr. Lithgow reading his children’s book, Carnival of the Animals. The webcast will be available all day starting at 9 a.m. CST so grab your books and PJs! This is the third year in a row for America’s Biggest Bedtime Story.
The BOOK IT! Program is challenging readers to break the 2009 attendance record of 198,000 people. If more people participate in this year’s event than in 2009, the BOOK IT! Program will donate 50,000 meals to Haiti through the World Food Program, in their continued effort to encourage reading while supporting a great cause.
“Our research shows that parents aren’t spending enough time reading to their kids at night,” said Leslie Brunt, program director of the BOOK IT! Program. “The goal of America’s Biggest Bedtime Story is to encourage more families to start a tradition of reading together for at least 20 minutes every night. This year we have a special challenge to readers – if 2010 is our largest event yet, the readers will help provide a donation for Haiti relief through the WFP.”
Carnival of the Animals, illustrated by Boris Kulikov and inspired by Camille Saint-Saens’s composition, is the story of a young boy who falls asleep in a natural history museum on a school field trip, only to find his classmates, teachers, and family transformed into a menagerie of animals.
An encore presentation of Lithgow’s 2009 reading of I Got Two Dogs will also be available for viewing for families who log on to the Book It! website today.
My oldest daughter is in 2nd grade and is completely fascinated with science. So far in her budding academic career she has made all As in science and we love foster her love for science in as many ways as possible.
The Young Scientists Club makes award-winning science kits for kids that are both fun and entertaining. I wasn’t familiar with their kits but they would make fantastic birthday and Christmas presents.
We were asked to review a couple of their kits and when I saw their Magic School Bus series, based on the popular animated TV show with Ms. Frizzle that appears on the Discovery Kids Channel, I knew this would be a hit at our house. The well-designed kits are reasonably priced at $19.99. We reviewed the Going Green kit, which taught us about recycling, creating paper, how mulch is formed, etc. Although it’s designed for ages 5 and up (and intended for adult supervision) my 4-year-old also enjoyed the experiments. The kits also come with a full-color booklet with directions and other interesting scientific facts and are presented in a fun, captivating way for young learners.
We also reviewed another line of kits which are more reasonably priced but just as interesting and educational. The Explore Space kit (retails for $9.99) was a big hit with my girls, especially creating a small constellation light box so we could view constellations with the aid of a flashlight. The Go Green Save The Earth Kit taught us more about recycling and would be a great learning aid for upcoming Earth Day this spring.
My junior scientists at work adding water to a peat pellet.
I’ve been a fan of Proactiv now since reviewing it last year. I’m at that fun hormonally abundant age of 40 where I have both acne and the beginnings of wrinkles…oh joy!
Proactive has a new formula which has an exclusive micro-crystal benzoyl peroxide acne medicine designed to get acne fighting medicine into the pores fast, penetrating even clogged pores quickly. I love their cleanser, their makeup remover wipes, mask, and their toner.
I can definitely tell a difference in my complexion since I started using Proactiv last year. It helped eliminate all those pesky blackheads (sorry but it’s true…you know you’ve had a blackhead in your life) and I use the medicine every night at bedtime to help prevent breakouts. It’s also never dried out my skin or irritated it like so many other acne medications can do.
Sassy 25-year-old singer Katy Perry signed on to be the newest celebrity Proactiv formula spokesperson in January. Check it out!
The most popular Proactiv system is just $29.95 (and is a $99 value) and includes:
Renewing Cleanser
Revitalizing Toner
Repairing Treatment
Oil Free Moisture with SPF15
Daily Oil Control
Plus you get free bonus products:
Refining Mask (which I love)
Travel-size Green Tea Moisturizer (not my favorite since I prefer products with SPF protection, but my husband likes this moisturizer and I’ve used it on my daughters’ skin)
The Doctors’ Secret to a Lifetime of Clear Skin
ActivMember™ Benefits
To receive all these products is a great deal in my opinion!
Do you have a personal goal you have always dreamed of attaining but have never been able to follow through on? When I was in my 20s, just after college graduation, I was invited by friends to fly to Greece for vacation. The following year the same group of friends went to Ireland. At the time I was the one friend in our group who had immediately started on her career post bachelor’s degree, while they were still trying to decide if they wanted to continue on to graduate school. I always regret not taking the time off from my new job in the busy news and public affairs office of a local university to travel with them.
