Smelly Towel Cleaner Review & Giveaway

Smelly Towels or laundry--Who has that? Not me!!!
I've never had my husband throw wet towels on the laundry room floor to sit there for a few days. And of course, I have never washed a load of towels and got too busy or forgot about them and left them sitting in the washer overnight--only for them to smell and need them to be re-washed again. Ok... I guess that's happened a few times around here. But... I've found a solution!!!

Smelly Towel Cleaner is an all natural product that has a wonderful garden fresh fragrance and is specifically made to remove that musty, mildew smell from towels and clothing. Just a teaspoon added to a full load of musty towels or laundry makes them smell like new again! Use just a half teaspoon of Smelly Towel Cleaner as a detergent booster to enhance colors and keep that fresh smell!

This really works too!!! Most people know that especially on those warm days that towels will get a musty, mildew smell if you leave them wet lying around. (My husband helped me test this product out.) He was nice enough to throw a couple of wet towels on the laundry room floor and leave them there for a couple of days- to see if this Smelly Towel Cleaner really worked or not.) It passed the test!!! It worked really good for me. I took a few smelly towels and placed them in the washer with a capful of the Smelly Towel Cleaner and when the towels were done washing, they had no smell to them at all. This product is a must in my household!! (Especially during the summer months.)
The bottle says that in extreme cases, you might need to soak for 2 hours to completely remove odor. I have not had extreme cases (knock on wood) so I wouldn't know, but I have had a few loads of laundry get left in the washer overnight and when I re-washed them, I used the Smelly Towel Cleaner in place of laundry detergent and they came out odor-free. I love that this is an all natural product and it is so easy to use.

The Smelly Towel Cleaner can be purchased for $16.99 plus S&H online

Or Win it!!! One of my lucky readers can win a bottle of the Smelly Towel Cleaner.

MANDATORY/REQUIRED ENTRY:
Leave a Comment telling me a laundry tip.
EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But in addition you can:

■Follow me via Google Friend Connect (1 extra entry)
■Subscribe via e-mail (1 extra entry)
■Add @Shawnmh to your Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■Add @SmellyWasher to your Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (2 extra entries)
■Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include a link to this contest page (Leave me the link)(1 extra entry/this may be done daily)
■Add my button to your site AND/OR add me to your blog roll.(1 entry for each)
■Blog about this contest: Add a link to this post (5 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.(Please make sure if you are anonymous you leave your email address with your comments.)
This giveaway will end on September 14th at 11:59 pm Est. The winner will be notified and have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.


*Disclosure: I received the Smelly Towel Cleaner free of charge for review purposes. This is my honest thoughts and opinion.*

This Product Was a Free Giveaway
Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Stay Tuned! CSNstores.com Upcoming Review

I'm so excited about doing a review from csnstores.com!!! I have been a fan of the CSN Stores for a while now and dreaming of all the nice stuff I would love to get from them. We've been thinking about remodeling our kitchen and dining room. I'm not sure of exactly what we want it to look like, my husband and I have different plans and ideas. I know we will need to get new dining tables.
I'm not sure if I want a formal dining room set or something just casual or both. It's a big decision, and we need to save up alittle money before we take on this project, so I've got some time to look around. Csnstores.com has so many choices with their huge selection. I guess when I make up my mind and decide to tackle this project, I can shop at CSN Stores. With 200+ individual stores, csnstores.com has everything you could possibly want or need. From Dining tables,to kitchen rugs, to wall art, to cookware, they have it all.


*Disclosure: I will be getting a free item to review for my honest opinion.*

The Rattles release debut Album 'Rattle On' ~ Giveaway~

You've got to meet the Rattles!!! They are creating music EVERYONE can groove out to!

The Rattles are four musicians and life-long friends – Sal (the snake-guitar player),Gus (the goat-lead singer), Hal (the hippo-bass player)and Kitty (the cat-(Girl)drummer). Their manager Benny (a dog) and a bunch of roadies (penguins) all named Elvis help The Rattles take their show on the road.
Coming straight out of the wild and onto the stage, no one rocks like The Rattles!This furry, family-friendly band known as The Rattles,create a listening experience that parents and adults can equally enjoy. These anthropomorphic critters pump out vibes that get everyone grooving! With a fresh, modern fusion of classic rock and power pop, The Rattles have drawn comparisons to the likes of The Beatles, They Might Be Giants, and The Monkees.

The Rattles are on a roll! Parents, kids, and music lovers of all ages have been singing unanimous praises for ‘RATTLE ON’ since the lively full-length debut from this furry musical menagerie.

To celebrate the ‘RATTLE ON’ album release, The Rattles recently unveiled their snazzy new official website, www.RattlesRock.com. This fully decked-out, colorful little corner of cyber-space allows The Rattles’ biggest fans to read up on the band’s back-story, listen to some groovy tunes, scope out a slew of tour photos, play interactive games, and shop for official band gear at the online store. There is even a special section for parents!

'Rattle On' captures the diverse sounds and songwriting talents of this one-of-a-kind animal collective. From the opening anthem "Rattle On" and the infectious chant "R-A-T-T-L-E-S," to moodier numbers like "Monday Morning Drive" and "Goodbye Yesterday," to ballads like "1-2-3 Count on Me" and "Apple of My Eye," the band brings a sound that is both familiar and fresh.

Released on August 17, 2010 – In Digital and CD Format
The Full Track listing from ‘RATTLE ON’ debut album contains nine songs:

1.Rattle On
2.Lucky Sam’s Banana Stand
3.Shipwreck in the Sky
4.Wavy Lane
5.Goodbye Yesterday
6.1-2-3 Count on Me
7.R-A-T-T-L-E-S
8.Monday Morning Drive
9.Apple of My Eye

Check out some tunes and watch The Rattles music videos here.



The Rattles Band was created by Tony Caio, who is best known for his animation direction for well-known licensed creations like The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss, Curious George Goes to a Chocolate Factory for Scholastic, and Hollywood Betty Boop for Bally Gaming. He created The Rattles Band so parents and their children would have a way to connect through a family friendly music experience.

Now, that You love this band and debut album, You can purchase this online and/or at stores near you.

Or You can Win it!!! One of my lucky readers can win this 'Rattle On' album by the Rattles.

MANDATORY/REQUIRED ENTRY:
Visit RattlesRock.com and leave a Comment about what you like best about this band or site.
EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But in addition you can:

■Tell me which song on this album is your favorite(1 extra entry)
■Follow me via Google Friend Connect (1 extra entry)
■Subscribe via e-mail (1 extra entry)
■Add @Shawnmh to your Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■Add @TheRattlesBand to your Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (2 extra entries)
■Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include a link to this contest page (Leave me the link)(1 extra entry/this may be done daily)
■Add my button to your site AND/OR add me to your blog roll.(1 entry for each)
■Like The Rattles Band on Facebook (3 extra entries)
■Blog about this contest: Add a link to this post (5 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.(Please make sure if you are anonymous you leave your email address with your comments.)
This giveaway will end on September 20th at 11:59 pm Est. The winner will be notified and have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.


*Disclosure: I will be getting this CD for review purposes.*

Winner Announcement

Drum Roll Please...

The Winner of the Yoplait's Go Gurt Keeping Cool in School Giveaway is... Denise

Congrats!! An email has been sent.

Dryel 3-IN-1 Touch up Spray & Dryel on the Go Review

Dryel 3-IN-1 Touch Up Spray is specially formulated to safely care for your everyday and dry clean clothes. Use to extend the time between cleanings!

•Spray a light mist evenly on fabric.
•Use more spray in heavily wrinkled, smelly or clingy areas.
•Use hands to press and smooth away wrinkles.
•Air dry or dry in the dryer.

This works Great!!! Use at home or Take it with you. This is the perfect item to take along on trips. After having your clothes in a duffel bag or suitcase, they look alittle wrinkly. Just spray the clothes and use your hands to press away the wrinkles. This will save you alot of time and no need to bring the iron. This will also help to lengthen time between cleanings. If you want to re-wear an item, just spray this on to freshen it up without taking the time for a full cleaning. This spray has a nice, pleasant scent.


Ok... Moms- This is a needed item. Having kids, you know that someone usually spills something on them or you when you are out and about.

Dryel On the Go Stain Pen helps remove fresh stains, and it’s EVEN safe on dry clean only clothes, delicates and hand-washables such as wools, silks, rayons, linens, cottons and other special care fabrics.

This is a perfect size to take with you. Moms, you will want to stick one of these Dryel On the Go Pens in your purse. The brush is unique,it has a scrubber attachment on the end of it. This is very easy to use. When you get a stain, just take the cap off, and you can scrub with those bristles, while squeezing the pen at the same time to get rid of the stain. This worked pretty good for me when my son spilled chocolate milk on his shirt while out at breakfast. I just rubbed the pen on his shirt and it made the stain go away. (It left a wet spot for a minute-but then it dried). It worked pretty good.

Stop by Dryel.com and get $10 worth of Coupons. These Dryel Products can be purchased at your local stores including Walmart.

Walmart customers can even try the Dryel Starter Kit and Refill Packages for free via rebate.

Check out my review and giveaway for the Dryel Starter Kit.



*Disclosure: This is a Mama Buzz review. The Dryel Starter kit, Refill Cloths, Dryel on the Go stain pen and Dryel Touch up spray were provided by Dryel for the purposes of this review. Check out what the other Mama Buzz Reviewers have to say about this product .*

Dryel Starter Kit Review and Giveaway

I'm sure that most of you Enjoy taking your Clothes to the Dry Cleaners and Spending lots of Money !!! (Not)
Well...I don't enjoy having to run into town and drop off my clothes, wait a day or two and then drive back to the dry cleaners and spend alot of money,etc.
Why do that when you already have a dryer in your house? Now...There is no need for it!!! Turn Your Dryer into a steam Clean machine.
Dryel is a convientent at-home Dry Cleaning system that safely steams and cleans soils,stains,odors while removing wrinkles and saving you time and money. In fact, Dryel cleans 10 garments for the cost of one dry cleaned garment and works on all your clothes.


Check out The Dryel Starter Kit
This kit contains 2 ultra-concentrated cleaning cloths that will care for 2 dryer loads (up to four garments in each load for a total of 8 garments). Dryel is also available in economical six-load refill packs in Clean Breeze Scent to care for up to 24 garments. Each kit includes:
•Instant Stain Remover Pen
•2X ULTRA Concentrated Refill Cloths
•Re-usable Fabric Protection Bag
•An instructional pamphlet including coupons

Dryel Refill Cloths

After 2 dryer loads using your Dryel Starter Kit, you can purchase this pack of Refill Cloths to care for an additional 6 dryer loads. Since the Fabric Protection bag included with the Starter Kit can be used for up to 25 loads, this is the economical way to keep your dry clean only clothes freshly laundered without purchasing the Starter Kit again.
Dryel 6 load refill packs are available in Clean Breeze Scent.

Ok... I love it!!! The Dryel Starter Kit and Refills will save you alot of time and money. And its quick and so easy to use. It's as easy as Zip it, Steam it and Hang it. All you do is place your garments in the Dryel Bag and add the pre-moistened Dryel Cloth and Zip it. Place your dryer on medium to high heat for 15 to 30 minutes and remove your garments from the bag and Hang them promptly to help the wrinkles fall out. This removes the odors and protects against shrinking, stretching & fading. Throw out the cleaning cloth after use but save the Dryel bag,It is designed to last up to 25 loads. Your clothes come out clean, smell fresh and look good too. This saves you alot of time on ironing too and is so much easier than running to the dry cleaners.


Good News!!! Try it for Free. Starting in late August, if you shop at Walmart, you can actually try the Dryel Starter Kit and refill packs free of charge, via rebate.

Or Win it!!!! One of my lucky readers can win the Dryel Starter Kit.

MANDATORY/REQUIRED ENTRY:
Visit Dryel.com and leave me a Comment telling me what you like best about this product or how this product would benefit your family.
EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But in addition you can:

■Follow me via Google Friend Connect (1 extra entry)
■Subscribe via e-mail (1 extra entry)
■Add @Shawnmh to your Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■Add @dryel to your Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include a link to this contest page (Leave me the link)(1 extra entry/this may be done daily)
■Add my button to your site AND/OR add me to your blog roll.(1 entry for each)
■Leave a comment on my other Dryel Review (2 extra entries)
■Like Dryel on Facebook (2 extra entries)
■Blog about this contest: Add a link to this post (5 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.(Please make sure if you are anonymous you leave your email address with your comments.)
This giveaway will end on September 10th at 11:59 pm Est. The winner will be notified and have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.


*Disclosure: This is a Mama Buzz review. The Dryel Starter kit, Refill Cloths, Dryel on the Go stain pen and Dryel Touch up spray were provided by Dryel for the purposes of this review. Check out what the other Mama Buzz Reviewers have to say about this product .*

10 Tips for Planning a Unique Baby Shower

Having a Baby is an exciting and Special Time in your Life. Your Baby Shower should be Fun and Unique too.

Here's some tips for planning a Unique Baby Shower.

#1: Pick a Theme! Maybe the Mother to be is decorating the Baby's Room in Jungle Animals. Coordinate your party invitations and decorations. Check out all of Tiny Prints Baby Shower invitations for some great ideas.

#2: Pick a Location. This should be at a place that has enough room for all the guests to visit at comfortably. If the Mother to Be likes to be more comfortable- then maybe a friend's house or relatives place would work nice. Try not to have the baby shower at the guest of honor's house. The Mother to Be doesn't need to worry about cleaning, she'll be busy enough. Otherwise, rent a hall-if you want to do it all yourself or have it at a restaurant if you would like it catered.

#3: Set a Date and Time. This should be convenient for the Mother to Be and her guests. Try something different and have the Baby shower in the evening.

#4: Include the Father to Be and invite Men too. Let the guests know that Daddy will be there too. It's always nice to have a special Daddy Diaper Bag Too.

#5: Food! Try to coordinate this with your theme. Or Try something different and instead of serving Lunch or Dinner have a Desert Party. (This depends on the time of your party)

#6: Centerpieces: Make a Diaper Cake and use this as a decoration. Have each guest bring a certain item and everyone can work together by putting the Diaper Cake together.

#7:Play Games. I like the Name the Baby Game. Invite all your guests to bring a baby picture of themselves. Pin up all the pictures and number them. Then have everyone guess Who's Who. This is fun.

#8: Cake! Everyone loves cake. Your Cake should go with your theme. Try something different and have cupcakes made into a design to make up a cake. These are very cute!

#9: Gifts- Have your guests bring the Mother to Be a small gift too. Like something personal like a new pair of slippers or have your guests each bring a casserole or a pre-made dinner. This will be very appreciated after the baby arrives.

10: Party Favors. Try something different and send each guest home with a gift for themselves like small body lotions or candles. Or Candy if you feel they would like that better.




*Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Tiny Prints blogging program, making me eligible to get a Tiny Prints gift code worth $50, plus 25 FREE Tiny Prints greeting cards—a total gift value of $149.75! For more information on how you can participate, click here.



About Tiny Prints:
Tiny Prints helps you get together, keep in touch and share your love—one little card at a time. Tiny Prints was started in 2003 by three friends and a dream. With a shared a love of babies and an affinity for beautiful paper, they set out to create a stationery company that would offer the experience of a local boutique with the ease of an online retailer. Specializing in the celebration of all of life's special occasions, we're thrilled to offer a fresh selection of exclusive designs, from birth announcements and baby shower invitations to personal stationery and more, delivered with the best customer service you can find online or in stores.

Five Simple Things You can Do for Your Child to Help Keep their Smiles Healthy & Bright

#1: Brush: Remind your children to brush their teeth at least twice a day for two minutes each time, using no more than a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste.
Tip: For younger children- have an adult brush their teeth or help them brush. Proper brushing is important. Set a timer and make sure that your children are brushing long enough.
#2: Floss: Have children gently floss once a day to remove food that can get stuck between their teeth and sticky plaque that forms on their teeth. Brushing alone cannot reach all of the surfaces on a tooth.
My children's dentist says that this is just as important as brushing.
#3: Eat Healthy: Nutritious foods are an important part of keeping children’s smiles healthy and their teeth strong.
#4: Routine Dental Visits : Remember to get regular dental check-ups. Have you children visit a dentist twice a year to make sure that they are taking good care of their teeth and gums.
#5: Only Chew Sugar Free Gum: Chewing Trident sugar free gum for 20 minutes after a meal can help fight cavities. (Xylitol, a sugar free sweetener in Trident, has been shown to loosen plaque.) Trident is available in 11 great flavors so kids have lots to choose from!

About Trident® Sugar Free Gum
Trident gum has long been a pioneer in providing oral health benefits to consumers. Trident was the first gum brand of its kind to undergo testing in 1967 with studies showing that people who chewed Trident experienced significantly fewer cavities. Trident is available in 11 great-tasting flavors: Original Flavor, Bubble Gum, Spearmint, Tropical Twist, Watermelon Twist, Wild Blueberry Twist, Minty Sweet Twist, Passionberry Twist, Wintergreen, Strawberry Twist and Cinnamon. All flavors can be purchased in 18-piece packs and 54-piece multi-packs (three 18-piece packages).


About Smiles Across America® (SAA)
SAA is a signature program created by Oral Health America, a national non-profit organization dedicated to changing lives by connecting communities with resources to increase access to care, education and advocacy around oral health. SAA improves the health of elementary school students by supporting oral disease prevention services in school-based or school-linked settings, and demonstrating to communities that healthy mouths are integral to overall health. For more information, visit http://www.oralhealthamerica.org.

*Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Trident blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

The Glamour of Grammar ~Book Giveaway~

The Glamour Of Grammar
A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English
By Roy Peter Clark

About the Book:
Early in the history of English, the words "grammar" and "glamour" meant the same thing: the power to charm. Roy Peter Clark, author of Writing Tools, aims to put the glamour back in grammar with this fun, engaging alternative to stuffy instructionals. In this practical guide, readers will learn everything from the different parts of speech to why effective writers prefer concrete nouns and active verbs. THE GLAMOUR OF GRAMMAR gives readers all the tools they need to"live inside the language"--to take advantage of grammar to perfect their use of English, to instill meaning, and to charm through their writing.

About the Author:
Roy Peter Clark is vice president and senior scholar at The Poynter Institute, one of the most prestigious schools for journalists in the world. He has taught writing at every level--to schoolchildren and Pulitzer Prize-winning authors--for more than thirty years, and has spoken about the writer's craft on The Oprah Winfrey Show, NPR, and The Today Show; at conferences from Singapore to Brazil; and at news organizations from the New York Times to The Sowetan in South Africa. A writer who teaches and a teacher who writes, he has authored or edited fifteen books about writing and journalism, including his most recent, Writing Tools


Buy it here.

Or Win it!!! The Hatchette Book Group has offered this book to three of my lucky readers.

MANDATORY/REQUIRED ENTRY:
Leave me a comment telling why you would like this book.

EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But in addition you can:

■Follow me via Google Friend Connect (1 extra entry)
■Subscribe via e-mail (1 extra entry)
■Add @Shawnmh to your Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■ Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include a link to this contest page (Leave me the link)(1 extra entry/this may be done daily)
■Add my button to your site AND/OR add me to your blog roll.(1 entry for each)
■Blog about this contest: Add a link to this post (5 extra entries)


This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents only and can not be shipped to PO Boxes. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.(Please make sure if you are anonymous you leave your email address with your comments.)
This giveaway will end on September 9th at 11:59 pm Est. The winners will be notified and have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.
**Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the title (or one set in the case of grouped giveaways) in the mail.**

*Disclosure: I have not read this book, I am just hosting a giveaway. The Hatchette Book Group will be mailing the winners of this giveaway each a cooy of this book.*

Winner Announcement

Drum Roll Please...

The Sam's Club Gift Card Winner is ... Colleen.

Congrats!!! An email has been sent.

Thank You to all who entered this contest!

Welcome to the Family-Cruizer

We did it!! We went and got a new puppy. He's a Black Labrador Retriever. Connor picked out his name. It's Cruizer. He's so cute!!! Here he is at 7 Weeks old.

All tired out from playing with the kids. He's Claming Down- Getting Ready for his nap.


That didn't take too long! Awe... Isn't he Cute!!!

Back to School Giveaway from SweetPaperLane

Giveaway now Closed. Congrats to Courtney!



Send your child to school with a lunchbox with as much personality as your little one. More than just for lunch. These fun and fabulous water resistant lunchboxes are perfect for storing toys, crafts or snacks in your home, car, class or for play dates. From princesses to cars, flowers or modern designs with patterns, there is a personalized lunchbox to fit every kids' personality. It's up to you, personalize with any child's name or monogram. These sell for $34 to $36. As an added bonus, all lunchboxes come with a dry erase sheet affixed to the inside of the lunchbox lid, perfect for drawing or leaving a note for your child. The back of the lunchbox is a solid color.


Kids love these Personalized Water Bottles ! These Stainless steel lined water bottles are great for hot or cold beverages. Available in 12oz for $28 or 17oz for $30. Make your child feel special with a personalized water bottle they can take with them anywhere. Great for school, sports, or just hanging around the house. A perfect gift! Matching plates, placemats, clipboards and even stationery are available too.


Check out all the great Back to School items at SweetPaperLane and pick out your favorite!!!
Sweet Paper Lane has over 5000 designs to choose from including Birth Announcements, Invitations, Labels & Stamps, personalized gifts and more!

One of my lucky readers can win a $25 Gift Certificate to SweetPaperLane.

MANDATORY/REQUIRED ENTRY:
Visit SweetPaperLane.com and leave me a Comment telling me which item is your favorite.
EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But in addition you can:

■Follow me Via Google Friend Connect(1 extra entry)
■Subscribe via e-mail (1 extra entry)
■Add @Shawnmh to your Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■Add @SweetPaperLane to your Twitter -Leave your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■ Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include a link to this contest page (Leave me the link)(1 extra entry/this may be done daily)
■Add my button to your site AND/OR add me to your blog roll.(1 entry for each)
■Blog about this contest: Add a link to this post (5 extra entries)
■Like SweetPaperLane on facebook (2 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.(Please make sure if you are anonymous you leave your email address with your comments.)
This giveaway will end on September 7th at 11:59 pm Est. The winner will be notified and have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.


*Disclosure: I will be receiving a personalized water bottle for review purposes. I will post my review after I have time to honestly try out the product. *

Winner Announcement

Drum Roll Please...

The Winner of the YoGabbaGabba CD/DVD Prize is... Jenny

The Winner of the Studio C Collection by Carolina Pad is...Tamara

Congrats!!! An email has been sent.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Runners Book Review/Giveaway

101 Inspirational Stories of Energy, Endurance, and Endorphins
By Authors: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Amy Newmark and Ultramarathoner:Dean Karnazes

When runners aren't running, they are talking about running, planning their next run, shopping for running. This book contains 101 stories from runners, telling their stories to other runners about. running — how it has changed their lives, their bodies, and their spirits. Runners will love these inspirational stories of fellow runners challenging themselves, recovering from injuries, and staying motivated. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Runners also includes amazing stories of marathons, camaraderie, and the natural high that comes from this popular sport. It holds plenty of stories for triathletes too, covering swimming and cycling.

A wide collection of authors, from elite Olympians to casual joggers, will inspire you to be the very best you can be, whether you run great distances,modest distance or are just starting out. ~Dean Karnazes, Ultramarathoner
Dean says Chicken Soup for the Soul helped him reinvigorate his passion for running...and life!

This is another great Chicken Soup for the Soul Book. Like all the other Chicken Soup for the Soul books I have read, this book has inspirational stories from famous runners. I love how you can read the whole book or if time doesn't allow-you can read just a few pages at a time. In this book, you will read many great stories about how these runners got started, everyday adventures, a step at a time, comebacks and fortitude. You will read stories from runners at every level, from beginners to stars,about staying motivated, running with family and friends and even running in exotic locations. This book may even have you thinking about going for a walk or maybe even a run.

You can purchase this through Amazon
Stop by Chicken Soup for the Soul's website and check out all their great books.

Three of my lucky reader can win this book- Chicken Soup for the Soul: Runners

MANDATORY/REQUIRED ENTRY
Leave a Comment telling me something you like about running or walking

EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But in addition you can:

■Subscribe via e-mail (1 extra entry)
■Follow me via Google friend Connect (2 extra entries)
■Add @Shawnmh to your Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (2 extra entries)
■ Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include a link to this contest page (Leave me the link)(1 extra entry/this may be done daily)
■Add my button to your site AND/OR add me to your blog roll.(1 entry for each)
■Blog about this contest: Add a link to this post (5 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents only. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.(Please make sure if you are anonymous you leave your email address with your comments.)
This giveaway will end on September 5th at 11:59 pm Est. The winners will be notified and have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be choosen.

**Disclosure- I received this book for free to review as a member of the Chicken Soup for the Soul blogger network**

Neutorgean Ultra Sheer Liquid Sunblock Review

I've been using the Neutrogean Ultra Sheer Liquid Sunblock SPFB 70 and I really like this product. It goes on very easy. It can be put on your face over or under makeup. I usually don't wear much makeup in the summer,so I have been applying this every morning right after I've taken my shower. I put this on and go on with my busy day. This is a light weight liquid sunblock that goes on very easy and isn't greasy. The liquid lotion absorbs right in your skin with a weightless feel. Neutrogean Ultra Sheer is waterproof and sweatproof usually providing me with enough coverage for the day.

I have been using this regularly and it hasn't made by face break out like most other sunscreens have. This is because it is Non-comedogenic which means its meant to not clog your pores. I'm glad I've found this product. I like that you can use this on your face and body.


Would you like to review UltraSheer®, too? Then go to http://www.giantwavepool.com/ultrasheer!
Or get $2 off your UltraSheer® purchase at http://www.neutrogena.com/suncoupon.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the product mentioned above for free for review purposes from Tidal Labs. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Healthy Odor Control Review & Giveaway

Giveaway now closed. Congrats to Jessica
Stinky Odors? Who wants to admit that? Ok... I will. It's not me of course, but living with my husband, children and pets can lead to some smelly situations. You know like the bathrooms, kitchen garbage can, the closet storing the kids sports equipment, etc. Well... I've found a solution!!! It's Healthy Odor Control...



Healthy Odor Control is an organic biodegradable odor eliminator. This product naturally and safely neutralizes odors, it does not mask them. Safe for babies, children, adults, and pets. Odor Neutralizing Agent provides odor elimination. Chemical-free, Aerosol-free and Electricity-free.

Usually when I want to get rid of odors, it's hard to find a product that works and just doesn't mask the odor. Or is very strong smelling. This Healthy Odor Control is a clean eliminator of airborne odors. It is Safe, Non-toxic and Environmentally friendly. I received this product in the gel form. It comes in a gel with liquid and you just use alittle bit in a ceramic holder. It looks like little clear jelly cubes and feels squishy. It is safe to use around children and pets, but I would put it ware they couldn't play with it or waste it. It has a citrus scent, not overbearing,and alittle goes along way. It works Great. I used this downstairs in our basement, it was getting damp and started smelling musty. The day after I set this down there, I couldn't notice any odors. It works really good. I also set a dish in my laundry room. I didn't notice any wet smelly towels or my husbands smelly socks after having this in there.

This Odor Neutralizing Agent is perfect for : Bathrooms, Kitchens, Family rooms,Living rooms,Daycare centers,Nurseries - especially changing area and diaper pail, etc. (Anywhere you want to eliminate odors!)

Warning: This product will remove all scents from the room, not just the odors you wish would go away. So don't use this product in the same room as the ones you wish to be nicely scented by burning scented candles.

I'll try to explain how it works ...
The odor neutralizing agent safely eliminates odors from the air. This odor neutralizing agent in the block form consists of: Propylene glycol,Denatured alcohol,Secret mixture of 32 essential oils (terpenes) derived from plants and trees.

Terpenes are a class of hydrocarbons produced by a wide variety of plants including conifers. Some insects emit them, including swallowtail butterflies. Terpenes have antifungal, antiseptic, and antibacterial characteristics. They increase oxygen levels. They reduce airborne chemicals when released into the air. The word terpene is related to the word turpentine. Terpenes are the major elements of resin and of turpentine produced from resin. They are important building blocks within almost every living being.

Over 25 years ago, a scientist noticed that emissions and odors were reduced when terpenes were dispersed into the air. He and his colleagues noticed that the odors were not masked, they were permanently eliminated. Over the years this scientist and others perfected the process and the Pro and other products in the line were created.

For more information on this product, please visit www.healthyodorcontrol.com

FYI: This all natural product has been made for 15 years by a small company outside Vancouver, BC, Canada. Laura, a woman entrepreneur and founder of Healthy Odor Control in northwest Washington state, met one of the Canadian owners and asked if she could retail this terrific product to moms and others in the US and was thrilled when they said yes! (Thanks Laura!!)

Odor Neutralizing Agent sold by HOC are: Safe, Non-toxic, Not flammable and Environmentally friendly. It comes in 3 forms and can be purchased online.
~Liquid in a pump spray bottle- selling for $12.35
~Gel in a jar-selling for &18.35 (This is what I used- alittle goes a long way)
~Solid (block) in a jar- selling for $12.35


Win it!! One of my lucky readers will get a jar of the Healthy Odor Control in the solid (block) form.

MANDATORY/REQUIRED ENTRY:
Visit HealthyOdorControl.com and leave me a Comment telling me which Form of this product you would prefer.
EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But in addition you can:

■Follow me via Google Friend Connect (1 extra entry)
■Subscribe via e-mail (1 extra entry)
■Add @Shawnmh to your Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■ Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include a link to this contest page (Leave me the link)(1 extra entry/this may be done daily)
■Add my button to your site AND/OR add me to your blog roll.(1 entry for each)
■Blog about this contest: Add a link to this post (5 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.(Please make sure if you are anonymous you leave your email address with your comments.)
This giveaway will end on September 2nd at 11:59 pm Est. The winner will be notified and have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.


*Disclosure: This is a Mama Buzz review. This Healthy Odor Control Gel in a jar was provided by Healthy Odor Control for this review. Check out what the other Mama Buzz Reviewers have to say about this product.*

Avocado Dress Up Coloring Site & Contest

Did you know avocados are one of the best foods for kids? Avocados are filling and act as a slow-burning fuel, providing energy for growing children. Packed with over 20 essential nutrients, including fiber and folate, they’re sodium and cholesterol free and can be used in hundreds of kid friendly recipes.

When you visit the new Avocado Dress-Up site at www.avocadodressup.com your kids can have fun playing an exciting new coloring game with Al and Ava Avocado and print out coloring pages to continue the fun.


Check out this Avocado Dress Up coloring Contest and win some great prizes. For all the information please visit www.avacadodressup.com



*Disclosure:I wrote this blog post at the request of Avocados from Mexico, making me eligible to get a $25 iCARD gift card.*

Penny & Rio:The Diamond Collar Adventure~ Book Review & Giveaway~

Giveaway now closed. Congrats to AstarrA
Penny and Rio: The Diamond Collar Adventure
Written by: Jennifer Swanson
Illustrated by: Swapan Debnath


A new adventure! The dynamic canine detectives, Penny and Rio, escape from the backyard for the first time in search of a valuable diamond collar lost by Hannah, the beautiful show dog. During their search for the misplaced treasure, they encounter Ted, the loveable but somewhat clumsy collie, Sarge, the belligerent and forceful German shepherd, and an obstacle of epic proportions. But just when it feels like Penny has reached the end of the adventure, the prize is ripped from her grasp. Solving this new problem will take all the ingenuity and determination these dog detectives can muster.


I've read Jennifer Swanson's two other great Penny & Rio Mystery Adventure Books and I'm so happy to see that she's done it again. This new book of hers is just Great! No wonder-Her Penny & Rio mystery books have won many Awards including the 2009 Mom's Choice Award for Juvenile Fiction-Early Readers and the Dove Foundation's Family Approved Seal. Her books are entertaining and educational. These Award-winning early reader chapter books for ages 6-9 years are perfect for reading aloud or transitioning readers! These cute, soft covered books are perfect for younger readers not quite ready to tackle large chapter books. These Penny & Rio mystery adventure books are found to be a favorite to any reader, especially those who love pets.

After reading the first and second Penny and Rio mysteries, my son and I couldn't wait to read this new one. As in the other Penny & Rio books, the illustrations are colorful, full of expression and have great detail. This book keeps your interest just like the other ones and you can't wait to solve the mystery. My son and I are looking forward to more of these mysteries with Penny and Rio. I think that most younger children would enjoy reading these canine mysteries or enjoy them being read to them. I think that I love reading these stories as much as my son enjoys them. Great Job to Jennifer Swanson for writing such great stories. We can't wait to read more Penny and Rio books!!!

I just wanted to mention that I was really excited when I read my quote ("We can't wait to read more Penny and Rio books"---Shawn's Sharings Book Blogs) on the back cover of this new book. It really made my day. :)


Please visit PennyandRio.com for some fun activities including coloring pages, to see an excerpt and watch Penny & Rio come alive in her video trailer. Also included is a Teachers Page and a Homeschoolers Page. Penny and Rio books are great teaching tools and fun to read.

These Books can now be purchased for $7.99 each plus s/h.
Visit PennyandRio.com to purchase a signed copy.

Or You can Win it!! Jennifer Swanson (the Author) has generously offered One of my lucky readers an autographed copy of her Penny & Rio: The Diamond Collar Adventure Mystery Book

MANDATORY/REQUIRED ENTRY:
Visit PennyandRio.com and leave me a Comment telling me which Dog your pet is most like. (If you don't own a dog-please tell me which dog is your favorite)
EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But in addition you can:

■Subscribe via e-mail (1 extra entry)
■Add @Shawnmh to your Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■Add @JenSwanBooks to your Twitter -Leave your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■ Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include a link to this contest page (Leave me the link)(1 extra entry/this may be done daily)
■Add my button to your site AND/OR add me to your blog roll.(1 entry for each)
■Blog about this contest: Add a link to this post (5 extra entries)
■Follow Penny & Rio Mysteries on Facebook (2 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.(Please make sure if you are anonymous you leave your email address with your comments.)
This giveaway will end on September 1st at 11:59 pm Est. The winner will be notified and have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.

To celebrate the Third book in the Award Winning Series Jennifer Swanson is running a contest in conjunction with the release of this book. Create a jeweled collar for your dog and you could win Great Prizes including $50 GC to Barnes and Noble.com, Autographed Book Copies and more. For more information about the contest, please see www.pennyandrio.com/contest.

*Disclosure: I received this book for free for review purposes. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*

StaphAseptic Review & Giveaway

I want my family to be as healthy and germ free as possible. Good hygiene is very important to me as well as first aid. Whenever my children get any cuts or scrapes- they know that it needs to be taken care of right away. Untreated cuts and scrapes can develop into a skin infection that could lead to an even more serious infection.

Here's how I get protection from skin infections...


To help prevent skin infections caused by bacteria such as MRSA and other germs, it’s essential to treat your minor cuts and scrapes with StaphAseptic First Aid Antiseptic/Pain Relieving Gel. The grease less, non-staining gel provides soothing wound care without stinging or irritation, and contains Lidocaine for effective pain relief.

Use StaphAseptic as part of a complete staph prevention program to help protect you and your family from skin infections.

Staph Prevention Program:
•Treat and cover wounds
•Don't share personal items (like towels)
•Shower after physical activity
•Properly clean gear and equipment
•Keep hands clean
•Consult your physician for all active wounds

Don't wait around...If you think you may have a skin infection, contact your physician immediately. Staph bacteria, including MRSA, can cause skin infections that may look like a pimple, boil, or ingrown hair and can be red, swollen, painful, or have pus and other drainage. Serious infections may cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections, or even death.

StaphAseptic First Aid Antiseptic/Pain Relieving Gel Drug information:

Active ingredients:
Benzethonium Chloride 0.2%.... First Aid Antiseptic
Lidocaine HCl 2.5%........... Topical Pain Reliever

Inactive ingredients:
aminomethyl propanol, allantoin, carbomer, cocamide DEA, disodium EDTA, glycerine, polyoxyl 35 castor oil, purified water, tea tree oil, white thyme oil

My review:
My son is a typical, active 8 year old. He's always getting cuts and scrapes. He knows that I need to inspect each sore and treat them with StaphAseptic First Aid Antiseptic/Pain Relieving Gel. This is a grease less gel that usually makes his cuts or scrapes feel much better by soothing the sore. This gel contains active ingredients to help prevent against skin infections-giving me less worries. I use StaphAseptic First aid gel to help protect against skin infection in minor cuts, scrapes and burns. Also used to temporarily relieve pain and itching associated with minor burns, cuts, scrapes, insect bites and skin irritations. The tube is small enough to keep in your purse or you can get the single use packets to throw in your purse to have on hand when needed.

StaphAseptic is available in a 1 oz. tube, 2 oz. tube or single use packets. Prices are $7.99 for 1 oz, $14.99 for 2 oz or for a 25 count single packets. You can purchase this at retailers including CVS, RiteAid, Walgreens as well as online retailers.



Or Win it!! One of my lucky readers can win a 2oz tube of StaphAseptic First Aid Antiseptic/Pain Relieving Gel.

To enter this giveaway: Please leave a comment telling me how you stay healthy.

To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But in addition you can:

■ Visit StaphAseptic and tell me something about this product (1 extra entry)
■ Follow me via Google Friend Connect (1 extra entry)
■ Subscribe via e-mail (1 extra entry)
■ Follow @Shawnmh on Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■ Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include a link to this contest page (Leave me the link-1 extra entry/this may be done daily)
■ Add my button to your site AND/OR add me to your blog roll.(1 entry for each)
■ Blog about this contest: Add a link to this post (5 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to US only. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.(Please make sure if you are anonymous you leave your email address with your comments.)This giveaway will end on August 28th at 11:59 pm Est. The winner will be notified and have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.

*Disclosure: I received StaphAseptic for free for the purpose of this review*

Happy Birthday Zachary

Today, I would like to Wish my nephew Zachary- A Happy Birthday!!! Enjoy your Day!!! We Wish we could celebrate with You and watch you blow out your #6 Candle. We love and Miss You.

Winner Announcement

Drum Roll Please...

The Winner of the Total Pillow is... Nape

The Winner of the Bark Off & Crazy Critter is... Tannawings

Congrats!!! An email has been sent.

Yoplait's Go-Gurt ~Keeping Cool in School Giveaway~

This year, going back to school will be cooler than ever with Yoplait Go-Gurt! Simply throw a tube of Go-Gurt in the freezer at night and add it to your child’s lunch bag before heading out in the morning.


There is no ice pack needed - Go-Gurt (and Simply… Go-Gurt too!) is specially made to freeze and thaw, keeping the yogurt, and the rest of lunch, cool until lunch time.

With Go-Gurt yogurt in your child’s lunch box, you can feel confident that there will be no snack trading at lunch time since Go-Gurt has a taste and texture that kids love! Moms can feel good about packing Go-Gurt each morning since each portable tube contains a good source of calcium and vitamin D, providing a wholesome addition to a well-balanced lunch. Available in a variety of cool, fun flavors like Strawberry Splash and Chill-Out Cherry, Go-Gurt will quickly become a refreshing classroom favorite.

My son just loves Go-Gurt. He likes to eat yogurt but the portable tube is more appealing to him. The Strawberry Splash is his favorite. He likes to take it to school and I like how it keeps the rest of his lunch cool. Since, we have frozen the Go-Gurt, my son likes to eat it frozen too. The Go-Gurt is just the right size snack for my son to eat as yogurt or a frozen treat.

Want to try Go-Gurt? Click here to download a printable *coupon for $0.85 off one box of Yoplait Go-Gurt yogurt today!

Or Win it!! One of my lucky readers can win a “Keeping Cool in School” prize pack that includes a coupon for a free Go-Gurt, an insulated lunch tote, mini water bottle, sandwich keeper, cool breeze pen fan, and some fun school supplies for the new school year.

*This coupon offer for free Go-Gurt may not be valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota and Tennessee.

To enter this giveaway: Please leave a comment sharing your child’s favorite flavor of Go-Gurt.

To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But in addition you can:

■Share your great back to school lunch time tip(1 extra entry)
■ Follow me via Google Friend Connect (1 extra entry)
■ Subscribe via e-mail (1 extra entry)
■ Follow @Shawnmh on Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■ Follow @YoplaitYogurt on Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■ Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include a link to this contest page (Leave me the link)(1 extra entry/this may be done daily)
■ Add my button to your site AND/OR add me to your blog roll.(1 entry for each)
■ "Like" Yoplait on facebook (1 entry for each)
■ Blog about this contest: Add a link to this post (5 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to US only. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.(Please make sure if you are anonymous you leave your email address with your comments.)This giveaway will end on August 26th at 11:59 pm Est. The winner will be notified and have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.

*Disclosure: The Yoplait Go-Gurt prize pack as mentioned, information and additional prize pack to give away were all given to me from Yoplait through MyBlogSpark.*

Ecostore Product Review

Would you like to learn about what "Green" really means? EcoSTORE is green! Visit EcostoreUSA.com today and find out more....Ecostore is an eco friendly company. They offer household cleaning products, Baby care, Bath and Body, and Pet products. All of these products are made from plant- and mineral-based ingredients, free of toxic chemicals that bring people closer to nature with non-toxic, environmentally safe solutions that also help to reduce our carbon footprint. No Nasty Chemicals™ is the foundation of the entire product line and philosophy of ecostore.




Ecostore NZ was founded more than 15 years ago by Melanie and Malcolm Rands from their home in an eco village in New Zealand. As the notion of using products with “No Nasty Chemicals™” gained popular appeal, ecostore quickly outgrew its location in the Rand’s basement and the business moved to a storefront in Auckland, New Zealand. Now available in the USA market, ecostore USA is partnered with New Zealand-based ecostore.

I had the opportunity to try two of ecoStore's products. The first one I tried was the All purpose cleaner.

This is the ideal alternative to conventional, toxic products. This citrus based spray worked great and smelled good. I used this on so many places in my home. In my kitchen,it worked good on my countertops and awesome on my black stove. I used this in the bathroom as well. It worked pretty good on the glass mirror vanity I have and what I love the best is that it contains No nasty chemicals™.
This item sells for $9.00 (17 fluid ounces)

The second item I tried was the Pure Oxygen Whitener.

The Pure Oxygen Whitener contains oil of citrus and Coconut and other plant-based ingredients. This works very well whitening clothes and does not contain any harsh chemicals that could irritate delicate skin. This item comes in a powder form and really goes along way. I used this to whiten my countertop and really noticed a difference.
This sells for $12.00 (35.3 ounce size)

EcostoreUSA is Gentle on your budget. They know that it can be expensive to buy natural or organic products, but they've found a way around this by safely super-concentrating each formulation. This means that a little really does go a long, long way. The result is saving money by significantly cutting down on cost per use.




*Disclosure: This is a MamaBuzz Review. (Check out what the other reviewers had to say about some of the other Ecostore products). These products were provided by Ecostore for the purpose of this review.*

It's a Sad Day here- our Beloved Magnum died

It's a Sad day for us.Our Best Friend has died. Magnum's been part of the family for Nine years. We got him as a Six week old Puppy when I was pregnant for Connor. He was the cutest little puppy and He's been a Great Dog!!
We Love Magnum so much and he will be missed!!

Sam's Club's Back to School Event & Giveaway

Giveaway Now Closed. Congrats to Colleen for Winning this Gift Card. Have fun shopping!!
As your family starts to think about the new school year... You may be wondering how you can collect the most Box Tops to help support participating schools in your area? For an easy solution, head over to your local Sam’s Club from Aug. 11 through Aug. 31 and earn more cash for your school. At the Sam’s Club Back-to-School event, you can get a head start on your collection and find 6 Box Tops on participating General Mills products. With your favorite Box Tops for Education brands at a great value, Sam’s Club is your one-stop destination for all your back-to-school supplies you need to send your kids off to school with confidence!



In addition, Sam’s Club is giving you the opportunity to earn even more Box Tops when you upgrade to a “Plus Membership.” From Aug. 6 – Aug. 13, or while supplies last, visit the Member Services Desk of your local Sam’s Club and upon payment for your Plus Membership, you will receive a certificate for 150 Bonus Box Tops! For more information on how you can take advantage of the Back-to-School event at Sam’s Club, visit www.samsclub.com today!

Win it!!! One of my lucky readers can win a $25 Sam's Club Gift Card to use to purchase your favorite participating Box Tops items.

To enter this giveaway: Please leave me a comment telling me which General Mills Box Tops item(s) you plan to purchase during the Sam’s Club Back-To-School Event.


To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But in addition you can:

■Name your must-have item that you’ll be purchasing from Sam’s Club this back-to-school season(1 extra entry)
■ Follow me via Google Friend Connect (1 extra entry)
■ Subscribe via e-mail (1 extra entry)
■ Follow @Shawnmh on Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■ Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include a link to this contest page (Leave me the link)(1 extra entry/this may be done daily)
■ Add my button to your site AND/OR add me to your blog roll.(1 entry for each)
■ Blog about this contest: Add a link to this post (5 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to US only. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.(Please make sure if you are anonymous you leave your email address with your comments.)This giveaway will end on August 24th at 11:59 pm Est. The winner will be notified and have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.


*Disclosure: Sam’s Club and General Mills provided me with a Sam’s Club Plus Membership Upgrade, gift card, this information, and giveaway through MyBlogSpark for sharing this information about the Sam's Club Back to School Promotion.*

Nostalgia Electrics Retro Popcorn Maker Review

The Nostalgia Electrics Retro Kettle Popcorn Maker is Great! I love the cool look and this unit works very well. This is a traditional hot oil kettle popcorn popper. This retro style popcorn unit makes hot,fresh delicious popcorn just like the movie theaters and pops up to 1 quart of popcorn per batch. It features a large stainless steel kettle with built in stirring system. It has a tempered window for safety and a warming light to keep popped corn hot.
I ordered this from Cookware.com, a division of CSN Stores LLC. This item was shipped promptly and arrived in great condition. It needed little assembly and was easy to put together. This is very simple and really easy to use, even for my children.
The Retro Kettle Popcorn Maker is designed in appearance to look Retro but is a technologically advanced kettle popcorn maker that makes fresh, hot popcorn every time,in the comfort of your home, perfect for movie night or any and everyday. All you have to do is add popcorn cooking oil and popcorn with the measuring cup and spoon provided. You can hear the popcorn popping. Fresh,hot popcorn will begin to burst out of the flip lids on the kettle-just like in the theater. Just make sure that when the popcorn is done popping, you turn it off or you can burn the popcorn. Burning the popcorn doesn't happen unless you leave it unattended or are not paying attention. (It tells you in the directions to turn the unit off after popcorn stops popping infrequent or stops completely.) After the popcorn is done, you just flip the kettle over with the crank handle to empty. You can have it plain for a healthy option, add butter and salt or your favorite seasoning after the popcorn is done. If you want to make more, then just repeat the steps again until you have the desired amount.
Clean up is simple and easy. After the unit is unplugged then you can wipe it with a slightly damp cloth to clean it inside and out. It is recommended to clean the kettle regularly by using hot,soapy water to control grease build up and prevent smoking during popping sessions. I can tell you that my children made popcorn one night and I didn't clean the kettle out until a few days later and it cleaned up pretty easy. (This is not recommended though.)

If you are looking to have Theater style popcorn in your home than I would recommend buying this item. You can purchase the Nostalgia Electrics Retro Kettle Popcorn Maker for $89.99 which includes free shipping.

Not Sure this is what you're looking for. Check out CSN Stores.com. They offer over 1,000,000 products from trusted brand names in furniture, home décor, housewares, baby products, fixtures, lighting, luggage, toys and much more!

CSN Stores provides you with great prices, secure transactions, convenient deliveries, hassle-free returns and service experts who are just a call away.


*Disclosure: I was given a GC to review an item from CSN Stores.com and chose to review the Nostalgia Electrics Retro Kettle Popcorn Maker. I had to pay the difference since I chose to get a higher priced item. These are my honest thoughts and opinion*

Studio C by Carolina Pad Review & Giveaway

Giveaway Now Closed. Congrats to Tamara.
I'm enjoying the Summer!! But... It's time to get ready to go back to school. In August we usually do our Back to school shopping, getting the kids new clothes and school supplies. Why not go back to school in style?!!!


Carolina Pad has back to school products that will make your kids get excited about buying supplies and going back to school. At least, when my children seen these items, they were excited. The new collections from Studio C by Carolina Pad are exclusively available for the back-to-school season (July through early September) at Walmart and vary by design and color. All of the collections are fun and brightly colored, all with a unique look of their own. There are several collections available, including the following:

■Rock-on
■Graffiti
■Rising Sun
■Peace Out
■Free Spirit
■Eye Candy
■Mo’Rockin’

I received different items from the Studio C collections, so I will describe each one of them ,so you can get an idea of what these products are like. The quality of these products were of the highest standards. I really liked all the products and my children thought that they each had cool designs on them. The Studio C collections offer many products so you can get everything matching or mix it up by getting different items from their many collections for your back-to-school needs.


From the Rock-On collection, I received 3 folders. These are a thicker folder, pretty durable and sturdy with 2 pockets inside, as well as prongs to fasten papers in. They are black and have guitars,music notes and people made out of the words rock on them. These are perfect for my little music lover. They sell a 3-pack for $2.50.


I received a 2-pack of Fashion Style pens. My daughter just loves these pens. They are bigger and thicker. These chunky pens are easy to write with. They have a gripper on the bottom, making it softer for your fingers so they won't slip,while you are writing in black ink. These pens have a messy but stylish design look to them. Almost as if you had doodled all over them. You can purchase the pens for $2.50.


The next items I received was a 1-subject notebook and pencils in the Rising Sun design. This design is just beautiful. This is my favorite design. The colors are coral and yellow looking bright but soft and elegant with a pretty flower design. The 1-Subject Notebook, has a super very sturdy cover and contains 80 college-ruled sheets. The pencils sharpen easy. You don't seem to have to waste alot of the pencil as they write smooth and stay sharp quite awhile without dulling too easily. These are made from recycled material and coordinate with the eco-friendly notebooks. The pencils and notebooks sell for $2.50 each.



The peace Out design is my daughter's favorite. We received the 1"(3 ring) Binder in this design. It is pretty cool. On the front of the binder is Love and on the inside are brightly, multi-colored peace signs with Green polka dots on the back. The peace signs are really in style, especially for the tweens. It’s pretty sturdy with pockets on the inside for holding extra paper or notes. My daughter can't wait for her friends to see this binder. (She likes it so much, it's sure to make it home daily (LOL). You can purchase the 1" binder for $2.50.



We received The Composition book from the Free Spirit collection. This composition book is pretty cool. This is more girly looking with light blue, purple and soft yellow flowers and other designs on it. This has 100 college-ruled sheets and has helping tools on both covers, like conversion tables including a multiplication table and punctuation helpers. This should really come in handy while writing a paper or using this for math homework. This Composition book sells for $2.50.


From the Mo'Rockin’collection, I received the Monthly Planner. Going from July 2010 until December 2011, making this an 18 month planner. It’s a weekly and monthly planner. There are yearly and monthly calendars, as well as weekly planner pages. This has plenty of room on Each day making it easy to write special events or your daily assignments. This is a dark brown and pink color scheme,adding in alittle blue and beige color too. This design is pretty neat. This planner also has tabs for each month and is easy to flip around in. This has plenty of room to write daily, weekly and monthly notes. This planner has plenty of room to keep and store contact information of your friends and family. My daughter has claimed this and already written in her friends phone number and contact information along with appointments and important dates. This is great to help keep her organized. The 18 month Planner sells for $4.00.

You can purchase the Studio C collection by Carolina Pad at Walmart. Prices may vary, depending on where you shop. The quality of these products are very good and I think the prices are quite affordable and reasonable too.

OR Win it!!! Thanks to Carolina Pad, one of my lucky readers can win a collection of these same products I reviewed from the Studio C collection.

To enter this giveaway :Please Visit Carolina Pad's Studio C Collection and let me know which design is your favorite.

To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But in addition you can:

■ Follow me via Google Friend Connect (1 extra entry)
■ Subscribe via e-mail (1 extra entry)
■ Follow @Shawnmh on Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■ Follow @CarolinaPad on Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (1 extra entry)
■ Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include a link to this contest page (Leave me the link)(1 extra entry/this may be done daily)
■ Add my button to your site AND/OR add me to your blog roll.(1 entry for each)
■ Like Carolina Pad on facebook (2 extra entries)
■ Visit Studio C on facebook (2 extra entries)
■ Blog about this contest: Add a link to this post (5 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to US and Canada only. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.(Please make sure if you are anonymous you leave your email address with your comments.)This giveaway will end on August 21st at 11:59 pm Est. The winner will be notified and have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.

Note: Individuals who have won a prize package from Carolina Pad in the last 90 days are not eligible.

*Disclosure: This is a MamaBuzz Review. I received the above items, free of charge, from Carolina Pad, for the purposes of this review.*