3 Things You Didn't Know About Me - MkLinky Blog Hop for July 14, 2009

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One:
Even though I grew up on an island, I still have not yet learn to swim and so hopefully I'll get a membership to our local pool if our budget can handle it because I've always wanted to learn and will.

Two:
I've never met my father. I would like to meet him, just to know who he is. My mother said that he found out she was pregnant and went to the house they were sharing and packed his things and disappeared. She only saw him once after that and they didn't speak.

Three:
I love to dance and if I had the opportunity, would have done it and would do it professionally. I've won a couple dances and it was such a great experience! We'll see how life journeys.

1000 Bonus Entries & $50 Gift Card Giveaway!

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1000 Bonus Entries & $50 Gift Card Giveaway!

Wow you read that right! One Winner gets 1000 Bonus Entries and a $50 Gift Card from Sophies Chic Boutique!

So how do you win? Simple! This is the Blog Hopping Contest! There are only a few Mandatory rules. The rest are up to you on who you hop, who you follow, and where you enter!

Lets get on with the details:

Mandatory:

You must visit Sophies Chic Boutique and tell me something you like!

Blog about this contest linking to Sophies Chic Boutique & Mommy PR

YOU MUST DO THE TWO ABOVE BEFORE YOU GO ANY FURTHER!

(If you do not have a blog account please Tweet @mommypr & @Sophieschicbout about the contest)

Extras:

Now the following are all optional but count as an entry for each one you do!

Follow Sophies Chic Boutique on Facebook- Leave a comment that Mommy PR sent you!

Twitter- RT that @MommyPR sent you! or Blogger

Now for the Blog Hopping!

Rules: For every button you see below, you can choose one or all, but have fun blog hopping and entering the giveaways and following them.

1) Follow a blog-

1 entry (leave the blog name as entry!)

2) Blog and/or Tweet about their giveaway -

1 entry for each, per blog, per giveaway (leave the link please)

3) Enter their giveaway-

1 entry for each giveaway you enter (leave the name of the giveaway & blog as entry)

4) Follow any Blogger on Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, or any social network they have linked-

1 entry for each per blogger per network (leave the name of the social network & blog as entry)

There you have it! Easy! And a hundred ways to enter!

Daily entries may be Tweets & Bloggings – That is all.

(MOMMY PR Giveaways /Following are included!)

ENTRIES FOR THIS CONTEST ARE ONLY TO BE SUBMITTED ON MOMMY PR!!!

Taras View Of The World

A Little Of This & That

Mrs.Cox's Slice O Heaven

Mom Of Faith

The Daily Planet

All Things Cherished

Mommy Niri

Seeryus Mama

Eigthy MPH Mom

Mama's Money Savers

The Shopping Mama

Whimsical Creations

Scraps Of Life

Random Willy-Nillyness

Barbara's Beat

Dragonflies N Daydreams

Jamerican Spice

This Military Mama

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FINE PRINT:

The winner can use all 1000 bonus entries on any of the blogger sites listed. The number for each giveaway may be stipulated by each blogger. Those rules will come when the giveaway ends. The entries will be good for 90 days . The $50 gift card will be electronically delivered to the winner by Sophies Chic Boutique with in 48 hours of the winners response. Winner will be choosen by Random.Org by a 3 rd party not associated with any blogger or sorce involed in this contest. Contest Rules located on MommyPR giveaways DO NOT pertain to this giveaway. NO BONUS ENTRIES from any other offer applies. Anyone abusing there right to enter will be deleted after one warning.

Should you like to add your Blog to this approved list,or would like to sponsor a prize, please email Angela@MommyPR.com, subject-Blog Hop.

The next Blog Hop will be scheduling soon.

Contest ends July 17th 2009

Open to- Usa, Apo, Fpo, Canada

We would like to thank our sponsor SOPHIES CHIC BOUTIQUE!

WANT TO RECEIVE 20% OFF YOUR ORDER NOW?

CLICK THROUGH THE LINK BELOW AND IT WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY DEDUCTED FROM YOUR ORDER!

http://www.sophieschicboutique.com?code=mommypr

Sophies Chic Boutique

Go check out Sophies Chic Boutique & Mommy PR

and enter for your chance to win.

Aloha Friday: I crave..

Kailani says "In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response."

If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link on Kailani's blog. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

So my question is:

Do you suffer with Pica? If so what do you/did you crave?

I used to eat soap for the longest while. Not drink it, but the bars I'd crave. I had to take a nip/bite if a bar of soap was around. It tasted really good to be honest. I never knew why I did this. However when I got married and dh learn about this little detail of me, he asked me to stop. I did, for five years, but now I'm craving it so badly again. I don't use bar soap for that very reason, but I put out a bar (I won a couple bars) when my sister in law visited with us last week and now I'm trying so hard to use it up because I'm craving it so badly. I've already taken a few nips!

Win a Wii Fit with #KidsWeigh

With childhood obesity reaching an all time high across the country, many parents struggle with how to help their children maintain a healthy weight with proper nutrition.

Dr. Joanna Dolgoff, the official doctor of Camp Shane and a board certified pediatrician, has created Dr. Dolgoff's Weigh, a traffic-light system that allows kids to learn which foods are healthiest without counting calories.

To spread the word about her site and program, Dr. Weigh, is sponsoring a Wii Fit contest to help you get your family up and moving this summer!

To Enter:
To enter to win the #KidsWeigh Wii Fit contest, check out client testimonials and fabulous Dr. Weigh success stories then fill out this secure contest form telling us which story was your favorite!


Form: http://tinyurl.com/kidsweighcontest

(optional content follows) Want a chance to speak with Dr. Dolgoff about your nutritional questions and win more prizes?

Join her Friday, July 10th at 9 p.m. ET on Twitter for her #KidsWeigh discussion. Door prizes will be awarded.

To RSVP and for more information go to:

Resourceful Mommy.

One grand prize winner will receive a Wii Fit. Two runners-up will receive a free one month membership to Dr. Weigh. This contest ends Friday, July 24th at 11:59 a.m. ET. and is brought to you by Momfluence.

Cookieskids.com Laptop Giveaway Sweepstakes

CookiesKids.com Laptop Giveaway Sweepstakes

Is your current computer stalling and giving you blue screen nightmares? Would you love to be able to have one that the kids could use (alas, staying off of yours)?

CookiesKids.com feels your pain and has come to your rescue!

Sign up to receive the Cookies Kids Newsletter via e-mail and you're automatically entered to win one of 4 brand new laptops!!

Simply fill out the form below to be entered into our Laptop Giveaway Sweepstakes.

Please be sure to read the Giveaway Sweepstakes "Terms and Conditions" before entering your information.

Contest ends 9/30/09 at 11:59 AM ET. This contest brought to you courtesy of the Momfluence network.

The CookiesKids.com Laptop Giveaway entry form:

http://cli.gs/6dGhsh

IPhone 3G Giveaway From Packetel

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Give Us Your Conference Call Blooper and Win an iPhone 3G from Packetel!

Have you ever said the wrong thing to a client? Have you ever been caught not paying attention on the line? Have your kids screamed something crazy during a call...

If so - Packetel wants to hear about it!

If not - try out Packetel's Web Conferencing services FREE for 30-days and tell us about your experience!

Packetel Turbo Meeting makes web conferencing simple and easy to do. Here are just a few of their web conferencing features:

• Share screens/desktops with multiple participants
• Assign and acknowledge meeting roles of presenter and controller of keyboard/mouse
• Allow an unlimited number of users to host a web conference
• Schedule meetings and webinars
• Hold ad hoc meetings and webinars and use verbal meeting invitations without resorting to e-mail
• Integrate with Outlook for sending e-mail invitations
• Optimized for different internet connection speeds ranging from broadband to 28KB dial-up
• Annotation over the entire screen/desktop
• Whiteboard and chat functionalities

Win an iPhone for my misdeed on a conference call? Yes! Here's how you can win:

(Image is not a photo of winning product)

1. Fill out the form below, including your blooper story

OR

2. Try out Packetel's Web Conferencing Service for FREE for 30 days, fill out the form including your experience with the server

Entry form: http://cli.gs/PsvX9W

Bonus Entries! After you've completed 1 or 2 above and filled out the form you can also...

- Blog about Packetel's Online Fax Service and link the text "packetel's web conference service" to: http://www.packetel.com/web-conferencing-turbo-meeting-main.asp

- Become a Fan of Packetel at their Brand New Facebook Fan Page here: http://facebook.com/pages/edit/?id=121265230239#

Contest ends 7/31/09 at 11:59 AM ET. This contest brought to you courtesy of the Momfluence network.

WW: She's been posing since the moment she arrived!

At a pool in Hawaii. I think that was our first stop.

For more Wordless Wednesdays check out 5 minutes for moms , Wordless Wednesday and 7 Clown Circus

A Little Piece of Happy - Trident Campaign

Trident has just launched the new 'A Little Piece Of Happy" campaign. In their new campaign, Trident has released a few very interesting video clips that portray situations that make people happy. The videos leave you smiling so don't forget to share with family and friends because even through these tough times, chewing a piece of Trident gum is like experiencing “a little piece of happy.” It will remind you that a little piece of happiness is always waiting, whenever you need it.

My two favorite of their five commercials are below. You can click the link to see the others and enter their sweepstakes and also sign up for a $1 coupon.

See more of these fun videos HERE

Also check out their other site for more fun all in one place!
http://www.tridentgum.com/alittlepieceofhappy/

Trident is ADA approved and you know chewing helps with fresh breath which should make you and everyone else happy so grab your little piece of happy!:)

Life's detour: A visit with my sister-in-law

I've been missing from blogging for about a week and some. I had very good reason. I had family visiting for too short awhile.

I have a sister-in-law who came all the way from San Diego with her youngest daughter to visit with us. It was a very fun , relaxing, go-at-our-own-pace, adventurous time together. My husband was on call so he wasn't available to chauffeur us around as he usually does, so I had to take the reigns on the carriage - in our case - 3/4 ton pick up truck (which I love) and hit the road so that my SIL could get to enjoy her stay and get a feel of our little cajun corner.

This sister in law is good for my soul. We talk almost every day on the phone and so she has become a confidant. If you know me, you'll know that this is very rare I find someone to confide in.

Our first few days were spent going to the store, the zoo and to Avery Island, where we stopped at the famous Tabasco farm.

Lets talk about the zoo shall we. It was a good visit for her as she got to see animals up close that she wouldn't have in her really vast San Diego zoo. I thought that was cool as at first I thought she might think our zoo pathetic because hers is so huge and filled with all sorts of animals etc. However it was a Louisiana day - hot, humid, animal stench and miserable. Did I mentioned that it rained. I'm so very glad that it rained as it cooled the temperature down somewhat. We got caught in the rain and it was fun dancing with an umbrella to and from to get everyone in the truck and home for rest and bath. Just a few minutes and the water was more than ankle high!

It was good for me. I've never driven to that zoo alone and I've lived here for five years now, but still the jitters of being a new driver keeps me in and around familiar places. Now I know that I can go to the zoo (preferably in spring, winter) and take my kids.

After church on Sunday we went to Avery Island where we did a little tour on how they make the famous Tabasco sauces, sampled some products, souvenir shopped and drove around the gardens where my SIL got to see alligators and other interesting wildlife. She was very excited as a few of her friends has told her that she wouldn't see any. Avery island is a very interesting place, I think I'd like to go back when it's much cooler.
We also went to New Orleans - 3 hours away! Something you'd never catch me doing, or I'd tell myself I couldn't do that because what if??? etc. She wanted to see Bourbon Street and the French Quarter and so one morning we got up, got our GPS and off we went with our kids. I can't believe she allowed ME to drive her!
It was nerve-wracking (like all the bones or whatever holds up my neck, let me know they were holding up my neck) and exciting to know that I could actually do that. Of course while in NO we did the tourist-turtle-movement-on-the-street so she could take photos and just look around at a place she has seen constantly on t.v. but not in real life. Yes it was her first time visiting Louisiana. I'm glad she came too as Louisiana isn't marketed well to tourists or people in general. They believe all we have here are alligators and hurricanes and most people go somewhere else instead.

We parked and walked down some of the French Quarter and Bourbon Street. I actually parked on a small side street in New Orleans! I used to freak when I see the husband driving in these tiny streets and yet here I was.

Back home in Lafayette, I tried to find her cajun foods to enjoy and found this really nice restaurant that had music and a dance floor. We had dinner and dancing with the kids, it was wonderful. I'm surprised that my dh hasn't taken me to this place knowing that I love dancing. Maybe he needs some nudging ja? If he only knows how easy I am to please.

The kids had a blast dancing and this is where my sister's daughter Ellie, took her very first steps! Gosh it was adorable and since then she has been practicing. It's precious to share this with her. Yay for cajun music!
Another milestone down....

I don't drive at night, the glare of headlights make me panic and I fear driving off the road. However while my sister-in-law was here, a few times I drove her around at night. These are the nights we went to dinner late etc. It was quite interesting. I kept up to speed limit and I didn't panic at all. I am actually very proud of myself for these little accomplishments.

She flew home on July 2nd, the same day dh got off for a few days and my appointment in New Orleans. It would have been great if she could have accompany us.
It was a great time just hanging out with her and our children and I look forward to doing it again.

I think it's my turn to go visit her again now though....:)

Suave Shower Yourself Beautiful Review and Giveaway!

Suave has created a new line of skin care products that is definitely working to eliminate ashy and welcome ravishingly beautiful skin. Their NEW Suave Naturals Wild Cherry Blossom Indulgent Body includes Vitamin E and Cherry Blossom extract that definitely pampers your skin.
Suave Naturals Body Wash moisturizes while cleansing your skin and the scent is delish! Not too strong and not too weak, but just right. I'm very sensitive to strong smell and so this is just perfect for my nose.

What woman hasn't lusted after the much sought after shea butter and cocoa butter for their promise of beautiful, soft skin. I know I have since I was a mere child!

This is where Suave Skin Therapy Cocoa Butter with Shea comes in. You can use it anytime, all the time and anywhere and you smell yum!

I got to try a few of their products and I love them. I sometimes use Suave products and have always thought their products were great so I enjoyed using these products.

Actress and (busy!) celebrity mom Holly Robinson Peete is teaming up with Suave in their skin care program dubbed "Shower Yourself Beautiful".
With fun and easy to do tips, Robinson encourages us to make the most of life's small indulgences in taking care of our bodies and in doing so replenishes ourselves as a whole.

Suave®Skin knows how important it is for busy moms - like you - to take time for yourselves. That's why they want to provide you with everything you'll need to "Shower Yourself Beautiful" every day.

These are some of Robinson's personal tips that you can try:

Slip into a Delicious Fragrance
Wear an alluring fragrance that makes you feel beautiful. Skip perfume, which can feel heavy on skin in the summer, and try new Suave® Naturals Wild Cherry Blossom Indulgent Body Wash. Infused with cherry blossom extracts and Vitamin E, this body wash leaves skin pampered and moisturized, with a delicious fragrance

Book an Appointment with yourself:
Shower yourself beautiful by hosting an at-home spa day. Invite girlfriends over for manicures and pedicures and paint fingers and toes summer-inspired shades of sorbet. Once nails are dry, generously apply a moisturizing body lotion to keep hands and feet soft and smooth all summer long.

Schedule a "Tea" Time
Studies show that taking even a two minute break from your hectic schedule can reduce stress levels. Try this trick to add some relaxation to your daily grind. Instead of rushing through lunch, schedule a leisurely tea time for yourself complete with mini tea sandwiches and a cup of chamomile tea. Then get settled in a quiet part of your home or office -- free of distractions -- to start your summer reading list.

Love, Me
Send yourself some flowers -- especially if you already need to swing by the florist to pick up flowers for a wedding or baby shower. Seasonal summer flowers, such as lavender and sweet pea, are a budget-friendly way to pamper yourself and brighten up your home.

Shower Yourself Beautiful Every Day
Trade in your daily shower for a relaxing bath that’s fit for a queen! Transform your bathroom into a private sanctuary by lighting an aromatherapy-inspired candle and playing your favorite tunes. Be sure to use Suave® Naturals Lavender Vanilla Calming Body Wash. The soothing scent of lavender will calm your senses and transport your mind to a tranquil oasis.

The pampering of yourself continues with the chances to win some great giveaways!
You can actually enter two separate giveaways. Starting on June 15th, Suave began weekly giveaways for chances to win some amazing prizes for your bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, living room and summer traveling.

Visit here to go to Suave's site for their cool giveaways and for a chance to win the ultimate at-home shower for yourself and your friends.

The second giveaway is through Amy Sobel and Momselect. I have a bundle of 3 Suave Skin products to give to one lucky winner.
To enter just visit Shower Yourself Beautiful and let me know what gifts you entered to win. Please ensure you do have a valid email address on your blog profile page or in your comments so that I can reach the winner. This giveaway ends July 26, 2009 @ 11:59pm. Contest open to US residents.

Extra entries:
2. Blog about this giveaway
3. Subscribe to my blog
4. Tweet this giveaway ( Suave Shower Yourself Beautiful Review and Giveaway! http://bit.ly/17oCJl @jamericanspice ) - you can tweet once a day
5. Follow my blog
6. Grab my button
7. Follow me on Twitter

Let the pampering begin!

Good luck!

Momfluence Summer Guide

photo by G Viciano

Looking for some great products to make your summer that much more fun and enjoyable? Looking to pamper yourself while the kids are off at camp? Or maybe you're dealing with summer bumps and bruises. Momfluence has collected some reviews of great products that you need to know about! Check out what our reviewers had to say about these great summer finds. And don't forget to stop by the Momfluence member giveaways listed at the bottom for some summer winning!

Featured Products

http://www.theguiltyparent.com/2009/07/review-fishbites-soft-swimmies/">FishBites Swimmies - Spending time in the water is one of the most fun and exciting parts of summer. FishBites Swimmies by Swimways is a great solution to give the little ones the extra security they need in the pool, in a fun and exciting way.

http://www.fromcribstocarkeys.com/2009/07/delsey-helium-fusion-carryon-review/">Delsey Helium Fusion Carryon - If you are hitting the road or flying the skies this summer for your family vacation, the Delsey Helium Fusion carry-on offers a lightweight solution for packing your travel essentials.

http://justpurelovely.typepad.com/freelyeducatereviews/2009/07/do-something-daily-a-memorymaking-calendar.html">Do Something Daily Calendar - Tired of hearing the kids say they have nothing to do? The DoSomethingDaily Calendar offers fun and exciting suggestions for things to do on each and every day of the year. Make memories with your family, every day!

Perlabehttp://mommyblogreviews.com/2009/07/02/perlabella-retinol-anti-aging-face-pearls/">lla Pearls - Want to combat some of the wrinkles cause by sun damage? Perlabella's Retinol solution helps to fight the signs of aging, that can be caused by excessive sun exposure and other factors.

More Summer Fun

iTurtle

http://completeorganizingsolutions.com/2009/07/play-doh-the-summer-sanity-saver.html">Playdoh Spaghetti Factory

Submergency

http://angiemarion.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-nerf-nfl-pro-grip-football.html">Nerf NFL Progrip Football

http://myhomesweethomeonline.net/2009/06/30/super-soaker-50-celebrates-its-20th-anniversary/">SuperSoaker 50

http://everydaybabysteps.onsugar.com/3421268">Boochie Game

http://twoferthumbsup.blogspot.com/2009/06/whats-good-for-kids-is-good-for-parents.html">Good For The Kids

http://rockinmama.net/2009/07/02/talking-to-toddlers/">Talking To Toddlers

http://www.fromcribstocarkeys.com/2009/07/two-belles-and-a-bead-review/">Two Belles and A Bead Engraved Necklace

Cardstore

http://www.fromcribstocarkeys.com/2009/07/jumeau-keri-bag-review/">Jumeau Handbags

Staphaseptic

Member Reviews/Giveaways

Bonggamom - http://bonggafinds.blogspot.com/2009/06/tiny-prints-facebook-giveaway.html">$50 Tiny Prints Gift Certificate

IceFairy's Treasure Chest - http://icefairystreasurechest.blogspot.com/search/label/My%20Giveaways">KiNeSYS, Purex 3-in1, and more

Eccentric, Eclectic Woman - http://finamoon.blogspot.com/search/label/contest">Bra Barrette, Skipping Hippos

Riding With No Hands - http://ridingwithnohands.com/rubbermaid-easy-find-lids/">20 Piece Rubbermaid Set

Consumer Queen - FurBuster

PlusSizeMommy - http://theplussizemommy.com/tag/giveaway">Giant Hershey Bar, Zensoy, and more

MommyNotGuilty - http://mommynotguilty.blogspot.com/2009/07/baby-kids-banz-sunglasses-review-and.html">KidBanz Sunglasses

Robyn's Online World - http://robynsonlineworld.blogspot.com/2009/06/smile-and-win-kodak-digital-frame.html">Kodak Digital Frame

Simply Being Mommy - http://simplybeingmommy.com/2009/07/01/ea-sports-active-challenge-and-giveaway/">EA Sports Active

Lattes and Life - http://www.lattesandlife.com/2009/06/oscar-mayer-all-beef-hot-dogs-giveaway.html">Oscar Meyer Hot Dogs & http://www.lattesandlife.com/2009/06/parents-choice-infant-formula-savings.html">Parent's Choice Formula

Motherhood Moment - http://motherhood-moment.blogspot.com/2009/07/july-giveaway-summer-fun.html">Summer Fun

A Simple Kinda Life - http://angiemarion.blogspot.com/search/label/Giveaway">Summer Soiree of Giveaways

From Cribs to Car Keys - http://www.fromcribstocarkeys.com/category/giveaways/">EcoStore $25 Gift Certificate and more

Miscellaneous Finds 4 U - http://www.miscellaneousfinds4u.com/blog/">Tiny Prints and more

All Momfluence guide reviews are product-provided, featured positions were purchased by vendors. Member reviews and giveaways are not associated with Momfluence.

WW: Whodunit? - Oh well Army-style discipline

This one said it was that one and that one said it was this one and it wasn't me's (I read too much Dr. Seuss :) ) etc. So both will do the time.

For more Wordless Wednesdays check out 5 minutes for moms , Wordless Wednesday