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Swaddle Designs Ultimate Receiving Blanket Review & Giveaway

SwaddleDesigns offers super soft high quality products for your baby from blankets to bibs. SwaddleDesigns introduced its product line to the market in 2003 and quickly became a best seller at top boutiques around the US and internationally. SwaddleDesigns is a trusted brand that new parents love for the quality, style and functionality of the line. SwaddleDesigns takes the the time to make sure each component is carefully chosen with passion and care for its color, texture, durability and visual appeal.
I recently had the opportunity to review the award winning Certified Organic Ultimate Receiving Blanket in the Kiwi Mod Circles on Ivory print. It was designed by an RN who's also a mommy! I love it! Aside from the fact that I've washed it a million times and it still looks brand new...it's soooo soft, cute, and it's a multi use product.

This 42"x42" 100% certified organic cotton flannel blanket goes beyond swaddling. It can also be used as a play mat, privacy blanket, sun shield, and so much more! Of course everyone knows how I feel about multi use products! They make for a frugal product! Not only that, but the long term is there too. Your kids will have these blankets FOREVER! Oh yeah, do make sure you become a fan of SwaddleDesigns on Facebook (spelled out as two words). I have! Fans actually receive discounts!

The initial use of The Certified Organic Ultimate Receiving Blanket is for swaddling. If you've never swaddled before I would assume you would want to know why it's so important. Well, let me count the ways!

Swaddling:

1. Helps babies sleep better
2. Reduces risk SIDS
3. Reduces colic and fussiness
4. Can help make breastfeeding earlier

You can read more HERE. As you can see swaddling is great for a happy baby and sane parents! Swaddling is not difficult. Actually, The Certified Organic Ultimate Receiving Blanket makes it easier for you as visual instructions have been sewn on to the blanket for you! Having that said you definetly need to get The Certified Organic Ultimate Receiving Blanket!

SwaddleDesigns has been sweet enough to provide The Ultimate Receiving Blanket for one of my lucky readers (US residents only) to win! So how do you enter?!

TO ENTER:

FIRST, Check out the SwaddleDesigns' Store www.ESwaddle.com look over The Certified Organic Ultimate Swaddle Blankets and tell me which print you would pick if you won.

After inital entry you make take advantage of the following for Extra Entries. You May (Leave a comment for each action):

• Follow My Blog
• Stumble my blog via the "share" button at the bottom of this post (Leave a comment saying you did so with Stumble user name)
• Subscribe to My Email Feed (leave a comment saying you did)
  
• Add this Giveaway to a Mr. Linky, Blog Carnival, Sweepstakes site, forum etc. (Leave the link) (1 entry per submission)
• Grab My Button and place on your blog (leave a comment with blog address)
• Follow me on Twitter (copperbrickroad) (leave a comment with your Twitter name)
  
• ReTweet this contest on Twitter (@copperbrickroad)(Once per day)

**Make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry to maximize chances of winning.**

One winner will be selected randomly using Random.org.

This contest starts today and will end on 6/14 at 11:59pm EST

----------------------------

There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received a Receiving Blanket for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of this did not sway my opinion.

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Thirty-One Gifts Tote Bag Gift Pack Winner

Congratulations to Cutepea! She won the Thirty-One Tote Bag Gift Pack! If you didn't win, don't worry! I have several giveaways in the works. If you would like catalogs of the Thirty-One lines, please send me an email. I'll be more than happy to mail you that information!

Pure Silk Shave Cream Review

Alright ladies, summer is here! Which means here comes the tank tops, shorts, and skirts! Do your skin a favor and use Pure Silk shave cream from Barbasol! Personally, I couldn't ask for a better shave cream!

Pure Silk comes in the following wonderful scents, Raspberry Mist, Peaches & Cream, Melon Splash, and Coconut and Oat Flour. I cannot believe how great these smell. I love how they also leave a light scent as well!

Pure Silk contains skin softening ingredients that help soothe skin. As one with really sensitive skin, I love the Aloe! Pure Silk also helps to prevent bumps, rashes, and ingrown hairs. These common shaving mishaps can totally ruin your attempt to bare those legs! So take care and use Pure Silk! In addition to getting a cleaner shave, Pure Silk also helps you keep your clean shave longer. Hey, your razors will even last longer too! I love that! Talk about saving some money!

I absolutely love Pure Silk. Aside from the smooth shave that it gives me I love the time when I use it because it Pure Silk makes for a little pampering session for me. Y'all know I don't get a lot of time for myself. So the fact that I can step out of the shower with soft legs and a soft scent too me makes me feel oh so much better. I know most of you moms ache for a little "me" time so use the Pure Silk in the scent you like and enjoy doing something you already do. This really does make for a temporary wisk away!

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There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received a can of Pure Silk for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of this did not sway my opinion.

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Sock Grams Review & Giveaway (closed)

Watch This First!

(I promise the Sock Gram isn't that difficult to open!)

Now wouldn't that be great to know that someone opened up a Sock Gram you sent them and got the warm fuzzies because you thought that it would be special to send them a pair of socks for their birthday and a pair of socks for a cause they support? Sock Grams is a unique and convenient way to make special moments in life even more special.

Soooo....where did the idea come from?

"Sock Grams was born out of the desire to send a greeting to a loved one, along with a small gift. We often found ourselves wanting to send a greeting card to celebrate an important milestone, but we wanted to send a little something more than a card. We also wanted to ensure the gift would last and most importantly, be in acknowledgment of something that was important, or of interest to the person we were giving it to. Novelty socks, in the myriad of patterns and colors, were our answer!!!"

I absolutely loved the concept of Sock Grams! As busy as I am it can be very difficult to go out and find a gift for every birthday that I keep up with. It's even harder to keep up with what people like. Especially kids as they get older! So people usually just get cards from me. A card....woo. Whenever you send cards for every event eventually people catch on. Plus, no child wants to just get a card. Well, unless it has money in it but that only comes when they get older. I'd like to make a little more of an impression than that. That's why I love Sock Grams! It's inexpensive, it makes people feel special, you're giving a practical gift, and it takes the stress off of me!

So how do Sock Grams Work?

1. Shop socks or cards by recipient, occasion, or sock patterns.
2. Pick a card and add your personal message.
3. Sock Grams will add free foot balm (or stickers for the kids), gift wrap and have it delivered right to that special person's mailbox.

How perfect is that?! You personalize it and the rest of the work is done for you! No long lines, no trying to find a gift, no worrying that the person won't like the gift! Socks are the perfect gift! Everyone needs socks! Not only that but socks are going to last a good while. What a great reminder of that special day?!

As you saw in the video I received a pair of Happy Birthday socks as well as Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness socks. Sock Grams offers such a wide variety of socks for adults and kids sized newborn to an adult size 13 so you're sure to find something! You can send as many pairs of socks that you would like. Packages start at $9.95!

The Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness socks are definitely what I would send. Why you ask? Well, for every pair of Pink Ribbon style socks Sock Grams sells, they will have a portion of the proceeds sent to Breast Cancer Research. As sad as it is, at some point in all of our lives, we will have known someone to be affected by breast cancer. We're actually dealing with that now. My MIL just had a biopsy last week for a lump in her breast. I say, we just eliminate that statistic all together! What an easy way to contribute to a great cause!

So remember, Sock Grams are the way to "Warm Hearts and Happy Feet"!

Sock Grams would like for you (US Residents Only) to feel special by sending you a Sock Gram! Want to enter? Here's How:

FIRST, Check out Sock Gram's Website and tell me which style of socks are your favorite.

After initial entry you make take advantage of the following for Extra Entries. You may (Leave a comment for each action):

• If on Twitter, Follow @sockgrams
  
• Tweet this exactly "I want a warm heart and happy feet! http://tinyurl.com/m95jsy I just entered to win a Sock Gram from @sockgrams and @copperbrickroad" (You may ReTweet Once A Day)
  
• Follow My Blog
• Stumble my blog via the "share" button at the bottom of this post (Leave a comment saying you did so with Stumble user name)
• Subscribe to My Email Feed (leave a comment saying you did)
  
• Add this Giveaway to a Mr. Linky, Blog Carnival, Sweepstakes site, forum etc. (Leave the link) (1 entry per submission)
• Grab My Button and place on your blog (leave a comment with blog address)
• Follow me on Twitter (copperbrickroad) (leave a comment with your Twitter name)
  

**Make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry to maximize chances of winning.**

One winner will be selected randomly using Random.org.

This contest starts today and will end on 6/12 at 11:59pm EST

----------------------------

There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received a Sock Gram for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of this did not sway my opinion.

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Friendly's Resturaunt Myrtle Beach , SC Review

Oh this just make me crave more ice cream as I'm typing this. We don't have Friendly's here in Georgia (I now wish we did!) so when I saw one in Myrtle Beach, SC we just had to go. I had heard so much about their homemade ice cream. I actually incorporated it into a reward. We've started swimming lessons with DS and we practiced at the pool in our hotel. Since DS did such a great job we got to go. Oh my gosh, I am so glad we did! Talk about some really great treats!

Feast your eyes on the Cookies 'n Cream Sundae!
...or how about the Strawberry Shortcake Sundae!

Oh I'm telling y'all this stuff is to die for! They are large and would be a great dessert for two people. At about $4.58 it's not a bad price considering the competition especially if you're sharing! Of course we only came for the dessert. They do have a great Make Your Own Meal which includes your drink and dessert for only $9.99....I thought that was a steal.

DS really did enjoy himself. It could be because he had so much fun with his Sprinkle-Vision glasses. We traded off using them to find the hidden codes throughout the restaurant. Once we got home we visited www.IWannaGoToFriendlys.com and used the codes we found to gain access to Friendly’s virtual ice cream factory. DS has a lot of fun with the puzzles and games! It's a great site! Kids even have the chance to win real prizes!

I must give compliments to staff at this establishment. They certainly hold true to their name. They are very friendly and helpful! I guess it shouldn't be any surprise that they're ranked in the Top 100 Restaurant Chains by Nation's Restaurant News. So, someone please read this and open a franchise close to me....please?

You definitely need to go check it out! Need a little more persuasion? How about FREE ice cream?!

(It's only at participating locations so make sure to call ahead!)

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I received a $10 gift card for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of this did not sway my opinion.

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Ripley's Aquarium Myrtle Beach , SC Review

We visited the Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach. It is a $40 million, state-of-the-art, 87,000 square-foot aquarium. It is South Carolina's most visited attraction! It is definitely an attraction you and your family need to visit. "Wow!" was all I could say! I was very surprised on how much was put into Ripley's Aquarium and how entertaining it was. We learned so much!

Ripley's new Babies Exhibit was definitely a great exhibit. All of the babies (the ones which were already born) were sooooo cute! My favorites were the itty bitty little sea horse babies. DS of course loved the little baby chicks. The Babies Exhibit allows you to discover the mystery of life and how nature's unique incubators naturally help newborns survive and thrive. The exhibits features eggs of all shapes, colors and sizes, baby seahorses, baby Caimans, the baby chicks I mentioned and even baby sharks! This truly is an amazing and must see attraction.




Your kids will love the petting opportunities. You're provided a chance to hold horseshoe crabs and if you walk over to Ray Bay you're able to pet Atlantic rays, Southern rays, Cow-Nose rays, Spotted Eagle rays and Bonnet-Head sharks.



I think our favorite part of the Aquarium was Dangerous Reef. It is a 750,000 gallon tank. You actually have an opportunity to glide (via a moving sidewalk) with the aquarium domed over you. We loved being able to see so many fish breeds at one time. Not only that, but it had kind of a surreal feeling to it to have the fish above you and on both sides.



When you make the trip to see Ripley's Aquarium. Make sure to watch the dive show. During these shows, a diver actually goes in the water to help show off the great breeds while a narrator discusses what they are. It's very informative and they include the crowd. DS just thought it was the neatest thing being able to communicate with the diver in the tank.



Ripley's Aquarium is a great attraction to visit. It is great for all ages. You'll be surprised how much you'll learn. I saw so many breeds that I'd never seen before! It really was a great experience. The price was great too. In comparison to other aquariums, I was surprised on how affordable the tickets were. Just to visit the aquarium only, ticket prices are:

• Adults (12 years and older) - $18.99
• Children (Ages 6-11) - $9.99
• Children (Ages 2-5) - $3.99

You can also get fabulous package deals if you decide you want to visit the other Ripley's attractions. Which is what I would recommend if you're planning on seeing the others as well. It's a great deal all around!

Oh and I couldn't forget the mascot Sharky!

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There was no monetary compensation received for this review.

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Buy Lipstick & Help Stop Domestic Violence

You can join Mary Kay in its worldwide effort to change the lives of women and children around the world through your purchase of Beauty that Counts™ Mary Kay® Creme Lipstick. In the U.S., from May 1 through Dec. 15, 2009, $1 will be donated from each sale of Beauty That Counts™ Mary Kay® Creme Lipsticks in limited-edition Pink Passion and in Gingerbread. As part of this effort, in the United States, Mary Kay Inc. is proud to support the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation in its efforts to end domestic violence. Together, we can make a beautiful difference.

Please join in with this great effort. I will even cover the cost of shipping!

Duri Nail Products Review

I don't know about y'all but I find it so difficult to get and keep my nails painted. You know it's just that timing where right when you get your nails painted someone needs something done. For me, it's usually my son. I don't ever have enough time to sit and let me nails dry. I work with a lot of older more put together ladies than I and they're always telling me I need to get my nails done. Of course you know my response to that..."sorry ladies, my son has to eat". Well, it's not like getting my nails done is that dramatic but you know, that adds up. Especially for me since it seems that once I get them painted....they're already chipping by day 3. You know what I mean, especially if your child is still in diapers. Oh, the constant hand washing!

I am so glad I found out about Duri nail products! Finally, a paint that does last! The quality, the price, and the feature it offers, makes it the best. The Duri website features nail polish for $5. So it's still affordable without the constant chipping of the cheaper nail polishes. I really liked this pearly pink polish. It was just enough color for me without being overwhelming. Oh and believe me the ladies at work did notice.

So I guess you're wondering if I found the time to paint my nails. Pssh!....No! Actually, I've been using Duri's DROP N' GO! DROP N' GO dries your nail polish from top to bottom in no time. It gives brilliant gloss and remarkably improves wearability for nail polish. Just 1 or 2 drops of DROP N' GO over nail polish and top coat and your polished nails will dry completely in no time! The Duri website features this for $10. For me, I only needed 1 drop per nail. Having that said, this bottle should last you a good while.

You can check out Duri's website for other nail products or go check out your local salon. They don't have it?! Well tell them to get it!

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There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received a Duri nail color and Drop n' Go for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of these did not sway my opinion.

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Dr. Hippo Series Books For Children Review

If you're a parent of a child, you know eventually they're going to turn into a walking question box...if they haven't already. You get a lot of what's, why's and how's. Sometimes the questions are no brainers and sometimes the questions are a little tougher to answer. Especially when you have to explain it in younger terms. So what happens when your child starts to feel icky and they want to know why? You can try to explain it to your child, but that conversation has the possiblity of getting pretty complex. Thank goodness Dr. Hippo is there for you!

Dr. Charlotte Cowan founded The Hippocratic Press with a mission to publish medical children's stories that entertain, educate and reassure both parent and child. The idea of writing stories for sick children evolved as a natural combination of her professional experience and her childhood love of reading. As a pediatrician, Dr. Cowan developed a strong intuition that children would do better with their illnesses if they both understood what was happening to them and realized that they would get better. As a fan of children’s books, she recognized that they offered the perfect medium for her message.

If you haven't had children yet or you have very young children the chances are good that you will become the biggest worry wart whenever your children get sick. *Raises Hand* Mmmmhmmm. Been there, done that....still do. As first time parents we never really know what to do until we learn from it. Thanks to Dr. Cowan, we now have the Dr. Hippo Series of books that we can get answers from secretly while reading to our kids. PERFECT! These stories also provide comfort and entertainment to the sick child because more than likely they're experiencing the same thing as well. Each book in the Dr. Hippo Series is 32 pages, hard cover, full color and includes a separate laminated Parent Guide written in question/answer format. The Parent Guide answers common questions like: “How can I keep my child comfortable?” and “When should I call the doctor?” There are five books in the Dr. Hippo Series

The Moose with the Loose Poops: Four-year-old Miles develops a tummy ache while on a family picnic in Maine. His planned camping trip with Papa (complete with canoeing and fishing) is postponed when throwing up (oops!) and diarrhea (loose poops) develop. Mama, Papa and Lucy Moose take excellent care of Miles at home. Of course, they are helped by their kindly pediatrician, Dr. Hippo, who advises that fluid is the best medicine for Miles. Will Miles recover in time to go camping with Papa under a special, star-filled sky? In this story for children ages 2-7, Dr. Cowan offers a clear and child friendly explanation of gastroenteritis. A board-certified pediatrician, she captures the misery of tummy aches, caused first by vomiting and then by diarrhea, and writes to educate, entertain and comfort her small readers—as well as their parents.

The Little Elephant with the Big Earache: The Little Elephant with the Big Earache tells the story of Eddie, who awakens with a terrible earache after a busy afternoon making mud pies with his cousins. His mother takes care of him during the night and Dr. Hippo reassures them both during the day. Will Eddie recover in time for his birthday? In this story for children ages 2-7, Dr. Cowan empathizes with her small patients. A board certified pediatrician and parent of three children, she understands about earaches and the worries of parents with sick children, and writes to entertain, educate and comfort both parent and child.

Katie Caught a Cold: Katie is happily skating with her friends when she begins to sneeze. She soon develops a bad cold. Will she be better in time for the Ice Show? Her mother takes excellent care of Katie at home, checking in with their pediatrician, Dr. Hippo, when Katie starts blowing “green stuff” into her tissue. Won’t she need antibiotics? Katie needs to get better—and fast! In this story for children ages 2-7, Dr. Cowan empathizes with children who are feeling miserable with a cold. She understands about their stuffiness and sneezing, feeling tired and thirsty. In Katie Caught a Cold Dr. Cowan illustrates the comforting care that can help children feel better and thus reassures both parent and child.

Peeper Has a Fever: The day of the Diving Contest has arrived! Peeper hops out of bed with excitement and joins his mother for breakfast. When he doesn’t touch his pancakes, she wonders whether he might be getting sick and soon discovers his fever of 104°. Worried, she calls their pediatrician, Dr. Hippocrates, who gives her excellent advice and asks her to keep in touch by phone. His parents then take wonderful care of Peeper, but what about the Diving Contest? Is he well enough to go? Will he win this year? In her story for children ages 2-7, Dr. Cowan empathizes with the aches and chills and misery of small children with fevers. In Peeper Has a Fever Dr. Cowan captures the unhappiness of her patients and writes with confidence and humor to comfort them. Peeper’s story is as educational as it is entertaining and will offer reassurance to any parent and child dealing with fever.

Sadie’s Sore Throat: One day while she is beading necklaces for the School Art Fair, Sadie begins to feel sick. Her mother worries about Sadie’s sore throat and takes excellent care of her at home before they go off to their pediatrician, a friendly hippopotamus named Dr. Hippocrates. Is Sadie too sick to go to the Fair? Will her necklaces win a prize? In her story for children ages 2-7, Dr. Cowan empathizes with small children who are often confused about being sick and scared of going to the doctor. She writes with gentle humor and encouragement, showing children that there is nothing to be afraid of. Her story is as educational as it is entertaining and will provide comfort to both parent and child.

My son and I loved these books! Right before our vacation DS did encounter a stomach virus. Boy was I thrilled that I had The Moose with the Loose Poops on hand. We sat down and read it together once I determined we had a problem on our hands. I have to compliment the illustrations! They were wonderful! Very colorful! Also, the book was written so well that it was easy for my son to understand what was going on. He would even compare himself to the moose in regards to his symptoms. The story was comforting to him. Also, the fact that we were calm and that mommy was laying with him added to the comfort as well. I think these books are an awesome idea!

If you have children, I would definitely recommend these books to you. They are the best!

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There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received the Dr. Hippo series of books for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of these did not sway my opinion.

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Medieval Times Myrtle Beach, SC Review

(My lil prince and the court jester)

If you're vacationing in an area that has a Medieval Times I highly recommend you go. Talk about an awesome good time! We LOVED IT! We visited the Medieval Times in Myrtle Beach, SC while on our frugal vacation. I really think this is a great attraction that both you and your kids will love.

(thought this pic turned out awesome)

If you've never heard of Medieval Times, it is a dinner theater attraction. You are seated in a small stadium and then whisked away to 11th century Spain. You enjoy your dinner that you eat with your hands while watching a great story unfold. This great story is slap full of jousting, swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, horsemanship and falconry. You even get the touch of a love story thrown in as well. Oh yes, and while watching this tournament you will be cheering for your knight which has been determined for you by your seating.


The dinner is a four course banquet dinner. It includes, garlic bread, tomato bisque soup, roasted chicken, spare rib, herb-basted potatoes, pastry of the Castle, coffee and two rounds of select beverages. You do eat with your hands since silverware wasn't invented yet but no worries. It's hardly messy and it just adds to the fun! We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner. It was quite yummy! My son loved that he wasn't getting in trouble for eating with his hands.

(after drinking his soup)

The show is absolutely great! You get to see soooo much neat stuff. We got to see a dancing horse, a jumping horse, tricks from a falcon and of course the tournament. I was surprised to see how enthralled my son was. He was so into it that you could poke him in the arm and he wouldn't turn his head to look. He was so excited to cheer for our knight whenever he won his battles. As an adult, I was very impressed on how well acted the performance was. The battles looked so realistic!

("can't look...watching show")

The best way to attend Medieval Times would be to use any coupons or promo codes. The actual face value of the tickets may come across a bit high but considering you're getting a 4 course dinner and a 2 hour show, it's really not too bad especially if you use coupons or promo codes. If you're on Twitter it's best to follow @MedievalTimesHQ. Promotions are being tweeted all the time. A great promo code that's being offered is a free royalty upgrade to your general admission tickets. You can use promo code ROYALB9 and that's good through 8/30/09 for all locations

Below are some videos I took the night we visited.

A Horse and His Tricks


The Dancing Horse


Jousting Tournament

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There was no monetary compensation received for this review.

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The Woombie Sleep Doughnut Review and Giveaway

The Woombie Sleep Doughnut is such a neat concept! If you're anything like me, then you're always having to go somewhere and see someone. More often than not, your baby is going to have to go along too. Of course you're going to have to find a clean spot too. Or maybe you're having to work at home and you're having to go back and forth from room to room. There's no bigger hassle than having to move swings between the rooms. If you find yourself aggravated from these situations then The Woombie Sleep Doughnut is for you!

The Woombie Sleep Doughnut is a high quality cushion that even comes with it's own cover. The denim underside makes for a cute contrast! The Woombie Sleep Doughnut ensures baby will have a nice comfortable place to sleep and play when you travel. I have had mine for a month and it has stood up to many washings and other abuse and still looks brand new!

So What's So Great About The Woombie Sleep Doughnut?

• It's Portable
• It's Cozy and Comfortable
  
• It Folds in Half for easy travel
• It Moves from room to room easily with baby
• It's Machine washable (front load washer)
• The Custom fitted sheet is included to make for easier washing
• It's Great for ages Newborn-36 Months

I really do love how convenient The Woombie Sleep Doughnut is to travel with. I also love how super soft it is! Since The Woombie Sleep Doughnut is such high quality, it would make a great choice for parents to use over multiple children! Doing this would of course get the maximum value out of it! The Woombie Sleep Doughnut does make for a great place for baby to be!

The makers of The Woombie Sleep Doughnut were nice enough to offer one of my special readers their own Sleep Doughnut! Wanna know how to enter to win?

FIRST, Leave a comment telling me how The Woombie Sleep Doughnut would make your life easier.

After initial entry you make take advantage of the following for Extra Entries. You may (Leave a comment for each action):

• Follow My Blog
• Stumble my blog via the "share" button at the bottom of this post (Leave a comment saying you did so with Stumble user name)
• Subscribe to My Email Feed (leave a comment saying you did)
  
• Add this Giveaway to a Mr. Linky, Blog Carnival, Sweepstakes site, forum etc. (Leave the link) (1 entry per submission)
• Grab My Button and place on your blog (leave a comment with blog address)
• Follow me on Twitter (copperbrickroad) (leave a comment with your Twitter name)
  
• ReTweet this contest on Twitter (@copperbrickroad)(Once per day)

**Make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry to maximize chances of winning.**

One winner will be selected randomly using Random.org.

This contest starts today and will end on 6/09 at 11:59pm EST

----------------------------

There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received a Woombie for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of this did not sway my opinion.

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Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids Review & Giveaway (closed)

Well I don't know about the rest of you but the cabinet in my kitchen that houses all of our food storage products was always in shambles. You know what I mean.....where you open the door really fast and hope you can find what you need in enough time to slam the door back closed so nothing falls out. *Sigh* Yeah...I know...tragic. It was just something I felt I just needed to accept. Well, now my cabinet is shambles no more! I am so happy that Rubbermaid invented their Easy Find Lids line!

I LOVE Rubbermaid's Easy Find Lids line! I cannot tell you how much easier and less stressful it is to find my matching food storage pieces. Each piece stacks perfectly with another so they are easy to find AND they don't take up as much space! Not only that, but now my food storage pieces are no longer considered a hazard in the kitchen! You've gotta love that! Since getting the Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids I have thrown out all of my other storage sets. They were cheap, flimsy, and honestly they stressed me out due to the insane unorganized mess they created in my cabinet.

So let me show you how they work!

1. Lids snap to the bases so that they are always easy to find!

2. Lids snap to each other, so you can stack multiple lid & containers together

3. One lid fits multiple bases, so it is more efficient to store and nest. Don’t worry, it doesn’t mean you get less lids. It just means the 3 cup lid fits the 3 cup container, the 5 cup container AND the 7 cup container so you have less lids to try to put on before you find the right one.

4. The different size bases & lids, once they are snapped, fit together to make a nice compact stack that saves space in the cabinet
5. There is a family! You can have different types for different usage occasions!

Rubbermaid has done it once again! They have made my life easier! Since we store a lot of leftovers and take our lunches everyday, these are definitely a plus! Being able to go right to a lid and a box and to know that they will fit each other has saved so much time! The fact that they are so durable and very affordable makes the Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids a great frugal pick! I would definitely recommend these food storage products!

Starting June 1st, Rubbermaid will be launching a site www.easyfindlids.com . This site will be a great resource for you to share your unorganized challenges and print coupons! Also, you will have chances to win some very awesome prizes!

Also starting June 1st, you will be able to purchase these Easy Find Lid sets via www.Rubbermaid.com . You will be able to save 10% by using the coupon code: 0902

Both sites are definitely worth checking out!

Rubbermaid has been so kind to giveaway an Easy Find Lids set to one of my lucky readers (US Residents only) ! Want to win!? Here's how!

FIRST, Leave a comment telling me what your favorite Rubbermaid product is other than the Easy Find Lids.

After initial entry you make take advantage of the following for Extra Entries. You may (Leave a comment for each action):

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One winner will be selected randomly using Random.org.

This contest starts today and will end on 6/09 at 11:59pm EST

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There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received a set of Easy Find Lids for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of these did not sway my opinion.

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Frugal Vacation - Saving Money On Food

Wow, have we been busy! We're all really enjoying ourselves especially DS. I really can't wait to get into sharing our attractions with you. Today, I wanted to discuss saving one the food situation with you.


If you go out to eat at every meal, you're looking to spend on average $40 per person. Now that is an average, it could be more and it could be less. This of course depends on the person and their taste. Based on that average, a 5 day vacation for a family of 4 would cost you $800 in food. I don't know about you, but that's insane. I could think of a million different things I'd much rather spend that $800 on. So, what can you do about that?? Well, I have several ideas which revolve around the same theme. Bring your own food and snacks. It's not a difficult concept to grasp but you'd be surprised how many people turn their nose up at me when I say that's what I do. Of course, that doesn't really hurt my feelings I like keeping my $800.

On a 5 hour trip you're bound to make several pit stops. Do not become victim to the convenient store prices. You know what snacks you crave so why don't you go ahead and pack a cooler of your favorite treats and drinks so while you're driving or when you stop, you can enjoy your snack.

Now, once you arrive and while you're on vacation it can get kind of tricky. That's ok, it's time to be creative! The best case scenario would be that you either found an insane deal on a condo or hotel room with a kitchenette. That would be ideal. Of course, with good reason, these rooms/condos tend to be more expensive than your standard hotel room. As hard as I looked, sadly, for us that didn't work out for the hotel I landed. So, I just got creative.


Most hotels offer some type of breakfast. USE IT! I cannot tell you how many people I have seen leave and bring back a biscuit or go to the Waffle House. This absolutely blows my mind. I mean you've already paid for breakfast, you might as well eat it. This hotel has offered a breakfast bar which includes various cereals, muffins, bagels, biscuits, and the opportunity to make your own waffle. Each day has been yummy and quite filling and was nothing extra out of our pockets. Even if your breakfast is something as little as a muffin and juice, eat it! Don't waste anything you've paid for.


Sandwiches are the best lunch. The reason for this is, if you've been going non-stop like us, it doesn't take long to make, they pack well, and are super cheap. If you have a coupon, the Pringles individual serve bags of chips are great but a sandwich baggie of chips work well too. If your room has a mini fridge (call ahead to find out) you can bring sandwich meats and condiments to make it tasty. If your room does not have a fridge then bring products that can stand out like peanut butter and jelly.


Most hotels offer free ice so take advantage of it. Bring bottles of juice, individual boxed drinks, and canned drinks. Drinks are a HUGE money maker. Here at our hotel, I could not believe that to get a 12 oz canned Coke out of the machine would cost $1. Thanks but no thanks. I did actually forget to buy Cokes before I left home but that was ok. There was a CVS down the street and with ECBs and sale prices I was able to get 5 12 packs for $7.37 ($1.47 ea). So for an extra $0.47 I was able to buy 11 more Cokes as compared to the vending machine pricing. Please don't be a victim! Oh yeah, got boxed juice drinks and no fridge? Just fill up a cup with ice and let the box sit in it/on top for a few minutes and it will cool down. Or, fill up your room's ice holder and use it as a cooler placing several boxes in it.

Now we come to dinner. Yes I know a lot of you say "But, we're on vacation! I don't wanna cook every meal!" That's fine. Assuming you're taking care of breakfast, lunch, and snacks you're saving a tremendous amount. You can go out to eat for dinner! We've actually been playing it by ear. After a long day in the sun you really don't feel up to a whole big dinner so something small or leftovers has worked for us. If you go out to eat every night for 5 nights the average meal per person is about $17. Again, it could always be less if you go to McDonalds. Assuming that figure, you're looking at about $340 for a family of 4. That of course is a far cry from $800. So of course this goes to how much you feel is a savings. We have gone out to eat but it's been a lower cost places which I will cover in another post. We eliminate getting DS his own meal because he's been very picky here lately and doesn't eat a lot....so we just share with him from both of our plates. That right there saves about $5-$7 depending on if they include his drink or not.

As I have mentioned in previous posts.....you are always paying for convenience and it does sometimes come at a steep price. It does make the most sense to do things yourself. However, this always depends on the person and what they feel comfortable with. Food is the highest markup you're probably going to encounter on your vacation so to get the most bang for your buck I would definitely come prepared. Save the money on food and have more money to do the fun things! That's what we did!

Pepsi Throwback Winner

Thank you to everyone for the overwhelming amount of entries!

Congratulations to Pat! She had the 9th entry and won the Pepsi Prize Pack as determined by Random.org!
If you didn't win, no worries! I have tons of giveaways coming up!

Sinupret for Kids Review

DS suffers from allergies and it always makes me feel so bad. It's not really like a bug that he will catch and get over and sadly he has them all through the spring and summer. I was happy to be offered the opportunity to review Sinupret for Kids.

I found it interesting to know that the Sinupret product line (which is developed by Bionorica) has been the number one most widely recommended, scientifically tested nasal and sinus support formula in Germany for children for more than 70 years. Not only does it aid in sinus support*, but it is documented to provide immune support as well*. Sinupret for Kids has been recommended by German physicians more than 3,500,000 times to their patients. There has never been one serious side effect from Sinupret for Kids and its efficacy is so well-documented that it is the most prescribed product by pediatricians in Europe. Now, it's offered to us in the US.

Sinupret for Kids is all natural which I loved. I don't like the idea of giving my son all kinds of drugs to try and clear his allergies up. Sinupret for Kids is made of a proprietary blend of European Elder, Common Sorrel, Cowslip, European Vervain and Gentian.

Sinupret for Kids:

• Supports the upper respiratory system.*
• Promotes healthy nasal passages.*
• Strengthens the immune system.*
• Sinupret has been the subject of multiple randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials for efficacy and safety on more than 3,000 patients and recommended for children ages 2 & up.
• Does not contain stimulants, caffeine, ephedra or pseudoephedrine.
• Sinupret has no history of dangerous side effects
• Sinupret is cited as safe and effective in several medical journals such as the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Plant Medica, the Pharmacists's Letter for Efficacy and Safety and the American Council Guide to Herbs.

I have noticed a significant improvement in my son's allergy symptoms since he started taking Sinupret for Kids! Sinupret for Kids is meant for children ages 2yrs - 5yrs. If your child is having allergy issues, you should talk to your doctor and see if it would be a great fit for your child. CLICK HERE TO GET A $4 OFF COUPON!

Want to learn more with your child about what herbs help people? Go check out www.phytolandkids.com.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This personal review is based on my experience and is strictly opinion.

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There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received the Sinupret for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of this did not sway my opinion.

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Hotel For Dogs DVD Review

What a super cute movie! We just recently got to watch this movie and we loved it! Not only that, but both of our dogs sat with us and intensely watched it which is normally a difficult feat. We all gave it two paws up!

Let me give you a quick summary of the movie without ruining it for you. There are two kids who are moving through the foster system due to the death of their parents. Their current foster parents do not allow pets. So, they have to come up with a solution to take care of the secret dog they have. The kids discover an abandoned hotel which already houses a couple of stray dogs. Once they add their dog to the mix, they fix up the hotel with several super neat inventions to take care of every aspect of owning a dog without them having to be there (i.e. pitching machine, feeding machine, restroom utilities..ect). Soon after, they realize what a great idea they have put into motion and team up with other kids to help bring in multiple other strays. As a tremendous dog lover I can certainly appreciate the actions taken by the kids in this movie. It really does seem like something I would do....I mean, back when I was a kid ;) .

I think that gives you an idea of the movie without giving it all away. Hotel For Dogs truly is a very heartwarming family movie. Pardon the pun, but if you like to pull for the underdog, this movie is definitely it! I was pleasantly surprised on how well acted the movie was! I give compliments to both the human AND animal actors. This DVD is now part of DS' circulation. He has several movies he has to watch over and over again, and this is one of them. I would highly recommend this movie as part of your collection!

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There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received the Hotel for Dogs DVD for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of this did not sway my opinion.

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Taking A Frugal Vacation - Part 1

Alrighty, so I've finally arrived. From my house, Myrtle Beach is about 5.5 hours which in my eyes is still considered close. However, we did stop to see DH's parents since they were on the way. His mom has had some health issues so we wanted to check in with her. Having that said, we ended up getting here later than initally planned...but that's ok.

When planning a frugal family vacation (depending on what you're looking to do) look at attractions, lakes, and beaches within your state or one over. Some attractions even offer in state resident discounts. I think you reap the best values this way. When traveling with the family, traveling by car is more than likely going to be the cheapest way to go so that's why I recommend close by vacations. Also when planning your vacation, you really need to put the emphasis on "plan". You really need to do your homework to ensure you get the best deal possible. This may include checking travel sites, direct tourism sites for the place you want to visit, and/or discount travel broker sites.

Speaking of discount travel sites, that is how I got our room we're in now. I used a little site called Priceline.com . You get to name the price for your hotel room. If you've read my blog before, then you know I'm in love with that site. Now the gig behind this site when bidding on hotel rooms is, that you don't know where you're staying until after you've paid. Now before you pass it off let me tell you that you get to pick the area you want to stay and how many stars (1-4). So don't worry that you'll get put in a crap hole if you're looking at 3 star hotels. I did find a little helper with this though. There is a site called Biddingfortravel.com. This site is a forum where people who use Priceline go to post their deals that were accepted. You can look and see what's been accepted in the area you're planning on visiting. There is also a directory for each state sorted by stars telling you which hotels Priceline fishes in those areas. It gives you a good idea about what you'll get but it is not an exact science. I have, in the past, gotten a hotel that was not on the list. It wasn't a problem and was a great hotel...just letting you know.

We are staying at a Fairfield Inn that I was able to reserve for $62 a night. If you don't travel a lot, $62 in the beach area over Memorial Day weekend is an insane deal! It is very nice and family friendly with free wi-fi. It is not beachfront but for $62 I was ok with that. Plus, it has a heated indoor pool.

(Found him hanging around)

Tonight I don't think we have anything planned since we got here later. I'm so excited to take DS to the beach since he's never seen it before. It should definetly be an experience. Tomorrow, I will discuss saving on food and our low cost day.

Winner of the 500 Business Cards From UPrinting.com

Congratulations to Andrea! She won the 500 business cards from UPrinting.com !

Remember, if you want a great deal on business card printing you need to check out UPrinting.com! When it comes to business cards, their pricing is lower than any other site I've seen for the quantity.