Disney's "Planes" Teaches Bravery. ($100 Fandango Giftcard Giveaway)

Bravery is powerful.

Bravery should be celebrated. Embraced. Cultivated. Pursued. And taught.

Our children benefit from being brave and trying new things and following those passions that they are gifted with. When I was asked to consider writing a review about the Disney Movie Planes about bravery and courage and how to teach it to my children I jumped on board. Why? Because I want to push my children to be brave and to believe in themselves.

Often it's the little things, the little moments of courage that define our lives.

When we were at the lake a dog came running down on the dock. My daughter, Grace, really doesn't care for dogs. Especially big dogs who came running onto a dock unexpectedly. All the kids stood up and Grace hid behind her younger brother Brennan. Brennan was initially a bit irritated that she was behind him. I told him, Brennan she's behind you because to her you're protecting her. With that statement he broadened his stance and a smile came across his face.

He was brave. Courageous.

I was asked to identify with a character in the upcoming movie Planes that I believe relates to my parenting style. Well, I love teaching my children that level of braveness and courage. Sometimes it means standing in front of your sister protecting her and other times it might be dealing with your own fears and overcoming them. So of course I related to Dusty, the main character of Planes. He's afraid of heights. Is the underdog. Is the one who has to deal with his own fears. And yet, through the support of great friends, he is able to conquer those fears.

Do you know what I love? That he wasn't just doing it on his own.

It took support from friends.

And that is what I want to teach my children. There are so many ways to be courageous and brave. But, when you have support and when you can give support it is much easier to be courageous.

The same week at the lake that same son of mine discovered he was even more brave. There's a swimming raft out deep and he's been wanting to go out there all week. Finally on Friday, his sisters convinced him to swim with them out there with his lifejacket on. They were his support. They were like the character Chug who believed in Dusty even when he doubted himself. So Brennan did. He swam to that raft and discovered that the very thing he was afraid of was now a delightful wonderful thing.

And the beauty? His sisters were there with him. Celebrating his success.

That's what I love about Planes. It's not about one person just being courageous - it's about a beautiful network of characters rallying around a friend.

And they all grow. They all learn their own lessons in bravery.

These are the movies I want my kids watching and learning from. I want them to be brave. I want them to know that it's okay to be afraid - fear is normal - and that it is excellent to try. I want them to be the friend who believes in others. I want them to not cut corners and to do things right. Is there a perfect way to teach bravery?

No. Just like there isn't a perfect way to parent.

It's instead different for each kid and each situation and each moment. But what is the same? The belief in our children. The standing on the sidelines cheering. That matters. And that's why we'll be watching Planes.

And besides, we love Cars, and well, it would be a given that it will be watched in this household. :)

Want to win a $100 Fandango Giftcard courtesy of Disney and Blogher? All you need to do is answer this question in the comments and you will be immediately entered.

How do you challenge your children to follow their dreams?

(Make sure to visit the official Disney Planes site and check out the Facebook page and Twitter page)

Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the
following unique term in your tweet message: ""#SweepstakesEntry""; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post"
c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 7/15 - 8/12.
Be sure to visit the Disney Planes page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

The Happy Hour Effect - Review and Giveaway.

If you are looking for the Friday Favorite Things link up please click -> gratitude notes to add yours. Thanks!

Over the past month I've gotten the privilege of getting to know this amazing gal, a friend now, named Kristen Brown. It started out through our working relationship through Collective Bias, but then, after getting time to spend chatting I've gotten the cool honor of hearing a bit of her story and her heart. And with that came the realization that she's as authentic as the come - and I love that character quality.

About a month ago her publicist contacted me wondering if I would be willing to be a part of a virtual book tour review for her new book The Happy Hour Effect: Twelve Secrets to Minimize Stress and Maximize Life - and to that - absolutely yes. What I love about Kristen is her heart to minimize stress in life and to live a life that is intentional, goal-driven, and yet without the incredible burden of allowing stress squash out joy. She's real - she doesn't promise that stress will go away - she instead, offers you practical, real, and implementable steps to deal with stress in a healthy way that allows you to thrive.

Her book, The Happy Hour Effect, is this incredible guide filled with tips, personal stories, goal planning sheets, and motivation to start intentionally looking at your life and reexamining patterns of response and then instead of just living with them changing them. It's so easy to race through life on autodrive - this crazy cycle of accepting everything as it comes - but as I wrote yesterday in 8 Reasons Why You Should Embrace Living an Intentional Life - it comes down to ultimately a choice. Do I embrace today? Or do I allow emotions, circumstances, and negativity to sit in.

Kristen chose to rise above.

And friends, she chose this after losing her husband to a heart attack, being a single mom, and dealing with a job that was attempting to suck all the life from her. When she writes, she writes real and authentic. And as a person that has sat across the table from her I can completely assure you that she is just as real and authentic and wonderful in real life.

Her words, her encouragement, it can motivate, but beyond motivate it can truly help you look at your life, at the things that cause you stress, and it will help you determine a plan for living a life filled with more joy and intentionality.

The Happy Hour Effect is broken down into sections - the Introduction where she shares her story, Challenges, Work and Money, Core Life, Hobbies and Commitments, Dreams, and Putting it All Together. Within each of these sections are real strategies to get you looking at your life and challenges to you to start changing it for the better.

Here's an excerpt for you about getting better sleep, because lets face it - who doesn't need better sleep? I certainly do:

7 Tips for Better Sleep
By Kristen K. Brown, bestselling author and stress expert

One of the top contributors to lost energy and heightened stress is lack of sleep. We get so caught up in other activities or watching television that we don’t go to bed at a decent hour. Or we lay awake going over and over the problems of the day or worrying about the ones facing us tomorrow. We need sleep to rejuvenate and heal our bodies and minds. The time we spend in slumber allows us the rest we require to function at our best. Here are some ideas for bedtime:

1. Shut off the television at least an hour before bedtime to let your mind rest.
2. Save your bedroom for sleep only. Don’t read, watch television, talk on the phone, play video or computer games or work in bed or your body won’t associate it as a place for rest.
3. If you are a light sleeper and easily awoken by noises, invest in a white noise machine to mask the sounds of cars, pets, weather or other family members.
4. Before bedtime, set out your clothes for the next morning and make a list of all the things you have to do the next day so you won’t lay in bed thinking about them.
5. Don’t eat or exercise right before bedtime.
6. Relax before going to bed. Try deep breathing, meditation or other relaxation exercises in the hour before bedtime.
7. Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day including weekends. Your body will get into a rhythm making it easier to fall asleep.

Enjoy sleep and remember it is a time to heal, renew and refresh your body, mind and spirit!

Kristen K. Brown is a bestselling and award-winning author, widow mom, speaker and founder of Happy Hour Effect. Check out her books “The Best Worst Thing” and “The Happy Hour Effect: 12 Secrets to Minimize Stress and Maximize Life” at www.HappyHourEffect.com.

Kristen, thank you for blessing me with the opportunity to share your encouraging, wise, motivating, and heartfelt words with my readers. I am grateful for you.

Fabulous, right? If you'd like to see a press release graphic click HERE.

To purchase The Happy Hour for $14.95 simply click ->  The Happy Hour Effect: Twelve Secrets to Minimize Stress and Maximize Life

Make sure to pop back on November 12 to enter to win a 7 Week Stress Turn Around Program valued at $1500. Click Stress Turn Around to check it out - it's an amazing resource - it will take work, real work, but that is what living intentionally is truly about.

I'm blessed to be able to give away a signed copy of The Happy Hour Effect: 12 Secrets to Minimizing Stress and Maximizing Life  {or a digital version if you prefer} along with a Minimize Stress Kit {$69 retail value} to one of you. Simply enter via Rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure - Affiliate Links used within this post.
One final note: as I know I have many Christians who read my site please note that this book is not Christian based. This book is excellent and their are true life changing and life motivating strategies within Kristen's words. If you're looking for goals and living intentionally then Kristen does an amazing job of helping you develop a plan and implement it with action.

legacy bracelets giveaway

Trust me, this is one post that you're going to want to read and then enter. My dear {and I mean dear} friend Amy from Legacy Bracelets blessed me with another amazing bracelet and is also blessing you all with the chance to get your own bracelet.  These are extraordinary bracelets - heirloom pieces of jewelry that celebrate life and your story.

I'm really blessed to share with you about these amazing bracelets {and to partner with Melanie at the lovely site Only a Breath who is also giving away another Legacy Bracelet}.  The bracelets have a design on one side {Legacy Bracelets has an amazing selection of fabrics} and then on the other side you are given the opportunity to send in seven of your own pictures or add a phrase or words. Do you see on the picture above how the design is on the outside and then the pictures of Samuel are on the other side? And, the cool thing is they can be worn either way.

This time Legacy Bracelets made me a bracelet celebrating Samuel and his victory with Celiac Disease. This is truly dear to me as Amy was the friend that set with me in Children's Hospital fighting with me for Samuel. She knows just how important this story is for me to share and blessed me with a bracelet that is a beautiful starting point to talking about his story.

This bracelet is one that I can wear and then share with others about our journey and to continue to voice the need for Celiac Disease Awareness.  We took one of my favorite phrases - never never never give up - and incorporated it into the design. The lone black and white picture is from the week he was diagnosed with Celiac Disease - his eyes tell me the entire story - fight for me, momma, fight.

And I did.

The rest of the pictures, which are in color, are from the months from his diagnosis till today. They depict the life that he regained, bite by gluten free bite. I chose pictures of him fishing, and in the castle in the winter, and simply laughing. Life pictures. Victory.

Legacy bracelets are about celebrating your story. They are about family. They are about traditions. They are about bonds. They are about victory. And remembrance. And beauty. And life. And awareness. And growth. They are truly a celebration of joy.

Now, I am beyond thrilled to offer you the opportunity to win your own bracelet.  And, as an added bonus, remember to click over to Only a Breath to read Melanie's review and to enter her giveaway as well. When you're done here, pop over there click here and enter again. That's two chances in one day.

Thanks everyone. And Amy? Thank you. I am humbled to call you my friend and am so proud of the incredible ministry that you have with Legacy Bracelets. You change lives with each bracelet that you make. Just look at that bracelet with Samuel's story - you captured it so beautifully.

This giveaway will run from today, Tuesday October 16 through Friday October 19 at midnight. The winner must get their pictures to Legacy Bracelets by the end of October since their Christmas rush will begin shortly after that. Enter my giveaway via rafflecopter below and then click here to enter Melanie's. Thank you! And make sure to visit legacy bracelets as well. :-)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

disclosure: I received on Legacy Bracelets bracelet for review. I received no additional compensation. This giveaway is not associated with facebook. All opinions are my own. All pictures, except for the graphic at the end which is owned by Legacy Bracelets, are my own and can only be used with written permission.

I "Won't Back Down." Will you? {review & giveaway}

Many of you know my story and the incredible fight it was to get Samuel diagnosed with Celiac Disease. For months I had watched my little toddler fade away in front of me with no answer, no one really listening, and yet, I knew as his mother something was wrong.

The defining moment in my fight? The moment when I wouldn't back down? I was in the hospital. They were going to discharge Samuel and were telling me he was only sick because he was in a large family and was exposed to more germs.

Yet, I knew he was sick. The room was empty, and I was crying while I stared at my toddler sleeping on a bed besides me. I felt helpless. At that moment a nurse walked into the room, looked at me, and heard me exclaim, "Please, please...he needs help."

She grabbed my hands, looked me squarely in the eyes, and told me, "You sit yourself down. Your boy is really sick. You must fight for him. Do not leave. But fight." Something shifted.

I fought. I fought and fought and fought. And we got a diagnosis. And I still fight - for all the other mothers who are sitting in hospital rooms or in bedrooms or in clinics wondering what is wrong with their child and are begging for a simple Celiac lab draw that should be standard screening for all children.

That? That is where I'm not backing down.

I will not stop talking about Celiac Disease. I will not stop pushing for screening of Celiac Disease. I will not stop writing about gluten-free living and Celiac Disease. This? This is part of my responsibility as his mother. I won't back down.

The new Fox movie, Won't Back Down {release date September 28, 2012}, starring Oscar Nominees Maggie Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Rosie Perez and Academy Award Winner Holly Hunter, tells the story of two determined mothers {Gyllenhaal and Davis} whose minds are set on changing the system - the schools that their children attend.

They faced overwhelming obstacles and a system of bureaucracy for their children. It is a story of mothers taking a stand. Not backing down. There's a line in the movie - about having one life to live - that resonated deeply with me.

We've got today. Today, and we can make a difference. We can't live in regret, worry, and remorse - instead we need to live empowered and not backing down for those in our lives and taking a stand for what we believe in and know is right. We can make a difference.

I can make a difference in the Celiac Disease Community. I can push for Celiac Screening as needed screening for children.

You? You can make a difference as well. Maybe you talk to the mom alone at the park. Maybe you organize a school supply drive for a needy school. Maybe your city needs a safer park. Maybe you want better health options. Maybe. Make maybe a reality.

Consider going to see Won't Back Down with a group of friends on September 28. You can purchase group tickets on their Facebook page . And make sure to stay up to date with trailers and information on the Won't Back Down Facebook Page. Do me a favor - like their page - and let's stand together supporting moms who believe in an issue and won't back down.

Watch the powerful Won't Back Down trailer - I get a bit teary watching these mothers fight for what they believe in. And then when you're done, enter below for a chance to win one of two $40 Fandango gift cards. That's right, I'm blessed to be able to give away two gift cards to one of you!

Moms, we can make a difference in this world. We can be courageous, fight, share, and not back down. Truly we can.

To be entered to win one of two $40 Fandango Gift Cards simply answer the question below:
How can you be an agent for change in your community?
What gives you courage?

Official Rules: No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods: a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: ""#SweepstakesEntry""; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post" c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry. This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 9/5/12-9/30/12. Be sure to visit the Won't Back Down brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts and find more chances to win!

Drink your Capri Sun Super V! And $1000 Gift Card Giveaway!

Title: Drink your Capri Sun Super V! And $1000 Visa gift card Giveaway

In our home I'm pretty strict about the food that we eat and want to make our options healthy. But I also have kids - seven of them - and they want their food to taste good, to look cool, and to be fun. And, shhhh, I really like it for my kids to get their vegetables.

Since my almost three year old Samuel has Celiac Disease and can't eat gluten, I like to look for products that allow his normal to match the normal of his six siblings. I want his food to be just as fun and to not feel limiting. And I also need it to help supplement his diet and to provide that much-needed, extra nutritional boost.

Now there is one thing my kids love, beg, and hope will make it into the many grocery bags entering our home every week. That item? The single serve juice. And sigh, for years I've avoided purchasing this item as they've been loaded with other stuff that my growing {and energetic} kids didn't need.

That being said, my kids still want to have fun and cool food options and are thrilled when the juice enters our home. And I'm thrilled when I find juice that provides nutrients, like fiber, that makes them happy and me confident in my healthy mom choices.

The solution? Capri Sun Super V .

The secret weapon? Vegetables. Added to the drink. 1/4 veggies, 3/4 fruit. Perfection.

The super secret weapon? It tastes amazing, and those fab kids of mine absolutely love it! Here's the cool info - a pouch of Super V {make sure to visit their awesome site to learn more} contains a combined serving of fruits/veggies and 25% comes from the veggies incorporated into the drink.

I didn't tell my kids about the veggies when I gave them the pouch of Super V they had been begging for since the juice arrived. No, instead, I gave them the highly sought after container of Super V, watched them enjoy it with their snack {we had popcorn}, and then proceeded to tell them that the drink had a secret weapon - vegetables. Then they asked for another.

In my eyes? A success. Cool factor? Taken care of. Fruits and Veggies? As well. Well done, Capri Sun Super V, well done. So moms, now you can buy the cool Capri Sun drink and feel great about getting the healthy and cool choice. You can go right ahead and watch your kids jump for joy while sitting back knowing that they're getting that serving of fruits and veggies. That is the sought after win-win in food choices - kids love it/tastes great coupled with the healthy mom choice.

By the way, as long as we're chatting about healthy snacks, here's a list of ten of our favorite simple gluten free snacks that pair fabulously with Super V.

popcorn sprinkled with Parmesan cheese

sliced apples with peanut butter to dip

fresh cucumbers sprinkled with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar

organic corn chips with fresh salsa

toasted gluten free bread with butter and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar

tomato slices or if you're my boys a whole tomato from my garden

carrots and celery with sour cream ranch dip

trail mix {make your own or make sure it is gluten free}

gluten free pretzels with honey mustard dip

gluten free rice crackers with slices of cheddar cheese

Now for the super fun sweepstakes sponsored by BlogHer for a $1000 Visa Gift Card and a $500 runner up Gift Card. Simply comment below answering this question.

How do you incorporate fruits and veggies into your kids' diets?

Learn more about the new Capri Sun Super V on Facebook and check out BlogHer.com to find more Capri Sun Super V reviews!

Rules: No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods: a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry. Entries from all participating blogs will be pooled for winner selection; only two entries per household. This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 8/16/2012-9/16/2012. Be sure to visit the sponsor's brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

Finally, just for fun, a video of Brennan discovering {by quickly reading the label} that Super V contains my secret weapon - vegetables. Enjoy and enter to win below! Thank you BlogHer&Capri Sun Super V!

042 from Rachel Martin

My Well Planned Day Digital {Giveaway & Review}

You know how I write about letting the planner and the schedule go at times, right? Well, there's a truth that's implied in that statement. That truth? That there is a plan. I may not be the world's best planner, but I do recognize the value in having a plan and truly do function better when I do have a plan. And to have a plan, one must have a planner. :)

For years I've use The Well Planned Day planner as the go-to planner. How could I not? It's gorgeous, artsy, and worked perfectly for my family. Well, this year I'm going to be using the Well Planned Day Digital Planner. Which, by the way, is perfect for me. In case you haven't realized I tend to gravitate towards things media driven.

I've been given the opportunity to explore, try out, and review this awesome program. Now, please note that I haven't actually added anything to my planner yet {I might have been in NYC} but I have had time to play around with it and begin to set it up for the year. I've added subjects that each of the kids are studying and have started creating a basic structure for the year.

First cool thing I noticed? There is space for me to add ALL of my children. This is huge. No longer do I have to scrunch them together, or have them share a line, or get two planners - with The Well Planned Day Digital I can have them all on one planner. Insert sigh of relief and ultimate sigh for feeling organized. It is a huge blessing to be able to see all my kids schedules in one spot.

Get this: these are just some of the categories that can help you feel ultra organized - Budgeting, Calendar, Chores, Menu, Memories, Projects, Shopping, ToDos {ah, the list I write so much about}, all in addition to all the homeshool planning tools.  It's the physical planner on my screen. With the ability to transfer subjects without erasing, erasing, erasing, and adding new lines. I might just know how that happens.

This year? I will be using My Well Planned Day Digital. Feel free to ask questions how it's going and where I am on track. I just need a go-to reference guide for my day and week otherwise I really do feel like I'm just treading water or racing behind. This digital edition of My Well Planned Day will be my daily go-to guide.

Want to buy it? 
I was given a coupon code to share with you all - simply type in 09wpdblog12 to save $15 off of the $65 purchase price {code is case sensitive}. 

Would you like to win your own copy of My Well Planned Day?
Enter via Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is not connected to any social media site. All reviews and opinions are my own. I received a copy of My Well Planned Day in exchange for a fair and honest review. Graphic images are courtesy of HEDUA. All photographic images are my own. This giveaway, due to international sweepstake laws is ONLY open to US Residents. 

the dove challenge - a review and $500 spa finder giveaway

Grin. Confession time. I am was a wash with water only kind of gal. For some reason, I've forgotten the fact that with each passing day I'm also getting a day older and have kind of neglected some important things like skin care. And now, today, when I'm inbetween those 30s and 40s but getting closer to the latter {shhhh} I've begun to realize that I must start taking care of that sun kissed skin of mine and need products that work.

Enter Dove Body Wash. With the tagline: Visibly more beautiful skin from a body wash. Enter me. In need of some serious summer skin help - after all there aren't any winter coats and snowpants and boots and all of that to grab when it's over 90 degrees outside. Plus, I love that word renewing. I'm in the need of some skin renewing over here.

I am so thankful that I got a chance to review this revolutionary premium body wash from Dove. Because, again, confession - I'm the gal that can spend a good 24.3 minutes in Target standing in the body wash aisle trying to figure out what to buy and probably sending the Target security guy to head over and check out what that gal with the diapers, gluten free cereal, t-shirt, 2 pounds of grapes, and packs of 25cent Back to School Crayons is doing stalled in the beauty section. Yeah, that would be me.

So, I thought to myself, this is a good chance for me to try a product, that I'm needing, and it's a product that I already know and have high opinion of. Send me the Dove! And they did - the brown ups truck shows up, hands the package, the kids jump up and down and there it is - my Dove. And perfect timing, as we were going to the lake where they have hard water {or no power}and most times I come home with skin that is dry and scratchy like the sand we've been playing in.

Not this time. Nope.

Difference? Dove Visible Care Body Wash.

The challenge? To see if there was any difference in my skin in one week - and grin - I chose the week at the lake. The hardest week of the year on my skin - sun, swimming, hard water - and Dove won. I came home better than I left and I'm thanking it to NutriumMoisture technology - that's what they call it - I call it amazing good stuff that works and makes me feel great. And young.

So Dove, you've convinced this momma of seven who used to get stuck in Target trying to figure out what body wash to buy - that now I'm sticking you in my cart. 

Want to grab your own bottle of Dove to try? Grab this coupon for $1 off - Visit Dove^® VisibleCare^® to get a coupon for $1 off! - and feel like a coupon diva. Because, sigh, my other thing at Target is hating the  mumbling no when they ask if I have any coupons - and now you can proudly say why yes, yes I do and hand them over your Dove coupon.

Just so you know there are three kinds of this wash: New Dove® VisibleCare Toning Crème Body Wash { promotes skin’s elasticity and strength}, Renewing Body Wash {nourishes and replenishes skin}, and Softening Body Wash {softens skin and dry spots}. Make sure to visit Dove  to find out more. 

Now for the fab giveaway portion {sponsored by Blogher and Dove} - read their direction carefully please!

Just tell me why you need that $500 Spafinder gift certificate - that's the prompt {please remember the sponsored directions}

Enter to win one of two $500 Spafinder gift certificates!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
COMMENTS TO THIS POST ARE NOT SWEEPSTAKES ENTRIES. 
PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR ENTRY METHODS FOR THIS SWEEPSTAKES.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Follow this link, and provide your email address and your response to the Promotion prompt
b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: "#SweepstakesEntry"; and then visit this link to provide your email address and the URL to that Tweet.
c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and then visit this link to provide your email address and the URL to that post.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age
18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. Winners will have 72 hours to claim the prize, or an alternative winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 7/18/2012 - 8/22/2012

Be sure to visit the Dove^® VisibleCare™ Crème Body Wash brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

Thanks Blogher and thank you Dove!

disclosure: this is a sponsored review by blogher and dove. all opinions and pictures are my own. 

what would you do with $500? {a giveaway. seriously.}

It's summer, and even though it's time to rest we all know fall is creeping right around the corner. And with fall? Expenses - school, clothes, extra curricular activities, things to replace, fix, change and more. I know I'm looking at my list of homeschool curriculum needs and have begun budgeting expenses. So, if you're like me, a bit extra cash in your wallet would be a huge blessing and a great way to kick off the fall season!  

Today, I'm blessed to be a part of a group of bloggers who have teamed up to offer a $500 cash giveaway via paypal. No paypal? Don't worry you can choose an Amazon or Target {wouldn't that be fun} giftcard instead. Best part? It's super easy to enter.

Mandatory entry - leave a comment on the blog post below the Rafflecopter and tell us how you would spend your winnings. Do not forget to indicate on the Rafflecopter that you left a comment.

Want extra entries? Like the sponsor's Facebook pages and follow them on Twitter. {There are options if you don't have facebook or twitter.} It's that simple! The buttons below? They are the websites of all the wonderful sponsors who worked hard to put this together. Take a bit and visit their sites!

a Rafflecopter giveaway