Del Monte Fruit Review & Giveaway

One of the things I love about camping these days is that we have the RV pretty well stocked.  When we head off on a trip, we add food to the refrigerator and pantry and pack a couple outfits.  Del Monte sent me some new fruit cups and squeezers the day before we headed out on our last camping trip.  I'm glad I snapped this picture before we left, since it was all gone by the end!

My kids enjoy fruit, and fruit cups and squeezers are a convenient thing to add to a lunch, eat while driving down the road in our RV, or added to a meal.  I actually froze the pineapple-mango cups before we left, and the kids ate the slushy treat after they thawed out a bit.

I love that there are more choices than peaches, pears and applesauce! The mango cups and the mango-pineapple were big hits with all the kids.  I'd tell you what I thought myself, but I'll have to buy some more to find out!  The FruitBurst squeezers were quickly gone as well, but I did snag one of the peach-mango flavored ones that was tasty.  My kids have already asked me to buy more mango cups!

Some nutrition and other details about the FruitBurst squeezers and cups: 

Made in the U.S.A., Del Monte® Fruit Burst®Squeezers contain 1 ½ servings of fruit or fruit and veggies and are an excellent source of vitamins A and C. In addition, Del Monte® Fruit Burst®Squeezers contain no artificial flavors or high fructose corn syrup.

Fruit Burst® Fruit + Veggie Squeezers:
- Peach-Mango: Pear puree concentrate, water, pumpkin juice concentrate, peach puree concentrate, pear juice concentrate, carrot juice concentrate, carrot puree, mango puree concentrate, natural flavors, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), citric acid.
- Blueberry: Pear puree concentrate, water, pumpkin juice concentrate, pear juice concentrate, natural flavors, carrot puree, blueberry puree concentrate, fruit and vegetable extracts for color, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), citric acid.

Fruit Burst® Simply Fruit Squeezers:
- Apple Cinnamon: Pear puree concentrate, water, apple puree concentrate, pear juice concentrate, natural flavors, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), cinnamon, malic acid.
- Mixed Berry: Pear puree concentrate, water, pear juice concentrate, natural flavors, strawberry puree, red raspberry puree concentrate, blueberry puree concentrate, fruit and vegetable extracts for color, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), malic acid.
- Strawberry: Pear puree concentrate, water, pear juice concentrate, strawberry puree concentrate, natural flavors, carmine, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), malic acid.

Mango Fruit Cup® Snacks
- These rich and luscious mangos are a healthy way to add a little sweetness to your day - fat-free, cholesterol free, and high in Vitamin C - that you can enjoy anywhere.
Mango Pineapple Fruit Cup® Snacks:
- Del Monte® Mango Pineapple Fruit Cup® Snacks combine two of the world’s most popular fruits: mango and pineapple. Made with rich and luscious mangos and pineapple, they contain no high fructose corn syrup and are a rich source of vitamin C.

I know how important it is to provide plenty of healthy snacks for our kids! I'm happy that DelMonte is sponsoring a giveaway on my blog for one of my readers to receive 2 VIP coupons for DelMonte fruit, as well as a $25 WalMart gift certificate to help you out on your next grocery trip!

To enter the giveaway, FOLLOW THIS LINK and fill out the form.  The name of the giveaway is DelMonte and the mandatory question is: What is your favorite fruit?  A winner will be chosen and notified on February 27, 2014.  

*Disclosure: I received a gift pack in exchange for my review.  All opinions expressed are my own. Products for the giveaway were provided by DelMonte.*

Eggland's Best Eggs - Delicious! (Sponsored Giveaway!)

I was offered the opportunity to host a brunch with Eggland's Eggs.  They sent me a gorgeous ceramic bowl, coupons for eggs, a cute cutting board and other goodies.

If you've been with me, you know the last 6 months have been long and stressful. Bo doesn't really like eggs, but when he's out of town, scrambled cheesy eggs is my go-to comfort meal for me and the kids.  It's a meal that I know will be met with agreement by all, and I know it fills their tummies. In fact, tonight was just such a night -- Bo out of town and we were feeling a bit out of sorts, so scrambled eggs with cinnamon sugar toast was dinner.  It was delicious!

I did remember the task given me, however, and last week we enjoyed a wonderful Sunday morning breakfast with french toast (made with Eggland eggs) and fresh berries.  And, later that day, I made this wonderful pineapple upside down cake (link to recipe)  In fact, there are a bunch of great recipes at the Eggland website.

One thing I learned at their website is that the polystyrene containers are recyclable, and have less environmental impact than the paper cartons!   I also like the fact that the feed they give chickens does not contain any animal byproducts,  hormones, antibiotics or other nasty stuff.

If you want to learn more about them, you can check them out in a variety of places:

• Eggland's Best Eggs website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest

I'm excited to tell you that they have a great gift pack for one of my readers!  

The gift pack includes a coupon for Eggland's Best Eggs, a ceramic bowl, a ceramic mug, a wooden cutting board, a whisk, a scraper and a reusable bag!  If you would like to enter the giveaway, please follow this link to my giveaway page and fill out the necessary information.  Entries in the comments will not count for the giveaway.  On the giveaway page, you will enter your name, email, name of giveaway and answer to mandatory question.  You will get an extra entry if you have liked my Facebook page.

Giveaway ends April 17, 2013!

Name of Giveaway: EGGS!
Mandatory Question: Which recipe from the Eggland site would you like to try?

Good Luck!!

*Disclosure: I was provided information and products from Eggland's Best Eggs to facilitate this post.  They also provided the gift pack to give away. This is a sponsored post.*

Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust Review / Giveaway

My family loves pizza.  Whether it's takeout, delivery, or homemade, I think my husband and boys would be happy to eat pizza 3 or 4 nights a week.  I know we'll have pizza this Sunday for the Super Bowl!

While sometimes Bo enjoys making pizza completely from scratch (and he makes an excellent crust & pizza sauce!), we don't always have time to wait for the dough to rise and rest.  For those nights when I really don't want to spend the extra money on delivery or takeout, premade crusts are a great way to go!

Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crusts come in a tube available in the refrigerated section, and roll out into a beautiful crust.  Topped with our own toppings, it makes a quick meal that satisifies everyone.

If you want to try out the Artisan Pizza Crusts, Pillsbury has a $1.50 coupon available for download right now!   Pillsbury also has a ton of great recipes available to check out.  Bo likes that this crust is easy to grill, just like his own crust.

I have a fun prize pack to give away to one of my readers.  This giveaway ends on January 30, 2013, so don't delay in entering!   You will receive a pizza pan, a pizza cutter, a football shaped cutting board and a coupon for a free Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust. (similar to what's shown above)

To enter the giveaway, I need you to CLICK HERE TO GO TO GIVEAWAY FORM. Once you're there, fill in your information, including the information below:

Name of Giveaway: Pillsbury Pizza
Mandatory Question: What's your favorite pizza topping?

The giveaway will end on January 30, 2013You can find all my giveaway rules linked on the top right of my blog. (Giveaway open only to US addresses.) Good Luck!!

As always, if you like my blog's Facebook page, you can earn an extra entry. (Even if you've already liked it in the past you will receive an extra entry!) My blog's Facebook page is found here (www.facebook.com/mylittlepatchofsunshine)

Disclosure: The product, gift pack, information, and additional sample have been provided by Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark.

Disney on Ice Dare to Dream in Phoenix (Discount Code & Giveaway!)

Do you have a Disney princess fan in your home?  I do, and I can't wait to take her to the latest Disney on Ice show -- Dare to Dream -- that is coming to Phoenix January 9 - 13, 2013 at the US Airways Center.

This show is all about the princesses, and I know Lydia will be thrilled to see her favorites!  There will be scenes from Tangled, Princess and the Frog, and of course -- Cinderella!  The skaters are always amazing and breathtaking, and I have never left a show disappointed. In fact, each show seems to be better than the last.

For this show, Disney on Ice is doing something new and offering one show entirely in Spanish.  The Sunday, 4:30 performance will be presented in Spanish only.

You can buy tickets now through Ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.   My readers can use the code RAPUNZEL to receive $5 off each ticket (excluding VIP and Front Row Seats, no double discounts.)  Tickets can also be purchased at the US Airways box office.

WHEN: The show is running:  January 9 – 13, 2013

• Wednesday, January 9th – 7:00 p.m.
• Thursday, January 10th – 7:00 p.m. 
• Friday, January 11th – 10:30 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.
• Saturday, January 12th – 11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
• Sunday, January 13th – 1:00 p.m. & 4:30 p.m.* *Spanish Language Performance

WHERE: US Airways Center – 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004

TICKETS: Ticket price levels are $14, $18, $25, $40 (VIP) and $70 (Front Row). Opening Night 50% Off discount tickets available for “Buy One Get One Free” (excluding VIP & Front Row seating and limited to 6 tickets per order).

Feld Entertainment has generously offered me a family pack of 4 tickets to give away to one of my readers!

To enter the giveaway, I need you to CLICK HERE TO GO TO GIVEAWAY FORM. Once you're there, fill in your information, including the information below:

Name of Giveaway: Disney on Ice
Mandatory Question: Who is your favorite princess?

The giveaway will end on December 24, 2012. You can find all my giveaway rules linked on the top right of my blog.  Giveaway open only to readers in the metro Phoenix area who can attend the show on Wednesday, January 9, 2013.
Good Luck!!

As always, if you like my blog's Facebook page, you can earn an extra entry. (Even if you've already liked it in the past you will receive an extra entry!) My blog's Facebook page is found here (www.facebook.com/mylittlepatchofsunshine)

I hope to see you at the show!

*Disclosure: I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events. Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine.*

Tiny Prints Holiday Cards Giveaway

Even before Colin was born, Bo & I sent out Photo Christmas Cards (okay, I think we only sent them out the Christmas after our wedding - and then since we've had kids we've sent photo cards each year.)

This year, I'm going to try out Tiny Prints.  Their designs are modern and fun, and I love their new thicker paper that the cards are printed on.  Check out this cute video about their premium double thick paper -


Have you taken photos yet for your holiday cards?  We haven't, but I plan to try and get them done next weekend.  I love the photo cards that include multiple pictures, so I don't have to try and get a good picture of all 3 kids in a single shot!

I want to help you get your holiday cards completed this season!  Tiny Prints has generously given me a $50 credit that I can give away to one of my readers!  (does not include shipping & cannot be combined with any other promos. The credit must be used by 12/14/12 -- NO extensions.)

To enter the giveaway, I need you to CLICK HERE TO GO TO GIVEAWAY FORM. Once you're there, fill in your information, including the information below:

Name of Giveaway: Tiny Prints
Mandatory Question: Have you taken your holiday photo yet?

The giveaway will end on November 15, 2012. You can find all my giveaway rules linked on the top right of my blog. (Giveaway open only to US addresses.) Good Luck!!

As always, if you like my blog's Facebook page, you can earn an extra entry. (Even if you've already liked it in the past you will receive an extra entry!) My blog's Facebook page is found here (www.facebook.com/mylittlepatchofsunshine)

If you want more information about Tiny Prints, you can find them at these social media channels:

• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tinyprints
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/tinyprints
• Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/tiny_prints/
• Instagram: Tiny Prints
• Google +: https://plus.google.com/+tinyprints/
• Blog: http://blog.tinyprints.com/

*Disclosure: I received a promotional credit for myself, as well as credit to give away, from Tiny Prints in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.*

Review: Your Santa Story and GIVEAWAY

Last Christmas morning, after presents were unwrapped, I looked at our DVD player and asked "What's this?"  I popped the DVD into the player and a picture of Santa Claus appeared on the screen.  Then, he began talking to my kids by name -- he mentioned Nate's soccer playing, Colin's love for reading and Lydia's ballet dancing. Lydia's eyes lit up, and even skeptical Nate & Colin weren't sure what to make of it.

Thanks to Your Santa Story, we were able to add another magical moment to our Christmas celebration.  What I really liked was that Santa spoke right to my kids -- it wasn't a computer generated voice, or a computer filling in the blanks.  The story was told from beginning to end by Santa, and it showed.

I admit I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was extremely impressed. I watched it right after we received it, and I almost couldn't wait until Christmas morning to show the kids!  I am glad I waited, though, because their reaction was priceless.

Because of the complete customization of these videos, there are only a limited number produced.  If you want Santa to visit your living room this Christmas, order early!  The process is simple -- you fill out a form with various details and information, review the script,  then submit with payment ($29.95). They can customize your story for military families, ex-pat families, or even use sign language.

Check out their promotional video -- (I made a video of the kids last year, but the boys taped over it with some Lego movie creation.)  The middle of it shows Santa in his workshop talking to a family, just like the video that could be created for you.

You can find them on their website -- www.yoursantastory.com, and also on Facebook, Twitter and even Pinterest.

I'm very excited that I have one code to give away to a reader to make their own personalized Santa Story!  I want to make sure you get it in plenty of time, so this giveaway will end on November 9, 2012.

To enter the giveaway, I need you to CLICK HERE TO GO TO GIVEAWAY FORM.  Once you're there, fill in your information, including the information below:

Name of Giveaway: Your Santa Story

Mandatory Question: Share with me a favorite holiday tradition

You can find all my giveaway rules linked on the top right of my blog.  (Giveaway open only to US addresses.) Good Luck!!

As always, if you like my blog's Facebook page, you can earn an extra entry.  (Even if you've already liked it in the past you will receive an extra entry!)  My blog's Facebook page is found here (www.facebook.com/mylittlepatchofsunshine)

*Disclosure: I received a video last year, thanks to Your Santa Story and MomSelect and will receive another one this year. All opinions are my own.*

Green Giant Veggie Giveaway

Green Giant has come out with a new variety of frozen vegetables, named "Seasoned Steamers."   There are 6 varieties to choose from.  The thing I like about them is that they don't have a sauce.  My family doesn't like sauces on vegetables, but I like frozen vegetables because they are easy and the nutritional content is preserved through freezing.

These vegetables are seasoned, but not sauced.  We tried the Mediterranean Blend pictured to the left and everyone ate their vegetables!  (Not an easy feat in this house.)

My Blog Spark and Green Giant are offering a $1 coupon for you to print and use on your next shopping trip. (Coupon Link)  You can also find information, recipes and more at the Green Giant Facebook page.

I also have a fun giveaway for one of my readers.  You can win a nice white serving bowl, a slotted serving spoon, a fun vegetable print apron, and a coupon for a FREE bag of Green Giant Seasoned Steamers.

To enter the giveaway, I need you to CLICK HERE TO GO TO GIVEAWAY FORM.  Once you're there, fill in your information, including the information below:

Name of Giveaway: Seasoned Steamers

Mandatory Question: Which variety would you like to try? (check out flavors here)

The giveaway will end on November 11, 2012.  You can find all my giveaway rules linked on the top right of my blog.  (Giveaway open only to US addresses.) Good Luck!!

As always, if you like my blog's Facebook page, you can earn an extra entry.  (Even if you've already liked it in the past you will receive an extra entry!)  My blog's Facebook page is found here (www.facebook.com/mylittlepatchofsunshine)

“Disclosure: The coupons, information, and gift packs have been provided by Green Giant® through MyBlogSpark.”

Review: HP Deskjet 3052A Wireless Printer

I've been on the lookout for an e-Printer so I could easily print from my iPhone and iPad.  When I was asked to check out the HP Deskjet 3052A Wireless e-All-In-One Printer, I hoped that it would meet my needs.  Thanks to HP, Wal-Mart & MomSelect, I was able to try one out and even invite a few friends over so they could play with it, too!

When the printer arrived, I put it aside thinking I would need a little time to get it set up.  Then, it came time to have a few friends over and I needed to get the printer set up ASAP!  Thankfully, the set up process was easy and the printer and included software walked me through the steps.  I think it was about 10 minutes from unpacking to printing!

One thing that was a little thing, but that I thought was clever, was that the plastic bag the printer was in had a handle to make it easier to lift out of the box.  Sometimes, it's the small things that really add up.

I easily created a personalized HP email address, and thought it was so cool that I could email documents to the printer from anywhere and they would print.  It's like a fax machine without the telephone line!  (Especially useful since we don't have a land line.)  The only thing that occurred when using that feature was that a couple of the documents I sent didn't print because the  printer thought they were spam.

I also liked that I could set the printer to only accept emails from select email addresses.  That would ensure I wouldn't receive any junk sent to my printer.

Then, I tried printing from my iPhone.  It quickly printed an email and also a picture from my photo album with no problem.  When I tried the same from my iPad -- again, no problems!

And, finally, to be truly useful I need to be able to print to it from my laptop.  Again, it quickly connected and printed out a document that I was working on and wanted to edit with a red pen.  I was ready to show it off!

Once my friends with smart phones connected to our home's wifi, they were able to easily print from their phones, too! If I didn't want to connect them all to my wifi, I could have allowed all email addresses to print to my printer and they could have sent emails to print documents or pictures.

HP has some great templates available on their site for download and use.  Things like greeting cards, recipe cards, and even small boxes that can be put together.  We had fun checking out the different templates available and printing them out.

This printer takes HP XL Cartridges. The cartridges (black and tri-color) are less than $30 each and print more than cartridges in the past.

The HP 3052A is also a copier and a scanner, so it's an excellent all-around printer.

Right now, the printer is under $100 at Wal-Mart.  In fact, I was sent $10 gift cards to share with my friends who came to look at the printer, and I have one left over to give away to one of my readers!  To enter the giveaway, CLICK HERE to fill out my giveaway form.  Use the following information to fill it in completely:

Name of Giveaway: WalMart and HP
Mandatory Question: What's the first thing you would print from your smartphone / tablet / or via email?

Remember, comments left below are NOT entered in the giveaway. For an extra entry, "like" my blog's Facebook page and mention it in the form.  If you've already liked the page, just let me know and you'll earn an extra entry!

I'll choose a winner on my birthday, November 10, 2012!   Good Luck!!

*Disclosure: I received a printer, ink cartridges and gift cards from HP, WalMart and MomSelect.  All opinions stated are my own.*

Review: SAFESKIN First Aid Antibacterial Gel (GIVEAWAY)

Recently, I was sent a tube of Safeskin First Aid Antibacterial Gel to try out.  The thing that interested me about this gel is that is provides a barrier to MRSA, and offers 48 hours of antibacterial protection.

When I came home from the hospital after Lydia's birth, I brought home a staph infection.  That infection ended up leaving a scar on my hand, and I unknowingly infected Lydia because it was misdiagnosed at first. It took almost a year before we were finally rid of the staph infection completely.

Because of that experience, I'm always careful to wash the kids' cuts and protect them with anti-bacterial gel.  I really like the fact that this gel from Kimberly Clark has been tested and proven effective against MRSA (an especially virulent form of the staph bacteria.)

Within a day of receiving the gel, I managed to cut my finger.  I reached for this new tube and was pleased to note that it was a clear gel, with no scent. I followed the instructions on the packaging by putting the gel on the cut and the surrounding area and then covering with a bandage.  A couple days later, the skin was healed nicely.

Another thing I like about this gel is that it is made in the USA. You know that I love to purchase things that are made locally, or at least in the US.

If you want to try it out, you can print a coupon from Coupons.com for $1 off a tube that is good at select Wal-Mart stores.  You can find more information on their Facebook page as well.

I also have a tube to give away to one of my readers!  If you're interested in entering the giveaway, please CLICK HERE so that you are sent over to my giveaway information collection page.  When you are on the form, fill in your name, email, and also the name of the giveaway and your answer to my mandatory question listed below.  (Entries left in the comments section below will not be included in the random drawing.)

I'll choose a winner on November 8, 2012.

Name of Giveaway:  Safeskin
Mandatory Question:  How many tubes of antibacterial gel do you have in your home?

Good Luck!

*Disclosure: MomSelect and Safeskin provided me with a tube of antibacterial gel and a gift card to facilitate my review. All opinions are mine.*

America's Tooth Fairy, SparX Candy & A Giveaway

Have you heard about America's Tooth Fairy Organization? It's a non-profit that helps kids-in-need receive dental care.  It only takes $120 raised to protect a child's smile for a whole year!  The organization, also known as National Children's Oral Health Foundation, is dedicated to providing oral health educational, preventive and treatment services for children of our most vulnerable populations. For more information about America's ToothFairy, visit www.AmericasToothFairy.org.

To help raise awareness this Halloween, they have teamed with SparX Candy (a great candy sweetened with xylitol, a sweetener that  has been shown to be healthy for teeth by clinical studies).  SparX Candy is a great treat to hand out on Halloween to support healthy teeth, while still giving out candy.  

I would love it if you would check out America's Tooth Fairy and consider a donation to this wonderful organization.  No kid should suffer pain from untreated dental problems, and every kid should have the tools to help protect their teeth!

America's Tooth Fairy & SparX have offered to give one of my readers a 30 pack of Halloween SparX Candy.   All you need to do to enter is CLICK HERE and fill out my giveaway form.  The required information you will need to fill out that form is below:

Name of Giveaway: America's Tooth Fairy

Mandatory Question: How many minutes should you brush your teeth each day?

I will choose a winner by October 10, 2012 so the candy can arrive by Halloween!  

It's not required, but you will earn an extra entry in the giveaway if you "like" my blog's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/mylittlepatchofsunshine)

Good Luck!

Crayola Back to School Gift Pack Giveaway!

When I was a kid, I always preferred Crayola crayons over any others, and would ask my mom to get me the bright yellow box.  I loved getting a box of 64 crayons with the sharpener built in!

When I had kids of my own, Crayola was the brand I went to when we needed crayons or colored pencils. It was also what I looked for in other art supplies, as their products have grown over the last 100+ years to much more than crayons.

Their website is full of art and craft ideas, and I love the fact that they have a solar farm that generates enough energy to create 1 billion crayons and 500 million markers a year.

Crayola and My Blog Spark recently sent me a box of Crayola goodies to celebrate the start of the school year.  When I opened the box, all 3 of my kids' eyes lit up and they were excited to see what new things they had to play with.

Colin immediately wanted the Crayola Dual-Sided Dry Erase Board!  Lydia jumped at the Window Markers with Crystal Effects and immediately set to decorating our back door windows.  I confess, I grabbed the sticky notes, and Nate was thrilled with the Wild Notes Subject Notebook and index cards (perfect for studying spelling words.)

The next best thing to having these fun supplies to play with is the chance to give some away to one of my readers as well!  I have a kit that includes:

• Crayola Bright Fabric Markers
• Crystal Effects Window Markers
• Crayola Window Mega Markers
• Wild Notes Index Cards
• Wild Notes Sticky Notes
• Wild Notes 1 Subject Notebook

To enter this giveaway, I need you to note the giveaway name and mandatory question listed below, then CLICK to go to my Giveaway Form and fill out the required information.  I do my giveaways this way so that your email doesn't have to be left in public on my site.  Only entries left on my giveaway form will count towards the giveaway; any comments left below will not be entered.

Name of Giveaway: Crayola Fun
Mandatory Question:  What's your favorite crayon color?

You will receive one extra entry if you also "like" my Facebook page.  Thanks!

I will choose a winner using random.org on September 5, 2012.  For all my giveaway rules, please see my giveaway rules.  Good Luck!!

*Disclosure: The information, products and additional Crayola Back-to-School gift pack was provided by Crayola® through MyBlogSpark.*

Box Tops for Education (and a gift card giveaway!)

 Do you collect box tops for your local school?  When we home-schooled, I didn't pay much attention to box tops, but when the boys moved into public school, we began to learn about them.

It's an easy way to help schools raise money for much needed equipment, supplies, and more.  When you purchase something from General Mills that has a "Box Top for Education" graphic, then you can cut those out and send them in with your child to school.  The school gathers them up and sends them in to redeem.  It's easy for everyone!

Right now, as part back to school, Wal-Mart has teamed up with General Mills and is offering certain items that offer even more box tops than usual!  You can visit the "Earn More For My School" website to learn the details, but basically, if you purchase specially marked items at Wal-Mart, they will be worth 4 box tops, instead of one.

I'm excited that I have a $25 Wal-Mart gift card to send out to one of my wonderful readers, thanks to Wal-Mart and General Mills.

If you'd like to enter the giveaway, you will CLICK HERE (yep, right on those words!) and fill out my Google docs giveaway form.  On August 25, 2012, I will randomly choose one entry to receive the gift card.

When you click over to the page, you will need this information:

Name of Giveaway:  Box Tops
Mandatory Question: What is your school raising funds for this year?  (my kids' school is raising funds for a rock wall!)

Good Luck!!

Find out more about Box Tops for Education at their Facebook site, or on Twitter.

*Disclosure: The Walmart gift card, information, and additional gift pack have been provided by General Mills and Walmart through MyBlogSpark.*

Pillsbury Baguette Chips - Giveaway!

Recently, we tried out 2 new varieties of Pillsbury Baguette Chips -- Italian Cheese & Herb and Cheddar Sun-dried Tomato.  They are definitely crunchy, and we found that they were great complements to crumble over a salad, or dip into hummus.

The chips have 130 calories per serving (21 chips), and have 1/2 the fat of regular potato chips.

Thanks to Pillsbury and MyBlogSpark, I have 6 bags to give away to one of my readers!  You will receive 3 bags of each variety to snack with!   They'd be great if you have a party planned soon!

To enter the giveaway, please CLICK HERE to fill out my giveaway form.  The necessary information you will need is your name, email, the giveaway name (below) and the answer to my question (below).  I'll choose a winner on July 9, 2012.

Giveaway Name: Chips
Mandatory Question: What is your favorite snack?

You can learn more about the chips via Pillsbury's website, or their Facebook page.  If you want to try them out right away, click here for a .75 coupon!

Good Luck!

*Disclosure: The product, gift pack, information, and additional sample have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.*

National Donut Day & Entenmann's Giveaway!

Today is National Donut Day and I have two $6 Entenmanns coupons to give away!

National Donut Day has been celebrated for the last 75 years and was started by the Salvation Army as a way to raise funds for their social service programs.

Entenmann's Bakery has made more than 4 billion donuts since it was founded in 1898.  I think that's pretty amazing!

One of my favorite Entenmann's donuts is the chocolate covered one.  They have been making those since 1972 and it is their #1 best seller.

Entenmann's is currently running a sweepstakes where you could win free donuts for a year!  Check it out through this link!

After you've entered the sweepstakes for a year's worth of donuts, enter my giveaway for a free box of yummy Entenmann's baked goods.  I have two $6 certificates and I'll send one to two of my readers.  Just CLICK HERE to pop over to my giveaway form and answer the simple, mandatory questions.

Name of Giveaway: DONUTS!
Mandatory Question: What's your favorite donut?

I'll choose a winner on June 3, 2012. (UPDATE: Winners have been chosen & notified.  Thanks for reading!)

It's not required for this giveaway, but I would really appreciate it if you would like my blog's page on Facebook.  You'll find me at www.facebook.com/mylittlepatchofsunshine  Thank you!!  And Good Luck!

*Disclosure: I received the adorable donut plush and coupons to give away from Entenmann's.  No additional compensation was provided.*

$100 Giveaway: Stanley Steemer

When I first got notice about an opportunity to review Stanley Steemer, I thought "I only have 2 rooms of carpet left, and they will be ripped out shortly!"  When I looked more carefully, I found that Stanley Steemer also cleans tile floors -- and I definitely have those!

We have another busy summer planned, and I have planned to de-clutter so that the house is easier to keep up with.  Having my kitchen floor deep-cleaned by a professional is something that we have talked about for a few years now, so I'm excited to see the difference once they visit.

Stanley Steemer cleaned more than 200 tons of dirt last year!  One of the reasons we've gotten rid of most of the carpet in our house (with the last 2 rooms planned for the summer) is to combat allergies.  Having your carpets regularly cleaned also helps combat allergies by removing allergens from carpets -- especially in bedrooms.  And, even regular cleaning of tile floors can't always keep the grout looking clean.

Want to see Stanley Steemer in action? Check out the Stanley Steemer van and crew as they visited fellow blogger Corine Ingrassia’s home of Complicated Mama:

 

I will share before / after photos of my own cleaning in the next couple weeks, but before that, I wanted to share an awesome giveaway, thanks to Stanley Steemer and My Blog Spark.

**The winner has been chosen & notified!  Thanks for reading & watch for future giveaways!**

I have a $100 gift certificate to Stanley Steemer to help you with your spring cleaning this year!  As always, my giveaways are easy to enter.  All I ask is that you follow this link to go to my Giveaway Form, where you leave your information and answer one simple question.

Name of Giveaway: Stanley Steemer
Mandatory Question: What room will you spring clean first?

The giveaway will end on May 10, 2012.  Good Luck!!  And, don't forget to come back to see my Stanley Steemer visit!

You can visit Stanley Steemer's website, on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter.

And, while it's not a requirement, I would really appreciate it if you would "like" my blog's Facebook page.  I recently created it, and would love to have more readers there!  Thank you!

“Disclosure: The gift certificate, information, and additional gift pack have been provided by Stanley Steemer through MyBlogSpark.”

Nutrition Possible (Giveaway!!)

March is Nutrition Month and I recently received an email with information about a website powered by Centrum called NutritionPossible.com.  It's important to me to make healthy choices, but sometimes I'm bewildered by the different choices in vitamins and supplements.

I checked out the site and created a free account to take a nutritional assessment.  (You don't have to sign up, but creating an account allows you to save your assessment information.) I answered a series of questions about how many vegetables and fruits I eat, how much sleep I got, and what my health concerns were.  The assessment took 5 - 7 minutes and when it was finished, I received a list of suggestions and supplements I may want to try.

One thing that I really liked was that I was able to choose a store, and then have my list emailed to me.  The email included coupons for supplements that I could use right away.

The site has tons of health information as well -- like information about different supplements, health articles, and an area to search nutrition questions.  The site is bright, colorful and full of information.

Centrum and NutritionPossible want to help you find a healthy balance in your life, and have offered to sponsor a giveaway and give one of my readers 2 supplements of their choice from the Centrum line, as well as a few other goodies (a NutritionPossible.com lunch bag, water bottle and pen).

To enter this giveaway, visit the website and take the nutritional assessment.  Once you learn your top 2 suggested supplements (or choose 2 that you would like to try), come back here and click THIS LINK  to fill out my giveaway form.

The information you will need to enter the giveaway is your name, your email, and these 2 bits of information:

Name of Giveaway: Nutrition Possible

Mandatory Question: What are 2 supplements that were suggested to you after your personal assessment?  (If you are chosen as the winner, these are the supplements you will receive.)

Giveaway will end March 31, 2012. Good luck!!

**Disclosure: I received 2 bottles of supplements, NutritionPossible.com lunch bag, water bottle and pen to help facilitate this review.  The giveaway items are provided by Centrum and Nutrition Possible, but I am running this giveaway according to my giveaway rules.  No additional compensation was provided. All opinions and text are my own.*

MasterLock & Random Acts of Kindness & Giveaway!

Last month, MasterLock participated in the Random Acts of Kindness week by handing out locks at various fitness centers around the country.  What a fun way to encourage people to continue their fitness goals!

They kindly sent our family a Master Lock 1534D Password Plus Combo Lock to try out for ourselves.  With this lock, you don't have to remember a number!  You can set it for any 5 character word as the combination.

The lock is very sturdy.  At first, we thought Bo would take it to the gym with him, but then we realized we needed a new lock on our back gate.   We easily set the combination to 5 characters that we will remember -- but won't be easy for others to guess.  (I'll give you a hint -- we chose the first letter of each word in a 5 word phrase that means something to us, but wouldn't be known outside our family.)

The combination is easy to set, and easy to change.  In fact, the boys come to me regularly with new words to re-set the lock.  We've decided to leave it as it is, however, so I don't have to try and remember a new combination every week!

The lock is the high quality I expect from MasterLock, and I'm happy knowing our gate is secure!

We're past the official Random Acts of Kindness week, but MasterLock wants to send a lock to one of my readers!

To enter the giveaway, do NOT leave a comment below.  (But feel free to leave a comment about anything else!  Just not to enter the giveaway.) Click THIS LINK and fill out the simple form.    The information you will need to enter the giveaway is your name, your email, and these 2 bits of information:

Name of Giveaway:  MasterLock
Mandatory Question: Share a random act of kindness you've performed recently.

Giveaway will end March 25, 2012. Good luck!!


**Disclosure:  I received a lock from MasterLock, and another was provided for the giveaway.  No additional compensation was provided.  All opinions and text are my own.*

Pillsbury Bake-Off ($25 GC Giveaway!)

When I'm standing in the check-out line, I invariably check out the specialty Pillsbury cookbooks.  There are always fun recipes, and great photographs to go along with the recipes.  I also like that each booklet has a theme.

Every year, I watch for the Bake-Off Winners.  Their website means that I can check out the recipes, pictures and stories behind the recipes while I'm lounging at home.

In 6 short days, the winners of this year's contest will be announced!  I have had fun looking at the final 100 entries, and adding different recipes to our menu plan for the coming weeks.  (I think we have a week coming up where Bo & I will both be home for more than 1 day at the same time!)

There are so many great recipes to choose from, but I narrowed it down to a few favorites to try soon.  They make it easier by breaking the recipes out into categories -- like breakfast, dinner, sweets.  One of the recipes I want to try is the French Dip Roll that uses french bread dough and deli roast beef.    I also want to make the Chocolate, Ginger Cream and Pear Tart for a special Sunday dessert.

All the necessary ingredients can be found at Wal-Mart, and if you visit their Every Day Saver site, you can check out the current specials before you reach the store.  To help you create some new recipes inspired by the Pillsbury Bake-Off, Wal-Mart has generously offered to give one of my readers a $25 gift certificate.  I also received a gift card to buy ingredients!

To enter the giveaway, do NOT leave a comment below.  (But feel free to leave a comment about anything else!  Just not to enter the giveaway.) Click THIS LINK and fill out the simple form.    The information you will need to enter the giveaway is your name, your email, and these 2 bits of information:


Name of Giveaway:  Pillsbury Bake-Off
Mandatory Question: Share a recipe from the Pillsbury site that you want to try.


Giveaway will end March 25, 2012. Good luck!!


If you want to know my giveaway rules, check out the link on the right sidebar.

**Disclosure:  The gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by Walmart and General Mills, through MyBlogSpark.**

Gevalia Coffee Giveaway!

As a kid, I can remember my parents receiving Gevalia Coffee in the mail.  They loved receiving their boxes of coffee, and it was the only kind they drank for a long time.   When I mentioned the coffee to my mom, she said "OH!  I think I still have their cookbook!"  Sure enough, she did!


Gevalia coffee is now available at your favorite retailer, as well as via mail order subscription! I have seen it at Target recently, as well as Safeway.  Their full collection of coffees is available online, but you will find some of the favorites at local stores.  Look for the distinctive, bright yellow bags. 

My mom was excited to try out their coffee, as it has been quite a few years since they ordered it. She  did a wonderful video review for me!  (Followed up by a hilarious one.  You really need to watch both!)

Thanks to Gevalia and MyBlogSpark, I have 2 bags of wonderful coffee to give away, as well as a nice ceramic mug. 

** Winner has been chosen & notified!  Thanks for reading! **

NAME OF GIVEAWAY:  Coffee!
MANDATORY QUESTION: How many cups of coffee do you drink in a day?

Giveaway will end March 12, 2012.   To enter the giveaway, do NOT leave a comment below.  (But feel free to leave a comment about anything else!  Just not to enter the giveaway.) Click THIS LINK and fill out the simple form.  If you want to know my giveaway rules, check out the link on the right sidebar.

**Disclosure: Kraft Foods through MyBlogSpark has provided sample product to me and is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me. This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by My Little Patch of Sunshine.**



Big G Star Wars Themed Cereal (Giveaway!)

A couple weeks ago, I took all 3 kids to see Beauty and the Beast 3-D.  The boys were good sports about going along with their sister, but when the trailer for Star Wars Episode 1 -- Phantom Menace in 3-D came on before the movie, they were SUPER-excited.

The movie comes out tomorrow (February 10, 2012) in the theaters, and the boys can't wait to check out the movie with their favorite uncle. (Who has promised not to gripe about the merits of Episodes 1 - 3 vs. Episodes 4-6 and instead just enjoy the boys' excitement.)


You can imagine the excitement, then, when I opened a box earlier this week that held 2 boxes of cereal that were specially themed for the latest release.  Each box contains a character pen (you can see Lydia enjoying a bowl of Cookie Crisp and holding her Queen Amidala pen.)

Participating Big G cereals include Cinnamon Toast Crunch® (12.8 oz.), Lucky Charms®(11.5 oz.), Reese’s® Puffs (13 oz.), Cheerios® (14 oz.), and Cookie Crisp® (11.25 oz.  There are 8 different pens to collect, including: Anakin Skywalker, Obi Wan Kenobi, Queen Amidala, Yoda, R2D2, C3PO, Jar Jar Binks and Darth Maul.

I have a prize pack to give away to one of my readers.  It will include 2 boxes of Big G cereal, 4 collectable Star Wars pens, a sticker sheet, and 2 magnets.  Each box of cereal has a pen as well, so you will receive 6 pens!

Entries for my giveaway are completed on my giveaway form. Take a look at the required questions below, then CLICK HERE to pop over to the giveaway form. Fill in all the information and I will use random.org to choose which entry will win the giveaway. Comments left below will not be included in the giveaway.

NAME OF GIVEAWAY: Star Wars 3-D
MANDATORY QUESTION: Who is your favorite Star Wars character?

The giveaway will end February 18, 2012. Good Luck!

**Thanks for reading!  The giveaway has ended & winner has been notified!**

“Disclosure: Prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.”