PLAYMOBIL Take Along Soccer Match Review & Giveaway

I recently received a PLAYMOBIL Take Along Soccer Match for my children.  The timing was perfect since we have just started the fall soccer season and my older boys are interested in all things soccer-related.

We don't have any other PLAYMOBIL toys so this game was a pleasant surprise.  The game includes a 22x33 inch soccer field that folds up compactly with a convenient carrying handle.  It comes with 6 soccer players with legs that really kick, goalies that are controlled by joystick (think mini foosball table) and 2 soccer balls.

This game is geared toward children ages 5 to 10 and all six of my children have enjoyed playing it.  My favorite part is that the entire Take Along Soccer Match set folds up for easy storage.

You can win your own Take Along Soccer Match by entering the giveaway below.  You can also visit Playmobilusa.com to save 20% off Playmobile Take Along items by entering coupon code US72A12C.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway



 Disclosure: The information and gift packs have been provided by PLAYMOBIL USA through My Blog Spark.  My opinions are my own.

Redbox Giveaway

Redbox is kicking off the summer by asking moms, "What's your favorite video game to play together?" Join in the fun by entering for a chance to win a giveaway for free video game rentals from Redbox and a chance to win $10,000 as part of the Redbox Summer of Fun & Games Sweepstakes.

It’s game time! Redbox, America’s favorite destination for movie rentals, is now renting video games in 21,000 kiosks nationwide for $2 a day. Redbox is truly a one-stop shop for affordable, family home entertainment with both games and movies.

As a family, we have a weekly movie or game night. For us, this usually means playing a competitive game on the wii. Even my 86-year old grandmother plays the wii! Our favorite game is probably Mario Kart because my kids love to race each other and we are big Mario fans. Sometimes it can get pretty tense when we're all trying to win. It's always fun though!

Does your family play video games together? If so, what's your favorite game? Leave a comment on my blogfrog discussion and you'll be entered for a chance to win 5 free video game rentals from Redbox. For one additional entry, tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave a link on the discussion.

Redbox is celebrating summer family time with a great line up of family-friendly titles, awesome savings and two chances to win $10,000 as part of the Redbox Summer of Fun & Games Sweepstakes.*

4 Easy Ways to Enter:

1. Enter your email address at www.redbox.com/summer

2. Rent a movie or game at a redbox kiosk (and provide a valid email address at checkout)

3. Reserve a rental online at redbox.com

4. Text 'SUMMER' to 727272

Enter to win today!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Redbox. The opinions and text are all mine.

*Each item rented earns one entry, regardless of how long it is rented, up to three entries per day. Limit 3 entries per day, regardless of entry method. The sweepstakes begins May 27, 2011 at 12:00 a.m. CT and ends on August 1, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. CT. No purchase necessary. See official rules at www.redbox.com/summer.

Birth Matters Giveaway

I am giving away a copy of Ina May Gaskin's new book, "Birth Matters." Ina May Gaskin is America's leading midwife and the author of several books. Her latest book explores modern maternity care in the U.S. and the underlying causes of our poor maternal and neonatal mortality rates. It's an eye-opening exposure of how birth impacts our culture.

For a full review, please check out my main blog.

To enter to win a copy of "Birth Matters," leave a comment on this post.

Giveaway Rules: -No duplicate comments. -You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods: a) Leave a comment in response to 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 Giveaway ends on May 8, 2011 and winner will be selected at random, using Random.org.

Petunia Pickle Bottom Abundance Boxy Bag

If you have ever had twins (or more than one child in diapers) you know that there is never enough space inside the average diaper bag. A "simple" outing requires packing a bag full of diapers, wipes, two changes of clothing, snacks, a random toy or two, and the entire contents of your purse. It's just not pretty. Only now it is pretty! Enter the Petunia Pickle Bottom Abundance Boxy Backpack. It's the newest bag from the company known for chic bags, unique designs, and attention to detail. They make diaper bags look beautiful. The Abundance Boxy Backpack from the 2011 Spring Collection is their first bag designed specifically with mothers of multiples in mind. (The bag pictured above is the Wistful Weekender from the Spring 2011 Collection.) I jumped at the chance to try one of these gorgeous new bags with my crew of multiple multiples. Diaper bags are no stranger to me. I have had at least one child in diapers for the last 8 years and at least 2 children in diapers for the last 6 1/2 years. In fact, when my second set of twins were born I had 6 children under the age of 6 and 5 of them in diapers. Diapers have become part of my life... and to make things even more interesting, I've always used cloth diapers. When you have multiples, you just can't pack light. When faced with the possibility of two (or more) hungry, crying babies needing a clean diaper, you have to be prepared. I always have a loaded diaper bag in my van so that I don't have to worry about running out of diapers or needing a spare outfit when one of the little ones makes a mess on himself while we're out. I pack an extra bag for outings so that we have snacks, extra diapers, and all of the necessities in a bag that can be put into the stroller. Petunia Pickle Bottom's Abundance Boxy Backpack is the perfect solution for moms of multiple little ones. The bag can be worn as a backpack (to keep hands free!) or carried using the messenger strap. One of my favorite features is that the bag can be used with Petunia Pickle Bottom's Valet Stroller Clips so that it can be securely attached to the handle of your stroller. For me, this is a big deal because our stroller is a Quad Runabout and doesn't have the traditional under seat storage of a standard stroller. There is only one storage basket under my stroller so the ability to hang my diaper bag from the stroller handle is a huge benefit. I can pack everything I need without worrying about carrying a loaded diaper bag. Like any good diaper bag, the Abundance Boxy Backpack includes a detachable changing pad and the entire bag has a wipeable exterior fabric (that is PVC-free) for easy cleaning. The front of the bag actually unzips to reveal an entire diaper changing station, complete with the changing pad, a Petunia Pickle Bottom wipes case, and numerous pockets for organizing diaper changing supplies. I love the way this part of the bag is organized because I can keep my wipes solution right where I need it. I store my dry cloth wipes in the wipes case and add a bit of diaper wipe solution from my squirt bottle. The interior of the bag even includes a removable (velcro) zippered diaper pouch. I haven't used the diaper pouch for dirty diapers because I carry a larger, separate wet bag for our cloth diapers but I have found the pouch is perfect for holding my sunglasses so they don't wind up at the bottom of the bag. The interior of the Abundance Boxy Backpack is roomy enough to hold clothes and diapers for several little ones. I love it! This is the perfect diaper bag for multiples. I can easily fit enough cloth diapers and extra clothes for my youngest set of twins, sweaters for my older set of twins, several board books, a bag of snacks, 6 apples, 6 stainless steel water bottles, and the entire contents of my purse. The 4 bottle pockets are perfect for our water bottles and there are so many pockets inside the bag that it makes it easy to stay organized. Plus, there is a key clip at the very top of the inside of the bag so that I will never have to dig for my keys again. If you have ever stood in the rain, searching for your keys at the bottom of your bag while your children wait for you to load them into their car seats, you know you need that feature! And while they may not be a necessity, the chic design and modern fabric choices make this bag a fun and fashionable choice for any mom. Having multiples elevates many new moms to instant celebrity status and with a diaper bag like this, even more heads will turn. I actually feel like I have it all together when I leave the house with my Petunia Pickle Bottom designer diaper bag. (I don't, but it's still a good feeling!) Are you a mom of multiples or do you have several little ones in diapers? Tell me what you think you'd like about the new Abundance Boxy Backpack from Petunia Pickle Bottom and you could win one!

Giveaway Rules: -No duplicate comments. -You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods: a) Leave a comment in response to 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 Giveaway ends on March 25, 2011 and winner will be selected at random, using Random.org.

Congratulations to Tracy, winner of the Petunia Pickle Bottom bag!

I received an Abundance Boxy Backpack from Petunia Pickle Bottom for this review, in exchange for sharing my honest opinion.

So Delicious Coconut Milk

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and So Delicious.

In my never-ending quest to feed my family fresh, healthy, organic foods, I've found a new secret ingredient. Coconut milk! Actually, I have used coconut milk before, but I had never realized that there are so many uses for it and that it even tastes good as a substitute for regular milk.

Several years ago, my oldest son went on a gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet. At the time, it was extremely difficult to find alternatives to dairy products that my son would actually eat. These days, we don't have the restrictive diet but we still limit dairy for various reasons. The problem is that many of the dairy-free products just don't taste that great.

I am so excited to have found So Delicious Coconut Milk! Coconut milk is naturally gluten-free and cholesterol-free. It's also a good source of calcium and Vitamin B12. It can be used in place of milk, but it is completely dairy-free. Many dairy-free products use soy (and we avoid soy) so I was very happy to see that coconut milk is a healthy alternative to soy milk as well. So Delicious Coconut Milk is Kosher, vegan and it's made from verified non-GMO organic coconuts. Coconut milk is rich in medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) which are good fats that your body can easily burn and turn into energy instead of storing as fat in the body. (A natural energy boost? I am sure I'm not the only person who could use some of that!)

In the past I have used coconut milk for cooking. It's perfect for making Thai stir-fry or for drizzling over oatmeal in the morning. But, until now, I'd never thought of using coconut milk as a replacement for cow's milk. So Delicious Coconut Milk is light and creamy and has the same consistency of cow's milk-it's not thick like the canned coconut milk I usually use. I decided to do a little experiment and see if I could completely eliminate regular milk from our diet for a week.

Here's how I used So Delicious Coconut Milk 7 ways in 7 days...

When I have my morning coffee (or should I say coffees) I always use a bit of milk. If I make an espresso drink, I use even more milk. Instead of regular milk, I have now been using coconut milk. I chose the So Delicious Coconut Milk's vanilla flavor for my coffee and it is perfect. It tastes just like regular milk but adds a slight hint of vanilla that makes my coffee taste even better! So Delicious also makes an Original and Unsweetened version of their coconut milk.
For breakfast, my children often have oatmeal (made on the stove or in the slow cooker) or cereal. Yesterday I made a huge pot of oatmeal on the stove and switched up my usual recipe. Instead of using water, I used coconut milk in place of 1/2 of the water. It made the oatmeal deliciously creamy and (in all seriousness) my oldest son declared that it was the best oatmeal EVER. That extra bit of creaminess from the milk was just right.

I often use milk in baking recipes and our family usually has pancakes one morning on the weekend. Again, I substituted So Delicious Coconut Milk for regular milk and ended up with perfect pancakes. They looked and tasted just like regular pancakes but were dairy-free thanks to the coconut milk.
Although we don't drink milk, we do use milk on cold cereal. The ultimate test was to see if I could swap out regular milk for coconut milk in the cereal bowls. It worked. My kids actually preferred the coconut milk over the regular milk. I am really happy about this because I've often considered going completely dairy-free again but knew it would be tough. We do such a good job of limiting it already that I know I could make the switch to coconut milk and feel better about the health benefits.

When warmer weather rolls around I am going to try making smoothies with So Delicious Coconut Milk. Once the berries are in season I can mix up some sweet frozen treats! In the meantime, we are embracing the cold weather and enjoying hot chocolate instead. I made an entire batch of homemade hot chocolate on the stove, using organic cocoa powder, organic sugar, water, and coconut milk. For an even richer taste, I tried the vanilla flavored coconut milk and the hot chocolate was even more creamy and delicious.


One of my favorite dinners (and the first to introduce me to coconut milk) is a Thai-inspired stir-fry. I use some combination of fresh ingredients from my CSA produce box-onions, cabbage, sunchokes, broccoli-whatever I have on hand. I chop the onions and cabbage into thin slices and cook them in oil until they're soft. Sometimes I add some chicken. I mix in a few tablespoons of organic peanut butter and a cup of coconut milk. Then I toss in whatever other vegetables I'm using and cook until they're soft. I serve the whole mixture over noodles. My kids even like it!

So Delicious Coconut Milk makes it easy to enjoy milk and be dairy-free at the same time. You can find more recipe ideas and coupons at SoDeliciousDairyFree.com.

How will you use So Delicious Coconut Milk? Tell me your favorite recipes or uses for coconut milk by leaving a comment below and you could win a $100 Visa gift card.

Giveaway 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.

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 will have 72 hours to get back to me or a new winner will be selected. Giveaway ends 3/20. Visit the Official Rules for more information and visit BlogHer for more chances to win.

You can also visit So Delicious on Facebook and enter to win their surprise-a-day giveaway "100 Days of Change." It's a 100 day sweepstakes with a prize each day, leading up to a grand prize 14-day trip for two to the Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa in Thailand. The giveaway ends on May 10, 2011 but you can enter daily for a chance to win.

GE ecomagination Challenge

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and GE.

In my continuing effort to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, one challenge is to reduce our energy consumption and look for ways to conserve energy. This is not easy, particularly in a large family and with the huge amount of technology that relies on electricity to work.

In my area, we are very fortunate that our electrical provider offers a "Green Power Program." This program uses renewable energy from wind, biomass, low impact hydro, and solar energy sources. By signing up for this (optional) program, consumers can put their energy dollars to work and support the effort to move to greener power sources.

The biggest energy challenges in my home mostly stem from the use of household appliances and electronics. While we can take small steps toward conserving energy (like hanging laundry to dry, washing clothes in cold water, unplugging appliances that aren't being used, baking more than one thing at a time when using the oven, or using energy-efficient LED light bulbs) there is much left to be done when it comes to improving energy use at home. These small things that our family does can have a big impact when every household does them. GE believes that the widespread use of clean energy starts in the home. What changes have you made in your home to make it more energy-efficient? How do you optimize your home energy use?

The effort to move toward smarter energy consumption benefits us all. Do you have even bigger ideas about saving energy? GE’s ecomagination Challenge: Powering Your Home is an open call for ideas from businesses, entrepreneurs, innovators, students and every day people with breakthrough ideas for home energy creation, management and use. The ecomagination Challenge is GE's way of reaching out to entrepreneurs, innovators, students, and anyone with big ideas about home energy technology. The first phase of this challenge generated more than 3,800 ideas from all around the world and GE and their partners have committed to investing $200 million dollars into supporting these new ideas. There is still $100 million dollars up for grabs in the second phase of this challenge and it ends on March 15, 2011 so submit your ideas now!

Share with me what your energy use challenges are at home or share an idea that you submitted to the GE ecomagination challenge, for a chance to win a GE energy smart light bulb. The GE energy smart LED light bulb lasts for more than 20 years and ultimately saves you $85 in energy costs. Now that's smart!

Giveaway 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.

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 will have 72 hours to get back to me or a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here.

Find more discussion about the GE ecomagination Challenge at BlogHer and at the ecomagination Challenge blog.

You can also check out the ecomagination Challenge on Facebook, Foursquare, and YouTube.

Seventh Generation Giveaway

As you may already know, I'm a huge fan of environmentally-friendly products. I am committed to making my home as safe as possible for my family, and in turn, safer for our planet. A huge part of this is removing toxic cleaners from the home!

Seventh Generation makes cleaning products that are non-toxic and safe for the environment. The best part is, they are easy to grab at the local store. I already use "green" cleaners that I love, but sometimes I run out before I can have more shipped and it's nice to have environmentally-friendly cleaners available locally at a reasonable cost.

Seventh Generation has been making their cleaning products for the past twenty years. Their new line of botanical disinfectant cleaners includes a multi-surface cleaning spray, bathroom cleaning spray and wipes created from the herb thyme, with a natural disinfecting power.

Seventh Generation has also partnered with eco-lifestyle consultant and author, Alexandra Zissu. Her new book, The Conscious Kitchen, includes information about what's healthy for you to eat, healthy for the environment, and tips on making your home more "green." This book has some great tips and is a fantastic resource if you are interested in learning more about keeping your home and body healthy.


One lucky reader will win a Seventh Generation "Disinfecting Cleaning Kit" that includes a disinfecting multi-surface cleaner, bathroom cleaner, wipes , a copy of The Conscious Kitchen, a cleaning caddy made from recycled plastic, and two rolls of 100% recycled, unbleached paper towels. Simply leave a comment telling me what you've done to make your home safer and greener. Giveaway ends May 9, 2010.

Giveaway closed! Congratulations wonderchris!


The Seventh Generation products, information and prize pack were given to me by Seventh Generation through MyBlogSpark.

Bosom Bliss Comfort Packs

As any breastfeeding mother knows, nursing a baby (or babies) is not always as natural and easy as you might think. Trust me, I know from experience.

I've nursed all 6 of my children through various different challenges and have had a wide range of experiences. I pumped when I went back to work with my first child, I struggled with tongue tie with 3 of my sons, I nursed two sets of twins simultaneously and I've suffered my fair share of complications from over supply, overactive letdown, engorgement, plugged ducts, mastitis, thrush, etc. It's enough to make anyone cringe.

Last month I was very rundown and I developed mastitis. It was a miserable 24 hours with a dangerously high fever and a considerable amount of pain in the affected breast. After writing about my experience, I received an email about Bosom Bliss Comfort Packs. I agreed to try them if I ever had the need to use them again. Unfortunately, I did. I developed another case of mastitis that landed me in the hospital with a lemon-sized mass of infection in my breast. Ouch.


I can now say that I wish I'd had these Comfort Packs 7 years ago when I first started nursing. Those early days with a newborn lead to lots of discomfort and engorgement for many moms and I was no exception. These Comfort Packs use heat to help improve milk flow and induce letdown. The heat is also what helps relieve plugged ducts and mastitis by encouraging milk flow. Breastfeeding dilates the mammary blood vessels and improves blood flow in the affected area but it can be very painful when there is an infection present so mothers are often reluctant to breastfeed. The Comfort Packs can also be refrigerated to provide cooling pain relief to make nursing more comfortable during mastitis.

Bosom Bliss Comfort Packs come in sets of two and feature a cover made of an eco-friendly bamboo fleece core. This cover is removable for easy washing and the bamboo fleece is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-microbial so moisture is wicked away from the skin. This means that you have a soft, dry layer against your skin to protect against leaks while also providing soothing warm or cool comfort from the organic sushi rice pack. The Comfort Packs are generously sized and fit nicely inside a loose-fitting bra.
I used my Bosom Bliss Comfort Packs during my week-long bout with mastitis and loved them so much that I have used them a few times since then to help with engorgement. I've used many different nursing pads and heat packs in the past and these are, by far, the best that I have ever seen. In my professional experience, I've recommended using warm or cool compresses more times than I can count. Often, I've suggested a warm, wet washcloth. These Comfort Packs make washcloths a thing of the past. There is no need to keep a soggy, wet cloth on your breast when you can have a warm, dry pad that is perfectly shaped to fit your breast.

As a special promotion for my readers, Bosom Bliss is offering a 15% discount when you use the coupon code "twinsanity." I encourage you to take advantage of this savings by trying the Comfort Packs and Nursing Pads today! Your breasts will thank you.

In addition, Bosom Bliss is giving away a set of Comfort Packs and a set of Nursing Pads to one of my lucky readers! To enter, leave a comment here on this post. For an additional entry, post about this giveaway on your blog or tweet about and comment here with a link. Please leave a separate comment for each entry method. This giveaway will end on March 17, 2010.

Giveaway has ended! Congrats to comment #5!

Kroger Bonus Box Tops for Education Giveaway

From now through March 18, Kroger Family of Stores is supporting local schools by giving you the chance to earn bonus Box Tops coupons. The Box Top coupons program has raised over $300 million for schools across the country. It's as simple as clipping a coupon!

Register at www.RewardYourSchool.com and select the personalized offers that you would like to receive. Once you register, you will automatically receive 5 Bonus Box Tops just for signing up! You will also receive custom offers for bonus Box Tops for purchasing participating General Mills products. The offers you select will then load onto your Kroger Shopper Card to be redeemed once you purchase the items. You just scan your Kroger card and the Bonus Box Tops will automatically go straight to your chosen school.

Visit www.RewardYourSchool.com and click on "current promotions" to view bonus Box Tops items. It's an easy way to earn money for local schools!

If you'd like to win a $25 Kroger gift card, just leave a comment here. One additional entry for blogging and/or tweeting about this giveaway. Please leave one separate comment for each method of entry. Giveaway ends February 28, 2010.

Giveaway has ended! Congratulations Erin!

This information, Kroger gift card, and giveaway were all provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Two Snowflakes Giveaway

It's no secret that twins are special! Jennifer Miller's new book, "Two Snowflakes" explores the good and bad things about being a twin from a child's perspective. This was a must-read for our family and is a fun book even if you don't have twins in your house.
"Two Snowflakes" is a children's story about two identical snowflakes and two identical twin girls. We all remember the old saying about no two snowflakes being exactly alike, but have you ever thought about no two identical twins being exactly alike? It's a common misconception that identical twins will always share the same interests, or even look exactly the same. This adorable story addresses the feelings that twins may have when they look the same and how others see them as individuals.

I've been blessed to have two sets of identical twins but I have no idea what it feels like to be a twin. My twin girls are 3 and a half and are just starting to understand that they share a special bond. They really enjoyed reading this book and I'm sure that, even at their young age, they could relate to the story. My older singleton boys now have a little better understanding of what their siblings may feel when people confuse them or think they are the same. This book was a real teaching tool in our house.
Winter is upon us and there's no better time to surprise your child with this adorable snowflake story. If you have twins, or know of a family with twins, this book is the perfect holiday gift! You can find "Two Snowflakes" on Amazon.com or on Jennifer Miller's website.
Right now you also have a special chance to win a copy of "Two Snowflakes." To enter, leave a comment below. For additional entries you may blog or tweet about this giveaway. Leave a link to your blog post or tweet below. One entry per comment. This giveaway ends on December 10, 2009.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED! Congrats to Anna (comment #9) who won a copy of "Two Snowflakes!"

This is not a compensated review. I did receive 2 free copies of the book to review and give away.