Kmart Bluelight Special Holiday Sweepstakes

Blue Light Specials are back, and to celebrate in style Kmart will be giving shoppers on Twitter a chance to win a $50 gift card everyday!  In addition to the chance to win daily, everyone following @KmartDealsnNews on Twitter will be automatically entered for a chance to win a $500 Kmart shopping spree – how cool is that?!

The sweepstakes runs from November 12^th until December 23rd.

Winning couldn’t get easier - all you have to do is follow @KmartDealsnNews on Twitter from your personal Twitter account and issue a Tweet everyday using our hashtag: #KmartBLS.  Each day is a new opportunity to win, so the more often you tweet - the better your chances are to win a Daily prize! 

 

For more info on sweepstakes details, check out: http://tr.im/kmartBLS, and for Official Rules: http://tr.im/kmartBLSrules. 

Of course, this is all in celebration of the return of Bluelight Specials at Kmart!  There are over 40 great Bluelight Specials throughout the weekend in-store, and other great offers online at Kmart.com, too, only on Saturdays and Sundays.  A little preview for this weekend’s (11/15 – 11/16) Specials:

·         Essential Home Complete Bed set $29.99 (reg. $49.99)

·         All Trim-A-Home lights 50% off (reg $8.99-$29.99)

·         9 Piece Luggage Set $49.99 (reg $99.99)

·         Juniors Leggings 50% off

Flippin' For Change: Go Digital, Get Digital Blogging Contest

About the Contest

Ready to talk “change”? Good. Because I Am Enabled is holding its first-ever “Go Digital Get Digital” Blogging Contest. It’s exciting. It’s easy. And it’s a great way to express your feelings about digital healthcare—and possibly win a Pure Digital Flip Camera for your efforts!

Here’s how the contest works: simply create a unique and engaging blog post that answers the following questions.

* How have digital health records changed—or could change—how you manage your family’s (or even extended family’s) health?

* How would you use a Flip Cam to tell your story?

Then, post it to your blog or website and get your friends and family to comment on your story. Once you’ve received 3 comments (they must be from 3 different people), you’re ready to come back to the iamenabled.com site and submit your URL in the comments section of this blog post. Five blog posts will be selected to win a Pure Digital 120-Minute Flip Video Ultra Camcorder.

So what will make your blog a winner? First, originality. Second, its ability to appeal to a broad spectrum of I Am Enabled readers. And, finally, how well it would play out on video.

That’s it.

So, warm up those blogging fingers and get ready to “Go Digital Get Digital.” Contest begins August 27 and has been extended through October 21, 2009.

Keep in mind that the “Go Digital Get Digital” Contest is only open to legal residents of the United States and District of Columbia. You must be 18 years of age or older. The “Go Digital Get Digital” Contest has been extended until October 21, 2009. For complete contest rules, click here.

Health Terms: A Closer Look

We've been hearing a lot of talk lately about Healthcare and changes to the current system. I think everyone agrees that we need changes but it seems no one can agree on what the changes are that we need. Lets take a look at a process that I think is a much needed change that will benefit everyone: Digital Health Records (DHR) or EMRs, EHRs and PHRs.

EMRs or Electronic Medical Records are digital health records created by a physician, hospital, or facility. Officially, the National Alliance for Health Information Technology (NAHIT) defines an EMR as: An electronic record of health-related information of an individual that is created, gathered, managed, and consulted by licensed clinicians and staff from a single organization who are involved in an individual’s health and care. What that means is that an EMR is an electronic medical record generated at a facility or doctor’s office.

With the EMRs, you have a digital health record with each medical facility you visit that has implemented the program: family doctor, gynecologist, urgent care... However, the record is only available and accessible at that facility. It is not "shared" with your other places of treatment.


EHRs or Electronic Health Records Officially, the NAHIT defines an EHR as: An aggregate electronic record of health-related information of an individual that is created and gathered cumulatively across more than one healthcare organization and is managed and consulted by licensed clinicians and staff involved in the individual’s health and care.

EHRS are a more comprehensive health record because it is a compilation of several EMRs. Because it can be shared (the industry term is “interoperable”) across many networks and with different facilities and practitioners, instead of having a variety of siloed individual electronic medical records, your electronic health record is a compilation of numerous visits/diagnoses/treatments from multiple providers.

This record is very important for people who have chronic conditions and those who see multiple physicians.


Take, for instance, my situation. I have a work injury from February of 2008 and, since then I have seen:
Family Physician
Physical Therapists
Orthopaedic Specialist
Orthopaedic Specialist - second opinion
Orthopaedic Specialist - 1 out of about 20 in US who specialize is my injury and the surgery I needed
Orthopaedic Specialist - second opinion after surgery
Neurologist
Pain Management
Then, you add in all the tests, prescriptions, etc..., as well as all the other records from 39 years of my life. You can begin to see how important and essential this could be.


PHRs or Personal Health Records According to NAHIT, a PHR is an electronic, cumulative record of health-related information on an individual, drawn from multiple sources that is created, gathered, and managed by an individual. The integrity of the data in the PHR and who you let see that information is up to the individual.


In other words, a PHR is a living document that you create and “populate” with your important personal health information, such as immunization records, dates of surgeries, dates of doctor visits, lists of allergies and allergic reactions, and lab test results. Some PHRs, like Microsoft® HealthVault™, also accept information from applications and devices that you can use to measure important information at home such as lung capacity (through a peak/flow meter), blood pressure readings, and blood sugar levels. This information can then be shared with your health practitioners if desired.

One thing to keep in mind: Patients (i.e., you) can take information from an EMR (if you are granted access) or an EHR and add it to your PHR. However, most EHRs as well as PHRs do not accept patient-generated changes. Meaning, if you want to add information, or correct information, you must go through your practitioner’s office to do so. (Which, by the way, is not a bad idea. You can read up on ePatientDave, who discovered a plethora of mistakes in his electronic medical record.)

So what’s in the future? Ideally, the use of a truly interoperable file that contains physician data as well as patient-supplied data. When patients can provide information to physicians and document it in one locale, physicians will be armed with more real-time data than ever before and be able to evaluate conditions in ways that can make a profound difference in patient outcomes.

Initialisms aside, EHRs, EMRs, and PHRs spell serious change in how you perceive and approach your family’s health.

My Perspective

Personally, I think the compilation of records is an absolute necessity and should have been implemented years ago. It's a win-win situation and very vital to healthcare. How many times have you seen people have drug interactions because Doctor 1 gives you "this" and Doctor 2 gives you "this" and the two just don't agree? Or, Doctor 1 runs a test and Doctor 2 runs the same test because he doesn't have the test results or doesn't know if the test included all aspects that he needed to see?

There are so many scenarios that we could discuss. Bottom line, with the EHRs so much time, money and lives could be saved, in my opinion.

Now, to answer the contest questions:



* How have digital health records changed—or could change—how you manage your family’s (or even extended family’s) health?



Not only is it time saving, but it can be life saving. When my father had his stroke, there were so many questions about what medications he was on, what health issues he had, drug allergies......... We are a close family, but some of that stuff, I didn't know. I guess we should have, but "Hey, Dad, are you allergic to anything?", just never came up in conversation. He was 55 years old and, although that is a prime age group for health issues to begin, it was still totally unexpected.


Think about this, you are in a major car accident, far from home and the only information with you is a driver's license and the contents of your purse or wallet. As a former police officer and Emergency Medical Technician, I can tell you, we aren't searching everything in your vehicle to find medications or phone numbers. Eventually, they will call the police department from your home town or maybe check your cell phone and purse/wallet, but you need medical attention Right Now! They are going to start treatment immediately. Are you a bleeder? Are you allergic to medications? Maybe you are one of those people who can't be anesthesized. Any  number of things could happen and there's just no way of knowing your history.
 

Wouldn't the DHR come in handy?



* How would you use a Flip Cam to tell your story? 

I think it is key to get information out to people and educate them about what is available, what changes have come and are coming, give them facts from every side of the spectrum:  AWARENESS.

With a Flip Cam, I would have the opportunity to put together information for family, friends and anyone who wants to listen. I would then be able to add it to my blogs, YouTube and send it out in e-mails. The old saying: "Knowledge is Power", says it all.

For YOU

Take an interest in Healthcare and make yourself aware of the changes that are here, that are being discussed and that are being implemented. Familiarize yourself with them and have a say, when you can. Do your own research, maybe even enter this contest for yourself.

**************************************************

This contest was offered to me as part of my membership to TwitterMoms. I did not receive products, money or promises of any kind. I was given the opportunity in exchange for my honest review of this program, therefore, the ideas and opinions stated are my own and are the product of my own thoughts and feelings on the subject. For a full disclaimer, please scroll to the bottom of this page.

Getting Dinner Ready in a Flash - Samsung Sweepstakes

Samsung and TwitterMoms are asking,"With Our Busy Schedules, What Are Your 3 Valid Tips for Getting Dinner Ready in a Flash?"

This is a great question to pose during these time when life can get so hectic. For some families, they are involved in so many activities that they don't have time to just sit down and share dinner. I know, at one time, I worked full time as a police officer, well, a criminal investigator, so I was on call 24/7, volunteered as an Emergency Medical Technician for the Rescue Squad and was on call 24/7 and volunteered as a firefighter and, yep, was on call 24/7. I did these all at the same time. If that isn't a full enough schedule, add to it that I was also a single parent. So, I knew about busy schedules.

But, you know, I made time. I developed short cuts. Short cuts that I still use. There are days, with this injury, when I just have too much pain to prepare a large meal so I need time savers.

Here are my 3 tips. I hope they help you:

(1) I learned the power of the Crock Pot. What a life saver! There are so many different recipes you can use in a Crock Pot. It's just amazing. I also liked the fact that, if I couldn't make it home for dinner, it was ready and safe for Cody to serve himself. Now, I don't have to tend to it so it is ready when we are.

(2) I also try to cook extra so I can freeze and reheat. Soups, stews, spaghetti sauce, casseroles.... You name it. Just cook in bulk and freeze the remainder for later. Then, just pop it in the microwave or warm it in a pot, maybe add some can vegetables or rolls.

(3) Now, you can't forget the frozen meals. Years ago, this was one of the routes you didn't want to take. The meals were small and tasted bland and, at times, downright disgusting. That isn't the case anymore. You can get good, healthy meals that are ready in a matter of minutes. Plus, they are easy for a child to prepare if you cannot get home on time or at the same time. Again, now, I can eat a healthy meal without having to stand over the stove.

Take the time, be creative and you, too, can develop a "strategy" to simplify your busy life. It really is worth it.



Samsung and TwitterMoms are providing an opportunity to members to participate in posting "With Our Busy Schedules, What Are Your 3 Valid Tips for Getting Dinner Ready in a Flash?", as part of a sweepstakes to win a Samsung French Door Refrigerator.

About Samsung Home Appliances:

"Need Home Appliances that help run your home? Bring It On. Whether it’s one of the largest French Door Refrigerators, or the quietest Washer in its class,* you’ll discover that Samsung Home Appliances bring the perfect balance of innovation, convenience, and savings to your home."

SodaStreamUSA Giveaway

 ****This contest is closed! Congratulations to Karenmed409! I hope you enjoy!****

I have to tell you first and foremost that the Soda Stream is my favorite review that I have done. I think it is one of the best ideas that I've seen in a long time. It was so much fun, even when I made a mess.

Let me show you all the technical stuff:

What is Soda Stream?

The SodaStream system includes a complete range of products to make fresh, fizzy, great-tasting sparkling water and soda at home.

Home Soda Makers
Simple, sleek and easy to use. No batteries, no electricity and no clean-up. All home soda makers have a two-year warranty and money-back guarantee!

Flavors
Over 20 great-tasting regular, diet and caffeine-free flavors plus energy drink and MyWater all-natural flavor essences. Regular flavors have no high-fructose corn syrup. Diet flavors are sweetened with Splenda^® brand sweetener and contain no aspartame. Each bottle of Sodamix makes 12 liters or about 33 cans.

Why Buy a Home Soda Maker?

• Value for Money: Great savings compared to pre-packed carbonated water and beverages.
• Environmentally-Friendly: SodaStream is an "Active Green" solution that minimizes the huge eco-footprint caused by the manufacture, transport and waste of plastic bottles.
• Convenience: No need to carry heavy bottles from the store. The SodaStream system is simple to use and requires no batteries or electricity.
• Variety: SodaStream offers over 60 flavors to suit everyone’s taste. Regular, diet, natural, fruity flavors, ice tea, energy drinks, sport drinks, tonic and many more.
• Space Saver: No need to store bottles of beverages or empty bottles for recycling in your home.
• Personalization: Make drinks just the way you love them… more bubbles, less bubbles, sweeter or lighter, even create your own flavor!
• Family Fun: The system is quick and easy to use. It's fun for everyone and kids just love it!
• Satisfaction Guaranteed: SodaStream drinks makers are of extremely high quality and include a money-back satisfaction guarantee and Lifetime Warranty to our customers.

My Review:

As I said before, I really love this. I can still remember the first time I saw the SodaStream. I was fascinated by it. Not only did I like the testimonials I had read about it, but I liked its appearance and the "idea" of it.

You know as well as I do, that not all products are as they appear. I mean, it's easy to say this product is this, that or whatever......... but can the company back it up. I have ordered or bought things before that were "the best" "top of the line" "works great"........ yada, yada, yada..... Then you get them and they are a total waste of money. I'm sure we all have.

That said, I still wanted to try it. I contacted Steve at SodaStreamUsa and he agreed to let me do a product review. I received a SodaStream and the flavors in exchange for this honest review of the SodaStream machine.

This is the machine I received:

I anxiously awaited the arrival of the SodaStream, honestly, I really wanted to give this a try. I am picturing huge savings in my future if this works as advertised, not to mention, all the fun in "playing" with it.

Finally, it arrives! I round up "test subjects" and, with instructions in hand, we begin. I am going to tell you, if you didn't watch the video above, please do so. It really is so simple to do.

Step 1: Put water in the provided bottles and screw the bottle onto the machine.

Step 2: Add the carbonation.

Step 3: Add the flavoring and shake gently.

Step 4: Drink!

That's it! How simple, huh?

My "test subjects" gave it a taste and they loved them! We played with the machine for a while that night and it has become an "attraction" at my house for my son and his friends. As a matter of fact, my niece and her boyfriend came for a visit and I offered them a drink. Both of them said, "I'm okay." Then I looked at my niece, who apparently had forgotten that the SodaStream had come in, and asked her, "Are you sure you don't want something to drink?" At this point, she remembers I have the SodaStream and says, "Heck yeah! You got that soda thingy." I took them into the kitchen and showed them how it works and they really liked it, too.

I only had one problem with using the SodaStream and it was totally my fault. When the instructions say: Pour the flavor in SLOWLY, they mean it. My slow was not slow enough, the FIRST time, and I had quite and overflow. So, POUR SLOWLY!

So, there you have it. The SodaStream is a HIT and I recommend it to everyone. With Christmas coming, this would make an excellent gift, especially for families.

Of course, for one lucky reader, you can get your very own right here! That's right, SodaStream is giving one of their SodaStream Home Soda Makers to one of YOU!

Technical Stuff:

This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and will end on October 26th at 11:59 pm CST. In order to participate, you must complete the main entry, otherwise all your entries will be invalid and removed. Please, make sure you leave contact information for when you win unless your entry links back to a blog with a valid e-mail address.

Main Entry:

Go to the SodaStream website and give me the name of two (2) flavors you would like to try.

Extra Entries:

(1) Follow SodaStream on twitter.

(2) Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do: @SereneMoments

(3) Become a Fan of SodaStream on Facebook

(4) Follow my blog or tell me if you already do.

(5) Grab my Button and tell me where you put it.

(6) Tweet about this giveaway and leave me the link(s). You can do this once daily!

(7) Subscribe to my blog. Up there on the right.

(8) Blog about this giveaway, leave the link and add 5 extra entries.


Okay, that is 18 entries, plus the opportunity to tweet and add an extra entry each day! That is a lot, folks. So, get busy and Good Luck to you all!

Feel Ageless with a little Spritz! - Giveaway

****This contest is closed. Congrats to lmurley200 for winning the Ageless Perfume.****

 
Imagine losing 8....10......even 12 years by simply applying a little "spritz" of scent to your body. It's true! Ageless has the perfect combination of scent notes to make you smell 8 to 12 years younger.

I love it!

I am always a little hesitant when trying new scents. I am very sensitive to most colognes, perfumes and eau de toilette sprays. They have to be a very soft, sweet scent. Once I find that, then I want it to stay with me, without "slapping" me, or others, in the face each time I move.

Ageless by Harvey Prince is perfect for that.

I have received numerous compliments when wearing Ageless and have had several family members offer to "take it off my hands". It's a no girl! Sorry!

Here's a little information from Harvey Prince and Co. about Ageless

Prescription free youth now available! No plastic surgeries! No needles!

Ageless Fantasy® is the World's first anti-age perfume. A woman's fragrance that smells like a younger Woman. Our products have been designed to be environment friendly and absolutely safe for application on your skin. The products are based on research and expertise of leading dermatologists & doctors. Ageless Fantasy® steps out of the confined box of the average fragrance and body care products. This anti age elixir is to be consumed without any moderation: both in and out of the shower and bath, for generous use anytime you wish!

Benefits

AGELESS was designed with one goal in mind- to make you smell and feel younger!

Notes

Why it Works

We have used notes that are associated with youth. Tropical fruity notes are associated with youthful feelings. These include luscious, tropical mango, pineapple, anti oxidant pomegranate and green apple. Most importantly pink grapefruit has been associated with youth and age lowering perception.

The Science

Inspired by recent scientific discoveries and clinical trials, we have developed AGELESS - anti age perfume™. Our patent-pending fragrance elixir defies your skin's natural age revealing scent. Research has proven that men around women who use Ageless™ believe them to be at least 8 years younger! Ageless™. A dramatically different anti-age perfume.



Now, if all of that isn't exciting enough for you, how about this:

One lucky reader is going to win their very own bottle of Ageless by Harvey Prince. That is a $98 Value!

Entry Requirements:

In order to participate in this giveaway, you must follow the rules set forth. You must first complete the main entry. Once completed, you are eligible for the additional entries as well.

This contest will end Oct. 12th at 11:59 pm CST and is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. You must leave a way for me to contact you when you when. Leave a separate comment for each entry.

Good luck to you all!

Main Entry:

Tell me your secret to staying Ageless

Extra Entries:

(1) Follow Ageless on Twitter.

(2) Follow Ageless on their Facebook page

(3) Follow my blog

(4) Follow me on Twitter: @SereneMoments

(5) Tweet this giveaway, leaving the link for me to find it. You can do this once daily.


Thanks to you all and Good luck!



A special "Thank you" to The Product Review Place for providing me this opportunity through membership.

WAT-AAH Review and Giveaway

Thanks so much for all the entries. This contest is closed. My winner is clallen!


With the kids back in school, it is even more important for us to teach them about healthy drinking choices and their need to stay hydrated. Many students are drinking during their lunchtime and rarely any more than that throughout the day. This is not healthy at all.

So, how do we teach them to drink more? Better yet, how do we get them away from the juice boxes and sodas and drinking what they need: WATER?

The solution is Here:




WAT-AAH! is the first 100% sugar-free, functional beverage brand designed especially for kids. WAT-AAH! was launched in June 2008 in New York . It is currently distributed in more than 250 stores including Whole Foods Market. The brand was recently named by Trend Hunter magazine as one of the Best Products for Kids in 2009. WAT-AAH! contains no sugar, artificial flavors, colors or unnatural additives. WAT-AAH! is ultra pure water containing the right amount of essential ingredients such as magnesium, electrolytes and oxygen to help maintain children's health. WAT-AAH!'s mission is to reverse the established behavior and dependency on sweetened drinks among America's children, and ultimately help fight the battle against childhood obesity and to teach kids that healthy bodies can be obtained through healthy hydration, http://www.wat-aah.com/.



The Review:

I had been watching reviews of WAT-AAH popping up all over the blogosphere so I decided to find out what the buzz was all about. Through my membership at The Product Review Place, I was able to contact WAT-AAH and request my own review of their products. I was sent bottles of WAT-AAH and some marketing materials: tattooes, stickers, ets.... in exchange for my honest review of their product.



Once I received the product and began removing it from its box, the biggest attraction for the product became quite evident: The appearance of the bottles.

Don't they look neat? Psst....... I would drink them based on appearance. lol I put the WAT-AAH in my fridge to get good and cold. I love really cold water. My son comes in a couple hours later, looks in the fridge and says, "Cool, what is this?" So I tell him it's water and explain each bottle to him (I'll tell you that in just a sec) and he's like, "Hmm... they look cool." Then, he takes the WAT-AAH instead of the soda. This is BIG! He loves Mountain Dew but he chose WAT-AAH instead. Now for the bottle explanation:




The Blue bottle is for the Brain: Ultra purified water, kid-friendly electrolytes and NO SUGAR

The Orange Bottle is for Bones: Ultra purified water, bone-building magnesium and NO SUGAR

The Pink Bottle is for Body: Pure spring water, no sodium, no chemicals, NO SUGAR

The Green Bottle is for Energy: Ultra purified water, energizing oxygen and NO SUGAR

I honestly cannot attest to whether or not each bottle is effective in the area it is designed for. Maybe if I were drinking it daily for a period of time, I could reap the benefits..... I can't say. What I can say is the water is good. It has a pure, clean taste. If there are the above mentioned additives, they do not affect the flavor of the water.



My opinion is, if you want your child drinking more water, the bottle alone will get them to do it, from my experience. I kept the bottles after we tried the WAT-AAH and keep them filled with water and my son will still grab them from the fridge.

Now, WAT-AAH would like for you to have the opportunity to introduce your children to their products and to encourage them to stay away from sugary drinks. They are providing one of my followers with a WAT-AAH Backpack filled with fun, back-to-school items and WAT-AAH samples.






This giveaway will run until September 28th at 11:59 pm CST and will be open to everyone. You must leave your contact information in the post unless you have a blog link to your e-mail. Please, leave a separate comment for each entry. The main entry must be completed before the additional entries or all entries will be invalid. The main entry is 2 part so make sure you do both.

Good luck!

Main Entry:

* Tell me what you are doing to get your child drinking more water.

Make sure you do both, then leave a comment telling me.

Additional Entries:

(1) Follow WAT-AAH on twitter: @WATAAH

(2) Follow the WAT-AAH blog

(3) Follow me on twitter: @SereneMoments

(4) Fan WAT-AAH on Facebook

(5) Grab my new button.

(6) Follow me publicly.

(7) Leave a comment on this post

Good luck to everyone!

Where Is The Heart of Your Home?

The Heart of your Home is a special place where family and friends gather. It is where memories are made and shared. It is the place where you come together as a family.

For my family, it is the kitchen.

You know what I'm talking about?! Every family gathering we have ends up with everyone standing around the kitchen, laughing and sharing. Holidays are especially crowded in the kitchen, between the conversations and the great food, which everyone has to grab a nibble of, the kitchen is full. With an "immediate family" of about 31 and growing, that is one CROWDED KITCHEN.


Samsung wants to know, "Where is the Heart of your Home?" That's right, they are asking us TwitterMoms to reach out to YOU and find out Where the Heart of YOUR Home is!

So, what are you waiting for? Leave me a comment here, please, then run by TwitterMoms and find out how you can participate in the Samsung's "Where is the Heart of Your Home" contest and have a chance to:

WIN a Samsung Washer and Dryer

About Samsung Home Appliances:
Need Home Appliances that help run your home? Bring It On. Whether it’s one of the largest French Door Refrigerators, or the quietest Washer in its class,* you’ll discover that Samsung Home Appliances bring the perfect balance of innovation, convenience, and savings to your home.

My Secret Circle Review

Mom's, if you have a little girl between the ages of 8 and 12, Pay Attention:

My Secret Circle is a Must-Have for your child.

As a member of The Product Review Place, I receive opportunities to review products from various companies. Such was the case with My Secret Circle from Senario. I received the B.F.F. pack which included two online access keys: one for you or for your friend - B.F.F.

My Secret Circle is a secure, online, social networking "world" designed specifically for girls aged 8 to 12 years old. Once the girls "plug in" their "key", it kind of reminds me of a jump-drive in appearance, they are taken to a "private spot" where they can hang out with other My Secret Circle friends. Each friend must have a My Secret Circle "key" and must be given a private code by the friend in order to communicate in her community. Once the codes are shared, they can chat, share some photos, play games or just write in their journals.

"My Secret Circle presents this demographic with the ability to create completely private communities with friends, while avoiding the advertising and strangers present on other social networking sites.

"My Secret Circle is invisible to the online world and is not a website."

Who doesn't love that?

My Secret Circle reminds me of many of the websites that are available for children, with the bright colors and different ways in which it can be personalized. It features:

* A profile page with "All-About-Me" pages that include a Diva Designer avatar

* A journal in which they can create entries or blogs. They can write all about their personal thoughts and feelings. They can keep it private or share with their friends

* Games that they can play alone or with friends. There's an arcade where they can store the.

* Instant Messaging so they can chat with all their friends

* Photos can be uploaded with text, decorations and the ability to crop them. They can even create slideshows for their profile.

* Voice Chat option is available for those who want to purchase the additional headset with microphone.

My Secret Circle is one-of-a-kind. We all know what kind of "people" are lurking around online, just looking for their next victim. Lets make sure that it isn't our children.



"My Secret Circle is currently available for purchase at Justice stores across the nation for $19.99. Justice is the subsidiary of Tween Brands (NYSE: TWB) the largest premier tween specialty retailer in the world providing the hottest fashion merchandise and accessories for girls ages 7 to 14. The B.F.F. Pack retails for $29.99 and the chat headset with microphone is $14.99.

Text-A-Thon For a Cause

Electrolux and Kelly Ripa Kick Off
"Text-a-Thon for a Cause"

Electrolux and Kelly Ripa remain committed to raising money and awareness to support this worthy cause. Together, they are launching another exciting campaign that utilizes a form of communication that many of us use every day - texting! During September, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Electrolux and Kelly are holding a "Text-a-Thon for a Cause" to help raise support for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund whose mission is to fund research to find a method of early detection and ultimately a cure for ovarian cancer.



Throughout September, you can donate $5 to the cause by texting "KELLY" to 85944 from your mobile phones (standard text messaging rates apply) - or logging on to
www.kelly-confidential.com. Also, every time you log on to the Web site, you'll be entered for a chance to win an amazing contribution to your home - a luxury front load washer and dryer from Electrolux in Turquoise Sky, the color inspired by the teal ribbon of ovarian cancer awareness.

Also during September, visitors to Kelly Confidential can help spread awareness for this important cause by sending a virtual T-shirt to a friend. For every virtual t-shirt sent, Electrolux will donate $1 to the OCRF. Fashion-forward Moms can also purchase a limited edition T-shirt designed by Ripa; 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the T-shirts will go to OCRF.

Holding On To Summer - Popsicle Giveaway - 8 Winners

This giveaway is Closed! Thanks for participating.

Fall is coming: FAST! Can you believe it? We had such a mild summer and it doesn't seem like we've had enough chances to bask in the sunshine.

How did this happen? Aaarrrrrrrrggggghhhhhhhhh........

Well, I'm teaming up with Popsicle and we're saying:

HOLD ON SUMMER!
We ain't through with you yet!

That's right! We're doing one last ditch effort to hold on to summer by celebrating with Popsicle. Personally, I can eat popsicles any time of year. It can be freezing outside and I'll be warm and toasty, inside eating popsicles.

If you haven't checked out Popsicle's products lately........ SHAME ON YOU! Sorry, couldn't resist! heehee Let me show you a few of their products, but first:




My Popsicle disclaimer: Popsicle sent me coupons and product for a product review, but I was not compensated monetarily for this review.

In so saying, Popsicle sent me two (2) boxes of their New! Slow Melts to try and they were really fabulous! Plus, Moms and Dads, these little jewels are only 40 calories and 10 grams of carbohydrates. No big time sugar rushes or other problems caused by too much sugar.




The box of Fantastic Fruity comes has Cherry, Strawberry-Kiwi and Lemonade. The flavors, as with all Popsicle products are really good. The Lemonade is probably my favorite out of the three.




The box Mighty Minis comes in Fruit Punch, Tropical Orange, Lemon-Lime, Strawberry-Kiwi and Watermelon. All really good flavors here, too. My favorite of these is probably the Tropical Orange. My most favorite thing about the Minis is their size. They are perfect for even the tiniest mouths. They are less than half the size of normal popsicles.

Now, what is this Slow Melt thing I keep talking about? These popsicles have gelatin added to them so they don't melt as quickly. Less messes, too. Can't beat that, huh?




As many of you know, Popsicle carries a large line of popsicles, fudgsicles, creamsicles and a line of "quick grab" products for "on the go". They also have flavors available in Sugar Free and Fat Free:



And they carry Novelty popsicles:





So whatever your taste or preference, Popsicle will have just what you need.

Now to the really fun part. Popsicle wants me to share. Yep, they have sent me coupons for FREE BOXES OF POPSICLES and I have enough for eight (8) people. So, if you want a coupon, here's what you have to do:

You must complete the main entry to be eligible for the extra entries. This contest will run until Monday, Sept. 21st at 11:59 CST. Make sure you leave your contact information so I can get in touch with you when you win. Please, leave a separate comment for each entry. Thanks and Good luck!

Main Entry:

Tell me your favorite Popsicle product and flavor.

Extra Entries:

(1) Follow Popsicle on twitter.

(2) Follow my blog or tell me if you already do.

(3) Follow me on twitter: SereneMoments

(4) Go to "The Popsicle Story" and tell me one of the "Did you Know....?" items there.

House of Jerky Review

This is the most perfect time of year to think of jerky. The temperatures are starting to drop and, although most men I know eat jerky year round, it seems that deer season brings on massive jerky buying sprees.

Earlier this year, I met Janie on twitter. Janie is with the House of Jerky and is a super nice lady. Janie was kind enough to send me a "bundle" of jerky to try out and write a review about. On the day the package arrived, my son, Cody and his friends, Chris and Eddie were hanging out at the house which is sometimes rare. They were more than happy to "test" the jerky with me and give their opinions of each flavor. So, this review has the honest opinions of Me and 3 young men.

Here we go:

Beef flavors:

Natural - Our natural flavor is rich in the natural taste of top quality beef. With just a hint of spices and natural smoke flavor, this treat is hard to beat. Our unique recipe is always moist and fresh.

Us: Well liked by us all, but my favorite. It had the perfect blend of flavors. Not spicy, not sweet, just a good smoky, jerky flavor.

Sweet & Spicy - A great treat for those who like sweet and spicy foods. Formulated with honey, brown sugar, and pineapple juice for the sweet taste and tabasco sauce, white pepper and cayenne pepper for the spicy tang. Real zip!

Us: This selection was left to the boys to taste. I cannot do spicy, even in small doses. This flavor was clearly a top pick and the favorite for Cody and Chris. A perfect blend of sweet and spicy flavoring. The heat nor the sweet was overpowering. Once it was gone, they wanted more!

Teriyaki - Our Teriyaki Flavor is one of our best sellers. If you have ever tried Teriyaki beef jerky and didn't like it, we guarantee you will love this. With a compliment of just the right amount of sweetness and spices, this unique recipe can not be duplicated anywhere.

Us: This was the 2nd most favorite for us. It was really good. It was not too sweet or too spicy, just a pleasant combination of seasonings.

Black Pepper -Our Black Peppered flavor is a perfect recipe for those who like a certain zing to their beef jerky. Made with crushed black pepper, this tasteful snack is hard to put down. This treat is great for all occasions and will be one of your favorites.

Us: This was the favorite for Eddie but we all liked it. It has just the right amount of black pepper to enhance to the flavor of the beef. It was really good.

Hot - Our Hot flavor is for those who dare! Made with habenero peppers, this treat requires lots of refreshments. Not exactly a "Chernobyl" type of hot, but just enough to appreciate the numbness of your taste buds with an incredible flavor!

Us: I left this one for the boys to try. I can't eat anything with even a little "zip" to it. The boys liked this one, but could only eat a little at a time. It is not for the "faint of heart" and was, to them, just almost too hot to eat.

Turkey flavors:

Black Pepper and Teriyaki - I must admit, the turkey flavors were a "NO" for us all. They weren't horrible by no means. I think it was probably just new flavors that you would need to get used to, as far as jerky goes. We have had the venison jerky, but, outside of that, it's been just the traditional jerkys. Lord knows, I love turkey and eat it year round, so that's my best explanation.

Black Pepper - Our Black Peppered flavor is a perfect recipe for those who like a certain zing to their beef jerky. Made with crushed black pepper, this tasteful snack is hard to put down. This treat is great for all occasions and will be one of your favorites.

Teriyaki - Our Turkey Jerky is available in Teriyaki flavor. The teriyaki seasoning is just the right flavor to compliment the natural taste of turkey. For those who are health conscious or just appreciate the unique recipe we have developed over the years to make the best Turkey Jerky in any house.

About House of Jerky:

House of Jerky® products are always made fresh with no preservatives or MSG added. Our superior flavor comes from our seasoning and marinating process.

Gourmet Jerky
House of Jerky's® unique recipes ensure exceptional taste and quality
No Preservatives
No Artificial Colors
No Nitrites
No MSG
No Flavor Enhancers
High Protein - Low Fat
Our Jerky is made from Grade A, USDA inspected meats
USDA approved, licensed and daily inspected facility
Free shipping with every order

Overall, I will highly recommend House of Jerky to you. When it comes to jerky, they have it down to an art. The customer service is great. Janie is great. She is friendly and, after months of dealing with her I can tell you, it's not all about business. She is a genuine person who cares about you and likes sharing her life with her "virtual friends" on twitter. This alone would make me buy from House of Jerky. What an added bonus!

I also want to point out their program for Soldiers:

Jerky for Soldiers Angels

Soldiers' Angels currently supports tens of thousands of American Service Members stationed wherever we raise our nation's flag, and the number continues to grow daily. Soldiers Angels are dedicated in supporting our military during and after their deployment. With our partnership with Soldiers Angels, we are helping them raise funds. If you would like to help support our troops through Soldiers Angels, we donate $10, whenever you place an order on this "Operation Beef Jerky Page. This is not about politics, this is about not forgetting our soldiers in harm's way.

Send hero packs to your favorite soldier. All orders include free shipping and a personalized note from you.

Contact Information:

Janie would love to hear from you or assist you with ordering this high quality jerky. Here's how to find her:

Twitter: House of Jerky
Website: House of Jerky

While you're there, sign up for their Newsletter. You don't want to miss any great deals, especially this close to Christmas.

Thanks again, Janie!

Glade Fragrance Collection Giveaway - 25 Winners

Contest is Closed! Thanks to all who entered! All 25 Winners have been contacted.

I love coming home to a clean, "yummy" smelling home and, with Glade's Fragrance Collection, you are going to, EVERY time.

Glade's Fragrance Collection consists of:

· Jasmine & Wild Orchid Multi Wick candles

· Jasmine & Wild Orchid Reed Diffusers

· Lotus Bamboo Multi Wick candles

· Lotus Bamboo Reed Diffusers

· Currents & Acai Multi Wick candles

· Currents & Acai Reed Diffusers

The Jasmine and Wild Orchid is the newest scent to be added to the Fragrance Collection.

What is the Fragrance Collection by Glade?

It is a new line of boutique-quality home fragrances offering fine specialty-type products at affordable prices.

Jasmine and Wild Orchid:
A fragrance that summons echos of the exotic East. The freshness of rain-drenched wild orchid petals intermingles with hints of jasmine, pink peony and night blooming orchid to create a lush, floral scent that is relaxing and uplifting.


Currants and Acai
Give yourself over to pure fruity bliss with the delicious scent of Currants and Acai. It's a delightful combination of tart red currants, tangy acai berries and sweet red fruit currants, which is positively bursting with energy, enthusiam and a love for life.


Lotus Bamboo
A fragrance inspired by ancient symbols of purity and good fortune. Lotus bamboo marries beautiful lotus with a touch of citrus, giving way to a creamy bamboo base that turns any room into your personal sanctuary.


Glade carries many products in addition to the Fragrance Collection:

Air Fresheners
Plug Ins
Scented Oil Candles
Flameless Candles
Fabric and Air Odor Eliminators
..... and many more!

Where can you find Glade Products?

You can buy Glade at mass merchandise locations, supermarkets and drug stores.

Or, you can get them Right Here!

Glade has graciously offered to give 25 of my readers, (nope, it's not a typo), a gift pack consisting of a Candle and a Reed Diffuser in their newest scent: Jasmine and Wild Orchid.

Isn't that exciting?

How to Enter:

This giveaway will run through October 5th at 11:59 CST and is open to EVERYONE! You must make sure to leave your contact information if you do not have a blogger link. If I cannot locate you, I will have to draw a new winner.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

Main Entry:

You must follow me publicly. How easy is that? The more followers I have, the better the opportunities that I can bring you.

Extra Entries:

(1) Follow the Fragrance Collection on twitter: Indulge a Little

(2) Tell me your favorite Glade product and in what scent.

(3) Follow Mary from Glade's PR team on twitter: Mary Horvat

(4) Grab my new button and tell me where you put it so I can verify.

(5) Read my post about Grandparents.com, leave a comment there, then come back here and let me know you did.

(6) Follow me on twitter: Serene Moments

(7) Tweet about this giveaway and leave the link so I can find it. You can tweet for one extra entry each day. Just remember to come back and comment that you did.

There you go! That is eight initial entries, plus one extra per day until October 5th.

Have fun and Good Luck to you all!

It's a Party at Sandy's!

WooHoo! Sandy over at Tales From A Shopaholic Mommy is having a Birthday Bash to honor her little girl's 2nd Birthday!

The Birthday Bash will run September 5th thru 12th and will include giveaways for shoes, clothes, watches, an Amazon gift card and more!

You don't want to miss it!

A Little Something Special

Special Note: Don't miss the Grandparents.com/MomSelect Twitter Party - Sept. 10th, 8-9pm ET w/host @MomTalkRadio. Assisted by @ResourcefulMom #grandparents


This has got to be one of the simplest and BEST ideas I have seen in a long while.



In celebration of Grandparents Day on September 13th, I bring you Grandparents.com, a website honoring the relationship between the Grandparent and the Grandchild.

Many families over the years are forced to be separated from their loved ones for one reason or other. I have a lot of family that lives in other states and it seems like the distance between us grows further each year. My boyfriend, Ollie, has five grandchildren ranging in age from 8 to 14 and, because he travels for work, he doesn't get to see them for months at a time. It's sad and many years get wasted. You miss out on all the joys of their growing up. Sure you get your pictures, maybe an occasional phone call, but you miss them and miss hearing their voice.

Grandparents.com has found a way to bridge the gaps in families and bring them back together through a FREE program called "Your Voice" that enables the Grandchild to record a message to send to their Grandparent(s) through an e-mail.

Here are the simple steps:


Click on "Try it now!" and you are taken to this page:

Not sure what to say? Get some ideas. (Great to have ideas for people who aren't sure what to say and it also has recording samples you can listen to.)

Some ideas for what to record:

• Tell a story about your childhood
• Read a book they love
• Sing a song to make them smile (and sing along!)
• Tell them how much you love them
• Make them laugh with jokes
• Anything you want — it's your voice that matters!

Listen to some examples:

Example 1

Example 2

Continue »

1.

Dial 1-585-295-6784

2.

Enter Secure PIN (8 numbers +#)

3.

Record.

When you've finished recording, press # or simply hang up and click the button below to continue

Once you complete each step (long distance fees apply at your regular rate) and click on the "I Have Finished Recording" button, you are then taken to the next page where you enter your name and e-mail address and the e-mail address of the recipient. There's also a box so you can enter a personal message. Then, press SEND.

They receive this in their e-mail:

You have received a recording from Gena A recording was made for you by Gena using YourVoice at Grandparents.com. Keep this e-mail in a safe place so you can listen to this recording again and again.

Home | Activities | Vacations | Expert Advice | Food | Toys & Gifts | Video | Columns

The Grandparent simply clicks the "Listen to your recording" button and it will connect them to the "Your Voice" page and the player. At that time, just click the "Play" button and your are good to go. Simple, huh? They also get the option to download the recording to their computer so they can listen to it any time they want. Can you imagine, your child is grown and, along with those embarrassing photos, they have this heartfelt recording from their youth. How precious to hear their sweet little voice again.

I LOVE THIS!

This fabulous website is also full of fun ideas of things that Grandparents and Grandchildren can do together. The website is broken down into groups based on the child's age to make it even easier.

I encourage you to sign up for the newsletter, too. It is full of ideas for activites to do together, what type of gifts to buy, recipes... Lots and Lots of interesting items that can help families, not just Grandparents.

Please, join me in celebrating Grandparents Day on September 13th. Utilize this fabulous, FREE tool and give the Grandparent(s) a memory to last a lifetime.



Note:

I also asked them if they would be adding additional programs so anyone can use it and was told to GO AHEAD. Although it is set up for Grandparent and Grandchild to communicate, they welcome ANYONE to use it to open the lines of communication.

Since Ollie is so far away at times, what a pleasant surprise I can send him to remind him that I love and miss him!


This review is possible due to my membership in MomSelect.

Pur Flavor Pitcher Review and Giveaway

****This contest is closed. Thanks to all who entered. The winner is: Barbara! Congrats!****




A few weeks ago, I spoke with Lindsay at PUR about doing a promotion for the PUR Flavor Pitcher.

I am so tired of drinking water that smells like bleach and other chemicals. Say what they may, but I just don't think that stuff is safe. I also have "issues" with Ollie's water, my boyfriend. He lives in the hills and has well water that is so hard and full of minerals.

Well, Lindsay graciously sent me a PUR Flavor Pitcher to try out.

Folks, PURe is exactly what I got.

I'll tell you straight up that I am not a fan of water, but I did love the taste of PUR water. I find myself drinking a lot more now that I have the PUR Flavor Pitcher.

I was also very apprehensive about the "flavor" part of the pitcher. The PUR Flavor Pitcher comes with the raspberry flavoring, plus I was sent the lemon flavoring. With the PUR flavor packet, I can control the amount of flavor I want and it has just the right amount of sweetness: not syrupy and not absent. There isn't that filmy feel in my mouth after drinking it, nor is there that "after taste". You know the one.



PUR Facts

Did you know that you can save up to $600 a year just by switching to a PUR Water Filter? That's right, PUR is up to 8x cheaper than bottled water. Plus, we all know that we need to stay away from those nasty plastic bottles.

Did you know that a report release in March 2008 reported that variouss pharmaceutical compounds had been found in the water systems of 24 major metropolitan areas in the United States? Good news. A PUR Water Faucet-Mount can reduce that number by 99% and the PUR Pitcher can reduce it by 96%.

Giving Back



The Children's Safe Drinking Water Program or CSDW


In 2004, P&G partnered with a diverse network of organizations to create the Children's Safe Drinking Water program, providing awareness of this significant global issue and enabling others to help solve this problem. The Children's Safe Drinking Water Program is the focal philanthropic program of P&G's overall cause program, P&G's Live, Learn, and Thrive TM initiative.

P&G is committed to improving the lives of people around the globe, saving children's lives and providing clean drinking water to as many people as possible. As the creator and producer of the PUR packets, P&G provides both its technical expertise and financial support for this work, in addition to human resources, manufacturing facilities, research and advocacy for this global issue. To date, P&G has invested more than $25 million toward clean drinking water.

Working with organizations such as PSI, CARE, World Vision, Aquaya Institute, USAID, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the International Council of Nurses, Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, Save the Children, Samaritan's Purse and Americares, P&G helps distribute PUR packets to people in developing countries and emergency relief situations across the globe.

To date, the Children's Safe Drinking Water program has delivered over 1 billion liters of clean drinking water. And we are committed to delivering three and a half billion liters by 2012, more than doubling the efforts of our first four years.

Get involved with the work we are doing with charitable organizations and educational programs that support this effort to bring clean water to people in need around the globe.

Together we can make a difference.

Please, take a look at the Children's Safe Drinking Water Program and view it for yourself.

Giveaway:

One of my readers is going to have the opportunity to win a PUR Flavor Pitcher. Just a heads up, if you don't win, go HERE and get a coupon to buy one of your own.

This contest will be open until 11:59 CST on August 31st. All entries must be a blogger account or contain an e-mail so I can contact you when you win. Leave a separate comment for each entry you submit.

Main Entry:

Go to the PUR Water Filtration website and tell me an interesting fact that you find there.

Extra Entries:

(1) Follow my blog

(2) Become a fan of PUR on Facebook

(3) Follow me on twitter, @SereneMoments and tweet about this giveaway.

(4) Grab my new button and tell me where you put it.