You Can Make This Giveaway

With the holidays just around the corner, we thought it would be fun to showcase some quick and easy gift ideas you can give to friends, neighbors, co-workers, and oh yes…even your family! You can enter to win eBooks from  www.YouCanMakeThis.com and learn some fun new techniques, tips, and ideas not only for the people on your list, but also creative ways to decorate your home!

You Can Make This has created a free download for some fun gift tags. Each of them coordinate with ideas found as part of the DIY Gift Giving Series videos that can be found at www.youcanmakethis.com/blog , as well as designs and patterns found at www.SWAKembroidery.com and www.YouCanMakeThis.com.

You can also enter to win hundreds of dollars in gift certificates just for watching the videos that are part of the DIY Gift Giving Series and answering a question on the You Can Make This blog!

YouCanMakeThis is going to allow 2 of my readers to receive a giveaway bundle that would include instructions for making the Kimberbell Kids 24” Doll and “Gift-Giver” Patterns. These are the perfect toys to make every little ones eyes light up on Christmas morning.

I will run the giveaway until December 20th at noon CST.

Main Entry

Tell me who you would like to make gifts for if you win these downloads.

Extra Entries

(1) Follow my blog.

(2) Follow me on twitter: @SereneMoments

(3) Tweet the following and take 2 additional entries. You can do this as often as you like:

"Christmas Bash Giveaways Galore at Yummy! Yummy! Yummy! - http://lageansgoodies.blogspot.com - Every post with Christmas Bash icon"

My Secret Circle Giveaway - Girls 8 - 12

Giveaway has been extended to Dec. 18th at 1:00 CST!

If you haven't seen this little gem, you are in for a treat! Back in September, I received the Best Friend pack of the My Secret Circle and had two of my boyfriend's granddaughters help me test them. They just loved them.

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" and 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. You can read my complete review HERE.

Want to win one for your child? Contest will run until Dec. 17th at noon CST. You must complete the main entry to qualify for additional entries.

Main Entry

Tell me who you would like to give this to when you win.

Extra Entries

(1) Follow my blog.

(2) Follow me on twitter: @SereneMoments

(3)Tweet the following about my Christmas Bash and take 2 extra entries. Do this as often as you like. No limit!

"Christmas Bash Giveaways Galore at Yummy! Yummy! Yummy! - http://lageansgoodies.blogspot.com - Every post with Christmas Bash icon"

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!

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.

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!

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.