Fun in the Sun #19: Executive Gift Shoppe {Activo Insulated Cooler Tote Review & $25 Gift Certificate Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Pauline!}

Although we enjoy a lot of aspects that come along with summer, one of our favorite ways to celebrate the season as a family is to go on picnics.

Whether we pull out a blanket in the yard or find a good spot at a table in the park, both of my daughters think that, even though we might be eating the exact same food that we would be in our dining room, it is much more fun when it is consumed outside.

However, up until recently, when it came time to pack our picnic, I found myself frustrated trying to do so. The lunch bag that the kids and I use when we bring food to meet our playgroup isn't big enough and stuffing things into grocery bags is just bothersome.

Fortunately, that's where Executive Gift Shoppe swooped in and has made taking food on the go so much easier and more convenient with the Activo Insulated Cooler Tote.

Upon hearing the name Executive Gift Shoppe, I seemed to always picture something like business card holders or briefcases. However, after browsing and finding unique options like bamboo desk accessories or personalized flasks, I began to see that I had been missing quite a bit.

When the Activo Insulated Cooler Tote in red arrived, I was looking forward to seeing just how much it could improve our picnics.

Available in seven different colors, the Activo Cooler Tote measures 17 x 15 x 4.5," which proved right away to be the perfect size for our needs. Peeking inside, I really appreciated the drawstring closure and the thick white waterproof plastic of the inner layer. Cold food can stay that way without me having to lug a bulky traditional cooler around!

As well as the main, lined portion of this tote, there are a ton of other storage options through the design. I think every time I have used this cooler, I have discovered another pocket that I hadn't seen before!

The front features a large zippered pocket as well as a shorter, open pocket, meaning there is more than enough room to store anything from napkins to utensils to magazines without worry.

Each end features a shorter pocket with a flap top and Velcro closure, which could also store more food or other smaller items that need to come along (we discovered they fit sippy cups extremely well).

It wasn't until we were actually at the park one day when I noticed the zippered pocket located along the top edge on the inside of the tote. This roomy location is great for keeping your wallet, phone, keys or other valuables safe as well as accessible when you need them.

Having used both the padded shoulder strap as well as the comfortable carrying handles, arriving at the park with the Activo Insulated Cooler Tote isn't a problem at all. The food always stays fresh and cold and my hands are free to carry sand toys, someone's hat or much more.

With a reputation for providing unique, engraved or personalized gifts at affordable prices, Executive Gift Shoppe has done an excellent job with the Activo Insulated Cooler Tote. The tall, thin design provides plenty of space and items can easily be stacked so that they all fit well inside the many pockets.

I could see this really coming in handy for someone who has to take public transportation to do their grocery shopping, as well as for picnics, tailgating, potlucks, trips to the beach (it's waterproof!) and more. Retailing for $30, if this tote is an example of Executive Gift Shoppe's commitment to quality, then I will have to be sure to return for future gift ideas.

Plus, thanks to their generosity, one lucky person will be able to choose anything from a gift for an executive to one for a belated Father's Day gift, because...

One lucky person will win a $25 gift certificate to Executive Gift Shoppe!

To enter to win: Visit Executive Gift Shoppe and tell me what great gift item (other than the Activo Insulated Cooler Tote) you might purchase if you win.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry if you head over to A Mom's Balancing Act and enter to win a $25 gift certificate to Executive Gift Shoppe over there as well!
1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Executive Gift Shoppe on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the Fun in the Sun giveaways (Fun in the Sun giveaways ONLY) running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

Fun in the Sun 19: WIN a $25 GC to Executive Gift Shoppe for unique, quality items! #thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/moklm7 #win #giveaway

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me publicly with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email or become a fan on Facebook.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you have our Fun in the Sun button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on July 8th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to Executive Gift Shoppe for providing an Activo Insulated Cooler Tote for me to review as well as a $25 gift certificate for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.