Celebrate Hope with Pink Together {Prize Pack Giveaway}

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

The arrival of October means different things for different people.

For some, it signifies that fall is truly here as the leaves change color and begin to drop and cover the lawn. For others, especially kids, this month is all about Halloween and costumes and trick-or-treating.

However, for so many others, October is much more meaningful with the arrival of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Having touched so many lives, a month dedicated to the breast cancer survivors, patients, family members, and supporters is something that can make us all proud.

And no one knows that better than Pink Together.

Now in its fifth year of celebrating hope, the 2011 Pink Together campaign connects a unique online community of people who have been touched by breast cancer to share a passion for the cause. With a basis of giving a place to find hope, be inspired and know that they are not alone, Pink Together makes it clear that individually we are strong, but together we are stronger.

So how can we all be involved? Simply visit Pink Together to share your personal story and messages of hope and read about others' journeys.

Even better, to encourage personal connections, General Mills will donate $1 to the Komen organization for each Message of Hope that is sent to someone who has shared their story on PinkTogether.com (up to $25,000) during October... this is in addition to a $2 million donation General Mills is making to the Komen organization!

Plus, for the first time in its five-year history, this year consumers can choose how $1 million of this donation will be shared between two important Komen programs: the Treatment and Assistance Program, which assists women in securing care they otherwise may not be able to afford, and Prevention Research, which helps unlock the keys to preventing breast cancer.

Visit Pink Together from now through April 14, 2012 to make your choice and then return on Mother's Day 2012 (Sunday, May 13) when the results will be announced. What an amazing way to help a great cause!

In the meantime, while visiting Pink Together, be sure to meet the inspiring 2011 Pink Together Survivor Ambassadors and visit the Pink Together YouTube Channel to find out more about their courageous stories. Then get started right away showing your support by checking out the pink packaging of many classic General Mills products this month:

Although celebrating fall and Halloween are great in October, supporting Pink Together, General Mills and the millions of people who have been affected in some way by breast cancer is not to be missed.

Started with the belief that one person’s story is another person’s hope, Pink Together knows that something as simple as a story connects people to hope and to one another. When we join in a community such as this one, for now we are able to share guidance, encouragement, comfort and support... but one day, just maybe, we'll rejoice in having discovered a cure.

In recognition of the amazing work that Pink Together is doing, General Mills wants to spread the love even further and...

One lucky person will win a Pink Together prize pack*!

*Prize pack contains: a 16 oz. box of Total cereal, VIP coupons valid for one box of Cheerios, one box of Multigrain Cheerios cereal and one cup of Yoplait yogurt, a Betty Crocker Living with Cancer Cookbook Pink Together Edition, a water bottle and removable silicone awareness bracelet, a drawstring sport backpack and rhinestone ear buds

To enter to win: Tell me how your life has been touched (if it has) by breast cancer.

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 Like PinkTogether.com on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways 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!

#WIN a Pink Together Prize Pack in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month! http://bit.ly/oi8H9b @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #myblogspark

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, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
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 blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on October 21st 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 General Mills for providing a Pink Together prize pack through MyBlogSpark for me as well 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.

Friendly Friday: September 30th

         

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Welcome to Friendly Friday!

Remember, YOU can host the link list on your blog, too! Just get the InLinkz code and copy it directly into your post. The code is different every week, so be sure to get the new code when hosting Friendly Friday on your blog. Hosting the list is a great way to get even more traffic to your blog and make Friendly Friday more beneficial for everyone.

Thanks for joining the Friendly Friday celebration hosted by Xenia at Thanks, Mail Carrier, Christi at Frugal Novice and Charla at Healthy Home Blog! We invite you to join us every Friday to make more friends in blogville, get more blog followers and follow other great blogs out there.

To join in the Friendly Friday celebration, include your family-friendly link in our list, follow the hostesses in the first 3 spots and then start blog hopping! Visit other blogs on the list and comment to give them some blog love. Then take a minute to follow them through Google Friend Connect - this is a good way to keep up with other blogs, but also lets us show support to each other! Please DO NOT list your giveaways here, links must be to either your homepage or your Friday posting with your blog title. All others will be deleted.

When people comment on your blog and let you know they're a part of Friendly Friday, return the favor and follow them back. This way everyone gets traffic and followers out of participating, and it's a win-win situation. We would love for you to also grab our Friendly Friday button and post it on your blog and/or in a post - the more bloggers that find out about Friendly Friday and participate, the better!

Spotlight on Friendly Friday Followers!

We love your participation and want to show it! In addition to gaining followers, each week we’ll select one blog at random and will feature links and a write-up for that blog in the content of next week’s Friendly Friday post. There are so many seriously wonderful blogs out there, and this will be a great way to highlight one of those each week. Say hello to the lucky chosen blog and blogger for this week (and feel free to stop by and give her a little extra love):

Jade from Hey, It's Jade (wonder where she got her blog name?) is a Stay-At-Home-Mom of two boys. She blogs about her family and uses her blog as a diary that she can look back on. She recently started homeschooling and posts weekly about their lessons and activities. You'll also find random musings, funny anecdotes, special deals or frugal findings along with product or service reviews and the occasional giveaway as well. You'll love reading about her sweet family and getting ideas for activities to do with your kids whether you homeschool or not!

Now that you know about this wonderful blog, it's time for you to join in! Add your family-friendly link below and we'll see you back here every Friday! And don't forget, you can get the InLinkz code to share the link list on your blog, too.

All three hostesses appreciate followers through Google Friend Connect AND Twitter and we'll follow you back - just be sure to leave a comment with your URL and/or Twitter username. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Zui.com is holding a $500 Visa Gift Card Giveaway!

It seems like there are certain seasons where we don't spend much money.

Aside from a few outings in the summer, playing at the park or going to our local zoo are free. And in the spring? What do we spend money on then besides maybe a new pair of sandals if last year's are outgrown?

But here and now in the fall, I feel as though my wallet might be permanently open. With back-to-school shopping still underway, cold weather apparel needed soon, and let's not even start thinking about the multiple birthday gifts and all of the holiday presents that are on my list to purchase. Yikes!

So, the nice people over at Zui.com want to make this time of year a little easier by giving one lucky winner a $500 Visa gift card!

As a revolutionary search and exploration engine for children ranging from 3 to 12 years of age, Zui.com focuses on making the internet fun and safe for kids... and they want to know what you like most about them. Even better, answering that one simple question is all you need to do as your entry into their Facebook contest for the $500 Visa gift card!

It couldn't get much easier than that and isn't it worth the one minute that it will take you to enter on the chance that it could end up winning you $500? Clothes, groceries, gifts, boots that fit and snow pants that don't have holes in the knees (or is that just us?)... head over to the KidZui Facebook page today and enter!

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Zui.com but all thoughts and opinions are my own. It's $500, People!

Bialetti Trends Pasta Pot {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, rene miller!}

I think my feelings on cooking vary depending on the day of the week.

Some days it's something fun, giving me a sense of productivity and even a little creativity... while other days it's just a necessity so that the kids don't end up with their sixth peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the week.

But whether I'm in the mood to try something elaborate and new or just want to throw together a quick meal that I'm sure my family will love, I've come to learn that a lot depends on the cookware. Originally I had assumed that a pan is a pan and a pot is a pot... until I was introduced to Bialetti Aeternum Cookware last year and realized that wasn't actually the case.

Having thoroughly enjoyed their high quality saute pans, I had no doubt that the Bialetti Trends Pasta Pot would have the same effect while also looking just as attractive. Who isn't inspired in the kitchen when their noodles are being dropped into something that looks this good?

A large 5-quart size, the Bialetti Pasta Pot is available in three great colors - Purple Passion, Orange Spice and Blue Cheer - to add a little cheer into your life. Perfect for everything from pasta to vegetables to potatoes to nearly any sort of cooking that requires draining, this innovative and high quality pot features a locking built-in strainer so that you can say goodbye to your old colander.

Having tried a pot with an in-lid strainer once in the past and having it fail miserably as I watched my pasta dump down into the sink and garbage disposal, I was ready to see if Bialetti had indeed created one that would make cooking more convenient.

Right out of the box I was admiring the silicone lacquer exterior and how nice the heat-resistant handles felt to hold, not to mention just how practical of an idea it is to have the strainer right there in the lid.

As I removed and replaced the lid a few times, it was also easily evident that this wasn't going to be a repeat of the cheap pot from years ago. Instead of just sitting in place like a traditional lid, the Pasta Pot lid actually locks in place so that you can drain water safely and easily.

Simply line up the lid at a slight angle to the pot and twist until it is secure.

When it came time to cook, the Bialetti Pasta Pot did not disappoint - what a great tool!

The oval shape makes it just right for spaghetti or lasagna noodles to stay whole (no more breaking them to fit), the aluminum construction leads to even heat conduction, and the non-stick interior helps make sure that all of our food is cooked just right.

And, of course, draining the water out is a breeze. Even though we were tentative the first time, tipping slightly...

...and then slightly further...

...and then finally dumping the whole thing over to discover that the lid held tight exactly how it is designed to do!

I've had complete trust in my Pasta Pot ever since and it has yet to let me down. My meals have come out tasting great and even on those instances when I don't get around to doing the dishes right away (lack of time or just pure laziness? Hmm...) the non-stick interior of this pot means that clean-up is still a breeze. Plus, having not used a separate strainer, that means one less item to have to wash!

Available directly from Bialetti, the Trends Pasta Pot retails for $34.95 and is just another example of the high quality, unique, modern Italian designs that Bialetti provides at affordable prices. Whether you are an amateur or an experienced cook, their products can add style and convenience to your kitchen or will make a great gift!

And, thanks to their generosity, one person will soon be able to whip up their favorite dish quickly and easily as well, because...

One lucky person will win a Bialetti Trends Pasta Pot!

To enter to win: Visit Bialetti and tell me another of their innovative and high quality products (not mentioned above) that you would like to own.

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 Like Bialetti on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways 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!

#WIN a Bialetti Pasta Pot, the high quality, colorful pot w/ a built-in strainer (ARV $35)! http://bit.ly/roYjkl @thxmailcarrier #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, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
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 blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on October 20th 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 Bialetti for providing a Trends Pasta Pot for me to review as well 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.

Chocolate Nutella Surprise Cookies {Recipe}

Mmmmm.

Apparently I'm a little late getting in on the action, but it seems that the rest of the world has already long been enjoying the rich, delicious, eat-it-straight-from-the-jar chocolatey goodness of Nutella.

It's not that I hadn't heard of it before (and I'm pretty sure I had it in a crêpe in Paris many, many years ago), but why I hadn't picked up a bottle right there off the shelf at my local grocery store until recently? It'll remain a mystery, I guess.

But as well as just eating it off of my spoon (even though I was having a good time doing that), I wanted to take things a step further and found a recipe for Nutella Lava Cookies that I had to try.

I didn't find that they turned out much like lava, so I think a better name is Chocolate Nutella Surprise Cookies because it's like a yummy surprise burst when you bite into them. I've already eaten far too many, but really, is there ever too much chocolate?

Chocolate Nutella Surprise Cookies

1 cup butter
1¼ cup sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1½ cups large semi-sweet chocolate chips
Nutella for filling

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

If you're a snazzy baker, line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. If you're like me, just brush off your regular old cookie sheets and you're set to go.

Cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Blend in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix in the cocoa powder at low speed until well blended.

Add the flour, salt and baking powder to the bowl and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Original instructions: Scoop up about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball. Flatten the ball in the palm of your hand and put about ½ tbsp of Nutella in the middle of the dough. Then wrap the edges around to form a ball and to cover the Nutella completely.

My take: My dough was like normal, sticky cookie dough and there was no way that I was going to be able to roll it into a ball, even if I added some flour. Instead, I took about 1 tablespoon of dough and flattened it on the sheet, added a dollop of Nutella, and then placed a second tablespoon of dough on top. Using the spoon, I ran it around the edges to form enough of a seal that the Nutella wouldn't leak out when baking.

Continue placing balls about 2" apart. Bake about 13-16 minutes, but don't overdo it because you want the centers to still be soft. Serve while warm. Leftovers can be kept in a container and popped in the microwave for around 5 seconds to enjoy the next day... and the next... and the next...

Pillsbury Sweet Moments {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, romany212!}

As with most any mom, when my kids want something that I have, I find myself giving it to them. Don't you?

If they're cold, I'll hand over my sweater even if it means I'm then the one shivering. If Big Sister E needs a ponytail holder and there isn't one within reach, I'll pull out the one from my own hair so that she can be happier without her long locks falling in her face. And if Little Sister B just has to color on the portion of the newspaper that I'm reading? Well, then I'll just have to wait a little while and then read what I can see through the crayon.

We love those darn kids so much that we'll do just about anything for them, won't we?

However, when it came time to review the two new flavors of Pillsbury Sweet Moments, I'm not going to lie. I didn't share. In fact, when these two bags of bite-size deliciousness arrived, I slipped them right into the refrigerator and never said a word.

Should I feel guilty about not sharing?

Um...

Would you?

These ready-to-eat brownie bites are now available in Rasberry Brownie Cheesecake and Caramel Brownie Cheesecake (joining Cocoa Fudge Escape, Cocoa Fudge Chip and Cocoa Caramel Obsession) and are just the thing for when your sweet tooth is craving something tasty.

Available nationwide in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, Pillsbury Sweet Moments are the no-fuss, no-wait solution to indulge in at any point in the day. Whether after lunch, for dessert or for a great addition to the table when entertaining, simply pull the bag out and they are immediately ready to serve.

Considering I love my sweets but love them even more when they require zero prep time, I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to reach in and pull out one of these little brownies whenever I need just enough chocolate to tide me over.

By biting into Pillsbury Sweet Moments when they're still cool, each individual layer and texture of them manages to melt in my mouth just right. They're just the right size for two bites of YUM!

The next time you're planning a dinner party, family get-together, need to bring a treat to work to share, or just want a delicious indulgence for yourself, keep an eye out for all five varieties of Pillsbury Sweet Moments. Retailing for $3.19 for a bag of 12, I won't blame you one bit if you want to keep them all for yourself. I sure did!

Thanks to the generosity of Pillsbury, one person will be able to have some tantalizing treats of their own as well, because...

One lucky person will win two VIP (free) coupons to try
Pillsbury Sweet Moments for themselves!

To enter to win: Tell me what time of day you would most like to indulge in a Sweet Moment of your own.

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 (per method) if you follow Pillsbury on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways 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!

WIN 2 coupons for free Pillsbury Sweet Moments, the most delicious bite-size brownies! http://bit.ly/qNsGAp @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

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, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
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 blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on October 19th 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 Pillsbury for providing samples of Pillsbury Sweet Moments for me to review as well two coupons 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.

ABC Kids Expo + a Broken Laptop = I Need a Nap

This past weekend was the annual ABC Kids Expo, a massively large trade show for retailers big and small to show off their current and new baby and kids products to the world.

I was introduced to the show last year when HABA brought me to Las Vegas with them to help share my love of their amazing products and had a great time talking to groups of buyers from large corporations and individual newcomers just opening their own shops.

When my time at the HABA booth was done, I was able to walk the nearly-1 million square feet of floor space to visit the other exhibitors and see everything from futuristic, high-tech products to simple, handmade items that moms and kids would be sure to love. In short, the whole thing was an eye-opening experience that I thoroughly enjoyed... and was ready to repeat again this year.

As the show moved to Louisville, I was excited about shorter flights and, even better, this trip had the added bonus of the fact that the airport security personnel I encountered seemed to not think I was someone who smuggles things onto airplanes in their pants as they did in 2010. Hey, I'm moving up in the world!

Thanks to Angela from MommyPR for letting me swipe her picture since of course I didn't do a good job of taking my own

This year the show was just as large (if not larger) and just as exciting. I found more new products that I wouldn't have thought of (although I wished that I had) and got to visit with companies to see what they had in store for 2012 that will surely knock consumers' socks off.

Even better than all of that? I had the opportunity to hang out with the hilarious and super-sweet Leanne from Rave and Review as well as meet the awesome Angela and Andrea from MommyPR, and give a quick hug to the always-adorable Kate from The Shopping Mama.

There was a lot of laughter, a nice dinner, a party at the Hard Rock, and what visit to Louisville would be complete without The Colonel himself?

L to R: @Mommyof2Andrea, me, Colonel Sanders, @MommyPR, @RaveandReview

So, what could be stressful about all that?

Nothing, really. The weekend itself was a lot of fun. What turned out not-so-fun is that I've been in a position similar to this one since I arrived home:

Remember the excitement I shared when my husband so thoughtfully gave me a new laptop for our anniversary? Remember how that was only two months ago?

Sigh.

Even though it went in my carry-on, my laptop somehow ended up broken internally... meaning that the screen itself isn't cracked, but the image is. At first it seemed to show up halfway, but then there was nothing but a white blur.

Not being able to get into my computer doesn't only mean a big hassle (blogging has a way of sort of depending on a computer and all), it means my entire life is inaccessible. Yes, you've heard it before, but not keeping up with backing up my files, my kids' pictures, even the plans that I've got in place for Big Sister E's birthday party... none of it is anywhere else besides on that one laptop.

Double sigh.

After dropping it (and a chunk of change) with the Geek Squad, I now have all of the important information recovered, which has made my heart stop racing quite as fast as when I first discovered the broken screen.

Even though now I have to wait and see what the company decides in terms of the fix (and whether or not it will be covered by the warranty), at least I have things back in my possession. I can put up with using my old laptop (even though using it is horribly painful due to how slow it is and how many issues it has - it has randomly shut itself down twice today already) as long as I haven't lost everything.

Back your stuff up, People. Do it now.

It makes my eyes well up thinking that someday I wouldn't have simple things like photos of my daughters' first day of school simply because I hadn't taken the time to toss them somewhere safe.

Irreplaceable.

So although my shoulders were already sore from lugging bags around the Expo, I think my entire body is now feeling the brunt of the stress of the last few days. I'm ready for a good long nap and a nice, hot shower. Preferably with a soothing massaging shower head like those that are featured on the Professor Toilet blog. That professor sure knows his stuff when it comes to a calming shower experience and soothing away the effects that tension has in our lives!

Will I go to the ABC Expo again next year?

Maybe... ask me after I'm in a tranquil and relaxed state from my shower. One thing I know for sure, however, is that the next time my laptop moves from its rightful place on the table, it's getting wrapped in bubble wrap.

Double-wrapped, actually.

I am receiving a Monoglide Hand Shower, metal shower hose and mounting bracket from American Standard, however, all of the thoughts, opinions, and stress in this post are (unfortunately) completely mine.

Family Movie Night Tips during Sam's Club Home Entertainment Month {Tangled DVD/Blu-Ray Combo Pack Giveaway}

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

Along with phrases such as Mommy, I had fun at school today and I think it's time to read books, Big Sister E can often be found asking When's our next movie night?

Although they might not happen every week, we love the family togetherness of all four of us snuggling up on the couch to watch something entertaining and fun. Being able to pause the show whenever someone needs to go to the bathroom or someone else is just getting too antsy (which usually indicates we need to take a little break and make some popcorn) works out well for our younger attendees and the night usually ends up one big hug-fest... with some buttery fingers mixed in.

When snuggling turns into an all-out love fest

This month is Home Entertainment Month at Sam's Club, so together with Jenn Sbranti (Editor-in-Chief and founder of Hostess with the Mostess), this duo has teamed up to put together some great tips to make Family Movie Night even better. You'll find that these ideas can turn up the fun a few levels, particularly if you have Star Wars fans in your family:

A Family Affair
Hosting a movie night at home is such a fun way to get creative and entertain the entire family! Take your viewing party to the next level with cool, affordable entertainment and electronics like the brand new Star Wars Blu-ray trilogy sets ($39.98/set at Sam’s Club) or a giant 55" Philips LCD TV with MediaConnect for "big screen" viewing priced at only $998. Want to REALLY kick it up a notch? Check out this amazing 70” Sharp Aquos Quattron LED TV at Sam's Club for a movie experience that truly feels larger than life!

Setting the Mood
Get creative with a few fun (and EASY!) decorations inspired by your feature presentation. For a Star Wars viewing party, turn off all the lights, hang white string lights across the room and scatter some glow-in-the-dark stars around the coffee table to help bring the "galaxy" to life in your own living room. Use a little silver craft paint to transform a black paper lantern into the "Death Star," and hang some movie posters and metallic paper stars for the finishing touch.

Who's Thirsty?
Sip creative, themed drinks inspired by the movie of the night, such as "Yoda Soda" (lime sherbet + lemon-lime soda) or "Frozen Jedi Juice" for a screening of Star Wars. To make "Frozen Jedi Juice," partially freeze your favorite flavor of juice or Kool-Aid and serve it "slushy style" from cups embellished with the phrase "May the Freeze be with you."

Turn it Up
Great sound is key when it comes to bringing movie magic home. Sony's 3D Wi-Fi Blu-ray Home Theater System with surround sound (currently on sale for $379 at Sam's) will make it feel like the "Clone Wars" are taking place right next to your couch! And for those times when the mood is more "dance party" than "movie night," you can utilize the system's iPod/iPhone dock to crank up the music instead.

Themed Treats
Think outside the popcorn box and serve up clever treats named after elements of the movie, such as "Darth Cheddars" (grilled cheese sandwiches) or "Storm Trooper Sundaes." Make edible "Light Sabers" by dipping pretzel rods in colored candy melts or tinted white chocolate. After the candy has dried, wrap one end of the “light saber” with tin foil to create the "handle."

Keep it Simple
Don't let confusing settings and "multiple remote syndrome" throw a frustrating glitch in your movie night…try a universal remote like Logitech's Harmony 600 Remote ($44.88 at Sam's) to streamline the process so that even the smallest family members can be in the driver's seat sometimes!

Brand New Stars
Use a home video camera like Canon's HF R20 HD Camcorder (priced at $369) to make your own "movie magic" starring the best cast of all - your very own family members! Have little ones do re-enactments of their favorite scenes from the movie you just watched or capture clips of the kids doing a craft activity or a recipe inspired by the movie. These are the "films" that you'll love to watch over and over again - long after the movie-of-the-night credits roll!

With everything from televisions to movies to TV consoles (and much more), Sam's Club has you covered for Home Entertainment Month and beyond. Their low prices, friendly service and huge selection will ensure that all you need to do is sit back and listen for the sound of the popcorn popping.

And, thanks to their generosity, one person will be prepared for their next Family Movie Night, because...

One lucky person will win a Tangled DVD/Blu-ray Combo Pack!

To enter to win: Tell me what you do to make your Family Movie Night special OR what movie would be sure to be a hit the next time your family all sits down together to watch one?

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 (per method) if you follow Sam's Club on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways 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!

I want to WIN a Tangled DVD/Blu-ray Combo Pack for my next fun Family Movie Night! http://bit.ly/ogWlfs @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

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, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
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 blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on October 18th 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 Sam's Club for providing a Tangled DVD/Blu-Ray Combo Pack for me as well as 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.

Planning a 50 ft Party with Kmart this Halloween

Every year as October gets closer and closer, I have to admit that I get a little excited about the pending arrival of Halloween.

I have nearly all positive memories of the holiday from when I was a child (there was only that one time where a group of friends and I ran into some "hoodlums" while out trick-or-treating) and I love that my daughters have such a good time putting on their costumes and getting into the spirit of things.

However, one aspect of Halloween that I've always felt that we were lacking in is decor. We carve pumpkins, we attend parties, we make pumpkin-shaped cookies... but the closest we come to decorations are usually the plastic Halloween window clings that may or may not happen to be dug out of the closet in time for the kids to stick them to the front door.

Not all that thrilling, right?

So this year we turned things up a notch and, after some browsing, did a little shopping thanks to 50 ft Party and Kmart.com.

Whether you're looking for Halloween costumes, savings on candy, or tips and tricks for throwing a great Halloween party, 50 ft Party and Kmart have a lot to offer. They made it extremely easy to navigate the various categories to find just the right products that we wanted at an affordable price.

Here's how our shopping trip (and fun final selections) turned out...

Click here or on the box above to watch the full slideshow

Fun choices, right? The kids and I are excited for them to arrive so that we can start decorating and getting even more ready for Halloween!

Along with the already-reasonable prices that you'll find from Kmart, they have weekly deals that can really add to the bargain finds. This week you can take 25% off on all costumes, 10% off on decor and candy deals galore!

• Buy 2 bags of candy for $5 (Offer valid in all stores. No coupon required.)
• $1 off Monster Bags of Halloween candy (Valid on in-store purchases only.)
• $1 off Monster Bag Coupon
• 2 for 5 Fun Size Candy
• 2 for $5 Cookies
• 5 for $10 Smart Sense Soda
• 10 for $10 Baking Bonanza Items
• $2.79 Smart Sense Napkins
• 10 for $10 Beverages
• 2 for $6 Lay’s chips
• 2 for $5 Candy

But if a steal on candy isn't your thing (or even if it is), you'll want to be sure to check out the Monster Bash contest going on now on Kmart's Facebook page.

In celebration of their own 50 ft Party, they want a few lucky people to be able to throw a monster of a party as well. Every week they are giving away a gift card (ends on 10/24) and each week the prize amount increases... right now the $500 gift card prize is just about ending, meaning this upcoming week will have a $750 gift card prize!

Visit the Kmart Facebook page to enter (you can enter one per week for a total of six entries) and to see the official sweepstakes rules. There will be $5000 in prizes overall, so don't miss this fun event!

October is only days away and Halloween will be here in another few blinks of the eye, so don't miss all of the fun happenings, opportunities, and deals that 50FtParty.com and Kmart.com are offering this year.

And be prepared when you come to our house this year, because we'll be watching you with these...


Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias but all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

Celebrities Love The Children's Place {Critter Hat or Graphic Tee Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Holly S!}

There are times that I see celebrities with their children in the tabloids or on television and I wonder what they're thinking.

The crazy names, the outlandish outfits, a lifestyle that is just so far from what might be considered "normal" that I wonder how these poor kids even stand a chance at having any semblance of a traditional childhood.

To the opposite effect, however, I love the stars that seem to act as if they truly are regular people. They don't hand their kids off to a nanny 24 hours a day, they give them names that are names (not fruit or objects), and they dress them in the same high quality, stylish items that you or I might select as well.

One more "normal" celeb trait? When they're just as excited as I would be when they discover that The Children's Place has a new collection out that features the most adorable pieces that fit right in with their mission of being fashionable as well as affordable.

Loretta Devine (Grey's Anatomy) and Aidan Quinn (NBC’s Prime Suspect)

This past weekend in LA at the pre-Emmys, some of Hollywood's finest stopped by to pick up must-haves from The Children’s Place. The A-listers' favorite items from the fashion value brand? Knit animal hats for girls and graphic tees for boys! Clamoring for the hats and tees, the stars picked up pieces for their kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews and shared their excitement over the collection:

"This is something that Brad and Angie’s kids would wear! So cute." – Brenda Strong, Desperate Housewives

"This stuff is really fun, I wish I was young again." – Christopher McDonald, Harry’s Law

"Great that you guys have redesigned. Absolutely love the clothes!" – Sharon Leal, Hellcats

"I'm obsessed with my nieces and nephews. They would love these hats and clothes! I’m bringing them into your Grove store." – A.J. Buckley, CSI: NY

"This is freakin adorable." – Michael Trucco, Fairly Legal

More celebrities that got in on the action of oohing and ahhing over the latest collection were Emmy Award-winner Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly) who tried out the adorable Owl Critter Hat...

...Maria Canals Berrera (Wizards of Waverly Place), who also picked up the Owl Hat for her younger daughter and the Frankenstein costume for her older daughter...

...Bailee Madison (Don't Be Afraid of the Dark), Sasha Pieterse (Pretty Little Liars), and Beverley Mitchell (Secret Life) also joined in on the fun of the Owl Hat. No one can resist the cuteness!

But that doesn't mean that the boys' clothing was ignored; far from it. Janina Gavankar (True Blood) and Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) were among the celebs that were happy to strike a post with their favorite boys' graphic tee:

With everything from casual basics to comfortable dress wear for newborns through size 14, the wide selection of mix ‘n match styles at The Children's Place are ones that kids and parents can both love. And, with their latest cute collection in stores now, you're not going to want to miss the opportunity pick up one of these adorable pieces for your own little celebrity.

Thanks to the generosity of TCP, one person will have the opportunity to bring the pre-Emmy star-studded fun to their own home, because...

One lucky person will win their choice of a Critter Hat or Graphic Tee
from The Children's Place!

To enter to win: Tell me the name of your favorite girls' hat or boys' graphic tee from The Children's Place.

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 (per method) if you follow The Children's Place on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways 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!

WIN your choice of Critter Animal Hat or Graphic Tee from The Children's Place! http://bit.ly/rtE2KH @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

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, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
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 blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on October 14th 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 The Children's Place for providing a Critter Hat for me as well as a Critter Hat or Graphic Tee 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.