Avocados from Mexico Mini Chef Video Contest {Yum!}

This post brought to you by Avocados from Mexico. All opinions are 100% mine.

Although time will only tell as to the personalities, endeavors and accomplishments that my girls will achieve when they are adults, for now all I can do is support and encourage them in every possible way.

And that includes eating well! I want their bodies to grow up as strong as their minds, so that has always meant providing a wide selection of healthy foods to nourish their little selves day after day.

One such tasty item? Avocados!

Did you know avocados have the vitamins and nutrients essential for child development and growth? That’s right; avocados aren’t just for adults and guacamole anymore. Just three slices of this creamy green fruit (surprised? I didn't know it was a fruit!) packs potassium, fiber, folate, vitamin C, E and those B-complex vitamins that support memory and brain function.

So, if they don’t love them already, the Avocados from Mexico Mini Chef Video Contest is a great way to introduce your kids to them!

Started earlier this month, Avocados from Mexico is hosting a video contest for parents of children ages 5-15. To participate, simply submit a 1-3 minute video of your child/children preparing an avocado dish and be sure to have them include why they love avocados and the catchy Avocados from Mexico jingle found on their website. Videos will be judged on the Mini Chef’s personality and the presence of avocado.

One grand prize winner will win $1,000 in cash plus an HD Camcorder (for future home videos!), a Nintendo 3D, 2 games and a personalized Mini Chef jacket. Nine runners up win big too with an HD Camcorder, a Nintendo 3D and a personalized Mini Chef jacket. Tons of great prizes and tons of chances to win – what’s not to love?

Get your video in by December 4th and check back on December 6th to see if your video is one of 10 finalists. Public voting will take place on YouTube from December 6-11. The video with the most Likes wins and will be posted on the website December 12th.

Although we love avocados raw on sandwiches, we are also big fans of the class guacamole, the quintessential dip that chips can't live without. Although there are great variations, we've always been big fans of this straightforward recipe from Allrecipes.com:

Ingredients

• 3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Yum! My young chef helpers can always get in on the action by scooping and mashing the avocados and they love to see how the ingredients mix together to end up something so tasty.

  

Do your kids like avocados? If so, be sure to head over and enter the Avocados from Mexico Mini Chef Video Contest to show that off! If not, now's a great time to introduce them to this delicious food!

SleepBuddy Complete Sleep Training System {Review & Giveaway}

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

After having had children, any time someone asks me what I would like for my birthday or a holiday, I always joke that the best gift would be sleep.

It's what all parents truly want, isn't it?

As much as I love the way that Little Sister B wakes up full of energy and enthusiasm every morning, I would really love it if that would occur after the sun is up. Even though we have had endless conversations about playing with the toys in her room or reading her books, she just can't contain her excitement enough to not share it with the rest of us.

Needless to say, when that elusive gift of sleep arrived at my door courtesy of SleepBuddy, I'm not sure I could have been more thrilled to see it.

Designed for children ages 18 months to 6 years, SleepBuddy is the complete sleep system designed to help teach your children when they should be staying in bed and when they can get up. Including a sleep light for naps and nighttime, a children's book, a rewards chart, and a parents' guide, this innovative product works to develop healthy sleep routines so the entire family can get the sleep that they need.

Hoping that SleepBuddy would be able to encourage Little Sister B learn to stay in her bed (or at least her room) until it was a reasonable time to come out and wake up the rest of the house, when I saw how the system arrived, I knew that she would immediately be excited about it.

Who doesn't want to unwrap such a colorful gift?

Waiting until the time was right that we were prepared to start using the system, I told Little Sister B that we had something extremely special for her and, as suspected, she couldn't wait to rip into it.

"It's an egg!" She cried, after getting the paper off and the box open.

Not exactly, I told her. It's a special light for your room.

The setup and preparation for using the SleepBuddy is minimal, which is always something that I like to see.

While my husband read Little Sister B the included book, A Bedtime Surprise (which does a great job of telling about a child receiving their own SleepBuddy, making it easy for the new user to understand what it is about)...

...I programmed the clock and set the times on the bottom of the light. Although I didn't find it "as easy as an alarm clock" like SleepBuddy claimed, it didn't take long before I had fiddled with the buttons to get the current time, nap start time, nap end time, bedtime start time, and morning wake time ready to go.

As Little Sister B climbed into bed, we checked with her one last time to make sure that she understood what the light meant. In short: when the blue light is on, it's time for sleep. When the blue light is off, it's okay to be up. Simple enough, right?

Leaving her room with the soft blue glow, that was the first night of SleepBuddy... and we've never looked back.

While I can't say that this system has completely transformed our lives and that Little Sister B doesn't make a peep when the light is on, it has definitely had quite a few benefits. In the morning she does a much better job of staying in her room playing with toys and there are far fewer instances at nighttime with her claiming that she's not tired or doesn't want to go to bed yet.

Instead, after calling out, "My blue light's on!" she seems much more willing to not dawdle while getting pajamas on or protest climbing into bed. And when she gets up after her nap and waits until the SleepBuddy has turned off to come downstairs? Well, the pride and sense of accomplishment on her face says it all.

As we've found success with the sleep system on its own, we haven't tried out the SleepBuddy Rewards Chart, but I can see how it would be a great incentive for kids. Simply add a sticker to the chart for each time that the program is followed and, when the week (or other predetermined time) is filled, they receive the reward that you've chosen.

Taking positive reinforcement and turning it into a way that kids can feel empowered and in control, the SleepBuddy Sleep System provides a regular, consistent way for the entire family to get their much-needed sleep without having to deal with power struggles or bedtime battles. Just about every child I know thrives on routine, so having a product like this ends up being a win-win situation for everyone involved!

Retailing for $34.95 directly from the SleepBuddy website (or from them on Amazon), if there are sleep issues in your house, this would be a great holiday gift idea. No more wishing for the gift of sleep when it is now available... even better, at a discount! Enter the coupon code momselect at checkout when ordering from their website and you'll receive $5 off of your SleepBuddy from now until December 31, 2011!

Thanks to their generosity, one person will be able to wake up feeling rested and refreshed soon, because...

One lucky person will win a SleepBuddy Complete Sleep
Training System!

To enter to win: Tell me why the SleepBuddy would be beneficial in your life (or that of the recipient if you were to give it as a gift).

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 SleepBuddy 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!

The gift of sleep! I want to WIN a SleepBuddy Sleep Training System (ARV $35)! http://bit.ly/siY0Xg @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me 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.
2 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 December 21st at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. 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. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to SleepBuddy for providing a SleepBuddy for me through MomSelect as well as a SleepBuddy 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.

Crystal Body Deodorant Roll-On inspires me to be thankful {#CrystalRollOn #CBias}

I've mentioned it here before, but in our pre-children life, my husband and I had a dog. A sweet, loving, not-so-bright dog that had the ability to simultaneously warm my heart while also driving me slightly insane.

Although he wasn't smart enough to make it through obedience class and he never understood the point of playing fetch and he just couldn't grasp why we didn't like it when he jumped up or barked... he knew how to love.

I can't make it very long in thinking about Luke and the heartbreak of losing him to cancer without getting teary-eyed, but, at the same time, every aspect of having him as a pet has made me more thankful for my kids now. Anyone who has ever loved a pet like a child knows what I mean, and having him was probably the best preparation for parenthood that I could have had.

Umm... little help here, maybe?

I'm so thankful that my kids are happy and healthy now, but I will still always have a soft spot in my mind for Luke, as well as all of the other animals out there that bring joy to our lives.

Therefore, when I come across companies that make certain to not test on animals, I'm immediately drawn to them. I understand that not everyone feels the same way that I do, but if there is a brand that makes it a point to not harm any animals in the creation of their products, I want to find out more.

And then when it turns out that they also donate generously to Cancer Treatment Centers nationwide, humane societies, schools, homeless shelters, fundraisers, food banks and various other charities... how could I not be thankful and appreciative of the amount of caring that they display?

With their generous spirit in mind, I was interested in learning more about Crystal and their natural deodorant.

Having never tried a natural deodorant in the past, I have heard a variety of stories about them over the years and have always wondered how well they actually perform. After being told that the chemicals found in traditional deodorants have been linked to things like breast cancer, it makes sense that we would want to avoid putting any of those toxic chemicals on our skin, doesn't it?

At the same time, the idea of venturing into one of the natural or green stores in town and being overwhelmed by the choices (and again, not knowing if they actually provide protection) has always been a little too frightening for me. What can I say? I'm a wimp!

But then when I heard that Walmart now carries natural deodorants (surprised? I was!) including Crystal, I was more than willing to head in and give it a try. Although it took a few walks up and down the aisle searching, eventually the purple cap on the top shelf jumped out at me...

...and I was thrilled to bring the Crystal Body Deodorant Roll-On home to give it a try for myself and swap it out with my usual brand.

My full shopping trip can be seen in pictures here!

When I got home, it was time to put Crystal head-to-head against my dependable Dove.

Right away I noticed and liked that the Crystal Body Deodorant Roll-On is smooth and clear, as it took away any worries that I had about it possibly leaving those annoying white marks that everyone dreads.

Having always had satisfactory results (e.g. non-stinky) from my Dove, I felt that Crystal had an awful lot to live up to... but I set about my daily routine for the week using their natural deodorant to see how well it would keep me feeling dry and smelling fresh.

From shopping to running errands to playing with the kids, I didn't do anything out of the ordinary so that I could see how well Crystal's natural deodorant would match up (and, to be honest, because I didn't have anything out of the ordinary planned to do). But that doesn't mean that our regular life of things like visiting the zoo is boring, right?

Not when Big Sister E was thrilled to hold a butterfly all by herself...

...and Little Sister B couldn't get enough of her beloved penguins...

A great time was had by all!

And after all of the walking and going indoors and outdoors and carrying children and pushing a stroller and more? Completely stink-free! When I initially applied Crystal's deodorant, I thought it felt an awful lot like water, so I was having a hard time believing that it would really protect as well as traditional deodorant, but it did.

Even though I wondered how long it would take to dry, I realized that I had forgotten all about it and by the end of the day's events, I was still feeling fresh and clean. I'll fully admit that I kept sniffing and was pleasantly surprised each time that I smelled absolutely nothing. When Crystal claims "unscented," they really mean it!

All in all, I've been very impressed by the Crystal Body Deodorant Roll-On and I recommend it to anyone who is thinking about making the switch to a natural deodorant. Being able to purchase it right from Walmart is extremely convenient and knowing that I'm not applying a single harmful chemical to my skin is a great feeling. I'm definitely going to continue using this product while I have it to put it to the full test in many more situations and types of weather and will keep it in mind to purchase again.

Find out much more about Crystal and their natural products on their website, and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter as well. They just might inspire you to be thankful as well!

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. #CBias

AT&T’s Season of Gifting Sweepstakes {Starting December 1st!}

It's no secret that giving and receiving gifts is a big part of the holidays, after all, who doesn't love seeing their recipient's happy face when they open something fun? Not to mention enjoying the excitement of tearing off the wrapping paper on a present of their own?

But what's even more fun? Having the chance to win them, of course!

And this season AT&T is making that even easier with the kickoff of their Season of Gifting Sweepstakes!

From December 1^st through December 20^th, AT&T will be featuring a deal of the day every day. Up for grabs will be everything from smartphones to tablets to much more!

There are two extremely easy ways to enter:

1. Enter the random drawing daily!

2. Nominate a person who could really use this gift and explain why you think so. Share your story and get friends to vote on it before the end of the day EACH DAY. The story with the most votes wins!

There will be two lucky winners each and every day and you can even submit your name and email address so that you'll receive a reminder email every day to head over and enter. This is one contest that you're not going to want to miss - it's so easy to win!

Mark your calendars for this Thursday, December 1^st for the big kickoff to AT&T's Season of Gifting Sweepstakes!


I was contacted by M80 to write blog posts on behalf of AT&T and am receiving compensation in exchange for my participation. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own.

Slim·Fast On-the-Go Shakes and the 3·2·1 Plan {Review & Sephora Gift Card Giveaway - 5 winners!}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Lentil, mnhenkins, jsc123, jbmthill and Romapr!}

I'm far from claiming that I'm an expert at weight loss, but if this past year has taught me anything, it's that portion control and the amount that I eat directly determine whether or not the pounds come off.

That's not to say that exercise isn't a factor, but for me, it's all about the food (and eating too much of it).

And one name that knows all about what it takes to help you lose weight and feel great is none other than Slim·Fast, particularly with their new on-the-go bottles and the Slim·Fast 3·2·1 Plan.

After helping millions of people lose weight over the past 30 years, Slim·Fast knows a thing or two about shedding excess pounds. Their balanced and proven approach to weight loss is supported by more than 45 published, clinical studies and women everywhere have experienced the confidence of showing up at a big occasion or event looking and feeling great thanks to Slim·Fast.

Having recently launched its richest, creamiest, best-tasting shake ever packaged in a convenient 10-ounce on-the-go, resealable bottle, Slim·Fast has made their program even easier to follow. For anyone like me who used to drink their shakes out of the can, this bottle is a major upgrade! It looks great, is easy to hold, and the fact that I can screw the top back on at any point is extremely helpful.

Plus, as the bottle is designed to go everywhere – whether in a purse, car or gym bag – there's never any thought as to being able to enjoy Slim·Fast at home or while out and about. While each shake not only tastes delicious, the 10 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber and 24 essential vitamins and minerals leave you satisfied, providing up to four hours of hunger control.

Available in five yummy flavors, there is sure to be at least one that your taste buds will enjoy while you're drinking your way to a slimmer, healthier you:

• Creamy Milk Chocolate
• Cappuccino Delight
• French Vanilla
• Rich Chocolate Royale
• Strawberries N’ Cream

I'm a big fan of chocolate, so both the Creamy Milk Chocolate and the Rich Chocolate Royale appeal to me... but that's not to say that I don't get in the mood for a Cappuccino Delight or French Vanilla now and again as well. I love being able to grab one of these out of the fridge on a busy morning and, whether I find time to drink it at home or while driving (the texture is smooth, thick and delicious!), they're helping me on my way to losing some annoying pounds that are keeping me from my goal.

As well as being great on their own, the all-new Slim·Fast shakes are a part of the Slim·Fast 3·2·1 Plan, a proven method to meet weight-loss goals quickly and conveniently.

Consisting of three nourishing snacks like Slim·Fast 100-calorie snack bars, nuts, fruits and/or veggies, two Slim·Fast shakes or meal bars, and one 500-calorie balanced meal per day, the Slim·Fast 3·2·1 Plan lays everything out to make it easy for you to lose weight. Their website includes personal progress reports, tracking tools, meal plans and more – all you have to do is make the commitment!

This holiday season, let Slim·Fast shakes and the Slim·Fast 3·2·1 Plan help you stay in control and fill you up so that you won't be tempted to overeat. The shakes are available in the pharmacy sections of grocers and retailers nationwide, including Walmart, Target, Safeway and Kroger and online at Amazon.com in packs of four, eight or 20. You'll be all set to start off 2012 on your way to looking and feeling great!

And, thanks to their generosity, five people will be able to feel good about themselves right away with a little gift, because...

FIVE lucky people will win $25 gift cards to Sephora!

To enter to win: If you've tried Slim·Fast in the past, tell me your favorite flavor. If you haven't, which one would you most like to try?

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 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 $25 gift card to Sephora for beauty and style - 5 winners! http://bit.ly/s4H2yy @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me 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.
2 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 December 20th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. 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. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada* only and must be 18 years of age or older.

*U.S. residents will have the choice of receiving a gift card through the mail or their gift code online. Canadian residents will automatically receive their gift code online.

A big thank you to Slim·Fast for providing samples, coupons and Sephora gift cards for me as well as $25 Sephora gift cards for five lucky giveaway winners. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

Backyard Safari Outfitters Butterfly Habitat {Review}

With so many gift options out there, it's hard to know where to begin shopping to find something that will keep my kids entertained, provide educational benefits, and is more unique than everything else that is found in the stores. There are just so many options, how do I know where to look or, more importantly, the quality that will be found there?

Fortunately, having had the opportunity to write a review for Backyard Safari Outfitters last year and then again for the new Backyard Safari Outfitters Field Gear this summer, I already knew that their items are perfect for exploration, adventure and play, while encouraging creativity and imagination.

So this holiday season, I couldn't think of a better way to appeal to my kids' love of nature, animals and science than with the Backyard Safari Outfitters Butterfly Habitat.

Allowing kids to experience the transformation of caterpillars morphing into beautiful butterflies, the Backyard Safari Outfitters Butterfly Habitat contains nearly everything you need for a safe and comfortable home for these magical creatures until they are ready to be released into the wild.

As soon as this innovative habitat arrived, I couldn't wait to check it out and see just how much my girls were going to love this experience.

Inside, I found the lightweight collapsible habitat, instructions, a mail-in coupon to send away for our live caterpillars and their food, and a Backyard Safari Outfitters Pop-Up Field Guide.

The 16" spring frame popped open extremely easily and it was easy to see that the fine, breathable mesh would create the perfect aviary environment for delicate flying creatures.

The easy-access closure is just right for reaching in and out without harming, or accidentally releasing, any of the butterflies.

With the included nylon strap with Velcro closures, the habitat can easily be kept collapsed when not in use and then double as a handle for carrying or hanging.

All that's left is to add caterpillars and watch what happens!

I like how easy it is to mail in the form to receive the caterpillars and their food by mail, however, I was a little disappointed to see that you also have to include a check for $9.99 to cover the shipping (particularly because the box advertises a "FREE butterfly mail-in coupon"). As the Butterfly Habitat itself retails for $14.99, I feel that is a reasonable price for the full set, but when the cost is $24.98 total, that makes it seem like quite a bit more.

However, I really do think that my girls are going to be thrilled when our larvae arrives and they get to watch them grow and flourish. This is one toy that is going to hopefully provide day after day of entertainment as well as educational possibilities. I'm looking forward to seeing their faces as they watch our future butterflies fly off into the world!

Backyard Safari Outfitters' unique items can be found in-store as well as online at Amazon and from Summit Toys. Backyard Safari Outfitters can also be found on Facebook and Twitter, so be sure to stay connected and never miss updates on their innovative gear.

(Other than the Butterfly Habitat that I was sent from Summit Toys in conjunction with my membership to Team Mom, I was not provided with anything or enticed to do this review in any way. This review is solely my opinion of this unique product.)

Something About Silver Hand Stamped Jewelry {Review & Giveaway}

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

Before I had my own children, I already knew without question that my mom loved me.

However, it took having kids of my own to realize just how much.

I look at my girls and know that I would do anything and everything necessary to protect them or help them or simply provide for them and their well-being. I want to hold them tight when they need to be comforted and cheer the loudest when they are being honored. I want to relish in this time of them being small yet also look forward to when they are grown and I can see what they have become.

So then I look at my mom and know that she wants all of that for me. Is there a way to thank someone for all of the years that they have put in caring for you and losing sleep over you and being there for you in person or only a phone call away?

Probably not. But I aim to start off letting my mom know that she means the world to me with a tangible token of my thanks in the form of something beautiful from Something About Silver.

Specializing in custom hand stamped jewelry, Something About Silver offers a wide selection of keepsake necklaces as well as bracelets, rings and bridal jewelry that are certain to be cherished gifts. As all of their pieces are fabricated by hand in their Florida studio, they not only can create everything you see on their website, but are also more than willing to create a custom piece that is personalized just for you.

Deciding that I would put that to the test, I sent a long email to Something About Silver detailing exactly how I wanted a necklace to look that would be a perfect fit for my mom. Being the extremely particular person that I am, my creation combined parts of the adorable Love Tokens Necklace...

...with specific charm separates that were domed and had the names of her four grandchildren written just so.

Essentially I sent it all over and crossed my fingers. To be honest, I also expected to receive a response saying that I was somewhat off my rocker.

Instead, I heard from Something About Silver when they wanted to nicely point out that the Love Tokens Necklace tends to look best with an odd number of charms and would I like to add a fifth to balance it out? Extremely appreciative that they thought to ask, I chose the word Love as the final word and couldn't wait to see the look.

When my custom necklace arrived, right away I was in love with the classic, clean gift box...

...as well as the presentation of the piece inside. The printed cloth bag gave just the right "earthy look" accompaniment to the crisp shiny silver of the jewelry inside...

...and, when I pulled it out, I couldn't have been happier that Something About Silver had taken every last one of my specifications and put them together, right down to the last letter.

I was so thrilled with the way that this custom necklace turned out that I found myself a little jealous that it wasn't a gift for me. Each of the five discs are smooth to the touch and the names are stamped perfectly, making the overall look simple yet elegant at the same time.

Although many people like when necklace pendants or charms hang together in the middle, I knew that my mom would prefer each one to have its own location, similar to a charm bracelet. Wanting to get the full effect, I couldn't help but try it on for myself.

While the craftsmanship and quality of this necklace is superb, it goes without saying that I especially love that Something About Silver goes above and beyond to specialize in taking custom orders and that they never batted an eye at my list of requests. If you can dream up a keepsake or piece of jewelry, they are the place to contact to have it turned into reality!

Whether you are purchasing an item for yourself, are buying a special birthday, holiday or new baby gift for someone else, or just love hand stamped jewelry as much as I do, Something About Silver has a necklace, bracelet, ring or gift that will match your recipient's taste as well as your budget. The Love Tokens Necklaces starts at only $26 for one charm ($58 for five, as I chose), an affordable price for something that turned out so well and will be able to be treasured for a lifetime.

There is something for everyone at Something About Silver (gifts for men, too!) and, of course, the option of designing something distinctively your own as well. And what's better than shopping for amazing hand stamped jewelry? Shopping with a coupon code! From now until December 22, 2011, enter THANKSMAILCARRIER at checkout and receive a 10% discount off of your order!

Plus, thanks to the generosity of Something About Silver, one person will be able to see the beauty of their pieces in person, because...

One lucky person will win a $40 gift certificate
to Something About Silver!

To enter to win: Visit Something About Silver and tell me which beautiful piece you might order 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 (per method) if you follow Something About Silver on Twitter, Like them on Facebook and/or sign up for their email newsletter (sign up is found in the lower left corner of their homepage).
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 $40 gift card to Something About Silver for beautiful hand stamped jewelry! http://bit.ly/ulmh6k @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me 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.
2 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 December 19th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. 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. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to Something About Silver for providing a Love Tokens Necklace for me to review as well as a $40 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.