Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain Review & Giveaway #MyBlogSpark

The school year has begun and so has the hectic schedule. Not only has school begun for my daughter and I returned to work, but my daughter also has fall sessions of extracurricular activities beginning this week. Most nights, I attempt to prepare healthy meals for my family. On the chaotic days when I have to pick up the kids, feed them, and then drive my daughter to her extracurricular activities, our meals can suffer. I feel guilty about that.

Pillsbury is now selling their Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain. You can now create the pizzas you love at home knowing that there are 16 grams of whole grain in each serving. We love making pizzas at home! They’re tasty and they’re less expensive than buying a pizza at a local pizza place! As a member of MyBlogSpark, my family and I were lucky to have the opportunity to receive a gift pack from Pillsbury. The gift pack contained a coupon for a free package of Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain, a baking sheet, oven mitt, and pizza cutter, and a $10 gift card to be used for our favorite pizza ingredients.

  I made this pizza on a night when my daughter had a friend over. It was a simple cheese pizza, nothing fancy. But, it was literally scarfed down in minutes! My daughter’s friend had four pieces and both girls were raving about it throughout the meal. Personally, I thought it was delicious and we bought another package of it the other day when we went grocery shopping. I loved being able to make my kids happy and know that the crust contained so much whole grain. I would highly recommend you try it for yourself.

 

Download your own coupon for $1.25 off one package of Pillsbury Artisan Pizza

Crust with Whole Grain HERE!

Follow Pillsbury on Facebook and Twitter!

I am pleased to have the opportunity to give away a Pillsbury gift pack to one Tidbits From A Mom reader. The winner will receive the same gift pack featured above. Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

Blogger Sign-Ups - Chalk City Activity

 

Mom's Freebies is hosting a Chalk City Activity Giveaway and bloggers are invited to sign up to participate. Bloggers can receive a free Facebook link for posting about the giveaway or can pay $5.00.  Additional links are available for purchase for $1.00.  The sign-ups close on 9/8/12 and the Rafflecopter form will be sent on 9/9/12.

  Sign up HERE!  

 

 

Melynda's Labor Day Blogfest and Book Fair

  Wayman Publishing is giving back to the community. In honor of Melynda Fleury's close call to losing her eyesight because of diabetes, Wayman Publishing is throwing a Blogfest and Book Fair Giveaway Event during the week of Labor Day. ALL ENTRANTS will have unlimited access to download any of Wayman Publishing's Top 10 Books from Sept 2 through Sept 4 (direct link will be provided to all entrants on Sept 1st). In addition, Mommy Blog Designs, the blog designer with an AWESOME reputation for her service and blog designs throughout the blogosphere, has also generously agreed to contribute one of her Premade Designs with full package (a $269 Value!) for FREE to one lucky winner! PLUS, we are also giving away $200 Paypal cash! Who doesn’t love cash?!

This amazing giveaway is actually taking place from 8/28 – 9/5.

Wayman Publishing and our other hosts who've helped organize this giveaway (voiceBoks, Linkie's Contest Linkies, Mommy Blog Designs, and Terri's Little Haven) thanks you for your participation!

New 2012 Costumes at Wholesale Costume Club: Review & Giveaway

  I am heading back to work tomorrow after a great summer off with the kids and my daughter is returning back to school as well. Summer is officially over in my mind and my sights are set on enjoying fall. Fall is by far my favorite season. I love when the weather is just slightly chilly. I love baking tasty “fall recipes” with apples or pumpkin. And yes, my kids love preparing for Halloween. My kids each both have their costumes planned.

I typically feel a little stressed when All Hallow’s Eve is approaching because I have to find an appropriate adult costume that can be worn at work (an elementary school). This is not always an easy task. All of our local costume stores have extremely short, sexy costumes, which obviously would be a huge no-no for me. I am so happy to show you my costume for this Halloween, thanks to Wholesale Costume Club!

Wholesale Costume Club has costumes for the entire family (even pets) for such affordable prices! There are so many to choose from – it may take a while to figure out what you want to be! The costumes that are available are the same costumes found in local stores but are sold at lower prices. Accessories, masks, hats, and wigs are also available for purchase. There are both Non-Member and Member prices. In order to become a member, you simply need to pay an annual $5 membership fee. It’s nice to be able to visit one website and find costumes for everyone and not have to shop around in various stores or numerous websites. I simply don’t have that kind of time!

The Wholesale Costume Club was generous to provide me with the opportunity to review a costume. I chose to review the Flintstones Pebbles Adult Costume. I chose this costume for two reasons. The first reason is that I was a huge fan of the Flintstones when I was a child. The second reason is because this costume is totally appropriate for work! The Flintstones Pebbles Adult Costume includes every item seen in the picture, with the exception of the shoes. No additional purchases are necessary. I requested a size Small, which fit perfectly. I really like this costume because the material is a soft felt; therefore, it can be worn for a while without feeling uncomfortable and itchy. I was really impressed with the quality of the wig. In the past, I have spent a lot of money on wigs for costumes and they have been extremely cheap. Either the hair falls out when you brush it even lightly or when you part it slightly, there are huge sections where there is no hair at all. This wig is great! I was able to brush it and there are no hairless sections!

 

Wholesale Costume Club has generously offered to sponsor a giveaway for a $25 Promo Code to one Tidbits From A Mom reader!  Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

 

Win $100 Paypal or $100 Towards Text Book Rentals

 

Madame Deals Media and Campus Book Rentals have teamed up to provide this great giveaway event!

 

***Powered by Madame Deals and Mommy Needs Her Coffee***

 

It doesn't matter how old you are - paying for an education is costly.  In this economy, it's difficult for parents, in particular, to be able to afford to further their education when they have so many other bills.  That's what makes this giveaway to perfect! 

Winner can choose either $100 PayPal or $100 towards text book rental from Campus Book Rentals!

 

 

Campus Book Rentals offers new and gently used textbooks for typically less than half the price or more than you’ll pay in your school bookstore. Search for the college books you need and start saving money today!

 

For example, this Calculus book sells for $179.91 on Amazon. You can rent it from Campus Book Rentals for only $64.44. Crazy good savings!

 

Campus Book Rentals is also teamed up with Operation Smile. Operation Smile is an out of this world, awesome organization, that performs life changing cleft lip surgeries on children whose families could not otherwise afford it. A portion of every sale goes to support this program and pay for these life-changing surgeries.

 

Check out Campus Book Rentals and see how much you can save, and help them Pay it Forward to Operation Smile.

 

Giveaway will run 8/27 12:01 am EST and run through 9/9 11:59 pm EST. Wait for the rafflecopter to load and enter below:

6th Prize added to Back to Preschool Blast!

6th Prize added to Back to Preschool Blast! The Back to Preschool Blast has been extended until tomorrow and a 6th prize has been added – My Word Magnets! Get your entries in now!

Pull-Ups Potty Break Kit Review & Giveaway

  My son began showing interest in using the potty about a month after he turned two years old. We bought him a potty and showed him how to use it. We also began using a couple storybooks with him help in the process. We are hoping (with a bit of praying) that he will be potty trained earlier than my daughter was trained. I know the word is that boys take longer than girls, but I can still try, right?

Many parents, including myself, turn to Pull-Ups to assist in the training process. They are so much easier to use than diapers due to frequent bathroom visits. Pull-Ups was very kind to send me a Potty Break Kit to help me with my son’s potty training. Included in the Potty Break Kit were two packs of new limited edition Disney Learning Design Pull-Ups featuring Disney Character Lightening McQueen, a Cars watch to remind my son that he needed to use the potty, a Cars themed success chart to mark progress, Cars stickers to use with the chart, and a $25 American Express Gift Card to use towards more potty training supplies.

My son was ecstatic to receive his new Potty Break Kit because Lightening McQueen is his absolute favorite character. He was happy to repeat over and over again, “McQueen diaper! McQueen diaper!” We hung up the potty success chart in the bathroom right next to his Lightening McQueen potty. I explained the chart and where we put the stickers. I had to hide the stickers because he wanted to use them immediately!

We began using the Pull-Ups immediately. I had requested a 2T because that is the size he wears; however, I found that they were too tight for him. We really needed the 3T. He had trouble with trying to pull them down, which isn’t unusual because he doesn’t pull his shorts up and down independently either. Since they were too small, I used these Pull-Ups with him only during the day and placed a diaper on him at night. They were completely absorbent and didn’t disappoint, which is why I’ve been a Huggies fan for a long time!


I programmed the Cars wristwatch to remind my son every half hour that he needed to use the potty. This is a quality plastic watch and adorable with McQueen on it. Unfortunately, he loved the idea of the wristwatch but wouldn’t wear it for more than five minutes. Therefore, I simply placed it on the table. When it went off, I reminded him, “Ok, time to use the potty”. I wish I could say that my excitement was returned in kind…but, I can’t. He fought me each and every time, which was discouraging. But, I did not push and make it a battle. He is very young and I didn’t want him to view this as a fight and control issue. I’m happy to say that this hasn’t been a total failure though! My son uses the potty every single night before he gets into the bath tub. It has become part of his routine and he is so proud of himself when he is successful. Therefore, this proves that he will be successful once we are able to build more potty breaks into his normal daily routine.

In addition to the products mentioned above, Pull-Ups has additional tools to help you with your child’s training. When parents visit Pull-ups.com, they can schedule a potty break reminder phone call from Cinderella or Mater. I scheduled a phone call from Mater for my son and he was so excited!  He went running for the potty afterwards!  Parents can also use the online potty break timer that features either Minnie Mouse or Lightening McQueen. Pull-Ups also polled Moms like us throughout the country and asked them questions regarding the potty training process. Check it out!

Learn about business intelligence tools.

The generous folks at Huggies have offered to sponsor a giveaway! One Tidbits From A Mom reader will receive one of the Potty Break Kits featured above! Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

Creativity for Kids Craft Kits Review & Giveaway

  My daughter is a craft fanatic. I have always admired her for her creativity and I love watching her imagination come to life while she works. She has great ideas – ideas that I would never dream of (I wish I was more like her!) She had a great deal of time this summer to work on many different projects. Many of the projects turned into gifts that she gave to friends and family.

My daughter was thrilled when I told her we were going to have the opportunity to review a few different craft kits from Creativity for Kids. We have been fans of their kits for the past few years now. Each year, my daughter receives many kits as Christmas gifts from family members.

Creativity for Kids was very generous to send us the Mossy Meadows Gnome Garden, Deluxe Glitter Art, and Fashion Bracelets kits. I didn’t tell her which kits we were being sent because I wanted to see the look on her face when we opened the box. She was so surprised and so utterly happy – it was like it was Christmas in August!
 
  My daughter and her friend dove right into creating the Mossy Meadows Gnome Garden. My daughter and her friend are both eight years old and I think they were the perfect age for this craft. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take photos of them creating their masterpiece because they took off with the box to complete the craft outside. They kept running inside for various supplies, such as a small bowl of water to wash the paint brush and paper towels because they accidentally got paint on my stone bench (sigh), but I could tell they were having a wonderful time. I also clearly needed to keep my toddler away from them because the kit included many different materials and I was afraid he was going to wreck the craft for them. I do have a couple of photos for you though. The first is of the complete garden and the second was taken after a couple of weeks and some of the grass had grown in. In the first photo, you can see that the girl gnome and one of the boy gnomes are getting married and the other boy gnome is conducting the ceremony.
 
 

My daughter prides herself on her fashion sense.  My husband and I have always referred to her as out little "Punky Brewster" (I might be dating myself with that reference).  She definitely has a "passion for fashion"!  She and I sat down together to make the Fashion Bracelets together.  The kit includes everything needed to create cool bracelets - plastic and thin metal bracelets in various colors, rainbow cord, metallic embroidery floss, satin ribbons, rainbow trim, rhinestone trims, adhesive tape, and even glue and scissors.  The kit is large - perfect for playdates or a sleepover.  I'm definitely keeping this kit in mind for my daughter's birthday party! 


My daughter and I created many bracelets; however, the photo below shows only three.  She created several more, but gave them away to her camp counselors :)  She and I found them easy to complete.  However, I did notice that the satin ribbon didn't hold to the adhesive tape for very long.  Therefore, I would recommend keeping the glue nearby. 


Last, but definitely not least, my daughter worked vigorously with the Deluxe Glitter Art kit.  She made gifts for several family members and door hangers for each of our bedrooms.  Having her complete this kit was a bit of a challenge with my son around.  His eyes lit up when he saw the glitter pens.  I could just envision him getting his paws on those and squeezing all the contents out (laughing the whole time of course!)  However, we were finally able to have him coloring next to my daughter so that he felt as though he was involved :)

The Deluxe Glitter Art kit contains glitter, glitter gel, a few trinket boxes, glitter rhinestones, glitter gift tags, printed greeting cards and envelopes, epoxy stickers, ribbon, and glue.  As you can see, this kit chock full of materials - again, this kit is perfect for playdates and sleepovers. 

 

Here is a photo of her creations (Two little keepsake boxes and 3 door hangers):
 

 

 

I am very happy to share with you that I have TWO Creativity for Kids kits to give away to ONE Tidbits From A Mom reader!  The winner of this giveaway will receive the Deluxe Glitter Art Kit you see featured above as well as a Beach Buddies Shell Crafts Kit

Back to School with Tiny Prints & $50 Promo Code Giveaway

  Many classrooms across the country are already packed with students daydreaming about their recent summer vacation. However, our family still has 3 ½ more days of vacation. We have bought all of the new clothes, shoes, and school supplies and had all the necessary forms updated for this school year. There are mixed feelings – a little disappointment that vacation is over and a little excitement about what life will bring us in the year ahead.

Get organized for Back to School with Tiny Prints! The preparation for back to school can take a while because there are so many things to buy and it can be a little overwhelming. However, Tiny Prints has so many wonderful products that are fun and unique that, I believe, you should really check them out. Tiny Prints has personalized notebooks, mom contact cards, lunch box notes, allergy alert cards, custom stickers and labels, and teacher stationery. These are just to name a few! To view more, visit HERE!

My daughter would go crazy for the personalized notebooks. She really likes to stand out in the crowd and I could see her having a great time designing them with our wonderful family photos. In the past I created one of the personalized notebooks with pictures of family. I use it for my “To Do” list for Tidbits From A Mom. My daughter would definitely choose one like this:
  Each year, as the class configurations change, my daughter develops new friendships with girls that weren’tin her class previously. I really like the fact that Tiny Prints can assist with helping parents in communicating with each other. I love the idea of Mom Contact Cards and the Allergy Alert Cards. Personally, I really like receiving them because then I can hold onto them for future use. Here are the cards I would personally love to own:
    As a guidance counselor, I communicate through notes with parents all the time. I have had the same paper for years and I think it high time that I mix things up a little! Here is the design that I think I would choose for my new stationery:
  Unfortunately, I missed the Twitter party that they held yesterday when they were talking about their prizes and attendees were able to win some great giveaways. However, Tiny Prints has been very generous to offer to sponsor a giveaway for a $50 Promo Code to their site! The Promo Code excludes calendars, photo books, Erin Condren notebooks & planners, and gift certificates.  Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

Boogie Wipes Giveaway #MissionGiveaway

 

As a mom, we are responsible for all hygiene aspects of our kids when they are younger.  It comes with the job.  Our kids' noses can become downright nasty, particularly when they have colds.  My daughter went through a phase when she was five when her nose needed a constant cleaning - it was never ending.  It seemed as though I was constantly going at her with a tissue.  Boogie Wipes are wonderful and help make nose cleaning such an easier process!

About Our Sponsor

 

Boogie Wipes were invented by moms tired of chasing running noses!  They are made with natural saline to dissolve boogies (mucus) caused by the common cold, allergies or otherwise booger-filled kid moments.

Follow Boogie Wipes on FACEBOOK and TWITTER. Stop by and visit their website at www.boogiewipes.com to find out what's up at Boogie and for new products. While there you can also join the Boogie Bunch. Extra soft, alcohol, phthalate and paraben free, Boogie Wipes are available in Great Grape, Fresh Scent, Minty Menthol and Simply Unscented. Recommended by pediatricians as a gentle, effective alternative to a dry tissue.

Grand Prize: You and a friend will both WIN a Boogie Wipes Prize filled basket!


Here's How You Enter:

The Giveaway will open up on Tuesday 8/21 at 12:01 am EST and Close on Friday 8/24 at 11:59 pm EST.

1) Start at the Rafflecopter Giveaway form.
2) Complete the Mandatory entries.
3) Work your way through the links, entering contests at each blog as you go. These contests each have their own rules and end dates.
4) Complete additional entries towards the bottom and come back for additional daily entries!

That's it! You have successfully entered this awesome giveaway! Side note...It's not mandatory that you enter all the giveaways at each blog. However, doing so not only increases your chances of WINNING the other prizes, it increases your chances of WINNING the Grand Prize!

Mission Giveaway started with the $100 Story where with $100 several people received the help they needed. We are on a mission to help people! We have gathered a group of bloggers that want to make a difference. Together we are the Mission Giveaway Group!

To inquire about becoming a sponsor, please contact Amee or Dawn at missiongiveaway@yahoo.com for details. Take a look at our Media Kit to see what Mission Giveaway has to offer.

Are you a blogger that would like to participate in Mission Giveaway? Find out how you can join us.

The amazing Blogs participating in the event this week are:
Baby Costcutters| Madame Deals| Mommy Needs Her Coffee| FurKid Fosters| Couponista Queen| Giveaway Bandit| Coupon Savings In The South| Wheel n Deal Mama| Sweet Pennies from Heaven| This Flourishing Life| The Mommy Island| Family, Love and Other Stuff| Mama Bee Does| A Thrifty Diva Surviving Mommy Hood| SlickHousewives| Life: Full Of Unexpected Happiness| Krazy Clippers| Tidbits From A Mom| Living At The Whitehead's Zoo| Stretching Your Budget| Whirlwind of Surprises| Making of a Mom| Confessions of an Overworked Mom| Organic Mommy Today| Frugal Fanatic| Utah Coupon Deals| Moms Saving Money| Klippin' Krazy Koupons!| Mommy's Money Saving Obsession| A Savings WOW!| Freesocial2011| Freebie Spot|

Check out how entrants would pay it forward this week and enter your own comment: .

Take Steps in Improving Your Life with My Well-Being

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of My Well-Being Powered by Humana for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It’s been my job for the past 16 to help people with their emotional well-being.  It’s been a blessing at times; however, it has also taken its toll on me.  My own well-being, both physical and emotional, is drastically impacted by the stress of my work.  I try and listen to my own advice to manage stress, but that is difficult with being a mom, wife, small business owner, and a blogger as well. 

I was recently introduced to My Well-Being, which is a health and wellness website that provides content to readers that focuses on all aspects of your life – health, relationships, interests, finances, and more.  You can receive emails with tips for improving the trouble areas of your life, play games, watch videos, and read plenty of articles. 

About MyWell-Being from mywell-being on Vimeo.

Once you register, you can complete your assessment to see how you are doing overall.  The assessment is based upon answering questions in four areas – people, health, money, and play.  How did I do?  I scored a 2.4 overall.  I have to admit that I wasn’t surprised by this.  I can now take this information and focus on the areas that need help.  For example, one of the areas in which I need help is “Play” because I often don’t have time to relax and have fun.  I’m constantly on go, go, go mode!  My Well-Being has an article entitled, “5 Ways to Begin Documenting Your Genealogy”, which I was immediately drawn to because genealogy has always been an interest of mine.  I would love to take this interest up as a hobby.  My mother’s side of the family has not been well documented.  Maybe this new hobby can help me chill out and relax.  Maybe…I will have to try and see.  If I don’t try it, I will never know, right?  This is just one example of how My Well-Being could inspire you. 

As a member of My Well-Being, you also have access to their Marketplace.  This area notifies you of special offers, deals, and new products from Humana and its partners.  I was drawn to the link called “Overcome Clutter and C.H.A.O.S. with the FlyLady!” I’ve heard of the Fly Lady and I’ve loved some of the tips I’ve learned from her.  The link in the Marketplace takes me to Amazon where I can purchase her book.  I might seriously have to by this one!

In addition to having access to all of this great information, you can receive a FREE Dummies book!  I chose to receive the Well-Being for Dummies book; however, there is also the Retirement for Dummies and Living the Boomer Life for Dummies books.

Choco Gets A Check Up iPhone App Review

  My son is not a fan of the doctor’s office. In fact, he starts crying as we are walking in because he does not want to be there. He has shown some progress with his pediatrician; however, he detests the nurses. Pediatricians have the ability to take their time a bit and win him over. But, the nurses don’t have this luxury. They need to weigh him, take his temperature and oxygen level, measure him, and then leave to move on to the next patient. In addition, they are the people who administer the shots and he is fully aware of this.

One of the tools I have used in the past few months is my iPhone. He was extremely sick in May and he needed to be rushed to the ER with 107 degree fever. It was a very scary night and he needed to be restrained by a few nurses and doctors in order to have an IV (unfortunately twice because they did it wrong the first time) and chest and throat x-rays. Needless to say, we have our work cut out for us in trying to change his opinions of health care workers! While we were waiting to be discharged, I used my iPhone to keep him occupied. There are so many fun and interesting Apps that even a two-year-old can enjoy.

We had the opportunity to review a couple of interactive stories from PicPocket Books last year for our iPad and both of my children loved them. It seemed as though it was divine intervention that I was contacted by the author of “Choco Gets A Check Up” to possibly do a review of the iPhone App of this story. I jumped at the opportunity because my son really needs all the help he can receive!

Choco Gets A Check Up, written by Mary Faulhaber, is the adorable story of a little brown bunny, named Choco. Choco is nervous about visiting the doctor’s office. Children can read and/or listen to the narrator describe how Choco feels, about the support he receives from his friends, and what occurs at the doctor’s office. The images used are real life photos. After each page is read, little question marks pop up on the screen. Children can tap the question marks and listen to a question asked of them or a statement. For example, in one of the photos, children are asked to “Find two green books in the picture”. In other screenshots, they are asked, “Do you have special names for any of your relatives?” At the end of the story, there are real life images of children receiving a check-up. These images show children exactly what occurs in a doctor’s office and reinforces that the children are alright after being examined.

   
I think this App is so clever and a great idea for children who struggle with fear and anxiety about going to the doctor’s office. I think the images that are used are adorable. My son has been listening to the story and says Choco is “cute”. The book is intended for children ages 4 to 8. My son, being only two, does not always have the patience to wait and listen to the narrator read the line before he flips to the next page. In this circumstance, I describe the picture quickly and we talk about it. I will be curious about his willingness to have the App open when we are physically at the doctor’s office. I simply hope that through listening to the story and looking at the images, he will be able to retain enough of it all so that some of his fears are alleviated. We are typically more afraid of the unknown, right? Therefore, I would think that he we are making the routine more “known” to him through this story. Only time will tell I guess! I also like the fact that the App provides all the questions asked at the end so that children can either read them again or parents can reference them later. Particular sight words from the story are provided at the end as well.

Choco Gets A Check Up can be purchased on iTunes. The price for the iPad downloard is $2.99 and the price for the iPhone download is $1.99.

*Disclaimer: I did not receive monetary compensation for this post. I received a free copy of this App for the purpose of this review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

It Works! Ultimate Body Applicator Review

    Overall, I am pleased with my weight. However, I definitely want to be more toned and build muscle and I understand that I need to exercise to make that happen. I do have one problem area (as everyone who is not a supermodel does) – this is my rear end and the backs of my thighs. Women naturally have cellulite there and like most women, it bugs me.

I was presented with the opportunity to try the Ultimate Body Applicator from It Works! The Ultimate Body Applicator (approximately $59) is a body wrap that can be used on your stomach, legs, buttocks, and/or arms.  It has been reported to help people lose inches and tighten skin that is loose as a result of dieting and losing weight.  I jumped at the opportunity because I’ve been dying to know if they really work. Part of me remained skeptical because it just sounds too good to be true. In addition to two Ultimate Body Applicators, I also received a sample of the Defining Gel, Fat Fighter supplements, and Eye Cream.

I wasn’t sure where I should use the applicators – stomach or legs. I debated about it for a while and ultimately chose the legs and buttocks. I took a shower so I would be nice and clean for putting on the applicators. I used one applicator for each side. The applicators were large enough to cover the back of each leg and practically my whole rear end. After applying them, I put on tight-fitting cotton exercise shorts so that the applicators would stay in place. I was quite a sight and my son was looking at me kind of funny because I was moving around kind of slowly. 

I immediately began to feel a cool sensation all over the area covered. There was only a slight medicinal smell, but I liked it. I liked the cool feeling on my legs and liked knowing that my skin was obviously absorbing the cream on the applicators. I kept the wraps on for 45 minutes total, after which I promptly removed them. My skin felt cool for another whole hour or so after the wraps had been removed.

I hope you can understand that I chose not to take before and after photos of my backside for my blog. You honestly will just have to trust me when I say that these wraps really do work. I did not lose inches - people lose inches after repeatedly using the wraps.  Looking the mirror the following day, I thought the backs of my legs looked great and my shorts were ever so slightly looser. In evaluating how I used the wraps, I wish that I had cut one wrap in half and used just one applicator wrap altogether so that I had the opportunity to wrap again days later. They really are large enough and cover quite a bit of skin.

As I mentioned before, I was also provided supplements, defining gel, and eye cream to review. I used the Fat Fighter supplements for a week and the defining gel and eye cream for a couple of weeks (the defining gel was used morning and night). Here are descriptions of each of these items:

• Fat Fighter – The Fat Fighter supplements block fat and carbohydrates before they are absorbed into the body when taken within an hour after you eat.
• Eye Cream – Moisturizes around the eyes and reduces the puffiness.
• Defining Gel - The Defining Gel moisturizes and tightens skin to minimize the appearance of cellulite.

Now, as a mental health counselor, I know that the mind is very powerful and that when we want something bad enough, we can convince ourselves of many things. However, I honestly have to say that these products are wonderful and I am hooked. I have never been more pleased with the way I look than I do right now. I feel comfortable in my clothing and pleased with the results of the It Works! products. 

 If you would like to read more about these products and/or make a purchase, visit HERE!

 

*Disclaimer: I did not receive monetary compensation for this post.  I received free samples of the items featured above for the purpose of this review.  The opinions expressed here are my own and may differ from your opinions and experiences.

 

Please vote for me and possibly win $50!

  Please vote for me in the Shopcade Heart My Cade Contest! I have the opportunity to win $100 and you have the opportunity to win $50 as well! You can receive an entry by leaving a comment on any of the items on my fashion board. You can also gain entries by leaving comments on other bloggers’ fashion boards. Voting closes on 9/9.

Please click on the banner above to enter.

Thank you so much in advance!

Mott´s Fruit Flavored Snacks Coupon - $.60 Off

Mott´s Fruit Flavored Snacks are made with real fruit & vegetable juice (pear, apple and carrot juice concentrate) and natural colors+ and flavors. They are available in Assorted Fruit and Berry varieties.

Print your coupon HERE!

*Disclaimer: I received this information and the coupon offer from Mott´s® through MyBlogSpark.

August Cash Bash - Win $110 Cash!

  Welcome to Kara's Deals and Steals' fourth Cash Bash event! The giveaway will run from August 18-August 31 and is once again open WORLDWIDE. You have a chance to win $110 (our biggest prize to date!!) by entering on the Rafflecopter below.

Who couldn't use this money, right???  This is a great contest to try and win some money for those back to school clothes!  Good luck!

Shopping with Shopcade!

I have been introduced to a new website and within one short day I have become so addicted. It’s called Shopcade! Shopcade is an application on Facebook that allows you to shop as well as tell others about the products in which you’re interested or would love to own. There are over 60 million products in numerous categories. Some of the categories include fashion, health and beauty, electronics, shoes, food and drinks, and SO much more!

Once you sign up (which is a super easy), you create a board by adding products that you find based upon the recommendations of others. You earn points in a variety of ways – by signing in each day, by adding products to your Shopcade board, and when other people add products to their board based upon your recommendations. If someone makes a purchase from your Shopcade board, you both earn CASH! It really is as easy as that.

Please check out my profile HERE! I have had so much fun creating boards and adding to them! I have created boards for shoes, jewelry, and clothing I would love to own as well let everyone I know check out for themselves. In addition to providing a shopping experience for you, it can also be helpful in a number of ways. For example, the holidays will be here before we know it. My in-laws literally do all their shopping by the end of October. They typically start questioning me about what my children want by the end of September and really laying on the pressure by the beginning of October. I plan on creating gift idea boards for each of my children. This way my family can easily access my profile page and see what I recommended. If they make a purchase through my Shopcade board, I earn money!

 

miss lucy's monograms Giveaway #MissionGiveaway

I love personalized products - it's well documented on here :) Monogramming products is certainly a wonderful way to personalize your belongings and they make great gifts for family and friends.  The monogrammed gifts that have been given to me in the past have been keepsakes for me.  Mission Giveaway has a fabulous giveaway this week with miss lucy's monograms!

Grand Prize: miss lucy's prize packs! 1 for YOU and 1 for a FRIEND!

  About Our Sponsor
Welcome to miss lucy's monograms! We are an online business dedicated to providing you with top quality, distinctive, and unique monogrammed accessories that scream,"tooo cute” for every age!!
As a teacher of 33 years, I recently made the decision to retire from the occupation I loved dearly, but I turned my focus to starting a business selling items that I have always loved... monogrammed accessories!

With the help and support of my family, miss lucy's monograms became a reality, and our company has had an amazing  journey.   Every day is an exciting one in our monogram studio as we prepare orders to be shipped throughout the United States.

At Miss Lucy's Monograms, our goal is to be a highly reputable, service oriented, and creative company.  We strive to provide you with unique, top quality products and exceptional, creative monogramming service...we want to be a step above the rest !   Our staff is committed to offering outstanding service to all our customers!

Above all, we hope that you find shopping at miss lucy's monograms an enjoyable experience, but most of all, we hope your purchase from miss lucy's monograms will put a smile on your face!

Please shop with us :
http://www.misslucysmonograms.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/misslucysmonograms
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/lucysmonograms/
Twitter: @lucysmonograms

Here's How You Enter:
The Giveaway will open up on Tuesday 8/14 at 12:01 am EST and Close on Friday 8/17 at 11:59 pm EST.
1) Start at the Rafflecopter Giveaway form.
2) Complete the Mandatory entries.
3) Work your way through the links, entering contests at each blog as you go. These contests each have their own rules and end dates.
4) Complete additional entries towards the bottom and come back for additional daily entries!

That's it! You have successfully entered this awesome giveaway! Side note...It's not mandatory that you enter all the giveaways at each blog. However, doing so not only increases your chances of WINNING the other prizes, it increases your chances of WINNING the Grand Prize!

Mission Giveaway started with the $100 Story where with $100 several people received the help they needed. We are on a mission to help people! We have gathered a group of bloggers that want to make a difference. Together we are the Mission Giveaway Group!

To inquire about becoming a sponsor, please contact Amee or Dawn at missiongiveaway@yahoo.com for details. Take a look at our Media Kit to see what Mission Giveaway has to offer.
Are you a blogger that would like to participate in Mission Giveaway? Find out how you can join us.

The amazing Blogs participating in the event this week are:
iSaveA2Z| Mommy Needs Her Coffee| Madame Deas| Saving You Dinero| The Adventures of J-Man and MillerBug| Sidetracked Mom's Blog| Family, Love and Other Stuff| A Thrifty Diva Surviving Mommy Hood| One Sleepy Mom| Making of a Mom| Raising My 5 Sons| the ABC kidZ| Meg's Moxie| This Flourishing Life| Coupon Savings In The South| The Socialite's Closet| All About the Mommies| Tidbits From A Mom| Giveaway Bandit| Simply Shawn & Jenn| Stretching Your Budget| CEO of Me| Coupons For Your Family| Coupon Queen that Saves the Green| Pittsburgh Frugal Mom| Living At The Whitehead's Zoo| Baby Costcutters| Krazy Clippers| SlickHousewives| The Shopping Duck| The Centsible Family| More from Mom|

Check out how entrants would pay it forward this week and enter your own comment:
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