Calling all aspiring children’s book authors!  Cheerios wants to read your children’s stories.  Now in it’s 3rd year, the Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories New Author Contest encourages previously un-published authors to write the next great children’s book. Entries are accepted through July 15th.  You can find out more at the spoonfulsofstoriescontest.com.

Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories has given away more than 35 million children’s books by distributing them free inside cereal boxes over the past seven years, and has donated nearly $3 million to First Book, their non-profit partner, which provides books to children from low-income families.

To celebrate the Spoonfuls of Stories contest and to encourage the importance of reading to your child, Cheerios has given us a Spoonfuls of Stories book gift set to give away to one lucky reader!  This set of four books includes the first Spoonfuls of Stories winner, The Great Dog Wash.  I love reading with my kids (in fact I just got Joshua his own library card this week! It was so exciting!) and this set of great books makes it really fun!

To enter, leave us a comment on this post telling us your favorite children’s book.  One winner will be chosen by random.org on Friday, June 26th!  Good luck and happy entering!

I just love Crayola.  It must be one of the most trusted brands out there, don’t you think?  I remember Crayola from my childhood, and I always seek it out when buying art supplies for my kids.  So, of course I was thrilled when they asked me to review and give away some of their newest products

This summer, Crayola is encouraging children to let their imaginations run wild with a nationwide wellness campaign called the “Crayola Outdoor Challenge.”  They want families to commit to spend more time outside every day, being active and being together.  I took the pledge on Crayola.com, and I hope you will too!  You can also go there to find ideas for outdoor games and activities to keep your kids busy.

To promote the Outdoor Challenge, the generous people at Crayola would like to give TWO lucky Reviewin’ It Up readers this prize pack:

This fun pack includes:

– Sidewalk Crayons offer kids more than pretty pastels to create outdoor masterpieces. Once reserved for bringing coloring books to life, this new technology offers the richest, brightest, boldest colors for creating extraordinary outdoor artwork. The difference is striking, as the smooth, creamy colors lay down on driveways and sidewalks with unmatched brightness.

– The Rainbow Rake is a fun new way to create chalk messages and designs! Kids can adjust the arms for close lines or far-apart lines; use the rake to write giant messages and draw swirling, swooping lines!

– Kids can watch their art come to life with the 3D Jungle Safari Activity Set. Create a jungle safari, put on the 3D glasses and kids will feel like they are in the jungle! The set includes 1 bottle of sidewalk paint (7 fl. oz.), a paint brush, 1 pair of 3D glasses, 8 dual-ended sidewalk chalk sticks, 4 giant stencils and 1 how-to book.

Like I said - we love Crayola.  In fact, we already had the Rainbow Rake and the 3D Activity Set in our stash of outdoor toys.  Kate has a ball using each of them, and I love how they inspire her creativity.  My absolute favorite thing in this set, though, were the Sidewalk Crayons.  I love some sidewalk chalk, and we have a ton, but this was definitely a step up from the old standard.  I love the creamy texture, and the vivid colors were amazing!

This is a giveaway you won’t want to miss!  Here’s how you can enter to win one of two prize packs:

– Go to Crayola.com and take the Outdoor Challenge pledge, and then leave a comment here letting us know you did so.

For additional entries:

– Tweet about this contest on Twitter, and then leave a comment with a link to the tweet.

– Subscribe to our feed & then leave a comment, or tell us you already subscribe.

We’ll choose our two winners on June 10 using Random.org.  Good luck!

Our birthday celebration continues today with another great giveaway - a sun hat from the San Diego Hat Company!

If you spent your 20s tanning in the sun, it’s time to take care of your skin! No need to compromise style though. San Diego Hat Co. offers fashionable floppy hats with a UPF 50+ rating. That means that you’ll look great while blocking out 98% of the sun’s harmful UV rays.

My hair is dark and my complexion is translucent pale light, so that means my scalp is always getting burnt. I read somewhere recently that the scalp is a common and dangerous place to develop skin cancer, so it’s really important to make sure to cover it! And what better way than a cute SPF 50 hat?

My favorite thing about this hat is the rim - it has a flexible wire rim hidden within the fabric that allows you to form it to your liking - it doesn’t just flop in your face!

Want one of your own? Here’s how to enter!

1) Leave us a comment telling us what you do to protect yourself from the sun,

2) Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter, and leave a second comment with the URL of your tweet,

3) Post about this giveaway on your blog, and leave a separate comment with your blog URL,

4) Subscribe to our feed & leave a separate comment telling us you did or already do.

One lucky winner will be chosen by Random.org on June 2nd. Good luck!

As Jenny will happily point out, my 30th birthday is this Thursday, and to celebrate, we’ve scoured the interwebz for products essential for 30-something women, and we’ve got several awesome giveaways lined up for this week!  You’re not going to want to miss any of them - here’s the first!

My search for must-have products that led me - over and over - to skincare.

I think they’re trying to tell us something, ladies.

Here’s your chance to try out a top-of-the-line skincare package from super-model and mom, Heidi Klum!

This line is created for the young among us (and those of us in our 30s are still in that category, right?) and made to stop lines and wrinkles before they start.  Perf!

From the makers of In An Instant:

Every In An Instant product addresses the skin’s varying needs in a different and dynamic way. Together they cleanse, exfoliate, hydrate, reduce wrinkles, lift, firm, and minimize the look of pores to impart a healthy glow.  It also contains ingredients to stimulate collagen production for a more toned and luminous complexion.  In a few effortless yet enormously effective steps, they give users a complete skincare routine in a minimal amount of time.

The line includes:

* Gentle Foaming Cleanser: With its rich-foamy texture and hydrating ingredients, it removes makeup instantly and maintains skin’s protective moisture barrier without stripping skin of its natural oils.

* Intensive Firming Serum: Its peptide technology reduces deep wrinkles, softens the appearance of fine lines and evens skin tone.

* Instant Wrinkle Smoother: It instantly plumps fine lines and dramatically diminishes the look of deep vertical lines.

* Intensive Eye Treatment: A luxurious eye cream that creates a soft-focus effect to give the eye area a younger, firmer look

* Instant Warming Scrub: With its skin warming action, it reduces pore size and dramatically resurfaces skin.

Sounds about right to me!  Want to try it out?  It can be yours!  Here’s how to enter:

1) Leave us a comment telling us what you’d do in order to look like Heidi Klum,

2) Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter, and leave a second comment with the URL of your tweet,

3) Post about this giveaway on your blog, and leave a separate comment with your blog URL,

4) Subscribe to our feed & leave a separate comment telling us you did or already do.

One lucky winner will be chosen by Random.org on June 1st. Good luck!

I have a thing about strollers.

I love them. My “thing” could aptly be titled an obsession. The way some men drool over fancy cars? That’s me with strollers. I was recently at Disney World, and let me tell you, it’s a stroller-lover’s dream! Everywhere I looked, I saw new and interesting strollers to check out.

What’s that? A problem? I don’t have a problem! I can quit at any time!

But seriously, I love me some strollers… and I am obsessed with this one.

It’s the BOB Stroller Strides Fitness Stroller, and it is amazing. AMAZING.

I was thrilled at the chance to review this stroller, and I was so excited for this puppy to show up on my doorstep. I had barely opened the box when I told my husband it was the coolest thing I had ever seen in my life. And it is - it is SO NICE.

Assembly was a breeze - I wanted to make sure I had it absolutely right, so I took my time and read the instruction manual much more carefully than normal very carefully, and even though I went super slowly, the stroller was ready to go in no time. Sammy was already in bed when I put it together, and since I needed to try it at that instant, I pushed an empty stroller around my kitchen. That’s right - I did. And it was just so lovely.

The first real test the BOB got, though, was a trip to the zoo. I was thrilled to discover how easily it folded up (with the wheels on, I might add - this was a very welcomed difference between the BOB and the other jogging stroller we have!), and it fit into the trunk of my Toyota Corolla with room to spare. When we got to the zoo, I quickly unfolded the BOB, and got Sammy settled. I was really please with how easy the straps were to adjust, and I also noticed how secure he was in there - there’s a five-point harness, and also a clip that holds the straps close together across the chest. It was comfortable for Sam, but would have kept him very secure even if we had been doing some off-road jogging. Sam was completely content in the BOB for our entire visit to the zoo - we didn’t get him out once. And it is soooo easy to push!

Another thing that makes this stroller so cool is that it’s the official ride of the Stroller Strides fitness program, and it comes with a Stroller Strides Fitness Kit. Exercise bands and an exercise manual are stowed inside the handlebar console, so you can add a strength training component to your aerobic workout - all while pushing your baby in the stroller. I think that’s a fantastic idea for moms, because really, working out with the baby is just about the only way to work out at all! It’s a better idea than the friend of mine who tried to run on a treadmill with her newborn in a front carrier. Just sayin’.

Here’s Sammy chilling in his BOB.

He loves this stroller, and so do I. I’m happy to tell you that you have a chance to win your very own BOB Stroller Strides Fitness Stroller! Here are the official entry details from the people at BOB Gear:

Hey new moms and moms-to-be, are you ready to get your workout on? Well here’s your chance to win a brand new Stroller Strides Fitness Stroller that’s going to get you rolling and encourage your health and wellness goals, big or small! To enter, send us a photo of you in your super sweet workout duds, the most creative submission will win! Based on the BOB Revolution, this stroller comes with a Stroller Strides Fitness Kit and is a perfect companion for Stroller Strides class. So, are you a spandex queen? Do you and baby match outfits? Show BOB your funky fashion, custom creation, or silly styles when you’re getting fit! Click here to enter!

Good luck!

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I have a picky eater on my hands. My daughter will look at something and decide she doesn’t like it. She is pretty hesitant to try new things, although once she does, she usually likes it. It’s a problem, though - it’s a problem at dinnertime, and it’s becoming a problem for her at school - she’s mentioned that her friends comment about her being a picky eater. That’s when I knew I needed to do something.

But I don’t know what to do, because…well… let’s just say that she comes by her picky-ness honestly.

So, I was intrigued when Gorton’s Seafood sent me this list for “Taking the ‘Ick’ out of Picky Eaters”:
–Introduce seafood early: Start with fish sticks, which have a crunchy texture, mild flavor, and are perfectly sized for small hands. Gradually add other varieties like popcorn shrimp, which are also perfect for small hands and dipping.
–Serve a sampler & Get creative with dips and sauces: Try applesauce, BBQ sauce, or ketchup. To make a sweeter sauce, mix in some honey. Let your picky eaters experiment with dipping sauces and the types of seafood
–Allow your kids to get creative, too: Let them build towers with fish sticks, or decorate their plates with fish-shaped crackers.
–And finally, be a good role model: Kids want to do what their parents do. Eating seafood yourself is a great way to model healthy habits.

So yeah, that last one I can definitely relate to!

These ideas are great, but Gorton’s wants to hear from YOU. They’re hosting a contest where you can tell them how you got your kids to enjoy seafood. The prizes?
* 1 Grand Prize: A home computer system and a year of free Gorton’s brain food every week (52 free products)!
* 10 First Place Prizes: A year of free Gorton’s brain food every week (52 free products)!
* 20 Second Place Prizes: A year of free Gorton’s brain food every month (12 free products)!

To enter, click here. Good luck!

Awhile back, I did a review of EcoStore USA products - great household products with NO NASTY CHEMICALS!  I loved them, so I wanted to share this $2 off coupon with  you.  If you live in the midwest, you can get EcoStore products at Meijer - click the link below to print a $2 off coupon good at Meijer, and enjoy great savings in great products!

$2 off EcoStore products

The winner of the Subway PEP rally prize pack is comment #7, Amy!  Congrats to you and have fun being active outside with your kiddos!

Here are your random numbers:

7

Timestamp: 2009-04-27 14:04:32 UTC

Perhaps you might be able to tell from the title of this post that I am VERY excited about this giveaway, because it involves my favorite beverage in the entire universe, Mountain Dew.  My regular readers know that I have a serious Dew addiction that I am holding on to with both hands!  I don’t wanna quit!

This spring, Pepsi and Mountain Dew are taking a trip back in time and offering us a chance to taste their past formulas - sweetened with natural sugar.  YUM!  To celebrate this promotion, Pepsi is giving away this “refreshingly retro” Throwback Pack!  One lucky reader will win all the items pictured above!

Here’s how to enter this GROOVY contest:

1) Leave us a comment telling us how you like to drink your Pepsi or Dew (I like mine in a refrigerated can, with a straw. Cause I am classy.)

2) Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter, and leave a second comment with the URL of your tweet

3) Post about this giveaway on your blog, and leave a separate comment with your blog URL

4) Subscribe to our feed & leave a separate comment telling us you did or already do.

One lucky winner will be chosen by Random.org on Thursday, April 30th. Happy entering! And Happy Dew drinking!

Congratulations to Allison, our winner!
********

In honor of Earth Day (April 22nd) and their commitment to promoting a greener planet, Capri Sun is encouraging kids and parents to start Drink Pouch Brigades in their community. The program not only reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills, but it teaches kids the importance of being environmentally conscious and preserving the Earth’s resources - a lesson I think we all want our kids to learn!

Capri Sun and TerraCycle, a company who has pioneered the concept that any material can be reused and made into something of value, have teamed up to create the Drink Pouch Brigades. The free collection program allows kids, parents and teachers to work together to eliminate waste by collecting used Capri Sun and other drink pouches to raise extra funds for their local schools, churches and community groups.

Here are a few quick facts about the program:
– Each year, billions of drink pouches are sent to dumpsters and landfills across the U.S.,
–There are currently over 14,500 participating Drink Pouch Brigade locations in the U.S.,
– For every juice pouch collected and sent in, TerraCycledonates 2 cents back to the community,
– The used drink pouches are then repurposed into cool and fashionable accessories such as pencil cases, folders, tote bags and book bags.
– To date, more than $25,000 has been donated to schools and community programs nationwide and more than one million pouches have been saved from landfills.

Look how cool this stuff is!

You can win it!

Thanks to Capri Sun and TerraCycle, we’re giving away a backpack, folder and pencil case like the ones shown above. Fun and eco-friendly products for your kids to take to school!

To enter, leave a comment on this post telling us what green things you’re doing on Earth Day or in your every day life. For extra entries, tweet about this contest on Twitter or subscribe to our feed and leave comments telling us you’ve done so. We’ll use random.org to pick a winner on April 29th.

Good luck!