As my kids get older I’m finding more and more joy in celebrating with them.  With each New Year we find ways to have fun and relish our time together…to celebrate the smallest moments…and the big ones.

This year I’m looking forward to New Year’s Eve so that we can talk about our goals…what we loved about this year and what we look forward to in 2012.

I’m a champagne kinda girl myself…but I suppose we need something a little more “kid friendly” on hand.  Enter Team Kansas City and our awesome take on the British tradition of New Year’s Eve Poppers…. “Snap.Crackle.Poppers Rice Krispies® New Year’s Eve Treats”!

Snap. Crackle. Poppers Rice Krispies® Treats

• 3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter + extra butter for “greasing”
• 4oz.  marshmallows (1/2 bag) – make sure bag is left open overnight (this will make the poppers crunchier when they are finished).
• 2 c. Traditional Rice Krispies®
• Candy of choice to fill
• Decorating Supplies (frosting, glitter, stickers – pretty much anything you want to use to make it unique.)

Melt 3Tbsp. Butter in a heavy saucepan over med-high heat.

Add marshmallows, stirring constantly until melted and mixture is smooth.

Add RiceKrispies® to hot mixture in saucepan (this keeps them warm, and thus easier to manipulate, longer)

Mix thoroughly.

Butter plastic cutting board.

Place half of marshmallow mixture on cutting board and make into a small loaf. (Around 5″ by 3″.) Try to compact the mixture as much as possible.

Once you have a compact loaf, take a small pastry roller  (or other small rolling pin) and roll out the mixture to a 1/4 inch thickness – trying to keep the shape of a rectangle. (You will need to work quickly.  The cooler the mixture gets, the more difficult it is to shape.)

Take small fondant roller and “roll” mixture into a cylinder with a 1 1/2″ circumference.

Remove fondant roller and pinch one end to desired look. If going for a tapered end, start about 1 inch in, pinch and crimp the end.

Tilt and fill with candy of choice.

Pinch other end.

Set aside and let harden for 24 hours.

Repeat with other half of RiceKrispies® mixture.

Decorate once hard with fondant, icing, stickers, glitter, etc. It’s all about being fun!

Note: You can make these ahead of time and freeze. Another idea is to put a small fortune, saying, or inspirational quote inside the crackers.

Place these Snap. Crackle. Poppers on each child’s plate on New Years and let them “crack” them open and see their New Year’s Surprises.

Now the part I KNOW you are waiting for….. the $100 Visa Card Giveaway!!

Here’s How To Enter The Giveaway

(Remember, each comment is considered a entry – so leave a separate comment each time.)

• Leave me a comment and tell me if you make New Year’s Resolutions.

• Additional entry: Become a SuperJenn subscriber.  (I promise, I won’t spam you….when I DO post its generally at least a LITTLE interesting.) And then leave a comment and let me know.

• Additional entry: Post the following on your Facebook page, “Want a to win a $100 Visa Gift Card? Check out this great giveaway from SuperJenn http://bit.ly/vHl3Xc” And then leave a comment and let me know.

Contest will be open until 11:59 pm CST December 11, 2011. Winner will be notified by email and has 48-hours to respond before another winner is chosen. Good Luck!

Abbreviated Rules:  No Purchase Necessary.  Begins no earlier than 12:00AM (ET) on 11/14/11 and ends no later than 11:59:59PM (CST) 12/11/11.  For complete Official Rules, go to http://web.mediacdt.com/docs/RKBloggerHolidayRules.pdf   Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United STates and District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry.  Subject to complete Official Rules.  Void where prohibited.  Sponsor: The Motherhood.

Guess what?  All three of my teammates, Kelly from Kansas City Mamas, Kristen from Dine and Dish and Julie from My Kansas City Mommy are each giving away their own $100 Visa Gift Card, too.  Visit them for an even better chance of getting some “Happy Holidays to ME” cash!

Finally…Want to see the amazing competition we are up against?  You can see all of the entries on TheMotherhood.com Making Memories Circle. The pictures above were taken by the lovely and talented Kristen Doyle from Dine and Dish. (Someday I might MAYBE be able to take pictures as beautiful as she does…until then…. I’ll drool over hers.) But, these pictures are her property. Don’t steal them.

Full disclosure: This is the final competition in a series of four that I am being compensated for.  The Motherhood and Rice Krispies compensate me for my time and I stand to win a prize if they decide Team Kansas City is cool.  All of the words and ideas in this post are mine (or collaboratively mine/Team Kansas City’s) …the point is… I don’t post anything here that I don’t think up all on my own….the kind of companies that supply you with content don’t visit here…. they seem to know better by now.

I’ll be the first to admit that I go waaaay overboard when it comes to baking during the Holidays. I’m willing to bet that every other recipe that I see is one that I want to try to make….and I really, truly believe I can make them all.

One way that I can simplify this baking extravaganza you mere mortals call “December” is by making double batches of goodies and freezing as we go through the month. I usually start around Thanksgiving and mix up batches of my favorite cookies. I roll/cut/shape them out on a wax paper lined cookie sheet as if I was going to bake them, then set them in the freezer for about a couple of hours. When they are set I can pop them off the cookie sheet and put them in a labeled bag and stick them back in the freezer. Now they are ready to go when I’m actually ready to bake them. I have prepared….and I don’t miss out on that yummy baking smell filling up the house later.

I also like to have quick breads and muffins in the freezer. I often double up on these recipes so I have one for now, and one for later. These make for great snacks and breakfasts when company starts to arrive. Made in mini-loaves they also make great gifts for teachers or neighbors.

My favorite bread is Cranberry-Orange. I could make this all throughout the year but it is much better with a little anticipation, so I break out this recipe only during the winter months.

Cranberry-Orange Bread

Ingredients

• 3c. Flour
• 1c. Sugar
• 1Tbsp. Baking Powder
• ½tsp. salt
• ¼tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 Beaten Egg
• 1 ²⁄3c. Milk
• ¼c. Oil
• ¾c. Chopped Nuts
• 2tsp. Finely Shredded Orange Peel
• 1c. Coarsely Chopped Cranberries

Directions

• Stir together dry ingredients with orange peel.
• In a separate bowl mix together wet ingredients (except cranberries)
• Mix wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
• Add the cranberries and nuts.

Bake at 350° according to the following time schedule:

• 1 – 9 x 5 x 3″ Bread Pan 1 – 1¼ Hrs.
• 2 – 7 ½ x 3½ x 2″ Pans 40 – 45 Mins.
• 6 – 4½ x 2½ x 1½” Pans 30 – 35 Mins.

Cool in pans for 10 minutes then turn onto a wire cooling rack and cool thoroughly. Wrap tightly overnight.

P&G Beauty is also helping to simplify your holiday season. Instead of buying friends and family another gift card, surprise them with P&G Beauty gift sets! These gift sets feature items from Olay, Pantene, Secret, Venus and CoverGirl…all fun gifts to keep them feeling pampered and ready for those holiday parties well into the New Year. These gift sets are available almost any place you normally buy P&G products and start as low as $9.99 so they are not only a great way to pamper someone, they aren’t going to break your budget, either!

You can find out more about these and other great P&G Beauty products and gift by visiting their Facebook Page. You can also read what the Wall Street Journal had to say about the holiday gift sets HERE.

Now the really good part? You can win a P&G Gift Basket with over $90 of excellent P&G products! Keep them to pamper yourself or share them as gifts and stocking stuffers.

How To Win:

To enter you just need to leave a comment here with your favorite tip for keeping the holidays simple!

Want an extra entry? Tweet this phrase: “Enter to #win a P&G Gift Basket with $90 of pampering fun from @SuperJennBlogs #giveaway http://bit.ly/vF6nwO”

Then leave me an additional comment with a link to your tweet.

Official Business:

This giveaway is open until 11:59pm CST Sunday December 4, 2011. Open to residents of the United States age 18 or older. I will draw a winner using random.org and notify the winner via email. Winner will have 24 hrs to respond before a new winner is drawn. SuperJenn, The Motherhood and P&G Beauty are not responsible for lost or undelivered emails.

I received a P&G gift basket and compensation for writing this post. The recipe is mine (okay..my mom’s) and the thoughts expressed in the post are mine.

I have a winner for the $100 Visa Gift Card giveaway from Rice Krispies® and The Motherhood!  If your name is Bailey you should check your inbox!! If I don’t hear back from her by 5pm CST today I will draw another winner.

Have no fear …there is one more Making Memories Challenge this year…which means one more chance for you to win!

Congratulations!!

This fall we were given the challenge to create a…*gulp* Crafty Rice Krispies® Treat recipe.

I don’t do crafty.

I like to THINK I do crafty….but when push comes to shove… I.Don’t.Do.Crafty.  Time to rely heavily on the expertise of my teammates.

So we toiled.  We contemplated.  We racked our brains.

And when we couldn’t even come up with a day to meet that fit all of our schedules…. we knew we were in trouble.

Have no fear… it all worked out in the end.  We created a fun  Cinnamonster Rice Krispies® Snack Mix that will tempt every treat lover that walks past.

Cinnamonster Rice Krispies® Treat Snack Mix

 

• 3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
• 4oz.  cinnamon flavored marshmallows (1/2 bag)
• 2 1/2c. Traditional Rice Krispies®
• Cinnamon Sugar (Mix to your personal cinnamon/sugar preference)

Melt 3Tbsp. Butter in a heavy saucepan over med-high heat.
Add marshmallows, stirring constantly until melted and mixture is smooth.
Add RiceKrispies® to hot mixture in saucepan (this keeps them warm, and thus easier to manipulate, longer)
Mix thoroughly.

Spray cooking spray on a cookie sheet and pull out small chunks of RiceKrispies mixture one at a time to work with.  Pull apart enough to make small balls of krispies treats, slightly smaller than “bite sized”.
You will need to work quickly.  The cooler the mixture gets, the more difficult it is to shape.

Roll each ball in the cinnamon and sugar mixture to coat.  Set aside on waxed paper.
If not using immediately, cover tightly to store.

Tip **If you want a more crunchy texture to your cinnamon balls, set your marshmallows out the night before so that they dry out.  They will melt as normal but when the final mixture cools it will be more crunchy and less chewy.**

Mix Cinnamon balls with 1 1/2c. popped popcorn, 1/2c. salted cashews and 1/2c. chocolate candy pieces.

Just in case cinnamon isn’t your thing (or because we couldn’t stop ourselves) here is a chocolate variation: Swap out cinnamon marshmallows for chocolate ones and Cocoa Krispies® for the traditional ones.  In the mix, use candy corn in place of chocolate candy pieces.

Oh wait.  Crafty.  That’s the fun part!  After seeing these serving dish monsters in a magazine we just knew they were right for our project.
While the craft in our project isn’t edible… it is the craft that keeps on giving!  We can reuse these containers over and over again … all year October long!

Felt Monster Containers

Wrap a piece of felt around a used container and secure with hot glue. Your felt should be 2-3 inches taller than the container while leaving roughly 1 inch of felt hanging over the bottom.

Fold the ends of the felt under the bottom of the canister and glue them down for a smooth finish to the bottom edge of the container.

Cut flaps, wedges or spikes into the felt that rises above the container.  This will be the monster hair.
Glue felt shapes and stripes on your container to satisfy your inner monster designer.  Use “Googly Eyes” and “Pom Poms” for random effects.

The especially fantastic part of this is that there is really no “right” or “wrong” way to make these…. you can do whatever you want.  Perfect for those of us who are “less than crafty”.

Our kids loved rolling the cinnamon balls in sugar and helping to glue the accouterments onto the monsters (they got carried away with the “Googly Eyes”).  We had a fun afternoon creating (and then devouring) this snack with our kids…. you will too!

Now serve your Cinnamonster Rice Krispies® Treats Snack Mix in a homemade monster container for a spooky Halloween treat!

No! Wait!!  Don’t go yet…. I forgot to mention ….

The $100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway! (You didn’t think I’d really forget, did you?)

On top of inspiring some fantastic Rice Krispies® Treats, the sponsors at Rice Krispies® and the great women at The Motherhood are offering a $100 Visa Giftcard to one of you, my lovely readers!
What do you have to do to win this?  Leave me a comment here and tell me what is your favorite Halloween treat.

That’s it!

Okay, okay… if you want one more chance to win you can Follow Me on Twitter and tweet this:

Cinnamonster #RiceKrispies Treats Snack Mix and a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card from @SuperJennBlogs Enter Here http://bit.ly/nLX7pm

Leave me a comment with the link to your tweet and you’ve got your second entry!

This contest will be open until Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 11:59 CST.  I will draw a winner on Wednesday, October 26 and post it by 11:00 CST and contact the winner by email (Make sure I can get your email from your entry!).  The winner will have 24hrs to get in touch with me or I will draw a new winner.  You must be 18 and a US citizen to enter and win. 

Guess what?  All three of my teammates, Kelly from Kansas City Mamas, Kristen from Dine and Dish and Julie from My Kansas City Mommy are each giving away their own $100 Visa Gift Card, too.  Visit them for an even better chance of padding your wallet.

Want to see the amazing competition we are up against?  You can see all of the entries on TheMotherhood.com Making Memories Circle!

Now for the disclaimers:

• The pictures here were taken by the lovely and talented Kristen Doyle from Dine and Dish.  These are her property…don’t steal them…no matter how cool you think they, or our magnificent recipe are.

• The Motherhood and Rice Krispies pay me and my teammates to compete in the Making Memories Challenge.  By competing we stand to win a prize.  OF COURSE these are my thoughts…its my recipe!

 

If your name is Jen S. you might want to check your inbox!!  You are the winner of the $100 Visa Gift Card from Kellogg’s™Rice Krispies™ and The Motherhood (and ME!)!

Sadly, if I do not hear back from Jen S. within 24 hours I will have to draw a new winner.

I’ve had so much fun working with Ovaltine in the last couple of months, now they’ve got an Awesome Wholesome Giveaway for you to go along with The Awesome Wholesome Backyard Party that I had here with my local mom friends!

The prize package contains 3 pack of Ovaltine (one full size canister of each flavor), a glass countertop straw holder (I have one, they are nice!), a recipe booklet with lots of creative recipes including Ovaltine fudge pops (my new personal favorite). Oh…and did I forget to mention the $25 Visa Gift Card?

One more thing…. there are TWO winners for this giveaway!

What do you have to do for a chance to win this great prize pack from the folks at Ovaltine? It’s simple:

Leave me a comment telling me what your favorite childhood summer memory is.

Want an extra entry? Click on that cute little “Super Feed” button on my sidebar and subscribe to my feed, then leave me a separate comment letting me know it has been done. That way you will be sure to never again miss one of my incredible pearls of wisdom….or great giveaway opportunities!

That’s it! I will keep this giveaway open until Thursday July 28, 2011 at 11:59pm CST. I will use Random.org to draw a winner and contact them via email and post on this blog. If I do not hear back from the winner by Friday, July 29, 2011 at 9pm CST I will draw another winner.

You must be a resident of the continental US and at least 18yo to win. Want more legal mumbo jumbo? Get all of my official rules here.

This giveaway is provided courtesy of Ovaltine USA. I am working with Ovaltine USA as a brand ambassador throughout the year and as such, sometimes I get lucky and they pay me. If you have ever read me before, you know this means very little…I like to run my mouth and my opinions are always, always my own.

The basic consensus seems to be that we are ALL TOO BUSY!!  LOL  Everyone’s responses about why they find themselves in the fast food line seemed about the same!

Using Random.org I drew a winner tonight for the giveaway.  Our winner, Karin, said that she would find this useful after she has been running around doing all of her shopping errands (Target, Grocery, etc)…. and can’t find it in herself to lift a fork to her mouth much less COOK when she is done!!  I understand that feeling with NO explanation!!

I’ve sent Karin an email and she has until 9am CST on Monday June 6 to get in touch with me before I draw a new winner.
C’Mooooooon, Karin!

Photo Courtesy of Dine and Dish

We all met at Wendy’s to give their new Berry Almond Chicken salad a taste test.  The wonderful folks at Wendy’s teamed up with our friends at The Motherhood to provide us with lunch, some picnic goodies to appease entertain the kids and a little bit of love for our time.  I think each one of us was skeptic.  I mean honestly, when was the last time you had a “fast food” salad that was both tasty and healthy?  They just sort of don’t exist.  Let me tell you what we found.

Here is the salad breakdown:

• There are two sizes: Half and Full.  I ordered the full.  More thoughts on that in a moment.
• The chicken is actual, real, honest to God chicken.  No lie.
• Fresh strawberries and blueberries.  REALLY fresh…not mushy, not brown…not green…not tart….actual berries that you will want to eat …and you will enjoy.
• Leafy Green Lettuce.  Again…lettuce you will enjoy.  It is not wilted, it is not brown, it is NOT ICEBURG.  Mixed, dark, leafy greens.
• Almonds come lightly toasted and lightly salted in their own bag…never touching the salad until you make it happen.
• Cheese that is not sticky; or rather, stuck together and it doesn’t cover the entire salad.  It is an appropriate amount of real cheese.
• Salad comes with Light Raspberry Vinegrette dressing so you can control the amount you use.  On my full sized salad I did not even need the entire package.  Nice, true raspberry flavor…not too sweet and not full of vinegar.

Here was the downer:

To me, the chicken was very salty.  It was also served cold as it often is on a salad, not a personal favorite of mine.  I thought the chicken itself was a little over powering.

The good news:

The salad is SO good that I would order it again and ask that it be made without the chicken…maybe con them into throwing in a couple of extra berries.

Also… one serving of toasted almonds will fulfill one of your protein requirements for the day.  There is really no need for all of that chicken in the first place…AND…you will significantly cut the calorie/fat intake by omitting it.

I had the “full size” salad and it is 450 calories and 16g of fat.  (You can find the total nutritional breakdown here).  That is roughly 12 Plus Points at Weight Watchers…. quite a bit for a lunch.  If you are going to order the salad “as is” then a half size should be plenty and the points are about half as much as well!  If you are looking to shave off a few more points you can 1)Ditch the chicken as I mentioned earlier, 2)Ditch the cheese…the fruit and almonds have such amazing, natural flavor I think the cheese is really unnecessary anyway. 3) Carefully monitor how much dressing you are using.

We had a great time… I’d like to point out another plus in my book: the kids’ meals.  They have the option of a fruit cup with their kid meals…and it isn’t fruit cocktail.  It was actual cut up fruit…and there were more than four pieces!! YEAH!.  I also think that the toys that came in their meals were more thought inducing than the dolls and super heroes they might get….”elsewhere”.  The toy SuperBoy came home with was a set of links that snapped together and you could build all sorts of designs.  He brought this on vacation with us over the weekend and all three of the kids actually played with it over and over and had a great time.  I appreciate that.

The kids all got to play together…I’m assuming no one else at Wendy’s minded when the kids started a “train” and took a tour of the restaurant.

What’s that?  You don’t see MY kids there??  That is because they were still too busy stuffing their faces eating.

Okay, okay.  I’m done.

Oh…one more thing.  I’ve got a $25 gift certificate to Wendy’s for one of YOU!  Then you can head on over and try one of those salads for  yourself.  Super easy to enter…just leave me a comment here telling me when a healthy fast food option will come in the most handy for you!  On your way to work? On your way home from a late play date? Write it down in the comment section and you will be entered to win some free Wendy’s food!

Want just ooooone more chance to win?  Head on over to Facebook and give me a “Like” … then leave me a second comment letting me know that you have done it … and what your Facebook name is because I do actually verify entries like that

This is a short giveaway … it will end at 12:00AM on Saturday June 4, 2011.  I will draw a winner via Random.org over the weekend and contact them via email on Monday, June 6.  The winner will have 24 hrs to reply to me with their mailing address before I draw another winner.

You must be 18 to enter and you must be a resident of the United States. Any other questions? Read the legal mumbo jumbo about my giveaways here.

My visit to Wendy’s to try out the Berry Chicken Salad was a sponsored event.  Wendy’s and The Motherhood provided lunch for me and my children and we received a picnic basket full of cute little picnic goodies…. I also receive a stipend (yes…money) for the time and effort I put forth to participate in this event (if you doubt time OR effort…contact FitMamaTraining and ask her about both!).  The views are mine ….the kids are mine (well..most of them)…and the calories in the Frosty I had for dessert…. all mine.

Congratulations to Jamie B!  You have won the $100 GC!

I’ve sent an email to Jamie and she has until Wednesday evening at 5pm to return my email.  If I haven’t heard from her by that time I will be drawing and posting another winner … I HATE that…so hurry up and email me, Jamie!! 

Thanks to everyone who entered!! I hope you will tune in on Thursday to hear the #KCMommies co host a chat on The Motherhood…. and that you will stop in later this week to place  your vote for the greatest, sweetest, saltiest…most fantastic Rice Krispies recipe EVER!  (Um… that would be us and the Kettle Krispies).  Don’t worry… I’ll remind you again

Over the course of this year, Kristen from Dine and Dish, Kelly from Kansas City Mamas and Julie from My Kansas City Mommy and I will compete four different times against three other groups across the country.  Kellogg’s™ Rice Krispies™ will provide us with different themes for our competitions and the first theme is: Easter!

So hold onto your hats because this is amazing!  Kristen shared with us a recipe she uses for homemade Kettle Korn … you know…yummy sweet and salty goodness?!  THEN she shared an idea about using that concept to create….. *drumroll*

Photo Courtesy of Kristen Doyle at Dine and Dish

Kettle Krispies Treats!  The sweet and salty of Kettle Korn with the light Rice Krispies™ and gooey marshmallows? To.Die.For.  So we gave it a whirl and whipped up a couple of batches (for testing, of course).

Seeing as how we all have young kids, it was important to us that this recipe needed to be not only tasty, but easy and FUN!  Something the kids would want to help out with.  We decided that egg shaped Kettle Krispies would do the trick so we went Paula Dean on some plastic eggs (we buttered ‘em up, y’all!) and use that to mold our Easter Eggs.  When we were finished we sprinkled some with sugar, some with candy sprinkles and well…since these babies can stand on their own we left some of them plain.

Photo Courtesy of Dine and Dish

We used these for table decorations and even whipped up a little name tag to create a place setting….. a great idea for the “Kids’ Table” or a fun Easter Party Play Date!

Photo Courtesy of Dine and Dish

So here it is for you…our recipe for Kettle Krispies Treats! (Don’t forget to keep reading!! If this recipe isn’t reason enough to make your day … I have about one hundred more to share in a minute!)

Kettle Krispies Easter Egg Treats

Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter
6 cups of Rice Krispies
3 teaspoons Kosher salt
2/3 cup sugar For Treats
1/4 cup and 2 teaspoons butter
5 cups mini marshmallows
Extra butter for greasing egg moldsDirections

• Melt butter in an iron skillet or dutch oven over medium heat.
• Increase temp to medium high and add Rice Krispies, Kosher salt, and sugar.
• Stir continuously over medium high heat until Rice Krispies are caramelized and slightly brown. Around 7 minutes. (see below – notice someone’s nicely manicured hands.)
• Remove from stove and continue stirring for another three minutes until cool. Set aside.
• While Kettle Krispies are cooling, butter the inside of 12 large plastic eggs. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan, melt butter and marshmallows over medium-low heat.
• After mix is well blended, continue to stir and cook for two minutes longer.
• Add Kettle Krispies and stir till well coated. Remove from heat.
• Fill buttered egg molds with mixture and let them set for 10 minutes.  Remove from molds and decorate if desired.

Kristen taught us that the secret to making these goodies is to make sure that your Rice Krispies get nice and caramelized in the skillet before you mix them into treats.

Photo Courtesy of Dine and Dish

That is IT!  Simple, right? Great!  Now, onto something even sweeter!

Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats has given me a $100 Visa Gift Card to give to one of YOU!  That’s right!  I’ve got $100 for one of my lucky readers and that makes me SuperExcited!  In return (#thisisnotabribe) I’m hoping that you will help me out as well (Remember I said this was a competition?)…I’m going to need some votes from you

Here is a time line for the next week:

RIGHT NOW – Enter the $100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway – see below. (Also enter at My Kansas City Mommy, Kansas City Mamas and Dine & Dish….we EACH have $100 to give away!)

NEXT WEEK -  Rice Krispies™ will post all four entries on their Facebook Fan Page. Your vote will make a HUGE difference in the final tally. Have no fear … I will remind you every single day a couple of times to make sure you get over and vote!

April 10th – I’ll announce the winner of the $100 VISA Gift Card.

April 15th – Our #kcmommies team is participating as a host on a fun chat at The Motherhood.  I’ll make sure to post the times and details so you can stop in and say hello!

April 21st – Rice Krispies® will announce the winner of the challenge on The Motherhood Making Memories Circle.

The Motherhood and Kellogg’s™ Rice Krispies™ Treats Making Memories Giveaway:

Each appropriate comment you leave will be considered one entry into this giveaway so make sure to leave separate comments for each entry you want considered:

1.  Leave a comment telling me what your favorite Easter family tradition is.  Is it hunting for baskets on Easter morning? A favorite dinner or treat you baked with your mom?  Share!!

2.  Head over to the SuperJenn Facebook Page and “Like” me …(but you have to really, REALLY LIKE ME! …. I had to, c’mon…).  If you already do…well, THANKS! and leave me a comment letting me know you are there.

3.  While you are on Facebook … “Like” the Rice Krispies™ page so you will be ready to go when it’s votin’ time.  Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done the deed.

4.  Subscribe to my RSS Feed or let me know you already do.

5.  Tweet this on Twitter: “Kettle Krispie Eggs Rock! See the #RiceKrispies recipe and enter the $100 Giveaway from @SuperJennBlogs http://www.superjenn.com/makingmemories Go #KCMommies!”

Standard Disclaimer or “Stuff You Should Realize by Now”:

I am working with The Motherhood and Kellogg’s™ Rice Krispies™ as a brand ambassador in the Making Memories Challenge.  I am being compensated for my time and materials but will NOT be reimbursed for my Weight Watchers monthly dues when this challenge is over even though eating recipe after recipe of Rice Krispies Treats will put me “back on the wagon”.  This is a competition and if my team should win, we stand to win a prize.

This giveaway will end at midnight CST on April 10, 2011.  One winner will be drawn via Random.org and winner will be given 48 hours to claim their prize before another winner is drawn.  In order to be eligible to claim your prize I must be able to contact you via email.

Abbreviated Rules. No Purchase Necessary. Begins no earlier than 12:00:00 AM (ET) on 03/28/11 and ends no later than 11:59:59 PM (ET) on 04/12/11. For complete Official Rules, go to http://web.mediacdt.com/docs/EasterGiveawayRules.pdf. Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry. Subject to complete Official Rules. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: The Motherhood; www.TheMotherhood.com. ®, TM, ©2011 Kellogg NA Co.

I love to send out Holiday cards; in theory.  It is always on my to do list….and it almost never gets done.  Let’s say… it hasn’t gotten done since SuperBoy was born nearly 5 years ago.  I always blame it on being too pregnant…or too tired from breastfeeding, etc…. well I am neither of those things for the first time in 6 years so it’s time to get my act together!

Just around the same time I had resolved to make THIS the year I get those cards out I was offered a chance to review cards from the 2010 Holiday line at Tiny Prints.  Um, yeah!  I’ve always been in love with the designs at Tiny Prints … but again…that whole disorganized and overwhelmed thing.

Tiny Prints provides simple, modern and unique stationery from Christmas cards to personalized greeting cards to thank you cards and even business cards. Offering exclusive designs from the nation’s top designers, easy card personalization, a powerful preview engine and top-notch customer service and paper quality, their designs have been lauded by numerous television networks, publications and celebrities. With Tiny Prints by your side the Holidays will be a cinch! They offer perfect party invitations for every occasion and memorable personalized photo-gifts like notebooks, photo-books and calendars.

So in turn for these words, I received 75 Holiday cards of my choice to send out to friends and family (who will, by the way, die of shock I’m sure).  This is the part that gets difficult for me.  There are so many great choices, so many ideas that pop into my head when I start looking at card layouts.  If I’ve made it this far in the process….this step will usually do me in.

When I logged onto the TinyPrints website I started browsing around.  What I noticed immediately was the opportunity to tag “My Picks” … a card file of sorts for my favorite designs.  Instead of trying to remember and jumping back and forth from screen to screen it puts them all in a folder for me to review when I’m done browsing.

Once I settled on a layout that I thought was right for us I decided I needed a family Christmas photo.  I embarked on the venture to take the photo myself to save time, money and stress.  I got matching outfits for the kids, I scheduled to use a friend’s house because I felt she got more natural light ( listen to me talk like I know what I’m doing)…and I went to work.  It was a disaster.  I found myself with an order deadline and no pictures.

I browsed through the site some more and found a “Tips” section… how to pick and take good photos for your cards.  It gives tips on resolution, coloring, background and even attire…to help you get the best pictures for your cards.  With some tips I found here I was able to pick out photos that would work well and represented my kids.

When I ordered my cards I got the digital proof the following day and my cards arrived the next week.  I was honestly surprised at how fast they got here.

Now all I have to do is get those puppies addressed and in the mail!  I’ve already sent out emails for updated mailing addresses… I’ll update you as to my actual progress   If I was smart I would have used the mailing service that Tiny Prints offers…. you provide them with names and addresses for your cards and they address them…you pay postage!

If you are a blogger…wouldn’t you like a chance to review a set of these cards??  Fill out THIS FORM for a chance to get cards of your own to review!

]]> http://www.superjenn.com/tiny-prints-holiday-card-review/feed/ 0 http://www.superjenn.com/winners-of-the-clorox-flu-prevention-gift-baskets/ http://www.superjenn.com/winners-of-the-clorox-flu-prevention-gift-baskets/#comments Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:30:43 +0000 Jenn http://www.superjenn.com/?p=2149

Last week I met up with two other fabulous Kansas City Bloggers, Kelly from Kansas City Mamas and Candy from KC Metro Moms and together, we went under the needle.  Well, we went one at a time.  But we supported each other as our kids all watched in wonder as their mommies got their flu shots.

The Kansas City VNA had two tents set up in their parking lot; one for getting shots and the other for visiting with their supporting partners and sitting down for a snack.  That’s the part my kids liked.  Everyone else moved on…and my kids were snacking away.  They also got their first set of Silly Bandz (I know..I’m a mean and horrible mom) and were ecstatic about them.

Now that I’ve got my flu shot taken care of … I need to announce the TWO winners of the Flu Prevention Gift Baskets being provided by Clorox for two of you lucky SuperReaders!  These gift baskets come with Clorox hand sanitizers and wipes, a $25 Gift Card to Target (swoon) and a Trick or Treat Bag for the kiddos filled with some little goodies including the aforementioned SillyBandz that my kids won’t take off really like.

*Drumroll Please*

Congratulations to Becky Black for her winning tip in the Libby’s Back to the Table giveaway! There were lots of great suggestions but Becky’s stood out to me.

Here was Becky’s suggestion on how to make dinner time a priority with your family:

I have a couple things that I try to do…
First, have the kiddos participate – mix, measure, press the timer button, anything that they can do that is appropriate for their age. (An apron helps too, since they want to be like mommy!)
And I try to serve at least one HEALTHY item that I know they like in case they won’t eat the other healthy stuff, or even try it for that matter. I am lucky because my two love broccoli among other things.
Lastly, we sometimes arrange the food on the plate so that it is fun. We don’t do it every time because I want them to eat their food even when it isn’t arranged in a pretty face. Food coloring, cookie cutters, and creativity are your friends. USE THEM!

Becky wins a reusable tote from Libby’s, a variety of canned goods from Libby’s, a state of the art can opener and a copy of Hannah Keeley’s Total Mom Makeover.

It is no secret to anyone who reads my blog that I am far from perfect, and I’ve chosen to embrace those flawed aspects of my life and keep on movin’ on. Having SuperBaby however really REALLY knocked the wind out of my sails. One thing that went by the wayside when I was pregnant was dinnertime routines.

That’s not true. We had routines. They involved me throwing together something that passed as a healthy, well rounded meal and serving it to my family … in front of the television.

Very shortly after SuperBaby arrived my husband and I agreed we needed to take back dinnertime; and fast.

Sitting together as a family to eat your meals is much more than gathering for food. it is a time to enjoy each other. It is a time to share with each other. I truly believe that sitting down to eat together shows a level of respect for the family unit that is healthy and necessary.

So we came back to the table.

A couple of months ago I got an email from Erin at The Motherhood inviting me to participate in Libby’s Back to the Table event in Kansas City with some amazing KC bloggers;  benefiting  Hillcrest, a great Kansas City cause.  Let’s see…food, charity, bloggers…How could I refuse? I did receive compensation from The Motherhood for my time, but really, this event was right up my alley!

Last week we all met at the Farmhouse restaurant in Kansas City with author and mother of seven Hannah Keeley. We chatted, shared tips on what keeps our kids at the table and ate some great food.

Then we got to work. We filled 30 reusable grocery bags with some great canned goods and topped it off with our own ideas of what would help families make and share dinner together:

• Tracie from Penny Pinchin’ Mom and Kelly from Kansas City Mamas brought Ziploc Containers
• Candy from Mommypalooza brought measuring cups and spoons
• Anjanette from Eat From Your Pantry had the great idea to add votive candles and a coupon organizer
• Heather from My Kansas City Mommy brought mixing bowls for each bag
• Kristen from Dine and Dish brought a “Chatter Box”… a Chinese takeout box with 25 conversation starter questions in it
• I brought a special day “Red Plate.  This was a tradition in my family growing up.  Kristen found a great place you can visit to read about the “Red Plate”.

Hillcrest received 30 bags stuffed with these items to share with families that are transitioning into independent living.  For whatever reason they’ve been down on their luck and are working their way up.

Because Libby’s was THAT COOL about this event…they have a goodie bag for each of us to pass on to one of our readers.  The goodie bag includes some canned goods (fruits and veggies) from Libby’s, a state of the art can opener, and a copy of Hannah’s book Total Mom Makeover.

All you have to do is leave me a comment with your favorite tip for keeping family dinner a number one priority.  That’s it!

Entries will be accepted until midnight CST on Sunday, October 10.  The person with the best “Back to the Table Tip” will be the winner!  You must be over 18 to win.

At BlogHer’09 we received samples of Tide Stain Release drop ins. I brought them home and got around to trying them a couple of months later. I was amazed, I was stupefied, I was in love. These little buggers worked SO WELL that I bought up a ton on a great sale and I haven’t looked back.

I decided during said sale that I would give Tide laundry detergent a try. I’ve always used scent-free detergent and my husband had been on my case to use something that smelled good… Tide smelled good and I was already impressed with the Drop-Ins AND it was on sale so I thought I’d give it a go.

Not to sound like one of those commercials but after I washed the first load of laundry I actually thought it looked BRIGHTER. I showed it to my husband… he shrugged and said “Isn’t that what the commercial says?” Nice.

So when Tide asked me to do a review of their New Tide Sport with FebreezeI figured I was just their gal! Don’t get me wrong, I love the original but I’m not about to give anything other than an honest review.

The idea behind this new detergent is that it is designed to clean not only your everyday laundry…but that laundry that gets a little more *ahem* smelly than the rest.  The laundry that is generated by playing sports, working out…working in the yard…you get the idea.

My husband used to ride mountain and road bikes and is training to go on a biking trip this summer.  He also likes to be outside working in the garden, on the house …so you could see where a detergent designed to target sweaty clothes would be useful.

I used New Tide Sport with Febreeze without using the Stain Release pouches that I normally put in the wash, just to give it a fair trial.  When the laundry was done my whole kitchen smelled so nice! (My laundry is in a small closet off of the kitchen.) Its one thing if the KITCHEN smells nice…but I was worried about the laundry.  I want CLEAN, not just perfumey.  In other words, I want the smells gone, not just covered up.  Mission accomplished! I am so pleased this product did everything it said it would do.  I did not have any stubborn grass stains to check this out on…but I’m guessing if this alone doesn’t do the trick, once you add some Tide Stain Release it will be fantastic.

If you would like to read more about New Tide Sport with Febreeze you can visit the official Tide website.  Want to give it a try? You can get $1/1 coupons on the Tide Sport with Febreeze page there!

Tide offered me some free samples and coupons for a year’s worth of the New Tide Sport with Febreeze for doing this review.  Because I absolutely love my readers…I’m going to turn this into a giveaway!  Not because I don’t love the stuff…but because I want to share it with you and I have a large stockpile of Tide laundry detergent already!  Stay tuned for details and a giveaway date in the near future!

Is she serious? YES I AM! Today is National Napping Day!! What sweeter words than “Nap” to a mom of one…two..three….you get the point. There are all kinds of statistics about napping and productivity…napping and creativity…all of the wonders of the world who got that way by napping… I’m here to tell you that the serenity of a nap…the blissful peace of those two hours a day when everyone is miraculously sleeping at the SAME TIME…are a miracle greater than any other.  This, to me, is a time worth commemorating…and the fact that there is a “National Napping Day” …. signifies brilliance and forward thinking among the powers that be.

Protect-A-Bed is celebrating this day with a Twitter contest… a chance to win a set of Premium Pillow Protectors just for following @Protect_A_Bed on Twitter and sharing your funniest napping stories using the hashtag #nappingday. That’s it!

Protect-A-Bed offers consumers a complete line of protective bedding products to create a Healthy Sleep Zone. The unique technology featured in Protect-A-Bed’s mattress and pillow protectors was developed in South Africa in 1980 before the company was officially established in the United States in 2000. Now selling in 27 countries, Protect-A-Bed is a worldwide leader in mattress protection innovation. The company developed the proprietary Miracle Membrane®  and patented Bug Lock® and Secure Seal®, which help create a dry, bed bug free, anti-allergy sleep zone for people of all ages. Protect-A-Bed products are listed as a Class 1 Medical Device with the Food and Drug Administration and have received the Good Housekeeping Seal. For more information, visit www.protectabed.com.

In my house we have a preschooler, a toddler, a 6 month old, 3 dogs (all very old) and two parents (at their wits end)…. I can tell you that a protective mattress cover for our bed is nothing BUT a good idea!!  (Ohhhh how I wish I had this product last week when the flu hit and everyone wanted to sleep in Mommy’s bed…)  Both my husband and my oldest suffer from a wide array of allergies…and there is ALWAYS someone sleeping in our bed who is drooling, throwing up, peeing or… well… you get the idea.  Beach towels just aren’t going to cut it forever!  We have been toying with the idea of getting a new mattress set…but really…it seems sort of pointless until everyone is a little older.  But this would HELP!

Protect-A-Bed and Resourceful Mommy Media have arranged for me to test out one of their Premium Mattress Covers …. and have one to give away to one of my readers as well!!  All in the name of a healthy, happy nap.  These are my kinda people!!!

SO… interested in getting one of these for yourself?

Here are your REQUIRED entries:

*Subscribe to my RSS Feed leave a comment below telling me that you have done that..

*Leave me another comment with your favorite “naptime” story to share with the rest of us.

*Follow @Protect_A_Bed on Twitter

ADDITIONAL entries can be gained by doing the following:

*Tweet this giveaway (once per day) Leave me a comment with a link to your Tweet

This giveaway will end on Friday at 5pm CST.  Be sure that I can contact you via your comment entry. Contest open to US Residents over the age of 18. Winner will be drawn using Random.org.

If you don’t know by now…you SHOULD know that I am one of the co-founders of the Wii Mommies. A Ning community that is based on the idea of virtual fitness we are there to support everyone in their fitness and weight loss journeys. My co-founders Sarah Pinnix and Julie Maloney and I are all Mommies…thus the name. The great thing? We have a very diverse population in our community! Men, women, moms, dads, single folks… they are all there supporting each other! Check it out!

Don’t have a Nintendo Wii game system? It just might be your lucky day! Today is the last day to enter our Citizen Journalist Program. We will be choosing FIVE individuals to receive and review a Nintendo Wii and Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board! You will receive the product and be asked to post weekly at Wii Mommies for three weeks as well as do one radio interview with us on Blog Talk Radio. Sound great? Get on over and apply today!

To win a coupon binder with dividers and inserts I ask that you subscribe to my RSS feed and remain a subscriber through at least the duration of the contest… I will try to be interesting so that you don’t want to leave me when the contest is over!! LOL  You can click on the SuperFeed button to the right.  Leave me a comment below letting me know that you subscribed.  That’s it!

However… this is by far my MOST POPULAR giveaway.  If you want MORE chances to win you may do any/all of the following to earn yourself additional entries.  Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

*Follow me on Twitter. Leave me a comment with your Twitter @ so I can say howdy when I follow you back

* Blog this giveaway and link back to me. Leave me a comment with a link to your post…I’ll be sure to visit!

* Tweet this giveaway. Please don’t spam twitter, one tweet a day will be accepted. Leave me a comment with a link to your tweet.

* Follow SuperJenn on Facebook (Networked Blogs)

*Post this giveaway on Facebook. Again, one post per day will be accepted. Leave me a comment with a link to your Facebook post.

That is FIVE additional ways to enter to win this binder!! (More if you tweet every day!!)

The winner will be drawn using random.org from the list of comments on this post. Please make sure that I can contact you through your comment. Only comments/entries left on THIS POST will be accepted as valid entries into the giveaway.

This contest will be open from Sunday, February 21, 2010 until Saturday, February 27, 2010 at 11:59 CST.  You must be 18 to enter and it is open only to US residents (Sorry!).

Thanks and Good Luck!!

One of the many, many great things about being a co-founder of the Wii Mommies is that very often I have the opportunity to review the latest and greatest in virtual workout software…for free.  Yesterday I received a copy of the newYour Shape game courtesy of Ubisoft.

I just started my post-baby workouts and journey back to fitness this past week…so you can imagine me gimping around my house with sore muscles.  Monday I broke out the Your Shape and not only did I get a great workout in….I found some motivation.

Your Shape is a game that utilizes a small web cam that interacts with your Nintendo Wii.  I clipped mine to my sensor bar on top of my television.  The camera will lead you through a body scan…then “Your Shape” is up on the screen.  Looking at myself….REALLY looking at myself…was huge motivation to get this party started!

After the scan the game walks you through your goals…you pick your target areas and address what type of goal you have…”Burn”, “Tone”, “Strengthen”.  You are led through a fitness test to asses your current level of fitness, then the game builds a customized workout for you.

You also have the ability to address “Special Challenges”…or special goals that you want to set for yourself.  I was so pleased to see that there was one for new moms!  The one missing piece to the virtual fitness software that I’ve tried is that none of them address pregnancy or post partum fitness.

What is so interesting is that you are working out while watching a split screen of you (from the camera) and the virtual trainer.  The camera “watches” you and will give you feedback on how well you are working out.  For instance…if you are doing lateral raises and you aren’t really getting your arms up there….the virtual trainer will let you know.

You are working out without the Wii Remotes and getting some real feedback at the same time!  You set your calendar of workouts and the length you want your workouts to be…and you’re off!

The thing that makes this game so much different from the others is the real time feedback.  One of the problems that MANY of us face is that we work out and we work out and we feel like we aren’t really making any progress.  The sad truth is, we might not be.  If you are working out…but doing so incorrectly…you may not be burning the calories you think you are…you certainly won’t be strengthening the muscles you think you are…and you have a lot of wasted time and energy as well as a growing level of frustration.  The camera scan and side by side visual workouts give you the opportunity to make the most out of your workout!

I am excited to see what happens with this game…and with the scan of myself at the end of 6 weeks.  I’ll be combining Your Shapeand Wii Fit Plus on my off days for the EA Sports Active: More Workouts 6 Week Challenge.

Want to read more from others working on their fitness and weight loss goals?  Have a goal of your own and want to share it with us and get some support?  Head on over to the Wii Mommies blog and check us out.  Then join us on our Ning community to meet some incredible people and hopefully find some motivation!

Photo Courtesy BeautedeMaman.com

Almost everyone knows by now that I’m on baby #3… and with each kiddo…I’ve been seriously mislead by the fact that I survive my entire pregnancy with no stretch marks… until about week 37.  Then they start showing up on the hour, every hour.  Have I mentioned that I’m 37 weeks now?   Like clock work, my stretch marks are starting to show their true colors.

A couple of weeks ago Amy at MomSpark offered me the opportunity to review an anti-stretch mark cream from a new product line called Beaute de Maman.  Even though I am nearly done with my pregnancy…I was intrigued and said yes.  Beaute de Maman is a line of personal care products specifically designed for maternal use…and developed by an obstetrician.  They are all natural products derived of plants.  There are NO benzophenones, formaldehyde, parabens or sulfites.  These are vegan products…no animal derived ingredients and there is no animal testing of the products.

I’ve heard lots of hype about lots of “anti- stretch mark” creams…and I’ve read that there is NOTHING you can do to keep these little suckers at bay.  Creams on the market do nothing but give extra hydration to your skin…which is nice…but won’t win out over hereditary.  The difference between those creams and this one is that the herbal and botanical ingredients in Beaute de Maman have been shown to actually increase collagen and elastin in your skin.  By actually increasing these proteins in  your skin you reduce the chance of stretch marks…which are caused by the proteins breaking down with the rapid expansion of your skin during pregnancy.

So how does it work?  I’m afraid perhaps I’ve started it a bit too late…but I’m sticking to it! I began using it at 35 weeks and I’m unsure of the length of time it needs to work properly.  I do know that I love the way this cream feels when I put it on.  My skin has been itchy with all of this stretching…the Beaute de Maman creme is soft and silky…not greasy at all and best of all…odorless! When I put it on at night I can feel my skin is much, much softer and not at all itchy….all the way through the next day.  I really truly enjoy that fact.

All in all…I wish I had known about this sooner.  I would have liked to give it a true testing through my entire pregnancy.  Developed by an obstetrician and derived of natural ingredients…both really big sticking points with me.

Beaute de Maman is more than just stretch mark cream though…check out their website for facial scrubs designed to combat the hormonal changes that affect your skin during pregnancy, anti-acne face creme and a nipple gel that looks like an amazing alternative to lanolin based ointments that are out on the market.  I can’t wait to try that out for myself once this little boy arrives.  The nipple gel is a castor oil based product rather than lanolin…it is colorless, odorless and not greasy.  It won’t stain your clothes!

For More Information:

To Order

Information on Dr. Michele Brown

FAQ’s

I said last week that I don’t do many reviews…and that is TRUE…I just happen to have several here right now, including this one for the Shower Hug.  I actually ASKED for this review because I was so intrigued by the product…and I am VERY happy that I did! I want to thank both Alaina Tonelli at Belmama & Cherub and Amy at MomSpark for the opportunity to review this product!

The Shower Hug is designed for use in pregnancy, postpartum and breastfeeding.  Since I am TWO of those three things I thought it would be perfect!!  I am roughly 37 weeks pregnant and still nursing my 20 mo.  I was doing really well until a few weeks ago and then the soreness set in.  I’m back to feeling like I did when I first began breastfeeding.  If you’ve ever breastfed, you know what I mean…if you haven’t…don’t let ANYONE tell you its easy…because at the beginning, it is not.

One of the worst feelings is being exhausted and trying to find time to take a shower…then, when you finally get in the shower…to realize you are in pain because the force of the water hitting your breasts is so incredibly painful.  It’s ridiculous.  You spend half of the shower trying to cover up and protect yourself from the force of the water and end up not feeling refreshed when you are finished.

Enter: The Shower Hug.  This is a wrap around “towel” that Velcros in front of you.  You can wear this in the shower, to bed (awesome alternative to wearing a bra to bed…and it helps to prevent leaking) or even as protection for your incision if you have a c-section.

I was skeptical of the ability of the ShowerHug materials to be both soft and NOT stretch out when it got wet in the shower…but it fulfilled both beautifully.  The Shower Hug is made of an 80% Organic Cotton/20% EcoSpun blend that is super soft.  There is a 4″ Velcro closure that allows for changes in your bust line throughout Pregnancy, Childbirth and Breastfeeding.  The Velcro is an ultra low profile velcro that won’t scratch you, baby, or snag on your clothes.

There are just a handful of products that I think you MUST have as the Mommy of a newborn… this is one of them!  I am SO sorry that I didn’t know about it with my first two babies!

For More Information:

How To Wear the Shower Hug

More Benefits of Wearing a Shower Hug

To Order

I don’t do a lot of product reviews.  I’m not terribly fond of them so I stick to products that I know and love… or products and companies that truly seem useful to me and my life.  I have several things I want to share with you over the coming weeks… but I will start with this review of Paper Culture products.

This review opportunity came to me through Momfluence and I’m so excited that I followed through on it.  I really love the way this stationery looks…and even more I love their company philosophy of taking responsibility for their impact on the environment.  With a new baby on the horizon and Christmas shortly after that…stationery is  something I’ve got to consider!  I am just not niave enough to think that I can actually make my own cards this year AND get them out!

The designs on this stationery are modern and the quality of the product is very good.  They have a unique look to them that appeals to me.  To say that Paper Culture and its products are environmentally friendly does not even begin to scratch the surface.  You can read about their 100% post consumer recycled paper, the fact that these products are produced using wind generated power, the company’s commitment to being a CarbonFree Partner to CarbonFree.org and much more at their website HERE.

Want to check out all of their great options? Check out their designs for  modern baby announcements, modern baby shower invitations, birthday party invitations for kids and adults, and kids’ birthday party invitations.  There is also an entire section dedicated to “life events” that is full of fun designs as well.

If all of this information isn’t enough to entice you to check out Paper Culture…how about that from now until January 1, 2010 they will stuff, address, stamp and mail your purchase for you at NO COST outside of normal postage?!  Um… hello busy moms?!  That is perfect for occassions like baby announcements where you aren’t necessarily inclined to attach a personal note.

PaperCulture.Com

Email: Contact@paperculture.com

Phone: (877) 77-CULTURE (877-772-8588)

Follow on FaceBook and Twitter

There are a few requirements for entry…and several chances to get “extra” entries…so make sure you review her entire post!!

Well…its been a while…but the Wii Mommies are back to their Twitter Party ways…and let me tell you….we are doing it RIGHT!

To celebrate our trip to BlogHer courtesy of the EA Sports Active team… we are throwing a Twitter Party on Thursday, July 16 from 8-10pm EST.  As always…our prizes have proven to be fantastic!!  You can check out the different prizes on all of our sites.  To find out all of the details on this fabulous party…and to find out HOW to attend a Twitter Party…visit the Wii Mommies website.

Julie has an incredible Collector’s Edition Harry Potter Game set…that’s right…the just released Harry Potter game.

Sarah is giving away a copy of the EA Sports Active…we all are so pleased with what this game can do…we thought we should give away another one!

Our Grand Prize?  Visit the Wii Mommies home page and you can register to win a Platinum Edition Hoover Bagless Upright!  Julie reviewed one and is in love….you can’t miss the chance to win one of these!!

What can you win from yours truly??  How about the Sims 3 Collector’s Edition?!  This game is SOLD OUT online and is a hot commodity…and you can win it here!!

What do you do to get entered to win these fabulous prizes?  See the details for the other giveaways on their corresponding sites…as for me…

The Following are REQUIRED to gain entry into the giveaway… please leave one comment letting me know you have completed them:

1)Follow Me on Twitter…it IS a Twitter Party after all.

2)Must be a member of the Wii Mommies forum.  Leave your forum ID in the comments.  Remember..you don’t have to be a Mommy to be a member of our forum!! You don’t even have to own a Wii!  Just have the desire to get and stay fit!

3)The only other requirement (besides being a US Resident over the age of 18) is that you have to be present and active during the #wiimoms Twitter party on July 16, 2009 from 8-10 PM EST.  We’re not saying you have to attend the entire 2 hour party, but we will verify that the winner was present and active at the end of the evening and re-draw once the party ends if the winner chosen does not participate.

That’s it!

Want additional entries?  Leave one comment for EACH item that qualifies you for an additional entry.

*Tweet this giveaway and use the hashtag #wiimoms.  One tweet per day..include a link to the tweet in your comment.

*Post about this giveaway on Facebook.  One post per day, please include a link in your comment.

*Add SuperJenn to your blogroll…if you already have me linked as The Coupon Coup…update it and that will count!  Leave a link in your comment!

*Add my button to your site…if you already have it, make sure it has been updated to SuperJenn instead of The Coupon Coup.

Want to know who the awesome peeps are that dropped on me in March? Well…ok If you get a chance…stop by their blogs and take a look at what they’ve got going on as well.

It is very simple to use…my 3 year old now wants to check his ears every single day!

Visit www.earcheck.com to get more information and order one for yourself!

The winner of the coupon binder is….

Comment #30 which came from Jennifer at J.LeighDesignz !! Congrats!! Jennifer has until Sunday, March 22nd at 11:59pm CST to contact me with her shipping info to claim this prize. If she doesn’t contact me, I will draw another winner on Monday morning!

I have done several posts about how to get yourself into a frugal mindset, how to obtain coupons for yourself, and then what to do with them once you’ve got them! Now is your chance to win a coupon binder like mine!!

To win a coupon binder with dividers and inserts just fill out the form below. This information will show up privately in my google docs spreadsheet and no one will see your information but me…and I will only use it to contact the winner!! Once you have filled out the form be sure to leave me a comment and let me know you have entered.

This is by far my most popular giveaway item! If you want more than one chance to win you can do any or all of the following:

*Subscribe to my RSS Feed. Leave me a comment letting me know that you have done this. You must remain a subscriber for the duration of the giveaway.

*Follow my blog. Leave me a comment letting me know that you now follow. You must remain a follower for the duration of the giveaway.

*Follow me on Twitter. Leave me a comment with your Twitter @ so I can say howdy when I follow you back

* Blog this giveaway and link back to me. Leave me a comment with a link to your post…I’ll be sure to visit!

* Tweet this giveawy. Please don’t spam twitter, one tweet a day will be accepted. Leave me a comment with a link to your tweet.

*Post this giveaway on Facebook. Again, one post per day will be accepted. Leave me a comment with a link to your Facebook post.

That is SIX additional ways to enter to win this binder!! (More if you tweet every day!!)

The winner will be drawn using random.org from the list of comments on this post. I will use the information collected in the google doc to contact the winner.

Thanks and Good Luck!!

This Saturday, March 14th I will be giving away a copy of Nintendo’s Dance, Dance Revolution: Hottest Party 2… including a Dance Pad AND a Wii Fit Silicone cover during the “Get Lucky” with #Wiimoms Twitter Party all from our great friends at AceBeach!

What do you have to do to win this great prize? SIMPLE! :

*Make sure you are registered in the Wii Mommies forum at the Cool Mom Guide to Fitness.
Leave your forum name in a comment below along with some way to contact you, either your Twitter @ or your email address.

That is IT!

If you want more chances to win you may do any of the following, leaving a comment for each additional entry:

*Subscribe to my RSS Feed
*Follow @CouponCoupJenn if you do not already.
*Tweet this giveaway. Include a link to your tweet in your comment. (One tweet per day, please.)
*Post this giveaway on Facebook. Include a link to your post in your comment. (Again, once a day should be sufficient…we don’t want to spam!)
* Blog about this giveaway. Include a link to your blog in your comment.

You can win more great prizes at each of the Wii Mommies’ websites:
Sarah at Real Life Blog is giving away a copy of Wii Ski Game and a Wii Sports accessory pack

Cynthia at Good Enough Witch is giving away Jillian Michael’s Fitness Ultimatum and a Wii Remote dual charge station.

Julie at Cool Mom Guide has a My Fitness Coach and a Wii Sports accessory pack.

and of course….

Register to win the GRAND PRIZE of a Wii Fit, Wii Fit Silicone Cover and Battery Pack from AceBeach.com from the Wii Mommies at the Cool Mom Guide to Fitenss.

You are responsible for making sure I have a way to contact you! I will NOT hunt you down This contest will close to entries at 5pm. CST on Saturday, March 14th. I will draw one winner via random.org. The winner will be announced during the Twitter Party that night from 7-9pm CST. You do not have to be present at the time the winner is announced, but you must be present at some point and participate in the party using the hashtag #wiimoms. Does this sound like gibberish to you?! Read our Twitter Guide for some help. If you are still confused, feel free to email me.

It gets better: The reason I forgot was that I was busy packing up my kiddos and heading out of town for the week on Wednesday…and I forgot to bring the binder with me….

Sooo….

I’m hoping that #31 Shelly will forgive me that I can’t send the binder until next week!! I will email Shelly and she will have 24 hours to get back to me before I draw a new winner

Thank you all SO MUCH for entering this giveaway…we had 180 valid entries to the giveaway! That is CRAZY!! I wish I had another one to give right now…BUT .. lesson learned and next time I stock up on supplies…I will have a couple in line to give away!! I will do it again very soon…I hate not giving away to everyone!