Family Time and a giveaway

So....what do you do to relax and hang with your family?  Do you go for a walk?  Go to the park?  What about during those cold winter months.....which are thankfully almost over.  I hope.....  

Well....one of our favorite things to do is to watch movies as a family.  But it seems to be getting harder and harder to find movies that we can all watch together.  It seems like my husband and I are either totally bored with the little kiddie cartoon movies, or it's a movie I would never in a million years let my kids watch.  Most the time the kids are watching their movie downstairs while we're watching ours upstairs.  So it doesn't really end up being family time at all. 

That is why I am so excited to get to watch Secrets of the Mountain with my family!  It is airing TOMORROW NIGHT on NBC.  You don't want to miss it!  Here is the trailer:

To get you excited about it I am giving away both the “Secrets of The Mountain” DVD and the soundtrack, produced by Randy Jackson courtesy of MSL Worldwide. This bundle is also going to be available at Walmart on April 17th if you miss it on Friday or don't win the giveaway.

To enter just leave me a comment telling me what your family does together.  

(And feel free to do any extra entries if you want. You can subscribe, follow, follow on twitter, tweet, blog, stumble, get my button, whatever you feel like doing go ahead and do and let me know and I'll count it. If you don't feel like doing any extras no worries, that's fine too. ;) 

This giveaway will end April 21 and I will choose a winner the next day. Good luck!

I was sent a package from MSL Worldwide with a cute movie box, the movie trailer and popcorn to get us excited about the movie.  I was not compensated in any other way. 

Welcome to my vinyl welcome sign giveaway!

A while back I discovered Ten24 designs when I was looking for someone to create a welcome sign for my front door. She agreed to send me a welcome vinyl decal for my door and to also give one away to one of my readers! So one of you lucky readers will get to have one like mine! (Except you can make it your own.)

Isn't it pretty? I've had so many compliments on it! She also made me a vinyl decal for my mailbox. You should have seen what was on it before, it looked so bad. So now the front of our mailbox has our name and house number and it looks great! As a surprise she sent me one that just said The Carbine Family. I debated where to put it but I ended up putting it here:



I love the way it looks! And luckily if we move it will come right off! I am so pleased with what she made for me and am now considering what I can put inside the house! Here are a few of her great personalized wall decals which are some of her specialties!

The best part of Ten23 designs is that she loves to do custom designs. So if you can think of it, she will figure out a way to make it for you! And her prices are definitely reasonable! Head on over to her website: www.ten23designs.com
or her blog:
www.ten23designs.blogspot.com
to check out more of her great designs!

Oh, but maybe you want to win a Welcome decal of your own? Here's how:

(Required for initial entry)
Visit www.ten23designs.comthen come back and leave a comment about your favorite design.

For extra entries after the initial entry above
(please leave a separate comment for each one):
BEFORE YOU DO THESE MAKE SURE YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR INITIAL ENTRY!

• Subscribe to my totally awesome blog! (top left)
  
• Put my adorable button on your blog. (make sure you have the new one!)
  
• Follow my blog! (top left)
• Follow me on Twitter
  
• Tweet about this contest!
• And seriously, if you want to do anything else like blog or stumble or whatever you just do it and let me know and I'll count it. Sound good?
• And make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!!

This contest will end Sunday, Oct. 11 at 11:59 and I will announce the winner the next day. Please leave your email address or make sure your blogger profile is public so I can find you! Good luck!

Loving science isn't so nerdy with Zula Patrol! (A giveaway)

** This contest is closed. The winner was Nancy!

How many of you have heard of the kids show on TV called Zula Patrol? My kids got to see two demo DVD's of this hit show and now they eagerly await watching it Saturday mornings on NBC. They can't wait for it to be on every day on the Qubo channel in November!

ONE of my readers will have a chance to win the same two DVD's to try out with your kids, and another TEN of you will win a ZulaWorld.com VIP membership!

Now I happen to have four boys who, thanks in part to Zula Patrol, are learning to love science. But whether you have boys, girls or even you or your husband that love science you'll love these as well!

Here is a bit more about the DVD's:

The Zula Patrol: Moons Mayhem follows the intrepid team from Zula in six humor-filled stories that begin with a challenge, and end with a resolution, as they explore the fascinating, often volatile world of moons. The episodes include: Moon Struck, Blue Moon, Going Through a Phase, Moons Mayhem, Three Ring Gorga and Me, Myself and Io. It’s non-stop lunar adventure for The Zula Patrol, as they as they rescue a turbulent Venus, who is on a quest to acquire a moon of her own; discover the many moons of Jupiter during Jupiterfest; explore the composition of the surface of Earth’s moon; help save Bula from an awful Were-Mouse curse, and thwart Dark Truder’s nefarious plan to steal all the moons within the solar system.

In The Zula Patrol: Animal Adventures in Space!, the team explores how insects, reptiles, mammals, plants and rocks form and interact with each other. In Larvae or Leave Me (the first episode), Skip the grasshopper can’t find his friend Wriggly the caterpillar – until he discovers, with help from The Zula Patrol, that Wriggly has transformed into a beautiful butterfly! Four additional stories on the DVD are: Egg Hunt, There Goes the Neighborhood, Choosing Sides and Camp Worm. No job is too big for The Zula Patrol, as they search for stolen frog eggs, help restore life to a canyon ecosystem, solve the mystery of the missing honey, and tunnel through dirt with their worm comrades to help the trees grow – and end up thwarting a threatened “alien invasion” from another planet.

And for TEN of you that get a VIP Membership at Zula.com, here is what you get to enjoy by being a member:

• Play advanced games
• Accept and complete "missions"
• Create, accept and send Special Handshakes to you friends
• Visit your friends inside their Spaceships
• Buy Premium items for your Alien and your Spaceship
• Fly your Spaceship to other worlds
• Buy a lot for your Spaceship in one of Zula’s Neighborhoods
• Wake up your Fweeeb from hibernation

Here's how you win one of the VIP Memberships:

Go visit http://www.zula.com/ and check it out. Then come back here and tell me you want one of the VIP memberships! The first 10 to say they want it get it!!

Here's how you win the DVD's:

(Required for initial entry)
Visit http://www.zula.com/ and then come back and leave a comment. If you are entering to win a membership, that comment will also enter to you to win the DVD's!

For extra entries after the initial entry above
(please leave a separate comment for each one):

• BEFORE YOU DO THESE MAKE SURE YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR INITIAL ENTRY!
• Subscribe to my totally awesome blog! (top left)
  
• Put my adorable button on your blog. (make sure you have the new one!)
  
• Follow my blog! (top left)
• Follow me on Twitter
  
• Tweet about this contest!
• And seriously, if you want to do anything else like blog or stumble or whatever you just do it and let me know and I'll count it. Sound good?
• And make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!!

This contest will end Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 11:59 and I will announce the winner the next day. Please leave your email address or make sure your blogger profile is public so I can find you! Good luck!

And don't forget any comment here with the number 20 enters you into my $20 giveaway HERE! Good luck!

The first 20 people to respond win!! *Edited*

**Edited to add: I will send these to the first 20 people who leave a comment AND email me their mailing address!!!! So if you left a comment but didn't email me your address someone else might get it first!**

Okay, I will admit this is kind of a weird giveaway. You see, I am giving away two very different items in order to save myself shipping. I think it's creative, but maybe a bit, well, odd. To the first 20 people who leave a comment expressing that they want this I will be sending TWO $2 Dove Deodorant coupons and an SD card from Panasonic. And here is why:

First, Dove sent me their Ultimate visibly smooth wild rose deodorant to try out along with come $2 off coupons. These came out this month and I really do love it. I am already a Dove fan so I was excited to try their new line. What I have found with me is that it works, I am smoother and softer, and I don't itch as much. (I know that sounds gross, sorry) Here's what it does:

~ It minimizes the visual appearance of hair over time.
~ 24 hour odor and wetness protection
~ Alleviates white marks
~ Conditions and cares for underarm skin with Dove moisturizers
~ Make stubble easier to deal with
~ Available in Wild Rose or Nature Fresh Scents
~ Also available in Wild Rose Clinical Strength

I can't wait to try the Nature Fresh Scent too! And 20 of you will receive TWO $2 off coupons to try out your own!

Now for the other half of my giveaway:
I have been sent 20 Panasonic SD cards to give to my readers! This is to promote the Living in HD 30x30 campaign.
"The 30x30 campaign is a 30-day campaign where Panasonic is giving away one digital camera or camcorder every day for 30 days to the members within the Living in HD (LiHD) community, http://www.livinginhd.com/, and it went live on May 1st.

LiHD is a community for digital video, photography and HDTV enthusiasts seeking and sharing peer-to-peer knowledge to improve their digital life. LiHD is powered by people who have answers with those who have questions, and unlike sales people who tend to be biased, the LiHD community members are all about sharing and helping each other learn and grow."

So here's the catch. I usually don't make you sign up but to win this you need to go sign up at http://www.livinginhd.com/
and then come back and tell me your username AND email me your mailing address! I'm really hoping one of you will win a camcorder or digital camera!!

The first 20 people to leave a comment telling me they want me to send them their coupons and SD cards will win! Leave a comment here and then send your mailing address to sharla (at) themomnerd.com

Good luck everyone!

This Mommy needs a Time Out (a giveaway)

How many of you put your kids in time out? At my house it is the quiet corner but it amounts to the same thing. Sometimes children need a place to think about how they could have made a better choice and to cool down.
If you're a Mommy, or a Daddy for that matter, you know that sometimes you just need some time out, too. And that's why I love Time Out Spots! They have great products for kids, babies, parents and even pets! They sent me their Limited Edition Black Ringer Mommy Tee with Rhinestones which I love! It's soft and comfy and cute, and of course I love the saying.

Well, guess what?! They have agreed to give one of their Mommy Needs a Time Out Tees to one of my readers! You can choose your top two colors and they will do their best to give you the one you want! I really like their pink tee, too! Before I teach preschool again I am going to buy one of their Time Out Spots. I think they are such a good idea and are so cute! I also love their clothes for kids, babies and daddy's.

Okay, okay, I know you want to know how you can win so here's the dish:

Here's how you win:

(Required for initial entry)
If you have children, tell me what type of discipline works best for you. If not, tell me who this t-shirt would be for!

For extra entries after the initial entry above
(please leave a separate comment for each one):

• BEFORE YOU DO THESE MAKE SURE YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR INITIAL ENTRY!
• Become a fan of Time Out Spots on Facebook!
  
• Subscribe to my totally awesome blog!
• Put my adorable button on your blog. (make sure you have the new one!)
  
• Follow my blog! (top left)
• Follow me on Twitter
  
• Tweet about this contest!
• And seriously, if you want to do anything else like blog or stumble or whatever you just do it and let me know and I'll count it. Sound good?
• And make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!!

This contest will end Monday, May 25 at 11:59 pm and I will announce the winner the next day. Please leave your email address or make sure your blogger profile is public so I can find you! Good luck!

Spoonful of Stories Giveaway from Cheerios!

I don't even know if I dare tell you guys about this. You see, I have always wanted to be a writer. I alternate between wanting to write children's books, juvenile, or novels. I've written a few children's books, but have never tried to have them published.

But I might now have my chance.
I don't even dare hope.
And you get a chance too.

So first, before the review and giveaway, I have to tell you about the Cheerios Spoonful of Stories Children's book Contest.

Cheerios® is searching for the next great children's book author. It could be you! (or me?!)

Just enter your original children's book story by July 15, 2009 HERE!

I am having the hardest time deciding which story to enter. Or if I want to write a new one. I thought about putting them here on my blog and having you guys vote but then Eldon said what if someone steals my stories and enters it first. I know my readers wouldn't do that....

So once I have it down to the next few I might email it to some of you and have you vote that way. Let me know if you are interested!

Anyway, we are all about the books here at my house. We have way more books than food storage so if there is a catastrophe we'll starve but we won't be bored! ;) We were sent a box of stories to review and my kids just love them! I know I've got my work cut out for me to even be in the running after reading these fabulous stories!


And guess what??!! They are going to send a set of these books to one of my lucky readers!! Want to win?

Here's how you win:

(Required for initial entry)
Tell me what your favorite children's book is and/or tell me if you've ever wanted to write children's books and why.

For extra entries after the initial entry above
(please leave a separate comment for each one):

• BEFORE YOU DO THESE MAKE SURE YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR INITIAL ENTRY!
• Subscribe to my totally awesome blog!
• Put my adorable button on your blog. (make sure you have the new one!)
  
• Follow my blog! (top left)
• Follow me on Twitter
  
• Tweet about this contest!
• And seriously, if you want to do anything else like blog or stumble or whatever you just do it and let me know and I'll count it. Sound good?
• And make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!!

This contest will end Sunday, May 17 at 11:59 pm and I will announce the winner the next day. Please leave your email address or make sure your blogger profile is public so I can find you! Good luck!

KC Tees Giveaway

For a little while now I have been signed up on ChicExecs where I have the opportunity to review different products from different companies.

So, a little while ago KC Tees sent me one of their Fe shirts (which stands for Faith) to review. Unfortunately, it didn't fit me but it looked great on my sister in law. The colors are so bright and cheerful and the fabric is soft and stretchy. She said she loved how comfy and long it was.

Baby Rib 100% Cotton, 3/4 Sleeve Raglan Baseball Tee.

Lemon/Fuschia with a Hot Pink Shimmer Imprint.

They have some fabulous shirts! A few of my other favorites are their Unity(you have to see this one up close, it is so cool!), and Paz (Peace) tees. Another amazing thing I learned about their company is that they donate a portion of their t-shirt sales to a family service non-profit organization called Para Los Ninos (for the children). It is based in Los Angeles and they help to bring children (of all ethnicities) from some of Los Angeles' most challenging communities out of poverty and onto brighter, more successful futures. And to me, that's pretty amazing.

If you would like to buy one of their adorable tees (remember they fit small) and help their cause go here: http://www.kclosangeles.com

Or you can enter to win a T-shirt of your choice (as long as it is in stock) Open to US

Here's how you win:

(Required for initial entry)
Leave a comment below telling me your favorite non-english word. Make sure you tell me what it means and what language it is!

For extra entries after the initial entry above
(please leave a separate comment for each one):

• BEFORE YOU DO THESE MAKE SURE YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR INITIAL ENTRY!
• Please visit KC Tees and tell me what your favorite t-shirt is!
  
• Subscribe to my totally awesome blog!
• Put my adorable button on your blog. (make sure you have the new one!)
  
• Follow my blog! (top left)
• Follow me on Twitter
  
• Tweet about this contest!
• And seriously, if you want to do anything else like blog or stumble or whatever you just do it and let me know and I'll count it. Sound good?
• And make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!!

This contest will end Saturday, May 16 at 11:59 pm and I will announce the winner the next day. Please leave your email address or make sure your blogger profile is public so I can find you! Good luck!

Enduring Justice Book Review and Giveaway

Title: Enduring Justice

Author: Amy Wallace

My Review: I didn't realize before reviewing this that it was the third book in a series. Sometimes it doesn't matter, they can stand alone, but I'm not sure about this one. I still enjoyed the book, I like a good FBI thriller and I like that it also shows how God can change lives. However, this book is definitely more about relationships and dealing with life issues than about crime and FBI. I would like to read the first few and then try this one again.

Summary: In Enduring Justice, Hanna Kessler’s childhood secret has remained buried for over two decades. But when the dark shadows of her past threaten to destroy those she loves, Hanna must face the summer that changed her life and the man who still haunts her thoughts.
Crimes Against Children FBI Agent, Michael Parker knows what it means to get knocked down. And when the system fails and a white supremacist is set free, Michael’s drive for retribution eclipses all else.
A racist’s well-planned assault forces Hanna and Michael to decide between executing vengeance and pursuing justice. When the attack turns personal, is healing still possible? This thought-provoking novel deals with healing from sexual abuse, the balance of justice and mercy, and maintaining mixed-race friendships in the midst of racial tension. Readers who enjoy investigative thrillers by Dee Henderson, Colleen Coble, and Catherine Coulter, and who watch crime dramas like Law & Order: SVU, Criminal Minds, and Without a Trace will love this book—and the entire series.

Author Bio: Amy Wallace is the author of Ransomed Dreams and Healing Promises, a homeschool mom, and self-confessed chocoholic. She is a graduate of the Gwinnett County Citizens Police Academy and a contributing author of several books including God Answers Moms’ Prayers and Chicken Soup for the Soul Healthy Living Series: Diabetes. She lives with her husband and three children in Georgia.

Where to buy Enduring Justice: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781601420145&ref=externallink_mlt_enduringjustice_sec_0330_01

Here's how you win:

(Required for initial entry)
Tell me about a good book you've read lately, or a book you've been wanting to read.

For extra entries after the initial entry above
(please leave a separate comment for each one):

• BEFORE YOU DO THESE MAKE SURE YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR INITIAL ENTRY!
• Subscribe to my totally awesome blog!
• Put my adorable button on your blog. (make sure you have the new one!)
  
• Follow my blog! (top left)
• Follow me on Twitter
  
• Tweet about this contest!
• And seriously, if you want to do anything else like blog or stumble or whatever you just do it and let me know and I'll count it. Sound good?
• And make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!!

This contest will end Thursday, May 14 at 11:59 pm and I will announce the winner the next day. Please leave your email address or make sure your blogger profile is public so I can find you! Good luck!

*Giveaway Closed* A Kodak Digital Camera Giveaway

Wuzzup cool readers? Do you remember that quarterly carnival that Bloggy Giveaways used to sponsor where you can literally waste your entire day and week entering giveaways and checking out great blogs until you are a complete zombie and the screen is swimming in front of you to the point that you are completely mesmerized and start humming the same pitch as your computer? (I hear a middle C)

No? Oh.

Well I have some great news anyway! Blessings Abound is taking it over since the gals at Bloggy are indefinitely "retired". She's having it with the launch of her new blog LiveGiveaways starting tomorrow!


And I am going to join in with a really exciting giveaway!! Here is what you can win:

This is not sponsored by Kodak or any of their peeps.
Open to US Only!

• Kodak Easyshare C813 digital camera
• Wrist strap
• User guide with software
• 2 Kodak AA batteries
• USB cable

So now that you know how crazy I am (you know, being nerdy's just not enough) and you've seen what you can win, I'm sure you'd like to know how! But I think I'd like to write another couple of paragraphs or two about random stuff first.......

NOOOOOOOOOO!
Okay, okay, I'll have pity.

Here's how you win:

(Required for initial entry)
Tell me what you're looking forward to doing the most this summer and what pictures you might take with this camera!
(If you notice past comments where people talk about voting don't worry about that, the voting part is over!)

For extra entries after the initial entry above
(please leave a separate comment for each one):

• BEFORE YOU DO THESE MAKE SURE YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR INITIAL ENTRY!
• Subscribe to my totally awesome blog!
• Put my adorable button on your blog. (Who said nerds can't be conceited?)
  
• Follow my blog! (top left)
• Follow me on Twitter
  
• Tweet about this contest!
• And seriously, if you want to do anything else like blog or stumble or whatever you just do it and let me know and I'll count it. Sound good?
• And make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!!

This contest will end Sunday, May 10 at 11:59 pm and I will announce the winner the next day here and at the Carnival. Please leave your email address or make sure your blogger profile is public so I can find you! Good luck!

Lu Kels....doesn't it sound fancy? (a giveaway)

Okay, say you just saw my last giveaway, and you are not a Star Trek fan, or you don't have a laptop (like me), and you're thinking.....okay.....ummm.....right........

well, no worries! Because I have another giveaway just for you!!

So first of all.....what can you win?
One of you awesome readers will win a $25 gift Certificate to Lu Kels Boutique.
Just saying the name makes you feel very ooh la la, no? Now a word of warning, once you start browsing her site you will spend a lot of time there....I'm just sayin'.

Here is just a itty bitty taste of all the products they have, a few of my faves.
(No, I don't have a girl for that cute outfit but I can dream, can't I?)




So, first of all, if you are likin' what you're seein' you have got to head on over to Lu Kels Boutique and get shopping. You have about three more days (until this Sunday) to take advantage of her Mother's Day Special and get 10% off your entire order! Just use the code Mother when checking out!

Or you can enter my giveaway and win a $25 gift certificate! Oh, yeah! You won't have it in time for Mother's day but maybe if you're one of those that doesn't get much if anything, you can buy yourself something nice for yourself after. Or you could spend it on your kids or someone else, it's totally up to you! So how do you win? I thought you'd never ask!

Here's how you win:

(Required for initial entry) Tell me what you hope to get for Mother's Day. That's it!

For extra entries after the initial entry above
(please leave a separate comment for each one):

• BEFORE YOU DO THESE MAKE SURE YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR INITIAL ENTRY!
• Visit LuKels Boutique and tell me what you would buy!
  
• Subscribe to my totally awesome blog!
• Put my adorable button on your blog. (if you've already got it, get my new one!)
• Follow my blog! (top left)
• Follow me on Twitter
• Tweet about this contest!
• And seriously, if you want to do anything else like blog or stumble or whatever you just do it and let me know and I'll count it. Sound good?
• And make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!!

This contest will end Sunday, May 10 at 11:59 pm and I will announce the winner the next day. Please leave your email address or make sure your blogger profile is public so I can find you. Good luck!

Lenovo Star Trek Gelskin Giveaway

So, by a raise of hand, how many Trekkies do we have out there? Wow, that many, really? Well, I've got just the giveaway for you! You can win this $30 gelskin and deck your 15" laptop out in style! (sorry, the laptop doesn't come with it, darn)

Now, I will be honest, I'm not personally a Star Trek fan, I'm not really a TV kinda gal. But the main reason I am doing this giveaway and writing this post is to get you to an even better contest!! Yep, you heard that right!

You need to hurry over to the Lenovo's sweeps page, where you can enter Lenovo's fabulous promotion, which ends May 8th.

What can you get from them you ask? A Zero G Flight for a winner and three friends.
Now I had to ask, what on earth is that?!
"A parabolic experience. True weightlessness. The ability to flip/float through the air with ease. Astronaut fever. "

Doesn't that sound like fun? Count me in! So head on over and give me some competition!

Here's how you win:

(Required for initial entry) Go to the Lenovo Sweeps Page and tell me what laptop you'd choose if you could pick one.
FOR TWO EXTRA ENTRIES GO HERE AND VOTE FOR ME!!!!

For extra entries after the initial entry above
(please leave a separate comment for each one):

• BEFORE YOU DO THESE MAKE SURE YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR INITIAL ENTRY!
• Enter the sweepstakes and then let me know!
  
• Subscribe to my totally awesome blog!
• Put my adorable button on your blog. (if you've already got it, get my new one!)
• Follow my blog! (top left)
• Follow me on Twitter
• Tweet about this contest!
• And seriously, if you want to do anything else like blog or stumble or whatever you just do it and let me know and I'll count it. Sound good?
• And make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!!

This contest will end Thursday, May 7 at 11:59 pm and I will announce the winner the next day. Please leave your email address or make sure your blogger profile is public so I can find you. Good luck!

Preschoolers playing piano? (a giveaway)

You better believe it, baby! Around here we only raise musical geniuses that are concert pianists by the time they are two and writing symphonies by three. With two musical parents how can you expect anything less?

Okay, okay, so maybe every single one of my babies cried even harder when I tried to sing lullabies. That doesn't mean I'm going to give up on music! My 8 year old is coming along well. He can play the piano a little and is a good singer. And tonight he even played the marimba at a talent show. But I've been trying for a couple of years now to find a good program for teaching my preschooler piano. I've read up on the Orff and Kodaly methods but it's easier for me to do piano, since that's what we've got!

And today I am SO EXCITED to tell you about a program I discovered called Piano for Preschoolers.
And know what's awesome? One of you will win their program! First off, a little more about them:
Piano for Preschoolers is an effective piano teaching method that uses color-coded notes written on a traditional music staff to teach beginner piano lessons to children. A durable color strip sits behind the keys and guides the child to the correct key for each note. This method of teaching preschool music allows children to begin playing piano as soon as they know their colors.

For the last few years I've been working with Roo on his colors and singing lots of songs which meant he picked up on playing these songs with little to no effort on my part! It was so cool! He sat right down and started playing the key that coordinated with the note color and soon he recognized the song and started playing the right tune!

I have tried teaching a few younger kids piano with success, but with very, very slow success. With this program they are playing a real song on day one! Another thing I love is that it encourages singing. I have all of my preschoolers start singing and matching pitch on day one. I think many parents would be surprised what good singers their children are or can be at a very young age.

Another great thing? Parents with little or no music talent can teach their preschoolers piano with their easy to follow instruction book. Don't have a piano? They have a great package that includes a very fair priced keyboard designed just for little hands! One of my piano students was struggling and I started her on this program and now she's loving learning and feeling good about her progress.


There are many things I love about this program but there are a couple of things I would change. At first I was really impressed that the notes on the page were actually the right notes, just color coordinated. Until I realized that only some of them were right. I say either all right or all not. And I do wish this had more general music to it. Like teaching music terms like dynamics, note names, rests, things like that. Even if it was later in the book. That is something I will supplement with my own children and students. Other than that, I love it!!

Okay, so I know you want to know how you can win, don't you? Here is what the winner will get:

• Beginning piano book containing 17 familiar kids piano songs written in color-coded notes on a traditional musical staff
• 17 Track CD with voice-over "count aloud" for each song in the music book
• Durable coordinating color strip that sits behind the keys of your piano or keyboard to guide your preschooler to the correct key
• A second durable color strip to fit securely on most quality electronic keyboards with mini-keys
• Parent/Teacher Guide that includes step-by-step instructions for teaching each of the 19 music lessons

Here's how you win:

(Required for initial entry) I really want to get some traffic to them because I really believe in this product so please go to Piano for Preschoolers and tell me something you learned that you didn't learn from me!

For extra entries after the initial entry above (please leave a separate comment for each one):

• BEFORE YOU DO THESE MAKE SURE YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR INITIAL ENTRY!
• Tell me if you have a piano, a preschooler, and if you won who this would be for!
• Email 3 people you think might be interested in this and cc me so I know you did!
  
• Subscribe to my totally awesome blog!
• Put my adorable button on your blog. (oh, you know it is!)
• Follow my blog! (top left)
• Follow me on Twitter
• Tweet about this contest!
• And seriously, if you want to do anything else like blog or stumble or whatever you just do it and let me know and I'll count it. Sound good?
• And make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!!

This contest will end Wednesday, April 29 at 11:59 pm and I will announce the winner the next day. Please leave your email address or make sure your blogger profile is public so I can find you. Good luck!

Playing with magnets? We like them apples. (A giveaway)

I know that sometimes I make no sense. But it's cool, right? And I also like to have really long titles....I don't know why.

But I am really excited to tell you about my Magnaplay review and giveaway for this week!!


They sent my boys their Magnetic Activity Case which you can actually use with all of their other products! With that they sent the Magnetic Coloring travel set. Then they also sent their Magnetic Wooden Number match up puzzle. My boys loved all of these and especially my four year old. He doesn't go anywhere without it. The puzzle is fun, easy to do, and very sturdy so they won't fall apart on day one. The magnacase and coloring pages are fun and handy to use. And there are even two magnetic strips to keep your papers in place. Here is a little video of my two older boys trying them out.

Want to know the coolest part??!! I am the featured Mom on the MagnaPlay website.
Go check me out HERE!!

Okay okay, so now on to the part you've been waiting for. MagnaPlay has offered one of my readers their very own MagnaKase Magnetic Dry Erase activity case.


How can you win?? I thought you'd never ask!

(Required for initial entry) I know this giveaway has nothing to do with music but I'm looking for some new songs so tell me what your favorite song is. And if you have a link to it share that as well so I can listen. Thanks!

For extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each one):

• BEFORE YOU DO THESE MAKE SURE YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR INITIAL ENTRY!
• GO HERE and vote for #27 ONCE A DAY!! Leave an extra comment each time you vote!
  
• Go visit MagnaPlay and tell me what your favorite item is!
  
• Subscribe to my totally awesome blog!
• Put my adorable button on your blog. (oh, you know it is!)
• Follow my blog! (top left)
• Follow me on Twitter
• Tweet about this contest!
• And seriously, if you want to do anything else like blog or stumble or whatever you just do it and let me know and I'll count it. Sound good?
• And make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!!

This contest will end Sunday, April 19 at 11:59 pm and I will announce the winner the next day. Please leave your email address or make sure your blogger profile is public so I can find you. Good luck!

It's not a bag, it's a clutch.....(a giveaway)

Chic Blvd Diaper Clutch and Burp Cloth Giveaway

As you can see from the comments on my ChicBud giveaway, we are obviously all the coolest, most chic gals around, so I thought it only fitting that we do another chic giveaway. But this one is geared towards you chic mamas out there. No kids? No worries, I think this is still something you're going to want! Or you can win it and then give it to me. ;)
Just teasing girlfriends, just teasing.

Okay, so first a little more about what you can win.

Ivory Diaper Clutch: These stylish diaper clutches measure 7” x 11.5”, making them large enough to hold a travel size wipes box and 2 - 3 diapers. Not only are they beautiful and made from designer fabrics, but they make it easy to go from the gym to quick trips to the grocery store or when headed to grandma’s house.

AND

A Burp Cloth like the one shown above. These oversized burp cloths measure 14.5” x 22”, and are made from 100% luxurious Indian cotton, making it easy to transition from burp cloth to changing pad. Set of 2.

Both of these great items are from Chic Blvd, a site that has great products and great information! I'm not kidding, I love everything from their site! You can even buy those Chicbuds I gave away last week there!

Here are a few more products I love. Click on the picture to find out more! Or go straight to their site and check out what they have:
ChicBlvd.com


Okay, so that's it.......oh! You want to find out how you can win? Well, why didn't you say so!

(Required for initial entry)
For a chance to win this, tell me what you love best about being a mom.(or if you're not a mom yet, tell me what part of being a mom you look forward to the most. This part is for you, Sis!)

For extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each one):

• BEFORE YOU DO THESE MAKE SURE YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR INITIAL ENTRY!
• GO HERE and vote for #27 ONCE A DAY!! Leave an extra comment each time you vote!
  
• Go visit Chic Blvd and tell me what your favorite is!
  
• Subscribe to my totally awesome blog and help me get to 100! ( top left)
• Put my adorable button on your blog. (oh, you know it is!)
• Follow my blog! (top left)
• Follow me on Twitter
• Tweet about this contest!
• And seriously, if you want to do anything else like blog or stumble or whatever you just do it and let me know and I'll count it. Sound good?
• And make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!!

This contest will end Sunday, April 12 (Happy Easter!) at 11:59 pm and I will announce the winner the next day. Please leave your email address or make sure your blogger profile is public so I can find you. Good luck!

Do you like giveaways?

Hello readers! Do you like entering giveaways? I do! I know I don't do it as much now, because I've already gotten so much I want more people to have the chance to win! I recently found a new site that is great for finding giveaways! You'll be able to find my giveaways on there too! Click on the button below to check it out!



And don't forget to enter both of my giveaways. You have until midnight tonight to enter my ChicBuds giveaway.

And lots of time and ways to enter my $30 cash giveaway!

I'll be back tomorrow with more great posts and giveaways from The Mom Nerd!!

$30 CASH giveaway!!!!

Okay, desperate times call for desperate measures. I am so excited to be able to help do something exciting for my friend that I've decided to do a giveaway to encourage more to vote!! I wish I could win one of these for everyone, I really do! It is SO COOL!

She already got 44 votes in less than 24 hours but there's some already over 200 so I'm kickin' it into high gear with a giveaway!

It's easy peasy nice and cheesy.

Here's how you win the Thirty Dollars of Cold. Hard. Cash.

******Voting is now closed. You can still leave a comment here to enter my giveaway but you can no longer vote!*******

Go HERE and vote for #27 ONCE A DAY!!! Then come back here every time you vote and leave me a comment telling me you did.

For an extra entry blog about the contest on your blog and ask your readers to go vote for my friend Emily, #27! Don't blog? Email 5 people asking them to vote with me in the CC spot:. themomnerd at gmail.com

For another extra entry subscribe to my blog by email or reader and let me know! I want to get to 100!!

Don't forget to leave a comment for each entry and a way for me to contact you if you win!!

This contest will end Wednesday, April 22 at 11:59 MST. The contest you are voting for is running that long so if you come and vote every day you can vote for her 18 times! And that's 18 entries into my giveaway!!

Yes, I'm shameless. I don't mind begging and bribing. And remember, if she wins I'll have an even better giveaway coming up! Oh, it'll be good!

So yeah, I know I'm not chic.... (a giveaway)

But that totally does not keep me from lovin' these ChicBuds!!

I have seen giveaways for these very cute earphones, and I've tried winning them, to no avail. So a while ago I contacted them and they agreed to send me one to review AND one to give away to one of my awesome readers!! How sweet is that?!!



I got to try the Watermelon on White "flavor" and they are just delish! They look awesome with my pink Zen Mosaic that I won back in November. And even though I am totally not chic, I can pretend when I'm rocking out with these babies in my ear!

Oh, so you think they're just cute and stylin'? Well let me tell you that is not all that I love about these! I have tried other earphones, and they always end up in a tangled mess or lost somewhere in oblivion. These are retractable, easy to use, and hard to lose! They are also comfy and have a nifty little clip so they don't flap all over when you're jammin' and movin'. What more could a music lovin' chick want? Oh! And do you have a jammin' dude in your house? They have RockBuds for your dude, too!


So now that you are totally jealous that I've been jammin' with these, would you like to know how you can win this yummy Marshmallow on black pair below?? Yeah, I thought so! Here's the dealio on how to winnio! (I know, I am failing miserably at sounding cool, just bear with me...) Open to US and here is how you can win:

(Required for initial entry) For a chance to win this, tell me what makes you chic and cool!! (or if you're like me and you're not or you could care less about being so, tell me what makes you a nerd!)

For extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each one):

• BEFORE YOU DO THESE MAKE SURE YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR INITIAL ENTRY!
• GO HERE and vote for #27 ONCE A DAY!! Leave an extra comment each time you vote!
  
• Go visit ChicBuds and tell me your favorite product, design or Flava!
  
• Subscribe to my totally awesome blog! (you know you want to, top left)
• Put my adorable button on your blog. (oh, you know it is!)
• Follow my blog! (top left)
• Follow me on Twitter
• Tweet about this contest!
• And seriously, if you want to do anything else like blog or stumble or whatever you just do it and let me know and I'll count it. Sound good?
• And make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!!

This contest will end Sunday, April 5, at 11:59 pm and I will announce the winner the next day. Please leave your email address or make sure your blogger profile is public so I can find you. Good luck!

And while you're thinking Chic, go check out some of their other great products! Just click on the pic to check 'em out!

Book Review and Giveaway

I have this bad habit of reading these books I'm supposed to review so early that I can't remember very well how I liked them by the time the review comes around. This was one of those books that sounded intriguing. I'm always afraid that books that are sentimental or sad will just depress me, but this one didn't. It was interesting to explore the world of a married couple who once loved each other so much, coming to the crossroads of whether they will stay together. This book delves deeply into what goes on in the mind of a young woman who hasn't been able to become a mother. This is something I've never experienced but I feel that it gave me more insight into how I can help those that do.

This book was a sweet, interesting story that I would definitely recommend.

Book: If Tomorrow Never Comes

Summary:

Childhood sweethearts Kinna and Jimmy Henley had simple dreams—marriage, children, a house by the sea… Everything they needed for happily ever after. What they didn’t plan on was years of infertility, stealing those dreams, crushing their hopes.

Now, all that’s left is the memory of young love, and the desperate need for a child to erase the pain. Until…

When Kinna rescues an elderly woman from the sea, the threads of the past, present, and future weave together to reveal the wonder of one final hope. One final chance to follow not their dreams, but God’s plan.

Can they embrace the redemptive power of love before it’s too late? Or will their love be washed away like the castles they once built upon the sand?

Author Bio:

Marlo Schalesky is the author of several books, including Beyond the Night and Empty Womb, Aching Heart. A graduate of Stanford University, Marlo also has a masters of theology with an emphasis in biblical studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. Married over twenty years, she lives with her husband, Bryan, and their five children in California.

Would you like to buy this book? Here's the link:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1601420242

Or would you like to win one? Here's how:

(Required for initial entry) For a chance to win this tell me your favorite book of all time!

For extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each one):

• BEFORE YOU DO THESE MAKE SURE YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR INITIAL ENTRY!
• Subscribe to my totally awesome blog! (you know you want to, top left)
• Put my adorable button on your blog. (oh, you know it is!)
• Follow my blog! (top left)
• Follow me on Twitter
• Tweet about this contest!
• And seriously, if you want to do anything else like blog or stumble or whatever you just do it and let me know and I'll count it. Sound good?
• And make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!!

This contest will end Wednesday, April 1, at 11:59 pm and I will announce the winner the next day. Please leave your email address or make sure your blogger profile is public so I can find you. Good luck!

Twins?? Are you kidding me?? (A Giveaway, but not just for twins)

I still remember very vividly the day I found out I was having twins. In fact, I remember it better than the day they were born.

Our first baby was a surprise, our second came along after one try, but when I got pregnant with the twins we had been trying for 7 months because we were "trying" for a girl. But instead of getting a girl we got twins.....and boys!

I went to my first Dr.'s appointment and I was measuring big so we thought maybe I was a month further than what I initially thought. Long story short we went in for an ultrasound to determine my due date and got the shock of our life......TWO!! I remember just feeling complete and utter shock. And then I cried. But honestly, once I got over the shock and realized it really wasn't that unique I learned to just enjoy each moment.....well most of them anyway....okay,........ some. And I can honest to goodness say that I love it. But......finding cute clothes for them is sometimes hard. Before I had them I looked around a little but didn't find much. Since then I've found a fantastic site called Twinz Gear!



I wish I had known about them earlier but I also can't wait to find someone having twins so I can shop for them there. They have products for twins, singletons, parents, grandparents, siblings, you name it, I bet they've got it! And I love that it was a family who was also surprised to get twins that started it. Here's a bit of their story:
After being surprised half way through our pregnancy that we were going to have twins, my husband and I immediately panicked. We didn't know were to turn or what to do. But as we shared our exciting news with friends and family, our good news began to spread. Quickly, we discovered we were now becoming part of a wonderful network. The network of families with twins. The outpouring of support and encouragement we received from other twins families was just wonderful and that's what we want to create here for other twins families. In addition, my husband and I had enjoyed a very active lifestyle with our first child. We skied in the winter and boated in the summer and quickly found that those activities were very difficult once our twins came along. Our goal here is to help other twins families find the gear they need to get back to an active lifestyle as quickly as possible.

You can see why I have been so impressed with their company. They are so generous that they sent me those adorable TW-IN t-shirts my boys are wearing and they also sent me a Diaper Waistpack to give away. Awesome, I know!! Here's a little more about what you can win:

Diaper Waist Pack with fold-out changing pad, innovative carrying features, generous bottle pockets, sanitary "dirty duds" pocket and durable construction. Extend the life of this waistpack by using it as a functional day pack long after the twins are out of diapers. Made of tough 600-denier PU-coated rip-stop polyster. You can win the blue one!!

Want to go check out their store and get shopping? You can find them HERE!

Or......do you want to be the lucky reader who gets to win this fabulous Diaper Waistpack!? Here's how:

(Required for initial entry) For a chance to win this tell me if you've ever wished for twins, secretly or not. Or if you have twins, tell me the best moment!

For extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each one):

• BEFORE YOU DO THESE MAKE SURE YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR INITIAL ENTRY!
• Visit TwinzGear and tell me something you like.
• Subscribe to my totally awesome blog! (you know you want to, top left)
• Put my adorable button on your blog. (oh, you know it is!)
• Follow my blog! (top left)
• Follow me on Twitter
• Tweet about this contest!
• And seriously, if you want to do anything else like blog or stumble or whatever you just do it and let me know and I'll count it. Sound good?
• And make sure you leave a separate comment for each one!!

This contest will end Sunday, March 29 at 11:59 pm and I will announce the winner the next day. Please leave your email address or make sure your blogger profile is public so I can find you. Good luck!

Here's a few of my other faves from their shop! Wanna check them out? Click on the pic!