Thanks, Mail Carrier

Valentine's Day is one holiday that manages to conjure up strong feelings on both ends of the spectrum. In love? Then you might spend February 14th in a happy, go-lucky fog. Not so in love? Then there's a chance that all of the hearts and cupids and boxes of chocolates at every turn just aren't your thing.

But no matter what your personal feelings are about Valentine's Day, this year we can all come together for something bigger and better. Because this year you can help support families in Haiti that are rebuilding their lives after the 2010 earthquake by making a purchase from the Macy's Heart of Haiti collection.

Helping Haitian families construct and restore their lives after the devastating earthquake two years ago, items in the Heart of Haiti collection use some of the most unlikely materials to create metalwork, ceramics, quilts, paintings, jewelry and other home decor items and accessories.

From raw materials such as recycled oil drums and wrought iron to paper-mâché and stone, each item is handmade by a Haitian master artisan. By creating art that reflects their rich culture and history, artisans have a sustaining income to provide nutrition, education and health care for their families.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and, despite the earthquake, people there are filled with hope and a desire to improve their lives through employment. Although options are very limited in this country, Heart of Haiti is a "Trade, Not Aid" initiative launched by artist and social entrepreneur, Willa Shalit, The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund and Macy's.

By providing artists with an opportunity to make a living, feed their families, and pay their children's school fees (school in Haiti is not free), they are able to support their families with dignity and purpose. In fact, the Heart of Haiti collection has led to employment of 750 artists in Haiti, providing financial benefits for an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people in the country.

As well as being such a great cause, the Heart of Haiti collection features a variety of items that can only be described as beautiful. I was fortunate to have the chance to see the Heart of Haiti Songbird Picture Frame and the Heart of Haiti Goddess Heart Pendant in person and was in awe of the talent and skill that went into making such stunning pieces.

Painstakingly cut, hammered and varnished by hand, the Songbird Picture Frame is created out of steel from recycled barrels. The handmade, one-of-a-kind rustic beauty that this frame encompasses gives it a much more unique look than traditional, mass-produced frames that you'll find in the store.

Every time I look at this frame I am amazed by the way that Haiti's master artisans are able to make such detailed, intricate carvings and markings out of something so mundane as recycled steel. The results make such an attractive and artistic place to display photos of my favorite people and places!

The Heart of the Goddess Pendant is also handcrafted in steel cut from recycled barrels and measures in at approximately 1½" tall. Hung on a 29" black cord, this pendant demonstrates the creativity and beauty that Haiti's artisans can create out of a simple texture on a classic heart.

This pendant makes a great gift for yourself or a loved one for Valentine's Day as well as beyond. The $10 price tag is affordable in itself, but when you take into account the meaning and wonderful support for families in Haiti, that just makes it even more beautiful.

With more than 40 home decor items including quilts,

metalwork, ceramics, paintings, vases, candleholders, serving trays, picture frames, mirrors, coasters, necklaces, clutch purses and more, you're sure to find pieces you'll adore from Heart of Haiti.

The collection is made almost entirely from recycled and sustainable items such as old cement bags, cardboard, oil drums & local gommier wood and can be found exclusively at 25 Macy's stores around the country and on Macy's.com. Most items fall in the price range of $25-$60 but the added benefit of feeling that you've supported something great? Priceless.

Thanks to the generosity of Macy's Heart of Haiti, one person will be able to celebrate in the love of this collection as well, because...

One lucky person will win a Heart of Haiti Goddess Heart Pendant!

To enter to win: Leave me a comment telling me what would happen on your dream Valentine's Day. Vacation? Presents? Family time? Ignoring it completely?

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry if you follow Heart of Haiti on Twitter.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

WIN a Macy's Heart of Haiti Goddess Heart Pendant - beautiful and a great cause! http://bit.ly/wqU35h @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
2 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on March 5th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning and the giveaway sponsor is solely responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and entrants must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to the Everywhere team for providing a Songbird Picture Frame and Goddess Heart Pendant for me to review as well as a Goddess Heart Pendent for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

One of the beneficial aspects of having two daughters is being able to get twice the use out of my favorite articles of their clothing. There's just something so great about kids' apparel that makes me smile — whether it's the fun colors, cute prints, or trendy miniature styles... there are some pieces that I never want them to outgrow.

Those favorites in particular are the ones that not only demonstrate fashion and high quality, but are also unique, innovative, and have that extra stand-out-from-the-crowd aspect to them. After all, who wants to look just like everyone else?

The only thing that can make them even better? When a line of clothing doesn't only look good, but promotes doing good as well.

The latest company that I have been introduced to that does just that? None other than the unique and admirable SlickSugar.

The entrepreneurial, family-owned business behind Belly Banter, a great line of pregnancy and newborn stickers, SlickSugar has teamed up with the nonprofit organization Little Kids Rock to support the importance of music in schools with their "Keep the Music Alive" Tee.

As music programs across the country have been reduced or even eliminated, Little Kids Rock has helped fill the void by restoring and revitalizing music in underfunded

public schools. Founded in San Francisco in 2002, the charity was started by an elementary school teacher who was frustrated at the lack of music funding in his own school.

Today, Little Kids Rock is one of the leading nonprofit providers of free lessons and free instruments to underprivileged children in public schools in 25 cities, resulting in an astounding 160,000 students. Bonnie Raitt, Slash, Paul Simon, B.B. King and Ziggy Marley are among the charity’s famous friends and supporters.

Having always supported the arts and music in schools, I was already loving the "Keep the Music Alive" Tee even before I had seen it in person. However, when a brightly-colored fun package from SlickSugar arrived, I was happy to see if this shirt would live up to promoting their great message.

Slowly unwrapping the soft, 100% cotton fabric, I was impressed with how thick and durable this shirt felt and the clear effort that went into making sure all of the seams and edges were well made.

Available in sizes 6 months through 5/6, I had initially worried that the largest size would be small on Big Sister E, but instead found that it was a great fit. We were both excited about the sweet and colorful design and how such a cute, cheery bird could have such a powerful message.

I love the idea of being able to promote as well as teach children about the importance of music in schools and send a message, even a tiny one, that school districts across the country need to restore and revitalize music programs that have been closed due to budget cuts.

Retailing for $26 (which means free shipping!), the "Keep the Music Alive" Tee and the rest of SlickSugar's great apparel and accessories (and don't forget the cute Belly Banter stickers for tracking expectant moms' progress or babies ages), can be found on their website. You can also find a selection of SlickSugar onesies and tees online at Target.com.

And, thanks to their generosity, one person will be able to support Little Kids Rock and their partnership with schools in a stylish way, because...

One lucky person will win a SlickSugar "Keep the Music Alive" Tee
in their choice of size!

To enter to win: Visit SlickSugar and leave me a comment telling me the name of the item there that is your favorite (other than the tee in this review).

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow SlickSugar on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

WIN a Keep the Music Alive Tee or Onesie from SlickSugar! Cute and for a great cause! http://bit.ly/zOIPKU @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
2 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on March 6th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning and the giveaway sponsor is solely responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and entrants must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to SlickSugar for providing a "Keep the Music Alive" Tee for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

Last week the girls and I arrived at our weekly playgroup to find a special treat at lunchtime.

A good friend (and Pinterest addict) had found directions online for making homemade lollipops out of Jolly Rancher candies. The results were extremely cute and, after hearing the instructions, I knew would be easy enough for us to make as well.

With Valentine's Day around the corner and my kids wanting to give a little something tasty along with their valentines at school, it was the perfect time to try these out ourselves.

Step 1: Gather the "ingredients."

You'll need a baking sheet, aluminum foil, parchment paper, lollipop sticks, cellophane bags (if wrapping), and Jolly Ranchers.

Step 2: Preparation (preheat the oven to 275°F).

Cover your baking sheet with a piece of aluminum foil and then a piece of parchment paper on top of it. Unwrap and place Jolly Ranchers together in groups of two (for regular size lollipops) or three (for jumbo lollipops). Leave enough space in between them that they won't melt together and so that you will have room to place a stick without it getting stuck into one of its neighbors.

We made sure that our lollipops would always have three different colors, but that just makes them more colorful. If you're a fan of one particular flavor or want to make them one solid color, that works just as well.

Step 3: Melt!

Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and let the Jolly Ranchers get to where they have melted slightly together. We found that this took approximately 6 minutes, but that the best method was to keep an eye on them and especially watch closely after the 5 minute mark or so.

You don't want them to melt too far so that they're too thin for a stick, yet not far enough results in a more difficult time getting that stick to stay put.

Step 4: Remove and add sticks.

Much to the kids' dismay, my husband and I did this step ourselves. You have to work quickly to place and twist the sticks into the melted Jolly Ranchers before the candies harden, while also being careful to not touch the hot pan.

We found that if you push slightly in the opposite direction that you are twisting, that it helps get the candy to full cover the stick and therefore hold it firmly in place.

Step 5: Cool.

Even though these will pop off of the parchment paper after only a short amount of time, we left them to sit for around a half hour to ensure that they were fully cooled and wouldn't stick to the bags.

Needless to say, we were pretty excited about how cute they had turned out!

Step 6: Wrap.

Popping them into our lollipop bags, I tied the ribbons and we were set to go. You could use any sort of plastic bags or plastic wrap to cover these (or just toss them all in a bag together if you aren't gifting them), but for our valentines, I found that Wilton's lollipop bags that are prepackaged with ribbons attached were very convenient.

Using a single piece of tape, we attached a lollipop to each of our cards and sat back to survey the results.

Both girls are beyond excited to get to hand these homemade lollipops out to their friends and announce that they were the ones who made them. As for the taste, who doesn't love the sweet tang of a good Jolly Rancher? Except now there are three different flavors in one... yum!

Happy Valentine's Day!

While playing a game of "Let's pretend..." recently, our daughters decided that they would pretend to be my husband and me.

As I started to become apprehensive about what I sound like to a 3- and 5-year-old, the aspect of both of us that the girls focused on wasn't actually our personalities or parenting at all. Instead, Little Sister B turned to Big Sister E and said, quite matter-of-factually, Now you have to wear glasses and now I have to wear glasses.

Oh, little do you know, daughter of mine. As both her father and I are dependent on glasses or contact lenses (my eyes are especially poor), only time will tell how long it is before our children need help seeing as well.

Fortunately for them, glasses are viewed as a hip, trendy, fashionable accessory for all ages these days and not something to be hidden away. Also fortunate for them? The fact that while purchasing eyeglasses in the store can be pricey, finding the same selection and style with an affordable price tag online is easy to do. That's what GlobalEyeglasses.com is all about!

As a global leader in the direct retailing of professional-made prescription glasses and sunglasses right from the comfort of your computer, GlobalEyeglasses.com has managed to change the way that we shop for eyewear. Whether you're looking for a new pair of glasses to complement your wardrobe or replace older ones that are broken, not your current prescription or just out-of-date, GlobalEyeglasses makes the process fast, fun and easy.

On a mission to provide the best services, best quality and best

collection of eyeglasses to their customers at competitive pricing structures, GlobalEyeglasses.com has the expertise, convenience and affordability that you desire. As their company's industry specialists perfectly understand your optical needs and custom make (and recheck) every lens and frame for accuracy, precision and quality, you can rest assured that the product that will arrive will be a hit.

As I began to browse through the large selection of glasses offered, right away I appreciated the way that GlobalEyeglasses.com made it easy to navigate and narrow down their collections. Whether shopping for plastic vs metal, round vs rectangular, men's vs women's, or much more, they've got them all laid out and only a click away.

With my eye out for a full rim, rectangular plastic frame that would add a little trendy kick to my wardrobe, when I came upon the S55, I knew that they would be a fun addition to my life.

While many people might wonder how you can order glasses online without being able to try them on, GlobalEyeglasses.com makes it simple in two easy ways.

First, the frame dimensions. By being able to compare the S55 to the current glasses that I wear, I had no problem being able to see just how these would look and fit my face.

Second, you can actually virtually try on glasses right at your computer thanks to the technology on GlobalEyeglasses.com's site. With the click of a button, you can get a general idea of the glasses on a model or, with a few more clicks, you can upload a photo of yourself or even use your webcam to get a live shot.

Place the glasses on the model or yourself and there you are trying them on!

After waiting a reasonable amount of time, a package from GlobalEyeglasses.com arrived and inside I found my S55 frames safely packed in a lightweight hard case with a cleaning cloth.

I hadn't realized that these acetate frames would have a glitter effect to the retro look, but I found that just gives them a little extra touch of uniqueness.

As I had been able to see all of the dimensions for these frames right online, I wasn't surprised when I placed them on and they fit very well. The lenses were crisp and clear and it didn't take long for my eyes to adjust so that I could wear the S55 around without problem.

Plus, as the description mentioned that these frames "are great for people who require high power lenses as the arms hide the lens thickness," I was happy to see that this was indeed true... and hiding the fact that I have such poor eyesight is definitely a feature I appreciate in eyeglasses!

Available in red, black and dark purple, these glasses have fun a fun way to add something new and different to my wardrobe. Best of all? Instead of spending hundreds to add a little kick to your life, the S55 cost only $49 at GlobalEyeglasses.com, including the lenses (which is important for someone like me who needs those extra strong ones).

With glasses available for men, women and children starting at only $12.95, the days of having to spend a fortune on glasses are a thing of the past. GlobalEyeglasses.com offers their customers a full pair of prescription lenses and frames at low prices, certified optical technicians

who are experts to craft and inspect every pair of glasses, the convenience of shopping whenever and wherever for your schedule, and a simple and straight forward return policy with no questions asked. They really have it all!

If all of that isn't enough for you, be sure to enter the coupon code ThanksMailCarrier at checkout on GlobalEyeglasses.com and you'll instantly receive a 15% discount on your purchases. Can't beat a savings on their already-low prices!

And, thanks to their generosity, one person will soon be able to see the world clearly while looking stylish and chic, because...

One lucky person will win a $50 gift certificate to GlobalEyeglasses.com!

To enter to win: Visit GlobalEyeglasses.com and leave me a comment telling me which stylish frames you might choose if you win.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow GlobalEyeglasses.com on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

WIN a $50 gift certificate to GlobalEyeglasses.com for stylish glasses or sunglasses! http://bit.ly/ywjGAV @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
2 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on March 7th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning and the giveaway sponsor is solely responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and entrants must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to GlobalEyeglasses.com for providing the S55 eyeglasses for me to review as well as a $50 gift voucher for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

While my kids enjoy being loud and active, there are also many times that they (and I) prefer quiet, calm activities.

Whether they need a way to wind down after a morning at school, something to occupy their time during a ride in the car, or just to stave off boredom when the weather keeps us indoors, being able to play a game that keeps them entertained and happy is something I appreciate.

Fortunately, that's where Find It Games comes in with their line of innovative, intriguing and addicting hide-and-seek games. The most recent addition? One that really has my kids excited about searching for a variety of animals, tools, equipment and more that they know and love that is found in On the Farm.

Founded by a husband and wife team in 2003, Find It Games has grown from a fun family idea at the dinner table into into a name that is known around the world. Perfect for at home or on-the-go, these fun and innovative games are just the thing for the car, waiting for an appointment or just a quiet moment relaxing in a chair, as there is nothing more required than an imagination and a love for a good search.

By combining a creative container and a multitude of little shapes and figurines, kids (and adults) are entertained quickly and easily just by turning the container over and over while looking for the next brightly-colored cute piece on their list.

After having already been introduced to Find It Games last summer with their Veggie Tales game and then again a few months later with their Starry Night version, as soon as I heard that they had debuted On The Farm, I knew that it would be a hit.

With the kids eagerly chomping at the bit ("It looks like a farm! I see a horse! Open it!"), we had this cute silo-shaped container out of the packaging in no time — thank goodness for one toy that doesn't require 20 minutes and power tools to remove it from the box.

I love that Find It Games thought to make this version in a silo, as it not only fits the theme perfectly, but makes it easy for small hands to hold, twist, turn, shake and more. After all, how else are they going to uncover all 42 of the objects from within the bright and colorful pellets?

On The Farm treasures to discover include a tractor, windmill and a corn stalk along with a variety of furry friends and livestock such as a horse, duck, cow and chicken. In order to make it easy to keep track of which items you've found and which pieces are left, Find It Games includes a 50-sheet tear-off pad listing them all...

...as well as conveniently putting them all right on the bottom of the game itself.

Although you can't check off the items from the list on the bottom as you find them (maybe you could cross them off with a dry erase marker?), I still love that they are printed there to make it easy to have the full game contained in itself. Grab it and go and you're ready on a plane, at an appointment or just when you want to know what to look for but not necessarily keep track.

But whether in the car or an easy chair, we've had a lot of fun with On the Farm! Even though it is designed for ages 8+, the kids have returned to this silo over and over to take another look for yet another object and they haven't once gotten frustrated — instead they love the challenge and the thrill of the hunt (I have to admit that I really do, too)!

Big Sister E is also a big fan of the ladder printed on the silo!

With such a simple, yet captivating concept, Find It Games' hidden object games are a great way to encourage curiosity and learning without any pressure of winning or competition (unless you want to add that in, of course). Retailing for $23, this is a game that makes a wonderful gift or to have at home... and trust me, you'll want to pick it up to search for one more elusive items time and time again!

In addition to their line of games, Find It Games also has a

brand new collection of puzzles that take the idea behind their unique cylinders and spread them into 300 pieces. These three new jigsaw puzzles, under a collection called Pieces of History, mimic the "finding" activity of the award-winning and well-recognized contained adventures from Find It Games and feature historical events that are familiar to adults as well as children.

With original and commissioned artwork on each one, Pharaoh's Egypt, Parade of Animals and On Dry Ground offer an instant lesson to users as they read the parchment-like list of hidden items to be found once the pieces are put in place. What a great opportunity for families to share time together in an educational and fun way!

Also designed for ages 8+, the Pieces of History puzzles retail for $13 and can be found along with the hidden object games in stores like Target, Barnes & Noble and Hallmark and online from Amazon.com, AreYouGame.com and, of course, FindItGames.com.

And, thanks to the generosity of Find It Games, one person will soon be on their way to an entertaining treasure hunt as well, because...

One lucky person will win their choice of On the Farm or any of the three Pieces of History jigsaw puzzles from Find It Games!

To enter to win: Visit Find It Games and leave me a comment telling me another of their innovative items that you would like to own (other than those mentioned above).

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry if you Like Find It Games on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

#WIN an On the Farm hidden object game or Pieces of History puzzle from Find It Games! http://bit.ly/w7NJVi @thxmailcarrier #giveaway

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
2 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on March 8th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning and the giveaway sponsor is solely responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and entrants must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to Find It Games for providing On the Farm for me to review as well as the choice between the game and the puzzles for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

This guest post discusses a topic that has always interested me - who doesn't want to find a beauty regimen that they can partake in at home for less?

Have you been using just ordinary face wash? Maybe it is time to try something new. Ordinary face wash just washes the surface of your skin, but does not give it a deep cleanse. Some great additions to your standard skincare routine are microdermabrasion products. These deep cleansers, masques, and exfoliating wands will go far beyond just simply cleaning your face.

Microdermabrasion at home products, available online

from retailers like ShopNBC, will go beneath the surface of your skin and deeply penetrate it. As it penetrates your skin it helps reduce fine lines.

Using microdermabrasion at home products will give you a mini facial. It will leave your skin looking youthful and radiant. The systems will also help diminish the appearance of blemishes and dark spots, as well as minor acne scars.

Further, microdermabrasion at home helps shrink your pores and sloughs off dead, dry skin, like any great exfoliating product. Once you use a microdermabrasion at home kit, you’ll immediately notice how smooth and supple your skin feels. And thanks to online retailers, these easy-to-use products can be delivered right to your door in a matter of days – no more scheduling spa appointments or shelling out money for facials.

(This guest post was brought to you by ShopNBC.)

While there are holidays throughout the year that are a little frivolous (I'm look at you, If Pets Had Thumbs Day on March 3rd and you, Tapioca Pudding Day on July 15th), February represents a month that is important to remember and honor: Black History Month.

This year, along with the annual observance and remembrance of important people and events in African-American history, Coca-Cola and Dollar General would like to join in the celebration with a little fun with their Honor Heritage Sweepstakes.

Right now Coca-Cola is offering Dollar General customers a chance to win a family trip for up to 10 people to the 2012 ESSENCE Music Festival. This festival – which takes place July 6 through 8 – is the country's largest annual African-American music and empowerment event.

What started as a long weekend of great music (and food) in New Orleans back in 1995, the ESSENCE Music Festival has evolved into the largest African-American cultural event of the summer, featuring music from the hottest chart-toppers year after year – from old school (Aretha Franklin is a headliner this year!) to new.

The Honor Heritage Sweepstakes is part of Dollar General's Black History Month celebration, the first of several Dollar General initiatives honoring "Every Day Heroes." The year-long program will honor community heroes – from the firemen and veterans to teachers and caregivers.

Along with the trip to New Orleans, shoppers who purchase qualifying products may also be eligible to win instant prizes, including $50 and $25 in Live Nation Concert Cash. For a chance to win, Dollar General shoppers can check their receipt for a special code upon purchasing qualifying products and visit DollarGeneral.com to enter (and see the complete sweepstakes rules).

This sweepstakes ends on February 26th, so visit your nearest Dollar General store and online to be sure to get your entries in. Who knows? Maybe you'll be heading to New Orleans this summer!

In the meantime, thanks to the generosity of Procter & Gamble, one person will be able to enjoy a great set of prizes for themselves, because...

One lucky person will win a Dollar General Black History Month
prize pack*!

*Prize pack includes: Olay Firming Night of Olay Cream, CoverGirl LashBlast 24 Hour Mascara, Febreze Auto in Linen & Sky scent, a Dollar General calculator and a key chain.

To enter to win: Leave me a comment telling me the name of your favorite musical artist, band or group.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

WIN a prize pack containing Olay Night Cream, Covergirl Mascara, Febreze and more! http://bit.ly/zkysEN @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
2 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on March 8th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning and the giveaway sponsor is solely responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and entrants must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to Procter & Gamble for providing a Dollar General prize pack for me as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

While Big Sister E is getting more and more into princesses and pink and all things typically "girly," she is also still very much a tomboy at heart. Blue! Dinosaurs! Cars! Bugs!

Happy to support her interests (no matter how much I might shudder at the bugs myself), I always know that one character that is sure to make her smile is the hard-working Bob the Builder. He and his Can-Do Crew and their action and exciting construction adventures are always a hit, which has been proven once again with the upcoming release of Bob the Builder: Here to Help.

If you build it, they will help! There's no challenge too great for this hard-hat wearing, hard-working builder and his Can-Do crew. Available February 21, 2012 on DVD, Digital Download and On Demand from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment, Bob the Builder: Here to Help is another collection of super-sized adventures that any young fan will enjoy.

Where they're being extra helpful on the job, making sure the local stage show goes on, celebrating a good friend's birthday or just having fun, Bob and his company lay the foundation for super-sized adventure, ready with the tools and the teamwork to teach even the youngest builder that the Fun is in Getting It Done!

In this DVD, Bob the Builder and his Can-Do Crew are Here To Help in this action-packed collection as they get the job done and share tales of teamwork from the building yard.

Scoop and Lofty learn that they can accomplish a lot with a little help from their friends; Scrambler is in for a big surprise when he accidentally frightens Lofty and must dig deep to repair his friend's confidence; Scoop needs a truckload of teamwork to save Wendy's birthday celebration and Scratch learns there's no one star of the show as everyone must work together to save Fixham's History Day celebration.

Next, Dizzy spins some chaos on the lighthouse ramp and must rely on teamwork — and a new-found talent for wheelies — to fix the mess. Join Bob and his machine team as they lend helping hands, scoops, cranes, shovels and more to build lasting friendships in these Can-Do tales of teamwork and fun!

Episodes include:

Lofty's Helpful Day
Scrambler's Stage Surprise
Wendy's Birthday Surprise
Scratch's Star Turn
Dizzy and the Wheelies

DVD Bonus Features include:

Build a House with Bob Game
"My Dream Team" Music Video
"I'm Big and I'm Blue" Music Video

Aimed at ages 2 - 5, Bob the Builder: Here to Help has a running time of 55 minutes and will retail for $9.98 when it comes out next Tuesday. We always love seeing the way that these tales can demonstrate that with the super power of tools, teamwork and lots of fun, Bob, Scrambler, Scratch, Roley, Wendy and the rest of the Can-Do Crew can eagerly take on and complete any job with a positive approach.

Bob the Builder and his team continually tackle every project with the power of positive thinking, problem solving, cooperation and follow-through and those are traits that I always want to promote with my children. For any young Bob fan, this DVD is a great addition to the home library.

(Other than the DVD copy of Bob the Builder: Here to Help that I received from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment to facilitate my review, I was not provided with anything or enticed to do this review in any way. This review is solely my opinion of this DVD.)

I can still remember falling victim to the cliché phrase of childhood: Mom, I'm booooored.

There just always seemed to be so much time and, yet, so little to do, you know?

Fast forward 25 years and I can't remember the last time I said that I was bored. Or felt bored. Or even just didn't have an inkling that there were about 45 things on my to-do list at any given point in time.

But even with the best time management skills (not saying that I possess them), finding the balance in our lives between kids, work, school, friends, and more can often be difficult. And the aspect that sometimes feels left out? Quality family time.

That's why when Jen and Barb, Mom Life asked me to guest post on the topic of how my family turns our evenings and weekends into fun-filled bonding experiences that result in memories that will last a lifetime... I had no idea. I feel as though the weekends are filled with us rushing somewhere and everyone is tired during the weekday evenings, so how do other families meet that challenge?

Interested in my thoughts? Head over and see my guest post, aptly titled Searching for Quality Family Time.

Then, when I heard that Jen and Barb were going to talk to Dr. Tina Bryson, psychotherapist, author, and mom about ways to truly enjoy evenings and weekends for the entire family, I knew that video was one that I wanted to watch. If you answer yes to the question Looking for a little family fun? then you're going to want to check it out as well!

Click on the image above (or here) to watch the video - it's worth it!

I don't know about you, but I picked up some great tips! I love that Dr. Bryson pointed out that every moment doesn't need to be structured and that it really all boils down to laughing, playing and being silly. Which, when you think about it, is what kids truly enjoy the most anyway, right?

How about you? Are your evenings and weekends already filled with fun, quality time as a family or could you use a little help adding in more memorable moments?

(I was compensated on behalf of JenandBarbMomLife.com for participating in this topic)

For some reason, no matter how many times I tell my husband that, due to the fact that I gave birth to his two children and then spent the following months up all hours of the night with them therefore giving me a free pass to sleep in for the rest of our lives, he doesn't believe me.

I just don't understand what part of that he thinks is unfair.

Nonetheless, I'm not ashamed to admit that for me, sleep is a very serious business. Considering that we spend on average around 200,000 hours out of our lives sleeping, doesn't it make sense to not just treat sleep as this thing that we do... but more as a blissful experience that we can have?

Fortunately, there are companies that believe exactly that and have created high quality, must-have products to make us as utterly comfortable and happy as possible when it comes time to grab some shut-eye.

And when that brand is Nature's Sleep, makers of the best memory foam mattresses and memory foam pillows online, then there's no reason to not visit http://www.naturessleep.com and start getting a better night's sleep right away.

On a mission to provide the best products and service to their customers at the lowest prices possible, Nature's Sleep takes great pride in offering memory foam mattresses and pillows that help your body and mind to revitalize and rejuvenate.

Instead of tossing and turning to try to get comfortable on metal springs, it will only take one time of lying on one of Nature's Sleep's luxurious, supportive, cloud-like mattresses to be addicted to the feeling of being cradled and comforted from head to toe. Who wouldn't change their daily schedule to include more time devoted to sleep if this was what was waiting for you?

On a smaller scale, the memory foam pillows from Nature's Sleep offer the same stress-relieving, calming properties for your head, neck and shoulders. Whether you prefer the feeling of down, the angle of contours, a design for side sleepers or more, the variety of pillows offered is sure to have one to meet your individual needs.

As we have purchased an assortment of pillows over the years (who hasn't?) it has been easy to see that some have held up better than others due to all that my husband and I have put them through. From tossing and turning, fluffing and re-fluffing (we both like pillows that have depth to them) added to general use, our past pillows always eventually broken down and needed to be replaced.

So, when I saw that the Visco Memory Contour Pillow from Nature's Sleep was not only contoured and plush but that it was recommended for those with neck pain, snoring or breathing issues (all things that my husband suffers from), I knew it would be the one for both of us to try.

Available in Small for those who like to sleep close to the mattress (back sleepers) or use only one pillow, or in Large for those who like to sleep more elevated (side sleepers) or use more than one pillow, when the latter arrived it was all that I could do to not go take a nap then and there.

From picking up the bag and feeling the substantial weight, right away I knew that this wasn't just another foam pillow that wouldn't last. Instead, as I pulled off the packaging, the high quality of the moderate density memory foam was evident and I loved that it offered one side that was thicker and one that was thinner.

Oh, the plushness.

The cotton velour cover felt smooth and extremely soft to the touch and the fact that it zips off for easy washing is a major bonus to keeping the hypoallergenic Visco Memory foam clean.

From the first night that I used it, this luxurious pillow felt like resting on an extremely strong and durable cloud. After the initial span of getting used to not having my head sink way down into cotton batting, I found that the material truly does mold itself to your body shape.

With this pillow instantly adjusting to the contours of my head and neck and evenly distributing their weight, I found that each morning I would wake up without the stiffness or pain that comes with the pressure of sleep. Even more, by increasing blood circulation and keeping my spine correctly aligned, the comfort extends down throughout my back — an area in which I've always had problems.

While magic isn't a term that I've used before to describe a pillow, the way that it squishes down and then always returns to its original shape seems to be just that. Night after night, the Visco Memory Foam Pillow continues to appear brand new and provides just as much customized support.

With a goal to provide everybody the opportunity to enjoy a better night's sleep, Nature's Sleep takes things even further with their concern for their customers and the earth. All of their products are designed with health and hygiene in mind and a commitment to providing comfort that is safe for consumers and safe for the environment.

And, considering that I never know who in my house is going to try to claim this pillow next, I appreciate that Nature's Sleep has taken our well-being into concern. That just means one less thing that I have to lose sleep over, right?

"It's so soft! And squishy! Did you squish it? I love it. It's SO soft!"

Nature's Sleep has a passion for making their products as affordable as possible and their prices span a wide spectrum to fit just about any budget. Their amazing memory foam mattresses retail between $800 and $2800, depending on style and size, and their line of pillows cost between $70 and $135 (the Visco Memory Contour Pillow in Large has a price tag of $110).

And, considering how many years of use these will provide, the health and wellness benefits, and just how much of our lives is spent sleeping, it makes it seem worth it. But, wait! Right now Nature's Sleep is offering a HUGE discount! Simply enter the coupon code BEARS50 and you'll receive 50% off of your purchase on their website! If you've been considering purchasing memory foam, now is definitely the time.

Thanks to the generosity of Nature's Sleep, one person will be able to bring a little extra comfort into their home as well, because...

One lucky person will win their choice of Memory Foam Pillow
from Nature's Sleep!

To enter to win: Visit Nature's Sleep and sign up for their email list (please note that only your name and email address is required) to receive information on new products, exclusive deals, and enter you into their monthly drawing! Then return here and leave a comment indicating the email address that you used so that Nature's Sleep can verify it if you win.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry if you visit Nature's Sleep and tell me which pillow you would choose if you win!
1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Nature's Sleep on Twitter, Like them on Facebook and/or follow them on Google+.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

#WIN your choice of Memory Foam Pillow from Nature's Sleep (ARV $135) for better sleep now! http://bit.ly/wuj8XL @thxmailcarrier #giveaway

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
2 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on March 9th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning and the giveaway sponsor is solely responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only and entrants must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to Nature's Sleep for providing a Visco Memory Contour Pillow for me to review as well as the pillow of choice for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

The lucky winner of a colorful Natural Daylight Desk Lamp from OttLite is...

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The two lucky winners of a case of Pine-Sol Lavender Scent Multi-Purpose Cleaner from CleanItSupply are...

Congratulations, wildcat32 and Hotsnotty2!

The lucky winner of their choice of Scentsy Warmer and Scent Bar is...

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The lucky winner of Hasbro's Taboo game is...

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The lucky winner of an Organically Grown Footie and the lucky winner of an Aqua Bottle from i play. are...

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Thank you to everyone who entered these fun giveaways! Have a great weekend!

I've been known to say that there are certain brands of toys that lead to creativity right out of the box.

While there are some that produce toys that have a "take it or leave it" type of effect on kids, there are also the ones that just get it. They provide products that I can set in front of my daughters and there aren't strict instructions or an extended amount of prep time in order for play to begin.

If it's ready for use immediately, that just keeps the interest and excitement going much longer than if they have to wait while I get out a screwdriver, read instructions or explain where to put each and every piece. Besides, who wants to sit and follow directions when you are a kid with ingenuity and inventiveness bursting at the seams?

And there's almost no better example of a company that knows what it takes to provide an entertaining and educational experience than the endless imaginative options from K'NEX.

The most innovative and fastest growing construction toy company, K'NEX products are sold (and enjoyed) across the globe. With the ability to provide fun and enjoyment for kids while mixing in strong educational components such as hand-eye coordination and stacking skills, when most people hear the name K'NEX, they think of the traditional building toy.

However, this company offers much more than that! With everything from building to stacking to imagining for kids of all ages, K'NEX has something for just about every age and skill level. For us, when the and the Lincoln Logs Cedar Creek Homestead and the KID K'NEX Monster Buddies Building Set arrived, they were just the thing to bring some building and constructing fun to our house.

Lincoln Logs by K'NEX are the classic building set that we all have known and loved since our own childhood. Including real wood logs of various sizes along with colorful accessories and play figures, these familiar notched logs are made to fit together to allow kids to build any kind of structure they can imagine.

From towers to buildings to forts to houses to just about anything in between, kids can easily use the logs, windows, doors, and accessories to practice and improve their fine motor skills, creativity, and more. There's just something about the feel of the real wood and the simplicity of these logs that makes them special!

As we already had a few Lincoln Logs of our own, the girls couldn't wait to open up the Cedar Creek Homestead set and start playing with it separately and with others.

While the kids love to use these high quality wooden logs to come up with their own innovative constructions (some that resemble something from the real world and some that... don't), they also have had a great time using all 43 pieces in this set to create the farmer's homestead.

Sometimes it ends up precisely as shown on the box and sometimes we add our own little touches to give it a creative twist for the farmer and his dog.

With the open-ended fun of all of the Lincoln Logs sets, I often think the best part is to just start building and see what you come up with! Currently not listed on the K'NEX website, the Cedar Creek Homestead retails for $29.95 on Amazon and is recommended for ages 3+.

I have no doubt that we will be building this homestead as well as various other versions for quite some time to come, as both Big Sister E and Little Sister B have had a great time building and putting the farmer and his dog through a multitude of adventures.

Along similar lines when it comes to open-ended creativity, the KID K'NEX Monster Buddies Building Set is such a fun way for kids (ages 3+) to not only practice their coordination and building, but also tie in a much-loved topic right now - monsters! Setting out the pieces, it was easy to see that the bright colors and variety of shapes and sizes were going to be able to provide entertainment as well as ingenuity quickly and easily.

The 23 pieces in this set have allowed for a wide range of connecting and building fun, although we've found that there aren't really enough for more than one child at a time (unless used along with other KID K'NEX). Nonetheless, the girls have forms creations that have been simple...

...more traditionally monster-looking...

We love that the eyelids can be opened and closed so that the monster can be awake or asleep!

...and some that don't resemble much of anything, but are still immediately a part of the story or adventure that is being told.

But no matter if Little Sister B's monsters didn't look quite the same as the picture or Big Sister E's pals weren't shown as a suggestion, that didn't mean that the process of creating them didn't include just as much laughter!

The girls have both returned to the Monster Set multiple times to come up with something new or to continue on with a tale that they've had in their mind. As with the Lincoln Logs, there's just no wrong way to play with these KID K'NEX and being able to use their imagination is just what my kids always enjoy!

Retailing for $10.99 (or slightly less on Amazon), the Monster Buddies Building Set would be a great gift for any young KID K'NEX fan... particularly one who also loves silly monsters! This set as well as the Cedar Creek Homestead Lincoln Logs both do not come in their own storage containers, but they have still been pulled off of the shelf many times for building and creating that will certainly last well into the future.

To learn more about these sets, as well as the huge selection of innovative and fun products that K'NEX has to offer, visit their website and connect with them on Facebook.

(Other than the Cedar Creek Homestead Lincoln Logs and the Monster Buddies Building Set that I received from K'NEX, I was not provided with anything or enticed to do this review in any way. This review is solely my opinion of these fun and innovative products.)

In preparation for Valentine's Day, Big Sister E and her preschool class participated in one of the classic traditions for the holiday: decorating a shoebox to hold all of their precious cards and treats.

I was thrilled that she was able to participate in something that is long ingrained in so many adults' memories, but even more that she was able to do it at school. Because the day that I arrived to pick her up and saw the aftermath from that art project? Let's just say that it sent shivers down my spine.

As much as my kids love to be spontaneous and creative when it comes to arts and crafts projects, cooking, science experiments and more, the idea of the mess that they create makes me want to run for the hills.

The solution? One of the biggest names in cleaning, Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner, and the launch of the website Clorox Recipes for Fun. Because not only will I be able to find recipes, fun activities, crafts projects and more, but thanks to Clorox, cleaning up is a snap!

No matter what type of activity or directions you are looking for, Recipes for Fun is a great go-to source to find ways for kids to live it up, mess it up, then clean it up. What more could you ask for?

A contest, of course! To celebrate the launch of Recipes for Fun, Clorox is holding the Ultimate Mess Party Sweepstakes and entering

to win prizes couldn't be much easier. Simply register and you'll be in the running to win $10,000 toward an Ultimate Mess Party (just think of the level of messiness that could get you!) plus chances to win instantly every day.

Also, for sharing your own Recipe for Fun, you'll receive 10 extra grand prize entries as well as a $1.00 coupon on Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner instantly. There's more! Each day, Clorox Clean-Up is randomly awarding FREE Clorox Clean-Up coupons and $100 gift cards from a variety of favorite retailers to lucky users just for viewing recipes. Easy!

Although my kids would be happy making a mess in any of the categories that Clorox focuses on (Wacky Science, Arts and Crafts, Kiddie Cooking and Creative Cooking), anytime there is food involved, that is clearly a favorite.

And one sticky, gooey favorite that is sure to result in smiles (and the dire need for Clorox Clean-Up) is the Banana Boat. Who can turn down a bite like this?

Ingredients

Bananas
Toppings of choice! The classics are semisweet chocolate chips and miniature marshmallows, but you can go crazy with just about anything that you love. Try Nutella, peanut butter, bits of candy bar, raisins, cinnamon, coconut, chopped nuts...

1. Slit one piece of peel down from each banana lengthwise, making sure not to reach the bottom, and scoop out a small portion of the banana.

2. Stuff the bananas with marshmallows and chocolate chips (or your own creations, of course) and close the peel back up.

3. Wrap each banana in an aluminum foil "pouch" and bake in a 300° oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the chocolate is melted. Alternatively, these can be made in a toaster oven, on the grill or cooked over a campfire. I've heard that these are quite the Girl Scout classic over the fire!

4. Open and enjoy! Best eaten with a spoon... and possibly some whipped cream or ice cream.

While the clean up for the actual banana boat is almost non-existant (just throw away the aluminum foil!), a little Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner can go a long way to help wipe away any errant chocolate or sticky tabletops. The end result, no matter how odd and mushy it looks, is always YUM!

Do you have a Recipe for Fun? Be sure to visit Clorox Recipes for Fun for all sorts of ideas that you and your children are sure to love... and sign up for the Ultimate Mess Party Sweepstakes while you're there! Find out more about Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner on the Clorox website and connect with Clorox on Facebook and @Clorox on Twitter.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Clorox Clean-Up Recipes for Fun blogging program, for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on this program, click here and see the Terms link.

When it comes to home decor, I am continually in awe of people who can look at a space and picture what it needs to be stylish. How do they just seem to know what pieces and colors will work well together?

Even though I know my home doesn't resemble a designer showroom (which wouldn't be possible with two young kids anyway), I still like to try to create a warm and inviting space for family and friends, as well as for us.

An important aspect of that? The smell. In my mind, decor can only do so much if the odor isn't pleasant.

Fortunately, thanks to Glade and their new Glade Expressions Collection, their scents can leave your house looking good as well as smelling good all in one with the Glade Expressions Oil Diffuser and Glade Expressions Fragrance Mist.

Glade's popular and award-winning home fragrances have long been known to help you transform any room of your home, bringing you the perfect expression for any mood or occasion. Their latest addition, the new Glade Expressions Collection, features an incomparable fragrance experience in two contemporary designs – a fragrance mist and an oil diffuser – that have been developed to appeal to today's modern consumer.

When each of these products arrived, I was impressed right away with the clean lines and contemporary styling even before they were out of the packaging.

The Glade Expressions Fragrance Mist is a simple, yet appreciated product to use in nearly any room. By giving it a squeeze, the light mist is released and I like how it quickly dissipates into the air, yet the long-lasting aroma of freshness lingers for quite a while afterward.

Available in four different scents (Cotton & Italian Mandarin, Pineapple & Mangosteen, Fuji Apple & Cardamom Spice, and Lavender & Juniper Berry), the Fragrance Mist Starter Kit is good for the environment (as well as your wallet) by then offering the option of unscrewing the base and inserting an affordable refill.

I love the Cotton & Italian Mandarin and just how fresh, clean and not-overpowering it smells, but I'd also like to try the other fragrances as well. With a retail price of $4.49 for the Starter and $3.49 for the refill, this is one product where the sleek, stylish design and low price make it an easy addition to any decor.

For a continued release of fragrance with an elegant look, I found that the Glade Expressions Oil Diffuser (available in the cream color I received or a bamboo wood) took around 15 seconds to have it set up and ready to go.

By placing the oil bottle in the base and inserting the diffuser card on top (press down until it clicks), the result is a decoratively paneled, artistic way to add a light fragrance and a modern, upscale appearance.

The Glade Expressions Oil Diffuser retails for $8.49 and is available in the Pineapple & Mangosteen, Fuji Apple & Cardamom Spice, and Lavender & Juniper Berry scents. The refills (each one lasts for 30 days) cost $5.49 and can be easily changed out when needed.

The Lavender & Juniper Berry has proven to be just the right mix of sweetness and flowers and I have enjoyed having the fragrance in the background of my home in its stylish display. Plus, by being able to have the continual release of the scent in the air without any electricity, flames or anything possibly hazardous to my children has been a welcome addition!

Formally introduced by Glade and entertainment journalist Giuliana Rancic during an event in New York City, the Glade Expressions Collection is a whole new way to experience home fragrance, with true-to-life scents and unique designs. The four on-trend fragrances combine classic scents with an exotic twist and the chic, trendy designs help make any room inviting.

As well as having your home smell and look good for every day, Giuliana Rancic also had a few tips for hosting an Academy Awards viewing party this upcoming February 26th:

Start early! Have guests arrive before the show starts to catch a first glimpse of celebrities on the red carpet in their luxurious fashions.

Limit the guest list and only extend the invitation to your favorite die-hard celeb-buffs and movie-goer friends. Limiting the guest list will keep the conversation intimate and the evening fun and lighthearted.

Provide a comfortable environment and transform the ambiance in your home into the warmest and welcoming place possible. This, of course, is where the new Glade Expressions Collection comes in and allows you to fill the air with a fragrance that reflects your own personal taste.

Find your perfect pairing. Bring out food and keep the appetizers and drinks flowing for your guests. Ahead of time, make red velvet cupcakes paired with pink champagne to keep the theme festive and classy.

Add fun and games. Get a list of all the nominees and place your votes for winners! A little healthy competition can make the night fun and engaging.

Are you ready to add a little style and pleasant aroma to your home? Thanks to the generosity of SC Johnson and Glade, one person will be able to breath deeply soon, because...

One lucky person will win a Glade Expressions Oil Diffuser and a Fragrance Mist!

To enter to win: Visit Glade and leave a comment on this post telling me one of their innovative products that you would like to try (other than the two mentioned above).

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry if you Like Glade on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

WIN a Glade Expressions Oil Diffuser and Fragrance Mist for aroma and stylish decor! http://bit.ly/zwlXZr @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
2 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on March 8th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning and the giveaway sponsor is solely responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and entrants must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to SC Johnson & Glade for providing an Oil Diffuser and Fragrance Mist for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

Before Big Sister E was born, my wonderful coworkers threw me a baby shower where we ate, talked, laughed, had fun and, of course, opened presents. From tiny outfits to a stylish diaper bag to the diapers themselves, it was a day filled with generosity and love.

One of the gifts that I received from a knowledgeable mom of 3 was something I had never seen before: a child positioning seat. As she raved about it and all of its uses and possibilities, I looked at the strangely-shaped foam seat, nodded and thanked her. What in the world was this thing?

Little did I know, infant positioners were part of a category hitting the ground running in the baby gear market and would be here to stay. Not only that, every baby that I've known has enjoyed them and every parent or caregiver that has used them has only praise to give.

So when I found out that Mamas & Papas, Great Britain's top company for high quality baby products, had introduced the Baby Snug, I knew that it would be a must-have for parents everywhere.

Built on a passion for style, quality and innovation, Mamas & Papas has been redefining the modern approach to parenting and bringing unique, high quality products to market since 1981... first to Great Britain and now all over the world.

The two stage innovative approach that they've taken with the Baby Snug is no exception and the ability to have a product that provides a place for baby to sit and be comfortable, while growing with them and providing a longer-lasting value? Well, that's a quality that all parents can appreciate.

Ergonomically designed to provide support and comfort, this first seat adjusts as your baby grows. Whether used for resting, eating or playing, the Baby Snug comes with a tray included and offers a unique range of benefits.

Starting when a baby is approximately 3 months old (when they have sufficient control and support of their own head and neck) stage one of the Baby Snug is used with the supportive colorful insert. When baby starts to outgrow the first stage, simply remove the seat insert to use as stage two - approximately from 12 months and beyond.

The wide, durable base with crotch post offers added support and stability, while the lightweight (only 3.7 pounds!), portable nature of the Baby Snug makes it a great option for traveling and visiting family or friends. Whether you need a high chair for baby at a picnic or just a place for your toddler to sit and color, this little chair is suitable for indoor as well as outdoor use.

The combination of the practicality, versatility and style are what come together to make the Baby Snug a leader in the world of infant positioners. The entire thing is easy to wipe down, the removable tray provides the option of the level platform for food or toys, and the way that the Snug allows for longevity is a great value for parents.

Instead of having yet another piece of baby gear that is outgrown

by the time your child can crawl, Mamas & Papas has ensured that you and your child will continue to enjoy it for quite a long time afterward. They are so excited about this product, in fact, that currently Mamas & Papas is hosting "Snug week" on their Facebook and Twitter pages. Head over and join in the fun to chat all things Snug and to see a great video of it in action!

The Baby Snug retails for $59.99, currently comes in teal blue, raspberry pink and apple green, and can be purchased online from Babies 'R Us or on Amazon. Plus, thanks to the generosity of Mamas & Papas, one person will be ready to celebrate Baby Snug week (or they'll have a wonderful gift to give), because...

One lucky person will win a Baby Snug Two Stage Seat in Teal
from Mamas & Papas!

To enter to win: Visit Mamas & Papas and tell me another of their high quality products you would like to own.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Mamas & Papas on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

WIN an innovative Baby Snug two stage child seat (ARV $60) from Mamas & Papas! http://bit.ly/Ark3xB @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
2 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on March 15th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning and the giveaway sponsor is solely responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and entrants must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to Mamas & Papas for providing a Snug Seat for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

If you happened to catch my recent T.J.Maxx and Marshalls review, you already heard about my excitement over snatching up an awesome red pea coat when I happened upon it on the clearance rack while out shopping.

However, when you saw the picture of me wearing it, did you think that it was missing something?

That's right, the quintessential pea coat accessory: a scarf. Because even though I'm in love with the classic style of the coat and the uniqueness of it being red, it needs a scarf to fill the open V-neck as well as to keep the wool of the coat from rubbing on the back of my neck. I'm not the only one who has had that happen with every pea coat I've ever worn, right?

So I went looking for a scarf. Seeing as the coat itself is bright and eye-catching on its own, I wanted something more neutral and understated. Perhaps in a simple taupe or black with a bit of red in it to tie in and match... that's not too much to ask, right?

As it turned out, I found just the thing at a major department store nearby... for nearly the same cost as the coat. What in the world?

Considering that just wasn't going to happen, I knew that there was no reason to lose hope thanks to the style and affordability that was waiting for me right online from the site that offers summer scarves, winter scarves and everything in between: Scarves Dot Net.

Formerly known as Affordable Scarves, Scarves Dot Net offers a variety of colors, fabrics and styles that are sure to appeal to everyone's fashion sense. At the same time, their prices are perfect for any budget, as they work directly with manufacturers and pass the savings on to their customers.

Whether you choose a silk, cashmere, pashmina or knit scarf for yourself or as a gift, they are all less than $40, yet still the brands and the high quality that you desire. And if you're concerned that when you see your scarf in person it won't meet your expectations, Scarves Dot Net stands behind their products and offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee and hassle free returns. You can't go wrong!

Knowing that I could find a scarf that would look just as nice as the overpriced ones in the store, when I came upon the Daphne Plaid Scarf on Scarves Dot Net, I instantly knew it was the one.

Just the right combination of classic and trendy, I loved the understated plaid design of the black, white and red in this scarf. Measuring in at 66" long by 12" wide (and 3" of lovely fringe), I knew that this would be substantial enough to loop around my neck, yet not too big or bulky that it would get in the way under my coat or not be able to be worn as an accessory.

I placed my order, crossed my fingers that this would be just what I was looking for, and waited. Thanks to their super-fast shipping, when an envelope arrived from Scarves Dot Net only days later, I tore into it to see what the Daphne Plaid Scarf would look like in person.

Ohhhhh, the softness.

Although the scarf's description mentioned that it had a "super soft cashmere feel," I wasn't prepared for just now nice it would be. This felt like a combination of cashmere, silk and... I'm not sure. What else is extremely soft? Chinchillas? Maybe this scarf is part chinchilla.

In both looks and feel, the Daphne Plaid Scarf far surpassed my expectations and I've worn it numerous times since its arrival. Whether paired with my pea coat, a sweater or just a plain long sleeved tee shirt, it looks fashionable and beautiful and is so easy to incorporate and wear with my winter wardrobe.

The fact that it is washable (by hand) is a huge bonus, as I haven't been the only one who has been adoring this scarf. Big Sister E will claim that she's just borrowing it for a minute and then giggles uncontrollably while refusing to relinquish it...

...and Little Sister B will often just pause when walking by our coat rack so that she can rub her face on the softness. Crazy kids!

This photo is NOT staged! "What are you doing?" "Your scarf. It's reallllllly soft. I like it!"

As cute as the Daphne Plaid Scarf looks and feels for the kids, I really do love it for the same reasons. The combination of the trendy print, luxuriously soft feeling, and the combination of the colors just works. Whenever I pull this on and wear it alone or with my pea coat, I receive compliments... and little do people know that it sells on Scarves Dot Net for only $12.71!

For everything from skinny scarves to men's scarves to capes and ponchos, Scarves Dot Net has the style and color scarf for you that won't break the bank. You can search by season, shape, trend, material and more, and with their always-low prices, it isn't hard to return to pick up more scarves to match your clothing, mood or as a gift.

For even more fun, the Scarves Dot Net blog features creative uses for scarves, links to other stylish sites, a huge variety of ways to tie a scarf (I've got a handful of new ideas that I'm dying to try!), and more. In fact, they have also recently launched a separate page all about ways to tie a scarf, so there's no reason to ever have a boring scarf again!

Thanks to their generosity, one person will soon be able to select their favorite way to look fashionable while not spending a fortune, because...

One lucky person will win a $20 gift certificate to Scarves Dot Net!

To enter to win: Visit Scarves Dot Net and leave a comment on this post telling me the name of the scarf that you might purchase if you win.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Scarves Dot Net on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

I want to WIN a $20 gift card to Scarves Dot Net for stylish and affordable scarves! http://bit.ly/zIPGqn @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
2 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on March 13th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning and the giveaway sponsor is solely responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and entrants must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to Scarves Dot Net for providing a Daphne Plaid Scarf for me to review as well as the pillow of choice for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

While there are always going to be ups and downs during the course of the day, one of the times that is consistently difficult for me is the morning. I don't know how you morning people do it, but I'm going to tell you right now that I'm not sure if I'm envious or think you're a little crazy.

When it comes to making my transition to the day as easy as possible, the biggest factor is, of course, a good night's sleep. Letting yourself relax and get restored can result in your body and mind waking full of energy and ready to face the day in a much brighter mood than if you haven't caught enough ZZZs.

One company that wants to help you do just that? Qbedding and their large collection of bedding, pillows, decor and more.

While there are a great deal of bedding companies out there, Qbedding felt as though they could provide products that others couldn't and began their website to do just that in 1987. Now offering a wide selection of items that are unique as well as attractive, customers can find just the piece they are looking for — whether for decoration or their well-being.

When it comes to health, Qbedding has a line of Green Pillows that are sure to help with each individual's needs. When the Bamboo Charcoal Fiber Pillow arrived, I wasn't sure what to expect but was looking forward to seeing if it helped provide better rest.

On one side, this pillow looks fairly traditional. As it is ergonomically designed to support and massage your neck and head, it only takes one touch to know that the pearl cotton interior really does create a more uniform pillow shape for better sleep.

The 100% cotton twill fabric is soft and smooth and I was already appreciating the way that the shape of this pillow is designed to cradle your head and keep your spine in the proper position for comfort. It's just so plush and soft while also being durable and thick!

Flipping this pillow over, however, the unique features of it became more apparent.

Bamboo charcoal is a green product popular in China and Japan that consists of carbonized bamboo (which is created when bamboo is burned in an oven at over 1000°). By including only the highest quality bamboo charcoal fibers in this pillow, they help promote relaxation and provide a fresh and natural night's rest.

As bamboo charcoal has incredible absorption properties — it is able to absorb both environmental impurities and moisture — this unique addition to the pillow is helpful for keeping the air smelling clean and any sweat whisked away from your skin.

However, for customization to your own personal pillow preferences, the bamboo sachets are actually removable from the Bamboo Charcoal Fiber Pillow itself.

This is also great in that it makes the rest of the pillow machine washable, a must when it comes to keeping one clean and sanitary.

Although I had previously never heard of bamboo charcoal or the idea of including it in a pillow, Qbedding surprised me with just how comfortable this has been. I love waking up without a stiff back or a sore neck and this is a pillow that I would be happy to offer to guests who visit and stay overnight in our home.

Retailing for $41.99, the Bamboo Charcoal Fiber Pillow is a new way to benefit your health... simply by sleeping! The only thing that could make that better is a discount, of course:

Simply enter the coupon code FIRSTBUY and receive 15% off of your order of $50 or more and shipping is always free for the 48 contiguous states!

Find out much more about this innovation, Qbedding, and their full line of products on their website, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.

(Other than the Bamboo Charcoal Pillow that I received from Qbedding, I was not provided with anything or enticed to do this review in any way. This review is solely my opinion of this unique product.)

When it comes to home decor, I tend to lean towards items that fall right in between being contemporary or trendy and unique and out-of-the-ordinary. On the one hand, I love photos I see of homes in magazines and on design websites... but, on the other hand, I want to have a way to add my own personality and style in there as well.

Add that to the fact that I have two young children and therefore appreciate items that incorporate versatile and unbreakable features, and I was thrilled to be introduced to Window Vases by McNaughton Inc.

Easily available right at WindowVases.com, these plastic vases are an innovative, attractive way to display fresh cut flowers, silk flowers, bamboo, dried flowers, living plants or more in a safe and go-anywhere manner.

By using the secure and durable suction cups on the back of the 13 different styles, these vases can suddenly go where no other vases have gone before. Just place and press the suction cups around your home, in your car, RV, boat or more, and you instantly have a decorative addition and floral display.

Admitting that the idea sounded fantastic but that I was skeptical of how well that Window Vases would actually work, I was looking forward to trying them out for myself and seeing just how well they would hold up.

Looking the vases over, they were indeed exactly what they claimed: plastic window vases. The material was strong and durable and the seams were clearly reinforced to keep water in.

I appreciated that the suction cups fit tightly into the vases — just loose enough that you could remove them for cleaning or storage, yet secure enough that they wouldn't cause the vase to slip off and fall.

As much as I was impressed with the craftsmanship, I couldn't help but think that there was still no way that these would stay attached to my window once they were filled and heavy. Wouldn't the weight of the water combined with the cold of the window just make them peel away?

Picturing the mess of cleaning up all of the leaves and petals, I put these vases to the test filled with water but without flowers.

And I left them.

And waited.

And waited some more.

After two solid weeks of them staying up there without even the slightest hint of a suction cup failure, even I had to admit that these really do work. Feeling secure that I wasn't going to have to run for a mop anytime soon, I started using the Window Vases as they are intended and found that they're really just so cute!

The 10" tall Bulb Shape Window Vase takes the place of a full vase, as it has the ability to hold up to 12 flower steams, greenery and water. Instead of having to move a vase from our table to the kitchen island and worry about it getting knocked over time and time again, I can create an attractive display right on my window!

I love the idea of using this vase to attach to a window in our guest bedroom to brighten it when we have visitors (and know that it will still stay out of harm's way from my kids) or just to keep up in our kitchen or dining room to add the cheer that flowers provide. Retailing for only $6.95, I might just pick up a few more so that I can have flowers in multiple rooms at once!

On a smaller level, the 5.5" tall Mini Oval Style Window Vase is ideal for one flower stem, greenery and water. Just right for a single tulip or a sweetheart rose, this sweet little vase works great on windows but also on mirrors and in the car. Pretty much anywhere!

Great for displaying craft flower projects as well!

With a retail price of $4.50, the Mini Oval Style Window Vase is on sale now for only $3.50! For that price and the affordable prices of all of the Window Vases, I'd love to purchase a variety so that they can line up on a larger window for a colorful spring-like display!

Where there's a window or a mirror, there's a Window Vase to liven things up. Whether you purchase single stem, minis or bouquet styles, these reusable, innovative vases provide a unique look that can be mounted nearly anywhere... including out of the reach of children and pets. These work with fresh cut, silk, or dried flowers as well as live plants and dirt. You can't go wrong!

If you're looking for a great gift on its own or as a fun surprise for a birthday, shower, Mother's Day or any day of the week, Window Vases are an affordable, clever option from McNaughton Inc. Visit WindowVases.com to see the full line and make a purchase, while also browsing other items in McNaughton Inc's line of useful, original products that help make life easier, better and safer.

(Other than the two Window Vases that I received from McNaughton Inc, I was not provided with anything or enticed to do this review in any way. This review is solely my opinion of these unique and innovative products.)

Even though I will readily admit that this has been the mildest winter here in the Midwest that I can remember in... well, ever, I still need it to be over soon.

It's not the weather that is threatening to drive me insane, it's the runny noses and sneezes that come along with cold and flu season that need to end. As soon as I start to revel in the fact that no one has a fever or is coughing at all hours of the night, it seems to begin again. Someone make the cycle end!

However, there has been a bright side to the sniffles this year thanks to Safety 1st. Although they haven't cured us of our sicknesses, they have made life easier in our house and for parents everywhere with their ProGrade VersaScan TALKING Thermometer and Sound Moments Audio Monitor.

According to the CDC, each year up to 20% of people come down with the flu and that's not the time to find yourself without high quality products that can lead to faster relief. As Safety 1st has been providing innovative parenting solutions and industry-leading products that we know and trust for over 25 years, I already knew that these two new items would fit into their collection perfectly.

When the VersaScan TALKING Thermometer and the Sound Moments Audio Monitor arrived, I knew that they wouldn't be the cure for the colds that my kids keep catching, but I had high hopes that they would provide some much-needed help to fight them off.

The Safety 1st ProGrade VersaScan TALKING Thermometer has the ability to take the temperature of people as well as objects. So whether you have a little one with a warm forehead, food pulled out of the microwave, or bathwater sitting in the tub, the one-second reading will give you accurate results right away.

Loving that this thermometer comes with batteries, I had them installed and ready to go without problem. With the option to choose your language (English or Spanish) and Fahrenheit or Celsius, as well as set the volume, date, and time, I appreciate that Safety 1st included plenty of features to customize for each user.

When it comes to using this new thermometer, it couldn't be much easier... or faster. After ensuring that it is in Ear Mode (switching to Object Mode is done quickly and I had fun bringing this around my house testing the temperature of a variety of different liquids and objects), the thermometer is positioned in the ear canal and a single press of a button has your read-out in one second.

There is essentially no way to misread your child's temperature with the VersaScan TALKING Thermometer! The human voice read-out clearly states the number even while you are removing it to look at the display...

...while the large, clear numbers are easy to see, particularly with the illuminated display screen. At the same time, the Fever Light Ring (the circle right in the middle) would glow red to alert you to a high temperature, and the cute smiley face would change to a frown.

I love how fast and easy this thermometer is, as Little Sister B has never been a fan of having her temperature taken. But with this, she hardly has time to even realize that I have it in position before it beeps to indicate that it is done... and then her eyes open wide over the fact that it talks!

For times when you might have to take your child's temperature during the night (or if you just prefer to not have your gadgets talk to you), this thermometer also offers a Silent Mode. Combined with the 30 memory recall for temperature and time (making it easy to track your child's temperature over quite a long period), auto shut-off and a low battery indicator, there's not much more that a parent could ask for!

Retailing for $39.99 (available from Safety 1st, Amazon or at Target) the VersaScan TALKING Thermometer comes with its own Probe Tip Cap that doubles as a convenient stand. For any nursery or child's bedroom, this has proven to be a high quality, accurate device to have on hand all year long.

Safety 1st Sound Moments Audio Monitor review

When it comes to those times that your children aren't feeling well, however, a monitor is needed more than ever to be that extra set of helpful ears. Instead of worrying if that cough needs more than just a drink of water or if that sniffling isn't going to stop, the Safety 1st Sound Moments Audio Monitor is a worry-free way to reduce the stress from your day or night.

Featuring one Baby Unit and two Parent Units, this new monitor makes it easy for multiple users to both listen in or for one user to be able to leave a receiver in different rooms of the house.

Right away I appreciated that all three Units come with AC adapters to save on purchasing and re-purchasing batteries. However, for times that parents want to take their Unit with them, it is lightweight and portable and can be hooked right on to a belt or pocket by using the movable Belt Clip & Carry Loop on the back.

With four channels to minimize interference and a 600+ foot range, parents don't have to worry about the Sound Moments Monitor giving them static or poor reception. Having tried this throughout my house, I haven't experienced a single problem with the reception or picking up external signals.

At the same time, I appreciate that the Parent Units have volume-sensitive sound lights to quickly alert parents to any noise, a quick mute button (and a pink light to let you know that you have activated the mute) for times that you might need to answer the phone...

...and that one press to the Pager button on the Baby Unit...

...results in an audio and visual reminder as to where you set down and left your Parent Unit. After all, parenthood is filled with a great deal of forgetful moments and when you want to listen in on your baby, a quick reminder of where you left your receiver can be extremely helpful!

The Baby Unit has its own great features, as Safety 1st knowingly included not only a digital clock (something that seems to be missing too often from kids' rooms), but a tap-on/off nightlight.

Instead of choosing between having to fumble around in the dark or risk waking your child up by turning on the overhead light, a single tap results in a soft glow that can help keep everyone relaxed and asleep.

Retailing for $39.99, the Sound Moments Audio Monitor is an affordable option that would work for all ages and can be purchased from Safety 1st or at Babies 'R Us. As with the rest of Safety 1st's high quality products, this monitor can make a big difference in helping make a parent's life a little easier when the family is not feeling well.

For everything from child care (bathtubs and bath accessories, booster seats, high chairs, diaper pails, infant health items and potties), home safety (monitors, gates and childproofing items), travel (car seats, strollers and travel safety items) and items to play and relax with (bouncers, swings, walkers and play yards), Safety 1st has an innovative parenting solution there to assist. It's time to enjoy the experiences of childhood as much as possible!

And, thanks to their generosity, one person will soon be prepared to get through the end of cold and flu season easier and more conveniently, because...

One lucky person will win their choice of the ProGrade VersaScan TALKING Thermometer or the Sound Moments Audio Monitor from Safety 1st!

To enter to win: Visit Safety 1st and leave a comment on this post telling me another of their innovative products that you would like to own.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Safety 1st on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

I want to WIN my choice of Talking Thermometer or Audio Monitor from Safety 1st! http://bit.ly/yrlPdr @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
2 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on March 14th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning and the giveaway sponsor is solely responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and entrants must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to Safety 1st for providing a VersaScan TALKING Thermometer and Sound Moments Audio Monitor for me to review as well as the choice of the two for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

With the arrival of the model train show in town here recently, I think the mention of trains, trains, trains has been increased nearly everywhere I go. Are there kids, particularly little boys, who don't love trains? If so, they must not live in my neighborhood.

There's just something about the massive size, the rumbling down the tracks, and, of course, the trademark choo-choo! that kids know and adore. Combine that with the friendly, intelligent wit of one of the characters that has entertained children for decades with his imaginative tales and adventures, and there's just no beating the allure of Thomas & Friends.

This universally-loved train and his friends have proven that once again with the release of Thomas & Friends: Movie Pack 3-DVD Set.

Created by a father for his son over 65 years ago, today Thomas the Tank Engine is enjoyed by families in more than 185 territories and in 30 languages. The #1 blue engine and his friends invite children to enter a world of imagination through the tracks of a train and the words of a story and they are able to embark on adventures with their engine friends while experiencing timeless life lessons of discovery, friendship and cooperation.

In this all-new adventure, the diesels are moving full steam ahead with the ultimate Thomas & Friends: Movie Pack 3-DVD Set available today, February 21, 2012. This new release from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment and is sure to have young fans cheering for more and parents appreciating the value of the complete set.

This trio of fantastic Thomas movie adventures will bring young fans on a variety of tales and fun. From meeting a new engine from far away to discovering a new town on the Island of Sodor to seeing how the engines learn to work together, this is one set that works individually or as an entertaining way to settle in for family movie night.

Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails – Follow Thomas as he discovers Hiro, an abandoned engine from a faraway land. Fearing that Hiro will be scrapped, Thomas enlists the help of many friends, but mishaps, mistakes and one boastful engine could foil their rescue plans.

Thomas & Friends: The Great Discovery – Sodor Day is coming all the engines are busy preparing. When Thomas gets lost in the mountains, he discovers the old town of Great Waterton! Soon the whole island is buzzing with the news of Thomas' discovery and restoring the old town in time for the big day.

Thomas & Friends: Calling All Engines – Summertime is a busy time on the Island of Sodor. When the Steam engines and Diesels can’t get along and not work is getting done, the engines are in a terrible mess. Will the new airport be ready in time? Will the bridge get built? Can the engines save the day? Find out in Calling All Engines!

Each of these DVDs also include fun bonus features such as games, music videos, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes looks, sing-alongs, read-alongs and more!

Retailing for $19.98 (only $17.99 on Amazon), that's a great value for Thomas & Friends: Movie Pack 3-DVD Set due to all three of the DVDs that you get for one low price. You end up with 183 minutes of train-related entertainment that is sure to be an instant favorite for any child that loves Thomas. After 65 years, this is one train that just can't go wrong!

You can find out much more about Thomas the Train (as well as games, videos, activities and more) on the Thomas & Friends website as well as on Facebook.

(Other than the Thomas & Friends: Movie Pack 3-DVD Set that I received from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment to facilitate my review, I was not provided with anything or enticed to do this review in any way. This review is solely my opinion of these DVDs.)

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