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Melissa & Doug Deluxe Floor Standing Wood Easel – Flash #Giveaway

Welcome to the Melissa & Doug ‘Deluxe Floor Standing Wood Easel’ Flash Giveaway! It’ll run from November 2nd- 4th, 2012, and this amazing giveaway was made possible by . I’ve partnered with some other awesome blogs that I think you’ll love too – check it out…Melissa & Doug wooden art easel

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See me sing Rock-a-Bye Baby to Abby & a Baby Lizard. I know you’ve been waiting for this day… #SleepytimeSongs

Sing your way to sleepytime…. As an infant, Abby slept really well. I mean, as well as you can ask for from a brand new baby. But I really was pretty lucky. Then, when she was about a year old, her daddy moved in with us, in our new house. Her and I had been on a pretty good schedule before that  – but she quickly started trying to adjust to daddy’s weird sleep schedule. She wanted to stay up late, and sleep in late – just like him. Since we’re both work-from-home parents, at first we kind of let it slide… I mean, hey, if she was getting enough sleep, and it worked with our schedules, it should be fine, right? Wrong. Having a weird sleep schedule like that started making her too tired, too often, during the day. So we decided to shake things up, and make some new, healthier bedtime routines as a family.

Toddlers may seem super wild and unpredictable, but really – they do thrive on having a predictable set of daily routines. Not super strict, with every moment scheduled – but a basic outline for the day works wonders. Once Abby learned ours – bathtime, jammies and lotion, story time, and then some songs in the rocker – she knew from the start that it was time to start mellowing out. And – it makes me totally happy too. That time together cuddling and singing is the absolute best part of my entire day. As you can see – we have to sing to her “babies” each night – whether it’s one of my old Cabbage Patch dolls, a stuffed monkey or owl, or even a little plastic lizard, like we had in the video here. She is such a little lover, and it’s so sweet how she talks to her toys – she made me rock the lizard in my hands, and then at the end she tells him, “Close your eyes… Go to sleep…” I love her.

Vote for your favorite Sleepytime song!

Celestial Seasonings – the amazing folks that make the best teas you’ll ever find – are running a very sweet campaign right now, to find the best “Sing your way to sleepytime” video. Families around the country made lullaby videos, to show how their family incorporates singing into their sleepytime routine, and YOU get to help vote for the winner. Check it out…

Who has the best #SleepytimeSongs video? Vote for your favorite today, from October 31st- November 15th!

We drink a lot of Celestial Seasonings teas here in my house – Daddy was a big tea drinker when I met him {7 years ago now, can you believe that??} – and totally converted me. With flavors like Kids Goodnight Grape herbal, Sinus Soother Wellness, and Peach or Vanilla Herbal, there’s a tea for each of us, and they really do help us wind down and relax in the evenings.

Vote for your lullaby video in the Celestial Seasonings® ‘Sing your way to Sleepytime Contest’ – the winner gets a $5,000 Pottery Barn® gift card to transform their bedroom into a cozy, sleep-friendly space! 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Celestial Seasonings®. The opinions and text are all mine.

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Gadget Giveaway: Win a Kindle & 5 Free eBooks!

Who wants a Kindle??… Well, I’m raising MY hand, that’s for sure. I’ve been debating buying one for a year now – but every time I have a few extra bucks saved up, there’s something that someone else in the family truly needs, like a new coat, boots, or another darn fix for the car. So I’m still waiting…. But – one of YOU lucky readers won’t have to wait much longer – You’ve got the chance to win a new Kindle, plus 5 super sweet ebooks to add to it right away! Saaaah-weeeet, right?

Kindle for free [Read more…]

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Bloggertunities: Grow Your Blog with This Week’s Best Opps & Leads

Grow your blog – Monetize, find new leads and blogging opportunities, and get the best tips too… Hi all! Welcome to another weekly Bloggertunities post, a round-up of the best blogging tips, tools, leads, opps, and events of the week. I hope you’ll find some helpful stuff – and if you do, be sure to share it with your networks too!

Blogging tips, opportunities, and ways to earn money blogging“Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friend.” – Walt Disney

Love this week’s quote. This totally relates to blogging – what we each hope for is that our posts are so entertaining, educating, and enlightening that not only do people want to come back again to read more – but they want to share it with their friends too. That’s the whole point of good marketing – and as bloggers, that’s what we are: Marketers. Whether it’s for a brand or sponsor, or just for our OWN brands – we’re in the business of marketing our words, our sites, ourselves. And who else is more inspirational for people like us than Mr. Disney himself, right? :) I hope you find some helpful info here this week – and that’s it’s helpful enough for you to want to share it too! And for all of my much-loved bloggy buddies on the East Coast – I hope you’re all recovering from the storm as best as you can. Definitely thinking of you guys!

I’m hosting my first Blog Hop Giveaway – Join me, and some of my best-est bloggy buddies for a free event –Jingle Jubilee! Get details and join the fun today!

Monetize Your Blog

  • Pinbooster: Sign up, set up a quick account, and set a “per pin” price. Then, get offers to be paid to pin things to your Pinterest boards from brands. I’m brand new here, but have heard good things… {It was recommended to me by the absolutely amazing and super smart Stacie at SimplyStacie. So I trust it :)}
  • zuuzs: This is an awesome site that I still earn a consistent income with each month. They share awesome discount codes, and do really big-ticket giveaways. But they also give you cash back when you shop – Not just on your purchases, but those of your friends and family too. Build a big network, earn a big income. Check it out: Join zuuzs.com.
  • Affiliate: Join the One Kings Lane Affiliate Program Today – it’s super simple to earn commissions, since the deals rock. And for every referral you send their way, you earn $10 bucks each!
  • Social Media Chimps: I just started working with them, and couldn’t be happier! They offer an ad network to monetize your traffic, sponsored posts, and fun review opportunities. Learn more and apply to join here: https://socialmediachimps.com/publishers/apply.
  • Walmart: Walmart is opening up a new affiliate program – this could be a huge money-maker over the holidays. It says on the site that they are only accepting the first 100 sign-ups, but then it gives a link to share the opp with others who might be interested. I’m thinking maybe they want a list, to be able to take more people as they’re ready for it. Check it out and get on the list!
  • Shoe Dazzle: Earn $10 when you refer new affiliates, $20 for every sale through your affiliate link, and a $1 every time someone simply registers their info on the Shoe Dazzle site. Join the ShoeDazzle Affiliate Program on ShareASale. I’ve already earned almost $100, and it’s been really popular with my readers. Win-win, right?
  • Examiner: I’m the Yakima Frugal Living Examiner – meaning I get to post anything related to my life as a mom trying to stay on a budget, as long as I can tie it to something local. Here’s an example of a post on my column that’s very locally focused:Fall Fun in Yakima for Under $10, or another that’s easy to promote to any audience:Frugal Grocery Tips for Busy Moms. Once you’re writing for awhile, you’ll earn “Local Credentials” – meaning you can request passes to local events and cool happenings. Learn more and sign up to start earning.

Tips, Tools,and Resources

  • Skinny Scoop: I just set up an account here – {Check me out, and follow me if you wanna hang out there :)} It has a TON of cool tools you can utilize for blog posts – I’m kind of excited to take a little time, and start using some of them.
  • Checklist: This is a great one to keep in your blogging binder. {Do you use one? It’s a total life-saver for me} – the 7-Point Blog Health Checklist is a basic set of things to look for on our your blog to make sure it’s running well. I check my site with these points once a month, it’s a great reminder.
  • Deals: Are you always looking for sweet new deals to share with your readers? Then sign up for the BlogOffers.net newsletter. You can see an example of what they’ll send you – it’s an easy to share round-up of deals and discounts exclusively for bloggers and their readers. Sounds cool, eh?
  • Planner: Free Blog Marketing and Editorial Calendar template to download. She explains each section, how she uses it, and offers it up as a free download for you too!
  • Peer Index: This one is really similar to Klout – I don’t pay too much attention to it, honestly, but I do like that my score gets me sweet free stuff. Today I just got 100 free mini-cards from Moo, which rocks. Check out Peer Index.

Brand Leads and Opps

  • Social Chorus: I’ve heard some great things about this site. I was sure that I’d applied a few months ago, but when I heard about a fun campaign today, and went to log-in and check it out {I’d forgotten all about this site} – It said I wasn’t a member. So I just joined again – not sure if only some are approved, or if maybe I didn’t fill it all out last time {I’m tired most days, lol} – But I hear cool stuff, so it’s worth checking out! Social Chorus.
  • Holiday Baking: {EXPIRED} Sign up for this holiday baking opportunity, featuring either Domino Sugar, or C&H Sugar, depending what part of the country you live in. I don’t know many details on it – but here is the sign-up form if you’re interested.
  • Madame Deals: Join her group by filling out this form, to get access to great tutorials and her group, plus get connected to opps like reviews, giveaways, and more.
  • Simply Sassy Media: This is a great network to join – lots of opps from cool products to paid posts. You can request to join the Facebook group, and then check out their website to sign up to get their Blogger Outreach emails with new campaigns to apply for.

Linkys, Hops, & Events

  • Sweet event to join now: I’m helping to host the online portion of the NYC Activision Family Game Night Summit! Register before October 31 to be eligible for a swag bag valued at over $200 bucks!!
  • Free Event: Join the $100 Cash Holiday Shopping Giveaway – get a free link just for helping to spread the word about the event, and add additional links if desired. Sounds like a great way to kick off the holiday season, right?
  • NaBlPoMo: Yep, it’s time to join the National Blog Posting Month if you haven’t already – You have until November 5th to sign up. You can get details on the site – and there are even prizes available for everyone who reaches their goal of posting at least once a day during the month!
  • Giveaway: Join this completely free event for Bloggers with over 2,000 Social Fans – $50 Mirth in a Box Giveaway is now taking sign-ups!
  • Crock Pot Recipes: This is a super fun giveaway going on over on What U Talking Bout Willis – share your favorite crock pot recipes for a chance to WIN a sweet new crock pot for holiday cooking. {And I bet there’s a good chance she’ll be sharing that winning recipe on her site too!}
  • Nuby: Join The Miracle Momma as she co-hosts the Nuby Twitter Party on November 8th! Great products, great hosts, great prizes = a GREAT time! RSVP here to be eligible to win.
As always, if you have anything cool to share, leave a comment here. Affiliates that aren’t posted already, blog hops, linkys, or tips posts – anything that others might find helpful too. I do my best to get through the comments each week and tweet them all out too – so make sure to leave your links. Other than that – I hope you’re all safe, doing well, and having a rockin’ week!

BROWSE ALL OF THE GOOD STUFF IN PAST BLOGGERTUNITIES POSTS, AND CHECK OUT MY BIG BLOGGING & SOCIAL MEDIA BOARD ON PINTEREST FOR MORE TIPS TOO!

{Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. But all opps and leads listed are things that I trust, and have used myself. I only share what I love with ya’all! Photo Credit.}

Pretty Darn Cute - Modern WordPress Themes for the Feminine Blogger

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Thankful for Fluff – Coth Diaper Giveaway!

Welcome to this Thankful for Fluff Giveaway hosted by Mama Papa Barn and sponsored by ThirstiesI’ve partnered with some favorite bloggy buddies to give you busy mommas a chance to win some fabulous cloth diapers! It’s been quite awhile since I did a cloth diaper giveaway, so I figured it was about time to do another, right?

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Teaching My Toddler How to Give Back

‘Tis the season for giving back… We all know that it’s the little acts of kindess that count the most, right? Paying for the coffee order in line behind you, holding the door for a mom who’s arms are overloaded with packages, or just offering a compliment on the great service to an overwhelmed retail clerk. Here’s a random good deed I saw earlier today on Facebook, that I just love…

Random act of kindness after hurricane SandyI’m not sure who to give credit to for this photo – It was one that I came across on Facebook, with no credit given. But it’s just such an awesome example of doing something nice for others, with no expectations in return. Totally makes me smile. And it’s exactly the way I try to live my life – to do my best not to focus on what I don’t have, appreciate what I do have, and share as much as I can.

Teaching Toddlers to Give BackThis is my favorite face in the whole entire world – my little girl, Abby. Like most women, becoming a mother totally changed my life. And not just because I suddenly knew more about poop than I ever imagined, know the lyrics to every nursery rhyme song in existence, and have learned that yes, it IS possible for a human being to survive on only a few hours sleep for months at a time. No, she also made me want to be a better person. I want to be as amazing as she thinks I am. I want to work hard, so that I’m able to give her a great life full of awesome experiences. And I want to set a good example for her, and help her grow up to be a kind, compassionate, caring person who gives back to the world around her. Lofty goals, yes. But it’s what I work towards every day.

How to give back during cold and flu season - Free Kleenex care packsSince this is also cold and flu season, I want to share a very simple, totally free, but incredibly sweet way that you can give back to others – By joining the Softness Worth Sharing initiative. Here’s how it works:

Upon purchasing a Kleenex Brand Care Pack, you may redeem the code on the package at this site in order to send a care pack to someone special: http://www.kleenex.com/softness/.

So, after stocking up on Kleenex tissues for your family {or your kiddo’s school, if you donate supplies like we do} – you simply enter those promo codes online, and you can send this super helpful little care kit to someone in need of a smile. It comes with everything you see – a small box of Kleenex tissues, the adorably decorated travel pouch of tissues, a bottle of hand sanitizer, a little tin of Balsam soothing nose & lip balm, a free song download code, and a sweet note with coupons, that reads “Someone who cares about you has sent you this gift from Kleenex Brand, the softest tissue.” Wouldn’t that just make someone’s day?

Fall cold and flu seasonDuring the fall season, as the weather changes quickly to much colder days and nights – there are a LOT of times you’ll need Kleenex. We brought a mini pack with us last night while trick or treating, since Abby and I both tend to get runny noses when it’s cold out. {That’s her, walking her crab along with us last night to the neighbors house, lol.} And there are a lot of other things we love to do during the fall – from visiting the U-Pick farms to get the last of the local fall produce, to playing in the leaves at the park. So having tissue in our diaper day-bag is a must. Plus, with cold and flu season here, hand sanitizer is pretty important too! That means that these little Kleenex care packs are such a great gift to send – to your best friend, the kids’ favorite teachers, a neighbor – or that coworker who always seems to catch every office bug! We got an extra couple Care Kits, and I let the kids – Abby, and my nephews – help me choose who to give them to. The boys both wanted to bring one to their teachers, so that they won’t get sick, and if they do they’ll get well quicker. {They don’t like substitute teachers, lol.} Both teachers sent home notes in their backpacks, thanking us for such a thoughtful gesture! Love it, and it’s a nice lesson for the boys too.

To learn more, check them out on the Kleenex facebook page, or follow hashtag #KleenexCares on Twitter!

{Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in an ambassador program by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of the Kleenex brand and received product samples and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.}

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Shop Your Way & Now Win Your Way Too! #WinYourWay

Shop Your Way, and  Win Your Way… You guys know that I’m a big fan of “Strategic Shopping,” right? {Got that perfect description for it from my buddy over at November Sunflower. She’s a rockstar when it comes to smart shopping.} Using cash back sites before shopping online, clipping coupons, and maximizing rewards programs are all things that totally save me a ton of money when I’m picking up things that my family needs. One super simple program that I’ve been using more and more is the Shop Your Way Rewards program, from Sears and Kmart. Just by using my rewards card when shopping online or in-store, I earn points that I can redeem for cool bonuses. Well – now there’s another super sweet program that’s partnered with them -WinYourWay.com.

Shop Your Way's Win Your Way Portal [Read more…]

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