Sunshine and Sippy Cups — Page 238 — Smart Solutions for Busy Moms!

DIY Free Samples and Coupons + HUGE Giveaway!

Who doesn’t love some great DIY, right?

I found a few great freebies to help you out, if you’re planning some new home remodeling type projects… Or, if your like me, and just kind of “dreaming” of those projects until the budget cooperates….

{For some uh-MAY-zing inspiration, check out the before and afters on ThisOld House. Love ’em.}

Freebies:

Briwax: Get a free sample package of Briwax products. Free Sample Request.

Magazine: Get a free issue of Lighting Magazine, from Better Homes and Gardens. Tons of great ideas! Free Magazine Request.

Home Depot Garden Club: Sign up for this great mailing list. We get tons of really great coupons in the mail, as well as email updates when there are new promotions or classes at the store.

Water Testing: Get a free package from Morton Salt with test strips to test your water quality in your home.

Inspiration Book: I just finally got my KraftMaid package in the mail a couple days ago…. OhmyHECK I found my absolute favorite kitchen, ever, of all time, in this book! The cabinets are pricey, but I’ll be planning for this. Comes with a couple books, pricing guide, and more.

Digital Home Organizer: This is an amazing new program that I’ve been using, and it has a TON of features. {Love that it can print family newsletters automatically.} It’s also great if you’re doing home projects– I add all of the info we need with our projects on here- The contractor info, scan receipts, before and after pics, scan any doc’s we sign, etc. Awesome. Free Subscription.

Coupons:

Check out a few great coupons to help you with any DIY projects you’re out shopping for too–

$5.00 off 1 gallon of Benjamin Moore paint

$1.00 off BISSELL Stomp & Go

$3.00 off 2 Glidden Paint Testers

$3.00 off 1 gallon of Glidden Paint

HUGE Giveaway!!!

There are only a couple more days left to enter, and it takes a few minutes to enter for ALL of the prizes, but this giveaway ROCKS!!

Enter to win $178,000 in Home Design Products from This Old House!!

Enter here: The Great TOH Giveaway!!

Are you planning any projects?

I love DIY ideas… Do you have any projects in progress, or that you’re planning? We’re finishing up building a closet in the Master Bedroom {can you believe that it didn’t have one?} and soon some work in both of the bathrooms. If you have any fun ideas or tips, link up in a comment, so I can check ’em out :)

Posted by Meagan Paullin on August 28, 2011 Filed Under: Freebies | No Comments

{WOW!} Target Beauty Bag filled with Freebies!

Target has another super-cute free beauty bag giveaway!

If you got the last one, you know that this is a great little package that they send out…This one is called, “The Prettiest Goodie Bag of them All”….

To get this, head over to Target’s Sample Spot page, and answer a few quick survey questions.

At the end, I had some trouble… After I hit submit on my request, it just kept trying to load, and never processed. But when I started over, and tried again, it said that I had already ordered one, so I guess it works, it’s just too busy to show the confirm screen?

These went SUPER fast last time, so don’t miss out. You’ll love it!

Get more free samples every day, at FreeFlys!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on August 28, 2011 Filed Under: Freebies | No Comments

Exploding Mountains and Baby Turtle Fights Hurricane Irene…

I’ve read so many scary Facebook updates from my blogging buddies on the East Coast…. So, BIG PRAYERS go out to everyone over that way who is preparing for mean ol’ Hurricane Irene this weekend. So scary.

Exploding Mountains of Fire….

I live up here in Central Washington State– Yakima, Washington, to be exact. We don’t get hurricanes, so I can’t even imagine what it’s like to be facing the prospect of one headed your way. We do get heat. Big time heat. And we do get snow. Loads of snow. And once in awhile, we get exploding mountains. A few days before I was born, Mt. St. Helens blew. And I’ve heard the stories. Volcano’s are pretty nasty ladies too.

The mountain blew on May 18th, 1980. I was born on May 22nd, 1980. Imagine- You’re due any day, and you look out back, and you see a weird rain. It’s dark, not water, not snow. You listen to the radio to hear that a local mountain has exploded. The warnings come fast and frantic, and contradict each other non-stop. Don’t let it touch you. Wear a mask. No, shovel it away, it’s fine. Don’t drink your water. Don’t worry. Stock up on supplies quickly. Don’t leave your home. And you have a baby in your belly who doesn’t care about all that, and will make an appearance soon anyway.

My dad rushed to the corner store to stock up as quick as he could. He came home with beer, potato chips, and cigarettes. He’s a quick thinker, right?

Then, momma went into labor. Luckily, they were able to make it to the hospital, although cars could barely run– the ash would clog up the filters, and you had to stop to clean things every few blocks. Most of the little girls born that week were named Helen, or Ashley. Mom named me last minute…. Meagan. I had a lot of Ashley’s and Helen’s in my school classes.

Hurricane Irene

I have been watching this storm quite a bit…. Hooked, kind of. So worried for the friends –both in real life, and those that I only know online– that I have in the area. The online gaming buddies that my boyfriend plays with told him about an hour ago that they had to get offline, things were getting crazy, people were panicking a bit, and they had to get ready.

Storm Tracker

So I’ve been watching this– Hurricane Irene Storm Tracker, where you can see the path of the storm, updated live. If you too have friends or family there, you might find this comforting/terrifying too, depending on where the storm is compared to where your people are.

I hope that if you’re in the area, you’re ready. Not panicked, just safe and prepared.

This baby turtle clearly overestimates his hurricane-fighting abilities. He may even be like, a turtle-ninja of some sort. Still, he should be running the other way, sturdy shell or not. No one, not even a baby-ninja-turtle, should be taking chances in a hurricane.

Be safe, Please.

Don’t be like baby turtle. Everyone, please take care. Be safe. Get out of the way. Property is NEVER worth compromising your safety, right? I know that baby turtle is saying, to heck with this, I’m going in!! But don’t do it. Also, please do not be one of the brave-but-totally-crazy risk-takers who ran out into the middle of the storm while it was in the Bahama’s to take video to post on YouTube like this guy —>

I know, I know. I’m a mom now, and I can’t help it. I have to lecture and warn and convince you to stay out of trouble. It’s what mom’s do.

Let me know…. Are you preparing for the storm? Have you experienced a hurricane before? Do you have loved one’s in Hurricane Irene’s path? I’d love to hear what you’re thinking about it all….

Posted by Meagan Paullin on August 26, 2011 Filed Under: Fun Stuff | 1 Comment

{Rafflecopter Giveaway} Win a GERM FIGHTER Prize Package!

Lysol makes staying Germ-Free Easy!

As a partner with Mom Select, I got to try out some super cool new products from Lysol, just in time for back-to-school… The new Dual Action Disinfecting Wipes, and my favorite- the No-Touch Hand Soap System!

The kids la-la-LOVE the new No-Touch Soap System… The youngest thinks it’s magic like Harry Potter, the older one tries to be sneaky and slow, and trick the dispenser… He says he’s being a ninja… But the Lysol Hand Soap system is totally ninja-proof, and senses his presence every time. …

Why these products Rock:

They both kill 99.9% of bacteria- the wipes make wiping out those germs on your counters, door-knobs, and other surfaces super quick and easy, and the hand soap dispenser makes washing hands fun. Seriously, the kids love it!
The wipes have 2 sides- they’re like a MacGyver of cleaning wipes. One side is for regular cleaning jobs, the other has scrubbers for tough messes. Awesome.
The dispenser starter kit comes with everything you need- the stainless steel pump, soap, and even the batteries. Love that.
The Super-cool No-Touch soap dispenser automatically senses when your hands are under it, and gives you just the right amount of soap- perfect for little ones that don’t know how much to use!

Teaching Kids About Germs:

We all know that anywhere with lots of people have more germs- like malls, grocery stores, or big offices. But while those places might be germ gathering places, anywhere that with lots of KIDS is like a germ Mardi-Gras Party, right?

Teaching kids about germs, how they spread, and why hand washing and keeping clean is important can do a lot to cut down on winter colds and flu… And while it seems crazy to think of that stuff, the sniffle season will be here before we know it!

Watch as Sid the Science Kid teaches about germs….

And, a fun little way to show kids how germs spread: Take a handful of those tiny craft pom-pom’s, then blow into your hand the way you would if you sneezed. Let the kids watch as the pom-pom’s blow all over the place- That’s what germs do when you sneeze, too!!

And watch as he teaches kids the importance of washing their hands. Love it.

At our house we sing this song when handwashing:

“Soap and water, that’s the way,

You can wash the germs away!

Keep on washing, ‘cuz when you do,

You’ll wash the germs away- it’s true!

Now your hands are clean, here’s why-

‘Cuz germs are down the drain, goodbye!!”

Silly, yes. But by the time they’ve sang the whole song and are ready to wave goodbye to the germs, they’ve washed long enough to really clean up.

Keep your family germ-free!

Look for these super cool new products in your local store, and check out Lysol.com for some great coupons and special offers.
And be sure to stop by their Facebook page and enter to win a prize that makes my heart beat faster…. A Stainless Steel Kitchen Appliance Prize Package!! That would be amazing, right? And you can’t win if you don’t enter….

{Disclaimer: I was provided with samples of both products, so that we could use ’em and share an honest review about our experience. All opinions are 100% mine.}

Rafflecopter Giveaway:

One lucky reader will WIN the same cool GERM FIGHTER prize package that we got to try out- The new Dual Action Disinfecting Wipes, and the No-Touch Hand Soap System too! Let your kids experience this super-hand-washing-excitement as the kiddo’s at my house….

[Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on August 26, 2011 Filed Under: Contests, Reviews | 5 Comments

New Family Movie Night- Game Time: Tackling the Past

Family Movie Night – Game Time: Tackling the Past

P&G and Walmart have partnered once again for a new Family Movie Night! The newest movie, Game Time: Tackling the Past, airs on NBC Saturday, September 3rd, at 8pm ET/7pm CT.

P&G and Walmart partnered for Family Movie Night to help you rediscover family time- Great quality movies with no inappropriate content, and they even keep the commercials family-friendly. I hate sitting down to watch something with the kids that I think will be safe… Only to have them startled something unexpectedly scary or violent, or have them see things that are too adult for them. I’m not at all conservative, but even I have trouble finding good family movies sometimes. So I definitely am a fan of these new Family Movie Nights!

Watch Game Time: Tackling the Past

What do you think?

I can totally relate to the message in this movie… How an unexpected event in life can cause you to totally re-evaluate your priorities, and suddenly realize what was really important in life.

This is pretty much what happened when I became a mother. I was working really long, crazy, unpredictable hours in retail management and fashion marketing. I loved what I did, but it was stressful. I worked hard, and on my days off, I played hard too- I had a super active social life. I had no desire for kids, and was totally happy as “Auntie Meagan” to my nephews. Like Jake in the movie, I thought I knew where I was going in life…

Then, I found out I was expecting. Woah- that really stopped me in my tracks! In the movie Jake has to make huge life changes due to the unexpected news that his father has suffered a major heart attack- The unexpected news of my pregnancy forced me to take a hard look at my life too, and make some huge changes. As my due date approached, I realized that I couldn’t just jump back into my old life- I couldn’t continue 50 hour work weeks, full time school, AND spend time with a baby. When discussing this with my employer, they abruptly decided to let me go!! What now??

I soon discovered that this was the best thing that could happen. My family rallied around to offer support, friends pitched in to help me out, and I realized that less money, but more time with my baby, was making me a million times more happy than what I had “thought” I wanted before! Just like Jake in the movie, I realized how important that support is in life.

“Count your blessings. Once you realize how valuable you are and how much you have going for you, the smiles will return, the sun will break out, the music will play, and you will finally be able to move forward the life that God intended for you with grace, strength, courage, and confidence.” –Og Mandino quotes

When Winning is Everything, What’s Left?

That’s the main message of the movie, and I think it’s a great question to address with your family and kids after watching the movie. Family Movie Night films are meant to encourage teachable moments…

Ask you kids what they would do if they went through the same type of situation faced by Jake in the movie. Would they make the same choices? Get some discussion going… And look forward to another opportunity to do it again, and watch for the next Family Movie Night soon!

Learn More:

Visit the Family Movie Night Website here: FamilyMovieNight.com.
Follow them on Facebook, to stay updated on the newest movies: Facebook.

{Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of P&G and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.}

And don’t forget… The premiere of Game Time: Tackling the Past is on Saturday, September 3 on NBC at 8pm ET/7pm CT!!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on August 26, 2011 Filed Under: Fun Stuff, Reviews | No Comments

Super-Duper {40+ New} Freebie Friday List!!

It’s FAN-tastic Freebie Friday Time!!

This is ALWAYS the most popular post of the week….

And- I’m going to get back in the habit of posting my daily mailbox pic’s again too. Lots of you have been asking about that, so I’m starting it today!

The pic here is of yesterday’s freebies, and I’ll tell you how I got them…

How I got THESE freebies:

Markers Mark: I’m an ambassador for this whiskey company, which means they send me things to help promote them from time to time. Sign up – MakersMark.com.
Kohls: Sign up at Kohls.com for their newsletter. Use the sign in link at the top- then you’ll get their great coupons mailed to you. {Also, use SAVEBTS at check out today for 20% off.}
Pantene: This was from a really great freebie offer I found through WomanFreebies.com a couple weeks ago. And, not sure why, but I got lucky and they sent me TWO coupons for FREE product!
Toys R Us: Love the coupons and free gift cards here! Sign up for their mailing list too at ToysRus.com, email sign up at the top.

Now, on to today’s new samples, testers, cool offers, and more!

FAN-tastic Freebie Friday:

Pantene: At noon EST, Pantene will give away 10,000 free Keratin Protection Cremes to their Facebook fans. Watch for it!
Ballet Slippers: Capezio is giving away FREE ballet slippers- but there is a small shipping free. CapezioDance.com.
Mama Journal: Get a free online pregnancy journal. Sign up at Mama Memoirs.
Baby Journal: Get a free online baby book/toddler journal at TotSites.com.
Bath & Body Works: Print this FREE COUPON to get one item up to $12 FREE with a $10 purchase, in store or online.
Free Books: Get the entire set of “When I grow up I want to be” books, a $35 value! Go to The Old School House Store, add them to your cart, and set up an account to check out. Use code FBWANNABE at checkout, and then choose PayPal for payment… It’ll then make the whole sale FREE!
Moo.com: Sign up for a FREE account at Moo.com, the most unique, fun, and original business card and paper product company ever, and then refer your friends for credits for FREE products!
Escada: Get a sample of the new perfume before it’s released! Sample Escada.
Free Digital Organizer: Get a FREE digital organizer, with the ability to make family newsletters and books, that you can access from anywhere with your smart phone. This place is rockin’ my socks- Free Organizer.
Free Meal Book: Download the free Just Get ‘Em Fed ebook, on how to feed your family simple, whole food, healthy meals, on the cheap!
Free Credit Report: Get your whole credit report, see your credit score, learn how you compare to others, and how to build your credit score too. This is one of my very favorite sites to recommend, ever. Credit Karma.
Free Bootcamp: Sign up for the FREE financial bootcamp, and have access to budgeting tools, coaching advice, and fun stuff too! Learnvest.
Free Magazine: Get the new Lighting issue, from Better Homes and Gardens, for free. Free Magazine.
Free Style Advice: These are both super fun freebies, for the “Frugalista”… View sets of outfits, and choose your favorites. They’ll analyze your answers and give you outfit recommendations, or Accessory Suggestions, and you can buy them at discounts if you’re interested.
Lunchbox Freebies: Get this super cute Free Lunchbox Planner printable from A little delightful just in time for back-to-school!
Swagbucks: They’re still rockin’ with all of the bonus points codes! If you’re not signed up, PLEASE read the comments on the last post I did, and read why you’re totally missing out on the easiest way to earn free gift cards that there is. Sign Up.
High Value Coupons: Sign up for a $2/1 Puppy Chow Coupon, Get it Here, Free Appetizer Coupon at Chili’s, and the last few days to get the Quizno’s 30th Anniversary Coupons!
Free Personalized Calendar: This can be customized with all of your own photos and graphics, add fun details and designs, and all you pay is a small shipping fee! Free Calendar {Great to save for a Christmas gift this year, you can start it at any month you want!}
Disney Freebies: Sign up for Disney Free offers, info, and coupons. Disney Freebies.
Whitestrips: Get a free sample from Crest and Walmart, Free Whitestrips.
Purex: Become a Purex Insider, and get access to great new products for free! Sign Up.
Free Sneak Peek: Get a look at what coupons are coming out in each weeks Sunday papers by going to Sunday Coupon Preview.
Free App: Get the new free app from Family Friendly Frugality! Check out more about it here. I’m thinking about doing a Sunshine and Sippy Cups app too soon…
Free Cash: Get $5 free for joining, then earn .10 cents per coupon you print and redeem! There are tons of other ways to earn too, but that one is my big money-maker. Inbox Dollars.
Free Dog Leash: Get a freebie from Purina, to encourage you to get your dog out and active! Purina Free Offer.
Baby Cream: Get a free sample of baby cream products from Episencial. Sample Offer.
Fragrance Sample: Try the new CH Caroline Herrara fragrance, and choose a free card to go with it. Fragrance Gift.
Mom Networks: Join the FREE online spot for moms- I just joined a coupon-swapper group with local moms from this site, and am pretty excited about it! Never would’ve found them without this. Sign Up Here.
Lot18: Huge discounts and free offers on amazing wines, get a FREE subscription here- Lot18, and then earn $25 credits for referring your friends!

There ya have it!! A H-U-G-E round-up of new fun and free offers!! If you find any great one’s today that I missed, be sure to share ’em in the comments, so everyone else can get in on them too!

And, if you have freebie-lovin’ friends, make sure to use the buttons to share this on Facebook and Twitter too! Thanks a million…. and have a great start to your weekend!!

Free samples updated daily- Freeflys!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on August 26, 2011 Filed Under: Freebies | No Comments

{Rafflecopter Giveaway} Time Island Kids Prize Package!

Check out the fun new kids game ~ Time Island!

“Time Island is a virtual world for kids where they can play games, learn about nature and survival and meet other children from around the globe in a safe online environment.”

I found out about Time Island from MomSelect; they chose our family to be part of a fun campaign to help spread the word about this great game!

I was worried at first that the kids might not like it… It’s a free game on the computer, and they’re used to playing the Wii and Xbox, you know? But they LOVE it.

Learn more:

Sounds cool, right?

The kids have so much fun playing it- they love meeting new kids and chatting online when they join other tribes, they love outsmarting the little green monsters, “Grogs”, and my youngest nephew just likes walking around and exploring the island!

As for me, I love that there’s no violence like some of their video games have, that it’s an interactive environment but it’s SAFE {if anyone uses bad language, bullying, or anything else, you can report it, and they won’t be able to play.}, and it really makes the kids think while they play, instead of just mindlessly blowing stuff up!

What is Time Island?

It’s like Survivor, but for kids. You have to figure out how to survive, join with others in tribes, explore the jungles and beaches, and use your wits to outsmart the others! Seriously, the boys would play this for hours if I let them…

Join Us!

To join us on Time Island, sign up here- TimeIsland.com. After you sign up {and remember, it’s totally FREE to join!}, they’ll send you a confirmation email {this is so that kids can’t sign up and play without you knowing… You confirm the email, and decide which settings the kids are allowed to play under!} After you confirm, the kids can build their own avatar to play with.

Are YOU on Time Island?

If you guys are playing on Time Island yet? What do you think of it? Or if you’re learning about it for the first time, what do you think? Any questions about it? Comment away!