Category Archives: Contests

Crayola “Inside the Crayon Box” Prize Pack Giveaway {Contest Closed}

March 20, 2012Arts and Crafts, Contests, Giveaways, New postscrayola, giveawayAlicia

Crayola has been in my life for years and years. I remember melting Crayola crayons on our driveway in Florida. I would set my Crayola crayons that were too small to color with on the driveway or sidewalk and leave them there for the day then check on them later to find them melted. “Yes! What a pretty blob” is probably what I was thinking at 7 years old. Things like melting crayons are what make life fascinating for a child don’t you think? Something as simple as crayons can create memories that last a lifetime.

I’m thrilled that my 5 year old daughter is finally getting into coloring. For the longest time she wouldn’t color because she wanted to stay inside the lines but didn’t have the fine motor skills do make that happen and she would get frustrated. Please note.. I didn’t request that she stay in the lines! That’s not the way I color! Now she will color for a couple of hours straight. I love it.

We recently received a pack of products from Crayola and MyBlogSpark to try out and it couldn’t have been better timing. We have been on the road a lot lately and all of the products except for the Kaleidoscope Chalk are great for car rides.

Crayola Mess Free Color Wonder Tiny Tube
With over 10 ft of coloring, perforated activity pages, a carry-along handle and the ability to store markers inside, kids can color at home or on the road; markers magically appear only on the special Color Wonder paper, not on skin.
I LOVE this! The pictures are perforated and each picture has slightly sticky strips on the back allowing it to stick to a table or travel desk so it doesn’t slide. Great for car rides!

Crayola Crystal Effect Window Markers
Turn an ordinary window or mirror into a colorful crystal canvas and create amazing effects on an unexpected surface that can be wiped clean with a damp cloth.
We spent hours Saturday playing with Crayola Crystal Effect Window Markers. My daughter loved the way her drawings would crystalize and “turn into ice pictures”.
Watch a video of my daughter discussing her favorite things about Crayola Crystal Effect Window Markers

Crayola Washable Kaleidoscope Chalk
Experience sidewalk art in amazing new ways, by drawing designs, putting on the 3D Kaleidoscope glasses and watching as creations pop up off the ground.
My daughter had a friend over to play with Crayola Washable Kaleidoscope Chalk. The outlined each other and then colored themselves in. The loved the way their hair and ‘clothes’ would pop out at them when they put the 3D Kaleidoscope glasses on.

Crayola Dry-Erase Bright Crayons
A dry-erase drawing and writing tool for kids that’s washable, smudge-proof, odorless, and will never dry out.
These crayons are easy to clean. That was my biggest concern with these but I was surprised to find that they really do wipe right off the dry erase board with a paper towel.

Crayola Dual-Sided Dry Erase Board
This two-sided board is white on one side and black on the other switching the typical whiteboard up. This combined with the Caryola Dry-Erase Bright Crayons make for eye-popping pictures or messages!

My First Crayola Washable Crayons, Markers & Stampers
Just the right size and shape for little hands, toddlers can create bright and colorful designs with no caps to lose or no messy ink pads.
My daughter just had to try the stampers out and sure enough she had a great time with them. I thought she would be too old for them but she made beautiful pictures out of the stamps.

To learn more about the tools from Crayola that make it easy for parents to help children develop their creativity www.Crayola.com and like Crayola on Facebook!

My daughter’s demonstration and favorite things about Crayola Crystal Effect Window Markers

Watch Crayola’s “Creativity Matters” and “Inspire” videos on YouTube for inspiration and entertainment!

Who wants to win a Crayola “Inside the Crayon Box” prize pack?
This contest has ended. Congratulations Kelly T!

The prize pack contains:

My First Crayola Washable Crayons, Markers & Stampers
Crayola Mess Free Color Wonder Tiny Tube
Crayola Crystal Effect Window Markers
Crayola Washable Kaleidoscope Chalk
Crayola Dry-Erase Bright Crayons
Crayola Dual-Sided Dry Erase Board

To enter leave a comment below telling us what your favorite Crayola memory or experience is OR who you would give the prize pack to.

Earn extra entries:

2 entries – Like The Mommy Insider on Facebook
2 entries – Follow Mommy Insider on Twitter
2 entries – Subscribe to our RSS newsletter
3 entries each time – Tweet about this giveaway: “I entered to win a Crayola prize pack on TheMommyInsider.com. You can enter this #giveaway here: http://wp.me/plszx-2TY @mommyinsider”
3 entries each – Enter any of our other contests and let us know which contests you entered in the comments below
5 entries – Blog about this giveaway on your own blog and leave the URL in the comments below. Do not copy and paste this post into your blog.
Be sure to tell us what you’ve done in the comments below.

Contest Rules:

Entries accepted through 11:59PM EST March 29th, 2012.
U.S. Residents only.
Ages 21+.
No P.O. Boxes
Winner must respond to our email within 24 hours to claim their prize.
Read The Mommy Insider’s Contest Rules here. By entering this contest you are agreeing to the rules.

Disclosure: The Crayola “Inside the Crayon Box” prize pack, product information and prize pack for giveaway have been provided by Crayola through MyBlogSpark.

Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator {Review and Giveaway}

March 20, 2012Cleaning & Cleaners, Contests, Giveaways, Home & Garden, New postsFebreze, giveaway, laundry, P&GAlicia

Take your shoes to the garage!

Put your gym clothes in the washer!

Get the stinky clothes out of your room and into the washing machine!

Sound familiar?

I have two kids but some days it smells like I’m raising elephants in my house. I have used Febreze odor eliminating spray for years and keep one bottle of it on all three levels of our house. As I tell my 12 year old son who brings home some super smelly clothes after camping trips “I’m ready to aim and spray whenever necessary”!

What do all of the photographs above all have in common?
They all resulted in stinky laundry!

That’s why I was very happy to learn about a new P&G product, Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator. Good Housekeeping- approved, Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator is specially formulated to clean away odors that get trapped in fabrics. Bad odors are washed away during the rinse cycle. To use, simply measure according to the load size and add directly to wash cycle with your liquid or powder detergent. Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator CAN be used in HE washers.

Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator did not interfere with my laundry detergent scent. My son who is doing his own laundry now, when he remembers, knows to use Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator in his loads now. He goes camping a lot and comes home with super stinky clothes. Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator is a godsend for parents of Boy Scouts, campers, and kids who play sports.

You’ll find information about the new Febreze products on NewFrebreze.com. I am a member of the a Febreze Common Scents Institute and you can be too!

Who wants to win a Febreze Common Scents Institute Kit?

I have been given the opportunity to give one lucky The Mommy Insider reader a Febreze Common Scents Institute Kit!

The Common Scents Institute Kit contains a coupon for a free bottle of Febreze Laundry Eliminator, a Febreze Towel, Tide Odor-Absorbing Travel Laundry Bag, and a Common Scents Institute Guide with a magnet so you can stick it on your refrigerator or washing machine.

To enter to win leave a comment telling me whose stinky laundry you hope to tackle with Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator.

Earn extra entries:

2 entries – Like The Mommy Insider on Facebook
2 entries – Follow Mommy Insider on Twitter
2 entries – Subscribe to our RSS newsletter
3 entries each time – Tweet about this giveaway: “I entered to win a Febreze Common Scents Institute Kit on TheMommyInsider.com. Enter #giveaway here: http://wp.me/plszx-2TK @mommyinsider”
3 entries each – Enter any of our other contests and let us know which contests you entered in the comments below
5 entries – Blog about this giveaway on your own blog and leave the URL in the comments below. Do not copy and paste this post into your blog.
Be sure to tell us what you’ve done in the comments below.

Contest Rules:

Entries accepted through 11:59PM EST March 31st, 2012.
U.S. Residents only.
Ages 21+.
No P.O. Boxes
Winner must respond to our email within 24 hours to claim their prize.
Read The Mommy Insider’s Contest Rules here. By entering this contest you are agreeing to the rules.

Disclosure: I received a Febreze Common Scents Institute Kit for purposes of this review and giveaway. All opinions are 100% my own and were not influenced in any way.

The Best Meals Happen at Home {Publix Gift Card Giveaway}

March 14, 2012Contests, Food and Drink, GiveawayspublixAlicia

A busy weeknight doesn’t have to mean that your family nibbles on snacks instead of eating dinner!
I am not a fan of preparing meals that take over 30 minutes to prepare so I was really happy to learn about Publix’s BestMealsatHome.com website recently.

Best Meals Happen at Home

The site features “FASTastic” recipes which can be cooked in 30 minutes or less. It’s like they create the site just for me! Publix knows that the best meals happen at home, so they are excited to help busy parents enjoy family mealtime without having to stress about what to prepare or spending hours in the kitchen.

The FASTastic recipe on the site that I was most excited to try is Easy Chicken Enchilada Crescent Bake. My husband loves Mexican food and It’s not my favorite to I try to compromise by cooking what I call Mexican-ish meals. The recipe requires minimal ingredients and takes just 20 minutes to prepare.

Savings Alert!

Look for in-store for coupons at Publix that will be valid through March 28th, 2012.

Visit BestMealsatHome.com to sign-up to receive weekly emails with recipes and coupon offers to help you save up to $200 this year. All of the meals can be prepared in 30 minutes or less, which is important for busy families.

Want to win a $25 Publix Gift Card?
This contest has ended. Congratulations Rebecca G.!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest Rules:

Entries accepted through 11:59PM EST March 19th, 2012.
U.S. Residents only.
Ages 21+.
No P.O. Boxes
Winner must respond to our email within 24 hours to claim their prize.
Read The Mommy Insider’s Contest Rules here. By entering this contest you are agreeing to the rules.

Disclosure: The Publix gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Staying Connected with the Nokia Lumia 710 {Review and Giveaway}

March 13, 2012Contests, Electronics, Gadgets, Giveaways, SmartphonesNokia Lumia 710, smartphone, WindowsAlicia

My son is 12 going on 16 and I’m seeing more and more that he is wanting to be connected to his friends outside of school. I am very pleased with his choice in friends so I don’t mind the occasional phone call or text. I recently received a Nokia Lumia 710 to review and I’ve learned that while Moms and their teenagers may be a generation apart, the Nokia Lumia 710 offers something that every age desires – a great phone that makes it simple to connect with friends. Weighing only 4.4 ounces, this phone is not too heavy for a purse or pocket. It is available in black or white, but you can dramatically change its look by changing out the Xpress-On covers. These covers come in many colors and fun styles.

Text messaging is a breeze with the onscreen keyboard. The autocorrect capability of this phone keeps you from worrying about making silly mistakes. Moms like that they can keep in touch with friends and family without endlessly going back to make corrections. Teens like that they can type out messages in a flash!

Nokia Lumia 710 Twitter view — Nokia Lumia 710 Twitter app

The Windows Marketplace has over 55,000 apps to keep you informed, entertained, and productive. Besides Facebook and Twitter, you will also find Foursquare, Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, and just about every other fun game you can imagine. With T-Mobile TV and Netflix available, teens will never be bored again!

Life is full of fun moments; and fun moments were meant to be captured and shared. The 5MP camera, with LED flash, takes excellent pictures and can record stutter-free video. The Twitter and Facebook apps are integrated into the Windows Phone system so posting pictures is a snap. Teens want to go out with their friends, but moms will always worry. With GPS navigation, parents know that their kids won’t get lost while they’re out making those memories.

After all the Facebook updates, Tweets, and text messages, there’s nothing like hearing the voice of someone special on the other end of the call. T-Mobile’s excellent nationwide network ensures that calls come in crystal clear no matter where you are. Whether you’re a teenager, or a teenager’s mom, the Nokia Lumia 710 is the perfect choice for staying connected with the special people in your life.

Want to win a Nokia Lumia 710?

Congratulations to the winner of the Nokia Lumia 710, Melissa T.!

To enter to win tell me what feature of the Nokia Lumia 710 is most exciting to you or why you want to win this phone!

Earn extra entries:

2 entries – Like The Mommy Insider on Facebook
2 entries – Follow Mommy Insider on Twitter
2 entries – Subscribe to our RSS newsletter
3 entries each time – Tweet about this giveaway: “I entered to win a Nokia Lumia 710 on TheMommyInsider.com. You can enter this #giveaway here: http://bit.ly/TMINokia @mommyinsider”
3 entries each – Enter any of our other contests and let us know which contests you entered in the comments below
5 entries – Blog about this giveaway on your own blog and leave the URL in the comments below. Do not copy and paste this post into your blog.
Be sure to tell us what you’ve done in the comments below.

Contest Rules:

Winner is responsible for T-Mobile service.
Entries accepted through 11:59PM EST March 31st, 2012.
U.S. Residents only.
Ages 21+.
No P.O. Boxes
Winner must respond to our email within 24 hours to claim their prize.
Read The Mommy Insider’s Contest Rules here. By entering this contest you are agreeing to the rules.

Disclosure: A received a Nokia Lumia 710 for review purposes. All opinions stated are my own.

Kick That Cold to the Curb with C-Spray Vitamin C Supplement (Win a Bottle of C-Spray!)

March 8, 2012Contests, Giveaways, HealthCspray, giveaway, Supplement, Vitamin CAlicia

5 year old in doctor office

Sniff sniff. Cough cough. Sneeze sneeze.

These are common sounds parents hear. I used to believe that kids got sick more in the Winter months than the rest of the year but I know otherwise now. We have to be prepared to kick the common cold to the curb all year.

When a child has a cold, you can count on:

Not getting much sleep, if any.
Going through tissues like mad.
Finding popsicle sticks in the most unusual places (under the couch cussion for example) – Don’t tell me this one is just our kids?

If you’re like me, you remind your kids to wash their hands dozens of times a day but much to my dismay, hand-washing isn’t a cure for the common cold. While nothing has proven to cure the common cold, there are things we can do to lessen the duration of the common cold.

As parents we talk to our kids about hand-washing, nose picking, licking furniture, eating dirt, handling pets, and eating fruits and vegetables. But no matter how often we tell them to wash their hands and not pick their nose, they can still catch a cold. That’s when C-Spray comes in handy.

According to clinical double blind independent studies Cspray improves the duration of cold and flu, general health, well-being and vitality over those in placebo group. Cspray is the most portable new delivery system on the market. It is a small pump spray bottle that allows for convenient use throughout the day whenever you need it. It is the only delivery system that allows for repeated, consistent dosage anywhere you may be – on an airplane, school, office, car, restaurant, wherever you need protection and delivered instantly into the system.

Connect with Marz Sprays

Win a bottle of C Spray ($19.99 ARV)!

10 lucky readers will receive a bottle of C Spray!
To enter to win a bottle of C Spray ($19.99 ARV), leave a comment below telling us what you dread most about getting or your kid’s getting the common cold.

Earn two extra entries per action:

Entries accepted through 11:59pm March 25th 2012.
10 winners will be chosen via random.org
Winners must respond within 24 hours or a new winner will be drawn.
Open to U.S. residents, 21+. No P.O. Boxes.