Let Safeway reward you!

Recently my husband and I were discussing the family budget. I mentioned that (especially this summer when gas prices were crazy) there's less discretionary income this year than last. Just the basics seem to cost more than they did last year.

And shopping for Christmas toys? Does it seem prices increased there too?

Either way we, like alot of other families, are seeking out opportunities were we can get more value for the money. And for those who have Safeway stores in their area? Well you've got an extra opportunity! If you are more inclined to purchase gift cards (like me) you'll be happy to hear that this season, if you buy gift cards, you can double your PowerPump Rewards.

Here's a locator so you can find out if your local Safeway store is participating

Also, earn additional rewards with every $100 you spend on gift cards. And according to their site, more than 300 gift cards count toward earning those PowerPump rewards.

And while you're at Safeway's site take a gander at the recipies, party planning tips, and even holiday activity ideas. (The kids are out of school for the holiday. Let's face it, you need SOMETHING to keep them occupied.) And if you need grocery delivery? They got your back there too!

This post was written on behalf of MomCentral.

Winner of Pilsbury giveaway

The winner of the Pilsbury giveaway is Stacy!

Congrats!

Thanks to everyone who has been participating in the giveaways. More are in store for 2009!

Nature's Gate: gateway to healthy beauty products

Every night before I go to bed, I apply lotion to my hands. This ritual began years ago when my son was itty bitty. My hands had gotten so dry and chapped from all of the handwashing I was doing (thanks to all of those dirty diapers I was changing).

I have a ton of products in my nightstand. But the one I've been using alot these days is Nature's Gate Organic Fruit Blend Body Lotion in Pineapple.

For those of you unfamiliar with the brand, Nature's Gate creates natural, (certified) organic personal care products. Their main goal is to keep your skin healthy by using natural ingredients and connect with communities. How cool is that?

The lotion isn't too thick or creamy. It has a nice consistency that is easily rubbed into the skin, drying quickly. A few minutes after application, I can always tell the lotion is still on my skin but it feels somewhat like a thin protective layer. Some people might not like that but I don't mind at all. But the best aspect for me? Is the smell.

Usually when lotions claim to smell like a fruit, they often smell like a hint of fruit with a heaping helping of chemicals. That is definitely not the case here. This stuff smells so much like real pineapple that after I've applied and and I smell my hands? It almost makes me want to bite my hand off. Yeah. That good.

Another cool component is that the company is working with WaterAid to provide Asian and African communities with clean drinking water. Plus, the products are paraben free, Phthalate free, and there's no animal testing.

Go to Nature's Gate website for a full listing of product lines, where to buy and more about the company's vision.

New Monday Giveaway!

Just in time for that big holiday family meal! I've got a Pillsbury gift package featuring:

*Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts,
*Two 9-inch glass pie pans
* A pie server,
* Pie-top cut-outs
* A CD-ROM with photos and recipes of Pillsbury pie favorites!

The Pillsbury peeps want to remind you that pies are a classic dessert to any holiday meal. And they don't have to involve alot of time and effort.

Leave a comment with your email address. Anyone can enter. (As in this isn't just open to those in the United States.) Just do so by Saturday Dec. 20 at 6 p.m. The winner will be notified that weekend. Anyone above the age of 18 can enter.

MomCentral's guide to gifts

Some people were born to shop. Some people have this knack of being able to pinpoint the perfect gift for any person. Some people can sniff out a bargain from a mile away.

I don't fall into any of these categories. I'm always struggling for ideas. I usually take the lazy way out and get gift cards for everyone. But this year? I've got MomCentral's gift guide to point me in the right direction.

MomCentrals' gift guide is organized into several categories like "women" "tweens" "toddler" and even "pets". There's even a "giveaway" category.

The site is easy to navigate and pretty responsive. Also, there are ideas for every price range. Wanna spend less than $50 on "him", well they've got you covered. Are you out of gift giving ideas for your teen, but still want to stay within the $100-130 range? MomCentral can offer up some suggestions.

So save yourself some time and mental energy this Christmas season and check out their gift-giving suggestions!

This post was written on behalf of MomCentral.

Positive Spin

There’s a little girl fairy by the name of Eve
She loves to eat candy and play make-believe
Her wings are multicolored. Her smile is bright
Her heart is big, filled with love and light.

I'll spare you any further rhyming on my part. But suffice to say that I recently reviewed three children's books published by Positive Spin Press. All Hallows Eve, Winter's Eve and Christmas Eve all feature a sweet little fairy by the name of Eve who lives in a fairy glen ("as most fairies do"). The books were written by Lisa Sferlazza Johnson and illustrated by Lisa's husband Tucker Johnson. The Johnson's are also the founders of Positive Spin Press.

Now, for a spot of info about each book:

*Hallow's Eve - The little fairy, who loves candy is sad that she can magically make any on her own. Her friend Jack comes up with a solution. They set about the glen, visiting houses, collecting treats on Eve's behalf. When presented with the candy, Eve is thrilled and remembers the toys she's made and gives each fair a shiny new toy.

* Winter's Eve - Eve's little glen appears to be a very diverse community! Eve's friend's observe various winter holidays within their cultures. As her friends travel they send Eve messages, letting her know where they are and a bit about how they are celebrating.

*Christmas Eve - Santa needs some help and asks Eve for some assistance. But Eve is worried. Her talents lie in magically creating small toys. Santa comforts her by letting her know that it is not the size or grandness of the gift but of the spirit intended. He mentions the birth of Jesus and the inspiration behind the Wright Brothers.

The main character Eve is endearing. I think alot of children can identify with her innocence, and
vulnerability. I do like her generous spirit. My son liked Eve because she reminds him of Chloe and Natalie, two little neighbor girls he's good friends with.

The story lines are cute and creative. But there are times where the rhymes felt a bit awkward. (Although the idea to tell the tale in a rhyming style is an interesting one.)

Overall, my little guy enjoyed the stories. His favorite (and mine as well) has been the Halloween story. Although I did like how Winter's Eve ended up giving us the opportunity to discuss the idea of diversity and how important it is to respect other people and their cultures.

If you're looking for more information about the author and the books, visit this site.

This review was written on behalf of ParentBloggers.

Shop till your keyboard drops.

So I'm browsing through Shop.com, and then it hits me. This is a very dangerous site.

I say that with love, people. As in, they have EVERY-freaking-THING you could think to buy on one site. Different lines of make-up? Check. Electronics? Check. Shoes? Check.

SHOP.com is on-line, one-stop shopping site that provides thousands of products from thousands of merchants. This means you can forgo the crowds, lines and screaming children you'd typically have to tolerate were you to leave your warm, cozy house. (Plus, if you're not at the mall, its much easier to avoid the siren call of those cookie, pretzel and ice cream places.)

First I started searching and comparing prices for some of my favorite beauty products. Then I went on to find tons of yoga dvd's and boys' pants. After a bit, I started searching for random items to see if they have them. Input "stapler" and you'll get 1172 matches. Try "pickles" and you'll find all sort of items -- from cookbooks, t-shirts and party invitations to children's books and everything in between. (And different kinds of pickles too.) Oh, if the bird in your life is bored? They sell bird toys. (In fact there were 947 matches for that search.)

They have everything but the kitchen sink. Oh wait, the DO sell kitchen sinks!

But Shop.com also has a plethora of other features. There are links to weekly deals, holiday music, listings of merchants that offer free shipping, coupons and contests. If you click on "my shop" they can provide shopping ideas, keep track of your purchases and make product recommendations.

The site is well-organized, easy to navigate through and responsive. And I had a fun on-line experience. After awhile I did find ONE thing they didn't seem to have. That would be "prairie dog decor". But I won't hold that against them.

This post was written on behalf of MomCentral.