Win Prizes for Mother's Day

Okay, I'm not giving away any prizes, at least that I know of, but thought I might try to win. I haven't been entering many giveaways since I'm usually reading blogs on my iPhone and it can be a pain to make comments, but there are a few great ones out there right now.

5 Minutes for Mom seems to have a whole series of them. See the banner on the right or link back here.

This Week for Dinner is giving away flowers, and knowing ProFlowers they will be all over the blogosphere.

I have no idea what I'm actually doing to celebrate this year. In the past I've found myself actually cleaning and cooking on the special day, so last year my only request was to not have to cook breakfast, lunch or dinner for the whole day (but still eat of course.). This year my husband will be going to a Dead concert with a friend who's visiting. He rejected my idea of going in his stead, being as I'm not quite the deadhead he is and hardly know his friend. And since I get to celebrate not having to go to work and do all the house and child stuff each day, the only thing I really want is not really postable.

Happy very early mother's day y'all and good luck if you are hoping to win something.

I used to hang with the cool kids

I've known two people who've been on game shows, that is just how famous I am. 'Course these weren't exactly the Price is Right, or Wheel of Fortune, which I used to love before they just went to cash prizes and you could no longer buy those couches and TVs with your hard earned winnings. We used to wonder if they had these minimum and maximum intelligent levels for each game show, I'll leave you to guess who'd be on Jeapordy and who would "spin the big wheel."

No, my college roommate was on the short-lived and likely seldom-watched MTV's Remote Control, and when she lost we laughed and laughed. I still remember the final question before she was ousted - I can't remember the wording exactly but something like "The round little noodle shaped like an 'o' " and she answered "tortellini" making her sound like a total elitist snob and at the same time a bit dirty in the way she said it. God we laughed, but it was mostly dumb luck that made her lose.

My other wicked-smart friend nearly won, you got it, Ben Stein's Money. He's seriously one of the smartest guys I've ever known (Armando, I don't know Ben Stein) and we were so bummed he didn't win. That was one of the best game shows ever!

Head on over to Parent Blogger's Network to talk about your own game show stories. And you could win a shopping spree on Oliebollen.com

Shameless Plug - Win a Handbag

I have no extra spending cashola, so I'm trying to win a fancy pants new purse. You can win one here and HANDBAG PLANET. The purses actually look pretty darn cool. I like this one.

Tis The Season...for Contests

There are a ton of contests right now, but who has time to enter them all? I wish, so I pick and choose and hope I win. And speaking of contests, I'm going to offer the shoes for TWO MORE DAYS - since only two people entered. But for sure by Wednesday I'll have a winner.

Here's a couple by some of my favorite bloggers, with excellent prizes, so git on over there to enter.



Working Moms Against Guilt (the best kind of working moms) are giving away a prize a day this week. Wowza. Click here to enter.

And at Mums the Word there is one more day to enter to win a train which OMG I would love to have. So I really shouldn't be telling you about the contest. Eh, what the heck? It's almost Christmas so go try to win a train.

Don't forget to check out this holiday gift guide for cool moms. I never know if I'm a cool mom, tend to doubt it but stil like their website.



And finally the NY City Moms blog is giving away a hip clek olli™ booster seat, head on over to leave a comment by this Friday to win one. I'm all over that one too, although of course my kids would fight over either the new one or the old one..

Win Shoes! Still time to enter

Y'all may remember Ryka giving away shoes and shirts awhile back. I was hoping for a shirt, but was lucky enough to win a pair of shoes. Alas, they don't fit and a recent resolution (which I've broken, I admit) was to stick to the right size for my poor wittle feet.

So that mean you, readers, have a chance to win a brand new pair of Ryka MC2 Walk shoes- size 7.

I'll leave this open for about a week, so to enter leave a comment here before Dec 16 and I'll randomly pick a winner on Monday, Dec. 17.

Also leave a link back to the contest on your blog, or tell a few friends if you don't have a blog - thanks! Since I'm paying for shipping US residents only, and odds are you won't have these by Christmas since I'm notoriously slow at shipping things, just getting that out there.

Anyone need a mudbath?.

BusyMom is giving away some free iPod nanos over here. My company has had all sorts of giveaways recently and I never ever win. And yet, in the land of the eternal blogosphere I seem to have a better chance of winning (thanks for the Photobook :).

So we are supposed to write about the funniest thing we ever shopped for online. I've done a ton of shopping online, I was doing it when I stumbled across her blog. Uh, I mean I was working from home, really, it's just Christmas is so close and I'm seriously panicking.

So what was the funniest thing that I have to say I failed to find, but did look for online? That's right, a home mudbath - you know, like the ones you get in Calistoga. People have spas and saunas and steamrooms in their homes, and she wanted a mudbath in her backyard. But wait, they now seem to have them. I'm sending it to my mom right now. Ooh, I just remembered a very silly book from the library called Ginger and Petunia and she has one, for her pig, but that's nether here nor there unless you want to check out the book.

Wish me luck!

My Super Duper Family Friendly Subaru

To my Subaru Outback,

You have got many little problems. There's the whooshing sounds that appears at high speeds down the highway, but I guess I can blame me for the accident and the body shop for the superficial repair. The CD player hasn't worked in ages, most likely it's the chocolate gelt stuck in there, again not your fault. And we've got the peeling paint, the random scratches, not to mention the lovely habit of your alarm going off when any random stranger hits their alarm button. You've forced me to pretend I just don't own you at those times, but I always come back.

But lets face it, at over 100,000 miles you are still going strong, keeping my family safe and have not had a single mechanical problem after several long and grueling road trips. I bought you when pregnant with my little guy and you provided a comfy rest for my aching back and a safe haven for the puppies. You came from a family expecting their third child, and your kid-friendliness is what keeps me happy.

I do apologize for the use of you as a jungle gym, trash can and sand repository for the kids, and the bumps and scrapes I helped you acquire. You remain a great drive, although my so did ask why my sister's new caddy drove so much faster (I think he meant smoother and quieter). But as long as you get me where I'm going, keep my family happy and allow me to say I drive an "Outback" not a station wagon you're a keeper.

Not my car, but kind of sweet, eh?

This contest from Parent Blogger's Network is about to end, but head on over there for other great stuff. Ask Patty is promoting it's new Car Blabber feature by giving away cool stuff for a letter about your car. You can also enter Car Blabber's promotion to win other cool car stuff.

Just where does it go?

I've got exactly 12 minutes to finish a blog for a Parent Blogging Network contest. It's all about time, something parents always seem to want more of. I admit I'm not the most efficient when it comes to time, and I probably should devote more of mine to sleeping and less to Internet and TV if I want my face to stop sagging, but this post is focused on the "time to get the dang kids ready."

Seriously, they get up at 6am and yet we CANNOT seem to make it out the door before t-15 minutes before school starts (9am if you are counting). Now I don't think the new search blog Light Iris is gonna help me with that issue, although I'm totally betting that I could quickly find some tips on getting the kids ready. I've already started to make sure they pack their little backpacks and lay out their clothes, which has worked for a whole day. I know choices are important for a 3 year old, but man once he gets focused on something, it's like "when I'm finished" or "after I'm done" and now that they are watching movies instead of nice 30 minute Dora episodes (I know, I know) we cannot wait until it's over. So I resort to "I'm turning it off unless you get dressed" followed by "get your shoes on" etc. Given that my kids wear the same size, and we don't have fricken two of everything, we also get the whole "I want to wear that" and "those are my shoes!." My four-year-old has been a total trooper, often letting his rascally little brother have his way.

And don't even get me started on getting them home from preschool or their grandma and grandpas, where the whole shebang starts all over again.

Why does Dad Rock!

It's the MayasMom Dad Rocks contest - so why does my husband rock as a dad? He simply LOVES being a dad.

We tried, and tried and tried to get pregnant with our first little munchkin. Just a short four years later there he was. During the pregnancy my husband got the book "She's having a baby and I'm having a breakdown" and, except for bringing me jewelry as a birth gift :) really took it to heart. The first two weeks he scattered bottles of water all around so they would always be in reach, made me breakfast every morning, took a lot of time off to take care of us.

Now amost 5 years and one more baby later, he's been to more "mommy and me" classes than mommy ever has, talks about the kids endlessly to random strangers, never shied away from poopy diapers, takes enough photos to fill a houes and could not imagine life without them. He takes them out to play soccer, he takes them out ChuckECheese and MickeyDs when mom's away, and jokes around until their tears turn to laughter...and that is why Dad Rocks.

Thanks MayasMom!