Meghan's Mindless Mutterings: Reviews & Giveaways

Friday night. Start of the weekend. Start of relaxation for the working Mommy. Right? Well that's what I thought. I went to my Christmas party for work during the day. Stuffed myself on some sort of chicken and appetizers. The 18yo decided to "head out" before I got home. That left me the 5yo & myself to worry about for dinner. Right? Not so much. Unexpectedly the Daddy came home. I had taken nothing out of the freezer. Mother Hubbard had nothing on me as far as cupboards being bare. Sadly, the daddy didn't understand why there was no food. I offered him a pb&j sandwhich. After all his son was eating it. He shook his head no. Told me he wanted something warm & comforting after working outside all week & living on take out. So my mommy super powers remembered I had 2 Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pies in the freezer. Ta~da! Dinner. The nice thing about Marie Callender's Pot Pies is that you can microwave them.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cafe Well for SocialSpark . All opinions are 100% mine. What a better time to get in place your plan for a healthier, new you in the new year. 2012...Let's call it the year of you or the year of me, since I am writing this post. For those of you who are new to the blog I am going to confess something, I am overweight.  I know! Shocker! Tis true.  I am 6ft tall, red hair & overweight.  A pretty picture? I think not...well at least when the red fades, I enhance it you know. I digress. I have decided to check out Cafe Well . What is Cafe Well  you say? It's a social network that offers corporate wellness programs that work! Well what kind of info can find at Cafe Well  Meghan? Good question! You can find the program Race to the Moon, which is sponsered by HealthAmerica  ..  This program aims to get members more fit & acti

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Recently I was fortunate to be asked to give a read through of " Listen to Me Please " by Dr. Ron Taffel & Ava Parnass RN, MSN with Katie Kaminski. Apparently, a little bird must have told Ms. Parnass about our behavioral issues with Cheeks. For those of you that are not aware, please see my main blog So I thought, hmm, why not read through and see what they have to say. The book follows a lot on how the child is feeling. Which I think, we as parents, can forget that the child has feelings as well and those feelings need to validated. Cheeks falls right in the middle of the recommended age category for this book. This book helps us parents have real conversations with our children that are three to eight years old. A tough age for a lot kids. Most children lack the vocabulary or the skills they need to explain why they had a bad day, don't want to do something or are being mean spirited. The book encourages parents to calmly and at a good time in the day,

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Puppies vs. Babies for SocialSpark . All opinions are 100% mine.   The time has come readers. It's showdown season. This is no ordinary showdown either...check out Puppies vs. Babies online contest ! That's right. I said it. Everyone knows a cute baby or a cuddly puppy can make even the coldest hearts melt & now is the time America found out who is cuter in the online version of Puppies vs. Babies In this contest, you get the say who is cuter...puppy or baby.  I have had a cute dog or two in my life but I am here to tell you my dogs do not compare in cuteness to my Cheekers.  He was an adorable baby! Chubby cheeks, blue eyes, bald head...what's not cute! Not to mention a baby smell...mmm! Til November 23rd you can vote to see who will win $5000...just for being cute.  Wait? Can I enter? I could use $5K.  Just sayin.  D

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Unfortunately, one of our winners did not get back to me within the 48 hours allotted. We now have a new winner...is this you? 8: Shannon Wieneke Look for an email in your in bin. Shannon will have 48hrs to respond, if no response I will pick a new winner. Congrats Shannon!

The following readers won the Shutterfly 25 Free Christmas Cards. They are: Entry # 12 Pauline M Entry # 23 Angie u Entry # 1 Sharon D They have been contacted & have 48 hrs to let me know they got the email. If I do not hear from them in that time frame, I will draw 3 more winners. Thanks for entering everyone!

It's that time! That time of year to start thinking about the Christmas cards you want to send. I love to pick out Christmas card. You can say I am slightly obsessed. I've sent photo cards ever since I had Cheeks. They are so fun & show off the fam. I always turn to Shutterfly for my cards, too. I've used them the last 4 years. Cheeks is 5!  So that ought to tell you how happy I am with the quality and selection they offer. Not to mention the great price. Holla! This year I've been perusing Shutterfly  to see what card I like best, so I can get them nice & early. This one caught my eye: How super cute is that card? I love using black & white or even sepia colored photos then having them font add a splash of color. So fun & whimsical (whimsical...see how I am using my English degree, Nice!) Of course, being that we have 3 children, I do like to feature them separate. I think this might be the last year that I can get the oldest t

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Sorry for the delay in announcing the winner. I had a slight glitch in my system. Without further adieu here is the winner of our Pretty giveaway:   Jenn Spencer I followed @mkw70 on twitter and tweeted! http://twitter.com/#!/MakeCandlesEasy/status/114222327247540224 I have notified the winner. She has 48 hrs to contact me or I will have to pick another winner. Thanks everyone!

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Just in time for Halloween, thredUP is offering new members $4 off their first thredUP box! This means moms who haven't yet swapped on thredUP can get a box of gently-used costumes, clothing and more for only $1 plus flat-rate shipping. This offer is valid September 20th through September 21st. Use promo code "costumes" at check-out to claim a box of gently-used goods listed by another thredUP mom in the US.

Halloween will be here before you know it < I know my little guy changes his mind every day. Right now we are debating between Captain America & Green Lantern. Buycostumes.com is even offering Free Shipping w/ a $65 purchase. Hello! Check em out!

Are you indecisive? I am. Wait? Do you think I am? I don't know. Maybe I am. Anyway if you have a decision to make, let Bounce help. How can Bounce help you in your decision making? Check it out my friends, check it out: Go to facebook.com/bounce , click on "Bounce It Off Millions” and submit a choice or decision that you’re making in your life.  Your question will be turned into a poll, and tens of thousands of Bounce fanatics can lend their opinion, so you’ll have thousands helping you make a choice. Bounce will choose 4 of the most interesting polls to be featured in a facebook ad, so your question or choice could go out to the entire facebook world, inviting 150 million+ Facebook users to help you make a choice.  Imagine having that many people decide between your two favorite names for an expected baby! Disclaimer: I participated in this campaign as a member of One2One Network  and am eligible for a prize drawing.  All opinions stated in the post are my own

Sorry for the delay in announcing the winner of the Mickey Band-Aids Giveaway, I've been having some personal issues....enough with that, let's get down to bizness~! The winner is: Goofy Gary My favorite Disney movie is Flubber. September 4, 2011 4:30 PM Congrats Gary! Please email me your address & I will contact the PR firm who will get your prize out to you! Thanks everyone.

I was recently given the opportunity to review the book " Pretty " by Jillian Lauren . Here's what " Pretty " is all about: Bebe Baker is an ex-everything: ex-stripper, ex-Christian, ex-drug addict, ex-pretty girl. It’s been one year since the car accident that killed her boyfriend left her scarred and shaken. Flanked by an eccentric posse of friends, she is serving out a self-imposed sentence at a halfway house, while trying to finish cosmetology school.  Amid the rampant diagnoses, over-medication, compulsive eating, and acrylic nails of Los Angeles, Bebe looks for something to believe in before something–her past, the dangerously magnetic men in her life, her own bad choices–knocks her off course again. For me, " Pretty " is not so pretty.  It's a gritty story that has you right in the middle of the drama pretty much from page one.  It's an easy read but not easy enough that you don't stop thinking of Bebe when you put

"Tis true. It's Labor Day weekend. The unofficial end of summer. Since it's the end of the summer, beginning of school year, fall sports etc, I was given the opportunity to review Mickey Band-Aids. Good thing. Three boys, one husband...we get a lot of cuts & scraps. Leave it to the little one the night the Band-Aids arrived he manages to scrape his big toe on the sidewalk. Of course it bled so Mickey Band Aids to the rescue. They covered his toe right up & took care of the "bleed" as Cheeks calls it.  The Baind-Aid stayed on through sleeping in twin sheets, wearing socks the next day & running around barefoot.  The box I got consisted of two different sizes & the cutest patterns.  It's vintage Mickey.  Cheeks was thrilled & I like to use them as a fashion statement.  Good news, I get to give some away.  The giveaway will be: 2 boxes of Mickey Band-Aids 1 tube of Neosporan & A Disney Mickey Lunch Bo

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson for SocialSpark . All opinions are 100% mine. Yes, Labor Day is upon us.  The unofficial end of summer for most of us. In reality the end of summer is not for a few more weeks and what better way to celebrate the end of summer by a long weekend, away.   Where you ask?  Branson, MO at the Hiltons of Branson .  Long summer weekends are the perfect time to take advantage of staying at the Hiltons of Branson , the Hilton Branson Convention Center  & the Hilton Promenode at Branson Landing .  Branson Best Value Vacation Package gives you the third night free...total spave people!!!  It includes deluxe accomadations at the Hiltons of Branson  plus two adult & two kid's tix to Legends of Kung Fu show. Ah grasshopper, you would be foolish not to partake in such a deal.   Plus two adult & two kid's two day passes  to Silver Dollar City, a $25 dollar g/c to go shopping

I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy of 100 Days to Christmas by Jennifer Tankersky. I am so happy I have this ebook.  My holiday life is now easier. I've been following Jennifer's 100 Days to Christmas since 2008 when she started it.  Totally love it.  This is the first year she has offered a book & when I say "Thank goodness" I mean "Run now & get it!"  It's a pure steal at $4.99. Jennifer helps you start planning in September (which is right around the corner) & takes you all the way through Christmas Day.  She includes the fall holidays as well.  Not only does she have tasks to do she gives you fun, light hearted ideas to do through out the lead up to the big day.  Plus goals and encouragement. Having the ebook gives you the opportunity to see everything for this year up front.  No waiting for the daily email.  You have it at your finger tips.   Not to mention she gives you some free dowloadable lists within the b