Open a lemonade stand

Do you remember setting up a table in your front yard and selling small cups of lemonade to the neighbors? This summer, you can relive those memories by opening your own online lemonade stand to help support the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Electrolux and Kelly Ripa are teaming up, and asking for your help, to bring awareness and money to this organization that helps women everywhere. The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund works to help develop a method of detecting ovarian cancer early and ultimately, finding a cure for it. The Virtual Lemonade Stand Campaign assists you in designing and opening your own virtual lemonade stand, complete with 3 lemonade flavors that you choose. You can choose from flavors like Raspberry Meyer Lemonade or Sparkling Ginger Lemonade. Electrolux will donate $1 to the OCRF for every virtual lemonade stand opened. Plus, you can invite your friends to come and buy a virtual glass of lemonade for as little as $1 or up to $50 (their choice) and 100% of the money raised goes directly to the OCRF.

Aside from the fun of designing your own lemonade stand and the good feeling of helping others, Electrolux is also giving away 3 Electrolux French Door Refrigerators with Perfect Temp Drawer™. One will be awarded to a person who opens a virtual lemonade stand; one will go to a virtual lemonade stand owner who changes their lemonade stand, invites a friend to it, or shares it on a social media site, like facebook; and one will go to someone who buys a virtual glass of lemonade for as little as $1. The best part is that registering and setting up your virtual lemonade stand is free.



When you are done setting up your lemonade stand, be sure to check out Kelly Ripa's tips for making perfect lemonade and the recipes on the site for a variety of yummy lemonades you can make at home.

I hope that all of you will take this opportunity to set up their own virtual lemonade stand and encourage your loved ones to visit. Feel free to check out my lemonade stand as well. It is not fancy, but I like it and I am hoping to be able to raise a bunch of money for the OCRF.

Cloth Diapers

I have wanted to use cloth diapers for a LONG time (since before we had baby #1), but my husband has been very hesitant. Now that baby #4 has turned 1, hubby has decided that we can go ahead and try them. I know they have changed quite a bit since the days we wore them, which is how I got my husband to agree to try them, but now they seem more confusing than ever. How many of you use(d) cloth diapers and do you have tips? Also, we are looking for recommendations of brands and types to use. Please feel free to use Mr. Linky if you have blogged about this. I would love to read any posts about cloth diapering. If you know any companies who may be interested in having their diapers reviewed here, I would be happy to do that as well. Thanks for your help.

A change

As I have been struggling to post more regularly, I realized why I am having a difficult time. My mind wanders at will. It does not like it when I try to tell it things like, "Today is Monday, we need to blog about money." In my heart, I am a very organized person, but my mind just refuses to cooperate. Therefore, I am doing away with the way I have blogged in the past by sticking to Money Monday, Try-It Tuesday, Wellness Wednesday, etc. I will still use those titles when I have something to post that is related to that day and title, but otherwise I will post at will. You will likely see more links to other things I find on the web and a little more about me and my life. I am also working toward having more giveaways for things other than free magazine subscriptions. Actually, I will have one coming up soon with a product review as well. Thank you for sticking with me through the recent inconsistencies and all. I appreciate all your support.

Try-It Tuesday: Dove SkinVitalizer

I bought the Dove SkinVitalizer several months ago, but with all our moves, it got packed somewhere and I just found it this week. I originally bought it for several reasons: 1) it was on sale and with the coupon it was a very reasonable price, 2) it was made by Dove and I really like their products, and 3) I thought it would provide a bit of a massage.

The SkinVitalizer is a battery-operated tool that you attach a soft, cottony, soap-infused pillow to. The pillow attaches to the Velcro-type head easily and stays on very well. I did find that when I removed the pillow from the tool, bits of the cotton stuck to it and had to be picked out before I could attach a new pillow. The tool is completely waterproof and can be used in the shower, though I would have liked for it to have a hook or some other way to hang it in the shower. The tool provides a gentle vibration so that the cleansing pillows can give a deep, gentle clean and help to remove dead skin cells. Personally, I do not care for the speed or pressure of the vibration. I found it tickled my nose and caused a strange feeling when used near my ears.

The initial purchase of the SkinVitalizer includes 2 3-packs of cleansing pillows. Additional pillows are available for purchase in the original gentle formula and in Energy Glow formula. The cleansing pillows have two-sides, a soft side and a rougher textured side. The rougher side is designed for exfoliation and worked well. The softer side is designed for basic, daily cleansing and also performed well. You can use both sides of the pillow, but Dove recommends replacing the pillow after each use. Being the frugal person I am, and hating to create more garbage, I naturally, tried to get as much mileage out of one pillow as I could. I found each pillow generally has enough soap to last 2 times and the pad itself really only held up that long as well. The cleanser in the pillow seems to be regular Dove cleanser with a light scent and is gentle on the skin. I hate using a pre-soaped cleansing pad that leaves you with a face full of suds and this does not do that. It sudsed up just the right amount.

Although, this cleaned my face well, I would not purchase it again. The tool itself will not require repurchase for a while anyway. I did like the cleanser part of this and will continue using the Dove line of facial cleaners. I just did not find this to be that much better that I can justify buying new pillows every two washes. This does allow you to get your face out of the sink and keep your eyes open when washing up, but I would rather save my money, and the environment.

This Week Thursday

On the Web
Unplug Your Kids has a great article that shows you how to make your own Worm Bin. A worm bin is great for compost.

Missy's Thrifty shares her recipe for a laundry pre-treater.

This next one is not something I found on the web this week and actually dates back to late April, but I have not been great about blogging and it did not get posted. However, it is an important piece as it deals with the disappearance of my niece's friend, Britanee Drexel. You can read about it on SpoiledMom.



Freebies
You can get a free gun safety educational DVD from the National Shppting Sports Foundation.

Wal-Mart has a great Scott sample package that includes a Scott Extra Soft Double Roll and a 10 count pack of Scott Naturals Flushable Wipes.



Giveaways
Mommies with Cents is giving away a Boon Flair High Chair, a product I personally would love to own. (ends 6/21)

You can win a case of assorted Virgil/Reed soda from The Life and Times of the Lady Riposter (ends 6/23)

More Than Cents has a live giveaway going on for a Daddy Diaper Changing Toolbox and a bumper sticker. It has been going on for a week due to lack of participation. They are looking for post #500 and it is currently just above 150. Come join the fun!

Potamus Prefers has an awesome giveaway for a Hoover Platinum Collection Carpet Cleaner

One of the best giveaways I found this week is being hosted by Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls and is sponsored by Huggies Potty Project. The prize includes 2 packages of 2T-3T Pull-Ups (boy or girl), Potty Training Success DVD from Huggies Pull-Ups,Stop Second-Guessing Yourself - The Toddler Years book, Reward stickers, and the best of all: an Ultra Flip Video Camcorder!

Wellness Wednesday: H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)

Many of us have heard about the H1N1 virus, better known as the Swine Flu, but how much do we actually know about it? Here is some more information about the H1N1 virus and some tips for reducing your chances of contracting it.

The H1N1 virus is a form of influenza A that has never before been seen in humans and is not related to the typical flu virus that appears annually. Most of us have at least some immunity from the strains of the flu that appear annually and that is why the H1N1 virus is creating such havoc. People have not developed immunity to it and no vaccine currently prevents it. While it spreads the same way as the "traditional" flu viruses, the swine flu seems to be spreading quicker and further due to the lack of immunity to it. The symptoms are also similar: fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and runny nose and occasionally vomitting and diarrhea. Most people who come down with the H1N1 virus will experience mild symptoms, but the symptoms can range from mild to severe, and as we have heard, can result in death. This is the same with the flu strains we see every year. More than half of those who have been hospitalized with the h1N1 virus, had some underlying health issues or weakened immune systems. If you do come down with flu-like symptoms, you can likely recover at home by getting lots of rest, drinking plenty of clear fluids, and taking a pain-reliever for aches and pain. However, if you experience trouble breather, shortness of breath, severe or persistent vomiting, or a fever that lasts more than 3 days, you should seek medical attention.

The World Health Organization has labeled this strain of the flu a pandemic, but as scary as that sounds, it simply means that every nation can expect to see swine flu infections and that they should prepare for them. It has nothing to do with the severity of the illness. However, we should still be prepared for the swine flu and for a worse-than-usual flu season this fall. There is not a need to panic, just to be prepared. Personally, we are making sure we have enough food and medicine on hand in case we are unable to make it to the store due to illness, or in the case of medicine, a shortage at the stores. I am also keeping a few heat-and-eat meals in the freezer in the case that *I* end up sick and unable to cook.

So, now that we know more about the swine flu, how do we avoid it? As with most contagious illnesses, the best way to avoid catching the flu is to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your mouth, nose, and eyes, and avoid those who are sick. Likewise, if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, do us all a favor and stay home. If you are sick and absolutely have to be around others, please wash your hands often, and cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing. You cannot catch the swine flu from eating pork or pork products. Although it is called the swine flu, it is not actually spread through pigs to humans.

For more information regarding the H1N1 flu virus, check out WebMd and the World Health Organization

Moving

My 10 year wedding anniversary is coming up in November. In those 10 years, my husband and I have moved 11 times, 3 of which occurred in the last 7 months. Fortunately, our most recent move was to our first house and I do not foresee us moving again for quite some time. I absolutely HATE moving and I hate moving with kids even more. The packing (and re-packing what your children unpack), the cleaning, the physical move itself, the changing of address, and setting up new accounts and cancelling old accounts, just tires me right out. That is where the website www.moveme.com comes in. They are a company based in the United Kingdom that offers free assistance in helping set up moving services and has a moving planner that you can set up on their site. I really wish we had one based in the US and that I had known about it during ANY of my 11 moves.

Moveme.com has lots of tips to help you decide which types of services you need. They offer help to those who are looking to buy and/or sell a home, and for those who are renting. If you are not sure if you should rent a van and move yourself or hire professional movers, they can help there too. They also offer a moving checklist and a moving planner, which is basically a calendar with the dates you should do the different things listed in the checklist, but it is personalized based on your move date. For those of you moving to or from the UK, Moveme.com also offers several price quotes for insurance, mortgages, legal services, and other services such as locksmiths, broadband access and so on. You can also receive removal quotes(known in the US as movers)and information on man and van movers. They will also help you to set up your new utility accounts and cancel your old ones. Quotes and the setting up of accounts can be done either completely online or you can call Moveme.com for assistance.

I really like their moving planner and wish I had something similar when we moved. It would have helped me to ensure that I was on schedule and that I got done all the things I needed to do. I also would have loved to have had someone who would set up my new accounts and take care of canceling my old ones. With 4 small children, I do not get the opportunity to make a lot of phone calls during the day. With Moveme.com, I could have entered my information online after the kids went to bed and let them take care of the details. Hopefully, by the time we are ready to move again, Moveme.com will have expanded their services to the US, but if not, I will still be using the information and other tools they offer. If you are in the UK and looking for help with moving or need information on moving companies or if you live elsewhere and want a great moving planner, be sure to check out Moveme.com.

Another Magazine Giveaway

Since I have been lax in posting, and to celebrate the 1st Birthday of The Giveaway , another wonderful blog, I am offering another magazine giveaway: a one-year subscription to the magazine of your choice from Ladies Home Journal, Fitness, Siempre Mujer (written in Spanish) and Parents magazine. The contest will run from now until June 12th. I will use random.org to choose a winner and the winner will be posted here. If contact information is provided or I can reach you through your blog/profile, I will also e-mail the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me with their shipping information or a new winner will be chosen at that time.

How to enter:
1)Leave me a comment telling me your favorite posting from my blog and/or what you would like to see me post about and/or other ideas you would like to see for the "Topic of the Day". You can get up to 3 entries for doing these, 1 for each question. Just enter a seperate comment for each one.

After doing #1, you may also enter by doing the following:
2)Blog about the giveaway and leave a new comment, separate from #1, that includes the URL to the blog posting. If you are not a blogger, tell your friends and when they enter, have them put your name down as the person who referred them here.

3)Subscribe to my feed and leave another separate comment telling me you did so.

4)Follow my blog.

5)Visit my other blogs, Things I Love and/or Homeschool Unit Studies and come back and tell me your favorite posting from that blog and/or other topics you would like to see covered on those blogs. (Up to 4 possible entries, 2 per blog, leave seperate comments for each)

Have fun! I look forward to hearing about what you enjoy and what you want to see.


Good luck to all!!!

Best Review Blog Award 2009- Nominations now being accepted

The folks over at Parent Reviewers are now accepting nominations for their Best Review Blog Award 2009. From their blog: "We are out to find the Best of the Best Review Blogs AND to reward these bloggers for the dedication, hardwork, time, effort and sweat that they have poured into their blogs as well as their reviews.
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN???
If you have the guts to compete, check out the details below:

Eligibility:

1.If you have a parenting blog which includes product reviews
2.If you have a non parenting blog which is specifically created for reviews of family friendly products only
3.Maximum of 2 editors to a blog - If your blog is managed by 3 or more editors, you are not eligible to enter
4.Blog must be minimum of 6 months old
5.Blog must feature a minimum of one product review per month for the past 6 months
6.Blog must be written in English
7.Contest is open to all International bloggers who adheres to the abovementioned eligibility conditions" (although open to international bloggers, only coupon and gift certificate prizes will be shipped internatioally)

There are 10 groups of prizes for bloggers and 1 reders only prize as well.

So, if you have a review blog and/or you know a great review blog, head on over to Parent Reviewers and fill out the nomination form.