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WINNERS!

June 15, 2009 By 8 Comments

Wow!  These were some of most successful giveaways EVER on The Not-So-Blog!  You guys tweeted your hearts out to win these prizes!  Thanks for such great participation!

Winners of the “Suit Up for Father’s Day” giveaways are:

Keurig Platinum:  Leslie M

CoffeeBean Direct Giftbasket:  HSB Suzanne

The Swerve:  Jan

Channellock:  Tracy D.

Stork Tools Daddy Diaper Bag:  Diaries of a Domestic Goddess

You will all be emailed shortly.  Please respond within 72 hours of email in order to claim your prize!  Thanks to everyone who participated!

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Blog Popz: Summer Solstice Edition

June 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

The *Summer Solstice* edition of Blog Popz officially launches June 21st, the first day of summer. Check back then to begin giving and receiving popz.

What are Blog Popz?

A blog award. A blogger recognition program. A virtual version of the lollipops you gave in school to friends and admirers. Each color represents a different theme. Get popz from authorized candy stores, receive them from admirers, and register your pop for a chance to win fantastic prizes for distributing and receiving the most popz.

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Cute Pop Store: From Dates to Diapers

 

 

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Fav! Pop Store: Cool Baby Kid

 

 

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Friend Pop Store: Ohana Mama

 

 

 

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Love Pop Store: The Not-So-Blog Blog
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Mentor Pop Store: Suzy Q Homemaker
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Star Pop Store: Life Starring the Kids and Me!
I received a pop. Now what?
If you’re lucky enough to receive a pop, proudly display it on your site. Reciprocate if you’d like, and don’t forget to register your pop for a chance to win prizes.

Why should I register my pop?

Registering your pop is the only way to win *Summer Solstice* prizes. Complete the short form below for each pop you give and receive to increase your chances of winning. The two biggest poppers will receive first choice of prizes along with the most popped in each category. If you receive a pop it must be displayed on your site to be eligible to win.

Blog Popz *Summer Solstice* Edition Prizes
 Prize Package #1:
Prize Package #2:

Love Pop Candy Store

The Not-So-Blog is your source for the Love pop to give to all of blogs you love. Complete any one of the following to “buy” your pop (grab the code.) Once you complete all five you can give unlimited pops without leaving more comments!

Blog Popz Blogger Recognition, find out who has the most popular blog, cute blog, your favorite blog and who are great blog friends

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Call for sponsors!

June 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Can you believe The Not-So-Blog is almost one year old?!?  I have learned more than I ever dreamed and have been blessed with more bloggy friends than I ever imagined!  I am proud of what I have accomplished in just one short year and I want to CELEBRATE!

announcements

I am looking for fabulous products to feature during the first two weeks of July with reviews and/or giveaways!  Do you have a product you would like in the spotlight?  Email me at notsoblog @ gmail.com!

I am also running a special on advertising rates in order to thank all of the incredible sponsors I have featured over the past year.  Interested in advertising?  Email me at notsoblog @ gmail.com!

Let’s Party!

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IBW Books: Review and Giveaway

June 11, 2009 By 79 Comments

hypothesis Interactive Book-Webscene (IBW) Books will help to foster a love of reading in my preschooler.

materials One book entitled, “Where can lost bee be?” from IBW Books and my “eager to read” preschooler.  About IBW Books:

“The Interactive Book-Webscene proprietary process combines the reading of a print book with the interactivity of online animations. Here’s how it works: At the end of each chapter, the reader is directed to a specific link on a website associated with the book. Here, the reader views a webscene. Webscenes contain 2D and 3D animations. Each webscene is essential to the storytelling. After viewing the webscene, the reader returns to the book to read another chapter, after which are instructions to view another webscene, and so on. Each book contains 6-10 webscenes.”

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methods Lily is able to recognize all of the letters of the alphabet and knows all of the letter sounds well.  She is about to enter Pre-K this August, so she is not quite reading, but she is very good with a few sight words such as “yes”, “no”, and “open.”   I sat down with the KA Reader from IBW Books and read the first chapter to Lily.  Following the first chapter, we went online to view the webscene which made the book come to life and reinforced the vocabulary and concepts of the book.  We completed the book in about 20 minutes.

results

My husband (who is a teacher) set out to find books to help keep the skills Lily learned last year in school fresh in her mind.  We are so happy to have found IBW Books because Lily loved it!  She was eager to have me read the next chapter so we could view the corresponding webscene.  While the webscenes were in itself educational, Lily viewed them as a special “treat” for completing another chapter.  I think IBW Books certainly acheived making reading fun!

summary

IBW Books offers several titles in many different educational levels beginning with preschool. Each series has different features. For instance, each book in the beginning reader series, KA Reader, includes English and Spanish text, webscenes, story theme, word count, reading grade level and word pattern families.  If you are intrigued by the concept, please visit IBW Booksellers to learn how to sell these books in your community while earning extra money for your family.  Sellers receive an immediate 20% commission on all sales!

references Want to encourage your child to read this Summer?  IBW Books has generously offered one Not-So-Blog reader TWO free books!!

How to enter:

1. First, visit IBW-Books and tell me which title you would love to try!  Next, visit IBW-Booksellers and tell me how much commission you make for every KA Reader sold.

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog.

2. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited!

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

5. Favorite me in Technorati!

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on June 25th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

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All Small and Mighty gives BIG with Celebrity Apprentice!

June 10, 2009 By 1 Comment

Doing laundry is not exactly one of the most glamorous tasks of being a Mom, actually, I hate it.  From buying those heavy jugs of laundry detergent all the way to folding the clothes, I despise each and every step.  So, anything to make me job easier is more than welcome in my home!

all_logoAll Laundry has recently come out with a new liquid detergent that is 3x as concentrated:  the all small and mighty!  From the press release:

“all® small & mighty® is the most concentrated cleaning power from ‘all’ with long lasting freshness. That’s because it provides Time Released Freshness while you are wearing your clothes.  Its small 32-oz 96oz and bottle hold enough to wash a big 32 loads and 96 loads, while cutting down on packaging waste. So it helps keep our planet fresh too!”

001I had the chance to try out one bottle of all small and mighty in the stainlifter variety.  I love the fact that the packaging is small which takes up less space in my grocery basket and in my laundry room.  The detergent worked great on my kids’ clothing and both my husband and I like the scent.

All Small and Mighty was featured in episode six of this season’s Celebrity Apprentice.  Unfortunately, neither team won the task (which was to create a 60 second viral video about all small and mighty), so the celebrity’s charities did not benefit.

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All Small and Mighty decided to capitalize on it’s appearance in the TV show by teaming with Melissa and Joan Rivers, participants of the Apprentice.  Both Melissa and Joan created their own viral videos and have posted them at all-laundry.com.  Each time you forward the videos to your friends and family, All Laundry will donate 50 cents to the Rivers’ charities, Guide Dogs for the Blind & The Lili Claire Foundation.

While you’re there, enter to win 2 tickets and an expense paid trip to the Apprentice Finale!  Don’t forget to grab an All Small and Mighty coupon, too!

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Wordless Wednesday

June 9, 2009 By 23 Comments

Wish us luck! Lily and I are performing on stage this Saturday! Here is Lily practicing her dance in costume before the big show!

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Little Debbie Muffins: Review and Giveaway

June 9, 2009 By 328 Comments

hypothesis Little Debbie’s new Muffins will be YUMMY.  My daughter will like the chocolate one the best.

materials All 5 varieties of Little Debbie muffins (Double Chocolate, Orange Cranberry, Lemon, Chocolate Chip and Blueberry) and several taste testers (I didn’t have to twist their arm too hard!).  About Little Debbie:

“The Little Debbie® brand has become number one for two reasons: quality and value. McKee Foods uses secret recipes and the highest-quality ingredients, thereby improving the taste of the snack cakes. The snack cakes are also sold at a reasonable price. In fact, Little Debbie® products on average sell for half that of other leading brands. That’s due to manufacturing efficiencies the company has developed over decades of baking experience.“

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methods Taste testers were allowed to pick two varieties of Little Debbie Muffins each.  Each tester gave an opinion on the muffin (and sometimes went back for seconds or thirds!).

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results

Data was collected from each participant and included the following comments:

Tester #1 (40-something female): “The Cranberry Orange Muffin was delicious! It was very moist and dense. The cranberries were plump and actually popped when you bit into them! The muffins were sweet, but not overly so. The fruit flavor combination added the right amount of tangy tartness. This muffin would be good for breakfast.”

Tester #2 (4 year old male on Lemon Muffin): “YUMMY!”

Tester #3 (35 year old male on Chocolate Chip muffin): “How many can I eat??”

Tester #4 (34 year old female): “I am a chocoholic!  I NEED to have something chocolate before bedtime.  The Little Debbie Double Chocolate Muffin satisfied my craving!”

summary

Apparently, the testers did not meet a muffin they didn’t like!  Each muffin is about 190-200 calories and is a decent size for a bedtime snack.  The testers all reported that the muffins were moist and fresh.  Little Debbie is introducing several new varieties of breakfast pastries including lemon, pumpkin, blueberry and double chocolate (for a limited time only…stock up!).  Check out the new commercial!

references Hungry yet??  You NEED a muffin now, right?!?  Luckily, Little Debbie generously offered 3 Not-So-Blog readers a prize pack of their very own including 5 entire boxes of muffins (double chocolate, chocolate chip, lemon, cranberry orange and blueberry)!  Each box contains 6 muffins!

How to enter:

1. Visit Little Debbie and tell me which variety of muffin you can’t wait to try!

Additional entries:

1. Follow Little Debbie on Twitter (@LittleDebbie).

2. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog.

3. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited!

4. Subscribe to my blog.

5. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

6. Favorite me in Technorati!

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on June 30th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

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Babybonkie: Review and Giveaway

June 9, 2009 By 132 Comments

With all of the joy and happiness of the birth of my second daughter, came the obstacles of sleepless nights and colic.  Even though I was an “experienced Mom”, every trick I tried did not seem to soothe my little one.  I never tried swaddling with my first daughter, but I needed sleep and I was ready to pull out all the stops.  Swaddling quickly became my best friend!  Aubrie began to sleep through the night and was instantly calmed when we swaddled her at night.

Because Aubrie loved to be swaddled, I tried many different brands and designs of baby swaddles.  While she is too old to be swaddled now, I wish we would have found Babybonkie during our search!

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About Babybonkie:  “The branding of the Babybonkie is synonymous with not only good looks, but with the altruistic proposition of providing endless nights of peaceful sleep for parents and their infants up to twelve months.”

Endless nights of peaceful sleep?? I’m sold!  Sign me up!

After looking through the beautiful selection of fabrics, I notcied that Babybonkie has a variety of products.  Not only do they offer the original Babybonkie, they also have swaddles made from eco-friendly fabrics!  And for the older children, the selection includes the bonkiebag, an adorable sleep sack!  The sleep sack was such a great transition for Aubrie when she was too old to be swaddled!

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Babybonkie was nice enough to send me a sample of the babybonkie and ecobonkie to test out!  My first impression was that these swaddles are stunning.  You can certainly feel the quality of the fabrics and the craftsmanship is first rate.  Each swaddle contains several strips of thick Velcro to ensure your baby stays swaddled the whole night.

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Learning to properly swaddle your baby is essential not only to ensure your baby is comfortable, but for safety reasons as well.  Babybonkie has posted both instructions for use and safety tips on their website for your convenience.

I would highly recommend this product to any new or expecting parent!  The Babybonkie would also make a great baby shower gift and can be purchased directly at Babybonkie for $60-$72.

Babybonkie has generously donated a Babybonkie swaddler in your choice of fabric to one lucky Not-So-Blog reader!

How to enter:

1. Visit Babybonkie and tell me which fabric you would choose!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog.

2. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited!

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

5.  Favorite me in Technorati.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on June 30th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

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Reliable Steamboy T1: Review and Giveaway

June 7, 2009 By 946 Comments

hypothesis The Reliable Steamboy T1 will revolutionize the way I mop my laminate flooring by making cleaning easier and faster…..every Mom’s dream!

materials One Steamboy, water, elbow grease and a husband willing to help out (even if he was bribed!).  About Reliable:

“Reliable is an esteemed producer of an extensive line of garment care and steam cleaning products for both professional and housewares markets, including sewing machines, task lighting, cloth cutters, fabric steamers, steam cleaners, dental and jewelry steam cleaners and ironing and pressing systems.”

Print

methods Two young daughters plus one old dog equals a BIG need for a fabulous floor cleaner!  In the last 4 years, my laminate floors have taken a beating.  From spills to stickers, markers to meatloaf, my floor has seen it all in its short life.  I decided put the Steamboy to the test on my kitchen floor after one week of heavy traffic.

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results

I will say that I was skeptical that, after mopping with steam alone, my floors would actually be clean.  Surely I would need some sort of chemical to break up the dirt and sanitize my floors!  I will admit that I was wrong!  First of all, set up of the Steamboy mop was extraordinarily easy.  After filling the water tank and plugging in the machine, I was ready to mop in only 20 seconds!   The steam mop easily broke up dirt and left my floors looking great.  I did not have to refill the water tank as it will deliver 60 minutes of continuous steam.  Another reason to love the Steamboy is that you can achieve cleanliness without having to use harsh chemicals in your home!  The steam (rather than chemicals) kills dust mites and most allergens which saves the environment AND money!

Check out our opinion in this short video:

summary

The Reliable Corporation has definitely won us over with the Steamboy T1!  Mopping my floors has never been easier!  The Steamboy eliminated the need for a heavy, messy bucket and harsh cleaners which not only saves the environment, but my time and budget, too.  After looking around the Reliable website, I found several other great products I would love to try such as the IronMaven and the Enviromate Steam Cleaner.

references The Steamboy comes with 2 microfiber reusable pads and can be purchased online for $99.00 OR you can win one here!  Reliable Corporation has generously donated one Steamboy T1 to one Not-So-Blog reader!

How to enter:

1. Visit Reliable Corporation and tell me which product besides the Steamboy T1 you would love to own!

Additional entries:

1.  Follow Reliable Corporation on Twitter (@Reliablecorp) or follow them on Facebook

2. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog.

3. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited!

4. Subscribe to my blog.

5. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

6. Favorite me in Technorati!

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on June 30th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

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WINNERS!

June 6, 2009 By 9 Comments

It’s time to announce another round of winners!  Thanks to everyone who participated and the wonderful sponsors for donating the prizes!

Tyson coupons:  M. Rogers

SunChips:  Jackie

Grobag Egg by Keen:  Katrina

Kiss My Face:  Sarah

PaperRamma:  Staci A

KidCards: Angelique F

Petit and Two Chicks Flips:  Barbara P.

Congrats to all the lucky winners!  Make sure you check back because I have lots of new reviews and giveaways lined up. You don’t want to miss a thing!

The winners will all be emailed within 24 hours.  Please respond within 72 hours to claim your prize!

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