{Christmas Wishes} Winner of $20 Amazon.com giveaway

The lucky winner of the $20 Amazon.com giveaway was...  Mary G.  I'll be emailing her shortly.  Thanks to all who entered and shared what they were eying at Amazon.

{Christmas Wishes} Giveaways not to be missed: Food items! #BPCW #BPOPCW

The holidays typically bring about memories attached to food.  I know they do for me!  I can remember my grandma always having popcorn balls of all colors and fudge.  Hence, one year at around Christmas time, we ended up with a stray we named Fudgie because his smoky fur reminded me of my grandma's fudge.

Blog POP bloggers have some awesome food related giveaways as part of our Christmas Wishes event, and I wanted to take today to highlight them.  And it's not because I'm typing this blog post during the lunch hour with a growling tummy either!

Pig of the Month BBQ:  I love pork and bbq pork is a favorite of mine.  I love bbq ribs an wish I could get them gluten free more places when I eat out.  This company actually has a gluten free variety of ribs (yay!)  Enter to win at Confessions of an Overworked Mom (ends 11/10).

Go Picnic:  Stop by Quick Tattletails to win a Go Picnic prize pack to snack on during the holiday season (ends 11/18).

Nuts About Granola:  Try out a new granola product by visiting Rats and More to enter to win a granola prize pack - three winners! (ends 11/13)

Wholly Guacamole:  Chips and dips are great appetizers and nice to have around for impromptu visits from guests.   Win a Wholly Guacamole prize pack like the one Turning the Clock Back was provided for review, plus there will be additional free coupon winners.  My hubby loves their queso dip.  (ends 11/15)

Newman's Own:  Love cookies?  I bet you do!  So does Santa and maybe he'd like to see some Newman's Own cookies set out with his glass of milk.  Stop by Quick Tattletails to win a Newman's Own prize pack, which includes lots of coupons for free products (ends 11/18).  While you're there, be sure to enter to win a Gourmet Gift Basket's Christmas Gift Basket Classic worth $59.99 (ends 11/18).


Community Coffee:  I don't drink coffee, but lots of my family and friends do.  Christmas is the season for stopping by and saying hi and it's nice to serve guests high quality coffee.  Quick Tattletails is giving away a Community Coffee prize pack of their Bread Pudding and Holiday Jazz varieties (ends 11/21)

Petit Jean:  Momma Told Me has a complete ham dinner from Petit Jean's up for grabs on her blog (ends 11/21) Yummy!

Peanut Butter and Company:  Who says peanut butter has to taste like... well... peanut butter?  Momma Told Me's got a Peanut Butter and Company prize pack on her blog that you won't want to miss.  Who ever would have thunk up a cinnamon raisin swirl peanut butter?  Not me.  Holidays are for tasting things you don't normally eat, so indulge! Enter to win 2 jars of peanut butter (ends 11/20)

Which of these contests are you entering?  Let me know!  I now have a huge hankering for ham....

{Christmas Wishes} Giveaways you don't want to miss: Personal items #BPOPCW #BPCW

I hope you enjoyed Blog POP!'s Christmas Wishes event.  I have been busy the past few days dealing with some personal issues, so I have only just gotten a really good glimpse at all of the prizes that our group has up for grabs.  I wanted to take a minute and focus on the personal items that might be of interest.

Mangroomer:  Mangroomer partnered up with several of us Blog POP! bloggers to offer giveaways for their private shaver.  Enter to win a Mangroomer at these blogs to increase your chances of winning:

Rats and More's giveaway
My giveaway
Momma Told Me
Socialite's Closet's giveaway

Bellyflowers:  Enter to win some natural perfume at Turning the Clock Back and Theirry-Mugler's Womanity fragrance from Socialite's Closet.

Organix:  Hair care is something we women put a lot of energy into daily.  Stop by and enter to win Organix hair care products at Quick Tattletails.

Cleanlogic:  Momma Told Me is giving away the entire Cleanlogic product line on her blog.  Check out her awesome giveaway and enter today.  Everyone loves to smell nice and this is an awesome giveaway to enter.

Amazon Rain:  Quick Tattletails is offering up Amazon Rain's Camu C Serum.  Amazon Rain is an organic skin care line that supports cancer research. 

Besame:  Momma Told Me is giving away a Besame Cosmetics package worth $191.  ooh-la-la, indeed!

Zorica of Malibu:  Relax that holiday stress away by entering to win a Zorica of Malibu bath salt and bath gel at Turning the Clock Back.  She also has a giveaway for Tambela products, including a giveaway to win Natural Soaps.

I'll be scanning the giveaway linky for more great prizes to highlight this week, so keep an eye out.  If you'd like to see the giveaway linky, it's attached below.  Good luck to all who enter!

{Christmas Wishes} Mangroomer review and giveaway #BPCW

Mangroomer offers men an array of personal grooming products that fit their needs, allowing them the opportunity to select the right product to help them with grooming, instead of trying to use the wrong product ineffectively.  Personal grooming that's easy to do tends to be kept up.  If trimming nose hairs takes only 30 seconds, they'll be more likely to keep up with it if they're provided with the right tools (and for nose hair trimming, I can tell you that's not scissors...)

Mangroomer sent several products to try, including their Private Body Shaver,  Do-It-Yourself Electric Back Shaver, and Essential Nose and Ear Hair Trimmer.

I'll be perfectly honest.  I'd never heard the term "manscaping" before I accepted these products for review.  I asked a few close friends/relatives about this and boy was I surprised at how many people admitted that they would actually use a personal shaver or do currently.

The Mangroomer Private Body Shaver offers a 5 setting adjustable length comb to aid in grooming hair to the desired length.  It's rechargeable and can be used wet or dry, depending upon preference.  The combined trimmer/foil blade is designed to cut both short and long body hair, offering the versatility to use the personal shaver on multiple body areas, which might include the chest, shoulders, arms, legs, private areas, and underarms. 

Approximate retail price for Mangroomer's Private Body Shaver:  $39.99

Mangroomer's Do-It-Yourself Electric Back Shaver is a versatile grooming tool, meant for men who want to have a hair-free back, but may not have someone to help them with that aspect of grooming.  The DIY shaver opens 135 degrees, offering the flexibility needed to reach those impossible to reach places.  

 

The handle is extendable too, locking at different lengths, to help reach the middle of your back and lower.   It even folds in half, making it a space saver when stored.  It's rechargeable, which allows you to use it without a pesky cord getting in the way.

Approximate retail price for Mangroomer's Professional Do-It-Yourself Electric Back Hair Shaver:  $49.99

A hairy back can be hidden away, but unsightly nose and ear hair?  Those can't be.  Mangroomer's Essential Nose and Ear Hair Trimmer makes grooming those areas a breeze.  The cylindrical design fits easily into your hand and the unit itself runs on a AA battery (not included).  It can be used wet or dry and rinses clean with water.

The picture shows the trimmer in my own hand, illustrating that it's small enough to be discreet and yet large enough to feel comfortable in your hand during use.   The trimmer also comes with a cap to protect the cutting blade when not in use.  Affordably priced, the nose/ear hair trimmer makes a nice gift or stocking stuffer for the man in your life.

Approximate retail price for Mangroomer's Nose Hand Ear Hair Trimmer:  $14.99

Buy it!

Mangroomer personal grooming products are available at a variety of retailers, including Walgreens, Walmart, Target, Amazon.com and Bed Bath and Beyond, making them readily available for purchase just in time for the holiday gift giving season.

Win it!  Mangroomer has generously offered a Private Body Shaver as a giveaway prize for a Making Ends Meet reader.  Just follow the instructions below and enter to win!

This giveaway will run through November 17, 2011 at 11:59 PM Eastern time.  The winner shall be chosen via Random.org on or about November 18, 2011.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond to an email from me asking for shipping information.  If winner does not respond within that time frame, I must choose a different winner.  Therefore, it is imperative that you ensure that you leave your email address a comment (preferably the mandatory comment) or ensure that your Blogger profile has your email visible to me.  Giveaway is open to US residents, 18 years and older. 

Mandatory entry:  Visit Mangroomer and take a look around.  Which product do they offer that you'd give as a gift?

Extra entries:   Each action is an entry, so be sure to leave a comment for each separate item below.  Remember, if you've already friended/followed, just let me know in a comment.  Pinching Abe appreciates all her followers whether new or old!

• Like Mangroomer on Facebook

• Like Making Ends Meet on Facebook

• Follow me on Twitter

• Follow Mangroomer Twitter 

• Follow Blog POP! on Facebook

• Follow the Blog Pop! blogs (right side bar) --- Each blog you follow on GFC is worth an entry!  Maximize your entries by following them all.   

• Subscribe via email (right side bar)

• Tweet this giveaway out and/or share it with your friends on Facebook.  Sharing tools are below.  You can share one time per day; just be sure to leave a separate comment for each day you share.

• Be my Google Friend  (right side bar)

Disclosure: Mangroomer provided me with products for review purposes at no cost to me.  The opinions expressed are 100% my own or are derived from my family's comments.  My thanks to Mangroomer for sponsoring a giveaway of a personal body shaver.

Blog POP!, nor the blog hosting is responsible for lost, unclaimed, or undelivered prizes. The hosting blog will do everything possible to ensure the prize is transferred and received in a timely manner.

As required by the FTC: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I received product samples to facilitate my post. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

{Christmas Wishes} Day 4 Wrap Up: Giveaway linky post

It's the final day of our event, but no worries! These contests will continue on after our event closes today. I hope you found lots of new-to-you products and found many giveaways to enter. A huge thanks to all of our sponsors who made our event a success.

{Christmas Wishes} EatSmart's Precision Voyager Luggage Scale Review and Giveaway #BPCW

Are you a frequent traveler or have someone on your gift list that is? It's so important these days to anyone who flies to ensure that they are under any weight limits set by airlines to avoid extra fees. Trying to get an accurate read on the weight of your luggage is hard using a standard bathroom scale. The EatSmart Precision Voyager Luggage Scale allows you an easy way to check your suitcase's weight and it's small enough you can pack it in to take with you if you have a habit of shopping too much at your destination. That way, you can check your weight on the way back too!  The max weight capacity is 110 pounds, more than enough to cover a piece of luggage that you might take on a trip.

Here's some photos of me testing out the Eat Smart Precision Voyager Luggage Scale.  Be sure to have no weight on it at first so that you have a 0.0 reading.  Then lift your bag and see how much it weighs.  My bag that I packed to go with me to my mom's weighed 13.2 pounds.  It felt heavier that that, so it was good to know it's accurate weight.

Here's a close up of the luggage scale.  How you use is you buckle the strap after you've run it through the handle of your luggage.  It's a secure snap (not unlike buckling a baby into a car seat) and then you're ready to have it zero out and then lift.

Buy it! EatSmart's Precision Voyager Luggage Scale is available at Amazon.com for less than $50.  As of the date of this review, it is listed at just under $20.

Win it!  One lucky Making Ends Meet reader will win a Precision Voyager Luggage Scale of their very own. 

This giveaway will run through November 16, 2011 at 11:59 PM Eastern time.  The winner shall be chosen via Random.org on or about November 17, 2011.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond to an email from me asking for shipping information.  If winner does not respond within that time frame, I must choose a different winner.  Therefore, it is imperative that you ensure that you leave your email address a comment (preferably the mandatory comment) or ensure that your Blogger profile has your email visible to me.  Giveaway is open to US residents, 18 years and older. 


Mandatory entry:  Leave a comment telling me something you learned about EatSmart's Precision Luggage Scale that I didn't mention here.

Extra entries:   Each action is an entry, so be sure to leave a comment for each separate item below.  Remember, if you've already friended/followed, just let me know in a comment.  Pinching Abe appreciates all her followers whether new or old!

• Like EatSmart Products on Facebook (link: http://www.facebook.com/EatSmartProducts)

• Leave a comment on EatSmart's Facebook wall to let them know if you've ever paid overweight charges for your luggage

• Follow @EatSmartScales on Twitter (link: http://www.twitter.com/eatsmartscales)

• Visit EatSmart's site (www.eatsmartproducts.com) and sign up for their newsletter

• Like Making Ends Meet on Facebook 

• Follow me on Twitter

• Follow Blog POP! on Facebook

• Follow the Blog Pop! blogs (right side bar) --- Each blog you follow on GFC is worth an entry!  Maximize your entries by following them all.   

• Subscribe via email (right side bar)

• Tweet this giveaway out and/or share it with your friends on Facebook.  Sharing tools are below.  You can tweet (or retweet)/share one time per day; just be sure to leave a separate comment for each day you share and leave me a link to your share/tweet if possible.

• Be my Google Friend  (right side bar)

Disclosure:  EatSmart provided me with their precision luggage scale for review purposes at no cost to me.  The opinions expressed are 100% my own.  My thanks to EatSmart for allowing me the opportunity to try their new luggage scale.

Blog POP!, nor the blog hosting is responsible for lost, unclaimed, or undelivered prizes. The hosting blog will do everything possible to ensure the prize is transferred and received in a timely manner.

As required by the FTC: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I received product samples to facilitate my post. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

{Christmas Wishes} Green Field Paper Company introduction, review, & giveaway #BPOPCW

As I grow older and wiser, I find myself seeking out products that are green and eco-friendly, or those that have found a way to reuse something to make a whole new product.  Green Field Paper Company has been creating eco-friendly papers since the year I graduated high school... 1992.  Trust me, that's a long time!  I love that they were green long before I even thought about the impact I was having on the environment.  Something I was encouraged to read while researching this company was that they made a commitment to offset 100% of their electricity use (company-wide) by purchasing wind energy credits.  So making green and eco-friendly products isn't just something they do.  The company tries to live a green lifestyle too!  They even offer a 100% Junk Mail Collection.

I was fortunate to receive a holiday card to review, as well as some gift tags.  Here, take a peek at the card I selected for review, along with the gift tags....

The card I received was Chia Card Holiday Owl.  The owl was cute, with a Santa hat on his head, sitting on a branch adorned with Christmas bulbs.  The card is made with handmade Chia paper (white) using a soy-based ink.  The inside was blank and I was able to pen my own personal greetings to the friend I mailed the card to.  I know what you're thinking... it's kind of early for Christmas greetings, isn't it?  Well, that was something that crossed my mind, honestly.  However, you don't mail Christmas cards to yourself and I was interested to find out what my friend's (the greenest person I know) reaction would be.   Aside from confusing her husband when he got the mail, she thought they were a little plain.  She likes to see something a bit more colorful.  She will be planting to see if any sprouts come up, though she was a bit confused by what "fine soil" meant. 

Green Field Paper Company's 'Grow-A-Note' gift tag collection

As for me, I liked the plain design that she didn't.  I sometimes love the front of a card and am turned off by the greetings listed inside.  I much prefer to write my own and appreciate that the card I received was blank inside so that I could write my own greetings.  Since I don't communicate much with a lot of people on my Christmas card list, I sometimes use the cards as a year-end round up of the events of our household.

The Grow-A-Note gift tags featured holiday scenes and were also made with Chia seeds.  They came with twine ties for each gift tag.     

Buy It!  The Chia Card Holiday Owl card sells for $3.50 individually, $13.95 for a 4 card boxed set, $16.95 for a 5 card boxed set, and they also offer packages for those customers wishing to buy in larger quantities.  The Grow-A-Note gift tags retail for $7.95.

Win It!  Green Field Paper Company has graciously offered a giveaway prize of a 4 card boxed set, as well as the Grow-a-Note gift tags (ARV for these items is approx $22).

This giveaway will run through November 16, 2011 at 11:59 PM Eastern time.  The winner shall be chosen via Random.org on or about November 17, 2011.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond to an email from me asking for shipping information.  If winner does not respond within that time frame, I must choose a different winner.  Therefore, it is imperative that you ensure that you leave your email address a comment (preferably the mandatory comment) or ensure that your Blogger profile has your email visible to me.  Giveaway is open to US residents, 18 years and older. 


Mandatory entry:  Leave a comment telling me which Christmas card, holiday card, or gift tag design that you liked best.  If Christmas isn't your thing, please let me know what other product they offer caught your eye.  You can go here to start browsing.  Don't forget to come back though to leave your comment!

Extra entries:   Each action is an entry, so be sure to leave a comment for each separate item below.  Remember, if you've already friended/followed, just let me know in a comment.  Pinching Abe appreciates all her followers whether new or old!

• Visit Green Field Paper Company's 'About Us' page and tell me something you learned there!

• Like Making Ends Meet on Facebook  

• Like Green Field Paper Company on Facebook

• Follow Green Field Paper Company on Twitter

• Follow me on Twitter

• Like Blog POP! on Facebook

• Follow the Blog Pop! blogs (right side bar) --- Each blog you follow on GFC is worth an entry!  Maximize your entries by following them all.   

• Subscribe via email (right side bar)

• Tweet this giveaway out and/or share it with your friends on Facebook.  Sharing tools are below.  You can share one time per day; just be sure to leave a separate comment for each day you share.

• Be my Google Friend  (right side bar)

Disclosure: Green Field Paper Company provided me with products to review at no cost to me.  Though the items were free, the opinions I express are my own or are related to comments made by my friend, to whom I mailed the Christmas card. 

Blog POP!, nor the blog hosting is responsible for lost, unclaimed, or undelivered prizes. The hosting blog will do everything possible to ensure the prize is transferred and received in a timely manner.

As required by the FTC: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I received product samples to facilitate my post. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

{Christmas Wishes} Day 3 Wrap Up: Giveaway linky post

There's lots of great items on the giveaway linky today!  Hope you can find some contests you may have missed!

{Christmas Wishes} $15 Starbucks Gift Card giveaway #BPOPCW

 

Today's Pinching Abe sponsored giveaway will be a $15 Starbucks gift card.  You might find this very odd since I don't even drink coffee.  It's a shock to a lot of people; I just never developed a taste for it.  I do love the smell of fresh brewed coffee though.  And one time I bought my husband an expensive, special blend and hid it in my car before Christmas one year.  Let's just say the cat was let out of the bag when he got in my car and was greeted with a splendorific scent!  He knew right away that there was coffee in the car and he knew it wasn't for me.  So if you buy someone a coffee gift this year, be sure to hide it well such that they won't smell the gift before you get it wrapped and under the tree!  

Today's caffeine inspired gift card giveaway is for those shoppers who might just need a little kick of caffeine to get that last bit of shopping done, or for those who simply enjoy the holiday brews they can't get any other time of the year.  Now, on to the giveaway!  

This giveaway will run through November 15, 2011 at 11:59 PM Eastern time.  The winner shall be chosen via Random.org on or about November 16, 2011.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond to an email from me asking for shipping information.  If winner does not respond within that time frame, I must choose a different winner.  Therefore, it is imperative that you ensure that you leave your email address a comment (preferably the mandatory comment) or ensure that your Blogger profile has your email visible to me.  Giveaway is open to US residents, 18 years and older. 


Mandatory entry:  Leave a comment telling me what your favorite Starbucks brew is or which store you plan to shop at has a Starbucks in it so that you're never too far from a great tasting cup of caffeine!

Extra entries:   Each action is an entry, so be sure to leave a comment for each separate item below.  Note:  One entry option is worth two entries (leave two comments for that entry).  Remember, if you've already friended/followed, just let me know in a comment.  Pinching Abe appreciates all her followers whether new or old!

• Follow Making Ends Meet on GFC (right side bar)
  

• Follow Turning the Clock Back on GFC

• Follow Dad of Divas on GFC

• Follow My Life With Rats and More on GFC

• Follow Quick Tattletails on GFC

• Follow Confessions of an Overworked Mom on GFC

• Follow Still Blonde After All These Years on GFC

• Follow Momma Told Me on GFC

• Follow Socialite's Closet on GFC

• Tweet this giveaway out and/or share it with your friends on Facebook.  Sharing tools are below.  You can share one time per day; just be sure to leave a separate comment for each day you share.

• Like Blog POP on Facebook -- Get two entries for this action.  Just leave two separate comments for this entry.

Disclosure: The Starbucks gift card being given away is sponsored by me, Pinching Abe.  Have fun and be sure to take advantage of the extra entries and daily shares/tweets to get the maximum entries that you can. 

Blog POP!, nor the blog hosting is responsible for lost, unclaimed, or undelivered prizes. The hosting blog will do everything possible to ensure the prize is transferred and received in a timely manner.

As required by the FTC: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I received product samples to facilitate my post. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

{Christmas Wishes} Day 2 Wrap Up: Giveaway linky post

We're half way through the event now and I hope you've all found some giveaways to enter.   We still have two more days to go and keep checking the giveaway link as it will be updated periodically as we all have posts go live.

{Christmas Wishes} $15 iTunes Gift Card Giveaway #BPOPCW

Blog Pop's Christmas Wishes is now well underway! Today's giveaway sponsored by lil ole me is a $15 iTunes gift card.  Why iTunes?  Because Christmas shopping means Christmas music everywhere.  I love Christmas, but hearing the same songs all day everywhere can wear out long before the joyous day arrives.  I think many shoppers would pick up an iTunes gift card as a gift, but in reality, we can all use new tunes to help put us in a happy place as we rush from store to store finding those perfect gifts.  Having your own tunes can make shopping for gifts a much more enjoyable experience.  Don't you just hate it when you're singing along and all the sudden the song gets interrupted with something like, "Be sure to check out our vast assortment of poinsettia plants back in the lawn and garden department and over in the bakery, we have...."  You get the idea!  I would rather be in my own world than have interruptions like that.  So... on with the giveaway!

This giveaway will run through November 14, 2011 at 11:59 PM Eastern time.  The winner shall be chosen via Random.org on or about November 15, 2011.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond to an email from me asking for shipping information.  If winner does not respond within that time frame, I must choose a different winner.  Therefore, it is imperative that you ensure that you leave your email address a comment (preferably the mandatory comment) or ensure that your Blogger profile has your email visible to me.  Giveaway is open to US residents, 18 years and older. 


Mandatory entry:  Leave a comment telling me what song you'd rock out to while Christmas shopping?  Do you like easy listening for shopping zen or is Christmas shopping so stressful you need to relive the headbanging of your youth with some hard, heavy metal?  Leave me a comment letting me know!

Extra entries:   Each action is an entry, so be sure to leave a comment for each separate item below.  Remember, if you've already friended/followed, just let me know in a comment.  Pinching Abe appreciates all her followers whether new or old!

• Follow Making Ends Meet on Twitter 
  

• Follow Turning the Clock Back on Twitter

• Follow Dad of Divas on Twitter

• Follow My Life With Rats and More on Twitter

• Follow Quick Tattletails on Twitter

• Follow Confessions of an Overworked Mom on Twitter

• Follow Still Blonde After All These Years on Twitter

• Follow Momma Told Me on Twitter

• Tweet this giveaway out and/or share it with your friends on Facebook.  Sharing tools are below.  You can share one time per day; just be sure to leave a separate comment for each day you share.

• Be my Google Friend  (right side bar)

Disclosure: The iTunes gift card being given away is sponsored by me, Pinching Abe.  Have fun and be sure to take advantage of the extra entries and daily shares/tweets to get the maximum entries that you can.  

Blog POP!, nor the blog hosting is responsible for lost, unclaimed, or undelivered prizes. The hosting blog will do everything possible to ensure the prize is transferred and received in a timely manner.

As required by the FTC: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I received product samples to facilitate my post. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

{Christmas Wishes} Exergen Temporal Thermometer (TAT-2000C TemporalScanner)Review/Giveaway#BPOPCW

 
I hate it when my kids are sick.  You do what you can, but those germs still find a way to infect your little ones, causing coughing, sniffling, and general crankiness.  My kids are older, with my youngest being a first grader, and it was for that reason that I hesitated to give the Exergen TemporalScanner (TAT-2000C) a try.  I thought an Exergen thermometer is only for babies or those with small toddler-sized children.  But in reality, I was missing out on one of the best things a parent can have in their medicine cupboard.

With oral thermometers, my kids have been known to chew on them.  I recently had to toss one out because the end was half chewed off.  Seriously!  That and I never could tell if they had it in their mouth in the right place (beneath the tongue) or whether the temp was correct since they could have just eaten or drank something.  In addition to that, getting a first grader to keep their mouth closed can be a challenge too.  Far more of a challenge for a gabby 10 year old too!  The Exergen Temporal Thermometer takes a child's temperature fast and accurately and there's nothing involved other than a quick swipe of their forehead.  This is great for parents who are used to trying to disrobe their sleeping kid enough to get an axillary temp since there's no way their snoozing kid would be able to sleep through an oral thermometer going in their mouth.

My little snuggle muffin looks a little flushed... so I took his temp while he was sleeping.

Sorry that first pic is a little fuzzy.  The room was dark and the flash on my camera didn't take a clear pic.  Since the Exergen Temporal Thermometer takes continual measurements and reports back the highest one, it will also report back the ambient temp if you hold the button down without it touching a child's forehead.  So my son's room was 72.2 degrees and he (picture on right) was just rosy cheeked at a temporal temperature of 97.6 degrees.  He did wake up slightly, but then he just rolled over and snuggled in for the night.  I had a temperature reading the moment I was done swiping his forehead, beginning at the center of his forehead and then drawing the thermometer across his forehead to the hairline.  Move all hair out of the way first though.  There was no minute long wait like I would have with a typical oral thermometer and I was creeping back out of his room in no time flat.

The one thing I would mention that's truly important is to read the care and use instructions.  You may be accustomed to the 98.6 gold standard for temperatures.  However, a normal temporal artery temperature can run over 100 degrees and still be normal.  Know this going in so that you don't mistake a 100 degree reading as a fever.  Also, the cap cover is not to be left on when you're taking a temperature.  You should keep the cap, however, because it protects the sensor.  Another thing to note is that if you're going to store the thermometer long term, take the battery out to protect the inside components. 

My big takeaway from this review is that the Exergen Temporal Thermometer gave super quick and accurate readings and that my kids really weren't "too big" for it to be useful in our home.  With cough and cold season soon upon us, I'm sure we'll all be putting it to good use.  Another thing that I really liked about it was the size.  I don't think I'll be losing this thermometer down a couch cushion.

Buy it (plus a rebate)!   You can buy an Exergen TemporalScanner (Model TAT-2000C) just like I received for review at a wide variety of retailers for approximately $50.  Look for it at Walgreens, Walmart, BRU, TRU, Costco, Rite Aid, BJs and more.  There's a rebate offer out currently too. Receive $5 back for purchasing one before 12/31/2011.


Win it!  Exergen is graciously providing one of my readers with an Exergen TemporalScanner of their own.  Just follow the instructions below and enter to win!

This giveaway will run through November 14, 2011 at 11:59 PM Eastern time.  The winner shall be chosen via Random.org on or about November 15, 2011.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond to an email from me asking for shipping information.  If winner does not respond within that time frame, I must choose a different winner.  Therefore, it is imperative that you ensure that you leave your email address a comment (preferably the mandatory comment) or ensure that your Blogger profile has your email visible to me.  Giveaway is open to US residents, 18 years and older. 


Mandatory entry:  Leave a comment telling me something you learned about the Exergen TAT-2000C temporal artery thermometer from the info provided at the Exergen site.

Extra entries:   Each action is an entry, so be sure to leave a comment for each separate item below.  Remember, if you've already friended/followed, just let me know in a comment.  Pinching Abe appreciates all her followers whether new or old!

• Like Exergen on Facebook

• Like Making Ends Meet on Facebook

• Follow me on Twitter

• Follow Exergen on Twitter 

• Follow Blog POP! on Facebook

• Follow the Blog Pop! blogs (right side bar) --- Each blog you follow on GFC is worth an entry!  Maximize your entries by following them all.   

• Subscribe via email (right side bar)

• Tweet this giveaway out and/or share it with your friends on Facebook.  Sharing tools are below.  You can share one time per day; just be sure to leave a separate comment for each day you share.

• Be my Google Friend  (right side bar)

Disclosure: Exergen provided me with an Exergen TAT-2000C for review purposes at no cost to me.  The opinions expressed are 100% my own.  My thanks to Exergen for allowing me the opportunity to try their temporal artery thermometer.  

Blog POP!, nor the blog hosting is responsible for lost, unclaimed, or undelivered prizes. The hosting blog will do everything possible to ensure the prize is transferred and received in a timely manner.

As required by the FTC: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I received product samples to facilitate my post. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

{Christmas Wishes} Day 1 Wrap Up: Giveaway linky post

Hope you are all having fun checking out all the giveaways up so far across the Blog POP blogs!  Here's the linky that has them all. More will be added as the event progresses.

{Christmas Wishes} Diamond Candle Review and a chance to win!

Diamond Candles is a relatively new company, having been launched in early 2011.  However, they're already high on lots of Christmas lists! Why? Because in addition to being a long-burning soy-based candle, the folks at Diamond Candles put a ring worth $10, $100, $1000, or $5,000 inside every candle.  It's like a grown up version of a Cracker Jacks!  Who doesn't love a surprise inside?  I know I do!  I recently received Diamond Candles' Vanilla Cream to try out and I'm going to share my review via some pictures that I took.

These are pictures of Diamond Candles' Vanilla Cream.  First off, I want to tell you that it arrived very well wrapped.  I'm talking rolled up in a lot of paper and then lots of bubble wrap wrapped around the candle and then some more air cushions in the box.  You never know how well the UPS man is going to treat your packages, but in this case, I was really glad to see all of the extra precautions that were taken to ensure that the Vanilla Cream candle would arrive intact.  Isn't it lovely?  I wish you could smell it because it smells just like vanilla frosting to me.  I swear, I wanted to lick the candle (but didn't!)  I smelled the candle and envisioned me licking vanilla frosting off from cupcakes.  See that gold foil?  That's where the ring is.  It will take a bit to burn down the candle to reach it.

Here's a picture of the Vanilla Cream candle after it burned for about two hours.  Not quite there just yet.  But it's really close.  "I think I could fish out the ring packet attached to the side" is what was going through my head.  Really, I was planning to let the candle burn down a lot further, but I just couldn't help myself.  I wanted to see what I got considering I've been watching Diamond Candles Facebook page for ring reveals for days!

I wanted the ring so badly that I found a medical clamp that my hubby got way back in college that he used with wiring for his classwork.  He never uses it anyway, so if it gets covered in a little wax.... he'll never know!  I fished out the ring packet very carefully.  Caution here:  I recommend blowing out the candle before going after the ring. 

 

And Voila!  Out it came.  If I'd been a little more patient, it wouldn't be covered in so much of the luxurious smelling soy wax.  But, I've always been a peeker, particularly when it comes to presents.

Ta Da!  Isn't it beautiful?  Is it real?  I would say no.  But it is very eye catching and fits on my middle finger.  It's got a silvery metallic coating on the shank and a rather large fake diamond in the middle.  It's too perfect to be real.  But it is so gorgeous.

What did I think of Diamond Candles and my ring in every jar experience?  I loved it.  I actually ordered a Pumpkin Chai for my older sister so that her home will smell pumpkin sweet for the holidays.  She can't wait for her own ring reveal and neither can I.

{Christmas Wishes} Shutterfly Christmas Cards - Enter to win 1 of 3 codes! #BPOPCW

With Halloween a distant memory, the holidays come to mind.  November is when I start my Christmas shopping in earnest and it's also when I start to think about things like who should host Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner.  By Thanksgiving, I like to have my Christmas cards in hand (or at least on the way) because I am a notorious procrastinator.  It's the one time of year that I receive greetings from extended family and it's a chance for me to show my friends and family how much my family has grown in the past year by sending a photo Christmas card.

Thanks to Shutterfly, three readers will win a one-time use code good on the purchase of 25 cards of their choice.  The code does not cover shipping, however, but for a point of reference, the cards that I ordered last year from Shutterfly cost me $8.14 for shipping, handling, and tax.

Giveaway!

This giveaway will run through November 13, 2011 at 11:59 PM Eastern time.  The winner shall be chosen via Random.org on or about November 14, 2011.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond to an email from me asking for shipping information.  If winner does not respond within that time frame, I must choose a different winner.  Therefore, it is imperative that you ensure that you leave your email address a comment (preferably the mandatory comment) or ensure that your Blogger profile has your email visible to me.  Giveaway is open to US residents, 18 years and older. 


Mandatory entry:  Leave a comment telling me which Christmas card, holiday card, Hanukkah.... design that you liked best.  You can go here to select the type of card you're looking for. Don't get too distracted... be sure to come back and leave that comment to get your entry!

Extra entries:   Each action is an entry, so be sure to leave a comment for each separate item below.  Remember, if you've already friended/followed, just let me know in a comment.  Pinching Abe appreciates all her followers whether new or old!

• Like Making Ends Meet on Facebook

• Follow me on Twitter

• Like Blog POP! on Facebook

• Follow the Blog Pop! blogs (right side bar) --- Each blog you follow on GFC is worth an entry!  Maximize your entries by following them all.   

• Subscribe via email (right side bar)

• Like Shutterfly on Facebook

• Tweet this giveaway out and/or share it with your friends on Facebook.  Sharing tools are below.  You can share one time per day; just be sure to leave a separate comment for each day you share.

• Be my Google Friend  (right side bar)

Disclosure: Shutterfly is providing me with three one-time use codes good for 25 free cards at Shutterfly.  Shipping is not included, nor is tax.  Shutterfly did provide me with free cards for sharing information about their holiday cards with readers.

Blog POP!, nor the blog hosting is responsible for lost, unclaimed, or undelivered prizes. The hosting blog will do everything possible to ensure the prize is transferred and received in a timely manner.

As required by the FTC: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I received product samples to facilitate my post. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

{Christmas Wishes} $20 Amazon.com gift code giveaway #BPOPCW

Blog Pop's Christmas Wishes event has begun!  I don't know about you, but Christmas shopping at my house usually means surfing Amazon.com and finding gifts.  I have a Prime membership, which is totally worth the cost, even more so now that Prime members can stream for free.  I often use Amazon.com to purchase gifts and have them shipped directly to the recipients to save on shipping costs. Then, of course, there's the toys that I find there that I need for my own children.  I live so far from real shopping that it is nice to have an affordable site to shop from home.

Do you love Amazon as much as me?  I know you do!  Enter to win an Amazon.com code worth $20 sponsored by little ole me.  Follow the directions below and enter often!  There's a daily entry option and lots of other extra entries that you can take advantage of to get extra entries.


This giveaway will run through November 13, 2011 at 11:59 PM Eastern time.  The winner shall be chosen via Random.org on or about November 14, 2011.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond to an email from me asking for shipping information.  If winner does not respond within that time frame, I must choose a different winner.  Therefore, it is imperative that you ensure that you leave your email address a comment (preferably the mandatory comment) or ensure that your Blogger profile has your email visible to me.  Giveaway is open to US residents, 18 years and older. 


Mandatory entry:  Leave a comment telling me what you'd buy at Amazon.com if you won!  Are you eying some toys for your kids or a book for your hubby?  Let me know something you'd buy at Amazon.

Extra entries:   Each action is an entry, so be sure to leave a comment for each separate item below.  Remember, if you've already friended/followed, just let me know in a comment.  Pinching Abe appreciates all her followers whether new or old!

• Like Making Ends Meet on Facebook  

• Like Turning the Clock Back on Facebook

• Like Dad of Divas on Facebook

• Like My Life With Rats and More on Facebook

• Like Quick Tattletails on Facebook

• Like Confessions of an Overworked Mom on Facebook

• Like Still Blonde After All These Years on Facebook

• Like Momma Told Me on Facebook  

• Like Blog POP on Facebook

• Tweet this giveaway out and/or share it with your friends on Facebook.  Sharing tools are below.  You can share one time per day; just be sure to leave a separate comment for each day you share.

• Be my Google Friend  (right side bar)

Disclosure: The Amazon code being given away is sponsored by me, Pinching Abe.  Have fun and be sure to take advantage of the extra entries and daily shares/tweets to get the maximum entries that you can.  

Blog POP!, nor the blog hosting is responsible for lost, unclaimed, or undelivered prizes. The hosting blog will do everything possible to ensure the prize is transferred and received in a timely manner.

As required by the FTC: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I received product samples to facilitate my post. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

{Christmas Wishes} Shopping online? Check for the best rebate program first!

Shopping online is something that's becoming far more common these days.  Cyber Monday deals are gaining shoppers and there's even Black Friday deals available that let you avoid the horde at the mall.  But before you get caught up in the thrill of the hunt for a deal, make sure you're getting the best deal you can by checking for a retailer relationship with a rewards program that offers rebates back to you in the form of cash back!

Discover

Now, you know that I am a loyal Discover card customer and that while Amazon hasn't partnered with rebate sites (sigh!), they have partnered with Discover so that you can use any accrued cash back bonus to pay for items on the Amazon site. If there's anything above and beyond your available Discover cash back bonus, you can put it on your Discover card (which, of course, earns you a little cash back bonus.)  You should check the Discover ShopDiscover retailer list often for a retailer relationship. Most retailers offer 5% back, but there are others that offer more. 

Ebates



Ebates is another rewards program that I use. When I can't get the best cash back amount back at ShopDiscover, I head to Ebates to check their reward rate. Joining is easy and can be done in just a few moments and will give you access to their list of retailer relationships so that you can plot your online shopping to get the most bang for your buck. If you're interested, this is my referral link. One nice aspect about Ebates is that they do list coupon codes that are available to use.  So besides earning cash back for purchases, they help you save more by providing you with coupon codes to use at checkout.  ShopDiscover retailers don't offer less than 5% cash back, but retailers at Ebates do.  This is why you need to check both sites to get the best deal.


MyPoints

Because the holidays are upon us now, MyPoints generally will offer more points for some retailers.  With MyPoints, however, you need to be able to do some math to determine if shopping online through their site will get you the best reward.  Since they reward in points, which are traded in for gift cards of differing denominations, it is important to know what type of reward you would want to be able to effectively calculate what your purchase is truly valued at.  For instance, shopping through their site at Kohl's will net you 2 points per dollar.  If you spend $50, that's 100 points.  If you typically redeem for Amazon.com certificates and it costs 3,950 points for a $25 code, that means that 158 points = $1 of that Amazon.com certificate.  A 100 point purchase means you've earned less than a buck, in reality.  Now, shopping through Ebates gets you 4% cash back, which on that same $50 purchase equals $2.  Shopping at ShopDiscover gets you even more at 5% cash back, so $2.50.  So for me, I would be better off shopping through Discover's site.

A quick note about MyPoints:  You can earn points for activities outside of shopping, which include printing coupons and redeeming them, surveys via email, clicking on opportunities via email (usually 5 points per if they offer), BzzAgent's tie in (get MyPoints for campaign activities), and more.  If you are close to a reward, it may be best to lose a little and get the points because that while it is important to get the best reward amount possible, there is the danger of having too many sites building rewards and spreading them out so thinly that it takes forever to accrue enough to cash in.  So my advice is to find a few rewards programs that fit you and your shopping habits and stick with them so that your rewards build faster and more consistently.

Blog POP's 'Christmas Wishes' event is just two weeks away! #BPOPCW

The weather is getting a bit nippier and holiday shopping is now on my mind a lot more!  Gear up for Blog POP's Christmas Wishes event, set for November 3-6 where member blogs will be featuring items that would be great for gift giving.

Take a moment and become Google friends with my fellow Blog POP bloggers because I'll be offering extra entries in my contests for being their Google friend.  Click their buttons below to be taken to their site and like them now to save time later!

Seeking sponsors for Blog POP!'s 'Christmas Wishes' event (Nov 3, 4, 5, and 6)

Isn't that elf just cute as a button?  This new blog button means that we're ramping up to secure sponsors for Blog POP!'s next event, 'Christmas Wishes'.   If you have a product that you think would be a great fit and perfect to feature here at Making Ends Meet, please contact me at iclipcoupons@gmail.com.  I'd love to discuss a review and giveaway opportunity with you, providing an awesome amount of product exposure due to our event, just in time for the Christmas shopping season. 

We are trying to focus on luxury items and for me, I'd love to feature luxury type items that most people can afford.  This could mean a fluffy new robe and slippers, sheets that are as soft as silk, yummy (and please, gluten free) chocolates and candies, unique gift baskets or ???  Please use your imagination, sponsors.  I'd love to hear from you soon to hash out details.