Giveaways ending soon! iPad 2, Plastic Jungle Gift Card, 39 Dollar Glasses up to $500 value all ending soon.

Here are some links to some blog contests ending soon.  Don't miss out on getting your entries in on these awesome prizes.  Just click these links to be taken to the posts with the contests.

Ending 8/18

$150 CafePress Gift Code

$96 Photo Package from Fracture

$250 Gift Card from Plastic Jungle

iPad 2 from Moby

Up to $500 (glasses for your family) from 39 Dollar Glasses

School Rules Giveaway linky - enter these contests before they close!

Blog POP!'s School Rules event ended last weekend, but there are lots of giveaways going strong!  Take a look at the giveaway linky below and enter those contests that you'd love to win.  The iPad 2, Plastic Jungle, BistroMD, and other great group giveaways still have time to enter.  Don't miss out - it only takes one lucky entry to win.

Blog Pop! School Rules Wrap up post: List of Group contests not to be missed

It was a busy four days, and I wanted to take a moment and showcase the awesome group giveaways that we have going on right now from our Blog POP! School Rules event.

$250 Gift Card from Plastic Jungle

$100 ARV Think Fun prize pack


Fracture photo package (approx ARV of $96)

Moby iPad2 giveaway

39 Dollar Glasses - glasses for each member of your family (up to $500)

$150 Gift Code to CafePress

Legacy Learning prize pack

One week of BistroMD gourmet meals

Please stop by to enter some great giveaways.  I wish I could enter these, but I can't!  I totally want an iPad.  Be sure to read the rules so you can maximize your entries to increase your chances of winning.

For a list of all the giveaways, see giveaway linky below.

(Giveaway closed) Introduction to Fracture, my review, plus Blog Pop! Group Giveaway {School Rules}

Have you heard about Fracture?  It's a company that I was recently introduced to that enables you to make your photos even more unique than you thought possible.  What is it?  It is a picture and frame all in made of printed glass.  It mounts directly to your wall without any extra mounting kits (and a screw was even included in the packaging!).

Here's the Fracture that I had made at Fractureme.com.

 

The flash on the camera made the left side look a little weird, but trust me, it's as flat as a pancake in real life.  This photo was taken at Easter when my kids were in a hugging mood.  It's hard to get the two squabbling siblings together looking happy and in nice clothes, so I thought it was a perfect candidate for uploading at Fractureme.com.  I was able to select the border from many templates (including none), and from there, I selected the size that I wanted to receive.  This is a 12-inch frame.  For best results, upload a higher resolution picture.  They accept up to 10 MB for images, so no need to shrink your photos to get under a certain amount of MB for upload.  Commemorate your child's first day of school with Fracture.  Parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles would all appreciate such a unique gift too (think Christmas!)

CafePress Review and $150 Cafe Press Gift Card Group Giveaway {School Rules}

You may remember CafePress from our last event, Spring Fling.  Back then, I had the opportunity to review some really awesome gift items.  My sister loved the "I Do" box for wedding mementos!  This time, CafePress is back to lend its sponsorship to Blog Pop's School Rules event and I am pleased to feature two t-shirts that are cool for school!

Is your son or daughter a dino lover?  My 6 year old loves dinosaurs and plays with his bucket o' dinosaurs quite often.   I've looked at dinosaur t-shirts before, but most of what I've seen was too dark or scary.  He wouldn't want to wear those at all and I wouldn't want to send him to school in something that might disturb others.  I browsed through CafePress and found two dinosaur t-shirts that would be great for back-to-school.  Take a look at the two organic cotton t-shirts that I selected for my son.

Penny Wise introduction and office supply/back to school giveaway {School Rules}

Whether you're a lawyer, businesswoman, copy editor, publisher, or mother, as a female, you likely struggle to make your presence known. Let's face it, office supplies aren't exactly the most thrilling of topics. So, in a world dominated by boring, unimaginative office products, shouldn't there be a place for the rest of us? A few years back, frustrated Penny Wise owner Kasie Morley envisioned a one stop, catalog based, office supply store targeted towards women. Now, over 25 years later, the company behind Penny Wise office products has been in service Nationwide since 1975. Their modern vision is based on core company values of customer service and value. So, whether you're stocking the kiddos with Fall school supplies, returning to school to grab your own degree, or planning the household office; call 1-800-942-3311 for your FREE Office Products catalog today. Shipping within the US is always free on orders over $45, and the product selection is always growing with new seasonal themes and innovative solutions.

Pennywise has the season's hottest Office Supply staples, such as AVERY's DIY Greeting Cards! Featuring high quality, half fold, printing paper, AVERY's greeting card stock will inspire everything from invitations to custom thank you cards. Purchasing store bought cards can be as pricey as $5 a card! Think of all the money you'll save designing and printing your own cards at home. And card stock isn't just for printing, encourage the kids to hand stamp and paint their own cards for the holidays, or birthday party invites. Pennywise has all of your paper needs covered!

Follow Pennywise Office Products on Facebook here.

Tweet This: Enter to win a $210 Office Supply/ Back To School Bundle at #Blog POP! School Rules! #Giveaway

Pennywise would like to offer one Blog POP! follower a prize pack including; Cardinal Eco-Smart Binder, Avery Greeting Cards, Victor Tuff Calculator, Stiletto Scotch Tape Dispenser, Sharpie Liquid Pencils, Sharpie Gel Highlighters, Sharpie Stainless Steel Marker, Uni Ball Gel 8 Pack, Paper Mate Elite 8 Pack, and Dymo Plug N Play Label Maker!

Introduction to: BistroMD gourmet meal plans, plus giveaway {School Rules}

***This review series was written by Jenna M Wood of Momma Told Me, for Blog POP! All opinions expressed therein are provided voluntarily, and solely hers.

BistroMD is one of the nation's leading gourmet meal plan services, providing a tailored at home delivery program to suit dietary needs, busy professionals, or simply frazzled moms in need of delicious nutrition! Founded and overseen by an actual doctor, Caroline J. Cederquist, all meals are developed in a professional kitchen, by real chefs. BistroMD offers plans from 3 day, to monthly programs, with, or without, snacks- it couldn't be easier to eat healthy, delicious meals that fit your busy lifestyle. Get your free Diet Analysis profile today!

Bistro MD: Presentation and Arrival

By; Jenna M Wood, Momma Told Me

I recently had the amazing opportunity to sample one week of BistroMD (a 5 day meal and snack plan). I want to remind the readers that this service is not meant solely for those on diets or with dietary restrictions. Even those without health issues can still find themselves missing important dietary components due to sheer lack of time for food preparation. Nothing illustrates this better than a busy mother trying to shuttle kids back and forth from practices and recitals during the school year. Her palate and nutrition is often put on the back burner. Or, consider the cost of standard frozen entrees, via the local grocer's freezer; Bistro MD makes a delightfully personal and time saving gift to yourself or that special person in your life. I'd like to think Bistro MD is a wonderful solution for the everyday person who is crunched for time due to work or special occasions and needs a hot, delicious, healthy temporary meal service. The options are endless!

My Bistro MD meal plan arrived in a large cardboard box about 3.5' X 4', and I immediately opened it with excitement. Inside was a long slender box with my dry goods (snacks). Underneath was my meal plan introduction portfolio, Day to Day guide, and product handling information. I had not anticipated the sheer volume 15 frozen entrees would consume in my freezer and spent a little while utilizing my master Tetris skills to fit everything strategically inside. I then read over my individual meal plan multiple times, waiting in anticipation for the following morning.

Introduction to Legacy Learning Systems, plus group giveaway {School Rules}

It's about time to go back to school! Between August 4-7 the 10 bloggers from Blog Pop are working together to bring you some awesome giveaways! So go and check out the following blogs for some other great prizes, and remember to come back here a lot over the next few days to enter for some great prizes! The ten blogs that are a part of the School Rules Event include:

Quick Tattletails	Still Blonde After all These years	The Socialite's Closet	Stash Mama	Momma Told Me
Turning the Clock Back	Making Ends Meet	My Life with Rats and More	Confessions of an Overworked Mom	Dad of Diva

Have you ever thought to yourself, how can I keep learning new things in the privacy of my own home? Have you ever had a goal for yourself to be a better photographer, dancer, or even guitar player? These areas and more are ones that Legacy Learning Systems provides its customers.

About Legacy Learning Systems

In a world of cheap, over-hyped, "Learn This Overnight" instructional videos, Legacy Learning Systems was founded to produce truly comprehensive multimedia training courses for those who want serious instruction in the comfort of their own homes. We believe that learning should be fun, unintimidating and systematic, with each new skill building on the previous one. Our first courses were in music instruction, but other topics related to the arts, hobbies, career, and a variety of special interests are under development.

 
Their Mission: Bringing Personal Dreams Within Reach

Nearly all of us have that one thing we've always wanted to learn. To sing. To dance. To play an instrument. To surf, sail, cook, or speak a foreign language. Whatever it is, we all have something we wish we could do. A personal dream.

As time passes and life gets in the way, that little dream can seem farther and farther out of reach. School is out of the question. Private lessons are pricey and inconvenient. But what if something could make it possible?

That is our mission. To make difficult skills accessible through multimedia self-education courses. To bring personal dreams within reach.

 
What Should You Expect from a Legacy Learning Systems Course?

First, your lessons will be always be laid out in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step progression with everything you need in one place. No need to buy countless training videos from a patchwork of sources.

Second, your Legacy course will take you far beyond the basics of the typical instructional video. We get you started quickly, but your lessons will take you as far along the path to mastery as you choose to go. You won't find a more comprehensive multimedia training course on your topic anywhere!

Perhaps most important, you won't have to learn alone. Our online support community is an integral part of the learning process and is free for all of our students. The very same instructors who wrote your course will be there for you when you have questions or need encouragement. Students who participate in this community are able to discuss their progress, post their successes, and interact with other students as much or as little as they wish. We are not finished when you buy our course. We are finished when you have reached your dream.

Giveaway

Libre Tea mug review and giveaway {School Rules}

My husband is a tea drinker.  He loves to unwind with a night time tea at night after we've tucked the kids into bed.  When we go to the mall, he likes to stop into Teavana and check out the loose leaf teas that they have there, but he especially likes the blooming strawberry tea.  He's the one who took the Libre Tea glass 'n poly for a test drive. 

Aspects about the Libre Tea Glass 'n Poly mug that hubby liked: 

• It stayed cool to the touch, even with boiling water in it.

• It kept the water hot longer, so the tea steeped better.

• The filter didn't let a lot of loose leaves through.

• It's big enough to get a good-sized cup of tea.

• Portability is great and it fits in the car's cup holder.  Pour and steep on the way to work!

• Tea mug is aesthetically pleasing with a glass interior and poly carbonate exterior.

• It cleans easily (we  plan to hand wash)

• It can handle loose leaf or blooming teas.  I liked that I could keep re-infuse the blooming tea in the same mug.

Things he didn't like, but could work around:

• Screen popped out when he dropped it and it was work to get it back in. (So be careful there.)

• He wishes it were microwaveable (at least the base part) to heat the water.  He doesn't have easy access to boiling water at work.

Overall:  Hubby gives it a 9/10 (still wishing it was microwaveable).  He would recommend Libre Tea mugs to his friends.

Buy it!  You can purchase a Libre Tea mug at their website.  Prices range from $24 to $32.50.

Check out my ThisMoment.  There are pictures of hubby's first use!

Giveaway!

Libre Tea has graciously allowed me to host a giveaway for a large Libre Tea mug!  One lucky reader will win.  This giveaway will run through August 17, 2011 at 11:59 PM Eastern time.  The winner shall be chosen via Random.org on or about August 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 in 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 kind of tea you would brew in your Libre Tea mug if you were to win.  Would it be a breakfast blend, a chamomile, or a bloom?  

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 Libre Tea on Facebook
  
  
• Follow me on Twitter

• Follow Libre Tea on Twitter

• 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 Making Ends Meet 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:  Libre Tea provided me with a free product for the purposes of review.  The opinions stated herein are my own or are related to comments made by my family.  Though the item was free to me, the opinions expressed were an honest expression of our experience.

But wait, don't miss out on these other Libre Tea contests from other Blog POP! blogs.

Dad of Divas: http://dadofdivas.com/giveaway/blog-pop-school-rules-libre-tea-giveaway

Quick Tattletails: http://www.quicktattletails.com/2011/08/large-libre-glass-n-poly-reveiw-and.html

Momma Told Me: http://www.mommatoldmeblog.com/2011/08/blog-pop-school-rules-libre-brewing.html

Turning the Clock Back: http://turning-the-clock-back.blogspot.com/2011/08/blogpop-school-rules-giveaway-libre-tea.html

Socialite's Closet: http://www.mommatoldmeblog.com/2011/08/blog-pop-school-rules-libre-brewing.html

Confessions of an Overworked Mom: http://www.confessionsofanover-workedmom.com/2011/08/school-rules-win-libre-tea-glass-n-poly.html

Windows Phone: Get organized in time for school, plus Samsung Focus phone giveaway {School Rules}

Samsung Focus for AT&T

Is your life a little disorganized with back-to-school preparations?  For me, I have a lot of things on my to-do list for August.  First, there's back-to-school shopping, which just gets harder each year as my kids' taste in clothes becomes more defined.  Then, there's those appointments I meant to make earlier in the summer, but didn't (note to self: I need to schedule eye exams ASAP!)  Now is the perfect time to get organized for the new school year with a Windows Phone.

Having recently upgraded to a smart phone, I can honestly say that apps are really useful to me.  Developers spend a lot of time putting thought into truly useful apps that I would never dream of on my own.  For instance, you can run the Best Buy app on your Windows Phone to compare specs on technology items and create your very own wish list.  It's so important to get the most for your money and comparison shopping helps you select the best product for your needs at the best price.  I would love to try out the ShopSavvy app, which allows users to scan barcodes to find the best prices on items.  Save your gas and let Shop Savvy scout out the best prices both on and off line.

An app I wish I had 20 years ago when I first went off to college would be the moBudget app.  I didn't have very good budgeting skills back then and it nearly killed me to call home to ask for money when I needed some and payday for my part-time job was too far away.  moBudget would be ideal for moms and dads and college students too.   Speaking of college, buying books can be a snap if you use your Windows Phone and the Amazon Shopping app.

As a smart phone newbie, I'm slowly but surely learning about all the great apps out there.  Get the most out of your Windows Phone by using these organizational apps to get everything done before school starts with far less stress.

Don't have a smart phone?  You can win one by entering to win a Samsung Focus Windows Phone!  Please note:  This giveaway is for US residents only and you must be either an existing AT&T customer or able contract with them for service as the Samsung Focus will only work on AT&T's network.  Since it is a smart phone, you'll need to select a data plan.  This giveaway is for the phone only; no other services are provided.

Features of the Samsung Focus you'll like:

• It's thin and light
• 4.0" AMOLED display
• 5 megapixel camera (also does panorama option and has a smile detector)
• Uses the AT&T network, which has a large coverage area
• It's available at the AT&T store online - check out more specs and features here.

Win it!   This giveaway will run August 7, 2011 through August 17, 2011 at 11:59 PM.  Winner shall be chosen via Random.org on or about August 18, 2011.  Winner shall have 48 hours to respond to an email asking for shipping information.  If winner does not respond within that time frame, I must select a different winner.  Therefore, it is imperative that you leave your email in the mandatory comment or otherwise have your profile set to public so that I can see your email address.  This giveaway is for US residents only who are 18 and older.  As I noted above, this phone will only work on the AT&T network, so you'll either need to be a subscriber already or willing/able to become an AT&T wireless customer that signs up for a data plan.  I am not responsible for fulfillment; that is the responsibility of the sponsor. You must complete the mandatory entry.  If you do not complete the mandatory entry, all other entries will not be considered.

8/6 Blog Pop School Rules round up!

It's been a little quiet today for me, but I did post a giveaway for Midel Cookies!  Great for anytime snacking or for back-to-school snacks, Midel makes both regular cookies and gluten free if you are following a GF diet.  Also check out the group giveaway for Omaha Steaks.  Grilling season doesn't have to end just because the kids go back to school!  There's a list of these and other giveaways on the right side bar, so don't miss out.

Coming up tomorrow is a Libre Tea review and giveaway.  If you or someone you love is a tea lover, that's one giveaway you won't want to miss.  Want to increase your chances?  Many of us in the Blog Pop group were offered giveaway items for this event.  Enter across the blogs and bump up your chances of winning a glass 'n poly mug.  I know some of these giveaways have already gone live, so check out the linky below to find contests to enter.

Tomorrow will also see the launch of a Samsung Focus Windows Phone giveaway, so remember to come back tomorrow to get your entries in on that contest.  

Also upcoming are some awesome group giveaways, which go live tomorrow... BistroMD is one of those going live.  Who doesn't love gourmet food?  See you tomorrow!

Review and Giveaway of Midel's gluten free cookies {School Rules}

Chocolate Chip - My Fave!

Gluten free cookies are something I try to keep on hand in my house.  Aside from my own cookie urges, my daughter and son's friends eat gluten free due to celiac.  They've been coming over a lot this summer, something that I see continuing through the school year.  So, I've needed to keep my pantry stocked with gluten free cookies, such as Midel's chocolate chip gluten free cookies.

I'd never heard of Midel as a cookie brand until I started scanning the gluten free aisles at the grocery stores I frequent.  I also was pleasantly surprised to find them in the regular cookie aisle too.  I love it when brands can be versatile, offering a variety of products to customers having different needs.  It conveys a message to me that the company cares about customers so much that they want to meet everyone's needs, instead of just focusing on "regular" customers that can eat any cookie on the shelf. 

Midel provided me with coupons so that I could purchase products to review here on Making Ends Meet.  Well, though they have a large selection of non-gluten free cookies, I selfishly decided to use my coupons to buy only gluten-free cookies for myself.  Moms don't have to share everything, right?

First of all, not all of Midel's gluten free cookies were available at the stores I shopped at.   This was a bit of a let down, but I'm hopeful that my stores will expand their gluten free offerings in the future.  The Giant and Wegmans where I purchase gluten free cookies have both expanded the amount of gluten free foods they carry within the past year, so I have hope that someday a trip down the gluten free aisle will make me truly feel like a kid in a candy store.

What did I buy?  I bought:

Midel's All Natural Chocolate Chip gluten free cookies -  These were my favorite!  They were crispy and crunchy with just the right amount of chocolate chip flavor.  What I liked about these cookies was that they weren't hard as bricks, like some other chocolate chip cookies I've tasted.  My son (who doesn't need to eat gluten free) loves these cookies too.  So, though I wasn't planning to share, he did snag a few for himself.  He actually asks for a few when he sees me snacking on them.

Midel's Ginger Snaps gluten free cookies -  I liked these, but the ginger was a mite hard on my sensitive tummy.  I haven't eaten ginger snaps in  years, so I really wanted to try these.  I wish I hadn't finished them off before I tried to use them to make a S'more.  I would buy these again, but I would have to go easy on them because too much ginger upsets my tummy.  Everything in moderation!

Midel's Gluten Free S'mores -  These are snack sized, s'mores flavored cookie crisps that are handily packaged in individual snack packets, making them perfect for school lunches.  These I did manage to keep all for myself!  At 90 calories a pack, I liked having a quick, portable snack that didn't add on too many extra calories.

Win a coupon to try Midel Cookies!  This giveaway is not  just for gluten free cookie lovers.  As I mentioned, Midel offers a wide variety of cookie products that aren't gluten free.  The coupon can be used to purchase "regular" cookies or gluten free ones.

This giveaway will run until August 16, 2011 at 11:59 PM Eastern time.  The winner will be chosen via Random.org on or about August 17, 2011.  Winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond with shipping information.  If winner does not respond within that time frame, I will have to choose a different winner.  Giveaway open to US residents only.  Making Ends Meet will be responsible for prize fulfillment by mailing winners' their coupons.  I am not responsible for lost mail.  

Provide an email in the mandatory entry or ensure that your Blogger profile includes an email address.  If you win, I need to be able to contact you.

Mandatory entry:  Visit http://www.midelcookies.com and tell me which MI-DEL product you would buy with a free product coupon.  Leave your answer as a comment.

Extra entries:  Each action is an extra entry; be sure to leave a separate comment for each action.  Availing yourself of multiple extra entries increases your chances of winning. 

•  "Like" MI-DEL on Facebook -  http://www.facebook.com/MIDELCookies

•  While you're there... Tell MI-DEL who sent you with a Facebook Wall comment - http://www.facebook.com/MIDELCookies

•   "Like" Making Ends Meet on Facebook

•  "Follow" MI-DEL on Twitter and tweet about this Giveaway - http://twitter.com/MIDELCookies   Sample tweet:   Snap up some free MI-DEL cookies! MI-DELicious and nutritious! Enter to win at Making Ends Meet.
  

•  Email 5 people about this giveaway -  please cc me on the email (iclipcoupons@gmail.com) and put "Midel Cookie Giveaway 5 friends giveaway option" in the header.

• Be/Become my Google Friend (right side bar)

• Subscribe via email to Making Ends Meet (right side bar)

• Follow Blog Pop! blogs via Google Friends - one entry for each separate blog you follow.  List of the Blog Pop! blogs is in my right side bar.

• Follow me on Twitter 

• Like Blog Pop! Events group on Facebook so you won't miss other great giveaways and event information.

Good luck everyone!

Disclosure:  Midel provided me with coupons with which to purchase the Midel cookies reviewed above.  Though they provided the product to me for free, the opinions are 100% my own.  My thanks to Midel for this opportunity.

Omaha Steaks Prize Pack Giveaway! $327 value {School Rules}

It's about time to go back to school! Between August 4-7 the 10 bloggers from Blog Pop are working together to bring you some awesome giveaways! So go and check out the following blogs for some other great prizes, and remember to come back here a lot over the next few days to enter for some great prizes! The ten blogs that are a part of the School Rules Event include:

Quick Tattletails	Still Blonde After all These years	The Socialite's Closet	Stash Mama	Momma Told Me
Turning the Clock Back	Making Ends Meet	My Life with Rats and More	Confessions of an Overworked Mom	Dad of Divas

Our next giveaway is Below!

About Omaha Steaks
Omaha Steaks manufactures, markets and distributes a wide variety of premium steaks, red meats and other gourmet foods. These products are custom cut and packaged to serve the needs of our various markets. We are a family business and have been since our founding in 1917.

Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, our state-of-the-art business facilities include two manufacturing plants, a distribution center, and a freezer warehouse. In 1999, our new corporate and marketing offices opened, adjacent to our expanded telemarketing facility.

Markets nationwide and overseas include foodservice, mail order, incentive, telesales, retail stores, licensed restaurants sales to specialty and food stores, and in 1990, online sales. OmahaSteaks.com, Inc. was founded as a separate company to provide more comprehensive service and an incredible shopping experience for our customers. The brand, Omaha Steaks, has been promoted and advertised for 40 years and is positioned as the ultimate in superb service and quality.

Now more than 1,800 dedicated employees share in the success of the company and work diligently to assure customer satisfaction. Striving to be a premier employer, Omaha Steaks has won public recognition and awards for its benefits package and family-friendly policies, both locally and nationwide.

Omaha Steaks website gives you a little bit of everything for any person. From hot dogs to hamburgers to poultry and Angus Reserved beef, you can find almost anything (in regards to meat and other things) on their site. If you are looking for high quality food for your next gathering, look no further than Omaha Steaks!

Giveaway

How would you like to win the below amazing prizepack, use the below form to enter this amazing giveaway? This contest will be open until August 13, 2011. One person amongst all of the Blog Pop! Blogs will win an amazing Giftpack which will include:

Omaha Steaks Prize Package:

8 (6 oz.) Omaha Steaks Filet Mignons

16 (5 oz.) Omaha Steaks Burgers

16 (3 oz.) Omaha Steaks Gourmet Franks

6 Caramel Apple Tartlets

4 Individual New York Cheesecakes

1 International Glaze package (includes 4 different glazes)

1 Bottle of Omaha Steaks Classic Steak Seasoning

1 Bottle of Omaha Steaks Private Reserve Steak Rub

Total Retail Value of $327.00

The Tuneables 'I Love Music' 2-disc set review {School Rules}

Pictured:  'The Tuneables I Love Music' 2 disc set

Music education is very important to my husband's family.  Once upon a time, my husband played violin, drums, a baritone, and others.  My Sister-in-Law is a music educator who plays the flute beautifully.  She plays so well that she often is asked to play at weddings (and played at my own 15 years ago).  Their father also plays violin, so I guess you could say that music and music appreciation is very important to that branch of the family tree.

It's important to us to enrich our children's music education, particularly because our school district is poorer and doesn't pay well, which means we have a frequent turnover of teachers.  We don't want our children to lose out on a rock solid foundation in music.  Budgets are cut at schools all the time and we know that teachers have to teach with less and less resources each year.  Music education is so important, not only from a cultural standpoint, but also for other reasons.  Music-minded kids generally do well in math.  So music education helps shape other educational experiences in life.

The Tuneables: I Love Music

Kids today (particularly my own) seem to pay more attention to educational videos if they're cartoony.  It's true... I can remember boring videos in music class from my grade school days!  I would have loved for some of those videos to be cartoony! The Tuneables introduces young children to music in a visually appealing way.  The characters all look like their instrument and their names are puns.  For instance, Snare, the drum, has a flat head that looks like the top of a drum.  There's even a little pun for us parents because Sonny the cymbal (who has a mustache) has a song with Snare, the drum.  Sonny and Snare (Get it: Sonny and Cher).  Well, I guess I just dated myself! 

The Tuneables video is only one-half hour long, so it's short, but jam packed with knowledge.  The video is divided into chapters, which is nice.  If you want to focus on one particular chapter, you can easily do so from the menu at the beginning.  So teachers (or parents, particularly home schooling parents) can grab the kids attention with a chapter to begin a lesson as an introduction to a concept.  The Tuneables is also sponsored by the Music Intelligence Project.  This is important to note since the MIP's function is to promote the best approaches for music education for children, which are derived from research and proven methods of teaching music to kids.

I viewed this video with my 6-1/2 year old two times.  I was concerned at first that it was "too babyish" for him since he seemed bored the first time we watched it.  However, the second time we watched The Tuneables it was HIS idea and not mine.  He specifically requested us to watch it again.  The second time, my 10 year old joined us.

The first time through, I thought that the age range listed -- 3 to 8 year olds -- was way off and that it would be better suited to a much younger crowd.  The second time we watched, he was more into participating.  I'm not saying he was singing along, but he seemed to enjoy the DVD much more the second time.  Though outside the age range, my daughter seemed to enjoy it too.  She patted along with the beats and sang a little too.

Blog Pop! School Rules Round up for 8/5

Hope you all have been having fun with the event.  There's still two days left and I want to make sure you see all of the giveaways from all the member blogs.  Therefore, I'll be posting round up posts each day of the event.

Think Fun giveaway - this one has no entries so far.  This is one is a great giveaway for moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, anyone!  Enter to win a prize pack worth approx. $100.

My Yoplait giveaway went live today too - be one of 5 lucky readers who win a free coupon!

Rats and More is giving away a $100 Amex card.  Ooh, la la!  Think of the school clothes you could buy with that.

Have a young, budding scientist?  Visit Confessions of an Overworked Mom.  She's giving away a Giddyup Scientific Explorer Kit.

Need some new tunes to rock in the new school year?  Socialite's Closet is giving away a $10 iTunes Gift Card. 

Quick Tattletails has a gumball machine as a giveaway item. 

These and other contests are not to be missed.  The giveaway linky below has a list of the event giveaways and new ones are added periodically.  Good luck to all!

Think Fun educational toys, plus $100 ARV giveaway {School Rules}

It's about time to go back to school! Between August 4-7 the 10 bloggers from Blog Pop are working together to bring you some awesome giveaways! So go and check out the following blogs for some other great prizes, and remember to come back here a lot over the next few days to enter for some great prizes! The ten blogs that are a part of the School Rules Event include:

Quick Tattletails	Still Blonde After all These years	The Socialite's Closet	Stash Mama	Momma Told Me
Turning the Clock Back	Making Ends Meet	My Life with Rats and More	Confessions of an Overworked Mom	Dad of Divas

For over 26 years, ThinkFun Inc. has been the world’s leading developer of mind-challenging games and logic puzzles. From its humble beginnings in the basement of husband-and-wife team Bill Ritchie and Andrea Barthello’s Virginia home, ThinkFun has held fast to its commitment to create products that embody the essential link between “Think” and “Fun” and organically strengthen thinking skills through game play.

The company has been a pioneer in the development of innovative products that truly stretch the brain, including the now iconic Rush Hour, and a robust line of early learning games featuring the award-winning Zingo.

“The goal for the company has always been to create a fun line of products that actually do make kids brighter. “ThinkFun is to educational learning like the Wii is to exercise,” said Bill Ritchie, CEO and co-founder of ThinkFun. “We’re fun, addictive and good for you.”





Giveaway

How would you like to win a an amazing prize pack copy from Think Fun? One winner winner from this giveaway will win one of the following Prize Packs!

Option 1: Our Ignite Your Mind line of single-player logic games (kids 8+)

1. Rush Hour

2. River Crossing

3. Chocolate Fix

4. Solitaire Chess

5. Tilt

Option 2: Junior games (ages 4-7)

1. Zingo!

2. Zingo! to Go

3. What’s GNU?

4. S’Match!

5. FlipOver

All you need to do is enter on the following form!

This contest will run until August 12, 2011 at approximately 11:59 pm Eastern.






Winner must be a resident of the U.S or Canada. One prize pack is being given away.  Giveaway is featured at Dad of Divas, Stash Mama, and Making Ends Meet.  Please see Rafflecopter entry form for entry details.

Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

As required by the FTC: Blog POP! received no monetary compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are those of the writer's alone.

Yoplait Kids Cup Yogurt giveaway - 5 winners! {School Rules} #myblogspark

A while back, I received coupons from MyBlogSpark on behalf of Yoplait as a nice thank you for posting an informative video.  I've been saving some of these coupons for Blog Pop's! School Rules event!  Five lucky readers will each win one (1) coupon good for a free package of any flavor of Yoplait Kids Cup Yogurt.  The max value is $3.24.  NOTE:  The coupon is restricted.  If you live in ID, LA, MN, NV, NJ, ND, or TN, I'm very sorry.  Your states' dairy laws restrict the use of this coupon. 

My kids love yogurt and eat it for all three meals, literally!  On weekends, they'll ask for a yogurt for breakfast.  They ask for yogurt in their lunch (I love to freeze yogurt for their lunches for a healthy, fun snack). They even ask for it after dinner.  In short, my kids love yogurt!  One of the brands I buy is Yoplait.  Back to school means it is time to trade in popsicles for healthy lunch snacks.  Yoplait is a great choice, particularly their 25% Less Sugar variety if your child gets a bit hyper with sugar.


Enter to win!

You must be 18 or older and a resident of the US to enter.  Please note that this coupon is restricted (see list of restricted states above) so if you live in one of those states, please do not enter.  This giveaway will run until 11:59 PM on August 15, 2011, with the winner chosen on or about August 16, 2011 via Random.org.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond to an email asking for shipping information.  If winner does not respond within 48 hours, I must choose a different winner.  There are 5 winners in this giveaway and each winner will receive one free coupon.  These will be mailed by me directly to winner.  I'm not responsible for lost mail.

Please leave your email in the mandatory entry or ensure that your Blogger profile is not restricted and displays your email there if you don't want to leave your email in a comment.  Remember:  I must have a way to reach you if you should win!

Mandatory entry:  Tell me in a comment which grocery store you'd use this free coupon at if you won. 

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 me on Twitter

• Be my Google Friend  (right side bar)

• 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 Making Ends Meet 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.

Disclosure:  These coupons were provided to me by Yoplait via MyBlogSpark as a blogger reward.  I am hosting a giveaway and will be responsible for mailing out the winners' coupons.  

Blog Pop! School Rules Wrap up post!

The first day of School Rules is off to a great start!  We've posted group giveaways featuring Plastic Jungle ($250 Gift Card), an iPad from Moby, and eyewear for your family, up to $500 from 39DollarGlasses.com.

Today, I launched an Everwood Complete Fourth Season DVD giveaway and also one for Rock 'n Learn!  There's more to come from all of the Blog Pop! member blogs, so please stay tuned!  We'll be doing wrap up posts each day with the linky that will display a running list of giveaways.

Have fun and, of course, good luck!

Rock 'n Learn Reading Comprehension Review - and giveaway! {School Rules}

Reading comprehension is something that my daughter struggled with last year.  In fact, it was the lowest grade she got consistently on all of her report cards.  She wasn't doing badly, just struggling a bit.  That's why when the school offered extra reading comprehension help at the end of the year in preparation for the state SOLs, we agreed to let her go.  It's so important to build your children up with the right building blocks for academic success. Learning how to read for the meaning of the story is something a child needs to learn early on to be successful.  Rock 'n Learn's Reading Comprehension DVD makes learning to read for meaning fun too! 

Rock 'n Learn's Reading Comprehension goes over some test taking strategies.  Reading the questions first is something that might not occur to a child to do.  But taking the time to read the questions at the end will gear their mind toward looking for the answer as they read so that they're getting the important concepts that the author of the story is trying to convey.

Here's what my 6 year old had to say about this DVD:

"I learned a lot of stuff.  One of them was that if three of them are right, then the answer is all of the above."  (The DVD taught him to read all of the answers, determine whether they were correct or not, and if all were correct, to choose all of the above vs. any of the individual answers.

I asked him, "How do you do well on a test?"

"You read the questions and then you go to the story and then you underline answers that you think are right and put the number you guess they are and then after you finish that, go back to the questions and try to figure out the right answer.  Read the question carefully."  (His run-on sentence, not mine!)

My 10 year old (soon to be 5th grader) found the DVD to be "too kiddy".  Perhaps it was the pencil emcee?  She did watch the video and say that many of the test taking strategies presented were ones she covered in the SOL academy class.  Her one beef was that the DVD suggested that you read the questions first, and then read the story.  She says that they take tests on computers and the questions are given on screen only after you've read the story. You can't see the questions beforehand, so in that case, it makes it harder for kids to know what they should be focusing on in the story.

Overall:  I liked this video for my son, who will be going into 1st grade this year.  He's a fairly strong reader, having been in the advanced reading group at the end of last year.  He really liked the DVD and after the kids watched Reading Comprehension, they got out the other Rock 'n Learn titles in our library to watch them again.  Be sure to check out Mark of the Pencil (www.markothepencil.com) where you can print out free study materials.

Save some bucks!   Rock 'n Learn has offered me a coupon code to share with my readers.  You can use coupon code JQ7711 to get 25% off at RockNLearn.com. 

GIVEAWAY!  Enter to win your own copy of Reading Comprension, or a different Rock 'n Learn DVD if you had a different one in mind.  This giveaway is open to U.S. residents who are 18 and older. This giveaway ends at 11:59 PM on August 11, 2011, with the winner chosen on or about August 12, 2011 via Random.org.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond to an email requesting shipping information.  If winner does not respond within that time frame, I must choose a different winner.  Be sure that I have a way to reach you - leave your email in the mandatory comment or ensure that your email is available in your public profile.  If you win, I need to be able to contact you.

Other Blog Pop! blogs will be hosting Rock 'n Learn reviews and giveaways during our School Rules event.  Be sure to check out the other blogs hosting giveaways to increase your chance of winning. Visit Dad of Divas to enter his contest!

• Mandatory entry:  Visit Rock 'n Learn (www.RockNLearn.com) and peruse their offerings.  Let me know what other DVD there would be a great learning tool for your child.  You must do this entry to have any other entries count.

Other ways to get additional entries - you can do any of the following for one entry each.  Please leave a separate comment for each action:

• Join Rock 'n Learn's mailing list for special offers.  Please only do this if you are genuinely interested in the product. (Link to do so is on Rock 'n Learn's website, left side bar.)If you joined last time I had a contest, just let me know in a comment! 

• Follow me on Twitter! If you already do, just let me know. 

• Become my Google Friend (right side bar).  If we are already friends, just leave a comment letting me know.

• Tweet my giveaway on Twitter and include @PinchingAbe in your tweet.  Sharing tools at the bottom of this blog post. You can do this once daily.  Leave a comment w/link to your tweet.

• Share this giveaway on your Facebook wall.  You can do this once daily.  Leave a comment with a link to your post.

• "Like" Rock 'n Learn on Facebook  Come back and leave a comment letting me know you did it. 

• "Like" Making Ends Meet on Facebook   Come back and leave me a comment letting me know we're now Facebook friends.

• Use the store locator to find a store near you that sells Rock 'n Learn DVDs.  Please list the store nearest in your comment. Good luck to all! 

Disclosure:   Rock 'n Learn provided me with a complimentary DVD for review purposes.  This blog post is not compensated and the opinions expressed herein are 100% my own or derived from my family's experience with this product. 

Everwood: The Complete Fourth Season on DVD giveaway {School Rules}

Everwood:  The Complete Fourth Season

Release Date:  August 2, 2011

Studio:  Warner Bros.

Own it on DVD



Are you a fan of Everwood?  I loved this show when it first aired and was sad to see it end in it's fourth season.  The premise is that Andy, a talented surgeon, gives up surgery to practice as a GP in a small town in Colorado.

He finds love in an unlikely place - next door with his neighbor, Nina.  Only, he's not so good at expressing himself and the girl of his dreams is with someone else. Ephram, his son, and Amy, the daughter of the other doctor in town, can't seem to get it right either.  Mistakes of the past haunt their relationship and time heals all wounds, or does it?  Will Andy keep screwing up with Nina or will he finally get it right?  There's big changes in Season 4.  Come back to Everwood and see how the series is neatly wrapped up.   Everwood:  The Complete Fourth Season is available now.

Get the inside scoop on WB movie & DVD releases at wbreelnews.com.

GIVEAWAY!

One lucky reader will win a copy of Everwood:  The Complete Fourth Season!  Go back to school as you watch Ephram and Amy's romance wax and wane (and Andy's too!).  Even Bright, Amy's brother, finds love this season.

This giveaway will run through August 15, 2011 at 11:59 PM, with the winner chosen via Random.org on our about August 16, 2011.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond to an email asking for shipping information.  If winner does not respond within 48 hours, I will have to choose a different winner.  Only U.S. Residents 18 and older may enter.  Prize fulfillment will be the responsibility of sponsor.  Be sure to leave your email address in the first comment or ensure that your public profile has an accessible email address.  If you should win, I need to be able to email you.

Mandatory entry:  Who is your favorite Everwood character and why?  Need a refresher course?  Check out the list of characters at IMDb.


Extra entries:  Each action is a separate entry.  Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry you choose to do.  As always, if you follow/subscribe already, leave a comment indicating so.

• Follow me on twitter

• Tweet this contest out on twitter!  Please try to include @PinchingAbe in your tweet.  Leave me a link to your tweet in a comment.  You can tweet 1 time per day; just leave a separate comment for each tweet.

• Share this contest on your Facebook page by sharing the link with your friends.  You can do this 1 time per day; just leave a separate comment for each tweet.

• Subscribe to Making Ends Meet via email (right side bar) - be sure you confirm your subscription.

• Like Making Ends Meet on Facebook

• Like Warner Bros. on Facebook

• Be/Become my Google Friend (right side bar)

• Be/Become Google Friends with my fellow Blog Pop! members (links to their 9 blogs are in right side bar; one entry per Blog Pop! friending.

Thanks for entering and be sure to share this contest with your friends.  Taking advantage of the extra entries increases your chances of winning.

Disclosure:  I received a review copy of this DVD.  Thanks to the generosity of the sponsor, I was presented an opportunity to give away a copy to one of my lucky readers.  This blog post is not compensated and I really am a fan of Everwood!