Giveaways – Page 4

5 Tips to Getting Your Car Ready For Winter + Winter Emergency Kit Giveaway

Traveling is a huge part of the holidays and a lot of people hit the road for long trips to visit family and friends. With the Winter quickly approaching, it is important to prep our cars for the season change to prevent damage, breakdowns and also assure we are prepared if something does happen. I know the last thing I want to worry about during the holiday season is car trouble or being stranded on the side of the road.

The International Carwash Association (ICA) has created these five tips for getting our cars ready for blistering Winter season.

1. Wash and wax your car at a professional car wash – It may seem counter-intuitive to get your car nice and shiny for the slushy weather, but a thorough wash can remove harmful compounds that may cause damage when mixed with road salt. Experts from the International Carwash Association also recommend a coat of wax for an extra layer of protection from the elements.

Professional car washes can also save up to 20 percent of the amount of water you’d use by washing your car at home. They do this by treating and reusing their water, rather than releasing toxic chemicals and grime into the storm drains, which can often occur with pavement washing. Check out www.washwithwatersavers.com to see how professional car washes save water and help prevent pollution.

2. Check fluids – Check your coolant to make sure you have enough, as you’ll be left without heat if you don’t. Consult your owner’s manual to find the correct blend if you need to add more. It’s never a bad idea to keep extra coolant in your trunk in case of an emergency. Don’t forget about extra wiper fluid, either. I suggest de-icer wiper fluid for the winter.

3. Check your wipers – When sloppy weather hits, you’ll want to make sure you have strong wiper blades to see through the elements. Checking your wiper blades for wear and replacing them if needed can prevent huge visibility headaches once snow and sleet arrive. (I always forget this one and my wipers end up being trashed after the first bad storm)

4. Test your battery – The next time you have the car in for an oil change, ask the mechanic to test your battery to make sure it can provide enough starting power once the temperature plummets.

5. Winter emergency kit – In addition to keeping a scraper and brush in your car, it’s a good idea to include a few provisions in case you get stranded. Pack extra blankets, hats and gloves, high-energy snacks like granola bars, drinking water and a first-aid kit. (Enter to win a Winter Emergency Kit below)

Take the time to check your car and get it ready for the treacherous weather and road conditions and be prepared for the worse.

GIVEAWAY

The International Carwash Association is giving one lucky Nifty Mom reader a Winter Emergency Kit that includes:

32 oz. WaterSavers branded water bottle
Carabiner key chain
Medium flashlight
2 heavy duty AA batteries
19-piece first aid kit
Survival tool
Pocket knife
Emergency poncho
Emergency blanket
2 tea light candles
Safety matches
Survival instruction card
Mesh sack

No purchase necessary to enter. The giveaway is open to US residents 18+. Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST December 9th, 2012. Winner will be selected via random.org and contact by email. Winner then has 48 hours to reply to confirm their prize or a new winner will be picked. If you have any issues entering or have any questions, please email me at contact (at) niftymom(dot)com.

GOOD LUCK!

Heinz57 Pulled Pork Recipe + Tailgate Prize Pack Giveaway

It’s the middle of football season and around here, that means entertaining, tailgating and Sunday gatherings. Tailgating and football games aren’t complete without the perfect foods. Some of our favorite tailgating foods include meatballs, burgers, brats and pulled pork sandwiches. I am always looking for new recipes to try and I have found some tasty ones on Heinz 57‘s website. Heinz 57 is sure to add flavor to any meal with their three products: Heinz 57 Sauce, Heinz 57 Steak Sauce, and Heinz 57 Sauce with Honey.

PULLED PORK RECIPE

One of my favorite recipes is the Heinz 57 Pulled Pork. It serves approx. 8 people and only takes 10 minutes to prep.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup Heinz 57® Sauce
1/4 cup Lea & Perrins® Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 onion, chopped
3.5 lb. boneless pork shoulder blade roast, trimmed and cut into 4 pieces

Mix together 57 Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, mustard, sugar, tomato paste, and onion in a 5-6qt slow cooker. Season with salt & pepper. Add pork and make sure it gets coated with the mixture. Cover and cook on low heat setting for about 8 hours, or until pork is cooked through (no longer pink or an internal temperature of 165°F) and tender, turning occasionally.
To serve, remove pork from slow cooker. Pull pork into shreds using two forks. Return pork to slow cooker and stir until well mixed with sauce. Serve onto your favorite sandwich buns and serve immediately.

PRIZE PACK GIVEAWAY

Heinz57 is giving one lucky Nifty Mom reader a Tailgating Prize Pack which includes:

Heinz 57 Sauce, Heinz 57 Steak Sauce and Heinz 57 Sauce with Honey
Grilling tools
Heinz blanket
Can cooler
Heinz tailgating book

To enter, use the Rafflecopter form below. No purchase necessary to enter. The giveaway is open to contiguous US residents only, 18+ and giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST November 25th, 2012. Winner will be selected via random.org and contacted by email. Winner has 48 hours to reply to confirm their prize or a new winner will be picked. Sponsor is responsible for shipping the prize to the winner, not Nifty Mom. If you have any issues entering or have any questions, please email me at contact (at) niftymom(dot)com.

GOOD LUCK!

Decorating for Halloween with Hallmark + Prize Pack Giveaway (ends 10/23)

Even in this digital age, I still prefer paper greeting cards. I still use ‘snail mail’ to send cards to friends and family for holidays, birthdays, and just to say I am thinking about them. When you think of greeting cards, what is the first thing the comes to your mind? For me, it’s Hallmark. I love everything about Hallmark. Not only do they have greeting cards for just about everything, they also have great gifts. This year I was excited to learn about their Halloween Decor. My little guys love Halloween and they enjoy all the decorations around the house.

From humorous to sincere, Hallmark has greeting cards to send to someone special for Halloween or fall. I love the over-sized witch one I received. My sons’ favorite part are the “googly-eyes” and we have set it up on our mantle for display. I also received a “Thinking of You” card with an autumn theme that I sent to my grandparents that live out-of-state. I know they really enjoy receive greeting cards and what can be better than a surprise card when you least expect it?

My Pet Ghost

Meet our pet ghost, Julian Hijinks. Safe in the bottle, Julian makes an appearance when the top bottle stopper is pushed. With spooky sounds and different sayings, this pet ghost is a hit with my preschoolers. The boys love that they have control over when the ghost appears and it can keep them entertained for quite some time. I have a feeling after Halloween, when all the Halloween decorations get packed up, I will have a hard time getting them to say goodbye to Julian. Hallmark also sells two other pet ghosts, Maxwell McSpooky, Genevieve Ruffles. Each ghost is different, but all share that spooky fun.

Witch’s Hat Door Decor

The Witch’s Hat hangs on your door and is motion activated. When someone walks by it, a witch’s face appears and it cackles and says ‘Happy Halloween’. To ensure my sons get the most out of the Witch’s Hat, we have it hanging in our living room. They can’t get enough of the witch. When it goes off, they laugh, jump up and down, and yell, ‘Again, Again!’ Since we do have it in a high-traffic spot, we only leave it turned on a few times a day for the kids, which is easy with the ‘on-off’ switch. On Halloween I will move it to the front door so the witch can surprise unsuspecting trick-or-treaters!

You can purchase Hallmark’s Halloween Decor at your local Hallmark store or near the greeting card section at retailers such as Walmart. Hallmark is also offering you 30 percent off Hallmark’s selection of Print On Demand photo cards and party plates with the online coupon code Blog30.

Win it!

Hallmark is giving one lucky Nifty Mom reader a Witch’s Hat Door Décor and a gift pack of Halloween greetings!

No purchase necessary to enter. The giveaway is open to US residents only, 18+ and giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST October 23rd, 2012. Winner will be selected via random.org and contacted by email. The winner has 24 hours to reply to confirm their prize or a new winner will be picked. Sponsor is responsible for shipping the prize to the winner, not Nifty Mom. If you have any issues entering or have any questions, please email me at contact (at) niftymom(dot)com.

GOOD LUCK!

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS OVER**

Disclosure – I received the named products at no cost to conduct this review and was in no other way compensated. All opinions expressed are 100% mine.

Fog Machine & HalloweenCostumes.com Review & Giveaway

Not only do I love fall, but I love Halloween. We have been getting our two and three year old sons pumped up for Halloween and they are getting super excited. We’ve been decorating, doing crafts, and baking treats. This year my husband and I have decided to have a Halloween party and we’ve been on the hunt for party supplies. One thing we didn’t have was a fog machine. While browsing HalloweenCostumes.com, I found a 400W Fog Machine that seemed perfect for any party and especially a Halloween Party. I also had to get a quart of Liquid Fog to run the machine.

The fog machine has basic instructions that are easy to follow. I simply poured the liquid into the designated reservoir and plugged it in. As instructed, I waited for the red light to come on and switch the machine to on. It soon released fog into the room. After a minute or so, it shuts off and ‘rests’ before releasing more fog. It continues to cycle until it runs out of liquid or is switched off and/or unplugged. The 400W Fog Machine create 2,000 cubic feet of fog per minute. I let it cycle for 3 or 4 times and it was pretty foggy in my house. The kids definitely enjoyed it. It will certainly be a great addition to our Halloween party this year and can be used for other parties throughout the year. I did find that the machine does get pretty warm, so one should use caution when around it and picking it up after using it.

About HalloweenCostumes.com:

HalloweenCostumes.com is one of the largest retailers online for Halloween costumes. They have hundreds of costumes, with something for everyone. Their site is easy to navigate, browse categories, or search for something specific. Not only do they have costumes, you can also find accessories and Halloween Decor. Stay connected for the latest updates and become a fan on Facebook, Follow @funcostumes on Twitter, and Pinterest.

Win it!

HalloweenCostumes.com is giving one lucky Nifty Mom reader a costume (or decor) of their choice up to $40. Entering is simple using the Rafflecopter form below.

No purchase necessary to enter. The giveaway is open to US residents only, 18+ and giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST October 17th, 2012. Winner will be selected via random.org and contact by email. The winner has 48 hours to reply to confirm their prize or a new winner will be picked. Sponsor is responsible for shipping the prize to the winner, not Nifty Mom. If you have any issues entering or have any questions, please email me at contact (at) niftymom(dot)com.

GOOD LUCK!

**GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED**

Disclosure – I received the named product at no cost to conduct this review and was in no other way compensated. All opinions expressed are 100% mine.

Looney Tunes ClickN READ Phonics Review & Giveaway

My (almost) 3 year old loves playing learning games on his tablet. He has gotten very good at a lot of them, but at the same time, he gets bored with them quickly. I heard about Looney Tunes ClickN READ Phonics from Karma Media and was enthused to learn more and let Little E. try something new.

Looney Tunes Phonics is an online reading program for children as young as 3 years old to about 3rd grade. It uses Looney Tunes clips in between each section during the lessons to engage your child and hold their attention while they are learning. Each lesson has different zones to help them learn:

The Letter Sound Zone: Learn Phonics Letter Sounds
The Listening Zone: Learn Phonics Word Blending
The Reading Zone: Learn Word and Sentence Reading Skills
The Speed Zone: Practice Phonics Skills Learned

Setting up our account was quick and easy and very customizable. You get to pick a Looney Tunes character and what lesson level to starts at (I started him at 1 since he will just turn 3 next month). Then I got to pick how long each zone will last, how much praise/motivation and cartoons are included, etc. With the customizations, each lesson can range from 20 to 50 minutes long. The ‘instructor’ for the lessons is a robot and I have to say, I think that is my son’s favorite part. He loves the robot so much that he begs for the robot and runs to the computer.

One of my favorite parts about the lessons is in the Listening Zone. During this zone, the robot says a letter sound and my son has to find the key on the keyboard (or click it on the on-screen keyboard). I love this because all of his toy computers and laptops have the keys in alphabetical order instead of a qwerty keyboard. When he plays on those and has to find the letters, he isn’t learning where the keys are on a keyboard. He is learning where they are, but still searches all over the keyboard first.

At the end of each lesson, a progress report card is displayed. This allows you to see how your child performed and if they should complete the lesson again. I really like that they suggest repeating, because sometimes when I thought he did decent, they said to repeat the lesson. He doesn’t mind doing it again th0ugh. He really loves his letters and alphabet right now so this is an amazing learning tool for him. The Looney Tunes cartoon segments in the middle help as well. When he starts getting distracted, it always seems to grab his attention right back. I was shocked that my son is starting to recognize words during the last reading zone we completed.

I can’t wait to continue using the program for my oldest, as well as my other sons when they get older.

To learn more or complete a sample lesson, visit the Looney Tunes Phonics website. Also follow them of Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

BUY IT: Looney Tunes Phonics can only be purchased online through their online store. There are three different subscription options: Monthly – single user $9.95, additional user $7.95: 6 month – single user $49.95, additional user $29.95; Annual – single user $99.95, additional user $59.95; Lifetime/Family – $249.95 for 3 users.

WIN IT: Looney Tunes Phonics is giving away 14 LIFETIME subscriptions! That’s right – 14 winners! Entering is easy using the rafflecopter form below. Giveaway ends June 13th 11:59p EST and is open to the US only. The winners will be selected on Rafflecopter via Random.org, contacted via email and have 48 hours to reply to confirm. Failure to do so will result in a new winner to be selected

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS OVER**
—VIEW WINNERS LIST HERE—

Read more reviews (including some video reviews) from fellow Karma Media Members:

I received the named product at no cost to conduct this review and was in no other way compensated. All opinions expressed are 100% mine. This review is brought to you by Karma Media.

Dropps Fabric Softener Review & Giveaway

There are two household chores I am guaranteed to do everyday rather I like it or not: dishes and laundry. Laundry seems to breed in my house and I love products that help make it easier. When I got the opportunity to try Dropps new fabric softener I was thrilled!

If you have never heard of Dropps, they first created laundry detergent in an effort to keep clothes looking better longer. In order to make the product smaller than traditional detergent jugs (and more convenient), they put just the right amount of detergent in small dissolvable pacs. These pacs just ‘drop’ into the washer. They have recently created fabric softeners with the same convenient dissolvable pacs.

Dropps fabric softeners are offered in three scents: Orange Blossom, Lavender, and Wild Orchid. I selected the Wild Orchid scent. The scent was delightful. The first thing I washed was a throw we keep in the family room. When I pulled it out of the dryer it was extremely soft and the scent put a smile on my face. For days the scent lightly lingered in the whole room. It was always a pleasant surprise to smell the freshness each time I entered the room. After a week, as I was putting it in the washer again, the throw was still just as soft and still carried the Wild Orchid scent! And trust me, this did not just sit there all week, it gets used often.

I also received a sample of Dropps Baby detergent (to use with the softener) that is scent, dye, and enzyme-free; perfect for my little guys sensitive skin. I have three sons under the age of three (includes a newborn) and I am very cautious to what I wash their clothes in and always try to use fabric softener. My problem is 95% of the time, I miss the rinse cycle to add the liquid fabric softener. I am never near the laundry room and I have too much going on to remember to check on it. That means re-rinsing (with fabric softener) and wasting more water, energy, and time. With Dropps softener, the pac gets added at the same time the detergent does when you put the laundry in. That is a HUGE hit with me! That alone makes me feel a more ‘green’. Dropps is a very green and friendly product.

To learn more about Dropps, you can visit Dropps.com, fan them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

BUY IT: Purchase Dropps at their online store, find a retailer near you, or on Amazon.com.

WIN IT: Two winners will win (1) 16ct Fabric Softener and (1) 20ct Detergent. The giveaway is open to US residents 18+ and will end on May 2, 2012, at 11:59 pm EST. The winners will be selected through Rafflecopter via random.org and contacted by email. The winners has 48 hours to reply to confirm their winnings or a new winner will be picked. If you have any issues entering or have any questions, please email me at contact (at) niftymom(dot)com.

*THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED*
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS

Check out these other blogs from Karma Media that review Dropps:

I received the named product at no cost to conduct this review and was in no other way compensated. All opinions expressed are 100% mine. This review is brought to you by Karma Media.

Rock N Learn “Sight Words” DVD – Review & Giveaway (9 Winners)

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to review the DVD “Letter Sounds” from Rock ‘N Learn. It was an instant hit with my toddlers and they still ask to watch it almost everyday. When I was contacted to review another best selling Rock ‘N Learn DVD, I couldn’t pass it up.

Rock ‘N Learn has produced over 50 educational videos and music for all age groups of children. They create a fun educational learning experience for your child. You can find DVDs and CDs for Phonics, Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies, Spanish, French, and more. Some of their best selling titles include “Letter Sounds”, “Phonics”, “Colors, Shapes and Counting”, “Getting Ready for Kindergarten”, “Spanish”, “Sight Words”, and “States and Capitals Rap”.

I was sent their new “Sight Words” DVD which is targeted for children Pre-K and up. “Sight Words” is designed to teach the most frequently used words in the English language. Within the last few weeks, my 2.5 year old’s vocabulary has exploded and everyday he is trying to say more and more words. I couldn’t wait for him to watch this one!

Sight Words Covered:

up • down • come • go • in • out
of • the • a
where • is • it • here • there
one • two • three • red • yellow • blue • little • big
look • see • find
run • jump • play • away • and
you • I • we • can • make • funny • face • get
to • for • me • my • give • from • came • as • are
no • not • now • said • help • will
he • she • his • her • they • that • was • with • on

When the DVD arrived and I showed the box to my son, he grabbed it and started jumping up and down. He really likes the main character as he was pointing to him as he ran to the DVD player. Of course we just HAD to watch it right away (unless I wanted to deal with a tantrum of course).

Again, I was extremely impressed with the whole DVD. My son was very responsive to it and was saying the words as they came up on the screen. The words are repeated in a way isn’t boring and just repetitious. For example, when they cover ‘up’ and ‘down’, you actually watch one of the characters fly up and down with the words on screen. Throughout the whole DVD there are catchy background beats to keep the kids engaged. My son even made sure I was giving it 100% of my attention because if I looked away and he noticed, he would yell ‘Mom’ repeatedly pointing to the TV until I showed complete interest. Not only did my 2.5 year old enjoy it, my 19 month old did as well. The more we watch the two we have, the more I realized I better pick out some new ones! I really want them all though!

Follow Rock N Learn on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

Buy It – You can buy Rock N Learn products on their website. Use promo code JQ7711 for 25% off!

Win It – Enter to win any DVD or CD of your choice! There will be 9 winners! This giveaway ends on April 14, 2012, at 11:59 pm EST and is open to residents of the US only, age 18+. Once the winners are drawn randomly via Rafflecopter, we will contact them through email. They will then have 48 hours to respond. If there is no response, we will draw a new winner.

Good luck!

Check out these other blogs from Karma Media that reviewed Sight Words:

I received the named product at no cost to conduct this review and was in no other way compensated. All opinions expressed are 100% mine. This review is brought to you by Karma Media.

Browsing CategoryGiveaways

GIVEAWAY

PULLED PORK RECIPE

PRIZE PACK GIVEAWAY

My Pet Ghost

Witch’s Hat Door Decor

Win it!

About HalloweenCostumes.com:

Win it!