This Full House Reviews

Subway Baseball Designs: Help Raise Money for Little League & Chance to Win $500 For Your Kid's Team!

Does your kid play baseball? Soccer? Football? How about basketball, hockey, softball or volleyball?

[nods head]

Perhaps, you've even coached a team, or twenty.

Like, my kids' coaches (aaaaand, we've had many, over the thirteen years my kids have been playing sports) who volunteer their time, year after year, one season into the next and sometimes more than one sport, at a time.

PHEW!

Me? Well, as I see it, teaching kids sports means: a) one would need to know a little something about thatparticular sport; b) being able to physically, you know, do it.

I mean, giving birth to four babies, I can't do a jumping jack, or sneeze, without having certain parts of my body begin to leak (you're welcome) sometimes, all at once (I'm sure) besides, my uterus might fall out, or something.

Still. I regret not having participated in sports beyond what was required to be able to get a passing grade in gym class.

So, I'm THAT mom, cheering my kids (and, your kids) on from the sidelines (or, the lower bleachers) and making an honest attempt to involve myself a little more in my "real-life" community, as well.

Which is why I'm proud to partner with the good folks at The Blog Frog to help spread the word of this awesome campaign and share with you a little about how Subway Baseball Designs Auction is helping to support the Little League Baseball Initiative!

Want to help your kid's team(s)?

Answer the question "What life lessons do kids learn from playing team sports?" for a chance to win a $500 gift certificate for sporting equipment for your child’s team.

Want to help more children stay active by playing team sports?

Go to SUBWAY® Baseball DeSIGNS Auction onEbay. All proceeds go to the Little League Urban Initiative, which helps fund inner-city youth leagues and teams.

MORE Stuff We're Sharing:  $100 Visa Gift card and a bunch of Nestle treats to help you celebrate the last days of summer (SOB!)  $100.00 AMEX Gift Card to help jump start your next home improvement project (YAY!) back-to-school prize packs featuring awesome products from Elmer's AND a $50.00 Amazon gift card courtesy of Allstate/Good Hands!

© 2003 - 2011 This Full House

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of SUBWAY® Baseball DeSIGNS. The opinions and text are all mine. The $500 Gift Certificate Giveaway Contest runs from August 19 - 28, 2011. A random winner will be announced by September 1, 2011. Official Contest Rules.

Elmer's Kids in Need Foundation: Still Time to Help Kids Get Back-to-School Supplies!

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED: I am SO EXCITED to be sharing this awesome prize pack with you Jane H. (comment #99)  Yvonne Butler (comment #48) and Veronica Garrett (comment #110) please check your email for further instructions, thanks!!!

We love Elmer's products and have been loyal customers for, um, how old is my oldest kid?!?

Anyway, I know that a lot of your kids are back-to-school (already!?!?) and most kids here in Jersey start up after Labor Day weekend (SOB!)

I recently learned that Elmer’s is partnering with the Kids In Need Foundation to provide essential school supplies to students who need them the most.

Here's two very simple ways in which we can ALL help:

• For every “like” on the Elmer’s Facebook page (through Sept. 1st) the company will donate one Elmer’s product.

• Plus, they will make an additional donation for every unique view the video receives on the Elmer’s Kids In Need tab.

Please like the Elmer’s Facebook page, watch the video, and share it with your friends and family. With just one click, you will help a child in need!

To help you (yes, maybe even YOU!) get back-to-school ready, the good folks at Elmers have offered to send three (3) of our online friends a lovely Back-to-School prize pack, including:

Nestle Family Best Summer Ever Blogger: Wrap Up and Giveaway

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED: I am SO EXCITED to be able to share this awesome prize package with you Geoff K. (comment #144) please check your email for further instructions, thanks!!!

I was very excited to announce the launch of the Best Summer Ever by Nestle Family program, where I, along with some fellow bloggers, were given the opportunity to contribute to a huge list of summer challenges for your family.

It was fun sharing ideas and some of our favorite stuff in celebrating summer with our online friends.

My kids are mentally (and physically) getting ready to get back-to-school after Labor Day (parenting equivalent of bittersweet, no?)

My oldest is graduating high school, this year (SOB!) so, my husband and I were super thankful for our awesome trip to Cape Cod, MA considering it may be the last summer vacation we'll be able to spend together, as a family.

[insert major heart squeeze, here]

My partnership with this awesome program is also coming to a close (thank you, Nestle) so, let's celebrate EVERYTHING summer and spending quality time with family and friends, with an awesome giveaway, including a $100 Visa Gift Card, right here, right now, what do you say, you with me?

Spending Time With MinuteClinic at BlogHer

I recently attended BlogHer 2011 (I may or may not have left some body parts, in San Diego) where I had the opportunity to meet with the folks at MinuteClinic to learn about their walk-in medical clinics located inside select CVS/pharmacy stores.  

I also had the chance to participate in a video with 4 other blogger friends (the roundup page is available on BlogHer, btw) and share what I learned with you (yes, YOU!) my online friends:

Great, but why MinuteClinic?

Well, summertime is almost over (SOB!) and, as most parents already know, when kids head back to school and germs start to spread, children can develop common illnesses like strep throat, pink eye and ear aches, very easily AND pretty quickly, too.

[shiver]

Getting my kids to the doctor's office, filling their prescriptions, back home and then back-to-school, not so much.

Okay, so what can they do for you, really?

MinuteClinic medical clinics treat a limited set of common illnesses such as strep throat, ear, nose, eye, bladder and bronchial infections. 

MinuteClinic offers a number of common vaccines such as flu shots and tetanus, as well.

They also provide wellness and prevention services including: smoking cessation, screenings for cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes and obesity and physicals for college, camp and sports activities.

Sounds good, but what will it cost you?

MinuteClinic is in-network with most major insurance carriers. MinuteClinic will accept as payment the co-pay as indicated on a patient’s insurance card.

For patients paying cash or credit, treatment prices are posted outside each health care center. Most treatments start at $79 - $89.

So, my best takeaway about MinuteClinic is:

• Clinics are open 7 days a week and evenings, as well.
• You do NOT have to make an appointment, just walk right in.
• Care starts at $79 to $89 and most insurance is accepted.
• Clinics are staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants (much like my current doctor's office) who can evaluate and diagnose symptoms, write prescriptions, when medically appropriate.

Okay, awesome, really, but where can you find one?

MinuteClinic walk-in medical clinics are located inside select CVS/pharmacy stores, with nearly 600 locations in 26 states and the District of Columbia.

For more information visit The MinuteClinic Website and find one near you, STAT!

OTHER IMPORTANT LINKS:

Facebook Page -  http://goo.gl/hxJAE

Monthly eNewsletter - http://goo.gl/s4Wx5

Mobile App -  http://goo.gl/IPofy (must be accessed from any internet-capable mobile phone)

So, here's my question: 

What is your #1 most annoying back-to-school ailment (for us, it's strep throat...BLECH!)

Oh, and did you know that Minute Clinic offers flu shots, as well?!?

© 2003 - 2011 This Full House

Disclosure:  I was hired by BlogHer and recently had the opportunity to meet with the folks at MinuteClinic to learn about their walk-in medical clinics located inside select CVS/pharmacy stores.  I was compensated to participate in a video and to write this post to share what I learned with my readers.

Allstate's Good Hands Roadside Assistance Program Recap and Giveaway

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED: So happy to be sharing with you, Donna B. (comment #39) please check your email for further instructions, thanks!!!

Mom's Driving School 2010:  Holly, Day 1 - sitting in our driveway.

Remember, last month, when I first told you about Allstate Good Hands Roadside Assistance program and how I was all, like, what do you mean I have a kid old enough to drive?

Frankly, I could never have imagined the combination of relief and nausea I felt, when realizing...YES...this was really happening...as of last month...my sweet baby girl is now a legally licensed driver!

My husband surprised us with a last-minute road trip to Cape Cod, MA and it was funny to watch my 17 year-old hit the imaginary break, for once.

7 hours later (seriously, Connecticut?!?) she was just as exhausted as we were, backseat driving.

After only 2 months of running errands and driving her siblings to local events (which, I'm getting real used to, btw) Holly admits that she's not quite ready to tackle the New Jersey Turnpike and/or the Garden State Parkway...me, either!!!

Still, it's nice to know, in case of an emergency, Allstate Good Hands Roadside Assistance services provide 24/7 assistance, including:

• Towing
• Lockouts
• Tire Changes
• Refueling
• Jump-start

What's also great about this new service is you pay as you need it and when you need it, ONLY: in most cases just $75 per tow and $50 per other service.

Other really important key points to Allstate Good Hands Roadside Assistance service are:

Camping Indoors with S'mores

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED:So excited to be able to share this awesome prize package with you, Julie L (comment #28) please check your email for further instructions, thanks !!!

Remember when I blogged about our celebrating S'mores season with Hershey's and The Motherhood, back in June?!?

[glances at calendar]

Okay, so, like where DID the summer go?!? 

It seems like only yesterday, we were celebrating the last day of school, right?!?

Did I mention that my second favorite holiday is the first day of school?!?

Just kidding (sort of!)

The kids and I really did have a GREAT time, this summer.  We were able to visit with family AND hang out at the beach with friends at two of our favorite vacation destinations: Cape Cod, MA and Cape May, NJ.

Now that summer is winding down and ALL four kids are going back-to-school, after Labor Day (bittersweet, I know!) we're sticking closer to home and enjoying late night camp outs by the fire pit, in our backyard.

Unless, a late summer thunderstorm shows up, pretty much out of nowhere (like it did, yesterday) and chases the kids back into the house...in less than 5 Mississippi's...me, too!

So, my daughters and I thought it would be fun to show you exactly how easy it is to go camping indoors with S'mores...anytime:

  

Camping indoors really is SO MUCH fun and the best thing about S'mores is that you can make them anywhere, anytime, no matter the weather, indoors AND out!

Want some?  EXCELLENT!!!

Bic Back-to-School Review & Giveaway

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED: So excited to be able to share this awesome prize pack with you, Stacey M. Signor (comment #66) please check your email for further instructions, thanks!!!

CONFESSION:  I have this thing for office supplies.  It started when I was in grade school and has manifested into a lifelong fascination.

Don't even get me started on my ever-growing collection of pens.

Speaking of which (sorry, just can't seem to help myself) the good folks representing BIC products sent a lovely package of back-to-school supplies and just in time!

You see, it seems that my kids have this thing for pens, too.

Aaaaand, we are almost all out of pencils:  my youngest daughter (she's 10) swears mechanical pencils are easier to hold (especially, for small hands, like hers) and I'd much rather she concentrate on her math, comfortably.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that BIC Impressions Mechanical Pencils are available in fun designs, or that Bic offers a line of sustainable products AND their website (BicWorld.com)  is also very, very pretty.

Want some?

The Bagster Bag Blogger Challenge: TFH Garage Clean Up - THE BEFORE!

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED: I am SO excited to be able to share stuff we like with you, Denise B. (comment #129) please check your email for further instructions, thanks!!!

Thanks to TheBagster.com for sponsoring my writing about our latest home improvement project and the Bagster Bag Blog Challenge.  Add your comment below to be entered for a chance to win a $100 Amex Gift Card to help kick-start your own home improvement project, as well!

Years ago, when we first purchased our house and right before my oldest daughter was born, my husband and I enjoyed watching shows like This Old House -- the inspiration behind starting my blog, This Full House, actually -- because, we loved getting ideas on ways we could save money, by improving our little starter home, all by ourselves.

18 years and 4 kids later (okay, so we're really, really slow starters) we've accumulated A LOT of stuff and, well, short of an Extreme Home Do-Over, I'd be perfectly happy with a garage makeover, instead.

Seeing as we don't have a basement, or easily accessible attic and we haven't been able to park our car in the garage since 1995 (I think!)

It is for THIS reason that I am really, really excited to announce my participation in the Bagster Bag Blogger Challenge!

To help kick-start my participation in this project, I'm sharing THE BEFORE pics of our garage clean up (may not be suitable for all viewers, most especially, if you're organized and stuff) and hosting a sweet giveaway, as well.

First, a little more about the product:

Share Your Back-to-School Money Saving Advice for a Chance to Win a $500 Shopping Spree from BlogFrog!

It's the same thing, every summer (right about this time, actually) the kids shake down our mail carrier, desperately awaiting news of their teachers and classes for the new school year.

However, NOT until I've had a chance to review each of their back-to-school packets....first!

Personally, I would love it if teachers included ALL of their classroom supply needs...ahead of time!

My husband and I have been gathering school supplies, here and there, throughout the summer. However, the middle school and high school teachers all have separate supply lists, which we don't see, until the first week of school, when the aisles have pretty much been picked clean of back-to-school supply deals.

So, our best advice for shopping for back-to-school supplies would be:

1. Pick up extra standard back-to-school supplies (like, composition notebooks, binders, 3-subject notebooks, book covers, etc...) you find on sale before school starts.

2. Save those receipts (I'm really, really trying to get better at this!) then, return any unused/unopened items.

3. Or, you could always put any leftover supplies aside for next year -- we keep ours in a plastic tote in the garage.

How about you?

Share your back to school money saving advice below for a chance to win a $500 Back to School Shopping Spree from BlogFrog!

Want to exchange more tips and ideas with other moms about back to school topics such as healthy snacks, school supplies and saving money? Visit the Horizon® Healthily Families Back to School Community!

© 2003 - 2011 This Full House

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Horizon. The opinions expressed by me do not necessarily reflect the view of the Horizon Organic brand.

Our Kleenex Field Trip to the American Museum of Natural History

Yesterday, my kids and I took the early train (reference: some real tired-looking faces above) to meet up with blogging friends at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City, courtesy of The Motherhood and Kleenex Field Trips.

It was SO FUN to introduce my kids to folks they've heard about, well, in forever, like @NYCityMama, @EmilyMcKhann, @jenrab, @LoveThatMax and @TheCultureMom.

Also, compare growth charts with my dear, sweet friend @veepveep -- my kids agree, your 6 month old is totally edible, btw!

We also got to visit with @MacaroniKidNYC again (twice, this summer!) and meet new friends like @NewYorkChica, @MamaGoesNatural and @MommasGoneCity, while visiting one of my family's favorite museums, learn about awesome new exhibitions, like Frogs a Chorus of Color and have one GIANT playdate, together!

The great thing about visiting with AMNH is that the majority of their exhibits are totally interactive, family-friendly for all age groups and there's always something new to learn -- anything with frog and guts, used in the same sentence, my kids were ALL over it!

Are you or your kids into dinosaurs?  EXCELLENT!  AMNH has the world's largest dinosaur exhibit!

My youngest (she's 10) wants to be an archaeologist (edited to add, upon Hope's request: or, scientist) my son (he's 12) is a HUGE history buff and we've been carting them and my two oldest girls (15 and 17) around museums ever since they (or, I) can remember, really.

That's why I am very proud to partner with TheMotherhood.com in sharing information about Kleenex (sponsor of this awesome field trip) and their amazing initiative called Kleenex Field Trips:

For the 2011 – 2012 school year, Kleenex is committing $500,000 to their Kleenex Save the Field Trips Initiative that helps fund school field trips as part of the educational curriculum. 

I am supporting this initiative publicly (here and on Facebook) on behalf of my 10 year-old's elementary school.

My youngest daughter is graduating and moving onto middle school, this year (SOB!) thus, ending our 12 year relationship at the elementary level.

I realize that funding school field trips is low on the priority list (for many people) however, giving kids the chance to visit and possibly learn something new at local museums (like AMNH!) or, inspire families (like mine) to reach outside themselves (and the classroom) in supporting educational initiatives (like, saving field trips) and, in turn, possibly helping to fuel a child's dream(s) is an opportunity that I just can't seem to pass up.

How about you?  To register your school to win $5,000 toward field trips during the 2011-2012 school year, head over to Facebook.

© 2003 - 2011 This Full House

Kleenex Field Trips is a campaign coordinated by The Motherhood.  Kleenex sponsored admission to the American Museum of Natural History and lunch was provided at no cost.  I am being compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions expressed are my own.

Best Summer Ever Blogger Giveaway

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED: So happy to be able to share this awesome prize package with you, Jennifer Horn (comment #5) please check your email for further instructions, thanks!!!

I was very, very excited to announce the launch of Best Summer Ever by Nestle Family, where I, along with some fellow bloggers, were given the opportunity to contribute to a huge list of summer challenges for your family.

Oh, and there are some awesome summer prizes featured each week -- like, this week's Summer Cool Down Package running August 7th to August 13th:

• Bottle of Nesquik syrup
• Large cooler
• Fancy Ice Cream scoop
• Gift certificate for party supplies
• Karaoke Machine
• Ice cream for 30 people

Considering my husband suprised us with a last-minute weekend trip to Cape Cod (yes, I'm keeping him!) and my recently returning from BlogHer 2011 (gosh, but re-entry is really, really hard!) this HAS been the best summer, ever!

So, let's celebrate with an awesome giveaway, right here, right now, what do you say, you with me?

Welcome to Our 83rd Open House The BlogHer '11 Edition

My husband, Garth [not his real name] and I love attending open houses - especially, if it's a home that we've admired from the sidewalk, or wondered...you know...what the heck is going on over there?

Same thing with blogs, right?

So please, clean off a chair, sit down and feel free to share your links (PG-13, please) about any blogging events, fundraisers, giveaways, book tours and contests, or if you have a burning blog post and just need to a little shout out (HEY!) go for it!

Okay, I'll start:

I'm enjoying working with Kmart's Playdate Place!  It really is a great place for parents (like me) to hang out, spark conversation, share ideas about planning fun playdates, find recommendations for toys and take advantage of exclusive Playdate Place special offers, as well. 

I am also very honored to be attending BlogHer 2011 in San Diego, this weekend, as a featured Playdate Place blogger.

While I'm away, I have two new summertime activities running at PlaydatePlace.com:  Need a Little Pick Me Up?  Go Cloud Gazing // Family Vacation Bucket List (because, it's never too late to have fun!)

Now, it's your turn, link 'em if you got 'em:

Thanks SO MUCH for sharing and feel free to come back, to see what my blogging friends are up to, this week -- we'll leave the porch light on for ya'!

Also, please feel free to clean off a chair, sit down, visit my parenting blog, ThisFullHouse.com and say "Hi," when you have time, of course!

Happy Hump Day and see you next week, everyone!!!

© 2003 - 2011 This Full House

Last-Minute (What Do You Mean It's August, Already?) Summertime Bucket Lists

My husband surprised us with a last-minute trip to Cape Cod and, well, you really can squeeze in a whole lot of stuff, including driving, in just one weekend.

PHEW!

Join me over at BlogFrog where we’re discussing creating last minute Summertime Bucket Lists at the Horizon Milk Community: . .

MY OTHER BLOGFROG COMMUNITY POSTS:

• Horizon Back-to-School Community
• Giving Kids Allowance for Chores
• Do You Make a Date With Your Kids?
• Smoothing Our Way Into Chillaxing Summertime Snacks
• Family Dinner Fun LIVE CHAT! (notes available, in case you missed it!)
• Getting Back to Back-To-School Bedtime Routines

© 2003 - 2011 This Full House  

Disclosure: I have been engaged by BlogFrog as a Horizon's Community Leader and am being compensated for my services for the length of the program.