This Full House Reviews

MyGofer.com Gift Cards Giveaway

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED:  So, so happy to be sharing with Thomas Hoh (#63) and Veronica Garrett (#48) please check your emails for further instructions !!!

I am a featured blogger and Kmart Playdate Parent, which affords me the chance to review and/or share products available at brand stores owned by Sears.

Today, we're featuring MyGofer.com, a FREE online shopping service offering a full assortment of groceries, prescriptions, health and wellness, beauty, everyday items, toys, baby supplies, pet supplies, electronics, appliances, apparel, home furniture and, well, really ANYTHING you need.

Get it the same day through in store pickup at your local Kmart, curbside pickup, or home delivery.

Also, I get the chance to share two (2) $25.00 MyGofer.com Gift Cards with our online friends.

BONUS!

Fashion to Figure Giveaway: Because, Fashionable Women Come in ALL Sizes

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED: Sharing with Casey (comment #46) YAY!  Please check your email for further instructions!!

It's true, one size does NOT fit all (I know, act surprised anyway) thank goodness the good folks at FashiontoFigure.com know this, already. 

That little black dress up there...AYUP!...smoking hot!!!

Fashion to Figure carries trendy AND fashionable clothes for women (size 12 to 26) at very reasonable prices (I think!)

I flipped through the Fashion to Figure Fall Look Book and am pretty convinced that their fashion consultants know what the heck they are doing, too.

Want to take a peek?

Download FREE Mario Batali Cookbook & Barilla Will Donate to Meals on Wheels!

Barilla’s Share the Table program was created to help families make the most of their shared meals through a host of expert and celebrity tips, recipes and more.

I blogged about the Barilla Family Dinner Project here, last year.

For the second year in a row, Barilla is encouraging families (like mine) to Share the Table and Mario Batali, Julianne Moore and 10 other notable celebrities (including my female crush and fellow mom of Hungarian descent, Mariska Hargitay) have joined together to create the limited edition Celebrity Pasta Lovers’ Cookbook:

Deal Alert: Coupon Code for Free Laptop Sleeve From Spreadshirt.com

So, what's the deal with Spreadshirt.com?  Well, it's a website that allows you to create, buy or sell custom-made t-shirts, shirts & tees (add your own text and everything) but, wait, there's more!

Between September 6th and October 1st, customers can customize a FREE netbook or laptop sleeve with every order that is $40 or more (this is a $16 value for FREE) check out Spreadshirt.com, shop around a little and then, when you're ready to checkout, enter the following:

Promotional code for your FREE laptop sleeve

• US: FREESLEEVEUSA
• CANADA: FREESLEEVECAN 

OFFER EXPIRES OCTOBER 1, 2010

Now, if only I could think of something REALLY clever to say, like, "Is it wine o'clock, yet," I mean, someone should put THAT on a t-shirt, right?

© 2010 This Full House / This Full House Gone Shopping

The Small Gray-ish Print:  No payments, product or any other consideration, besides a chance to help families (like mine) save a little extra milk money, was received for this blog post.

Calling All Pork Grilling Groupies: Win a Trip to NYC Wine & Food Festival!

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED: We are VERY happy to be sharing this with LAMusing (comment #49) and Sugar2006 (comment #38) please check your email accounts for further instructions!!!

Pork.  It's what's for dinner (at our house, mostly) especially, with only 2 more weekends left before school starts.

[moment of silence]

I've got some great grilling tips to share with you from celebrity chef, Melissa d'Arabian - host of Food Network's Ten Dollar Dinners and winner of the fifth season of The Next Food Network Star.

Download Melissa's Tips for Grilling Pork, here!

Also, if you're REALLY into grilling, you may be interested to learn about the Calling all Grillers with Groupies Contest.  What's in it for you?

The grand prize winner will be awarded a trip to New York City to meet and cook with Melissa  at the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival in October.  

Pretty suh-weet ticket for foodies AND foodie-admirers, right?

To help celebrate the last days of grilling season (here in Jersey, anyway) the good folks representing The National Pork Board have kindly offered a great little prize pack to share with one (1) of our online friends, too.

Because, we roll like that!

Super Cute Back-to-School Gift Pack from Paul Frank

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED: We are SO HAPPY to be able to share this with Amy (comment #52!!!)

We've got 2 more weeks before school starts -- seriously, where DID the summer go -- and I find myself NOW scrambling to get as much family time in, as possible, before the alarm clocks begin to ring, again!

Did I mention, I have 4 kids going to 4 different schools...AGAIN...this year!?!?

Speaking of monkeys (heh!) my kids just love them (okay, me too!) and the Paul Frank brand has a very cute line of back-to-school items available at OfficeMax and the Apple store, this year.

Want some?

Nominate Your Local School: 2010 Power A Bright Future Grant by Clorox!

I had the pleasure of meeting with representatives of The Clorox Company, while attending BlogHer '10 Conference and learned more about their 2010 Power A Bright Future Grant Program:

• Power A Bright Future is a grant program aimed at providing necessary resources to help support school programs that enrich kids’ lives.

• As part of Power A Bright Future, Clorox is calling on individuals to nominate schools in need for a chance to win a $50,000 grand-prize grant or one of three $20,000 grants to help provide critically needed resources to schools programs that enrich kids’ lives and create brighter futures.

• In December, four schools will be chosen to receive grants and the opportunity to impact the lives of children in their communities.

Raising 4 kids, attending 4 different schools (yes, really!) we are no strangers to the trials and tribulations (mostly, trials) of fighting to keep programs, like art and music, in our school budget.

How can you (and I) get involved?

Help Spiegel.com Give Back to Educators: Share 15% OFF With Your Favorite Teacher!

In the years when I actually wore business suits, B.C. (before children) I would often order from the Spiegel Catalog, B.I. (before Internet) and now they are launching their first ever SPIEGEL LOVES TEACHERS campaign.

Spiegel has partnered with the National Education Association to give back to all educators by offering 15% OFF at Spiegel.com -- simply enter the code TEACH at checkout to redeem.

Click here to take the quiz yourself and find out your Signature Style!

Now, if I could only convince SOME folks that there is to such a thing as being fashionably-challenged and that, in some cases, it may just be, you know, irreversible!

© 2010 This Full House Gone Shopping

Small Gray-ish Print:  No payments, products, or considerations, other than a chance to help families (like ours) save a little money, was received for this blog post.

Open House Blog Tour #61: Get Your Linky Love Bytes, Right Here!

Welcome to our 61st Weekly Open House Blog Tour!

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 in there?

Same thing with blogs, right?

So please, clean off a chair, sit down and feel free to leave 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 shout out (HEY!) go for it!

Mi feed reader y su feed reader!

WHAT, IS YOUR LINK TOO LONG?  NO PROBLEM:  Shorten your links with http://bit.ly/ (it's easy AND free!) or, if you need to edit a link -- just let me know!

Okay, I'll start:

Thanks SO MUCH for sharing and don't hesitate to come back, next week -- we'll leave the porch light on for ya!

MEET THE BLOGGERS:  PREVIOUS OPEN HOUSE BLOG TOURS

See you next Thursday!

© 2010 This Full House Gone Shopping

Open House Blog Tour - BlogHer10 Edition

Welcome to our 60th Weekly Open House Blog Tour - BlogHer10 Edition!

I'm dropping the kids off (thank you, mom and dad!) and leaving (on a train) tomorrow and will be attending the BlogHer10 Conference in NYC, all weekend!!!

Going to BlogHer?  Let me know, or tweet me @thisfullhouse and I'd love to meet you, in person!!!

I'm also leaving the porch light FOR YOU!!!  Please, clean off a chair, sit down, mind the Doofus-Dawg (he licks, hard) and feel free to leave your links (PG-13, please) about any blogging events, fundraisers, giveaways, book tours, contests, or if you have a burning blog post and just need to shout out (HEY!) go for it!

Mi feed reader y su feed reader!

WHAT, IS YOUR LINK TOO LONG?  NO PROBLEM:  Shorten your links with http://bit.ly/ (it's easy AND free!) or, if you need to edit a link -- just let me know!

Okay, I'll start:

MEET THE BLOGGERS:  PREVIOUS OPEN HOUSE BLOG TOURS

Have a GREAT weekend, everyone!

© 2010 This Full House Gone Shopping

V8 V-Fusion +Tea Review and Giveaway

CONGRATULATIONS:  MELISSA O. (COMMENT #24) PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS!!!

It's no secret, my family loves V8 V-Fusion inspired smoothies (makes good adult-friendly drinks, ahem, too!) so, I was excited to be given the opportunity to try their new V-Fusion +Tea.

My kids, not so much.

"Tea is for when you're sick."

Anyhow, there's no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives in V8 V-Fusion +Tea juice beverages and they are available in 3 flavors: Raspberry Green Tea, Pomegranate Green Tea and Pineapple Mango Green Tea.

I'm allergic to mango (dangit!) but, my oldest girls (they are 14 and 16) loved it and the youngest two (they are 9 and 11) enjoyed the raspberry blend, the most.

Me?  Anything with the word "pomegranate" is okay, in my book -- the tea flavor is very subtle and there is no bitter aftertaste (which I get sometimes with green tea!)  Also, I think it tastes a lot less sweeter than most blended juices I've had.

So, you want some and have you heard/seen the “Bottle Song,” yet:

Frigidaire Test Drive: Wash, Rinse, Dry, No Repeats - Okay, Just One More, Maybe!

As a Frigidaire Test Drive Mom (yeah, I don't know how that happened...either) my family and I have tried, really, really hard to break test the awesomeness that is our new dishwasher, microwave, gas range and refrigerator!

Then, the washer and dryer came and, well, things turned a little, you know, ugly (not Frigidaire's fault, btw) I finally HAD to admit (out loud) that, you know, I'm kind of enjoying doing the laundry...sort of...and I no longer fear feeding the laundry monster.

In fact, I'm feeling a bit spoiled at the moment -- my laundry, not so much -- want to smell?

Yummie Tummie: Shapewear & Body Shapers - Dreaded Bathroom Mirror Road Test

 
I love the clean layered look of t-shirts and tank tops; slap on a pretty, jacket (or, sweater) along with a pair of shiny earrings and couple of strands of beads (or, choker) and I'm ready for a nice date night out with my husband, Garth (not his real name) until, I glance into the bathroom mirror.

"WTH!?!?"

I swear, those EXTRA layers weren't there an hour ago and what is up with my hair!?!?  I'm not opposed to wearing shapewear (seriously, especially at BlogHer) but, I have yet to find something that makes me feel good AND is comfortable.

So, when The Clever Girls Collective contacted me about trying Yummie Tummie (two words I wouldn't use, in the same sentence, much) I was skeptical.

Until, I took it for the ultimate road test!

Making Mornings Easier (Riiiiiiiight!) and Eggo Real Fruit Pizza Giveaway

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED:  SHARING WITH DAWN (#8) VICKI WURGLER (#4) MICHELE PINEDA (#20) KAREN M (#17) AND SARAH (#14) PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAILS FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS!

I am NOT a morning person.  My husband, Garth (not his real name) however, is (one of those annoying morning people, I mean) so, he hands me a cup of coffee (through the bathroom door) and then runs away.

Life is good.

The kids?  They're split 50-50. So, mornings are a leeee-tle tough (at our house) with communication kept at a minimum...a grunt, here...a moan, there...and absolutely no one talks to the 16 year-old, before lunchtime.

Which makes breakfast time (at our house) uh, very interesting.

That's why I'm excited to be able to partner with my friends at TheMotherhood.com in trying out the new Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas and share tried-and-true lists, tips and ideas for making mornings more convenient.

Here's mine:

DON'T SWEAT IT WHEN YOUR FAMILY DOESN'T EAT BREAKFAST...AT THE SAME TIME:  Especially, when kids start school.  My kids attend 4 different schools (yes, in the same school district, don't ask!) which means they wake up, eat and leave for school, 4 different times, in the morning.  So, breakfast can be anywhere from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.  Dinnertime, however, is served ONLY once and it's the time when we ALL can catch up.

HAVE PLENTY OF CHOICES ON HAND:  I'm not saying buy the whole farm.  In a perfect world, my kids would like AND eat ALL the same stuff.  But, they don't and neither do I.  So, we try to keep a few choice staples on hand, like cereal (for the boy) English muffins and/or cinnamon toast (for the 14 yo) frozen fruit, juice and yogurt for smoothies (my 16 yo's favorite) and waffles (for my youngest) as a variety of favorites that they can ALL choose from.

BE FLEXIBLE (i.e. pick your battles):  There are days when the youngest decides she HATES waffles, or the boy insists that NOTHING tastes good and my oldest girls are just not hungry (i.e. feeling bloated and/or pms-ing) and it's on these mornings when I play the, "just have a piece of fruit, then" card and pack an extra snack in their lunch bag(s).

Okay, not so much tips as they are guidelines that keep my family's morning routine somewhat...practical.

Then, the Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas came (yesterday) just in time for breakfast and, well, you'd think I just opened up a box of whoopass.

"What IS it?"

Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas come in single serving sizes, so everyone got to taste one piece of each...thank you Eggo!

Fruit?  YUM!  Pizza?  YUMMY!  Fruit AND pizza, together?  This was going to take some convincing, I could tell, right away.

My youngest (she's 9) tried the Strawberry Granola one, first (we microwaved them for 90 seconds, btw) and yep, those are REAL strawberries and granola, on top of a schmear of strawberry yogurt, on top of a cinnamon and maple flavored crust.

Aaaaand, we have a win-nah!  I took a bite, as well and, yep, the flavors and textures just seem to work real well and it was MY favorite, too.

 
My oldest girls favored the Mixed Berry Granola variety and were very surprised that the real fruit tasted like, you know, REAL fruit and a little tart, too. 

FINAL VERDICT:  2 empty boxes of Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas later, life was good.  The boy?  Unfortunately, he couldn't get passed the fact that pizza should only be served with tomato sauce (or, schmeared with ketchup) but it's okay, you can't please everybody (see: BE FLEXIBLE, above) and his sisters got to eat his, too = NO LEFTOVERS!!!

Want some?

We have a set of Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas to share with five (5) of our readers, too!

But, wait...there's more!!!

TheMotherhood will randomly select one of YOUR entries to receive a cool prize from Kellogg, samples of Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas and set of Kellogg mugs. Winners will be selected at random using www.random.org.

Oh, wait...one more thing!!!

There are lots of other chances to win as well, check out all the Eggo AM Moms! Winner(s) will be randomly selected and notified on Thursday, August 5th.

In addition, the TheMotherhood will create, from the collected user-generated tips the Eggo Best Tips for Enjoyable, Organized Morning, by choosing the best user-generated tips.

Because, we roll like that!

GET IT HERE:  To enter, leave a comment, like, the typical morning routine at your house (good, bad, or indifferent, I'd love to hear it!) along with a valid email address on this post by 10:00 a.m. on Friday, July 30th and you're automatically entered to win.  Five (5) winners will be picked (via random.org) and announced via email and posted on My Prizey Giveaways Page!

'CAWSE WE LOVE TO SHARE SOME EXTRA CHANCES (not required) TO WIN, TOO:

Subscribe to our feed - leave separate comment.

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Post on Facebook/Twitter (I'm @thisfullhouse) - leave separate comment & link to Tweet.

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Also, be sure to check out TheMotherhood Eggo Mornings Circle where we talk about making our morning routines easier.

© 2010 This Full House Gone Shopping

Disclosure:  I am being compensated for my participation, courtesy of The Motherhood Creative.  I received product samples from Eggo (we ate them, all gone!) the opinions and content posted here are my own.

Official Contest Rules below:

Thanks for Giving: You Did REAL GOOD, Outback Steakhouse!

Outback Steakhouse Presents $1 Million Donation In Support Of The U.S. Troops Through Operation Homefront

Waaaay back in March (seriously, with the kids home for the summer, it seems like a lifetime ago) I blogged about how Outback Steakhouse is supporting our troops.

Why?  Well, like I said:

To me, "support our troops" is more than just a sound bite on a t-shirt or bumper sticker (my minivan sports a magnet, actually) personally, I understand the sacrifice, dedication and difficult decisions members of our military make, every day, and honor that commitment, by showing my support in little ways -- like, blogging about stuff like this.

My twin brother is full-time Army (GO UNCLE BUD!) so, I personally want to take this moment to thank the brands (like, the generous folks at Outback Steakhouse) who continue to allow consumers (like me) help give back to their communities and support really, really great causes, like Operation Homefront!

You did REAL GOOD, Outback...HOOAH!

© 2010 This Full House Gone Shopping - All Rights Reserved.

Small Gray-ish Print:  No payment, product, or any other consideration was given, other than a chance to share something REAL nice with other families (like mine) was received for this blog post, because nice matters and indifference sucks wet poodle.