This Full House Reviews

The Best Gift Ever $50 SWAGG Giveaway

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED: I am very happy to be sharing this with you, Susanmeep (comment #44) please check your email for further instructions!!!

Thanks to SWAGG for sponsoring my writing about The Best Gift Ever.  Add your comment below to be entered for a chance to win a $50 SWAGG GIFT just in time for the holidays and/or beyond!

My kids are ALL at the age where giving is almost as exciting as receiving (ALMOST!) and it's really fun to watch them find "the best gift ever" for each of their siblings.

Taking each of them shopping, separately, not so much.

Thanks to the wonderfulness that is our blogging community (giving back is how we mom-type bloggers roll) my youngest (she's 9) and I will have the opportunity to donate 13 cartons of toys to local charities through her elementary school's toy drive, which I will get to blog about (hopefully) later, this week!

Why?

Because, giving feels AWESOME for both the giver and givee (YES, it's a word!) right?!?!

Today, I have the privilege of sharing information about SWAGG -- a free mobile app for iPhone or Droid (download here) that lets you shop smarter using your mobile phone.

How?

Buy, send or swap SWAGG GIFTS and organize your old school plastic gift cards.

GOOD STUFF:  For every download of the app between now and Dec. 31, 2010, SWAGG will donate $1 to Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), up to $125,000.

REALLY GOOD STUFF:  Clever Girls Collective and SWAGG are sending a pair of movie fans to the Sundance Film Festival!

Download the SWAGG app then visit the Ultimate SWAGG Getaway Sweepstakes site too and enter to win a pretty kick butt prize, including:

• 2 night/3 day stay at Yarrow Hotel in Park City Utah (Jan 21 - Jan 23, 2011)
• Ground transportation to and from hotel to airport in Park City, Utah
• Dinner for two at Tao Lounge, including 2 nightclub passes
• All access to The House of SWAGG Gifting Suite
• 2 tickets to a movie premiere on Saturday, January 22nd -- movie tbd
• $4,000 value

Entry deadline:  is January 3, 2011, 11:59pm, PST.

But, wait, I get to share some really, really good stuff with you (yes, YOU!) too:

Parrot Minikit Slim: Portable Bluetooth Hands Free Car Kit Giveaway

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED:  SO HAPPY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH DOREEN RIOPEL (COMMENT #7) PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS!

TFH Holiday Picks 2010

It's no secret, I love multi-functional gadgets (says so right over there ----> a little lower, RIGHT THERE, see it?)

So, when this really nice woman I met while attending the BlogHer '10 conference this passed summer handed me a box, encouraging me to "give this handy little gadget a try," I thanked her and then went on my merry way, thinking it was a motorized wine bottle opener, a spinning spaghetti fork, or something.

What?  Okay, perhaps your definition of handy little gadget is slightly, you know, different from mine.

It was this new portable bluetooth hands free car system from Parrot.com for iPhones, smart phones and mobile phones and I could NOT have been more delighted, because NOT everyone has an iPhone (or, an iPad) dangit!

So, I gave it to Garth (not his real name) since, you know, I'm giving like that...want to see?

3rd Annual Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest: Energizer Giveaway - Ultimate Lithium Batteries

CONGRATULATIONS: LAURIE (comment #1) PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS!!!

I take photos.  Lots and lots of pictures.  Mostly of my kids, vacations, the dog and stuff, or, at least, I used to. 

Before I broke my camera, I mean.

[moment of silence]

If you like to take pictures (like me) then, you might be interested to know that the 3rd Annual Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest is happening now!

Especially, if you take really, really, really good pictures (unlike me) the winner will have their photo featured in the December issue of National Geographic magazine (in an ad for Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries) and a trip of a lifetime:  A National Geographic Expedition for two to the Greek Isles.

Here's a slideshow of finalists from last year's Energizer Ultimate Photography Contest:

[heavy sigh]

Now, if I only had a camera (yeah, I broke mine) oh...AND some batteries, too...want some?

LeapFrog's New Mobile Learning Device: Can You Guess What It Is?

In 1995, LeapFrog was founded after a dad discovered that the toy market offered nothing to help his 3-year-old learn phonics. It's the year that the company introduced its first product (LeapFrog Phonics Writing Desk) and LeapFrog has consistently been coming up with cool interactive toys to help parents (like me) teach kids basic skills, ever since.

This summer, Leapfrog will be announcing their new mobile learning device - shhhhhh, it's a secret; can you guess the device?

I have absolutely NO IDEA what it is, either.  Still, I'm just itching to give one away - want to be one of the very first people ANYWHERE to own one?

Palm Pre Plus Blogger Review & Giveaway - The Grand Finale!

[COMMENTS ARE CLOSED: CONGRATULATIONS TAMI ALVESHERE -- COMMENT #125 -- PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS!!!]

I am very excited to partner with my friends at TheMotherhood.com and participate in the Palm Pre Plus campaign on behalf of Verizon Wireless, by testing out the "multi-tasking made easy" apps featured on the Palm Pre Plus.

Oh, and these terrific ladies, too:

Busy Mom

Mom Trends

Tech for Mommies

Mom Generations

The Full Mommy

Rockin Mama

Musings of a Housewife

Manic Mommies

Quirky Fusion

For the last 4 weeks, I've be writing about my experiences (in very layman terms, of course) and sharing some great stuff, while I try really hard NOT to break their pretty new phone, too.

Week 1:  I simply tried to learn how to turn the darn thing on.

Week 2:  Went mobile with Facebook and Twitter.

Week 3:  I synced my computer's Media Player with the Palm Pre Plus music player.

Today, I'm posting a recap and am very excited for the opportunity to share a Palm Pre Plus, with one of you, too!

UMID mBook: World's Smallest PC Review & Giveaway

[FINISHED: CONGRATULATIONS MAMI2JCN (COMMENT #7) I AM SO HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS , WITH YOU -- PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS!!!]

Being a lover of multi-functional gadgets (says so right on my sidebar) I was very excited for the opportunity to touch the world's smallest PC (seriously, it's got a touch screen) but, I also break things (a lot) so, when BlogHer.com approached me, on behalf of Intel, to review the new UMID mbook, I was all, like:

• Yes, but it's so small.
• I could take it, instead of my laptop, to work and use it in between phone calls and training sessions.
• But, IT IS SO...you know...small.

So, they sent me a really pretty black one and, well, want to see?

Holiday Survival Guide 2009: Day 4 - HOLIDAYS LONG DISTANCE Skype Look Book and Buddy Cams

[CONGRATULATIONS SHELLY (#36) WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO BE SHARING WITH YOU - PLEASE SEE YOUR EMAIL FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS - HOLIDAY SURVIVAL GUIDE GIVEAWAYS ARE STILL GOING ON !!!]

Welcome to Day 4 of our Holiday Survival Guide 2009 sponsored by some of the most awesomely generous brands we know and have reviewed throughout the year, who have graciously agreed to provide some really cool stuff for Her, Him, the Grandparents...okay, isn't it time we ALL put the WIN back into the winter holidays and made re-gifting a rule?!?

Seriously, I've got some really great stuff to share with you.

Raising 4 kids (did I mention, we've got two teenagers in the house, this year?) my husband, Garth [not his real name] and I are trying (really hard) to remember to take back the holidays and keep it as stress free as...well...you know,.

We've got a little something for everyone and giving away some pretty cool stuff, too:

DAY 1:  HOLIDAY BAKING - Pumpkin Lattice Tart Food Channel Recipe and Holiday Gift Pack from Pampered Chef

DAY 2:  WARM HOLIDAY FUZZIES - Love, Hugs, Peace and All Things Jonas Brothers with Build-A-Bear

DAY 3:  CHILDREN'S BOOKS - Going Digital with Disney

DAY 4:  HOLIDAYS LONG DISTANCE - Keep in Touch with Skype and Buddy Cam

DAY 5:  QUIET HOLIDAY TIME - Grandpa Read's Quiet Time Tales

DAY 6:  FAMILY GAME NIGHT - Playing the "I'm Bored" Games with HABA

DAY 7:  MORE FUN TIME - Xbox 360 for When You're Home for the Holidays

Just so you know -- my picks, product features and blog posts (as always) are advertorial free. No one is paying me, to talk about their product. It's just some really nice stuff that I thought you guys would like, too.

Let's get started, okay -- have you heard of Skype?

Hot Links: HP TouchSmart 600 Giveaway

My friend Michelle (a.k.a. Scribbit) is hosting the most AWESOME giveaway, this week -- seriously, I got a chance to play with one of these puppies at BlogHer '08 and, well, they made me give it back :)

A little more info from Michelle:

The HP TouchSmart 600-1055 is a desktop PC where, as the name implies, you can touch the screen to manipulate information. It comes with all the stuff you desperately covet with the bonus of being able to pinch, rotate and drag things anywhere you want with your own little fingers. Is that not completely fun?

Want it?  Here's the link to the giveaway:

http://scribbit.blogspot.com/2009/11/hp-touchsmart-600-giveaway.html

Good luck!!!

 

© 2009 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

Rosie's Five Tips for Catching Up to Your Internet Savvy Kids

It’s no secret, kids today are much more technologically advanced than their parents and my kids are no exception.

If you're a frazzled and wigged-out, or frustrated time freak of a parent (like me) or perhaps even a grandparent, who's feeling a little "behind" when it comes to the amount of fast-paced information traveling along the Internets, here are five tips from RosieKnows.com:

T-Mobile Mom to Mom Quiz: What's Your Parenting Style?

Raising kids, especially teens, requires a real good sense of humor and T-Mobile has designed this fun Mom to Mom Quiz as a cool way for parents to discover facets of their personalities and determine their "parenting style."

Tim Hawkins on Tech Support - A Country Song About Technical Difficulties!

Because, I sure CAN SO relate and I'll bet a million mosquitoes that Bill Gates can, too!!!

© 2009 This Full House and This Full House Reviews - All Rights Reserved.

Sunday Sampler: The Perfect Shot - New Photo Tip Video Series From Motorola

World's Largest Snowball:  Actually, it's snow-encrusted basketball...but, you won't tell anyone...right!?!?

It finally started to snow here in Jersey -- I know, my Seattle and Midwest friends have plenty that they are probably more than willing to share, even -- and, since Santa Claus did NOT bring me the really cool camera I've been wanting (honestly, I was happy he remembered the kids) I was able to capture some pretty cool shots, anyway.

Funny, what a Mom (like me) could do with a little Envy and a whole lot of photo editing!

I often embed my photos into blog posts (I'm not much of a scrapbooker) and, hopefully, my kids will one day be able to look back and see that, you know, living with me wasn't all THAT bad.

Photosharing has become a easier - especially, with cool tools you can find on the Internets - taking the right picture, not so much.

Then, I came across The Perfect Shot a new series of original videos offering tips on capturing great photos from professional photographer Reggie Casagrande and Motorola.

Here ya' go:

Cool, huh.  Now, I can only imagine what I blogger (like me) could do with one of those really cool cameras.

[sniff]

Since, you know, I don't have one.

© 2008 This Full House and This Full House Reviews - All Rights Reserved.

Holiday Picks & Giveaways 2008 - Day 8

[This giveaway has ended: Thank you SO much for visiting our Holiday Open House - WE HAVE A WINNER - congratulations, xenia!!!]

Happy Cyper Monday -- the busiest shopping day on the Internets -- and welcome to Day 8 and Final Day of our Holiday Picks & Giveaways 2008 (November 24 - December 1) sponsored by some of the most awesomely generous brands I know, who have graciously agreed to provide some really cool stuff for Her, Him, the Grandparents...okay, isn't it time we ALL put the WIN back into the winter holidays and made re-gifting a rule?!?

Seriously, I've got some really great stuff to share with you.

Our kick-off giveaway drew over 170 entries -- Holy Craps! -- what a great way to celebrate the beginning of Thanksgiving week!

Raising 4 kids (we'll have two teenagers in the house, this year) my husband, Garth (not his real name) and I are trying (really hard) to remember to take back the holidays and keep it as stress free as...well...you know, we've got a little something for everyone and giving away some pretty cool stuff, too:

Day 1 - For the Outdoors:  Lands' End Collection of Warm Fuzzies

Day 2 - For Him: Man Spa Gift Package from Sothys Paris - Because, He's Worth It...too!

Day 3 - For the Home:  Deck the Halls, Clean the Floors and Green Gift Giving

Day 4 - For the Grandparents:  Gift of the Christmas Cookie

Day 5 - For the Whole Family:  Black Friday Night at the Movies...um...Night!

Day 6 - For the Kitchen:  Pillsbury Home is Calling Gift Basket

Day 7 - For the Toy Box:  The Discovery Store

Day 8 - Gifts that Give Back:  Save the Oceans, Adopt a Creature!

My picks, product features and blog posts, as always, are advertorial free.  No one is paying me, to talk about their product.  It's just some really nice stuff that I thought you guys would like, too.

Let's get started, okay?

ShopRite Weekly Savings Widget

Hey Mom, what's for dinner - depends upon what's on sale, this week, yes?

Check out this new ShopRite Weekly Specials Widget - isn't it cool?  You can customize it to list savings at your local ShopRite and paste it to your favorite web pages, including Blogger, TypePad, and iGoogle.

Gosh, but I am a SUCKER for cool new savings tools that help feed the Internets ;o)

FIND IT HERE: ShopRite Weekly Specials Widget

© 2008 This Full House and This Full House Reviews - All Rights Reserved.