Winners!

While all of my readers are winners, I have to take a minute to congratulate Agnes and Janice for being my most recent prize winners.  Agnes won the Carmex Prize Pack and Janice was the lucky recipient of the Hasbro & General Mills Giveaway!

Thanks to all for reading my rather sporadic posts!

Happy Monday!

Carmex - Pumpkin's Favorite Lotion

I keep finding myself in the middle of conversations related to dry skin, lotions, and lip balm.  While I attribute some of the conversations to the fact that I'm getting older.  (I've found that with age comes the desire to share details of all of your medical ailments.)  I think some of the conversations are purely organic.  With the lingering dry winter months, people are finding themselves frustrated with painful cracked hands and chapped lips.  Being a mom, my purse is packed with products that my kids need, want, or love to use.  So, if someone complains of dry skin, I always offer them a dab of my Carmex lotion.

Carmex lotion (and cream) are fairly new to the Carmex family.  When I pull them out of my purse to share with friends and family, they are often surprised.  "I didn't know Carmex made lotion." is one of the most common responses I hear.    Carmex does make lotion, and Pumpkin LOVES it.  Pumpkin has very dry skin.  It is easily irritated by dry weather, chlorine in the pool, and even fabrics that rub her the wrong way.  When she complains of dry or itchy skin, I always tell her to put on lotion.  Carmex is the first one she grabs.  She likes the scent, the way it soothes her irritated skin, and that fact that it absorbs fairly quickly.

More familiar to people is Carmex Lip Balm.  It has been in my purse for ages.  I've loved it since I was a teen.  The original Carmex Jar will always hold a special place in my heart, since it was the first Carmex I owned.  While I still love the jar, sometimes using my finger to apply the balm isn't the best option.  I now keep several varieties of lip balm on hand.

Did you know that Carmex made lotion and cream?  Do you want to win some?  Here's what you have to do:

Mandatory Entry:  What product/scent/flavor do you wish Carmex would come up with next?  Leave a comment below.  Be sure to include your email address in the comment if it is not available on your profile page.

Optional Extra Entries:

1. Follow me on Twitter.  Post your username in the comments.
2. Tweet about this giveaway using "Win a @Carmex Prize Pack! @rmgm http://melissa987654321.blogspot.com/"  Post a link to your tweet here.  This can be done once daily.  
3. Follow me publicly on Google Friend Connect and post a comment with your username.
4. Like me on Facebook.  Leave a comment with your Facebook name (or initials if you don't want to post your full name).
5. Post about this giveaway publicly on Facebook.  Make sure you include a link back here and @MomOnTheEdge so that I can see that I was mentioned.  Post the link to your post here in the comments.  This can also be done once daily.

Details:

• Leave a comment for each entry
• Only open to US residents
• Winner will be chosen using random.org
• Giveaway ends 11:59pm ET on April 17, 2013
• Include your email address in your mandatory comment if it is not available on your profile page.
• Winner will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.
•  Prizes will be sent by the sponsor.  I am not responsible for prizes that are lost or damaged in transit.

*Disclosure:  I received the same prize pack my winner will receive in exchange for my honest review.

What I Love Wednesday - Pretending to Sleep

Pumpkin likes her sleep.  She generally prefers to sleep about 11-12 hours each night.  However, sometimes it takes her a while to wind down from the day.  When I hear thumping coming from her room, it is usually a result of her tossing and turning (and kicking the wall in the process).  It makes me laugh when I go in to check on her after hearing her moving around and find her with her eyes closed, motionless, holding her breath, with the slightest hint of a smile on her lips.  She is always amazed that I can tell she's not really asleep.  I've not shared her "tells" with her yet.  Instead, I simply appreciate her innocence and probably fall asleep with a smile on my lips as well, amused and content with the family I'm blessed to call my own.

*Note - The picture is actually Peanut as a baby.  It is one of my favorite "sleep" pictures.  When I look at it, I can almost feel her sleeping on my chest and smell her baby smell.

General Mills and Hasbro Go Retro

When I hear the word "retro" I think of disco balls, bell bottoms, and a time when I was old enough to observe, but too young to participate fully in the world around me.   I also think of my parents' generation.  Pictures from a time before I was born.  Images that feel like a memory when in fact they're just a story heard many times over.  Retro means nostalgia for times past.

I never thought I'd be a "when I was a kid..." person.  But, alas, I am.  When I was a kid, I was able to walk into the corner store and buy a lottery ticket for my parents.  When I was a kid, neighbors would come to the house and knock on the door to see if I could come outside to play.  When I was a kid, I'd separate my bowl of Lucky Charms into oats and marshmallows.  I'd eat the oats with milk for breakfast and take the marshmallows in a bag in my pocket to school.  I'd snack on them at recess.  I loved that they were harder than regular marshmallows.  I liked the way they took a while to dissolve on my tongue.  

Imagine my excitement when I received a box of retro Lucky Charms (and Cheerios) from General Mills and MyBlogSpark.  Even though I rarely eat Lucky Charms anymore, I tore open the box.  I wanted to see if the marshmallows were retro too.  I was really hoping they'd be just like the ones I remembered.  While the marshmallows weren't the single color pink hearts, blue diamonds, yellow moons, orange stars, and green clovers that I'd hoped to see, they still have the same texture.  My taste buds have changed since the 80's, so I won't venture to guess if they taste the same, though they were good.  Peanut, Pumpkin and Doc will vouch for that.  :)

In addition to the cereal, I was also sent Parcheesi.  Since I already have Clue, Risk, and Scrabble (the other retro games available at Target through this limited time promotion), it was a perfect fit!  While we haven't had the opportunity to play it yet, I am definitely looking forward to our next family game night!

Now that I've taken my walk down memory lane, I know you want some retro cereal and games of your own.  If you do, be sure to head to Target to pick up a box or two of Big G Retro cereal.  Included inside the box is a coupon for $5 off the Vintage versions of Clue, Scrabble, Parcheesi or Risk.  Be sure not to dilly dally.  These products are only available for a short time.  

Would you like a chance to win a prize pack just like the one I received?  Here's what you have to do.

Mandatory Entry:  What was your favorite General Mills cereal when you were a kid?  Leave a comment below.  Be sure to include your email address in the comment if it is not available on your profile page.

Optional Extra Entries:

1. Follow me on Twitter.  Post your username in the comments.
2. Tweet about this giveaway using "Win a Retro Prize Pack! @rmgm #MyBlogSpark http://melissa987654321.blogspot.com/2013/04/general-mills-and-hasbro-go-retro.html."  Post a link to your tweet here.  This can be done once daily.  
3. Follow me publicly on Google Friend Connect and post a comment with your username.
4. Like me on Facebook.  Leave a comment with your Facebook name (or initials if you don't want to post your full name).
5. Post about this giveaway publicly on Facebook.  Make sure you include a link back here and @MomOnTheEdge so that I can see that I was mentioned.  Post the link to your post here in the comments.  This can also be done once daily.

Details:

• Leave a comment for each entry
• Only open to US residents
• Winner will be chosen using random.org
• Giveaway ends 11:59pm ET on April 17, 2013
• Include your email address in your mandatory comment if it is not available on your profile page.
• Winner will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.
•  Prizes will be sent by the sponsor.  I am not responsible for prizes that are lost or damaged in transit.

Disclosure: The prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Third Grade Common Core Workbook

As most of you know, in my previous life, I was a teacher.  Even though I never taught elementary school, I am constantly finding myself engaged in discussions about elementary level curriculum.  Methodology and standards are always changing, which makes it a challenge to keep up with what my children need to know and learn to be successful on the standardized tests.

I recently came across this Third Grade Common Core Workbook  while looking for activities to do with some struggling students in my daughter's classroom.  If the sample is any indication of the information contained in the rest of the 840 pages of this workbook, then I may have just found a great resource!  I can't wait to receive it and see if it is as comprehensive as it appears to be.  

*Disclaimer:  I did not receive any compensation for this post.  In exchange for telling you about this product, I may receive a free download of the workbook.

What I LOVE Wednesday...

Pumpkin loves to skip.  She skips out of the bathroom.  She skips into school.  She skips through the parking lot at the local mall.  If there is room to skip (or even if there isn't), she skips.  Every time I see her skipping, I can't help but smile.

I don't know when the skipping stops.  My oldest daughter, Peanut, doesn't skip.  Even though they are only 17 months apart, I can't remember the last time I saw Peanut skip randomly.  Perhaps it is just a difference in personality.   Regardless, I love that Pumpkin skips.  I hope it never stops.  Maybe one day I'll even join in.

Avon Addicts Book Giveaway Winner

Winner!  Winner!
Penni's fam won't get dinner.
She'll be too busy reading new books!

Congrats Penni!  Be on the lookout for an email shortly.

Blog Hop - Avon Addicts Unite (Giveaway)

I enjoy the written word.  It is something that can be absorbed at my own pace.  I can read quickly if I'm in a hurry and only need to get the gist of what I'm reading.  I can take my time and read slowly if I need to understand every single detail.  I can read for hours on end, or stop after a single sentence.  When I read I can imagine that the characters look like someone I know.  I can hear their voices in an accent or dialect that feels like home or takes me to a new place.   Reading is an escape.  It is an educational tool.  The ability to read gives you the ability to learn.  It is a gift that cannot be taken away.  Reading is freedom - to learn, to live, to take you anywhere you want to go!

One of my favorite books is The Double Helix by James Watson.  I've read it at least half a dozen times over my life, and each time I find myself amused by this simple story of the discovery DNA.  People laugh when I recommend it, but for me it provides insight into the reality of science.   It shows scientists as real people.  It makes you realize that the names Watson & Crick could easily have been replaced by Franklin or Pauling.  It is an escape into the world of science with the power to provide some education as well.

I know what you're thinking . . . You're probably wondering what I'm doing on an Avon Addicts blog hop.  Well, the reality is that I'm a science geek.  I'm a mystery reading mom.  I loved the Twilight and Hunger Games books.  I'm also an Avon Addict.   The joy of reading is that you can be all of the above and more.  You can read to learn, to relax, to escape, to lose yourself in any storyline you want.  With a library card or a couple of dollars you can find entertainment to last a lifetime once you know how to read.  

Would you like to win a random selection of books?  (Only some will be Avon books.)  Here's your chance!

Mandatory Entry:  What kind of books do you like to read?  Who is your favorite author?  Tell me about your reading preferences below for your chance to win a small box of books. 

Optional Extra Entries:

1. Follow me on Twitter.  Post your username in the comments.
2. Tweet about this giveaway using @rmgm.  Post a link to your tweet here.  This can be done once daily.  
3. Follow me publicly on Google Friend Connect and post a comment with your username.
4. Like me on Facebook.  Leave a comment with your Facebook name (or initials if you don't want to post your full name).
5. Post about this giveaway publicly on Facebook.  Make sure you include a link back here and @MomOnTheEdge so that I can see that I was mentioned.  Post the link to your post here in the comments.  This can also be done once daily.

Details:

• Only open to US residents
• Winner will be chosen using random.org
• Giveaway ends 11:59pm ET on December 27, 2012
• Include your email address in your mandatory comment if it is not available on your profile page.
• Winner will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.
• Prize will be sent directly from me.  I am not responsible for lost or damaged products.  

*Disclosure:  I was selected to be an Avon Addict.  I received books for several months to read and share with friends.  I did not receive any compensation for being an Avon Addict and am not receiving compensation for this post.  I just wanted to take a minute to share a bit about my love for reading as well as a few books with a fellow bookworm.  (Many thanks to Avon for choosing me to be a part of their group!)

MaryKay Winner

Congratulations to Margaret, the winner of the MaryKay Giveaway.  Thanks to MyBlogSpark and MaryKay for sponsoring this great giveaway!

Melissa & Doug Terrific Twenty Giveaway is Back!

Did you see my November post about the Melissa & Doug Terrific Twenty Giveaway? 

Guess what???

It is BACK!!!

From Melissa & Doug:  

From now through December 19, 2012, we will be doing another round of DAILY GIVEAWAYS on the Melissa & Doug Facebook page! That’s another Terrific Twenty toy to a new fan EVERY DAY!

It is easy to win a great toy like the Suspend Game, the Butterfly Tea set, or even a Trunki!  Just go here to fill out the form, cross your fingers, and maybe you'll be a lucky winner!

Good luck!

*Disclosure:  I did not receive any compensation in exchange for this post.  However, I am eligible to win a prize.