My Cheerios just got a little sweeter - Dulce de Leche

First, I just have to say that I LOVE Cheerios.  Multi Grain Cheerios are my favorite! (I still remember the first time I ate them.  We were on an airplane going someplace . . . weird that I don't remember where though.  They were serving breakfast.  Remember when they actually served food on a plane?!  I didn't want the hot food they were serving, so they brought me Multi Grain Cheerios instead.  I had never heard of them, and was actually a bit leery of anything labeled "multi grain" at that time.  I tended to prefer white, bleached, no grain visible foods.  I took a bite and was hooked.  With a touch of sweetness, they were delicious!  I've been buying them ever since.)  Anyway, back to the topic at hand.  We almost always have at least two varieties of Cheerios in our house.  The girls' choice is usually Honey Nut or Frosted (because who doesn't love that?!).  Though Apple Cinnamon and Fruity make frequent appearances as well.   So, when I was contacted by MyBlogSpark to receive and review Dulce de Leche Cheerios I was giddy with anticipation.  I hadn't seen them in stores yet.  In fact, I hadn't even heard of them.   I just knew I'd love them before I even tried them.

When the day finally came that the box with my Cheerios arrived outside my door I was thrilled.  I knew what I'd be having for breakfast the next day - Dulce de Leche Cheerios in my cute little polka dot bowl.  (Actually, to be honest, the bowl is actually much bigger than I expected.  I usually only eat about half that amount of cereal in the morning.)  So, I got the kids packed up and on the bus.  I poured myself a bowl of cereal and milk and I sat down to enjoy it.  I took a bite.  Hmmm?   I wasn't quite sure if I liked it or not.  The flavor was different than I expected.  It was light, but it tasted like something and I couldn't quite put my finger on it.  I took another bite.  It was pretty good.  Not "pure joy" when they hit my tongue, but good.  The more bites I ate, the more I enjoyed it.  I think that it was just not exactly what I was expecting.  The taste is hard to describe.  The strength of the flavor reminds me a bit of flavored coffee.  You can taste a hint of caramel in your caramel coffee, but it doesn't taste like caramel.  It  was a similar experience with this. 

Since my first taste, I've really come to enjoy Dulce de Leche Cheerios.  The box is nearly empty, and I will definitely be purchasing it again in the future.  I've found that I actually prefer eating them dry, as a snack.  If I'm going out to run errands, then I grab a small container, fill it up and munch while driving or between stops.  It fills me up, has a touch of sweetness (which is enough to keep me from grabbing a cookie from the cookie shop in the mall), and is easy to eat on the go. 

Unfortunately, this box has disappeared before I got a chance to try any of the recipes that I was sent.   With my next box, I'm definitely going to try to make the Dulce de Leche Apple Bread (though I think I'll crunch up the Cheerios a bit more than they did in their picture) and Dulce de Leche No Bake Cheesecake.  Which recipes are you excited to try with Dulce de Leche Cheerios?  All you have to do is tell me below for your chance to win a fun prize pack like the one I received!

Here are some of the recipes:

• Cheerios Dulce de Leche Snack Mix: http://bit.ly/DDLSnackMix
• Cheerios Dulce de Leche Popcorn Balls: http://bit.ly/DDLPopcornBalls
• Cheerios Dulce de Leche No Bake Snack Bars: http://bit.ly/DDLSnackBars
• Cheerios Dulce de Leche Apple Bread: http://bit.ly/DDLBread
• Cheerios Dulce de Leche Parfait: http://bit.ly/DDLParfait
• Cheerios Dulce de Leche No Bake Cheesecake: http://bit.ly/DDLCheesecake

Disclosure: The new Dulce de Leche Cheerios information, product, and prize pack have been provided free of charge by Cheerios and General Mills, through MyBlogSpark.

Returning to School with Sam's Club

Christmas season is now long over, and school is back in session.  I'm not sure what your pantry looks like, but I know that mine is nearly empty.  Between traveling, parties, guests, and get-togethers (and a long bout of pneumonia), what's left is a mix of expired foods and random bits and pieces that aren't enough to make a healthy meal.   Fortunately, now that I'm feeling better, Sam's Club is on my list of places to visit this week to stock up on all of the girls' essential snacks as well as soups to keep my lunches healthy here at home.

In addition to having all the foods my girls love, in quantities that I need, and prices I appreciate, Sam's Club also offers Bonus Box Tops on some of these great products.  If you like Nature Valley, Yoplait, or Progresso, then you might want to hurry in to Sam's Club to find the packages with the Bonus Box Tops.  Not only will you be getting the foods you love, but you'll be able to support the schools your kids attend as well.

Who wants a little help in paying for your back to school essentials from Sam's Club?  I was given a $25 gift card to share this information with you, and now one of you can win one as well.  All you have to do is enter via the rafflecopter form below.  Good luck!

New Year, Souper You with Progresso

Welcome 2012!

The New Year is upon us, and while I don't generally do New Year's Resolutions, per se, I am always looking for new ways to better myself.   From being more patient with my kiddos to making smarter food choices, I have a long list of things to work on this year.  Unfortunately, many of them are carry-overs from previous years since it is sometimes difficult for me to reach specific goals and maintain them long-term.  (I get bored easily.)  By keeping these goals in the forefront of my mind, I can at least be more aware of individual choices I make, and eventually that has to add up to some improvement.  Right?

While I would love to lose some weight, my primary reason for wanting to make smarter food choices is to be a good example for my kids.  We generally eat fruit as snacks and don't keep too much junk food around the house, but we do go out to eat too often.  It isn't that we particularly enjoy that food more than home cooked food, but it is sometimes so much more convenient when we're out and about anyway.  I need to find some quick, easy, convenient, and healthy foods to keep around the house.  I already use my crock pot quite often, but am always looking for new recipes to try. (Again, my boredom becomes an issue.)  I want my kids to enjoy and appreciate healthy choices now so that it is easier to continue to make healthy choices later.  I don't want them to have to go through the same struggles I am going through as they get older, become less active, and get overwhelmed with stress and unhealthy options on every corner.

While considering what I should buy for myself to keep on hand, I discovered that Progresso now has 40 soups each with 100 calories or less per serving.  That should be enough to keep me from getting too bored.  Even if I liked 30 of them, I'd be set for a different soup every day for lunch for less than 200 calories.  (I'm going to be honest and say that if soup is all I'm eating, I'm highly likely to eat the entire can and not just half of it.)

In addition to having a huge variety of soups, Progresso is also hosting a Souper You Contest where you can enter to win an amazing makeover experience in Hollywood.  The prize includes a trip for two to Los Angeles, California where the winner will receive a head-to-toe makeover including hair and makeup, guided shopping spree with a $1,000 fashion retailer gift card, $1,000 spending money and 2 tickets to this season’s live finale of NBC’s The Biggest Loser. How fun would that be?!

All you have to do to enter is go to www.SouperYou.com and submit a photo and essay about why you love Progresso soups and why you deserve a makeover by February 22nd.  Finalists will be selected and posted by March 12th.  People vote on the finalists until March 25th.

So, what are you waiting for?  Go take a photo and work on that essay!    If you haven't tried Progresso Soups yet and want to find out why you can love them too, then go to http://bit.ly/ProgressoCoup and print off a coupon for $1.25 off 4 cans.  Good luck!

Do you need some motivation to get going on that essay?  Check out this video of the 2011 winner experience and see how much fun you could have if you won!


Now that you're ready to win the big prize, I'm going to give you a chance to win a smaller prize too.  If you'd like to win:

• (2) VIP Coupons for Progresso Soup
• (1) copy of “The Biggest Loser” Workout DVD

Then enter using the rafflecopter entry below.  Best of luck!

*Disclosure:  The Progresso^® Souper You^® prize pack, information, coupon, and giveaway have been provided by Progresso through MyBlogSpark.

Sam's Club & General Mills Support Breast Cancer Education and Research

As you all probably know by now (this post is a little late in coming), October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.   While we should all support breast cancer education and research throughout the year, it is also nice to give special attention to such an important topic.  There are very few people that I know that haven't been affected by breast cancer either directly or indirectly through the fight of a friend or family member.  Personally, I just love seeing all the pink in the stores this month.

One store where you will find some of the familiar pink packaging to support breast cancer awareness is Sam's Club.   Purchasing some of your favorite General Mills products such as Cheerios and Fiber One will even allow you to help determine how their donation money is spent by voting at PinkTogether.com until April 14, 2012.   To learn more about Pink Together, you should check out their facebook page here - http://bit.ly/samsclubpink.

Do you want to win a $25 Sam's Club gift card that you can spend on some of your favorite products that are packaged in pink for breast cancer awareness?  Here's your chance!  

Mandatory Entry:  Which pink products will you buy with your Sam's Club gift card if you win?  Tell me in the comments below.

Optional Extra Entries:

1. Like me on facebook.  Post your initials in the comments.
2. Follow me on Twitter.  Post your username in the comments.
3. Tweet about this giveaway using @rmgm, @SamsClub and #myblogspark  Post a link to your tweet here.  This can be done once daily.  
4. Follow me publicly on my new blog, LovingLakeLiving, via Google Friend Connect and post a comment with your username.  (Yes, I realize I haven't posted much there yet, but I don't want you to miss it when I finally do!)

Details:

• Only open to US residents
• Winner will be chosen using random.org
• Giveaway ends 11:59pm ET on October 28, 2011
• Include your email address in your comment if it is not available on your profile page.  If an email address in not in the comment or on your profile page another winner will be chosen.  
• Winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.
• Prizes will be sent directly from the sponsor.  I am not responsible for prizes that are lost or damaged during shipment.  If you win a prize and do not receive it, please let me know

*Disclaimer - The information and gift card(s) have been provided by Sam’s Club and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Winner, Winner, Sam's Club for Dinner

With 93 amazing entries (I love my readers!), random.org selected lucky #49 as the winner.  Congrats Mari!  I'll be sending an email shortly so that you can claim your prize.

For those of you that didn't win . . .

Don't fret!  Another giveaway will be posted today.  It will be a quickie though, so don't wait too long to come back and get your entries in.

Happy Tuesday!

Cheerios and Reading - Winner

Congratulations to Shellyrm!  Random.org selected her as the winner of the Cheerios and Reading Winner.  You will be contacted via email shortly.  I hope you enjoy your Cheerios and Book Kit!

Cheerios and Reading - Two of my Kids' Favorite Things (Giveaway)

As a mom, I always want what is best for my kids.   I think that companies know this and bombard parents with ads that are full of information, opinions, thoughts, and beliefs that may or may not be true or provide full disclosure.  When I feel overwhelmed by the mass quantity of information, I tend to go back to the basics.  To me, the basics are things that I'm comfortable with.  Things that aren't necessarily glamorous or glitzy, but at least give me confidence that they won't do us any harm.  Some of our favorite basics are fresh fruits, Cheerios and books.   While educational videos for kids may or may not be beneficial and artificial sweeteners may or may not cause cancer, I've never heard anything bad about Cheerios or books (yet).  So, when MyBlogSpark contacted me to see if I was interested in sharing this information with my readers, I couldn't say no.

Through its annual New Author Contest, which kicked off March 22, Cheerios® cereal will make this dream a reality for one aspiring children’s book author. One Grand Prize Winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize and a possible publishing deal with Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, in addition to having his or her book featured inside Cheerios cereal boxes nationwide.

Founded on the belief that reading is a key building block for learning and life, the Cheerios New Author Contest encourages ambitious authors to write and submit an original story, in either English or Spanish, suitable for children ages three to eight. The contest, which is an extension of the Spoonfuls of Stories program, is part of the brand’s ongoing commitment to nurturing the whole child and connecting families by fostering a shared love of reading.

Laurie Isop, of Renton, Wash., won the literary lottery when she was named Grand Prize Winner of the 2009 Cheerios New Author Contest. Laurie, a small business owner, mother of two boys, and aspiring author since the age of 12, can now add “published author” to her resume. This spring, Laurie’s book How Do You Hug a Porcupine? will be featured in more than three million specially-marked boxes of Cheerios and will also be available in bookstores nationwide beginning this July.

Those who want to follow in Laurie’s footsteps and think they have the “write” stuff can visit www.spoonfulsofstoriescontest.com from March 22 through July 15, 2011 to find out more.

I don't know if they had this contest when I was still teaching, but if they did, then I wish I would have known about it.  My high school students wrote some of the most amazing children's books about the science topics we discussed in class.   The books were colorful, bright, attractive, educational, and just plain fun.  I'd love to have seen how they would have done.   However, since I can't go back in time, I'd also love to see how some of my readers do!  So get your thinking caps on and come up with something great.  Perhaps it is something you've been thinking about for years.  Maybe it is something you just thought about today.  If you are creative and want to be an author, now is your chance!  Good luck!

How would you like to win a box of Cheerios and a "Create-your-own" book kit for your kids (or yourself)? It might be just what you need to motivate you to write a book and perhaps win this year's contest.

Here's what you have to do for your chance to win.

Mandatory Entry: 

• Tell me what you think makes a children's book AMAZING.  Is it a catchy rhyme, a funny theme, a topic that makes you want to cuddle or something else?

Optional Extra Entries

• Follow me via GFC and leave your user name in the comments (sidebar)
• Follow me via twitter and tweet this giveaway using #myblogspark and @rmgm (Leave a link to your tweet in the comments)
• Like me on Facebook and leave your initials in the comments

Details:

• Only open to US residents
• Winner will be chosen using random.org
• Giveaway ends 11:59 pm ET on May 1, 2011
• Include your email address in your comment if it is not available on your profile page.
• Winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.
• Prize will be sent directly from MyBlogSpark. I am not responsible for lost or damaged products.

*Disclaimer - I received the same prize pack that my winner will be receiving.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Kroger and the Cart Buster Savings Event Winner

Congratulations to commenter #107, Mari, who is a fan on facebook!  Random.org selected you as the winner.  You should receive an email shortly. 

Kroger and the Cart Buster Savings Event

With the economy what it is, I am always trying to find ways to save money.  From clipping coupons to scouring sales ads, I do my best to make our money count when I shop.  That being said, I do not sacrifice quality customer service in my shopping experience.   Lucky for me, I am able to find great deals and quality customer service when I shop my local Kroger store.

This week, Kroger is making it even better. 

From February 27th through March 12th, shop Kroger’s biggest-ever promotion and find the hottest prices around on more than 35 brands, across more than 60 categories from General Mills, P & G, Nestle, Pepsi and Kroger Banner Brands. During the Cart Buster Savings Event, you’ll find great savings in almost every department at the Kroger Family of Stores, which includes Kroger, Ralph’s, King Soopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith’s, Fry’s, QFC, Baker’s, Owen’s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Pay Less Super Markets and Scott’s Food & Pharmacy.

Here are just a handful of the great brands participating in the event: Multigrain Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Hamburger Helper, Yoplait, Progresso, Totino’s, Green Giant, Cascadian Farm, Tide, Charmin, Bounty, Pampers, Pantene, Crest, Iams, Febreze, Old Spice, Bounce, DiGiorno’s, Nestle Toll House, Juicy Juice, Coffee-Mate, Edy’s, Stouffer’s, Lean Cuisine, Hot Pockets, Nestle Candy, Purina and many more!

Looking for even more ways to add money to your pocket? Visit Kroger.com/CartBuster to participate in their “Deal of the Day” promotion! During each day of Kroger’s Cart Buster Savings Event, be one of the first 1000 people to click on the deal link and receive a free load-to-card coupon for the featured daily item.

Personally, the brands on sale are some of my favorites.  Yoplait and Cheerios are on our shopping list every week.   I also love that I can almost always find coupons for those products in my local paper as well as online.  Don't you just love being able to load coupons to your shoppers card?  It is so quick and easy to do, and I don't have to worry about forgetting my coupons at home.  I only wish they doubled them like they do the clippable ones.

While I haven't had any luck getting the Deal of Day promotions loaded to my card, I'm still hopeful.  The site has been so bogged down at noon when they go live that I usually have to take Pumpkin to school before I can ever get the page loaded.  Here's hoping you have better luck than I do!

Speaking of luck, who wants to win a $25 Kroger gift card to help keep your piggy bank even fatter during this Cart Buster Savings Event?  Here's what you have to do to win:

Mandatory Entry:

Tell me what coupon you're hoping they'll offer in the Deal of the Day.  Today's deal was for Green Giant Fresh Steamers.  Personally, I'm hoping for a Cheerios coupon.  We can't seem to keep cereal in this house, and Cheerios is one I always feel good about giving my family.

Optional Additional Entries:

1. Follow me on twitter and post your username here.
2. Tweet about this giveaway.  Use the hashtag #myblogspark and @rmgm.  Post a link to your tweet here (Can be done 1x daily)
3. Like me on facebook.  Post your initials here.
4. Follow me on GFC.  Post your username here.

Details:

* Only open to US residents
* Winner will be chosen using random.org
* Giveaway ends 11:59 pm ET on March 12, 2011
* Include your email address in your comment if it is not available on your profile page.
* Winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.
* Prize will be sent directly from myblogspark.  I am not responsible for lost or damaged products.

Disclaimer: The Kroger Family of Stores and General Mills/Nestle/P&G provided me with a $25 gift card, the information, and the opportunity to host a giveaway through MyBlogSpark.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Holiday Treats from Kroger & Chex - Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to guettel78!  Random.org selected #228 out of 297 entries for the Holiday Treats from Kroger & Chex - Giveaway.   Thanks to all who entered!

Holiday Treats from Kroger & Chex - Giveaway

With the holidays fast approaching, our house is in a constant state of motion.  From practicing for the Christmas pageant to baking for guests, it feels like we are always busy.  This weekend, we were busy as usual, but it was a good kind.  We were writing out our candy-grams, getting teacher gifts put together, and getting the last of our goodies made for the holiday extravaganza that begins this week.

Wednesday, Peanut will be singing in her Christmas program.  It is expected that both sets of Grandparents will be in attendance as well as Auntie Em.  While it isn't a big crowd by any means, I still have hostess guilt that makes me feel like I have to have homemade goodies for our visitors to enjoy.   You may recall that we did most of our holiday baking over Thanksgiving weekend.  However, MyBlogSpark sent me Chex cereal and a Kroger gift card recently, and I couldn't let that go to waste.  As soon as I saw the recipe for Chex Muddy Buddies on the Rice Chex box, I knew I had to make it with the girls. 

9 cups Corn Chex, Rice Chex, Wheat Chex, or Chocolate Chex Cereal
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Into a large bowl, measure cereal; set aside
2. In 1-qt microwaveable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on high 1 minute; stir.  Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.  Pour into 2 gallon resealable food storage plastic bag.
3. Add powdered sugar.  Seal bag; shake until well coated.  Spread on waxed paper to cool.  Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

While this "in progress" picture doesn't do it any justice, I just have to say that the mix is delicious!  Hopefully it lasts until Wednesday.  If not, I'll be heading to Kroger to get more supplies.  Luckily, Chex is on sale at our Kroger until December 25th, so it won't cost me too much to replace it.  (Just an FYI - As soon as I saw this recipe I knew it looked familiar.  It is very similar to a mix we called "People Chow" that was made with Golden Grahams instead of Chex.)

In addition to this recipe Chex has oodles of others as well available on their website.  From Buffalo Chex Mix to Chex Pumpkin Pie Crunch, you're bound to find something you'd like to try.  They have sweet, salty, gluten-free, and 15 minute recipes on the site.

Who wants to win a great prize pack from Chex, Kroger, and MyBlogSpark?  The prize pack will include a Kroger gift card and some Chex to make your own recipes.

Here's what you have to do to win (mandatory):

1. Look at the Chex website and tell me which recipe you'd most like to try.

For additional entries you can also do the following. Be sure to leave a comment for each additional entry.

1. Follow me on twitter (leave your twitter name)
2. Like me on facebook (leave your initials)
3. Follow me on Google Friend Connect (leave your username)
4. Tweet about this giveaway. You may do this once daily. Be sure to include @rmgm #myblogspark and a link to this post (leave a link to your tweet)

Details:

• Only open to US residents
• Winner will be chosen using random.org
• Giveaway ends 11:59pm ET on December 27, 2010
• Include your email address in your comment if it is not available on your profile page. If an email address in not in the comment or on your profile page another winner will be chosen. I will not contact you through Twitter or Facebook.
• Winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.
• Prizes will be sent directly from the sponsor. I am not responsible for prizes that are lost or damaged during shipment. If you win a prize and do not receive it, please let me know.

*Disclaimer - The prize pack is provided by Chex and Kroger through MyBlogSpark. I received the same pack to facilitate my review and giveaway post. The recipe here came from the box of Rice Chex.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

General Mills & MyBlogSpark Family Fun Night Giveaway Winner

There were 71 entries for my Family Fun Night Giveaway sponsored by General Mills and MyBlogSpark.  Random.org selected lucky #13 which was:

13. Doodle741 said... Tweet! http://twitter.com/Doodle741/status/7971945660284928

Congrats Doodle741!  I will be contacting you via email shortly.

Thanks to everyone who entered and left comments on my blog.  Don't forget to enter for a Carmex Moisture Plus Lip Tints prize pack.  It ends on 12/13 (as of today there are only 5 entries).  Good luck!

Take Time for a Family Fun Night (Giveaway)

As you may have read here, my family is doing something a little different for Thanksgiving.  Instead of making it a huge holiday celebration, we are making it the calm before the storm.   We are making it a time to be together and enjoy each others company.  We are going to relax, unwind, and take a break from life as we know it in order to appreciate the people we love - the people that see us at our worst and still love us.

Our time together will include dinner out, a movie, Christmas decorations, baking cookies, and a board game or two over the four days of our Thanksgiving break.   We'll probably read together and go for several walks if the weather allows.  What would you do if you had a couple days of unscheduled time to spend with your family?

If your family enjoys movies, then I highly recommend you check out your local stores for sales on General Mills cereals. 

Starting in November, you can receive a free movie ticket when you purchase two specially marked packages of Big G cereals including Honey Nut Cheerios® (17 oz.), Cinnamon Toast Crunch® (17 oz.), Lucky Charms® (16 oz.), Trix® (14.8 oz) and Reese’s Puffs® cereal (18 oz.).

After purchasing two participating cereals, visit generalmills.com/moviecash to enter the unique code found inside each box of cereal and print your free Movie Cash certificate (good for one admission of up to a $12 value at participating theatres). To find a participating theater in your area, log onto http://emoviecash.com/dis_locator/.

Right now, Kroger has several of their Big G cereals on sale for $1.49 when you buy 4.  If you combine that with printable $1 off 2 boxes of Big G cereals and coupons that you can load directly to your card,  then you can get 4 boxes of cereal and 2 movie tickets for $4 or less!   Cereal for dinner and a movie out with the family sounds like a fun, easy, and inexpensive way to reconnect.

So, who wants to win a Family Flick Night prize pack from General Mills and MyBlogSpark?  Your prize will include two boxes of cereal and four Movie Cash Certificates. 

Here's what you have to do to win (mandatory):

1. Tell me your current favorite General Mills cereals that you are planning to purchase to get your movie cash.

For additional entries you can also do the following. Be sure to leave a comment for each additional entry.

1. Follow me on twitter (leave your twitter name)
2. Like me on facebook (leave your initials)
3. Follow me on Google Friend Connect (leave your username)
4. Tweet about this giveaway. You may do this once daily. Be sure to include @rmgm #myblogspark and a link to this post (leave a link to your tweet)

Details:

• Only open to US residents
• Winner will be chosen using random.org
• Giveaway ends 11:59pm ET on December 6, 2010
• Include your email address in your comment if it is not available on your profile page. If an email address in not in the comment or on your profile page another winner will be chosen. I will not contact you through Twitter or Facebook.
• Winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.
• Prizes will be sent directly from the sponsor. I am not responsible for prizes that are lost or damaged during shipment. If you win a prize and do not receive it, please let me know.

Disclaimer:  I was sent a Family Flick Night prize pack from General Mills and MyBlogSpark to post about this program.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Gain's New Dishwashing Liquid - Review and WINNER

Wandering around Walmart last week, I finally remembered to pick up the new Gain Dishwashing Liquid in lavender.  When I found it, I was thrilled that it was only $0.97.  At that price, just about everyone can go and try it even if you didn't win my giveaway.  So, now that I found it, bought it, and tried it, here's what I think:

Since I didn't really love the smell of the "original" Gain Dishwashing Liquid, I wasn't overly optimistic about the lavender scent either.  In fact, when I got home and opened the bottle to give it a sniff, I braced myself for disappointment.  To be fair, I am VERY scent sensitive.  I only like certain smells, and even smells I like can be too strong and offensive to me.   After the first sniff, I wasn't sold.  It smelled fine, but not great.  I  certainly didn't develop an immediate urge to wash any dishes.  Later that night, like it or not, I had to do the dishes.  (I can't stand having dishes sit in a sink overnight.)  I turned the water to hot, let it run, and squeezed a bit of the lavender Gain into the flowing water.  I was very happy with the quantity and quality of the bubbles that filled my sink.  Additionally, I was also pleased with the smell.  It was fresh, relaxing, and quite enjoyable.   The scent wasn't at all overpowering, but it was definitely strong enough to appreciate.  I don't know what it was about adding it to the water that made it smell better, but it definitely is a more pleasant smell than I got from sniffing the liquid in the bottle alone.

After a week, I still enjoy the smell of Gain's New Dishwashing Liquid in lavender.  In fact, I enjoy it enough that it has been added to my approved list of dish soaps, which is not an easy feat.   Priced well, with bountiful bubbles, and a pleasant aroma, I definitely recommend that you try Gain's New Dishwashing Liquid.  While I like the Lavender, you might just like it in the Original, Apple Mango Tango, or Citrus Splash.

Now Shirley, who likes me on facebook, has the opportunity to try it for herself.  She can even try it while wearing her new purple Gain shirt.  Enjoy!

*Disclaimer: This product review was based on using complimentary Gain product provided by P&G through MyBlogSpark. Bloggers also received Walmart gift cards and T-shirts to share with their friends at their discretion. P&G does not represent or warrant the accuracy of any statements or product claims made here, nor does it endorse any opinions expressed within this blog site.

WINNER - Sam's Club Gift Card

Random.org selected #80 out of 117 entries for the Sam's Club Gift Card Giveaway. The winner has been contacted and has responded with her mailing information. Congrats Heather!

*Thanks again to MyBlogSpark, Sam's Club, and General Mills for sponsoring this giveaway.