The winners of Chicken Soup For The Soul : My Cat’s Life are:

1. Rebekah Nazarian
2. Alicia Kirby
3. Sheila Stroh

For this month’s draw, Hairmax will be sponsoring Hairmax Product Line Set worth $39 for one winner (with US shipping add only). Here’s a look at what the products are:

HAIRMAX ENHANCING SHAMPOO – Retail Price: $12.00
Using their vast experience of over 20 years of research and clinical investigation, HairMax has developed a new approach to hair care. The process starts with a sulfate free base to gently cleanse the hair without stripping essential oils. Other shampoos contain sodium laurel sulfate (SLS), a harsh detergent that strips the natural oils from the hair follicle. SLS causes the oil glands to over-react creating too much oil. This excess oil converts to a waxy substance that builds up on the hair shaft and may restrict proper hair growth. HairMax Enhancing Shampoo is sulfate free and does not contain harsh chemicals like SLS. It gently cleanses the hair while combining with the hair’s own natural oils to lubricate and moisturize the hair shaft.

HairMax uses phytic acid in its shampoo system to lower the pH and promote a regenerative action on the base of the scalp, reducing oxidative stress layers. The shampoo system can be used by itself or in conjunction with the HairMax LaserComb. The HairMax shampoo system has a lower pH than most shampoo systems on the market. The company’s research indicates that the oils (sebum) produced in the hair follicle can turn into a waxy substance in higher alkaline environments. This lower pH, phytic acid based shampoo system helps to prevent the sebum build up and promotes the lubrication of the hair follicle to encourage healthier looking hair.

REVITALIZING CONDITIONER – Retail Price: $12.00
Most conditioners are thick and heavy, weighing down the hair making it look flat and difficult to style. HairMax Revitalizing Conditioner utilizes innovative botanicals that deeply moisturize the hair shaft then rinse free, leaving the hair soft and manageable without heavy build up. The HairMax Conditioner restores and protects the hair shaft while a combination of botanicals and vitamins rejuvenate your hair’s look and feel, leaving your hair smooth and shiny.

INVIGORATING SCALP TREATMENT – Retail Price: $7.50
Healthy hair comes from a healthy scalp. Perspiration, oils, environmental pollution and styling products can build up on the scalp clogging the hair follicle, leaving particle deposits that can clog hair follicles and leave hair looking flat and greasy. Invigorating Scalp Treatment is designed to dissolve these particles, washing them away, making your hair look healthy, clean and full of body. The Invigorating Scalp Treatment contains phytic acid to help reduce the pH of the scalp. When used in conjunction with the Hairmax LaserComb, this facilitates laser absorption from the HairMax into the scalp.

HAIR FORTIFIER – Retail Price: $7.50
Many of us take vitamins to maintain the health of our body. Well our scalp isn’t any different. HairMax Hair and Scalp Fortifier are vitamins for your hair. This product is infused with a special combination of botanical nutrients, DHT blockers and innovative ingredients, like caffeine, oleanolic acid and biotinoyl tripeptide, that are believed to have positive results for healthier looking hair. HairMax Hair and Scalp Fortifying mist is delivered directly to the root of the hair, maximizing the benefits these innovative ingredients may provide.

Remember, all it takes is for you to subscribe to our feed via email and you stand a chance to win the above products. It’s that easy!

Disclosure : Hairmax product line is courtesy of http://www.hairmax.com

This is the 3rd year that we’ve done an open recruitment for new reviewers and the number of responses just overwhelm us each year. We are truly overjoyed with the support from everyone, those who helped to pass along news of our recruitment drive and those who were interested to join our Review Team.

Thank you so so much to everyone of you.

Now, the time has come to make that announcement….The bloggers who made it successfully into our Review Team are:

http://livinginlalalandblog.blogspot.com

http://thetruthaboutmummy.com

http://life-with-two-boys.blogspot.com

http://www.melanieski.blogspot.com

http://mommy2twogirls.blogspot.com

http://www.homegrownfamilies.blogspot.com

http://wishfulthinking247.blogspot.com

http://www.supermommyreviews.com

http://adventuresinallthingsfood.blogspot.com

http://bookreviewsandotherstuff.blogspot.com

http://www.babasfarmlife.com/

http://www.quicktattletails.com/

http://sweepnsave.blogspot.com

http://www.giveawayswithgrace.com

http://www.ayearwithmomanddad.com

http://tsue-thatswhatshesaid.blogspot.com

http://www.threelilprincesses.com

http://captainfussybuckets.blogspot.com

http://www.ourlifeinblogform.com

http://reflectionsinthewindow.blogspot.com

http://www.mummasminimes.com

http://www.ourkidsmom.com

http://sweepnsave.blogspot.com

There were so many great blogs out there and it was certainly no easy task making the selection. To those who did not make it this round, we hope to hear from you again next year.

Successful reviewers should have received emails from us by now. If you see your blog listed here and have not received our mail, please check your spam folder.

and  

There are so many reasons in the world today for Mom’s to worry.  From food, to water, to air and beyond- it seems as if almost everything we are surrounded by can be potentially harmful to us and our little babes to be!!  It can be overwhelming at times, trying to figure out what information to believe and how to protect ourselves adequately.

I am always thankful when someone makes it easy for us!!  I love companies who take the hard work on for us and provide us with great, easy solutions to some of these difficult issues.  Smart Sense is one of those companies- founded by two mother’s who are concerned about the long term health and well-being of their children and families.

These two fabulous sister’s came up with an easy solution to the problem of radioactive waves caused by our wonderful microwaves.  The SmartCover is made from a specialized fabric that is a blend of cotton and interwoven with metallic stainless steel fibers, enabling it to block radiation.  It takes less than a minute to put on your microwave and after that there is no reason to remove it.  It provides peace of mind for those concerned about their children (or husbands) standing too close to the microwave while cooking their favorite foods (like popcorn)!!

About the SmartCover:

These great ladies have also come up with a great alternative for women who are concerned about the effects of everyday radiation.  The SmartShawl is an anti radiation protection shawl for women to help in blocking the radiation from those items we use everyday- our computers, iPods, and cell phones.  They are also great for pregnant women to help protect those sweet unborn babies.

About SmartShawl:

The Smartsense™ SmartShawl is made from premium quality cotton fibers and lined with our specialized anti-radiation fabric. Our specialized fabric is made from 100% cotton yarn blended with micron thin metal fibers made from stainless steel. The lining is soft and feels just like any other fabric. The specialized fabric has been tested by an independent lab to block radiation.

The Smartsense™ SmartShawl was developed to give women peace of mind while surrounded by everyday radiation.

You can find out more about these great products by connecting with Smart Sense on Facebook or by checking out their FAQ!!

Buy It! : You can purchase a SmartCover and SmartShawl on the Smart Sense website.  They come in a great variety of colors and fabrics so go pick your favorite out today!!

I know, I know, I’m sooooo late in posting this. Things have been pretty hectic lately and I’m so behind in lots of things. Please accept my apology for being late but better late than never

And our May 2011 email subscriber winners who have won a copy of Chicken Soup For The Soul : My Dog’s Life each, are:

1. Asha Marie Pena

2. Sheila Stroh

3. Pending for selected winner to email back (please check your mails – it may be you!)

Some of you have guessed correctly! This month, we’re giving away  three copies of Chicken Soup For The Soul : My Cat’s Life. Interested to read what it’s about? Here you go:

101 Stories about All the Ages and Stages of Our Feline Family Members

From kittenhood through the twilight years, our feline companions continually bring joy, love, and laughter to the lives of their “staff.” This collection of 101 new stories captures the experience of living through the natural life cycle with our cats — from the laugh-out-loud antics of kittens and tear-your-hair-out escapades of teenage cats to the more mature adult years and final stages of life. Stories cover each age and stage with all the fun, frustrations, special bonds and routines involved. The book also holds a special chapter about grieving and recovery when our feline friends leave us.

If we’ve piqued your interest, remember, it’s so easy to win. All you need to do is be an email subscriber and you’ll be entered into our monthly draw.

Disclosure : Giveaway copies of Chicken Soup For The Soul books are courtesy of www.chickensoup.com

Forget about Silly Bandz.  Zippies, “the pals that hang around,” are becoming the nation’s next kids’ craze. These round, flexible, characters save parents headaches by helping children to identify their things.

All you need to do is  simply clip them onto any belonging — water bottles, lunch boxes, luggage, backpacks, jackets, and even bicycles.  Each collectible Zippies ID tag features a different character on one side with a place for contact information on the other. This allows parents to rest assured that emergency contact information (last name and parent’s phone number) is with their child at all times.

Zippies, the solution to ending kids’ arguments about what belongs to whom, save parents aggravation and stress. Zippies can  even help prevent the spread of germs by identifying water bottles and teach children the importance of being responsible for personal belongings.

BUY IT : Available in 10 different characters, Zippies sell for $4.98 each or $29.95 for the entire limited-edition first series. They can be ordered online at www.zippiesfun.com and found at select retailers.

Our panel of reviewers were lucky enough to be offered the opportunity to test drive the Zippies. Let’s read what they had to say:

Liz Has A Life – My daughter fell in love with Kayla right away, sporting her on her coat and then wanting to have her on her pink water bottle! My son was in love with Tazmo, something about that tough tiger really appealed to a 4 year old! The kids even had me put one on my drink and of course I had to choose the cute bunny Flops!

Red Sox Mom – I think these Zippies are really fun. They look a little angry to me personally, even Chip who is “smiling,” but they’re still cute and my daughters like them. My daughter can’t wait to use them when she starts school again this Fall.

Pookie and The Boys – I know that my kids were excited to get a hold of these and wanted to put them on everything. I told them they could have one, but they were having too much trouble limiting themselves to just one. They said they “needed” more than that. I guess the new craze will be wearing Zippies and not those crazy rubber bands. I love the whole concept of these and definitely think that everyone can use them.

Tim and Angi’s Blog – This isn’t a new problem nor a new idea. There are lots of ways to identify your stuff. However, these are unique in their multiple options in one cute little bundle. On the back of Zippies, you can write your contact information. I discovered that our Oliver Labels clothing labels fit tightly in that spot as well. We received Tazmo (pictured), Faina, Flops, Kayla and Chip. The boys were excited to pick out their own. Drama King grabbed Tazmo, Little T took Chip, Grandma Deb got Kayla, Tim has Faina, and I was assigned Flops.

Reviews & Reflections – Zippies® make a great alternative to plain nametags and labels, and are fun for kids. They are bright and easy to see. They are easy to use – over and over again.

Adventures In All Things Food – I love how versatile they are! I can put them on my children’s luggage, drinking bottles, toys, keys or just for my children to wear. On the back is a place to add your child’s name and contact info. My daughter would love to wear the whole collection at once

Bless Their Hearts Mom – I have to admit, the Zippies have held up pretty well to a WHOLE lot of of 4 year old abuse! I love their versatility and being able to switch to where we need them, but that Kiddo can recognize which item is hers at a glance! With the cousins all coming over during the Summer for play dates, they will definitely come in handy to keep everybody drinking out of their own water bottles.

Sewing Mom – Whenever we head out to the softball fields we tend to pack a lot of gear, and the hotter it is, the more gear we pack! Of course, my daughter’s bat bags and water jugs look just like every other players bat bags and water jugs. Imagine how happy I was when I was asked by Parent Reviewers to use & review a wonderfully cute and practicial product, Zippies, the pals that hang around to help kids (and moms) identify their personal belongings. There are so many every day uses for these adorable little tags. This is Kayla, the one I hung on my daughter’s water jug.

Jumpin Beans – Also, you can take the loop off and use it on your keys! Add it to your belt loop for a little “bling.”You can even add it to your book bag to spice it up a bit!!!On the Zippie site, they even have a little girl wearing the Zippie as a charm type on her necklace! The opportunities to show off your zippie seem to be endless!!!!

Momanthology – My kids are older but still really liked these. (Even my teen wanted one!) The girls liked that they could easily use these for their backpacks but then move them to be used on something else. This is great for school, scouts, althletics, traveling and other activities. We did have a couple arguments over the more popular colors/characters (in our house that was Flops, Faina and Kayla). We think Zippies are cute, fun and useful

One House Schoolroom – My children are in love with these little guys and have found so many places to clip their new pals. Considering that my children are notorious for losing their possessions these funny new friends have insured that those important items “accidentally” left out in the world will find their way home again!!

Just A Mom’s Take On Things – Overall, I’m very happy with the Zippies tags – they’re easy to use, quick to attach and detach (something I greatly appreciate as sometimes it’s so much harder to remove tags than to apply them!), and the girls love the cute animal faces. They’ve already divvied up the ones we received and there was quite the negotiation process to determine which animal would belong to whom.

Happy Healthy Families – What is so great about these ID tags is that kids love them, they are cool and trade-able (such a big plus!) and parents can feel better about knowing important information is within reach if needed. But also important is the fact that these cute little tags can help prevent kids from spreading colds and coughs as well. I personally like the idea of attaching Zippies to water bottles to help prevent germs from spreading around! Not to mention it helps prevent arguments between the kids too!

Mommy’s Minute – My hubby thought they were so neat that he snagged one for his laptop bag. They really are a neat product. Great for tagging your kid’s belongings at camp, day care, or school. I was really impressed. Put up that permanent marker and pick up some Zippies, the “Pals that Hang Around.”

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/2

My newest little one, Juliana (7 months) and I got to try out some Green Babies brand organic bath products this past week! The products we received included Energizing bubble bath, Calming bubble bath, Lotion Potion moisturizer, Baby Me shampoo and wash and Smooth Me Detangler.

The detangler I promptly gave to my friend (with 3 girls) because Juliana’s hair isn’t really long enough yet and I barely have time to brush my hair in the morning anyway! She said that it worked pretty well but it left a fragrant that didn’t go away.

I tried out the Calming bubble bath the other night and then used it on Jules tonight for her bath. It smells beautiful! Not at all strong, just enough scent and lots of bubbles! A little goes a long way with these soaps which is great because they will last awhile.

The lotion has a sweet baby scent according to the label and it’s so right. Again, not a strong scent but a nice scent and it made Juliana’s skin nice and soft.

Green Babies’ new body care line is plant and fruit derived, vegan, hypo-allergenic and tear-free. These products contains no SLS, no paraben, no petroleum by-products, no synthetic fragrances and no eye irritants and they are also completely not tested on animals.

I really loved the Green Babies bath products, and what’s even better is that they aren’t expensive!

Since 1994, Green Babies ® has offered an extensive line of natural and organic baby products, including certified organic cotton clothing, wooden toys and natural parenting books. On the frontlines of the organic movement, mom of three Lynda Fassa conceived Green Babies ® when she found a dearth of healthy baby products for her then newborn. A former Ford Model, Lynda wasn’t always the crunchy-granola type, but “greened up” her act while pregnant with her first daughter—veggies and organic smoothies replaced diet soda and cheap takeout.

BUY IT : You can find Green Babies products for sale at their website (http://www.greenbabies.com/catalogue/cat1.htm)

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/2

TO THE WINNERS OF

Wordlock Padlock & Bicycle Lock Giveaway

 Pauline M #61

 AND

Stepping Stones Together Membership Giveaway

 Catherine #3

The winners are required to do the following:

1. Submit your relevant info via the Winner’s Submission Form Below; AND
2. Leave a comment in this post to let us know you have submitted.
3. If any winner does not claim her prize by the 17th June 2011, we will do a second draw.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAD PARTICIPATED.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

My son is in love with spyware. He is convinced that he is going to be a spy when he grows up and he has a whole collection of great spy gear. The one thing he has continually asked for that we have yet to get him is a padlock. He is determined to lock up all his gear so that no one can find it, however we have been hesitant due to the difficulty of remembering the combinations. I was sure he would lock them up and never be able to retrieve them.

Until now… we were recently approached by a great company-Wordlock to review a few of their products. I knew at first glance that we had found the answer to our problem. Wordlock has a great variety of locks from padlock and bicycle locks to commercial locks there is something for every need you might have. The BEST part of the Wordlock locks are that the passwords are…. WORDS!! Not a bunch of numbers you have to memorize in some crazy order, but words that you can choose which makes locking and unlocking these great locks so easy.

Not only are they easy to use, but the two locks we were sent for review are extremely durable. They are heavy duty locks that are practically theft proof. I felt very confident that anything we locked with these locks would be very secure. AND…. best of all, my little spy is very pleased that he has his very own lock with his very own word combination to keep all of his great spy gear safe.

Wordlock Padlocks:

Remember the old days? “Right three times past zero…left two turns to…” Forget it! Wordlock is the new style of friendly, easy-to-use padlocks for recreation, storage, travel and commercial uses. Perfect for school lockers or the gym, toolboxes, sheds, job sites and anywhere else you need a solid, secure indoor/outdoor padlock.

Wordlock padlocks provide maximum security against theft with a 2 5/8 inch hardened steel shackle and body. With 100,000 different letter combinations, you can pick words that are easy for you to remember but next to impossible for anyone to guess. If you have several Wordlock padlocks of the same style, you can set them all to the same word in a matter of seconds. And since all our locks are weatherproof, they can stand up to the toughest environments. That’s extra strong, extra secure, and extra simplified.

• 100,000 possible letter combinations
• Maximum security 2 5/8 inch hardened steel shackle
• Rated to 3,000 pounds of pull strength
• No removable parts or extra wheels to keep up with
• Available in four colors: Red, Black, Pink, Silver

Wordlock Bicycle locks:

Hey, “bike” is only one of our favorite four letter words, but the fun doesn’t stop there. You can set your bike combination to all kinds of words. Easy to read, easy to set, but hard to forget.

Wordlock bike locks have four letter dials and cable made from curled, heavy-duty braided steel that extends to reach around the bike rack at the store, school, park or downtown. No bike racks around? No problem. At 5 feet long and nearly a half inch thick, our locks reach around benches, trees, fence posts, whatever you have to work with. And they’re weather resistant and built secure, so they’re tough on crime while still user friendly for kids and adults alike. They’re so user friendly you’ll be thinking of our other favorite four letter word “love.”

• 10,000 possible letter combinations
• Heavy-duty braided steel cable
• All weather, color vinyl coating
• 60 inches long x 0.4 inches thick (1524mm x 10mm)
• Mounting bracket included
• Available in four colors: Red, Black, Pink, Blue

About Wordlock:

Wordlock maintains the highest standard of security for personal and commercial locks without using any keys or arbitrary number combinations. Instead, Wordlock uses your memory’s natural preference for keywords and the alphabet, allowing you to set and change your own combination from thousands of possible word and letter combinations.

Traditional locks require keys, or they make you spin a dial and remember confusing sequences of numbers. Those days are over, thanks to new advances in lock technology created by Wordlock. Security, creativity and usability come together in the original family of Wordlock padlocks, bike locks, travel locks and cable locks. Easy to set, never forget.  Because what good is a lock if you can’t remember the combination?  For more information, check out Wordlock on Facebook!!

Buy It: Wordlock locks are available on their website or at your local Target, Kmart, Walmart, Sears or Ace Hardware.

Win It: Wordlock has generously donated one padlock and one bicycle lock  to one of our lucky readers. To enter:

• One Mandatory Entry- go visit the Wordlock website and let us know which great product/color you would choose. Leave us a comment including your email address.
• Two Additional Entries- “Like” Wordlock on Facebook and leave us a comment including your facebook id. (For every 10 people that “like” Wordlock they will donate $1 to the American Heart Association- so let’s do as much as we can.)
• Three Additional Entries- Follow Parent Reviewers on twitter and tweet this giveaway. Leave us a comment including your twitter id and the tweet url.
• Giveaway ends May 30th, 2011.
• Giveaway is open to US shipping addresses only and a winner will be picked using Random.org. We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe to our feed or check back here for the winner announcement post.

Good Luck!!

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/2

TO THE WINNERS OF

Biozet Attack Ecosmart Laundry Detergent

Claire Orr #28

AND

The Magic Bowl: Potty Training Made Easy (DVD+Book)

Andrew Dankleff #2

The winners are required to do the following:

1. Submit your relevant info via the Winner’s Submission Form Below; AND
2. Leave a comment in this post to let us know you have submitted.
3. If any winner does not claim her prize by the 27th May 2011, we will do a second draw.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAD PARTICIPATED.

Congrats to our winners for the month of April 2011 who won a copy of Chicken Soup For The Soul : New Moms each. They are:

1. Becky Horn

2. Amy Delong

3. Pending for winner to revert back

And for the month of May 2011, all you pet lovers will love what we’re giving away. Check out the sneak peek below:

About Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Dog’s Life:

101 Stories about All the Ages and Stages of Our Canine Companions It’s a dog’s life. This collection of 101 new stories focuses on all the memorable ages and stages of our lovable canines’ lives. Starting in puppyhood and covering a range of middle and senior years to the twilight and end when our dear friends leave us, this book captures the entire experience of living through the natural life cycle with our dogs. All dog lovers will laugh, cry, and recognize themselves and their furry friends in these heartwarming and inspiring stories of puppy antics, teenage rebellion, adapting to an aging dog and, finally, having to say goodbye.

Remember, it’s so easy to win. All you need to do is be an email subscriber and you’ll be entered into our monthly draw.

Disclosure : Giveaway copies of Chicken Soup For The Soul books are courtesy of www.chickensoup.com