House Train Your Puppy with Purina Pet Gear! Plus, a Puppy Pad Giveaway (10 Winners!)

About 8 months ago, our family adopted two adorable kittens! Fortunately, our cats took to the litter box right away, and we haven’t had any problems house training them. Puppies, however, aren’t always as easy to train as kittens. If you’ve got a new puppy or have had one in the past, I’m sure you spent lots of time rushing your puppy out the door before he or she made a mess on the floor. But, just like potty-training children, most puppies are going to have many “accidents” in your house before they finally get the hang of doing their business outdoors. Thankfully, Purina has several products designed to make puppy care easier for you.

Purina Pet Gear Ultra Dry Training Pads: These feature an exclusive DryStep cover designed to prevent leaks and paw prints from tracking through the house. The pad features an innovative top layer that contains thousands of microfunnels to quickly channel liquid into the middle, where it’s rapidly absorbed and locked away, preventing it from coming back to the surface, even as dogs walk across. The leak-proof backing also protects floors and carpets. The pads are available in 10-count, 20-count and 40-count, and come in an easy-to-store box for convenient dispensing. [Click here to watch an amazing video showing how Purina Pet Gear Ultra Dry Training Pads compare to the competition. I was impressed!]

Purina Pet Gear Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator: This superior new cleaning agent thoroughly removes pet stains and the odors that lead puppies back to the same spots, all without damaging carpet or furniture. The proprietary pro-enzyme formula is a blend of six enzymes that break down stains and eliminate odors naturally. Designed for use on carpet, upholstery, pet beds, litter boxes and any water-safe surface, this product is safe for use around children and pets.

My twins love dogs, so they’ve been working on us to get them a puppy. I’m not sure they’re quite ready for the responsibility, but when they are, I’m definitely going to have Purina Pet Gear products on hand. By the way, these products are also great if you’ve got an older dog with bladder control issues. Please visit www.purinapetgear.com to learn more about Purina Pet Gear products, and pick them up at your local Walmart store!

GIVEAWAY

MANDATORY ENTRY: Ten (10) lucky winners will receive a sample of Purina Pet Gear Ultra Dry Training Pads, plus a coupon! Since there are so many winners, I’m going to make this contest nice and simple. Just leave a comment on this post sharing why you need (or will need) Purina Pet Gear Ultra Dry Training Pads! This is mandatory to enter the giveaway.

EXTRA ENTRIES: After fulfilling the required entry above, you can earn extra entries for tweeting this giveaway and/or posting it on your Facebook page. You can do each one time daily. Leave a separate comment with the URL for each daily tweet and/or Facebook post.

Ten (10) winners will be randomly selected from the qualified comments received by Wednesday, June 15, 2011, at 11:59 PM ET. Please leave an email address on one of your comments if it’s not available on your Blogger profile. Winners must respond within 72 hours or another winner will be drawn. Contest is open to US residents only.

CONTEST CLOSED. Congratulations to the winners: Anonymous (motorbuzz (at) idcnet.com); Anonymous (kjburgstede (at) yahoo.com); Anonymous (trustjesus7771 (at) yahoo.com); Anonymous (altern147 (at) yahoo.com); susansmoaks; Susan; April; Mami2jcn; s; and, dandmrobbins!




DISCLOSURE: Product samples were provided as a thank-you for this post. No financial compensation was provided.

Make Sure Your Child’s Car Seat Is Properly Installed This Summer -- And Watch This Humorous Video from Evenflo!

Okay, I’ll admit it: When I was close to delivering my twins, I took our new car seats and our minivan down to a car seat safety inspection station to make sure I had them installed correctly. Installing car seats properly is about as easy as getting baby twins to sleep through the night, so I knew I needed some help! And I’m not alone. According to a new Evenflo Savvy Parents survey, 60% of moms admit they had their car seats checked by a professional (i.e., firehouse) to ensure they were installed properly.

As summer nears, your family is likely to be hitting the road more frequently, and keeping your family safe is a high priority, especially when you’ve got little ones in the car. Hopefully, you’ve heard that new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) call for all infants and toddlers to ride in a Rear-Facing Car Safety Seat until they are 2 years of age! Now’s the time to check your car seats to be sure they’re properly installed.

As a reminder, Evenflo has reintroduced the popular “How to Repair Your Husband’s Bruised Ego” Savvy Parent video, which provides a humorous look at how difficult it is properly install a car seat. Check it out!



[Email subscribers, please click on the title of this post to view the video online.]

That was a chuckle-inducing video, but there’s nothing funny about making sure that your kids are properly protected in the car this summer. I hope you’ll visit a car inspection facility soon. I also encourage you to interact and share your car seat tales on Evenflo’s social media sites:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/EvenfloBaby
Twitter: http://twitter.com/evenflobaby
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/evenflobaby

And look for more new Savvy Parent video launches over the next few months!



DISCLOSURE: This is a public service announcement. No products or financial compensation were exchanged for this post.

Get Kids Outdoors This Summer with Backyard Safari Outfitters Gear!

Last summer, I wrote about Backyard Safari Outfitters because they make a wonderful line of kids’ gear designed to get them outdoors and exploring nature. So, I was thrilled to find out that they’ve introduced even more great products this year! My boys had the opportunity to try out several of them. The biggest hit was the Base Camp Shelter! Standing over 40 inches tall, this shelter is just the right size for my twins and their Pokemon card binders. Check it out!

The day after I took these photos, they even fit another friend in there with them. I love that the shelter was so easy to assemble. For once, I didn’t have to call on my husband to put something together for me! The Base Camp Shelter even comes with a bonus Mini Lantern with carabiner so you can hang it from the top. There are also mesh pockets on the side for kids to store their “stuff.” And this special edition kit comes with a collectible Base Camp Expedition iron-on patch!

I love Backyard Safari Outfitters’ new Patch Program. Kids can wear their Backyard Safari Outfitters cargo vest (pictured on my son above), and get patches to iron on with the purchase of each product. My boys are Cub Scouts, so a new Patch Program was of great interest to them!

Other new products from Backyard Safari Outfitters include:

Camouflage Net

Expedition Two Hiking Stick

Expedition One 3-in-1 Compass Tool

The 3-in-1 Compass Tool enables kids to use Morse code (there’s a guide included, as well as the symbols on a sticker inside the lid), plus use a compass and a magnifying lens! My boys have had a lot of fun playing with all of these products. And Backyard Safari Outfitters items also come with Pop-Up Field Guides to help your little adventurers discover the great outdoors!

I hope you’ll check out the fantastic products from Backyard Safari Outfitters through the links below. Other items include a Lazer Bug Vac, a Bird Watcher Field Kit, a Butterfly Habitat, a Reptile Hunter’s Super Throw Net, and much, much more. Backyard Safari Outfitters products are available at Toys R Us, Walmart, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, and Target. Your little ones are sure to spend plenty of time exploring outdoors with their own safari gear!

LINKS

Backyard Safari Outfitters Website: www.backyardsafari.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BackyardSafari
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/BYSOutfitters
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/BackyardSafariToys



DISCLOSURE: Complimentary product samples were provided for this review. No financial compensation was given.

Summer Blogger Block Party: New England Coffee Dark Roast Select Giveaway!

Like many people, I start the morning off with a good cup of coffee! I recently had the opportunity to try New England Coffee’s three new Dark Roast Select coffee varieties: Colombian Supremo Dark Roast, San Francisco Blend, and French Roast. Dark Roast Select coffees are made with 100% high-quality Arabica coffee beans that are roasted at a higher temperature and longer time, producing a darker color. Brewed, dark roast coffees are full-bodied with low acidity and have a dominating bittersweet, intense flavor. I’m not an expert on coffee, but I know what I like, and these coffees were delicious! If you like a dark coffee like I do, New England Coffee’s Dark Roast Select coffees will definitely appeal to your palate!

Visit www.newenglandcoffee.com for more information about the New England Coffee company and their delicious products, check out special offers and recipes, and shop online!

LINKS

New England Coffee Website: www.necoffeeco.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewEnglandCoffee

GIVEAWAY

One lucky winner will receive samples of New England Coffee’s three new Dark Roast Select coffee varieties: Colombian Supremo Dark Roast, San Francisco Blend, and French Roast! To enter, visit www.necoffeeco.com and then leave a comment on this post with something you learned on the site. You must do this to enter the giveaway.

After fulfilling the mandatory entry above, you can earn optional, additional entries if you:

- Follow Susan Heim on Parenting (@ParentingAuthor) on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway with the hashtag #SBBP. You may tweet up to 3x a day. (Please space them at least an hour apart.) Leave a separate comment with the URL of each tweet. (1 entry per tweet) You can use the following if you’d like:

Summer Blogger Block Party: New England Coffee #Giveaway! http://t.co/oNTNDKZ Ends 6/14 @ParentingAuthor #SBBP

- Follow New England Coffee on Facebook. (1 entry)

- Like Susan Heim on Parenting on Facebook and/or follow on Networked Blogs. (1 entry for each)

- Subscribe to Susan Heim on Parenting via email, RSS and/or Kindle. Leave a comment for each subscription method. (1 entry for each subscription method for up to 3 entries)

- Follow Susan Heim on Parenting through Google Friend Connect. Leave a comment with your GFC name. (1 entry)

- Place a button for Susan Heim on Parenting on your blog and/or a text link on your blog roll. Post a comment with your blog’s URL. (1 entry for button; 1 entry for text link)

- Enter another current giveaway on Susan Heim on Parenting. (1 entry per giveaway entered)

- Get 5 extra entries if you posted the SBBP button on your blog before May 24 and left a comment on this post. (Your comments might say: #1 Posted button before May 24, #2 Posted button before May 24, etc.)

- Click here for LOTS more extra entry opportunities!

One winner will be randomly selected from the qualified comments received by Tuesday, June 14, 2011, at 11:59 PM ET. Please leave an email address on one of your comments if it’s not available on your Blogger profile. Winner must respond within 72 hours or another winner will be drawn. Contest is open to US residents only.

CONTEST CLOSED. Congratulations to the winner, Anonymous - altern147 [at] yahoo [dot] com.

And don’t forget to visit the other giveaways in the Summer Blogger Block Party event, including more opportunities to win some delicious New England Coffee!





DISCLOSURE: I received product samples to facilitate this review. No financial compensation was provided.

Protect Your Wet Skin from the Sun This Summer with New Neutrogena Wet Skin Sunblock Sprays!

My family and I live in south Florida, so the use of sunscreen is a “must” all year round. However, it’s particularly important for my twins in the summer because 1) they attend a day camp where they spend a lot of time playing outdoors, and 2) one of my boys is on a swim team, and he’s in an outdoor pool almost every day. Needless to say, that’s a lot of time spent under the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays.

Most people know to apply sunscreen at the start of an outdoor activity, but many of us fail to reapply it throughout the day. (The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that it be reapplied every two hours.) One reason is because we’re often wet from the pool or ocean, or else we’re sweaty from running around, and we don’t want to take the time to dry off and apply more sunscreen. But now, we can’t use that excuse for not re-applying our sunscreen because Neutrogena has just introduced their new Neutrogena Wet Skin Sunblock Sprays for adults and kids. From the #1 dermatologist recommended suncare brand, this product is specifically designed to be applied and stay put directly on wet skin. I was very curious to see how this worked, so I shot the following video of my son getting Neutrogena Wet Skin Sunblock for Kids on his skin. Please take a look!



[Email subscribers, please click on the title of this post to view the video online.]

Keep in mind that I hadn’t tried this experiment before I started filming it. I was extremely impressed. There was a HUGE difference in how the Neutrogena Wet Skin sunscreen performed on wet skin compared to another spray brand. The Neutrogena clearly stayed on the skin and began to absorb. The other product just produced a big runny mess!

I also liked that Neutrogena Wet Skin sunscreen is applied via a spray. My kids normally hate to stand still for long to get sunscreen applied, but the Neutrogena went on quickly and evenly so my kids didn’t mind a bit. In fact, they thought it was fun to have their skin sprayed! I will definitely use this product again. It comes in SPF options of 30, 50, 85 and an SPF 70 for the kids, so everyone in the family can use it. My teenage son is working as a lifeguard this summer, so this will be a fantastic product for him, too.

You can find Neutrogena sunscreen products just about anywhere that suncare products are sold. Or you can buy them online and receive the following discount!

ONLINE DISCOUNT: Click here to order Neutrogena suncare products and receive $2 off your order. You also get free shipping with an order of $25 or more. Be sure to stock up for the summer!



DISCLOSURE: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Neutrogena and received sunscreen and other Neutrogena products as a thank you for my participation.

Memorial Day Salute

On this day, we salute all of the brave men and women who have served in our armed forces. Thank you.

Children’s Book Review: Horrid Henry Rocks, by Francesca Simon

Guest Post by T.R., Teen Reviewer

Horrid Henry Rocks is a collection of short stories written by Francesca Simon. It’s about the adventures of a young boy, Horrid Henry, and the mischief he causes. There are four stories in the book, and each would take a child 15-20 minutes to read. They are simple enough for a child to read, but beginning readers will probably need some help from a parent. The ideal age for this book would be anywhere from first to third grade.

The stories are wacky and goofy and will definitely make children laugh. When it was read to two 7-year-old boys, the two were hysterical the entire time. In each story, Horrid Henry plays tricks on Perfect Peter (his brother), Moody Margaret (his neighbor), or anyone else around him. If your child still laughs at the mention of boogers or other disgusting things, then this book is definitely for him. Girls will most likely get less entertainment out of this book than boys.

One word of warning to any parents who have their own horrid children: This book will probably give your child some bad ideas! Each story usually ends with Horrid Henry getting away with whatever mischief he caused (normally through the “I won’t tell on you if you don’t tell on me” method of child diplomacy), so don’t expect any sort of moral to this story. That said, the book will definitely bring laughs to your children and even to you during some of the more absurd moments.



DISCLOSURE: A product sample was provided for this review. The Amazon affiliate links belong to the blog owner.

Winners for the Week of May 22, 2011

This week, we kicked off the Summer Blogger Block Party! This event runs up to the start of summer on June 21st, and offers some awesome giveaways from the 13 blogs participating, plus plenty of opportunities for extra entries. Look for the logo below on the giveaways that are part of the Summer Blogger Block Party. Each post will carry a linky so you can locate all of the great giveaways in this event. Good luck! Now on to the lucky winners for this past week…

DAY & NIGHT SOOTHER FROM TINY LOVE

Congratulations to the winner, traciet!

7 CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS

Congratulations to the winner, Lori!

ELMER’S SPRING DIY KIT

Congratulations to the winners: jbmthill, fdigsby, and April!

Children’s Book Review: Beautiful Blue Eyes, by Marianne Richmond

I love, love, love reading children’s books. I always have, and I think I always will. It started long ago as a child. But now, as a babysitter, nanny, mother and auntie, my love of books keeps growing and growing. I am very lucky that my daughter Sadie loves books as much as I do. I really don’t know if she is more excited for bedtime books or me!

Beautiful Blue Eyes is a wonderful book, written and illustrated by Marianne Richmond. It is sure to hold your child’s attention with the beautiful pictures on every page and the rhyme that tells the story behind a pretty pair of blue eyes.

As mothers, we all know that we can look into our children’s eyes and read them like a book. We can see our children’s feelings, personality, thoughts, worries, sadness and more just by looking at their beautiful eyes. This book is wonderful for both the child and the parent reading it. It flows from the first page right to the last, and we have read it over and over in our household. This is a perfect addition to your home library.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Marianne Richmond’s career was launched by accident when she was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor, the cause of numerous epileptic seizures in her childhood. During her recovery, she created hand-painted thank-you cards for her many well-wishers. With the encouragement of her new boyfriend, Jim, she launched her own greeting card business. As that business grew, she decided to try her hand at writing a book. Beginning with her first book in 1997, The Gift of an Angel, writer and artist Marianne Richmond has touched the lives of millions through her line of greeting cards and gift books. Since then, she has become a recognized creator of numerous books that celebrate milestones in life, memorable journeys and relationships. Marianne lives in Minneapolis, MN, with her now-husband, Jim, their four children, and a border collie named Clay. Visit her website at www.mariannerichmond.com.

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of this book was provided for this review. No financial compensation was provided. The Amazon affiliate links in this post belong to the blog owner. 

Keeping Baby Safe and Cool This Summer

Guest Post by Jocelyn Anne

With summer coming upon us quickly, now is the time to start planning ahead for keeping our babies safe and happy during these hot months. Because babies’ temperature regulation systems are not fully developed, they are at much greater risk for over-heating than we are as adults. And, to make things even more dangerous, they also have fewer sweat glands, making them much less efficient at staying cool. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), babies and toddlers up to four years old are at the greatest peril of heat-related sickness.

When babies do not cool off, they can suffer from heat exhaustion, in which their temperature can skyrocket as high as 103 degrees and require instant medical attention. If still not treated properly and temperature rises over 103 degrees, babies can actually suffer heat stroke, which can have extremely serious consequences.

All this is not meant to frighten or scare you, because the good news is that your baby potentially over-heating is entirely preventable! Follow these simple guidelines to ensure that your baby stays happy, healthy and safe, all year long.

Keep Baby Hydrated
Since baby obviously can’t tell you when he is hungry, it’s up to you to ensure that he stays well hydrated. Even if you don’t notice drops of sweat, your baby can still be losing fluids in hot summer temps. If you see rapid breathing, restlessness, even skin that’s flushed or warm to your touch, your baby may be dehydrated. To be safe: plan on your baby taking in 50% more fluid during summer months than normal.

Avoid Hot Rooms and Cars
Even a few minutes stuck in an excessively hot car or room can cause baby’s temperature to rise dramatically and be life-threatening. Always cool down the car or bedroom with some type of cooling system before bringing baby in. If you live in particularly hot areas or are planning an extended road trip, you may want to look into a car-seat cooler. It not only provides 10 hours of cooling from the inner frozen rings, it also covers all dangerous metal clasps that could potentially burn baby’s sensitive skin.

Dress Baby Appropriately
Keep clothes loose and lightweight in the heat of summer, and opt for cottons over synthetics. They’ll absorb and wick away moisture better, leaving baby cooler and drier.

Avoid the Peak Times of Sun
The sun is most dangerous between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. Avoid unnecessary damage to baby’s skin by staying indoors during the worst hours.

Be Aware
Know the signs of heat stroke:

• Hot, red, dry skin
• Confusion
• Rapid or shallow breath
• Tired, lethargic
• Restless
• A temperature of over 103 degrees, but no sweating
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Vomiting
• Irritable

As well as the signs of dehydration:

• Lethargic
• Sunken eyes
• No tears when crying
• Dark or strong smelling urine
• Over six hours without urinating
• Excessive sleepiness or crying

By being aware and taking all the preventative measures, you can ensure that your baby stays properly cooled during the hottest of the summer months. But don’t forget to have fun, too! Summer offers freedom to take your baby to the park and to the pool and to get outside and escape the confines of the home.

Freelance writer Jocelyn Anne is currently working alongside Air & Water, researching portable air conditioners and their potential to protect infants from overheating.

Find Amazing Father’s Day Cards and Gifts at Tiny Prints!

As I write this, I can’t believe it’s almost June! It’s not too early to start thinking about Father’s Day plans. We don’t usually make a HUGE deal about the holiday because my husband doesn’t like a fuss, but we definitely get him some cards and have a special dinner. In thinking about what we might put on our Father’s Day cards, I asked my seven-year-old twins: “What makes Daddy a hero?”

Caleb said: “He takes me fishing and on bike rides and to baseball and Cub Scouts.”

Me: “What can he do really well?”

Caleb: “Sleep!”

He knows his daddy well…

When I asked Austen why his daddy is a hero, he took me a little too literally. He said, “He’s never jumped off a mountain, so he can’t be a hero!”

I think Austen is a little confused between “hero” and “superhero”!

Anyway, so now to find some great Father’s Day cards… This year, I’m checking out Tiny Prints! I love that you can personalize your cards with pictures (or without) and your own message. And, for Father’s Day, they have cards for dads, grandfathers, husbands, sons, brothers, stepfathers, fathers-in-law, godfathers, new dads, and “like-a-dads”! Check out some of these terrific selections:

There are hundreds of fantastic designs to choose from. While you’re on the site, you might want to create a gorgeous photo book for Dad!

Order soon to be sure you get your cards and gifts before Father’s Day on June 19th. At Tiny Prints, you’ll find just what you need to make Father’s Day special for the men in your life. Visit www.tinyprints.com/greeting/shop/fathers-day-cards.htm today!

DISCLOSURE: I received a gift card as a thank you for sharing this information with you. No other compensation was provided. This post reflects my honest opinions about this product.

Ease Your Tired and Achy Feet with Dr. Scholl’s Custom Fit Orthotic Inserts! (GIVEAWAY, $50 Value)

Unfortunately, just because a shoe looks good, that doesn’t mean it FEELS good! And if you spend a lot of time on your feet, uncomfortable shoes can become even more miserable. Whether you’re on the job or running after the kids, you’re constantly putting pressure on your feet. The result can be sore and achy feet, even long after your shoes have been removed. Therefore, it’s important to give your feet a comfy ride. One way in which to do that is with Dr. Scholl’s® Custom Fit® Orthotic Inserts! This isn’t your typical insert because Dr. Scholl’s has provided a way for you to get just the right fit for the way you walk. Here’s how it works:

Visit a Dr. Scholl’s Custom Fit Orthotic Center at a retail store near you. (We found them at several CVS stores near our house.) Locate the Dr. Scholl’s kiosk in the store. When you step into the kiosk and follow the simple directions, more than 2,000 sensors apply special Footmapping® Technology to identify the areas in which you apply the most pressure, as well as your arch type. Then they recommend the Custom Fit Orthotic Insert that should work best for your feet. Amazing!

My husband was the product tester for this campaign, and he said it was very easy to follow the directions at the kiosk and acquire his unique measurements. The machine recommended a pair of CF230 inserts, which was available for purchase right at the kiosk. Mike has worn his inserts for over two weeks now, and he has definitely felt a difference in how his feet feel. They’re no longer sore at the end of the day, and his shoes are more comfortable to walk in. The inserts fit most shoes, so he can swap them out when he’s wearing his workout shoes, his golf shoes, etc. The inserts are placed in the heel of the shoe and run about ¾ of the length of the foot. Mike was accustomed to using a full-shoe insert in the past, but it took him very little time to adjust to the shorter insert. Best of all, it was much more comfortable and effective than the previous one.

If you’re on your feet all day (and most of us are), I suggest you check out Dr. Scholl’s Custom Fit Orthotic Inserts! More than a million people have used them, and 95% of them were satisfied. Visit www.footmapping.com to find a Dr. Scholl’s Custom Fit Orthotic Center near you and learn more about this amazing Footmapping Technology!

REBATE OFFER: Click here to receive a $7.50 rebate on the purchase of Dr. Scholl’s Custom Fit Orthotic Inserts!

GIVEAWAY

One lucky winner will receive a free pair of Dr. Scholl’s Custom Fit Orthotic Inserts (a $50 value)! (Note that you must be able to visit a Dr. Scholl’s Custom Fit Orthotic Center if you win. Go to www.footmapping.com to be sure there’s a location in your area.) To enter, leave a comment sharing something you learned on their website! You must do this to enter the giveaway.

After completing the mandatory entry above, you can earn optional, additional entries when you... (leave a separate comment for each)

- Follow Susan Heim on Parenting (@ParentingAuthor) on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You may tweet up to 3x a day. (Please space them at least an hour apart.) Leave a separate comment with the URL of each tweet. (1 entry per tweet) You can use this tweet if you'd like:

Ease Your Tired and Achy Feet with Dr. Scholl’s Custom Fit Orthotic Inserts! #GIVEAWAY ($50 Value!) http://tinyurl.com/3tvwnck Ends 6/2

- Like Susan Heim on Parenting on Facebook and/or follow on Networked Blogs. (1 entry for each)

- Subscribe to Susan Heim on Parenting via email, RSS and/or Kindle (see sign-up options on left sidebar). Leave a comment for each subscription method. (1 entry for each subscription method for up to 3 entries)

- Follow Susan Heim on Parenting through Google Friend Connect. Click on the “Follow” button on the left sidebar. Leave a comment. (1 entry)

- Place a button for Susan Heim on Parenting on your blog and/or a text link on your blog roll. Post a comment with your blog’s URL. (1 entry for button; 1 entry for text link)

- Post about this giveaway on your blog with a link to this page. Leave a comment with a direct link to the post. (3 entries; leave a separate comment for each)

One winner will be randomly selected from the qualified comments received by Thursday, June 2, 2011, at 11:59 PM ET. Please leave an email address on one of your comments if it’s not available on your Blogger profile. Winners must respond within 72 hours or another winner will be drawn. Contest is open to US residents only.

CONTEST CLOSED. Congratulations to the winner, kalea_kane!



DISCLOSURE: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Dr. Scholl’s and received a Custom Fit Orthotics from Dr. Scholl’s to facilitate my review.

Ruby Skye, P.I.: Awesome Online Entertainment for Kids (Giveaway; 2 Winners)

I have to admit that I’m not a big fan of all of the children’s programming on TV. Some of the shows are just downright gross! (I won’t name names, but I’m betting you know some of them.) So, I’m always happy to find shows that actually respect kids’ intelligence and yet keep them entertained. I recently discovered a web series that exemplifies those qualities: Ruby Skye P.I.! Ruby Skye is a teenage girl who’s always solving mysteries in her town. She has a sister named Hailey, who’s a royal pain in her behind, but Hailey’s fabulous computer skills come in handy when Ruby has a mystery to solve. Various other quirky and interesting characters populate Ruby’s world.

Check out Episode 1: Animal Farm (approximately 6 minutes) where we’re introduced to Mrs. Gooje, “animal lover and neighborhood wacko,” who talks to her stuffed animals and is being scammed by a “Nigerian prince” on the Internet. Can Ruby Skye get to the bottom of this mystery?



[Email subscribers, please click on the title of this post to access the video online.]

On www.rubyskyepi.com, kids can watch all of the Ruby Skye P.I. episodes for free! Plus, they can play a Rock Paper Scissors game, get brownie recipes, read a blog, and more! The next time your kids declare “I’m bored!” this summer, head over to www.rubyskyepi.com.

LINKS

Website: www.rubyskyepi.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/rubyskyepi
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RubySkyePI
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/RubySkyePI

GIVEAWAY

Two (2) lucky winners will receive the Ruby Skye P.I. poster featured above, PLUS a branded water bottle and button!

MANDATORY ENTRY: To enter, visit http://rubyskyepi.com/episodes with your child(ren) and check out the shows. Leave a comment on one of the shows on that page! Then come back here and leave a comment with the name of the episode you commented on. You must do this to enter the giveaway.

After fulfilling the mandatory entry above, you can earn optional, additional entries if you:

- Follow Ruby Skye P.I. (@rubyskyepi) and Susan Heim on Parenting (@ParentingAuthor) on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway with the hashtag #SBBP. You may tweet up to 3x a day. (Please space them at least an hour apart.) Leave a separate comment with the URL of each tweet. (1 entry per tweet) You can use this tweet if you'd like:

Summer Blogger Block Party: Ruby Skye, P.I. Prize Pack #Giveaway http://t.co/BKvl2gG @rubyskyepi @ParentingAuthor 2 Winners! Ends 6/10 #SBBP

- Follow Ruby Skye P.I. on Facebook. (1 entry)

- Like Susan Heim on Parenting on Facebook and/or follow on Networked Blogs. (1 entry for each)

- Subscribe to Susan Heim on Parenting via email, RSS and/or Kindle. Leave a comment for each subscription method. (1 entry for each subscription method for up to 3 entries)

- Follow Susan Heim on Parenting through Google Friend Connect. Leave a comment with your GFC name. (1 entry)

- Place a button for Susan Heim on Parenting on your blog and/or a text link on your blog roll. Post a comment with your blog’s URL. (1 entry for button; 1 entry for text link)

- Enter another current giveaway on Susan Heim on Parenting. (1 entry per giveaway entered)

- Get 5 extra entries if you posted the SBBP button on your blog before May 24 and left a comment on this post. (Your comments might say: #1 Posted button before May 24, #2 Posted button before May 24, etc.)

- Click here for LOTS more extra entry opportunities!

Two (2) winners will be randomly selected from the qualified comments received by Friday, June 10, 2011, at 11:59 PM ET. Please leave an email address on one of your comments if it’s not available on your Blogger profile. Winner must respond within 72 hours or another winner will be drawn. Contest is open to US residents only.

CONTEST CLOSED. Congratulations to the winners: Terry and susansmoaks!

And don’t forget to visit the other giveaways in the Summer Blogger Block Party event!





DISCLOSURE: No products or compensation were provided for this post.