Dawniemom

SWAGG is a free mobile app (download here) that lets you shop smarter using your mobile phone. Buy, send or swap SWAGG GIFTS and organize your old school plastic gift cards.

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

Clever Girls Collective and SWAGG are sending a pair of movie fans to the Sundance Film Festival! Download the SWAGG app and then visit the Ultimate SWAGG Getaway Sweepstakes site to enter to win a trip for two to the Sundance Film Festival. Entry deadline is January 3, 2011, 11:59pm, PST.

I’ve been trying to think about this ever since I was notified that I was selected to do this post. I mean, I’ve given a LOT of gifts over the years. Everything, it seems, is a gift of some sort when you get right down to it. Just recently, I flew to see my family on Thanksgiving, to surprise them. That was a gift, they felt – the gift of Dawn. LOL But no, that’s not what I’m really thinking about.

Then of course, the gifts I’ve given my children over the years. Christmas and birthdays and end of the school year presents abound amongst 3 kids. But nothing really stuck out. I kept thinking about it, and finally, I realized that the thing I had been looking for was right in front of me. The best gift I’ve ever given to my children was me. That sounds silly, doesn’t it? But any time one of my kids has a problem of some sort, I’m a few steps away. School work, “mom – how do I do this?” or “mom, Anthony’s picking on me!”, “mom, can you read to me?” or “mom, do you want to play a game?”, “mom, can I go outside?” or “mom, I’m hungry” – I’m always around.

When I was growing up, my mom worked 2 jobs. So I didn’t have that luxury. Of course, her working 2 jobs wasn’t a luxury, either, and looking back, I have NO idea how she managed to do it all WHILE at work. But she did. However, I wanted something more for my kids than having someone else be there to answer those questions, kiss those booboos, see those 1sts.

As a result, I think my children have a better appreciation for us stay at home moms – or at least I hope they will grow up to. To look at a stay at home mom as someone of strength and someone who can be called upon for anything. Of course, the choice or necessity to work has been given to me by my predecessors and I’m appreciative of that, but the gift of a MOM is the best gift I can think of that I’ve given my children, and I’m very proud of that!

Learn more about the coolest new app that revolutionizes the whole shopping, gifting, and gift card-organizing experience and Download the SWAGG app to your iPhone or Droid. I was selected for this sponsorship by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity.

I know… the title is kind of weird. Skillet Bacon Jam? Seriously? That’s why I applied to do the review. I had to see what the heck “Skillet Bacon Jam” was. Mmmmm… am I glad I did.

Skillet Bacon Jam is just exactly what it sounds like. It’s chunks of bacon in a sweet, smoky, delicious jam. I’d just baked a batch of biscuits when the package arrived, and so my son promptly opened it up and slathered some onto his biscuit. The look of shock was enough to tell me that I had to try it. It was SO unexpected. The bacon isn’t those dried up pieces of bacon-bit things you toss on your salad. It’s real bacon. The jam… which has onions, balsamic vinegar and other spices, just delicous. So unexpected!

Skillet Bacon Jam is the perfect stocking stuffer, too! It can go with those biscuits, sure. But I’ve also spread some on a fresh out of the broiler chicken breast and omg, talk about a whole new notch! It changed the bland chicken into something delicious and simple and easy. So quickly!

You can get Skillet Bacon Jam in an 11oz jar on their website or email them if you have questions – and as I said, I think it’d be a great stocking stuffer for that bacon lover on your list!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

On the bottom of one of my totes ‘o’stuff that I carted home from BlogHer ‘10 was this strange little hook thing that I sorta recognized, but really wasn’t sure about. Truthfully, I don’t even know how it got INTO the bag – but there it was.

Little things can make a big difference.

I went to the almighty google and searched for the name on it – “hookeez” – and of course, was directed to www.hookeez.com . It was there that I found out what this little doodad was for, and it made PERFECT SENSE!

I know that when I go grocery shopping (or any shopping for that matter) and I’ve remembered to bring my reusable shopping bags with me, they invariably get buried underneath everything I’ve just put in the carriage. This was the same thing that was happening to the mom behind Hookeez. She & her husband designed these hooks to hold your shopping bags conveniently in one place (in the hook) and then hook it to the shopping cart. Your bags stay together, out of the way, and ready for when you check out. [Note: they’re NOT made to hold full bags!]

I just loved the idea – and even more so when I read that they’re made from 100% recycled materials – and of course, because you’re using reusable shopping bags, you’re doing GREAT things for our planet there too! This is just one of those products that, when you get it in your hands, you think “Wow, why didn’t I think of that?” – and I’m glad Hookeez creator did!

Hookeez are extremely affordable too. I think they’d be great stocking stuffers as well as secret santa presents. Anyone who uses reusable shopping bags would be the perfect recipient for one of these little guys!

Best of all! I have a Hookeez to give away!

If you’d like to win, just leave a comment telling me how often you wind up leaving your bags at home, in the car, or just at the bottom of your cart. LOL Yes, I’ve done all 3.

Of course, you can earn extra entries below. Just be sure to leave an individual comment for each choice.

Comments that do not meet set requirements or state that something has been done but hasn’t – will be deleted. I DO verify that you’ve joined, followed, fanned, etc. So please be a grown-up and be honest.

For extra entries, please leave a comment letting me know which of the following you’ve done.

Fan my Facebook page. Leave a comment with your Facebook name.
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Blogging about this giveaway gets you FIVE entries – just leave 5 comments.
Share this giveaway on Facebook, Yahoo, etc. by clicking on the “Sharing is Caring” link right below this blog entry. Leave a comment with which one you choose. Do them all, earn a whole buncha entries!

This giveaway is limited to the USA. Giveaway ends December 13th. I will draw a winner from all qualified entries.

Green is the new black!

Product Review Comments Off

Nov 232010

Ok, I know – it’s been used. In fact, it was used in an email I got notifying me about thredUP’s black friday specials. But it’s true – being green is very “fashionable” right now – and hopefully, for the future. Being green in your recycling efforts is, of course, helping our planet fix herself. Being green is also good for your wallet. Especially at thredUP.

Haven’t heard of thredUP before? Well, let me tell you – it’s a great idea. thredUP is the #1 Online Kids Clothing Swap. As the mother of 3 kids, I’m CONSTANTLY sorting and bagging clothes that one or more of them have grown out of. Unless you own your own little boutique or consignment shop, you wind up with way too many clothes that you simply have no use for. Yard sales are an option, but who wants to see a shirt you paid $15 go for a nickel? Consignment shops are the same, except you have to lug everything there, and then HOPE it all sells.

thredUP is different. With their system, you swap clothes that you can no longer use for your kids for clothes that you CAN use. You can shop through their system and pick out boxes of clothes someone else’s kids have outgrown but are still perfectly wearable. You choose by gender, season, size and even holiday! Meanwhile, you’re building your own boxes with the clothes your kids aren’t wearing anymore, to ship to someone who selects your box.

Their description of how it works makes a lot more sense than me trying to explain it, so I’ve “borrowed” it:

Very simply put, it works like this: pick a box you like, pay $5 plus shipping, prepare a box of items that no longer fit your child, when someone picks your box, send it for free. Here is the step-by-step version:

PICK – Browse boxes listed in the thredUP community and select one you’d like to receive. Hopefully, by now, you have your friends on thredUP so you can just pick their boxes. If you’re busy, tell us your clothing preferences and the experts at thredUP can choose a box for you.

PAY – Once you’ve picked your box, all you pay is $5 plus shipping to have it delivered.

PREPARE – As part of this process, you are required (this is a swap after all!) to list a box of clothes that your child no longer wears. We’ll ask for basic details such as types of clothing, number of items, colors, brands, season and sizes. Don’t worry, the USPS will mail you empty boxes for your gently used clothes.

SEND – When someone picks your box, thredUP will alert you and ask you to send this box. It is free to send boxes on thredUP because the recipient pays the shipping. You’ll be able to print the shipping label and schedule the pickup all in one click. Would you rather drop it off at the Post Office? No problem! Just cancel the pickup and leave a note for your postal carrier. As soon as your box is tracked by the USPS, you will see your box status has been changed to "shipped" in your thredUP closet.

Simple, no?

So, where does Black Friday come in, you ask? ThredUp is having BIG promotion on Black Friday. BlackFriday_thredUP Free PRO Membership_Use Code: pro253 – you get 2 months FREE of pro membership. Pro Members get all sorts of cool benefits, and of course, totally worth it!