This month Sesame Street is celebrating forty years! Forty years of dancing, singing, monsters, and mayhem. Forty years of education and entertainment!

My siblings and I grew up watching Sesame Street and now my kids are watching those very same lovable monsters! Of course I have no problem sitting down and watching it with them!

And now, with Sesame Street’s dvd celebratory release of Sesame Street: Forty Years of Sunny Days, my kids and I can share our favorite muppet memories of the past or present! Sesame Street: Forty Years of Sunny Days is a double disc dvd set packed with over 5 hours of scenes and skits from the past forty seasons.

This special dvd set also includes some amazing never-seen-before footage and a Limited Edition Commemorative Book with some unbelievable facts. Did you know that the man behind Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, Carol Spinney, is one of only three original cast members still on the show?

I love watching Sesame Street: Forty Years of Sunny Days with my daughters. It is has definitely been their dvd of choice lately! I actually wasn’t sure what they would think of the earlier episodes. After all, the clothes and hair styles were quite a bit different! But my girls love them!!! My 3 year-old was a little confused as to why Oscar wasn’t green at first but then she loved seeing the “new” skits and learning the “new” songs. She’s still singing “Put Down the Ducky”!

In the past four decades the characters of Sesame Street have dealt with everything from birth to death, marriage to hurricanes. They have talked about self-confidence, fear, family, and friendship. Journalists, actors and musicians from every genre have made their way to the most famous street in the world to wear fairy wings, interview monsters, and sing with chickens. However, no matter how things may change on Sesame Street they are still holding true to the principles it was originally founded on in 1969 — Children’s Entertainment and Education!

Some of my favorite memories from Sesame Street years past are Bert & Ernie fishing (”heeeere fishy, fishy, fishy”), the Alligator King & His 7 Sons, and that crazy painter who would go around painting the Number of the Day in random places. My daughter absolutely loves the old episode of Kermit the Frog reporting on Sleeping Beauty. She cracks up every time when Prince Charming kisses her and falls asleep, too!

I’m so glad that Sesame Workshop and Vivendi Entertainment have put together the Sesame Street: Forty Years of Sunny Days dvd pack. It is an amazing way to relive those old Sesame Street memories with your children and to make a few new ones!

This celebration dvd is available for purchase at most retailers and on SesameStreet.org. And don’t forget to head over to SesameStreet.org for more 40 Years of FUN!!!

Again, Congratulations on 40 years Sesame Street and here’s to 40 more!!!

As moms we obviously love Sesame Street here at 5 Minutes for Mom and are so excited to be giving away a copy of Sesame Street: Forty Years of Sunny Days as part of our Christmas Giveaway!

Here’s how you can enter to win:

1. See our Christmas Giveaway 2009 post to read more about
   participating in our Christmas Giveaway



2. Either link back to this post and include a Christmas Giveaway 2009 button in that post or on your sidebar, or link to the individual giveaways you choose to enter. We have a ton of different buttons and styles for you to choose from. Click here to get the button codes. (If you post and include the button, either in your post or on your sidebar, and link back here, you are good for all the giveaways. No more linking required.)
3. Please leave one comment below to enter this giveaway. Maybe share with us your favorite Sesame Street memory! You may earn additional entries for the following:
   1. Subscribe to our Feed
   2. Sign up for our Newsletter
   If you are already subscribed and are on our newsletter list, you qualify for these two additional entries. Go ahead and leave your additional comments below.
4. As always, non bloggers are welcome to participate! We understand you can’t link – but please spread the word to your friends via facebook, twitter, etc.
5. Entries are open from Sunday, November 15th until Monday, November 30th at 12pm EST.
6. Our winner will be drawn randomly and we will announce the winner Tuesday, December 1st. Please make sure to check our site and your email address to see if you have won a prize. We must receive your reply within 5 business days. (If you want your prize to arrive in time — the sooner we hear from you, the better!)
7. This contest is open to US shipping addresses only. Due to legal restrictions, this promotion void where prohibited.

   Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our Contest and Giveaway Rules.

* We did receive a complimentary copy of Sesame Street: Forty Years of Sunny Days for this review. Sesame Workshop and Vivendi Entertaiment are also providing one copy for this contest AND another for our Under the Tree Program.

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom Contributing Editor: Stacey Lynn

As you know, you can come back all week and add a post or giveaway to our Mister Linky. Be sure to check back often, as new links will be added daily. You don’t want to miss out on something fun.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Marie from All Access Pass To Jack has started a new series on her blog called Life Is Therapy. Check it out, and link up with other moms to share fun and ordinary everyday ideas to help our children learn and develop.
• Visit Charity Cars, a site that gives cars to needy families all over the country. If you like, you can help by either donating or spreading the word about the site so that those in need might receive the charity car they deserve. Also, you can help Katie, by visiting her profile and voting for her so that she can get a little closer to her family’s goal.

CONTESTS & SWEEPSTAKES

• To celebrate the return of Blue Light Specials at Kmart, they are giving shoppers on Twitter a chance to win a $50 gift card everyday! There are over 40 great Bluelight Specials throughout the weekend in-store, and other great offers online at Kmart.com, too, only on Saturdays and Sundays. In addition to the chance to win daily, everyone following @KmartDealsnNews on Twitter will be automatically entered for a chance to win a $500 Kmart shopping spree.

  Winning couldn’t get easier – all you have to do is follow @KmartDealsnNews on Twitter from your personal Twitter account and issue a Tweet everyday using their hashtag: #KmartBLS. Each day is a new opportunity to win, so the more often you tweet – the better your chances are to win a Daily prize!

  For more info on sweepstakes details, check out the and the official rules here.

• Do you have what it takes to be a Winterless Weather Forecaster? Jergens is looking for women to enter and post their videos on how they keep their skin looking beautiful and winterless no matter what the weather. Ten finalists will be selected to have their videos posted on youtube.com and will compete for the grand prize of a $5,000 talent contract with Jergens to film winterless weather forecasts for Jergens.com, as well as a luxury trip to NYC to meet Al Roker and get a VIP behind-the-scenes tours of the show Wake Up with Al! along with $1,000 cash!
• Get your kids writing with Olive Garden’s Pasta Tales essay writing contest for students in first- through 12th-grade.

  This year, students are asked to submit essays on the following topic: “Describe a teacher who has inspired you in school and how they have impacted your life.” The contest grand prize is a three-day trip to New York City including dinner at the Olive Garden in Times Square and a $2,500 savings bond. Winners also will be chosen in each grade category and will receive a $500 savings bond and a family dinner at their local Olive Garden restaurant.

BLOG GIVEAWAYS

For Everyone

• Mommy’s Idea Blog Makeover from The Design House (11/15 Worldwide)
• A Wrestling Addicted Mommy 18 x 24 Poster Print (11/15 US Only)
• Here and There nuNAAT Karite giveaway (11/15 US Only)
• Rockin’ Mama Marie Callender’s Pasta Al Dente giveaway (11/17 US Only)
• Here and There The Popcorn Factory Gift Tin (11/18 US Only)
• Here and There Night At The Museum Battle Of The Smithsonian DVD (11/19 US Only)
• Everything Up Close Make Your Own Custom Christmas Stocking Kit (11/20 US & Canada)
• From Val’s Kitchen Cheez Its (11/20 US Only)
• From Val’s Kitchen Sara Lee Deli Meats (11/21 US Only)
• Mommy’s Idea Fun Faces Notepad from Cayenne Paper (11/22 US Only)
• Happy Little Homemaker Little Blue Book (11/22)
• Contest Corner Tablespoon.com Kitchen Utensil Gift Pack (11/22 US Only)
• Contest Corner Nature Valley Gift Pack (11/22 US Only)
• Melinda Joy $20 to ABC NeckTies (11/25 US & Canada)
• All Because Two People Fell In LOVE Four Movie Tickets (11/26 US Only)
• Melinda Joy Alphabet Photography Art (11/27 Worldwide)
• A Wrestling Addicted Mommy Vinyl Wall Quote/Phrase (11/29 US Only)
• A Wrestling Addicted Mommy One month membership to care4hire.com (12/2 US Only)
• Melinda Joy ValueRay Mouse Hand Warmer (12/5 US & Canada)

For Women

• Moomette’s Magnificents Southern Magnolia Minerals Surprise Gift Bag (11/19)
• Granola Mom 4 God Diva Cup (11/21)
• Here and There Unilever Beauty Products (11/21 US Only)
• Melinda Joy Fragrant Ball of Foot Pad Set (11/27 Worldwide)
• A Wrestling Addicted Mommy Plus Size Top (11/30 Worldwide)
• A Wrestling Addicted Mommy Lavender Freshwater Pearl Necklace (12/1 Worldwide)

Baby Essentials

• Adventures In Babywearing Two Babywearing Slings (11/17 Worldwide)
• The Shopping Mama Medela Freestyle Breastpump (11/18 US Only)
• The Shopping Mama Jeep Umbrella Stroller (11/20 US Only)
• Sassy Frazz Jenerations Baby Shampoo and Wash (11/25 US Only)
• The Shopping Mama Boon Flair High Chair (11/27 US Only)
• A Working, Blogging Mommy Baby or Toddler Hooded Towel (11/27 US Only)
• All Because Two People Fell In LOVE $50 Amon Maternity gift card (11/28 US Only)

Just For Kids

• An Island Life HABA Toys (11/16 US Only)
• Glimpse Set of Crazy Forts (11/19 US & Canada)
• Rockin’ Mama Sesame Street – 40 Years of Sunny Days DVD (11/20 US Only)
• An Island Life Wee Squeak Kid’s Shoes (11/20 US Only)
• An Island Life Dora’s Christmas CD (11/21 Worldwide)
• Contest Corner Personalized Children’s CD (11/22 Worldwide)
• Sassy Frazz Marshmallow Shooter (11/25 US Only)
• Sassy Frazz Alphabotz Flash Cards (11/25 US Only)
• All Because Two People Fell In LOVE Safety Tats (11/29 US Only)
• Rockin’ Mama Build A Bear Workshop Frosty the Snowman (12/1 US Only)
• A Wrestling Addicted Mommy $15 to Piggy Paint (12/1 US Only)

Books For Grown-Ups

• Mom Knows It All The Law of Forgiveness (11/15 US Only)
• All Because Two People Fell In LOVE A Century of Flavors Cookbook (11/18 US Only)
• An Island Life A Century of Flavor Cookbook (11/20 US & Canada)
• All Because Two People Fell In LOVE Firsts: Origins of Everyday Things That Changed The World (12/3 US Only)

Would you like to share a fun giveaway or a worth our while post? Please add it to the Mr. Linky below. You can come here any time this week to add in your link. Don’t miss out on the fun. Be sure to visit throughout the week as the linky grows, and more sites are added.

If you would like to have a post on your blog featured in 5 Minutes Around The Blogosphere, please send us an email with the actual link to your post at features5minutesformom at gmail dot com and we’ll see if it can be arranged.

You can find Marissa writing away at Mama Sparkles.

Say It Forward – Carnival of Loyal Commenters is a weekly carnival at 5 Minutes for Mom.com where bloggers feature their loyal commenters!

To read more about how to participate in Say It Forward and to get the button codes, click here.

And make sure you visit the links in the Mr. Linky here every Friday. These are the FUN blogging folk YOU want to be friends with. Go to THEIR sites. Read THEIR blogs. And of course, leave COMMENTS.

Oh, we can see the friendships forming already. It’s a beautiful thing!

Say It Forward – Week 41: This week’s loyal commentor is Marie from All Access Pass to Jack.

Marie is a the mother of a very special little boy name Jack. Jack has a syndrome called Apert Syndrome. But despite some of the difficulties that come with such an ailment, Marie does not allow Jack to be limited. Instead, her blog is full of inspiration as she celebrates the life of her adorable son.

Marie doesn’t waste time asking why – instead, she counts her blessings. She also writes an encouraging word on perseverance and the fact that, no matter how difficult a situation may be, God is good.

Always open to sharing her story and answering questions, Marie says this in her sidebar: Do you have questions about Apert syndrome in general, Jack in particular, our parenting style, legal blindness, reflux, dairy intolerance, fine motor delays, speech delays, obstructive sleep apnea, CPAP/Bipap, increased intracranial pressure, endoscopic third ventriculostomy, VP shunt, Early Intervention, IEPs or anything else I talk about? You can comment here and I will respond or you can email me at empwrn(at)bellsouth(dot)net–empwrn@bellsouth.net.

Thank you, Marie, for giving us, your readers, a glimpse in your world and into Jacks’ world. He is indeed a special little boy. Thank you for sharing him with us.

And, of course, thank you for being such a loyal commenter here at 5 Minutes for Mom! Please display this Loyal Commenter badge with pride.

If you are selected as a Loyal Commenter either by our site or another blog, you can display this Loyal Commenter badge with pride. Also feel free to give the badge to the commenters that you select each week.

<br /> <a href="http://www.5minutesformom.com/category/feature-columns/say-it-forward/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k210/5m4m/buttons/columns/sayitforwardlc125x125.png" border="0" title="Mom It Forward Award" alt="Mom It Forward Award"/></a>

Thank one of your loyal commenters on your blog and then add the link to your post below.

I love this time of year. I love the music, the food (oh, the food…) the sights, the sounds, the family time – I just love the holiday seasons.

I also love walking to my mailbox each day and pulling out Christmas cards and catching up on the lives of dear family and friends. I usually disply my Christmas cards proudly for several months after the holidays have passed – or until my husband raises his eyebrows and reminds me that the Fourth of July is right around the corner. They are just such a sweet reminder of the important people in life.

Many of you are likely in the same boat I am, scouring pictures, trying to decide what to use for this year’s Christmas card. Do you pick the picture where everyone is smiling perfectly or the one where your toddler is wacking his sister on the head with a look of pure malice in his eyes?

Not that I have any pictures like that…ahem.

5 Minutes for Mom has teamed up with Snapfish to offer our readers a chance to receive a Snapfish photo card worth up to 50 prints. We have 5 to give away!

So, if you’re like me and your Christmas card list keeps growing every year, you could get a good headstart on your Christmas prints. Or, you could simply print out a few pictures to give to family members as Christmas gifts.

No matter how you use it, the fact remains that all of us would likely love a reason to print out a few pictures and Snapfish is a great place to do just that. With their quick and easy system, you can upload your pictures, choose what size prints you want and within a few days, your photos show up on your doorstep, all shiney and packed with love and memories.

So you know the drill – simply leave us a comment for your entry to win this fabulous prize! For more information, read below:

1. See our Christmas Giveaway 2009 post to read more about
   participating in our Christmas Giveaway



2. Either link back to this post and include a Christmas Giveaway 2009 button in that post or on your sidebar, or link to the individual giveaways you choose to enter. We have a ton of different buttons and styles for you to choose from. Click here to get the button codes. (If you post and include the button, either in your post or on your sidebar, and link back here, you are good for all the giveaways. No more linking required.)
3. Please leave one comment below to enter this giveaway. You may earn additional entries for the following:
   1. Subscribe to our Feed
   2. Sign up for our Newsletter
   If you are already subscribed and are on our newsletter list, you qualify for these two additional entries. Go ahead and leave your additional comments below.

Of course, if you are not a blogger but would like to enter, you may still do so. Leave us your email address and let us know if you have promoted the contest via Facebook or Twitter for additional entries.

This contest will be open from November 13 to November 30. A winner will be selected and announced on December 1.

Christmas will be here before we know it, so enter to win today and get working on those holiday cards!

I cleared my schedule for November 4th and 5th and even brought my toddling son and husband along and joined a few other bloggers for the first Inside the Smucker Pantry event in Orville, Ohio. They visited the nearby Akron zoo and shopping centers while I went behind the scenes at Smucker’s.

We arrived at the hotel Wednesday morning and before I could make a cup of much-needed coffee, a plate of sugar and chocolate chunk cookies made from Pillsbury mixes (a Smucker’s brand) arrived at the door. I took a bite of each and dashed downstairs to catch the shuttle for lunch at Crop Bistro & Bar located in Cleveland’s warehouse district.

Crop specializes in innovative American food sourced mostly from regional small farms. We ordered the Hot Balsamic Popcorn appetizer for the table and I ordered a Caesar salad covered with homemade cornmeal croutons for my entrée.

I’m still trying to come up with a recipe for these unforgettable croutons, slightly sweet and chewy and packed with the flavor of fresh sweet corn. Lunch was just the first of many courses of food to come, however, we were warned over and over to pace ourselves. You’ll soon learn why.

After lunch we had a VIP tour of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and were invited to see their special collections stored inside the vault.

We saw one of Bob Marley’s dreadlocks and John Lennon’s hand written song lyrics with drawings and cross-outs for Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and My Life. Other exhibited artifacts of note included bluesman Elmore James’ guitar, Neil Young’s fringe jacket, Jimi Hendrix’s hand written song lyrics for “Purple Haze,” and recording equipment from the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis. Outside the building, you can’t miss Johnny Cash’s tour bus. If you’re a music fan, a trip to this museum is a must!

We met for dinner at Ken Stewart’s Lodge in Bath, Ohio. Unable to decide on a main course, I ordered several side dishes: mixed beet salad, Parmesan truffle fries, almond green beans, and a sweet potato soufflé.

The truffle fries were a hit! Dessert began with cook your own s’mores and ended with a sampler platter that included warm chocolate cherry bread pudding with whiskey sauce, carrot cake with coconut crème anglaise, chocolate mousse, crème brulee, and cheesecake with raspberry sauce.

That was all on Wednesday. The next morning we went to the Smucker’s Store and Café for breakfast and shopping. Here we all are from left to right (back row): Erin @5dollardinners, Shannon @ themommyfiles, Tanya @mommygoggles, Jenny @pickypalate, Jennifer @jentifa, Amanda @mommymandy, Stacy @MomCentral, (front row) Nicole @bakingbites, and me. I’m also standing with the Pillsbury Doughboy on the right.

Richard and Mark Smucker shared some of their family history before we helped ourselves to a breakfast buffet with fresh fruit smoothies, breakfast bars, yogurt and granola, all made from Smucker’s products.

I was surprised to learn that Smucker’s brand family is made up many other pantry staples: Crisco, Folgers, Hungry Jack, Jif, Natural Peanut Butter, Nature’s Peak Frozen Fruit, Pillsbury baking, Smucker’s Toppings and Preserves, and Uncrustables. More of their domestic and International brands are on the Smucker’s web site. I drank a mango fruit smoothie and ate a Cinnamon Butternut Squash Muffins from Erin’s recipe.

Family is at the core of the Company’s heritage and it shows. We walked through Smucker’s on-site museum and learned about the Company’s history. In 1897, Jerome Monroe Smucker gathered some apples planted by legendary Johnny Appleseed then pressed them into cider from his own mill. He used the apple cider in a family recipe for apple butter. The company officially began when he sold his first crock of apple butter from the back of a horse-drawn wagon. He signed his name to each label as a quality guarantee.

We went back to the store and shopped. I picked up Smucker’s apple butter and organic apricot and berry fruit preserves, White Lilly all-purpose flour and self-rising cornmeal mix, Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk, R.W.Knudsen Family Pineapple Coconut Juice, and Jim Dandy regular grits. We only had a short time in the store and café, yet I kept lingering beneath the glass wall and chandelier constructed from jars of Smucker’s preserves.

An olive oil tasting followed. We sampled Crisco’s extra-virgin and light olive oils, which went like this: pour, warm, smell, swig, inhale, and spit.

Next we went downstairs to Smucker’s kitchen and found a Thanksgiving feast. We sampled turkey, stuffing, salad, and dessert. We also tried Nicole’s recipe for Jelly muffins, inspired by the jelly doughnut.

The Kalman & Pabst photo group taught a session on food photography and styling. We set-up food shots using natural window light and a gold foil cake liner to give the food warm highlights. If you find yourself photographing food, this tip is priceless. This is how Melissa, the food stylist, uses these everyday household tools to bring life to food: wet a small paintbrush to give food a nice sheen, fix food gaps with a bamboo skewer, clean edges and slice food with a knife, and adjusts runaway bits with a pair of tweezers. Genius!

Then they put us to work on our own dessert photo shoot. After we decorated cookies and cupcakes with frostings, sprinkles, chocolate, coconut, and more, we set-up our own food shot using the techniques from our lesson.

Somehow my food styled dessert turned out to be an almost devoured chocolate cookie. I was so wrapped up in the reflector technique that I ran out of time to finish decorating my dessert. Here is the pro-shot.

Still full from all the food sampling, we walked over to the original Smucker family house for lunch. I tried roasted potatoes, fettuccine with sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and feta cheese (my recipe), mixed green salad, and biscuits dipped an array of Smucker’s preserves: strawberry, apple butter, blackberry, and cherry.

When lunch ended we walked around the restored Smucker house before we walked across the Smucker’s campus to taste some of their line of healthy reduced-sugar desserts and snacks. We also tried butter pecan ice cream made with sweetened condensed milk, and by then, I wished my stomach could expand to fit more in, because one bite of the sweet caramel cream was not enough. If I could have found a way to bring the ice cream on the plane with me, believe me, I would sink my teeth into a bite right now. The ice cream was made in this test kitchen.

Our last event of the day was a tour of the Smucker factory. We left our cameras behind and dressed in a white coat, safety glasses, and hairnets and looked like we were going into a science lab instead of a factory. Cinnamon, apples, berries, and maple swooned over the rising heat. We smelled the fruit bubbling inside stainless steel mixers before it was poured, labeled, and sealed inside the gingham topped jars. Apples rolled from kitchen size storage bins onto a conveyer belt to be inspected and sent on their way. We followed the apple trail back into the building, thinking again about Johnny Appleseed planting those first apple trees.

We snapped a few more photos after the tour ended and I said goodbye to my new family. If Smucker’s calls again, I think we both know what I’ll say.

Smucker’s sponsored this all-expenses paid event which included product samples.

Written by Nikki, 5 Minutes for Mom’s new Food Editor. Nikki is a freelance writer and photographer capturing the simple things in life: art, food, and story. She blogs at art and lemons.

I have some piece of mind that I have a first aid kit if I am stuck at the side of the road trying to stop my passenger from bleeding to death. But… that said, I’m not much of an expert at HOW to USE that first aid kit.

So… I’m going to buy a couple of these Talking Safe Traveler Intelligent First Aid Kits to put in each of our cars.

Then, I’ll have bandages and have someone telling me exactly what to do with them.

At only $59 each, I think they COST LESS than the kits I bought last year… (you know, the ones without talking instructions).

But heck, you can even WIN a free one by leaving a comment over on our Intelligent First Aid page. Even if you’ve left a comment there for the earlier kit giveaway, you can leave another comment now to enter to with a Talking Safe Traveler Intelligent First Aid Kits.

So, I’m wondering… Do you have any type of first aid kit in your car?

And remember to leave a comment over on our Intelligent First Aid page to enter to win.

 
We are working on a paid campaign with Intelligent First Aid and they have sent us their Talking First Aid Kits. (But not travel kits… and so I’m planning to purchase those myself.)

 
Written by Susan, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
Keep up easily with our RSS Feed.

There is something timeless and stimulating about a wooden toy. Rather than watch your child get sucked into the synthesized world of flashing lights and robotic noises, you see them use their own imaginations. A child’s creativity seeps out when he is given a toy that doesn’t do all the work for him.

Maukilo, a unique, online boutique, prides itself in offering European made and inspired baby, toddler and kid’s toys that stimulate your child’s imagination.

They sell wooden and plastic toys that are natural, non-toxic and made to inspire children. From school accessories to games to toys for older and younger children, Maukilo has a broad selection of products for moms and dads to choose from. All of their toys are made to last and are battery free.

As the holiday season approaches, perhaps many of you feel the same way I do: What can I possibly get my children that they will enoy playing with and that won’t drive me crazy?! I love battery free toys for this very reason. And so do my children! So it’s a win-win for everyone.

One lucky reader will have the opportunity to win a Maukilo gift certificate worth $75.00! This will give you a great opportunity to shop the Maukilo site and find the perfect gift for your little one to open Christmas morning.

To enter this contest, please visit the Maukilo site and look over the products they have to offer. Choose one product that you would like to have and leave us a comment telling us what you chose. For a few more details on your entry to win, read on:

1. See our Christmas Giveaway 2009 post to read more about
   participating in our Christmas Giveaway



2. Either link back to this post and include a Christmas Giveaway 2009 button in that post or on your sidebar, or link to the individual giveaways you choose to enter. We have a ton of different buttons and styles for you to choose from. Click here to get the button codes. (If you post and include the button, either in your post or on your sidebar, and link back here, you are good for all the giveaways. No more linking required.)
3. Please leave one comment below to enter this giveaway. You may earn additional entries for the following:
   1. Subscribe to our Feed
   2. Sign up for our Newsletter
   If you are already subscribed and are on our newsletter list, you qualify for these two additional entries. Go ahead and leave your additional comments below.

Of course, if you are not a blogger but would like to enter, you may still do so. Leave us your email address and let us know if you have promoted the contest via Facebook or Twitter for additional entries.

In closing, I’d like to invite you to join the Maukilo group on Facebook where you can keep up with this exciting company and also enter to win periodic giveaways that they run on their fan page. You can also follow them on Twitter.

This contest will be open from November 12th to November 30th. A winner will be selected and announced on December 1. So head on over to Maukilo and look around today!

I get kissed by the sun each morning
Put my feet on a hardwood floor
I get to hear my children laughing
Down the hall through the bedroom door
Sometimes I sit on my front porch swing
Just soaking up the day
I think to myself, I think to myself
This world is a beautiful place

I have been blessed
And I feel like I’ve found my way
I thank God for all I’ve been given
At the end of every day
I have been blessed
With so much more than I deserve
To be here with the ones that love me
To love them so much it hurts
I have been blessed

This morning I watched my daughter open up her birthday presents. She is six today, and I can’t believe it. As I watched my boys partake in the excitement of the day….all three of them laughing and clapping, the song, Blessed, came to my mind. I am so very blessed and so very thankful for all that I have in my life!

What are you thankful for? Please join us this evening for a Thankfulness Twitter Party, sponsored by Libby’s. You can find all of the details here. Be sure to RSVP.

Everyone who attends will receive a product voucher. We also have two fun prizes to give away.

Let’s share our blessings, our favorite Thanksgiving recipes and our tips for giving back this holiday season.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Glee blew my mind tonight.

I’ve been in love with this show since 30 seconds into the pilot, but tonight’s episode made me proud to be a Glee fan.

If only other shows on television could and would hit the important topics with such creativity and heart.

The script, dance routines and the actors creatively and respectfully highlighted the true desire of people who have special needs to be treated equally.

It is crazy the influence of prime time shows and to witness that force being used for good… well… it almost brings me to tears.

If you watched tonight’s episode of Glee, you’ve gotta tell me what you thought…

And if you missed it, you must go watch it on Fancast or Hulu if you’re in the US and Global if you’re in Canada. (The latest episode called “Wheels” should be available soon at both those sites.)

You can also read about the episode on the LA Times and the Globe and Mail. And of course follow the tweets with #glee.

So come on… let’s hear some lovin’ for Glee!!!

Written by Susan, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
Yes, I am a Mommy Blogger (but prefer the term Mom Blogger.)
I also own a Pedal Car store and a Rocking Horse store.
(Just thought I’d mention that… isn’t Christmas coming soon?)

Working from home and taking care of my two daughters, I don’t have time to run somewhere every time I need to print or copy something. It’s just not an option. So, having a printer and copier at home is a necessity!

The Epson WorkForce 600 all-in-one is definitely one of those printers that is revolutionizing the way that small businesses and home businesses are getting things done!

This cost-effective ink jet printer delivers laser quality text and superior color images that are smudge, water, and fade resistant thanks to Epson’s exclusive DURABrite® Ultra ink. The Epson WorkForce 600 also features a 2.5″ tilt LCD screen for easy access to controls and settings and an automatic document feeder to easily scan, copy and fax documents.

The feature that really caught my eye on the WorkForce 600 is that it offers both built-in Wi-Fi and wired networking! I’m always working on my laptop so my “office” often moves from the living room to home office to the backyard to the bedroom. It can be quite annoying when I have to constantly run back to my office to plug my laptop in to my printer just to print something. The Wi-Fi feature allows me to print from virtually anywhere in my house!!!

More Epson WorkForce 600 Features:

Remarkable Print and Copy speeds

5750×1440 dpi printing, 1200×2400 dpi scanning

Copy/scan/fax stacks of documents quickly with built-in 30-page automatic document feeder

Built-in double-sided printing

Copies & scans to a computer, memory card, and USB flash drive

Built-in memory card slots to easily transfer files and print photos without using a PC

Prints border-free photos in 3.5″x5″, 4″x6″, 5″x7″, 8″x10″, and letter sizes

Sleek design (18.2″W x 13.6″D x 9.3″H)

Two-year limited warranty with toll-free support

Visit www.epson.com for a complete list of features and details.

Pack all those features (and more), plus the DURABrite® Ultra ink, 2.5″ LCD control screen, and built-in Wi-Fi and wired networking, into one machine and you have an amazing set-up for your small business or home office!

I almost forgot the best part….the Epson WorkForce 600 is priced at only $199.99!!! A great deal for a powerful and high-quality all-in-one!

Ok, so I have even more good news! We are giving away one Epson WorkForce 600 to one lucky reader AND Epson has generously donated another WorkForce 600 to our Under The Tree program!

Here’s how you can enter to win:

1. See our Christmas Giveaway 2009 post to read more about
   participating in our Christmas Giveaway



2. Either link back to this post and include a Christmas Giveaway 2009 button in that post or on your sidebar, or link to the individual giveaways you choose to enter. We have a ton of different buttons and styles for you to choose from. Click here to get the button codes. (If you post and include the button, either in your post or on your sidebar, and link back here, you are good for all the giveaways. No more linking required.)
3. Please leave one comment below to enter this giveaway. You may earn additional entries for the following:
   1. Subscribe to our Feed
   2. Sign up for our Newsletter
   If you are already subscribed and are on our newsletter list, you qualify for these two additional entries. Go ahead and leave your additional comments below.
4. As always, non bloggers are welcome to participate! We understand you can’t link – but please spread the word to your friends via facebook, twitter, etc.
5. Entries are open from Wednesday November 11th through Monday, November 30th at 12pm EST.
6. Our winner will be drawn randomly and we will announce the winner Tuesday, December 1st. Please make sure to check our site and your email address to see if you have won a prize. We must receive your reply within 5 business days. (If you want your prize to arrive in time — the sooner we hear from you, the better!)
7. This contest is open to US shipping addresses only. Due to legal restrictions, this promotion void where prohibited.

   Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our Contest and Giveaway Rules.

* We did not receive a WorkForce 600 from Epson for this review. However, Epson is providing one WorkForce 600 for this contest AND another for our Under the Tree Program.

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom Contributing Editor: Stacey Lynn

War is the greatest tragedy. We thank everyone who has suffered the ultimate sacrifice so that the rest of us might live safely.

Beyond words are our thanks.

Our prayers continue.

Image from http://blog.reidreport.com

A few weeks ago, I went to Capitol Hill along with Five Moms and the CHPA to support legislation to reduce over the counter cough medicine abuse.

Written by Janice, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
You get our feed right?

And hey, did you know Susan and I own two online toy stores? You’ll find adorable stuff like Kids Golf Carts and Large Stuffed Animals.

On any given day, I’m sure I could admit to some type of mommy confession. From my confessions, there would likely be a trending topic of “dinner-time”.

I let my kids get away with crazy stuff in order for me to get away with sneaking healthy food into them.

Here’s one example…

So tell us, what is your Mommy Confession, leave a comment here AND/OR even better turn on your camera and tell us over at Say It Face To Face.

Oh… by the way… if you’re worried that I’m endangering my girls by letting them stand on slippery wet chairs, do not fear. My girls are safely standing on a Kitchen Helper stool. (Btw, that’s a link to one of our stores… we sell those stands.)

 
Written by Susan, Mommy Blogger and co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom and Say It Face To Face.

Christmas is just a little over a month away…have your kids started making their wish lists? My daughter started making hers the day after Halloween! Her costume hadn’t even been put away and we were already talking Christmas gifts. And at the top of the list are some of the fabulous toys from Hasbro’s Fall 2009 girls toys line!

Of course my girls are totally obsessed with baby dolls, My Little Pony, and Strawberry Shortcake. Lucky for me (and them) Hasbro’s Fall 2009 line of girls toys include all three of those! And many more new and exciting toys for all ages!

Girls ages 3 years and up will love the new My Little Pony Pony Friends and the Strawberry Shortcake Sweet Surprise Strawberry Doll!

The My Little Pony Pony Friends are adorable with their colorful hair, darling eyes, and new look that reflects their age and personality! Of course each Pony comes with her own brush and activity book, helping your daughter get to know her new Pony!

Strawberry Shortcake…I can smell her little strawberry smell just talking about her! The new Strawberry Shortcake Sweet Surprise Strawberry doll stands almost a foot tall and comes with an adorable assortment of clips and barrettes with shimmery hair extensions for your little one to accessorize her long red hair. She also comes with an applicator that, once filled with cold water, will “apply” make-up and a little berry on her cheek! And, of course, she still has her classic strawberry scent!

The older girls (ages 6 years & up) will absolutely love the new I-Dog Plush Puppy. My daughter certainly does!!! We listen to a lot of music in our house and she thinks it is the coolest thing that the music is coming out of this adorable puppy! Simply plug your MP3 player directly into the puppy and start jammin’ to the music through the built-in speaker. The I-Dog is one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen!!!

There are even more amazing toys available in the Hasbro Fall 2009 line of girls toys, including the Baby Alive Whoopsie Doo, Littlest Pet Shop Cozy Care Adoption Center, Lulu, My Cuddlin’ Kitty, and the always-popular Easy-Bake Oven & Snack Center returning in its original aqua color!

All of these great toys (and much more) from Hasbro can be found in most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

Generously Hasbro is giving away all three of these toys from the Hasbro Fall 2009 girls toy line — the I-Dog Plush Puppy ($14.99), a My LIttle Pony Pony Friend ($5.99), and the Strawberry Shortcake Sweet Surprise Strawberry Doll ($22.99) — to one of our fabulous readers!

Here’s how you can enter to win:

1. See our Christmas Giveaway 2009 post to read more about
   participating in our Christmas Giveaway



2. Either link back to this post and include a Christmas Giveaway 2009 button in that post or on your sidebar, or link to the individual giveaways you choose to enter. We have a ton of different buttons and styles for you to choose from. Click here to get the button codes. (If you post and include the button, either in your post or on your sidebar, and link back here, you are good for all the giveaways. No more linking required.)
3. Please leave one comment below to enter this giveaway. You may earn additional entries for the following:
   1. Subscribe to our Feed
   2. Sign up for our Newsletter
   If you are already subscribed and are on our newsletter list, you qualify for these two additional entries. Go ahead and leave your additional comments below.
4. As always, non bloggers are welcome to participate! We understand you can’t link – but please spread the word to your friends via facebook, twitter, etc.
5. Entries are open from Tuesday, November 10th through Monday, November 30th at 12pm EST.
6. Our winner will be drawn randomly and we will announce the winner Tuesday, December 1st. Please make sure to check our site and your email address to see if you have won a prize. We must receive your reply within 5 business days. (If you want your prize to arrive in time — the sooner we hear from you, the better!)
7. This contest is open to US shipping addresses only. Due to legal restrictions, this promotion void where prohibited.

   Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our Contest and Giveaway Rules.

* We received each of these three toys for this review. Hasbro is also providing one of each of these three toys for this contest AND for our Under the Tree Program.

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom Contributing Editor: Stacey Lynn

Happy Tuesday everyone! It’s Erica here, taking over Tackling duties today.

My daughter’s 6th birthday party is taking place this Saturday, and I can’t wait!

Usually I am very last minute when it comes to party preparation. The day before, you will find me up until 4 A.M., frantically getting everything ready. But this year it’s a bit different. I think it’s because the party theme is soooooo much fun.

We are throwing a carnival party, complete with carnival style games, cotton candy, popcorn, a photo booth and prizes. I have been having a blast getting everything all set up for it, and I have a feeling the kids are going to love it.

You can’t have a carnival without yummy treats. At our carnival party, we will be serving heaps of hot popcorn, bags of cotton candy, hot pretzels, churros and goldfish crackers for the younger crowd.

Instead of cake, I will be making ice cream cone cupcakes.

And of course there will be games. I saved up my Pepsi cans and decorated them with some fun scrapbook paper. They will be used for a tin can alley game.

I am also purchasing a goldfish for each family, as a prize for the goldfish toss game. In old-fashioned carnival style, I found some inexpensive glass bowls for the kids to throw a ping pong ball into. As for the goldfish, they are only 28 cents at Wal-Mart.

I was sure to check with each mom first, to make sure that it’s okay for their kids to take a new pet home from Audrey’s carnival party.

A balloon dart game will be challenging for the older kids and guessing how many Hershey’s Kisses are in the jar at the kissing booth, will be a treat for the child whose guess is the closest.

There will also be a face painting booth and a tattoo booth, with temporary tattoos of course.

I bought some darling plastic popcorn containers at the dollar section of target. There will be one containter for each child and will be used to hold the prizes they win at each game.

For the photo booth, I am going to tack a large piece of polka dot fabric to a wall. Each guest can stand in front of the fabric, wear a clown nose and have a fun little memento from the party.

I am working on the signs and banners that I will use as party decor. As I googled for ideas, I came across the cutest carnival party package at DimplePrints. It includes banners, party hats, signs, patterned papers, favor boxes, cupcake wrappers, invitations, thank you cards and much more. I am so glad that I purchased it. The $10.00 price tag can’t be beat!

My daughter has been watching me in the evenings as I cut, glue and make the decorations. I’ve got to tell you, seeing the excitement in her eyes has really made me smile.

I’ll be sure to post pictures next week from her carnival birthday party, so stay tuned.

What have you been tackling?

Tell us what you’re up to with all your other tackles… housework and otherwise… add your link to your tackle in the Linky below!

Each week on Tuesday, we are posting before and after pictures of a project or trouble area that we tackled this week.

Find out more about Tackle It Tuesday here.
The project can be little or big – whatever you want.

Basically, Tackle It Tuesday is about giving ourselves incentive, deadlines and satisfaction in getting our household tasks done.

(It doesn’t even have to be housework… just whatever is on your To Do list.)

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom contributing editor, Erica.