*Your Best Birth* Book Giveaway

*GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED*
The winners have all been notified by email

No, I'm not making any announcements. No more babies for me (I am going to have to be hit over the head by an angel or something in order for me to go down that road again....). I loved having babies, but with my sciatica problems, my heart condition, my varicose veins.....my body has had enough. There are a few things I will miss about not having any more babies. I miss nursing them. I miss snuggling teeny babies and smelling their skin. And I regret the fact that I didn't learn about baby wearing (and wraps specifically) until my fifth. I'd love to go back and re-do a few things, and baby wearing is one of them.

I'd also like to re-do a few aspects of my birth experiences. Before KitKat was born in 1996, I was a very recent college grad with little money. I figured that I quick Saturday seminar would be plenty of preparation for the experience. KitKatcame right on her due date. My water broke around 3:00 the morning of Christmas Eve. 6 hours and one epidural later, she was born. I hated everything about the epidural. I felt like it ruined my birth experience (and, yes, it was an epidural-gone-bad....but that's another story).

Two and a half years later, I thought I was prepared. I had been through this before! Again, my water broke in the middle of the night. We headed to the hospital, determined not to have an epidural. The birth experience this time around was beautiful, but a little longer than the 1st. Everything went very well, even though I still needed pitocin to kick things up a pace.

I could keep going through all 5 birth stories, but I won't bore you with the details. All you need to know is that every time I went in to labor, I thought that THIS time would be teim that I would get to chose how it went. I would be in control. No longer would I have to wait around--I was going to get that pitocin as soon as I walked in. But there were always set-backs, and each labor was longer and harder than the last. I never did have an epidural again, but I wonder if I'd consider it if I were ever to get pregnant again.

I wish I had had a book like Your Best Birth (by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstien) in the beginning. Or even in the middle....There are so many birthing options, and one thing that really resonated with me in the book was the fact that we need to have a good attitude no matter what direction the experience takes. Knowledge and preparation can make such a huge difference in the perspective. This book is all about inspiring women to take back the birth experience, with practical advice, personal experiences, and crucial information.

Are you expecting....or do you know someone who is pregnant? Do you hope to be pregnant someday? This book is a must-read! And guess what? I have 5 copies to give away!

All you have to do to enter this giveaway is to comment about who this book would be for.

If you'd like extra entries, do any of the following:
*Follow me
*Tweet about this
*Blog about this
*Email your pregnant friends and send them here (cc me at lollislife at gmail)
*Tell me your birth stories (let's make it fun!)

This giveaway will end on Wednesday, June 3 at 11:00 pm EST. I will pick 5 winners, email them, and announce their names on this post. Please make sure you leave me an email if it is not accesible through your blog profile. Thanks!

Do-Over {Book Giveaway}

*CONTEST ENDED*

I recently received a new book, which just came out this month. What a fabulous idea for a book!

Do-Over!:
In which a forty-eight-year-old father of three returns to kindergarten, summer camp, the prom, and other embarrassments
by Robin Hemley

Here's what the back of the book says: "Robin Hemley's childhood made a wedgie of his memory, leaving him sore and embarrassed for over forty years. He was the most pitiful kindergartner, the least spirited summer camper, and dateless for prom. In fact, there's nary an event from his youth that couldn't use improvement. If only he could do them all over a few decades later, with an adult's wisdom, perspective, and giant-like height...

In the spirit of cult film classics like Billy Madison and Wet Hot American Summer, in DO-OVER! Hemley reencounters paper mache, revisits his childhood home, and finally attends the prom--bringing readers the thrill of recapturing a misspent youth and discovering what's most important: simple pleasures, second chances, and the forgotten joys of recess."

Who wouldn't love to be able to do-over a few things in their life? I think I might do over my hair style in 5th and 6th grade. And I might like to take back my freshman year of high school. There were a few things I'd love to do differently.

How would you like to own a copy of this brand new book? I have 5 copies to give away!
Just tell me what you would do over if you had the chance (this could get fun!). (this is your first entry)

For extra entries,
~tweet about this giveaway
~Follow me or my main blog, Life is Sweet
~Enter another one of my giveaways (listed in my right sidebar)

Contest ends on Monday, May 25 at 11:00 PM Eastern Time. Winners will be notified by email, so be sure you leave me a way to contact you. Good luck!

The winners are:
#25: Kelly
#20 jemscout425
#30 Samantha
#33 A reader
#7 Dina

Congrats!

Fancy Fortune Cookies Giveaway!!

*GIVEAWAY CLOSED*
The winner is comment #17, Leslie! Congrats!!

Today is your lucky day!

But....It was a sad day when I discovered that I would be out of town when the a certain package (from Fancy Fortune Cookies) was due to arrive. I called home to make sure that "someone responsible" (and I use that term loosely) would retrieve the package and put it up high where little hands would not get into it. I knew how my kids would react when they opened the package and found this:

Yeah, that's exactly how I thought they'd react. That's why we waited until I was back home to open the box.

But that's not all. We were also lucky enough to try some of these:

Not only do Fancy Fortune Cookies make an incredible Giant fortune cookie (the largest in America!--it's over one pound!) but they have flavored (regular-sized) fortune cookies as well as chocolate-dipped cookies. OK, I have to admit-when I heard the words "Chocolate dipped" I knew I was in trouble.

These are not your typical Take-out fortune cookies. They are a whole different animal. These cookies melt in your mouth, and the flavors are scrumptious!

In addition to lots of flavors, colors, and varieties, you can customize the messages inside. What a perfect party favor at a baby/bridal shower, birthday party, or wedding?!

I don't think I want to wait til my next big event. I want another box just to eat myself.

How would you like to try some Fancy Fortune Cookies for yourself? Did I already mention that today was your lucky day?

One of my readers will be indulging soon....and the best part? You get to pick what you'd like to try....the giant cookie, or a collection of the small flavored cookies!

All you have to do is tell me which you'd prefer: Giant cookies, or flavored little ones?

If you'd like more chances to win (and trust me, you DO!) you can do any of the following for extra entries:

*Follow me
*Tweet this giveaway (and leave me the link to your tweet)
*Blog about this giveaway (you get 3 entries for this! Just leave me 3 comments)
*Enter any of my other giveaways (tell me which one you've entered. See my right sidebar for contests)

This giveaway will end Wednesday, May 20 at 11:00 PM Eastern Time. Please leave an email so I can reach you (blogger profile email is ok). Good luck!

Kiss My Face Kids Collection Giveaway

*GIVEAWAY CLOSED* The winner is comment #41, ameloncalledhelen. Congrats!

Happy Endangered Species Day! (did you know May 15th was Endangered Species Day?)

Kiss My Face invites you to celebrate National Endangered Species Day by visiting Kiss My Face Kids Safari, where kids and parents can learn about endangered species and partake in great kid-friendly activities. They have coloring pages, videos and games (and really cute animals!). Kiss My Face launched the site to celebrate the launch of its collection for kids, which features endangered species like Terell the Tiger and Peter the Panda on its packaging. My favorite part of the website is the individual animal pages, which have videos of lives animals. My kids love watching them!

The kids’ bath collection packaging highlights various endangered species and provides facts and tidbits on each animal. Inside the bath products, parents will find products free of artificial colors, fragrances, parabens and SLS, and boasting natural ingredients such as Organic Green Tea Extract to protect against sun damage, Nettle Extract to stimulate hair growth and improve the condition of the scalp and Tea Tree Oil to kill germs.

Kiss My Face created the kids collection because they know parents want to teach their child/children on how to make good decisions naturally. Whether it is about what they eat, wear or put on their skin, today’s parents are teaching their kids the importance of choosing natural products whenever possible. Kiss My Face, a company that has believed in making natural products since they were founded in the 1980s, uses natural ingredients to create products that won’t harm the earth, or your skin! The packaging was designed to bring awareness of endangered species and the importance of making a conscious effort to help preserve the environments these animals live in, with the goal of getting these animals off the endangered species list one day.

Last week, Kiss My Face sent me the entire kids' collection. My first impression was that the smell (Orange U Smart) was fabulous! I love it! AJ's favorite product, hands down, was the whale soap. KitKat and Reese grabbed the lip balm right away, and I know that I'll have a few kids taking bubble baths this weekend.

The collection includes: bubble wash, detangler, foaming hand wash, foaming shampoo & body wash, shampoo & conditioner, lip balm, toothpaste, and a whale of a soap. Wow!

How would you like to win this entire collection?

Visit Kiss My Face's Kids Safari and tell me something that you learned or liked about the site. (this 1st entry is required)

For extra chances to win,

*Tweet about this giveaway (please leave link)
*Blog about this giveaway, with links to my blog and www.kissmyface.com/kids
*Enter any of my other giveaways (links on the upper right sidebar. Let me know which one(s) you've entered)
*Follow me here or at my main blog (http://1momof5.blogspot.com/)

This giveaway will end on Thursday, May 21 at 11:00 PM Eastern Time. I will pick a winner using Random.org. Make sure you leave me an email if your email is not in your blog profile. Thanks and good luck!

Sambucol Giveaway + 10 Tips to Boost Your Immunity!

**GIVEAWAY CLOSED**
Winner: comment #18, GAhome2mom!

With all of the talk about the Swine Flu the last few weeks, I was slightly unnerved to get on an airplane last weekend. But regardless of swine flus and other concerns, as a mother of 5 kids, I need to keep my immune system strong. A lot of junk comes through our house, and I am the one who has to be the nurse. Mommy doesn't get a day off to be sick.

I was intrigued when I heard about Sambucol.

Sambucol® is a unique black elderberry extract rich in immune supporting flavonoids.

Flavonoids are powerful, natural antioxidants that are thought to work to protect the body’s cells from the potential damage caused by free radicals.

Certain flavonoids – anthocyanins – are found primarily in the pigments of dark blue and deep purple fruits such as the black elderberry. It is these that have a remarkable ability to stimulate the body’s immune system.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the highest concentration of anthocyanins are found in black elderberries – nearly double the amount found in any other fruit.

The presence of these anthocyanins gives black elderberries twice the natural antioxidant capacity of blueberries and significantly more than cranberries.

*****

I also found this helpful list of tips for boosting immunity, and thought that I would share:
1. Get plenty of zzzzz's.
2. Stop, breathe, and relax.
3. Stop emailing and get social
4. Get moving!
5. Drink up (water!)
6. Have fun!
7. Be optimistic (Hello, Fishful Thinking!)
8. Snuggle up
9. Supplement your diet
10. Let there be light (open the curtains, step outside!)

***

I have been taking Sambucol as a dietary supplement for the last 2 weeks, and I have been very pleased. I've tried both the original formula liquid and the chewable tablets. I was happy to learn that Sambucol can be purchased at local pharmacies that are near me--like CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, and online at drugstore.com. The great news is that I have two bottles to share: one 4 oz Original Formula liquid for adults ($14.99 value) and one 4 oz berry flavored liquid for Kids ($14.99 value).

To enter to win these supplements, visit Sambucolusa.com and tell me which product you would like to try (required entry).

To earn extra entries, do any of the following and leave a separate comment for each:
* Tell me how you are boosting your immunity
* Follow me, add my blog to your blog roll, or post my button on your blog
* Tweet about this giveaway (include link to your tweet)
* Stumble, kirtsy, or fave on technorati

This contest will end on Tuesday, May 19 at 10:00 PM Eastern Time. Please be sure that you leave an email for me to contact you (or have email enabled in your blogger profie). Good luck!

Florastor Kids Giveaway

*GIVEAWAY CLOSED*
Winner: comment #14, Dina

In every child there are billions of microorganisms that keep the intestines working properly. Some medicines, certain diseases, travel and stress can cause an upset of the balance of microorganisms in the body. Florastor® Kids promotes and maintains intestinal health and is safe to take with other medicines.

What is Florastor Kids?
Florastor Kids is a probiotic made of live freeze dried yeast cells of the species Saccharomyces boulardii lyo. The cells look like a powder which is then put into packets and sealed. Each packet of Florastor Kids has 250 mg of Saccharomyces boulardii lyo in it.

Why take Florastor®?

1. Florastor® is good for everyone - from infants to adults
2. Florastor® helps with your body’s ability to digest food. (Florastor® produces enzymes that help with the digestion of fat, protein and carbohydrate)†
3. Changes in diet and stress can cause a disturbance in your intestines. Florastor® helps maintain normal balance of the intestinal flora†
4. To maintain intestinal health†
5. To promote intestinal health even when traveling†
6. To protect your intestinal tract and keep your intestines healthy†

What does Florastor® do?

• Florastor® keeps the normal balance of micro-organisms in your intestines†
• Florastor® can be taken for more than 48 hours
• Ask your health care professional if Florastor® is right for you

_____________________________________________

Florsator Kids has sent me two boxes of their dietary supplement and a children's book, The Budding Boolees, (over $45 value) to give away to one of my readers! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post telling me why you'd like to try Florastor!

To gain extra entries, leave an additional comment for each thing you do:
* Visit www.florastor.com and tell me one fact that you learned there that was not included in this post
* Follow me, add my blog to your blog roll, or post my button on your blog
* Tweet about this giveaway (include link to your tweet)
* Stumble, kirtsy, or fave on technorati

This giveaway will end on Tuesday, May 19 at 10:00 PM Eastern time. Please be sure that you leave an email for me to contact you (or have email enabled in your blogger profie). Good luck!