Apples N' Oranges

Ever since we moved to a small town, I really see the value in supporting smaller businesses.

I have always been a fan of supporting the "little guy" rather than the big box stores who really wouldn't notice my sale or not anyways, but now I just see this in action more often here.

Apples N'Oranges is a Canadian company that is offering a contest that is ONLY open to Canadians right now. Since most blogging contests seem to be for the US this is a big deal!

Why do I like to shop Canadian?

1. Because Canadian is local.
2. Because Canadian is supporting our economy, not someone else's.
3. Because Canadians make the most unique stuff.
4. Because shipping is cheaper and I avoid customs.
5. Because I am Canadian!

Cooking Ideas

I am so tired of cooking the same recipes over and over and over and over.

I am so tired of coming up with creative ideas for lunches and suppers every day.

I wish someone else would do it all for me somedays.

Since that probably isn't going to happen, I would at least settle for some new ideas.

5 Minutes For Mom is giving away 5 copies of Rachel Ray's cookbook "Yum-O: The Family Cookbook".

These look like healthy affordable options, and there are great ideas to get the girls involved too.

Maybe I don't want Ella cracking eggs all over the floor, but she loves to help so this would be a fun way to test it out.

5 Minutes For Mom is hosting other giveaways until June 18th if you want to check it out.

KitchenAid Mixer Giveaway

My Wooden Spoon is hosting a bunch of giveaways every week until July 31. The best part is these giveaways are open to Canadians!!

One of the best giveaways, or maybe THE BEST giveaway, is for a KitchenAid mixer. Entries are open until June 17 for the mixer. Check it out!!

Winnings!

Today I found out that I won a $80 gift basket from Tourism Saskatchewan.

Each month 5 winners are chosen and their names will get put into the grand prize draw for a Saskatchewan vacation worth up to $6000.

I could do lots with a $6000 vacation. Now we would just need John to get some REAL vacation days. Agh. The joys of only having 3 members right now.

Anyways, there are still 5 months to enter. You have to be a Sask Secrets subscriber (newsletter), but they only send out 1 email a month. Not annoying like some subscriptions can be.

If you want to try and win too, click here. Good luck! The grand prize draw is the end of October.

My Sister's Giveaway

My sister Kerrie has a giveaway on her blog for a Bible Study book called "No Other Gods" by Kelly Minter.

On Kerrie's blog there is a link to Beth Moore's, who is choosing to study this book over the summer. It is an 8-week study and you can "meet up" with other women every other Tuesday to discuss online.

It sounds like a great book, and with Beth Moore leading the study, you can be sure that there will be some excellent insights and discussion to go with it.

Anyways, check out Kerrie's blog and leave her a comment to be entered for the giveaway!

Backyardigans High Flying Adventures Giveaway

Props and Pans (which I have won from before) is giving away a new DVD of the Backyardigans. High Flying Adventures is sure to keep my girls entertained so that I can get some stuff done around the house. The girls love watching the Backyardigans. Ella even mimics the dance at the beginning while the song is playing. I think the favorite character between the two is probably Uniqua. She is a girl and she is different, so she appeals to both of my girls!

Anyone can enter with an email address, although an extra entry is given for blogging about it.

Cupcake Courier Giveaway # 5

As I mentioned in a previous post, Mommies United is giving away one Cupcake Courier a week for 12 weeks. My friend from college, Amanda, already has won one of these. They look fabulous.



This week is week 5 so there are still lots of chances to win.

Here is what you need to do this week to win your very own carrier...
Post your favorite cupcake recipe on your blog and tell your readers about the contest.
Don't forget to tell us about the toppings or frosting also. YUMMMMMY!
If you do not have a blog, then email us your recipe and copy at least two friends on the recipe with a quick blurb about our contest.
We will randomly select a winner next Friday evening. GOOD LUCK!





There is a really sweet cookbook that I have seen called "Hello Cupcakes" that I would like for more decorating ideas, but my very favorite creation of mine has to be this one.

I made these for Ella's 2nd birthday. Having 2 girls birthdays in the same week I wanted to give them each their own creations, yet I didn't want to spend 36 hours in the kitchen trying to decorate both at the same time. I found this on the Martha Stewart website and loved it. Ella's birthday is in January so snowmen seemed like a good idea.

To simplify life, I used a cake mix and made it with plain yogurt instead of yucky oil. Then I iced with white icing. Marshmallows make up the body, with the top one cut to make smaller than the bottom. I had fun looking at decorations for the head. Icing was used for the face. I found gummy hats and licorice pull-aparts for the scarves.

This was a big hit with kids and grownups alike. I will definitely make these again sometime. But not now, because I'm currently trying to forget winter ever existed!

The Tuthillo

Momsviews has another giveaway for a Tuthillo (prounced tooth-illo).

I have no idea when Brie will start to lose her baby teeth, maybe not for another year or two, but I would like to be prepared for whenever it happens. It looks like a great way to hold her teeth until the "tooth fairy" aka me or John comes to collect them.

The contest runs from May 5th - May 16th and a winner will be announced on May 17th.

Crest Spinbrush Giveaway

Arm & Hammer and Crest Spinbrush have 3 gift baskets to giveaway on Canadian Parents.

The baskets include: 2 Crest SpinBrush for Kids,2 Crest SpinBrush Pro Select, 2 Arm & Hammer Complete Care Gel, Hand towel, Face towel, Soap Dish, and Toothbrush cup.Approximate value: $70.

To get an entry you must blog about it in April and send an email to tracy.keheler@rci.rogers.com with “Crest SpinBrush” in the subject line. Make sure you include the url to your blog post.

Bloggy Giveaways Winner

A winner was chosen out of 71 entries!

Nicol: What a beautiful photo album! I have some pictures that are needing a home and this would be perfect!

You can find her blog at http://classyandsophisticated.blogspot.com/

Congratulations Nicol!!

Bloggy Giveaways: My Turn

Edited: We have a winner!! Nicol at http://classyandsophisticated.blogspot.com/ was #20 out of 71 entries. Congrats Nicol.

I want a turn too!

Bloggy giveaways is hosting a carnival of giveaways on various blogs. Anyone can participate with a giveaway so I decided to participate too. There are already over 300 giveaways posted. Check it out by clicking on the button at the top! (Just make sure, if you from Canada, to only enter contests that are open to Canadians)

I am giving away this cute mini photo album:

It opens up like a box and has sleeves to protect your valued pictures inside. Plus you get to display a favorite pic on the front.

This giveaway is open to everyone. Please leave me a comment with your email address so I have a way to reach you.

I will draw the winner's name on Sunday April 27.

Good luck to everyone and thanks for looking!

Step 2 - Part 2

5 Minutes for Mom has another Step 2 toy giveaway today. There are 3 choices if you are the winner.

-River Run Water Park with umbrella

-Sand & Water Cart

-Fun Flow Play Sink

My favorite is the River Run Water Park! This would be great for the girls on those days when it's not quite warm enough to be in the water, but they can still play with it instead.

Head on over there and check it out!! You don't need a blog to enter, but you get extra entries for blogging about it too.

Step 2 Canopy Wagon Contest

5 Minutes For Mom is hosting some great giveaways right now!

Today's giveaway is for this awesome wagon with a canopy built in.

Since Ella has decided that she doesn't want to wear a sunhat lately, this would be perfect for her fair skin and hair. I really don't want my little girl to get a bad sunburn!

If you want to enter this contest, click on this link and/or blog about it on your own blog, leaving a comment at 5 Minutes for Mom.

WWW Observer Contest

I have a problem.

An Ebay problem.

I love to browse Ebay.

Which usually means that I want to bid/buy stuff off of Ebay.

But it all costs money.

Good thing that WWW Observer is giving away $100 to a Paypal account.

I could buy a LOT of stuff with that win!!

Oh, I'm already thinking of the possibilities....

Cupcake Courier Poem

Mommies United is giving away 12 Cupcake Couriers in 12 weeks.

The challenge for this week is create a poem with the letters in the word cupcake. Here goes!!

C reamy Icing

U ltimate treat

P ampering myself

C alories uncounted

A ppealing to the eye

K eeping them in my new Cupcake Courier

E veryone is happy.

Robeez Tredz Contest

The Opinionated Parent is hosting another contest! This one is for a pair of Robeez Tredz, valued at $41.95. Unlike the regular Robeez, these ones are designed for outdoor use. Enter the contest by leaving a comment about your favorite design. Extra entry for blogging about it too!

See Kai Run Contest

The Opinionated Parent is giving away a cute pair of kids shoes from See Kai Run. To enter you can leave a comment at TOP about your 3 favorite styles. Warning, it will be hard to pick just 3!

Rose Petal Cottage Contest

Mom's Views is giving away this awesome Rose Petal Cottage right now! It is valued at $210 and I think that both my girls would absolutely love it. Heck! I would love it too!

Prima Princessa DVD Contest

Thanks to Tara I am entering a contest for a cute DVD for kids all about ballet! Since my little Brie is in dance I think that this would be perfect! She is always interested in ballerinas and such, as was apparent from her ballerina birthday cake and all. There is a review and the contest at The Opinionated Parent.

Poncho Contest

Skipping Hippos ponchos. They look absolutely beautiful and I would love to win one for one of my girls! Check out the contest here at momsviews

Momsviews also has another contest on these stylish Good Pails To Have They are really nice and I could come up with many uses for them.