"Like" the Energizer Bunny on Facebook

Here's an easy way to help in the fight against breast cancer. Just “like” the Energizer Bunny on Facebook, and $1 will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure – up to $15,000!

Disclosure: I am an Energizer Keep Going Blogger for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure event in San Francisco. I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- List your giveaways here!

Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.

So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!

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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- List your giveaways here!

Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.

So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!

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More S'Mores

Summertime is camping time, and camping isn't complete without S'mores! We love, love, love S'mores -- the combination of sweet marshmallows, crunchy honey graham crackers and creamy chocolate is too delicious to resist. Even Alfie, who doesn't usually like milk chocolate, would never turn down a S'mores. We like it so much that we don't bother waiting for a backyard barbecue or campout. We just pop a graham cracker, marshmallow and square of chocolate in the microwave, and presto! Instant yum.

How about you? How do you and your family enjoy S'mores?

A. During a Backyard Campout
B. Inside on a Rainy Day
C. After School
D. During a Backyard Barbeque, or
E. Just Because

We're definitely an (E) family -- but whichever way you like to enjoy your S'mores, you can go to www.SmoresSmiles.com for recipes and tips!

Disclosure: By posting this, I am eligible to receive a prize pack from Kraft, Honey Maid and Hershey's, courtesy of the Mom Bloggers Club. I was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Win an iPod Touch

There's a new travel blog in town! AirlineTickets.org has lots of great advice for people who are looking for fun, low-cost, low-stress ways to travel. They have articles on airlines, airports, in-flight food, flight security, luxury travel and more. I love their recent article on Flying with Families -- having flown many times with the kids (and quite a few of those times on my own, without Alfie), I can vouch for each and every one of the tips in that post. Here's my take on a few of the tips in that article:


* Book non-stop flights
Yes, yes and triple yes. It's worth the slight increase in price, especially with young children. When the twins were babies I booked a flight with a stopover from San Francisco to Manila so that I could be on the same flight as my mother, who had already booked. The trip to Manila was fine because she was with me -- but the homeward-bound trip was DIFFICULT. I had two-month old twins in carseats and a snap-on stroller, a three-year old and all the toys, diapers and extra clothes they require. Try hauling all of that through a layover in a busy airport, with all the security checks, boarding pass showings and diaper changes!


* Scope out seats in advance
Most of the time, you can pre-select your seats when you buy your airline tickets, but there have been times when we have not been able to select seats until 24 hours before departure, or there just weren't any seats together. In those situations, make sure you get to the airport early and let the gate attendants know about your situation. They almost always will be able to do some magic switcheroos to get your family seated together, or as close together as possible. If all else fails, don't be afraid to ask your seatmate if he could do you the favor of switching so that you can be together with your child. People can be very nice about switching -- especially if you have an aisle seat to offer them!


* Don't be afraid to experiment with drugs
Finally, someone else has come out and said it, so now I can sing the praises of Benadryl without fear of people looking at me like I'm crazy! It's non-habit forming and my kids use it regularly to control their allergies, so I have no problem with giving it to them on long-haul, overnight flights to help them sleep. Just make sure you give them the right dose because it has been known to make kids hyperactive rather than drowsy!


* Act like an adult
When your potty-training son wants to go potty and your preschooler is whining about the power on your iPod running out and your third child is kicking the seat in front of him, it can be all too tempting to shove one of them to an unlucky flight attendant and dare the poor passenger in front of your little seat-kicker to complain. I totally sympathize and suggest that you treat yourself to a square of chocolate (or the whole bar) when your kids finally fall asleep.



But take heart-- this too shall pass. It did for me; last month Alfie stayed home while I took the kids on a flight to Chicago. We did not have advanced seat assignments so I appealed to the gate attendant. She worked her magic and got the 3 kids together in a single row, while I got an aisle seat about 5 rows forward. I considered asking a person nearby to switch -- then changed my mind. With 5 rows of passengers between us, there would be no parent for them to whine to and they'd have to work out their own problems. And you know what? It totally worked. They got through the 4-hour flight all by themselves, with no problem at all, and I got 4 hours to myself.




Win an iPod Touch


Here's the perfect gadget to keep your kids entertained on long airplane flights! One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win an iPod Touch, courtesy of Airlinetickets.org.


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and share an airline travel tip. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

2) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

3) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry).

5) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the iPod Touch giveaway on Bonggamom Finds! You can enter too at http://tinyurl.com/325btfh


6) Comment on any of the posts on AirlineTickets.org. Leave a comment here with a link to the post you commented on (1 entry per day):


7) Tweet this up to once per day (1 entry per day):

AirlineTickets.org is giving away an iPod Touch on @bonggafinds! Enter now at http://tinyurl.com/325btfh



The Rules
US Addresses only. This giveaway ends at midnight PST on August 5, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on August 6 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Airlinetickets.org is providing the giveaway prize and is responsible for prize fulfillment. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Picking my Half Marathon

Two weeks ago I announced that Sony would be "powering me up" for my third half-marathon. As a Sony Walkman Runner, I'll be blogging about my training and eventual run, using my new W-Series Walkman to entertain me and my new Bloggie PM5 video camera to record my experiences. The Sony people told me that I could choose which half-marathon event to do, which is like asking me what kind of laptop or smartphone I want -- the choices are overwhelming.

Living in the Bay Area, I'm lucky enough to have quite a few runs to choose from. In the last 3 months of the year alone, there are 27 half-marathons scheduled in various places around Northern California, all within easy driving distance of my home! My first choice would have been to do the San Jose Rock N Roll Marathon, the first half-marathon I ever did. It's a really easy, flat, shady course that meanders through the streets of San Jose. Unfortunately, I'm already doing a charity walk on the same day the Rock N Roll is being held.

My second half-marathon was the Nike Marathon in San Francisco, and I wouldn't mind doing that again. It's quite a hilly course, but with the great views, the Chocolate Mile, the silver Tiffany finisher's necklace and the tuxedoed hunks who hand it to you at the finish line, who wouldn't? In fact, the race is so popular that you have to enter a lottery to get in, and sadly I didn't get picked this year.

I looked over the list of the other events and saw quite a few I liked. The Disneyland Half Marathon sounded great because, well, it's in Disneyland, but I doubt if Alfie would be willing to drive all the way to LA and spend lots of money with Mickey Mouse for the second time this year, and besides, the event is in September, which wouldn't leave me much time to train. There are various half-marathons in wine country (the Wine Vine Run, the Grape Stomp, the Napa Wine County and the Healdsburg Wine County Marathons), but the courses sounded quite hilly.

I finally decided on a run that seemed relatively easy and undoubtedly scenic -- the Big Sur Half Marathon in Monterey, CA. It's in November, which gives me plenty of time to (pardon the pun) get up to speed. It's got plenty of gorgeous scenery, which will come in handy when I'm aching and tired and need some inspiration to get me through the next few (or many) miles. We can drive up to Monterey the night before and stay in some quaint bed-and-breakfast, and Alfie and the kids can cheer me on and see me cross (or stagger across) the finish line. It's going to be a great weekend, and I can't wait!

Disclosure: Thanks to Sony for sponsoring my registration fee in the Big Sur half-marathon. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Meet My BlogHer Sponsors

BlogHer 2010 is less than 3 weeks away -- I'm ready and raring to go! The BlogHer conference is a big deal, but it's also a big investment, and I wouldn't have been able to go if not for a bit of luck and some help from some great companies. I won my 2010 BlogHer Conference Pass from Frito-Lay snacks -- they had a booth at last year's BlogHer conference and I was so excited to find out I was going to the next BlogHer conference even before the previous one was done! I also won $250 to help offset the cost of my flight to New York from thredUP, an online kids' clothing exchange site.

I also put out a call for some in-kind sponsors, and these wonderful companies generously stepped up:


AJ Wrappers makes personalized candy wrappers, party favors, and gift buckets, as well as a wide variety of gift items for weddings, anniversaries and baby showers. I thought it would be fun this year to hand out chocolates along with my business cards at BlogHer, and who else but AJ Wrappers could make the perfect customized wrappers for the chocolates? I did a review and giveaway for their Baby Sushi Socks some months ago, and I was so blown away by the cuteness of it all that I asked the owner, Alice, if she wanted to team up. Fortunately she did, so if you're at BlogHer this year and you find yourself feeling the need for a sweet pick-me-up, look for me and I'll hand you some chocolate in a package that's as sweet as the chocolate.


Jizo and Chibi are the stars of designer Valerie Johns' latest collection of wholistic jewelry. I fell in love with their delicate, whimsical pieces and I love the message of calm, serenity and love that they represent. Valerie sent me a couple of pendants and I'll be taking them along with me to BlogHer. Amidst all the hustle and bustle of New York, the craziness of the BlogHer conference, I'll have Jizo and Chibi with me to keep me centered and focused, to remind me of my own little ones waiting for me back home.


Twisted Orchid is a premium shopping destination for stylishly chic purses and handbags. From the pages of People Style Watch to Lucky, Elle and Oprah, trendspotters and fashion provocateurs alike are buzzing about our incredible selection. I've been using my Twisted Orchid tote almost every day since I got it, and I've gotten many compliments about how stylish and practical it is. There is no doubt that it will be accompanying me to BlogHer!



To all my sponsors, thank you for all your help!

Disclosure: My in-kind sponsors sent product samples for my trip to BlogHer 2010. I was not paid to review their products or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured companies/products and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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The PSP goes to London

We visited my sister in London this weekend, and our trusty PSP went along with us. Here's a photo of 3Po playing on the PSP while on the Tube:




And here's one of 3Po and the PSP at the Tower of London. 3Po got tired of trying to get the guard to crack up (I think he's probably used to little boys clowning around to get a reaction) and we were in line to see the Crown Jewels, so I let him whip out the PSP to play a quick game -- and, I admit, to take this photo. Our PSP has been to quite a few places in the 6 weeks that we've owned it -- and we've got a lot of traveling left to do. Maybe I should start a whole "Where in the World Has Our PSP Been?" photo series!.




Which countries would you take your PSP to? Any comment you leave here counts as an extra entry into my $50 PlayStation Network gift card giveaway!


Disclosure: I am participating in Sony's PSP Summer Family Fun blogger program; I received a "Summer Fun" kit which included a Sony Playstation Portable (PSP-3000) , an assortment of content (games and movies) for the PSP, as well as a journal and videocamera to capture our summer adventures. I have not been paid or required to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Bonggamom's PSP Interview

A couple of days ago I asked The Pea to tape a video interview of me saying what I like about the PSP. The problem was, I happened to be getting a rare turn on the PSP and was busy improving my pathetic Rock Band Score. Here's a tip: never agree to be interviewed while you're playing Rock Band on a Sony PSP; who knows what you'll end up doing! I thought I'd get my revenge by interviewing The Pea while she was on the PSP. But I think she may have ended up getting the last laugh.


Disclosure: I am participating in Sony's PSP Summer Family Fun blogger program; I received a "Summer Fun" kit which included a Sony Playstation Portable (PSP-3000) , an assortment of content (games and movies) for the PSP, as well as a journal and videocamera to capture our summer adventures. I have not been paid or required to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- List your giveaways here!

Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.

So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!

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Donate a star to American Girl's Shine on Now Program

A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about American Girl's latest charitable initiative -- the Shine On Now™ program, where girls can log on to a website and donate 1-100 virtual stars each day:

To foster a spirit of goodwill and help make the world a brighter place, American Girl is introducing Shine On Now™—a new charitable initiative that harnesses the collective power of girls to help others in need. Through Shine On Now, American Girl is calling on girls across the country to help the company give $1 million in clothes, books, dolls, and money to the following four organizations: Kids in Distressed Situations, Save the Children U.S.A., National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions, and National Wildlife Federation.

Beginning July 13, 2010, girls can visit shineonnow.com to contribute a free ‘star’ to the effort. The goal is to collect one million stars by the end of the program on July 31, 2010. In addition, for every star a girl contributes (she can donate up to 100 each day!), her name will automatically be entered in a daily drawing to win a new My American Girl™ doll.

As part of the Shine On Now initiative and to further encourage girls to let their spirits shine, American Girl is also launching a brand-new virtual campus, Innerstar University™—a fun, safe online world where girls learn to be their best through a variety of games, quizzes, and other enriching activities that help boost their confidence and strength. Access to the new virtual world is free with each 18-inch My American Girl doll—the company’s newly enhanced contemporary product line that allows a girl to create a special doll as unique as she is.



Well, guess what -- it's July 13, the program has started, and you can now go to ShineOnNow.com and begin donating stars to this great cause! I encourage everyone to take their daughter to the website, become an American Girl Ambassador and begin donating stars. You can donate up to 100 stars each day until July 31st -- for each star you donate, American Girl will donate $1, up to $1 million total.

I'm so grateful to American Girl for giving girls everywhere the opportunity to make a difference. They could have just donated the $1 million outright, but instead they're getting girls involved and aware of all the good that they can do, just by giving a little of their time.

Okay, that's enough reading -- now go to ShineOnNow and start making a difference!

Win an American Girl Doll
My American Girl doll giveaway is still going on, and with this post you can get even more extra entries to increase your chances of winning.


Required Entry
You must enter this giveaway via my first American Girl post -- this post is for extra entries only. To enter, leave a comment on that post to nominate a special girl in your family or community who you think deserves to win this American Girl Doll, AND write about why she deserves this doll -- share with us what kinds of activities she is involved in, how she helps others, etc..... This entry must be completed on my first American Girl post before any extra entries will count.


Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment on this post for each extra entry, with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, blog comment link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Go to ShineOnNow.com and donate anywhere from 1 to 100 stars to the cause (1 entry per day -- note, whether you donate 1 or 100 stars, you still only get 1 extra entry per day)

2) Each time you donate a star to ShineOnNow.com, fill in the blank and write this on the Shine On Now Facebook Fan wall (1 entry for each time you donate):

I donated ___ stars to American Girl's Shine On Now program -- and I entered to win an American Girl doll on Bonggamom Finds! http://ow.ly/29d1I #shineOnNow

3) Each time you donate a star to ShineOnNow.com, fill in the blank and tweet this (1 entry for each time you donate):

I donated __ stars to American Girl's #shineOnNow program & entered to win an AG Doll from @AGShineOnNow & @bonggafinds http://ow.ly/29d1I

4) Tweet this daily (1 entry per day)
Donate a star to American Girl's #shineOnNow program, then go to @bonggafinds & enter to win an American Girl doll!) http://ow.ly/29d1I


Even More Extra Entries
Don't forget, you can still gain extra entries on my American Girl Shine On Now post #1 by completing the extra entries on that post -- it all adds up to many, many more chances to win this great prize!


The Rules
This giveaway ends at midnight PST on July 31, 2010; I will draw the winner at random on August 1, from the list of eligible entries on my American Girl Shine On Now post #1 and this post. Winner has 48 hours to respond to my tweets or emails notifying them of their win; otherwise, an alternate winner will be selected. I will post the winner's name in the comments section after he/she confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I am an official Parent Partner of the American Girl Shine on Now program. I will be receiving an American Girl doll as a thank-you for participating in this campaign, but was not paid to review the product, administer this giveaway, promote the program or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Our videogame rules

Well, the World Cup final game was played yesterday, but football carries on at our house, especially on the PSP. I bought the kids the FIFA 10 football videogame for the PSP, and they are absolutely loving it. They would play on the PSP all day if I let them -- but what kind of a parent would I be if I let them do that?

I may have relaxed my attitude towards videogames considerably in the last few years -- I can see how entertaining the PSP can be for them during car trips and vacations when the inevitable downtime occurs -- but I still believe in moderation and a balanced lifestyle. I believe the PSP can enhance, but not completely dominate, their entertainment options -- so I have some rules that the kids have to follow if they want to play on the PSP or any video game. These rules also apply to watching television or getting on the computer, so when I say "video games", I'm actually referring to any and all kinds of screen time.

1) No video games during playdates. I'm happy to have my kids play with/against each other but I want to respect other parents' rules with regards to video games, and I don't want any child to feel left out during a playdate while one or two are crowded around the screen.

2) Reading comes first. I ask my kids to read a book before they start playing video games. This is one of my favorite video game rules because it has really helped 3Po and Jammy improve their reading skills, and it's a great way for me to take a break from blogging and spend some quality time with them.

3) Get moving. This is just like rule #2, but with bikes instead of books. My sister asks her kids to pedal around on their bikes or scooters before they can get any screen time, and I liked it so much that I adopted a modified version of her rule. I just make sure my kids get some kind of physical activity every day.

4) Set limits. Our official limit is an hour a day for each child, but I'm not draconian about enforcing it, especially when we're on vacation or we're traveling (in the car or plane, etc..) or a child is sick in bed. In addition, the kids love watching each other play videogames almost as much as they love playing the games themselves, so they do get quite a lot of game time and they know when they've had enough.


I don't think there's anything too complicated about these rules; they're just common sense. You don't want to tire your eyes out with staring at a screen for too long, you don't want to live a sedentary lifestyle, and you don't want to let your electronic life rule your real life. And despite my kids' love for the PSP, I have never really had a problem enforcing these rules, so I'm hoping my kids realize it too.



Disclosure: I am participating in Sony's PSP Summer Family Fun blogger program; I received a "Summer Fun" kit which included a Sony Playstation Portable (PSP-3000) , an assortment of content (games and movies) for the PSP, as well as a journal and videocamera to capture our summer adventures. I have not been paid or required to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Summer Reading with Super WHY

Super WHY was a big factor in getting my boys started on the path to reading last summer, so it's good to see that Whyatt and his team of super readers are continuing to help preschoolers learn their letters and get excited about reading! I was recently informed that they've got a fun summer-themed episode debuting tomorrow, July 12, and I wanted to share the information with you:

X marks the spot when Super WHY and the Beach Day Mystery heats up the summer on PBS stations from coast to coast this July 12 (check local listings)! Preschoolers and families will tune in for an all-new interactive adventure as they help Whyatt and the other fairytale buddies figure out the exciting clues leading to treasure. The Super Readers set off on a swashbuckling scavenger hunt filled with clues, pirates, and of course, treasure. But will Super Why and his friends be able to outsmart the trickiest pirate of them all?

And when your child isn't watching Super WHY, here are some tips from the Super WHY folks to get your preschoolers started on their solo reading adventures:

* Visit the library or bookstore.
* Encourage preschoolers to read the signs they see.
* Send a postcard.
* Create your own book.

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Show information is provided by the featured company and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Cafe Press Apron Giveaway

It's summertime, and one of our favorite summer activities is getting out the grill, slapping some chicken or fish on it, and eating dinner on our back porch. Somehow grilled meat and vegetables tastes so much better outdoors! But grilling can get messy, so I like to don an apron to protect my clothes from all the grease and charred bits. This month's Cafe Press giveaway on Bonggamom Finds is perfect for those summer barbecue parties -- a personalized apron!

Cafe Press is The place for personalized items. You can find millions of personalized gifts at CafePress – for any topic, interest, or brand! They offer a multitude of styles, colors, sizes and designs for a multitude of products -- mugs, bumper stickers, bags, hats, umbrellas, baby onesies, hoodies, shirts and more. They have a great line of bag styles that include messenger bags, beach bags, gym bags and tote bags. They have so many designs to choose from, and if you can't find a design you want, you can upload your own.

Here's one of the cute apron designs you can get on Cafe Press:
It's such a stylish way to protect your clothes, you may not want to take the apron off :)


Save 20% off your Cafe Press purchase
Use coupon code SUMMER20 to save 20%* off your next Cafe Press purchase! The discount ends July 11 so you need to act quickly!
* Save 20% off minimum orders of $40 USD, £35 GBP, $50 CAD, or $60 AUD, excluding shipping charges, gift wrap charges and applicable sales tax. Excludes Gift Certificates, Flip Minos, CafePress Groups purchases and bulk orders. Coupon code SUMMER20 must be entered at check out. Promotion starts on July 7, 2010 at 12:00 a.m. (PST) and ends on July 11, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. (PST). All orders must be from the CafePress Marketplace. Offer cannot be combined with any other coupons or promotions and may change, be modified or cancelled at anytime without notice.



Win A CafePress Apron
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a CafePress apron in their choice of design!


Required Entry
Check out all the great aprons available on CafePress, then come back here and leave a link to your favorite design. Choose carefully, because this is the design we'll be sending you if you win! This entry must be completed before any extra entries count.


Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following, (you can only do each extra entry once; please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry, leave a comment with your blog URL).

2) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates by email (1 entry, leave a comment with your email address).

3) Write this on the CafePress Facebook Fan Page wall (1 entry, leave a comment with your FB id):

It's grilling season, and I entered to win a personalized Cafe Press apron on Bonggamom Finds http://tinyurl.com/332vmjc


4) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook Fan Page wall (leave a comment with your FB id):

I joined the CafePress apron giveaway on Bonggamom Finds! http://tinyurl.com/332vmjc

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry, leave a comment with your FB id).

6) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry, leave a comment with your Blogger profile name).

7) Leave a comment on any of my blog posts on Finding Bonggamom (1 entry, leave a comment here with the link to the post that you commented on).

8) Join any of the other giveaways currently running on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry, leave a comment here with the name of the other giveaway you joined).

9) Tweet this up to once a day (leave a comment with a link to your tweet, 1 entry):

Enter to win a @cafepress apron in the design of your choice on @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/332vmjc #giveaway pls RT


Rules
This giveaway ends at midnight PST on July 25, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on July 26 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Feel like Snacking? Get Cracking with Ritz Crackerfuls

What's my idea of a catastrophe? Losing my internet connection. I run my household (i.e. pay bills, order groceries, schedule package pickups) online. I parent (i.e sign the kids up for summer camp, register for school, shop for bathing suits and books, get parenting advice) online. I work (i.e. blog) online. I play (i.e. read blogs, tweet, watch movies, catch up on news, go shopping, download songs, plan a roadtrip from Britain to France) online. Practically the only things I don't do online these days is apply bandages, brush teeth and paint nails!

So I'm always in front of the computer. With all that I do online, I could sit myself down at 8AM and not get up until 8PM! (If I had a toilet installed beside the printer, I could go even longer). I know it's a bad habit, but I really tend to lose myself -- food on the stove could burn, my kids could run away, civilizations could rise and fall while I'm doing whatever it is I'm doing online. When that happens, I end my day with tired eyes, an aching head, cramped muscles, a bloated feeling (from gobbling down junk food because I was starving didn't make the time to eat something nutritious), not to mention hungry, rowdy kids and an exasperated husband. Not good. So I do make an effort to take a breather, break up my day and remind myself that I do have a life away from that screen.

Click here to read the three things I do to give myself a break -- and enter to win a $100 Visa giftcard.

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