Valentine’s Day is around the corner. I used to love Valentine’s Day when my kids were younger. It was fun to help them fill out Valentine’s Day cards for their classmates and teacher. Now that my kids are teens I have to worry about them giving (or getting) Valentine’s Day cards from potential boyfriends/girlfriends. Sigh…

I also miss the class parties. I was a class parent for many years for both of my kids at one point or another. I loved planning holiday parties. It was fun to go shopping for holiday theme treats and decorations. I used to like to find Valentine’s crafts for the kids to do too.

If you are a class parent, or are planning a Valentine’s Day party for children, you should check out the cute crafts found at Hershey’s special holiday and seasonal website, Celebrate with Hershey’s (www.CelebratewithHersheys.com). They always have the cutest craft ideas.

I love the cute Valentine Favor craft. It’s a nice project for Spring too!

You can click on the image to go directly to the instructions on the Celebrate with Hershey’s website.

I also adore these cute little Valentine Love Bugs. I think it would be fun to supply children with an assortment of Hershey’s candies and various crafting supplies (feathers, pipe cleaners, googly eyes…) and let their imagination run wild. It would be fun to see what they come up with.

One of my all time favorite crafts are the roses that are made out of Hershey’s Kisses. I tried making these a few years ago. My chubby little fingers were not nimble enough to make the roses. However I have seen the roses made by others so I know that they do turn out beautifully. I just haven’t been able to “master” them yet.

You can find a lot more fun things on the Celebrate with Hershey’s website aside from crafts. You can also find mouth watering recipes to make some extra sweet treats for your special Valentine, or to serve to guests at a Valentines Day party.

I drool looking at the recipe for the Black Forest Mini Cheesecakes. 

 The Sweetheart Cupcakes look really good too! Making the chocolate hearts to embellish them is very easy to do. You just have to melt the Hershey’s chocolate, put it into an pastry bag, squeeze out the heart shape design and let cool.

You can find the complete recipe simply by clicking on the photo.

Of course not Valentine’s Day would be complete without Chocolate Dipped Strawberries. These are SO GOOD! I received some not too long ago as a “thank you” gift. My whole family gobbled them up. They are really easy to make. The hard part is finding large, perfect strawberries this time of the year.

Speaking of Valentine’s Day treats, don’t forget to check out all the fun Valentine’s Day goodies available from Hershey’s this season. You can find a list of Valentine’s Day products (and photos) here at this link, http://www.hersheys.com/celebrate/valentines/products.aspx.

One product I don’t see on the site are the cute Valentine’s Day hearts that come with a box of Hershey’s Miniatures attached to the back of it. There is room to write “To” and “From” on the packaging. This is the perfect Valentine for your child to give to someone special.

If you are looking for something special for your child to give to their teacher you should consider the Hershey’s Golden Apple. It’s a hollow chocolate apple that is wrapped in gold foil.

We have one but the packaging got a bit messed up. It’s a nice size piece of chocolate too (I could easily eat it in one shot).

I am a HUGE fan of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I cannot keep them in the house. If we have them – I’m going to eat them. I ♥ Hershey’s Peanut Butter Cups! When the kids go Trick-or-Treating I quickly remove them from their bags.

Imagine how I felt when I received a Reece’s Peanut Butter tin filled with jumbo sized Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups. I was in heaven! Except I can’t enjoy them right now because I’m trying to loose weight. So my family will get the chance to enjoy them. I might just save one  of them for a special treat. We’ll see.

I love the tin because it can be re-used to hold pens and pencils, crayons, stationary or other items.

Speaking of pens and pencils, have you seen the cute Twizzlers container that doubles as a pen and pencil holder? I saw one in the store the other day. What a fun idea! It comes with several individually wrapped Twizzlers. When you are done with them you have a cute pen and pencil holders.

Of course no Valentine’s Day party would be complete without some Hershey’s Kisses, all dressed up for the holiday with red, silver and pink foils.

You can find Hershey’s products at many retail locations across the country.

For more information about Hershey’s products please visit www.Hersheys.com. Don’t forget to check out all the holiday and seasonal products, crafts and recipes at www.CelebratewithHersheys.com.

I have a sweet Valentines Day giveaway. One winner will receive some Hershey’s Hugs and Hershey’s Kisses. Thank you Hershey’s!

To enter please comment on your favorite Hershey’s candy. You can CLICK HERE to see other Hershey’s products.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional. 

- Subscribe to She Scribes via e-mail or RSS. Both options are found on the right side bar.

- “Like” Hershey’s Pieces on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/Hersheys.

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/SheScribes.

- “Like” Hershey’s on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/Hersheys.

- Follow She Scribes on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/She_Scribes and tweet about this review/giveaway. Please include @She_Scribes in the tweet so I can see it too. This is limited to three tweets per day.

- Share this review/giveaway with others on Facebook, Digg, Technorati and so forth. Be sure to tell me what you did and please provide a name and/or URL so I can verify.

- Leave a thoughtful comment on a non-giveaway post on She Scribes and tell me which post you commented on. There is a limit of one comment per post, but you can comment on as many posts as you want for an unlimited extra entry option.

- Post about this review/giveaway on your site and please link back to this post. Please provide the URL.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on February 5, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Box), otherwise a new winner will be chosen.  

Other great giveaways can be found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*I received free product samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own. Hershey’s will be providing the prize.

I was asked to participate in a fun post by the creators of Save the Ta-Tas. They recently launched their new lifestyle brand, Laughter Heals Gifts. More about that in a bit.

They asked me to write a post about what brings me joy? I honestly thought this was going to be a super easy post to write. That is until I sat down to start writing and realized that there are so many things that bring me joy that it would be hard to narrow it down to just a handful. If I listed everything that brought me joy I would but up for the World’s Longest Blog Post Award. Ha Ha.

One of my followers on Facebook suggested that I do the “ABC’s of What Brings Me Joy”. I thought that was a fabulous idea. So without further adieu, here are the ABC’s of What Brings Me Joy.

A – Animals, especially baby ones and fuzzy ones.

B – Babies. My heart melts when I see a baby smile or hear a baby giggle.

C – Chocolate and Coffee (not together).  Need I say more?

D – Disney. Disney movies bring me joy. Being at Disney with my family brings me great joy. I only wish we could do it again before my kids are too old to appreciate the greatest place on Earth.

E – Elderly people holding hands, hugging and kissing. It makes my heart smile to see love that lasts a life time.

F – Family. My husband and children mean the world to me. I love them with every fiber of my being.

G – Goals. When I FINALLY accomplish a goal it makes me feel so happy and proud of myself. It makes me joyful to know that I accomplished something that I set my mind to do.

H – Holidays. I love them all! I am in my element when it comes to decorating for the different holidays. I also love holiday music, movies and specials. Christmas, Halloween, Easter… I love them all.

I – Ice Cream. There is a lot to be said about going to the local ice cream stand and enjoying some sweet and yummy ice cream with your family on a hot summer evening.

J – Jokes. I love to laugh. Laughter brings me great joy. I am a HUGE fan of comedy clubs. My kids have several joke books and are always sharing jokes with us to make us laugh.  

K – Kindness. I love being kind to others, and having others be kind to me. I go out of my way to perform Random Acts of Kindness every chance I get.

L – Love and Laughter. To be loved and to give love is probably the greatest joy of them all. Laughter is also one of the greatest joys we have to give and get from others.  

M – Music. There are plenty of songs that make my heart fill with joy and happiness.

N – Nature. I love everything about nature. It brings me great joy and happiness to see beautiful flowers, butterflies, a gorgeous sunset, a starry sky… the list goes on. Sometimes I love to close eyes to feel the warmth of the sun on my face, listen to the sounds of the birds chirping and take note of the breeze blowing through my hair. Ahhh… it’s a wonderful feeling.

O – Ocean. I love to feel the warm sand beneath my feet. I love to listen to the sound of the waves and gulls. I love collecting sea shells. And I most especially love to look off on the horizon. It humbles me. It makes me realize just how big out world is and it makes me think about all the wonderful things that are just beyond the horizon.

P – Photography. I am passionate about taking pictures. I don’t do so well with product pictures but I take pretty good landscape and nature photos. It makes me feel so good when I take a great photo.

Q – Quiet. Sometimes you can find joy in simply sitting in silence. It’s a great way to reflect on your life and all the wonderful things that you have. If you have teenagers like I do you can also appreciate peace and quiet. Ha Ha.

R – Reading. I love to read. It’s a wonderful way to explore new worlds, learn, get to know real people and to feed your imagination.

S – Smiles. Happy, smiling faces can bring great joy to everyone. Putting a smile on your face can help spread that joy to others. Smiling is contagious!

T – Traveling. I LOVE to go on adventures and explore new places. It’s also wonderful to meet people from different countries and cultures and learn from them.

U – Unconventional. I appreciate someone who can “dance to the beat of their own drum” so to speak. Meaning, I enjoy people who express their uniqueness and are not afraid to be who they truly are. I tend to think I’m a bit kooky myself, but that is OK because I know I’m unique and one-of-a-kind and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Being true to who I really am makes me happy.

V – Vacation. We can’t afford to go on a “real” vacation, so we do day trips. I love being able to spend quality time with my husband and children. It’s fun to get away from the stresses of our daily lives and just have a fun and carefree time.

W – Writing. I am also passionate about writing. It brings me joy to write, and even MORE joy if people compliment me and/or have kind things to say about something I’ve written.

X – Xylophone, specifically the one made by Fisher Price. I had one growing up that I played with all the time. It gave me great joy. When I became a parent I purchased one for my children. I loved to listen to them play with it and it brought back such wonderful memories of my own youth.

Y - Youth. Just observing my children brings me joy. I love to watch children playing and having a great time. I love to see the look of wonder and excitement in their eyes.

Z – Zoo. I love animals and I love to take pictures so it’s the perfect place to be.

Please note that this isn’t my “ultimate list of things that bring me joy”. There are so many other things that bring me joy. These are just a few of them.

One of the joys I mentioned was Laughter. Laughter does bring me great joy. I love to laugh! I’ve been told I am very funny too. It’s a nice feeling knowing that I can make others laugh too.

As I mentioned earlier, the creators of Save the Ta-Tas has launched a new brand called Laughter Heals Gifts. Laughter Heals Gifts products are not only fun and fashionable, but they also help to inspire joy. This new accessory and gift collection includes tees, bracelets, lanyards, stickers, buttons, a travel mug, key chains and bumper magnets.

Laughter Heals Gifts founder, Julia Fikse, aims to uplift anyone who needs a smile, hug or a good laugh. “I started Laughter Heals Gifts because creating joy in our life can change our lives for the better, no matter the circumstance,” says Fikse. “Joy gives us hope, and hope gives us the strength to discover new paths to greater fulfillment and heartfelt happiness.”

Perfect for any occasion, Laughter Heals Gifts hopes to connect with customers by way of a lifestyle brand that helps create a joyful, fulfilled and healthy life no matter the circumstance. Laughter Heals Gifts is also proud to support initiatives that create joySM.  

I think it’s a powerful message that Laughter Heals Gifts is trying to spread. Having joy in your life does help to life you up and bring you peace and happiness. Without joy in your life, what do you have?

Personally I have found that even in the darkest days you can find something to be joyful about. Even when you are at the lowest point in your life there is always something that can help bring you some happiness, no matter how small it is.

What kind of life would it be if you have a life without joy?

It’s easy to find joy in everyday things, or even create joy. You just have to open your eyes and heart and look around you.

I think Laughter Heals Gifts is a wonderful idea. Laughter is the best medicine, or so they say. My husband has a way of making me laugh no matter how I’m feeling. I could have the worst day ever and my husband can do the silliest thing and make me burst out laughing. Before you know it I don’t even remember what I was in such a bad mood for.

I have a travel mug from Laughter Heals Gifts. It’s really nice with a spill proof lid. It even has butterflies all around its colorful purple band. I ♥ butterflies! They are another thing that brings me joy.

A nice thing about this travel mug is that the bottom has a soft material on it to help keep it from scratching your desk or other surfaces. I have never seen a travel mug with a soft bottom like this.

My kids also have rubber bracelets from the Laughter Heals Gifts website. They say “Create Joy” on one side and “Laughter Heals” on the other. My daughter has the pink bracelet and my son has the purple one (although he wishes it was a “boy color”. LOL). They are really nice bracelets and in a generous size. I have thick wrists and with a bit of wiggling I was able to get the bracelet on my wrist.

These items are available online at www.LaughterHealsGifts.com today and in brick and mortar retailers throughout the country in spring 2012.

Laughter Heals Gifts has be kind to offer the same travel mug that I have to give to a lucky reader. Thank you Laughter Heals Gifts!

To enter please comment on something that brings YOU joy. Easy peasy!

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional. 

- Subscribe to She Scribes via RSS or E-mail. Both options are found on the right side bar.

- “Like” Laughter Heals Gifts on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/LaughterHealsGifts. 

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/SheScribes.

- Follow Laughter Heals on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/Laughter_Heals.

- Follow Save the Ta Tas on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/SavetheTatas.

- Follow She Scribes on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/She_Scribes and tweet about Laughter Heals Gifts and/or giveaway. Please include @She_Scribes and @Laughter_Heals in the tweet so I can see it too. If you can squeeze in @SavetheTatas too that would be great. This is limited to three tweets per day.

- Share information about Laughter Heals Gifts and/or giveaway with others on Facebook, Digg, Technorati and so forth. Be sure to tell me what you did and please provide a name and/or URL so I can verify.

- Leave a thoughtful comment on a non-giveaway post on She Scribes and tell me which post you commented on. There is a limit of one comment per post, but you can comment on as many posts as you want for an unlimited extra entry option.

- Post about Laughter Heals Gifts and/or giveaway on your site and please link back to this post. Please provide the URL.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on February 10, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Box). Failure to do so will result in a new winner will be chosen in their place.

Other great giveaways can be found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*I received free product samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own. Laughter Heals Gifts will be providing the prize.

I am super excited to be able to offer my readers another quick and easy CASH giveaway. This time the prize is $150.00.

The winner will receive the $150.00 via Pay Pal. The Pay Pal fees are the responsibility of the prize winner. Usually Pay Pal takes a small percentage of your winnings.

This giveaway is going to last for one week, from January 30, 2012 – February 6, 2012, 11:59 PM (CST).

Just like the other cash giveaway, this giveaway will be done via Rafflecopter. For each thing you do you’ll get an entry in the giveaway. If yo do one thing you get one entry. If you do four things you get four entries, and so forth.

To enter you’ll be “liking” Facebook pages and following people on Twitter. This is a FANTASTIC way to learn about new blogs. You might even discover you have a few new favorites.

You can tweet every day too, so please make sure to come back to claim that extra entry option as well.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kimberly

By now you should know that I am madly, head-over-heels, truly in love with my Keurig. It’s by far my most favorite appliance in our home. I cannot go a day without using it.

Most people associate Keurig and K-cup portion packs with coffee. Some might even think about tea. But did you know that you can make MORE then coffee and tea with a Keriug? How about rich, dark chocolate hot cocoa? Or sweet Chai Latte? Mmm!

There are many brands that offer K-cup portion packs for the Keurig. I have reviewed several of them over the past year. I’d now like to tell you about Cafe Escapes.

Cafe Escapes offers Keurig users something different than coffee and tea. They offer rich indulgences like Cafe’ Mocha (a combination of cocoa and coffee), Milk Hot Chocolate, Dark Hot Chocolate and Chai Latte.

I have had the Cafe Escapes Milk Hot Cocoa before. In fact I’ve been purchasing it for the past couple of years from a local store. I didn’t know that Cafe Escapes offered Cafe Mocha, Chai Latte or even a Dark Hot Chocolate.

As a Keurig Brand Ambassador I received samples of all four varieties to try out and share with family and friends. I tend to share my K-Cup portion packs with others. This time I might just keep them all to myself. LOL!

I have already been using the Milk Hot Chocolate for some time now. It’s perfect for me. Not too sweet. It’s just right. Sometimes hot cocoa mixes tend to be too sweet for my personal preference. I have found that the Milk Hot Chocolate make a perfect cup for hot chocolate for me.

The first K-cup portion pack I tried was the Cafe’ Mocha. It’s a sweet combination of cocoa and coffee. To me it takes more like cocoa but with a bit of a kick to it. My husband had a cup. He doesn’t drink coffee. He liked the Cafe’ Mocha but did say that he noticed there was a little more to the taste then just regular cocoa. It wasn’t until after he started to drink it that I told him it was also made with coffee. He was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed it too.

I like Chai Latte. I have ordered it when I’m out and about or out to dinner. The Cafe’ Escapes Chai Latte smells amazing! The aroma alone is enough to make you drool. I did find that this K-cup portion pack was too sweet for me. I have to remove some of the hot water with the Chai Latte mixed in and then add more hot water to water it down a bit so it’s not as sweet. I’m not suggesting that there is anything wrong with it. There is not. It’s just too sweet for my personal preference.

I was really excited to try the Dark Hot Chocolate. There is an obvious difference between the Milk and Dark Hot Chocolate varieties. The Dark Hot Chocolate is richer. I don’t know if it tastes like dark chocolate, but it’s much more “chocolatey” then the Milk Chocolate variety. Toss in some marshmallows and you have a delightful and super delicious treat.

All four of these wonderful and indulgent coffee house treats are specially blended to allow you indulge and enjoy more “me” moments. I agree with that because I have been enjoying some quiet time with a hot cup of one of the Cafe’ Escape varieties and a good book or magazine during the day when the kids are at school. Ahhh… perfect!

To learn more about Cafe’ Escapes please visit Cafe’ Escapes on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/CafeEscapes. If you “like” their Facebook page you will be entered into a “sweet” giveaway for a year’s worth of spa quality indulgence. Check it out!

You can also follow them on Twitter (www.Twitter.com/CafeEscapes). You can even follow the conversation using the hashtag #YourPerfectCup.

You can also check out Cafe’s Escapes and other K-cup portion pack varieties on the Green Mountain Coffee. I even have a special discount code. Upon check out use the code AM0016-3593 to save 15% off the entire store and free standard shipping (within the U.S. with no minimum order) at www.GreenMountainCoffee.com. This code is valid through February 29, 2012.

Keeping with the theme of indulgence I have a special giveaway from Birchbox. Birchbox is an innovative, new way to try beauty products before you buy them, Birchbox provides its subscribers with monthly deliveries of samples from well-known beauty brands. Each month subscribers will receive 4-5 hand-picked beauty samples form the best brands around – from the luxe lines you covet to the new and niche companies you’ve yet to discover.

But Birchbox is so much more than that!  

-   An online mini-mag filled with how-to videos, articles, and tips from the pros

-   An online Shop filled with the best skincare, haircare, makeup, and more – we’ve done the editing for you!

-   Birchbox Points, a super generous rewards program – so easy to earn, track, and redeem points

-   Great shipping offers on full-size orders, including free shipping on monthly product picks, and all orders $50+

One lucky reader will win a FREE 12-month subscription from Birchbox, compliments of Keurig/Green Mountain.

To enter please comment on something you love to indulge in?

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional. 

- Subscribe to She Scribes via RSS or E-mail. Both options are found on the right side bar.

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/SheScribes.

- Follow She Scribes on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/She_Scribes and tweet about your favorite flavor from Cafe’ Escapes and/or this giveaway. Please include @She_Scribes in the tweet AND the hashtag #YourPerfectCup. This is limited to three tweets per day.

- Share this review and/or giveaway with others on Facebook, Digg, Technorati and so forth. Be sure to tell me what you did and please provide a name and/or URL so I can verify.

- Leave a thoughtful comment on a non-giveaway post on She Scribes and tell me which post you commented on. There is a limit of one comment per post, but you can comment on as many posts as you want for an unlimited extra entry option.

- Post about this review and/or giveaway on your site and please link back to this post. Please provide the URL.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on February 4, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply. Failure to do so will result in a new winner will be chosen in their place. A gift code will be sent via e-mail to the winner.

Other awesome giveaways can be found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*I am a Keurig/Green Mountain brand ambassador and I received free product samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own. 

Do you realize that Valentines Day is just around the corner? Seriously, weren’t we JUST decorating our homes for Christmas? Sheesh! Time goes by so quickly. Actually our local grocery store had Valentines Day products on the shelves BEFORE New Years day. In fact they even have Easter products on the shelves too. Nothing like buying your Valentines Day cards next to Cadbury Eggs and marshmallow Peeps.

My kids don’t bring Valentines to school anymore. They haven’t in a few years. I miss those years. I still remember sitting with them at the table with their class lists helping them to fill them out. Now that I have a teen and an almost teen I have to worry about Valentines Day when it comes to them. I wonder if a teenage boy is going to give my teenage daughter a Valentines Day card – except at this age it means the real deal and no something fun. Sigh…

Over the years my kids have received cute Valentines Day cards, cards with sticks, cards with attached lollipops, homemade cards (my favorite!) and cards with small pieces of chocolates. Never have I see a Popcorn Valentines Day “card”.

Angie’s Kettle Corn has created a fun Valentines “Snack Pack”. Each special snack pack comes with individual packages of Angie’s amazing Kettle Corn and delightful Valentines Day stickers. Your child can fill out the “To” and “From” section of the stickers and then stick them on to the package of Kettle Corn. Then they can hand them out to their friends and classmates.

I love this idea! It’s unique compared to other Valentines Day treats.

Each Valentines Day snack pack comes with 20 individually packs of Kettle Corn and plenty of Valentines Day stickers.

Angie’s Kettle Corn has no trans fat, is certified glutten free and even has whole grains so you can feel good about giving this to your child’s friends and classmates. It’s a better option then a sugary lollipop or fatty piece of chocolate.

Have you ever tried Angie’s Kettle Corn before? Yumm! My husband introduced me to Kettle Corn. They sell it at the street fairs all the time. I had never heard of it before until I started to date my husband. He LOVES Kettle Corn. We can’t go to any street fair without picking up a bag.

Kettle Corn has a salty sweet taste to it. It’s like regular popcorn but there is a touch of sugar to it. It’s not too sweet at all. In fact Angie’s Kettle Corn is a lot better then the kind we get from the street fair.

To learn more about Angie’s Kettle Corn visit www.AngiesKettleCorn.com. You can purchase the products online or visit one of the many retailers across the country who sell Angie’s Kettle Corn. There is a store locator found here, http://www.angieskettlecorn.com/map.html.

Angie’s Kettle Corn has offered to give a lucky reader one of their 20-snack pack Valentines Day packages. Thank you Angie’s Kettle Corn!

To enter please tell me your favorite flavor of popcorn. Are you a movie theater butter fan, or do you like one of the many different flavored popcorn available (including Kettle Corn)?

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional. 

- Subscribe to She Scribes via RSS or E-mail. Both options are found on the right side bar.

- “Like” Angie’s Kettle Corn on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/AngiesKettleCorn. 

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/SheScribes.

- Follow Angie’s Kettle Corn on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/AngiesKettle. 

- Follow She Scribes on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/She_Scribes and tweet about this review and/or giveaway. Please include @She_Scribes in the tweet so I can see it too. This is limited to three tweets per day.

- Share this review and/or giveaway with others on Facebook, Digg, Technorati and so forth. Be sure to tell me what you did and please provide a name and/or URL so I can verify.

- Leave a thoughtful comment on a non-giveaway post on She Scribes and tell me which post you commented on. There is a limit of one comment per post, but you can comment on as many posts as you want for an unlimited extra entry option.

- Post about this review and/or giveaway on your site and please link back to this post. Please provide the URL.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on February 2, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Box). Failure to do so will result in a new winner will be chosen in their place.

Other fun giveaways can be found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*I received a free product sample in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own. Angie’s Kettle Corn will be providing the prize.

Have you seen the comedy called The Big Year yet? It’s stars Steve Martian, Jack Black and Owen Wilson. I have not seen the movie yet but it sounds funny. I have only seen the movie’s trailer.

Here is a brief description of the film.

Three men from different walks of life, find that they have come to a turning point. Stu (Steve Martin) is facing a late-life crisis, Kenny (Owen Wilson) is dealing with his midlife crisis. Brad (Jack Black) is doesn’t really have a life to begin with so he’s facing his own no-life crisis.

The men are very determined to do something with their lives. So they decide to enter a prestigious bird watching contest. They have one calendar year to count more species of birds than anyone else. Their quest has the men criss-crossing North America on a hilarious adventure that will eventually help them to form special friendships.

I love Steve Martin and Jack Black. This movie should be very funny. 

Have you ever gone bird watching? I haven’t personally but we do have a Blue Jay that lives in our complex that we see a lot. And I notice Cardinals from time to time.

A few times I’ve had to rescue birds who smack into the glass by the stairwell in our building. They don’t die but tend to be stunned at “out of it”. I rescue them and keep them on our balcony until they are ready to fly away. While I have them I try and look them up on the Internet to see if I can identify them.

I do have a bird watching book too. I picked it up to help me identify birds I see from time to time that I don’t recognize.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is releasing this funny adventure comedy on Blu-ray and DVD on January 31, 2012.

The Big Year is directed by David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada, Marley & Me) and features outrageous supporting performances from Joel McHale (Community), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), Angelica Huston (50/50), Dianne Wiest (In Treatment), Brian Dennehy (The Next Three Days), Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation), Kevin Pollak (Red State) and Anthony Anderson (Scream 4). The Blu-ray is packed with special features including the theatrical and extended editions of the film including over 40 minutes of deleted scenes. Wow! that is a lot of deleted scenes. Plus there is a fun featurette called “The Big Migration.”

The theme of the movie, The Big Year, is about having the ”Biggest Year Ever”. Something that you are proud of and that you’ll look back fondly on for the rest of your life.  

With that in mind I have a fun giveaway in honor of this movie and making 2012 YOUR Big Year. 

After last year, meeting Sir Elton John, Hugh Jackman and attending a Hollywood Red Carpet Premiere After Party, going on a Helicopter ride and a Hot Air Balloon Ride were pretty big. I don’t know how I can top that this year. Maybe meeting more celebrities, going on more adventures and maybe doing something wonderful with my blog.

I want to hear from YOU! What would you want to do this year to make it the biggest year ever, just like the trio from the film?

THREE lucky winners will each receive a DVD of the movie The Big Year and branded binoculars. 

To enter please comment on what you plan on doing this year to make it a Big Year?

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional. 

- Subscribe to She Scribes via RSS or E-mail. Both options are found on the right side bar.

- “Like” The Big Year on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/TheBigYear.

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/SheScribes.

- Follow The Big Year on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/TheBigYearMovie.

- TWO EXTRA ENTRIES – Follow She Scribes on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/She_Scribes and tweet about what your Big Year plans on for 2012. You must include @She_Scribes AND the hastag #BigYear in the tweet. This is limited to three times per day.  

-  Tweet about this giveaway and include @She_Scribes so I can see it too. This is also limited to three times per day.

-  Share this giveaway Facebook, Digg, Technorati or other social networking sites/forums. 

- Leave a thoughtful comment on a non-giveaway post on She Scribes and tell me which post you commented on. There is a limit of one comment per post, but you can comment on as many posts as you want for an unlimited extra entry option.

- Post this giveaway on your site and please link back to this post. Please provide the URL.

This giveaway is open to US & Canada residents only and will end on February 1, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winners will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winners will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Box). Failure to do so will result in a new winner will be chosen in their place.

Other fun giveaways can be found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this for the benefit and enjoyment of my site readers. Any opinions expressed are my own. 20th Century Fox and ThinkJam will be providing the prize.

There many things in life I am passionate about… writing, photography, my family, social causes… One social cause I am passionate about is reading. I think that all children should learn to read and have access to books, regardless of where they live, their social status or parent’s income. Reading opens up a whole new world. Books are a great resource when it comes to education. They also help to encourage children to have an imagination. I can’t tell you how many books I read as a child that whisked me away to far away lands. That is the beauty of books.

I like the world that Reading is Fundemental does to help get books into the hands of children who might not otherwise have books to read. When I learned that the Gerber Life College Plan was working with Reading is Fundemental on a campaign called the Project Open Book I knew I had to get involved.

If you are unfamiliar with the Gerber Life College Plan, it’s a plan created by the Gerber Life Insurance Company. These are the same people who bring you Gerber products with the adorable iconic baby face.

The Gerber Life College Plan was designed to help busy parents like you save for tomorrow – safely and easily. With guaranteed growth, life insurance protection, flexibility, and fixed monthly premiums payments, this program is the smart choice for your child’s future. 

Through Project Open Book, Gerber Life Insurance will donate $1.00 towards Reading is Fundamental (RIF), up to $10,000, for every photo that is uploaded on it’s picture mosaic.

You can even win PRIZES – up to $1,000!

Head over to the Gerber Life Insurance Company Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/GerberLife for your chance to contribute your baby’s photos to the Project Open Book picture mosaic. It’s that easy! By uploading a photo to the mosaic you can help ensure that a child is given books to read, learn and explore with.

To encourage you to participate in Project Open Book I have a $25 Snap Fish gift certificate. At Snap Fish you can create photo cards, photo calendars, photo books and other great products.

To enter please comment on a favorite book of yours when you were growing up.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional. 

- Subscribe to She Scribes via RSS or E-mail. Both options are found on the right side bar.

- “Like” Gerber Life on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/GerberLife.

-  Upload your child’s photo to the mosaic. Please let me know if you did. Remember, ever photo upload is an other $1.00 to RIF.

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/SheScribes.

- Follow She Scribes on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/She_Scribes and tweet about Project Open Book and/or this giveaway. Please include @She_Scribes in the tweet so I can see it too. This is limited to three tweets per day.

-  Share information about Project Open Book and/or this giveaway on Facebook, Digg, Technorati or other social networking sites/forums. 

- Leave a thoughtful comment on a non-giveaway post on She Scribes and tell me which post you commented on. There is a limit of one comment per post, but you can comment on as many posts as you want for an unlimited extra entry option.

- Post information the Open Book Project and/or this giveaway on your site and please link back to this post. Please provide the URL.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on January 30, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Box). Failure to do so will result in a new winner will be chosen in their place.

Other cool giveaways can be found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*I will be receiving a Snap Fish gift certificate as compensation. There is no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

Not too long ago my husband and I got into a discussion about “Girl’s Night Out” and “Boy’s Night Out”. Neither of us have been on one in ages (I’m thinking 10+ years… sigh…). We started talking about what men drink when they are out together, and what women drink. My husband is under the impression that women drink cocktails with silly names all the time. For example Jamaican Me Crazy, Shady Lady, Kiss in the Dark and Green Dinosaur (I’m not making these names up – they are real drinks).

I have always been curious as to how people come up with these crazy drink combinations and ever crazier names for them. I guess you have to really know your liquer to know what blends well with what other liquer or juices.

Have you ever heard of PAMA? Have you tried PAMA before? I am really curious about this liqueur. PAMA is a ruby-red Pomegranate liqueur. I would never think to have a Pomegranate flavored liqueur. I like the sweet taste of Pomegranates. I’m curious as to how PAMA tastes.

PAM A is a versatile cocktail ingredient that mixes with whiskey, rum and brandy equally well as it mixes with vodka, gin and tequila. It provides a delicately balanced sweet-tart flavor. 

PAMA is hosting a fun contest that I thought some of my readers might be interested in, especially is you are a whiz at creating cocktails at home (or perhaps you work as a bartender?). It’s called the Best Home Bar Star Contest. It began this past Monday (January 16, 2012) and ends on February 29, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST).

PAMA will be accepting submissions to find a cocktail enthusiast who knows how to create a killer cocktail that is perfectly balanced, elegantly presented and definitely delicious.

The winner will receive a trip for two to the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen in June 2012 with $2,000 spending money and the opportunity for their recipe to be presented in front of thousands of attendees at the Grand Tasting Tent. Their recipe will also be featured on PAMA’s website.

To enter you need to submit a recipe and photo of your original drink creation, which will be judged based on the following criteria:

-  Originality/creativity

-  Unique use of PAMA

-  Ingredient combination

-  Appropriateness of the cocktail name

The top 25 entries, as determined by the PAMA judging panel, will be posted to PAMA’s website and Facebook page for visitors to vote on their favorite entry. Finalists can share their recipe with friends and family in order to gain votes. The top 10 highest-voted entries will then be judged by an esteemed panel of cocktail professionals who will create and taste each recipe. The panel includes Kate Krader (Food & Wine), Darryl Robinson (The Cooking Channel’s “Drink Up!”) and Eben Freeman (master mixologist and PAMA spokesperson).

Four runners-up will receive a one-year subscription to Food & Wine magazine and a PAMA gift bag.

For a full list of rules and to enter, go to www.PAMALiqueur.com/HomeBarStar.

To help you get started creating your own unique cocktail recipe using PAMA, PAMA has offered to give three lucky readers a special prize package which includes a cocktail shaker, stirer and PAMA t-shirt.

To enter comment on your favorite cocktail, or tell me a creative name for a cocktail. It can be one you made up yourself for this entry or one that you have heard of before.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional. 

- Subscribe to She Scribes via RSS or E-mail. Both options are found on the right side bar.

- “Like” PAMA on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/PAMALiqueur.

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/SheScribes.

- Follow She Scribes on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/She_Scribes and tweet about the PAMA contest and/or this giveaway. Please include @She_Scribes in the tweet so I can see it too. This is limited to three tweets per day.

-  Share this giveaway and/or information about the PAMA contest on Facebook, Digg, Technorati or other social networking sites/forums. 

- Leave a thoughtful comment on a non-giveaway post on She Scribes and tell me which post you commented on. There is a limit of one comment per post, but you can comment on as many posts as you want for an unlimited extra entry option.

- Post information about this giveaway or the PAMA contest on your site and please link back to this post. Please provide the URL.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on January 29, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winners will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winners will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name, mailing address (no PO Box) and t-shirt size. Failure to do so will result in a new winner will be chosen in their place.

Other cool giveaways can be found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this information for the benefit and enjoyment of my site readers. Any opinion expressed is my own.

This time of year many people make resolutions, but often the reason behind the resolution is not known to others. That is fine for the most part, because it is YOUR resolution and no one else’s. But sometimes letting others know about your resolution helps to make you more accountable for it, and more likely to succeed. Another words, if you tell your best friend you resolve to lose 20 pounds by the summer so you can fit into your favorite bathing suit, you are more likely to stick with your plan. If you kept your resolution a secret, then you could easily let it go and not reach your goal.

Personally I don’t like to use the term “resolution”. I prefer to use the term “goal”. It sounds more promising since many people fail at their resolutions, but tend to reach their goals.

Trop50, which is one of Tropicana’s juice beverages that has 50 percent less sugar and calories, and no artificial sweeteners, is having a fun contest on Facebook that is all about resolutions. I thought my readers might be interested in it. It’s called Trop50 True Resolutions. Trop50 True Resolutions celebrates the real reasons behind New Year’s resolutions.

Share your secret motivation behind your resolutions and you’ll earn a coupon for $1 off Trop50 for yourself and 50¢ off coupons for up to 50 of your friends. You can even submit incognito with a fierce disguise. I really like that! Fifty of your family and friends can each get a .50 cent coupon. That is really generous of them.

Bonus: Whether you submit a resolution or not, you can also enter a sweepstakes to win a $1000 gift card. Nice! I could use that right now with my car being at the mechanics. Blah!

Here is a sentence to help you come up with your resolution so that you can enter the Trop50 True Resolutions contest.  

In 2012, I want to _________________ in order to __________________.

How would I answer that question? 

In 2012, I want to lose weight in order to get healthy.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who would answer that question this way.  

If you can answer this easy question then you should take a moment and post it on the Trop50 Facebook page. What have you got to lose? You could be the lucky winner of a $1,000 gift card.

To enter the contest, and to get your coupons, visit https://www.facebook.com/Trop50?sk=app_302423693113112.

For more information about Trop50 please visit www.Tropicana.com/Trop50.

Trop50 has been kind enough to offer a $25.00 VISA gift card to a lucky reader. Thank you Trop50!

To enter please fill in the blanks and answer the question In 2012, I want to _______ in order to _______.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional.

- Subscribe to She Scribes via E-mail or RSS. Both options are found on the right side bar.

- “Like” Trop50 on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/Trop50.

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/SheScribes.

-  Follow Tropicana on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/TropicanaOJ.

- Follow She Scribes on Twitter (www.Twitter.com/She_Scribes) and tweet about the contest on FB and/or this giveaway. Please be sure to include @She_Scribes in the tweet so I may see it too. If you could also include the hastag #Trop50 that would be helpful. This is limited to three tweets per day.

- Blog about the Trop50 contest and/or this giveaway and include a link back to this post. Please provide the URL of the post.

- Share informaiton about the Trop50 contest and/or this giveaway with others (Facebook, Digg, Technorati…). Be sure to tell me what you did and provide a name and/or URL so I can verify.

- Leave a thoughtful comment on a non-giveaway post on She Scribes and tell me which post you commented on. There is a limit of one comment per post, but you can comment on as many posts as you want for an unlimited extra entry option.

This giveaway is open to US residents and will end on January 29, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using  a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Box) or a new winner will be chosen.

Other wonderful giveaways are found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*This is a compensated post, however any opinion expressed is entirely my own and not influenced in any way. Trop50 will be providing the prize.

Coming to theaters on February 3, 2012 is a new film by Universal Pictures called Big Miracle. It is rated PG and stars Drew Barrymore, John Krasinsi, Kristen Bell, Dermot Mulroney, Tim Blake Nelson and Ted Danson.

Here is the movie’s official synopsis;

Inspired by the true story that captured the hearts of people across the world, the rescue adventure Big Miracle tells the amazing tale of a small town news reporter (John Krasinski) and an animal-loving volunteer (Drew Barrymore) who are joined by rival world superpowers to save a family of majestic gray whales trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle.

Local newsman Adam Carlson (Krasinski) can’t wait to escape the northern tip of Alaska for a bigger market. But just when the story of his career breaks, the world comes chasing it, too. With an oil tycoon, heads of state and hungry journalists descending upon the frigid outpost, the one who worries Adam the most is Rachel Kramer (Barrymore). Not only is she an outspoken environmentalist, she’s also his ex-girlfriend.

With time running out, Rachel and Adam must rally an unlikely coalition of Inuit natives, oil companies and Russian and American military to set aside their differences and free the whales. As the world’s attention turns to the top of the globe, saving these endangered animals becomes a shared cause for nations entrenched against one another and leads to a momentary thaw in the Cold War.

Here is a brief television promo for the movie. If you are reading this via e-mail you can visit the movie’s YouTube page and see the video there (or come to my site), www.YouTube.com/BigMiracleMovie.

This looks like a wonderful film for the entire family. I love Whales. I think they are magnificent creatures. I’m very excited to see this film.

To learn more about the movie please visit www.EverybodyLovesWhales.com.

In honor of the movie’s release I have a wonderful giveaway for a lucky reader. The prize includes a $25.00 Fandango gift card so you can go see the movie (or another movie if you choose – but you know you want to see this movie ), an adorable plush Whale and a Big Miracle t-shirt.

To enter please comment and let me know if you plan on going to see the movie - or – tell me the name of your favorite movie that involves and animal or animals.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional.

- Subscribe to She Scribes via E-mail or RSS. Both options are found on the right side bar.

- “Like” Big Miracle on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/BigMiracleMovie.

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/SheScribes.

- Follow She Scribes on Twitter (www.Twitter.com/She_Scribes) and tweet about the movie Big Miracle and/or this giveaway. Be sure to include @She_Scribes in the tweet so I may see it too. This is limited to three tweets per day.

- Blog about Big Miracle and/or this giveaway and include a link back to this post. Please provide the URL of the post.

- Share informaiton about Big Miracle and/or this giveaway with others (Facebook, Digg, Technorati…). Be sure to tell me what you did and provide a name and/or URL so I can verify.

This giveaway is open to US residents and will end on January 28, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using  a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Box) or a new winner will be chosen.

Other great giveaways are found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*I will be compensated with a Fandango gift card in order to see the movie. There was no other compensation. Any opinions expressed are my own.