In the summer, we are outside all day.  Sometimes I can almost hear the mosquitoes ringing the dinner bell.   Even in the winter, my kids play outside a lot and get scrapes and cuts from climbing the trees.   Both of them have eczema which can become quite uncomfortable.  TruKid recently released their new Hero Stick for kids.  This balm can be applied to boo-boos of all kinds.  I trust TruKid to provide excellent products that are safe for my children—Hero Stick contains no parabens, artificial colors or fragrances and is biodegradable.  I keep Hero Stick in my purse so that I can grab it in a jiffy whether we’re at the park or driving in the car.  It’s a wide, heavy stick that is easy for little hands to hold.  To keep it clean, I usually wipe it with clean fingers then apply it to the itchy spot.   I also use this on my son’s chapped lips.  Since the stick is so wide, it covers his lips easily and I can usually get a good swipe in before he runs off again.

I really love the name of this product, too.  It’s hard to convince your little guy to be tough when he’s got a sting or bite that’s really bothersome.  By letting him use the Hero Stick, I feel like I’m giving a little boost of confidence to my small hero.  How would you use the Hero Stick in your house?

Enter to win your own Hero Stick in the Holly Jolly Jubilee giveaway!!   Come back November 19 to enter.   Meanwhile, follow TruKid on Twitter and Facebook for product promotions and offers.

Packing lunch is a way of life in our house.  My daughter is a picky eater so she won’t eat school lunch.  She packs Nutella sandwiches most days.   To save pennies and calories, I pack my lunch daily, too.   While I try to avoid using disposable baggies, many containers have their own share of inconveniences.  For example, if I use a plastic container I have to find the matching lid.  Then there’s the whole storage issue!   ReUsies are a good option because they have a washable liner, velcro closure, and can lay flat for storage.  There are even two sizes so you can use the one that best suits your need.

The small size of ReUsies worked perfectly for my daughter’s sandwich.  If the bag gets dirty, we just turn it inside out and wash it in the washing machine or wipe it with a wet cloth.

I think ReUsies would be a great alternative to using wrapping paper and other packaging for a Christmas gift this year.  Just close the Velcro, tie a ribbon around the bag, and it’s a reusable gift container!   I can think of all kinds of uses for ReUsies, too.  In addition to the obvious use of packing lunches, what about using this as a makeup bag, pencil pouch, or to store all of those cell phone chargers that clutter up the junk drawer?   The little hands in my house can open and close ReUsies so much easier than zipper bags, and I don’t have to worry about possible choking hazards on these.  We’re going to start storing my daughter’s multiplication flash cards in her larger ReUsies bag.

There are lots of cute designs available.   Check them out online! 

You can connect with ReUsies on Facebook and on Twitter.  One lucky winner will get to choose a 2-pack of ReUsies—check back for the giveaway on November 19 to enter!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

What do you use to keep germs out of healing skin when your little one gets a cut or scrape?  Recently I had an opportunity to try SAFESKIN on it and was really impressed with the results.  In fact, I even used it on my sweet little dog.  She was nicked by the groomer at her last appointment and it wasn’t healing very well.  I dabbed some SAFESKIN on it for a few days.  Within a week, it was completely healed up!  I don’t know if SAFESKIN is officially approved by veterinarians or anything but I would use it again on my dog.

Once her little sore spot was healthy again, she was as happy as could be!!  Thank you, SAFESKIN.   A few days ago my daughter had a cooking accident. Instead of peeling the potato for our soup, she peeled her finger.  It was not a fun evening.  The poor girl was hustled over to the ER where they patched her back together, and she had to keep a huge gauze covering over it to keep it dry.  Once the gauze is gone, I plan to use SAFESKIN on my daughter’s finger, too.  SAFESKIN is available at select Wal-mart stores.  It’s clear and doesn’t have an odor at all.  I didn’t have to use much; it spread very easily.  I think this tube will last us a long time.  I hope it will, anyway…….we don’t need any more cuts or bruises around here!

Here’s a printable coupon to help you save $1 on SAFESKIN kids antibacterial gel.   Be sure to enter the giveaway below, you just might win your own tube of SAFESKIN!  The giveaway is open to US readers and ends 11/30.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here’s the disclosure: I’m not a doctor and am not making medical claims.

Are you a fan of young adult books?  Check out this free Nookbook freebie.

and a few more while you’re at it:

Enjoy!!!     Always check to make sure the ebook is still free before clicking submit.  You never know when the price will jump.

If you’ve been to a wedding or had one of your own, you know that there is always that funny moment that everyone will remember.  Yes, we all love the happy sparkle in the bride’s eye and the moment that the groom lets that tear fall…….but I’m talking about the FUNNY moment.   It might be the cake-eating scene, but I bet you have a better one than that.  Which is why Modern Greetings is offering a very cool, very fun giveaway.  What about a chance to win a second honeymoon trip?  Can you just imagine how perfect that would be?   I think I’d choose someplace really secluded, beautiful, and romantic.  Where is your dream honeymoon spot?

To enter this contest, enter your email address here to be automatically redirected to the contest app on the Modern Greetings Facebook page.  Read all the nitty-gritty details of entering and complete the  entry submission form. The prize for the winner of this contest is a Second Honeymoon Trip to the destination of the winner’s choice (up to $3,000).  There will be more contests coming up and contestants are welcome to enter all four contests, but of course can only win once. However, all contestants (those who actually enter a submission into the contest) will receive a $5 site voucher just for participating in each contest, so that’s a $5 voucher for each contest that you participate in.   Nice!! There are lots of items available on the Modern Greetings website that would make super Christmas gifts.  This is an excellent chance to get those gifts for free or at deep discount, plus get a chance to win an awesome trip!    Don’t wait, look up that memorable wedding photo and get started.   The contest ends December 6.   Stay tuned for the next one, which begins December 1!

Along with all of the individual prizes we also have TONS of awesome Grand Prizes for everyone on your list including Baby, Kids (boys and girls), Teens, and Adults. The Grand Prizes include a Babyhome Emotion Stroller, Little Tikes Classic Castle, Pillow Pets Dream Lites, Pillow Racers, Furby, $50 The Children’s Place Gift Card, Nokia Lumia 900, and a Keurig Elite Brewing System!  I could definitely check off some names on my list with those great prizes.   Good luck!

A few days ago I shared my secret for amazing Christmas cards with you.  Pear Tree Greetings has fabulous designs at great prices.  I also can’t believe how quickly they shipped my order!!  Now I have no excuse not to send those Christmas cards.    Pear Tree Greetings is offering one lucky Savings in Seconds reader a $40 gift certificate for holiday cards.  WOW!!   The giveaway is open to US readers ages 18+.  Enter on the Rafflecopter form below.  Good luck!

Disclaimer: Please note that the Happy Holidays Giveaway Hop hosts and participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prize. We have represented each sponsor with the expectation that they will fulfill their prize in a timely manner. While we are not responsible, we will make every effort to assist the winner in obtaining their prize.

Very rarely does a day go by that my three year old son forgets to ask me, “Can we go to DisneyWorld today?”   He’s been twice and absolutely loves it.  In fact, our whole family loves it!   On our last trip, we went on the safari at Animal Kingdom and saw this giraffe taking a little break.  What a sight!   We also visited the petting zoo at Animal Kingdom, which had the most docile animals I’ve ever seen in my LIFE at a petting zoo.  My husband joked that all the hatred was bred out of the goats because they were so calm!!   The little pig in the picture below just sat and enjoyed all the brushing and pets that my kids could give out.  There was even a time-out place for the animals to take a break if needed.  While we were there, we got to see so many new animals and just enjoyed every minute.  I think that’s why my son likes it so much.  For us, everything at DisneyWorld is just fun and happiness…..the way childhood should be.

When we travel, we love to share our adventure with our family and friends.  Letting them know what we’re doing is a great way to include them in our trip, even if it’s just a small way.  Many of our friends have asked us about our recommendations for DisneyWorld, too.  I have friends who haven’t gone through this parenthood rite-of-passage (aka The Happiest Place on Earth) yet.  While planning their trips, they ask me about places to eat, which hotel to choose, the best ways to beat the crowds, and more.    I understand this because when I like to plan our trips to the letter.  Sometimes getting advice from your friends is the best resource around!   Which is why I really like Gogobot.com.

Gogobot.com, a social travel site that launched in 2010, is a place on the web you should know about. The company has racked up accolades including being named one of Time’s top sites of 2011 and winner of the 2010 Crunchie award for Best Design.  Gogobot’s big win is that it allows you to connect with your friends to get their advice on where to visit, what to eat, and where to stay when you travel. You can use the service to plan things ahead of time, or you can poll your friends on the fly.   The pictures on the website are amazing, too.  I love just browsing through the pictures and imagining myself there.   The reviews are really helpful in determining where to stay and where to eat.   It’s also easy to share your own review on the site so that others can benefit from your unique experience.  If you need to get your Disney fix, just browse around.  I feel happier just looking at the pictures and hearing about the fun that others had while exploring The World.   GoGoBot also provides a way to save time and money.  If I am wavering between hotel choices and read several bad reviews, I can choose to save myself a headache by going with one that receives more favorable feedback.

Gogobot.com allows you to tap into the knowledge of your friends when planning a trip anywhere. You can find like-minded travelers and inspiration for your next vacation, creating easy-to-use wishlists you can return to again and again.

And when you are not in vacation mode or planning a trip, you can discover hidden gems in your own neighborhood for entertaining guests or a weekend staycation.

The best part? Every page on Gogobot is personalized. You can see reviews from your friends and people you are following at the top, which allows you to weed out the noise and fraudulent reviews that become a problem on other review sites. Check out Gogobot today!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Gogobot. The opinions and text are all mine, except those provided by the sponsor.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Every time that I sit down and type on this site, I’m grateful for those who might read my words.  To say thank you, I want to offer a $5 Starbucks gift card.  Enjoy that frappe, mocha, or whatever you like to drink while you read a good book!   The giveaway is open to readers in the US and CAN.  Good luck!

Today the kids wanted to eat at Fazoli’s (breadsticks, anyone?)   We went through the drive-thru and I saw this sign:

Of course I wondered if I would win a free entree, so I texted.  Then I got this message:

Sorry that it’s so out of focus—it says that I won a free drink with my next entree purchase!!   Yeehaw 🙂   I’m a major Coca-Cola fan, and Fazoli’s is one of the best places to get a good fizzy Coke!!   I’m super excited for this freebie.

If you try it, let me know if you win anything!

Novel Crossing is a brand-spanking new site that provides a great resource for both authors and readers.   Christian fiction has recently started to move into a much deeper realm.  The topics are exciting, unique, and yet clean.  I don’t have to worry about my daughter picking up a Christian fiction book and finding something in it that I would have to explain to her.

One reason that I read book reviews is to avoid spending money on a book that I will ultimately dislike.  I’m not saying that I have to be passionate about every single book.  I just don’t want to clutter my mind with books that aren’t going to be meaningful to me.  Likewise, if a book receives glowing reviews. I get antsy about reading it.   Novel Crossing is a great idea because it will save me both time and money!

Here’s what I found out about Novel Crossing:

Novel Crossing is a website for Christian fiction lovers. It’s like Facebook meets Goodreads meets your favorite Christian fiction blogs…all in one place! Whether you’re into romance, Amish fiction, mystery, action, sci-fi, historical fiction or any other genre…Novel Crossing is your new trusted source for ALL Christian fiction across ALL publishers!

Novel Crossing has it all…

• Stay in the Christian-fiction-know with the latest news and feature articles written by top fiction authors, industry professionals, and fiction aficionados.
• Find your next read (or avoid spending money on a crummy novel) with quick book overviews via 1-sentence reviews or a deeper look at books through full-blown reviews from fiction lovers like you.
• Get connected with a community where you can friend and follow fellow Novel Crossing members and keep track of new books or articles from your favorite authors.
• Stay organized with and keep track of the books you’re reading, have read, or want to read.
• Don’t miss a beat…get email updates when new books come out from your favorite authors or genres