Freebies!

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Kindle ebooks (readable on any computer/tablet/smartphone):
Freelance Writing Bootcamp: Learn How You Can Make Money From Home Freelance Writing Online(through May 22)

Freebies!

U by Kotex

Sweepstakes: Freshends

You can enter to win a grand prize worth over $700 just by entering the Freshends® “A Necessary Luxury” Sweepstakes via Freshend’s Facebook page. May 20 through May 29, Facebook users can enter the sweepstakes once a day for 10 days, giving them multiple chances to win a one-year supply of Freshends, an elegant Freshends dispenser and a $500 American Express Gift Card.

"There’s a secret that every mom knows---moist wipes work far better than dry toilet paper for cleaning up bathroom messes. And that doesn’t just apply to babies!” says Freshends co-founder, Jill Beck. “To help more moms, travelers and hotel housekeeping staff discover Freshends---the eco-friendly, luxury-packaged alternative to big-box moist wipes---we’re reaching out online to try to open up the conversation about Freshends.”

About Freshends®:

Freshends® luxurious towelettes bring an individually packaged, environmentally-friendly touch of luxury to the bathrooms of world-class hotels, charter jet centers, cruise lines, country clubs and other elite venues around the nation. Alcohol-free and made with only the highest-quality ingredients, including aloe, vitamin E, cucumber extract and chamomile, Freshends provide a clean, comfortable feeling dry toilet tissue just can’t offer. From the use of recycled materials and renewable wind energy, to being members of 1% for the Planet, Freshends is committed to making products that are safe for the environment. Freshends luxurious towelettes are 100% flushable and biodegradable, and are made in California with strict adherence to state standards for environmental protection. Portable, discreet and elegantly packaged, Freshends were created for those who demand a higher standard of comfort and cleanliness.

Soul Sustenance: God is on the Cross

Disclosure: Post contains affiliate or sponsored links, which support this blog at no cost to you. I received complimentary products to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is best known for his resistance to the Nazis. He's a German Lutheran hero for his courage and was killed less than a month before the Germans surrendered. God Is on the Cross: Reflections on Lent and Easter is drawn from his sermons and move through Lent and Easter, focusing on appropriate themes such as suffering, temptation, and what the cross means to us. Although it's not Lent now, it's worth getting for next year - or reading at any time of the year, since as Christians we recognize that Lent and Easter are an integral part of our faith.

Consumer Critique: The Spark

Disclosure: Post contains affiliate or sponsored links, which support this blog at no cost to you. I received complimentary products to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.

What do you do if you feel that the "experts" are going about your autistic son's therapy all wrong? That was the dilemma faced by Kristine Barnett, and the journey she explores in The Spark: A Mother's Story of Nurturing Genius. Her son was diagnosed with autism at age 2, and as she watched his special education teachers stifle his interests in favor of of more basic skills, she saw him become more withdrawn. Pulling him out of special programs and using her daycare experiences and belief in play, she nurtured his inherent interests and had amazing success.
Although neither of my kids are autistic, I can empathize with her. Although experts, therapists, and teachers are highly trained, and do wonderful things, they may not always do exactly what's best for every child. This comes not because we don't want to, but because sometimes the parents see things we don't and are able to grab on to that and work in ways we can't. The same can be said of my daughters - I know their strengths and weaknesses better than anyone, because I spend the most time with them. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read Kristine's story, and I think it's very inspiring for anyone who feels their child doesn't fit the mold and isn't getting what they need - whether they're gifted and talented, autistic, have learning disabilities, or just have some other quirk.

Healthy Habits: Baby Safety Tips

SafeMart, an international leader in home and personal security,wants to  help new parents take proper safety precautions and react swiftly in the case of an emergency.

1) Accidents will happen, but being prepared is the best prevention. Keep a list of emergency numbers handy in several locations around the house so that you can get help at a moment’s notice. If you always keep your phone on you, program the numbers into your contacts with clear names such as “EMERGENCY,” “PEDIATRICIAN” or “INFANT WARD” so you know who to call even when you are panicked.

2) You would probably love to watch your newborn all day and all night, but with so much to do that is simply not possible. You have to catch up on all sorts of tasks while your infant rests, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep your eye on him or her. Surveillance cameras in your child’s bedroom provide live look-ins on your infant during naptime. Many surveillance cameras include access to streaming video from your computer or mobile device.

3) Many parents also use baby monitors to listen while their newborn sleeps so they can hear if anything goes wrong. However, sometimes trouble does not make a sound, particularly if your newborn is rolling or bumping into the side of the crib. A motion detector can help parents know that their child has woken up or is in danger of rolling into an unsafe position.

4) Babies are naturally curious, so we need to make sure that dangerous household supplies are out reach. Lock up any chemical cleaning products, and make sure to keep your newborn away while you use the products.

5) Place an extra smoke and carbon monoxide detector in the nursery or your child’s room, even if there are no noticeable fire hazards. If a fire starts while your newborn is napping, a smoke detector may be the only way to know.

Having a newborn child in the house should be a time of joy for new parents. These easy-to-follow tips can alleviate some of the natural worry of infancy and help you keep your child safe in the home.

Consumer Critique: Paper Culture Baby Shower Invitations

Disclosure: I received complimentary products to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.

If you're looking for baby shower invitations there are a variety of reasons to choose Paper Culture. They're focused on modern, fresh designs - and also on being environmentally-friendly, even more so than many other companies. They plant a tree with every order made, they off-set their carbon use, and they use 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Don't worry about the paper quality or colors, though - they're still just as good as you'll find anywhere else. In fact, they use thicker paper (130 lb) than most companies. You can also have your cards sent directly to the recipient for just the cost of the stamp, and everything comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Celebrities use Paper Culture - Jewel, Toby Maguire, and others, and they're also impressing the media and outlets that review products.
I don't actually need baby shower invitations at the moment - the one I'm co-hosting had invitations handmade by the other host. But I was creative and found a cute design that I simply turned into congratulations cards to use when attending baby showers. I'm very happy with the way this simple, elegant design turned out, and it's appropriate for a boy or girl!
To find out more, check out Paper Culture on Pinterest, like Paper Culture, follow @paperculture, and read the Paper Culture blog.

Shopping Savings: Shutterfly

Disclosure: Post contains affiliate or sponsored links, which support this blog at no cost to you.
50% off any size hard cover photo book from 5/16 - 5/22 with promo code: DADSGRADS

Contest: Craftsman Project with Dad

Enter “The Craftsman Project with Dad” contest now through May 20 for a chance to win the ultimate golf experience for you and dad, roundtrip airfare to Philadelphia to attend a special Craftsman Father’s Day golfing event as well as two tickets to the big golf tournament in Ardmore on Sunday, June 16.

All SHOP YOUR WAY REWARDS Members are eligible to win. Simply create a new “public” catalog and name it “The Craftsman Project with Dad”. Find and add 8 products—with description—on why these tools remind you of a project you’ve created with your father, or father figure. If you aren’t a SHOP YOUR WAY REWARDS Member, it is fast and easy to sign up at www.shopyourway.com.  See site for official rules.

Freebies!

Disclosure: Post contains affiliate or sponsored links, which support this blog at no cost to you.
Tena Twist
Kit Kat at Kum  Go through May 19th.
Kindle ebooks (readable on any computer/smartphone/tablet):
Cooking Without Measuring: Taste and Approximate Yourself to a Great Dish