This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Walgreens.

Last week, each and every one of the members of my family (myself included) was hit with a pretty severe flu of the stomach variety. This made it very easy to decide what products to purchase with my Walgreen's gift card: New toothbrushes (and oral care products)for everyone!



We shop at our local Walgreens a couple of times each week. Usually, to buy a pack of gum, or to make a photo CD. I had never purchased Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness brand product before this review. Which is weird because I'm all about value and savings. And oh, the value and savings this brand has to offer!

It's going to be really hard for me not to geek out about how much I saved buying the Walgreen's brand products. It's taking everything in me to not make a Named Brand -vs- Walgreens Brand savings chart. Complete with Smiley Faces and lots! of! exclamation! points! Instead, I'll just stick to the facts.

A 4-pack of brushes, that were comparable to Colgate brand, cost me $3.49. A 2-pack of brushes of Colgate brushes was $5.99. Boom! Savings! And let me tell you, the brushes are great! I purchased the "soft" because I have sensitive teeth (i.e. I'm old.) They weren't too soft- the bristles were firm and so very full. This is no BS, I prefer them over my old toothbrushes and will be using them from now on.

Mouthwash is a staple in our house. We normally use Listerine Whitening pre-rinse as well as Listerine mouthwash. Walgreen's Whitening Pre-Rinse and Mouth Rinse were comparable in taste and freshness. But the price is what won me over. I paid $2.00 for the 1 liter mouth rinse (TWO! DOLLARS!) which is less than half of what I normally pay for a mouthwash. The Whitening Pre-Rinse was $2.79. Basically, I paid less for both rinses than I normally do for one bottle of mouthwash. How great is that? So great.

I also purchased Walgreens Oral Health toothpaste-- a great value at $1.99, but I don't think I would purchase that particular toothpaste again. The taste was a tad too bitter for my liking. My husband disagrees-- he loved it and said he will use it again.

In addition to value, it is important to me that products I use for my family are of a high quality. That is why I'm impressed with Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness products. I received a great value product without sacrificing quality. (Most of the products contain the same active ingredients as national brands.) Based on my experience with these items, would I recommend you try Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products? Absolutely, yes.

BlogHer is giving away a $100 Walgreens gift card so that one lucky reader can have an opportunity to experience the great values Walgreens has to offer! Simply leave a comment on this post and tell me which Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness product you'd like to try and you will be entered to win! It is VERY IMPORTANT that you include an email address within your comment. Also, be sure to visit Visit the Exclusive Offers section for more chances to win!

Try Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness products. Visit the site for more information

Rules:

* No duplicate comments.

* You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this
post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this
post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an
alternate form of entry.

* This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

* Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

* You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

* The Official Rules are available here

Looking forward to your comments-- good luck!

Tropicana Orange Juice Is Good. Winning $100 Visa Gift Card is Good, Too. Read and Comment for a Chance to Win!

This is a sponsored post from BlogHer and Tropicana.

I wrote this post while participating in the Tropicana
Pure Premium/BlogHer program on behalf of Tropicana Pure Premium. I received nutritional information and orange juice to use and facilitate my review.

This is a sponsored post. It's true. I was paid to write this post and I was asked to give you information about Tropicana orange juice. But, the only reason that I agreed to participate in this program is because my family loves orange juice. In fact, we are kind of obsessed with the stuff.

You see, mornings in our home are hectic. I have three kids that go to three different schools that start at three different times. Things can get crazy and complicated. While I believe that it is important to start my children's day off right- with a good, healthy breakfast, the truth is that I don't always have time to make a healthy breakfast. There are some mornings where they have to eat a bowl of cereal, or perhaps (gasp) a pastry.

And this is why I am so in love with orange juice. I may not always have time to make them a healthy breakfast (even though I try. I try so hard!) I never let them leave the house without drinking a glass, because I know that glass of juice is full of so much Good.




Good: Tropicana Pure Premium orange juice has no added sugars or artificial sweeteners.

Good: There are 16 fresh-picked oranges squeezed into each 59 oz. container of orange juice

Good: Each 8 oz glass equals two fruit servings, has a full day's supply of vitamin C, has as much potassium as a medium banana (for a healthy heart) and is a natural source of the B vitamin folate.

So, so good, that orange juice.

Want to learn more? Please visit Tropicana's official site. You can also visit the official Facebook page or follow them on Twitter

How do you put the "good" in your morning? Share how you make sure you get a good, healthy start to your day on those hectic mornings and you will be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card! Visit BlogHer's Exclusive Offer's page for more chances to win! Sweepstakes dates are 3/14- 4/11.

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry
methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment
on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on
this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about
an alternate form of entry.


This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be
selected.

The Official Rules are available here

Share Your Parenting Secrets and Be Entered To Win a $200 Visa Gift Card!

This is a sponsored post from Chef Boyardee and BlogHer.

Getting kids to do things that are good for them always seem to be a struggle-- brushing their teeth, going to be at a decent time, doing their homework, eating their vegetables. If you asked me to name 2 things that I have a hard time getting my children to do,I would have to say "homework and eating their vegetables."

I deal with each of these dilemmas much differently.

When it comes to homework, there are no choices. Homework has to be done, on time, every single night- NO EXCUSES. I found that making my kids do their homework the minute they got home just didn't work. They'd whine "but I'm hungry! I'm tired! etc!" So, we came to an agreement. They get 30 minutes to unwind from their day at school. They can do whatever they please in that 30 minutes- eat a snack, watch a little TV, go online. But, when those 30 minutes are up- it's electronics, off. Brain, ON. Allowing them some time to unwind has made homework time ALMOST bearable for all of us.

Now, getting my kids to eat healthy is a whole different ballgame.

First of all, I do not force my children to eat vegetables that they absolutely hate. I was traumatized as a child when my parents forced me to eat peas and wouldn't let me up from the table until I had finished every last one. I swore I'd never do that to my children.

So, how do I get my children to eat vegetables?

We have a deal-- they have to try a food/vegetable at least once. If they don't like it, I won't ever ask them to eat it again. It's not always easy getting them to try something, but because they know I will not force them to continue eating something that they don't like, they eventually give in and try it. Surprisingly, they almost always end up saying something like "you're right, it IS good." Or "Not as bad as I thought it would be!" (Not the case with Brussels sprouts. Every single one of my kids hated those with a passion.)

If they try something and they don't like it (but they don't hate it) I try to find a way to make them like it. For example, I'll let them dip carrots in ranch dressing or add a little bit of melted cheese on top of broccoli. Another trick I've used is using rice vinegar for added flavor--chop up some cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots, and put them in a bowl with a little rice vinegar-- they'll eat every last bite.

I imagine you have these kind of struggles with your children as well. I would love to hear how you deal with these type of situations-- share your best parenting secrets here and be entered to win a $200 Visa gift card! Please Visit the Official Rules Also, be sure to visit BlogHer.com exclusive offers page for more chances to win! Sweepstakes run from 12/10/2010-12/23/2010. You MUST include your email address in your comment so we can notify you if you win.

Rules:
No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) Visit the official rules for additional forms of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents aged 18 and older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

Sweepstakes ends 5 PM PST, December 23, 2010.


For great tips from moms just like us, sharing experiences, ideas and advice on how to get kids to eat better, visit Club Mum. Club Mum is the perfect resource for moms to learn helpful hints on a variety of topics, which can be applied to their own family. Club Mum is also on Facebook with daily tips, recipes, articles, questions and a terrific and active community!

(Please don't forget to include your email address in your comment. Thank you!)

Holidays at Disneyland

Earlier this month our family was invited to attend Disneyland. I decided to do things a little different here: I asked my daughter to share her experience in her own words. Before I post what she had to say, I just want to say that Disneyland during the Holidays is truly magical. The decorations, the music, the parade, the fireworks-- it's all so wonderful and perfect. My family had an incredible day and we are truly grateful to Disneyland for making it such an amazing experience. (The fast pass to It's a Small World was THE BEST THING EVER.) Thank you, Disneyland!

My Day at Disneyland- by Gabby

Last weekend I went to Disneyland. It was fun! Because I went on a rollercoaster. I closed my eyes on the matterhorn because I was afraid of the abominable snowman. I just didn't like that part because it was too scary for me. I got to see the parade. It was very fun because I got to see some of my favorite characters. My favorite part of the parade was when Mickey and Minnie were ice skating together. I loved the music in the parade because it was pretty.

I loved the Toy Story ride because you got to shoot at things and there were different levels. It was really fun to go on the rides that I was tall enough for-- like space mountain and matterhorn and thunder mountain.

My favorite ride was It's a Small World because it was a kid ride. I love the difference from the regular Small World to the Christmas small world. The Christmas small world is fun because it is very Christmasy. I liked Woody and Jesse. Christmas it's a small world is beautiful.

I also went on the Terror of Terror. I liked the video that they showed before the ride because it explained the ride and because it showed how the elevator got struck by lightening. The ride was so tickly on my tummy. I wasn't scared at all and I was kind of mad that my mom put her arm on my legs because I couldn't feel the ride that much and next time I don't want my mommy to hold me on that ride. I like when it kept on going up and down.

My day of Disneyland was so fun because I got to see everything that I wanted to see and when I made a wish, my wish came true. I love Disneyland. Thank you Disneyland for a great day for me and my family!

Let's Talk About Sex(ting)

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and LG Text Ed

I have 2 teenage sons who both have cell phones and who both use those cell phones for texting. I suppose as a responsible parent, one would expect me to say that I've had conversations with them about "sexting." But the truth is, I haven't.

I have had conversations about what is and is not appropriate to post online. But I've never had the conversation about what is and is not appropriate to send via text messages.

I trust my children with their cell phones. They've been responsible cell phone users and to my knowledge, have never engaged in sexting. But, I suppose I would never know that unless I checked their text messages.

I do not check my children's text messages.

I've never felt that I needed to. I know the people that they talk to and communicate with on a regular basis. (I do check phone records to keep track of those things, but I do not read actual messages.) They're either family members or friends from school. Yes, there is a girlfriend, but again, I have no reason to believe he would be disrespectful or vulgar with his girlfriend either online or via text messaging.

I grew up in a home where privacy did not exist. My parents monitored every aspect of my life, including- but not limited to- the contents of my purse, my backpack, underneath my mattress and inside of any and all pockets. My parents never allowed me to earn their trust. I swore that when I had kids, I would not treat them the way that I was treated.

And that is why I do not check their text messages. They have yet to give me a reason not to trust that they're not sending sexually explicit text messages/images.

Participating in this campaign has definitely made me more interested in the subject and I am now asking myself the question "have I been an irresponsible parent by NOT talking to my children about this issue?"

What do you think? Is this a conversation that parents with teens should have, regardless of how much you trust your child/ren? I'd love to hear what you have to say!

Each comment left on this post benefits DoSomething.org with a $0.50 donation!

Visit LG Text Ed , where Dr. Rosalind Wiseman explains the dangers and consequences of this new form of flirting. You can also watch Emmy award winning actress Jane Lynch share a lesson on the sensitive stuff kids are sending around without thinking about the consequences.   

No Ordinary Family

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and ABC's No Ordinary Family.

I am a working mother of three children. Every single day of my life is hectic and I find that there aren't enough hours in the day. There are kids that need to get to school, bills that need to get paid, errands that need to be ran, people that need to be fed, laundry that needs to be washed, dried and folded, dishes that need to be cleaned, floors that need to be mopped, toilets that need to be scrubbed and that's not everything. There is more. So much more that needs to be done each and every day.

Needless to say, there aren't enough hours in the day and most days, things that need to get simply don't get done (proof of that is on my bedroom floor in the form of 4 baskets of laundry that need folded and put again.)

I can only imagine how my life would change if I were to wake up one day with Super Speed Super Power.

Imagine the time I'd save at the gym! 5k would be done in seconds. Kids would get to school on time! Laundry folded and put away in seconds! We need milk? No problem, I'll be back in 2 minutes!

The time I'd save doing ordinary, every day errands would free up much needed time to do the things I've been putting off. Things like organizing my photos and making photo albums of the photos I've taken over the last twenty years! Starting that photography business I've been talking about for the past 2 years. Spending more time with my beautiful family doing the things that we love-- fishing, camping, hiking, the movies. (And blogging-- I'd have time to blog again!)

Life would be pretty amazing with a few extra hours in the day, is what I'm trying to say. Lucky Stephanie Powell.

Be sure to check out the trailer for ABC's new show, No Ordinary Family (season premier on Tuesday, September 28th.)

Visit the official show page on abc.com for character bios, photos, videos and more. For on- going updates, plus a look behind the scenes, "like" the official Facebook page.

I'd love to hear how you think your life would change if you were to suddenly acquire super powers. You can read what other BlogHer's are saying on Link to the BlogHer.com review round-up page: BlogHer.com's special offers page

Nice Job, Mom! A giveaway from 8th Continent Soymilk

This is a sponsored post from 8th Continent and BlogHer.

It was a warm afternoon. Me and my daughter, who was 3 years old at the time, were parked outside of school waiting for The Middle Child to get out. Gas prices were high, so I refused to leave the car running with the air on. So, I turned the car off and rolled down the windows to let the (warm) breeze in. My precious little daughter was sitting in her car seat, waiting patiently for her brother.

A car pulled up and parked in front of us. A woman got out of the car, shut the door and hit the lock button from her keys.

*beep beep* went the car as she locked it.

Suddenly, without warning, my daughter shouted at the woman.

"DUMMY ASS!"

I heard it. But my ears couldn't believe what I had just heard.

The woman looked over at us. I turned my head away from her, looked at my daughter and asked her WHY DID YOU JUST CALL THAT WOMAN A DUMMYASS?

"Because, she was all honkin' her horn at us and that was rude!" She responded.

I was stunned. DID MY 3 YEAR OLD REALLY JUST SAY THAT? She did. OhmyGod.

"She wasn't honking at us. That was her car alarm!"

"No, she honked at us and you always yell 'dummy ass' at people who honk at you when you're driving!"

And that's when I realized my daughter had just done the perfect impression of me as a driver.

From that day on, I never yelled "dumbass" while driving again. Let me rephrase that, I never yelled "dumbass" while driving when my daughter was in the car with me. But it took AN ENTIRE YEAR to get my daughter to stop saying "the word that mommy says when she gets mad at dummyass drivers."

8th Continent knows that being a mom isn't easy and they want to salute motherhood for what it is: doing your best every day. Of course, no one is perfect and we all make mistakes while trying to do our best.



8 Continent is giving away a $100 and a 6 month supply of 8th Continent to one of you. All you need to do is share a parenting blunder of your own here in the comments. Please make sure to leave your email address somewhere in your comment so we can contact you should you win. Also, please be sure to click over to BlogHer.com special offers page for 8 more chances to win! (Contest official rules are can be found here.

You can also go visit 8th Continent's Facebook page and find out how you could win a room of choice makeover from Home Line Furniture® or the grand prize of a complete adventure package from Caravan Tours®.

Comments are now closed. Winner will be selected soon!