Save Your Trip! Travel Season Giveaway

Swimming and travel season is here and I have a few products that you might want to pack in your suitcase from Insight Pharmaceuticals. Raspberry flavored Bonine is a chewable once a day protection to prevent nausea, vomiting or dizziness associated with motion sickness. Do not use for children under 12 unless directed by a doctor, if you have certain medical conditions. Always read packaging and warnings, this product may cause drowsiness. Available to purchase at Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Rite Aid.

Auro-Dri has been doing a great job with my little fish (boys) ears from bothering them. We have been plagued with recurrent ear infections and fluid in their ears. That one reason I have been reluctant to put a pool up for them. So far, so good, I've been adding a few drop of Auro-Dri after swim time to prevent swimmer's ear. Read package for proper use. Available to purchase at Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Rite Aid. 

Now the Pronto I plan to use when we stay away from home, since we don't have any bed bugs thank heavens. It really stinks!! Not to mention it is hazardous to humans and pet. Read Package for proper use and disposal. Pronto is also for dust mites, ticks, fleas, lice. Check out 6 ways to prevent bedbugs when you travel this summer. Available to purchase at Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Rite Aid.

Thanks to the sponsor one of my readers will receive samples of these products. US winner, 18 or older. One person per household.

Disclosure: Sponsors provided samples and provided giveaway. Life Is A SandCastle is not responsible for shipping of prizes. All opinions are my own. Your experience may differ from my own. As with any product follow product instructions. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ZeroWater Filtration System Giveaway & Review

I'm very conscious of drinking water, a result of growing up in the country with a shallow well. It smelled and looked cloudy. I bet we had old pipes too. Life with well water can be down right dirty in fact plays into why I may not drank enough water growing up. 

Today living in the country we still have well water but, nothing like well water back then. I have never smelled a smell in this water but, I do have water phobia which results in boiling our water just to be sure. So we usually just buy bottle water for drinking. Still does either of these have TDS in the water?

What is TDS? Total Dissolved Solids is compounds in the water that can not be removed with a traditional filter. The ZeroWater System Ion Exchange Filter reduces Lead and Chromium by passing through a five layer filtering system. According to your initial water score and region map you can estimate the life of one filter but, should replace filter when water reads 006.

How did our water measure up with the Electronic Water Testing Meter? We had a score of 59 with our well water. I also tested the bottled water I had on hand and it had a score of 17. That means our filter should last for 25 to 40 gallons of water according to the chart. The water testing meter is laboratory grade and uses batteries.

Can I tell a difference in the water taste? very little, maybe since my TDS levels are not that high before. It tastes a little more fresh than before. The ZeroWater Pitcher design has pour feature and a convenient spout on the bottom. Pitcher as has a holder on the lid for the TDS meter. Fits in my refrigerator but, filter will need to be left at room temperature before passing water through. I like the look and design of the pitcher.


ZeroWater system does not remove microbiological contaminants from water, your water should be deemed safe by proper inspection before drinking it. Well water should be checked and after that is out of the way you can concentrate on measuring the TDS in your water.

What came with the ZeroWater System we received:
10 cup pitcher
Ion Exchange Filter
Electronic Water Testing Meter ($21 value)


Earth Day is Coming up and did you know that ZeroWater is the first major company to recycle gravity-fed filter cartridges from US Consumers. Plus when you recycle filters you get $10 coupon for ever two filters returned. If your planning to purchase the ZeroWater Pitcher http://shopping2.zerowater.com/10cuppitcher.aspx use this coupon code MC30, which will give you 30% off a 10 Cup ZeroWater pitcher. Follow ZeroWater on facebook to keep up with the latest news.


Thanks to our sponsors we have for giveaway for two lucky continental United States readers the ZeroWater pitcher.


Disclosure: “I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of ZeroWater and received a water pitcher to facilitate my review, two pitchers to giveaway, and extra filters to thank me for taking the time to participate.” That did not influence my opinions & all opinions are my own. Some photos from sponsor site and some of my own.

Easter in the Hospital, Updates

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. I've missed blogging and I'm so far behind, first thing first family. After driving 430 miles Friday, I was so exhausted. My mom was put back in the hospital. Her Hemoglobin was 4.9 and she got 4 pints of blood and is doing better. Where is the blood going????

She has had so many procedures this past weekend it's not even funny. I drove back Saturday and brought the kids, she had a dangerous one done on Easter and I wanted us to be together. They did discover ulcer in her stomach and intestines. So much stress and high dosage of meds for fever is likely the cause. Sunday I drove back home and the kids got to color eggs. The Easter bunny didn't make it around til yesterday evening.

So I packed back up and drove back to the hospital this morning 3am to be with mom for a Bone Marrow Biopsy. They are going to hold off on it. She had blockage in her leg vein and she will get a stent. We are currently waiting on the next lab rat test of the day. Mom is so stressed and she said she hasn't made it to the hard part yet. I'm scared of the chemo/radiation treatments, I hear the person next to us crying after taking the meds. My heart going out to them and I'm feeling fear.

She still needs a PET Scan to see if the cancer has spread any. Waiting on it and then we will know if the will do the surgery or chemo/radiation first. We are just ready to fight it and get back to life and being a family. Just the simple things like at the kitchen table doing egg coloring with the kids together. My mom is my best friend and I love my mom!

Sick Children & Panic Meningitis

I carried both sick boys to the doctor. Here was the symptoms.

Youngest child, fever, cough, running nose, holding ear. He was diagnosed with a cold and ear infection, given antibiotics & cough meds.

Oldest child was up during the night sounded like he had the whooping cough it was so loud, stuffy nose, and said his ear hurt too. He was diagnosed with upper respiratory infection and given cough meds.

So I think we are on the fast track to healing then my oldest son tells my mom his neck is hurting. This would not have been so bad except someone from our community died the day before from meningitis. He was not in town at the time but, it puts the fear into you. I went on mom panic alert. Took everything for me not grabbing him up and running to the ER. My mom calmed me down and said he'd been doing somersaults and he slept sitting up the night before with the cold, just watch. It was at bed time and he went to sleep. I was up most of the night checking on him and the night before.

He wakes the next morning and his stomach is hurting, he then vomits. After that he seems ok and he can move his neck all around. He just didn't have no appetite yesterday. It must be the cold & virus. So it's bedtime again and he is running a fever 100.6. I gave him meds and the fever stayed down all night. I'm waiting to see how today is going to go. I never knew how much my mom worried until I had my own children. 

Update: He is doing great today, guessing the fever came from the virus. No neck problems either. Cough clearing up. Youngest is hyper and doing great today.

Has Your School Banned Homemade Goodies?

The question is has your school banned homemade food snacks? Our school has a no homemade food policy. I actually like it and some hate it. They can arrange a in class food project.

Things to consider:

• Let's face it not everyone kitchen is up to health standards: Cross contamination, e. coli, salmonella, lord forbid someones kitchen looks like those on hoarders.
• Is the preparer of the food: licking the spoon, have a cold, washed their hands, just wiped a booger or their child's butt.
• How fresh is those products: Just something in the freezer or cabinet for the last five to 10 years.
• Food Allergies: Food allergies are everywhere now and packaged snack contain ingredient list. I even learn another mom daughter is allergic to red food dye.

Yes it is costly to buy for the whole class. That cost is way better than a child sick from food born illness or even dying. I feel much better for my son's safety.

Disclosure: Just sharing my opinion.

Are you ready for Daylight Savings? From UL

Heads up - Daylight Savings Time officially ends Saturday, November 5, 2011!

While you're turning your clocks back, there are a few other important things you can do to help keep your family safe:

• Replace your Smoke Detector battery
• Replace your CO Detector battery
• Replace your 100-watt light bulbs with LED bulbs (in just a few months, 100-watt bulbs will be gone)

Make sure you have the latest information on how to help keep your family safe by clicking here to Commit a Minute to Safety! Once you've changed your batteries, check that the detectors work and your family knows what they sound like. Then, Commit a Minute to Safety and help us spread the word by forwarding this message to your friends and family.

Disclosure: All information shared on behalf of UL- just sharing

Freebies, News, Coupons, & Other

Better Oats wanted to share:

This Saturday, October 29th is National Oatmeal Day, so Better Oats wanted to send along a handful of fun facts about why this time-honored breakfast should be celebrated
.
   Remember oatmeal baths from when you had the chicken pox? Well, oatmeal baths can also be used for relief from poison ivy, insect bites, sunburns and dry skin!

   Having a light snack -- like a bowl of oatmeal -- a few hours before bedtime may help you sleep better, says Mayoclinic doctor.

   They can be enjoyed sweet or savory.  Try some of these dinner recipes from Time magazine.

   According to Real Simple contributor and registered dietitian Susan Kleiner, Ph.D., eating the same breakfast everyday "like oatmeal with seeds and nuts"  is one quick ritual for a better day. Read more here.

   Whether it's steel-cut or instant, an oat is an oat is an oat, says Cooking Light.  Flattening and steaming does not remove whole-grain benefits, so you get all of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and oaty fiber from either type.

  This National Oatmeal Day, be sure to celebrate with a quick and delicious bowl of Better Oats.  Our instant oatmeal can be enjoyed for breakfast on hectic mornings, as an afternoon treat, for dinner or as a late-night snack!  Made with 100% whole grain oats and flax seeds in every pouch, our 23 varieties of Better Oats are sure to keep you and your family satisfied.
  
  Please join our Oat Revolution by spreading the word about Better Oats and National Oatmeal Day on your social media channels (blogs, Facebook, Twitter).  Below are a few links to our social media pages that we encourage you to share with family and friends.
  
  In fact, we're currently offering a "Buy three, Save $1.00" coupon on our Facebook page, so we hope you enjoy our products this holiday weekend.
  
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BetterOats
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Better_Oats
Website: www.BetterOats.com

Disclosure: Just sharing. Copied from email to inform readers.
 

Ever Forget Your Anniversary?

Ever Forget Your Anniversary? Well, back at the end of August I did and so did my husband. I was loading the dishwasher and happen to notice the calendar. I walked into the room where my husband was and said Happy Anniversary Yesterday!! He looked like he was in deep trouble. I laughed and said "Don't feel bad, I forgot it too." I told him "We are busy over worked parents."


That was exactly how I felt overworked and I know my husband was tried after 12 hr night shifts. Between taking my oldest to school @ 7:50 a.m. He got sick & had an ear infection, next he shared it with his brother.  Days after first antibiotics his ears flared up with an ear infection and high fever again. Baby then developed ear infection, up all night screaming. (Hair dyer does help) ER visit, more doctor visits, and guess who got sick too. You guessed right...ME.



Here is to 13 years together & 3 years married and 2 children later... It's not about one day on a calendar, it's about all the days on the calendar:) Did I mention we got married in the middle of a hurricane?

Kix Cereal Prize Pack Giveaway

Studying a little background history of Kix Cereal, I found they have served breakfast to the table for more than 70 years.  I also learned that Kix was one of the first non flake cereals and child stars Shirley Temple & Kirsten Dunst starred in Kix Advertising. In 1978 Kix tag line was written "kid-tested, mother-approved®"

Today, Kix Cereal is proud to say they are still kid-tested, mother-approved®. A good source of calcium, fiber, and Vitamins C and D, providing your family a wholesome breakfast with nutrients they need to grow. Kix is slightly sweetened crunchy whole grain corn balls and an excellent source of iron and low in sugar. Kix has no artificial color, flavors or preservatives.

Try the Kix Honey Cereal & Original flavor. Visit Kix online for background history, nutritional content, and special offers. Kix hope you´ll join in on the conversation and tell why Kix cereal is "approved" in your household!

Thanks to General Mills through MyBlogSpark one winner will win a prize pack that will contain: 6 boxes of Original Kix cereal (12 oz.)

RULES: Contest closes 11:59pm Eastern September 1, 2011.
Open US winner has 2 days to respond to my email
Leave your email in to post or available in profile, I will not search for it
MUST complete Mandatory Entry. Winner will be chosen by random org. Entries that does not follow the rules will not win.

Mandatory Entry *Follow Life Is A SandCastle via Google Friend Connect and let me know why Kix is "approved" in your home.  

********EXTRA ENTRIES***********
*Blog about the giveaway linking this post (5entries)
* Follow all on twitter & tweet " #win Kix Cereal Prize Pack 6 boxes original @lifesandcastle http://t.co/mOfuLND #MyBlogSpark! 9/1 #giveaway #contest" (1 daily)
*Become a Kix Facebook fan. (3 entries)
*Become my face book fan. (2 entries)
*Give this post a google+1 (1 entry)
*Tell me an event for Kix timeline (2 entries)

*Give me a Klout +K (3 entries)
*Subscribe to my blog by email. (2 entries)
*Enter (current) The Night Owl Mama or giveaways on my site- one entry for each you enter.
*Grab the "Hotter Than Summer" Button @ top left side of my blog (2 entries) But if you already had it and commented on extra entry link before May 1, you get (5 entries).
*Add my regular button (2 entries)
*Add this giveaway to a contest linky & leave link (3 entries each link, up to 3contest listings)

"Disclosure: Kix cereal, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark."

Happy Feet® Insoles Review & Giveaway

I've been on my feet a lot this week with all the school shopping, but my feet are happy. I've been wearing a pair of Happy Feet® Insoles and my feet could not feel better. The unique feel to the Happy Feet insoles come alive when I walk on them, kind of squishy. I can feel the change in the fluid moving with each step. I wasn't sure I could stand them, I'm very foot sensitive. After a couple of wears it wasn't such a weird feeling anymore.

I tried a S size 7.5-8 Happy Feet® Insoles and it fitted perfectly in my shoe. They can be trimmed to fit and can be worn in many shoes including sandals. They do not take up much room in your shoe with their thin and slim design. The messaging insoles are described to be like walking on a water bed, which is absolutely right description. Maybe Happy Feet can help with your foot pain.

Happy Feet® Insoles help relieve:

Corns & Calluses
Heel Pain & Spurs
Poor Circulation
Back & Knee Pain
Metatarsalgia
Morton’s Neuroma
Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
Bunions
Fibromyalgia
Plantar Fasciitis

Happy Feet® 100% glycerin filled insoles provide comfort and relief by distributing weight evenly and absorbing impact with every massaging step. Happy Feet® Insoles easily transfer to different pairs of shoes and last up to six times longer than ordinary brands. Happy Feet® insoles are manufactured in the USA by American craftsmen and come with both a one year warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee.

3 Distinct Actions Deliver Maximum Comfort:

Absorbs Impact & Reduces Fatigue

The insole “floats" the foot on a cool cushion of natural food-quality glycerin to absorb shock and fill all the spaces between your foot and shoe giving a custom fit. This action reduces fatigue, relieves foot, ankle, knee and back pain.

Distributes Weight & Reduces Friction

With every step, dynamic fluid-flow spreads pressure across the entire foot, from heel to arch to ball of the foot. This is especially useful in relief of heel spurs and plantar fasciitis.

Dynamic Fluid Action Massages with Every Step

The dynamic fluid action constantly massages nerve endings in the feet which facilitates circulation to the feet and legs.

Happy Feet would like to help one of my reader's foot health with a pair of Happy Feet Insoles. Planning to purchase a pair use Promo Code: 70728

RULES: Contest closes 11:59pm Eastern August 7, 2011.
Open US winner has 2 days to respond to my email
Leave your email in to post or available in profile, I will not search for it
MUST complete Mandatory Entry. Winner will be chosen by random org. Entries that does not follow the rules will not win.


Mandatory Entry *Follow Life Is A SandCastle via Google Friend Connect & Let me know how you can benefit from Happy Feet Insoles.

********EXTRA ENTRIES***********
*Blog about the giveaway linking Happy Feet Insoles & Life Is A SandCastle (5entries)
* Follow both on twitter & tweet " #giveaway Happy Feet® Insoles @HappyFeetToday @lifesandcastle http://t.co/H9UsbjV #contest #win 8/7" (1 daily)
*Become a Happy Feet facebook fan. (3 entries)
*Become my face book fan. (2 entries)
*Subscribe to my blog by email. (2 entries)
*Enter (current) The Night Owl Mama or giveaways on my site- one entry for each you enter.
*Grab the "Hotter Than Summer" Button @ top left side of my blog (2 entries) But if you already had it and commented on extra entry link before May 1, you get (5 entries).
*Add my regular button (2 entries)
*Add this giveaway to a contest linky & leave link (3 entries each link, up to 3contest listings)


Disclosure: Company or PR will provide me with complimentary product for trial and provided this giveaway. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

ShaToBu Body Shaper

ShaToBu is the workout you wear, according to the University of Virginia Physiology Lab. Studies showed that wearing ShaToBu burns up to 12% more calories with everyday activities such as climbing stairs and walking.  ShaToBu was developed by a female chiropractor and consists of 89% Nylon, 11% LYCRA Elastane COOLMAX fabric gusset. ShaToBu is available in 8 different sizes and 5 styles and optional colors range.

After two babies & a little age I know my body can use a little help. That is where a Body Shaper picks up my slack so to speak. That extra unattractive bulge gets trained with a ShaToBu body shaper and my tummy needs shaping, muscles need toning, and sneaking in additional calorie burning is a plus.

I tried the ShaToBu High Waist to Knee shaper and it made me feel more confident, held together so to speak. I stood straighter with shapewear, had better posture, and the feel of the ShaToBu was smooth. My clothing did not hang or stick to it, even in excess summer heat. I particularly liked the high waist to manage my worst trouble spot. Strong and durable material with resistance bands make my muscles work a little harder. I can feel & see the instant difference in the mirror to my figure.

Follow ShaToBu on twitter & on facebook.

Disclosure: Company or PR provided me with a complimentary product for trial. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

EatSmart Review & Giveaway

Weight loss is a hot topic during summer, especially swim suit season and we desire to cut unwanted pounds. That is why EatSmart Precision Premium Bathroom Scale weighs in top of my scale experiences and I love this product. Sleek & light weight itself but, providing accurate readings through blue back light 3.5" LCD display. The actually appearance & design is eye pleasing you don't mind it sitting in the open.

With the scales in the open, it is easy to concentrate on weight loss goals. Staying focus & on top of weight is easy with EatSmart "Step-On" Technology you get instant readings. 4 High Precision Sensors for the most accurate readings and scale is auto calibrated, for fast & ready use. EatSmart Precision Premium Bathroom Scale is user friendly.

EatSmart is more than just quality bathroom scales, they also produce luggage scales and kitchen scales. EatSmart Precision Voyager Luggage Scale is key for frequent traveling & paying unexpected baggage fees. While their kitchen scales consist of the multifunction home scale, perfect for everyday tasks from weighing food or ingredients to calculating postage. Take a step up to the more sophisticated EatSmart Nutrition Scale that analyzes the nutritional content of ANY food (labeled and unlabeled) by portion size.

EatSmart is the cutting edge of Travel, Home & Health Tools. Thanks to EatSmart for being a part of the "Hotter Than Summer Event" and for giving one of my readers an EatSmart Precision Premium Bathroom Scale.



RULES:
Contest closes 11:59pm Eastern May 26, 2011.
Open US winner has 2 days to respond to my email
Leave your email in to post or available in profile, I will not search for it

MUST complete Mandatory Entry. Winner will be chosen by random org. Entries that does not follow the rules will not win.

Mandatory Entry *Follow Life Is A SandCastle via Google Friend Connect & Visit EatSmart and tell me a product you love & the link to the product.

********EXTRA ENTRIES***********
*Blog about the giveaway linking EatSmart & Life Is A SandCastle (5entries)
* Follow both on twitter & tweet " #giveaway EatSmart Precision Premium Bathroom Scale @EatSmartScales @lifesandcastle http://t.co/Iv7HEfy #win 5/26" (2 daily)
*Become my face book fan.(2 entries)
*Become EatSmart Scales Facebook Fan.(3 entries)
*Subscribe to my blog by email. (2 entries)
*Enter The Night Owl Mama or giveaways on my site- one entry for each you enter.
*Comment on one non giveaway post on my site(2 entries)
*Grab the "Hotter Than Summer" Button @ top left side of my blog (2 entries) But if you already had it and commented on extra entry link before May 1, you get (5 entries).
*Grab regular button (2 entries)
*Add this giveaway to a contest linky & leave link (3 entries each link, up to 3contest listings)

Disclosure: EatSmart provided me with a complimentary product for trial and provided a giveaway. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

All Terrain Review & Giveaway

Back in 2007, fishing at the river and pregnant the mosquitoes were terrible along the banks. In the boat they didn't bite so bad, and aware of how dangerous deet was, I used store products that didn't contain deet. Those products fell short and I was still becoming a buffet for mosquitoes.

Needless to say I wanted to take my son fishing and I did not want to use dangerous products on him. So our fishing became limited. I wish I had known All Terrain then.



This week we ventured out to a wooded fishing hole with both children. I applied All Terrain, it has a strong cintrella smell in case your sensitive to smells. Guess What? We never got a mosquito bite. We saw mosquitoes swarming, it was like they didn't believe was was going on. All Terrain insect repellent seriously works and is natural. I can handle the smell as long as we are outside.

Using this product you can be sure you are not harming your children and the environment with harsh chemicals. All Terrain insect repellent comes in a handy flat spray bottle that fits nicely into your shirt or pants pocket.

So we had the opportunity to test the All Terrain antiseptic gel also, we did get to test it the same day we went fishing, my son fell skinning his hand. I asked him did it hurt of burn when I applied it? He said, no. It had no strong smell and it didn't bother him, all good in my book:)

We also, are in the process of trying the All Terrain Sunscreens. So far so good, it comes spray bottle, that I love. It's not sticky, pasty, or gloppy. I don't smell any strong smell from it which is a very good thing, we have sensitive sinuses.

All in all, All Terrain Products have met my expectations of products I would like my family to use and met our needs. I love that they don't test on animals and are using natural materials.


Thanks to All Terrain for being a sponsor of our Carefree Days of Summer Event. All Terrain will give one of my readers a All Terrain insect repellent, sunscreen, & antiseptic.

RULES:
Contest closes 11:59pm Eastern July 6, 2010
Open US & winner has 48 hrs to respond to my email
Leave your email in to post or available in profile, I will not search for it
MUST complete Mandatory Entry. Winner will be chosen by random org. Entries that does not follow the rules will not win.

Mandatory Entry is to visit All Terrain and tell me what other product you love or fact about the company.


********EXTRA ENTRIES***********

*Blog about the giveaway linking All Terrain
& Life Is A SandCastle (5entries)
*Follow Life Is A SandCastle via Google Friend Connect
*subscribe to All Terrain Blog (2 entries)
*Follow @Guidecraft @lifesandcastle on twitter & tweet(2 times per day)
*Become my face book fan.
*Become a All Terrain facebook fan.
*Subscribe to my blog by email. (2 entries)
*Enter Night Owl Mama or I Like It Frantic giveaways one entry for each you enter.
*Add the Carefree Days Of Summer Button to your blog

Disclosure: Please note this giveaway was presented by All Terrain & I received samples to review. I did not receive any other compensation. All opinions are my own.

Immunizations

It's terrible for parents to watch there little one have shots. Yesterday, I took my boys to the doctor and they are doing great both in the 95 percentile for their age. It was time for the immunization shots for Matt.

I personally hold off their my baby immunization to the last possible minute to give it to them. The truth is I'm scared what is being pumped into their bodies and I scared not to give it to them. Waiting to the last minute especially for the MMR Shot. You've probably heard all the stories over this shot and the controversy for the Autism related cases they claim it brings on. Does anyone know for sure? No, but I still worried and I'm worrying about Matt taking this one. It will be due in a few months.

I waited as long as I could to give it to CC, hoping his little body could handle it better with more age. The night he took that shot his fever shot up sky high, unlike any of the other immunizations. I kept packing him full of Tylenol and wrapped him up real warm. I'd never been so scared. Eventually the fever broke and for two days after I had to keep giving him medication to keep it down. I think one of the biggest concerns is keeping the fever down as, fever can fry your brain and kill you.

Now with all the medication recalls you worry about this too. Children are left sore, gruchy, feverish, and confussed. Vaccination are scary for parent and child, there are so many what ifs.