safeHands Review and Giveaway!

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safeHands is a proven alternative to alcohol-based hand sanitizers. This hydrating, skin-soothing, foam-based non-toxic hand sanitizer kills more than 99.99% of germs on contact and is scientifically proven to be more effective after the third consecutive use than alcohol-based hand sanitizers. safeHands battles germs, not your skin, so you can sanitize while keeping your hands silky smooth. It comes in a foam dispenser and is available in regular and kid (safeSquirts) formulas/scents.

Review: I work in a medical center so I am constantly sanitizing my hands throughout the day. Although this helps me keep germs away, it also keeps my hands pretty dry. I was given a selection of safeHands/safeSquirts to try. The sanitizer is in a bottle with a pump that produces foam. I prefer to use foam sanitizer because I have found liquid sanitizers to leave your hands wet. These absorb very easily and nicely into your skin without any noticeable residue or stickiness. The pump is easy to use and it ensures that you get just the right amount of sanitizer on your hands. The different scents were fun. There was enough scent that you could put your hands to your nose and breathe it in but it was by no means overpowering. The scents of the safeSquirts products I received were Tooty Fruity (a light, fruity and sweet scent), Cool Blue (a crisp, refreshing scent), and Bubble Gum (which was my favorite and smelled as it is named). My kids liked the scents and they are in small, portable containers so they are able to just toss them in their backpacks and have them at school. These are a very nice alternative to harsher, alcohol based sanitizers and I would prefer using these any day!
 
Connect here: You can follow safeHands on Facebook and on Twitter (@GetSafeHands)

Buy it here: safeHands can be found at select Target stores or online at www.getsafehands.com and Amazon.  If you live in Erie, PA, you can print the coupon below for some exclusive savings at the local Target!

 Win it here:
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

*I was provided with the above mentioned products for the purpose of facilitating this review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

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Grab Bag Giveaway ($82 Value)

I need your help! I entered my All American Hot Rod burger into a recipe contest and I would love it if you would help me out by voting soon and often. To thank you, I am going to give away a grab bag full of awesome coupons for free products to one lucky voter!  The grab bag prize pack includes coupons for:
Free 20 Mule Borax Detergent Booster
Free Jolly Time Microwave Popcorn 
Free Nerf Rebelle Dart Refill Pack (with purchase of a Heartbreaker Bow)
Free Purex Natural Elements Tropical Splash Detergent
2 Free Wholly Guacamole Salsa or Queso product
Free Pet ID Tag from Just4MyPet.com (shipping charges may apply)
Four Free Jump Passes to Pop-In Playtime.

All you have to do is vote for the All American Hot Rod Burger. When you vote, you are also entered to win a sweet Burger Stuffer Kit from Good Cook. You can vote three times a day and get entries into this contest each time you vote for my burger. Plus, beginning tomorrow, you will get some extra entries to more Cake Mom giveaways.  Thanks and good luck!! 

Update: Looks like the rules have changed a bit and I can no longer giveaway products that are not Good Cook for this promotion. However, I would still love it if you would  Vote here
for my burger. I will keep all the current entries but am adding different ways of entering and will be glad to give away this prize pack because I love my readers regardless of whether they vote for me or not!  

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Informercials, Inc. Focus Group Opportunity!

My kids are totally obsessed with just about any "As Seen on TV" product. Ever since they were just old enough to talk, they would watch the mini-infomercials carefully and then insist that I, they, or my husband NEEDS that product. They still are very influenced by these advertisements and I will admit they do have some pretty cool products.  Infomercials, Inc, the promotional company that launched Pillow Pets and Stompeez (to name a couple), are looking for parents, teachers, grandparents and anyone else who influences or is involved in the lives of kids to participate in a survey about joining a focus group whose opinions will then influence what new toys the company comes out with. If my kids are going to continue to be obsessed with these infomercials, I know I would love to have a voice in what they beg me for this Christmas!

Complete details are online at http://tvfocusgroup.com. Anyone can apply and if you are selected, you will receive Amazon gift cards and other prizes just for reviewing short product videos and answering questions online about what you did or did not like about the product. I signed up and the survey took me only a couple minutes to complete. You have nothing to lose by signing up!

*I received compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are still my own. 

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Back to School with Pilot (Review)

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I cannot function without a good pen. When I was in school, losing a good pen and having to settle for a crappy borrowed one would seriously cause me distress. I know, it is ridiculous, but true nonetheless. Pilot has a line of writing instruments that fit everyone's needs and style. Although I don't write nearly as much as I used to, I still am on the lookout for the best of the best pens and will admit that I am a total pen snob. It is important to me to have a comfortable grip as well as smooth writing so I was really excited to get to try out Pilot's line of products.

G2 Family: The G2 is designed to be a comfortable, reliable pen that writes twice as long as other gel ink pens. It is America's #1 selling gel ink pen. The G2 comes in 14 vibrant colors and 4 point sizes and the G2 Fashion is available with 5 different barrel colors with black ink.
                Review: I don't use gel pens all that often, but there are times when the darker ink just works better. I have not liked the blotchy and smeared look that can come from gel ink pens, but the G2 is different. I can't imaging getting a smoother output and there are no smudges at all on my paper. When I have to use gel ink, this is definitely the pen I will reach for. I especially love the fun designs of the G2 Fashion.

FriXion Family: FriXion writes smooth and erases clean. Its revolutionary ink disappears with erasing friction without the smears, smudges, or eraser crumbs. The Clicker combines the convenience of a retractable with the erasable gel ink and is available in 8 vibrant color varieties.
                Review: This truly was an incredible pen. It writes nicely in colored in which was fully erasable thanks to the small rubber ball on the end. When I say it is erasable, I mean it. It is not like other pens that still leave an outline on the paper...it erases completely (see picture at the bottom of the post)! I love the bright ink color which makes writing just a little more fun.

B2P Family: Bottle-2-Pen (B2P) is the world's first line of pens made from recycled bottles. With a barrel that resembles a plastic bottle and smooth-writing ink, B2P helps you write and helps the environment. The Pall Point pen is made from 83% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

               Review: I LOVE the concept of this pen. As someone who believes in recycling as much as possible, I really appreciate Pilot for creating these pens. The design of the pen is so adorable. I do wish the ink was just a little darker as I like my blue ink to be real deep, but I would certainly settle for a lighter color knowing that this is more environmentally-friendly than other pens on the market.

Dr. Grip Family: Dr. Grip's balanced design and lasting comfort alleviate writing stress. It has been commended for Ease-of-Use by the Arthritis Foundation and in a study by Georgia Tech where it was proven to be twice as comfortable as traditional ball point pens. 
                 Review:  Despite my stern Catholic-school upbringing and threats to have my hands smacked, I do not hold my pen correctly. I never have. As a result, my hands tire easily and there is unnecessary pressure on one of my knuckles. Not only do I like the way this pen writes, I love the rubber gripper and larger barrel that make it much more comfortable to write. This pen was designed for someone like me! 


Here are how the different pen inks looked on paper! Please excuse my messy writing! 

*I was provided with the above mentioned products for the purpose of facilitating this review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

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Good Cook Contest -PLEASE Vote for Me!!!!

My All American Hot Rod Burger was entered into a Good Cook contest and I would LOVE it if you would vote for me! You can vote up to three times a day and voting enters you into a contest to win a pressed burger kit of your own!  

Please ENTER HERE and vote for the All American Hot Rod Burger!!  THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

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Re-Body Green Coffee Bean Extract Review and Giveaway

                                                                                                              Contains Affiliate links

Sponsored post* 

I have been hearing the buzz about the weight-loss benefits of green coffee extract for a couple of months now and I have been dying to see if it really works. Svetol is the active and clinically proven ingredient in this supplement. It is the first and only green coffee extract that has been extensively researched for its fat burning effect with 8 published studies. The proprietary green coffee bean plant extract is rich in chlorogenic acids, which helps inhibit the production and storage of fat by preventing glucose from reaching the bloodstream, thus the cells have less glucose to transform to fat. Re-Body's Green Coffee Bean Extract with Raspberry Ketones offers 400mg of Svetol a day. 

Review:  I have been using Re-Body's Green Coffee Bean extract for 3 weeks now. I can say that this capsules are a little on the larger size though I have no problem swallowing larger pills so this was no deterrent for me. I noticed no side effects which was a real bonus; but, unfortunately I did not have the positive outcomes either. I think the problem, in part, is that the directions for use are very difficult for me to stay compliant with because you need to take it twice a day before a meal. Well, I take all of my medications at night so I do not think about taking anything during the day. When I would remember, it was often after I already ate. So, taking it twice a day almost never actually happened. I did manage to remember it once on most days but this was obviously not enough to have an affect on my weight. I am not saying it does not work, simply that it may work for someone who can actually manage to remember to take it twice a day before eating. I was looking for a quick fix so darn my distractions and tendency to not eat at set times of the day! Oh well, I guess it is back to the dieting drawing board for me....

Buy it here: You can purchase a month's supply of Re-Body's Green Coffee Bean Extract from the Re-Body website for $29.99. It is also available through Amazon.

Win it here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*I was provided with the above mentioned products for the purpose of facilitating this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The statements in the intro section of this post have not been evaluated by the FDA.

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Post-it & Scotch Home Collection Review

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For the first time ever, 3M's Post-it Brand and Scotch Brand have teamed up to create home organization products, all of which are available through The Container Store. The line includes more than 15 new products and simple solutions to tackle everything from reminders and to-do lists to family schedule planning to displaying children's artwork at home. 

The collection pairs functionality with stylish design and soft hues, featuring products that can be used individually or work together to create unique and approachable organization system.  Some of the products in the line include the following:

Post-it Reminder Tags - adhesive on one end allows you to loop a note around items such as handbags, backpacks, or straps. 
        Review: I can't tell you how many times I have forgotten to take something to work or, conversely, forgotten to take something back home. I have tried using regular Post-it's as reminders, but if you get used to seeing a memo on your computer screen for 8 hours, you no longer think to look at it before you leave. This is a great way to remember and I like to put the tags right on my purse straps. Since I am not used to seeing these, my eyes go right to the tag and forgetting items is a thing of the past! 

Post-it View and Go Pockets - organizational solution to keep papers sun as menus, recipes, and receipts easy-to-find. They feature foam tape backing to easily mount and remove pockets from refrigerators, cabinets, and more. There is also a flap deal to keep items secure on the go.
        Review: I really love this product and it has become a great way to store things for school that I will need soon and, in the past, have lost like permission slips and book order pamphlets. It sticks nicely to the refrigerator and I have had quite a few papers inside at one time without it being too heavy and falling. I love that it is clear so I can easily see what is inside.

Scotch Display Frames - instantly frame and display artwork, photos, school schedules and more virtually anywhere without using nails, tacks, or causing wall damage. 
        Review: This is a great and attractive way to display photos and artwork. I actually have been using it to display the monthly lunch menu. I would have liked it to be able to be used with landscape or portrait papers but one little piece of tape on the bottom was all I needed to use it for the landscape printed menus. There is enough natural static cling that the paper stays put without any problem.

Scotch Restickable Display Strip - provides a decorative way to display items for enjoyment or reference. The strips are pre-cut, removable, and reusable. 
        Review:  I was a bit doubtful that these would work and was convinced they could not possibly be sticky enough to keep papers stuck to it or would be so sticky that whatever was stuck to it would end up ripped upon removal; however, this product proved me wrong. I stuck it to the back of a door where I keep our calendar and it ended up being the perfect place to store reminders and invitations. With careful removal, the papers even come off cleanly with no tearing. I really love this product and my strip is already full so it looks like I need to buy another one!

Buy it here: The Home Collection by Post-it Brand and Scotch Bran is available at The Container Store locations nationwide and online. 

*I was provided with the above mentioned product for the purpose of facilitating this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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