1/14/12

Sweep of the Day

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My 2012 in Pictures - Day 14

I love hot baths.
I hate dry skin.
I love testing new products.
Find out tomorrow what I thought of this one.
Off to soak in my huge jetted garden tub!

Fit Moms For Life - Review and Giveaway

As a mom, are you just worn out? Tired of taking care of everyone but yourself? Wanting to lose the post-pregnancy weight? Think you don't have the time or energy? I found a book that will help you transform your way of thinking and your way of life! Fit Moms For Life: How to Have Endless Energy to Outplay Your Kids by Dustin Maher is a fabulous read! It's the kind of book that not only tells you how you can do it, it also shows you how you can. There are also stories throughout the book, with before and after photos, of women just like me who have achieved their personal goals in many areas.




In this book, you learn how to burn 5-9 times more fat without cardio. This training program actually burns fat while you sleep and there's even one exercise that can shrink your waistline without diet changes! There is also an eating plan and recipes for healthy, balanced meals that are delicious. If you have made the decision to lose weight this year because you want to look good in your bathing suit this summer, or because you're exhausted just running up the stairs, or have finally decided since you take care of everyone else - it's now time to take care of you, then I recommend this book. I spent today reading the book and am going to start with his exercise plan immediately. I love how Dustin addresses the psychology beneath the surface of who we are. He will also teach you the five pillars for lasting success. Don't miss his 16 Rules to Live By!
TIME FOR A GIVEAWAY
Win your very own copy of Fit Moms for Life by filling in the Rafflecopter form below. You must be a Planet Weidknecht follower, at least 18 years old, and have a US address to be eligible to win. Only the first entry is mandatory; all others are bonus entries to increase your chances to win. Good luck!

1/13/12

$50 Friday Winner

Winner will be emailed by Shauna Torres!
Congratulations!

Winner of 7000 Facebook Fan Party Giveaway

Thank you to everyone who entered!
I am excited to announce the winner
of the 7000 Facebook Fan Party Giveaway:
Linda M.
Want to win too?
Enter more giveaways HERE!

Wholesale Keychain Review and Giveaway

These two beautiful keychains came from http://www.wholesalekeychain.com. It was really hard to choose which ones to order because there are so many different keychains on their website. I chose the Dodge Hemi teardrop keychain for my husband Johnny. I love that it came in the gift box because he wasn't expecting anything. It's a perfect gift and he was very pleased with it! It's made of excellent quality durable materials, made in the USA, and backed by a lifetime warranty against flaws in the material and workmanship. He currently drives a different Dodge, but I know he loves the Hemi.
I chose the Texas Longhorn circle keychain for myself, since I got my Bachelor's degree at UT Austin in 1998. It's an officially licensed college brand, made in the USA of the highest quality materials. It also has a lifetime warranty against flaws in the material and workmanship.
Even better, Wholesale Keychain does engraving on many of its products, making these the perfect choice for a graduate, a new driver, even that hard-to-buy-for friend or family member! They have sports keychains for NFL, NHL, Nascar and more. There are hundreds of choices in their automotive category of keychains too.
They also have digital photo keychains, Disney keychains, pepper spray keychains, and laser pointer keychains. Choose from toy and game keychains, bottle opener keychains, a keychain knife, and even a flash drive keychain. Their selection is amazing!

A GIVEAWAY
WholesaleKeychain.com is sponsoring a giveaway right here on Planet Weidknecht! One winner may select any keychain up to a value of $9.99 plus free engraving if desired. To enter to win, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. To be eligible to win, you must be a follower of Planet Weidknecht, you must be at least 18 years old, and you must have a US address. Good luck!

My 2012 in Pictures - Day 13

Today I received my first shipment of products
from Nutrisystem's new Success program!
These are the shelf-stable foods. I also received
two coolers full of their frozen meals.
I can hardly wait to try the brand new
chocolate covered breakfast donut!

Tide Coldwater Liquid Laundry Detergent Review

I was invited to join the Tide Coldwater Program by SheSpeaks, which means I got a free full-sized bottle of Tide Coldwater Liquid Laundry Detergent to put to the test! First, let me say, I am not a Tide user so this is my first exposure to this brand in probably over 20 years. This detergent is advertised as "Future Friendly" because using cold water instead of heated water conserves energy and saves me money on my utility bill. Growing up, mom always taught me to wash whites in hot water to get them clean. Tide Coldwater claims to remove stains better in cold water than leading bargain liquid detergents in warm water.
Every Friday when my daycare kids get up from naptime, I strip the sheets and blankets off their cots and throw them in the wash. This afternoon, I put Tide Coldwater to the test. See the red stain on that white sheet to the right of the Tide bottle? That is tomato ketchup that stuck to a boy's shirt during lunch on Tuesday, then transferred to his cot sheet during naptime. So the stain set for three days before my test. I was doubtful it would come clean.
Since there were six sheets and six blankets going in the load, I put a safety pin next to the stain so I could easily identify which sheet was my test item. I left the pin in through the wash load and dryer load. Since I have a high-efficiency washer and the product I received is not HE detergent, I just used much less soap so I didn't oversuds my washer. I wasn't worried about it because I have accidentally purchased non-HE detergent in the past.
I had to adjust the temperature to cold because the default wash is a warm wash/cold rinse. At the end of the washer cycle, I threw everything into the dryer. Did I peek at my test item? Of course I did! When the dryer cycle was done I set the sheet on the kitchen table near windows so I could get the best possible natural lighting for the photo.
I am absolutely amazed. I am totally impressed with the cleaning ability of Tide Coldwater Liquid Laundry Detergent! P&G has gained a new Tide customer. I'm very excited to see that it works so well and I'm even more excited to know that I'm going to save money by washing all our laundry in cold water, and conserving energy at the same time!
Disclosure: I received this product at no charge in exchange for my honest review. I also anticipate receiving a $50 gift card.

Nutrisystem Update - Week Nine #NSNation

I just finished my ninth week on Nutrisystem and I am very happy to report I've lost another pound, for a total of sixteen. I'm staying focused on my long-term goals. I've noticed when I make a food decision now that I am paying a lot more attention to what I'm eating. When we go into a restaurant, I look for the lightest meals on the menu and really appreciate places that promote healthy eating. However, I've also noticed that I really prefer to eat at home. The Nutrisystem meals are delicious and I always know the food is good for me and prepared in a way that is good for me. In a restaurant, I'm not really sure what oils and butters they are using and those hidden calories are bad.
One way I keep motivated is by reading the success stories and articles on the Nutrisystem website. The Daily Dose article always inspires me and encourages me. One of the most recent articles I loved was called Maintaining the Momentum and it was full of excellent tips to keep me from faltering in my efforts. The one thing that really hit home with me was their suggestion to remember the reasons I wanted to get on the program. I really want to lose weight. Having Nutrisystem as my guide has been a huge help to me because it keeps me accountable. I will get into those skinny jeans in my closet!
Disclosure: In exchange for blogging my progress, I am receiving the Nutrisystem plan at no charge.

Want to lose weight and get healthy this year?
Join Nutrisystem today by calling 1-888-853-4689
or by visiting http://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog.

Sweep of the Day

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1/12/12

Winner Announcement


The Sweet Tomatoes Souplantation Winner is...
#24 Catie! 
Congratulations!


Friday Plus Fifty Equals Giveaway



Everyone loves cash, right? How would you like a chance to win $50 EVERY FRIDAY? Well, I am very excited to announce that I have joined with an amazing group of bloggers to offer you a WEEKLY cash giveaway! T
here is only one catch, the giveaway begins THIS FRIDAY and is ONLY open from 12:01 am  to12:01am on Saturday, just ONE DAY!


My 2012 in Pictures - Day 12

My Office
Just a little piece of wall between the daycare rooms and the living room. 
It's my teacher desk during daycare hours.
It's my sweepstaking spot during daycare naptimes.
It's my blogging desk in the evenings and on the weekends.

Chinese New Year Giveaway Hop - Win Giant Foam Floor Size Pattern Blocks

Welcome to the Chinese New Year Hop, brought to you by How Was Your Day?  
2012 is the Year of the Dragon! 

The Dragon is a sacred symbol in Chinese astrology.  A dragon is symbolic of power and superiority, rather than a threatening symbol.  People born under the sign of the dragon are special, considered widely to be strong and wise.  

There are more than 60 blogs participating, each with a minimum $25 prize package!
    Click here to enter for Giveaway Hop Grand Prize
a Chinoiserie Carlotta clutch from Dulce Mio (ARV $35)
You can earn entries for the Grand Prize by entering the giveaways hosted on each blog. 

My prize is a set of Giant Foam Floor Size Pattern Blocks
sponsored by Learning Resources!

Click HERE to read my review. 
Then enter below using the Rafflecopter form.

FREEBIE Digital Scrapbook Design Kit

MyMemories, makers of MyMemories Suite digital scrapbooking software,
has provided another one of their fabulous FREEBIES!
You do not have to own the software to use these papers and elements.
The papers are .jpg and the embellishments are .png so you 
can use them with any graphics program.

CLICK HERE to download this designer pack.

Here's a page I created with my cloud photo
in about five minutes with this beautiful design kit:

Even if you've never scrapbooked, if you can point and click a mouse,
you can make beautiful pages!
If you'd like to buy the MyMemories Suite v3 software,
here is a $10 discount code you can use:
STMMMS93122

See Your Life the Way it was Meant to Be

What would you do if you lost your vision? It terrifies me to even consider it. I've needed glasses or contact lenses since third grade and I still remember the first time I put on a pair of glasses and the world came into focus for me. It's a feeling of joy and relief, especially as my eyes age and see less clearly every year. I'm even wearing bifocals at age 45. I'm so thankful for those who create the lenses that help me to see my life! I don't want to miss a thing.
Carl Zeiss Vision is a global leader in precision optics. Not just a leader in eye care, Zeiss lenses are used by astronauts, film makers, and even to photograph for Google Earth! Do you realize that every eye is just as unique as a fingerprint? Zeiss understands lenses and has created some amazing online educational tools for everyday people like me to understand what I need to know to get the right glasses for me.
There is a handy list of eleven facts to know about vision and lenses including how often adults and children should have eye exams, plus an explanation of the three types of eye professionals who help you keep your vision healthy. Don't miss the nine tips for selecting an eye doctor or the list of questions to ask at your next eye exam appointment. If your eye doctor can't answer these, run! There is also a section for those of us who, like me, has passed that 40 year milestone. You'll eventually need to know these facts about age-related vision changes so Zeiss includes all the important stuff. Armed with the right information, you can be assured of receiving the best lenses for your vision!

Great Update to Blogger Platform

I am so excited! I just discovered that the Blogger Platform now allows me to reply to reader comments right on the blog page. THANK YOU BLOGGER! I love this platform and this is a wonderful tool that I've wanted for some time now. I've seen some bloggers complain and leave to other platforms, but I'm loyal to Blogger. 
To my fans, I am excited to be able to better interact with you within the pages of my posts! Happy Dance!

My Dog Loves Mr. Chewy - Review

My dog Buddy loves helping with me reviews. Since he usually only gets one treat snack at a time, he was especially affectionate when a package arrived from Mr. Chewy with two different kinds of dog treats inside that he needed to sample for me. They have a huge selection of brands of pet food, treats, and supplies for your pets at very competitive prices!
Buddy loves their subscription-based ordering because it means he will never be out of treats. Mr. Chewy delivers right to the house and they have special promotions and free shipping offers! I appreciated the quick shipping and excellent customer service.
Buddy was happy to sit pretty for a Wellness Pure Rewards Beef Snack! The treats were very fresh and smelled almost good enough for me to eat. As I opened the other bag, he gave me the strangest look, like, really? I get another one? Are you kidding me? Seriously?
The Zuke's Hip Action Peanut Butter Treats were obviously a hit for my poochie too. Now that he has had a chance to sample both of the treats, he constantly comes over and sits at my side to nudge me with his nose for another one. Spoiled much?
I love Mr. Chewy's referral program! You sign up, tell your friends, and when they order they get 10% off and a donation of $10 goes to animals in need. How awesome is that? Buddy is a rescue dog and he's the best dog ever. Since I'm telling you about it, you can save 10% off your first order with this code: LISA3147. Be sure to check out Mr. Chewy's highly competitive prices for Frontline and Royal Canin brands!
Here is Buddy's lick of approval for Mr. Chewy! Buddy says he'd be happy to review more treats and to just to whistle for him!
Disclosure: I received these products at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

HOW ABOUT ANOTHER GIVEAWAY?
Now YOU get to enter to win a $25 gift code to use on your pet at http://www.mrchewy.com/. You must be a Planet Weidknecht reader, at least 18 years old and have a US address. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter! Good luck!
Note: First entry mandatory. Additional entries are bonus entries to increase your chances to win.

Walgreens to the Rescue

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

The dispute between Walgreens and Express Script has ended in an unfortunate way. They were unable to negotiate a new contract so as of January 1, 2012, Walgreens is no longer part of the Express Scripts' pharmacy provider network. Walgreens has made clear that Express Scripts' is causing it's customers to leave the Walgreens pharmacies and look elsewhere. Since Walgreens offers more drive through pharmacies and more 24 hours pharmacies than anyone else in the country, customers are having to drive farther to get the prescriptions they need.

It seems Express Script wanted exclusive right to determine contract terms, while Walgreens sought only to continue things without disruption or cost increases. Express Script has even stated they expect no savings to their customers by removing Walgreens from the network. I think it's a real shame because many of the customers have built a relationship with their Walgreens pharmacists over many years. I love that we drive into our pharmacy and they know our names. While getting our items ready, they chat with us about our kids instead of asking us to spell our last name again.

In response, Walgreens is working hard to retain their loyal customers despite the contract ending. The Walgreens Prescription Savings Club is offering club memberships at a special discount during January. For just $10 a family (or $5 an individual) club members will receive savings on more than 8000 brand name drugs and on all generic drugs. More than 400 generic prescriptions are available on a three month plan that costs less than a dollar a week! Check out Walgreens on Twitter and Walgreens on Facebook to learn more about their Savings Club.

I Just Won a Great Prize

Thanks to http://rockinmama.net/ for hosting such a fabulous giveaway!
My daycare kids will be absolutely thrilled with this prize!


Top Fan Giveaway Announcement

Head on over the Planet Weidknecht Facebook page and look for the left-side page called Top Fans. Are you in the top ten? Well, you might want to be there, because January's top fan will win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card
How do you become the top fan? First, be sure to LIKE my page. Then just be active on the page throughout the month, commenting, liking posts, and contributing to the discussions to earn points. Winner will be determined at 11:59p.m. the last day of each month and I'll even take a screen shot of it to put on a blog post. I thought this might be a fun way to reward you! Good luck!

Sweep of the Day

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Winner Winner

Give a high five to the winner of 
The Swiss Cheese Theory of Life book!
Jayme H.

1/11/12

My 2012 in Pictures - Day 11

Buddy likes helping me review items!

Perky-Pet Birdfeeder Review and Preschool Science

I love to find new ways to incorporate science into my home daycare program!  As soon as my daycare kids saw the birdfeeder, they asked me what we were going to do with the new "house." I gathered them all up around the preschool table and showed them the Mountain Chapel Wild Bird Feeder from Perky-Pet. I absolutely LOVE this design - it really looks like a little chapel with curved windows!
We talked about what birds like to eat and how sometimes in winter it's difficult for birds to find enough food to eat. I explained that a birdfeeder would attract many different kinds of birds once they found it in the yard. I took the roof off the house let the children explore how the birdfeeder feels, smells, and works. It has a really strong wood scent and the little plastic window "panes" are removable, so we took them all out and put them all back in. 
Then we explored the bag of bird seed. We talked about the different seeds inside the bag and which ones looked most delicious to us if we were a bird. We squished the bag around to see how "slippery" the seeds are and I explained that was part of the reason that a birdfeeder works the way it does with the little open slots at the bottom of the window panes. The kids even noticed the pretty leaf print design all over the windows.
Each child got a turn to pour some of seed into the chapel, which made quite a mess but they were excited to learn that some seeds even bounce when they hit the table. The round ones roll like little balls and when they pour too fast, a bit of "dust" rises from the seed bag! There were lots of giggles and squeals during our science lesson.
Once all the seed finally made it into the birdfeeder, we closed up the rooftop and the kids stuck their fingers through the slots to get the bird seed to start flowing through. In deciding where to put the birdfeeder outside, we decided to vote on whether to put it in the backyard near the playground or outside the classroom window on the fence. Four to two, they voted for outside the window so we could watch them from our daycare classroom window and so the birds won't "poop on the playground toys." 
Once it was hanging on the fence (no tree outside those windows) the children wondered aloud how the birds would find out that it was there. Apparently, it was "like a free restaurant that no one knows is here." I assured them that the birds would find it soon and that they would certainly let their bird friends know where it is hanging.
So the kids waited...
and waited...
and waited. 

Not a single bird visited our birdfeeder all day long! Sigh. But it was a great science lesson and we have many days ahead of us for birdwatching. I KNOW those birds will be all over it once they spy it. I'll post an update once the birds find our "free bird restaurant."

I absolutely love this birdfeeder. The Chapel style is so unique, and the detail in the shingled roof and printed windows gives it so much charm. Be sure to visit Perky-Pet online and check out their whole line of birdfeeders. There's even an amazing Video Library I plan on using for another science lesson on birds. You can connect with them at Facebook and Twitter too so you're one of the first to know about special promotions!

Wedne$day Wealth Linky for Giveaways

Halfway to Friday. We can make it!
Let's link up all the giveaways we can find.
Then enter them all and win some wealth.

(While you're here, give me a google +1 on the left sidebar, pretty please?)