This giveaway is now closed. The winner is commenter #2, Wade. Thank you!
Is this not a little kid's dream come true?!
This is a Gorilla Swing Set we got for our kids back in March and I can’t even begin to describe how much we all love it. The kids have spent hours playing on it and I’ve spent hours doing other stuff without them telling me there’s nothing to do. It’s a miracle!
These Swing-N-Slide sets are so worth the money. Pretty simple assembly, quality materials, and hours of amusement.
Not shown in this picture, there was a set of binoculars and a telescope that went with the set. We just hadn’t attached them yet- we have now. They’re so cool! We can spy on the neighbors now! The kids can see all the way across the yard!
The only problem is that they are both attached to that rail you see there- which is fine for the five year old but not so hot for the three year old because he’s really short. For a while there, he had a step stool he dragged up there so he could stand on it and look thru the scope but that was making me have mini panic attacks to see my tiny person balanced precariously on a step stool above a ladder… so that had to go. The boy was bummed.
This was taken TODAY, May 31st. It's still cold enough for coats!
So when I was offered the chance to review a swing set accessory, I jumped right on that periscope. As you can see, my little man is pleased with his periscope. Now he gets to look out too without any dangerous acrobatics. And the height adjusts very easily so the girl can use it comfortably also. It also comes out of the attachment bracket thing easily so they can take it all over the yard and play with it. Related: it is exceedingly durable.
If you’re looking for a site with swing sets for sale, make sure you check out the links I’ve got posted in this blog.
And now… my favorite part…. (and yours too, I assume!)…
GIVEAWAY!
The winner gets one periscope identical to the one pictured above.
To enter: Leave me a comment telling me about your favorite childhood summertime memories.
(Do you want to know mine? Laying on the hot patio with my best friend Jen after playing mermaids in the swimming pool.)
The giveaway ends Tuesday, June 7th at 11:59 PM PST. The winner will be chosen using random.org and will be announced here as well as e-mailed. If they don’t respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. US residents only, please.
CLOSED!
The winner is #20, Megan. Congrats, Megan!
You guys know how I’m always on the lookout for good, natural soaps, lotions, and other skin care products. This is a great one. Prairie Essence has been making their beautiful natural products for eight years and they are good at it!
Prairie Essence makes handmade soaps, lotions, lip balms, and solid perfume using materials from renewable plant sources and packages them in recycled, recyclable packaging. They only put good stuff in their products- things you can pronounce and that are good for your skin. Things like beeswax, cocoa butter, palm kernel oil, and essential oils. Their products come in some amazing scent combinations and I can’t wait to try all of them! Like the Prairie Sage and the Almond Milk & Honey soaps- they sound wonderful!
Prairie Essence sent me a bar soap, a lotion, and a chapstick to try out and review. I’ve been using them for a few days and here is what I think:
First of all, everything is in very nice packaging. I love their labels, they’re so simple and beautiful. The package smelled awesome just coming out of the mailbox. My kids kept on sniffing it!
They sent me the Lavender Fields soap. I love lavender and this is a really good true lavender scent. It’s so soothing and relaxing. The soap makes a nice, rich lather and is very moisturizing. I would definitely buy this soap again and will be trying some of their other scents as well! They all come in 4 oz size bars, which is a very nice sized piece of soap. It will last a good, long time. They even have unscented for those with sensitive skin and their soaps are 100% vegan!
I also received the Lavender Fields lotion to go along with it. I’ve been keeping it by my bedside and using it every night on my hands and feet. I love it! The lavender scent is perfect for bedtime. It’s a really nice lotion, moisturizing without being greasy. It absorbs very well and keeps my hands moisturized for a very long time.
And I got a Lemon Sorbet lip balm. I am the queen of chapstick- I rarely ever wear lipstick, but I wear chapstick all the time. I’ve been toting this around with me everywhere because I love it so much. It smells amazing- this is my favorite of the products I received. It smells almost like a lemon cake, and tastes good too. It’s the perfect lip balm, it’s not heavy or too thick and makes my lips feel nice and smooth. I know lip balms are easy to find but I will make a point to order some other flavors from Prairie Essence because this is way better than other brands I’ve tried. I also really like the packaging, it’s so pretty and simple.
So, I’m three for three on what they sent me- I love it all and will order from them again! The problem is going to be deciding which scents to narrow it down to!
And the most exciting part of all? I get to share Prairie Essence with one of you because they’re giving away products to one lucky reader!
GIVEAWAY: The winner gets one soap, one lotion, and one chapstick of their choice!
TO ENTER: (this one’s required):
Go visit the Prairie Essence website and tell me which scents you’d choose if you won.
ADDITIONAL ENTRIES: (leave a comment for each one that you do)
Blog about this giveaway. Comment here with a link to your blog entry.
Tweet about this giveaway. You can use: Enter to win natural skin care products at http://www.happyhealthyhomemade.com/2010/07/giveaway-prairie-essence.html. You can tweet once a day, make sure you leave a comment here with the link each time!
Post a link to this giveaway on Facebook. Comment here with a link to your facebook post.
The giveaway ends Wednesday, August 4th at 11:59 PM PST. The winner will be chosen using random.org and will be announced here, as well as e-mailed. If they don’t respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. US and Canada residents only, please.
This giveaway is closed! Thank you for all your entries. The winning comment is #7, by Sarah R. Congratulations, Sarah!
BUT the discount code is still good through July 31st!
Fresh Karat is offering a special discount for my readers! How cool is that?! Use the code HEALTHYHAPPY at checkout to get 10% off your entire order!
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Bad hair days happen to all of us. What do you do on a bad hair day? Throw it in a ponytail? Put on a hat? Call in sick and hide under the covers all day, avoiding the public?
There’s a better solution, you know! What if you could cover that ratty hair with an accessory that is super cute and comfy, matches your outfits, and is cool and hip? Sounds perfect, right? What you need are Fresh Karat headwraps.
Fresh Karat offers a huge selection of colors and prints in stretchy, comfortable fabrics. Just check it out, the selection is amazing! There’s a headwrap to match just about everything in your closet, I’m sure! Also, their headwraps are made in the USA- awesome.
They even offer a line called Eco-Fit, which is what first got my attention of course. They are workout headbands made with bamboo, modal, and Spandex. They wick and absorb sweat way better than cotton and I love that they’re made with renewable resources.
Fresh Karat decided to send me two headwraps to review- one Eco-fit and one original. I chose the grape color for the eco-fit and they picked the SunSeeker from their High Society line- which is actually kind of funny because when I was browsing their site, that was one of my very favorite prints.
Two days ago, I put on my eco-fit headwrap for my walk. The first and most notable thing about this headwrap is how amazingly soft it is. Seriously, I’ve gone through tons of headbands from the store, usually made mostly of cotton. They feel nowhere near as nice as the Fresh Karat eco-fit wrap. It’s got just the right amount of stretch and fit very comfortably. The color is so pretty and super-bright.
Ready for my walk and looking hip!
It did just as promised- absorbed tons of sweat. I think I’ve mentioned before that I sweat a LOT when I work out. It’s seriously unlady-like. I can honestly tell you, not a single drop of sweat made it past that headband and into my eyes. Which was awesome! I’ve never had a cotton headband be able to do that! And I purposely waited to do the review til today, when I pulled the headwrap out of the dryer. I ran it through with the rest of my workout clothes, normal settings. It came out perfect. Still just as soft, just as bright, and has not lost any of its stretch. I am very pleased with the Fresh Karat Eco-fit headwrap and I plan on buying a few more so I’ve got one to wear each workout.
As for the other headwrap- I’m having so much fun with it! It’s just cute. I decided to make a little video showing a couple of different ways you can wear it… check it out. (you might need to turn your volume up a bit, it’s kind of quiet.)
So there you have it! I love Fresh Karat!
And good news- Fresh Karat is offering a special discount for my readers! How cool is that?! Use the code HEALTHYHAPPY at checkout to get 10% off your entire order! (Offer expires July 31st.)
GIVEAWAY
Fresh Karat is giving away a headwrap to one of my readers!
To enter: (required)
Go to the Fresh Karat website and tell me which wrap you’d choose if you won. It can be original or eco-fit.
Additional entries: (leave a comment for each one you do)
Blog about this giveaway with a link (leave the link to your blog in your comment).
Tweet about this giveaway. You can do this once per day. You can use: Enter to win a Fresh Karat headwrap http://www.happyhealthyhomemade.com/2010/06/fresh-karat-hip-headwraps.html @rachspan
The giveaway ends Monday, July 5th at 11:59 PM PST. The winner will be chosen using random.org and will be announced here, as well as e-mailed. If they don’t respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. US and Canada residents only, please.
This giveaway is closed! The winner is: comment #14, Liza! Congratulations, Liza.
Not too long ago, I came across a site called Easy Lunch Boxes. I was immediately intrigued! So when Kelly, the creator of Easy Lunch Boxes contacted me and asked if I would be interested in doing a review and giveaway, I jumped on the opportunity.
What are Easy Lunch Boxes?
Here’s how Kelly describes them…
Mornings spent in chaos making breakfast, beds, & lunch boxes?
The EasyLunchbox system makes it simple to organize, and quickly pack healthy lunches without wasting money, time, paper or plastic.
Born out of my response to unhealthy school lunch programs, EasyLunchboxes.com started from the desire to send my 3 kids to school with a nutritious meal, using little to no wasteful packaging. But the EasyLunchbox System is not just for kids. Adult size meals fit perfectly too.
EasyLunchboxes.com was launched in December, 2009 and is quickly becoming the new favorite among affordable and green lunch box solutions!
Named a ‘top 5 Eco-Friendly Mommy Must Have” by Parents Ask, the EasyLunchbox System has been rated TOP CHOICE by many independent reviewers.
I was like other frustrated moms – I didn’t like throwing together lunches during the morning rush. So much time was wasted sorting through a cabinet of mismatched food containers while trying to pack 15-25 well-balanced lunches per week. I struggled to find something that would help me pack lunches fast, without resorting to the ‘convenience’ of expensive, pre-packaged ‘fast-food.’ Most importantly, I wanted something attractive, eco-friendly, and made of food-safe materials that I didn’t have to wash by hand.
My clever solution to the lunch-packing chore is the simple two piece EasyLunchbox container : The bottom has three compartments to hold an entree or sandwich and two side dishes. The fitted lid (which comes in 4 colors) covers all three compartments at once. No more squished sandwiches, mismatched plastic container pieces to keep track of (matching up all those bottoms and lids was the thing that drove me nuts!) or wasteful baggies. Fits perfectly inside the roomy EasyLunchbox custom carrying bag. And there is still plenty of room to throw in an extra snack or two, whole fruit, perhaps a thermos of soup, drink and ice block. Flexibility is key, and since so many different things can fit, no matter what menu you choose to include, it packs easily and quickly. It’s amazing how much faster, greener, & easier lunch box packing is with the EasyLunchbox system.
Supporting the waste-free lunch movement, EasyLunchboxes.com offers a reusable, superior solution at a much lower price than other companies.
Great for large families and those on a limited budget.
FDA approved. No BPA, phthalates, lead, vinyl, or PVC. Safe for dishwasher and microwave.
The simple chic design and bright colors of our Cooler Bags can even be personalized!
We have included a sturdy grommet in the carrying handle so you can easily attach a pretty key ring, dietary restrictions warning tag, or your choice of any type of handcrafted or store bought “flair.”
Our Cooler Bags are made of the highest quality 300D Polyester for premium durability and toughness. Vinyl free (PVC free) & lead free, with an FDA compliant PEVA lining.
Our thoughts on Easy Lunch Boxes:
The whole system
I picked out the olive bag, knowing that my husband would be the first tester for our Easy Lunchbox system. Um, also because green is my favorite color, in case you haven’t guessed that already. When he first saw it, he said “that might be too small”. He works 12 hour shifts, outside, with an hour commute on a company bus each way. He’s got no access to a water cooler or microwave or fridge or anything- and he has to have enough food to last him a full fourteen hours. But he was willing to try it out for me anyway. What a guy!
Tim's lunch
As you can see, he used two containers. He’s got his sandwich, chips, beef jerkey, two granola bars, a piece of cheese, and a handful of saltwater taffy in there.
All packed up!
Both containers fit just right with room for his fruit and an ice pack.
Ready to go!
And there we go! He was off to work. He has a ginorm lunchbox he normally takes that fits his two Nalgene bottles of water. Since they didn’t fit in his Easy Lunchbox, he just carried them separately.
When he got home that night, I asked him how it went. It turns out, that was plenty of food- the exact same amount he normally takes in his plastic ziptop bags. The Easy Lunchbox just makes better use of the space. He really liked not having a bunch of empty plastic baggies trying to fly out of his lunchbox every time he opened it. I agree with that- I love the idea of not spending money on plastic bags! He said the only thing he’d like to see is maybe a bigger version of the cooler bag, so that he could fit his water- but he wants to start using the Easy Lunchbox food containers in his big lunchbox so he can do that anyway. I’m pretty sure he’s an exception, though because for someone who works 8-9 hour shifts and possibly has access to water (like, in an office), this bag would be just right. It’s big enough to hold all the food you need, but small enough that you’d be able to store it under your desk or in a drawer easily.
Naturally, once they saw daddy using the Easy Lunchboxes, the kids needed to give them a try, too! We just recently got into the bento trend and Easy Lunchboxes are perfect for this.
Bento-style!
Wish I could have made it cuter for them but mommy was in a hurry. They still thought it was cool though! Of course, they don’t need bags yet, but I am absolutely going to use Easy Lunchboxes for when they start school. No more plastic baggie waste, and no more squashed sandwiches- wish I could have had one of these when I was going to school!
So the results are in: my family LOVES our Easy Lunch Boxes and you will, too!
Now, who wants one? Because I get to give one away to a lucky reader!
The Giveaway:
One lucky winner will receive a set of Easy Lunchbox food containers and the cooler bag of their choice!
To enter: (this is required)
Go browse Easy Lunch Boxes and tell me your favorite thing about Easy Lunchboxes and which color bag you’d choose.
For additional entries: (leave a separate comment for each of these that you do!)
Blog about and link to this giveaway (comment with link)
Tweet about this giveaway. You can do this once per day. If you can, please use this: Happy.Healthy.Homemade is giving away an Easy Lunchbox http://www.happyhealthyhomemade.com/2010/06/easylunchboxgiveaway.html @rachspan
The giveaway ends Friday, July 2nd at 11:59 PM PST. The winner will be chosen using random.org and will be announced here, as well as e-mailed. If they don’t respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. US and Canada residents only, please. Easy Lunchboxes has the right to disqualify a winner if they’ve won or received free products from Easy Lunchboxes within the last three months.
My friend Leila runs JuJuBaju on etsy and she makes some really awesome stuff. Cosmetic bags, purse pouches, gadget cases, slippers… she’s got all kinds of neat stuff on there. All of her stuff is great quality- I use a cosmetic bag that she made me, as well as a purse pouch and I LOVE THEM! She’s got a great eye for color combination.
So, if you’re looking for a gift, what woman wouldn’t love to receive something from JuJuBaju?
Tweet about the giveaway using @rachspan and a link to the giveaway (You can do this once a day!)
Blog about this giveaway with a link (leave me the link to your blog in your comment)
This giveaway closes Sunday, May 9th at 11:59 PM PST. I will draw a winner using random.org and announce it here. I will also e-mail the winner. If I don’t hear back from the winner within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. Open to US and Canada residents.
If you win one of my giveaways and you don't receive your item, please contact me WITHIN A MONTH of winning and I will try to get it figured out for you. If you wait much longer than that, it's unlikely I will be able to do anything for you.
