Summer is upon us.  Well, not technically- that won’t happen until the end of June.  But, for most people the start of summer comes after Memorial Day.  So that means it is time to start planning for some summer vacation plans.  We usually like to take our summer vacation in September- it’s still actually summer time but since the kids are back in school there are always less crowds.  We will only be able to do this for a couple more years before Hailey will be in school.

This September I hope we find ourselves visiting Sea World.  It’s been several years since we were there and there are several new attractions.  The newest attraction is the Manta- a thrill ride that brings you up close to the animals as well.  The only one of its kind!

There is a great contest right now where you could win a Front-of-the-line pass to ride the Manta at SeaWorld Orlando.  There are six activities that you need to participate in and once you complete the six activities you will be the proud owner of a front-of-the-line pass.  If you’re going to be at SeaWorld- why not get a pass to the front of the line for the new Manta attraction?

Check out this video and I know you’re going to want to go!

This giveaway is now closed and the winner has been contacted.  Congrats Judy!

If you have kids then you know that they like to change their minds.  Hailey is funny- one day her favorite snack is Oreos and the next day her favorite snack is Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I guess I’m the same way- one day I love one outfit, the next I don’t like it anymore.

Jewelry is the same way- one day you like something, the next day you like something else.  And with kids I think it’s even worse.  That’s where the idea for Mag-Tagz came from.  What are Mag-Tagz?  A Mag-Tag is a necklace that has a magnetic base.  You can get different Tagz with your necklace so that you change the look whenever you want to and have a completely different piece of jewelry to wear.  Here’s a couple of pictures of what they look like:

Here’s some more information about where the idea for Mag-Tagz originated:

Austin, TX (April 16, 2009)— It’s really hard to keep up with kids’ ever-changing tastes. One day their favorite color is red, and the next it’s blue (and how dare you think it was red!) A new line of interchangeable magnetic jewelry, Mag-tagz™, is perfect for young girls because they can change their jewelry based on their outfit, mood or just because.

Mag-tagz necklaces have a magnetic base and the charms, or tagz, can be easily switched out or traded with friends. New and limited-edition tagz come out every few months, so there’s always something different to try.

The mom-inventor, Anita Worth, created the line with plenty of input from her daughter, her daughter’s friends and even kids from around the neighborhood. When she saw how much fun the girls were having creating and editing the designs, Worth realized that Mag-tagz could be much more than a children’s jewelry line.

“I thought that Mag-tagz could be a really fun, interactive way for girls to form friendships,” said creator Anita Worth. “And, by hosting games and a design contest on the website, it gives kids an added way to connect.”

It all begins at www.mag-tagz.com, where girls can play the “Tag, You’re It!” game. Players get started by entering the unique code found on the back of any tag, to get a clue. The goal is to collect four clues and figure out what the clues have in common. Players are encouraged to trade tagz or information with friends to learn more clues. Once they know the answer, they can submit it online and be entered to win amazing prizes like a Nintendo Wii. As added incentive to play, everybody who enters to win receives a special-edition tag just for participating.

Fans of Mag-tagz can also enter to win a totally different type of prize, one that awards their creativity. Girls are encouraged to design their very own tag and enter it into the Mag-tagz Design Contest. The entries are posted on the Mag-tagz blog and anyone can vote for their favorite. The winners get the ultimate prize—their design is produced as a limited-edition tag and their name is engraved on the back! Recent winners of the Design Contest include Connor, an eco-conscious 4th grader who designed the Green Earth Flower tag, and two friends named Lauren who designed the Bee tag together

So how would you like to win a Mag-Tagz?  One winner will win a necklace and either the bee or green earth Tag.

Here’s what you need to do for a chance to win:

• Visit Mag-Tagz and look around.  Come back here and leave me a comment telling me which Tagz you like best.

Want some extra chances to win? Leave an ADDITIONAL COMMENT FOR EACH extra entry.

• Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then leave me a comment with the direct URL.
• Subscribe to my RSS feed and then leave me a comment letting me know you’re a subscriber.
• Stumble this post (please leave a short review) and leave me a comment letting me know and tell me what your name on Stumble is.

Just in case you don’t win- here is a great coupon code for you!  To save 20% off a purchase of $20 or more use the code blogger20.

This giveaway is open to US mailing addresses and will end on June 6th at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be chosen on June 7th 2009 via random.org and notified by email. Please read all of my giveaway rules here.

Since the majority of my readers are woman I’m pretty sure I know the answer to that question.  Of course you could use some new clothes!  Who couldn’t use some new clothes?  I know I could use a few new outfits.  So when I saw this contest today I just knew I had to share it with you.  What kind of blogging friend would I be if I kept a great contest to myself?

From now until June 24 at 11:59 pm EST you can enter for a chance to win a $300 gift certificate from AMIClubwear just by subscribing to their YouTube page.  It doesn’t get much easier than that!  And I’m sure you’d love to have $300 to spend on some new clothes!

Now I wanted to see what kind of videos AMIClubwear has on YouTube so I checked out their vidoes.  There were several video tutorials to help you learn how to do your makeup.  One that I liked was how to turn your daytime make up into your night time make up.  You don’t have to start all over after work, you can just make a few simple changes and be ready to head out for a fun night out.

Now of course there are some rules you have to follow for the contest- like you need to be 18 years old- so check out the official contest rules to make sure you qualify.

A little while ago we were given the chance to check out these:

And who could say no to that?  Certainly not me!  So when they arrived in the mail we baked them up right away.

The Pillsbury Brownie Minis were soooo easy to make.  The box even came with a little baking tray to make the brownies in- and the only thing we had to add was water- it could not possibly be any simpler.

 Hailey loves to bake and help in the kitchen at any chance she gets.

And since there weren’t any raw eggs in the batter I let her lick off the spoon.  And Hailey’s response was, “I like chocolate, don’t I Mommy?”

As soon as the oven timer went off Hailey was asking to get the brownies out.  She just could not wait to eat some!

Yummy!!

The Pillsbury Brownie Minis were soooo easy to make and soooo delicious.  The bite sized treats would be perfect for any occasion- from a bake sale or a birthday party to a family get together or a yummy after dinner dessert.  And with only 150 calories per serving and a price tag of $2.49 you just can’t go wrong!  Be on the lookout- these will be available in June in Chocolate Fudge and Milk Chocolate.