Aloha Friday - Home Decor Shopping

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday, hosted by Kailani over at An Island Life. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day to take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So, on Fridays we can take it easy on blog posting, too.

I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer - nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life where you can link up with your own question and also visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

What's your favorite place to shop when decorating your home?

I like a variety of places. Some of my favorites are Etsy, anitque/thrift stores, Target, and Hobby Lobby.

AMF Summer Unplugged Bowling Blog Tour

If you are like me, you're always looking for fun (and free or cheap) things to do during the summer to keep your kids entertained. Well, here's a great idea I wanted to share with you...

This summer, kids 16 and under can visit select AMF Bowling Centers and enjoy two free games of bowling per day (shoe rental not included).

•Time: open until 8:00PM, 7 days a week.
•Dates: Monday, May 30 (Memorial Day) thru Monday, September 5 (Labor Day).
•Parents go to http://freebowling.amf.com/to select a participating center (over 200 locations) and complete a simple registration form.
•Free game coupons emailed every Sunday starting May 29 for the following week – it’s that simple!

There are also great deals for those over 17:

•For families of registered kids, a one-time payment of $27.95 buys 2 games per day for 4 people all summer long – it’s the AMF Summer 17 Plus Pass. (Same dates and times as above.)
•Less than $7 per person for 2 games everyday all summer.
•Available online at http://bit.ly/AMFfree.

The Extras:

•Kids combo meals all summer for $2.99.
•Pin decorating contest:
  ◦Most votes on Facebook in each of 4 age divisions wins a $2500 scholarship prize
  ◦AMF donates 25 cents per vote up to $10,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure®
•Schedule of learn-to-bowl and fun competitive sessions.

I've already signed my kids up for this fantastic deal and they can't wait to hit the bowling lanes. I think this will be a great activity option, especially for those days that may be rainy or too hot to be outdoors. And, it's something we can enjoy with friends as well as together as a family.

What summer activities do you enjoy doing as a family?

Disclosure:
I participated in this campaign as a member of One2One Network and am eligible for a prize drawing. All opinions stated in this post are my own.

Splash Into Summer Giveaway Hop (Amazon Gift Card Giveaway)

~This giveaway is now closed~

Welcome to the Splash into Summer Giveaway Hop. This hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Page Turners and runs from May 25th to 31st, 2011.

In case you are not familiar with a hop, it's when participating blogs host a giveaway (often theme-related) and then all link up together, allowing our followers to easily "hop" from one giveaway to another.

This Splash into Summer Giveaway Hop is all about books, thus, all giveaways will be book-related. For my giveaway, I have up for grabs one $15 Amazon Gift Card. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. I will announce one randomly selected winner on June 1, 2011. Please leave a separate comment for each entry you do.

Mandatory Entry:
To enter my $15 Amazon Gift Card giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite genre of books to read.

Optional Entries:
- Follow my blog via GFC (see sidebar)
- Subscribe to my blog via email (see sidebar)
- Follow me on Twitter @alas3lads

After entering my giveaway, check out the linky below and hop on over to another giveaway.


Disclaimer:
I will be supplying the Amazon Gift Card for this giveaway.

Movie Trailer Tuesday - Extract

From Netflix:
Encouraged by his friend, Dean (Ben Affleck), factory owner Joel (Jason Bateman) considers escaping his problems -- an assembly-line accident, a potential lawsuit and a sexless marriage, for starters -- by taking up with the gorgeous new temp, Cindy (Mila Kunis). But does Cindy have something wicked up her sleeve? Kristen Wiig and J.K. Simmons co-star in writer-director Mike Judge's (Office Space) work-set, comedic social commentary.

I thought this movie was hilarious! First of all, I absolutely love Jason Bateman. Love him. He's always so funny and so cute. Second, Ben Affleck as the goofy-stoner guy was somewhat unexpected. And funny. Third, I'm a big fan of Kristen Wiig (from Saturday Night Live) - she was a riot. There's a lot of bawdy, outrageous humor and it kept me laughing throughout.

Rated R for language, sexual references and some drug use

Blog Tour - The Curse of Captain LaFoote (with Giveaway)

The Curse of

Captain LaFoote

A Young Adult/Tween novel

Port Yonder Press

ISBN-10: 1935600044

ISBN-13: 978-1935600046

Paperback - 266 pages

Retail: $9.95

Take the adventure...if you dare!  Eddie Jones' goal in writing The Curse of Captain LaFoote is to spur the imaginations of young readers—boys especially. With colorful characters, it is the perfect book for every tween or young adult who enjoys adventure, humor and romance. The story offers a "clean" read and is endorsed by Good Reads, teachers, homeschoolers and moms.

Book Summary
RICKY BRADSHAW has never sailed the Caribbean Sea, searched for buried treasure or battled pirates on the deck of a Spanish Galleon. He’s never fallen through the floor of Davy Jones’ locker or watched an old fisherman morph into a porpoise. All Ricky knows is his lonely life with his widowed mom in a tiny apartment overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. But all that changes on a snowy Christmas Eve when Ricky’s apartment building burns down and he suffers a seizure, falling into the chilly waters. Suddenly Ricky finds himself thrust into a world where there is surprising beauty on every island, danger around every corner and great honor and glory ahead of him—if only Ricky can summon the courage to survive the curse of Captain LaFoote.

Author Bio


EDDIE JONES has authored four non-fiction books, one young adult novel, and written over a hundred articles that have appeared in over 20 different publications. He is co-founder of Christian Devotions Ministries and a contributing writer for, CBN.com, Common Ground Christian News, The Ocracoke Observer, and Living Aboard Magazine. He’s a three-time winner of the Delaware Christian Writers Conference and a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and Boating Writers International. Eddie sails, surfs and writes in North Carolina. For more information see:
http://www.captainlafoote.com/.



Grand Prize Giveaway
All you need for a PIRATE PARTY!  One person who comments on this blog post will be entered in the grand prize giveaway for this pirate party gift pack. The gift pack includes:

- 8 invitations

- 8 - 9" party plates

- 8 - 9-oz. cups

- 16 luncheon napkins

- 16 pc. blue cutlery set

- 1 red plastic table cover

- 2 rolls of streamers, 1 blue and 1 red

- 12 each of blue and red balloons

- 2 pkgs. of confetti, 1 blue and 1 orange

- 4 yds. deluxe creepy cloth

- 12 pirate swords with eye patch

- 72 pirate tattoos

- 8 dessert plates

- 16 beverage napkins

- 8 treasure chest-shaped filled treat boxes

- 1 10 ft. pennant

- 12 child-size pirate hats

- 1 photo door banner

- 1 piñata and toy & candy asst.

 

 

 Video Trailer

Disclaimer:
The author provided me with a free copy of this book for review. Information for this blog tour was supplied to me by the author and Kathy Carlton Willis Communications. No compensation, besides the free book, was received for this post.

Kindle Book Review - An American Heir: A Modern Retelling of Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre is one of my all-time favorite classic reads. While I love the classic version, I also enjoy reading modern versions of the story. I recently had the opportunity to review the Kindle edition of An American Heir: A Modern Retelling of Jane Eyre by Chrissy Breen Keffer.

In this version, Bea Stephens is our modern-day Jane. Alone, but intelligent and independent, Bea makes her way through an elite boarding school and then onto college. But, she soon finds herself unable to afford school and must drop out to find a job. Hoping to save money and return to school someday, Bea takes a job as a nanny for Ethan Stuart, the wealthy and worldly hotel magnate. Though they come from different worlds, they are almost instantly drawn to one another and find themselves falling in love. But, when secrets from Ethan's past come to light, Bea runs away and tries to forget about Ethan. Will their deep bond and love ever bring them back together?

This was a great version of the Jane Eyre story. The author's writing was so effortless and beautiful. Bea was a strong, honest, and likable character. The bond between her and Ethan was believable and romantic. I don't want to give away the details, but a long-lost relative of Bea's shows up later in the story...it's a nice twist.

You can use this link to order the Kindle version of An American Heir: A Modern Retelling of Jane Eyre on Amazon.

Disclaimer:
The author provided me with a free Kindle version of this book for review. No compensation was received for this post and all opinions are my own.

Aloha Friday - Feelin' Fruity

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday, hosted by Kailani over at An Island Life. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day to take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So, on Fridays we can take it easy on blog posting, too.

I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer - nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life where you can link up with your own question and also visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends! 

What is your favorite fruit?

Ten Days and Counting

In ten short days, this first-born child of ours will be graduating from high school. TEN DAYS, PEOPLE! I just can't believe how fast time flies. Wasn't it just yesterday that we snapped this cute picture of him as he proudly held his new puppy? I already tear up every time I think about it...I'm sure I'll be a sobbing mama come graduation day.

I'm The Mean Mom Who Won't Let Her Teenage Daughter Go To The Tanning Bed

image from Can Stock Photo

Around our town it's pretty much common practice for many of the teenage girls (and boys and even many of the moms) to go to the tanning bed. Especially around spring break or prom time, it seems like everyone is going to the tanning bed. It's just the thing to do. My daughter is a freshman in high school and quite a few of her friends use tanning beds. We're a family of fair-skinned folks and I understand her wanting that same sun-kissed, golden complexion as her friends. I will confess that I have used tanning beds in the past; not on a regular or long-term basis, but, nonetheless, I went. But, as I read more and more about the high risk of skin cancer associated with tanning bed use, I have made a firm decision that it's not something I want myself or my kids to do. And, now my daughter thinks I'm the mean mom, the only mom on earth, who will not let her daughter go to the tanning bed. (keep in mind she's almost 15 so she tends to exaggerate and be dramatic)

Here are a few of the statistics I came across while reading up on this subject...

From WebMD Health News; May 27, 2010:

Regular use of tanning beds triples or even quadruples the risk of developing melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, new research finds. The study is the largest of its kind to examine whether indoor tanning causes skin cancer, and it comes as federal regulators are considering new rules designed to limit the use of commercial tanning by teens. Compared to people who had never used a tanning bed, indoor tanners had a 74% increased risk for melanoma.

The strongest association was seen for melanomas originating on the trunk, which, in women at least, is an area of the body generally exposed to UV rays only during tanning.

From The Skin Cancer Foundation:

Recent studies provide evidence linking indoor tanning bed use to melanoma and reinforce the declaration by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) that indoor tanning devices are carcinogenic to humans.

Tanning machines emit dangerous ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and frequent tanners using new high-pressure sunlamps may receive as much as 12 times the annual ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation they would receive from regular sun exposure.

Tanning lamps and beds emit harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which is linked with a higher risk of all forms of skin cancer, including potentially deadly melanomas. On average, indoor tanners are 74 percent more like to develop melanomas than non-tanners. They are also 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma.

From Consumer Reports/ Health; May 4, 2011:

More than two million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with some form of skin cancer each year, and melanoma, the most deadly type, has increased 4 percent a year for the past three decades—especially in young white women and girls. “Most young women with melanoma are developing it on their torso, which may be the result of high-risk tanning behaviors such as indoor tanning,” said Ronald L. Moy, M.D., a dermatologist and president of the AAD, in a statement.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the World Health Organization have declared ultraviolet radiation-from the sun or tanning beds and lamps—a known carcinogen. That's because indoor tanning can increase a person's melanoma risk by 75 percent. While most girls and women know that tanning can lead to skin cancer, many are not doing anything about it. A quarter of the 32 percent of tanning-bed users in the age group tan indoors at least every week, on average.

I don't know about you, but those are pretty alarming statistics to me. Obviously, whether or not to allow your teenager to use a tanning bed is a personal choice for each parent. But, for me, it's a no-brainer and a risk I just don't want to take. So, even though my daughter will beg and plead with me, I will continue to be the "mean mom" who keeps her teenage daughter out of the tanning bed. I will continue to teach my daughter about the risks that go along with using tanning beds and insist on regular use of sunscreen. I will be that mom even though my daughter won't like it. And, hopefully one day she will thank me.

How do you feel about the subject? I would love to hear your thoughts...

Movie Trailer Tuesday - Princess Kaiulani

Interesting story of Hawaiian history. It's the bio of Princess Kaiulani, who was sent off to be raised in England but eventually came back to Hawaii to try and save her people's independence. Lots of beautiful landscape and scenery.

Rated PG for some violence and thematic material, and for brief language, sensuality and smoking.

GIVEAWAY - Two Fandango Movie Tickets

Awhile ago, I purchased one of the special daily deals through Living Social. It was for two movie tickets to be purchased from Fandango.com. I only recently realized that none of the movie theaters in my area sell tickets through Fandango.com. Bummer for me! I guess it's my own fault for not reading the fine print of the deal. I just quickly browsed through Fandango and saw listings for theaters in my area. I assumed that meant I could purchase tickets through them, but, it does not.

So, I now have this promo code that is useless to me. I thought I would pass it along to one of you guys out there who are so kind enough to stop in and visit my blog. This promo code offer expires on June 6, 2011, so they will need to be used ASAP. The promo code is good for two movie tickets.

If you would like to throw your name in the hat, you must first make sure that Fandango.com actually sells tickets to a theater near you. Go to the Fandango website and search for theaters by your zip code. Then, make sure the movie showtimes are clickable and that online ticketing is indeed available for those theaters. Please do this before you enter my giveaway. Remember, just because it shows listings for your theaters, that does not mean you can purchase tickets.

After you have determined that theaters in your area sell tickets through Fandango, simply leave a comment on this post telling me one of your all-time favorite movies. Make sure you provide valid contact information with your entry.

I will randomly select one winner on Friday, May 20th, 2011.

Disclaimer:
This is not a sponsored giveaway. I purchased these movie tickets that I am offering for giveaway.

Prom Pics 2011

I just wanted to share a few pictures from our son's Prom this past weekend. He went with a big group of friends - some had dates; some, including our son, went stag. It was a lot of fun watching all the kids pose for pictures and take off in the limo!

Blog Tour - How Huge the Night by Heather and Lydia Munn (with Giveaway)

About How Huge the Night:

Fifteen-year-old Julien Losier just wants to fit in. But after his family moves to a small village in central France in hopes of outrunning the Nazis, he is suddenly faced with bigger challenges than the taunting of local teens. Nina Krenkel left her country to obey her father's dying command: Take your brother and leave Austria. Burn your papers. Tell no one you are Jews. Alone and on the run, she arrives in Tanieux, France, dangerously ill and in despair.

Thrown together by the chaos of war, Julien begins to feel the terrible weight of the looming conflict and Nina fights to survive. As France falls to the Nazis, Julien struggles with doing what is right, even if it is not enough-and wonders whether or not he really can save Nina from almost certain death.

Based on the true story of the town of Le Chambon-the only French town honored by Israel for rescuing Jews from the Holocaust-How Huge the Night is a compelling, coming-of-age drama that will keep teens turning the pages as it teaches them about a fascinating period of history and inspires them to think more deeply about their everyday choices.

Buy the book here


About the Munn's:

Heather Munn was born in Northern Ireland and grew up in southern France where her parents were missionaries like their parents before them. She has a BA in literature from Wheaton College and now lives in a Christian intentional community in rural Illinois, where she and her husband, Paul, host free spiritual retreats for the poor, especially those transitioning out of homelessness or addiction. When not writing or hosting, she works on the communal farm.

Lydia Munn, daughter of missionary parents, grew up in Brazil. She received a BA in literature from Wheaton College, and an MA in Bible from Columbia Graduate School of Bible and Missions. With her husband, Jim, she has worked in church planting and Bible teaching since 1983, notably in St. Etienne, near the small town in the central mountains of France which forms the background of How Huge the Night. The Munns now live in Grenoble, France.

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this story! It involves two of my favorite themes - historical fiction and the young adult genre. I quickly became attached to fifteen year old Julien and felt for him as he tried to adapt to his new living situation. While at first he was mostly concerned with making friends and fitting in at school, he soon began to see the bigger picture as his family realized that the Nazis might actually invade his little village. When he decided to secretly help Nina and her brother, he knew that it was dangerous, but, he also knew it was the right thing to do. Julien grows up a lot through the course of this story. I also loved reading about the history of his French village.

The Giveaway:
Kregel Publications is sponsoring a $50 Amazon.com giveaway. To enter, all you have to do is send a tweet about How Huge the Night (use hashtag #litfuse) or share about it on Facebook.

If you tweet, your entry will be captured when you use the hashtage (#litfuse). If you share it on Facebook or your blog, you must let them know via email info@litfusegroup.com

You may use the following:

TWEET THIS:  How Huge the Night - compelling, coming-of-age drama that will keep teens and adults alike turning the pages! #litfuse http://ow.ly/4RBXc

FACEBOOK THIS: How Huge the Night by Heather & Lydia Munn is a compelling, coming-of-age drama that will keep teens and adults alike turning the pages late into the night! http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13181161



Disclaimer:
Litfuse provided a free copy of this book for my review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

LOFT Summer Style Event and Sweepstakes

LOFT is kicking off the season with their big Summer Style Event. Stop in on Saturday, May 14th and check out their new arrivals. Shop for your summer vacation fashions and enjoy 30% off your entire purchase all day. As a thank you for attending the Summer Style Event, you'll receive an in store invitation to 'LIKE' LOFT on Facebook and the chance to instantly win one of FIVE $1,000 gift cards. By shopping LOFT in store, you will receive a unique coupon code that may unlock a LOFT shopping spree worth $1,000. Simply 'LIKE' LOFT on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LOFT and enter the unique coupon code to find out if you're holding the winning ticket!

Speaking of summer vacations, LOFT is also having a "My Perfect Summer Getaway" Sweepstakes. Enter to win an unforgettable summer vacation for two - inspired by LOFT's design team's favorite destinations - plus eight other prizes, including a $1,000 LOFT gift card. Check out LOFT on Facebook for the details.

I can already feel the warm breeze, the sand between my toes, and smell the fruity cocktails, can't you? Make sure to attend the Summer Style Event at LOFT on Saturday, May 14th.

Disclaimer:
Information used in this post was provided by LOFT via American Pop Social Media Marketing. No compensation of any type was received for posting this information.

Jeanne Oliver Designs (New Line and Giveaway)

Jeanne Oliver is a mixed media artist and jewelry/clothing designer. She's just released her new line at Jeanne Oliver Designs and she truly has some beautiful stuff. Her collection of clothing, bags, jewelry, and art is full of romantic ruffles and dreamy designs which have a vintage feel. Visit her shop and you are sure to find something you love. Right now she is also having a giveaway for a $500 gift certificate to her shop. Wow! Use the links above to find out all the details.

She has also generously shared this fabulous lookbook that she put together. Check it out...

Handmade Soap Giveaway - paulaparrish Natural Garden Soaps on Etsy

One of my favorite little indulgences is buying handmade soap - hand-crafted soaps that are full of natural, good-for-you ingredients. I love the way they make my skin feel and they smell so yummy.

paulaparrish Natural Garden Soaps is an etsy shop that I recently came across while shopping around for handmade soaps. After browsing through her shop, I knew I had to try out some of her soap. I ordered two bars - Island Coconut and Mucky Seaweed - they both sound amazing and I can't wait to try them out. All of her products are made with natural and organic ingredients; nothing artificial. She uses fresh herbs from her own backyard garden along with essential oils, organic milk, distilled water, and the best fruits and vegetable oils. Check out her etsy shop and see for yourself all the great products she has to offer.

Mucky Seaweed Soap

image courtesy of Paula Parrish

Paula also has a lovely blog and she currently has a fun giveaway going on. Head on over and enter to win some of her Surprise Dino Soap Eggs with a Washcloth! These are so cute and kids will love them - there's a surprise hidden inside each soap.

Surprise Dino Soap Eggs with Washcloth

image courtesy of Paula Parrish

Disclaimer:
This is not a compensated post - just me sharing a fun giveaway & etsy shop that I happened to come across.

Purex Complete With Zout - GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway for the Purex Complete with Zout laundry detergent. The two randomly selected winners are:

katychick
Smash Bravo Team

Have a great day!

Disclaimer:

Purex provided me with coupons for two free bottles of Purex Complete With Zout to share with my blog readers.

easy Canvas Prints - Product Review

Canvas Pictures

easy Canvas Prints is a terrific online source for turning your favorite photos into beautiful art for your home. They offer high quality canvas prints which are customizable and affordable.

Ordering is easy and easy Canvas Prints walks you through each step of the ordering process:
1) Choose your canvas size (huge selection of sizes)
2) Upload your photo
3) Select canvas borders (several options on how to wrap your canvas)
4) Apply optional image effects (black & white, image retouching, & more)

easy Canvas Prints recently invited me to try out one of their products. I chose a picture of my son on a recent fishing outing and had it made into a cute 8x8 size canvas. I love the selection of sizes available - I wanted something small enough to place on top of my computer desk - it turned out great and I couldn't be more pleased! I love the photo because it's a side-profile image of my son, showing his very serious expression. In fact, I love it so much that I've decided I want to do similar pieces for each of my children and display them together.

If you are looking for a cool way to turn your own photos into beautiful artwork or a unique gift idea, you simply must visit easy Canvas Prints   

Disclaimer:
easy Canvas Prints provided me with a free canvas. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated to post.

Pampers Little Miracle Mission - $50 AMEX Gift Card Challenge and Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed

In celebration of its 50th birthday, Pampers is recognizing how much parenting has changed over the years, and is sharing their belief that every baby is a little miracle that deserves to be celebrated, supported and protected, by unveiling its Little Miracle Mission campaign – a program that delivers acts of kindness to miracles and their families while encouraging parents to support others.

The brand recently kicked off the Little Miracle Missions campaign by delivering a giant act of support –donating care packages to Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) across the country. Celebs Joey Lawrence , Ali Larter, Mark Consuelos and LaLa Anthony were on-hand in New York City to personally deliver a care package and thank you basket to Mt. Sinai Hospital and their staff.

Take a look at this sweet Pampers commercial...it's a beautiful tribute to little miracles everywhere!



The public can easily participate in the Miracles Missions programs, and support little miracles across the country, by logging on to Pampers Facebook page (Facebook.com/Pampers). Pampers is also asking everyone to pay-it-forward by participating in the first Little Miracle Mission- to congratulate and offer support to an expectant mother with a gift or surprise gesture. Once more than 2,500 people pledge that they have achieved this mission, Pampers will respond by giving baby showers to expectant mothers nationwide just in time for Mother’s Day. Pampers will issue different missions throughout the entire year to celebrate all aspects of parenthood, and with the help of parents, family and friends, they hope to touch the lives of every baby born in the next year. As a side note, anyone who pledges is automatically entered to win a year's supply of Pampers diapers and wipes!

I was so honored when Pampers invited me to take part in this worthwhile campaign. Pampers provided me with a $50 American Express Gift Card and challenged me to use it to perform a random act of kindness within my community. This random act of kindness could be anything - donating diapers to a new mom or buying groceries for a family in need - anything that I feel would benefit and celebrate a little miracle.

I decided to use the $50 American Express Gift Card to help a local elementary school teacher buy supplies for her classroom. I felt like this would help many little miracles, as all of her students would benefit. We all know that funding for schools is often lacking and teachers often have to use their own money for purchasing supplies for their classrooms. I was happy to be able to help out in this way.

Giveaway
Pampers would like to extend this same challenge to my blog readers. I have one $50 American Express Gift Card for giveaway. If you win, you are encouraged to use the card to pay-it-forward and deliver a random act of kindness within your own community.

To enter, simply leave a comment telling me how you might use this gift card to celebrate a little miracle.

Entries will be accepted until 12:00 Noon EST 5-17-11. One random winner will be selected. U.S. entries only please.

Disclaimer:
Pampers provided the two $50 American Express Gift Cards (one for myself and another for one of my blog readers).  

Movie Trailer Tuesday - Assassin In Love (The Baker)

When professional hit man Milo finds himself in hot water with his employer, he decides a change of scenery is in order. Wanting to disappear and lay low for awhile, Milo escapes to a small, slow-paced Welsh village full of quirky residents. At first, the residents mistake Milo for their new town baker, but soon enough some of them stumble onto his secret. Not knowing that they know his true identity, Milo decides to play along in the role of baker. This leads to all kinds of hilarious mixed messages and scenarios. It's quite funny!

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, some partial nudity, violence and brief language.

Book Giveaway - Chicken Soup for the Soul My Cat's Life

~This giveaway is now closed~

I have long been a fan of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Their inspirational and heart-warming stories are always great to read. One of their latest releases is titled, Chicken Soup for the Soul - My Cat's Life. It contains 101 stories that cover all the ages and stages of our feline friends. If you, or someone you know, is a cat-lover, this is a book that you should definitely check out.
Giveaway
Chicken Soup for the Soul has offered a copy of My Cat's Life for giveaway to one of my blog readers. If you would like to enter, simply leave a comment on this post telling me something kitty-related (i.e. do you have a cat? what's your cat's name? a funny trick that your cat performs, etc.).

Giveaway open to U.S. residents only. One random winner will be chosen on 5-8-11.

Disclaimer:
Chicken Soup for the Soul provided me with a free copy of My Cat's Life. No compensation was received for this post and all opinions are my own.

Purex Complete With Zout - Laundry Detergent Giveaway

~This giveaway is now closed~

I recently told you about Purex Complete With Zout, the new laundry product that can be used as both a detergent and a pre-treater in one. It contains three powerful stain-fighting enzymes that each target different types of stains, making it great for everyday loads as well as heavily-soiled loads. I've been a Purex user for years simply because it works and it costs less. This new Purex Complete With Zout is a great value and I would love to give you the chance to try it out.

Giveaway
Purex has provided me with two coupons for free bottles of Purex Complete With Zout to share with my blog readers. Two Alas 3 Lads readers will receive a coupon for one free bottle of detergent. To enter, simply leave a comment telling me something about your laundry situation (i.e. how often do you do laundry? what's your toughest stain? do your kids help out with laundry?, etc.)

(Optional Entries)
You may earn extra entries for the following (leave a seperate comment for each):
* Follow my blog via GFC (see sidebar)
* Follow my blog via email (see sidebar)

Giveaway open to U.S. residents only. Entries accepted until Sunday May 8, 2011. At that time, two random winners will be selected.

Disclaimer:

Purex provided me with coupons for two free bottles of Purex Complete With Zout to share with my blog readers.