Better in Bulk - Family photographer with a large family » giveaways

Tips to Get Kids Involved in Laundry {+ Giveaway}

Lolli — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:34:17 +0000

With five kids and two adults in the house, I could spend most of my day, every day, doing laundry. The saddest part of that statement is that it is not an exaggeration.

It’s hard to comprehend the shear amount of clothes, towels, sheets, socks (etc, etc) that we go through, but I figure it’s better to do laundry than have a stinky family, right?

RIGHT.

So, to keep on top of the laundry I started teaching my kids how to help clean, sort, and fold their laundry at a very early age. We might not be doing everything perfectly, and some of my kids certainly show more ability than others in the home management department, but laundry is one place where kids really CAN help.

Tips to get your kids to help with the laundry

Start out having your kids watch while you do the laundry. While they stand beside you, talk through the process (which clothes go together, how to start the washing machine, how much soap to put in, etc).
Have your kids lend a hand while you are doing the laundry (tell them “Find all the white socks to add to this load.”)
Sort the laundry BEFORE it is taken down to the washing machine.
Show your kids how to read clothing tags.
Place all of your detergents, stain removers, dryer sheets, etc. in range so that old enough kids can access them easily (of course you don’t want little ones getting into your soaps and cleaners….Yes, I had a child try to eat laundry detergent at a friend’s house many years ago…).
Place a stool near the washer and dryer so that kids can reach the knobs (you don’t want any excuses!).
Make gathering dirty laundry part of the night time routine.
Once it’s time to start folding the laundry, make it a FUN family affair. We dump the clean clothes on the carpet in front of the TV and sort together (sometimes, though, my kids will volunteer to sort laundry on their own just so that they can watch a movie or TV show…sneaky mom!).
Label a laundry basket with each family member’s name. Line the laundry baskets up in order of age and toss their clean clothes in. When the basket is full, that person has to fold and put away their clothes. (Scared to have kids fold OUR clothes? That’s fine! Just have them be in charge of their own clothes.)
Here’s my new favorite tip: Get each family member a mesh laundry bag. During the week, when they dirty socks or underwear, they toss them into their own bag. When the bag is full, it gets washed. When dried….all of their socks and underwear is already together. No more sorting! No more lost socks!

Another great tip is to use Shout Color Catcher with Oxi. As the kids get used to starting loads of laundry, I’ve noticed that several loads have an unhealthy mixture of darks and lights. And most of the time, I don’t discover this mix-up until it’s too late. This month, we’ve been trying Shout Color Catcher with Oxi and have had fantastic results.

Here’s what it does:

Sheets lock up loose dyes found in the wash water to prevent dyes from running or bleeding onto other clothes.
Sheets change color as they absorb any loose dyes.
Saves time by reducing the need for sorting.
Saves money by reducing the need for half-size loads.
Oxi Booster powder contains active stain removers to brighten whites and tackle tough stains like grass, dirt, blood and coffee.
Safe for all colorfast washables.
Works in all water temperatures.

For additional information, please visit the Shout website.
Shout is currently offering downloadable coupons on their Facebook page for Shout Free and Color Catcher with Oxi.

Being able to do laundry on their own – from the dirty sorting to the wash to the dryer, to the sorting/folding and putting away – will serve your kids very well when they are older. I promise they will thank you for the skills (and they will be PROUD that they are taking care of something so important on their own).

Giveaway time!

I am giving away two boxes of Shout Color Catcher with Oxi. To enter to win ONE of the boxes of Shout Color Catcher with Oxi, leave a comment below with one of your favorite laundry tips. TWO (2) winners will be chosen on January 29, 2012 and notified via email.

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Shout and received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Shout It Out – Laundry Tips! {Giveaway}

Lolli — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:37:13 +0000

There is one truth that you can be absolutely 100% sure of in a house of seven: There will always be laundry. Just when you think you’re getting caught up, there’s another basket-full ready to be washed. The laundry in a household with 5 children is literally never-ending.

So I know laundry. I also know that I don’t have enough time to go through every single article of clothing and inspect each item for stains…which often results in stains being missed until it’s too late.

I hate that!

Laundry Tip #1:
Wash your clothing often. Dirt destroys clothes. It’s abrasive and can weaken fabric, fiber by fiber. Dirt also attracts fabric-eating insects such as moths. Antiperspirant and airborne hair styling products can also build up over time. These products yellow as they age or after being exposed to heat. Regular washing will prevent this build-up.

I was recently sent a sample of Shout® Free. Shout® Free has zero dyes, zero fragrance and 99% natural ingredients: “Just the smell of clean and nothing else”. I remember my mom using Shout products on our laundry when I was growing up. Shout is a trusted name in our house and I ALWAYS have some on hand.

Now I just need to get in a better habit of checking and treating stains before they have been on the clothes too long.

Laundry Tip #2:
Don’t try to remove a spot by rubbing hard. You’ll destroy the texture of the material. Your first step should be to remove any raised stain particles gently with a dull knife. Then blot lightly with a white paper towel before using a stain remover.

Shout Coupons:

Shout is offering downloadable coupons on their Facebook page for Shout Free and Color Catcher with Oxi. They are also offering two Better in Bulk readers

Enter to Win Shout

To enter to win Shout Free, leave a comment below telling me one of your favorite laundry tips. You can earn extra entries by tweeting about this giveaway (once per day) using the tweet button at the top of the post or subscribing to my RSS feed. Just leave a comment for everything you do.

This contest will end on Dec. 30 at midnight and TWO winners will be selected and notified via email.

Muddy Buddy Chex Mix Recipe + Sam’s Club Gift Card Giveaway

Lolli — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:51:15 +0000

I love to bake during the holidays, but I admit that candies and cookies take a lot of time and elbow grease to make….and I haven’t had much extra time on my hands this season. This weekend, I spent a few hours at the stove stirring caramel and English toffee, which I love, but boy do they take some effort.

Luckily, not everything good has to be a lot of work. In fact, Chex cereal has a whole collection of mouth-watering party-worthy recipes that take only 15 minutes or less to prepare. Two of my favorite treats are fancy Chex Mixes. I can attest that treats don’t have to be hard to make to be yummy.

Do you like Little Debbie’s Nutty Bars? KitKat found this delectable recipe last year, and when I popped some into my mouth and I was instantly reminded of those Little Debbie’s treats. So yummy!

Chex Mix Muddy Buddy Recipe

Ingredients:

9 cups Corn Chex, cereal (or other Chex flavor)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Substitution:
Peanut butter and chocolate are a favorite flavor combo, but peanut butter lovers can substitute peanut butter chips for the chocolate chips to intensify that flavor.

Process:

1. Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.

2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.

3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Chex Party Mix-Change

ChexPartyMixChange.com has your party (holiday or not) all planned out. They’ve included party tips, festive invites, recipe cards, and a shopping list so that you’re all set to throw a Chex “mix-change.”

To get your party off to a great start, we’re giving away a huge box of Chex cereal plus a $25 Sam’s Club gift card.

To enter to win the Chex and the $25 gift card, leave a comment here letting us know which of the recipes on ChexPartyMixChange.com you are most looking forward to trying?

Extra entries may be earned for sharing this giveaway on twitter (use the tweet button at the top of the post. You can tweet daily.) or by subscribing to Better in Bulk’s RSS feed. Leave a separate comment for each.

This giveaway will end on December 30, 2011 and a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email.

Visit ChexPartyMixChange.com for even more party-planning tips and be sure to also check out Sam’s Club, your one stop Chex spot that has everything you need to throw a Chex Party Mix-Change!

Disclosure: The Sam’s Club gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by Sam’s Club, Chex Party Mix and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Win a $25 Applebee’s Gift Card

Lolli — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:40:24 +0000

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

Who doesn’t like to give and receive gift cards during the holidays?

Yeah, I didn’t think I’d get any hands raised.

Gift cards are the perfect gift for teachers, friends, family members (especially those living out of state). And I know from personal experience being a mother of a teenager that teens love getting gift cards, too.

I have a feeling if I asked how many of you like to get more for your dollar (particularly during the holidays), I’d get a few hands raised.

‘Gilbert the Gift Card Machine’ is giving away more than 100 gift cards a week leading up to Gift Card Weekend. This week, they’re giving away $25 Applebee’s gift cards daily to Facebook fans (from December 10-18).

What is Gift Card Weekend?

Gift Card Weekend is a once-a-year event where participating retailers offer special featured deals for gift cards purchased during the Holiday season and redeemed from January 6 – January 8, 2012.

But before January, Gift Card Weekend is giving away more than 100 gift cards a week on Facebook. Next week, they’re giving away Applebee’s gift cards, but the fun doesn’t stop there. Keep checking back all month for more chances to win (see participating stores and restaurants below).

How to win free gift cards from Gift Card Weekend

All you need to do is like Gift Card Weekend on Facebook. Share with your Facebook friends and you can receive an extra chance to win for every ‘like’ you refer.

Participating stores and restaurants:

- JCPenny
- Regal Cinema
- Subway
- Sephora
- Applebee’s
- Bass Pro Shops
- Adidas
- Buca di Beppo
- Lowe’s
- Spa Finder
- Marriot
- Giant Eagle

What are you waiting for?

Convert Your Family Movies to DVD with YesVideo

Lolli — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:04:34 +0000

Watching old home movies is one of our Sunday evening past times. My kids love (and I mean LOVE) seeing themselves and their siblings “way back when.” I love it too (boy, does it take me back!!) but I admit that I do NOT love connecting the old camcorder to the TV and then rewinding while I look through that little viewfinder to find the scene that the kids were looking for. While I love watching the videos and I love the fact that the kids love it so much….I get a little annoyed when they ask me to hook up the camcorder.

In addition to the annoyance of using the videos is that back-of-the-mind nagging feeling of “what if.” What if the camcorder broke? I would have no way to watch all of those hours of videos that we took when our kids were little. What if one of the tapes got wet or lost or ruined? Those memories would be lost as well.

While digital storage may not be perfect, I feel SO much safer about having my memories digitized. That’s just one of the reasons I was so excited to be able to review YesVideo.

What is YesVideo?

YesVideo is a service that takes your Videotapes (Camcorder Tapes & VHS), Movie Film Reels, 35mm Slides, Photo Prints, Digital Videos & Photos and converts them to DVD. Here are a few reasons why YesVideo is so needed:

Videotapes and old home movies do not last forever
Videotapes and old home movies are hard to watch
Viewing equipment for old home videos and slides has become obsolete

YesVideo takes care of those problems and makes watching your home movies a breeze. Also (huge bonus for people like me whose family lives out of state) the converted movies are also securely stored online so that anyone with a screening room code can view the videos. Being able to share the movies (especially the ones that featured my grandparents) with my parents and siblings was probably my favorite part of getting these videos done. I’ve also been able to watch the videos on my tablet in my family room. I love the versatility.

Now, I admit….I was nervous about sending my only copies of old camcorder videos in the mail. I had to just have faith that they would be ok. And they were. The original videos and new DVDs were delivered to me in perfect shape. If you don’t feel like sending your videos, slides, or prints through the mail, though, you can also drop them off locally at places like Walgreens, CVS, or Costco.

Ready to convert?

YesVideo has offered a 15% discount code on your orders by using code TRANSFER15 during check out at http://direct.yesvideo.com.

Enter to Win:

YesVideo would like to give YOU the gift of $60 transfer service coupon. All you have to do to enter is tell me what YOU would like to have converted to DVD.

For extra entries, you can do any of the following (just leave a comment for each task you complete):

Tweet about this giveaway (use the tweet button at the top of this post)

Follow @1momof5 and @yesvideo

Subscribe to Better in Bulk via google reader or email

Enter any of my other open giveaways

Comment on any non-giveaway post

You can find YesVideo online at YesVideo.com and on Twitter at @yesvideo and on Facebook at facebook.com/yesvideo. Go tell them thanks for sponsoring such a great giveaway!

This giveaway will end on December 9, 2011 at midnight EST and a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email.

Disclosure: I received a $60 YesVideo credit to convert some of my home movies to DVD, but the thoughts and experiences expressed in this post are my own.

Gluten Free French Toast and Fruit Compote With Udi’s {Recipe + Giveaway}

Lolli — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 02:35:59 +0000

I love to eat. I also love to cook, but I love to eat more. Udi’s has asked me to participate in the Gluten Free Holiday Recipe Challenge. My mind immediately went to breakfast foods, because we love to eat fancy breakfasts for dinner. Although my immediate family doesn’t eat gluten free, I have plenty of family members who eat gluten free.

A little bit about Udi’s and Gluten-free eating

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye that some people cannot tolerate – some reactions are more severe than others, but it is estimated that 1 in every 200 people is sensitive to gluten. Udi’s specializes in gluten free bakery products for those who eat gluten-free due to Celiac’s disease, gluten-intolerance, or by choice. Not only are Udi’s products gluten-free, but they are made with only high quality ingredients so they are as good for you as they are tasty. Udi’s Gluten Free breads and sweets are great to pick up if you’re having a friend over who must eat gluten-free because everyone can enjoy them and no one feels singled out.

Gluten Free Holiday Recipe Challenge

And now for my recipe. I decided to make French Toast with Apple and Blueberry Cinnamon Compote.

I started out with a variety of Udi’s Gluten Free Breads. I have to mention that before I made breakfast-for-dinner with my package of bread, I served Udi’s at dinner, toasted with a little bit of butter. Everyone loved it on it’s own as well. I was VERY impressed with Udi’s quality and taste.

I’m sure you all know how to make French Toast already, but if not….here’s how I do it. I start with several eggs, a little bit of milk, and a dash of cinnamon. I typically use one egg per two pieces of bread. Whisk the eggs, milk, and cinnamon together. Make sure that your griddle is pre-heating at this point.

Next, dip each piece of bread in the egg mixture and set the bread on the pre-heated griddle.

Cook the French Toast up until it’s golden brown. Yum!

In the mean time, here’s how to make some pretty amazing fruit topping:

Ingredients:

2 cups of berries or fruit, cut in bite sized pieces
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp lemon
1 tsp cinnamon

Heat the fruit and other ingredients in a small pan over medium heat until the juices thicken and become syrupy.

Serve the fruit compote over the French Toast.

A little bit of whipped cream tastes pretty good on top, too…

Enter to Win some Udi’s Gluten Free Bread

You can win an amazing 6-loaf variety package of Udi’s gluten free bread. Just leave a comment letting me know how YOU would love to eat your Udi’s bread.

For extra entries, you can do any of the following (just leave a comment for each task you complete):

Tweet about this giveaway (use the tweet button at the top of this post)
Follow @1momof5 and @UdisGlutenFree
Subscribe to Better in Bulk via google reader or email
Enter any of my other open giveaways
Comment on any non-giveaway post

You can find Udi’s online at UdisGlutenFree.com and on Twitter at @UdisGlutenFree and on Facebook at UdisGlutenFree. Go tell them thanks for sponsoring such a great giveaway!

This giveaway will end on December 5, 2011 and a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email.

Disclosure: I received an Udi’s package with 6 loaves of gluten free bread to review and use in a recipe, but the thoughts are my own.

Dearfoams Design-a-Slipper Contest, Plus Slipper Giveaway!

Lolli — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:37:50 +0000

The weather has definitely turned cold for the season, and instead of flip flops I’ve been wearing socks and slippers around the house. What is it about slippers that makes my whole body feel comfy and warm?

Say the name “Dearfoams” and my mind automatically thinks “comfort.” I keep my slippers next to my bed so I can slip them on every morning as I get out of bed. Except lately….I’ve noticed that my kids keep stealing them away from me!

I was excited last week to find an email from Dearfoams in my inbox, and I was even more excited when I was given the chance to give away some slippers to THREE of my readers.

The Design-a-Slipper Contest

But first, Dearfoams has some exciting things going on that I wanted to tell you about. Dearfoams has teamed up with Warner Brothers to create the “Design-A-Slipper” Contest. Create your own Dearfoams slipper for a chance to win a $1000 gift card or a Dearfoams and Happy Feet Two Prize Package, which includes a Happy Feet Two soundtrack and Happy Feet DVD. The “Design-A-Slipper” Contest will be end on December 2, 2011.

All you have to do is go to the Dearfoams Facebook Page and click on the Design a Slipper Contest Tab and start designing your slipper!

Also, Dearfoams is running Weekly Giveaways on their Facebook page. Each Monday they feature one pair of Dearfoams and announce a winner on the Friday of that week. All your readers need to do is “like” the Dearfoams Facebook page, click the giveaway tab, and follow the simple directions to enter.

Slipper giveaway time!

Dearfoams has offered to give three Better in Bulk readers a pair of slippers. You can chose from any of the styles below:

To enter, let me know which style of slippers you would like (Leopard Beauty Boot, Black Beauty Boot, Fuzzy Pile Scuff – Leopard, or Fuzzy Pile Scuff – Black).

For extra entries, you can do any of the following (just leave a comment for each task you complete):

Tweet about this giveaway (use the tweet button at the top of this post)
Follow @1momof5 and @Dearfoams
Subscribe to Better in Bulk via google reader or email
Enter any of my other open giveaways
Comment on any non-giveaway post

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on December 2, 2011. Three winners will be chosen at random and notified via email.

Please note: To thank me for my time to host this giveaway and let my readers know about the Dearfoams contest, Dearfoams is sending me the Black Beauty Boots. I can’t wait to get them! No other compensation was received and all thoughts are my own.

Say Anything Family {Review & Giveaway}

Lolli — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:00:20 +0000

We are a game family.

When my husband and I were newly married, pre-kids we played games every night to pass the time.

We played games when we got together with friends, we played games after dates….and once we started having kids, we played games after the kids went to bed, to wind down.

Nowadays, we play games with the whole family. Sometimes playing games with all of us at once is a bit of a challenge because of abilities and what the kids are able to understand (or when they get older, what they’re able to tolerate).

While I was at Blogalicious last month, I met up with North Star Games and spent a little while chilling in the corner of the expo hall with a few friends while we played a few rounds of their game, Say Anything. I was excited to learn that they had a family-friendly version as well, and so the folks at North Star Games game me a copy of the game to take home to try out with my kids.

“What hilarious things will YOUR family say?”

We love Say Anything Family Edition. The game is simple to learn and simple to play, and the BEST thing about it is the fact that there are no wrong answers (so when AJ wrote “Expo markers” as his answer to “What would be the worst job to have?” it was totally ok).

Also? I love the fact that we can play for as long or as short as we want. It’s not the kind of game that goes on and on forever with no end.

Here’s a little video to show you how to play:

North Star has a whole line of other games (both for adults and for families), and they are winning awards left and right. I can see why!

North Star Games is running a Say Anything FB contest this week only that’s a lot of fun….and the grand prize is an iPad 2! So hurry over and answer the quick Say Anything question.

Enter to win Say Anything Family for YOUR family!

To enter, we’re going to play a little round of Say Anything. Leave a comment with the answer to this Say Anything Family question (remember, there are no wrong answers!):

“What am I most likely to become famous for?”

(answer for yourself, not me…)

For a few extra chances at winning this game, you can do any of the following (just leave a comment for each task completed):

Tweet about this giveaway (use the tweet button at the top of this post)
Follow @1momof5 and @NorthStarGames
Subscribe to Better in Bulk via google reader or email
Enter any of my other open giveaways
Comment on any non-giveaway post
Tell me which of the other games from North Star Games you would most like to play.

This giveaway will end on December 1, 2011 and a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email.

Please note: I received Say Anything Family Edition from North Star Games while I was at Blogalicious, but have received no other compensation for writing about them. We really do love our game, and I’m eager to try out their other games, too!

Sports Nutrition Tips + Rockin’ Refuel Giveaway

Lolli — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:00:46 +0000

The fact that my kids are in team sports this year has come up in conversation several times in the last few weeks. Between the soccer and flag football pictures that I have been snapping each week and the woes of spending hours on the sidelines each Saturday, sports are a huge part of my life right now.

Guest post from a Board Certified Sports Nutritionist

Lisa Dorfman, MS, RD, CSSD, LMHC Board Certified Sports Nutritionist with the University of Miami and author of “Performance Nutrition for Football” is guest posting today with some Sports Nutrition Tips designed especially for my young team players.

Kids in soccer (ages 6 and 8):

Fluids are key–1 cup before playing, 1-2 gulps (1-2 oz) every break; sugars and electrolytes are key for playing over 1 hour especially in warm weather; after, recovery with chocolate milk important since carbs used for fuel must be replaced after exercise along with high quality protein–1/2 Rockin Refuel for each player.

Flag football (age 10):

Carbohydrates are essential for keeping up the energy strength and growth needs of a 10 year old as well as maintaining a healthy immune system…without enough carb fuel, protein is used for energy and cannot protect the immune system, build and maintain muscle, keep skin, hair, and metabolic components of health–hormones and enzymes in ample amounts. Minerals such as calcium, magnesium and phosphorus and Vitamin D are important for bone growth & strength. Otherwise stress fractures and breaks can occur more easily in the growing player.

B vitamins are needed for ongoing energy needs while the good fats, omega 3s critical for building and protecting a healthy brain, keeping joints pain free. Lean sources of meat poultry and fish, low fat dairy, whole grain breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables are even more important at this time for building strong players. Mini meals with all 3 nutrition players – carbs, fats, protein – 5 colors a day keep the balance. Wash it down as suggested with younger athletes since fluid needs are especially high as the growing child has more body surface area. More sweat loss = greater needs for replenishing the fluids.

Swimming (age 14):

Long term energy from healthy fats like omega 3s, olive oils, nuts and seeds along with low glycemic carbs keep teen swimmers training strong through the many calories they burn through each day. Drinking or eating the long term carb fuel, at least 5-7 grams/lb throughout the day, along with 100-300 cal snacks from trail mix, fresh fruit and yogurt, 1/2 sandwiches and a window of at least 45 min – 1 hour before practice to avoid gut distress is important for keeping energy levels high without “interference.”

After training, getting a 2:1 ratio of carbs to protein would be important for faster recovery since most swimmers need to jump start refueling for their second practice and/or between pre lim and finals at their meets.

You can find more nutrition tips at Mom’s Training Table.

What is Rockin’ Refuel?

Lisa references Rockin’ Refuel in a few of her recovery tips. Rockin’ Refuel is a first-of-its’-kind protein-fortified, flavored milk designed to help athletes muscles recover after exertion. After all, your post-game routine is just as important as your pre-game prep when it comes to building a stronger body.

Rockin’ Refuel Attributes

100% Real Low-fat Milk
20 Grams of Protein
2:1 Carbs to Protein – optimal ratio for muscle recovery
9 essential nutrients including naturally occurring electrolytes
Natural source of calcium (not found in traditional sports drinks)
Available in Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla ?avors

Enter to win some Rockin’ Refuel

Rockin Refuel would like to send two of you a full case of Rockin’ Refuel to try out. To enter, just leave a comment below with your favorite nutrition tip (it can be sports related of not).

You can earn extra entries for doing any of the following:

Tweet about this giveaway (use the tweet button at the top of the post to share)

Follow me on twitter – @1momof5

Follow Rockin’ Refuel on twitter – @rockinrefuel

Subscribe to Better in Bulk

Comment on any non-giveaway post (limit two per day to count toward an entry)

This contest will end on Monday, November 28, 2011 at midnight EST. Two winners will be selected at random and notified via email. US residents only, please.

Disclosure: I did not receive any compensation or product in exchange for this post.

Swimming photo from 123rf.com

MOO Christmas Cards Giveaway

Lolli — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:34:35 +0000

Christmas cards….I love receiving them every year. I can’t wait to see pictures of my friends and family who live out of state and see what everyone is up to.

Now, sending Christmas cards….that can be a different story altogether!

Although I am a photographer, it’s like pulling teeth to get a good picture of my own family. Led by my dear husband, I hear complaints the entire time.

We recently had a family celebration the other day when we discovered that we took a rather decent family photo in April of this year. Score! That part was taken care of!

Now to find the perfect card to send with the photo…

I recently ordered new mini business cards through MOO and I adore them. They are full color on both sides, they were totally easy to design, I was able to chose as many different designs as I wanted in a single order, AND my new cards totally stand out.

Holiday cards from MOO

I was thrilled when MOO contacted me about trying out their Holiday Cards. The more I do with MOO, the more I love them. Seriously. They make high quality (and good looking) products and they have a wonderful customer service reputation. Check out MOO on twitter and you’ll see what I mean.

Back to my Christmas cards….I chose a fun design for the front of my card, typed in a short message for the inside of the card, and even uploaded that family picture on the back of the card (woohoo! No extra pictures to order!).

The cards were so easy to order, and I couldn’t wait to get the box in the mail.

First of all, MOO packaging is so much fun. I love how my cards came in their own special box:

And then when I pulled out the cards I couldn’t believe the variety! Look at these – they are all different!

The paper quality is evident as soon as you hold one of these cards in your hand. I love the back of the card, too:

Enter to WIN Custom MOO cards!

You can win your own set of customizable Christmas/Holiday Cards from MOO (a set of 25 cards + envelopes just like I got).

To enter to win, simply comment on this post letting me know what style of card YOU would love to order!

You can earn extra entries by tweeting about this giveaway (I’d love for you to follow me, @1momof5 and @overheardatmoo too!). You can copy this message, make up one of your own, or use the tweet button. You can share this post on twitter twice a day. Just leave me the link to your tweet in the comment.

Who’s sending out #Christmas Cards this year?? I’m hoping to win my Cards from @overheardatmoo & @1momof5! http://betterinbulk.net/Moo #giveaway

This giveaway will end on November 19, 2011 at midnight EST and a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email.

Disclosure: I received a set of 25 Christmas cards to review but the thoughts and LOVE for MOO and their products is straight from my heart.