Okay– I am totally excited because I am getting my design this month. In fact, it should be any day now that it will be going up on the site. Because of my new design, I decided to give away a $100 Visa Gift Card!
It’s really easy to enter — just use the Rafflecopter below to enter.
I will be leaving this giveaway open for the entire month of May!
I decided to really be a blessing this year and do lots of giveaways on my own — cash giveaways — because you guys are super great. I love each and every one of you and YOU are the reason that I keep this site going.
I love sharing my stories with you, my recipes, and more 
It’s been a long 6 years, but I would not change it for anything in the world. So — go enter and good luck!
I hope you win Don’t worry if you don’t — there is always more where that came from!
Tucker is like my third child. If you have been on my blog at anytime, then you have seen me post numerous pictures about my sweet little man. I mean — he is the true king of this castle.
We recently found an amazing online boutique for Tucker that offers dog toys, gourmet treats, and more for my little fur baby. Bone Appetit Bakery has become my new favorite online store for special treats for my sweet little chihuahua.
The day that the box arrived, we set it down in the floor for Tucker to check out. He immediately was drawn into the smells coming from the box. He kept scratching at it, so I knew we needed to get it open so he could see his special treats inside.
Bone Appetite gave me $25 to spend in the store, so Kayla and I chose yummy doggy doughnuts for him and some special Oreo looking cookies for dogs. They even sent some free cookies for him to try as well.
Tucker was immediately drawn to the doughnuts. For such a little guy, he has a major sweet tooth!
It’s almost as if he is saying, Decisions, Decisions. He took his doughnut and went straight to his little corner to eat his yummy treat!
Later that afternoon, he was definitely ready for another treat, so Kayla gave him a choice and nothing do him but to get that free lightbulb cookie that Bone Appetit Bakery sent us. I think all in all — that was definitely his favorite cookie of all.
I love the Bone Appetit Bakery and so does Tucker! He gives it two paws up
About the Bone Appetit Bakery
The Bone Appetit Bakery serves organic, all natural dog treats for that special little furry friend in your life. Not only do they serve gourmet dog treats, but you can also get toys, pet id tags, beds, mats, collars, and leashes at their online store.
Be sure to sign up for their email list so that you can stay up to date on any specials they have going on.
Follow Bone Appetit Bakery on Twitter and Facebook.
Enter to win
One of my readers is going to get a chance to win $25 to spend at the Bone Appetit Bakery as well. To enter, leave a comment below letting me know you want to win.
What would you purchase for your sweet little puppy?
I was given $25 to spend at the store online in order to write this review. All opinions listed are my own.
Life has been pretty hectic in our home for the last few months. Robert turned 18 this past Christmas, Kayla will soon be 15, and Stephen and I are just plain busy with work. Let’s throw in our youth ministry and we have a pretty full schedule — all the time. So when we found out that we are going to be moving again, and I began packing boxes, the family spied all the board games that we had in the closet. We decided to start having a family game night again to help us slow down, and continue enjoying each other’s company. We miss that.
Since everyone is growing up and going their own separate ways most of the time, we decided that it was high time to slow the pace and create a family game night at least once a week. Here are a few tips on setting up your own game night for your family.
Make a Big Meal
Anytime we have family game night, we also make a big meal together. We get into the kitchen, which helps us to blow off the worries and stresses of the day. We pick something that is everyone’s favorite and we cook, laugh, tell stories – and just really make it a great time for all. We serve the big meal before we start playing, but we make sure that we make enough to munch on while we play games. Winning can definitely make you hungry
Turn off cell phones and the television
Because this world is so technology infused, when game night comes around, all electronics are turned off. We make sure NOT to purchase games that involve the television for that purpose — we turn everything off so that we can focus on family fun the old fashioned way!
Grab a new game
Once a month or so, we try to always find a new game. We recently got two new games in the mail to try out — Twister Rave Skip It and Twister Ringz. These are two of Hasbro’s newest games and, boy are they super fun! The colored lights immediately attracted my daughter — who loves all things neon.
Twister Rave Skip It
Skip-It® is back in 2013 with the all-new TWISTER RAVE Skip-It® game that will have players skipping as long as they can! The longer you go, the more you glow as multi-color LEDs reveal 20+ color levels as you play! Try to master TWISTER RAVE Skip-It® by getting the game to light up to reveal all four iconic TWISTER colors (red, blue, yellow and green). The fun never ends when you’re skipping your way to victory! (Requires 3 AAA batteries – not included).
Age: 6+; Players: 1; Available: Now at mass merchandise retailers nationwide; Approximate Retail Price: $19.99
Twister Rave Ringz
It’s all about the bling! This quick-action game challenges girls to twist, snap and clap to keep the beat to more than 20 different handclap games found online at PlayTwister.com. With each movement, the rings light up and change color. If you complete the handclap games in perfect sync, all rings in the game should start and finish on the same color! The TWISTER RAVE Ringz are perfect to bring along wherever your day takes you for impromptu gaming fun. Girls can check out online videos at PlayTwister.com to learn new skills and tricks! (2 electronic Ringz per pack; each ring requires 3 button cell batteries – demo batteries included).
Age: 8+; Players: 1-2; Available: Now at mass merchandise retailers nationwide; Approximate Retail Price: $7.99
Out of both games we received, my daughter’s favorite was the Rave Ringz. She and I sat and played hand games for over an hour the other day. It totally reminded me of my teenage years riding the bus with all my girlfriends, playing hand clapping games until it was my turn to get off. This truly is one of the coolest games ever.
To keep up with all the latest Hasbro news, “like” HasbroGameNight on Facebook or follow them on Twitter @hasbrogamenight.
Enter to win
One reader is going to win each of the Twister Rave games above.
To enter, leave a comment stating which of the 4 Twister Rave games you think you would like best (Hoopz, Ringz, Skip-It or Stickz).
You can get an extra entry if you Subscribe to Jen’s Journey Daily Emails (email must be verified for your entry to count). Then come back and leave a comment stating that you did so.
You can also gain one more extra entry by following me on Twitter @jennifer_sikora.
I will end this giveaway on 3/27 at 5 pm EST
Disclosure: I was given the Twister Rave games to facilitate my review. All opinions are 100% mine and not influenced in any way.
When Kayla was a little girl, I dreamed of taking her to ballet or gymnastics class. I had always wanted to do those things growing up, so I was hoping my little girl would be able to fall in love with dance and tumbles just like me. However, she had her own dreams of basketball and playing in the dirt with her brother. And ya know what? I was totally OK with that. Every little girl deserves her own dreams.
I recently got to speak with Jenelle Manzi about helping your little girl achieve her dreams and also talk about her role in the new Barbie movie, Barbie and the Pink Shoes.
I love what Jenelle says in the video above. It is so important for us as parents to be on board with our kids’ dreams. Just because we may not like the choice that they have made, it’s their dream and we need to get behind them and support them in whatever they choose for their lives.
Right now, my daughter is learning to play drums. I love that she is breaking out of the box and being her own person and doing something she loves. She’s taking classes, practicing, and this summer she will be attending Camp Electric, which is a Christian week long camp for teens and kids who have musical talents. I’m SO proud of her
Enter to win
One of my readers is going to get a chance to win a cool Barbie and the Pink Shoes prize pack that includes the Barbie doll, the movie, and some other ballet goodies.
I was provided a prize pack for review as well as one to give away. All opinions listed are my own.
When a huge box of Avocados arrived from Paradise Grove, I started looking back through the recipes I had shared on the blog to see what in the world I could make again. The only one in my family that would even consider eating avocados is me, so I had to find ways to hide them in the food or just plain decide I was going to chomp down on those delicious foods!
Avocados are great to use for any gathering because they pair wonderfully as appetizer, dip, or toppings for favorite sports foods. In fact, with March Madness right around the corner, I am going to be sure to have some recipes ready for the big game time!
- Avocado Creamy Dressing: This is a delicious twist to regular dressing and goes great on a salad, or you can use it to top your favorite Mexican Dish.
- Chewy Fudge Avocado Brownies: If you have picky eaters who say they hate avocados? Yeah– this recipe will fool them for sure. The avocados add a creaminess to the brownies and no one will never know that they are in there.
- Tomato and Avocado Salad: If you are on a health kick, this salad has a wonderful taste and goes great with a piece of grilled chicken or fish.
- Homemade Guacamole: At your next sports party, bust out the chips and dip and serve this tasty avocado dish. Authentic flavors and totally easy to prepare.
- Avocado Fries: If you seriously want something delicious — you have to try this recipe for Avocado fries. They are unbelievable!
I used my Paradise Grove Avocados to make a new dish that I found on my friend Lolli’s website. Her Bacon Avocado recipe was one that I had been drooling over since the day she posted it. Since I had so many avocados, I decided to give it a try.
Using the Paradise Grove Avocados, the taste was so creamy and scrumptious. They actually just melt in your mouth when you bite into them. At their ripest state, you can just smell the deliciousness.
I also had another recipe that I am going to be attempting soon and I will share it with you once I have had a chance to make it. It is an Avocado Chicken Salad that I had at Tumbleweed’s with a Cilantro Lime Dressing. OH MY WORD. This salad was so good and definitely needs a copycat recipe to go with it — so be looking for that recipe in the next coming weeks.
Now that you have some delicious new recipes to try, break out the avocados and start experimenting with your own!
About Paradise Grove Avocados:
Unlike Chilean and Mexican groves where the fruit is harvested when immature and therefore watery, at Paradise Grove, our farmers cultivate our Avocados until they reach optimal quality and size, at a maximum weight of 8 ounces. At that size, the fruit is about three times larger than those found in grocery stores.
They hand clip them from the trees when mature but still with green skin. This method leaves a stem nub on the fruit. Ones missing this likely weren’t hand-picked and, instead, fell to the ground.
With care, Paradise Grove can harvest the fruit nearly 10 months out of every year, from December to October.
Enter to win
One lucky winner is going to get a huge 6lb box of Paradise Grove avocados to use for themselves. To enter this giveaway, leave a comment below sharing a recipe you want to try that uses Avocado as the ingredient.
To gain an extra entry, sign up to have Jen’s Journey delivered to your email daily (in the right hand sidebar).
Other ways you can enter:
- Sign up for the Paradise Grove Newsletter
- Submit a recipe to Paradise Grove that uses Avocados
- Follow Paradise Grove on Facebook
- Follow Paradise Grove on Twitter
- Follow Paradise Grove on Pinterest
Comment below. Giveaway will end on March 20th.
I was sent a box of Avocados from Paradise Grove in order to write this review. All opinions listed are my own.
Are you a lady who loves to cook and share her recipes? Then this contest from Turner Dairy is just what you need! The Tasty Tra”dish”ons Contest such as your delicious recipes that you have prepared using Turner Dairy products such as their fresh milk, smooth sour cream or protein-packed cottage cheese. Share your recipes by simply filling out the entry form on their website… and you could win a prize!
Prizes being given away each week:
Nine (9) prize winners will be drawn randomly, one per week, and will receive the following: Coupon vouchers for: (5) free gallon milk , (5) free 56-oz Ice Cream, (5) $1.50 off any Turner product, as well as a t-shirt and travel mug. The retail value of each prize is approximately $70.00. Product coupons are good only on product sizes and flavors indicated and may be redeemed at participating retailers in Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky.
Enter MY Giveaway!
Turner Dairy sent me several coupons for free milk, ice cream, and $1.50 off their products, so I am giving away a huge prize pack of freebie coupons to ONE winner. To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment below letting me know what your favorite Turner Dairy Product is and how you would use it in a recipe.
You can get an extra entry for signing up to have my blog delivered to your inbox daily (just go to the top of the page).
So what recipe would you create?
I was sent coupons in exchange for my post. All opinions listed are my own.
When I was 16 and got my first car, gas was only 1.00 a gallon. That honestly seems like such a long time ago now that gas is around $3.50 a gallon! Every year gas costs seem to rise more and more. It makes me want to stay at home and NOT leave! There are a few things that you can do to help save money on your fuel costs. I have listed 5 of my favorite ways below.
5 Ways to Save Money on Your Fuel Costs
Plan Your Route
I can’t tell you the countless times that I have run out to go do my errands only to find myself driving and backtracking. On a day when you know that you have to go run errands, make yourself a map of all the places you have to visit. Put them in order so you can just make a round trip without having to backtrack. It will save on gas in the long run.
When You Can — Carpool
My friend and I like to take shopping trips to the city. She always offers to drive, so she and I split the gas when we go. This helps me from having to pay the full price for a tank of gas.
Change Daily Trips Into Weekly Trips
I am THE world’s worst about making a daily trip into town, simply because I live right here in town. However — it still costs me gas to do that. The best thing you can do is start planning out your trips and only go once a week instead of daily. Do all your shopping, bill paying, and whatever else you have to do all in one trip. This will also help you save money at home as well because you will be less tempted to eat out. You will fix more meals at home.
Buy Your Gas During the Week
Try to buy your gas during the week if you can. Our local stations have always pretty much raised their prices on the weekends, and especially on holiday weekends. So wait to fill up until they come back down a bit, maybe on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.
Join a Fuel Rewards Network Program
I was recently introduced to Fuel Rewards Network Program.It’s really easy to use. Simply shop with participating Shell stations, restaurants, online merchants and more to earn fuel rewards savings redeemable at Shell Stations nationwide. It’s like you are getting paid FREE gas just for doing what you do everyday!
With the Fuel Rewards Network Program, you can earn rewards just for the things you buy. If you dine out, you can earn .10/per gallon off for every $50 you spend. For my family of four — that is not hard to do at all. If you do a lot of shopping online, Fuel Rewards Network Program has an online mall. Shop through major name brands like Gap, Old Navy, Home Depot, and Best Buy, and you can save .5/per gallon for every $50 spent.
Enter to Win
Right now, I am giving away 5 Fuel Rewards Network Program Cards that are already pre-loaded with $1.00 per gallon in fuel savings. All you have to do to enter is use the Rafflecopter form below. It’s really very easy! This giveaway will close on 3/17 and all cards will be mailed out to the winners.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I was provided a Fuel Rewards Network Program card to use for my review and 5 to give away. All opinions listed are my own.
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and there is nothing sweeter to me than having a breakfast date with your sweetheart! I won’t be home for Valentine’s this year, so I thought I would share a great deal with you that Denny’s has going on right now.
Spark some romance and warm some hearts with Denny’s this Valentine’s Day as America’s Diner is offering guests a free cup of its new coffee blends on Feb. 14. Earlier this year, the restaurant chain unveiled three new, improved blends using Arabica beans for a smoother, richer flavor– the Signature Diner Roast, Dark Diner Roast and Signature Decaf Roast.
Enter to win
To help celebrate your breakfast date with your mate, I’m giving away a $20 gift card to Denny’s. Use the Rafflecopter below to enter this giveaway.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
While you are having your coffee, be sure and check out their delicious new complete skillet meals.
Denny’s is also paying special attention to another key consumer driver: value. The “Complete Skillet Meals” menu features affordable three-course meals starting at $8.99. Guests can enjoy more than 100 possible meal combinations to satisfy any taste and budget. With so many delicious options, diners will have trouble deciding how to start – a cup of hearty soup, a Denny’s garden or Caesar salad or seasonal fruit. Next, choose from one of six delicious dishes including the Prime Rib Loaded Potato Skillet, Country-Fried Steak Skillet, Chicken Loaded Potato Skillet, Pot Roast Skillet, Bacon ChipotleChicken Skillet and the Hash Skillet. Complete the meal with a tempting dessert – Mini Apple Crisp, Mini Banana Split, Pecan Pie or Denny’s famous Pancake Puppies® Sundae.
The limited time menu also features three breakfast options including the Banana Caramel French Toast Skillet, Western Skillet and the Fit Fare® Veggie Skillet.
Head on out to your nearest Denny’s and give their new coffees and skillet meals a try!
Here are the winner’s of my current giveaways!
Sol Republic Headphones:
The winner of the Sol Republic Headphones is Emily Adams.
The winner of the Pamper Me Mom pack is Alena Svetelska.
The winner of the Mrs. Smith Operation HomeFront Giveaway is Vanessa
I have more giveaways coming up in the coming weeks so be ready!
Many of us are smart phone users — me included! However, before I got to talk to Janna Robinson, tech expert for US Cellular, I had NO idea that so many apps existed to help us with the holidays — from cooking all the way to holiday card sending.
Janna shares with us her tips for stress free holidays by using your smartphone, and some important info about US Cellular (don’t forget to scroll down after watching the video so you can enter to win the Pamper Me pack)
US Cellular customers receive unique benefits such as a valuable rewards program that recognizes loyalty, new phones faster without continuously signing contracts, free Battery Swap, Overage Protection, and free incoming calls, texts and picture messages. Their strong line-up of cutting-edge devices are designed to simplify and organize your life and they are all backed by our high-speed nationwide network which has the highest call quality of any national carrier. They are rapidly expanding a 4G LTE network, which currently covers 25 percent of customers and will cover 54 percent by the end of 2012.
To find a U.S. Cellular location near you, visit them online at USCellular.com.
Enter to win a Pamper Me Gift Basket
I’m giving away a Pamper Me Pack full with bathrobe, slippers, chocolates, candles, tea, Burt’s Bees products, flash drive, and google play card!! This is a $115 value!
To enter this giveaway, leave a comment below answering this question: What is your number one tip for the holidays to have a stress free event?
Gain extra entries
You can gain extra entries into the giveaway, by doing each of the following. One extra entry per each. Just leave a comment below for each extra entry:
- Follow me on Twitter
- Like my Facebook page
- Follow me on Pinterest
- Subscribe to my RSS Feed (located at the top of the blog)
- Subscribe by Email (located at the top of the blog)
This giveaway will end on December 18th, 2012 and a winner will be chosen by Random.org
I was provided a Pamper Me pack in order to write this review. All opinions listed are my own.
Author Anita Higman invites readers to kick off the season with a spirited holiday tale.
Anita is spreading the Christmas cheer by giving away FIFTEEN COPIES of the book.
To enter to win A Merry Little Christmas, just head over to THE CONTEST PAGE at Anita’s website and fill out the short form. Be sure to put BLOG CONTEST in the Subject Line. That’s it.
Winners will be announced on the Litfuse blog (and notified by email) on 11/9.
I’m really excited about this giveaway I have for you! Disney is going to give one of my fabulous readers a set of Wreck-It Ralph T-shirts — one of Ralph and one of Vanellope!
So who is Vanellope and Wreck-It Ralph you ask?
Enter to Win
To enter this giveaway, use the Rafflecopter below. This giveaway will end on October 26th, 2012.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
“Like” WRECK-IT RALPH on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WreckItRalph
Follow WRECK-IT RALPH on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wreckitralph
WRECK-IT RALPH smashes into theaters everywhere on November 2nd!!
This post was provided by Disney. I was not compensated to write or share. All opinions listed are my own. I just love Disney. That is all
I am not big into football. I’m more of a hockey fan myself, but regardless of what sport is your favorite, tailgating is ALL the same! I recently got to spend some time chatting about tailgating tips from Chef Jody Denton, who is works for the Frito Lay Flavor Kitchen.
Chef Denton shares some great tips on his interview. My favorite is the T.E.A.M. acronym.
- T – Travel Ready. Make sure you have enough coolers and ice on hand to transport your food safely. And bring disposable containers to make transport (and clean up) a breeze. (I love the tip about frozen bottled water as ice)
- E – Easy Eating. Plan on simple foods that can be mostly prepared ahead of time.
- A – All-weather. Check the forecast and be prepared with any gear you may need for the elements.
- M – Make a checklist. Click here for an extensive checklist for all your game-day tailgating essentials, provided by Frito-Lay.
It’s all about the grill this tailgating season!
The two recipes that Chef Denton talks about in the video sound SO amazing. The Smokehouse Style BBQ Chips are my favorite and I am definitely going to be making that BBQ Chicken Quesadilla.
One of my favorite tailgating recipes is my Frito Pie in the Bag!
So what is your BEST tailgating tip? Share that with me for a chance to win this awesome Lay’s Tailgating Prize Pack
This giveaway pack includes:
- 5 Large bag of Chips
- 5 Coupons for Dips
- 18 Piece Mr BBQ Grilling Set
- Grilling Lighter
- Mesquite Wood Chips
- Soda Can Coolies
This giveaway is chocked full of all the things you will need to make your tailgate party a success! Here is how you can enter:
- Mandatory entry: Share your best tailgating tip in the comment section below
- Subscribe to my blog by email: Follow this link and sign up to get Jen’s Journey delivered to your email. Leave a comment letting me know you did.
- Like my Facebook page: Hop over to Facebook and Like Jen’s Journey. Leave a comment letting me know you did.
- Follow me on Twitter: Hop on over to Twitter and start following me for great tips and recipes! Leave me a comment letting me know you did.
- Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: I’m going to start posting more videos and you should subscribe to stay in the loop when I post one!
- Follow me on Pinterest: If you love Pinterest, come and follow me and see all my shares! Leave me a comment letting me know you did.
- Follow me on Instagram: If you have a smart phone and are on Instagram, come and follow me there. I’m @jennifersikora. Leave me a comment letting me know you did.
- Like Frito Lay on Twitter: Follow Frito Lay for lots of great ideas.
- Like Frito Lay on Facebook: Follow Frito Lay on Facebook.
Be sure and leave me a comment for each way that you entered the contest. Giveaway ends 9/28.
I received a tailgating prize pack in order to write my review. All opinions listed are my own.
We tried the red orange variety of Trop 50 and it was absolutely delicious. It is a bit sweeter than typical orange juice beverages, and isn’t as thick with pulp, so its much more refreshing. My daughter really enjoyed it. I served it with eggs and bacon one morning, and was pleased to see that she was drinking the Red Orange juice.Then I told her it had less sugar, and that made HER happy. I loved it too and have since bought it on several more occasions. It has the same great taste you have come to expect from Tropicana, but also cuts the sugar and the calories in half. Trop 50 is also available in Pomegranate Blueberry, Pineapple Mango, Farmstand Apple, regular OJ flavor, and Raspberry Lemonade.
About Trop50 Red Orange
Tropicana® Trop50® Red Orange delivers the goodness of orange juice with 50 percent less sugar and calories, and no artificial sweeteners. Found in the chilled aisle, new Trop50 Red Orange juice beverage blends nutritious orange juice with lush red oranges for a refreshingly smooth, delicious taste. The product has limited distribution, but is rolling out nationwide in the next few weeks. Please visit our Store Locator for a retailer near you.
Enter to Win 2 coupons for a FREE bottle of Trop50
Hi guys!
I finally found a free moment to pull a couple of winners for the gift codes that I have for HP Inkology giveaway that I did.
Winners
Winner #1 is Tabitha B: Tabathia B December 20, 2011 at 10:30 pm [edit]
I would love to win. Thanks
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
Winner #2 is Julie L: Julie L December 24, 2011 at 1:41 pm [edit]
Love to win give this to my son for his HP printer thanks
I will be sending you both your code through email so watch for it! :0
Congrats! I have a VERY special giveaway coming soon, so be sure and keep an eye on your inbox!
Hi! I am Jen--a wife to the most amazing man ever and a homeschool mom to one teenager. I just graduated my oldest.
I have been blogging since 2007. I love to watch movies, spend time in the kitchen, crochet, dance, drink coffee, and lay on the beach. Between recipes, reviews, and hilarious life story moments you'll find many helpful posts on this blog. Welcome, pull up a chair and stay for a while!
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