Family * Travel * Food

Lysol® back-to-school giveaway

**Contest Closed**
Winner is #22

Back-to-school time is nearing for most of us. Besides getting to find out what classes your kids have, buying new clothing and supplies... we have to be ready for the big battle~ GERMS. It never fails, every time school starts back one or both girls come home with a sore throat or sniffles. It seems like it was a lot worse when they were younger. Lysol® products have always been a household must-have even when I was a little girl. Lucky for us, Lysol has come out with so many new products to help us fight those nasty little germs. I received the Lysol® Healthy Touch® No-Touch Hand Soap System in the "stainless steel look" dispenser. It was super easy to put together (it even comes with the batteries) and just as easy to use it. We love the concept of not touching a germy hand soap pump. I placed our unit in the kitchen and both daughters are nagging me already about replacing all of the traditional hand soap bottles with the Lysol® Healthy Touch®. I wish all classrooms had this kind of system! One thing I do recommend is that you make sure when you put your hand under the dispenser for your soap, be sure to wait until all the soap comes out. If you take your hand away too fast it will end up on your counter (ask me how I know). We tried the Aloe Vera & Vitamin E with Moisturizers. I love the fresh scent and the fact that your hands are lightly moisturized. Very nice.


I also received a container of Lysol® Dual Action Disinfecting Wipes.

We already use these wipes in our home and they are very convenient! I even sent one into the husband's office for those just in case days (they happen more often than they should). These Dual Action Disinfecting Wipes:

• Kills 99.9% of Viruses and Bacteria when used as directed
• Kills Cold and Flu Viruses including Pandemic 2009 H1N1 Influenza A
• One side with built in Fibers for Tough Messes or a Side for Touch-up cleaning

Be sure to check out some of these great prevention tips , back-to-school basics and even download a neat poster to read together with your kids and hang it up near the bathroom sink.

{Giveaway}
How would you like to win your own Lysol® No-Touch Hand Soap System as well as a container of Dual Action Wipes? (One winner)

Just leave a comment letting us know what things you do to help keep your kids healthy during the school year or what cool thing you learned from the Lysol® site.

For extra entries:
~ "like" Lysol® and Momfiles on Facebook
~ Enter the Lysol® No-Touch Stainless Steel Kitchen Sweepstakes on Facebook and leave a link to your entry in a comment.
~ Follow Momfiles on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway once daily (leave a link to your Tweet)
Win a Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap System & Dual Action Wipes @momfiles http://tinyurl.com/3vte2wm #giveaway #backtoschool

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on August 14, 2011 at 9:00 pm EST. One winner will will be chosen at random and contacted via email. Please leave your email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger Profile. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received products samples for review. All opinions are 100% mine as always.

Shelly, Mom Files
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Good manners make moms happy!

Some days William goes into overdrive when it comes to not listening to me, making a mess or being wild. Of course I take into consideration that his is only 3 and is also 122% boy. I let the little things slide with him... maybe it's that sweet smile or that special way that he says "pleeeeeease". One thing I will say that I get all day long from him are the words "thank you". He thanks me for everything... food, bathing him, taking him to the store, giving him his toy, brushing his teeth, getting him dressed... It doesn't matter how small it is, he thanks me. He even takes it the extra mile and requests a hug and kiss. This makes me feel so good to see that he is grateful for everything. It never gets old hearing him thank me and those sweet hugs and kisses are a bonus :)
Shelly, Mom Files
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Do you really need money to have kids?

I have been chatting with friends online as well as over the phone lately and there seems to be this one topic that keeps popping up~ Finances and having babies. It appears the majority of people felt that you should be financially stable, have a house, vehicles, credit cards etc... before considering having children. I don't agree with that. I think that the number one thing you can give a child is unconditional love. Once you do that, the rest falls into place.

I am so glad I had the girls while we were young. Although we struggled financially, they never went without all the necessities. Our girls are so appreciative of anything you give them and have become very wise spenders. They are loving and compassionate individuals. William on the other hand has it all and then some. I still make sure to work just as hard to teach him all of the life lessons that we did with the girls. Now I also know some parents (ages 35+) that waited until they bought their house, acquired a cushy bank account and landed the job/career they desired. Guess what? 85% of them wished they had their babies when they were in their 20's. I have heard this from so many people I know!

My point is that babies need minimal "stuff" and a whole lot of love. I am not saying to be irresponsible and just have babies for the heck of it. Life has a way of working out no matter what your financial position might be.

What are your thoughts?
Shelly, Mom Files
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Look what was lurking in our backyard...

It rained last night...heavily. It was the first time in 2 weeks. I was so happy for it. I just didn't expect this...

You should have seen how many birds were lined up on the fence and flying down close to the snake. I guess they thought they were going to catch a big worm? I get chills every time I look at this photo.

This cements my dislike of the Summer months. Thank goodness for husbands. I don't know what I would have done without Dwayne! He sent me back in the bedroom and he made it go away. I know I talk a lot of smack about him but today... he is royalty!

Has anyone had any encounters with snakes this Summer?
Shelly, Mom Files
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What’s in Every Mom’s Beach Bag? {Giveaway}

**Contest Closed**
Winner #135 kathy pease

We are in the thick of the summer and most of us are packing up the family and heading for the beach. Of course if you are a mom you pack as if you are going away for the entire summer, especially when you have babies or small children. You plan for those "just in case" moments as well as the usual drinks, snacks and entertainment items. We are going to the beach in a couple weeks and I have already started my checklist. Of course I know I will overdo it as always but hey, a mom must be prepared! Check out some of these products below that are great for throwing into your beach bag (or bags if you are like me!)

USANA Usanimals vitamins: Usanimals comes in fun animal shapes while providing a phytonutrient blend of blackberry, cranberry, raspberry, and wild blueberry fruit flavors. The vitamins contain a comprehensive array of antioxidants, and minerals, in amounts designed especially for active, growing children.

Smart for Life protein bars: Eliminates post-exercise hunger, so you gain muscle not fat. Supports healthy cardiovascular function, helps promote weight loss, boosts metabolism and controls hunger.

Inky Perfume: Used after showering or as a pick-me-up during those hot summer days, these body sprays refresh and revive the senses, with just the right amount of scent. The Tattooed by Inky collection offers 5 distinctive scents for every personality---two men’s, two women’s, and one unisex. Inky is available at Big Lots and Target stores.

Star Rock for Kids CD: A CD of fun and age-appropriate music that is perfectly “in tune” with the whole family, featuring hits from past decades and today. Beyond being a rockin’ CD series sung completely by kids, Star Rock for Kids! Presents an exceptional opportunity for budding singers to show off their talent and realize their dream by becoming a “Star Rock Kid” and appearing on the next CD.

Kids-EEZE Allergy Soft Chews: Kids-EEZE® is a children’s symptom reliever specially formulated to ease the symptoms of hay fever and upper respiratory allergies. The convenient chew form makes dosing easy with no measuring or messes.

BornFree Eco Classic bottle: BornFree leak proof BPA-Free baby bottles come in plastic or glass and feature an innovative venting system designed to promote ActiveFlow™ and help minimize the painful symptoms of colic. After use, the bottles can be returned to BornFree where they will be recycled into other products such as toys and furniture.

Medifast Parmesan Cheese Puffs: Provides just the right balance of fiber and high-quality protein to keep you feeling full and satisfied, plus your daily requirement of 24 vitamins and minerals!
____________________________________

Giveaway:
How would you like to win all of these *items? All you have to do is tell us what top five beach essentials you would pack for baby. Please leave your list of five products in the comment section as your mandatory entry.

If you would like additional entries you can do any or all of the following:

~ Follow Momfiles via Google Friend Connect
~ "like" Momfiles, Medifast, StarRock for Kids, Smart for Life, Kid-EEZE, BornFree, USANA
(each one counts as a separate entry)
~ Follow Momfiles, USANA, BornFree, Medifast, Smart for Life, StarRock for Kids, Kid-EEZE on Twitter (each one counts as a separate entry)
~ Tweet this giveaway (once daily):
Win some great goodies from @momfiles to put in your #beach bag http://tinyurl.com/3wmjhfd #giveaway

Note: Prize quantity or variety may vary from what is pictured.

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on August 3, 2011 at 9:00 pm EST. One winner will will be chosen at random and contacted via email. Please leave your email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger Profile. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post

Shelly, Mom Files
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From princess to diva?

I remember when little girls were referred to as princesses. They would be decked out in pink with ruffles and glitter. They were all things sweet and innocent. Of course times change...people change. Now parents refer to little girls (even babies) as a diva. If you look up the definition of the word diva you will find out that it means a celebrated female singer. Ladies like Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey are great examples of a diva. The word "diva" is also used negatively, to describe a celebrity in film or music who is extremely demanding and fussy when it comes to their personal needs or wants.

Now tell me something. Why on earth does a 6 month old baby girl need to be referred to as a diva? Am I missing something here? Little sweet girls are being called a diva like it is a badge of honor. I am not judging you if you do this so please don't get me wrong. I just need some understanding.

What are your thoughts?
Shelly, Mom Files
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When the hubby has the camera...

Obviously no one pays attention...

And there is usually a lack of focus.

I will admit, that face is adorable!!

Happy Friday friends! Have a great weekend and stay cool :)

Shelly, Mom Files
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WTH? Wednesday | Coffee

Today's gripe is about coffee prices. Let me start out by saying that I am a coffee snob. I only like a couple brands and although I try others for the sake of saving a couple bucks, I end up regretting it. So I stick to my fancy coffee brands. My main coffee that I love comes in bigger bags at Walmart so I go there twice a month for it. It used to be $9.98 then $10.98, $11.98 (last week) and it is now a whopping $13.98!! WTH??!! There is no way I am spending that much. I know that everything has gone up price-wise but this seemed to be a bit too much. I looked around at other brands and I was floored to see even the cheaper ones were very expensive. What to do? Stop drinking it? We tried that before and failed miserably. I spotted an old school favorite that we used to drink exclusively in our Miami days.

Good old fashioned Cafe Bustelo. It was $3.88 a can. Hmm...$13.98 or $3.88? Yeah, Cafe Bustelo won the price battle. I told Dwayne he better get used to a couple espresso shots each morning. When I told him the cost difference he was completely with me. I even broke out my old stove-top espresso pot. Nothing like jet fuel to start your day! Y'all know Dwayne is going to get me for the product advertising!! Shh, don't tell on me! :D

If you have any WTH moments please share them in the comments!
Shelly, Mom Files
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Eggland's Best America's #1 Egg [Giveaway]

**Contest Closed**
Winners are #248 ZESTYWONDERLAND & #141 ababe28

For many years now, my family has been exclusively eating Eggland's Best eggs. A lot of people call us egg snobs. Hey, we can't help it if we like the best eggs! I was just reading an article the other day about the old beliefs that eggs were bad for you. Turns out eggs are a nutritious choice and are packed with vitamins and are a good source of protein and Omega 3. Eggs are so versatile and not just a breakfast food. We have eggs at all times of day and it is one of our most common go-to foods. We love them fried, scrambled, in omelets, boiled, deviled and more. As a kid, I ate eggs curried and stewed. I think deviled eggs are my favorite and I make up a tray for every cookout we go to.

Compared to ordinary eggs, each Eggland’s Best large egg contains:
• 25% less saturated fat
• 35% more lutein
• 10 times more Vitamin E
• 3 times more Vitamin B12
• 2 times more Vitamin D
• Double the Omega-3

You can read all of the great benefits Eggland's Best eggs have as well as EB's Nutrition facts.

We are giving away an Eggland's Best prize pack to 2 lucky Momfiles readers! The prize pack includes: 1 month of FREE Eggland’s Best eggs (in the form of coupons), an eco bag, a plush egg and a spatula.

To Enter:
Mandatory: Do you eat Eggland's Best eggs? What is your favorite way to eat eggs?

For extra entries (leave a separate comment for each entry method to count):
~ Tell us a fact you learned about Eggland's Best eggs
~ Share your favorite egg recipe (3 entries) Be original!
~ "like" Eggland's Best and Momfiles on Facebook
~ Mention this giveaway on Facebook and leave a link
~ Follow Eggland's Best and Momfiles on Twitter
~ Tweet this giveaway and leave a link (once daily):
Enter to win an @EgglandsBest prize pack from @momfiles (2 winners) http://tinyurl.com/3tc4yrt #giveaway
~ Follow Momfiles via Google Friend Connect
~ Place the Momfiles button on your blog (leave blog link)

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on August 1, 2011 at 9:00 pm EST. Two winners will will be chosen at random and contacted via email. Please leave your email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger Profile. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post and all opinions are 100% mine as always

Shelly, Mom Files
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Guess what? Bees STING!!

My family went away for the weekend to Atlanta, GA to join our family for the annual family reunion. The weather was picture perfect to be in the car for 3 hours. We were able to ride with the windows down~ we were loving it! The road trip was so much fun. We chatted, made fun of each other, laughed and lived frivolously with no cares or worries. We really enjoyed the time we spent together in the car....until.... a bee flew in! It ended up on my window (the passenger side) and I quickly put it down all the way but it seemed like the bee went down into the door and not out of the window. Oh well, we just kept right on along and stopped for a snack. We are all laughing and carrying on and suddenly the bee appears again! I quickly let the window down and it went out, but it looked like it came back in. I was not sure but the family seemed convinced that it was gone. Three minutes later I started screaming hysterically. The freakin' bee was on my upper back!! It stung me and I was freaking out like you would not believe. I am 37 years old and have never been stung by a bee before. Dwayne told me to calm down and he grabbed it with his fingers and killed it and threw it out of the window. He pulled the car off to a safe location and tried to see if the stinger was still intact. I don't even know what happened to it. I am however really glad that I am the mom who thinks of almost everything and packed Benedryl and Ibuprofen. I took both about 5 minutes after it happened. I think that saved me a lot of pain and swelling. I am SO thankful that I am not allergic in the deadly kind of way since I obviously survived. It is itchy and red but I am okay otherwise. Our trip was able to go on as planned and we had a blast. I would recommend that if you ever travel to be sure to take your Benedryl and Ibuprofen "just in case". I'm glad I did!!
Shelly, Mom Files
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Back-to-school with Walmart | Giveaway

**Contest Closed**
winner is lyndseyluvsjj

We are already almost halfway through the month of July and most of us will have to start buying back-to-school items for the kids. Walmart has always been our favorite place to purchase school supplies and lunch box items. Right now you can find almost 70 items at Walmart with 4 Box Tops for Education on the package. I have been saving up our Box Tops and donating them to the girls' schools ever since they were in kindergarten. For every Box Top you clip you earn your school 10 cents. You would be amazed how quickly they add up. Good thing for me is a lot of the snacks my kids like are participating products like Nature Valley, Cheerios, Yoplait and more. This is a great way to buy the brands my family loves as well as help out the school. It's like fundraising without any real work! You can see the complete list of participating products that have the Box Tops here.

Giveaway: I have a $25 Walmart gift card to give away to one lucky Momfiles reader to help get a jump on that back-to-school shopping.

To Enter:
Mandatory: Let us know what items you plan to buy from Walmart for back-to-school or which Box Tops items from General Mills you plan to purchase?

For extra entries (leave a separate comment for each entry method to count):
~ "like" Walmart and Momfiles on Facebook
~ Mention this giveaway on Facebook and leave a link
~ Follow Walmart and Momfiles on Twitter
~ Tweet this giveaway and leave a link (once daily):
Enter to win a $25 @Walmart GC #giveaway from @momfiles and #myblogspark http://tinyurl.com/62vqxfp for #backtoschool
~ Follow Momfiles via Google Friend Connect
~ Place the Momfiles button on your blog (leave blog link)

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on July 30, 2011 at 9:00 pm EST. One winner will will be chosen at random and contacted via email. Please leave your email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger Profile. Good luck!

Disclosure: The information and $25 gift card to Walmart has been provided by Walmart and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.
Shelly, Mom Files
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Are you "in" Google+ ?

Seriously, don't we have enough to keep up with and now there is Google+? I am "in" and honestly I don't see what all the hoopla is about. I don't even know how to use the darn thing and it seems like it's way over the top. I like simplicity. Some people have said it is like Facebook and Twitter in one place. I think I am more partial to Facebook by itself as well as Twitter by itself. Maybe I'm just too old school to appreciate all this social networking technology. I am trying to figure how the heck you delete it!

What about you? Are you a part of Google+? Do you like it? Am I missing something? Please share..

Shelly, Mom Files
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I am so happy that the girls have returned from their volleyball camp in Charleston. They both had a great time and learned a lot. Of course after visiting College of Charleston, they are both considering applying there. I would be fine with that since it is only 2 hours away. It was certainly very quiet with them gone! Well, it's time to go cook them a big ole dinner. Have a great day friends! :-)
Shelly, Mom Files
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Info on the new Verizon Wireless data plans

I have been a long time Verizon Wireless customer, even before they were called Verizon. I have been very pleased over the years and was really shocked when I heard about the new data package requirements being implemented as well as the end of "unlimited" data. This scared us since Dwayne and I are dedicated smartphone users. We do it all~ social networking, blogging, Google, Pandora, email.... you name we do it. I read some of the awful customer comments on Facebook and Twitter and thought to myself, "How can such a big and great company do this to their customers?" Of course I had to find out for myself and not go with all of the ignorant comments you see all over the internet.

I called Verizon's customer service center to inquire how this new change will affect my family. It turns out that the new data package pricing only affects new customers getting smartphones and also current customers upgrading to a smartphone from a regular phone. As long as you were an unlimited data customer prior to the new changes you will not be affected. Even if we upgrade to newer smartphones, we will still be able to keep our current unlimited package with the same price. I was so happy to hear that because I was starting to think I was going to have to go back to a normal phone since I am a heavy smartphone user. I am glad I did my homework and did not just assume the worst. I am also happy that I won't have to switch from a company I love.
Shelly, Mom Files
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My girls are gone :-(

I woke up this morning at 4:30 so I could take the girls to meet up with their volleyball teammates to board the bus to Charleston for a 3-day camp. You would not believe the amount of stuff 2 teenage girls carry along for such a short time! I tell you what though, I miss them already. As a matter of fact I started missing them since Monday. William woke up this morning and gave his usual good morning greetings. He then asks to go downstairs so he can see his girls. Yep, he refers to his sisters as "my girls". I told him that they were not home and he got teary eyed. I am sure he will be missing them a whole lot too. I know the girls will have a blast and at least they can get away from the mountains of summer work they have for a few days. The upside to all of this is that we will actually have food in the house for the next few days!

Oh, one last thing...Chardie got her score from her AP European History exam she took in May for college credit. You get scored from 1-5 (5 being the highest) Guess what? My girl got a 5!!!! We are so proud!!!
Shelly, Mom Files
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Sustenex back-to-school immunity kit giveaway

** Contest Closed**



I recently got the chance to try out Sustenex Probiotic Gummies and Probiotic Chews. These dietary supplements contain probiotics which help maintain a healthy digestive system that can lead to a healthier body. What are probiotics? As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), probiotics are live microorganisms, which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Sustenex® contains the probiotic, BC30.
My daughters and I decided to see what Sustenex Probiotic Gummies taste like. We were all amazed at how much the gummies looked and smelled like traditional gummy bears. Guess what? They taste exactly that way! We all had to stop ourselves since the daily recommended amount you can have is 1-4 of them. They contain no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and have only 24 calories for every 2 pieces. We tested out the Probiotic Chews the following day and were a bit leery. Lucky for us they tasted like a cross between a Starburst fruit chew and a Laffy Taffy! Each chew contains 1 billion cells of the probiotic, BC30 and has only 20 calories. The great part is there is no worries about refrigerating your probiotic supplement like you would with yogurt and you don't need to swallow enormous pills. You can keep some in your purse, desk or take them along when you travel.

Sustenex probiotics are great for the whole family and are a delicious and convenient way that can help support your digestive and immune health. You can purchase Sustenex products at a variety of retail stores including Target, Walmart and Amazon.com. You can find a complete list of retailers here.

How would you like to win a back-to-school immunity kit? The kit comes with a lunch tote, 1 box of Sustenex Probiotic Gummies, 1 bag of Sustenex Probiotic Chews, 1 travel sized Kleenex facial tissues and 1 Clean Well all-natural (alcohol free) spray on hand sanitizer. One lucky Momfiles reader will win this great gift pack simply by leaving a comment to this post letting me know why you want to win this prize.


For additional entries you can (leave a separate comment per entry method):
~ "like" Sustenex and Momfiles on Facebook
~ Share this giveaway on Facebook
~ Follow Sustenex and Momfiles on Twitter
~ Tweet this giveaway (once daily):
Enter to win a @Sustenex #Probiotic back-to-school immunity kit #giveaway from @momfiles http://tinyurl.com/6gmf4oq
~ Follow Momfiles via Google Friend Connect
~ Place the Momfiles button on your blog

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end at 9:00 PM EST on July 15,2011. Please be sure to leave your email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger Profile. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email to claim prize. Good luck!

I received products samples to review and all opinions are 100% mine always.
Shelly, Mom Files
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Flashback Friday | 1991

This was me back in high school when I was just 17. In those days I wore a size zero and I loved to dress up for school. This shot does not show you how big my hair was in the front! Dwayne took this photo when he decided he would just waltz into my class during the middle of the school day. As you can see I was not exactly happy about it since he popped up and surprised me. Hey, he could have at least given me a heads up so I could be ready. I remember everyone thinking it was so cute of him to take a random picture of his girl. Senior year was amazing! :)

Hmm, I wonder why was I holding my folder while everyone in the background was doing school work?
Shelly, Mom Files
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