Need A Teacher Gift?

I know some of you have threatened to stop reading my blog if I continue to post this picture, but I'm doing it anyway.  (Keep reading this post at least - there might be something in it for you.)

This is my baby.  Isn't he darling?  I'm thinking I should call Guinness and see if this is the longest snot stream in the history of the world.  Are there prizes for that sort of thing?

After seeing this picture last year, the good people at Boogie Wipes sent me a package full of their product.  I guess they thought I needed them, and they were right.  I've been hooked on them ever since.  I'll tell you why.

Boogie Wipes are like crack for your nose when you've got a cold.  (Not that I'm encouraging drug use.)

Kids love Boogie Wipes.  They're soft and saline infused, and therefore super gentle on your nose - and they smell flippin' awesome.  Everyone I've talked to likes the Grape scent best.  I happen to be partial to the Magic Menthol scent.  It's like heaven when you're sick.

Boogie Wipes are meant to be used for runny or gunky noses, to prevent the spread of germs, and to keep your kids and their clothes looking fresh...you know - use the wipe, not your sleeve.  But I use them for lots more.  The individually wrapped wipes are a life saver when you're out with your kids and they have remnants of Oreo cookie all over their faces.  I have four boys, and I hate going into public with them looking like ghetto rats who never bathe.  People look at us like we're trashy when that happens. So I pop a few of those individually wrapped wipes in my purse, and we're all set to tackle any mess that their faces can dish out.  Boogers, snot, or Oreo-related.  And the kids never complain because that Grape scent really is good.  They ask if they can wipe their own faces, believe it or not. 

So in honor of National Provider Appreciation Day on May 6th, Boogie Wipes has created a Teacher Appreciation Kit, and they are sponsoring a giveaway right here for one of you lucky readers!  Yey!

The Teacher/Daycare Provider Kit includes a poster with Save the Sleeve pledge guidelines, 50 Boogie Wipes samples, (those handy purse ones), coupons, and 2 classroom canisters.  All those goods will help you keep your home or classroom clean and help control the spread of germs. 

But if you catch it in time, there is a National Provider Appreciation Day Kit available through May 6th, which includes everything the Teacher Kit has, plus 10 free "Boogs".  That would be the Boogy Buddy class mascot. Who doesn't want a stuffed booger?  I do.  They're cute!

You need to buy Boogie Wipes for your kids' teachers.  It's a gift that says, "Thanks for taking such good care of my kid.  I really get how hard your job is.  Here's some cool wipes so you don't have to look at snot."

Now for the giveaway.

If you'd like to enter to win two 30-count packages of Boogie Wipes, plus some coupons to help you replenish when you run out, (and you'll want to replenish, believe me), all you have to do is leave a comment!  Contest will be open until Monday, May 9th, at which time I will randomly select a winner via the "ask my favorite child at the time to pick a number between x and y" method.  It's more fun for me that way, you see.

Boogie Wipes sent me free product in order to review the wipes.  I love 'em, and I wouldn't lie to you.

Not Even A Drumroll. Sigh....

I never know how to announce the winner of a giveaway in an exciting way.  I'm stumped.  I could just tell you the name of the person or the number comment that won, but that seems so drab and dull.

Ok, I've been sitting here for ten minutes and I still have nothing.  So I guess I'll just tell you.

Comment #17 - you are our winner...

...and if you aren't sure what number comment you were, our winner is...

Lani Kamahaku-Giddens said...Too cute.... Nat is too adorable for her own good! heehee... hmmmm... its such a tough decision... but i'll go for the scarf... and maybe a hat too! :)

Sounds like you're getting that scarf, Lani!  Send me your mailing address and your neck will be toasty warm and stylish in no time!

And to the rest of you - I never win anything either.  Don't feel bad.  But if you're really disappointed about not getting the scarf (or the blanket) you can always just go buy one.  They're only $20.00 and you can pick whatever color you want.  Problem solved.

Freaking Awesome Giveaway ** CONTEST CLOSED**

I've been excited about this giveaway for a long time, and today is the day!  There is a brand-spanking-new Etsy Shop gracing the world today, and you people get to be the first to peek around in it.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.  Let's start at the beginning.

Get Hooked Designs is the home of gorgeous crocheted items of all sorts.  Baby blankets, hats, scarves; and they are all so, so cute.  Look at this:

That's my sister looking gorgeous at the pumpkin patch in her very own hat from Get Hooked Designs.  And it's only $15.00.  AND the colors are customizable.  How sweet is that?  I have one, too, but the only picture I have of myself in it is all blurry and I'm not as cute as my sis, so I don't want to show it to you.  Ugh.  Fine, I'll show you anyway...

I had a matching scarf with me that night, too...no idea where it was in the picture.  Oh!  If you order a hat, you can buy a matching scarf!  Cool, no?

Get Hooked has hats for the little people, too.  How cute would your daughter look in this hat?

I wouldn't know because I don't have a daughter.  But I have a son, (or two, or three...), who would look super cool in one of these:

And I am fixin' to get one of these scarves for winter:

Have you ever even seen a scarf like that?  It's awesome!  You could be a trend-setter!

And the super fabulous news is that Kellie, the genius behind all these creations, is giving away the winner's choice of either the scarf pictured above, or the girl's or boy's baby blanket pictured below!  

  

Whoopee!  Which one would you choose if you won?  It's tough, I know!

But you can't win if you don't enter, so here's the skinny on how to do that...

You can enter up to four ways, leaving a separate comment for each entry.  (Be sure to leave your name and some way for me to contact you in your comments.)

#1 - Visit the Get Hooked blog, or the Get Hooked Etsy Shop, find the item you love the most, and tell me what it is in a comment.  (There are more items pictured on the blog than there are on Etsy - remember, this Etsy shop is still in infant stages.)

#2 - "Like" Get Hooked Designs on Facebook by clicking here, then come back and leave a comment saying, "Like on Facebook!"

#3 - Spread the word!  Blog, Tweet, or e-mail your friends about this giveaway.  Then tell me in another comment what you did.

#4 - The super-duper BONUS entry!  You know you're going to find something from Get Hooked that you love, so if you make a purchase by Friday at 8:00 PM MST, you can leave a comment worth five extra entries!  Just tell me what you bought in one comment, and I will do the math to work you in for five more chances to win the scarf or your choice of baby blanket.

A winner for this Freaking Awesome Giveaway! will be chosen via a random number generator on Friday, November 12th at 9:00 PM, MST.  Good luck, and check back with Get Hooked often, as more items will be available for purchase in the coming weeks.  Christmas gifts, anyone?

Drumroll....

The winner of the $50 gift certificate to CSN Stores is #14!

A little Birdie... said...We're definitely going to need something to do indoors this winter and that puppet theater looks like just the thing!

Although, your mention of a skittle dispenser is genius! Skittles on one side, M&M's on the other....the possibilities are endless!

Congratulations, Heather!  Send me your e-mail address and I'll have your gift certificate sent to your inbox ASAP!  Happy shopping!

Hear Those Distant Bells?...

 *CONTEST CLOSED*

...It ain't Christmas, so it must be time for school!

I know that some of you have kids who are headed back to school this week, are already back, (Yikes!), or will be loading up the ol' yellow bus in the near future.

So what a perfect time to have a giveaway! CSN Stores wants one of you lucky people to have a $50 gift certificate to use in one of their many, many online stores so you can pick out some back to school essentials, or even better - a reward for yourself for making it through the summer!

You could get yourself some dinnerware, (mine's all chipped from having careless children, so that's not a bad idea), or some shoes, or some new towels because your kids left all of yours outside or at the pool this summer...

I'm a big fan of this back-to-school thing. I cruised around the CSN Stores and found some things that would make my kids flip.

Like this cereal dispenser. My oldest has serious manstration issues if he can't have his cereal in the morning. He'd be all over this baby. I'd put Cocoa Krispies in one side for him, and Skittles on the other. That side would be all mine.

And how cute is this lunchbox? It's only $13.00! (They have backpacks, too!)

Have some preschoolers at home who need some indoor fun? Hello, Puppet Theater!

Or, hey, it's almost apple season. Do you have one of these? They are fantastic!

There's just a ton of stuff over there that could make you all excited. Check it out.

And all you have to do to be entered to win is leave a comment. That's it! Easy!

CSN can only ship to the U.S. and Canada, so only enter if you live there. Also, one entry per person, and you have to be at least 18 years old to enter.

A winner will be selected by random.org on Monday, August 16th, 2010.

Good luck, everyone!

Movie Basket Winner!

Guys, I have no idea how to grab that box from random.org to show the randomly generated number of our winning comment, so you're just going to have to trust me. I hardly ever lie, and when I do, it's about big stuff. Like, "No, I did not open someone else's mail on purpose."

Our winner for the Movie Night Basket is Sherri! Sometimes it pays to be #1, huh Sherri?

E-mail me your address and I will forward that on to our awesome sponsor! And don't forget, next time you need a baby shower gift, head over to Erica's House of Design!

Premiere of Friday Flick Picks! (And a Prize!)

*CONTEST CLOSED*

Some of my favorite childhood memories are of watching movies with my family; seeing a scary naked lady in The Shining, watching Aladdin at the theater on Christmas Eve, and only being allowed to watch Bram Stoker's Dracula with a paper sack at the ready to cover my head with during the orgy scenes. (Kinda pointless after seeing the scary naked lady when I was six, right?)

So I've thought about my love of movies, (not to be confused with a love for Hollywood), and I decided I wanted to feature reviews here on my blog. Just for fun. And more importantly, to give us all ideas of what to fill our Netflix queues with, what to track down at a Redbox, or what to buy for 95% off at a Blockbuster going out of business sale.

Enter David, who many of you may remember for his snarky name suggestions for my husband's '63 Volkswagen. He's a real movie buff. Our tastes differ sometimes, but it's possible he's seen more movies than I have, and that's impressive. David is also an engaging writer. So I asked him to do a weekly movie review here on the Enchilada. He'll tackle new releases, a few good oldies, and hopefully, an occasional chick flick, because his wife would probably appreciate that.

So without further ado, I bring you David, The Flick Picker. *And be sure to read all the way to the end of the post, where you'll find out how you can win a movie prize!*

******************************************************

Hello, I am David Kestner ..... and I am addicted to movies. I have found that confession is good for the soul, and so I am confessing my addiction.......

If only there was a 12 step program for this!!! It would probably help my marriage!

I have been asked by Bethany at Organic Enchilada to make a regular post on her blog giving some no-nonsense, sometimes edgy, sarcastic opinions of some of the entertainment options we have today. I guess it is a good thing I am a no-nonsense, edgy, sarcastic opinion giver. Growing up the eldest of 6 children is my training!

Today's post at "The Flick Picker" is going to be a top movies post of all time without any real in-depth critique. In future posts, I will give my honest opinions of the Movie / TV offerings that are available these days. I will range my approach from movies that are "old" to the most current flicks I can afford to see in the theater.

As I bring you this "Greatest Hits" list, please read with the understanding that this is "This Guy's" opinion, so if you don't like it, Bite Me!

In no particular order or genre I present to you:

THE LIST

Tombstone - circa 1993.

Starring Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliot, Bill Paxton, Dana Delaney. Maybe my all time favorite movie. Rated R for violence, and some language. I insist that if this movie were released today, it would have received a PG-13 rating. Great story, great characters. A very fun movie. I own it on both VHS, DVD and Director's Cut DVD. (See, I am a fan!)

A Few Good Men - circa 1992

Starring Tom Cruise, Jason Pollack, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon and more..... Rated R for language, not for what I was expecting as a young man in the theater - to see a nude sex scene between Tom & Demi.... More than I would have liked F-bombs, but a very great story line with excellent character acting. If language offends you, I suggest watching this movie on a network showing.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off - circa 1986

Staring Mathew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jennifer Grey and more.... Rated PG. My opinion; rougher language and innuendo than the above mentioned R rated movies... A story about a High School Senior and friends playing hookie from school. Lots of comic situations and some very funny interactions between the cast.

The Star Wars Saga - circa 1977 - 2004

I needn't list the actors - Rated PG / PG13 I shouldn't need to discuss the Saga at all. The first 3 were trend setters - period! The last three built on CGG and were actually fun to watch. I wasn't there in line dressed like a "Jedi" for any of the premieres, but I saw all but the first movie (A New Hope) on opening day. Everyone should own these on DVD.

The Indiana Jones Collection - circa 1981 - 2008

Starring Harrison Ford and others. Rated PG / PG 13 I liked all of them - the most recent one included! Just fun adventure and great - ahead of their time special effects.

Lord of the Rings Trilogy - circa 2001 - 2003

Starring Viggo Mortensen, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Sean Astin, Liv Tyler, and more... Rated PG-13 for violence. A great adaptation of the book series of the same name. Having read all of the books numerous times, I will say that this was about as well done "Book to Movie" series I have ever seen! My fantasy visions were captured on film. A very good job by Peter Jackson!

Avatar - circa 2009

Directed by James Cameron - Rated PG-13. I liked this "short on plot and story line" movie a lot, due to the new use of CG. Once again, James Cameron took us to a whole new, believable world - much like his earlier Titanic. A very gifted director.

Here's my shocker....

A River Runs Through It - circa 1992

Rated PG. Directed by Robert Redford, Starring Craig Sheffer, Brad Pitt, Tom Skerritt. This was a very well done movie with no real "star" actors. One of Brad Pitt's first, and an early directing effort by Robert Redford. The setting and story line were very believable and really sucked you into the film.

Well, due to time and space, I will leave you with this list for now. Know that my next posts will be more than a list of a 40-something's view of what a good film is.

Until next time, plant your butt in a chair, stuff your mouth with popcorn, and enjoy a good movie!

*******************************************

Thanks, David! I can't wait to see what film you choose to tackle next week! And how much grief would I get for admitting that I still haven't seen Avatar? Just wondering.

Alrighty, now for the prize!

Erica Moore is a very talented woman with a brand-spanking-new Etsy shop! She has generously offered to award one of you with this wicked-awesome Movie Night Basket!

Just think - you can munch on tasty goodies while you watch one of The Flick Picker's film choices!

So how do you win this most awesome prize? (That sounded like Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, did it not?) It's simple. All you have to do is visit Erica's shop by clicking right here, find one of her products that you'd like to have or give as a gift, then come back here and tell us in the comments section which item you loved. (Mandatory for entry.) Easy, right?

If you'd like a bonus entry, you can grab The Flick Picker's button from my sidebar, (the one with the pretty, flashing lights), and paste it on your blog. Then come back here and leave another comment saying "Button". If you aren't the button grabbing type, you can click over to David's blog, and follow him. Then, of course, you would come back and leave a comment saying "Follow" instead of "Button".

Want just one more bonus entry? Tweet, blog, or Facebook about this giveaway, then come back and tell us what you did in a comment. Erica would love our support as she gets her shop up and running, so you could even do this if you don't want to enter the contest. Just sayin'. Pay it forward, guys.

So that's it! Up to three entries, and you could be the lucky winner of some tasty movie snacks and reusable popcorn tubs! Erica will also gift a Movie Night magnet to the first twenty people who leave a comment! How cool is that? A winner for the Movie Night Basket will be chosen on Sunday 8/8/10 at 5:00 PM MST using random.org. Continental U.S. only, must be 18 or older to enter.

Be sure to check back for our winner and for next week's Flick Pick!

Gift Card Winner!

We have a winner! Congratulations, Suzie!

Suzie said...

yipee do I'll take one too!

May 12, 2010

I might just be having a brain malfunction Suzie, but I couldn't find your e-mail on your blog anywhere so please send it to me ASAP! (bethany dot kestner at gmail dot com) If I don't hear from you within 24 hours, I'll have to pick a new winner!

Oooo...It's a good one!

Do you like shopping? For things like a bathroom vanity? Or Purses? Or adorable aprons?

I do. Especially when it's not my money I'm spending. Well, good news:

CSN Stores would like to help me say thanks for being a reader by offering one of you a $40 gift certificate to use in any of their 200+ stores!

All you have to do is leave a comment with your name.

That's it.

And just think - Father's Day is coming up, and I'm sure some of you have birthday gifts or wedding gifts you have to buy this summer...why not enter to win this gift certificate so you can save yourself some cash? Or, you know - buy something for yourself. I probably would.

I'll choose a winner this Friday, the 14th of May so that whoever wins can have an even more awesome weekend. The winner will receive their gift certificate via e-mail for speedy shopping accessibility!

*Winner will be chosen using random.org. I have not received any compensation for hosting this giveaway.

Caption Winner

Random.org selected comment #3 for our winner!

Natalie said...

"And now I give you - Blue Steel!!!" :)
Love that pic!

Congratulations, Natalie! And thank you for educating me on strange pop culture!

Do you visit both places?

I'm working on a very revealing post about the time I went to a psychologist, but until I work out all my emotions and get that posted, head over to my other blog, where I'm giving away a Walgreens giftcard.

Happy Thursday!

STRIKE A POSE! - Oh, and a giveaway.

The best $7 I ever spent was on Cameron's first grade class picture.



Let's take a closer look, shall we?



I can't figure out what he was thinking! Is it GQ? Is it the beginnings of a Kung Fu move?

So we're going to have a caption contest. All you have to do is leave a caption for the above picture in a comment on this post, and the winner, selected by random.org, will win a $10 giftcard to Walgreens, where you can order prints from your digital camera instead of letting them sit on your computer, never to hit the pages of an actual photo album. Walgreens always has awesome coupon codes in their online photo department to make printing your photos cheap and easy. (But if you were selected the winner, then you could spend that $10 on anything you like. Buy some toilet paper and a candy bar if you like. Just don't use them at the same time.)

This contest is open to anyone in the United States of America. Continental or not. So it's time for all you lurkers who never leave a comment to come out of hiding and take a chance at winning! Contest closes on Monday, March 8th at midnight, mountain time. Oh, and one entry per person, if you please. Don't forget to leave your name in your comment so I know who to announce as the winner! Good luck!

And The Winner Is...

#4!

Marcy Kestner. My son Zach is a lego fanatic!

Marcy, e-mail me your address and I will have your order placed today!

Hold on to your shorts, people, we're doing another giveaway! (Contest Closed)

Yesterday I was driving to my kids' school to pick them up after their long day of making tree ornaments out of plastic cups, when I passed a neighbor's house and saw that the woman who lived there was on her roof with her teenage son putting Christmas lights up. I was very impressed that her long-haired, skateboard-riding son would be kind enough to help his mother with that rather unpleasant task - until I saw that he had his cell phone in his hand and was texting.

What has happened to the world? We don't even leave our phones in our pockets when we're standing on an icy roof! Technology seems to have taken over not just the world, but our families as well. I despise nothing more than having a visit with someone and to have that person answer a phone call or a text from someone else who they obviously think is more interesting than me. Kids play video games like it's their life's sustenance, and our televisions are on from the moment we wake in the morning until we go to bed at night.

For this reason, Andrew and I decided that this year, we would have a battery-free, techno-free Christmas. We would not buy any toys for our kids, or anyone else's kids, that required batteries or needed to be plugged in. Imagination is making a comeback!

That is why I was so excited when toys and games online generously offered to give one of my awesome readers a Lego City Police Helicopter Building Set.

A Lego set is a perfect gift for your son, nephew, neighbor, husband or maybe you even know a girl who would love to receive this. And if not, enter anyway and donate to your local Toys for Tots or some other sub-for-Santa organization. 'Tis the season, people!

All you have to do to be eligible to win is enter a comment on this post with your first and last name. For every other person that you tell about this give away, you may enter your name again, along with the name of the person you told. That's one entry for you, and one entry for every person that you send our way to enter their own name! Think of how your odds of winning could increase!

Example: Jane Doe

Entry 2: Jane Doe - I told my sister, Martha Doe to enter.

For one final entry, just visit online toys and find one item that they sell that you think would be the perfect gift for someone on your list this year.

Example: Jane Doe - I think that my twin nephews would both love to have a Marching Drum from The Original Toy Company!

A winner will be chosen Thursday morning via random.org, and the Lego set will be sent to the winner's home! Good luck to you all!

Tiny disclaimer: You must be a resident of the US or Canada to win. And should you allow your child to chew on those Lego pieces, no one but you will be legally responsible for any health problems that may arise, including, but not limited to: choking, rectal lacerations upon expulsion of toy, or funny taste in mouth.

And the winners of the hand-made gift drawing are......

Grandma Jane Kestner and Marcy Kestner!

I'll really try to make it something that you don't have an overwhelming desire to re-gift to someone else. :)

Stealing other people's ideas in an attempt to redeem myself from my last post.

I feel the need to follow my last post with something good, and so I "borrowed" this idea from Jourdan's blog, although, I have seen what she can do and I cannot hope to come close to her artistic talent, so don't get overly excited. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

I have been itching to learn a few new tricks, hand-made doo-dads and fancy schmancy this and thats. And what better way to redeem myself from all my follies than to give those things away? So here's the deal; leave a comment on this post telling me the best hand-made gift you have ever given or received, then on Saturday I will use random.org to choose two winners. What will those two winners receive?

Something hand-made by me. It could be home decor, a holiday decoration, or something edible. Anything at all - and there will be no trading allowed.

Because I intend to make something that I have never made before, it could be hideous and disgusting, but you must love it anyway.

I guarantee it's completion before Christmas. Hopefully sooner. (Even though I have only made good on one of the Ben and Jerry's questions so far. Sorry Natalie, I was trying to figure out the "print a pint" coupon, only to realize that the process is more complicated than that, so you're just going to get money in the mail for your ice cream. I haven't forgotten you. Erin, I hope yours was tasty!)

If anyone is still having trouble with commenting, send it in an e-mail and I will post it for you. To anyone who is thinking that they could also give away something hand-made on their blog, thus bringing joy, (or possibly laughter), to others, then leave another comment expressing your desire to do so, and I will give you a second entry. And then I will check your blog repeatedly to make sure that you have done so!

I think that's it. So leave your comments, and then consider hoping that you don't win. No, really, I'm sure the things I make will be truely useful or beautiful...or at least good topics for conversation. Good luck!

Thank you for the YUM!

It occurs to me that I missed my gratitude post last week, and I certainly hope it wasn't because I spent all my blogging time complaining or venting. I'll have to check on that later. In the mean time, I have my gratitude item for this week:

Yes, I love a good pint of Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie, all to myself.
I was introduced to Ben and Jerry's by my father, who, when I was a teenager, began the tradition of "Ben and Jerry's Questions". What is that? Well, Dad would come up with some off the wall trivia question, and the person who could answer it first would win a pint of Ben and Jerry's. Quite a good deal, if you ask me. I think I may have won once, but I am not the smartest of my siblings, so I may just be remembering watching them eat theirs... Anyway, in honor of Ben and Jerry's and of Dear Dad, we are going to have a little Ben and Jerry's Question of our own here on Bethany's Brain!
OK, there will be 2 questions; one for the general public, (yes, I know, there is a huge following here), and one for the general public, plus my parents and siblings. Here we go!

Question #1-for the general public. (Mom, Dad and siblings are ineligible, because this was my favorite "Ben and Jerry's Question" growing up, so you all know the answer.)

What three letter, one syllable word can you add one letter to the end of, and thus have a three syllable word?

Question #2 - anyone can answer:

What 1940's big band musician was declared Missing In Action after his plane disappeared over the English Channel while flying to France to play for soldiers who had recently liberated Paris?

The first two people to answer these questions correctly will win a coupon for a free pint of Ben and Jerry's! If you are the first person to answer both questions correctly, well, then, lucky you!