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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Family Review Network is holding a huge giveaway event for the newly released Bratz Kids: Slumber Party for Wii. Stop by and check out the members that are giving away a copy of this cool game on their blogs.

From now until the 23rd, Healthy Moms will be hosting a 12 Days of Christmas Blog Party and giveaways. Stop by for a complete list of small gifts of appreciation which will be given out to participants on December 23.

Stephanie at Metropolitan Mama presents…”Super Stocking Stuffers 2008.” Find fabulous stocking stuffer ideas for everyone on your list. Plus, there are tons of corresponding giveaways from sponsors including Bass Pro, BellaBand, Lowe’s, Safety 1st, Home Depot, and more! The deadline for all giveaways is December 15th.

Bettyconfidential.com is hosting the ‘Tis the Season for Giving Giveaway with cool prizes like jewelry, books, Skoodlez, etc. You can enter the contest daily and which will end Friday December 19th.

After a recent trip to Africa, Danny and his family has decided to make Christmas presents for each other and donate what they would have spent to a little African village.  As my present to his wife, he is creating a project and is trying to get as many mothers as possible involved.  The project is known as the Mother Letter Project (The FAQs give more detail) and it consists of a series of open letters from mothers to mothers.  He has started a blog to collect the letters and has so far collected about 320 submissions.  As an incentive to get mothers to write, he is going to attempt to send every mother who contributes a letter a copy of the project on Christmas day.

CONTESTS & SWEEPSTAKES

Snugfits is holding a onesie design contest where winners will get their inspired design sold on Snugfits.com, their very own copy of it, a $200 shopping spree, and $300 cash. In addition, 10% of the proceeds from the winning design will be donated to Surfers Healing, A Foundation for Autism.

Here’s a chance to win a new Samsung electric range by entering your cookies in the Samsung / Allrecipes.com Holiday Cookie Contest! Runners up will also receive a digital DVD camcorder. Deadline to enter is Dec  31st.

BLOG GIVEAWAYS

For Everyone

• Tara’s View of the World – $50 Gift Certificate to Photofiddle.com (Dec 15/US)
• An Island Review – $25 to Kohls (Dec 16/US)
• An Island Life – Lands End Giveaway (Dec 16/US)
• Nurse Mommy – Golla Laptop Sleeve from Kolobags (Dec 16/US)
• Adventures in Babywearing – Omnitech Digital Photo Frame from Staples (Dec 16/US)
• Our Happy Happenings – $50 Photofiddle Gift Certificate (Dec 17)
• Susan Heim on Parenting – A Week’s Worth of Socks from LittleMissMatched (Dec 18)
• A Frog in My Soup – $25 gift certificate to See’s Candies (Dec 18)
• Mom Most Traveled – ChicBuds (Dec 18), Claymation Studio 2.0 (Dec 19)
• Sassy Frazz – Norton PC Tune-up Service (Dec 19/All)
• Chefdruck Musings – Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades DS (Dec 20)
• Chefdruck Reviews – Encounters at the End of the World DVD, $25 Kohl’s Gift Card, Il Divo Promise CD/DVD, and Il Divo Christmas Album (Dec 20)
• An Island Life – Audeo Perfect Fit Earphones (Dec 21st/US)
• Red Sox Mommy – $25 Target gift card and 2 cans of Pledge (Dec 26/US)

Just for Women

• Thrifty & Chic Mom – The Whimsical Stork 2 sets of mommy calling cards (Dec 16)
• Our Happy Happenings– $25 Gift Certificate to Faithworks Boutique (Dec 16)
• Busy Mommy – set of hair products from Tricomin (Dec 16/US)
• MotheringTC -Reed Diffuser & Make-up palette from Avon (Dec 17)
• Momma In Flip Flops2 – $25 GC to Handbag Planet (Dec 18/All)
• Gifts.com – Clarisonic Skincare Brush (Dec 18)

Just for Kids

• An Island Life – Jooble Plushie of your choice (Dec 14/US)
• Jolly Mom – Pak Naks-Perfect Children’s Stocking Stuffer (Dec 14/US)
• Did You See That? -Zaki the Chameleon, the chapter books or the activity books: winner’s choice (Dec 14)
• Mom Most Traveled – Cheekeyes Natural Toys play set (Dec 14)
• Our Happy Happenings – Cheekeyes Wooden Animal Sets (Dec 14)
• An Island Review – Elmo’s Countdown to Bedtime Soundbook (Dec 15/US, Can)
• The Laughs Will Go On – ABCD Kids T-shirt (Dec 15)
• Did You See That? – WordWorld Bucket Barn Set or WordWorld Fruit Basket Word Modeling Dough with Word M (Dec 15)
• Tara’s View of the World – 15 pc set of Toobeez (Dec 15/US)
• SAHM Reviews – Build-A-Bear $10 Gift Card (Dec 15)
• Jolly Mom – Precious Girls Gift Set (Dec 15/US)
• Momma In Flip Flops2 – Nana Star, two toys and two books (Dec 15/US), Word World Bucket Set (Dec 16/US), Pediped Shoes of Choice (Dec 17/All), Joobles Animal of Choice (Dec 17/All)
• Livin With Me – Smart-e-Bear (Dec 15)
• Mom Most Traveled – Smart-e-Bear (Dec 15), Knitting or Quilting book for Tweens (Dec 16), Play-Doh Magic Swirl Ice Cream Shoppe (Dec 16), Gingerbread Soap Kit (Dec 17)
• Northwest Mom Finds – Stone Studio ‘Happy Girl’ earrings (Dec 15/US, Can), Bugga Bugs felt food pattern (Dec 23/All), Amy Rose Designs car seat strap covers (Dec 22/US, Can), Chickadee Child fleece elf hat (Dec 19/US, Can)
• SAHM Reviews – Bratz Kidz: Slumber Party game for the Wii (Dec 16)
• Thrifty & Chic Mom – I Love My Planet choice of Planet Pixie (Dec 16)
• Mom Giveaways – Bratz Kids: Slumber Party Wii Game (Dec 16)
• Tara’s View of World – Bratz Wii Game (Dec 17/US)
• An Island Review – Bratz Kids Slumber Party for Wii (Dec 18/US)
• Just a mom’s take on things – Christopher Pop-In-Kins book and doll set (Dec 18/US)
• A Frog in My Soup – personalized wooden growth chart from Perfect Match Boutique (Dec 18)
• Muses Reviews – Boca Beth Beginner Set (Dec 18/US)
• Muses Reviews – Two pairs of Tsukihoshi shoes (Dec 18/US)
• Our Happy Happenings – Lollitop Giveaway (Dec 18)
• Glimpse – All Natural Boo-Boo Cream (Dec 18)
• From Cribs to Car Keys – Personalized Children’s Christmas MP3 Album (Dec 18)
• All Because Two People Fell in LOVE ~ SeatSnug – Car Seat Safety Device (Dec 18)
  
• An Island Review – Power Rangers Jungle Fury Mega Mission Helmet (Dec 19/US)
  
• Nurse Mommy – Lavender Bear from Cloud B (Dec 19/US, Can)
• All Because Two People Fell in LOVE ~ Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake DVD (Dec 19)
  
• Just a mom’s take on things – Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake DVD (Dec 20/US)
• Jolly Mom – Munchie Mug Spill Resistant Snack Cup-Ingenious Design (Dec 22/US)
• Red Sox Mommy – Bratz Kidz: Slumber Party game for Wii (Dec 23/US)
• Jolly Mom – $100 in Eco-Friendly Plan Toys (Dec 28/US)

Baby Essentials

• Mom Most Traveled – Rockin’ Baby Pouch (Dec 14)
• Mommy’s Ideas – Onesie from Text Messge Baby (Dec 15/US, Can) & Babysitter Notepad from Tiny Tales (Dec 16/US)
• The Laughs Will Go On – Win a $10 Gift Certificate to KeepYourBabyClose (Dec 17)
• Jolly Mom – KABOOST Portable Chair Booster for Kids (Dec 21/US)
• A Working Blogging Mommy – Toddler pillow with case or blanket/burp cloth set from Mr. Bobbles blankets (Dec 21)
• Nurse Mommy – Chenille baby blanket of choice from Crickets and Monkeys (Dec 25/US)

Home & Garden

• Mom Most Traveled – Goody Green Bag (Dec 14)
• Glimpse – Soapnuts and a Coconut Scrub Pad (Dec 15)
• An Island Review – Life Learning Devices (Dec 16/US)
• Muses Reviews – Platinum standard tin of cookies from Platine Cookies (Dec 16/US)
• Mommy’s Ideas – Organization Products from My Life On Time (Dec 16/US), Snack Bags from Plum Creek Mercantile (Dec 18/US), $20 Gift Certificate to Scribble It (Dec 18/All)
• Momma In Flip Flops2 – SmartShopper Electronic List Organizer (Dec 16/US)
• All Because Two People Fell in LOVE ~ Two Bottles of Country Bobs (Dec 17)
  
• Just a mom’s take on things –A snack bowl of Frito Lay products (Dec 19/US), Two prize buckets of CLR cleaning products and supplies (Dec 19/US)
• Livin With Me – Pillsbury and Smuckers Giveawy (Dec 17)
• Mom Most Traveled – My Originals Card Making Kit (Dec 17), VHS to DVD 3.0 (Dec 18)
• Northwest Mom Finds – Four calendars featured in the 2009 Handmade Calendar Round-up (Dec 20/US, Can)
• Busy Mommy – Vtech Cordless phones with digital answering machine systems and caller ID (Dec 17/US)
• All Because Two People Fell in LOVE ~ Bottle of Pledge (Dec 20)
  
• mod*mom – Mod Rocker (Dec 22)
• Nurse Mommy – Mini Christmas spray from Vorbi1 (Dec 25/US)
• NurseMommy – Hoover FloorMate SpinScrub (Jan 1/US)

Books for Grown-Ups

• Family Review Network – Purry Logic (Dec 14/US)
• An Island Review – 7 Steps to Raising a Bilingual Child (Dec 14/All)
• An Island Review – Then Along Came an Angel (Dec 14/All)
• Just a mom’s take on things – A Lango Spanish Language Adventure Album music CD, entitled ‘Con Cosmo’ (Dec 14th/US)
• Mom Most Traveled – The Parent Trip by Jenna McCarthy (Dec 14), Sneaky Uses book of choice by Cy Tymony (Dec 15)
• An Island Review – Hall & Oats Live at The Troudbour DVD (Dec 15/All)
• Susan Heim on Parenting – The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice (Dec 15), Boosting Your Baby’s Brain Power (Dec 16)
• The Laughs Will Go On – Engaging Father Christmas (Dec 18)
• Just a mom’s take on things – “Sam’s Quest for the Crimson Crystal” by Ben Furman (Dec 20/US, Can)
• Faith Approved – Prepare Your Heart for A Great Christmas by Maria Rodgers O’ Rourke (Dec 20)

COOL WEBSITES

Six-time Grammy Award-winning singer Amy Grant has partnered with Country Crock Omega Plus to focus on the “Small Changes” families can make in the lives of their families and American families in need. From now to the end of the year, you and your readers can visit www.YourFamilyTable.com to share your small changes and Country Crock Omega Plus will donate a meal to a family through Feeding America (formerly America’s Second Harvest). It’s a free and easy way to help those in need this holiday season.

This year the Women’s Sports Foundation released their latest study entitled “Go Out and Play” in partnership with Harris Interactive. Besides detailing the state of American youth sports, the report found that urban girls are “last in line” for sports opportunities. The Women’s Sports Foundation is continuing its efforts to help girls (especially urban ones) through its GoGirlGo! Grant Program, this year giving a total of $183,000 to teams and organizations across the nation. The Women’s Sports Foundation will be offering $50,000 more in scholarships in February 2009 for girls’ team through its GoGirlGo! Ambassador Team Awards program and additional funds later in the year.

Back in October, we posted about the Wells Fargo Someday Stories contest. Evelyn Krieger of Sharon, Massachussetts is the grand prize winner of the Someday Stories contest. Her daughter Leah will use the award to expand Yaldah magazine, which she publishes. Habitat for Humanity is the winning charity. Congratulations Evelyn!

GREAT DEALS

On the first day of savings, Mrs. Fields gave to me a Twelve Days of Christmas Bundle. On the second day of savings, Mrs. Fields gave to me a Cozy Rozy Snowman! That’s right, just in time for you to get those last minute gifts – Mrs. Fields will be celebrating the holiday season with 12 DAYS of Savings at www.MrsFields.com! Each night at midnight until December 19^th, a new Mrs. Fields treat will be featured for 24 hours at a great deal. The discounts on MrsFields.com begin at 15% and increase up to 30%!

If you would like to have a post on your blog featured in 5 Minutes Around The Blogosphere, please send us an email with the actual link to your post at features5minutesformom at gmail dot com and we’ll see if it can be arranged.

Kailani can be found at An Island Life, An Island Review, & Family Review Network.