Around the Blogosphere – Week 81

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Welcome to our weekly roundup here at “5 Minutes Around the Blogosphere”.

As you know, you can come back all week and add a post or giveaway to our Mister Linky. Be sure to check back often, as new links will be added daily. You don’t want to miss out on something fun.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Did you know that demand at food banks is up 30 percent with one in eight Americans struggling with hunger? Grain Foods Foundation has teamed up with Feeding America to create the Bread Art Project, a website where you can create pieces of digital bread art. For each piece created, the Grain Foods Foundation will donate $1 to Feeding America– that $1 equals seven meals, 10 pounds of food, or four bags of groceries for those in need.

  More than 15,000 slices have been created so far but the goal is 50,000 slices. Check out the website and have some fun creating bread art for this great cause.

• Have you ever wondered what exactly an RSS Feed is? Check out this informative guide written by Tip Junkie. It includes pictures and teaches you how to use RSS Feed to promote your blog.

CONTESTS & SWEEPSTAKES

• Win a magical trip to the happiest places on Earth! Disney Parks is teaming up with Macy’s to conduct this special Mother’s Day promotion from April 20th – May 10th. Fifty-one winners (one from each state and the District of Columbia) will win a six-day coast-to-coast vacation for the winner and three guests. From start to finish, these winners will enjoy the royal treatment that will begin with a sunrise breakfast on Main Street, U.S.A.® at Disneyland® Resort in California and end with a sunset dinner and a private IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth reserved seating location at the Walt Disney World® Resort.

  In addition, their trip will be complete with Disney resort accommodations at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel® and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, round-trip air travel, and lots of Theme Park fun at all six Disney theme parks in the United States. To enter for a chance to win this amazing celebration at Disney Parks and for contest rules, visit www.macys.com/mom.

• Who couldn’t use a little extra cash? The 2000 Bright Hub Stimulus Package Giveaway sweepstakes is distributing $2000 among ten winners in the form of $200 Visa gift cards. You can enter daily until June 15th, 2009.
• Are you, or do you know someone who is a Mom of the Revolution? Five moms who have taken actions to secure better nutrition for kids, advocate for change in their school’s lunch program, or who seek to redefine the lunchbox, will be selected to receive the Moms of the Revolution Award. Winners will be featured in Kiwi Magazine, receive a yearlong subscription to the publication and a one-year supply of organic lunchbox snacks from Revolution Foods. One of the five winners will also score $3,000 towards supporting their own healthy school lunch initiative. The contest runs through May 30th, 2009. You can submit yourself or other amazing moms you know by filling out the submission form for free by going here.
• Give your Mom a gift she will never forget this Mother’s Day! Enter the Bath & Body Works “What’s Mom’s Signature?” sweepstakes. Is your mom a Cuddler…warm and nurturing or is she Fresh…vibrant and cheerful? Visit bathandbodyworks.com/mothersday and submit a short story along with a video or photograph to reveal why your Mom is Sexy, Romantic, Cuddler or Fresh!

  Participants will automatically be entered for a chance to win a grand prize of a $1,001 Bath & Body Works shopping spree for you and your mom. Bath & Body Works will also award four second-place winners a $250 Bath & Body Works shopping spree and 10 third-place winners a Signature Collection Eau de Toilette. The sweepstakes is valid April 6, 2009 through May 10, 2009. No purchase necessary to enter. Official rules can be found here.

• To celebrate moms-to-be this Mother’s Day, Boogie Wipes has organized a “Mom-Invented Boogie Baby Shower” where one lucky expectant mommy will receive a party in her honor valued at over $5,000. This amazing shower will include a cake, flowers, décor, and shower games for 25 guests, and $1000 in gift certificates to Babies”R”Us, Target, Walmart and Diapers.com. 25 guests will also receive swag bags full of outstanding mom-invented products each of which were created to help make Mom’s life easier. These include products from My Plate-Mate, Boogie Wipes, OnTray, Munchkin Designs and many more. The contest begins April 10th, 2009 and runs through May 9th, 2009. The winner will be announced at www.boogiewipes.com on Mother’s Day, May 10th, 2009.
• Are you going to Blogher? How does a $300 scholarship sound? Protect-a-Bed is sponsoring this scholarship for attending bloggers that can write a blog post addressing the question “How will the scholarship help you attend Blogher?” The contest is being hosted at What’s That Smell? and also at 3 P’s in a Pod. Creativity is encouraged! Entries will be taken until May 6th, 2009.

BLOG GIVEAWAYS

For Everyone

• Everything Up Close CoverBee – 2 winners (4/26 Worldwide)
• Glimpse Wrap ‘n Mat (4/27 Canada Only)
• Rockin’ Mama Scotch Brite Greener Clean Products (4/28 US Only)
• Sandier Pastures O Yikes! bag (4/28 US Only)
• A Wrestling Addicted Mommy Purex Natural Elements Laundry Products (4/29 US Only)
• A Wrestling Addicted Mommy (3 )Hallmark greeting cards giveaway pack (4/30 US Only)
• Melinda Joy Jolly garden clogs (5/2)
• A Box of Chocolates3 month subscription to Weight Watchers (5/2 US Only)
• A Wrestling Addicted Mommy Bride Wars DVD & $25 Gift Certificate to Paper Shouts (5/4 US Only)
• Rockin’ Mama 3 copies of A Baby Story: First Time Parents on DVD (5/7 US Only)
• My Goal is simply to inform you! Heart-Shaped stone (5/7)
• Rockin’ Mama – 3 copies of Jon & Kate Plus Ei8ht” Season 4, Volume 1: The Wedding on DVD (5/8 US Only)
• Rockin’ Mama Bride Wars DVD and $25 gift card to Paper Shouts (5/8 US Only)
• All Because Two People Fell in LOVEBetty Crocker Mixer gift basket (5/8 US Only)
• Nurse Mommy $15 gift card to Scribble It (5/10 Worldwide)
• Melinda Joy 16 x 20 poster print from DigitalRoom.com (5/15 US & Canada)
• Melinda Joy Break Pal Membership (5/30)
• I Heart Monster Emily the Strange Blackmail stationery (6/2 Worldwide)

For Women

• Rockin’ Mama Elliot Lucca Pascale Foldover Clutch (4/27 US Only)
• Paperluxe Studio Choice of a set of personalized recipe cards or note cards (4/28)
• Rockin’ Mama“You Color My Day” photo book plus products from Philosophy (4/29 US Only)
• Northwest Mom Finds$25 gift certificate to Cinnamon Sticks (4/29 US & Canada)
• I Heart Monster Katie Blair Designs Bookplates (4/30 Worldwide)
• Coupon-Center Springtime handmade necklace and earrings (4/30 US & Canada)
• Mom Knows It All Votre Vu Self Preservation products (4/30 US & Canada)
• Glimpse $25 gift certificate to Perfect Details (5/1)
• Go Girly or Go Home Lipgloss T-Shirt (as seen on Dancing with the Stars) (5/3)
• What’s That Smell? $300 Blogher Scholarship (5/6)
• My Goal is simply to inform you! Cross Necklace – 5 winners (5/7)
• My Goal is simply to inform you! Brighton Necklace (5/7)
• Simply FaBOWlous LanoLip scrub package (5/11 US Only)
• Melinda Joy Chewy Lou “Live” shirt (5/22)

Baby Essentials

• GlimpseWool Shorties (4/29 Worldwide)
• Northwest Mom Finds $25 gift certificate to Mapleberry Designs (5/2 US & Canada)
• Rockin’ Mama Two Pack of Tilty Sippy Cups (5/7 US Only)
• The Lano Company Blog Pink Peony Baby Hat (5/11 US Only)

Just For Kids

• Northwest Mom Finds Sprout Your Own gardening kits (5/1 US Only)
• Rockin’ Mama Hannah Montana: The Movie Soundtrack (5/1 US Only)
• Everything Up Close Kids Konserve (5/2 US Only)
• Rockin’ Mama 3 copies of Elmo and the Bookaneers: Pirates Who Love To Read (5/2 US Only)
• Kinesys kids sunscreen and lotion (5/2 US Only)
• SuperMom Central Game from I Can Do That Games (5/2)
• Northwest Mom Finds Munchler ‘Benny the Tiger’ lunchbox (5/3 US & Canada)
• My Goal is simply to inform you! I-Dog with clip (5/7)

Books for Grown-Ups

• Susan Heim on Parenting Be Empowered! Eat Chocolate with Breakfast (4/30)
• Not Entirely British Powerful Tips for Powerful Teachers – winner also receives relaxing CD, A Time for Ana. Both items by C.S Bezas (4/26)

Would you like to share a fun giveaway or a worth our while post? Please add it to the Mr. Linky below. You can come here any time this week to add in your link. Don’t miss out on the fun. Be sure to visit throughout the week as the linky grows, and more sites are added.

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.

You can find Marissa writing away at Mama Sparkles.