Summer Beach Bums Giveaway Aqua Ears, Water Safety Tips and Review

Disclaimer:  I received a sample of AquaEars complimentary in order to try them out. As always, my opinions are my own.

My little one LOVES swimming but is so scared of getting water in her ears.  An ear infection from swimming a few years ago is not easily forgotten. The pediatrician recommended using ear plugs to help prevent it from happening again. I heard about this adorable AquaEars ear plugs and they are a good solution for us!  She feels comfortable wearing them and loves the pool again.  

AquaEars is an easy, convenient and comfortable way to provide top line protection from swimmer’s ear, medically known as otitis externa. It is more prevalent, or frequent as a result of exposure to moisture in the ears from swimming or bathing. They have an adorable new line with fun characters, ranging from Hello Kitty to Finding Nemo, in order to help increase compliance of ear plug use in children. 

According to the CDC, germs along with water-loving bacteria such as Pseudomonas found in pools and at other recreational water venues are one of the most common causes of swimmer's ear, medically known as otitis externa.  Pain, itchiness, redness or pus can occur when water stays in the ear canal for long periods of time, providing the perfect environment for germs to grow and infect the skin in the ear.

AquaEars for Children is a soft silicone earplug that offers dual protection for water-sensitive ears by sealing out water and reducing ear discomfort due to water pressure. To help your kids stay protected and happy this swimming season, AquaEars designed a new line of fun and colorful licensed character ear plugs including Finding Nemo, Hello Kitty, SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and ©Disney that your kids will just LOVE! Read on and enter the giveaway below to win your own pair.

AquaEars shared with me four water safety tips for you to follow next time your child takes a dip in the local pool, your own pool or even at the beach:

• Be an Explorer: Always take the time to explore around the swimming area to help your child identify the location of lifeguards, water preservers, bathrooms facilities, depth markers with shallow and deeps ends, sitting areas, and even other swimmer's behavior in the area.

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• Pump your Brakes:  Never allow children to run or even walk fast around or in a swimming area.  The spillover and foot traffic from the water makes surfaces wet and slippery and children can easily injure themselves or others by falling on the hard surface or even in a body of water. Using the © Disney/Pixar Cars AquaEars ear plugs are a great way to remind them to "pump their brakes" and walk while enjoying water activities.

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• Find Some Water Buddies: Even if a lifeguard is on duty, a child should never swim alone and should always have an adult supervising by land and preferably by sea.  Never leave any child unsupervised by or in the pool or other body of water.

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• The Fish Test: Your child may be more confident about their swimming abilities than you are so before they start to swim ask them to pass the 'fish test' by showing you some basic swimming techniques such as holding their breath, treading water and swimming underwater.  Be honest about their 'fish test' results by telling them where they are able or unable to venture based on your observations.  Make sure the lifeguard supports your 'fish test' findings.

AquaEars are available at your local retailer for an average retail price of $4.00, and include a convenient carrying case. For more information, visit Cirrus Health Care  or connect with the brand on Facebook for special offers, tips and giveaways. Don't forget to enter my own giveaway below! a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Mortal Instruments City of Bones Crowdtap Book Club Party Movie premieres August 21!

 Disclaimer: I received a complimentary book and a digital party kit in order to host a party and share my opinions.  As always, my opinions are my own.
#TMIMOVIE #Shadowhunters #CROWDTAP

As a member of Crowdtap I was able to join the The Mortal Instruments Shadowhunters Book Club Party. We had a really fun afternoon talking about the book and chatting about the upcoming movie. Have you heard about this riveting book and the upcoming movie yet?  It is premiering in theatres August 22! Well, keep reading either way....you are going to be totally into the book AND the movie...guaranteed.

City of Bones is the first book in the series.  Fiftenn year old Clary Fray is the heroine. Anyone 15-100 will enjoy this series. The Shadowhunters wage an epic fight for the survival of the humans against demons. Outside a night club in New York City, Clary Fray witnesses the Shadowhunters Jace Wayland kill what appears to be a wild teenage boy outside a night club in NYC.  When the boy is dying Clary realizes that he is not quite as human as he initially seemed. Clary is soon drawn deeper into the mystery involving the fight against demons. Her mother disappears the next day and Clary herself is almost killed by a creature that she realize is as demonic as the teenage boy killed by Jace.
 
Clary holds secrets that are later revealed that explains why Clary attracts the attention of the demons and also why she has the ability to see the Shadowhunters. Clary joins forces with the half-angel warriors Shadowhunters and immerses herself into Downworld, an almost parallel New York that is filled with demons, including vampires, werewolves and warlocks. 

I was excited to recently host a The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones Book Club Party with a group of my reading fanatic friends. We had a fantastic time.  What isn't fun about some good food, good books and good friends?  I chilled some nice wines and popped a few good ales in the refrigerator. I baked up some brownies and angel food cake and a few other tidbits to snack on while we chatted too.  I set up a Spotify playlist with great funky background music from the movie trailer like Radiohead's  “All I Need,” and Jack Trammel's “Echelon" to set the mood.  We talked about freaky stuff from the movie and book like if any of us have ever felt like we can see things like Clary can.  We debated the possibility of hidden worlds and got ourselves all wigged out thinking about it.  Paola told a really eerie ghost story from her days at Syracuse that really freaked us out.   That got Lynn remembering a weird story about Indian Lake up in the Adirondacks.  She totally believed she saw a ghost out on the lake!  It was fun to chat about the book and movie...we are planning on going as a group to see the premiere on August 21 too so that should be a lot of fun.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones premiers in theaters August 21, 2013. Hey, don't forget, you can join me as a member of Crowdtap and get great opportunities like this as well!

Urban Scavenger Hunt NYC Adventure Promo Code Discount

Have you heard about this super fun family activity yet?  Keep reading! Experience the fun of an Urban Scavenger Hunt in downtown New York City.  This Smart Phone guided adventure lets you and your family experience the fun of the Amazing Race in 2-3 hours.  You solve clues and complete challenges while learning about the city in a fun new way.  

 

This family friendly urban scavenger hunt adventure is appropriate for ages 7-70 and is perfect to get the family out on a day of doing and learning. Start on your schedule and play at your own pace.   

Register on-line at www.UrbanAdventureQuest.com Save $10 With Promo Code: USFAMILY

Cost: $39.20 for a team of 2-5 people after Promo Code: USFamily

When: Play anytime during daylight hours

Save $10 with Promo Code: USFAMILY:http://www.UrbanAdventureQuest.com

Giveaway: GungHo Energy Shot for Fitness Performance and Athletic Performance @go_gungho

Disclaimer:  I received a complimentary sample of GungHo to try out for myself.  As always, all opinions are my own.
@go_gungho

Sometimes it is hard to stay awake and keep going all day with my busy schedule, work, kids, exercise regimens like my boot camp, you know the deal.  Some of those jittery energy shots disrupt my physical performance. I tried them and discounted them for the most part. It was interesting to hear that a Brain Institute Director identified this new product, GungHo Focus Shot^R that may improve focus, performance and endurance. I wanted to give GungHo a try since it really seemed different from all those other products out there. 

All those crazy promises from the big brands, right?  "Athletic prowess like never before!" “Red Bull gives you wings.”  It’s more like false hope. “Caffeine cuts both ways. It can reduce performance as well as  enhance it,” says Dr. Dan Mowry. “That is why most energy shots or drinks fail at both ends of your workout. The initial buzz and jitters disrupt focus and goal-oriented, physical performance. Critical compositional imbalances provoke the resulting “crash.”  I know all about that.

  

Energy drink manufacturers claim that combining stimulants from B vitamins and amino acids like taurine provides extra energy. Here’s the thing about B vitamins in energy drinks: They don’t actually work.  As the chairwoman of Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutritionists for the American Dietetic Association said in an interview with the LA Times: “It’s brilliant marketing, but it doesn’t have any basis.” Vitamins B6 and B12, in large doses, have been found to contribute to numbness and tingling in the hands and feet; insomnia; hyperthyroid; and the degeneration of vital organs, such as the liver, kidneys, and nervous system.  Who needs that? Ugh.

  

The physical benefits of taurine have been deemed “scientifically doubtful.” Researchers from the University of Wisconsin found that caffeine and taurine together contributed to a marked increase in blood pressure and bradycardia (a potentially dangerous decrease in heart rate). “Simply ingesting caffeine, no matter what kinds of vitamins, amino acids or steroids may be added to it, stimulates just one neurotransmitter category and thereby can promote imbalance,” said Dr. Mowry.

  

Yet “there’s good evidence that caffeine is ergogenic,” said Dr. Erin Duchan, co-author of a review of the current science about energy drinks for athletes, published recently in The Physician and Sports Medicine. “It can, in the right circumstances, improve athletic performance,” she added. So how does one strike the correct balance with caffeine for optimal performance?  This is the $100,000 question, right?

Keep brain energy and focus for sports! This new focus shot called GungHo (Chinese for “work in harmony”) claims to provide the balanced increase in mental and physical energy that athletes crave.

  

Said Dr. Perry Renshaw, former Harvard professor, Director  Of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (how chemicals impact the brain) at the Brain Institute at the University of Utah and renowned brain health scientist:

“GungHo^R contains natural ingredients at proven effective doses to improve focus and concentration. Unlike energy products that deal with short-term energy and no lasting impact on brain energy, GungHo will actually increase levels of Critical neurotransmitters in the brain over time.”

  

Why care about “brain energy” and “neurotransmitters” when working out? Neurotransmitters increase your ability to metabolize fat and help to suppress your appetite. While the brain makes up only two percent of a person’s body weight, it consumes roughly 20 percent of the body’s energy when at rest. When performing difficult physical activities, the brain needs even more energy. Also, says Mowrey:

  

“This cognitive boost improves the activity of neuro-hormones that act to offset, even eliminate, the jittery side effects of caffeine while increasing one’ ability to maintain focus on the exercise itself. Mental alertness is often more important for success than physical energy, for athletes.”

  

GungHo is formulated to offer energy once your muscles are tired (increased choline supports the re-synthesis of muscle). With zero sugar, just four calories and no carbonation, is GungHo the ultimate complement to physical performance? “No, nothing replaces sleep, eating well, exercise and drinking lots of water. But if you want a boost of smooth physical and mental energy, then try GungHo,” says Mason, Co-Founder.

Balanced bain boost v nervous jolt:  Here’s a video of  why GungHo was developed to provide a healthier alternative for people like you and me.  2013 is the Year of the Brain. Based on exciting new brain nutrition research, GungHo is an all-natural brain supplement shown to improve focus and concentration NOW as well as improve memory recall and brain health over time. Totally amazing, right? GungHo has been covered in  AllThingsD, the WSJ, Time Magazine and Wired.  Don't forget to follow them on Twitter and Facebook...you never know about special offers for their followers.

Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below to win your own 3 pack to try it for yourself! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Claritin & Kaboom! Helping Kids in Need to Win Imagination Playground™ Equipment

Disclaimer:  I received this information through the the Children's Claritin Mom Crew. I have received no monetary compensation for this posting. As always, my opinions are my own.


I think it is so important for every child to have safe places to get outside and play, run around and be active. Kids should have time to play -- at home and at school! We all know that creative play can make kids happy and healthy, but many kids all over the USA aren't getting enough of it. 

That's why the makers of Children's Claritin are teaming up with the national nonprofit KaBOOM! to help bring innovative play spaces to schools in need. I was so happy to get the inside scoop about this exciting program as a member of the Children's Claritin Mom Crew. We decided to have a get together with several of my mom friends and our kids in honor of Kaboom! and Claritin.  We had a great time with some of the fun activity ideas they provided for us. We all brought some healthy snacks like fresh carrots and dip, bottled water and frozen grapes to give the kids energy to play all afternoon. It was nice to chat and see the kids getting active too!

I love that Children's Claritin and KaBOOM! are helping bring play to kids in need by offering 12 national schools the chance to win Imagination Playground™ equipment. These mobile play sets are comprised of oversized foam blocks that can be assembled inside or outside, giving children of all abilities the opportunity to foster creativity and critical-thinking skills. Your vote can make a difference! 

Join Children's Claritin, the #1 pediatrician-recommended non-drowsy allergy brand, and KaBOOM! to help select 4 schools to receive Imagination Playground™ equipment. You can visit http://Facebook.com/Claritin between 8/1-10/31 to cast your vote for one of twelve finalist schools. The four schools with the most votes will win Imagination Playground™ equipment for their students. 

$10,000 in prizes! Purex 31 Days of Fun Sweepstakes

Don't forget the month-long Purex giveaway 31 Days of Fun is just gearing up for August. Take a peek at some of the great prizes for this week...hurry and enter...you can enter every single day in August! They’re giving away super prizes every day in August to Facebook fans of Purex.  To enter, all you have to do is go “like” the Purex Facebook page, where you’ll find the sweepstakes entry form.
Check out some of this week's calendar of amazing daily prizes:

 

 


 


 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Win $1,000 with Revlon Change Agents @Revlon #RevlonChangeAgents

@Revlon  #RevlonChangeAgents
Disclaimer:  I received a Revlon sample complimentary through Vogue.  As always, my opinions are my own.

 

Revlon® Brilliant Strength™ Nail Enamel magically transforms your nails. Hurry and be the first to know and share about the third challenge in the Revlon® Change Agents movement: Do It, Inspired by Nails.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our hands do the work that spurs change. For this challenge, share what act you completed to help make a difference. Meanwhile, check out all the gorgeous colors Revlon has to offer for your nails like the one I tried, Beguile.  It is brand new from the Brilliant Strength line of colors.  It is a gorgeous deep sea green with hints of dark Caribbean waters.  I received several compliments on my toes with my beautiful pedi!

In the spirit of goodness, Revlon has is continuing their contest honoring women who are inspired to be the change. Upload an original photo of your gorgeous nails and tell us how you took action to affect change. One winner will be selected to receive a Revlon® prize package and a $1,000 reward.The contest starts at 12:01 AM ET 5/13/13 and ends 11:59 PM ET 10/31/13.  Go to Facebook to enter.

Take a look at the Revlon Facebook page for more updates and promotions.  You can also follow them on Twitter.  I like to follow my fave brands like Revlon. You never know what they post for their followers and you always get the inside scoop!