iPhone 3G Giveaway from CouponChief

With gas and food prices higher than ever, more and more families are feeling a pinch in their budgets. CouponChief can help ease the burden with fabulous deals, coupons, and discount codes, and they are partnered with a variety of retailers (including Toys R Us and Target) so the savings are wide-spread.

CouponChief has relaunched with new features and an easy-to-use design. To celebrate they are giving away an Apple iPhone 3G every other day from July 11 through September 1. Click here for complete rules/details and to enter the contest.

Some of the new features of the site's redesign include:

• Rank a coupon – users can provide feedback on whether a coupon is working or not by simply clicking a small icon.
• Comment on a coupon – allows users to share special instructions or insight with other members in the comments section for each coupon.
• Tag based categories – new tag based system allows for a more specific niche search on the site.
• Submit a coupon – consumers can upload a coupon or promotion code they have that they do not see on the site – share the savings!
• Coupon Chief blog – provides updates and news on the site; users are also allowed to give feedback and provide

Head over to CouponChief today to start saving, and maybe even win an iPhone, today! Good luck!

Summer Affair

It's that time of year again. My favorite time of year, actually. Summer. And anyone who has read here for awhile, knows that I love a good summer read!

Just how enticing is this cover for beach/poolside reading:



I know, right? That alone had me hooked. And I promise you, the inside of Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand (published by Little, Brown and Company), is just as intriguing.

The weird thing for me was the fact that the main character, Claire Danner Crispin, is a professional glass blower. How many main characters have you read with that job? None? Yeah, me too.

Well, it just so happens that my sister is an art major in college and is studying glass blowing. It's what she wants to do when she's finished college, and she just made me a gorgeous, glass vase for my birthday this past May. So I felt closer to my sister as I read all about the ins and outs of this amazing art.

There are so many interesting characters in Summer Affair, and that was another aspect I really enjoyed. Each one was well-developed and I couldn't wait to hear how each one's life was progressing throughout the story.

The entire story takes place on the island of Nantucket, and Hilderbrand will make you feel like you are right on the island with all of the characters, enmeshed in the goings on of everyday life there.

The main character, Claire, was someone I couldn't quite figure out. She was a mystery to me. And I think that was the author's intent.

She is study in contrasts. Yin and Yang. Fire and Ice. On one hand she is a loving wife and mother, and on the other, she is abandoning her family night after night to enjoy a fling with the head of a charity event (of which she is the co-chair). At times, she is a devoted friend to her sister-in-law, Siobhan, and at other times, she is keeping secrets from her and lying to her.

I think Claire herself is on a journey to find out exactly who she is, and that was the reason for her affair. She is rebelling against all of the labels that have been put on her and takes this dangerous journey to discovering herself.

Click here to get your hands on a copy of this fun read. And after you've read it at the beach or poolside (and into the wee hours of the morning by a nightlight on your nightstand...*ahem*), come let me know what you thought about it.

HPV Awareness and Giveaway

Please note: This review is about the HPV TEST, not the vaccine. There was some confusion about that in comments so I wanted to clarify this. Thank you!

UPDATE: THIS POST IS NOT ABOUT THE VACCINE! IT IS ABOUT THE HPV TEST. I am going to have to put the above line throughout the post, I suppose, since this is getting missed judging from the majority of comments.

As women, we know that yearly pap smears are vital for protecting our health. But did you know that now there is a test that, when combined with a pap smear, is virtually 100% accurate in identifying women at risk for cervical cancer? The HPV test is a crucial advancement because women who test positive can be monitored and treated well before cancer has a chance to develop.

Cervical cancer is the only cancer with a single-known cause-- the human papilloma virus (HPV). There are more than 100 types of the sexually transmitted infection, HPV. Of these, about 15 high-risk types are known to cause virtually all cases of cervical cancer. Two of these types (16 and 18) are believed to cause 70 percent of these cases.

Please note: This review is about the HPV TEST, not the vaccine. There was some confusion about that in comments so I wanted to clarify this. Thank you!

Unfortunately, the pap alone is not foolproof in detecting HPV...it can miss up to half the time. Seeing that about 80% of women will get one or more types of HPV by age 50, and that cervical cancer kills 288,000 women annually worldwide, it is imperative that women over 30 now make sure their doctor is doing the HPV test in conjunction with their regular pap. (Women under 30 do not need the HPV test unless their pap results are abnormal).

The test can be done at the same time as the pap, so women don’t need to do anything more than ask for it. Use of HPV testing for routine screening is recognized in guidelines issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Cancer Society and the American Medical Women’s Association and the majority of insurance companies cover the HPV test for routine screening.

Please note: This review is about the HPV TEST, not the vaccine. There was some confusion about that in comments so I wanted to clarify this. Thank you!

I myself have had the test twice now and insurance covered it both times...and fortunately I tested negative, which means I will not need another test for three more years.

To learn more about the HPV test, click the HPV test. You can also watch this YouTube video:



...and click here to watch many other stories of those who have benefited from the HPV test.

To help spread the word about HPV testing and awareness, I have a prize pack to give away to THREE winners! Please note: This review is about the HPV TEST, not the vaccine. There was some confusion about that in comments so I wanted to clarify this. Thank you! Each "Choose to Know" pack consists of:

• bracelet
• purse mirror
• lip balm
• HPV Test fact sheet
• pledge card

To enter, (Please note: This review is about the HPV TEST, not the vaccine. There was some confusion about that in comments so I wanted to clarify this. Thank you!)simply leave a comment here on this post. For a double entry, link to this post on your site and leave a separate comment here letting me know you've done so with the link to your post.

Deadline to enter is Wednesday, July 16, 11:59 P.M., EST. Winners have two weeks to claim prize from the date of notification or the prize is forfeited.

Please note: This review is about the HPV TEST, not the vaccine. There was some confusion about that in comments so I wanted to clarify this. Thank you!

Thanks for entering, and be healthy!

WonderFALL is WonderFULL

There is one place in the world that I have always dreamt of going, but have yet to go. The Caribbean.

Now, there is one resort that is making that dream so much more appealing, and that is Beaches All-inclusive Resorts. And if I need any more incentive than their gorgeous views, luxurious rooms, varied restaurants, or the multitude of fun activities, now there's yet another reason why Beaches is a prime destination.



From September 1 to November 4 of this year, Beaches is hosting WonderFALL, at four fabulous tropical locations: Beaches Boscobel, Beaches Sandy Bay, Beaches Negril, and Beaches Turks and Caicos.

Part of the WonderFALL special is WonderFULL savings! Stay five or six nights and get one night free, or stay seven nights or longer and get two nights free! Plus, enjoy up to 45% off on your trip.

The list of activities to enjoy is endless, but during WonderFALL, families will have even more to choose from. Beaches is a proud sponsor of Sesame Street, so your children will be able to delight in stage performances, appearances and more from their favorite Sesame Street characters.

There's also gift bags (filled with goodies from Sesame Street®, New Balance®, Earth’s Best®, StrollerFit®, Crayola®, GRAND Magazine and Kiwi Magazine), pool-side Dive-In Movies, a ColorFall Birthday Bash celebrating Crayola 64 Box's 50th birthday, and a "Baby You're a Star" contest with free photo shoot! *swoon*



This is all in addition to the regular activities and perks you get with a regular Beaches trip, which include:

• unlimited dining from a variety of gourmet and specialty cuisine restaurants serving great breakfast, lunch and dinner (standard meals included in package, plus there is access to "anytime snacks")
• tennis
• golf
• state-of-the art fitness centers
• snorkeling and scuba diving with all equipment and instruction included (lessons are extra but equipment is free to use)
• wading pools
• Pirate's Island Waterparks
• swim-up bars
• nightly entertainment and stage shows
• nannies for the kids
• a piano bar
• supervised kid camps
• Xbox 360® Game Garage

....I could go on and on.

One thing you will not be at a Beach's resort is bored! Then of course there are the gorgeous, white-sand beaches.

The resorts themselves are a tropical oasis and I could just stare at them all day on my computer (I even made one of them my screensaver). You'll get first-class accommodations in an ocean view or beachfront room, or you can choose a lavish one or two bedroom suite, some of which include personalized butler service. Better yet, packages include round trip airport transfers, hotel taxes and all gratuities!



Need I say more? Beaches is truly Heaven on earth. Click here for more information or to book your Beaches WonderFALL trip today! Hurry, as you must book by July 17 to enjoy your WonderFALL celebration!

Suave Winner

Congratulations to JMarie! She has won a bundle of Beauty Best goodies from Suave!

Thanks to all who entered as well as Suave and Weber Shandwick for sponsoring this fabulous giveaway.

Stay tuned for more exciting giveaways...coming soon!