#182 – Kim T – Favorite snack – “Popcorn”

Congratulations Kim! I will send you an email by tomorrow.  Make sure you respond within 48 hours; otherwise a new winner will be picked.

I have more fun giveaways coming up, too – so make sure to stay tuned to the blog for how to enter the giveaways this next week!

Recently I had the opportunity try out Simply Fruit Roll-ups & Nature Valley Chewy Trail Bars.  We’ve had the Nature Valley trail bars before and my husband and I both really like them because they are a healthier option for a snack & quite filling.  In fact, my husband even brought along the box on a field trip to Mt Rainier with his students.  It was the perfect snack option for the students as they hiked on the mountain.  Every bar contains whole almonds, peanuts, raisins & cranberries, with no artificial flavors or colors and only 140 calories.

This was our first time trying out the Simply Fruit Roll-Ups & they were delicious – my 4 year old loved them – I had to hide them, so she wouldn’t see them in the pantry & want them all the time! And I’ll admit that I enjoyed eating them, too! The nice thing is that they are gluten-free & there is no high fructose corn syrup.  They are made with 90% real fruit & fruit juice & only 50 calories per roll. Definitely a snack item you’ll want to check out if you’re looking for healthier alternatives to the traditional snacks that are offered in the grocery stores.

Giveaway: $25 Costco Gift Card & Sunny Day Snacks Prize Pack

So, now it’s your chance to win the Sunny Day snacks prize pack.  This includes a $25 Costco gift card, a box of Simply Fruit Roll-ups & a box of Nature Valley Chewy Trail Bars, provided by General Mills & My Blog Spark.  This giveaway will end on Thursday , July 15th at 9pm pst/midnight est.

The winner will be drawn using Random.org and the winner will have 48 hours to contact me, otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway.

Here’s how to enter this giveaway::

1st Entry (required entry): Tell us what is your favorite snack item.

Extra Entries : (make sure these are all separate comments, with a comment for each entry)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower.

3) Head over to the Thrifty NW Mom Facebook page & “like” the page. Leave a comment saying you did this.

4)  Follow Thrifty NW Mom on Twitter and “Tweet” about this giveaway, with a link to this post (or my twitter name w/the tweet)! You must “tweet” in order to receive the extra entry (you can do this once per day) & leave your twitter name or link here. You can use the sample below:

Enter to win a $25 Costco gift card & Sunny Day snack pack @thriftynwmom. Ends Thurs 7/15 at 9pm pst. http://bit.ly/9TuLpD

Disclosure: I was given the Costco Sunny Day Snack Prize Pack  by General Mills & My Blog Spark to review.  A $25 Costco Gift Card & Sunny Day snack prize pack also will be given to  a winner randomly chosen.  All opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure statement for more details.

It’s time to announce our winner for the custom tutu from Tiptoeing Tutus!! This was a popular giveaway, which is no surprise since Tiptoeing Tutus makes absolutely adorable tutus!!  And with the Eclipse movie coming out next week, you could even get a tutu made in Twilight colors!

And our winner is…..

#38 -Kimberly M –  ”I have to be honest and say that my favorite is Team Jacob. Brown is favorite color and I just think it’s too cute! My 4 1/2 yr old niece LOVES tutu’s and what a cool aunt would I be to give her such an adorable one?”

Congratulations Kim!! I’ll send you an email so I can get all your info & we can get your tutu sent out to you!

For those of you who didn’t win, don’t forget that Tiptoeing Tutus is offering a 10% discount to Thrifty NW Mom readers.  So, make sure to head on over there & take advantage of the discount if you’re interested in a tutu for that special girl in your life!

{Giveaway Now Over}

Do you have a little girl in your life – daughter, granddaughter, niece, friend? If so, you’ll definitely want to check out Tiptoeing Tutus, a website featuring all sorts of fun tutus for little girls! The gals behind Tiptoeing Tutus, Colleen & Meghan, are two sisters & they are based out of the Seattle area.  They custom make tutus for every occasion & to suite every taste – if you don’t see a color or embellishment you’re interested in, they can custom make one for you.  Tiptoeing Tutus are different from many tutus in that they are sewn around elastic & not tied.  Having the elastic waistband allows for your child to be able to use it as they grow & it makes them less bulky at the waist.  The waistband is also lined with satin ribbon so there’s no discomfort for your child.  Tiptoeing Tutus also offer special prices if you’re interested in having a “tutu party” for your child and a group of friends!

Tiptoeing Tutus sent us a pink tutu for my daughter’s to try out & I have to say that it is very popular with my girls – in fact, they argue over who gets to wear it! My 19 month old has actually figured out how to put the tutu on herself & she loves to run around with it on. We’ve had a few tutus in the past & this one is different in that it is much fluffier, which is just adorable for pictures! They also offer lined clippies, which can be used with the  tutu or separately as a hair accessory.  My older daughter loved being able to wear this beautiful, pink flower in her hair! She loved all the attention she got while wearing it!

10% off Discount for Thrifty NW Mom Readers

Tiptoeing Tutus is offering a special discount of 10% off your order if you mention you are a Thrifty NW Mom reader when ordering.  This is a great chance to buy a fun tutu for your daughter or buy it as a special gift for that special little lady in your life!

Giveaway: One Custom Tutu of your Choice (up to $25 value)

Tiptoeing Tutus is offering a special giveaway for Thrifty NW Mom readers – you’ll have a chance to win a custom tutu of your choice (up to a $25 value).  Even if you don’t have a little girl of your own, this would make a great gift!  They even have “Twilight” themed tutus – Team Jacob, Team Edward & a general Twilight theme!

This giveaway will end on Friday, June 25th at 9pm pst! The winner will be drawn using Random.org and the winner will have 48 hours to contact me, otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway.

Here’s how to enter this giveaway::

1st Entry (required entry): Visit the Tiptoeing Tutus website & tell us which tutu is your favorite.

Extra Entries : (make sure these are all separate comments, with a comment for each entry)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower.

3) Head over to the Tiptoeing Tutus Facebook page & “like” the page. Leave a comment saying you did this.

4)  Follow Thrifty NW Mom on Twitter and “Tweet” about this giveaway, with a link to this post (or my twitter name w/the tweet)! You must “tweet” in order to receive the extra entry (you can do this once per day) & leave your twitter name or link here.

Disclosure: I was given a tutu to review & a custom tutu of winner’s choice (up to $25 value) will be given to  a winner randomly chosen, provided by Tiptoeing Tutus.   All opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure statement for more details.

Our winner is…

#38 – Jen – “I follow you via Google Reader.”

Congratulations Jen! All you need to do now is either email me at thriftynwmom (at) hotmail (dot) com or I will send you an email this afternoon & you need to respond within 48 hours. Otherwise, a new winner will need to be selected.

{GIVEAWAY NOW ENDED}

Swiffer is out with a new, improved SweeperVac which has a Double-Action clean.  Not only does it have the dry cloths that Swiffer is known for to trap the smaller dirt particles, but it also includes a small vacuum to pick up bigger items while you’re sweeping.  I recently had the opportunity to try out the Swiffer SweeperVac, courtesy of P&G and My Blog Spark.  We have a lot of linoleum flooring on our bottom floor & it is literally impossible to keep clean, especially with a very messy toddler {she’s in that stage of flinging her food constantly – can’t wait till we’re past this stage!}  So, I was eager to give this product a try!

I have to say that I love the convenience of the product – you need to charge it overnight & then it’s good to go! The best feature is the fact that you don’t need to have it plugged in – it works just like any other Swiffer floor product & you  can take it anywhere. It’s fairly lightweight & easy to manuever around corners & getting in tight spots that your vacuum may miss. When you’ve filled up the canister, it’s just a few simple steps of pushing a button, pulling the canister out, dumping & set back in place.

As far as how well it cleaned, I felt that it worked well with the smaller items (dirt, pet hair, small food particles) but it was a little harder with the larger food particles that my toddler is often throwing on the floor. There were some items that it left behind that I still had to pick up with a cloth or sweep up. But, overall,  it picked up the majority of items on the floor. And it was so nice to not have the broom & dustpan out the whole time!  Sweeping floors is definitely one of my LEAST favorite chores – ranks right up there with folding & putting away laundry (another chore that I find way too tedious).

Giveaway: $40 Walmart Gift Card for Swiffer SweeperVac

So, now it’s your chance to try out the Swiffer SweeperVac!  P&G & My Blog Spark are offering a $40 Walmart gift card to 1 lucky Thrifty NW Mom reader. This way you can go out & buy a Swiffer SweeperVac yourself & see how it works!  This giveaway will end on Tuesday , June 8th at 9pm pst.

The winner will be drawn using Random.org and the winner will have 48 hours to contact me, otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway.

Here’s how to enter this giveaway::

1st Entry (required entry): Tell us why YOU need a Swiffer SweeperVac.

Extra Entries : (make sure these are all separate comments, with a comment for each entry)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower.

3) Head over to the Thrifty NW Mom Facebook page & “like” the page. Leave a comment saying you did this.

4)  Follow Thrifty NW Mom on Twitter and “Tweet” about this giveaway, with a link to this post (or my twitter name w/the tweet)! You must “tweet” in order to receive the extra entry (you can do this once per day) & leave your twitter name or link here.

Disclosure: I was given a Swiffer SweeperVac to review & a $40 Walmart Gift Card will be given to  a winner randomly chosen. These were given by P&G and My Blog Spark  All opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure statement for more details.

#4 -Amanda S – They are all cute. I love the giraffes and the princess ones.

#169 – Rebecca – I’m a Google Follower also.

Congratulations gals! You can email me at thriftynwmom (at) hotmail (dot) com to confirm & I’ll give you directions so we can get your shoes sent to you. Or I will be emailing you this weekend!

Once again, I’m partnering with the 5th Avenue Theatre in downtown Seattle to bring you discounted tickets & a chance to win 1 of 2 sets of tickets to see Candide, a new musical comedy coming to the 5th Avenue Theatre on May 25th!  Here’s some more information about the show:

The 5th Avenue Theatre is pleased to present Leonard Bernstein’s legendary musical comedy, Candide, May 25 – June 13.  Inspired by Voltaire’s wickedly satirical novel, this musical masterpiece includes some of the greatest music ever written (with brilliantly witty lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Dorothy Parker, Lillian Hellman, Richard Wilber and Leonard Bernstein himself).  Candide is a cornerstone of the Seattle Celebrates Bernstein festival.

About the show:

Having been taught by his beloved tutor, Dr. Pangloss, that “everything is for the best in this best of all possible worlds” our handsome, yet hapless, hero Candide sets off on an epic journey to find his one true love — the beautiful Cunegonde. Along the way he encounters wars, plagues, shipwrecks, earthquakes, pirates, swindlers, the Old World, the New World, the fabled lost city of Eldorado, and the Spanish Inquisition! Inspired by Voltaire’s classic satire this legendary musical features a sparkling score by the great Leonard Bernstein that includes the famous “Candide Overture”, the hilarious and bravura showstopper “Glitter And Be Gay”, and the moving and inspiring anthem “Make Our Garden Grow”. This Seattle professional première offers you the rare opportunity to experience one of “the best musicals you’ve never seen!”

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Special $25 Discount for Candide

The 5th Avenue Theatre is offering a special discount, for you to save $25 per ticket on all performances of Candide.  Use promotion code SEATTLE when buying tickets at 206-625-1900, in person at the box office or online at 5thavenue.org. You must first sign in or create an account and enter promotion code SEATTLE before you choose your seats when buying online. Not valid on Side Balcony seats, previously purchased tickets or with any other offer.

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Giveaway – Two Tickets to Candide

The 5th Avenue Theater is also offering an awesome giveaway for Thrifty NW Mom readers.  You can enter to win one of two prizes of 2 tickets to Candide at The 5th Avenue Theatre in downtown Seattle (winners choose the date).

This giveaway will happen a little differently than the typical giveaways on Thrifty NW Mom. Instead of entering the giveaway on this blog post, you will email contest@5thavenue.org with THRIFTY in the title by Friday, May 21 at noon. The winner will be announced on Thrifty NW Mom that weekend.

Disclosure: The 5th Avenue Theater is sponsoring this giveaway by providing 2 tickets  to a performance of “Candide” to  2 Thrifty NW Mom readers, randomly selected.  I also will receive 2 tickets to the show.  All opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure statement for more details.

Giveaway Now Ended!!

For those of you who have young kiddos, you know how hard it is to keep shoes on their feet! Both of my girls were constantly taking off their shoes & socks as babies & toddlers (in fact, my little one still does!). That’s why I love starting off with the leather soft soled shoes….as they actually stay on their feet & are great for beginning walkers at the same time! Most of you may know the Robeez brand, as the popular soft-soled crib shoes for babies & toddlers.  However, for many of you, paying $20-$30 for a pair of shoes that your child will outgrow in a few months may not be the thriftiest option!

Did you know that Target also carries soft-soled leather crib shoes called Ministar shoes made by Bobux? Ministar shoes are made from natural leather, which is what pediatricians recommend for a baby’s growing feet.  They have suede soles to provide a good grip for beginner walkers and are very flexible  to give a very comfortable fit for your children.

My oldest daughter actually had extra wide feet – and we bought several pairs of Ministar shoes when she was a toddler as they were the only shoes that fit her. They were perfect for her as there was elastic around the  ankle so we could get them around her feet, but  then they still stayed snug so she couldn’t pull those shoes off constantly. The same is true with my younger daughter, too – she also has wider feet, so the Ministar leather shoes are a great option for a size that fits her comfortably & will stay put!  She loves to throw her shoes when she’s in the stroller – so the Ministar shoes definitely slow her down & make it much harder to get those shoes off!

Target.com now has a large selection of Ministar shoes by Bobux and the prices are at least half of what you’ll find for the other soft-soled leather shoes on the market!  There are some super cute styles for boys & girls! The prices are $12.99 for the shoes & $19.99 for the boots. You’ll also find these in Target stores as well!

Giveaway: 2 readers will win 1 pair of Ministar Shoes – Your Choice

Target is offering 2 lucky Thrifty NW Mom readers a pair of Ministar Star shoes.  If you are one of the winners, you’ll be able to pick out your choice of a pair of Ministar shoes! Even if you don’t have little ones – these shoes make great baby shower gifts!!  This giveaway will end on Friday, May 14th at 9pm pst.

The winner will be drawn using Random.org and the winner will have 48 hours to contact me, otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway.

Here’s how to enter this giveaway::

1st Entry (required entry)-  Head on over to Target & leave a comment with your favorite Ministar style shoe.

Extra Entries : (make sure these are all separate comments, with a comment for each entry)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower.

3) Head over to the Ministar Facebook Page & “Like” the page as an extra entry. Leave a comment saying you did this.

4)  Follow Thrifty NW Mom on Twitter and “Tweet” about this giveaway, with a link to this post (or my twitter name w/the tweet)! You must “tweet” in order to receive the extra entry (you can do this once per day) & leave your twitter name or link here.

Disclosure: I was given a pair of Ministar shoes for review and 2 pairs of Ministar shoes will be given to winners randomly chosen.  All opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure statement for more details.

2 tickets to the 5th Avenue  Theatre for the musical, Candide: Ashley Lundgren

$40 certificate to the Chambers Bay Grill in University Place: LaVerne Stripling

Blockbuster $15 Gift Certificate: Debbie Reymvaas

Starbucks $10 Gift Certificate: Kat Walter

Congratulations gals!! I will be contacting all four of you this weekend by email.  You can also email me at thriftynwmom (at) hotmail (dot) com if you see that you’re a winner.  You need to respond within 48 hours; otherwise a new winner will  need to be picked.