Sumner Fun #Giveaway ~ Open to US Only ~ Ends June 24th~!!

Summer Fun Giveaway Event

Organized by: Mom to Bed by 8

OH MY GOSHES~!!!  Can you believe that there are going to be FIVE winners...like WOWOWOW...good lucks to each and everyone who enters...and have fun this summer~!!!

Prize Package Includes:

Skywalker Bounce-N-Learn Trampoline
Your little ones will love to get their bounce on in the Skywalker Trampolines 5-ft. Seaside Adventure Bouncer, which features a fun ocean theme and excellent bouncing capability. This fun bouncer offers a steel frame construction, woven jump mat with numbers, dual zipper enclosure. It's recommended for children 6-8 years of age and has a weight capacity of up to 100-pounds. Kids will love to jump and play as the secure elastic stretch bands provide bouncing fun.

Intex 10' x 30" Metal Frame Swimming Pool
Easy to set up, this Intex 10' x 30" Metal Frame Pool is supported by strong, durable steel frames, which are powder coated for rust resistance and beauty. Triple strong, super-tough laminated sidewalls of the Intex Metal Frame Swimming Pool are reinforced with an all-around band to keep frame legs firmly in place. For clean, refreshing water, connect the new economical and environmentally friendly Krystal Clear Cartridge Filter Pump. The Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter is an added safety feature that shuts off the pump if electrical current is exposed to water.

Glenmeadow 6-Piece Folding Patio Dining Set with Umbrella
The Glenmeadow 6-Piece Patio Dining Set comes with four chairs that fold flat for storage, a glass-top table and an umbrella that is easy to open and close. This patio dining set with umbrella is covered in 100-percent outdoor furniture sling fabric that is UV-rated fade-resistant and constructed of durable, powder-coated steel. Each chair of this patio dining set with umbrella holds up to 200 lbs and comes with a safety lock feature. The table is tempered glass and scratch resistant. Your folding dining set cleans easily with soap and water.

Flexible Flyer Swing Free Metal Swing Set
The Flexible Flyer Swing Free Metal Swing Set will provide backyard fun all summer long. This swing set allows your kids to play and get some exercise at the same time. It comes with four different activities that can keep up to six kids busy and active. The sturdy, steel frame of this backyard swing set is built to last and can have parents feeling confident that their kids are safe. The swings, trapeze swing, air glider and slide provide plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun.

20" Huffy Rock It Boys' Bike
The Huffy Rock It 20" Boys' Bike has just what he needs to have a great adventure. It has a quick adjustable seat post for your growing teen and the padded seat is fully decorated with the logo on it. The heavy duty steel black frame makes it sturdy, durable, and stylish. A single speed bicycle in black and blazing orange, it is fully equipped with coaster brakes for instant control while racing at high speeds. The attractive orange blast handlebars and rich black pedals with orange blast 28-spoke rims add to its trendy look. This steel frame bicycle is easy to assemble and includes the instruction manual.

Thank you to each reader who is taking the time to visit, read and entering to win this amazing summer fun prize package. Please take a moment to also visit our lovely co-hosts whom without them great things such as these would not be possible: 365 Things to Do In Southwest Florida, Celebrate Woman Today, My Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Life, Coupons In Motion, The Stuff of Success, Budget Earth and Baby Costcutters.

Five lucky people will win! Each receiving one of the following: Skywalker Bounce-N-Learn Trampoline, Intex 10' x 30" Metal Frame Swimming Pool, Glenmeadow 6-Piece Folding Patio Dining Set with Umbrella, Flexible Flyer Swing Free Metal Swing Set & 20" Huffy Rock It Boys' Bike!

Giveaway ends June 24th at 11:59pm, open to US residents, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own.  MAD MOOSE MAMA is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event!

Cuddle Up Outdoors #Giveaway ~ US Only ~ Ends June 11th~!!

We here at The Marsh is happy to bring you another groovy giveaway to enter...

Prize:

Teton Sports Mammoth Sleeping Bag

ARV $199

Hosted by:

A Ladybug on the Go

This has quilting throughout and "cushioning around zipper and shoulder to keeps drafts out".  Built for two or more people it has three sided zippering for easy access from either side.  This is roughly the size of a queen mattress so you can even fit the little ones if you want!

Best of all there is a Oxford Compression Sack with Drawstring Closure to hold the sleeping back when not in use!  The "mummy style" hood holds pillows in place as you sleep!

 Teton Sports "was started in 2005 in Utah with a very long not-to-do list as opposed to the traditional to-do list. We do just a few things, but we try hard to do them well."  Their short but great list of products include sleeping bags, tents, bags/backpacks, cots, and a variety of accessories.

"Make Our Own Network" solely organized this event and I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are 100% my own and may differ from your own or even those stated in this post. Mad Moose Mama is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.

**If you are a company and would like to see your brand advertised in a M.O.O.N. event similar to this please contact ldybug1682@gmail.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Swimming – The MVP of Workouts~!!

It is far too easy to give an excuse for not exercising.  It hurts your joints, it bores you, or it may not  yield the results you're after.  Want to know a secret?  These excuses may apply to any exercise, minus one: swimming.

Swimming is one of the greatest forms of exercise and not simply because it burns a certain number of calories.  For the elderly or the workout newbies, swimming is extremely soft on your muscles and joints.  Now, this doesn't mean you won't get sore, rather, that soreness will result in strength rather than agitated arthritis. 

One of the most key ingredients to a successful workout is fun.  Having fun keeps you motivated, acts as an encourager, and keeps your spirit healthy.   Who doesn't love to spend their summer days outside in the cool water?  During the winter months, a heated indoor pool can be equally refreshing. 

One of the greatest aspects of swimming exercises is that it works a vast number of muscles rather than a few specific ones.  It is a full body workout without having to know a hundred different moves and stretches.  And if you have ever spent the day at the pool or beach, you understand how it can work up an appetite.  This is just one example of its calorie burning capacity.

Below I'll give you a few exercises you can try out for yourself. They are all easy on the body, yet tough enough to tone every problem area.

It's a no-brainer that the easiest way to start is simply by swimming laps.  However, swimming is a totally different style of exercise so it will take some time for your body to adjust.  Keep the exercise simple at first.  Starting out too hard and too fast can cause you to become discouraged and quit. 

For the first few weeks of your training, swim four laps in your pool.  Stop to rest and catch your breath for 30 seconds in between each run.  Do this simple routine ten times.  If this is too easy or difficult, raise or decrease the amount of laps you swim each time.

For a resistance workout, walk or jog in waist deep water.  Once again, the water causes your muscles to work harder than walking or running on a flat surface.  Even though your muscles are working harder, the water is also acting as a cushion for your joints. 

The best exercise is always fun.  Grab some friends and play any kind of sport in the water.  Volleyball, basketball, even keep-away offers twice the calorie burning opportunities.  Not only does the water resistance make your body work harder, but playing the sports alone is one of the best ways to get your work out without dreading the work.  Because you are having fun and sharing the exercise experience, you will automatically be working harder because you have a goal in mind (that is, winning).

Swimming is one of the best all-around exercises.  It is an activity that is gentle on the joints, thus fitness enthusiasts of all ages may participate, yet it challenges the entire body, thus a simple way to tone from head to toe.

Natalie Parsons is a professional blogger that provides information for fitness center locations, health and finding workout routines that work for you. She writes for Fitness 19, a top fitness center in Springfield MO. including many other locations.

Meal Ideas to Avoid Using the Oven in the Summer~!!

We can all probably agree that using the oven when it’s 90 degrees outside is absolutely horrendous. There’s just nothing good that can come out of that situation no matter how you look at it. Sure you might get a nice hot meal, but you’ll end up heating a room that you’re paying to keep cool, and after you eat the hot food, you yourself will feel warmer and be prompted to spend even more money cooling down the house.

The stove just isn’t summer friendly, and while I wouldn’t advocate eating cold food all summer, I would say that there are better alternatives to the stove and better meal choices we could be making when the heat is bearing down on us.

These are just a few of many possible meal ideas that could be utilized during the warmer months of the year.

What we’ll do first, is list some appliances that are much better to use for cooking food when your air conditioner is working feverishly to cool down your kitchen.

Alternatives to the Stove

Crock Pot -- The crock pot or “slow cooker” is an excellent tool to use when it’s too warm for the stove. In fact, if you don’t have one, I’d say it’s a worthwhile investment. It takes longer to cook food, but it doesn’t throw off nearly as much heat as the stove does. Use it for soups, casseroles or just about anything.
Outdoor Grill -- A grill is one of the obvious summer choices and if you don’t have one, you’ll have some pretty decent options for under $300 if you choose to go buy one up. A grill is your best option for preparing meat throughout the summer, with the added benefit of the much preferred grilled flavor.
Outdoor Fire Pit (in the evening) -- This is probably only going to work in the evenings, but if you’re really rugged, you can use a fire to cook your food, or even just make smores or hot dogs. If you haven’t had a hot meal all day, it might be your last line opportunity to do so, even if it’s just a hot dog.
Microwave -- While the microwave isn’t necessarily a summer exclusive item, it should be the preferred method of cooking food instead of the stove, if at all possible. It’s quicker, gives off far less heat and is all around simpler to use if you’re trying to limit your time in the kitchen.

Bread Maker -- You can do a lot with a bread maker, so it can fill in as a part-time baking option while your oven is lying dormant.

Meal Ideas

With our non-stove cooking appliances in place, let’s look at a few meals that we can prepare during the summer that are warm weather friendly and free from the excess heat of the oven and stove top.

Meal 1 -- Grilled chicken, baked (or sweet) potatoes and pasta salad with iced green tea and honey --
Marinade the chicken ahead of time and cook it over the grill on top of aluminum foil. If you’re using baked potatoes, poke holes on either side of each one and add olive oil and sea salt to the outer skin, then add the potatoes to the grill as well.

To cool down, do a pasta salad with some fresh tomatoes and cucumbers and add some iced green tea with honey to round things out.

Meal 2 -- Feta Burgers, fresh salad, corn on the cob and homemade lemonade -- When you make your burgers, stuff them with feta cheese before they go on the grill. When you put the corn on the grill, you can actually leave them with the husks still on and they’ll cook just fine. All you’ll really need to add after that is a cold salad since the beef and feta will be pretty filling. Serve water with fresh lemons and just a bit of sugar for lemonade.

Meal 3 -- Potato Soup in the crock pot and homemade bread with butter -- This recipe only works if you have a bread maker. If not, substitute the bread for Texas toast on the grill. Whatever potato soup recipe you prefer is fine, just use the crock pot to cook it. Even in the crock pot, it shouldn’t take terribly long. If you have the luxury of the bread maker, you can enjoy homemade bread with the soup without having to use the oven. This makes for a great warm meal in the evening if you and your family are tired of eating cold stuff.

These are just a few ideas, but the point is that you can still eat great warm meals without using the oven or stove. Just because it’s hot out doesn’t mean that you and your family will get tired of hot food and just want to eat deli meat all day long. In fact, the longer days and more relaxed atmosphere make summer a better time for cooking and enjoying meals.

Be creative, and learn how to do it while staying cool at the same time. It’s a win-win for everybody.

Chase Stevens is an avid blogger and contributor to IndustrialControlDirect.com a leading online retailer of industrial control devices and din rail brackets.

July Is National Hot Dog Month ~ Celebrate with #French's Mustards

July Is National Hot Dog Month

Celebrate America’s Birthday with Hot Dogs and America’s #1 Mustard!

Did you know that hot dogs and mustard were BOTH introduced in 1904 at the St. Louis Worlds Fair~??  

Ever since that time, hot dogs along with Mustard have been an integral part of American's family summer celebrations ~ from ballgames and backyard barbeques to picnics and state fairs.  In 1915, French's Mustard made baseball a permanent part of its heritage by incorporating its name into the iconic red pennant we know today.  

So as you gather your family and friends to mark America's birthday, remember that July is National Hot Dog Month, you can also try some recipes that offer a twist on the traditional hot dog by visiting www.frenchs.com.  

Check out these groovy facts and figures and see how much you and your friends really know about the classic summer refreshment.

Fun Facts about Hot Dogs and Mustard:

1.  2.3 billion hot dogs are consumed during National Hot Dog Month which occurs in July.

2.  During hot dog season, from Memorial Day to Labour Day, 7 billion hot dogs are consumed which translates to 818 hot dogs every second.

3.  Mustard is the number one hot dog topping in America.

4.  On July 4th, Americans will enjoy 155 million hot dogs ~ enough to stretch from D.C. to L.A. over five times.

5.  Every years, Americans eat an average 60 hot dogs each.

6.  Classic Yellow Mustard is 100% natural with zero calories, making it one of the healthiest condiments available.

Important Dates:

1839 ~ Baseball is invented by Abner Doubleday

1903 ~ The inaugural World Series between the National League (formed in 1876) and the American League (formed in 1900) champs.

1904 ~ French's Cream Salad (yellow) Mustard introduced at the St. Louis World's Fair.

1915 ~ French's Pennant became the brand's official logo.

1926 ~ Reckitt and Coleman purchased RT French Company.

2000 ~ Reckitt and Coleman changed its name to Reckitt Benckiser, the current parent company of French's Mustard.

2004 ~ French's celebrates 100th Anniversary of Classic Yellow Mustard.

2010 ~ Today French's Mustard offers Spicy Brown, Honey, Honey Dijon and Horseradish flavours in addition to its Classic Yellow Mustard and new Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce.

* Courtesy of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council

How the Sun Can Produce Unwanted Effects for Your Skin

They say that too much of anything is bad, no matter how good it might seem initially. Believe it or not, the same principle applies to the sun. The sun, earth's ultimate source of light, life and energy, can also be a source of damage for the skin. You might ask, "How is this possible?" True, it does seem rather contradictory. Vitamin D, which is important for bone mineralization, is generated in the skin after being absorbed from the sunlight. However, basking in the sun's rays can also be harmful if done too much.

But before discussing how the sun can produce unwanted effects for your skin, it's only right to talk about its advantages as well. More than anything, sunlight provides the heat and warmth that we need for our day-to-day living. Without the sun, the human race will cease to exist the same way the dinosaurs were wiped off the face of the earth.

Here are a few benefits you can get from the sunlight:

• Vitamin D. As mentioned, this vitamin is essential for bone mineralization as well as the absorption of phosphorus and calcium.
• Tanning. People flock to the beaches during summer to get those ever famous tan lines. Sunlight actually alters the melanin in your skin to give it darker pigment overtime. This can give your skin a healthy glow, but too much can cause sunburn.

Although the sun seems very beneficial, too much of it seems to cause more harmful effects to your skin.

Faster skin aging
You've seen pictures of truck drivers with wrinkled skin only in half of their bodies due to overexposure to the sun. The sunlight causes the skin to become less elastic, leading to the formation of wrinkles. Although the effects may not show immediately, they tend to get worse as time goes by.

Cancer
This is the more serious effect of overexposure to the sunlight. Skin cancer usually comes in three forms. Basal cell carcinoma are more common in fair-skinned people and starts as a fleshy nodule; squamous cell carcinoma, on the other hand, starts as a red and scaly nodule; melanoma, the most deadly of the three, starts as a mole-like lesion with irregular borders. That is why it is always recommended to cover your skin moles, even if they are benign.

Sunburn
Although tanning is seen as desirable by some, most physicians regard sunburn as a serious skin cancer risk. Sunburn starts as a mild redness on the affected portion of the skin, and this usually peaks within 24 hours, often accompanied by pain upon touching. Worse symptoms include blistering, swelling, fever, chills, nausea, and even delirium. Home remedies such as cold compress and soothing creams provide only temporary relief. In serious cases, it's better to consult your dermatologist.

Allergies
Some people actually develop allergies to the sunlight, the symptoms of which can range from something as mild as red splotches to more serious ones like blisters, hives, and bumps.

Now that you know the harmful effects caused by the sun, remember that prevention is better than cure. Avoid exposure to the sun especially during peak hours (e.g. noon) and put on sun block, preferably with SPF 15 or higher.

Kim Stevenson is writing for a great health website, RemoveSkinMoles.Com. It is one of the greatest sources of information about skin care and mole removal.

The Bikini Origin: From Greek Goddess to the Atom Bomb

The oncoming of the summer season not only brings sunshine and beach holidays, but also the bikini sensation. Girl’s love them (and definitely boys too) and the media can’t get enough of them either. Since the bikini origin, headlines of top fashion publications have read ‘get that bikini body’ alongside images of gorgeous celebrities strutting their bronzed bodies and two-pieces. The bikini in its modern form has only existed for the past fifty years or so, but evidence shows that the origin of the bikini swimsuit dates back thousands of years. This article outlines the origin of the bikini, one of the most recognisable and loved fashion item of all time.

Early Bikini Origins
Contrary to popular belief, the bikini is not a product of the modern world and has actually existed as far back as third century AD during the Greco-roman world. A mosaic discovered in Villa Romana del Casale, Sicili clearly depicts a group of women frolicking on the beach in bikinis. This is not the only account of the bikini’s origins. In Pompeii a group of archaeologists found several statues of the goddess Venues dressed in a bikini.

The Groundwork for the Modern Bikini
After the introduction of women into Olympic swimming in 1913, Carl Jantzen designed a tight fitting two-piece swimsuit, but is covered the midriff and had shorts and sleeves. Nevertheless it laid the groundwork for the origin of the modern bikini bathing suit. Over a period of fifteen years necklines plunged, and sleeves and sides were eliminated. Hollywood adopted the new fashion swimwear as did stars such Ava Gardner and Esther Williams, which led to its widespread adoption.

The 1946 Bikini Explosion
The year of 1946 marked the origin of the modern bikini that we are familiar with today; the bikini exploded into the world with much force. It was invented almost simultaneously by French swimsuit designer Jacques Heim and car engineer Louis Reard. The former created his tiny two-piece for sale in his shop in Cannes. He named his creation the ‘Atome’, a name inspired by the minute size of the atom, the smallest particle known to man at the time. Quite appropriately, he marketed his Atome as the world’s smallest bathing suit. Unfortnatly, he could not be credited with the origin of the bikini. At the same time, Reard also developed his version of the scandalous two-piece. He named his creation the bikini after the nuclear tests being conducted in the South Pacific Island of Bikini. His reasoning for the name was that people would be as shocked by the revealing swimsuit as they were by the nuclear tests. Reard was right and the term bikini was readily adopted for the two-piece invention. In fact, the joke of the day was that the bikini split the atom, a reference to Heim’s trumped Atome two-piece. To this day, the origin of the word bikini is from the island Bikini, were the nuclear tests were tested and for this reason Reard is commonly credited with the bikini origin.

Penny Munroe is an avid writer in fashion related news and tips. Articles include the origin of the high heel to selecting the best linen shirts for the ocassion.

DIY ~ How to Make Your Own No~Heat Lava Lamp

Want something groovy to do with the kids??  How about making your very own lava lamps??  Very simple and easy to make and your kids will be amazed at their trippy creations~!!

Your going to need a few things, most you will already have lying around your house...and typically it takes about an hour to an hour and a half to make a lava lamp~!!

Materials Needed:

Container for your lava lamp ~ pop or water bottles work great
Vegetable Oil
Water
Food Colouring
Alka~Seltzer
Funnel ~ In case your opening is small, this makes it easier to add the oil to the bottle
Paper Towel ~ just in case you make a mess...;)

Instructions:

1.  Fill 1/4 of your container with water.  Add your food colouring and mix.  Usually 4 ~ 8 drops is enough.
2.  Fill the remaining bottle to nearly full with vegetable oil.
3.  Add a Alka~Seltzer ~ watch what happens.  (The alka~seltzer will not begin to break down until it has reached the water level.)
4. That's it...enjoy your results~!!

Added Note:  Do NOT put the lid on your bottle until the reaction is complete or you may be making yourselves a lava lamp bomb as the pressure inside the bottle begins to build...that wouldn't be groovy at all...lol

You can add sparkles to your lava lamp if you wish to spice it up some and try putting it under a lamp for another trippy groovy effect...but do NOT leave it there...you wouldn't want it to melt all over the place~!!

HASBRO ~ NERF ~ LIGHTNINGSTORM Blaster

ARV ~ $24.99

HASBRO's NERF Super Soaker LIGHTNINGSTORM Blaster

Incapacitate your target with a full~auto soaking from your motorized LIGHTNINGSTORM blaster.

With its super~sized water drum and detachable stock, this blaster can't miss ~ and it even features a blast shied to block incoming water blasts.

You can add additional water clips (sold separately) for an even higher soaking capacity.



Get ready for a real "blast" with this sleek, super~powered addition to your arsenal.

Blaster comes with a water drum, stock, blast shield, and instructions. 

Requires 4 "AA" batteries, not included.

Ages 6 and up.

Okay...this was BY far the favourite of my sons and when they go outside to play, this is their preferred Blaster of choice~!!

They love the design, how it feels in their hands and the amount of water they are able to fire at once~!!  The blast is enough to make one scurry for cover if your not careful and the kids had a ton of fun soaking each other with water~!!  

When they share their Blasters with the neighbourhood kids, they expressly stipulate that this gun is not in the options for choice...lol  However, I have to say that I have seen a couple of the kids around here sporting new HASBRO NERF Super Soakers, so the excitement is spreading amongst the children~!!

Again, my kids LOVE that they are able to mix and match the parts with their others guns, enabling them to make their barrel longer and giving them some extra hand holds for fun play~!!

I think the price is fantastic and the quality of the workmanship is pretty groovy as it still stands up the vigors and rigors of my children.  My wee folks take their toys seriously and put it through all the tests and the HASBRO NERF Super Soakers are still taking a licking and I even caught one of the neighbourhood children dragging this on the sidewalk behind him...why??  I haven't a clue, but I had a talk to him about respecting other peoples property and how he is more than welcome to use the Blaster, but he must treat them like they were his own and to not break them.  

Great Super Soaker and I'm thinking this summer is going to be a scorcher, so you MAY want to stock up on a few of these and some extra water clips and be prepared for the upcoming heat wave~!!  You can thank me later for it...;)

**  Reviewed by me...as I see it~!!  **

HASBRO ~ NERF Super Soaker ELECTROSTORM Blaster

NERF Super Soaker ELECTROSTORM

Incapacitate your target with a powersoaking from your motorized ELECTROSTORM blaster.

There's NO pumping ~ you just pull the trigger and soak.

You can stealth strike from up to 25 feet away~!

Get ready for a real "blast" with this sleek, super~powered addition to your arsenal.

Comes with blaster.

Require 4 "AA" batteries.  (Not Included)
Ages 6 & Up

This little blaster can pack a wallop...oh my, I truly wasn't expecting such a stream nor force from such a small soaker but this was a great surprize...do not let the size of the soaker fool you...lol

My kids just LOVED taking turns blasting each other and they loved not having to pump it up...my youngest son isn't as dexterous as his siblings and he loved that he didn't have to do anything but load it with water and shoot...or it could be because he is also the one who takes the most short cuts in order to get where he is going...hehe

The motor is quiet, allowing for those sneak attacks and for approximately $9.99, you truly cannot go wrong with the price either~!!

And I love that there is a warning right on the soaker reminding handlers NOT to shoot people in the faces and/or eyes and to use only clean tap water.  The NERF Super Soaker ELECTROSTORM Blaster is a great addition to our supply of "things to keep cool by" during the summer months~!!

**  Reviewed by me...as I see it~!!  **