Betty Crocker Review & Giveaway

Need something to go with a warm glass of cocoa?   What about a way to use up some of that extra Halloween candy?

With busy schedules, we can't always bake from scratch and for those of us not baking extraordinaires and maybe somewhat cooking challenged, we rely on box mixes.  New Milk Chocolate Traditional Brownie Mix from Betty Crocker© can help you whip up a treat in no time at all.

I made these brownies last weekend just in time for the snowstorm that buried the east coast in snow. My family loves to make "loaded" brownies with whatever I have on hand.  I added peanut butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter with a pretzel crust.  The kids (and adults) loved them.  With all the Halloween chocolate that we now have in the pantry I can put some of my children's favorite chocolate bars in the food processor, chop them up, and then add them to my next batch of brownie mix.

For some original recipe ideas using a boxed brownie mix, check out the Betty Crocker website.

To help you whip up some chocolatey goodess in your kitchen, Betty Crocker and MyBlogSpark have teamed up and one lucky TPMG reader will win a Betty Crocker Prize Pack containing a brownie pan, a mixing spoon, a Betty Crocker apron, and a box of Betty Crocker Milk Chocolate Traditional Brownie Mix.

Enter to win a Betty Crocker Prize Pack (a brownie pan, a mixing spoon, a Betty Crocker apron, and a box of Betty Crocker Milk Chocolate Traditional Brownie Mix)

Mandatory Entry (Must be completed for all other entries to be valid): For whom do you plan on baking Betty Crocker Milk Chocolate Traditional Brownies?

To receive additional entries:

*Become a follower of TPMG (if you already follow just leave a comment that you do) (1 entry)

*Become a fan of Betty Crocker and/or TPMG on Facebook and leave a comment here that you have done so (1 entry each)

 *Follow Betty Crocker and/or TPMG on twitter and leave a comment here that you have done so (1 entry each)

*Tweet (maximum of once daily) about this giveaway and don't forget to leave your twitter name

Copy and paste: Win a Betty Crocker Prize Pack Giveaway at #TPMG (ends 11/20) http://bit.ly/vzuBAC (1 entry per tweet)

*Add The Practical Mom Guide to your blogroll or display the blog button (5 entries)

*Post about this giveaway on your blog (5 entries)

This giveaway will end on Sunday, November 20, 2011. I will announce the winner on November 21st here at The Practical Mom Guide. All winners are chosen randomly. If I am unable to contact the winner or they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Contest only open to U.S. residents.

Good luck and thank you for participating!

*Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark provided TPMG with a prize pack to review and a prize pack to use in the giveaway.  All opinions are my own.

Autographed Copy of The Magic Warble Giveaway

The Magic Warble by Victoria Simcox is for ages 9-13 but it will also appeal to younger children if they are advanced readers or older fans of adventure and fantasy novels.  Kristina Kinglsey is the heroine in the book and like most 12-year olds feels picked on and unappreciated by her peers. But thanks to an understanding teacher and a unique Christmas gift she is sent on an adventure where she learns a lot about herself and just what she is capable of.

Kristina finds herself in Bernovem, a land populated by fairies, gnomes, dwarfs, and animals that talk.  With the help of Prince Werrien, her pet rat Raymond, the fairies Clover and Looper, and the raven Roage who isn't quite who she she thought he was, and some other friends she meets on the way, Kristina must save Bernovem from Queen Sentiz and her evil cohorts, the zelbocks.  Her job as the chosen one is to make sure her gift, "the Magic Warble" is placed in its true home.

She must travel to save her new friends, face the scary zelbocks and the evil Queen Sentiz who are intent on keeping her from taking the Magic Warble to its true home, climb a dangerous mountain, and face the betrayal of someone she thought was an ally.  Kristina learns just how strong she can be and just how large her heart is.  She learns it takes courage to do what you think is right even though what you face may be scary.

Once your child starts reading, they'll have a hard time putting this book down as they get drawn into the adventure Kristina finds herself on especially as she finds things are not always as they appear.  Simple drawings appear throughout the book helping younger readers envision the world of Bernovem.  Kristina is a heroine that has qualities that many children can recognize in themselves and they'll find themselves immersed in her adventure experiencing it along with her.


Interested in reading this book for yourself or getting a copy for a young reader? 

Victoria Simcox has offered one autographed copy of The Magic Warble to a lucky TPMG reader.

Can't wait to read it? You can also purchase a copy at Amazon for $13.22.
Interested in learning more about the book and Victoria Simcox?  Visit her blog.

Enter to win an autographed copy of Victoria Simcox's book The Magic Warble

Mandatory Entry (Must be completed for all other entries to be valid): Who are you interested in having read this book?

To receive additional entries:

*Become a follower or a subscriber of The Practical Mom Guide and if you already do so just leave a comment stating that you already follow (1 entry)

*Become a fan of The Magic Warble and/or TPMG on Facebook (1 entry each)

 *Follow VictoriaSimcox and/or  TPMG on twitter (1 entry each)

*Tweet (maximum of once daily) about this giveaway and don't forget to leave your twitter name

Copy and paste: Autographed copy of The Magic Warble book #giveaway at #TPMG http://bit.ly/k1X7bY (Ends 6/12). (1 entry per tweet)

*Add Victoria Simcox's blog and/or The Practical Mom Guide to your blogroll or display the blog button (5 entries)

*Post about this giveaway on your blog (5 entries)

This giveaway will end on Sunday, June 12, 2011. I will announce the winner on June 13th here at The Practical Mom Guide. All winners are chosen randomly. If I am unable to contact the winner or they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Contest only open to U.S. residents.

Good luck and thank you for participating!

*I was provided with a copy of the book to review and all opinions are my own. Victoria Simcox has graciously offered a copy to one lucky TPMG reader.

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough Book Review & Giveaway (2 Winners)

What would you do if your husband left you because he didn't want to be married anymore, your teen daughter was rebelling and seemed to hate you, and your mother with whom you were never the favorite child and who has a penchant for shoplifting has moved in with you?  

I shudder to think about it. Yet, it is a reality for some families.

This is the topic of Ruth Pennebaker's new Penguin novel Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough.   We meet three generations of women residing in the same household and trying to find common ground.

Joanie is the divorcee whose husband has left her and who now has a twenty-nine year old pregnant girlfriend/fiancee.  Her daughter thinks she is a nag and refuses to talk to her and her mother who just moved in seems critical of everything she does.  She struggles to come to terms with her new life now that she is on her own through her divorcee support group, her friend Mary Margaret whose own mother is dead and is herself seeing a married man, and with the help of her colleague, Bruce who becomes a catalyst in helping Joanie realize some important things about her life including whether or not to ever be intimate again.

Ivy is her mother who is from a completely different generation and has her own ideas of how to raise a child and even why Joanie's husband left her.  Ivy has lost friends through death and their moving away.  She lost her husband.  Even after saving and doing everything "right" she is also affected by the downturn in the economy and is forced to move in with her daughter.  She is essentially away from everything she has known and her favorite child, her son, seems to have forgotten about her. Shoplifting for her is a way to add some excitement to her lonely and dull life-until she gets caught and is forced to face everything she has been avoiding.

Caroline is the teenager who is forced to deal with knowing more than she ever wanted to know about those around her in addition to the usual teenage angst.  She watched her mom, Joanie hit rock bottom and has become the confidante of her father's new girlfriend, B.J.  She rebels smoking marijuana and dying her hair as she figures out who she is.

Three women who each act out in their own ways all come to realize that they must let go and that only they are responsible for their happiness and that they may need to venture out of their comfort zones to find the life they want for themselves. 

Pennebaker draws her readers into the characters' lives.  You see their flaws and their vulnerabilities. The situations they each find themselves in are at times comical.  It is hard to pass judgment on them when they are each struggling with the hands they have been dealt and ultimately must let go or be swallowed up by their anger and sadness.   There are elements in the story that each of us can relate to especially the complexity of the mother-daughter relationship.  We've also all been there at that moment where we must decide which path to take. You can't help but feel compassion for these three strong women who decide to keep moving forward. 

Want to read more about Ruth Pennebaker?  Visit her at www.ruthpennebaker.com (her witty quotes will have you laughing hysterically) or her blog, The Fabulous Geezersisters. 

Want to read her new novel for yourself?

Win a copy of Ruth Pennebaker's Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough (2 winners)

Mandatory Entry (Must be completed for all other entries to be valid): Where is your favorite place to curl up with a book?

To receive additional entries:

*Become a follower or a subscriber of The Practical Mom Guide and if you already do so just leave a comment stating that you already follow (1 entry)

*Enter another giveaway here at TPMG and leave a comment with the giveaway you entered (2 entries/giveaway)

*Become a fan of TPMG on Facebook (1 entry each)

 *Follow TPMG on twitter (1 entry each)

*Tweet (maximum of once daily) about this giveaway and don't forget to leave your twitter name

Copy and paste: Ruth Pennebaker novel #giveaway at #TPMG http://bit.ly/h7qDXW (2 winners). Ends 3/19. (1 entry per tweet)

*Add The Practical Mom Guide to your blogroll or display our button (5 entries)

*Post about this giveaway on your blog (5 entries)

This giveaway will end on Saturday, March 19, 2011. I will announce the winner on March 20th here at The Practical Mom Guide. All winners are chosen randomly. If I am unable to contact the winner or they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Contest only open to U.S. residents.

Good luck and thank you for participating!

*I was provided with a copy of Ruth Pennebaker's novel to review and two novels to give away to two lucky TPMG readers.

CafePress Review & $60 CafePress GC Giveaway

Spring is right around the corner and now that I am finally back from vacation what better way to end the week than with a review and giveaway!

Do you like to express yourself through personalized products that you can design yourself?  CafePress is the online source for funny t-shirts, cool aprons and millions of other personalized gifts!

Recently I had the chance to review several items from CafePress.

I liked the vintage look of the "Street Sign" Large Thermos Bottle.  It isn't something my husband would be embarrassed to be seen toting around either.  Best of all you can put hot or cold beverages inside to keep them hot or cold for 24 hours which is nice.  Most of our stainless steel bottles are only for cold beverages.

Does your refrigerator look like mine with the kids' art everywhere?  I love whimsical magnets to hang the girls' art.  How could I resist this colorful fantasy Mermaid and Catfish No. 1 Magnet?

I also love anything practical such as this Dirty/Clean Dishwasher Magnet for the door of the dishwasher.  Unfortunately, my dishwasher door is not magnetic so I improvised and keep it in my laundry room so I know if the baskets on top of the washing machine are full of dirty or clean laundry.

When I was in school I always had buttons on my jean jacket or backpack.  These colorful buttons made me smile.  They were called the Happy Owl Mini Button and the Japanese Ume Mini Button. I put them on my backpack that I use when I travel. Of course, as soon as Emily saw them she wanted them for herself.

CafePress also has fun t-shirts. Below are some of my favorites.  The first one is a March Madness t-shirt and since the only time I follow basketball is when my husband brings home that sheet with brackets for me to fill out I couldn't help but find this shirt fitting.  Whenever I see leprechauns or shamrocks I always think of those Lucky Charms commericals and I just love sock monkeys which is why I included that last one. 

Pics of tee's courtesy of CafePress site

When I visited their site I literally spent about two hours just browsing. The have products for every occasion and to suit everyone that you need to buy a gift for. Seriously, if you are stumped about what to buy a friend, family member, or colleague for a present, you'll get some fabulous ideas here.

CafePress is offering one lucky TPMG reader a $60 GC to their online store.

Enter to win a $60 CafePress GC

Mandatory Entry (Must be completed for all other entries to be valid): Visit CafePress and leave a comment here with an item that you would like to buy.

To receive additional entries:

*Become a follower or a subscriber of The Practical Mom Guide and if you already do so just leave a comment stating that you already follow (1 entry)

*Enter another giveaway here at TPMG and leave a comment with the giveaway you entered (2 entries/giveaway)

*Become a fan of TPMG and/or CafePress on Facebook (1 entry each)

 *Follow TPMG and/or CafePress on twitter (1 entry each)

*Tweet (maximum of once daily) about this giveaway and don't forget to leave your twitter name

Copy and paste: $60 CafePress GC #giveaway at #TPMG http://bit.ly/gLXJat (Ends 3/18). (1 entry per tweet)

*Add The Practical Mom Guide to your blogroll or display our button (5 entries)

*Post about this giveaway on your blog (5 entries)

This giveaway will end on Friday, March 18, 2011. I will announce the winner on March 19th here at The Practical Mom Guide. All winners are chosen randomly. If I am unable to contact the winner or they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Contest only open to U.S. residents.

Good luck and thank you for participating!

*I was provided with $60 in CafePress products by CafePress to review and they have graciously offered a $60 GC to one lucky TPMG reader.

Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway

Shabby Apple is an online boutique of stylish and affordable clothing for women.  They sell primarily womens dresses and little girls dresses but also feature sportswear, swimwear, and even accessories.

When you wear their vintage inspired clothing you can be comfortable and not have to worry about showing to much cleavage, to much leg, or any of the other things you have to worry about with many of today's fashions.  They prove you can still have a high end look and still be comfortable. Their clothing has been featured in Teen Vogue,  Glamour, Marie Claire, and even on The TODAY Show.

Their site features a style guide that lets you shop by body type.  After answering a few short questions, they determine your body type and show you the dresses that would accentuate your figure. You can even ask for style advice and they will get you an answer within 72 hours.  It is like having your own personal stylist at your fingertips.  Shabby Apple also has a fit guide allowing you to determine the correct size to order from their site.

They also donate 5% from their net sales to help fund work for women in India by providing them with access to financial services they would not otherwise have through the work of Unitus, a non-profit organization.

They are offering TPMG readers 10% off of any purchase with the discount code of  practicalmom10off. 

If your interested in staying up-to-date on the latest Shabby Apple news, promotions, and exclusive discounts, "like" Shabby Apple on Facebook.

Shabby Apple is sponsoring a giveaway where one lucky TPMG reader will win her choice of one of the dresses featured below.

North Shore Dress from their new South Pacific Collection (Available in sizes XXS-XL, valued at $88)

I love the color of this dress and the feminine touch of the rosettes at the neckline.  It screams spring and summertime!

Five to Nine Dress (Available in sizes XS-XL, valued at $66)

Every women needs a versatile black dress in their wardrobe.  This is one of my favorites.

Pink Panther Little Girls Dress (Available in sizes 0-5T, valued at $34)

Any little girl would look adorable in this sweet kimono-style dress.

Enter to win your choice of one of the above Shabby Apple dresses! 
Choose from the North Shore, Five to Nine, and the Pink Panther dress.

Mandatory Entry (Must be completed for all other entries to be valid): Visit Shabby Apple and leave a comment here with your favorite piece of clothing from the site (besides any of those listed above).

To receive additional entries:

*Become a follower or a subscriber of The Practical Mom Guide and if you already do so just leave a comment stating that you already follow (1 entry)

*Enter another giveaway here at TPMG and leave a comment with the giveaway you entered (2 entries/giveaway)

*Become a fan of TPMG and/or Shabby Apple on Facebook (1 entry each)

 *Follow TPMG and/or Shabby Apple on twitter (1 entry each)

*Tweet (maximum of once daily) about this giveaway and don't forget to leave your twitter name

Copy and paste: Shabby Apple dress #giveaway at #TPMG http://bit.ly/fNy48J (Ends 3/6). (1 entry per tweet)

*Add The Practical Mom Guide to your blogroll or display our button (5 entries)

*Post about this giveaway on your blog (5 entries)

This giveaway will end on Sunday, March 6, 2011. I will announce the winner on March 7th here at The Practical Mom Guide. If I am unable to contact the winner or they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Contest only open to U.S. residents.

Good luck and thank you for participating!

*I was not compensated to host this giveaway. Shabby Apple has graciously sponsored this giveaway by providing the winner their choice of one of the dresses above.

Green Giant Prize Pack Giveaway

It's a new year and many of you may have made a New Year's Resolution to eat healthier. I sometimes rely on frozen vegetables when certain vegetables are out of season (and in my opinion are not quite as good) and are more costly.  Even those vegetables that my kids hate to eat, I make in the hopes that one of these days, they'll maybe discover that they are indeed quite tasty.

Green Giant® (recognizable by their Jolly Green Giant mascot) is committed to picking their vegetables at the height of their freshness and then freezing the vegetables so they don't lose more of their essential nutrients before reaching your table.  In the past 70 years Green Giant® has been committed to moving towards greener and more sustainable practices including using less land, less water, and less pesticides.  They are also using recycled packaging for the cartons of their frozen vegetables. 

For those of you on the Weight Watchers® program, approximately 29 of their frozen vegetable varieties are endorsed by Weight Watchers® and most also only carry one or two PointsPlus™ values for each serving to help you stay on track with your weight management goals.

They currently have a variety of products from frozen vegatables with seasonings and sauces in single and family sized portions to canned vegetables.

Visit their website for recipes (check out the creamy corn and garlic risotto recipe) and a coupon for $.50 off  Greeen Giant® vegetables.

Enter to win a Green Giant® Prize pack
The prize pack consists of a VIP coupon for a Green Giant® vegetable product, an insulated tote bag, a pedometer, a serving bowl, and a spoon.

MANDATORY ENTRY: What is your favorite Green Giant vegetable product?  (1 entry)

To receive additional entries:

*Become a follower or a subscriber of The Practical Mom Guide and if you already do so just leave a comment stating that you already follow (1 entry)

*Enter another giveaway here at TPMG and leave a comment with the giveaway you entered (1 entry/giveaway)

*Follow TPMG and/or Green Giant on twitter (1 entry each)

*Become a fan of TPMG and/or Green Giant on Facebook (1 entry each)

*Tweet (maximum of once daily) about this giveaway and don't forget to leave your twitter name

Copy and paste: Win a Green Giant Prize Pack at #TPMG http://bit.ly/euRx01 Please RT.  (1 entry per tweet)

*Add The Practical Mom Guide to your blogroll or display our button (5 entries)

*Post about this giveaway on your blog (5 entries)

This giveaway will end on Saturday, February 27, 2011. I will choose the winner randomly on February 28th here at The Practical Mom Guide. If I am unable to contact the winner or they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Contest only open to U.S. residents.

Good luck and thanks for participating!
 

*I was provided a prize pack from Green Giant through MyBlogSpark and they graciously provided an additional prize pack for one lucky reader.

$50 CSN Stores GC Giveaway

Spring is right around the corner.  Have you already started planning on buying new patio furniture, planting in your garden, doing some landscaping, or maybe adding some fun outdoor play equipment for the kids?  I know for the last year I have been after my husband to consider buying a wooden swing set for our backyard.  We have about three playgrounds within two miles of our house but hauling three kids to the playground is a bit of a hassle.  Having one in our backyard would be much easier (on me especially). 

CSN Stores has over 200 online stores that sell just about everything including cookware, baby items, exercise equipment, shoes, office equipment, and even tools.  You'll even find wooden swing sets (many with free shipping) for your backyard or any other outdoor items for which you may be searching.

CSN Stores began in 2002 with only two employees and has risen to become one of the top 3 U.S. retailers of home and office goods with over 400 employees.

Want a chance to win a $50 CSN Stores Gift Code to experience all CSN Stores has to offer for yourself?  Enter the giveaway below for your chance to buy something special for yourself or someone you love.


What would I buy with a $50 CSN Stores Gift Code?

 Le Creuset Stoneware Dishes ($35.95)

Towards a new portable fire pit ($69.99) so we can relax outside with a fire in the evening since our old one was just retired last fall

A personalized clothes tree ($34.95) for the girls so we could lay out their clothes the night before

What would you buy with a $50 CSN Stores GC?

Enter to win a $50 CSN Stores GC

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit one of  CSN Stores online stores and leave a comment about one product that you would buy with your $50 Gift Code. (1 entry)

To receive additional entries:

*Become a follower or a subscriber of The Practical Mom Guide and if you already do so just leave a comment stating that you already follow (1 entry)

*Enter another giveaway here at TPMG and leave a comment with the giveaway you entered (1 entry/giveaway)

*Follow TPMG and/or CSN Stores on twitter (1 entry each)

*Become a fan of TPMG and/or CSN Stores on Facebook (1 entry each)

*Tweet (maximum of once daily) about this giveaway and don't forget to leave your twitter name

Copy and paste: Win a $50 CSN Stores GC at #TPMG. http://bit.ly/gK1pOb Please RT. (1 entry per tweet)

*Add The Practical Mom Guide to your blogroll or display our button (5 entries)

*Post about this giveaway on your blog (5 entries)

This giveaway will end on Saturday, February 19, 2011. I will announce the winner on February 20th here at The Practical Mom Guide. If I am unable to contact the winner or they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Contest only open to U.S. residents.

Good luck and thanks for participating!

*I was not compensated in any way to host this giveaway.

Tiny Prints: What Is Love? (And There's a Giveaway)

Recently I was contacted about being part of a Valentine's Day Campaign for Tiny Prints who has a large selection of cards, gift tags, stickers, and more for Valentine's Day and other occasions.  They wanted to know what children think about love.

Since we are making a Valentine's craft today it gave me the perfect opportunity to ask my oldest "What is love?"


Her response?

"It is when you give people dinosaur hugs and kisses.  RWAR!" (She has this thing with dinosaurs, obviously.)

"It is when you make them cards."

"I love Nanny and Pappy, Grammy, and Grandpa." (Hey, what about mom and dad?)

Then I asked her how she shows her sister love.

"I sing her songs and play with her."  (She forgot to mention that playing usually entails fighting over a toy.)

"Oh, and I make funny faces at her," she laughed contorting her features into a silly face, crossing her eyes,  and putting her fingers in her ears.

That is love according to a three year old.



Some information about Tiny Prints:
Tiny Prints provides simple, modern and unique stationery from Valentines Day cards to personalized greeting cards to thank you cards, business cards, and even custom wedding invitations. Offering exclusive designs from the nation's top designers, easy card personalization, a powerful preview engine and top-notch customer service and paper quality, their designs have been lauded by numerous television networks, publications and celebrities. With Tiny Prints by your side commemorating every holiday and momentous occasion is a cinch! They offer perfect party invitations for every occasion and memorable personalized photo-gifts like notebooks, photo books and calendars.

They are also holding a Tiny Prints Valentine's Day Sweepstakes.  Answer the question "What's the craziest thing you've done for love?" in 100 words or less and you could win $1000 or one of their daily $50 prizes.

Tiny Prints $50 GC Giveaway

Since through Global Influence, Tiny Prints was compensating bloggers with a $50 gift code I decided to offer this gift code to my readers through a giveaway so they can experience all Tiny Prints has to offer for themselves.

Mandatory Entry (This entry must be completed or all other entries are void):

• You must be a follower of The Practical Mom Guide via RSS or Google Friend to enter. 

• Visit Tiny Prints and leave a comment here about what you would spend your $50 gift code on.

To receive additional entries (for those actions worth more than one entry leave separate comments for each entry):

* Answer the question "What is something crazy you have done for love?" (2 entries)

*Follow Tiny Prints on twitter (1 entry each)

*Become a fan of Tiny Prints on Facebook (1 entry each)

*Tweet (maximum of once daily) about this giveaway and don't forget to leave your twitter name

Copy and paste:  Win a $50 Tiny Prints GC at #TPMG http://bit.ly/hj3UbY (ends 2/7/11).  (1 entry per tweet)

*Post about this giveaway on your blog (5 entries)

This giveaway will end on Sunday, February 6, 2011. I will announce the winner on February 7th here at The Practical Mom Guide. If I am unable to contact the winner or they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.


Disclosure: I was invited to be part of the Tiny Prints campaign through my membership in Global Influence and was provided with a $50 Tiny Prints GC which I am giving away to one lucky reader.

Purex Insider Purex Complete Crystals Softener Review & Giveaway (3 winners)

I recently became a Purex Insider so I have the opportunity to bring you news on Purex products.  They recently launched a new product called Purex Complete Crystals Softener™ that is just going on sale in stores starting this month.

 

  Facts about this new product:

• 92% natural and not oil-based like other fabric softeners
• Safe for use in Standard and High Efficiency (HE) washing machines
• No oily residue which means no interfering with your towels ability to absorb water, safe to use on children's sleepwear since it does not hinder the fabric's flame retardant ability, and it does not affect the ability of wicking fabrics like those in sportswear to do their job
• Easy to use (just throw in with your clothing at the start of the wash cycle)
• Will keep your whites from yellowing or graying
• Available in three new scents: Fresh Spring waters™ , Lavender Blossom™ , and Tropical Splash™
• Priced around $3.99-$5.99 and available nationwide at food, drug, and mass retailers 

I had been sent a sample of the Purex Complete Crystals Softener in the Fresh Spring Water scent.  I was a little worried about sprinkling the crystals in with my laundry because I feared I would have stains on my clothes where they came into contact with the fabric.  When I took my laundry out, my laundry not only looked clean but it smelled fresh.  The scent while the clothing was wet was a little strong but after a cycle in the dryer it came out smelling lightly scented.  Since I am sensitive to smells, I liked that it wasn't a cloying or overwhelming scent.  

I also liked that the fabric softener is primarily natural and that it doesn't impede the ability of fabrics to do their job.  As a mom concerned with taking care of the items we buy and trying to make them last as long as possible, I like products that help me with this goal.

Not being a fan of dryer sheets (which I have a tendency to not pull out when I get the clothing out of the dryer and which I find days later inside clothes), I prefer using fabric softener to help keep our clothes static free.  The crystals are very easy to use and I liked being able to just throw them in at the beginning of the wash cycle and then go about doing other things. 

Want to try them for yourself?

Purex Complete Crystals Softener Giveaway (3 winners)

Three winners will recieve a coupon for a free 28 oz. bottle of Purex Complete Crystals Softener.

Mandatory entry (if you do not complete this entry all others will be void):  Share your favorite laundry tip or share your favorite thing about doing laundry!  

To receive additional entries:

*Become a follower or a subscriber of The Practical Mom Guide and if you already do so just leave a comment stating that you already follow (1 entry)

*Follow TPMG and/or Purex on twitter (1 entry each)

*Become a fan of TPMG and/or Purex on Facebook (1 entry each)

*Tweet (maximum of once daily) about this giveaway and don't forget to leave your twitter name

Copy and paste:  Purex Complete Crystals Softener Giveaway at #TPMG. 3 winners http://bit.ly/hYSPis  (1 entry per tweet)

*Add The Practical Mom Guide to your blogroll or display our button (5 entries)

*Post about this giveaway on your blog (5 entries)

This giveaway will end on Sunday, January 30, 2010. I will announce the winner on January 31st here at The Practical Mom Guide. If I am unable to contact the winner or they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Contest only open to U.S. residents.

Good luck and thanks for participating! 

I am a Purex Insider and was provided with a sample of the Purex Complete Crystals Softener and coupons to give away to my readers courtesy of Purex.