West Marine, the world’s largest waterlife retailer, today announced its “Dog Days of Summer” social media contest. Starting July 29 and ending September 2, West Marine is honoring the water-loving dogs in our lives. We’re looking for pictures of pooches enjoying the breeze on the bow, taking a nap on the dock, playing in the waves or riding along on stand-up paddleboards.

To enter, post your photos through Instagram or Facebook facebook.com/westmarine. Each week during the contest period we’ll select a winning photo and the entrant will receive a $100 West Marine gift card that can be used to outfit your furry friend, your boat or yourself.

Contest Dates: Photo entries can be submitted between Tuesday, July 29 and Tuesday, September 2. Winners will be selected Tuesday, August 5, 12, 19, 26, and September 2.

Entry Process: Photos can be submitted through Instagram or Facebook. To enter on Facebook, post pictures towww.facebook.com/WestMarine with hashtags #dogdaysofsummer and #westmarine. To enter on Instagram, tag uploaded photos to WestMarineInc, with hashtags #dogdaysofsummer #westmarine.

Judging Criteria: Judges are looking for cute, fun photos of dogs enjoying life on or near the water. (Note: The dog in the photo doesn’t need to be owned by the entrant, but the entrant should have the rights to entered photos.)

Winner Notification: Winners will be contacted via the social media channel which the photo was submitted to. Electronic gift card will be sent by email.

About West Marine

1968 by a sailor, West Marine, Inc. has grown to become the largest omni-channel specialty retailer exclusively offering gear, apparel and footwear and other waterlife-related products to anyone who enjoys recreational time on or around the water. With over 275 stores located in 38 states, Puerto Rico and Canada and an eCommerce website reaching domestic and international customers, West Marine is recognized as the dominant waterlife outfitter for cruisers, sailors, anglers and paddle sports enthusiasts. West Marine has everything you need for your life on the water. For more information on West Marine, Inc. its products and store locations, visit westmarine.com or call 1-800-BOATING (1-800-262-8464).West Marine’s stock is traded on NASDAQ under the symbol WMAR.

Self Disclosure: No compensation was received. Giveaway is not affiliated with SoCal City Kids.

Peppa Pig, the hit preschool series from Nick Jr., is taking kids entertainment to new heights with the all-new adventure-packed DVD release, Peppa Pig: The Balloon Ride soaring into retail stores nationwide, August 12, 2014 from Entertainment One.  The 60-minute DVD ($14.98 SRP) features 12 episodes filled with the wholesome family entertainment and gentle humor that has preschoolers and parents everywhere falling in love with this charming little piggy.

A global sensation (#1 Pre-school property four years running in the U.K.), Peppa Pig and her animal friends Suzy Sheep, Pedro Pony, Danny Dog and more, will delight young ones with their fun adventures from a hot air balloon ride, to fun with painting, a new baby piggy, an exciting bicycle race, and of course jumping in muddy puddles.  Peppa Pig: TheBalloon Ride follows on the heels of previous release, Peppa Pig: My Birthday Party, which racked up rave reviews and quickly became one of the top charting kids DVDs of 2014.

We received a copy of the new DVD and it’s just great for children ages 2-7. My son is a little too old but when he was younger he did like Peppa Pig and we both agree that this one deserves a thumbs up! 

DVD Episodes:

“The Balloon Ride,” “The Cycle Ride,” “Whistling,” “George’s Birthday,” “Ice Skating,” “Painting,”

“The Baby Piggy,” “Very Hot Day,” “Daddy’s Movie Camera,” “Dr. Hamster’s Tortoise,” “The New Car,” and “George Catches A Cold.”

Peppa Pig Licensing

Since its U.S. debut in 2011, the Peppa Pig brand has built momentum across multiple product categories, securing licensing deals with publishing powerhouse Scholastic, as well as a host of leading tech and entertainment companies such as Candlewick Press, P2 Games, Redan Publishing, VTech and Penwizard.  In 2014, Peppa Pig announced five new licensing partners in the soft goods category: Happy Threads, Komar Kids, Accessory Innovations, Character World and Ty.  In addition, master toy partner Jazwares will launch a new collection of Peppa Pig toys in 2015.

About Peppa Pig

Airing on Nick Jr., Peppa Pig follows the adventures of Peppa, a loveable, exuberant little piggy who lives with her brother George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig.  Peppa Pig episodes are available on iTunes and DVD.  Peppa Pig toys and books are available at Toys ‘R Us.  For more information about Peppa Pig, please visit www.peppapig.com, Facebook at Facebook/ OfficialPeppaPigUS or Twitter at @PeppaPigUS.

About Entertainment One

Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is an international entertainment company that specializes in the acquisition, production and distribution of film and television content. The company’s comprehensive network extends around the globe including Canada, the US, the UK, Ireland, Spain, Benelux, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South Korea. Through established Entertainment and Distribution divisions, the company provides extensive expertise in film distribution, television and music production, family programming and merchandising and licensing. Its current rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 35,000 film and television titles, 2,800 hours of television programming and 45,000 music tracks.

Check out this fun Activity Sheet:

Peppa Pig Activity Sheet US 8 5x11inches VF

We have teamed up for a giveaway! One winner will win the new DVD and a Book! to enter, leave a comment below telling us why your child likes Peppa Pig or their favorite character from the show. Deadline to enter is August 8th, 2014 at noon (PST).  One winner will be randomly selected from all entries.

Self Disclosure: I received a free DVD to facilitate this feature.

It’s almost time to start thinking about Back-to-School! I know…it’s still summer and I am not ready to start thinking about school either. If your kids are feeling a bit nervous, they aren’t the only ones: our beloved picture book character, The Pout-Pout Fish, faces a bit of anxiety in the newest book in the series, THE POUT-POUT FISH GOES TO SCHOOL, which is every bit as charming and adorable as the previous books in the NYT-Bestselling series. This looks like it would be a great book for those young children who are starting school this school year.

You can purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.org.

I just love these illustrations!

We have teamed up for an early Back-to-School Giveaway! One winner will win the book! Leave a comment below telling us why you are or aren’t looking forward to back-to-school! Deadline to enter is August 6th, 2014 at noon (PST). One winner will randomly be selected from all entries!

Self Disclosure: No compensation was received except for a book will be sent to the winner.

Looking for really cool sunglasses for kids? My First Sunglasses Company has a really great variety or choices! We received a few pairs to try out for my 10-year-old son and they were a hit!

My First Sunglasses Company has the best sunglasses for babies & kids. We received a sample of the Kids Aviator Sunglasses for ages 10+ and they are a very popular style. The lenses are rated for UV400 protection providing 100% UVA & UVB protection. They are just plain cool! There really is a style for everyone!  We also received a pair of 1980 Pop sunglasses and a pair of Sleek sunglasses which my son gave a thumbs up to both!

Check out the website to see all the different styles! You can also find them on Pinterest!

We have teamed up for a giveaway! We have two pairs of sunglasses to give away! Two winners! One will win the pair of Aviator Sunglasses for ages 10+ and the other winner will win the pair of Sleek ages 10+. To enter, leave a comment below telling us which one you would like to win! Next, go to their Facebook page and “like” them! Deadline to enter is July 31st, 2014 at noon. Two winners will randomly be selected from all entries! 

Self Disclosure: I received free samples to facilitate this feature/giveaway but any opinions expressed are my own. Photo Credit for Sunglasses images: My First Sunglasses Company. Other Photos: SoCal City Kids.

I recently had the opportunity to receive a couple of natural products to prepare winter-weary skin for summer styles form our new friends at Good Earth Beauty. I have to say I really love these products! The Body Scrub-Exfoliating Shower Whip Coconut Lime smells too good! I received a spa tub of this amazing product and I loved it so much that it is already gone!  It polished away dirt and dead skin but it was so foamy and gentle enough to use everyday! It contains fine-powdered Volcanic Ash, which is said to be one of the best Exfoliants on Earth.

 

I love books and cake so this is the perfect solution! A Book-Shaped Cake Pan! Now, how cool is that?!  I received one of these amazing Wilton Cake pans from GoneReading.com and couldn’t wait to try it out with my 10 year old son. The pan is a big pan and would be just perfect for party celebrations so it requires 3 cake mixes. We don’t have any upcoming celebrations this month so we decided to make a smaller cake and it also worked out just fine! I love how easy it was to use and how easy it is to clean!

My son and I decided to make a story book with writing and an illustration. He is new at decorating but we both had fun and can’t wait to use this pan again! Next time, we will use it for a holiday or birthday!

More info: (from our friends at GoneReading)

Read your book and eat it too!  Let your imagination run wild with the book-shaped cakes you can bake for book club, birthday parties the holidays and more.  Amaze your friends by bringing your favorite books, genres and authors to life.  Each Book-Shaped Cake Pan is approximately 16″ wide x 12″ tall x 2-1/2″ deep.  Takes three cake mixes.  Includes decorating instructions (ingredients not included)!

Check this out and so many other great products at GoneReading.com. I just love this website! I know that I can find all kinds of products I love.

We have teamed up for a giveaway! One winner will win a  $20 eGift Coupon Code for shopping at GoneReading.com! Leave a comment below telling us your favorite book to read or your favorite thing to bake! Deadline to enter is a quick one!! Deadline is tomorrow 7/20/14 at noon! One winner will randomly be selected from all entries.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

JAWS Glass Cleaner is a natural and non-toxic product that is beneficial in several ways, mainly…1) it helps people go a bit more “green” without too much thought or effort, since it uses a new cartridge system and saves on plastic bottles in landfills,  2) it’s compact system helps avoid clutter in closest and saves on precious space in homes, campers, etc., and 3) it can actually work on various surfaces (including ipads, cell phones, TVs and other electronics), so you don’t have to stop and think before a quick clean up…saving lots of time and helping to keep the Spring Cleaning resolutions going strong.

I received a sample to try and I love how great this product is! It works really well on glass and electronics too! I love that you just add water and refill cartridges. You simply fill, reload and reuse. It really is economical and effective! The line-up includes Glass & Hard Surface Cleaner, Bathroom Cleaner/Deodorizer, Multi-Purpose Cleaner/Degreaser and Disinfectant Cleaner/Degreaser. I tried out the Glass & Hard Surface Cleaner and was quite impressed!

Check out the product line here. 

We have also teamed up for a giveaway! One winner will win the Glass & Hard Surface Cleaner. To enter leave a comment below with a cleaning tip! Next,  “like” JAWS Cleaner Facebook page.  Deadline to enter is July 25, 2014 at noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected from all entries. 

Self Disclosure: I received a free sample to facilitate this feature/giveaway. Photo Credit: JAWS.

Looking for something that will improve the texture of your skin? I recently tried the Azure naturals Ultimate Vitamin C Skin Repair Serum and the texture of my skin seems to have improved over the short period of time I have used this product.  I like that the Vitamin C Serum is not greasy and it seems to tighten my skin but not dry it out. It can be used twice a day and it really does seem to be improving my skin. I am quite impressed so far and am planning to continue to use this product. My skin actually really feels smoother too.

More info ABOUT AZURE NATURALS – ULTIMATE VITAMIN C Serum: (*provided by Azure Naturals)

VITAMIN C WORKS! Our serum will increase cellular renewal by boosting the production of collagen and elastin. Vitamin C, Ferulic Acid, and Vitamin E are all powerful anti-oxidants that when combined can provide up to eight-fold antioxidant protection, 96% reduction of sunburn cells, and prevent the formation of free radicals in sun exposed skin. Our serum is intentionally designed to be thin, but not greasy or watery. This is the optimal consistency for a Vitamin C serum and allows the potent ingredients to deeply penetrate your skin to repair sun and other environmental damage, while boosting production of new collagen and elastin.

WHY AZURE NATURALS? Our ULTIMATE VITAMIN C is 100% guaranteed to be the fastest working and most effective Vitamin C Serum on the market today. Compare our ingredients to similar product from Skinceuticals, Obagi, and PerriconeMD. Not only will you find we have superior organic and natural ingredients our Vitamin C serum is $80 to $130 less expensive per bottle! More expensive does not mean it works any better! If you don’t care about wasting money, you should still buy our product because it works better! You can donate $100 you save to charity!

HOW DO YOU RECEIVE OPTIMAL RESULTS? Just like exercise, it is very important to use your skin care products consistently. VITAMIN C serum can be applied twice per day in the morning and at night. If you only use the serum once do so in the morning. Vitamin C serum will help protect you against future sun damage and other environmental stressors, but it is definitely not a substitute for sun screen! Your skin’s texture should start to improve with the first application, but give your skin at least 30 days of consistent use to see the optimal results. Follow with our ULTIMATE HYALURONIC Moisturizer, ULTIMATE RETINOL, or another good moisturizer. Our Vitamin C serum is safe for all skin types and conditions including dry or irritated skin, wrinkles, fine lines, dull complexion, acne, and eczema, etc. You should not experience any dryness, but if you do you are most likely applying too much of the serum. If you have dry skin start slowly, especially around any areas that are prone to dryness. You can begin to apply more serum gradually as your skin adjusts.

BUY WITH CONFIDENCE! Made in the USA With The Highest Quality Natural and Organic Ingredients Available: 98% Natural, 72% Organic. Contains No Alcohol, No Parabens, Gluten Free, Plant Based, No GMO’s, Cruelty Free and Never Tested On Animals! Key Ingredients: 20% Vitamin C + Vitamin E + 11% Hyaluronic Acid + Ferulic Acid. Also contains Organic Aloe + Advanced Amino Complex + Organic Jojoba Oil.

ONE YEAR MONEY BACK GUARANTEE: We are so confident that we have created the best Natural and Organic skin care products available we back all of our products by a 365-day, 100% Hassle-Free, Money Back Guarantee. If you don’t absolutely love any of our products we will give you a full refund, including shipping, no matter where you buy the product!

You can find it at Amazon.com.

We have also teamed up for a giveaway! One winner will win their own Azure naturals Ultimate Vitamin C Skin Repair Serum. Leave a comment below to enter! Deadline to enter is July 18th, 2014. One winner will randomly be selected from all entries.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.