Sponsors: 2011 Holiday Gift Guide Submissions Are Now Being Accepted

WOW, Time flies!  Can you believe that it is already almost October?   Before you know it, the Holiday season will be in full swing.

I am currently seeking Sponsors to fill some spots for my annual Holiday Gift Guide. 

I will be holding the Over Thirty Mommy Holiday Gift Guide from November 15th through December 10th! (Dates subject to change).  

This guide include all kinds of events, products, foods or gift baskets, crafts, services, and entertainment for all ages and all members of the family. 

 Please do not hesitate to contact me if you are unsure if the item is a good fit for the Holiday Gift Guide.  It doesn’t hurt to ask and if Over Thirty Mommy is not the right place for your product, I  might be able to point you in the direction of a better fit.

Participating in the Over Thirty Mommy Holiday Gift Guide is free of charge (with the exception of the cost of review/giveaway product). If your company, business or service would like to participate please let me know if you would like a review or a review with giveaway space in the guide.  Doing reviews with giveaways is always a great way to draw more traffic to your site and product and my readers would love the opportunity to try your amazing products.

To participate in my Holiday Gift Guide all you need to do either FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW or email me directly at Over Thirty Mommy and I will be in contact as soon as possible.

I set up the calendar for my SPONSORS and give each feature a specific date and spot in the Gift Guide on a first come, first serve basis.

Spots fill up FAST!

Thank you for your interest and I look forward to working with you!

2010 Holiday Gift Guide Winners List

Winners are usually posted on the Winners Page but since there are so many Holiday Gift Guide contests that ended last night, I decided to put them all in a special Holiday Gift Guide Winner post.

I hope you all had fun and enjoyed the 2010 Over Thirty Mommy Holiday Gift Guide.  I had a blast and learned some new things that will help me improve and make next year's gift guide bigger and better.

Merry Christmas to all and congratulations to all the winners.  A special thank you to all my gift guide sponsors.


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MoBeam Numi Key (5 winners)

Congratulations to:  weeblet

Congratulations to:  Traci Fritz

Congratulations to:  Kristin

Congratulations to: lewalk

Congratulations to:  weeblet Weeblet was kind enought to pass on winning a second MoBeam Numi key and a new winner was drawn. 

Congratulations to: Shellie & Brutus




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Shenzhen Ceramic Knives

 congratulations to: ezmerelda
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Brodie & The Yeti

Congratulations to: James Coyne

Congratulations to: Jessica
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Galloping Minds

Congratulations to:  Anonymous

Congratulations to:   lewalk

Congratulations to:   DianaT (Your Email is not showing in your blogger profile so I have no way to email you!!!) Please contact me!!!!!

 Congratulations to: twinmomoftwins

Congratulations to:   Tylerpants
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Barefoot Books

Congratulations to:  Deb K
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EZ Sox

Congratulations to:  Momma Lyngheim

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miYim Good Earth Fairy Doll

 Congratulations to: Teegan Briggs
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Elephantito Boutique Clothing $100 Gift Certificate

Congratulations to:  Nancy

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Zuvo 150 Water Filtration System

Congratulations to: Betty C

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Maclaren Volo Stroller

 Congratulations to: Tylerpants
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George Foreman Healthy Cooking Evolve Grill

Congratulations to: Michele P.










Congratulations to all my 2010 Holiday Gift Guide winners, emails have gone out to all except DianaT (no email in entry).  Please contact me ASAP and I will forward info to the sponsor so that there might be a chance to get your prizes in time for Christmas.

2010 Over Thirty Mommy Holiday Gift Guide Recap

First let me start with a special thank you to all of the generous sponsors for the 2010 Over Thirty Mommy Holiday Gift Guide.  My readers and I appreciate your generosity.

2010 Gift Guide Recap

To read each individual review and enter each different giveaway, please follow the links below.

All giveaways end at 11:59 PM PST on 12/12

Reviews with Giveaway:

MoBean Numi Key (5 winners)

Zuvo 150 Water Filtration system

Shenzhen 6" Chef's Knife

Elephantito $100 Gift Certificate

miYim Good Earth Fairy Doll

Ez Sox

Galloping Minds: Numbers and Counting with Animals DVD (5 winners)

Barefoot Books





Brodie & The Yeti: 2 autographed book package (2 winner)

Maclaren Volo Stroller

George Foreman Healthy Cooking Evolve Grill

Reviews:

Backyard Safari Outfitters

Cate & Levi Organic Clothing

Letters by Santa.com

Little Looster

 Maclaren Beginning products for mother and baby

iWave cell phone cases and earbuds

2010 Holiday Gift Guide: George Foreman Healthy Cooking Evolve Grill

Who isn't a fan of George Foreman Healthy Cooking tools?  I am!!  I have one of the original grills, a family size grill with the bun warmer section, a toaster and one of my favorites the pancake maker and they all get used on a regular basis.  I am now adding the Evolve Grill to my collection.

The Evolve Grill is the next generation of grills from George Foreman Healthy Cooking.  It comes in three versions, Muffin; Mini-burger; and Waffle.  All three have the grill plate and a deep dish baker, then each version has a special plate based on the version.  The extra plates are available as accessories, so you do not have to pick one and only one. (perfect for those of us that want it all!)

The Evolve grill that I have is the mini-burger version, which is wonderful for making my daughter burgers.  She loves how small they are, they are just her size.  The Evolve™ Grill • Bake • Mini-Burger starts with 4 plates – 2 grill plates, 1 deep-dish bake pan and 1 mini-burger insert – then lets you build your collection with up to 7 additional available plates.  I was most excited to try out the deep disk bake pan.  My husband loves lasagna so I wanted to try it out and see how it worked.  I must preface it with the fact that I have never made lasagna from scratch before, I usually buy the frozen ones from Costco (don't tell my mom, she is 100% Italian and might disown me if she knew).

The recipe that is in the included booklet was for a spinach lasagna but my husband is a carnivore so I made a couple adjustments.  One adjustment was that I eliminated one layer of the noodles (thanks to Wrestling Addicted Mommy's tips), and swapped out the spinach for Italian sausage.   I took it off the grill about five minutes early because the cheese was getting too crisp but it smelled delish!  It turned out great, no overflowing onto my counter!  The only thing I would adjust next time is add more seasoning, maybe some garlic!

Over all we are really enjoying our new George Foreman Healthy Cooking Evolve grill, I am going to try mini turkey purgers tomorrow and I am putting the Omelet and waffle plates on the top of my Christmas wish list.

You can purchase the George Foreman Evolve Grill for only $129.99 and Evolve accessories starting at only $14.99 and shipping is free on all orders over $99.

WIN IT! 
One Over Thirty Mommy Readers will win a George Foreman Healthy Cooking Evolve Grill

 

How to Enter: Mandatory

Visit George Foreman and tell me another product you would like to try

Extra Entries:
You must complete the mandatory entry before doing any extra entries.

• Follow Over Thirty Mommy publicly (join followers on right-hand sidebar) (1 entry)
• Subscribe to Over Thirty Mommy via Reader or email. (1 entry each)
• Follow Over Thirty Mommy on twitter and tweet about this review/giveaway. (1 entry daily)
• Like Over Thirty Mommy  on Facebook (1 entry)
• Like George Foreman Cooking on Facebook. (1 entry)
• Blog about the giveaway on your site and link back to Over Thirty Mommy and George Foreman Healthy Cooking (leave a link to your post in comment) (5 entries!!!) 
• Grab my Blog Button (2 entries)

 Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  Good luck!

 
Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents 18+ only. Please have a valid email address in your comment or on your blogger profile.  

Giveaway ends midnight PST on December 12th

**Disclaimer: I was not paid in any form of cash for this posting.   I received the Evolve Grill for the purpose of this review .  This is solely the opinion of Over Thirty Mommy. Other people may have different experiences with the.**   

2010 Holiday Gift Guide: Maclaren Volo Stroller

I don't know about you but man I am tired of hefting around my huge full size stroller. It takes up so much space it is ridiculous.  I hate it when I forget that I left it in the trunk and go shopping (especially Costco) only to find that I have no room left to put my groceries and purchases.  I have been talking about getting a smaller umbrella type stroller but have never gotten around to purchasing one.

One compact stroller that I have had my eye on it the Maclaren Volo.  The Volo has so many of the features that I was looking for in an umbrella stroller, it is light weight (less than 9lbs), a 5 point harness for safety, it holds a child up to 55lbs, and has quality foot-operated brakes.  The Volo also has some features that I did not expect to get in a compact stroller, it has a shopping basket (smaller than full size strollers but definitely a plus to have), the seat is removable and washable, it has a rain cover (which comes in handy for standing in lines for Black Friday shopping!), it even has a carry strap. 

I never even thought about needing a carry strap, that is until I has one arm holding my daughter and the other holding our purchases,  I stood there for a minute thinking about how I was going to push the stroller with my foot.  Then I remembered the strap, I set the packages down, flung the stroller over my shoulder, gathered my packages and off I went.

The Volo arrived while my husband was at work so I thought I would give assembly a try.  I am not the best at assembling stuff, it took me over an hour to put together the big full size stroller (and there was not that much I had to do).  The Volo was so easy to assemble, it took me less than 15 minutes, it was amazing.  I have to admit that while reading the instructions, I was thinking how nice it would be to have illustrations to help me along (I found the illustrations in the back of the manual after I finished putting it together, should have looked there sooner). 

I also have to admit that it took me about 5 minutes to figure out how to open the harness.  I tried pushing the front button but nothing happened, I wiggled it and still nothing.  Finally, I looked back at the instruction book to see that I had to push both the front and back of the button to get it to open (now, I would have known this sooner if I looked at the bright red tag that I took off the stroller when I unpacked it). 

The steering and handling of the Maclaren Volo stroller are fantastic, in the words of pretty woman (yep, I watched it this weekend) "It corners like it's on rails".  It practically turns on a dime, I can turn it around in my hallway.  The Volo stroller maneuvered easily around the crowds and cluttered aisles during Black Friday shopping.  Yes, I took her shopping, I took her last year too.  It it never to early to teach her the art of Black Friday shopping.

WIN IT! 
One Over Thirty Mommy Readers will win a Maclaren Volo Stroller

 

How to Enter: Mandatory

Visit Maclaren and tell me another item they carry that you would like

Extra Entries:
You must complete the mandatory entry before doing any extra entries.

• Follow Over Thirty Mommy publicly (join followers on right-hand sidebar) (1 entry)
• Subscribe to Over Thirty Mommy via Reader or email. (1 entry each)
• Follow Over Thirty Mommy on twitter and tweet about this review/giveaway. (1 entry daily)
• Follow Maclaren on Twitter (1 entry)
• Like Over Thirty Mommy  on Facebook (1 entry)
• Like Maclaren on Facebook (1 entry)
• Blog about the giveaway on your site and link back to Over Thirty Mommy and Maclaren (leave a link to your post in comment) (5 entries!!!) 
• Grab my Blog Button (2 entries)

 Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  Good luck!

 
Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents 18+ only. Please have a valid email address in your comment or on your blogger profile.  

Giveaway ends midnight PST on December 12th

**Disclaimer: I was not paid in any form of cash for this posting.   I received the Volo Stroller for the purpose of this review .  This is solely the opinion of Over Thirty Mommy. Other people may have different experiences with the.**   

2010 Holiday Gift Guide: Barefoot Books

My daughter loves books.  She will frequently pass up playing with her toys to sit and "read" her books.  We read throughout the day, she has a stack of books in the bathroom, and we always read a book before going to bed.  She probably has close to 100 books.  Now we have never read them all, she has about a dozen that are her favorites and we read them over and over and over. 

New to her library, from Barefoot Books is There's a Cow in the Cabbage Patch, How Big is a Pig, and If You're Happy and You Know It.   Right now she loves books with animals so the There's a Cow in the Cabbage Patch and How Big is a Pig books have been a huge hit.  I like the  unique illustrations and cute story lines.

Singing and dancing are also one her list of fun things to do, making the If You're Happy and You Know it book with sing along CD a hit since.   The Barefoot Books version is a multicultural variation of the traditional song and includes children from cultures all over the world. 

Barefoot Books was also kind enough to send along a set of their Yoga Pretzels cards.  I have always wanted to take yoga but have never taken a class because I am afraid that I will look silly or fall on my head while attempting a Down Dog or Airplane.

The Yoga Pretzels cards are perfect for me, because I can trip over myself and fall on my face a hundred times in the privacy of my living room and the only witness will be my daughter.  The Yoga Pretzels cards are brightly color coded by type of pose (my favorite are the Breathing and Time In sections, I am really good at those!)  Each card has easy to understand step-by-step instructions and illustrations to guide you into each pose (even the most novice yoga newbie can figure them out, by that I mean me!)


Barefoot News: (see #2 for a chance to win!!)
1. All throughout November, for every Barefoot purchase made on our Web site or in our flagship store in Concord, MA, we'll donate one new book to children in need via our philanthropic partner, First Book. http://www.barefootbooks.com/story/giving_back/ (more information on this link)

2. Starting November 15 through December 15, anyone who posts a photo or video of their little dancer on our Facebook group page is eligible to win a copy of our brand new Barefoot Books of Dance Stories book and storytime CD by Jane Yolen and her daughter Heidi Stemple. http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=83919187446 (Facebook Group page)

3. Experience Barefoot Books though their digital videos and podcast: http://www.barefootbooks.com/story/childrens-crafts-activities (click the individual videos and the podcast link on the right side). 

Where to Buy:  
Barefoot Books can be purchased at their flagship store is in Concord, Massachusetts,  they have a boutique in the Manhattan FAO Schwarz, or you can purchase at their online store

WIN IT! 
One Over Thirty Mommy Readers will win the book of their choice from Barefoot Books

How to Enter: Mandatory

Visit Barefoot Books and tell what book you would like to win and why

Extra Entries:
You must complete the mandatory entry before doing any extra entries.

• Follow Over Thirty Mommy publicly (join followers on right-hand sidebar) (1 entry)
• Subscribe to Over Thirty Mommy via Reader or email. (1 entry each)
• Follow Over Thirty Mommy on twitter and tweet about this review/giveaway. (1 entry daily)
• Follow Barefoot Books on Twitter (1 entry)
• Like Over Thirty Mommy  on Facebook (1 entry)
• Like Barefoot Books on Facebook (1 entry)
• Blog about the giveaway on your site and link back to Over Thirty Mommy and Barefoot Books (leave a link to your post in comment) (5 entries!!!) 
• Grab my Blog Button (2 entries)

 Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  Good luck!

 
Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents 18+ only. Please have a valid email address in your comment or on your blogger profile.  

Giveaway ends midnight PST on December 12th

**Disclaimer: I was not paid in any form of cash for this posting.   I received three books and Yoga cards for the purpose of this review .  This is solely the opinion of Over Thirty Mommy. Other people may have different experiences with the.**