Slurpees Freebie Giveaway May 23 at 7-Eleven

Freebies

Stop by for a FREE Slurpee at 7-Eleven across America with no purchase or coupon required. The convenience store chain's giveaway promotion celebrates everyone's favorite season of the year -- the coming of Summer! This special is available at participating 7-11 Stores only on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 from 11 am to 7 pm and is good on the 7.11 ounce size Slurpee drink in flavor of your choice.

The brand's insiders advice: "Don't miss our new Slurpee Lite™ Fanta Sugar-free Mango - 50% fewer calories."

I love Slurpees and so do my teens. So I'm planning on surprising my kids with a detour on the way home from school on Wednesday to stop at our neighborhood 7-11. Actually, I can almost taste those tasty, tart, sweet, icy slush drinks now.  

I think I'm going to try the new Slurpee Fanta Sugar-free Mango. How about you, what's your favorite Slurpee flavor? Please leave a comment and tell us.

Pay it forward and

Share the good news! 

FTC Disclosure: Mommy Blog Expert did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Twitter Party Calendar Week of May 21 - May 27

Twitter Parties

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Updated 5/23/12

It may be a holiday weekend coming up with Memorial Day just a week off, but there are still a bumper crop of parties with prizes for everyone this week May 21-27 to win and that I think women and moms will particularly enjoy.  Check back daily because this schedule will be expanded and updated often so you don't miss all the fun parties and prize-winning opportunities. You'll also get a sneak peek at Twitter parties coming up in the weeks ahead. Be the first to know when next week's Mommy Blog Expert Twitter Party schedule goes live by following MBE on Twitter, Facebook and/or by subscribing to this blog.

THIS WEEK

Monday, May 21

@ResourcefulMom and @Boars_Head invite you to the #BHBold Twitter Party at 8 pm EST. Prizes: Fifteen (15) $25 American Express gift cards; grand prize is ONE (1) $100 AmEx GC. RSVP

Attend the @Celebrations Twitter Party at 8 pm EST with @CoryanneEttiene. Prizes! Use hashtag #CelebrateSummer to join the fun

Join the @TravelingMoms #TMOM Twitter Party at 9 pm EST. This week they're chatting about Memorial Day and 3-day weekends in general. Prize: TBA RSVP

Tuesday, May 22

Come to the Allegra #ClearBeauty Twitter Party at 1 pm EST. Follow @MamaLuvsBooks @lomargie and @LizLongcrier. Prizes: TWO (2) $25 CVS Gift Cards, TWO (2) $50 CVS GCs and Grand Prize is a $100 CVS Giftcard. RSVP

You're invited to the @ResourcefulMom Libby's Summer Twitter Party at 2 pm EST; sponsored by @LibbysTable. Prizes: assorted Libby's products and grand prize is Cuisinart Tabletop Gas Grill (ARV $140). #LibbysSummer RSVP

Join the Fisher-Price Twitter Party at 7 pm EST with hosts @ErikaB @Mami2Mommy @classymommy @twoofakind and @simplybeingmommy. Prizes: TEN (10) $50 American Express Gift Cards to win throughout the party. RSVP

@JennFalik invites you to the @Dove Twitter Party at 7 pm EST. Use hashtag #BeautifulSkin to join the conversation

Get in on the fun at the Ready for Summer @HousePartyFun Kick-off Party at 8 pm EST. Prizes: THREE (3) Cuisinart Ice Cream Makers, FOUR (4) $50 Fandango Gift Cards, ONE (1) $100 Visa Giftcard and ONE (1) $250 Lowe's or Home Depot GC. Plus if they reach their 20,000 follower goal, you could win a $500 Travelocity Gift Card #HPSummer. RSVP

Come to the @TogetherCounts @MomItForward #gno Twitter Party at 9 pm EST. The discussion will be all about family fun. Prizes: Two (2) winners will each receive a $50 Gift Card and a George Foreman grill. #TogetherCounts #evoconf RSVP

Wednesday, May 23

It's the #TimetoPlayLive Twitter Party at 1 pm EST. Hosted by @JimSilver and @TheToyGuy  with fun kids prizes to win answering toy trivia questions. All questions provided by @TimetoPlay RSVP
 
Come to the @Bananaboat_ Twitter Party @MomCentral is hosting with special guest natural living host @SaraSnow at 3 pm EST talking about summer fun in the sun. Prizes: TWO (2) $50 American Express gift cards + BananaBoat prize packs given away before the party. Plus SIX (6) more 50 AmEx GCs and BananaBoat prize pks . Use hashtag to participate #BananaBoat. Details

You're invited to the @StanleySteemer Twitter Party at 8 pm EST that @5minutesformom is hosting. Prizes: FIVE (5) $100 Stanley Steemer gift certificates. #StanleySteemer Details

It's the weekly @TheOnlineMom Twitter Party at 9 pm EST.  Use hashtag #theonlinemom Prize: $150 Amazon Gift Card. This week they're discussing things you didn't know you could do with a smart phone. Must RSVP & participate in party to be eligible to win.

Join the Plum District Boston #PDBoston Twitter Party at 9 pm EST hosted by @PlumDistrictBOS. Prizes throughout the hour Free $10 Plum Dollars to the first 10 guests to  RSVP

Thursday, May 24

Come to the Camp Omni Summer Family Trip chat at 1 pm EST. Hosted by @poshbrood. TWO (2) party goers will each win a two-night Omni stay. RSVP

@Resourcefulmom hosts the @WebkinzFriends Twitter Party Twitter Party at 9 pm EST. TWENTY FIVE (25) Winners will each receive a new Webkinz Rockerz Pet. #WebkinzFriends RSVP

Friday, May 25

Another @Resourcefulmom Twitter Party at 2 pm EST. This one celebrates the upcoming Father's Day and prizes include FIVE (5) VIP Treat Accounts for up to 100 free cards over a year; TEN (10) winners receive 5 free greeting cards; FOUR (4) winners $25 Tango cards; and FOUR (4) winners $25 Visa gift cards. #TreatDad RSVP

Join the #theonlinemom #VZWBuzz @VerizonInsider for the weekly Twitter Party hosted by @theOnlineMom at 4 pm EST. Prize: TBA. To be eligible for prizes participate in the party and RSVP


Sunday, May 27

Bark or Meow if you'll be joining the @EventBarkers #EBTweets Twitter Party hosted by DogTipper and AllThingsDogBlog at 8:30-10 pm EST. Prizes for cats and dogs plus special prizes you can win for rescues. Prizes every 10 minutes. RSVP

Next Week

Tuesday, May 29

Twitter Party celebrating 529 Day hosted by @Saving4college at 2 pm EST. Prizes: Signed soft-cover copy Family Guide to College Savings written by @529Guru Joseph Hurley (5 winners) and grand prize $52.90 gift to your 529 plan (1 winner). RSVP

Coming Soon 

Tuesday, June 5

Join the @Cravebox Twitter Party at 9 pm EST. Prizes include five products from the May Cravebox as well as some Craveboxes will be given away. RSVP

The @FortyliciousCA and @RandomHouseCA Twitter Party at 9 pm EST. Prizes: 10 copies of new book Shelter Details

About this Weekly Twitter Party List Compiled by MommyBlogExpert.com

Twitter Parties are listed free of charge in this weekly schedule. If you'd like to add an event to the Mommy Blog Expert Twitter Party Calendar email janis at janiselspas dot com with Twitter Party in the subject line including all the details and links in the body of your message.

Also available, for a nominal fee, to host, co-host or serve as a panelist for your own brand Twitter party. To inquire, please email janis@janiselspas.com for information with Consulting Query in the subject line.

FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert does attend some Twitter parties as a guest and also works as a host, co-host, and panelist on some. However, I did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

iPhone Android + Facebook App Delivers Automatic Customized Product Recall Alerts to Busy Families

Technology

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When it comes to choosing and using all the equipment, food and supplies that it takes to raise a child today in the U.S., safety is typically among the top concerns for parents and other caregivers. With so much to think about, it's easy to get a little overwhelmed. This is no truer than with babies and young children who we need to watch intensely to help them steer clear of unnecessary injuries, illness and possibly worse caused by faulty or dangerous products.

4 babies in a year required multiple safety gates and toys

Luckily, there's a new free app called Recalls Plus that was first mentioned on MBE last month. Available for Facebook, iPhone and Android this no-cost service is helping to keep the public armed with all the information needed to be informed quickly in the event of new product recalls.

I don't have young children anymore as my triplets plus one more all born within a year are now teenagers. But reflecting on all the scares and major recalls about baby strollers, cribs and car seats in the late 1990s, I think having had access to a resource like this would have eliminated a lot of the worry and undue stress I endured whenever I read or heard about an item that suddenly was taken off the store shelves because of safety issues.

Seems like yesterday my triplets were all in high chairs

It's easy to use the "Add Stuff" tab in this app to either tap into the preset product list or to create your own customized recall watch list by inputting data about products that you own or are thinking of buying. All you do is fill in a handful of fields for each product like brand, category, model, and store and purchase price if applicable. Then Recalls Plus automatically starts monitoring the major consumer safety reporting agencies for relevant breaking news about recalls that affect you directly. 

By downloading the app myself and trying it out, I also realized that this isn't just helpful if you are buying baby or children's products. You can actually use it to track things like food and medications safety bulletins for the entire family. 

For example, I found under the food and drug and allergen category that Recalls Plus posted an alert about a specific cupcake sold in Northern California Whole Foods Market stores. The advisory said the product has been recalled because some contained undeclared walnuts, posing a possible health threat to those with sensitivities towards nuts. In fact, the alert also indicated the product concerned had already made at least one person ill.

Just a fraction of the food we always had on hand for our babies

All the basic information is listed about the potential problem in the update you see on your device. In the case of the Whole Foods recall, a URL linking to the FDA.gov site for further reference and more details was included. What's more is there's an email button at the bottom of each recall alert screen so you can easily and quickly forward the information to your own desktop computer or share it with family members, friends or anyone else who might benefit from the knowledge.

More information on the Recalls Plus app, developed by SAP, and the free download for Facebook, iPhone, and Android are available here.

FTC Disclosure: I was selected to write this compensated blog post about Recalls Plus via a SheSpeaks blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

BlogHer 2012 Scholarships and Sponsorships Available for Women & Mom Bloggers Helping Defray Expenses

BlogHer

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Updated 6/15/12

Let's face it, attending women's blogging conferences is expensive especially if you have airfare and hotel expenses you have to pay for. With that in mind, I wanted to share leads that I find for sponsors and scholarships for BlogHer '12 in New York City, August 3-4, 2012 as I uncover them. Be sure to follow MommyBlogExpert on Twitter, Facebook and or subscribe so you'll be alerted when new resources are added to this list.

600 pound bar Ivory Soap carved for BlogHer '11 by artist Todd Bull

Scholarships Opportunities

Journey to New York for BlogHer 12 if you WIN a trip for two valued at approximately $4,500 that Dodge is giving away.  Enter for your chance to win

The first opportunity discovered is courtesy of the blog of Jennifer Medeiros @MakobiScribe who is offering one woman attending BlogHer a $200 scholarship to help with her expenses. Apply for a chance at the MakobiScribe Blog scholarship by completing this Application.



Sponsor Opportunities

No information received yet from sponsoring brands, so bloggers who are going to BlogHer '12 are encouraged to keep checking this post which will be updated as additional sponsorships are identified for you to follow up on.

A note to Bloggers:  
Please do not contact MBE if you are seeking to receive a scholarship or to find a sponsor. I'm simply sharing the information above with MBE readers and have no direct connections with those offering these opportunities. It is up to you to you to work directly with the individual or brand offering help.

A note to Brands:
If you are looking for blogger(s) going to BlogHer to sponsor, I am interested in talking to you personally since I will be attending and am currently seeking sponsorship. Additionally, I'm happy to post your sponsor opportunities here as a way for me to pay it forward to others in the women's and mom's blogging communities.

If you are a brand or individual aware of scholarships or sponsorships available to add to this MBE resource list, please email me at janis@janiselspas.com with "BlogHer Scholarship or Sponsorship" in the subject line.

Don't forget to follow MommyBlogExpert on Twitter, Facebook and/or subscribe so you'll be the first to know when the source of scholarships and sponsorships is updated. 

FTC Disclosure: I attended BlogHer 2011 in San Diego and will be attending BlogHer 2012 in New York and I am applying for some of the scholarships and giveaways myself to help defray travel expenses to the conference. However, Mommy Blog Expert did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Twitter Party Calendar This Week May 14-20

Twitter Parties

Tweet

Updated 5/18/12

Lots of parties with prizes for women and moms this week on the Twitter Party Calendar covering May 14 - May 20.  Keep checking back all week because this schedule will be expanded and updated often so you don't miss all the fun parties. You'll also get a sneak peek at Twitter parties coming up in the weeks ahead. Be the first to know when next week's Mommy Blog Expert Twitter Party schedule goes live by following MBE on Twitter, Facebook and/or by subscribing to this blog.

THIS WEEK

Monday, May 14

Come to the @BirchBox Twitter Party at 8 pm EST. Prize: Miss Dior fragrance. No RSVP just use hashtag #gossipgirl

You'll want to check out the Cutter Enjoy What's Out There Twitter Party at 8 pm EST hosted by @Resourcefulmom. Prizes: FIVE (5) Walmart Gift Cards and FIVE (5) Cutter product prize packs #CutterSummer RSVP

Don't miss the @TravelingMoms #TMOM #VisitOrlando Party at 9 pm EST. About all the fun things to do in Orlando: theme parks and much more. Prizes include passes to SeaWorld and Aquatica with fun bags of items from @SeaWorld @WaltDisneyWorld and @VisitOrlando RSVP

Tuesday, May 15

Join the #BeautyGiftCard Twitter Party at 7 pm EST.  Sponsored by @Beautydotcom and hosted by @SocialMoms. Prizes: SIXTEEN (16) $25 Beauty.com Gift Cards including 8 GCs to be given away for tweeting before the party begins and 8 GCs to be awarded randomly during the party. RSVP
 

You're invited to the @BirdsEyeVeg #gno Twitter Party at 9 pm EST. Talking all about veggies and meals. @MomitForward hosts#BirdEye. Prizes: THREE (3) American Express Gift Cards and a Birds Eye Prize Pack ARV $150. RSVP

Attend the #WaterSafety Twitter Party at 9 pm EST hosted by @TheMomiverse with @JabariWater @Joshsfoundation @PoolSafely and @RebeccaSaveKids. Use hashtag #Momiverse. Loads of prizes and swim gear plus a @LandsEnd $50 Gift Certificate and lots more to win. RSVP

 

Wednesday, May 16

Attend the#PaperCrownSadie Twitter Party at 3 pm EST. Prizes. Follow host @Freckleberrymom and special guest Sadie Paper Crown Princess author @AmandaNEvans and use hashtag to participate. Prizes: SIX (6) Sadie swag bags. Details 

You're invited to the VSP and Nine West 'Eye Q' Twitter Party at 8 pm EST hosted by @Resourcefulmom and sponsored by @VSPVisionCare. Prizes: Eight (8) pairs of Nine West sunglasses, a Nine West handbag and a Nine West watch. RSVP 

Join @AppSmitten @tcreativeblogs and @kristincolvin for the #familyapps Twitter Party at 9 pm EST. Prizes: Pre-tweet event for a chance to win a $50 Amazon Gift Code, plus FOUR (4) $25 Amazon GCs will be given away during party. To participate also follow special guests @angela_wilson @DebraNipp @ToryJohnson @AmyHero and @MommyBlogExpert
and  RSVP 

It's the weekly @TheOnlineMom Twitter Party at 9 pm EST.  Use hashtag #theonlinemom Prize: Chance to win $150 Amazon Gift Card. Must RSVP & participate in party to be eligible to win.

Come one, come all to the #TransitionsLenses #SummerSafety Twitter Party at 9 to 10:30 pm EST. Sponsored by @Transitions and hosted by @LatinaMomBloggers. Prizes: Two pairs of Transitions Lenses ( frame & lenses $500 value each), ONE (1) $100 gift card and TWO (2) $50 GCs. RSVP


Thursday, May 17

@MomCentral invites you to the #RISEwithGrains Twitter Party at 2 pm EST. Prizes: TWO (2) $50 Walmart Gift Cards for pre-party tweeting plus SIX (6) $50 Walmart GCs to be given away during party. There's also the chance to win 1 of 8 soccer balls signed by Mia Hamm. Details

Host @SocialMoms invites you to the #LGViper Twitter Party at 7 pm EST. RT before hand for a chance to win one of TEN (10) $20 Amazon GCs. Plus at-party opportunity to win one of TEN (10) $20 Amazon gift cards, two headphone sets ($70 value/each) and the Grand Prize: an LG Viper phone valued at $300. Follow @TechMama and @LGUSAMobile RSVP

Time for the National Pork Board #ChopInspiration Twitter Party at 7 pm EST. Hosted by @MomStart with @AllAboutPork and @TheMotherhood. Prize: a Weber Grill. RSVP

You're invited to the #Intelsocialbutterfly Twitter Party at 8 pm EST with @IntelEdge @LittleTechGirl and @TechMama. Prizes: FIVE (5) $50 Best Buy gift cards and ONE (1) $250 GC. To be eligible for prizes see special instructions and RSVP

They're discussing ALDI deals and steals and the new summer catalog at the #ALDISummer Twitter Party at 8 pm EST. Hosted by @stacieinatlanta and @crissy and featuring fun summer-themed prizes ranging from a Crofton Ice Cream Maker to an Adverturidge Folding Wagon and more. Details 

@LisaSamples would love you to attend the #WWEmoms Twitter Party at 8 pm EST. Prize: an Xbox 360 (without Kinect) Details

Here's a fun Twitter Party hosted by @MomSpark Better Sleep Council #StopSleepingAround from 9-11 pm EST. Talking about sleep routines. Prizes: $25 Visa Gift Cards and a $150 Visa GC. RSVP

Hope to see you at @CleverGirlsColl #TheShowWine Twitter Party at 10 pm EST. Reportedly, they have delicious prizes to give away.  RSVP

Friday, May 18

Join the #theonlinemom #VZWBuzz @VerizonInsider for the weekly Twitter Party hosted by @theOnlineMom at 3 pm EST. Prize: HTC Rezound. To be eligible for prizes participate in the party and RSVP

Next Week

Tuesday, May 22

Come to the Allegra #ClearBeauty Twitter Party at 1 pm EST. Follow @MamaLuvsBooks @lomargie and @LizLongcrier. Prizes: TWO (2) $25 CVS Gift Cards, TWO (2) $50 CVS GCs and Grand Prize is a $100 CVS Giftcard. RSVP

Join the Fisher-Price Twitter Party at 7 pm EST with hosts @ErikaB @Mami2Mommy @classymommy @twoofakind and @simplybeingmommy. Prizes: TEN (10) $50 American Express Gift Cards to win throughout the party. RSVP

Get in on the fun at the Ready for Summer @HousePartyFun Kick-off Party at 8 pm EST. Prizes: THREE (3) Cuisinart Ice Cream Makers, FOUR (4) $50 Fandango Gift Cards, ONE (1) $100 Visa Giftcard and ONE (1) $250 Lowe's or Home Depot GC. Plus if they reach their 20,000 follower goal, you could win a $500 Travelocity Gift Card #HPSummer. RSVP

 

Wednesday, May 23

Come to the @Bananaboat_ Twitter Party with special guest natural living host @SaraSnow at 3 pm EST talking about summer fun in the sun. Prizes TBA. Use hashtag to participate #BananaBoat.

Join the Plum District Boston #PDBoston Twitter Party at 9 pm EST hosted by @PlumDistrictBOS. Prizes throughout the hour Free $10 Plum Dollars to the first 10 guests to  RSVP

Coming Soon 

Sunday, May 27

Bark or Meow if you'll be joining the @EventBarkers #EBTweets Twitter Party hosted by DogTipper and AllThingsDogBlog at 8:30-10 pm EST. Prizes for cats and dogs plus special prizes you can win for rescues. Prizes every 10 minutes. RSVP 


Tuesday, May 29

Twitter Party celebrating 529 Day hosted by @Saving4college at 2 pm EST. Prizes: Signed soft-cover copy Family Guide to College Savings written by @529Guru Joseph Hurley (5 winners) and grand prize $52.90 gift to your 529 plan (1 winner). RSVP
 

Tuesday, June 5

The @FortyliciousCA and @RandomHouseCA Twitter Party at 9 pm EST. Prizes: 10 copies of new book Shelter Details

About this Weekly Twitter Party List Compiled by MommyBlogExpert.com

Twitter Parties are listed free of charge in this weekly schedule. If you'd like to add an event to the Mommy Blog Expert Twitter Party Calendar email janis at janiselspas dot com with Twitter Party in the subject line including all the details and links in the body of your message.

Also available, for a nominal fee, to host, co-host or serve as a panelist for your own brand Twitter party. To inquire, please email janis@janiselspas.com for information with Consulting Query in the subject line.

FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert does attend some Twitter parties as a Guest and also works as a host, co-host, and panelist on some. However, I did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.