Pin It to Win It

Do you love Pinterest? Enjoy pouring through your friends photos or posting your own private resort pictures, maybe even adding a recipe or two? How about pinning clothes, shoes, and accessories to put together a perfect date night outfit? Ever wanted to own what your pin to your Pinterest Pinboards? Well, now you can. Join http://www.beentheredonethatwithkat.com/ in Whatsername Jewelry's First Pin it to Win it giveaway. The rules are simple. Choose one item from http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhatsernameJewelry that you personally would like to own or give as a gift and Pin it to one of your Pinterest Pinboards. You may pin one charm per day throughout the duration of the giveaway; however, you must submit a unique URL for each entry. Repeat URL entries will be voided at the end of the contest. Whatsername Jewelry offers Handmade Zodiac Necklaces in all 12 Zodiac Signs in three colors: Classic Black and Gold, Modern Silver and Black, and the most recent addition, Red and Gold. You may also choose to pin a Zodiac Totems or Bracelets. The choice is yours, Don't just Pin it, Win it! Pin it to Win it Contest runs June 4th through June25th. This contest is open Worldwide and the winner will be announced on June 27th with prize being sent by the sponsor on June 28th. Good Luck! Not on Pinterest yet? What better time to join. Request an invite @ http://pinterest.com/kathjaros/



Earn Bonus Entries for “Liking” our co-hosts Facebook Pages. a Rafflecopter giveaway

$25 Paypal Flash Giveaway

I  joined with Karma media to bring you this Flash GiveawayKarma Media is celebrating their 2k fan milestone on Facebook, and we're having a flash cash giveaway just for you! We love having fans, and we want you to know how much we appreciate each and everyone of you. Of course we would love to be able to give something to each and every one of our followers, but with new and exciting campaigns coming in, we hope you continue to follow us here at Karma Media as well as the hard working team behind it. Our team thought long, and hard, to find the perfect prize for our followers. In the end, only cold hard cash would do. After all who can't use some extra cash, so please join us in this celebration where we are giving one lucky fan $25 USD Paypal cash. We have opened the giveaway internationally so all are welcome to enter! Don't delay, this giveaway will be over in a flash, so be sure to enter today!

This giveaway is in no way affiliated with Paypal, nor Facebook. Winner will have 48 hours to confirm their Paypal address so that funds can be transferred. Failure to confirm will result in forfeit of prize, and a new winner will be chosen. Prize will be supplied by Karma Media, where we make you shine!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Eco Orbies Review and Giveaway

Being a part of  the Karma Media Team (http://karmamediateam.com/), I was given the opportunity to review Eco-Orbies. The Eco-Orbies are environmentally friendly, water beads that have many uses and come in a variety of colors. They arrive as dry beads and to activate them, you soak 1 dry baggie of Eco Orbies in 2 cups of water in a bowl for 6-8hrs than you drain off the excess water and use. They can be layered with different colors because they do not bleed or transfer. When you are done with them, you simply air dry them for 3-5days and place in a storage baggie for re-use at a later time.

They can be mixed with soil of house plants and will release moisture as the plants require. You can use them to make wedding center pieces because they are small enough to fit down various size vases. Use them in a Beta Fish Tank to add decor and color or make a flower arrangement or any type of center piece as a birthday gift or teacher gift. They are even used as sensory therapy. For many other uses and suggestions, refer to their web site @ http://eco-orbies.com/ .

I chose to make a decorative piece that will leave a light scent into my living room.  After hydrating them, I added essential oil with a light Jasmine scent. You can re-use and re-scent every month if you wish. They are currently offering, free shipping on all orders through May 2012 and are very affordable. You can order them online @ http://eco-orbies.com/?page_id=49 and do not forget to enter below for your chance to win 10 Eco-Orbies packs. You can also fan them on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/EcoOrbies to keep updated on Eco-Orbies.


I received Eco-Orbies as part of a Karma Media campaign. All opinions on this post are my own but to read other opinions on Eco-Orbies from Karma Media's other team members, just follow the linky.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

12 Days of Christmas in July Blogger opp

Free Blogger opp, giveaway event. If interested sign up and get information here: http://goingcrazywannago.com/2012/05/12-days-of-christmas-giveaway-hop-free-sign-ups-open

Coach Bag Giveaway

I have teamed up to bring you this Amazing Coach Bag Giveaway


Adventures of My Family of 8 is celebrating LIFE, by teaming up with some amazing Bloggers to offer YOU a chance to win this AMAZING COACH Signature Bag, with a MFSRP of $298.00! WOW!!! METALLIC SIGNATURE BROOKE $298.00 MFSRP style: F17990 • Signature metallic fabric with metallic leather trim • Inside zip, cell phone and multifunction pockets • Zip-top closure, fabric lining • Top handle • Longer shoulder strap attached • 13" (L) x 11 1/2" (H) x 4" (W) • This is a signature product Giveaway will run May 21 at 12:01 am EST – June 5th at 12:01 AM EST You have a lot of chances to WIN! Complete the mandatory entry and unlock the bonus entries. Bonus entries are Facebook likes, I know there are a lot of them, but for each like, you have more of a chance to WIN this awesome bag!!! Wait for the Rafflecopter to load and enter below:  Pages for the Facebook follow links: http://adventuresof8.com/coach-bag-facebook-follow-links/
http://adventuresof8.com/coach-handbag-facebook-follows-group-2/a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kindle Fire giveaway

I've teamed up with: 

Embracing Beauty to give away a Kindle Fire to one lucky reader. This is a great gadget for anyone on your gift-giving list, including Dad! Whether you're a social media addict, book lover, or avid blog reader, this is one product you'll love to own!

Kindle Fire, Full Color 7″ Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi - RV: $199

Movies, apps, games, music, reading and more, plus Amazon’s revolutionary, cloud-accelerated web browser

• Over 20 million movies, TV shows, songs, magazines, and books
• Thousands of popular apps and games, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, and more
• Ultra-fast web browsing – Amazon Silk
• Free cloud storage
• Vibrant color touchscreen with extra-wide viewing angle
• Fast, powerful dual-core processor
• Favorite children’s books, graphic novels, and magazines in rich color
• Amazon Prime Members enjoy unlimited, instant streaming on thousands of popular movies and TV shows.
• Amazon Prime Members choose from over a hundred thousand books to borrow for free.

Want to win a Kindle Fire?

One winner will receive a free Kindle Fire shipped right to their door.

There are some great ways to earn extra entries into this giveaway! All mandatory and extra entries must be submitted within the Rafflecopter Giveaway box below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Dad's Backyard Oasis Father's Day giveaway event!

 I have joined with some amazing bloggers to bring you:.... The Dad's Backyard Oasis Father's Day giveaway event!

Hosted by Bella Savvy and Mom to Bed by 8

Co-hosted by Giveaway Bandit, To Sew With Love, Living Unrefined, Mumblebee Inc., Some Call It Natural and What Mommy Wants

WOW, YOUR DAD ON FATHER'S DAY!

This year, Black & Decker is making Father's Day extra special for one lucky dad by offering an amazing prize pack full of everything dad will need to create an oasis in his own backyard for summer-long grilling, entertaining and just plain, good ole relaxing. AHH!

PRIZES:

• 20V MAX Lithium Drill/Driver -- MSRP: $122
• 2-speed Quick Clean Sprayer -- MSRP: $100
• 36V Lithium High Performance String Trimmer with Power Command -- MSRP: $170
• Garden IQ Hand Tools Series— including pruners, hedge shears, steel trowel, culti-hoe, heavy duty hose nozzle, water hand hose attachment, and miscellaneous safety items -- MSRP: $108 (includes work gloves)
• Work gloves

TOTAL VALUE: $500+

EVENT DATES:

This event will run from May 20th at 12:01 am. EST to June 3rd at 11:59 pm. EST

A huge THANK YOU to our sponsor... BLACK & DECKER for offering these amazing prizes!

* SPECIAL OFFER: *
Cant wait to win these fabulous prizes? Black & Decker is offering all entrants a special 10% discount + FREE shipping on the purchase of items included in the Black & Decker's Father's Day Gift Guide. So get your orders in for dad, and be ahead of the game when Father's Day rolls around. Use code: FATHER10 at checkout.

Now head on down there and get your entries in because you can't win if you don't enter...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sparkle & Shine Shampoo and Dog Smog Remedy Breath Freshner review

Meet Snicker's

Snicker's is our 5 year old Miniature Pinscher. Ever since he was just a small pup, he has had the most rancid breath I have ever came across on a doggie. We tried everything! Brushing his teeth did NOT work because being as high spirited as he is, we could hardly preform the task and when we were able to, the fresh smell did NOT last long at all! We tried various products, specifically things like: dog breath spray and dog breath treats but yet again they did not last long. When I was given the opportunity to do a review for HappytailsSpa @ http://www.happytailsspa.com I completed the questionnaire in hopes that I would get a breath remedy to review, for poor stinky breath snickers. I was excited when the package came and it contained the Breath Freshener & Digestive Solution - Dog Smog Remedy. http://www.happytailsspa.com/Dog-Smog-Remedy. The all natural formula contains peppermint and fennel which freshens your dog's breath and gets to the root of the problem with papain and bromelain, a plant based enzyme, to help improve digestion. 3 to 6 squirts, ( depending on the size of dog) and wall la instant help for that nasty breath. As you can see in the picture, we still had to pry his mouth open for it, mainly because he had no clue what we were trying to do now! 3 squirts because he is a little fellow, and there ya have it, Snickers is smiling again and so are we. 


                           Meet Kallie

Kallie, is our newest addition. She is a 3 month old lab mix we adopted a few short weeks ago from the Humane Society. She is a high spirited new pup who was in desperate need of a good bath because of living in a shelter since she was born. My daughter did the honor's of giving Kallie her first bath in our home, with the other product I was given for review: Sparkle & Shine Brightening Shampoo - The all natural shampoo is perfect for any dog that needs brightening. The yogurt and comfrey is to condition and heal broken skin (if that is needed). The shampoo is designed to bring new life into faded fur and according to the web site @ http://www.happytailsspa.com/Sparkle-and-shine it is exspecially good for light colored doggies. Now Kallie is NOT light colored but as you can see in the photo, taken after her bath, she sparkles and shines in the sunlight. Just as the product said she would.  It has a wonderful clean aroma and is a gentle formula with no extra additives. It contains a coconut based surfactant and is tear free. Kallie loved her bath by the way, so that was an added plus. http://www.happytailsspa.com/site/index.html is offering one of my readers a chance to win these products for their own pup and this is a blog hop so they are offering numerous chance's on numerous blogs to win a variety of their products. Enter my giveaway @ http://www.beentheredonethatwithkat.com/2012/05/happytails-spa-giveaway.html than hop on over to the other blogs via the linky under this review and enter to win some other awesome doggie products.  Don't Forget to enter The Grand Prize Giveaway! 
Disclaimer: Please note that the Happy Tails Spa Host and participating bloggers are not responsible for prizes that do not get shipped on time, get lost in the mail, or that are never claimed. We have represented the sponsor with the expectation that they will fulfill all of the prizes in a timely manner. While we are not responsible, we will make an effort to assist the winner in obtaining their prize.I was also was given the products for an honest review and not for a positive review. The views are my own honest review. 

Happytails Spa Giveaway

Read My Review here: http://www.beentheredonethatwithkat.com/2012/05/meet-snickers-snickers-is-our-5-year.html
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Murad Skincare Giveaway

I am Happy to bring you this skin care giveaway by helping to promote it:

Information from the Murad Website:  People come to Murad when they're ready to transform the life of their skin. Murad guarantees that transformation because only Murad combines advanced scientific research and practical clinical experience to create high performance skincare products, dietary supplements and lifestyle programs that help people look and feel their absolute best.As America's first authentic doctor-developed brand, Murad remains true to the scientific principles of its founder, world-renowned dermatologist Howard Murad, M.D. Shaped by his Inclusive Health philosophy and inspired by the real problems of the more than 50,000 patients and clients who have visited his Los Angeles dermatology practice and Inclusive Health Spa®, his award-winning formulas have helped millions to resolve their skin issues. Through more than fifty years of research, Dr. Murad has established that beauty and health are vitally linked and best achieved through an Inclusive approach that improves every cell in the body. The result? The Murad Glow! Murad offers a solution for all types of skin and skin concerns. They are an award winning company led by Dr. Howard Murad, a leader in scientific skin care. Murad offers excellent customer service and they only offer products that do what they promise to do. Murad does not test their products on animals and they are an environmentally friendly company. To find out what type of Murad products will work best for you go HERE to take a quick 90 second quiz and find out your skin type and treatment plan! Murad is generously giving away a set of three of their award winning products to one lucky reader of Miss Jackie's Views: Active Radiance Serum ($89 value), Essential C Daily Renewal Complex ($92 value) and Essential C Cleanser ($35. value). All three products target loss of firmness,  uneven skin tone and photodamage/environmental damage. This set is valued at $216. total! You can go HERE to learn more about each product. This giveaway will end on May 28th at Midnight EST. Winner will be notified via email and has 48  hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Mother's Day to my Mom and Grandmother

Mother's day is a day to show appreciation to our mom's and anyone like a mom to us. I wish to shout out to my Mom.  I Love You even though it is not always said, and to my Grandmother, one of the strongest women I know, whom I am named after, I Love you too. Happy Mother's Day to you both. 

Chili's Gift Card Giveaway

 Once again, Been There Done That with Kat has teamed up with other awesome blogs to bring you a giveaway! I love bringing the giveaways to my readers! 

Welcome to the Great Chili’s Gift Card Giveaway!

In In the Kitchen With KP and Stuck at Home Mom have joined with a great group of bloggers to share this super tasty opportunity just for you! Is there anyone that wouln’t jump at the chance to go out and enjoy a free meal in this economy? I’m sure you’d be hard pressed to find one. So to make your day a little brighter, and your wallet a little heavier, Stuck at Home Mom and In the Kitchen With KP sponsored not one, but TWO $25.00 gift cards from Chili’s to giveaway. That means your chances to win just doubled instantly! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below!
This gift card giveaway starts May 12 at 12:01 AM EST and ends May 27 at 11:59 PM EST. Open to the US only. Must be at least 18 years old to be eligible.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Much thanks to the following for hosting. Jenny at Dapperhouse Been There Done That with Kat Ms Angela's Finds DonnasDealsAndMore Two Girls and Some Coupons SmartySaver annies home All About the Mommies Dr. Pepper Diva Gustosa Giveaways Crazy About Deals Deals, Teens and MMA SaraLee Earegood Love2EncourageYou I Luv 2 Save Mami's 3 Little Monkeys The Lucky Ladybug The Lucky Ladybug Jennifer's Deals Literary Winner Faerotic Prose a delicious obsession B^3 Just Married Mom of 3 Beautifully BellaFaith Pittsburgh Frugal Mom Plum Crazy About Coupons J4C Home The Ordinary aunt Health, Beauty, Children and Family Earth's Delights MyCouportiera Giveaway Gator Coupons are Genius Scattered Musings of A Creative Mind Christys Reviews And More Just Jennifer Talking VickieB's Ramblings Frugal-Shopping Family Savings Center Figuring Out the Small Stuff KATHY DONAHUE Momma On A Dime How To Survive in College Yummy Boy Mummy The Dollar Monger Super Mommy Of One Nana Roberta Cha Ching Queen Blog Booty Frugal Experiments The Review Wire Couponing With Integrity Scattered Musings of A Creative Mind
No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older and a resident of the U.S. to enter. No PO Boxes. Mandatory Entries must be completed or all optional entries will be rendered invalid. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. By entering, you are giving StuckatHomeMom.com and InTheKitchenWithKP.com permission to use your email to contact you in regards to prizes. Your information will be protected and never shared. Winner will be selected in a random drawing. Winner will be notified by email, and have 48 hours to respond with shipping information. If no response after 48 hours, a new winner will be selected. Giveaway ends 5/27/12 midnight EST The winner of this contest will be announced within 7 days after the contest end date. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or in associated with Twitter, Facebook or any other entity unless otherwise specified. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Please feel free to contact http://stuckathomemom.com/contact-lil-ol-me or Karen@InTheKitchenWithKP.com for further information.

Win a Diamond Candle

Enter to win Here: http://videokickoff.diamondcandles.com/?kid=9YA1

What Women Want Giveaway

I have teamed up to help promote and give you this amazing giveaway! A new season of fashion and beauty if quickly approaching. Butler Bag, Karren's Avon (creator/writer for Oh! My Heartsie) and Mom to Bed by 8 (the Iowa-Mom)want to offer one lucky reader a prize package that is sure to tickle your fancy and bring joy to your wardrobe and skin all at the same time.

Butler Bag, "The World's Most Organized Handbag"
The Butler Bag Everyday Tote is a perfectly versatile back. Offered in three colors and create from genuine Nana leather. This bag offers two zippered pockets outside and a compartmentalized interior with zippered "privacy pocket" inside. This is a true organizer's purse dream come true.

Karren's Avon is generously providing a bath and body package plus a few accessories extras to make you smile.
Odyssey Cologne Spray, Odyssey Roll-On Anti-Perspirant Deodorant and Odyssey Perfumed Skin Softener
RARE DIAMONDS Body Lotion, RARE DIAMONDS Shower Gel and RARE DIAMONDS Eau de Parfum Spray
SKIN SO SOFT Signature Silk Moisturizing Shower Gel, SKIN SO SOFT Signature Silk Gelled Body Oil and SKIN SO SOFT Signature Silk Replenishing Hand Cream
Florence Gift Set
Leading Love 2-Piece Gift Set
Silver Coin Purse and Black Wallet

Finally Mom to Bed by 8, the Iowa-Mom wants you to enjoy your stylish night out and is bringing a $50 Visa Gift Card to the What A Woman Wants party for you to do just that.

Giveaway starts on May 11 at 12:01AM and ends May 25 at 11:59PM. Open to the US residents only; must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Enter to win the What Women Want Giveaway below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Win Toby and Friends books

Toby has specially 'PAWdographed' both books for our lucky winners !!

This amazing giveaway is open Worldwide

Ending on Saturday 26th May at 12.01am EST
Hosted by Karma Media

5 WINNERS RECEIVE BOTH FANTASTIC BOOKS !!

On Toby's Terms

When Charmaine and her husband adopted Toby, a five-year-old Chesapeake Bay retriever, they figured he might need some adjusting time, but they certainly didn't count on what he'd do in the meantime. Soon after he entered their lives and home, Toby proved to be a holy terror who routinely opened and emptied the hall closet, turned on water taps, pulled and ate things from the bookshelves, sat for hours on end in the sink, and spent his days rampaging through the house. Oddest of all was his penchant for locking himself in the bathroom, and then pushing the lid of the toilet off the tank, smashing it to pieces. After a particularly disastrous encounter with the knife- block in the kitchen-and when the couple discovered Toby's bloody paw prints on the phone-they decided Toby needed professional help. Little did they know what they would discover about this dog. On Toby's Terms is an endearing story of a beguiling creature who teaches his owners that, despite their trying to teach him how to be the dog they want, he is the one to lay out the terms of being the dog he needs to be. This insight would change their lives forever.

Toby the Pet Therapy Dog, and his hospital friends

Toby is a big, brown, happy dog. Every week, his owner, Miss Charmaine takes him to visit and comfort children who are in the hospital. Follow Toby the service dog for a day, and see how he makes friends with the children, helps make them happy and forget that they are sick and away from home. * Beautifully illustrated, Toby, the Pet Therapy Dog teaches young readers the wonders of being of service to others. * A happy story that also sends a positive message about community, as well as the importance of kindness to pets.

Special Thanks to Toby and Author Charmaine Hammond for these super prizes xxx

ENTER TO WIN !!
GOOD LUCK !!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Direct link to Rafflecopter if not working from html - http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/YjI1ZmM2MThiNGYyMTBmODkxNjY1ZGFhYWJhYTNjOjIx/ Karma Media Participant Rules We cannot express this enough, USE spell check and if there is any doubt about your grammar, please ask your campaign manager to proofread, or go to www.paperrater.com. You must cite Karma Media in your post. Examples include but are not limited to(please feel free to write your own): I received (insert product name) as part of a Karma Media campaign. All opinions are 100% mine. As a member of Karma Media I received this product from (insert company name) in hopes of obtaining a review. All opinions are my own. I received this product through Karma Media in exchange for my honest review.

Magical Mother's Day Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the 

Magical Mother's Day Giveaway Hop

sponsored by Planet Weidknecht and

Going Crazy!! Wanna Go??!!

Dozens of blogs have joined together to offer you bunches of prizes!

After you enter my giveaway here, be sure to visit 

each participating blog below to enter all the giveaways!
The giveaway begins at 12:01 a.m. on May 7, 2012 and
ends at 11:59 p.m. on May 14, 2012.

Proceed's from my giveaway benefits providing mammograms to women in need. My prize was from
The Breast Cancer site @ https://www.thebreastcancersite.com/store/bcs/site?origin=E_order_PRS_042712 What better way to honor your Mom or yourself by helping another Mom in need  receive a free mammogram.

You Have the Chance to win the 

IF I COULD GIVE YOU BRACELET

Heart felt message:

                                      If I could give you diamonds for each tear you cried for me

                                     If I could give you sapphires for each truth you've helped me see

                                     If I could give you rubies for the heartache you've known

                                    If I could give you pearls for the wisdom that you've shown

                                                                      

                                                                         AND

                                                     PINK FLORAL NECKLACE

            Enter on Rafflecopter below the linky and Good Luck!

Enter to win an Echo Handbag

ENTER TO WIN HERE:  http://bit.ly/KA3tu7

Coupons & Friends Fan Giveaway

I Have Joined with Coupons and Friends to Celebrate their 3000 Fan Milestone. Enter Below, Good Luck. 

Coupons and Friends has made it to yet another milestone, thanks to my loyal fans, readers and fantastic blogger buddies! This has been a wonderful journey and I have enjoyed making new friends and learning so much along the way. I love to be able to celebrate with everyone any give back a thank you!!

I have Great Sponsors helping me out with this giveaway! I want to thank Juliana's Bits and Pieces, Carmen's Coupon Blog, Money Saving Girl, Sisters Saving Cents, The Giveaway Tree, Whirlwind of Surprises, The Kids Did It, Motherhood on the Rocks, Mommy Testers, Been There Done That With Kat and Pargas Junk Yard.

There will be 11 winners which gives everyone a better chance to win!

Good Luck.

May Business of the Month and Giveaway

  I will be participating in a monthly Small/Home business Bio every month. A group of blogger's have come together to showcase home business opportunities and tell you about the products and the companies. There will also be a giveaway for each business showcased. If you are a blogger  and wish to participate you can join us here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/160680154036226/ Small Business giveaway and support Group.  If you are a business and wish to be featured see link below post.

Business Bio:

Owner/Specialist: Jesica Helgren Website: www.athome.com/jesicahelgren How long in business: 3 months

Interview:

What is AtHome America, what products do you offer? An awesome company providing trendy home decorating essentials and quality home accessories. Whether you are looking to spruce up your kitchen with new home wares, redecorate a room in your house, or just add a great art piece to your collection, AtHome can help! What do you love about your business, why did you start doing this? I'm My Own Boss I have the best of all worlds: the support of working with my AtHome America Family, the independence to make my own business decisions and the opportunity to spend more time with those I love through flexible hours. My AtHome America business works around MY priorities - not the other way around! I Earn Fantastic Discounts One of the top reasons I began my AtHome business is because I love the HomeWares. And, I love the opportunity to earn FREE and discounted HomeWares monthly. My home is beautifully decorated, thanks to AtHome! I Make a Great Income It's true: If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life. As a HomeStyle Specialist, I have the power to determine my own schedule, my own goals and my business - while making an incredible income and having FUN! I Travel for FREE You've never traveled like you have with AtHome America. My company takes pampering to a whole other level! Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, Walt Disney World® Resort … all in style and all free. Whether you are interested in learning more about becoming a HomeStyle Specialist, would like to have a HomeShow of your own or simply shop from my website - I look forward to serving you.

Special Offers:

For the month of May, anyone who hosts a book party (I mail you catalogs, order forms, and everything you need for a successful party) or an in-home show, will earn double hostess credit on most HomeWares (meaning FREE product)! That means you will get twice as many FREE products! For more details please visit my facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/athomewithjesica or contact me via my website! In addition, hostesses and customers can enjoy these special offers just for hostessing or attending a show:             There are new specials every month, so be sure to check out our Facebook page!

Giveaway!

I have an awesome set of prizes to give away to one lucky reader, and the best part, you get to choose! Take a look at these four options, and if you are selected as the winner, you get to pick which prize package you would like!

 Enter on the rafflecopter form below for your chance to win!   

Guest Post-"Toby"

Healing on Four PAWs

Just like a giggling child can bring a smile to your face, so can an animal. How many times have you smiled at a dog walking past you on the street with his owner, or the dog who has his head hanging out the car window- pink floppy tongue flapping about in the breeze, or the cat who is peering out the window of your neighbor’s house while soaking up the sun sitting on the back of a couch. For these brief moments, animals can take us away from the busyness of life.


Animals can be healers, reduce stress levels, minimize anxiety and provide therapeutic value in many health and educational environments. Our dog Toby, a Chesapeake Bay retriever provided me the gift of witnessing the richness that a dog can bring to another human through unconditional love. Toby made the dog Marley (from the movie Marley and Me) look like a saint.


We adopted Toby at age five from a local animal rescue organization, and shortly thereafter discovered that that he came with his own baggage, which included breaking toilet tank lids, rearranging furniture, opening and emptying closets and hiding things, on an almost daily basis. Choosing not to give up on Toby, we called for help. Maggie a local and highly qualified K9 Behaviorist and Trainer discovered that Toby was a dog who needed a job.


Toby became a Pet Assisted Therapy Dog at a mental health hospital. Every Wednesday for 4 ½ years he stepped into his purpose- he visited with patients offering unconditional love, 100% focus, and trust. The impact on patients varied from patient to patient. Toby’s presence on the unit (and his loud bark to announce he had arrived) brought patients out of their rooms, the general mood, and energy on the unit increased. Patients became more social with one another during the visits with Toby. In many ways, this dog acted like a connector, he brought people together, and, his presence became a safe topic of conversation. His desire to entertain the patients (through his ¾ summersaults, tossing the ball at patients to play fetch and sitting with his head on their lap) also encouraged laughter. And we all know that laughter reduces stress hormones and has a positive impact on health.


There is a lot of research to substantiate that pet owners live longer and healthier lives. They are often more physically active because their pets require that of them. In fact, Dr. Dawn Marcus, a neurologist who is involved in pet assisted therapy through her dogs, has done extensive research on this very topic. Dr. Marcus also reported that animals can also reduce anxiety, assist with focus, improve the immune system, and provide extensive therapeutic benefits to healing.


Toby’s work has been chronicled in Chicken Soup for the Soul- What I learned from the dog (Sept 2009), in a story titled Volunteering From The Heart. 

Shortly after I wrote On Toby’s Terms, which is being turned into a major motion picture.


Toby’s children’s book was released in 2011 Toby The Pet Therapy Dog & His Hospital Friends (Bettie Youngs Books, 2011) teaching children lessons about friendship, kindness and helping others, and how a pet therapy dog can make a difference.


The patients that Toby worked with at the hospital and the thousands of children that he met in schools experienced the benefits of a therapy dog’s whose mission in life was to leave pawprints on hearts everywhere he went.

 On Toby’s Terms Website  and Toby’s Tales Website 

Toby on Facebook and  On Toby’s Terms on Facebook


Toby’s legacy video can be found at http://www.youtube.com/user/Ontobysterms 

About the author

Charmaine Hammond is a professional speaker helping build inspired and resilient teams. She speaks on the topics of resilience, Bouncing Forward, and courageous dialogue. She is also an award winning best selling author of On Toby’s Terms (Bettie Youngs Books, Sept. 2010), Toby The Pet Therapy Dog – and his hospital friends (Bettie Youngs Books, Aug. 2011), and Bounce Forward (Hammond International Publishing, April 2011), and has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul- What I learned from the dog (Sept. 2009). She is also co-authoring a new book GPS Your Best Life. Her book On Toby’s Terms is currently in development to become a major motion picture! She has been featured on CBC, CTV, Global TV, 820 CHAM, Alberta Prime Time News, many major newspapers including Metro News National Canada, US and New York, and in various magazines. She has also two radio shows that she hosts, Corporate Conversations with Charmaine, and PAWsitive Radio…all things Pets! You can find all that Charmaine offers at www.hammondgroup.biz and www.ontobysterms.com

  


Follow Tobys Book Blog Tour 

I received this product through Karma Media in exchange for my honest review.

 

Sharon from Beck Valley Books Our online bookstore - www.beckvalleybooks.co.uk Our blog - www.beckvalleybooks.blogspot.com