Father’s Day is coming up quickly and if you don’t have your Father’s Day gifts yet, you might want to think about getting them… FAST!!! Walmart has some excellent ideas for Dad this year… and they won’t break the bank either! You can find all of these gifts below all for under $20 each.

Walmart gave me a gift card to go check out some of the items on their Father’s Day Gift List, and I was able to grab hubby a couple of pretty awesome things!

There’s so many things to choose from, there’s something on the list for just about everyone!!!

For the Fisherman Dad:

• Plano 3-Day Tackle Box – $8
• Zebco Predator Spinning or Spincast Combo – $15 each
• Coleman Lumbar Chair – $19 each

Camping Dad:

• Coleman Alpine Sleeping Bag – $19 each

The Handy Dad:

• Armor All 10-Piece Microfiber Detail kit – $15
• Armor All 6-piece Complete Car Car Kit – $15
• Carrand Power Wash Wand with Bonus – $15
• Black & Decker 7.2V Cordless Power Drill with Bonus – $15
• Black & Decker 120-Piece Drill Accessory Kit – $15
• Justin Case Travel Pro Emergency Road Kit – $19
• Work and Play Watch Set – $15 set of 2

For the Relaxin’ Dad:

• Comfort Products 5-Motor Massage Cushion with Bonus – $19
• New Release Hardcover Novels – $19.94 (selected titles)

For the Golfing Dad:

• Callaway Tour Cap – $15
• Callaway Golf Balls – $15
• Callaway Golf Towel – $15

For the Fashionable Dad:

• Faded Glory 1-Pocket Polo – $7 each
• Faded Glory Ripstop Cargo Shorts – $10 each
• OP Tee – $8 each
• OP Swim Trunks – $12 each
• Gillette Fusion ProGlide Gift Set – $9.94 (include razor, shave gel, thermal scrub and cooling lotion)
• Masculine Fragrance Sets – $12 (includes McGraw, Stetson, Adidas, Jovan, Nautica)

There’s so much to choose from! I picked up the Black & Decker 120 Piece Drill Accessory kit and the Coleman Lumbar Chair for my hubby. He has been doing so much in the garage lately, more tools and a place to relax after a bit seemed to be a perfect idea… I also used the gift card to grab a couple of other small necessities for my hubby… things that will help out with some of his new projects he’s been wanting to do.

I found out while shopping, that they don’t have a designated Father’s Day section for these gifts… You can find these items in their normal departments within the store. If you have any trouble locating these items, just ask a Walmart Associate! They’ll be glad to help you find what you’re looking for!

**I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart provided me with a gift card in exchange for this post. Participation in this program is voluntary. As always, all opinions are my own.

This past weekend, nine of us Walmart Moms were brought to Bentonville, Arkansas to meet with some of the executives that work at the Home Office. It’s been a long time since we first talked about getting together out there. It was very cool that it finally happened.

When I agreed to make the trip, I wasn’t sure what to expect out of it. I knew we were going to be meeting with a few of the higher ranking people at the home office, I just didn’t know how those meetings would go. I was in for a surprise. Let’s start at the very beginning though.

Thursday was my day of travel. I spent the morning with the girls and hubby, and doing my last minute packing. My plane left out at around 230pm… Off I went to Charlotte…. then on to Fayetteville, AR. I was so excited to see everyone and to see what was in store for us. We knew that we’d be meeting with people at the Home Office,  attend the Shareholders’ Meeting and the Saturday Morning Meeting… all in just two days… It was definitely a jam packed schedule.. but I was excited! Until I got to baggage claim. One of the other Walmart Moms, Jenn Fowler, was there waiting for me… We were going to take the same shuttle to the hotel. My suitcase never showed up. To make a long story short, it nearly took a miracle to get my suitcase to me so I’d have my necessities in time for the Shareholders’ Meeting… We had to leave the hotel at 530am… My miracle came in the form of an awesome Airport Shuttle company, Jim’s Express Shuttle… Look them up if you’re ever in the Bentonville area!

Friday morning brought the Shareholders’ Meeting which was somewhat like being at the Grammy’s. It was a whole lot of business, but it was FUN! I don’t think numbers have ever interested me so much. The best part of the whole event though… was the personal stories, the stories from the employees in various countries whose lives have been changed (for the better) because of Walmart. We first heard the story of an associate from Malaysia who now is a store manager in Canada. We heard stories about how the quality of life has been improved for not only the employees but the patrons of the stores in India, and how an associate in Japan learned sign language to better help out her hearing impaired customers. There were so many stories that just tugged at our hearts… It put a very personal touch to a company that we hear all too much corporate things about. It made me proud to be a Walmart Mom. If you want to see some of the action at the Shareholders’ Meeting, you can watch the replay of it here, and check out the conversation on Twitter here.

After the Shareholders’ Meeting, we went to Walmart’s Home Office. We sat down with some of the biggest names in the company. We learned about Walmart’s sustainability efforts, what’s been done successfully and what’s being worked on still. We learned about some of the great new projects Walmart is working on… including some of the new Family Moments movies coming up! We also got to meet with Stephen Quinn (Exec VP & CMO) and voice our concerns about issues we’ve experienced or heard about from our readers. He not only listened intently, but he also went and got the heads of other departments to find out answers right away. It wasn’t just note taking and “I’ll get back to you later”. It was “How can we fix it?” and “Let’s get it done now”. It was so nice to actually be listened to and taken seriously. We opened up a great line of communication… and I invite you.. my readers.. to feel free to use my contact page if you ever experience an issue in your local store that isn’t resolved in a timely manner. I want to let you know that I am here to listen and to help… and THEY want to work on fixing things to make them better for their customers.

We also attended the Monthly Saturday Morning Meeting… We weren’t allowed to take photos or video in there, but it was also pretty intense. It was another morning of highlighting their employees. There were people there celebrating 20, 25, 30 & 35+ years with the company… To even think about having a job that you love enough to be able to stay with for so many years… That’s just amazing. I want a job like that..

All in all, it was a very awesome weekend. I went away with great feelings and hope that as a Walmart Mom, I’ll be able to make a difference… even from my itty bitty part of the interwebs.  Thanks Walmart for listening and providing me with such a great opportunity.

*I am a Walmart Mom. My trip was paid for by Walmart. The opinions in this post are my own.

]]> http://www.mommybrainreports.com/walmartmoms-trip-to-bentonville-ar/feed/ 2 http://www.mommybrainreports.com/hanes-comfort-crew-june-announcements/ http://www.mommybrainreports.com/hanes-comfort-crew-june-announcements/#comments Sat, 05 Jun 2010 19:06:28 +0000 Monica http://www.mommybrainreports.com/?p=3236

As a Hanes Comfort Crew Member, I get access to some pretty cool opportunites… Like  a chance to talk to Melina Kanakarades, or awesome information about new products that are coming out. Well, here’s a pretty cool note for all the guys out there that wear Hanes T-shirts!

May brought out the Michael Jordan Lay Flat Collar Tees commercials… all of which were pretty cool. Boasting serious comfort and a collar that just won’t roll, bunch, wrinkle, etc keeping you looking your best, the Lay Flat Collar was a big deal in our house! Hanes is taking comfort to new heights with a month long partnership with Jet Blue Airways. Offering an on-board Comfort Upgrade via Hanes tee sampling to all east-bound overnight passengers (Approx 64,000 people). Also, throughout the month of June, Hanes will host weekly drawings on it’s Facebook page, where four lucky winners will win two round trip Jet Blue Airways travel vouchers and a Hanes.com gift card!

That’s all some pretty great news right? Read on.. there’s more! (You thought that was all?)

June also brings a Comfort Rewards loyalty program. Customers can sign up at www.ComfortRewards.com purchase specially-marked products with codes and enter those codes online. Those codes turn into points that you can the redeem for prizes ranging from Hanes products to vacation sweepstakes entries to destinations like Disney Parks and Resorts, JetBlue, GE, The Islands of the Bahamas and Disney Cruise Lines.  PHEW! There’s more than 30 million socks and causal wear products and children’s underwear packages that are marked with a distinct Comfort Rewards Code…   They should be pretty easy to find!

Last, but not least, selected packages of Hanes Underwear TShirts now have free samples of Speed Stick Stainguard, with new patent-pending “Stainguard” technology that reduces yellowing by leaving more of the antiperspirant on the skin. The Hanes Facebook page has a new “Giveaway” tab that allows fans to enter to win one of 250 samples of Speed Stick Stainguard  and a Hanes Tee.

So this past weekend, on our way to the MCAS Cherry Point Air Show, we stopped in at Rite Aid to grab some totally forgotten, and very much needed sunscreen for everyone.

I had grabbed two bottles of sunscreen that was going to cost me over $22, took them up to the counter to pay for them, and the cashier asked me if I had a Wellness Rewards card… I did not! I actually didn’t even know that Rite Aid had such a thing! I have CVS’s card… as well as a few other retailers, but I definitely didn’t have Rite Aid…

She handed me a folder to fill out, scanned in my new card, and BAM! instant savings… It was very cool!

If you shop at Rite Aid, I totally recommend signing up.. It’s free… There’s no obligation.. only major (up to 20%) savings for you! Just click the banner below to learn more and/or sign up for yourself!

23 days and Counting…

I have some great posts coming up in the days preceding Earth Day (April 22nd)… What are you doing to help save the planet???

Future bestselling authors from North Carolina (WOOHOO!) and New York

On January 15th, 2010, MrsP.com announced the names of the two Grand Prize winners in its first annual “Be a Famous Writer” contest.  Gabrielle Fuller, 8, from North Carolina, takes top honors in the 4- to 8-year-old category with her comic fairy tale, “Pretty Princess and Funky Frog.” In the 9- to 13-year-old category, Isabella Penola, 12, from New York, charmed the panel of famous judges with her poignant tale of an elderly gardener, “Spattered Mud and Crushed Petals”.

“Like everyone, I’m concerned about the state of education in America.  But based on the quality of writing for my contest, I’m happy to say a lot of teachers out there must be doing a wonderful job,” said TV star Kathy Kinney, who portrays Mrs. P and is one of the creators of the website.

The Grand Prize winners will have their stories produced as videos featuring Mrs. P, which will be presented on her popular free, interactive digital website. Original artwork by award-winning illustrator, Robin E. Kaplan, will help bring the stories to life. The videos will be posted for a limited time on the website (www.MrsP.com) beginning in March for viewers all over the world to watch and enjoy. In addition, each winner will receive an actual bound copy of the story and illustrations as a keepsake to treasure for years to come. Powell’s Books (www.Powells.com), the largest independent bookseller and the sponsor of the contest, will provide the Grand Prize winners as well as the 8 other finalists with gift certificates to its store.

The judges for the writing contest included four top professionals in the writing field: Dave Barry, Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist and author of dozens of bestselling books; Andre Bormanis, writer and producer of the popular fantasy series, Legend of the Seeker and author of Star Trek: Science Logs; Craig Ferguson, host of the CBS Late Late Show and author of the acclaimed novel, Between the Bridge and the River; and Diana Leszczynski, author of Fern Verdant and the Silver Rose, a comic adventure recently selected as a Smithsonian Notable Children’s Book and currently being developed as a motion picture.

The MrsP.com writing contest is an annual event and runs every September. It was created along with the website to encourage a love of reading.

Next year…. my girls are so totally entering!!! Your children should too!!

OK, now I’m 2 days late.. but better late than never right???

It’s never been a secret that I’ve been working with the amazing folks at EA SPORTS Active. I’ve been so lucky to have participated in two fitness challenges with them, using the EA SPORTS Active Personal Trainer, as well as the EA SPORTS Active More Workouts. With these programs, I’ve lost 3 dress sizes, and have gained a whole lot of insight into what I changes I need to make in order to make healthy living our lifestyle rather than just a short term accomplishment.

Well, this past weekend, I was invited to Beverly Hills to participate in an EA SPORTS Active retreat of sorts. The weekend consisted of fun, friends, food, photos, and famous people. Yes.. celebs. We were special guests of Nancy O’Dell at her Active for Life March of Dimes Benefit Party. She invited some of her friends, and of course, the media were there. It was a great night. I got to meet some of my fave actors, i.e. AJ Buckley (CSI NY), Holly Robinson Peete (21 Jumpstreet), Antonio Sabado Jr. (General Hospital), Greg Vaughan (General Hospital), and his beautiful wife Touriya, Sarah Hyland (Modern Family, and a few more. It was so cool…. We were able to take photos with everyone, hang out and talk to everyone about our experiences with the EA SPORTS Active programs, and I even got a couple of autographs. All of the celebs that attended had the chance to try out the EA SPORTS Active programs, create their own workouts, and then sign a Wii and one of each of the programs that will be auctioned off to benefit the March of Dimes. Amazing night.. just amazing.

The next morning, I was up at 4am. Darn that Eastern Time when I’m on the West Coast. Amy from MomSpark was awake too, and after a quick tweet and phone call, we were running out of the hotel to catch a taxi to Target. We got to Target, waited the 3 minutes for them to open, then literally sprinted through to grab sunglasses, a backpack, and water bottles. We made it back to the taxi in 10 minutes… to the second… then back to the hotel by 8:17am. It was amazing. We felt like we were on an episode of the amazing race. We went back to our rooms to pack our backpacks, then downstairs for a great breakfast.

The EA SPORTS Active team took us for a hike up Runyon Canyon. If you don’t know me.. hiking up mountains/hills whatever.. “is not my best” (as my girls like to say) It’s not necessarily the physical part of it, I can suck that up.. It’s the mental part. I  am SO scared of heights, and climbing something that I can fall/roll/slip down scares the heck outta me. I was fine until we started climbing these crazy wacky steps that could be considered mini-cliffs, then the fear set in. I had amazing friends there with me. Julie, Donny, Roger, all of them were super awesome and helped me get over that fear and keep on climbing. We made it to the top, and had an amazing, breathtaking view of Beverly Hills/Hollywood. We, of course, got photos with the Hollywood sign in the distance behind us! The way down was much easier. It was mostly a paved road, and I even had the energy to run some of it. It was awesome! When we got to the map, we found out that we hiked over 4 miles, almost 5… Oh yeah, and TEAM ANISSA represent! I wore my Team Anissa shirt on the hike… reminded me that if Anissa could come back from her ordeal.. I could conquer this tiny freakin’ hill… (mountain, whatever)

At the bottom(ish) we ran into a couple of gals offering samples of their Activate Vitamin Drinks. It’s really neat stuff. You twist the lid to release the vitamin/flavoring into the water, shake it up, and voila.. Drink and enjoy! I was able to try the Fruit punch and lemon-lime (someone else didn’t want hers). I really like them. I checked out their website, and saw that they have so many more flavors and formulas, but they don’t sell these waters near me. I may have to order some online! You can also follow them on Twitter @ActivateDrinks.

I know this was supposed to be a #mamavation post, and I’ve sort of rambled… The point of this whole story is that I did something that I haven’t done in a long time.. and I didn’t stop. Years ago, I climbed Ryan Mountain in Joshua Tree, CA. I also climbed Mt. Fuji while living in Japan. Both were pretty big accomplishments, but I was in much better shape then. Now, this hike took more determination, and I did it. I had some great support there, and I thank them for pushing me! I can’t wait to someday either go back or climb something even more challenging. Well.. as long as I don’t have to look down :)

In any case, voting is coming up for the next #mamavation moms, and I’m hoping I’ll make it into the top 5 to even get to the voting platform! Until the 14th, I NEED you to tweet this phrase

“Hey @bookieboo! I want @MommyBrain to be the next #Mamavation Mom. She has my support!”

…. and tweet it often! Once, twice, three time daily… even more if you feel so inclined. I need @bookieboo & the Mamavation crew to see that I have your support… I need to see that too… If I do make it to voting, I’m going to need lots of votes! Voting will go from the 14-21st… so get your mice ready!

And I need you!!!

If you’ve been on Twitter, or keeping track anywhere around the fitness blog, you have probably heard about an awesome program called #Mamavation. It’s an awesome support system started by Leah Segedie, or as many of us affectionately call her, @bookieboo.
This program has helped several moms kick start their fitness goals and lose amazing weight, and now I want need to be one of those moms!
I’ve been trying to lose weight for several years now, and have not been able to do it as well as I could be. I’ve gone to the gym. I’ve walked at home. I’ve even worked out with my Wii. I have lost some weight but it’s not enough. I need more help! I need to know what I’ve been doing wrong all this time. I want to make lifestyle changes that will help me lose the weight, and keep it off. I want to know more about good nutrion and exercise that I can pass on to my girls, and my husband to get them fit and excited about it!
Here’s where I need YOU! I need your support!
Please watch my video below. Know that this isn’t something I’m doing just for myself, but for my family. My girls are my motivation, but I need your support more now than ever!
If you are on Twitter, awesome. If you are not, I ask you to join now… it’s free, I promise. I NEED you to tweet this phrase

“Hey @bookieboo! I want @MommyBrain to be the next #Mamavation Mom. She has my support!”

…. and tweet it often! Once, twice, three time daily… even more if you feel so inclined. I need @bookieboo & the Mamavation crew to see that I have your support… I need to see that too… Thank you so much!

Can you believe that it’s almost Christmas time already? It seems like the year just flew by… again…

With Halloween over, the holiday shopping season begins. If you haven’t been shopping already, you should probably start thinking about what you’re going to get those special people in your life! You don’t want to be caught up at the last minute waiting in lines, or seeing big OUT OF STOCK next to just about anything you can think of that you want to get.

I’m hopefully going to be able to relieve some of that shopping stress for you. Over the last year, I’ve scoured the internet for some of the newest, coolest and most fun items for this year’s gift guide. I’ve had such an overwhelming response from companies, and especially, mom owned businesses, that I’ve had to split up my gift guide into several more categories than I had originally planned! So here’s how it will work…

From this week through November 15th, I will post my top picks in different categories. The first will be books. Future categories will be Electronics and Tech, Eco-Friendly/Natural Products, Family Fun, Games, Just for Dad, Just for Mom & Apparel/Accessories. You’ll be able to find these items easily through either my “Categories” drop down box on the right, or from this post. I will post links to each category at the bottom of this post as they are completed. Once all of the posts are done, I will compile everything into a PDF that includes pictures, short description, MSRP, and website(s) where they are available for purchase.

Some companies offered samples, and I will denote those items in each description. If it doesn’t say that I’ve tried it, then I did not get to try that item. All information posted on items I did not personally touch is coming straight from the company or their representatives. I will also mark special Mom-Owned Businesses!

Watch my Tweets and/or subscribe to my RSS so you don’t miss out!!! There is going to be so many awesome products!!

***This giveaway is now closed to entries!***

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

156
24

Timestamp: 2009-10-27 03:30:45 UTC

For the first time in 7 years, Disney is opening the vault and releasing ‘The One That Started It All’. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is being released in high-definition Blu-ray for the first time ever on October 6!

What is the Limited Diamond Edition?

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Diamond Edition includes a Blu-ray disc and a DVD in one package! You can enjoy the incredible high definition experience of Blu-ray at home, and use the DVD in the kids’ room, in the car, or on your computer. Disney Blu-ray Combo Packs are the perfect way to start your Blu-ray collection!

Not only will you get the classic tale of Snow White in this2-disc special, it comes with plenty of extras:

• First time ever in High Definition 7.1 sound
• All new music video!
• Disneyview – Expanded viewing experience
• Disney Family Plan – games for everyone to enjoy
• Backstage Disney – go behind the scenes of this legendary tale
• Classic Bonus features include Dopey’s Wild Mine Ride Game, Karoke Sing A Long, and so much more

This is a must-have addition to any contemporary family’s movie library and it’s only available for a limited time! Be prepared with the latest version and technology. And, if you are one who already own Snow White on VHS or DVD, click here to grab a $10 off coupon for the new Diamond Edition Combo Pack!  Offer is only good until October 20.

Thanks to One2One Network for sending us a copy of the movie to check out. It made a perfect movie night with my girls.

Now, thanks to Disney and One2One Network, one of my readers will win a Limited Edition Collector’s Set of the Combo Pack which comes lithography. Set includes the Diamond Edition combo pack, The Making of a Masterpiece collector’s book, 8 piece character pin set, 7 piece lithograph set, all valued at $190. What an amazing package!!!

All you have to do is leave me a comment with your most favorite Disney Moment. It could be your first time at a Disney Park, or a part of your favorite Disney Movie… anything you’d consider your most favorite Disney Moment!

You may gain additional entries by doing either or all of the following:

*  Subscribe to Mommy Brain Reports via RSS or Email and leave me a comment telling me you did so! If you already do, leave me a comment!

* Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway by clicking the green Retweet button, or by copying the statement below:

Enter to win Disney Snow White & 7 Dwarfs Collector Set worth $190 on @MommyBrain’s site! http://bit.ly/j7EP0

Leave me a comment letting me know each time you tweet!

You may enter as many times as you wish, but you must leave a comment each time for it to count.

Entries will be accepted from October 13-October 26th @ 5pm EST. Winners will be chosen at random. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond to claim their prize. Winner must be a resident of the USA. Again, you must leave a comment for each option you choose to enter. *Rules subject to change without notice*

Good Luck!