I was looking through my list of upcoming reviews last night and realized that I have a TON of great giveaways coming up! It seems appropriate that I’ll be handing out more gifts since this is my birthday month, and I want to give you an opportunity to earn even more entries. Therefore, if you leave a comment on this post before 11:59 PM EST on Monday, September 6, 2010 (the end of the Labor Day weekend), you can give yourself 5 extra entries into every giveaway you enter on this blog that is posted in the month of September. Just leave a friendly comment below, and then when you enter any giveaway this month, leave 5 extra comments on the giveaway post (after you fulfill the first required entry) saying something like “Birthday Bonus #1,” “Birthday Bonus #2,” and so on. I’ll try to remind you on each giveaway that this is an option. But, remember, if your comment below isn’t posted before the deadline above, you don’t get the 5 extra entries. Good luck!

I’ve written before about CSN Stores because they’re such a fantastic resource for finding items for your home. CSN Stores is actually a network of more than 200 stores that offer products from furniture and rugs to toys and plumbing parts, and much, much more! And now I have the opportunity to offer one lucky reader a gift code worth $125 for use at any one of their stores! What will $125 get you? How about a….

Samsonite Solana 28" Expandable Spinner Suitcase


Or a Pacific Girl’s 24" Highlander ATB Mountain Bike


Or a Murray Feiss Barrington Semi Flush Mount in Oil Rubbed Bronze (Ceiling Light)


Note that this gift code does not cover shipping, but that’s not a problem because they have a TON of items that include free shipping! Really, you’ve got to see all of the beautiful and wonderful items that CSN offers in their 200+ stores. Check them out at www.csnstores.com.


To enter to win the $125 gift code (code expires Dec. 31, 2010), go to www.csnstores.com and look around! Then return here with the LINK to an item that you’d love to own. (It doesn’t have to equal the amount of the gift code. I just want to know what caught your eye!) You must do this to enter the giveaway.

You can earn optional, additional entries by... (leave a separate comment for each)

- Following CSN Stores (@CSNStores) and Susan Heim on Parenting (@ParentingAuthor) on Twitter and tweeting about this giveaway. You may tweet twice a day. (Please space them at least an hour apart.) Leave a separate comment with the URL of each tweet. (It’s easy to tweet this giveaway by using the buttons at the bottom of this post. 1 entry per tweet.)

- Subscribing to Susan Heim on Parenting via email, RSS and/or Kindle (see sign-up options on left sidebar). Leave a comment for each subscription method. (1 entry for each subscription method for up to 3 entries)

- Liking Susan Heim on Parenting on Facebook. (1 entry)

- Liking CSN Stores on Facebook. (1 entry)

- Following Susan Heim on Parenting through Google Friend Connect. Click on the “Follow” button on the left sidebar. Leave a comment. (1 entry)

- Putting a button for Susan Heim on Parenting on your blog (the code is in the upper right-hand column of this site) and/or a text link on your blog roll. Post a comment with your blog’s URL. (1 entry for button; 1 entry for text link)

- Posting this giveaway on your blog with a link to this page. Leave a comment with a direct link to the post. (3 entries; leave a separate comment for each)

One winner will be randomly selected from the qualified comments received by Friday, September 17, 2010, at 11:59 PM EST. Please leave an email address on one of your comments if it’s not available on your Blogger profile. Winners must respond within 72 hours or another winner will be drawn. Contest is open to US and Canadian residents only.



DISCLOSURE: No compensation was provided for this post.

Do you have a daughter, niece, granddaughter or other young lady in the family (ages 16-24) who has a beautiful singing voice? Let her know that the executive producers of Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little Liars are looking for female singers to audition for Talent -- a hot new web series debuting early 2011. Winners will receive a lead role in Talent and a recording contract with Jive Records, the record company for Usher, Britney Spears, and Pink! Girls can submit their audition videos and get more information at http://thetalentshow.com through September 28, 2010. Connect with Talent on Facebook for the latest updates and audition tips, and tune into the official Talent YouTube channel to check out the latest audition tapes!

Cynthia Roberts, author of her debut historical romance, Wind Warrior, has something pretty darn dynamic for all of Susan Heim on Parenting’s visitors, friends and subscribers ... one of the largest blog tour promotional giveaways ever attempted.

Breaking into the world of romance fiction is a challenge unto itself, but more so when you’re a newly published author. I am excited to participate in this venture with Cynthia and help introduce Wind Warrior to the world of romance readers. The bonus … everyone has the chance to compete for not one, but five pretty extraordinary prizes, which will include:

1. Romantic two-lid willow picnic basket with deluxe service for two ~ $125.00 value

2. Succulent Godiva chocolate tier ~ $75.00 value

3. Exquisite pearl & crystal necklace ~ $50.00 value

4. Amazon gift certificate ~ $25 value

5. Amazon gift certificate ~ $25 value

To read further descriptions of the prizes, visit Cynthia’s website at www.romanceauthorcynthiaroberts.com.

Contest Rules Are As Follows

1. Leave a comment at the end of this post.

2. Tweet the following text: Wind Warrior by Cynthia Roberts: A story of longing, wanting & a love so strong it conquers human evil. On sale now at major book retailers.

3. Post the text above on your Facebook and/or Myspace profile.

4. Become a fan/follower/subscriber of this blog.

5. The list of participating blogs are registered on Cynthia’s website and you may enter to win on every one, however, only one family member may do so in a household.

6. Open to ALL, not just the US & Canada.

7. Each participating blog will randomly choose five entrants to compete for the grand prize pool where the final 5 winners will be randomly selected.

8. Winners will be chosen on Sept. 30th and notified via email by Cynthia.

9. All finalists must provide their email, name and official delivery address at the time of finalist selection to Susan Heim on Parenting.

10. All prizes will be shipped no later than Oct. 30th directly from the distributor.

11. The steps above will be checked to determine your eligibility.

[Note from Susan: Do as many of the steps above as possible. You will not be disqualified if you don’t have a Facebook, Myspace or Twitter account. Just leave one comment with the steps you were able to complete. One entry per person per participating blog.]

Wind Warrior ~ The Iroquois Series ~ Book One

Leslie Michaels is a visionary, and only those close to her know of her special gift and the visions that come when her mind and body surrender to sleep. Fate has a way of righting many wrongs, and for Leslie it is a destiny that changes her life dramatically. But not before she is forced to flee into the wilderness to escape a murderous trapper bent on claiming her for his very own. Faith and a strong will to survive are her only companions, until she encounters Winnokin, the handsome Seneca war chief who first came to her in her dreams. Not only does he prove to be her rescuer and protector, he teaches her that tragedy can breed happiness and the passion to live and love deeply once again.

Wind Warrior plunges readers into the intimate depths of a relationship that unfolds like a live drama before their eyes while painting an insightful and intriguing portrait of Native Indian life in the 1800s. It is a story of longing, of a wanton need to survive all odds, and a love so strong it conquers human evil. Wind Warrior expresses with cunning words the simple, raw human emotions that hold readers spellbound and captivates their hearts.

On sale now at Amazon, Borders, Barnes and Noble (ISBN# 978-1-61663-162-8). Read more than a dozen reviews on Cynthia’s website at www.romanceauthorcynthiaroberts.com.





DISCLOSURE: As a thank you for participating in this blog tour, the author will be entering my name in a separate bloggers’ drawing to win the same prizes as those offered above. No compensation was provided for this post. As an Amazon affiliate, I receive a small commission on purchases made through the Amazon link at left.

What is the #1 skin care brand recommended by OB-GYNs? Belli! I wish I had known about Belli products when I was pregnant with my twins because I could definitely have used their Elasticity Belly Oil, Pampered Pregnancy Body Wash, and Stretchmark Minimizing Cream! What fabulous products they have for pregnant women. If you’re looking for a great gift for an expectant mother, you should definitely consider their Belli Pregnancy Gift Box, which contains five different skin care products for moms-to-be.

But Belli isn’t just for pregnancy. They also have an excellent line of gentle and safe products for baby! Check out the Protect Me Diaper Rash Cream and Pamper Me Talc-Free Baby Powder for your little one’s tender bottom. Their Belli Baby Gift Set makes a perfect shower or new baby gift.

Even if, like me, you’re no longer in the early mama mode, Belli has plenty of products to care for your skin. I love the Eye Brightening Cream and their Acne Clearing Products. Body lotions, exfoliators and scar treatments are great for anyone!

And here’s some really good news: Belli is currently holding its Annual Birthday Bash! To celebrate, you get 30% off your order at www.belliskincare.com. Just pick out what you want and use the code BELLIBASH during checkout to save 30% on your order. If you spend more than $75, shipping is free! But hurry because the Birthday Bash (and the discount) will end on 9/6/10.




DISCLOSURE: I received complimentary samples of Belli products to facilitate my candid review. No other compensation was provided.

I’ve always had a strong interest in different countries and cultures, and I want to pass that same love on to my children. One way to do that is through reading books that let kids experience life in a foreign country. This can be especially effective when it’s through the eyes of a child. An excellent series for doing this is the I See the Sun Series, published by Satya House Publications. The books in this series help children experience “a day in the life” of a child in a different country.

My kids and I had the pleasure of reading the first book in this new series, I See the Sun in China, by Dedie King and illustrated by Judith Inglese. The first thing you notice when you pick up this children’s book is that it’s written in both English and Mandarin Chinese! My kids were fascinated by the Chinese characters, even though they were unable to read them. The next thing that stands out is the artwork. It’s done in sort of a collage format, with a mix of photographs, drawings, and paper cut-outs. It’s very unique and striking.

Finally, your kids will love the story about a little girl who lives in a rural area of China and takes a ferry to visit her aunt in the city of Shanghai. She is amazed at the huge skyscrapers in the big city, so different from her hometown. She and her aunt do many fun things in the city, taking readers along with them. Children learn, for example, that Chinese people often eat “congee,” a form of rice porridge, for breakfast. The Chinese also play games like Mah jong and do Tai Chi exercises. I See the Sun in China is an enchanting way to introduce children to daily life in China.

I See the Sun in China recently received a 2010 Preferred Choice Award in the Books for Kids category from the Creative Child Awards Program. And I’m thrilled that this book is just the first of a series. Coming soon will be I See the Sun in Nepal, I See the Sun in Afghanistan, I See the Sun in India, and I See the Sun in Russia. As modern technology enables us to interact more with people from different countries, it’s very important for our children to acquire a global perspective at an early age. I hope you’ll start by reading I See the Sun in China to your kids, and then moving on to all the books that come out in this terrific series. Go to www.iseethesunbooks.com for more information.



One lucky reader will receive a copy of the book, I See the Sun in China. To enter, leave a comment on this post with the name of any country that you’d like to learn more about or would like to visit. You must do this to enter the giveaway.

You can earn optional, additional entries by... (leave a separate comment for each)

- Following Susan Heim on Parenting (@ParentingAuthor) on Twitter and tweeting about this giveaway. You may tweet twice a day. (Please space them at least an hour apart.) Leave a separate comment with the URL of each tweet. (It’s easy to tweet this giveaway by using the buttons at the bottom of this post. 1 entry per tweet.)

- Subscribing to Susan Heim on Parenting via email, RSS and/or Kindle (see sign-up options on left sidebar). Leave a comment for each subscription method. (1 entry for each subscription method for up to 3 entries)

- Liking Susan Heim on Parenting on Facebook. (1 entry)

- Following Susan Heim on Parenting through Google Friend Connect. Click on the “Follow” button on the left sidebar. Leave a comment. (1 entry)

- Putting a button for Susan Heim on Parenting on your blog (the code is in the upper right-hand column of this site) and/or a text link on your blog roll. Post a comment with your blog’s URL. (1 entry for button; 1 entry for text link)

- Posting this giveaway on your blog with a link to this page. Leave a comment with a direct link to the post. (3 entries; leave a separate comment for each)

One winner will be randomly selected from the qualified comments received by Monday, September 13, 2010, at 11:59 PM EST. Please leave an email address on one of your comments if it’s not available on your Blogger profile. Winners must respond within 72 hours or another winner will be drawn. Contest is open to US residents only.



DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided. As an Amazon affiliate, I receive a small commission on sales made through the Amazon link in this post.

Guest Post by Johnny Tan
Author, From My Mama’s Kitchen

In a recent exclusive interview, Yahoo! News and The Huffington Post reported that Warren Buffett, known as the Oracle of Omaha and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, learned the lesson of his life. Apparently, while attending the Allen & Company conference, an annual gathering of technology and media leaders in Sun Valley, Idaho, Mr. Buffett credited his father for having taught him the most important concept of his life -- the power of unconditional love.

According to Buffett, “… there is no power on Earth like unconditional love. And I think that if you offered that to your child, I mean you’re 90 percent of the way home. There may be days when you don’t feel like it, it’s not uncritical love, that’s a different animal, but to know you can always come back, that is huge in life. That takes you a long, long way. And I would say that every parent out there that [who] can extend that to their child at an early age, it’s going to make for a better human being.”

As an expert on the subject, I am impressed with his acknowledgment. Although the credit to the source of this awesome teaching is different, for this CEO it was his father, and for me, my 9 moms. Thus, the validation of this awesome power is unequivocal.

The wisdom of this knowledge opens an additional window of opportunities for creative communication, unparalleled understanding and respect that would otherwise not exist because of the limits induced by our own conscious and subconscious self-centeredness. Whether fatherly or motherly love, when it is given without regard to conditions to your loved ones at any age, and in any setting, in our personal or professional life, it will serve as a catalyst to catapult an individual to a higher level of self-actualization.

It is true, as Buffett said, there may be days we don’t feel like it, but to know you can always rely on this level of devotion is a huge vessel in life. With the thorough understanding of the power you can create, foster an environment that promotes harmonious relationships in both your home and business life.

In your home, you can create a perfect setting that offers a fresh perspective for embracing natural nurturing instincts. This approach empowers loved ones from within and allows them to achieve individual excellence. From identifying their personal strengths and weaknesses to formulating a plan of action, helping them accomplish their personal dreams, goals, and desires becomes a heartfelt passion.

When you unleash the power of this phenomenon into your business, you demonstrate potent leadership with a unique approach. You are now teaching, coaching, and counseling individuals and team members to achieve the synergy of corporate oneness. This will enhance personal and professional development, and create a happy working environment, resulting in better interpersonal relationships, increased productivity, and improved profits.

As my Italian foster mom, Carol, would say, as indicated in my book, From My Mama’s Kitchen, “Wisdom comes when we combine knowledge, understanding and compassion. We do not need more logic in our life. We need to use our rationality to work collaboratively with our intuition instead of using it to overrule what we instinctively know.”

This sage of Omaha successfully used the power of his dad’s technique for his personal and professional life. Although my own dad had passed on at a critical time in my life, I did not lose the opportunity to learn this valuable lesson thanks to my 9 moms. The power of unconditional love transcends genders and cultures. It reminds us that we are all part of the bigger world. Always remember that we all have the same potential. It’s just a matter of what strengths we are willing to utilize. We can choose to use it at any time for the greater good of our family or to enrich our business with spicy leadership.

So when do we use this power? To answer this question, I would like to share with you this recipe for living from my German mom, Dianne, as indicated in my book, From My Mama’s Kitchen, “Every once in a while a situation may occur that requires us to radiate our energy of positive goodwill, compassion, and love for others. Until we try to put ourselves beyond our comfort zone, we will not realize we have what it takes to make a difference in that person’s life and in ours.”

Throughout our life’s journey, we will continue to gain and encounter new experiences. Some experiences, good or bad, will stay with us for the rest of our life. It is how we manage them that will ultimately determine our idea of success or failure. Applying the power of unconditional love to either situation will always lead us to living a memorable and satisfied personal and professional life.

Johnny Tan
Motivational Speaker
Talk Show Host: FMMKTalkRadio
Award-Winning Author: From My Mama’s Kitchen -- “food for the soul, recipes for living”
(Mom’s Choice Awards® Gold Recipient -- Inspirational/Motivational)

I love Bari Koral’s music for kids. Her tagline is “rock songs for kids that parents dig,” and I couldn’t agree more! Just in time for back to school, Bari has released a new video called “The Backpack Song.” Check it out!



[Email subscribers, please click on the title of this post to access the video online.]

This song is on her CD, “Rock and Roll Garden.” Go to www.barikoral.com to hear more of Bari’s foot-stomping music and order her CDs! Find out why the New York Post called her the “Sheryl Crow for Kids”!




DISCLOSURE: No compensation or products were exchanged for this post. I just love to spread the word about great family-friendly music and artists!