With big giveaways we don’t want you to forget to enter plus we have to make sure our sponsors feel appreciated. Even though, I wasn’t compensated in anyway, I still want to thank them in my own words.

Thank you Global Resort Homes and Orlando Balloon Adventures for donating such wonderful prizes. Remember you can enter to win a 7 night stay at Global Resort Homes and a Hot Air Balloon Ride and Disney World Park Passes. Ends March 6th.

To learn more about Global Resort Homes:

• Visit the Global Resort Homes
• Follow them on Twitter
• “Like” them on Facebook

To learn more about Orlando Balloon Adventures:

• Visit the Orlando Balloon Adventures
• Follow them on Twitter
• “Like” them on Facebook.

Thanks as well to Surf and Sunshine and Midget Momma for organizing the giveaway. I’ve worked with Global in the past.

I’m always excited when I hear about new initiatives in our schools. My daughters’ education is a top priority for me and I monitor the new developments in our nation’s schools carefully to see what I and our schools could be doing.

That’s why I was excited to read about the Lowell Milken Center Discovery Award whose aim is to explore unsung heroes. The award is a unique opportunity to engage our kids in an educational project that allows them to pursue a subject that interests them as they conduct research about the subject and join a community which is involved in educating themselves and others about unrecognized heroes. The project joins children, parents and educators from around the nation who support each other’s efforts while developing quality materials and building their own learning skills.

Students from fourth through twelfth grades are eligible to participate in the project. Each student selects an individual whose actions have impacted society over a span of time as well as, in some way, changed the course of history. Each project must involve original research with supporting primary sources and a bibliography. The Lowell Milken Center expects that each project will offer sustaining value to society. Projects must include examples of the hero’s actions that establish the reasons that the hero
serves as a role model.

The 2012 project deadline has passed for topic approval but I hope that increasing numbers of students, including kids from my own community, will get involved in the future. Students can submit their project as an exhibit, a website, a performance or as a documentary film which offers the students plenty of opportunities to showcase their creativity. In addition, projects may be submitted by students working as a group(five or fewer students) which increases cooperation skills and provides heightened opportunities for inspiration and inventiveness.

Lowell Milken, founder of the Center is offering significant cash prizes which, I believe, indicates to the kids that their work is
valued.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walmart for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I try very hard to be all about healthy living in our household, I try. We still have a lot of improvement needed in our house. We eat a lot of vegetables and fruit but we aren’t the most active family out there. I’d love it if it didn’t rain so much here and if the average temperature was a little warmer. But since I can’t change the climate and we’re not going to move I need to make do with what I have. We need to come up with a family exercise program. Currently we use the Xbox Kinect as our exercise program and I have to admit it is a lot of fun.

Walmart’s Healthy Living initiative aims to help families like mine. They are giving 9.5 Million in grants to help organizations that are helping families to have healthy nutritional eating habits. Through these organizations like Share Our Strength, the National 4-H Council and Action for Healthy Kids, the Walmart Foundation plans to reach nearly 300,000 people across the nation: They are going to teach families how to eat healthy on a budget, give cooking demonstrations and teach them how to make healthy choices. You know, Share Our Strength is one of my favorite programs I’m so glad that Walmart will be working with them. They plan to provide $4 million for grocery store tours to 7,500 participants through Shopping Matters which helps low-income families learn how to shop healthy on a budget.  Be sure to check out the Walmart healthy living Program yourself for a full list of organizations they are helping and all the amazing things they are doing.

Walmart has recruited Rovenia M. Brock Ph. D.. Rovenia is known for providing a unique brand of inspiration, nutrition education, and health advice to help Americans develop better, more nutritious eating habits. She’s going to be a major help empowering communities learn about healthy living.

How Can you empower your community to live healthier? 

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

My family is very fortunate with our current insurance plan we have practically no out of pocket which is unheard of for most Americans. Right now I can go to any pharmacy I want to and it’s the same cost to me. I do remember one year when we were told that our pharmacies no longer accepted our insurance and it was odd because we were so used to every taking it. But no, not all pharmacies are alike, just like insurance companies.

Next year we’re going to go through some changes and although I think they will have little affect on where we can go, knowing pharmacy policies will help us make the decision on where to go to get our prescription filled. Walgreens was in negotiations with Express Scripts to keep the prescription cost to consumers down (Walgreens and Express Script), however negotiations failed and Walgreens decided to drop Express Scripts. This decision wasn’t taken lightly and they tried many different ways to stay with Express Scripts. Military families are going to be strongly affected by this as many of them have to use Express Scripts through their military insurance company Tricare. Walgreens tried to create a contract just for the military families but even these negotiations failed.

For now this has no affect on someone like me and probably won’t affect me in the future either. I’ve never been part of the Express Scripts network, if I have a maintenance medication I have to send it through my insurance anyway not the pharmacy and when I was a kid I remember my dad’s insurance being the same way. I had no idea there were such programs like Express Scripts. Actually, that’s not true it sounds like Medco who is what we have to use for all of our maintenance medications. We don’t even have the option of getting them through a pharmacy. I do hate having to go through a middle man to get my medicine. It’s a pain in the rear, so I understand why Walgreens can’t work with them anymore and I feel bad for those affected.

There is a benefit with Walgreens choosing to create the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club though. By spending only $10 a year, a family membership will cover everyone in the immediate family. This includes a spouse, dependents 22 years and younger and pets. WOW! PETS!. Individuals may also join for $5. Join and receive discount prices on your prescriptions and savings on more than 8,000 brand-name and all generic medications. You will also receive discounts on flu shots, pet prescriptions, nebulizers and diabetic supplies. Even more bonuses occur when you purchase Walgreens brand products and photo finishing services. Be sure to follow Walgreens on Twitter and Walgreens on Facebook to stay up to date on their policies and promotions.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Avocados from Mexico for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I wish I was hosting this fabulous giveaway with Avocados from Mexico but I’m not which means I can enter it if I want to and so can you. That football game that most red blooded Americans watch every year is going to come on soon and you need recipe ideas right? Maybe you already have a good one and you want to share it with all those looking for recipes. That’s what Avocados From Mexico is looking for. They are looking for your favorite guacamole recipes. Here’s how to enter the Guac Off Recipe Contest.

Submit your favorite guacamole recipe along with a photo to the Avocados from Mexico Facebook page at Avocados from Mexico on Facebook.

10 qualified entries will be posted on the Avocados from Mexico Facebook page.

There will be a grand prize winner in the following three categories in the:Avocados from Mexico Guac Off Recipe Contest

Most Popular

Best Recipe

Most Creative

Avocados from Mexico Chef Roberto Santibanez will choose the best recipe and most creative while Facebook votes will account for the most popular recipe. Entries are accepted from January 5th to January 15th. The Prizes are really cool in this giveaway. You could win an iPad 2, the three grand prize winners will all receive an iPad 2 and an autographed cookbook by Chef Roberto Santibanez. There will be 7 Runners Up that will receive a $200 grocery gift card and autographed cookbook signed by Celebrity Chef Roberto Santibanez. And last but not least 10 winners will get $100 gift cards just for entering.

To Get you the in the Avocado Mood…..

Try This Fabulous Recipe by Avocados From Mexico

Layered Guacamole & White Bean Dip

Serves: Serves 8 to 10
Prep time: 25 min.
Cook time: 25 min.

Ingredients:

1 can (15-ounces) cannellini beans, drained
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon salt, divided
2 cups chopped red onion
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup sour cream
2 cups chopped tomato
3 avocados from Mexico, halved, pitted, peeled and mashed
1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon (about 5 slices)
1/4 cup crumbled Romano or feta cheese

Directions

In food processor, combine beans, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt; whirl until smooth.

In a 9x7x2-1/2-inch baking dish, spread white bean dip evenly on bottom. In a small bowl, combine red onions, 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, cilantro and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt; mix well. Arrange onion mixture over the white bean dip.

Season sour cream with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt; spread over onions. Season tomatoes with 1 teaspoon of the salt; arrange over sour cream. In a medium bowl, combine avocados, remaining 3 tablespoons of lime juice and 1 teaspoon of salt. Gently spread avocado mixture over tomatoes.

Sprinkle with bacon and cheese. Serve with chips, pita wedges or raw veggies.

I have another fun trip to offer you guys. Check out this fabulous prize!

WAR HORSE wants to send you on a journey home for the holidays! Jingle your way home by entering now through Sunday, December 11th. Just tweet a holiday message to your loved ones with #WarHorseMovieAD for a chance to win and you could ring in the New Year with family and friends!

Not on Twitter? You can still enter! Send a holiday greeting to WarHorseSweeps@thainteractive.com along with your first and last name and a daytime telephone number.

For the official Journey Home Sweepstakes rules

WAR HORSE rides into theatres this Christmas!