How Texans Know It's Spring

Skeeter Snacks: Nut-Free Treats for Easter Baskets

Just because a child has allergies doesn't mean their Easter basket should be filled with pencils and erasers. Sweet treats should fill every child's basket! Skeeter Snacks was created by two smart and creative dads who wanted their children to have peanut- and tree-nut-free cookies.

Available in Chocolate 3, Golden Oatmeal, Chocolate Chunk and Skeeter Doodle, these cookies will delight kids and allow parents a sigh of relief. These are the perfect nut-free alternative for lunchboxes and classroom treats as well.

Skeeter Snacks are delicious! As a cookie monster myself, I quite enjoyed these cookies. My favorite one is the Chocolate Chunk. My teenage boys think they are awesome too. Although we don't have allergies to nuts in my house, I've had daycare kids in the past who did and it can be frustrating to try to find foods that are safe for them.

If you don't have young children anymore, your Easter basket may look a little bit different than the first photo above. Maybe it will look more like my Easter basket below!

Visit skeetersnacks.com for more information and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for beautiful Easter basket ideas!
Disclosure: I received these products at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Fill Their Easter Baskets with Savings

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Online Logo Maker - Free

Creativity does not come easy for everyone. Sometimes it's downright frustrating. Once you do manage to come up with an idea in your head, getting it to materialize can be even more difficult. The Online Logo Maker is a free application that provides an easy-to-use, highly-flexible program to create logos for just about anything you might need. If you own a business, you'll want to have a logo that makes your business stand apart from the others. If you're a blogger, this tool is excellent for creating buttons for your site. If you're a teacher, you can use it to create things for your classroom. If you're a student, you could use it for assignments and reports. If you're a parent, think of all the ways you could use it with your photos! There are thousands of uses for this freestyle logo creator.

The best part about using Online Logo Maker is that it's so user-friendly that it takes just minutes to figure out, even without reading their provided tutorial. Once I started playing with it, I was able to create a simple logo, change colors, alter sizes, choose a font, and then save and download it. I took a screenshot of the program while I was in using it, so you can see that it really takes no more than the use of a mouse and some drop-down menus. You can make a logo for business stationery, business cards, flyers, online advertisements, or even make graphics for your scrapbooking hobby. It will even allow you to upload an image of your own with just a click. Go HERE and check it out today and see what you can create!
#spon

FREEBIRDS World Burrito - March Badness

FREEBIRDS WORLD BURRITO celebrates March Madness with a different twist this year...with a “March Badness” promotion offering prizes for the WORST bracket submitted on our Facebook page. The contestant that submits the worst bracket can win free burritos for a year...10 runners up will receive free burritos, and everybody who plays and shares will get a free drink with purchase.

Website: freebirds.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/freebirds_wb

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freebirdsworldburrito

About FREEBIRDS:
FREEBIRDS World Burrito, the fast casual burrito joint with the rock 'n' roll attitude, is about awesome burritos (plus tacos, burrito bowls, salads, quesadillas, nachos, and more) and freedom of choice. Burritos are hand-rolled with the guest’s personal selection from more than 40 freshly prepared ingredients including grass fed beef, hormone-free chicken, or all natural slow roasted carnitas, hand cut veggies, signature Death Sauce and Bad *ss bbq, queso and guacamole. There are over 35 trillion combinations at FREEBIRDS. The restaurants have a free-spirited ambience with a rockin’ soundtrack, reminiscent of a late-'60s rock 'n' roll roadhouse. It's Not Normal! With 95 restaurants in six states including California, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas, FREEBIRDS World Burrito continues to grow.

Claim Your Free Big Boy Sandwich

Frisch's Big Boy Coupon

Printable Coupon For A Free Big Boy Sandwich 106 stores located in IN, OH, KY

Join the Gluten Free Food Club

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Cooper Tire - My Every Day Road Trip Contest

This post brought to you by Cooper Tire. All opinions are 100% mine.
My every day road trips usually consist of running to the grocery store, the discount store, and the post office. Cooper Tire wants to commemorate life's every day road trips with the exciting chance to win a YEAR of free gas! Through March 29, you can enter through the Cooper Tire Facebook page. All you have to do is share your not-so-every-day road trip stories in the form of a written story, photo or video. Winners will be chosen based on creativity, originality, content, and passion for Cooper Tires. The top written story will win a $100 gas card. The top photo entry will win a $500 gas card. The top five video finalists will each win a set of four brand new Cooper Tires and compete for the grand prize of a $5000 gas card! But don't wait because there are only a few more days to enter your submission! Need some inspiration? Here are two videos to jump-start your creativity:

Coupon Because Mama Needs New Shoes

~ Shoe Carnival Spring Sale + Coupon ~
$5 off $39.98 or higher or $15 off $74.98 or higher Valid 3/20 - 3/30

Fight Your #DirtyLaundry with Biz

This post brought to you by Biz Stain Fighter. All opinions are 100% mine.

Believe it or not, laundry is one of the chores I actually like to do. I love pulling warm, clean clothes out of the dryer. I love the scent of freshly laundered clothing. I don't like fighting with dirty stains, especially on my teenaged boys' clothing. They both work part time jobs, one in a retail store and one in a restaurant, so their clothes definitely get dirty. Biz Stain Fighter is a laundry detergent booster that helps fight dirty laundry stains. I can use it in my washer to boost the cleaning power to make sure clothes come clean. I can fight the boys' stains by mixing a Biz and water paste to pre-treat the really nasty spots on dirty laundry. It's also a multi-purpose cleaner for many other dirty chores around the house. This Biz video even shows you how you can use their product for all kinds of cleaning tasks.

KOOL-AID Tie-Dye Easter Eggs Project

Looking for something different to do this spring with your Easter eggs? Here's a great idea on using KOOL-AID to color your eggs this year. I'm going to give it a try myself!

WHAT YOU NEED:

• 2 env. (0.13 to 0.16 oz. each) KOOL-AID Unsweetened Drink Mix, any red color (try Cherry, Black Cherry, Strawberry or Tropical Punch flavor)
• 2 env. (0.14 oz. to 0.15 oz. each) KOOL-AID Unsweetened Drink Mix, any orange color (try Orange, Mango or Peach Mango flavor)
• 2 env. (0.13 oz. to 0.23 oz. each) KOOL-AID Unsweetened Drink Mix, any yellow or green color (try Lemonade, Piña or Lemon-Lime flavor)
• 2 env. (0.22 oz. each) KOOL-AID Unsweetened Drink Mix, any blue color (try Mixed Berry or Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade flavor)
• 1/2 cup water, divided
• 1-1/2 doz. hard-cooked eggs, cooled

WHAT TO DO:

STEP ONE:
Mix contents of 2 (same-flavored) KOOL-AID envelopes with 2 Tbsp. water in 6- to 8-oz. container; stir to dissolve drink mixes. Repeat in 3 separate containers with remaining KOOL-AID envelopes.

STEP TWO:
Place eggs on cooling rack in sink; rinse eggs with tap water.

STEP THREE:
Spoon KOOL-AID mixtures, 1 at a time, over wet eggs to create tie-dye patterns. Repeat with remaining eggs.

STEP FOUR:
Pour a little tap water over each egg to set colors. Use tongs to transfer eggs to paper towel-covered baking sheet to dry. Rinse sink immediately as needed.

by Erika Katz, the author of “Bonding Over Beauty,” Reprinted with permission.
Video instructions can be found HERE.

Enter to win a KOOL-AID Prize Pack!
One lucky reader will win 20 envelopes of KOOL-AID to make Tie-Dye Easter Eggs. To enter, just fill in the Rafflecopter form below. You must be at least 18 years old and reside in the USA. Only the first entry is mandatory; bonus entries increase your chances to win. Giveaway ends at midnight ET on 3/31/2013. Good luck!

Classic Children's Magazines + Contest

Raise your hand if these magazines were a part of your childhood. I was a real bookworm as a kid and I absolutely LOVED getting these magazines in the mail. I would devour each issue when it arrived, doing all the puzzles, reading all the articles, and making the crafts. Each magazine has just won a 2013 Parents’ Choice Award from the Parents’ Choice Foundation!

Turtle Magazine is created just for preschoolers, ages 3-5 years old. It's filled with lots of colorful illustrations and wonderful read-aloud stories. Real photos accompany some of the articles, as well. One of my favorites was always finding the hidden objects on a page. When I was teaching preschool, I used these in my classroom.

Humpty Dumpty Magazine is written for ages 5-7 years old. My mom would always help me make the simple recipes in each issue. Written for young readers, the stories are always appropriate and inspiring. I loved the "find the differences" puzzles and would race my sisters to find them first. These are perfect after-school activities to keep kids busy and away from the tv.

Jack and Jill is the magazine for ages 7-12 years old. The short stories and articles are adventurous and encourage children to be their best. From fun quizzes to challenging puzzles, this magazine targets elementary school kids' creativity and thinking skills. As a child, I felt very grown-up reading Jack and Jill. As a parent, I was more than happy to provide my kids with good, virtuous reading materials!

CONTEST ALERT!

It's time for the Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty, and Turtle Magazines 13th Annual Cover Contest. The deadline for submissions is this coming Monday March 25th. Kids will be very excited to draw a picture on this year’s topic, “My Best Day Ever”! 

Enter by following the link below: http://www.uskidsmags.com/artcontest/faq.php

Plus, you can save 58% off of a subscription to the magazines at this link: www.uskidsmags.com/websavings

Pshh, We Don't Need TV: 5 Creative Ways to Turn Off the TV

There are times when it seems like the only thing you can do to get anything done around the house, is to let your children sit down and watch TV. I'm guilty of it, as I'm sure many other parents are. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of great educational, kid-friendly TV shows out there. Most cable packages from Cable-tv.com and other providers offer a good variety of kid friendly channels. But parents don’t need to rely on TV as a babysitter when there are plenty of other activities to keep your kids entertained. Here are some creative and easy ways to move your child away from the TV to something more active and creative.

1. Rain, Rain Go Away
Rain or other inclement weather seems to always mess up outdoor activities you have planned outside the home or away from the TV. If your child is as active as mine is, you may consider making a huge fort in the living room. Take your king or queen sized sheets and tuck them into the couch, bring over some dining room chairs and tie the other ends to them. Make it as cozy and comfy as possible. Let your child bring their favorite toys or books inside it with a flashlight. In my opinion, children of all ages love flashlights and feeling like they're camping or visiting an exotic place. My philosophy is if you can't physically go somewhere, pretend you can with what you have.

2. Cooking Is For More Than Just Eating
Cook with your kids! I absolutely love doing this. You have to make dinner (or lunch) anyway, why not allow your children to be part of the fun? Kids love to help and love to feel like they are helping. Let them carefully add the pasta to the water, mix ingredients in a bowl, or mash the potatoes for dinner. It's no secret that kids love desserts. Why not make cookies where they can plop the dough on the cookie sheet, or make a cake they can decorate to their heart's content? Studies have shown that kids are more likely to eat what they cook, so cook up some veggies with your youngster tonight!

3. Fun with Ice
Summer is approaching and it's like children know they can play in water. Even an inch of water can be scary, especially for younger children. That's where the giant ice cube comes in handy. Make a colored ice cube with little toys inside. Just fill a big Tupperware container with water, add some food coloring and their favorite little toys. Maybe green or blue with toy soldiers for boys, pink or red with Barbie accessories for girls. Freeze it overnight or for a few days. Then, let the kids outside with plenty of sunblock and their swimsuits, and give them few "tools" to break apart the mass. Kids will dig at it for hours, and it's easy to monitor them while doing other things like gardening or reading. What's not to love about that?

4. Cleaning is a Game, Right?
Cleaning is just a part of life, we can't avoid it. Kids can be a bit messy resulting in more cleaning for mom. Teach them to help you clean up by giving them simple chores like putting their dishes in the dishwasher, wiping the table when it's messy, teaching them to set the table, or even help mopping by giving them a Swiffer. All very easy things that kids can do on their own, while you're tackling other messes. You can even make a game out of cleaning. Make a race out of who can get their chores done first. The faster you finish, the faster you can move on to something more exciting.

5. Nuture The Next Picasso
Crafts galore! Crafts should probably come before cleaning, but crafts with kids are so much fun. Spread out an old sheet on the kitchen table, with your kids wearing old clothes. Then let them go wild while painting canvas from your local craft store. Your children will absolutely love tapping into their creative senses, and you'll get an abstract art piece to hang up around the house or in their rooms. The great thing about canvas is that you can paint over it again and again, if you want. Also, most paints, like acrylic, easily wipe off hard surfaces like chairs and tile floors.
It is can be so easy to step away from the TV and get creative with your children while you get other stuff done. Try out some of these activities or test some ideas of your own. How do you keep your kids away from the TV?
-Contributor: Kevin Browne

Link Vehicle - Seeking Bloggers

If you are a blogger and would like to work with a company that can provide you with great sponsored blog post opportunities, then Link Vehicle is looking for you! 

CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED!

Oz The Great And Powerful - Opening Title Sequence

Spring is in full bloom here in Texas and I'm excited for my poppies to come up! Speaking of poppies, those around the Emerald City always looked so pretty. Have you seen Oz The Great and Powerful yet? Let me tempt you with this opening title sequence!

http://youtu.be/wvsQE3FRoLE

“Like” OZ THE GREAT and POWERFUL on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/ozthegreatandpowerful

"Follow" OZ THE GREAT and POWERFUL on Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/disneyozmovie

Visit the website: http://www.disney.com/thewizard

OZ THE GREAT and POWERFUL is now playing in theaters everywhere!

I loved the movie and you will too!

Spring Decor Trends from Overstock

Spring has finally arrived and I'm busy getting my home cleaned and staged so we can put it on the real estate market. This is the time of year to add a few new decor items to each room to give each a fresh, new look. The new spring decor trends are popping up like flowers and Overstock.com is showcasing the most up-to-date trends at amazingly affordable prices!

Oranges, yellows, and reds are a fabulous way to bring color into your home. Using small pops of color throughout your rooms and opening curtains to the sun will breathe new life into the rooms that have kept you hostage during the cold winter months.

I love to use lace in my home decor because it adds a nostalgic touch and a bit of romance. Since I am outnumbered by the guys in our house, my decor tends more toward a masculine look. I like to add a bit of frill to soften the rooms.

Black and white is always a fabulous combination in home decor because the contrasting colors make a room feel active and alive. Toss in some dark red or a deep turquoise and your spring decor will delight you every time you walk in the room.

Brass is another favorite spring trend of mine. The shine of brass reflects natural light and with so many different brass finishes available in home decor, it's easy to find just the right piece to add a classy touch to a dreary space.

Blue is one of my favorite colors. It's also the most-liked color in the entire world. It provides a serene, calming feeling to an otherwise chaotic, hectic lifestyle. Home should make you feel good and a mix of blue hues throughout your spring decor will do just that. Overstock.com has great prices and will ship your $50+ order for free, so you can save even more! Be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for more fabulous spring decorating ideas!

Enter to Win this Cadiz Pillow!

Overstock.com is also sponsoring a giveaway of this beautiful blue and ivory contemporary cotton 18" square pillow. To enter, just fill in the Rafflecopter form below. You must be at least 18 years old and reside in the USA. Giveaway ends at midnight ET on 4/14/13. Only the first entry is mandatory; bonus entries will increase your chances to win. Good luck!

New Winners Announced

The newest winners on Planet Weidknecht are...

Holly Thomas - $50 MikaRose Gift Card

Mary Sikes Borgsmiller - Peekaboo Lock Boxes

Kathie Simpson Craig - The Little House that Stood VeggieTales DVD

Enter more great giveaways HERE!

My Amazing News

I can now share my AMAZING NEWS with you! I am one of five finalists in the Dodge Redline Blogger Contest! I'll be heading to New York City next week (expenses paid) to go to the car show and make my video entry. One of the five of us will be chosen for a 6-month blogging contract, a laptop, and $10K. Thanks for voting on my first entry! You'll get to vote on the video entries too!

Join the Austin Great Urban Race #Travel

Great Urban Race is in Austin on Saturday, March 23. It's an adventurous competition that takes participants dashing through their cities, with a purpose: racers complete unique mental and physical challenges while competing for a cash prize and potentially $10,000. The Great Urban Race is a fun family-friendly event. Participants of all ages can sign up, with parental guidance under the age of 18. A team consists of 2-4 people and electronic devices are highly recommended to use to finish the race. The race begins 12pm at Fado Irish Pub on 214 West 4th Street and will last until around 5pm.

For every participant who registers, Great Urban Race will donate $10 to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the nation’s top children’s cancer hospital. In just the four years they have partnered with St. Jude, Great Urban Race has donated over $4.6 million to the hospital. The race is focused on local charities as well. They are also partnering with Austin Pets Alive!, a non-profit organization promoting a no-kill society for animals. Visit GreatUrbanRace.com for more information.

Wedne$day Wealth Giveaway Link Up

Welcome to the Wedne$day Wealth Giveaway Link Up!

Enter to win some great prizes.

If you're hosting a giveaway, please link it up.

Won something lately? Leave a comment below and brag about it!

Win an iPad Mini

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Current Giveaways

• Shape Sorting Cupcakes - Ends Mar 24
• Personalized Coasters - Ends Mar 24
• Rugged Readers - Ends Mar 24
• Tropical Mango Body Scrub - Ends Mar 24
• LOVED DVD by JJ Heller - Ends Mar 29
• $31 Baskin-Robbins GC - Ends Mar 31

All About Me Photo Contest

Have you entered the Learning Resources photo contest yet? It's so easy to enter and the prizes are amazing! Monthly winners get a $25 Learning Resources gift card and the grand prize winner will get a $250 Learning Resources gift card. It's free to enter! 

Go HERE and get started!

Win a Baskin-Robbins Chick Cake for Easter

Baskin-Robbins has hatched a brand new ice cream cake design just in time for Easter! The Chick Cake can be customized with your favorite ice cream flavor. Big enough to share among a dozen friends, this adorable Chick Cake is perfect for a party or Easter celebration. There is also a smaller version called the Chick Novelty Cake. I love Baskin-Robbins ice cream cakes and I'm excited to offer you a $31 Gift Card to Baskin-Robbins so you can pick up your own Chick Cake for Easter. Find your closest location at www.baskinrobbins.com. Be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, then enter below to win!

Win a $31 Baskin-Robbins Gift Card!
To enter, just fill in the Rafflecopter form below. You must be at least 18 years old and reside in the USA. Only the first entry is mandatory; bonus entries increase your chances to win. Giveaway ends at midnight ET on 3/31/2013. Good luck!
Gift card provided by Baskin-Robbins

Spring Cleaning Coupons

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Take a Break to South Carolina

It's time to start planning your summer vacations! When you plan in advance you can save lots of money on hotels and airfare. South Carolina has miles and miles of beaches that are perfect for a family vacation spot. Surfside Beach offers swimming, surfing, boating, fishing, and a close-by water park. If you are looking for something more secluded for a romantic couples get-away, consider Hilton Head Island.

South Carolina is also a beautiful place for summer weddings. There are 47 state and national parks that would make gorgeous backdrops for tying the knot. You can find an array of bridal shops in Spartanburg SC, as well as romantic honeymoon hotels that will cater to all your needs.

Southern cooking is one of the gems in store for those who visit South Carolina. From steak to seafood, hungry travelers will find all kinds of delicious cuisine. The Hilton Head Island Wine and Food Festival is a six-day festival of wine, spirits and gourmet foods. Take a cooking class or go on a culinary tour.

If you love golfing, then South Carolina offers some of the most beautiful golf courses in America. If your family loves hiking, visit the nature trails of the blackwater swamps or find a scenic overlook in the mountain woodlands. Wherever you decide to go this summer, be sure to start planning early for the best vacation packages.

Seeking #Bloggers - Springtime Giveaway Hop

Bloggers - Join the Springtime Giveaway Hop!

This giveaway hop will take place from April 1-7, 2013.

By adding your blog link below, you agree to:

Post a dedicated giveaway for this event, from April 1, 2013 at 12:01a.m. until April 7, 2013 at 11:59p.m. Giveaway may be company-sponsored or self-sponsored. Giveaway prize must be worth at least $25.00. Blogs without giveaways posted by noon on April 1 will be removed from the linky list. Signups close at noon on 3/31.

You do not need to post in advance of the giveaway hop, but if you'd like to add the button to your sidebar please link it to this post so that others may join in too. Please also join the Weidknecht Events Facebook Group at www.facebook.com/groups/WeidknechtEvents/.

Include in the giveaway post (on April 1) - Springtime Giveaway Hop button (please right-click to save the above button image to your hard drive), link to the host http://www.weidknecht.com and the provided linky list of all participating bloggers.

Visit Italy this Spring

Since spring has just begun and the sun is bright and shining, have you considered getting away for a spring time vacation? It’s definitely last minute, but if you’re able to pull some strings it will definitely be worth it! The good news is that spring doesn’t officially begin until March 21^st, so you still have time to book tickets for April or May. In fact, it is the perfect time to visit Tuscany, Florence, and more in Italy during the spring time. There are spring festivals going on, the weather is perfect, and there are fewer tourists. Plus, spring is also a great time to enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking and swimming in the seas - if the sea is warm enough that is. So head solo to Italy or bring along a friend, lover, or your family. Spring is the perfect time to visit this beautiful country while staying in Tuscany villa rentals!

Spring Festivals 

There are many entertaining festivals in Italy to enjoy that take place during the spring. Festivals include Holy Week, outdoor concerts in May and June, and also flower festivals. Plus, during the holidays in Italy - liberation day on April 25^th, Easter Monday, and Festa della Repubblica on June 2^nd, you can also experience concerts, festivals, and processions. Look up some well known festivals and plan your spring vacation around the events to truly experience Italy!

Italy’s Weather is Ideal 

Spring weather in Italy is simply divine this time of year. If you can deal with occasional rain and dampness during the season, then you will have no problem truly enjoying this magical country. Most of Italy receives less rain in the spring than fall, so don’t expect rainfall the entire time you are there. Plus, towards the end of the spring time the temps start rising which means you might be able to enjoy the beach, go on hikes in the hills, and even enjoy family picnics.

Find Reasonable Airfare 

Since summer is usually when all of the tourists arrive, you should be able to find affordable airfare, except for during or on holidays. If you plan ahead or happen to come across an online deal, this will help considerably, especially if you are on a tight budget. Plus staying at a villa in Tuscany will also be affordable during this season, making your stay delightful in every single way. Have fun in Italy during the spring!

Sierra is a freelance writer who would love to travel to Italy one day. She blogs on her blog Ocean Dreams about her latest traveling adventures.