Kellogg's Origins Gift Basket Giveaway (Open to US only; 18+. Ends 6/28/15)

Hey, guys! I know I haven't been around much lately, but I come bearing gifts! At the bottom of this post you'll find a giveaway for Kellogg's NEW Origins cereals, which focuses on natural ingredients rather than fun, colorful, sugar-filled bits and pieces.

I've really been getting into natural foods, so I'm very excited to hear that Kellogg's is jumping on the wagon, and I can't wait to try this new cereal! My friend Maria over at Adventures of the Mommy Homemaker got to try the new Origins cereal, and she really liked it. See what she has to say below!

I was definitely curious to give the Muesli a try. I have heard that my aunts and cousins in Italy love it and have eaten it since they were children, so it only made sense that I would give it a try. I tried it and loved it. If I could describe it, I'd say it would be like eating oatmeal. The only difference is that it's delicious both cold or hot - and my is it filling! 

As you can see, Maria is very happy with the Muesli cereal. However, we don't just want you to take Maria's word for it. Kellogg's is giving one lucky reader a chance to win a Kellogg's Origin Gift Basket, which will include a 3 pack of Kellogg's Origins, an adorably decorated mason jar - good for taking your Origins granola, cereal, or muesli with you while you're on the go - and a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

 

If you don't want to wait around to find out if you're a winner to try the cereal, you can pick up Kellogg's Origins at Kroger, Meijer, Safeway, Hannaford and select Walmart locations.  They retail for $4.59 or 2 for $6! That a total save of $3.18! Woohoo!

Like I said earlier, I've been getting into natural foods. Not only is it healthier, but it's also more satisfying! Our bodies are meant to be fueled by the basic food groups, not by sugar-filled bits and pieces passed off as food by so many companies. I'm very excited to find out that Kellogg's, one of the biggest brand names, is finally getting on board and producing more natural foods. I can't wait to see what they come up with next!

Here's what Maria had to say about this change: 

When it comes to Kellogg's we think of Special K, Corn Flakes, Frosted Flakes, and many other delicious and good for you cereals. Well, Kellogg's either stepped into a time machine and went back to Ancient Times, or they just decided to bring the ancient grains back into the 21st Century. It's definitely the latter, since I don't think anyone has created the time machine yet. 

You're probably wondering what in the world am I talking about right? Well, I'm talking about Kellogg's Origins available in Cereal, Granola, and Muesli. If you're a health nut, or trying to become healthy, then you probably already know what muesli is. If you don't allow me to explain what all three are. The following information below was provided by Kellogg's.

Kellogg's Origins - Granola

• Kellogg’s Origins Ancient Grains Granolahelps introduce ancient grains to consumers with a crunchy, satisfying mix of whole ancient and traditional grains (oats, barley, wheat, spelt, rye), fruits (raisins, apples, cranberries), pumpkin seeds, and almonds.

• Kellogg’s Origins Ancient Grains Granola is available in two flavors: Raisin Apple and Cranberry Almond with Pumpkin Seeds. It comes in resealablepouches that make it convenient to nourish your body, even on the go.

Kellogg's Origins - Cereal

• Kellogg’s Origins Ancient Grains Blendcereal combines whole ancient grains (Kamut® Brand khorasanwheat, spelt, quinoa) with whole traditional grains (wheat, brown rice, barley, bran) to provide a healthy, delicious breakfast experience.

• Kellogg’s Origins Fruit & Nut Blend cereal delights with hearty flakes of whole grain wheat, milled corn, and toasted whole grain oats mixed with cranberries and walnuts.

• Both new cereal offerings come packaged in box with a clear view window, which highlights all of the colorful and wholesome ingredients.

Kellogg's Origins - Muesli

• Kellogg’s Origins Muesliis packed with nutritious whole grains (rolled oats, wheat, rye, spelt, barley), fruits (raisins, apricots, cranberries, dates), nuts (cashews, almonds), and pumpkin seeds.

• A European breakfast staple for over 100 years, muesli is versatile and can be eaten with milk or yogurt, soaked overnight in the refrigerator in water or fruit juice to soften, or served hot with water or milk. It can also be enjoyed as a light evening snack.

• Kellogg’s Origins Muesli is available in two flavors: Apricot Cashew Raisin Coconut with Almonds and Raisin Apricot Cranberry with Pumpkin Seeds and comes in resealable pouches

 

OFFICIAL RULES

 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

 

1. HOW TO ENTER: The Kellogg’s Origins^™ Blogger Giveaway (“Giveaway”) is an online-only Giveaway. Giveaway begins on 8:00:00 AM (ET) on 6/22/15 and ends at 12:00:00 PM (ET) on 6/28/15 (“Promotion Period”). To enter the Giveaway, go to Adventures of the Mommy Homemaker (“Blog Website”) during the Promotion Period and follow the online instructions to complete your entry. Entry into the Giveaway is free.

All entries become the property of Adventures of the Mommy Homemaker (“Sponsor”), will not be returned and may be shared with Kellogg Company for promotional purposes. Limit one (1) entry per person for the Giveaway – regardless of number of blogs visited. In the event of a dispute regarding entries, any entries will be deemed to have been submitted by the Authorized Account Holder of the email address submitted at the time of entry, provided that person meets all eligibility requirements set forth in these Official Rules. “Authorized Account Holder” means the natural person who is assigned to an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. Entrants may not participate with multiple e-mail addresses, nor may entrants use any device or artifice to enter multiple times or as multiple entrants. Any entrant who attempts to enter with multiple e-mail addresses, under multiple identities or uses any other device or artifice to enter multiple times will be disqualified from participation in the Giveaway and all entries submitted by that entrant will be void. Only fully completed entries are eligible. Proof of submission will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Sponsor. Sponsor is not responsible for any change of mailing address, email address, and/or telephone number of entrants.

 

2. ELIGIBILITY: Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry. Employees of Adventures of the Mommy Homemaker, Kellogg Company, their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies and their immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of each are not eligible to participate.

 

3. WINNER SELECTION: Winner will be selected in a random drawing using random.org no later than 6/29/15 from among all eligible entries received by the Sponsor or its designee, whose decisions are final and binding. Winner will be notified by email. In the event the Sponsor is unable to contact the winner within forty-eight (48) hours of first notification attempt, prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner may be selected.

 

4. PRIZE/APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUE (ARV)/ODDS: One (1) Grand Prize – Winner will receive a Kellogg’s Origins^™ Prize Pack consisting of: three (3) new Kellogg’s Origins^™ products (one (1) of each of the following: cereal; granola; and mueslis); one (1) $50 Amazon Gift Card; and one (1) Mason Jar. Total ARV of prize $68.36. Gift card is subject to the terms and conditions associated with it use. Odds of winning depend on total number of eligible entries received. Unclaimed prize will not be awarded. All applicable federal, state, and local taxes on prize are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. Limit one (1) prize per person for each Blogger Giveaway.

 

5. GENERAL: If prize notification or prize is returned as non-deliverable, prize may be forfeited and an alternate winner may be selected. No correspondence will be acknowledged. No cash equivalents, substitutions or transfer of prize permitted. Subject to all federal, state and local laws/regulations. Neither Sponsor, Kellogg Company, Adventures of the Mommy Homemaker, their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising, promotion agencies nor their employees will have any liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses or damages of any kind caused by any prize or resulting from acceptance, possession, use and/or misuse of any prize or participation in the Giveaway or any prize-related activities. Acceptance of a prize shall be construed as and signify the winner’s agreement and consent that Sponsor and Kellogg Company may use the winner’s name, voice, likeness and/or prize information, without limitation, for promotional purposes without further consideration, review, approval or payment, where allowed by law. By participating in this Giveaway, entrants agree to be bound by the Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding in all respects. Sponsor not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of the offer or in administration of the Giveaway.

 

6. LIMITATIONS AND RELEASES: Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, mutilated or illegible entries nor for electronic transmission errors resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions or limitations of any kind, or inaccurate transmissions of or failure to receive entry information by Sponsor or presenter on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website or any combination thereof. If for any reason the Internet portion of the program is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of the Sponsor which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Giveaway, the Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Internet portion of the Giveaway and select the winner by random drawing from among all eligible entries received from all methods combined up to the point of the action taken by the Sponsor. Caution: Any attempt by any person to deliberately damage any website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Giveaway is a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent of the law.

 

7. PRIVACY: Information collected by Blog Website is subject to its privacy policy and may be shared with a third party for winner notification and/or prize fulfillment purposes. For information about how the Blogger uses your personal information, please see its privacy policy, located on its Blog Website.

 

8. WINNER’S LIST: For name of winner, send an email to (pr@themammahomemaker.com) by 7/31/15 with the following included in the subject line: Kellogg’s Origins^™ Blogger Giveaway – Winner’s List. Winner’s list to be available after 6/30/15

 

9. SPONSOR: Kellogg NA Co.

 

®, ™, © 2015 Kellogg NA Co. Kellogg Company is not a sponsor or co-sponsor of this Giveaway and is no way responsible for the administration of this promotion by the blogger and/or the verification of the winner. Kellogg Company is the prize provider in this Giveaway; and its fulfillment agency will fulfill the prizes to the winners.

 

Celebrate National Doughnut Day with an Entenmann's Giveaway (Open to U.S. only, 18+; ends 6/17/2015)

National Doughnut Day is June 5, 2015. I can't think of a better way to celebrate than picking up a pack of doughnuts to share with my loved ones (or pick up a pack and eat them all before I get home; either, way there's doughnuts involved!). This year, Entennman's (you know, the company that produces packaged, delicious baked goods?) is celebrating with a new product: Rich Frosted Patriotic Donut Eight Pack. Kelly, over at Kelly's Thoughts on Things, is helping to promote this product. Read on to found out why!

“Our new Patriotic Donut combines the classic fan favorite of our Rich Frosted Donut with an American flare that we know will bring out the red, white and blue in consumers nationwide,” said Entenmann’s Head Baker Kathleen Robbins.

The Salvation Army established National Donut Day in 1938 to honor the “Donut Lassies,” who served the treats to the soldiers during World War I. 2015 is the Salvation Army's 150th anniversary, so this year's Donut Day is a truly special occasion. To celebrate, Entenmann's is hosting a National Donut Day campaign with a Facebook Sweepstakes that will benefit both consumers and the Salvation Army: the Sweepstakes is set to offer consumers a variety of delicious prizes, and Entenmann's will donate $1 to The Salvation Army for each sweepstakes entry received during the campaign, up to $30,000! You can enter the Entenmann's Sweepstakes on their Facebook page.

Entenmann's has created a sweet and iconic treat to celebrate National Donut Day.  Introducing … Entenmann's new Rich Frosted Patriotic Donut Eight Pack that combines the classic fan favorite of their Rich Frosted Donut with star-studded, red, white and blue sprinkles. This new product will be introduced just before this year's National Donut Day celebration in June.

In addition to the Sweepstakes, I'm helping to promote a giveaway for an Entenmann’s insulated canvas lunch bag and five $7 coupons! Enter below.

The Giveaway is open to US only, 18+; ends 6/17/15 at 11:59p est.

Be sure to come back daily for more chances to win!

Entry-Form

Disclosure: This blog is not responsible for this giveaway or prize fulfillment.

The Calphalon Classic SharpIN™ Forged 12-pc. Giveaway (Open to US only; 18 and up; ends 6/25/2015)

As you've probably gathered by now, I love to cook. I am also addicted to Chinese food, which means I love to make chicken stir fry, which means I have to cut chicken a lot. I do not particularly like cutting up raw chicken, and I am especially not fond of cutting up raw chicken with dull, weak knives. My friend Christina over at Mom Knows Best 2 understands my dilemma; she is very picky when it comes to her kitchen knives. Christina says that she has tried a lot of knives, and that the Calpahalon classic knife block set with self sharpen technology is one of the best. Below is what she has to say about them:

When preparing food, I can't stand it when I can't cut through the food without any problems. With Calphalon's new knife block set with sharpeners helps keep the knives sharp, every time you put a knife in or take it out, you are sharpening a knife. SharpIN is a cutlery set which features ceramic sharpeners built right in to all the straight edge knife slots. These in block sharpeners ensure that knives are effortlessly sharpened every time they are removed or replaced, or remember to sharpen before you start. With normal use, Calphalon SharpIN knives stay sharp for a lifetime.    

The knife blades are high carbon, no stain steel. The handles are triple riveted, hygienic poly resin. The block is made of maple finish. Handmade only. Do not wash in dishwasher. Calphalon Classic Self-Sharpening 12-pc. Cutlery Set with SharpIN Technology. This set includes:

• 8-in. Chef’s Knife
• 6-in. Serrated Utility Knife
• 5-in. Santoku
• 4.5-in. Parer
• 6 Steak Knives
• Kitchen Shears
• Sharpening Knife Block

Knives stay sharp for a lifetime with Calphalon Classic Self-Sharpening Cutlery featuring SharpIN™ Technology. Sharpeners are built right into the block, automatically sharpening straight edge knives every time you remove them from the block to ensure peak sharpness at the start of every cutting task. Knives are made from high-carbon, no-stain forged steel, and feature full tang construction and a comfortably balanced, triple-riveted handle. In addition, knife handles are labeled so you can always pull the correct knife out of the block. The Calphalon Classic SharpIN™ Forged 12-pc. Cutlery Set includes a great selection of essential knives for dicing, chopping and more, plus six steak knives, too.

Benefits of the set include:

• Built-in ceramic sharpeners automatically sharpen knives with every use.
• Forged, high-carbon, no-stain steel. (Steak knives made from stamped steel)
• Full Lifetime Warranty.
• Full tang design for strength and balance.
• Labeled handles for easy identification in the block.
• Triple-riveted handles are contoured for a secure grip.

Christina says that these knives cut through onions and tomatoes like butter. I would love to have a set of these knives in my kitchen! If you agree with me, you can learn more/connect with Calphalon by clicking: shop/ Facebook. You can also enter the giveaway below. One winner will receive this 12-piece knife set. Good luck!

Entry-Form

Into the Dark Book 3 News (and a Contest!)

Good news, fellow book lovers! Bree Despain's latest series, Into the Dark, will, in fact, have three books. It was uncertain whether or not the third book would be published because of a publishing conflict (Despain's original publisher Egmont went out of business, and it was uncertain whether her new publisher, Lerner Books, would agree to contract a third book).

According to Bree Despain, "Yes, there will be a third book in the Into The Dark series! Carolrhoda Lab, an imprint of Lerner Books, will be publishing Book 3 (most likely in Fall 2016). That means Haden and Daphne will get the ending to their story that I always envisioned!"

That also means that the fans (myself included) will get to read the ending that Daphne and Haden deserve. Yay!

To celebrate this announcement (and her excitement), Bree Despain is hosting a contest.

One lucky winner will receive the Grand Prize, which consists of:
Having a character named after you in Into The Dark Book 3.
A Cupid's Arrow Ring.
And (because Daphne and Haden love music so much): a $25 iTunes giftcard.

Three runners up will win:
A Cupid's Arrow Ring and an Into The Dark swag pack.

All you have to do to enter is solve the following anagram and then use the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

A SHARE UNTOLD

Hints:
3 words
Reading THE ETERNITY KEY will help you solve the puzzle.
Daphne's gifts. 

Rules:
U.S. Residents only.
The contest is open until May 26, 2015 (so if you need a little help solving the puzzle, you have enough time to read THE ETERNITY KEY).
The winners names will be posted on Bree Despain's blog on May 28th. Winners will have 30 days to claim their prize or else their prize will be forfeit.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book of the Month - May 2015

This month's book of the month is none other than The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain. If you've been following along with my posts and social media, this really shouldn't come as a surprise. My mom was selected to be a Series Ambassador for Bree Despain's Into the Dark series, and I, as her self-proclaimed junior helper, have taken on the responsibility of promoting this new-found favorite series of mine.

Image courtesy of Goodreads.

Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.

Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.

Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails.  As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.

A pulsating romance of epic proportions, Bree Despain’s The Shadow Prince will leave her fans breathless for the next book in the Into The Dark series.

Synopsis via Bree Despain's website.

In addition to the fact that I am helping promote the Into the Dark series, I have selected The Shadow Prince as May's book of the month for two other reasons.

• The elements of the book are a good representation of how YA fiction is evolving, which I believe makes it a good book to kick off summer. Instead of the typical, underrated teenage girl who falls in love with the mysterious new guy (who is usually a modern version of the Byronic Hero), The Shadow Prince has Daphne Raines, an independent girl with a plan that doesn't include distractions. Also, the mysterious new guy is more Thor-like than Batman-like.
• Bree Despain has managed to write a retelling of the Hades/Persephone myth without creating a story that's been told a thousand times before. I really enjoy this retelling and I think Bree Despain deserves praise for avoiding falling into cliche territory.

You can read my full review of the book here.

Happy reading!

Molly

THE SHADOW PRINCE by Bree Despain Book Review

What do you get when you combine a disgraced prince, an unwilling damsel in distress, the myth of Hades and Persephone, and the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice all into one book? You could get a story that’s been told before, or you could get a magical concoction that comes off as cute, spunky, and intriguing rather than cliché. Bree Despain manages to do the latter in The Shadow Prince, the first book in her latest series, Into the Dark.

Lord Haden of the Underrealm has finally been offered his one chance at redemption – of gaining back his title of Heir to the Throne, and, he hopes, his father’s love – but he soon learns that instead of a gift, Fate has bestowed him with a genuine challenge: win the heart of Daphne Raines, a girl with a plan and no desire for distractions, and convince her to give up everything to follow him back to the Underrealm. Haden eventually begins to realize that Daphne isn’t the typical Boon that the Champions are sent to bring back to the harem, and he discovers that bringing her into the dark will have more consequences than the fact that Daphne will never get to see sunlight again. Haden’s Challenge is definitely a challenge: in the end, it’s Haden that falls in love, and Daphne, to say the least, is not very keen on letting him drag her into the Underrealm.

I’ve been fascinated by the Greek myths ever since I learned about them in grade school, and I’m especially interested in the myths of the gods and goddesses. The myth of Persephone wasn’t one that I really got until I was older. “What kind of a creep drags a girl into the underworld and then tricks her into staying there?” However, as I got older, I learned to look at stories from different perspectives, and I began to realize that maybe there's more to the myth than meets the eye. Maybe Persephone wanted to live with Hades and rule the Underworld. Maybe Persephone loved Hades. She definitely wouldn’t be the only female to fall for the “bad boy” (something I definitely didn’t understand until I was older).

The idea that even a goddess isn’t immune to the Byronic Hero is one that has shown up time and time again in recent novels, so much so that it’s difficult to keep the story genuine and avoid falling into cliché territory. When I found out that Bree Despain’s latest series was based on this myth, I was torn. I’ve been a fan of Bree Despain ever since reading The Dark Divine. The idea of reading a new series by her was tempting, but I didn’t want to be disappointed by yet another retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth.

Of course, I ended up reading The Shadow Prince. After all, I do love the Greek myths, no matter how many times they’ve been retold. Plus, it’s Bree Despain. How could I pass up the chance to read her latest series? But not only did I end up reading it, I also ended up loving it.

The Shadow Prince might be based off of a story that’s been retold over and over again, but Bree Despain has managed to avoid writing a cliché novel by incorporating fresh elements into one of the oldest stories out there. I don’t want to spoil the plot for you readers, so I’ll keep my summary brief.

• Haden is not supposed to be Hades, nor is he a son of Hades, or even a grandson of Hades. Daphne isn’t all-too willing to follow him to the ends of the earth; she’s a leader, not a follower. In fact, Daphne is disgusted, not attracted, to this dark and mysterious character. 
• In addition to the myth of Hades and Persephone, the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice plays a major role in The Shadow Prince, which definitely helps make the plot fresh. 
• I don’t know if Despain found different version of the Greek myths while researching, or if she just put her own spin on them, but the myths featured in The Shadow Prince aren’t the ones I’m familiar with (although they are similar), so I wasn’t forced to read through a 400-page novel filled with stories that I’ve heard countless times before.

Needless to say, I’m very glad that I decided to read The Shadow Prince.

The good news about waiting so long to read The Shadow Prince is that I don’t have to wait so long to read its sequel, The Eternity Key, which was just recently released. Hooray for procrastination!

I highly recommend this book. Not only is it a fresh retelling of an old story, but it’s also an example of how YA novels have been evolving. Instead of having the typical, underrated teenage girl who falls in love with the dark and mysterious new guy, The Shadow Prince boasts a heroine who isn’t willing to follow along just because it’s what’s expected of her, and Haden is more Thor-like than Batman- or Superman-like (a comparison I thoroughly enjoyed when it came up in the novel itself).

Happy reading!

Molly

P.S. In case you need a refresher on the Orpheus and Eurydice myth before reading The Shadow Prince, check out Bree Despain's homemade video ("The Orpheus Myth in 4 Minutes") below!

INTO THE DARK Book 2 THE ETERNITY KEY Teasers

If you are a returning reader, you probably already know that my mom is a Series Ambassador for Bree Despain's Into the Dark series, and I am her self-proclaimed junior helper. If you are new (or just didn't know), now you know! To celebrate Bree Despain's Into the Dark book 2 The Eternity Key's upcoming release, Despain sent out three teasers for the book that I was able to share with the world via social media. Below you will find said teasers.

Craving more? I know I am. And I've got good news and bad news.

The good news: The Eternity Key was officially released today, so you can go out and satisfy those cravings!

The bad news: If you're like me, you'll finish the book within a week, and then you'll have to wait a while to satisfy your cravings with book three.

If you need to order your copy, you can do so at Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Indie Bound, and The King's English Bookshop.

Happy Reading!

Molly

BONUS:

Check out the book trailer below!