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

I am lucky.

I know its easy to say that I work hard, I did the right things, I never stop, but the truth is part of that is also the cards I was lucky enough to draw, the parents I have, and that I was born into middle class America. I never forget the opportunities that I receive as a result grant me the privilege, not the right, to work hard and to continue to provide for my family. There are millions of Americans that are not so lucky and thousands in every city across this country. Whether by family, personal choices, economy, or no fault of their own, most people on the street do not make a decision to be there, but rather are put there based on a variety of circumstances they have yet to overcome.

My sister works with the homeless. Her and her husband own a church and directly feed the mouths of many on the streets. They raise money, food, and clothing almost every day of the year to provide a direct line to those that are not as lucky as you and I. While I am a volunteer in other aspects of my life, I have never gone into the same type of giving capacity she has. That being said, I still come from a highly charitable family and we do our best to consistently pass on to those in need and also to my sisters facility several times a year.

It's very easy to overlook others. It's very easy, even if you are struggling yourself, to bypass and not help those around you but it's time to stop that. We need to come together and there is never a better time than the holidays to be in unison to help even one person in your community.

What a difference that would make, wouldn't it?

This year even if you do not have anything to give monetarily, try to donate your time providing conversation, kindness, or assistance to charities around you. In addition, you can help companies like Walmart provide meals nationwide to families thorough the Feeding America initiative.

 

In support of Hunger Action Month this September, Walmart will work with customers, suppliers and associates nationwide to donate up to 53 million meals to Feeding America and give $2.5 million for hunger relief.

The program comes at a critical time as 50 million Americans won’t know where their next meal will come from at some point this year—that’s one in six Americans.

Through October 12th, customers will be able to generate meal donations for Feeding America by purchasing select products from participating food suppliers (General Mills, Kellogs, Unilever, Kraft Foods, and ConAgra Foods) at Walmart stores and following instructions on the packaging, engaging in the “Give Meals” section of www.walmart.com/hunger, or using a mobile app to generate meal donations for Feeding America.

Also, participate in the Golden Spark promotion for a chance to win $50K for your community! Walmart will randomly award 40 “Golden Sparks” valued at $50,000 each to consumers who participate in the Fighting Hunger Together Golden Spark Promotion. The winners will choose a community to receive the funding to start or expand a backpack program that provides vital meals to food-insecure children during weekends when they do not have access to free- and reduced-price school meals. Walmart Associates will also have a chance to compete together for their store to win a Golden Spark by logging volunteer hours.

There are many easy ways you can help right now with securing meals for someone in need and providing hunger relief.

1) You can head over to Walmart.com, select a product and watch a video and that secures a meal

or

2) You can launch the Jingit app and check in at Walmart and that secures a meal

or

3) Purchase products from some of the companies about that are Fighting Hunger Together and follow the instructions on the packaging.

There are no excuses. This has never been easier.

I encourage you to take a few momments to today to look around and do what you can to help someone that many not be as fortunate as you are.

Have you ever been a spot where you are hungry and needed a helping hand?

~trisha

These dogs now have to PAARTY!!

And dogs in clothing are always pretty much always adorable! These cuties are from the new movie Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3. Considering the other movies are about Charlotte’s favorite of all time, I am looking forward to watching this one with her.

My favorite part?

95% of the dogs in the film are RESCUE DOGS!!

I just had to share!

Of course our family has its own fair share of animals in clothing…

Poor Jedi (who looks like he could be in this film!)

And napoleon…rest his soul.

 

I pretty much think a dog party looks awesome.

~Trisha

 

pictures were used w/ permission courtesy of the film

When I think of Carters, I should be thinking of the hundreds (thousands?) of dollars I have spent since Charlotte was born outfitting my kids in cute clothing..much of which I didn’t need, but most definitely wanted.  Over the years Carters has made it easy to shop with them. Beautiful and stylish clothing in girls, handsome and darling outfits for boys, have made it hard to turn away the matching outfits, footie PJs, and countless onesies.

From his tiniest little guy days

to his big boy days

 

I am happy to keep dressing him in the clothing that not only lasts the daily washing machine runs, but that I can afford to replace as well!

HUGE HUGE HUGE!

SALE SALE SALE!

While I am sure you are enjoying my sons pictures, the point of this article is two fold.

Carters is having a really fantastic 50% off sale that is going on now through September 26th. Carter’s Little Layette, essentials for baby’s first wardrobe, is 40% off. It’s also the perfect time to stock up on the clothing essentials parents need for the precious first year of baby’s life. From multi-pack bodysuits and coordinating knit pants to sweet outfit collections featuring cupcakes, monkeys and more.

I personally just bought this out for only $8!!

 

And as fall is quickly approaching, I also snapped up three long sleeved onesies for only $15 for the pack.

What can you get during the sale?

• Beginning 9/4 and while supplies last, you can also take advantage of a gift with purchase both online and in-stores! With a $50 or more purchase, you can purchase a $10 black tote bag gift with custom graphics. This durable tote features a water resistant nylon exterior and interior, complete with ample storage and convenient baby bottle and water bottle pockets, perfect for baby and Mom.
• Take 50% off bath essentials like hooded towels and washcloths that are soft, cozy and absorbent. Neutral little layette items are also 50% off!
• Take 50% off all Little Collections! Pretty pinks and cute kitty details will make her the cat’s meow from the Pretty Purr-fect Collection, and he’ll be the top dog in smart stripes and cute puppy details from the Puppy Love Collection.
• Take 25% off all accessories that match back to the Little Collections, including shoes, socks and hair accessories.

To find out if you have a Carters store near you, you can use this handy store finder to get going on the sale.

So whether you are picking up for Baby boy or Baby Girl, you will be sure to find something CUTE. And Psst…if your drawers are already bulging with cute stuff, don’t forget that now is the time to snap up for baby showers and Christmas presents.

I seriously cannot believe I just made my first reference to Christmas. Is it time to think about gifts already?

WIN WIN WIN

MomDot has partnered with Carter’s to jump start you in the sale and offer one lucky winner a

$50 gift card to get started!

Please refer to the rafflecopter below to enter. Give it one moment to load.
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disclosure:

Carter’s partnered with bloggers such as me to help promote Baby Sale. As part of the program, I received product or gift cards. Carter’s believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words, and therefore did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products I used. Carter’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations. The winner of any giveaway in this program will be randomly chosen and gift card fulfillment will be handled by a third party.

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

Now that the holidays are looming (oh yes they are, do not be in denial) its time to start figuring out the who's, whats, and where of your shopping adventures. Personally, I get really bad about buying stuff in the beginning thinking it will save me money and then in the end, buying tons more stuff.

I just like to give, what can I say?

While there are hoards of retailers you can purchase from, not all of them are wallet friendly and no matter your personal financial situation, everyone deserves to feel positive about their holiday gifts experience. In hopes to help you get started sooner and organize your gift giving, I wanted to share a bit about Kmarts Layaway program.

What IS layaway?

Layaway is a great way for you to select all your gifts now and pay a little bit at a time. I do not know about you, but going in and purchasing hundreds of dollars of gifts in one trip isn't hard to do and also makes my stomach turn. Kmart's layaway program is 8 weeks long (they also have a 12 week program). One of the differences between Kmart's Layaway and Walmarts is this actually. Walmart usually has a $15 fee, although redujced to $5 right now, but Kmart has free layaway !

Why would I choose layaway?

Why not?

It's so easy to pick out great products now and pay them down so the impact on your family is less. From clothes to toys to DVDs, I think layaway can be really helpful for famlies that need a longer period to get gifts under control.

Personally I would put something like this on layaway:

And le'ts not forget that layaway as the added benefit of keeping the toys HIDDEN.

In my house, my daughter finds things in like 10 seconds. Accidentally of course, but I don't have the money to just run out and buy new to keep the Christmas spirit alive! Little eyes, little fingers, and little wallets are my reason for using layaway!

How does Kmart's layaway stack up to other retailers?

Win your purchases with the BIG LAYAWAY GIVEAWAY!

There is one layaway giveaway per store per week every week from 9/9/12 through 11/17/12* Now's the time to place those gifts you've been eying on layaway and also get the chance to win some great prizes at Kmart!

* NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Ends 11/17/12. For official rules and to check out more, head to Kmart's Big Layaway Giveaway.

Right now there is a back to school special encouraging teens to put their best face forward and feel confident about hitting the books and hanging with their peers. We all know how acne can affect us personally and how it makes us feel. I know right now that I have a blemish on my chin and its so frustrating, even as an adult.  Clean and Clear/Neutragena has teamed up with Walmart to provide a great special to help you get all stocked up and ready for the early morning rush with fantastic smelling, and fantastic working, products.

Just check out the line up!

How to take advantage of this deal!:

Step one: Purchase any two (2) Clean & Clear^® or Neutrogena^® products and make sure to keep your receipt
Step two: Email a photo of receipt that contains both purchased items showing qualifying purchases and date of purchase along with the name and address of where you would like to send the complimentary TEEN VOGUE subscription to: TeenVogueSub@cdsfulfillment.com or mail a copy of receipt that contains both purchased items showing qualifying purchases and date of purchase along with the name and address of where to send the complimentary subscription to PO Box 37725 Boone IA 50037-0725
Step three: Wait for your subscription to be delivered to that address in 4-6 weeks and Enjoy!

Questions? Call the Teen Vogue customer service center at: 1-800-274-0084

Get in the spirit!

Get in the spirit now and WIN some wonderful products for your teen (or you!) and keep one thing off your “to do” list this fall.  My bathroom is covered in my early morning routine and I personally enjoy the fruity smells that bring my senses up at 6am.

While not shown here, one product that is always on my buy list when I run out is the Clean and Clear “Morning Burst“. It smells so great and has yet to dry out my skin. Please visit

• Clean and Clear on Facebook (for special deals)!
• Neutrogena on Facebook for great products and other sweepstakes offers

WIN HERE NOW!!

Wanna get started now? Win a huge basket of products AND a $100 Walmart gift card to keep your supply going by entering the rafflecopter below. The basket includes:

• Clean & Clear Advantage Oil  Absorbing collection (Cream Cleanser and Treatment)
• Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets
• Clean & Clear Morning Burst  Fruit Infusions (Reviving Facial Cleanser and Smoothing Scrub)
• Clea & Clear Morning Burst Body Wash
• Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment
• Neutrogena Makeup Removal Wipes
• Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash
• Neutrogena Skin Clearing Foundation

Please wait a minute for it to load!

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While we are talking today about being responsible with online communication and how we approach the topic with our kids, we should also talk about all the privacy and security that comes alone with having all of you information online. While the ease of purchasing and paying bills makes life so much more productive, it also presents a variety of security concerns that we often take for granted and ignore.

Just a few weeks ago I busted my phone to pieces leaving it a top the hood of my car and driving off. When I found the phone, and thankfully I found the phone, i was a lot more concerned with making sure my open apps and privacy codes were on because had I lost it for good, in one second my accounts could have been compromised by the most novice hacker. Its scary to live so much life online. We log into our bank accounts, our paypal accounts that connect to our credit cards, we purchase on amazon, we send money to friends and family and its all fine until someone with a savvy email that replicates a business you purchase from and turns it into a catch all for your social security or bank numbers.

LifeLock

You may have heard about LifeLock or have seen the commercials or radio spots. I know that I have. LifeLock is Identity Theft Protection that helps identify and be proactive regarding security risks for your family.  At only $25 a month, you can get the following: