Thanks to everyone who entered my One Year Blogiversary Contest!

It’s been so great reading all the comments and kudos – I honestly have a warm and fuzzy feeling all over. Here’s to another great year, full of deals, steals and fun!

I drew for all the prizes this afternoon, and let me tell you – putting the entries together took some work! Phew, I just about finished in time to get Ryder ready for his big night of trick-or-treating.

Here’s a breakdown of how it was organized:

1. List of Blog Followers
2. List of Facebook Fans
3. List of Twitter Followers
4. List of Blog Followers (again, as two entries were awarded)
5. List of Commenter’s Names

When I was finished compiling the list, I had 536 names to draw from! Then I separated the list into known parents, to ensure that mommies/daddies had first dibs on the PTPA loot.

As usual, I used Random.org to draw the winning entries, but as there are so many prizes to award, forgive me if I don’t cut & paste the screen shots.

Here we go…

The winner of the $250 Gift Card to Best Buy is SASSAFRAZ (Blog Follower)

The winner of the Miniature Moon Stone Earrings, courtesy of Sleepy Moon, is JESSALYN3 (Twitter Follower)

The winner of the Three Pack of Canadian Condiments, courtesy of SeaChange Savouries, is VANDA M. ORSINI (Facebook Fan)

The winner of the Chocolate Gift Pack, courtesy of Well.ca, is LIZADEE (Comments)

The winner of the Jumbo Black Beary, courtesy of Warm Buddy Company, is RUBEX CUBE (Blog Follower)

The winner of the Trio of Loofah Soaps, courtesy of Fusion Soap, is MONA VIRK (Facebook Fan)

The winner of the Toss Your Cookies board game, courtesy of PTPA, is SHAUNA MACKENZIE (Facebook Fan)

The winner of Baby Einstein World Music DVD, courtesy of PTPA, is JOSIE (Comments)

The winner of the Nintendo DS Math Blaster game, courtesy of PTPA, is TROLA (Blog Follower)

The winner of the Bamboo LullaWrap, courtesy of PTPA, is MELANIE A (Blog Follower)

The winner of the Kangaroo Towel, courtesy of PTPA, is CATHY TORRENO (Blog Follower)

The winner of the Lubie, courtesy of PTPA, is LOTUS (Blog Follower)

Congratulations everybody!

Winners – please send me an e-mail with your full name and contact details so that I can have the prize sent to you right away. Thanks again to everyone who participated, to all my sponsors, and to all my readers!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Thanks to everyone who entered the Lena Loves… Alli’s Originals contest. It was undoubtedly a hard choice to select just one item – as they’re all simply unique, fresh and gorgeous.

And remember, Alli has offered all Listen to Lena! readers 10% off your next purchase at Alli’s Originals – simply enter code ao 10% 07 at checkout. I think it’s a wonderful time to start your Christmas shopping – and you can cross your girlfriends, mamas-to-be, daughters, teachers and grandparents off your list!

As a reminder, up for grabs is $35 Gift Certificate to her store. Without further ado…

The winner is ashi! Congratulations!

Indeed, it’s a hard choice! A recent headline on the NYPost.com reads:

“I Wish I Knew How to Quit Tickling You”

Hilarious!!! Writer Jarett Wieselman says:

For their upcoming 40th season, “Sesame Street” welcomes a whole host of famous faces – Cameron Diaz, Adam Sandler, Eva Longoria, Ricky Gervais, Paul Rudd, Christina Applegate, Hugh Jackman, Matthew Fox and Michelle Obama!

For the record, my vote is with Elmo.

As you know, I normally don’t blog a free shipping deal, but when you’ve got a store with hot cheap & chic clothing, and only 9 locations across Canada, it’s necessary to take advantage of any concessions in price! (And is there anything better than having clothes delivered to your door? I think not!)

Now through November 2nd, Forever 21 is offering FREE shipping on all orders with coupon code F21FRIENDS!

While you’re online, don’t forget to check out their Daily 21 Specials, where you’ll find 20% off 21 items everyday.

Click here to begin shopping at Forever 21.

My husband was just asking me about Tristan the other day! As in, “Does Tristan still exist?” The answer is YES – and they’re offering 20% off their Holiday Collection with the coupon linked below.

Check out these HAWT holiday styles (click to enlarge):

My only beef with Tristan is that I fall into the “Looks-Great-on-the-Mannequin-Not-So-Great-on-Me” camp; that is, I simply don’t have the statuesque, curveless body to pull off the haute styling. In case you don’t know, Hips + Pencil Skirts = A Lifetime Fear of Pencil Skirts.

Thankfully, Tristan also offers a wide selection of Bubble, A-line and Empire-Waist dresses!

Click here to print your coupon for 20% off at Tristan.

Since Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, you’ll likely get a break from rushing home to get dinner on the table, kiddies dressed, and treats handed out (all while junior is bouncing up and down, with sugar lust in his eyes). And if you’ve got a spare moment earlier in the day, why not try out a super easy and kid-friendly recipe from Kraft Kitchens?

I’ve already posted my favourite Halloween treat – Eyeball Cupcakes – but here are a few more creative ideas to add a delicious spookiness to the day.

Click here to see all of Kraft’s Halloween recipes. Enjoy!

If you’re like me (and moonlight as a neurotic parent), surely H1N1 and Halloween safety has crossed your mind. This morning, I decided to give in to that neurosis and check out what the experts have to say.

The Ottawa Citizen just published an article which I really think is worth a quick read:

H1N1 guide for Halloween

Parents wondering whether it’s safe to let their little ghosts and goblins go trick-or-treating have nothing to worry about, as long as they take reasonable precautions, says Canada’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. David Butler-Jones. Here are the answers to some other questions you may have before Saturday night…

Click here to read the full article.

My favourite point from the article actually had me fall off my chair laughing at 6:15am:

Should I wear a surgical mask if I’m handing out treats? – Only if your goal is to scare children.

Anyhoo, definitely some great advice! To me, the best part of Halloween is handing out the treats – I love to see the little vamps and vixens!

* THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED *

Well, I alluded to a HUGE contest a few days ago, and I know you won’t be disappointed!

Your favourite Canadian Mommy blogger (that would be moi!) was handpicked by M80, a Social Media Agency in Los Angeles, to host this week’s OldNavyWeekly.com coupon giveaway!

Read on – you’ll have a chance to win 1 of 10 high value coupons!

What is OldNavyWeekly.com?

Shame on you. Sigh, for those of you not in the know, OldNavyWeekly.com is THE hottest coupon hunting site around. Once a week, the site is updated with several high to medium value coupons, and your job is to hunt around to find them! Once updated, the high value coupons are frequently snapped up within a minute (the site is trafficked by US and Canadian deal seekers alike – we’re talking tens of thousands). But if you’re persistent, you can usually grab at least a 20% off discount coupon, which are great savings just the same. Since the site launched in early 2009, I don’t stroll into Old Navy unless I’m armed with a coupon! And when you combine the discount with their already great promos and prices, you’re an Ambassador of Cheap Chic!

Do you remember, back in June, when I blogged about my COLOSSAL good luck in scoring a $75 off $100 coupon? Click here to see my amazing haul!

This week at Old Navy, you can look cute and be comfy with the Item of the Week: Women’s Tab Sleeve Henley. Starting October 30th, the shirts are just $8 (reg. $17.50) and come in super fun colors. So when you’re done treating others with candy, get into one of these and look dandy!

How chillin’ are these Henleys? They’re just my style – roomy and comfortable with maximum relaxation factor. And, since it IS Halloween, they’ve got a special trick up their sleeve; roll-up button tabs at each sleeve let you choose the length you love.

This week at OldNavyWeekly.com – from October 30th thru November 5th – the highest value coupon is $50 off your purchase of $100 or more.

AND I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE 10 OF THEM TO GIVE AWAY!

* THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED *

To enter, simply leave a comment to share your Halloween candy secrets. Do you buy extra candy? What’s your favourite treat? What do you do with the leftovers? Do you steal candy from your kids – to eat it or cut down their candy consumption? I want to know!

Remember: these are one time use only coupons, and each will have a unique bar code. The contest will be open for just three (3) days, as the coupons expire on Thursday, November 5th – I want to make sure that you have a chance to get to Old Navy to use it! I’ll randomly draw on the morning of Sunday, November 1st.

Once your name is posted, you’ll have 24 hours to send me an e-mail to claim your prize. If you’re not sure if you can tune in on Sunday morning, be sure to leave your e-mail address so that I can contact you (the 24-hour response window still applies). Due to the time sensitivity of the promotion, I’ll re-draw on Monday morning if there are any unclaimed coupons.

Need help posting a comment? Click here for a quick tutorial!

At the end of this contest, I will be removing all comments to prevent e-mail spamming.

Thanks to M80 and OldNavyWeekly.com – and GOOD LUCK everybody!

Oh Oprah, to us Canadians, this is as close as we’ll get to winning one of your Favourite Things!

From now until tomorrow (Friday), Oprah is happy to offer a coupon for 50% off your ENTIRE purchase at Payless Shoes! Woot! Woot!

Payless ShoeSource is excited to offer Oprah Show viewers 50 percent off their entire purchase at Payless stores in the United States, Canada, Guam and Saipan. This in-store offer is good from now through close of business on Friday, October 30th, 2009. Caliente!

Now who doesn’t need a bunch of stylish, cheapie shoes? Yes please! Simply print this coupon and present it at the time of purchase.

All Treats – No Tricks!

From now until Sunday, November 1st, save $10 when you spend $40 or more at Aéropostale by clicking and printing the picture on the left, or by clicking here. That’s a cool 25% off if you spend just $40!

Right now, they’ve got some HAWT graphic tees, as well as super casual henleys and knit bottoms. And in case you’ve got a teenager on your Christmas shopping list, an Aéropostale hoodie always works in a pinch.

From now until Sunday, November 8th, when you spend $100 or more at Jacob you’ll receive a gift card for $25 (to spend on your next purchase).

If you’ve been in Jacob recently (or ever), you’ll know it’s not hard to spend $100! This season, I’m loving their Comfy Knit Dresses (pictured left):

Being stylish is great, but being stylish and comfortable is even better! It’s a win-win situation with our comfy knit dress. Simple and stylish, it will be love at first try. Our knit dress is sure to become the star of your fall wardrobe.

Loves it! It’s so very Phyllis Summers Romalotti Abbott Newman (Y&R buffs will know who I’m talking about – and if Nick continues to make goo-goo eyes at his ex, she’ll be Phyllis Summers before long).

For two days only, October 30th and 31st, Old Navy is offering 25% off your entire purchase with a special one-time use coupon.

If you haven’t already ventured into the satellite radio phenomenon, there’s no better time to join the millions of listeners already enjoying SIRIUS.

From your morning commute to unwinding in the evening, SIRIUS delivers the very best in audio entertainment all day, every day. With 120 channels of commercial-free music plus sports, news and talk, we know you’ll love exploring everything SIRIUS has to offer.

We’ll even bet on it! If you don’t love SIRIUS after 3 months, just give us a call and we’ll arrange your refund*. (See full promotion details below)

To receive the “Love it or it’s Free” promotion, simply:

1. Purchase any SIRIUS radio.

2. Activate your SIRIUS radio between September 3rd and November 1st, 2009 by calling 1-888-539-7474. Remember to quote the promo code “Love it.”

3. Enjoy SIRIUS and discover what you’ve been missing!

Click here for full promotion details.

I’m celebrating my One Year Blogiversary all month! In addition to the $250 Gift Card from Best Buy that’s up for grabs, I’ll be adding prizes every few days. Here’s one more fab addition to the Blogiversary Stash of Goodies!

Woot! Woot! I’ve got SIX (6) more prizes to add, courtesy of Parent Tested Parent Approved (PTPA)! Great news for all the parents and parents-to-be; and hats off to PTPA for their generosity!

Have you signed up to become a parent evaluator yet? Have your say by signing up here!

Here we go… six lucky winners will receive one of the following prizes:

Toss Your Cookies (value $11.99): Hungry for fun? Look no further than this outrageously delicious game of quick cookie collecting. Try to gather five of the same cookie by following the dice actions: Pass cookie cards to your neighbor, swap them with an opponent, or steal the milk card. Watch out for half-eaten cookies that will spoil your set. And if you roll “Toss All,” get ready for an all-out cookie flinging frenzy!

World Music DVD (value $19.99): Introducing babies to sites and sounds of the world, the award-winning Baby Einstein Company reaches beyond classical music to explore global cultures with the launch of World Music . From banging a drum to shaking a maraca, little ones now have the opportunity to discover the different cultures of the world through the universal language of music. World Music will also be the first title in the Baby Einstein line to unveil two groundbreaking ways to customize parents and babies’ experience with Baby Einstein DVDs: “Grow With Me” and “Select-A-Segment.”

MathBlaster in the Prime Adventure (value $19.99): Math Blaster in the Prime Adventure brings intergalactic intrigue to NDS. Get ready to use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to navigate a variety of fast-paced games and help restore order in the galaxy. With all the appeal of the original hit PC game and the portable, touchscreen technology of NDS at your disposal, the Prime Adventure was developed by Knowledge Adventure to make brushing up on math skills a truly enjoyable undertaking.

Bamboo LullaWrap (value $26.00): Sleep Safe and Sound Through the Night – The Bamboo LullaWrap simplifies the age-old technique of swaddling with its streamlined design, unique shape and natural fabrics. Swaddling soothes baby to sleep and helps reduce symptoms of colic by recreating the comforting, familiar, snug feeling of mother’s womb. The Bamboo LullaWrap also encourages infants to sleep on their back which helps reduce the risk factors associates with SIDS and suffocation. The new Bamboo LullaWrap is naturally hypoallergenic, antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-static.

Kangaroo Towel by Small Made Simple (value $39.99): The Kangaroo Towel is a luxurious baby towel with a pouch for your precious baby. You wear the Kangaroo Towel while bathing the baby in order to keep you dry. When bath time is over, simply lift your baby out of the tub and place them into the hooded Kangaroo Towel. The towel comes equipped with a hoodie to make sure every inch of them stays warm on their trip to the changetable.

Lubies (value $8.99): Lubies are a break-through line of plush combining clean, charming designs with the irresistible, playable shape of a ball. They are insanely cute adorable softball size, made from super soft material, for ages 0+, contain no beans, need no codes and are absolutely pure simple fun!

Wowzers! Be sure to enter the giveaway!

Carb Counters: Beware. I’m about to blog about warm, soft, mouth-watering bread. You know, the freshly baked kind.

A few months ago, Anne at SeaChange Savouries generously sent over several products for review. Now you all know how much I LOVE SeaChange Savouries smoked salmon varieties, but did you know that their line of Canadian condiments and gourmet mixes are equally heavenly?

Last week I baked a dense, moist loaf of Beer Bread courtesy of their Beer Bread Mix:

Canadians have brewed beer commercially longer than anyone else on the continent. We also recycle the most beer bottles – 97%! Keep up the good work, eh!

Really, it’s that simple. All I had to do was crack open a bottle of my husband’s brewsky (I passed on the Bud Light Lime and settled for Heineken), mix it with the bread mix, and stuff it in the oven for about an hour. The cleanup: ONE mixing bowl!

Since I had tasted a type of beer bread once before, I knew that it was not exactly a light and airy bread – it actually has a more dense, cake-like texture. So I paired it up with some 5 Alarm Chili, hoping that it would stand up to the intense flavours and mop up nicely. DID IT EVER!

Here’s the bread fresh out of the oven:

As you can see: Hardly Any Crumbs = The Most Flavour Per Sq. Millimeter.

The crust was crispy without being too thick, and the flavour – simply magnificent! I could definitely see myself enjoying this with a little salted butter, or paired with a spoon of tart preserves. With chili, it provided just the right bread/meat ratio, and was thick enough to recklessly dip and mop. My husband loved the bread so much, he asked for chili leftovers the next two nights – just so he could enjoy it again!

One loaf will yield about 10 thick slices or 14-16 thin ones. You’ll want to slice this bread thick. SeaChange Savouries products are available at The Bay, and the Beer Bread Mix retails for just $9.99. I think it’s a great way to add some home baked goodness to your meal – and it makes a wonderful Christmas present! I know I was thrilled with the results!

Next time – I’ll tell you how much I adore their Savoury Apple Jelly with Sage, and how my husband winds down with Blackberry Tea.

Click here to view all products from SeaChange Savouries.