Will you be in Las Vegas this weekend?

I’ll be attending the b5media Bloggers’ Summit on September 19, 2008 and then BlogWorld Expo on September 20-21, 2008. I hope to meet you if you’ll be there too! There are a lot of great sessions planned, which should make for an educational weekend (don’t worry, there will be fun too!). There will also be exhibits for various social media tools to dig through. b5media will have a booth (#309), so do stop by to say hello!

Feel free to send me an email (maricar-at-b5media-com) so I’ll know to look for you in the crowd!

Here are a couple of giveaways that you can join here at b5media’s Lifestyles Channel:

• momAgenda organizer at Weary Parent, ends September 14, 2008
• Clorox Green Works dishwashing liquid at Thrifty Mommy, ends September 16, 2008
• here at Keeping the Castle, the Jig-A-Loo Prize Package giveaway is running until September 14, 2008

It’s been a long time since I’ve taken you on a tour of b5media’s Lifestyles Channel. Once again, I found some really informative posts that will help us in our homemaking efforts.

* Marye, at Baking Delights, made some Old Fashioned Cloverleaf Rolls

* Cyndi shares her gelato experiments at Busy Family Meals

* What can you do with s’mores? Find out at Chocolate Bytes.

* Jennifer wants to know whether you’d toss unfolded towels in a pretty basket, to save time. Let her know at Declutter It.

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This month, the b5media Lifestyles Channel decided to have a little fun with one of summer’s favorite pastimes - picnics. We brought together favorite recipes, tips, and lots of fun!

You can tell we love desserts with these offerings:

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch by Robust Cooking

Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade at All Holiday Cafe

Rice Krispie Treats here at Keeping the Castle

Homemade Oreo Ice Cream at Chocolate Bytes

Cool Summer Snacking at Inside Motherhood

Lots of yummy brownies at Baking Delights

Nothing like sweet tea on a hot, summer day…Wait..I taste lime..mint…is that a non-alcoholic Mojito?  Kettle and Cup has the answer.

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We’ve had several new blogs added to b5media’s Lifestyles Channel over the past months. I thought we already had a great mix of blogs, but these new ones make the channel even better!

Who couldn’t use a good nutritious home-cooked meal even in the busiest of days? Busy Family Meals is a resource that will help us all have just that! Written by Cyndi Lavin, this blog is chock-full of tips, recipes and suggestions for preparing whole foods “with both speed and love, making even a rushed dinner time a nice family experience”. Cyndi started off her blog with her favorite 30 minute meals and the basics of once a week food preparation.

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The Lifestyles Channel has already given you a glimpse inside their world by sharing where they blog and now they’re sharing another intimate part of life by sharing the views from their windows.

Some have taken a very creative approach and painted a portrait with words as they stroll through windows of time, life and their spiritual growth, while others share actual images of what they see on a day-to-day basis.

We do hope you’ll enjoy this months gift to our readers.  Now push open the shutters and experience the world in the way we see our world …

——————–

Mary Emma Allen at One Book Two Book shares a view from her window that entertains and delights her grandchildren.

Also at One Book Two Book, Karen shares the sweetest view of her kids playing on the deck and how the two youngsters deal with the heat.  I’m thinking they’ve got the right idea!

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Gotcha!

I just wish this were the view from my window right now. It’s the view I think about when I hear the word “vacation” or “beach”. This was taken in 2003 in the Philippines. Gorgeous, isn’t it? And so peaceful.

My real view out the window is this:

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Below is a roundup of contests currently running around the b5media Lifestyles Channel. Entering to win is easier and cheaper then playing the lottery! What have you go to lose? Visit each link provided, leave a comment and you may just end up the lucky winner!

Last chance to enter at Inside Motherhood - Contests end tonight (May 30)! Hop over and register to win one of 10 great prizes!

Mary Emma Allen has a random drawing at Quilting and Patchwork for a quilting booklet, How to Make a Quilt - 25 Easy Lessons for Beginners by Bonnie Leman, founder of Quilters Newsletter Magazine. Leave a comment with the name of your favorite quilting/fabric arts book. Deadline June 6, at 11:59 PM (EDST).

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Who doesn’t love gadgets? And if you’re a mom, gadgets that make life easier are way up on your list, right?

MomGadget is a blog that’s right up your alley! It is b5media’s “guide to gadgets - gizmos and domestic bliss”. Gayla McCord is the MomGadget herself. She also blogs about celebrity romances, dating, and parenting. She is also the very hardworking channel editor of the Lifestyles Channel, of which Keeping the Castle is part.

MomGadget was actually developed after attending a baby shower and seeing all the really cool gadgets that make a mom’s life so much easier these days. From the pacifier thermometer to the baby wipe warmers - it was just amazing. However, a very short time into the developmental stages, MomGadget took on a life of her own.

While you’re looking around at MomGadget, make sure you throw your name into the hat for this giveaway: Just in time for Father’s Day Giveaway - Casio Waveceptor Timepiece. 

One of the longest-running blogs on b5media’s Lifestyles channel is the Mad Cropper.

The Mad Cropper is dedicated to all things scrapbook-related. Written by Christine Gooding, who is the blog’s original author, it’s been a resource for scrapbookers looking for tips, page inspirations, product news and more. You’ll want to check out her giveaway for a Kodak EasyShare 5300 all-in-one printer.

Christine has been keeping tabs on the scrapbooking industry since April 2005. She’s a prolific blogger who also writes about weddings and honeymoons, Christina Aguilera and Paris Hilton.