IMG: Sxc.hu

So what are they doing? The free summer lunch program, this is when many families that need it can show up at the school to get their free lunch during the week. Have you tried it? I know some schools offer a variety of services for this, some are free, reduced or just regular price.

Tampa Bay Online:

The program targets children 18 and younger who qualify during the school year for free and reduced lunches. But there are no qualification requirements for the program. Any child can walk into a participating center and get a free lunch.

“They don’t have to fill out anything,” Coney said. “They just have to show up at one of our sites.”

The Summer Food Service Program is the largest federal initiative available to local sponsors who want to combine food programs with summer activities for children, according to the USDA Web site. But only a fraction of the children who take advantage of free and reduced lunches during the school year participate in the summer program.

“Too often, many children are left searching for unhealthy foods to eat when their parents are working or not in the home,” according to a USDA press release. “When there is not enough food to go around, their nutritional needs are not met and their choices are not always the best.”

It’s all about the nutrition, Coney said. “They need that to play, grow and learn.”

I remember using the reduced program when we were still in the military and just before the children entered school. I was very happy to see them eating healthy and around children their age, plus I didn’t always have to cook. This was the perfect way to make sure my picky and slow eater would be prepared for school lunch.

Is your school doing this? In Hawaii they have 57 schools that are participating in the free summer lunch program this year. My children’s school use this as well, no we haven’t tried it yet. Due to the economy many schools want to participate and get the school children to take part, however some are having to close the program due to how costly it is for the school. Find out if your school is doing it.

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Are You Using the Free Summer Lunch Program

The winner of today’s We Love You, Moms! giveaway will equip her car with Parrot’s MINIKIT CHIC portable, hands-free car kit and DropStop®’s fabulous car interior accessory.

The MINIKIT CHIC automatically connects to Bluetooth-enabled cell phones, has automatic voice recognition and spectacular sound quality. That, and it’s compact and very chic!  ($99.00) The Parrot MINIKIT SLIM is a portable Bluetooth hands-free kit sporting a profiled, sleek design. Thanks to its space-saving design, it offers countless uses: in the car, in the office and at home. Its highly intuitive interface will automatically connect to your Bluetooth phone when nearby. Fixed to the sun visor or laid on a table, it adapts to every environment and can easily be carried around in your pocket.

The DropStop® is an innovative, vehicle car interior accessory designed to provide mom with safety, savings and convenience. Drop Stop® helps provide a safer, more convenient driving experience. It eliminates the distraction and potential danger that exists when personal articles slip through a vehicle’s seat and center console gap, causing the common unthinking reaction of taking one’s eyes off the road. Made of a hypoallergenic, polyester fiberfill interior and high-grade, durable and stain resistant neoprene (wetsuit material) casing, the Drop Stop® is flexible, and cleans up easily with damp, soapy cloth.

All you need to do to enter the giveaway is write a quick comment and fill out the form below this post. One winner will be drawn at random after 5 days, so don’t delay! Enter only once to be eligible.

This contest is now closed. Congratulations to our winner Lucie.

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Giveaway: Hands-Free Tools for Driving

CLARISONIC is the first sonic oscillation face brush that deeply cleanses, stimulates and clarifies the skin. Using any nonabrasive facial cleanser, CLARISONIC works with the skin’s natural elasticity to unclog pores for deeper cleansing without stripping the skin. Safe for virtually all skin types and for daily use, CLARISONIC is clinically shown to be 2x more effective at cleansing the skin than manual cleansing with soap and water. With its easy usage and waterproof design, no additional time is added to the beauty regimen and it can safely be used in the shower.

The Clarisonic PLUS with Spot Therapy Brush goes to the lucky winner of today’s giveaway!

This giveaway is CLOSED.

Congrats to Joanna S!

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Giveaway: Clarisonic PLUS

Image: BlueMax

Today’s item is a Dawn Simulator. The new model 320 is the brightest BlueMax™ dawn simulator featuring a spectrum rich in 470nm blue light. The integral lamp mimics a natural morning sunrise or evening sunset using long-life LED bulbs. You’ll feel rested each morning with the Dawn Simulator!

For more information, please visit www.bluemaxlighting.com.

This giveaway is CLOSED.

Congrats to Erma H!

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Giveaway: Dawn Simulator

Check out what’s in store:

So many chances to win!

Winner #1 will take home the Shark Steam Mop which uses the power of steam to clean floors quickly and effortlessly ($79.99) and Super.fi5vi earphones from Ultimate ears with super enhanced sound and can be used as an earpiece for cell phones. ($169.99)

Lucky winner #2 can travel effectively and stylishly with Travelon’s Checkpoint Friendly Ladies brief ($59.99 – $189.99) and the invisibleSHIELD by ZAGG, an ultra-thin protective film that protects gadgets from scratches and scrapes, keeping them looking new. It’s available for over 2,500 devices – the winner can choose which gadget you’d like shielded (Starting at $9.95).

Lucky winner #3 wins the crystal clear, compact i.Sound Ice Speakers from dreamGEAR that boast a big sound and are compatible with any 3.5 mm audio jack device ($39.99) and Shark’s latest vacuum, the Navigator with Infinity Technology, weighs less than 15 pounds and features 21 cyclones per vacuum for powerful suction and effortless glide ($199).

Winner #4 will take home the Shark Cordless VX33 Hand Vac, Shark’s newest handheld vacuum, features a patented, extra-large detachable motorized brush that easily removes pet hair from upholstery and furniture, trapping hair, dirt and allergens in the bagless dust cup. ($59.99) and Cobra Electronics’ new Deluxe Bluetooth® Headset featuring T5 Sonance Noise Cancellation Technology ($99.95).

And winner #5 will enjoy the ultra-lightweight Shark Cordless VX3 Sweeper, the only cleaning tool that features patent-pending BackSaver™ handle technology – the handle actually folds so the sweeper can clean under furniture without uncomfortable bending ($79.99) and How Cleaning My Room Changed My Life, written by Huma Gruaz, which tells a heartwarming story of Sam whose life turns upside down because of his very messy habits ($19.75).

This giveaway is CLOSED.

Congrats to Rachel R, Dianne G, Mel D, Ryan D, and Liz!

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Giveaway: Five Great Prize Packs

From the CHELLA website: “Replenishing hydrator for normal to dry skin A rich, hydrating peptide based day cream that revitalizes and protects the skin from UV damage and environmental assault. SPF 15 UV protection helps prevent premature aging and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.”

So all of you hard-working moms out there, pamper yourself with CHELLA this Mother’s Day! It’s a gift to yourself that will last far beyond the month of May!

This giveaway is CLOSED.

Congrats to Jennifer W for winning!

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Giveaway: CHELLA Anti-Aging

Sensei for Weight Loss is a mobile nutrition program that assists and guides people with busy lifestyles in managing their diets and weight loss through healthy eating and fitness. With your gift certificate for Whole Foods, you can get a great start in your nutrition program with healthy choices at your fingertips.

This giveaway is CLOSED.

Congrats to Anne G for winning!

At $15 (for online-only service) to $20 per month (for online and mobile service), it is a cost-effective approach to healthy eating, and is available wherever you are – online at Sensei.com, on your smartphone through their mobile website, and through their iPhone app. Sensei for Weight Loss offers a personalized meal planner that takes into account where and when you eat your meals, what foods you like and don’t like, and whether you like to cook or eat out. Sensei for Weight Loss will also send you personalized grocery lists based on the meal plan it puts together for you, as well as daily alerts on your meals, fitness activities and weight loss goals – all via email or through their app! Learn more about how Sensei for Weight Loss works.

For all of our Blisstree readers, Sensei is offering a fabulous discount! Use the code BLISS when signing up and Sensei will drop the monthly fee for either the Sensei Anywhere or Sensei Online service to $10 per month.

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Sensei Giveaway: $100 Whole Foods Gift Card

From the CHELLA website: “For all skin types This dual-action serum contains two new and innovative formulation concepts to our family of Chella products: the Hyalo Hydration and Tri Amino Complex. This combination moisturizes deep within the surface of the skin to plump it up and help smooth away fine lines and wrinkles while also working on the surface to maintain the skin’s natural hydration levels where it is needed most”

You work hard, so while your family appreciates you double-time this month, appreciate yourself by getting pampered by CHELLA!

This giveaway is CLOSED. Congratulations to the winner — Cyndi.

Congrats to Cindi for winning this fabulous prize!

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Giveaway: CHELLA Skin Care

Vivabox, a Sodexo company (www.vivaboxusa.com) combines the gift of experience with the gift of choice. First, recipients get an immediate “taste” of their experience through the items in the box they receive. Then, the gift recipient selects the second half of their gift by redeeming a gift card included in their themed gift box.

You choose the theme, your recipient tries the samples and then your recipient chooses the gift. Vivaboxes are perfect for the hardest of people to shop for because you’re really letting them choose exactly what they want. It’s the perfect ‘out of the box’ Mother’s Day gift idea.

There are 8 different vivabox themes available, including gourmet food, wine, and tea. Don’t dispair, not only is vivabox giving away a free gift to one lucky mom, they’re also offering 25% off all vivaboxes until Mother’s Day (with the exception of the fragrance box). Please remember to get your order in by May 6th if you want your special gift to arrive in time for Mother’s Day! But no fear, your mom will appreciate a vivabox any day of the year!

Coffee vivabox ($37.13)
Coffee-drinking Moms can enjoy the jazz sounds of Lonnie Mardis on CD while enjoying unique coffees from 100% sustainable sources and delicious Torani Italian syrups before deciding which award-winning Jazzman’s® Café coffee blends and syrups to purchase with their enclosed gift card.

Tea Time vivabox ($37.13)
This vivabox begins when Mom opens the box to find a display of seven teas from Numi Organic Tea. She can experience the beauty of innovative flowering teas and sip on the purest tea on the planet. While exploring these exclusive teas, she can choose to redeem her enclosed gift card for a wide range of gifts on the Tea Time gift menu.

Contest is closed.

Congrats to Darija V for winning a Vivabox!

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Giveaway: Personalized Vivabox Gift Box

Massages are expensive, though. And since I’m a frugal girl, I haven’t been back to get one since I can’t find anyone to pay for it! If you’re someone that likes massages, you might want to consider this contest. You could win a year’s worth of free massages.

Image: sxc.hu.

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Free Massages for a Year