These Kidz Gear headphones are built just for kids and specifically made for Apple products like the iPod and iPhone.  BUT, there is an adapter just in case you have a different device!!! Some features include:

• They feature unique KidzControl Volume Limiting Technology for a safe listening experience while helping to protect children’s hearing
•  an Inline Microphone
• a Remote with controls for Track Up, Track Down
• Microphone Records Audio
• Answers Phone
•  Issues Voice Commands to SIRI
• TheRemote controls volume up and down, as well as lets the user play, pause, skip a track, return to a previous track or even hear the playlist that is currently active.

KidzControl Volume Limiting Technology

Maximum volume levels are limited to between 80dB and 90dB levels and is ‘always on’.  They are ergonomically designed with soft padded child-sized ear-cups.  The Kidz Gear Headphones cost $29.95 and I’d say that’s a small price to pay to keep your kiddos ears safe.

Truett says their super comfortable but I’ll let him tell ya.

KIDZ GEAR HEADPHONES GIVEAWAY!!

One lucky winner will receive a pair of these awesome, safe Kidz Gear Headphones, along with a carry bag, and an adapter just in case you want to use them on a non-Apple device.

TO ENTER (required to enter)

Leave a comment telling me your kid’s favorite song!

Also, these won’t get you an entry but I’d love it if you considered them just because (and to share the love).

• Share via your favorite social network like twitter and facebook.
• Join the A Cowboy’s Wife’s Facebook Community
• Subscribe to my feed via email.

Giveaway ends on February 8th at about 4pm or so CST.

Disclosure: I was sent a pair of headphones to review. All opinions are my own, as always.

For 2011, Propel Zero is giving away 3 million samples in Walmart stores across the country from March 19th to April 24th in conjunction with a sweepstakes to win a year’s supply of Propel Zero. To enter that particular sweepstakes:

1. Attend a Walmart sampling date at your local store.
2. Snap a photo of yourself with your favorite Propel Zero flavor at a sampling event (or wherever you happen to be).
3. “Like” Propel Zero on Facebook.
4. Upload your photo to the Propel Zero Facebook wall and answer the question: “I stay active by… ” (running, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, taking my dog for a walk, etc.).
5. Fill out the sampling form and let them know A Cowboy’s Wife sent you.
6. Check back to find out who won April 29th!

MY PROPEL ZERO GIFT KIT GIVEAWAY

In the mean time, you can also enter MY giveaway here at A Cowboy’s Wife for a chance to win a Propel Zero Gift Kit.  There will be 10 winners!!!!  WOOHOO!  Gift Kits include (and is featured in the photo above):

• (2) 20-oz. bottles of Propel Zero
• Propel Zero t-shirt
• (3) FREE Single-Serve Propel Zero coupons
• Drawstring Backpack

TO ENTER

Required entry: Leave a comment here on this post telling me how YOU stay active.  Are you a runner?  Do you workout regularly? Play Sports?  What do you do?

Additional, optional entry options, leaving each one you’ve done in a separate comment to count:

• Join the Propel Zero Facebook Community and A Cowboy’s Wife’s Facebook Community.
• Follow @ACowboysWife and @nowpropelled on Twitter and tweet the following. You may do this daily!

Enter to win 1 of 10 @nowpropelledGift Kits from @ACowboysWife: http://acowboyswife.com/propelgiftkit

• Subscribe to my feed via RSS or email. You must confirm your email subscription for it to be a valid entry! If you’re already a subscriber, simply leave a separate comment letting me know you’ve already subscribed.

This giveaway ends at 6:00 p.m. CST on 4/24 and is open to all U.S. residents 18 years or older.  You can read rules here and visit the winner’s page here.

I think he likes them because they are casual but still look nicer than a tshirt. He’s pretty particular about what he wears and I love that he always wants to look nice.

ABOUT THE SHIRT

This classic wardrobe staple has been redesigned to feature:

• Jersey-taped seams on the neck and shoulders add comfort
• Fabric that is heftier and softer than ever before
• No-curl collar that lies flat wash after wash

I think the mesh polo shirt truly is a classic and I love them on guys.

WIN A CLASSIC POLO SHIRT

I’ve got 3 RED POLO SHIRTS to give away.

Leave a comment on this post telling me what you consider a classic today.  (required entry)

Additional, optional entries, leaving each one in a separate comment to count please:

• Share via facebook or twitter, come back here and tell me where you shared. (can be done daily, per social network.)
• Visit Lands’ End and tell me what else you’d like to have from their site.

Giveaway ends on Feb 13th, on or about 10pm CST.  Good luck to all.

Lands End sent me a shirt and offered three to giveaway. All opinions are my own, always.

BEING THE HOST

Hosting a giveaway is a ton of work, especially when I have to deal with companies who don’t fulfill their obligations at all or in a timely manner.  Or when I have the winners emailing me withing 3 days asking when they’ll receive their prize.  It’s time that I have to take out of my life to reply to those winners or to pinpoint the reasoning a winner hasn’t received their prize.  It’s extremely frustrating to say the least.  Even when a giveaway goes smoothly, I still have to create it, manage entries, pick a winner, email the winner & wait for them to claim, then email the company with the info…if all goes well, they get their prize quickly.

CCC or Custom Creative Campaigns
I recommend custom creative campaigns.  It’s when a company seeks you out to promote their brand/product but tailors the program around you, usually choosing 5 or less bloggers of quality & relevance.  A few PR companies do this very well like Edelman, Malone Advertising, and Weber-Shandwick.  The goal is to find bloggers with a loyal readership, who love that brand/product, and can authentically dedicate their time online and offline for them, all with compensation.  All the companies I mentioned are great at this. They take the time to get to know the bloggers so when a “gig” comes up, they know exactly who to approach.  It’s so nice to see companies like these realizing that we are worth being compensated for out time & efforts because many of us do work very very hard.

Just an example of how they might do it—So if you’re looking for 2 bloggers to promote your very expensive DSLR camera, then you want to find 2 socially active, quality bloggers in different niches.  Perhaps a food blogger who can use that camera for food photography and the other a travel blogger who can snap photos of places they visit or a mom blogger who can capture the sweet moments of her family.  You take those two bloggers and give them a CCC consisting of 2 posts and/or videos a month for 3 months for $xxxx.xx, the click thru & purchase rate will almost always be higher than a giveaway.  Yes, I’ve tested it.  I use affiliate links in any post promoting a product and have measured (which is in my disclosure). Only one time has a giveaway done better and that’s because it was coupled with a MEGA discount.

Why does it work?  Because those bloggers have readers that trust them.  Relationships that have been built over time that it almost feels like family.  Those readers can tell through the blogger’s writing style that the blogger truly likes it.  Those are the ones that will know and will click thru to learn more about the product and possibly even buy.

SPOKESBLOGGER

Much like the CCC’s but you are hiring one blogger to represent your brand/company.  This is usually longer term and it’s with a blogger who genuinely loves the product and who has a very loyal following.

LAST THOUGHTS

Of course with both the Spokesblogger and CCC positions, the PR firm handling must do the job right by picking relevant bloggers and the bloggers need to think through whether they want to represent that brand/company.   I feel like PR should thoroughly investigate the bloggers before approaching so that they know beforehand if that blogger cares a flying flick about that brand.  This helps keep the blogger authentic as well.  By approaching someone who already has a love for the product, their readers will not even notice because it’s something they already talk about anyways on their blog, which keeps the situation real even with money being exchanged.

I’m not saying don’t ever offer giveaways, I like to host a few every so often, especially if they are of significant value or something that we love love love, but if you are really wanting to get the word out about a product, then I recommend one of the alternatives above.  I’m sure there will be a difference of opinion on this post and look forward to hearing what you think, both from a blogger’s perspective and a pr’s as well.

In honor of the Lunchbox Builder, they are giving me a prize pack to give to you with the Back to School theme and it’s worth about $150!

What’s inside??  Here’s a list of the goodies and there’s something in there for everyone.

• *iPod Shuffle
• *Insulated lunchbox
• *Smuckers Strawberry
• *Pencils
• *Coupons
• *Sharpie pens in lots of colors!
• *Colored Pencils
• *Smuckers Uncrustables Container
• *Motts Reusable Shopping Bag
• *Walmart Gift Card
• *Pedometer
• *An Optical Mouse
• *Smuckers Belt Pack

Note: The winner will also receive 5 labels for Education worth 10,000 points each. WOW!! That could do something really great for your child’s school!

HOW TO ENTER

Leave a comment here sharing your a lunchbox story. Either what you used to pack, something you do special for you child, what kind of lunchbox you had and what you wish you had, etc. You get the idea.  Can’t wait to hear them!

This giveaway ends on August 28th!

PLEASE NOTE…THIS IS A CONTEST, NOT A GIVEAWAY WHICH MEANS YOU WILL HAVE TO PUT SOME THOUGHT INTO YOUR ANSWER.

Not only is Nickelodeon famous for Nicktoons, Nick Jr., and Nick at Nite—They also have a sister site called Noggin that I am a HUGE fan of.  My little guy watches Noggin because the show is aimed at preschool-aged and early elementary-school-aged children.  Their website is very toddler friendly and I let my little guy on their frequently and I highly recommend both website and channel.

HOW TO ENTER:

Leave a comment telling me your BEST HOLIDAY MONEY SAVING TIP.  Best HOLIDAY money saving tip!!!  Please put some thought into your answer folks.

ONLY 2 TIPS PER PERSON PLEASE!!!

****************************************************************

How the winner will be chosen:

After all entries are carefully read, the judges will pick their favorite top 20 Holiday Money Saving Tips.  Those 20 entries will be put into a draw, where one winner will be randomly chosen.

In the event that there are identical tips given by different entrants that make the 20, it is at the judge’s discretion to choose which one gets thrown on the hopper.

This contest ends on December 15th and the winner will have 24hrs to contact me with their shipping address at lori at thecowboyshack dot com.

Contest and rules are subject to change if needed.

Other moms are giving away a $500 Walmart Gift Card too!  Go check them out and enter for more chances to win one!

They really were good cookies and easy to make.  Try them and give them to your cookie monster!