Patience...the mailman will come.

With sweepstakes you must learn one word...patience.  There must be patience in recieving prizes.  Most companies won't send out a prize until 6 to 8 weeks after the sweepstakes has ened.  Sometimes it can be longer than that.  This week I recieved three King Size Reese's Peanut Butter Cup coupons in the mail from the Iron Man Sweepstakes, which I won in April.

There also must be patience in winner notification.  Did you enter a contest that ended in the first of July but haven't heard that you've won?  Don't assume you didn't.  This week the mailman was very nice to us.  On Wednesdsay I recieved a letter in the mail from the SmartSource Blast Off Sweepstakes announcing I was the first place winner.  I won an Apollo Sterling Coin Collection (I was trying to win one of the two trips to the Kennedy Space Center, but I feel good I was one of only about 15 winners nationwide for ANY prizes).  The contest had ended in mid-June.  This afternoon we had a package in the mail from WB.  My son has won four action figures and a comic book from the Batman 100-A-Day Giveaway.  The contest ended May 7 and we had never gotten an e-mail or anything that the prize was coming.  What a nice surprise.

The sweepstakes prizes I'm listing below would certainly be nice to have in my mailbox.  All of them are Publix Supermarket Sweepstakes giving away mostly gift cards of $50 or more.  Who couldn't use that?  The sweepstakes is limited to the states of AL, GA, FL, TN and SC.

•  Campbells Soup/Peppridge Farm Back To School Sweepstakes will be giving away $100,000 in Publix gift cards.  Enter daily through August 31 at  http://www.makeitwithcampbells.com/
• Win a summer pool party (actually it's just a lot more Publix gift cards!)  This is mail-in entry that you can enter once by September 17.  For complete rules go to http://www.publixrebateresearch.com/poolpartyrules.pdf
• Back to School Sweepstakes (different from the one mentioned above).  Enter once by September 17 at http://clickcallmail.com/promotions
• The Publix Cooking with Kraft Sweepstakes runs through August 23.  Enter daily at http://www.cookingwithkraft.com/
• Another back to school sweepstakes from Publix - this time in conjunction with Unilever.  Enter once by August 31 for some great Publix gift cards.  http://www.unilever-rewards.com/
• And finally, Publix is teaming up with Chiquita Banana to give you a chance to win Publix gift cards and a year's supply of Chiquita Bananas.  You can enter daily through August 4 at http://www.chiquitabananas.com/Sweepstakes/index-Cool-Summer-Treats-Chiquita-Banana-Split-Sweepstakes-2010.aspx

Happy winning!

Another Day, Another Disney Sweepstakes!

I'm afraid I've spoiled my munchkins a little bit.  Every day when I ask them what they would like to do they respond "Let's go to Disney World!"  My toddler even plays "Disney World" with her Barbies.  We will be using up the last of our free tickets this fall, so I had to come up with some more Disney sweepstakes!

• Disney Channel's Toy Story Gammer Get Away is giving away a 7-Night Disney Cruise Line getaway for the grand prize winner.  The 75 first place winners can take home the Toy Story 3 video game for the Wii.  Enter daily through August 15 at http://disney.go.com/toystory/sweeps/?int_cmp=dcom_hp_toy_3_HP_meta_0712_game_Intl
• The New Yorker is giving 25 winners a Disney Book Group Gift Bag.  You will have to answer questions (PB&J and Hummus, Spring, A Robot, Gill, Third)  Enter once by August 10 at http://www.newyorkeronthetown.com/sandp_disney.cfm
• AAA wants to send you on a 5-day trip to Disney World or Disney Land.  Other prizes include 2-day parker hopper tickets and renewal/membership to AAA.  Enter weekly through August 31 at http://www.aaa.com/AAA/999/TravelMarketing/DisneyGiveaway.html
• Your kids (ages 6-16) can win a trip to NYC, LA or Orlando in Disney's Phineas and Ferb Vacation Sweepstakes.  Have them enter by July 22 (tomorrow!) at http://disney.go.com/xd/phineasandferb/sweepstakes/
• Funjet wants to send up to two families to Disney World for five days.  There are also 20 first prize winners who will recieve Disney merchandise.  Enter once by July 31 at https://www.secure02.com/Funjet/specials/disneyVacationGiveaway.asp

Hope you enjoy all of the great sweepstakes.  Be sure to leave me a comment if you win something!

For all of you bakers out there!

This week I won a $50 American Express Gas Card and S'Mores holder.  I think the S'Mores holder is going to be kind of cheesy...it wasn't exactly the prize I was going for.  When I recieve it I'll let you know how it is!  Have you won anything?  Please comment and let me know!

Today I am giving you several sweepstakes you can enter and win a KitchenAid Mixer.  This is especially for my friend Sissey who has been asking!!  If there is anything particular you would like to try to win, please let me know!

• Rodale is giving away an Artisan® Series Tilt Head Stand Mixer.  You probably don't want to check where they will give you the book.  Enter by July 31 at http://www.kitchenaidbakingsweepstakes.com/uof/kitchenaidbakingsweepstakes/
• Leite’s Culinaria Giveaway: KitchenAid Professional HD Stand Mixer.  You can enter three times PER DAY before July 25.   http://leitesculinaria.com/25045/giveaways-kitchenaid-stand-mixer.html
• Prevention Magazine is also giving away an Artisian Series Tilt Head Stand Mixer.  Enter by July 31.  http://www.springintobakingsweepstakes.com/uof/springintobakingsweepstakes/
• Win a KitchenAid mixer from the California Walnut Commission.  Enter daily by July 31.  http://www.walnuts.org/walnuts/index.cfm/smart-living/handful-of-walnuts/

Beer Contests!

I have to admit, I'm not a beer drinker (sadly, I'm allergic to beer).  It doesn't stop me from entering most beer sweepstakes though!  As a matter-of-fact, one of the best prizes I have won was a trip to the Super Bowl from Heineken.  I was completely shocked when I received the phone call. I immediately called my husband who can tell by my voice I had won something and started to make fun of me entering sweepstakes.  After I informed him I had plenty of friends who I could take to the Super Bowl with me he stopped teasing me :)  Heineken flew us down to Ft. Lauderdale, paid for us to stay at the Westin Coral Gables for two nights, paid for ground transportation and gave us two tickets to the game.  It was AWESOME!

Here are some beer sweepstakes you can enter!

• Miller Lite is giving away 180 portable grills plus tons of other prizes.  Enter daily through July 13 using the code word "TASTE".  http://www.millerlitelatino.com/activatesummer/Default.aspx
• Coors wants to give away 92 $100 prepaid VISA cards.  Enter daily through July 31at http://www.coorslight.com/winsummer/
• Boston Beer Company is giving aways tons of fishing prizes in their sweepstakes.  Enter once by August 31 at http://www.twistedtea.com/charliemoore/index.html
• If you are in the military you can enter to win a paradise cruise from Bud Light.  Enter once by July 31.  http://www.absweeps.com/trip/
• Samuel Adams also has a special "Military Only" sweepstakes.  Enter once by July 15.  http://sammilitary.com/
• Miller Lite is also giving away foosball tables, cash, soccer balls, etc. in their Latino Soccer Sweepts.  Enter daily through August 13 using the code word "SABOR".  https://soccer.millerlite.com/Log-In/
• Although it's not beer, Mike's Hard Lemondae is giving away a 2010 muscle car, personal watercrafts, bikes, beverage centers and hats.  Enter daily through September 7.  http://www.mikeshard.com/sfgus.php

Good luck to everyone!