Photo Credit: Focus Features

Summer is the season of cinema, and this month, several phenomenal films are slated to be released. On August 19th, Focus Features will release One Day, a film based on the international bestseller by David Nicholls. Here is a short synopsis of the film from the site (which I highly recommend visiting because there is a ton of background information on the film):

Photo Credit: Focus Features

Their friendship began on July 15th, 1988 at their college graduation.  She is a working-class girl with dreams of making the world better…he is a wealthy man with dreams that the world will be his playground.  For 20 years, those pivotal moments of their relationship are experienced on subsequent July 15ths. Emma Morley (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter Mayhew (Jim Sturgess) experience laughter, tears, hopes, missed opportunities and eventually come to realize that what they’re looking for has been there all along.

Twenty Years. Two People. One Day.

To celebrate the film’s release, KODAK is hosting a contest on their Facebook page. What is your One Day?  Share a photo of your one perfect day for a chance to win a trip for two to Paris France, select KODAK products, or tickets to see the film.  Entries will be accepted through August 15th and the last day to vote is August 26th. For more information, just visit their Facebook page.

Win It! One of you will win a pair of tickets to see One Day (redeemable in most theaters nationwide with the exception of AMC theaters).  Simply leave me a comment with your perfect one day.  Comments will close on August 19th (yes…hurry!).

US Residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one. Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

Like me on Facebook

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

No compensation was received for this post. Tickets supplied by KODAK.

I used to think that photography was all about the camera. While that is mostly true, the equipment…the lenses, external flashes, tripods, SD cards, and editing software are also very important in achieving beautiful, memorable photos.

A few weeks ago, I reviewed KODAK’s new EASYSHARE camera.  If you are not ready to invest a lot of money in an SLR camera, I highly recommend this point and shoot camera.  The photos, particularly the ones taken outside, exceeded my expectations.  At 14 megapixels, it exceeds that of my SLR (impressive!).

As part of my review, I received an Eye-Fi wireless memory card. I opted to review the card separately, because while it can be used with KODAK’s EASYSHARE camera, it can also be used with any camera.  Have you ever taken a photo and wanted to share it right away with friends and family? Now you can! The memory card stores media and fits into cameras, like a conventional SDHC card.  With built-in Wi-Fi, you can easily transfer photos and videos to your smartphone, tablet, or computer.

Setup simply involves inserting the card AND the USB reader that comes with it into your computer.  Select your Wi-Fi network (you can add up to 32), the folder where you’d like photos to be transferred to, and the online sharing site (from 25) you prefer.  Insert the card into your camera, take a photo, and when your camera is within range of a network you’ve selected, photos and videos will be transferred to the folder and sharing site you specified during set-up.

The Eye-Fi card is compatible with a TON of different cameras (over 1,000) including my SLR! With 4GB of memory you can store up to 2,000 photos! I believe that capacity is much more than the card I currently have in my camera.  For more ways the card can help you stay organized and connected, just visit their website.

Disclosure: I participate in the Walmart Moms program and am compensated for my time and honest opinions.

*Update* For even MORE chances to win, visit The Mommy-Files, SAHM Reviews, and Just a Mom’s Take On Things

I have been hearing about CES since my husband and I started dating.  The Consumer Electronics Show is the largest trade show for consumer electronics and features products and the companies that create them.  This is the show where products like Blu-Ray DVD and Plasma TV debuted.  My husband is a total techie and I know how much he’d love to attend.  Unfortunately, he went back to work this week after being home with us for a month.

CES starts tomorrow (January 7th) and runs through the 10th in Las Vegas, NV.  Since we can’t attend (for so many reasons), we will be participating as we can from home, thanks to Kodak.  Thanks to Kodak, you can watch live streaming panels direct from the Kodak K-Zone on the CES Floor.  If you’re on Twitter, and you’d like to join in the discussion, you can submit a question to panelists using the hashtag #kzone.  To log on and view the live streaming and recorded videos, simply visit their their site.

Here is a list of the panels available to you:

The New CMO: Chief Memory Officer (Thursday, January 7, at 11:00 p.m. PST)

A look at today’s CMO’s and how they create, share and relive moments in their lives.

Speakers include: Tina Sharkey (Chairman and Global President, Baby Center), Jill Zarin (The Real Housewives of NYC), and Jen Drexler (Director of Brand Insights, Just Ask A Woman)

It’s All About KISS (Thursday, January 7 at 12:00 p.m. PST)

And we’re not talking about the rock band. Hear from leading women in technology about why simpler is better in today’s fast-paced world.

Speakers include: Linda Tischler (Senior Writer, FastCompany), Tina Sharkey (Chairman and Global President, Baby Center), Pam Sherman (author and public speaker known as The Suburban Outlaw), and Jen Drexler (Director of Brand Insights, Just Ask a Woman)

The M-Suite (Friday, January 8 at 3:00 p.m. PST)

How momtreprenuers and stay at home moms are building successful businesses.

Speakers include: Amanda Robinson (NaturalMommies.com), Sharon Napier (founder, Partners & Napier), Susan Tousi (Kodak), Soleil Moon Frye (actress), and Stacie Haight Connerty (blogger, Thedivinemissmommy.com)

Help, My Mom Friended Me on Facebook (Friday, January 8 at 11:00 a.m. PST)

Kids eight and under will never know what life was like before Google. Learn how technology is changing their lives – and their parent’s lives in the process.

Speakers include: Pam Sherman (author and public speaker known as The Suburban Outlaw), Susan Getgood (Blogwithintegrity.com), Jill Zarin (the Real Housewives of NYC), Linda Sawyer (CEO of Deutch), Christy Matte (editor of the Family Computing Guide, About.com)

Father Knows Best (Friday, January 8 at 5:00 p.m. PST)

It’s time to hear from the dads! Hear from these tech savvy dads on how they use technology with their kids, and the lessons learned.

Speakers include: Michael Ferrara (TechnoDad), Jeff Hayzlett (CMO, Kodak), Fred Fishkin (technology reporter, Bloomberg Radio), Jackson Lynch (WIRED)

I’m most excited about the M-Suite which discusses how moms are building successful businesses.  Once the sessions have wrapped, I’ll provide you with recaps, in case you aren’t available to log on.

Win It! I know you don’t need any incentive to log on, but, Kodak has offered to give one of you a Digital Picture Frame (RV $139.95).  Simply leave me a comment with the name of a panel you’d like to hear more about.  Comments will close on January 21, 2010 at 10 PM PST.  One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

I did not receive compensation for this post.  I did receive a product, courtesy of the company, in order to faciliate my review.

I’ve been hinting about a Kodak giveaway for two weeks now and I bet you’d probably like for me to just get on with it!  Well…it’s finally here!

A few weeks ago you read about my participation in an online blogger briefing with personal finance journalist and author Laura Rowley.  The event was hosted by Kodak and included twenty-five AMAZING bloggers live via video stream and conference call, and online via Twitter.  Laura shared practical, savvy tips on how we can all save money in every room of our house.  Here are some of my favorites:

1.  Eat In! Consumers (like myself) can save up to $2700 a year just by taking time to plan meals.

2.  Use Coupons! I shop at natural food markets so I signed up to receive coupon booklets from Mambo Sprouts, which helps me save on natural and organic products.  You can also opt for Whole’s Food’s generic 365 line of foods and products which are conventionally more cost-effective than their name brand counterparts.

3.  Program your Thermostat! Try turning down your thermostat a degree each day to where you’re most comfortable.  If you program your thermostat for a lower temperature when you’re asleep or away, you could save five to ten percent on your heating bill.

4.  Unplug! Vampire electronics are draining both the environment’s precious resources and your wallet.  Invest in a power strip and unplug (not just turn off) any appliance you’re not using.

5.  Ditch the Dry Cleaners! “Dry Clean Only” labels are designed to protect the manufacturer. Try using Dryel or Dry Cleaner’s Secret.

6.  Invest in low flow water fixtures!

7.  Go generic! From beauty products to prescriptions, there is always a generic, cost-effective alternative that most likely works as well as it’s counterpart.

8.  Evaluate and Negotiate! Seek out Services to help you analyze your cell phone bill for ways you can save money.  Contact your insurance broker to negotiate lower rates.

9. Take a vacation…or a staycation! Spend some time re-evaluating your cable usage by putting your cable service on vacation mode.  This will give you an opportunity to evaluate which channels you really need.  And while you’re at it, why not stay close to home and rediscover historical landmarks, parks, and attractions as a tourist in your home town?

10.  Blog It! Use your blogging services to…WHAT?  Make money?  What a novel concept!  Any takers?

31 year old mother and nurse seeks to promote your company through her witty, honest, sometimes tongue-in-cheek writing and savvy public relations skills.

The goal of Kodak’s Print and Prosper campaign is to shed some financial light on the subject of ink costs.  Last year Americans overspent by $5 billion on inkjet printer ink.  Kodak’s new line of printers are designed to help you save up to $110 on the cost of ink alone.  I recently reviewed the Kodak ESP 7 All-In-One Printer, designed to print smart and effectively.

Win It! One of you will win a Kodak ESP 7 All-In-One Printer right here on my blog.  Oh…but it gets better.  There will be 25 winners total over the next 5 weeks (1 winner from each of the 25 bloggers participating in the campaign) and out of those 25 winners, 5 will a FULL BlogHer scholarship (and it’s sold out!) including travel costs. Go Kodak!  The contest here on my blog will end on Sunday, April 19, 2009 at 10 PM PST and the winner MUST respond ASAP so that the information can be sent over on Monday.  Here are the blogs participating this week (I’ll give you a new list each week):

Simple

Mom In the City

Blissfully Domestic

This is a very special giveaway, so the rules will be differ slightly from those on my other giveaways.

First entry:  Leave me a comment with your best money saving tip, how to avoid being taken advantage of financially, or how you stimulate your home economy.  Please keep in mind that winners will be chosen by celebrity guest judge Laura Rowley and will be based on how well they represent the “Print and Prosper” theme.

Subsequent entries:

Post the “Win a Printer!” badge on your blog and leave a comment with a DIFFERENT tip

Blog about the giveaway and leave a comment with yet ANOTHER tip

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the giveaway and leave a comment with ANOTHER tip (getting the drift yet?)

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader and leave a comment with ANOTHER tip

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments along with ANOTHER TIP

IF you signed Mr. Linky and joined in on the Twitter conversation the day of the briefing, you may leave ANOTHER TIP (be sure you leave a link to your Twitter account)

<a href=”http://rockinmama.net/?p=3864″ mce_href=”http://rockinmama.net/?p=3864″ target=”_blank”><img alt=”Kodak Giveaway” src=”http://rockinmama.net/images/Buttons/kodakbutton.jpg” mce_src=”http://rockinmama.net/images/Buttons/kodakbutton.jpg” border=”0″ /></a>

I’ve been hinting about my involvement with Kodak for the past week or so (and you’re probably wondering when I’m just going to get on with it!).  Last week I had an opportunity to participate in an online briefing with personal finance expert Laura Rowley and Kodak, to talk about about the numerous ways we can save money in every room of our homes.  The briefing was timed perfectly, considering the state of our economy.  30 bloggers joined together both live in NYC and online to learn and share information.  And how impressive it was to see over 700 “tweets” during the online briefing.  If you missed the event, here is a summary of the tips Laura Rowley provided:

LIVING ROOM: MAKE A LIVING FROM YOUR LIVING ROOM

Use your family room to unplug, literally. Vampire drain of electricity in “standby mode” –turned off but still plugged into the wall – drains our wallets $3 billion per year. Plug items into fuse-protected power strips that don’t suck energy from the wall when turned off.

Watch a little closer. Americans pay an average of $60 for cable, but only watch 15 channels, according to the Consumers Union. If you pay for premium cable, call your provider and put the service on “vacation mode.” You’ll still receive basic service but save temporarily on the extras – and get a good sense of whether you miss them. If you don’t, call the cancellation department and say you’re considering eliminating service altogether – this department has the best deals on hand to keep you as a customer.

HOME OFFICE: CREATE A HOME (OFFICE) TO CALL YOUR OWN

Rethink your ink. Equip yourself with items that stretch your dollars like Kodak’s All-in-One Inkjet printers, which can save you up to $110 a year on ink.

Channel your inner freegan. Sign up for free services like Skype that lets you make long distance calls online without spending a penny and faxzero.com, a service that allows you to fax for free by adding an ad coversheet to your faxes.

BATHROOM: DON’T FLUSH MONEY DOWN THE TOILET
Go with the low-flow. Water bills can be cut back 25 to 60 percent by replacing showerheads and faucets with low-flow aerating models for $10 to $20 each. Look for a model that’s 2.5 gallons per minute to save on average $200 per year.

A prescription to save. Only one-third of prescription drugs are mostly covered by insurance, according to a recent Consumer Reports survey. Prices can vary as much as $100 between designer and generic drugs so make sure you ask your physician for a generic equivalent, which can cost up to 40 percent less.

LAUNDRY ROOM: DON’T GET TAKEN TO THE CLEANERS ON YOUR DRY CLEANING
A dirty secret. Households spend an average of $1,500 a year on dry cleaning, and 65 percent of those clothes are washable, according to Proctor and Gamble research. Wool, cashmere, silk, rayon, polyester and spandex can all be laundered, saving America $750 a year.

This is just the information shared by Laura during the briefing.  If you do a search on Twitter for #printprosper, you’ll find creative, unique tips from moms about how they save money.  Be sure to check out Kodak’s Print and Prosper website, complete with an overpayment calculator (don’t be discouraged…you’re not the only one and today is a new day).

As part of the campaign, I had an opportunity to test out the brand-new Kodak ESP 7 All-In-One Printer.   And yes…the printer is amazing!  It prints, scans and copies photos and documents for less money, saving you 50% when compared to similar inkjet printers.  Black ink cartridges retail for approximately $10, color ink cartridges retail for approximately $15.  By using this printer (or one like it), you can save $110 a year on printing costs without sacrificing speed or quality.

This printer will print a 4 x 6 in 28 seconds and 32 pages in black ink / 30 pages in color ink in one minute. That means I don’t have to wait until next Mother’s Day to get all of my son’s photos printed and sent off to the grandparents.  The quality of the photos I printed was amazingly professional.  If I didn’t know any better, I’d think that they were printed at a photo lab.  The colors are crisp and distinct and I love the high quality photo paper that I was sent to print out my pictures.  I just completed two ZoomAlbums for my mother and my mother-in-law for Mother’s Day on this printer.  I did this same project on MY printer and there was a definite difference in the look and feel of the book.

One of my favorite features is the fact that it’s enabled with wireless printing because I’m lazy and don’t want to get off of the couch to plug my computer into the printer.  The printer comes with a built-in, secure, mechanism that allows for Wi-Fi printing.  The printer is so smart that you don’t even need a computer.  Take your memory card from your camera, stick it in the printer, and print!  Here is a little video I did of the printer in action:

The  Kodak ESP 7 All-In-One Printer retails for $199.99 and is available for purchase directly from the site.  Be sure to come back Monday for your chance to win this printer!

I have had some wonderful opportunities to work with some amazing companies over the last couple of years that I’ve been blogging.  I work really hard to bring you products that are unique, functional, affordable, and fabulous.  If you read my blog regularly, then you know I’m passionate about fitness and going green.  You also know that I LOVE photography and have recently dabbled in some video reviews.   I feel very honored to be participating in an amazing online blogger briefing this Wednesday with 30 other amazing bloggers.  The briefing will be with personal finance expert Laura Rowley.  Laura is a mother to three children, writes a weekly column at Yahoo! Finance, and authored the book Money & Happiness.  Laura is going to talk about how to save money in every room of your house and will answer questions about personal finance and I plan on sharing with you all of her tips, particularly at a time when our economy is in such a fragile state.  Women play a key role in managing family finances and their role is never as important as it is now, during our difficult economic times.  I, for one, work part-time and still raise my son full-time.  Many of you work (part or full-time), run your own business, and do as much as you can to make the most of every dollar.

In conjunction with this briefing, I will be giving away a brand new Ink jet printer, courtesy of Kodak to help one of you to begin to stimulate your home economy.  There will be a number of bloggers hosting giveaways for a Kodak printer and when I get the list, I will be sure to link to all of the giveaways for easy reference.

And that’s not all…of those who win a printer, 5 will receive a full BlogHer conference scholarship, including registration and conference costs!  This is an event you definitely don’t want to miss.

While I don’t have all of the details yet, I will keep you as updated as I can.  You will be able to follow the briefing on Twitter and when I get the hashtag for the event, I will post it here.

Here’s what you can do right now.  Sign Mr. Linky if you want to participate (this is not required but encouraged…hint hint!).  Follow me on Twitter for the latest information.  Leave a comment if you have any questions!

Whew!  My Spring Cleaning Series is almost over but I have a few last minute tips and product picks to help you out.  Speaking of Spring Cleaning, winners have been posted (check specific posts) and emailed.  Please make sure to respond within 48 hours to accept your prize.  I wouldn’t want you to miss out on all of the great items sponsors so generously donated. A HUGE thank you to our sponsors (they’re listed on my sidebar), Tanya, and Amanda for making this such a successful event.  I had so much fun and my husband is LOVING how clean our house is!

Next up…Mother’s Day is around the corner (May 10 to be exact which just so happens to be my husband’s birthday) and it’s time to start getting prepared.  I know I am already thinking of what I want to get my own mother, my mother-in-law, and my 2 BFF’s Kristin and mother-to-be Amy.  If you’re struggling with gift ideas or need some creative suggestions, be sure to stop by for my Mother’s Day Gift Guide (brought to you in conjunction THE fabulous Amanda and Kristin).  If you thought the Spring Cleaning Series was huge…just wait!  We’ve got an amazing line-up of reviews and giveaways you don’t want to miss! Grab a button (hint, hint) and stop by April 13.

And…I hinted to you last week about an opportunity to win not only a Kodak printer, but a full scholarship to the very popular, now sold-out, BlogHer in Chicago.  Stop by Monday April 13th for all of the details!

Here’s what’s coming up on Rockin’ Mama.

You may have noticed Bob Stroller Contest button on my sidebar.  Very soon I’ll be reviewing the official stroller of choice for Stroller Strides.  I am so excited to share with you the ins and outs of the oh-so-famous, highly coveted BOB Stroller Strides Fitness Stroller!

I’ve shared with you some upcoming opportunities to see both Disney On Ice and Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus at greatly discounted prices,  thanks to Mom Central.  I’ve just recently learned that I was chosen to be a Feld Family Activator in my home community of Orange County, California.  So what does that mean?  I’m not entirely sure of the details but what I do know is that I will be one of several influential mom bloggers in the area promoting the shows.  How exciting is that?

Not only will I be going to BlogHer in July…I’ll be DRIVING there with Sondra from Happy Healthy Hip Parenting and Amanda from Mommy Mandy!  We’re driving across the country in a Chevy thanks to GM and BlogHer.  More details to come but if you’re a company interested in receiving some promotion during our drive, please feel free to contact me!

On May 7, I will participating in the National Mom’s Nite Out!  Stay tuned for more details on my involvement and how you can get involved too!

And…I have a fabulous BlogHer sponsor!  It’s none other than CARES!  I reviewed the Child Aviation Restraint System on my blog earlier this year and was featured on their site as their blogger of the month.  I am so excited to tell you more about this fantastic company who is helping to make flying both convenient and safe!

I’m still looking for 2 more sponsors for BlogHer this year.  If you are a company interested in getting some exposure, please email me!

And with that I’ll leave you with a question.  I love doing themed series so I want to ask you, the readers, what you’d like to see next.  Just leave a comment!  There are thousands of blogs out there and I greatly appreciate that you’ve chosen to spend a little bit of your day with me!  Ciao!