I have a lot of things on my plate. I work two, part-time jobs, I blog, do volunteer work and juggle my children’s sports practices, games, therapy and Scouting activities. I do the laundry, occasionally cook a meal and try my best to keep the house clean . Also, I don’t sleep.

Because I am so busy, I like to be efficient. That means keeping lists (lots of them) and multi-tasking. If I’m on a conference call, I will also be emptying the dishwasher. If I’m sitting in the waiting room at the dentist’s office, I will type a blog post. (This one is brought to you between kid #1’s cleaning and kid #2’s sealants.)

Many years ago, my BFF showed me a new coffee maker she had purchased. It was one of the first single-cup, coffee makers on the market. I was amazed at how she had a steaming, hot cup of coffee ready in seconds, but it seemed too extravagant for me. She has, for nearly a decade, told me that I’m crazy for not owning one.  There is no need to multi-task when you only have to wait about a minute for your coffee.

Now, let’s fast forward to 2009, when my mom purchased a single-cup, coffee maker. This made sense to me. For a single woman, who doesn’t need to make a full pot of coffee, it seemed ideal. Even though I frequently made myself a cup of tea or coffee (and an occasional hot chocolate) when I was visiting her, I still never considered buying one for myself.

When this winter rolled around, I started doing what I always do at this time of year. I retrieved my kettle from its storage shelf so that I could enjoy my green tea, or chai lattes in the evening and more than a few times, I have hit the local coffeehouse for a cup of hot goodness to warm me in the afternoon as I wait for the kids to get out of school.

But, there are a lot of times I boil water, put my tea bag in, then walk away to accomplish a task while it’s soaking, only to return an hour later to find a cold cup of strong tea. Plus, having coffee made by a barista isn’t exactly cheap.  No matter how good my coffee is, it never gets easier to fork out $3.15 for a cup of it. 

So, when Tassimo asked me if I would like to try their Home Brewing System by Bosch, I jumped at the chance. I had heard nothing but good things from my BFF and my mom about having a hot drink ready in seconds. Really, they have done nothing but rave about it.

I hate it when they’re right.

The Tassimo T20 lets you have the drink of your choice in no time at all. It’s so easy that the kids can make their own hot chocolate and I haven’t stopped at the local coffee shop one time since I received it. My husband can enjoy a cup of dark roast, while I enjoy a milder blend and both of us will be sipping away long before our traditional coffee pot would have started dripping.

And, if cappuccino or espresso is your thing, this mighty, little machine can make that too.  To be exact, there are over 40 different beverage and flavor varieties (which, technically, makes my new coffee maker the most diverse single-cupper on the market.  Just sayin’.)

As much as I don’t want to say that my BFF told me so (and has been telling me so for years), I’m going to have to admit it. My Tassimo makes me more efficient. I love it.

And, the best part is that Tassimo wants to give one lucky reader a chance to love it too!

To enter for a chance to win your own Tassimo T20:

1. Leave a comment on this post (make sure you have a valid e-mail address so I can contact you if you win).
2. Tweet a link to this contest and leave your tweet URL in a comment here.
3. Blog about this giveaway and leave your blog URL in a comment here.

This contest is open to US residents and ends at 6:00pm EST on 1/7/11.

**Congratulations, Mandibone!  You are the winner!**

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My daughter was born premature on December 29, 1998.  She weighed just 2.5 pounds and because she was so fragile, I wasn’t able to hold her in my arms until she was off her respirator two days later.  It was New Year’s Eve.  When I held her that afternoon, I knew the holiday would forever be linked with an amazing memory of cradling my baby for the first time.

Later that night, as the clock approached midnight in the pediatric intensive care unit, my husband and I stood next to our tiny daughter.  We were the only parents on the floor.  As the nurses quietly rang in the New Year at the nurse’s station, my husband and I each reached in and put one hand on our newborn child.  In the other hand, each of us held a glass of sparkling grape juice.  When the countdown to 1999 was complete, we toasted to our little girl.

Every year since then, New Year’s Eve has been a very special celebration for our family.  We make dinner together, then sit down at a candlelit table.  There are usually a couple of lobsters, some steak, veggies, homemade rolls…and there is always a bottle of Welch’s Sparkling Grape Juice. 

In 2002, we had a son who was also premature.  So now, on New Year’s Eve, while the adults are sipping champagne, the two kids have fun drinking bubbly juice from Welch’s in fancy glasses.  We toast to both of them, always remembering the first time we shared this holiday as a family.


That’s my preemie.  She’s not so little any more!

They love the taste!  And, the bubbles!  I love the memories.

Welch’s Sparkling Grape Juice has been helping us celebrate our good fortune for a long time and now BlogHer wants to help you celebrate the holidays by giving one lucky commenter a $100 Visa giftcard!

For a chance to win, simply check out the following drink recipes, leave a comment on this post and tell me which one you would like your family to try (if you don’t sign in with an account, please make sure to leave me a valid e-mail address).

Personally, I like the Sparkling Cranberry Spritzer, because bubbles and cherries!  Oh my! 

Holiday Toasting Cup

Spiced Grape Punch

Sparkling Cranberry Spritzer

After you leave your comment, be sure to check out the eleven other bloggers’ holiday stories for more chances to win!

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) Click this link and provide your email address and your response to the sweepstakes prompt

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.  Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.  You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

For Official Rules click here.  Sweepstakes ends 5 PM PST on December 31, 2010.

Good luck and happy holidays from BlogHer, Welch’s and me!

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In early 1999, just after my daughter was born 10 weeks premature, I learned a lot of new words. The hospital has a lingo all its own and when you have a baby in the NICU you get a crash course in anatomy, ailments, monitors and medicine. To be completely honest, before our daughter came along we didn’t even know that NICU stood for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

It was there where we learned how to take care of our tiny, new arrival. The nurses taught us what to do if her breathing slowed and they showed us how to touch her with firm hands because being gentle startled her.

The NICU is full of science and full of caring. It was where I saw my daughter being tube-fed and it is where I held her skin-to-skin because I was told it would help her grow. It is a place of delicate balance.

It was in the NICU that I first heard of Aquaphor.

I arrived at the hospital one day to find a small jar with a pharmacy label on it. My daughter had been prescribed a mixture of Aquaphor and Maalox to treat her very first diaper rash.

Let’s just say that it wasn’t the only time we used that jar. My little girl was famous for her middle of the night, up the back poops. She didn’t just get a red bottom, but rather a red area stretching from her diaper to her neck.

Now, more than a decade later, I am working in the cafeteria at my kids’ school. I never thought I would wash my hands more than I did when my daughter was in the hospital, but there is something about preparing food for hundreds of children that makes you want to keep your hands clean.

During the school year, especially throughout winter, my hands are more red and cracked than my daughter’s rear-end ever was.

When Eucerin contacted me and asked if I would like to try one of their products, I jumped at the chance to sample their Healing Ointment. This would also be when I slapped myself in the forehead, because I hadn’t thought of using it for my dry, chapped hands.

For the past week I have been putting the Healing Ointment on my hands and feet before I go to bed. In order to get the most out of the product, I have been wearing socks and gloves. I know that seems extreme, but you haven’t seen my dry skin.

And, you know what? You won’t see it. I now have the smoothest skin I can ever remember. After years of spending a lot of money on pricey lotions, it took a week of Aquaphor and some old gloves to heal me.

The generous folks at Eucerin want to heal your skin too. They have asked me to choose two lucky readers to receive an Aquaphor Wonder Set, valued at $33.00, which includes the following:
Aquaphor Lip Repair: Aquaphor Lip Repair effectively relieves dryness and soothes chapped lips so you can smile comfortably. Provides immediate and long-lasting relief for dry lips, seals in moisture and prevents dryness. Fragrance-free, preservative-free, dye-free and appropriate for sensitive lips.

Aquaphor Healing Ointment: Protects extremely dry, chapped, cracked or irritated skin and helps enhance the skin’s natural healing process. The multi-purpose ointment is safe to use on babies’ sensitive skin; it relieves chapped cheeks, treats diaper rash and relieves dry skin associated with eczema.

Aquaphor Gentle Wash & Shampoo: A convenient cleanser that gently cleanses both skin and hair. Enriched with soothing chamomile and provitamin B5, it is specially designed to be gentle for baby’s sensitive skin. Soap-free, fragrance-free, tear-free and pediatrician recommended.
To enter, leave a comment on this post (please provide a valid e-mail address) before noon EST on Friday, October 8, 2010. For an extra entry just tweet a link to this page (add @Momofali to your tweet).
Good luck and happy healing!

*UPDATE*  Congratulations to Amy and Shelly!  Your Aquaphor will be shipped soon!  Enjoy!

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