Now through July 18, tons of sunscreen is on sale during the Summer Essentials sale at CVS.com – all the national brands and the CVS /pharmacy-exclusive products. I love CVS-brand products. I use many of their OTC medicines, first-aid products and many other items with the CVS label. They save money, and everything I have tried has been high quality.

CVS sent me three of their new suncare products to try, and we love them all:

• CVS/pharmacy Sheer Mist Sunscreen SPF 70 – The spray sunscreens are truly a mom’s best friend, because they are so quick to apply. This one is especially great because it it not greasy at all. CVS says it uses new Solatec technology for long-lasting, photostable sun protection, and that it has been dermatologist tested and provides protection from both UVA and UVB rays.
• CVS/pharmacy Sport Sunscreen On-the-Go SPF 50 – I love, love, love this small tube for travel. At 1.5 ounces, it can be packed in your quart-size bag for liquids at the airport security checkpoint, and it doesn’t take up as much room in your daypack when you are hiking, beaching it or spending time at a theme park. Plus, it has a carbiner clip to attach it to your purse, belt loop or even your key ring. CVS says it is hypoallergenic, water- and sweat-resistant.
• CVS/pharmacy AfterSun Aloe Vera Cooling Gel with Soothing Lidocaine – As much as we try, sometimes sunburns still happen. This gel with lidocaine can take the sting out of a sunburn quickly. This product can also serve double-duty and give quick relief for minor scrapes or bug bites.

More discounts and free shipping

Now through July 11, you can save even bigger on sunscreen by using the coupon code “SUMMER10″ at CVS.com. It will get you $10 off a $50 purchase, as well as free shipping. I was able to order 14 tubes of our favorite CVS brand sunscreens for $50.80.

Win it!

CVS.com will give away one of each of the new suncare products listed above to one lucky Theme Park Mom reader. To enter, leave a comment below telling me why you need free sunscreen.

This giveaway ends at 9 p.m. EST on July 20. I will choose the winning comment using the random number generator at Random.org. I will announce the winner through an update on this post.

Sunscreen on sale: Stock up during CVS.com’s summer essentials sale is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

My personal favorite is “I don’t buy green bananas.” It’s her way of saying we don’t know what tomorrow holds, and we don’t know if we’ll be around long enough for the bananas to ripen.

When my daughter was peeing in her pantspotty-training, I heard another “Nana-ism” that she uses on all parents of preschool-age kids: “No kid ever went to kindergarten wearing diapers.”

And she was right. My daughter did eventually learn to use the potty. But during that time, Huggies Pull-Ups became a staple in our house. My daughter could pull them up and down herself when she went to the bathroom, and they kept her clothing dry without leaking when she didn’t make it in time.

This summer, Pull-Ups Learning Designs training pants are featuring some familiar characters to Disney fans – Woody and Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story 3 for boys and Tiana from Princess and the Frog for girls. There are some great tools online – like coloring pages, calendars and reward stickers – at Disney.com/BigKid to make starting the potty-training adventure more fun.

And packages of Pull-Ups even have a code that you can enter online to get a phone call from Woody or Tiana.

Giveaway!

Pull-Ups has provided me with a great prize pack for one lucky ThemeParkMom.com reader! Here’s what I have to giveaway:

• $50 AMEX gift card (so you can stock up on new Pull-Ups – while supplies last – and everything else you need to get started)
• Custom CD Rewards Tracker (to help track training progress)
• Big Kid Central Potty Training Success DVD (with techniques, tips, songs and games to help you and your child succeed)
• Toy Story 2 DVD and Princess and the Frog DVD
• Two coupons for FREE Pull-Ups

How to Enter

Leave a comment on this post telling me which of the characters (Toy Story or Princess and the Frog) your kids (or you!) love the best. (This is required to enter the contest.)

Extra Entries

After your initial entries, you can earn extra entries by doing any or all of the following. You must leave a separate comment for each extra entry you do. (These can say things like “I followed Pull-Ups on Twitter” or “I tweeted about this giveaway.”)

• Follow Pull-Ups on Twitter.
• Like Pull-Ups on Facebook.
• Follow ThemeParkMom on Twitter.
• Tweet about this giveaway: “Enter to win a Toy Story 3 Pull-Ups prize pack at @themeparkmom’s blog: http://bit.ly/dgBSoC “

Winners

This giveaway will end at 9 p.m. Eastern on Monday, July 5. I will draw the winning comment using the random number generator at Random.org and post the winner as an update to this blog post. I will notify the winner by e-mail.

Pull-Ups® training pants provided me with product coupons to try out the new Learning Designs Pull-Ups® with Toy Story 3/Princess and the Frog characters. However, my opinions are entirely my own, and I have not been paid to publish positive sentiments towards Pull-Ups® products.

Huggies Pull-Ups feature Toy Story 3 and Princess and the Frog characters is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

The music will last all day on two stages and includes many more acts. Tickets are $15 plus park admission. Discounted admission is available if you buy in advance online, so check out the links to the two park’s Web sites above and get them before you get to the gate.

While you are at the Bamboozle Roadshow, be sure to look for this tent:

That’s the Coke “Swelter Stopper” tent, and it’s going to be a cool respite from the Memorial Day weekend heat at the theme parks.

Inside, you can chill out with ice-cold Coca-Cola and a DJ.

Now, that DJ is key, because throughout the day, concertgoers can win Bamboozle Roadshow meet-and-greet passes by answering random questions the DJ asks. The questions will be based on the info provided by Coca-Cola below, so study it now so that you can win:

Many of the factors that make a summer concert so awesome – the warm weather, bright sun and dancing – can take a lot out of someone. Enter “Swelter Stopper” – one of Coke’s secret ingredients that, when combined with the others, make Coke the uplifting refreshment that it is.

To help concert goers make it from the opening to closing acts, Coke will have the “Swelter Stopper” experience stocked with ice-cold Coca-Cola.  Get refreshed with blasts of frosty air, snow falling, and a delicious Coke from the perfect serve sampling bar, along with uplifting interactive games, a DJ and a photo station.  Once their “Swelter Stopper” experience ends, they’ll be ready for crowd surfing at the main stage.

To give you a better idea about what it’s like inside, you can check out some of the images taken from previous events: http://www.flickr.com/photos/coca-cola/

For more details about Coca-Cola’s Secret Ingredient Formula, please go here: www.MyCoke.com

And TODAY, you can win tickets to the Bamboozle Roadshow right here! Coca-Cola is giving away a pair of tickets to the concert at either Six Flags Over Texas (on Saturday) or Six Flags Fiesta Texas (on Sunday) – your choice!

To enter, just leave a comment below, telling me which act you most want to see at the Bamboozle Roadshow. But hurry! Entries will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern tonight!

Because the concert is happening this weekend, I will be notifying the winner overnight tonight, and you will have to get back to me by noon Eastern on Friday, May 28 to win.

Disclosure notice: This prize was provided by The Coca-Cola Company.  The Coca-Cola Company is not a sponsor, administrator or connected in any other way with this giveaway.

UPDATE: We have a winner! Comment No. 8 was the winning number, according to Random.org. So, Stephanie Shaffer will be going to see Good Charlotte and all the other bands this weekend!

Win tickets to the Bamboozle Roadshow at Six Flags this weekend! Enter today! is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

It also means there’s some great shopping ahead, as the Disney Store has introduced a new line of “Save Planet Earth” products.

The three-eyed green alien from Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story is the mascot for the environmentally friendly products, so this exclusive new plush has been introduced for the Earth Day anniversary. So adorable, right? He sells for $16.50.

Next up is this recycled tote. It is made from seven recycled bottles that were cleaned, smashed, melted and then reused to make this woven fabric. It has a burlap-like texture and look.

The tote is huge. I will be using it to carry my purchases home from the farmer’s market. That is, if I can hang on to it, it’s so cute that my daughter is jockeying to be able to carry it to school.

The recycled tote sells for $19.50.

There’s also this reusable aluminum water bottle, emblazoned with the “Save Planet Earth slogan. Have you switched to reusable water bottles? I like this one because it has a clip that makes it easy to fasten to a backpack or tote and carry with you.

The bottle sells for $10.50.

This recycled journal also features the little green alien. It is sturdy with a cardboard cover and is priced at $7.50.

A new line of T-shirts made from organic cotton is also part of the new line. The T-shirts say “Love” and “Save Planet Earth,” and there are sizes available for both children and adults.

Good News!

This new line of Save Planet Earth products is available at Disney Stores today through Earth Day, April 22.

You can find a Disney Store in your area online or by calling (866) 902-2798.

Better News!

If you shop at the Disney Store on Earth Day, you can get a free Disney’s Friends for Change and Disneynature’s “Oceans” hat. All you need to do is bring in six aluminum cans or water bottles for recycling.

The free hats are made from recycled bottles, and they will be available on April 22 while supplies last.

Best News!

The Disney Store is going to give away a package of Save Planet Earth products to a lucky Theme Park Mom reader!

Here’s what you need to do to enter to when this box of fun:

Leave a comment telling me one thing you do at your home to “Save Planet Earth.”

Here’s how to get extra entries (Be sure to leave an additional comment for each thing you do):

• Follow me on Twitter.
• Tweet about this giveaway. (Sample: Enter to win new “Save Planet Earth” products from the Disney Store @themeparkmom’s blog: http://bit.ly/barKoM)

I will use Random.org to choose a winner for this Disney Store giveaway at 9 p.m. Eastern on April 22.

UPDATE: The winner is comment #11 – Kelly Ann T. Congrats!

(Disclosure notice: The Disney Store gifted me with the products pictured in this post. The company is providing the same set of products for this giveaway.)

Win it! Disney Store introduces new ‘Save Planet Earth’ products is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

I believe one of the easiest ways to save is to avoid going out for breakfast. Staying in a hotel with a free breakfast is a great idea, but if that’s not an option, there are plenty of ways to avoid spending $20-$40 on your family’s first meal of the day. Just bring breakfast foods with you.

Here are some tips:

• You can prepare instant oatmeal packets just about anywhere. They are easy to pack, and you can use your hotel room’s coffeemaker to heat the water and make it in the provided coffee cups. Just pack some plastic spoons.
• Dry cereal and granola bars are also easy to pack and eat.
• Don’t forget easy-to-handle fruit like apples and bananas. If you are flying to your destination, you can usually pick up these items at a nearby convenience store.

Many hotel rooms come equipped with refrigerators these days, and that really opens up your options:

• You can pick up the individual plastic serving bowls with cereal already inside at a drug store or supermarket. You just peel off the lid and pour milk in. Even if you don’t have a refrigerator, you can probably get a glass or two of milk to go from the hotel restaurant.
• Don’t forget about protein. I am a big believer in protein in the morning because I think it keeps you feeling full longer than just carbs. Yogurt, cheese sticks or even hard-boiled eggs can be packed in a cooler (if you’re driving) or bought at your destination and kept in a refrigerator in your room.

I just tried the new Yoplait Greek Yogurt, and I really like it for breakfast. I have enjoyed the tangier, thicker flavor of Greek yogurts, and the added bonus is all the protein in that little cup. One serving of Yoplait Greek Yogurt has 12 grams of protein.

I tried the honey vanilla and blueberry varieties, and I liked them both and have already bought more. (Plain and strawberry flavors are also available.) In the past, I had to go to a special section of my supermarket or to a specialty grocer to find Greek yogurt. Now that Yoplait is making it, it is easier to find right in the usual dairy case at my Publix.

Good news!

Yoplait has a coupon online now that gives you 30 cents off so that you can try Yoplait Greek Yogurt.

Better news!

Yoplait and My Blog Spark are giving away a “Nourish Your Inner Goddess” gift pack like the one above so that one Theme Park Mom reader can try Yoplait Greek Yogurt for free. Besides some VIP coupons, the package includes a terry-cloth wrap, slippers, a loofah and some other items so that you can have a spa night at home.

To enter, leave a comment to tell me which variety of Yoplait Greek Yogurt you most want to try.

For extra entries (be sure to leave a separate comment for each):

• Leave a comment to tell me how you like to nourish your inner goddess.
• Tweet about this contest with a link to this post. (Sample: Enter to win Yoplait Greek Yogurt and a “Nourish Your Inner Goddess” gift pack @themeparkmom’s blog: http://bit.ly/cc29kh)
• Share this post on Facebook.

I will choose a winning comment through random.org at noon on Saturday, April 17.

UPDATE: And the winner is… Comment No. 6, Amy V.!

Disclosure notice: Yoplait and My Blog Spark provided me with VIP coupons, a gift pack and information about Yoplait Greek Yogurt. Thanks to Yoplait and My Blog Spark for providing the prize for this giveaway.

Family vacation breakfast tips and Yoplait Greek Yogurt giveaway is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

The Go San Diego Card already included admission to 50 attractions and tours in Southern California, and now you can visit one of the premiere theme parks in the country with the card, as well.

If you have never had a Go Card, they are different from those free discount cards or coupon books you pick up when traveling. The Go Card is actually a ticket you use to get into your choice of the participating attractions. You pay one (discounted!) price, and choose whatever you want to see for the number of days you need.

For example, a 3-day San Diego Go Card costs $169 for adults. Use that card to visit three top attractions in San Diego — Legoland California, SeaWorld San Diego and the San Diego Zoo — and you will save yourself $26. Hit up another attraction or two, like the San Diego Museum of Art of a Whale Watch Cruise, and you will save even more.

In fact, there are more than 50 attractions, museums, theme parks and tours to choose from with the Go San Diego Card.

You can order the card for 1, 2, 3, 5 or 7 consecutive days of fun.

Good news!

You know how I always tell you to check for discounts online before you go on a trip? Well, right now, Smart Destinations is offering a 10 percent discount on Go San Diego Cards when you buy them online. For a family of 4, this sale adds up to a savings of almost $59 on the 3-day cards.

And yes, you can buy the Go San Diego Card online before your trip. Just be sure you use it within 1 year of your purchase.

Better news!

The folks at Smart Destinations want to give one lucky Theme Park Mom reader a 3-day Go San Diego Card!

Here’s how to enter the Go San Diego Card giveaway:

Required for entry:

Check out the Go San Diego Card Web site, then come back here and leave a comment telling me about two attractions you would use your card to visit.

Extra entries:

You can earn one extra entry for doing each of the following. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

• Subscribe to my blog.
• Follow me on Twitter.
• Tweet about this giveaway – SeaWorld San Diego is now part of the Go San Diego Card! Enter to win one @themeparkmom’s blog: http://bit.ly/b9F59f

The fine print: Entries for this contest will close at 9 p.m. Eastern on March 15, 2010. I will announce the winner with an update on this post on March 16. Open to U.S. winners only. The winner will be chosen by Random.org; odds of winning depend on the number of entries received.

Disclosure Notice: Smart Destinations is providing the prize for this giveaway.

Go San Diego Card now includes admission to SeaWorld San Diego is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

Except at kindergarten, where navy blue skorts and polos rule.

So what does an aspiring fashion designer do to express herself when she is horribly constrained by a school uniform? My daughter turned to socks. And not just wild-colored socks. Wild-colored socks that don’t match.

She started wearing the socks from different pairs every day to school. I raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. (Though I did draw the line when she tried to wear two different shoes.)

And then the Little MissMatched store opened at Downtown Disney. I wish I had been able to capture the look on her face when we walked in the first time. Socks that are made NOT to match?! We were both excited.

Little MissMatched socks are sold in packs of three, in a mix of colors and patterns. Their philosophy is “nothing matches, but anything goes.”

This is such a fun store! While it all started with socks, Little MissMatched has branched out to manufacture sleepwear, clothing, bedding, shoes and even stuff toys made from socks. Apparel prices range from $8 for a package of socks to $65 for sleepwear. And it’s not just for kids – Little MissMatched also makes socks and clothing for grown-ups.

I am impressed with the quality of the Little MissMatched socks. I have washed our socks four times now, and they wash and dry well, with no shrinkage or fading.

The LittleMissMatched store is at Downtown Disney’s West Side, near the movie theater. We have had a ball inside, picking out socks that my daughter can mix and match with her school uniforms. Now she’s hoping for a backpack or flip flops from Little MissMatched for Valentine’s Day.

Now Little MissMatched is helping me share some of the fun of the new store with you! We’ve partnered up to give away some of their famous socks! Here’s how to enter the Little MissMatched giveaway:

Required for entry:

Check out the Little MissMatched Web site, and leave a comment here, telling me what kinds of products you want to shop for on your next visit to the Downtown Disney store.

Extra entries:

You can earn one extra entry for doing each of the following. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

• Subscribe to my blog.
• Follow me on Twitter.
• Become a fan of Little MissMatched on Facebook.
• Tweet about this giveaway (Leave a link to your tweet in your comment.) – Are you zany, kooky, marvelous or fabulous? Enter to win Little MissMatched socks @themeparkmom’s blog: http://bit.ly/7PE6CG
• Blog about this giveaway with a link back to this post. (Worth 5 extra entries.) Be sure to leave a link to your blog post in your comment.

The fine print: Entries for this contest will close at 9 p.m. on Jan. 29, 2010. I will announce the winner with an update on this post on Jan. 30. Open to U.S. winners only. The winner will be chosen by Random.org; odds of winning depend on the number of entries received.

Disclosure: Little MissMatched provided me with girls’ socks for this review. The company is providing the prize for this giveaway. But I’m still thinking for myself. My opinions of the products and the shopping experience I’ve shared here are completely my own.

And these socks are cute. Very, very cute.

Jan. 30 Update:

We Have a Winner!

LaVonne of Long Wait For Isabella was comment No. 24. She’s the winner of a free pack of socks from Little MissMatched!

Little MissMatched: A fun, new place to shop at Downtown Disney is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom