WIN AN GIFT CARD OR A BOOK FROM THE BOOK DEPOSITORY IN THE SPOOKTACULAR GIVEAWAY HOP (INTERNATIONAL)

THE WINNERS ARE ANITA Y AND JACKIE

There are so many blogs participating in the Giveaway Hop . You will find some nice book related items being given away. There is a linky at the end of this post.  After you've entered here, hop on over to the next blog on the list and keep going as long as you'd like!  The more you enter, the more likely you are to win. I want to thank the host of the hop I am A Reader Not a Writer. Good luck and have fun!

I am giving away to TWO lucky readers your choice of either A-

 

$15 gift certificate to buy books. (Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com or any other online retailer of your choice that sells books and has a way for me to send you a $15 online gift certificate USA ONLY).

OR

 
 


If you live Internationally and can't use a US gift certificate. You can purchase a book up to $15.00 at The Book Depository.

IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE SEEING THE LINKY BELOW CLICK HERE.
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REVIEW OF CHANCES CHOICES CHANGES DEATH BY CONNIE KNIGHT

I want to welcome Connie Knight to Books R Us. Connie is the author of Cemetery Whites and her newest book Chances Choice Changes Death. Thanks for stopping by  


About the Book:

Myra Cade is a single mother, living with her father, Doug, and raising her son, Scott. She mostly keeps to herself and really has no time for anyone else. But shortly after serving paternity papers to Danny, the suspected father of Scott, she’s found dead at the side of the road in the country. Caroline
and her cousin Janet, who are taking Western riding lessons at the nearby Robinson Ranch, find themselves drawn into the murder investigation and looking for the missing boy and the murderer.

About the Author:

Connie Knight grew up in San Antonio, Texas, with many childhood visits to her family in DeWitt County. Cemetery Whites is based on memories and stories shared, but all characters in this mystery novel are fictional, and so are the events.
Ms. Knight began writing in junior high, studied English and journalism in college, and worked for newspapers, magazines, and public relations departments. Cemetery Whites is her first Caroline Hargrove Hamilton Mystery novel, followed recently by Chances Choices Changes Death.

My Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Ms Knight wrote a crafty and fantastic mystery. The main character Caroline tells the story in first person and adds numerous clues along the way. I was never bored and the flow did not lag even when the storyline changes to Danny. I have always been a fan of mysteries and the story was well written and kept me engaged. The way the author incorporated horses and the ranch theme into the storyline added to the story. I recommend this book.   

 Connect with Connie:

Authors site.
Facebook.
Twitter.
Amazon Site.

Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of the book for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review
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OCTOBER IS SENSORY AWARENESS MONTH- (LIFE IS NOT TYPICAL- BY SINGER JENNIFER SHAW)

               Life Not Typical: Dealing with Sensory Processing Disorder

by Jennifer Shaw

 October is Sensory Awareness Month. The following is an editorial from Jennifer Shaw whose son was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder. Jennifer is a Telly Award winning performer, Billboard Top 40 singer/songwriter, and author of the book Life Not Typical: How Special Needs Parenting Changed My Faith and My Song , an official resource of Autism Speaks. Visit her online at www.jennifershaw.com. 

Last month my son Toby turned 10.  He had a party with pizza and cake and ice cream, and a sleepover afterwards with all his friends.  Sounds pretty typical, but it was actually a miracle.  There was a time when Toby could not dream of eating any of those things, a time when we never thought he would be able to leave our home to attend school, let alone have a party and friends who loved playing flashlight tag with him in our backyard.  In fact, there was a time I didn’t think Toby would ever walk on grass. 
Ten years ago, I was the mother of two beautiful girls and was thrilled to add a son to our family. When Toby was born after a difficult and dangerous pregnancy we were especially thankful that he was healthy. He seemed to be a very unhappy baby compared to our girls, but we hoped he would grow out of it.

The first indication that something was out of the ordinary was when we could not get him to eat any food. I had nursed him without any problems, but when we introduced baby foods, it was a daily struggle that we lost. We also noticed that he never babbled or made any sounds and he rarely smiled. Eventually it was clear that he was very speech-delayed, but because he had suffered from repeat ear infections which caused clinical deafness during his first year, we attributed a lot of his irritability to pain and hoped that when his hearing improved, his speech would come along. After surgery on his ears, his hearing did get better and the infections went away, but he still did not make any sounds.

During Toby's second year, my father was dying of ALS and that took much of our emotional energy so we did not react as quickly to the signs we were seeing in Toby as we might have otherwise. Still, Toby's behavior was getting more and more extreme. He wouldn't touch anything or play. He did not want to be touched. He was terrified of being messy or being anywhere near things like grass or sand. A drop of water on his clothing would make him scream. It became really frightening and we did not know how to help him.

When Toby turned two, we started him at a therapy school for speech delay. There was an occupational therapist on staff and she was the first to diagnose him with Sensory Processing Disorder (previously known as Sensory Integration Dysfunction). Toby's brain was not interpreting sensory input correctly. People with this disorder can suffer in a variety of ways, but in Toby's case, he was extremely hyper-sensitive to touch of any kind. Food in his mouth, clothes on his skin, crumbs on his hands were all completely intolerable to him –his brain told him they were “hurting” him. He was completely terrified of his world and shutting down.

Toby began play-based occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy (because he didn't touch things or play and had poor balance his muscles were very weak), and food therapy. Within two months my son who had no sounds said, “I love you, mom,” and within a year, Toby's progress was nothing short of miraculous. He spent years in therapy, but by age six, he had been discharged from all of it, and attended kindergarten as a typical kid. At the time, he still had some minor issues that we continued to work on at home, and now at age 10, there is nothing left of his SPD.  It is literally a miracle in our lives.

I am a speaker and musician, not a doctor or therapist, but we learned a lot of things along the way that I share with people who suspect this condition in their own children. There is so much hope if you know where to look, and although Toby's outcome is not typical, there is help for every child with this diagnosis. So here’s my advice:

Be attentive. Do not ignore the signs, even if you don't know what they mean. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but some of the symptoms of SPD are speech delay, poor coordination, poor balance, avoiding touch or seeking touch in extreme ways (running into walls or falling down on purpose, running into people), extremely picky eating or extremely messy eating, irritability or a “difficult” personality. SPD is often misdiagnosed, especially in older children or less severe cases, as ADD or ADHD. 
Be diligent. Do not wait, even when your pediatrician tells you to. After everything we went through with Toby, my pediatrician (whom I love and really respect) told me that she gave me the wrong advice by advising me to wait for Toby to catch up. This may be good advice for many problems, but SPD is not one of them. Early intervention is critical, and treatment is so much more effective before the age of three that you cannot afford to waste time. If you suspect something, get tested by an occupational therapist – if they say there's nothing to worry about, fine, but if not, you have not wasted valuable time for therapy.

Be willing to ask for help. There is a federal program for ages 0-3 developmentally-different children available in every state. It goes by many different names; ours in Ohio was “Help Me Grow.” They will do testing and help get your child into therapy programs, many of which are free if you qualify. You can call the special needs department at your local school district and they are usually able to tell you who operates the program in your area. If your child is over the age of three, help is available through your local school district's special needs department. Also, take advantage of any therapy coverage on your insurance plan. We were very surprised by what was and was not covered. 
Be an expert. Find out all you can, and do everything you can to support your child's progress. Talk to your therapists about what you can do at home, watch the therapy whenever possibly, and ask a lot of questions. We were able to overcome a lot of Toby's issues only because we worked on it every day with techniques we had learned from our therapists.

Be patient. This is not a quick fix. For example, Toby was literally afraid of food. Since we were not usually able to get him to stay in the same room with us while we ate, sitting down and eating a meal was out of the question. So first, we worked on getting him to be with us in the room at meals, then getting him to sit at the table, then allowing us to put food on the plate, then touching the food with a fork, then touching it to his tongue before finally tasting it. It took many months of frustrating moments, but eventually, my son ate a healthy diet and enjoyed mealtimes with our family. Today, our family meals remain extraordinarily important to us because we know not to ever take it for granted.

Be hopeful. Dealing with special needs can be very lonely and frightening. Our faith in God and our church community truly held us together at times. The other parents of special needs children at Toby's school were also a wonderful source of support. Realizing we were all dealing with similar challenges and emotions helped us see that we weren't alone. They were also a wonderful resource for practical ideas as we all talked about what was working or not working for our children.

Be courageous. Don't give up. SPD can be overwhelming and confusing. It can be hard to navigate the therapy system. Every therapy will not work for every child and you will need to be careful and wise about your choices. Take comfort in knowing that there is help and things can improve. You are your child's best advocate, and your child needs you. 
This past summer I was a speaker at a Joni and Friends camp which ministers to families dealing with disabilities.  I shared my story with the mothers and afterwards, a woman came up to me.  She said, “I have a four year old who has severe SPD and high functioning autism.  Three months ago, I gave up.  Your story has helped me know that I shouldn't.”  I pray that our experience will help other parents to know that there is hope for children with SPD. 



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REVIEW OF THE NEWEST ALBUM BY TRAIN- BULLETPROOF PICASSO (#BulletproofPicasso and #O2O)

                                  

I have always been a fan of the group Train. Thanks to Sony and the One2One network, I had the opportunity to review their newest album Bulletproof Picasso. All of their albums are so uplifting and inspirational and their newest album is no different. My favorite track is Bulletproof Picasso but they are all quite good. Check out the video of the song. You will not be disappointed.

                    


The album goes on sale September 16th but you can preorder the album on Amazon and Itunes. 


Train will be on QVC on September 5th at 5pm EST for a live performance  You do not want to miss this.

Tracklisting for Bulletproof Picasso:
 
1. Cadillac, Cadillac
2. Bulletproof Picasso
3. Angel In Blue Jeans
4. Give It All
5. Wonder What You're Doing For The Rest Of Your Life
6. Son Of A Prison Guard
7. Just A Memory
8. I'm Drinkin' Tonight
9. I Will Remember
10. The Bridge
11. Baby, Happy Birthday
12. Don't Grow Up So Fast

Record Release Shows:

9/5 5pm ET Live 1-hour performance on QVC
9/17 Los Angeles, CA Pantages Theatre
9/18 Los Angeles, CA Pantages Theatre
9/21 San Francisco, CA The Masonic
9/22 San Francisco, CA The Masonic
9/25 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall



Disclosure:
I participated in the Train Bulletproof Picasso album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided a free album to review but all opinions are my own. 
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WIN TWO BOOKS IN THE CLEAR YOUR SHELF GIVEAWAY HOP (5 WINNERS- USA ONLY)

I have received so many books in the mail over the last couple of years that I have ran out of space to store them.

I am giving away to 5 winners two books each from genres that include mysteries, romance, nonfiction, christian and many more. For the list of books please CLICK HERE.

After you have entered here please visit the other great blogs participating in the hop and you may win some great books. 

Please CLICK HERE for a list of participating blogs.

Here is how it works.

The first person drawn via Rafflecopter will have first dibs on the books they want and the second through 5th winner will be emailed with the list to choose from after the one before them has picked. Unfortunately the last person will have no choice but they will have a new group of books to read. 
Each person will have 48hrs to respond with their address and choice of books or a new person will be picked.

CONTINENTAL USA ONLY PLEASE.
See Rafflecopter for rules.
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SAVE 10% ON PUREX DETERGENT AT TARGET STORES #CARTWHEEL #COUPON

 

 

Get started on your Back-to-School shopping, with the help of some awesome coupons.

Now through the end of August, get 10% off any Purex detergent at Target stores with a #Cartwheel coupon!

 CLICK HERE FOR YOUR SAVINGS COUPON!

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REVIEW OF DIAL COCONUT WATER REFRESHING MANGO BODY WASH!

Dial® Coconut Water Refreshing Mango Body Wash is the newest member of the Dial® Coconut Water family. This moisturizing body wash is the first of its kind to contain healthy, hydrating coconut water to refresh and clean skin. The Dial® brand of skin care just got even healthier and great-smelling. 

I prefer body washes over soap because soap makes my skin feel dry. This hydrating body wash makes my skin feel soft and refreshed. The coconut and mango smell is fantastic and they are not overwhelming. It lathers well, and rinses easily. The body wash provides rich antioxidants and electrolytes that helps keep you skin healthy and strong. For more information on this great family body wash please visit them on Facebook.

Disclaimer: The Dial brand provides me with a free sample of Dial Coconut Water refreshing Mango body wash in exchange for a product review. However, all the opinions expressed here are my own.

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JOIN DRIVEN TO BARK TO STOP PETS FROM DYING IN HOT CARS SPONSORED BY PET PLAN INSURANCE

Every year, countless dogs suffer and die when they are left in cars due to extreme temperatures. Yet just 15 states prohibit leaving pets in a confined vehicle. Petplan is Driven to Bark — we believe our best friends deserve better, and we need your help to make a change. We're petitioning the Obama Administration to encourage all states to enact laws prohibiting animals from being left unattended in cars. If 100,000 people sign our Driven to Bark petition within 30 days, we get our paws in the door of the White House and a response from the Administration. With your help, we can create lasting change and save pet lives across the country.

about heat stroke in pets: Even on a 72° day, a car’s temperature can soar to 100° in less than 30 minutes. Dogs can suffer heat stroke and die in just 15 minutes. By the time there are visible signs of heat stroke, it’s often too late to save the dog.

Are you #DrivenToBark about dogs in hot cars? Be a voice for those who cannot speak – sign and share the petition now. Together, we can make a difference.

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REVIEW OF SPELLBINDERS CELEBRATIONS COLLECTION

  

 I would like to introduce Spellbinders Celebrations by Richard Garay, a complete collection of dies, stamps, paper, inks and accessories all harmonized to work perfectly together.  Create one-of-a-kind cards, gifts, scrapbook layouts and more.

Inspired by his passion for paper crafts, event hosing; and handmade greetings, Richard Garay designed the line to help papercrafters and hostesses achieve beautiful results every time.  Everything is coordinated, so this cheerful, bright and exciting collection makes creating a Celebration not only easy but also fun. 

Every day is a perfect day for a celebration!

Thanks to Purex Insiders and Spellbinders, I had the opportunity to try two of their great  projects. I was provided with two kits, one for a goodie bag and the other kit was for a card. The kits came with illustrated instructions that were east to follow. It only took me a couple of minutes to put each kit together. I only needed scissors and glue to complete the project. 

Best day Ever Treat Bag. 

This is perfect to give as a goody bag at a party and was easy to make. I had to cut a couple of pieces to make the orange tag and then everything fell together perfectly.

What a cleaver and cute project.

Celebrate Party Hat Card

This was more fun to make and is great to be used as an invitation. You can even change the wording for any occasion. I love the 3D effect but it is hard to see in the photo.

This was so easy to make.

So if you are inspired by a passion for crafts and handmade greetings then you should give Spellbinders Celebrations a try.The web site is very informative and they even have a "How To" page with videos and tutorials to help you get started. The cardstock and pattern pattern come in captivating colors that are sure to make your day.

Disclaimer:

The Spellbinders brand provided me with a sample of Spellbinders Celebrations Collection in exchange for a product review. However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own.

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REVIEW OF IMPERVIOUS BY HEATHER LETTO

Impervious (Ascension #1) by Heather Letto

Publication date: April 29th 2014
Genres: Dystopia, Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult

Synopsis:

The residents of Impervious are the remnant—survivors of the War of Annihilation. And though the city is chockfull of pleasures to tantalize and entertain, a beast lurks in its corners haunting the residents with its presence. The Beast—a mysterious and terminal illness--has killed off most of Generations One, Two and Three. And as Gen-Four prepares to take the stage a provocative, yet questionable, new method to avoid an untimely death becomes a cultural rage. 

But Fran is counter-cultural. And living off the grid in true rebel fashion, her life is far from opulent. Scurrying through dark tunnels, searching for hot meals and ditching the holographic security team encompass most of her day. However, she views it as a healthy trade-off. Unaccountability means The Council can’t steal her sliver of hope--a belief that she’ll see The Epoch arrive before the beast can pull her into its fetid embrace. 

After losing her mother and then her Rebel mentor, however, she grasps painfully onto the splintered sliver, until a new hope is born. First through Pete. And then through a miraculous discovery. 

But the question still haunts her…

Can she outrun The Beast? 

My Thoughts:

The theme of the novel reminds me of the "Hunger Games. The main character, Fran lives in the ventilation system of an underground  and has to work hard everyday to prevent being caught by the "Holographic Security System". Fran is a very strong willed teenager and is on a mission to release the grip of the "Council of Impervious" and eventually escape to the world outside that she is sure exists. I really enjoyed the novel, especially the relationship between Fran and Pete a rebel/boyfriend. I wonder what will happen to them in the next installment of the series. 

Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of the book for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review

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ENTER TO WIN AN AMAZON.COM GIFT CARD IN THE MACOBI SCRIBE FACEBOOK BLAST.

Makobi Scribe is bringing you this Amazon Facebook blast where one lucky reader will win a $100 Amazon gift card. The giveaway is open to everyone and provided by Makobi Scribe. Good Luck! If you are a blogger, you can sign up for this blast here.

Entry-Form

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ENTER TO WIN A $100 AMAZON GIFT CARD IN THE MAKOBI SCRIBE TWITTER BLAST

Makobi Scribe is bringing you this Amazon Twitter blast where one lucky reader will win a $100 Amazon gift card. The giveaway is open to everyone and provided by Makobi Scribe. Good Luck! If you are a blogger, you can sign up for this blast here.

Entry-Form

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Entangled June Brazen Blast

If you like your heroes hot, the sex hotter, and a swoon-worthy romance to swoop in and save your happily ever after, Brazen has the story for you. Sinfully sexy soldiers.
Alpha cops who demand control. Sweet guys with a naughty side in the bedroom. At
Brazen, they've got the hero destined to melt your... heart. Visit the Entangled website, the Brazen Blog, follow them on Twitter, Like their Facebook page, and follow them on Pinterest.

Introducing Brazen's June 30th releases:

Special Introductory price of just $0.99 What a great deal

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ENTER TO WIN A KINDLE FIRE HDX SPONSORED BY TIP HERO

Welcome to the "Kindle Fire HDX Giveaway Event" sponsored by Tip Hero and featuring some great bloggers!

We’re giving away a Kindle Fire HDX (ARV: $199) to one lucky winner! 

This giveaway begins on June 24th and will run until July 7th at 11:59pm US Eastern time. It will be open to residents of the US only, 18+. Winner may choose to receive a brand new Kindle Fire HDX or its value’s equivalent in an Amazon gift card. Use the PromoSimple form below to enter, and make sure that you take advantage of the many entries you can gain. Also, be sure to come back daily for more chances to win. Good luck!

Disclosure: Books R Us is not responsible for prize distribution. If you have any questions or concerns, please send an email to kira@tiphero.com. All entries are optional, but if the winner task is a task that you did not complete, a second winner will be chosen. Winners will be notified via email. If a winner does not respond within 48 hours of the time when the email is sent, another winner will be chosen.

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BLOGGERS PARTICIPATE IN TIP HERO'S KINDLE FIRE GIVEAWAY

Tip Hero’s Kindle Fire HDX Giveaway Event

Sign-ups are now open for Tip Hero’s latest giveaway event!

• Event is free to join for bloggers who a.) have Facebook pages with at least 5,000 likes and b.) post an announcement on their blog. If you don't wish to post the announcement, please send the $5 non-post fee to tiphero@gmail.com
• You'll receive 1 free link for participating (either Twitter or Pinterest)
• Additional links (RSS/Email, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest) are available for $5 each. Facebook links are now available for $15 each.
• Sign-ups for this event close on June 22nd
• Event runs from June 24th - July 7th
• Prize: Kindle Fire HDX (ARV: $199)
• Receive a free blogger plan from PromoSimple for 6 months (a $90 value!) when you participate in this giveaway event

Please send all payments to tiphero@gmail.com as a "gift" via PayPal.
Sign up for this event  here.



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WIN A $100 AMAZON GIFT CARD IN THE MAKOBI SCRIBE FACEBOOK BLAST

Makobi Scribe is bringing you this Amazon Facebook blast where one lucky reader will win a $100 Amazon gift card. The giveaway is open to everyone and provided by Makobi Scribe. Good Luck! If you are a blogger, you can sign up for this blast here.

Entry-Form

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ENTER TO WIN A $100 AMAZON GIFT CARD IN THE MAKOBI SCRIBE BLAST

Makobi Scribe is bringing you this Amazon Twitter blast where one lucky reader will win a $100 Amazon gift card. The giveaway is open to everyone and provided by Makobi Scribe. Good Luck! If you are a blogger, you can sign up for this blast here.

Entry-Form

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REVIEW OF THE BENJAMIN CHRONICLES: RELATIVITY BY MATTHEW DICONTI

I want to welcome Matthew DiConti to Books R Us. Matthew is the author of his debut novel  The Benjamin Chronicles: Relativity published by Create Space. He is touring the Blogosphere with Orangeberry Book Tours. Thanks for stopping by.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Conal Benjamin never let the love of his life Abigail Bradley know of his romantic feelings for her. Years of living with that regret haunted Conals life and left him with an emptiness in his heart. In one serendipitous moment they are reunited at an alumni science exhibit giving Conal a second chance but in a cruel twist of fate Conal's triggers an unexpected chain of events sending Abby and himself through a wormhole to 1888 Whitechapel, London, the time and place of one of the most horrifying serial killers in history, Jack the Ripper. With the time machine lost and Conal and Abby separated, the fate of both of their lives hang in the balance. Nothing is what it appears to be and it’s up to Conal to unravel the mysteries that await him, before it’s too late.

MY THOUGHTS:

I have always been a fan of time travel and Relativity brought us to 1888 where Jack the Ripper lived. I was hooked by the first page and found myself surrounded by a bit of romance, suspense, drama, science fiction and great characters. Matthew has written a fantastic debut novel and I look forward to reading the next book in the series. So if you want a great book to read by the pool or beach than this is the book for you.


Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review.
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REVIEW OF PUREX CRYSTALS DRYER SHEETS.(CONTEST-USA ONLY)

Thanks to Purex, I had the opportunity to try their Crystals Dryer Sheets in Lavender Blossom Scent.

They provide 30 days of long lasting Crystals freshness!

 
Who knew that one little sheet could do so much? Purex Crystals Dryer Sheets don’t just reduce static cling and leave your family’s laundry soft and smelling fresh: They can also keep your whole house smelling fresh for weeks not days!

Choose your favorite Purex Crystals fragrance and tuck a sheet in hampers, in the linen closets, and any other laundry storage areas. They are available in two great scents-Fresh Spring Waters and Lavender Blossoms.

My Thoughts.

I have two cats and the dryer sheets reduce static cling and help repel pet hair and lint. I have tried many different dryer sheets and the fragrance was overwhelming. That was not the case with Purex fabric softener dryer sheets.  I have used them in my dresser drawers and my gym bag. They both smelled good. My laundry was soft, smelled wonderful and the towels were absorbent. You can purchase them in Walmart and are available in 80 and 120 count.

Contest:

Enter below to win a coupon for a box of the dryer sheets. (USA ONLY)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I was given a free sample of the dryer sheets for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review.
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ENTER TO WIN A FOUR PACK OF PUREX CRYSTALS (SCENT-SATIONAL PINTEREST CONTEST)

 Inspiration is in full bloom with the freshness of spring in the air. Scents evoke emotional reactions, awaken fond memories, and enhance moments. What scents inspire you this spring?

Enter to WIN this scent-sational Pinterest Contest! Sponsored by Purex. There will be 5 winners- Contest ends on 5/30/14.

 How to Enter the Contest:

1. Log-in to your Pinterest account, and follow Purex.
   (Click here to create a Pinterest account.)
2. Create a new board titled “Scent-sational Spring,
   inspired by Purex”
3. Pin at least 1 item inspired by the fresh scents of spring.
   (Need some inspiration? Check out the Scent-sational Spring, Inspired by Purex Pinterest board.
4. When your board is complete, click the "ENTER TO WIN" image provided below to fill out the entry form!

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