Hallmark Back-to-School Confidence Package Review & Giveaway

This September is my daughter’s first day of school and we’re both so happy. I’m already planning her first day of school dress and photo – a family tradition. The good people at Hallmark cards realize this is an emotional time for parents and kids and has created some stationary products to ease us through these happy and sometimes tough times.

Hallmark’s Kid Collection features cards addressing topics for young kids, including nerves about school and positive reinforcement for hard work, as well as topics for tweens/teens, such as peer pressure and choosing friends wisely. My children are bit too young for these, but I really liked the idea of commemorating occasions that have special meaning in our kids’ lives, i.e. getting a part in a school play, making a sought-after team, etc. The cards are cute – clean, modern graphics and simple, short messages with plenty of room for personal notes from mom and dad.

Hallmark’s new bite-sized Lunchbox notes to surprise your kids with a serving of love and pride. The unexpected “I love you” or “good luck” will let your child know you’re by their side even after they get on the school bus. My mom should have copyrighted the amazingly, sweet little notes she used to drop into my lunchbox. I really wished I had saved one. Today, Hallmark makes it easy for everyone to as thoughtful as my dear mom. Just pick up a pad of these incredibly, sweet little pre-printed notes that remind your kids how special and loved they are and rip one off each day to drop in their backpacks or lunch boxes.

The final product is my personal favorite – the Hallmark Recordable Storybooks that allow you to record your voice so that your little ones can read along with you even if you’re far away.  Following the simple instructions, I turned each page, pressed the record button on the book, followed the vocal prompt to read the text on the page and then hit the stop button.  Once I completed reading the story I then needed to use a screwdriver to remove the panel off the battery compartment and move the  recording switch toward ‘save’ to save my efforts for all eternity.  The entire process was easy and took me about 10 minutes. I am thinking of buying some of these books for my kids’ far away grandparents to record so that my children can hear their voices at bedtime.  The story we received was “All the Ways I Love You,” but there are 13 other titles including “Curious George” and “Goodnight Moon” listed on http://www.hallmark.com/online/in-stores/recordable-storybooks/  and available at Hallmark Gold retail stores.

GIVEAWAY: Thanks to Hallmark, one lucky That’s IT Mommy reader will win a Hallmark Back to School Confidence Package.  The package will include a Hallmark’s Kids Collection three-card pack,  Lunchbox Notes and a “All the Ways I Love You” Recordable Storybook. US Only, 18+ ends 8/31/11.

REQUIRED MAIN ENTRY:  To enter, tell us how you will help your child have a great first day of school. Leave your comment in the reply box below this post. That’s IT!

Remember if this REQUIRED ENTRY is not followed then no other entries will count.

Optional Bonus Entries – All entries MUST BE in a separate comment. All are worth 1 point unless otherwise noted.

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• Enter another one of our current giveaways (3 extra – 3 separate comments #1, #2, #3) Feel free to enter any of our giveaways that interest you, but you will receive a maximum of three extra entries only, no matter how many of our other giveaways you enter
• Leave a comment on any non giveaway post and let us know you did (2 extra – 2 separate comments #1, #2)
• Tweet about this giveaway (Copy – #Win a Hallmark Back to School Confidence Package via @thatsitmommy @HALLMARKPR http://thatsitmommy.com/?p=15293 #backtoschool)  come back daily and leave us the link to the tweet (1 extra/day)

*This giveaway will run through midnight on Aug 31,  2011 (PST). Winner will be chosen using Random.org from all valid entries and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to contact us before another winner is chosen. Giveaway is open to U.S. (18+) residents only.

* We did not receive monetary compensation for this review. That’s IT Mommy received the Hallmark Confidence Care Package.
from Hallmark free of charge to facilitate this review. Giveaway item will be provided by sponsor. Sponsor has the right to refuse filling prize for duplicate winners from other blogs. This will in no way sway our opinion of the product or service.
 The review is in our own words and is our opinion. Your results and opinions may differ.