I had a spectacular time in Austin, Texas, but back home now and ready to get back to blogging! Yes, I’ve been slacking these past couple of weeks, but I was on Spring Break, so can you blame me?

The month of March has been very good to me. I won’t go into too much detail yet, but let’s just say that in the past couple of weeks I’ve…

• Finalized my sponsorship to BlogHer, which has turned into a long-term relationship that will hopefully benefit my readers as well… come back tomorrow to find out more!
• Secured a paid blogging job. Something worthwhile, for once! Not that getting {ahem} 83 cents per article on Examiner.com wasn’t delightful. Note my sarcasm.
• Pre-ordered an iPad. 13 days til it’s in my hands, people! It’s okay to be jealous.
• Won a trip to NYC for two! Remember that Jet & Drive giveaway I posted about a while back? Well, I won the 2nd prize! JetBlue airfare, a Hertz rental car, and a stay at the Sheraton in Times Square for 4 days/3 nights. Like I said, it’s okay to be jealous.

I’m sure I could probably add more to that list, but there’s so much swirling around in my brain right now that I can’t even think straight. Speaking of winning a trip to NYC, TimetoPlayMag.com, one of my favorite websites, is making that possible for two lucky people! They’re giving away a trip to the Time to Play 2010 Spring & Summer Showcase, which will take place Tuesday, April 27, 2010 in New York City. Two winners, chosen at random, will each receive round-trip travel, a one-night hotel stay, and $100 for food! The only catch is that all entrants must be involved with an established media outlet of some kind (a blogs, newspaper, etc.) I was lucky enough to go to their Holiday Showcase back in October (has it really been almost 6 months?!) and it was an amazing event. Visit timetoplaymag.com/springshowcase to enter.

Now for this week’s links:

Interesting Articles

• The Olympics are over, but I always wondered this – how U.S. Olympians pay the rent. CNNMoney.com
• What Comes After the iPad? at Gizmodo made me giggle.

Food

• You’ll be “bowled over” by these cupcakes at Candy’s blog, Mommypalooza. I just met Candy in Austin last week and she’s a sweetheart!

Blogging

• It’s officially spring now, and the perfect time to kick off your blog ‘Spring Cleaning’ if you haven’t joined the challenge already! I’m following ProBlogger’s 31 Days to Building a Better Blog, along with around 20 other bloggers. We’re only 9 days in, so it’s not too late to join us. It’s never too late to improve your blog!
• The Ultimate Blog Party is coming up! Whether you’ve been blogging for years, just started, or don’t even have a blog, this event is not to be missed! It’s a great opportunity to meet other bloggers and win fabulous prizes.

On TV This Week

Tonight:

• I’m excited about the show on Discovery Channel that premiered tonight (it’s on right now!). LIFE is the 11-part follow up to Planet Earth, the most successful natural history documentary of all time! While Planet Earth told the story of the natural world through the framework of our planet’s ecosystems and regions, LIFE takes viewers on a more intimate journey, examining fascinating animals and plants using breathtaking cinematography. LIFE, which showcases never-before-seen behaviors and is narrated by Oprah Winfrey, took over four years to produce. Here’s a sneak peek at the first episode, so you can see what it’s about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oV6SqyemCk. Please note that it may be a little scary for young children. It’ll be repeated later tonight.
• “Swiper the Explorer,” the first Dora the Explorer primetime 10th anniversary special, also premiered tonight on Nickelodeon. In this fun episode, Swiper attempts to swipe Dora and Boots’ ball and notices them with a lost baby fox. Swiper takes heart and asks Dora if he can help her bring the baby fox back to his Mami. To find the fox hole, they must scoot past the volcano and, with cousin Diego’s help, make it through the Prickers and Thorns forest. The adventure is a big success as baby fox is returned to his Mami, and Swiper learns to say “thank you!” “Swiper the Explorer” will encore on Nickelodeon tomorrow, March 22, at 9:00 a.m. (ET/PT), and on Nick Jr. on Sunday, March 28, at 7:00 p.m. (ET).
• Ultimate Recipe Showdown – “Party Food” on Food Network at 9:00pm ET/PT. From finger food to full-on entrees, four contestants take party food to the next level, serving up dishes like Chicken Cordon Blue Roll-Ups and Plantain and Shrimp Party Boats. Yum!

More fun shows this week:

• Monday: Dancing with the Stars at 8pm EST on ABC
• Friday: Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution at 8pm EST on ABC
• Saturday: The Kids’ Choice Awards 2010 at 8pm EST on Nickelodeon

Freebies

• What are you doing on Tuesday, March 23rd? It’s Free Pastry Day at Starbucks! Get a free pastry up until 10:30am with the purchase of a handcrafted beverage. Just print out the coupon found on their website and present it to your barista. Or simply show them the coupon on any mobile device.

Other Promotions

• One in three women share something in common – light bladder leakage (LBL). See what Whoopi Goldberg has to say about it in a new series of webisodes that playfully tackle this wide-spread issue. In these hilarious webisodes surrounding a new Poise campaign, Whoopi stars as eight “Great Women in History” who may have experienced LBL, including Eve, Cleopatra and the Princess and the Pea. You can view the series at www.1in3likeme.com.

Have a great week!