Underwriters Laboratories – those folks behind the “UL” label on a lot of household products – work overtime on holiday lights. The holidays are such a fun time of year, but the lights we use to decorate our homes inside and out represent a very real fire risk.

I met with UL this summer in New York City, and while it was hot outside, they were already focused on Christmas. Josh told me exactly what to look for to ensure that I am buying the safest Christmas lights and using them correctly:

Here are UL’s top tips for holiday lights safety:

• A fresh tree is key: If the needles are not fresh, it can lead to a greater risk of fire. Remember to ask your tree lot attendant to make a fresh cut to the base of the tree and place it in water as soon as you get home. Place tree in a tree stand that holds at least one gallon of water and check moisture level frequently.
• Indoor or outdoor? Look for the UL Mark: Indoor-use only light strings are marked with UL’s green holographic label. Indoor or outdoor-use light strings are marked with UL’s red holographic label.
• Read manufacturer instructions: When stringing lights together, the general rule is to not connect more than three midget light string sets together. Light strings with screw-in bulbs should never have more than 50 bulbs connected together.
• How old are your lights? UL listed outdoor lights have been tested for 90 days of use. So if you have your outdoor lights for about a month each year, you need to replace them after three holiday seasons.

Following these tips will help reduce your risk of holiday fires and keep your family safer this holiday.

Holiday lights safety tips from Underwriters Laboratories is a post from Leigh Caldwell's Orlando Mom Blog

Do you have kitchen envy? I know I do. When I walk into certain kitchens owned by my friends and family, I start thinking about how wonderful it would be to cook there – with shiny new appliances, and plenty of counter space and cabinets. In fact, one of the greatest injustices in my life is the fact that a couple of people in my life don’t enjoy cooking nearly as much as I do, yet they have kitchens more spacious and gorgeous that I could ever hope to own.

But now the Sears Blue Appliance Crew and KitchenAid are giving away a full suite of kitchen appliances to one lucky person in need of a kitchen rescue! Sears is where my family always shops for appliances, so I am especially excited about this contest.

To enter, take a picture of your kitchen, and then go to KitchenAid and submit between today and Nov. 2.

From November 3rd to November 17th there will be public voting so everyone has a chance to rally their friends, family and readers to vote for their submission.  Also, for each vote someone casts, they have a chance to win other great Kitchenaid prizes.

The prize is worth $8,000!

New contest: Win KitchenAid appliances is a post from Leigh Caldwell's Orlando Mom Blog

Our school supply shopping may be done, but the snack shopping continues all year. I remember my mom fixing us Totino’s Pizza Rolls as a snack when I was a kid, and my daughter loves them just like I did.

Now, Totino’s products, including Party Pizzas and Pizza Rolls, have Box Tops for Education on the packages. Don’t forget to cut them out and turn them in at your school. Every Box Top for Education is worth 10 cents to your child’s school.

Now through September 15, Totino’s is offering two Box Tops for Education on every Totino’s product.

Giveaway!

To celebrate the back to school season, I have a prize pack to giveaway to one lucky Theme Park Mom winner. It includes a backpack, school supplies, coupons for Totino’s Party Pizza and Pizza Rolls, and 25 bonus Box Tops for your child’s school.

How to Enter:

Leave a comment on this blog post that answers this question:

What is your child’s favorite thing to do while snacking on Totino’s after school?

Extra Entries:

You can earn two extra entries for this giveaway by doing the following:

• Extra Entry #1: Like Theme Park Mom on Facebook.
• Extra Entry #2: Follow Theme Park Mom on Twitter.

Please note: You must leave a separate comment for each extra entry. (i.e. A comment that says: “I liked Theme Park Mom on Facebook.”

Winners:

This contest will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Friday, Sept. 24. I will choose a winner by using the random number generator at Random.org, and announce the winner with an update to this post.

Disclosure: General Mills provided me with information and this giveaway through My Blog Spark.

Giveaway: Totino’s products now have Box Tops for Education is a post from Leigh Caldwell's Orlando Mom Blog

The 8th Annual Global Peace Film Festival runs Sept. 21-26 in Orlando. More than 35 films that celebrate messages of peace and environmentalism will be screened this year at five venues.

Today only, you can get an all-access pass to the festival for $49. This pass usually sells for $99. It allows you into everything – screenings, panel discussions and even the Friday night party.

To get this deal on the Global Peace Film Festival pass, go to the Groupon Orlando page and click on the “Side Deal” on the right hand side.

Get a Global Peace Film Festival pass for half off is a post from Leigh Caldwell's Orlando Mom Blog

Today’s Orlando Groupon deal is $10 for $20 worth of food and drink at four Orlando-area Beef O’ Brady’s locations.

If you haven’t been to Beef O’ Brady’s, it’s a sports bar with a family-friendly atmosphere. My family enjoys the burgers there, and my husband LOVES the wings.

Find Today’s Daily Deal on the Best in Orlando!

The Groupon voucher has to be bought today because this is a 1-day deal. However, it can be used through March 20, 2011, so this might also be a great way to save some money if you’re planning to travel to Orlando this fall or winter.

Half off at Orlando-area Beef O’Brady’s is a post from Leigh Caldwell's Orlando Mom Blog

OK, so today’s Orlando Groupon is really, really cool!

$37 gets you a windtunnel flight at iFLY Orlando. You will spend about an hour at the facility, taking a 15-minute class and then taking turns with your group in the windtunnel. You’ll get two, one-minute rotations – Groupon says the amount of air time you typically get during a real skydive is 40 seconds.

And you get to leave with a CD of photos and a DVD video of your flight.

That sounds SO fun for wimps like me!

This Groupon is only good on Wednesday, Sept. 8, so buy it today if you want it!

Find Today’s Daily Deal on the Best in Orlando!

Discounts on indoor skydiving in Orlando is a post from Leigh Caldwell's Orlando Mom Blog

So, how many times did YOU watch Camp Rock 2 this weekend? We had been counting down to the premiere all summer, and we watched it three nights in a row here at Chez Theme Park Mom.

A Nintendo DS game based on the movie, Camp Rock The Final Jam, is in stores today. Disney Interactive Studios sent us an advance copy, and the Theme Park Kid has been playing the video game on her Nintendo DSi all weekend.

Here’s her review:

The Theme Park Kid turned 7 over the weekend, and she falls on the younger end of the 6-14 age range that Disney says it is targeting with this DS game. She has really enjoyed playing the game, though it did take her about 20 minutes to get up to speed on how the game worked when she started.

Here’s how Disney Interactive Studios describes Camp Rock: The Final Jam:

Camp Rock: The Final Jam allows players to create their own customized avatar and join Mitchie, Shane and other Camp Rockers as they explore music camp and participate in a variety of activities as they prepare to compete against their rival Camp Star. Fans can jam to songs using the stylus to play guitar, bass and drums and even get down with some hot dance moves inspired by the film.

Camp Rock: The Final Jam is rated E for Everyone and sells for $29.99.

We recommend the game. My daughter says her only caveat is that there is a feature for the game that requires the camera on the DSi, so she thinks the game is better suited to the DSi than to a regular DS. However, I think that you can play the game just fine on either device.

Review of Camp Rock: The Final Jam game for Nintendo DS is a post from Leigh Caldwell's Orlando Mom Blog

Historic bed & breakfast the Adora Inn is offering today’s Living Social deal for the Orlando area.

For $104.50, you get a one-night stay for two in the Vanilla Room, gourmet breakfast for two, and drink coupons for Pizza Amore and Mount Dora Sushi.

Or you can book a two-bedroom suite that sleeps three people for $134.50. Both deals are 50 percent off the regular rate.

Mount Dora is a gorgeous little town with art galleries and shops to browse, as well as a number of nice restaurants. This deal would be great for a couple, and the 3-person option would be fun for a girlfriend getaway, as well.

You need to buy this Adora Inn deal today, but you have a year to use it. Be sure to read the fine print: It is subject to availability, so if you buy I definitely recommend booking early.

One-night getaway in Mount Dora, Florida, is today’s Living Social deal is a post from Leigh Caldwell's Orlando Mom Blog

If your family is serious about sundaes, Breyers is holding a fun contest that you just might win!

Breyers is in search of the next great sundae with the Sundae Scoop-Off Contest. Come up with an original, family-friendly ice cream sundae recipe and enter it at Breyers.com before Sept. 13, 2010.

Your recipe must have 10 or fewer ingredients.

The grand prize winner gets $10,000, a trip to Chicago featuring a private cooking lesson with renowned pastry chef Gale Gand, and year’s worth of free Breyers ice cream.

You can read up on all the contest requirements at Breyers.com.

Disclosure notice: I am participating in a blogger promotion with Breyers, and I may receive Breyers products as a result of this post. I chose to participate because I think it’s a fun contest and it would be of interest to many of my readers.

Do you make a great sundae? Enter the Breyers Sundae Scoop-off Contest is a post from Leigh Caldwell's Orlando Mom Blog

Today’s living social deal is $20 for $40 worth of food and drink at Teak Neighborhood Grill.

This Orlando restaurant is in the MetroWest area. Teak is open from 11:30 a.m. until 2 a.m. seven days a week. The restaurant serves burgers, salads and flat breads, as well as steak, fish and other entrees.

This deal has a limit of 1 per person, but you can buy unlimited deals as gifts for others. There’s also a limit of one per table, per visit.

Living Social deals are only good for one day. So, you’ll have to buy today to get in on these restaurant savings.

Orlando restaurant coupon: Half off at Teak Neighborhood Grill is a post from Leigh Caldwell's Orlando Mom Blog