1. Amanda H. (#10, #11)
2. Crystal A. (#27, #26)
3. Angela V. (#37, #33)
4. Katie M. (#39, #35)
5. Amber K. (#41, #38)
6. Stacy S. (#46, #42)
7. Autum (#112, #169)
8. Heather S. (#180, #141)
9. Colleen C. (#263, #204)
10. Steve R. (#358, #272)

The winner was chosen from this list at random using random.org, and not even by me. I asked my friend Alyson over at 3 P’s in a Pod to do it because I just felt that for a prize this big, I wanted everyone to know that it was done fairly (I didn’t tell her what is for until after she did it).

So, here is the lucky # of the 10:

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

3

Timestamp: 2008-11-04 18:14:02 UTC

Which makes the winner:

Angie wins all of the prizes listed on the Grand Prize List Page!!!!

Below is her original entry that earned her a slot in the top 10.

About a year ago, my husband and I (along with our 4 kids) uprooted our entire lives and moved to Georgia. My grandparents are getting older, and we felt it was important to be down here to help them as much as we can. Because we moved, my husband gave up his high paying job and is now making less than half of what he had been making. There just aren’t any jobs in the area. We struggle from day to day to make ends meet.

We thought we were done having children, and in February, we found out a baby was coming. We sold most of our baby items before moving, but we did leave some of our larger items in Ohio in the garage of our house that hadn’t yet sold. We were planning a trip back up to get those items. Shortly before my husband was supposed to leave, we got a phone call from our realtor. Someone had broken in and taken absolutely everything – baby items and everything else we had in there. So, here we are… expecting baby #5 and are starting over from scratch – on an income that can barely support my husband and I. Because this is baby #5, people just assume we have everything we need. We did, but that is no longer the case. And the friends and family who would like to help just can’t afford to right now.

I know that every baby is a blessing, and even though this baby wasn’t planned, we couldn’t be more excited about his pending arrival. If I were to win, I would guarantee that every single item would be put to good use. If there was a product that I couldn’t use, I would find another mom in need and send the item to her. Thank you so much for the opportunity to enter such an amazing contest.

I called Angie yesterday to talk to her and tell her that she was chosen as the winner. There was no shortage of excitement or tears. As you can see from the time stamp on the random number drawing, I have known since Tuesday that Angie was chosen as the winner. Because she has a blog, I was able to learn a lot about her without even talking to her. One of things that I noticed a couple of times on her blog was her need for a double stroller. She has 5 kids, the youngest of which was just born on October 10th!

Here is Angie’s reaction to our conversation yesterday in her own words:

I absolutely couldn’t believe it when you called me to tell me that I had won. I don’t think I’ve stopped crying since then. This will help our family out so much.

Since I entered the contest, I did give birth. Parker was born on 10/10/08 after I developed toxemia and had to have him induced early. It was a very difficult recovery, and things have been really rough while trying to recover AND deal with 5 kids. It’s been equally as tough, because there was so much that we just don’t have for Parker. Things we need, but simply cannot afford. Thanks to this contest, and to your wonderful sponsors, a HUGE chunk of that has been taken care of. I cannot begin to express to you and to the sponsors how much each and every item will help us out. If there happens to be an item that I can’t use, just like I said in my entry, I will find another mom or mom-to-be in need and pass the item along to her.

I also have to say that I have been trying to win a stroller *everywhere* that I can find a contest. With 5 kids, I need to be able to confine at least 2 of them in order to accomplish anything while we’re out and about. Thanks to Joovy, now I can pick the stroller that will help us most. AND, now I can start going for daily walks and work off some of this baby fat! Thank you, Joovy.

And a HUGE thank you to you, Kim and all of the other sponsors. This is absolutely amazing, and means the world to me.

After talking with Angie yesterday, I am so happy that these items from all of our wonderful sponsors are things that she can use (well, except the Tutu – Parker may look cute in a Tutu, but I doubt he’d appreciate having worn it as he grows up, because pictures would be inevitable, so I’m sure that prize will be finding itself a different home). Angie and her family have gone through some rough times (as I know many others have as well) and I am incredibly happy that the intent of our Virtual Baby Shower was achieved – to provide a mom with some great, wonderful products that will help her out as she raises her kids! And on top of that, the winner is someone who is deserving and so very appreciative.

Thank you to all of our fantastic sponsors and everyone who entered and visited our site during this fun event! My sister’s shower is tomorrow, so these last couple of days for me are just wonderful and a great blessing to be able to “shower” both Angie and my sister with all of these great gifts. They say it is better to give than to receive and I cannot tell you how true that is. I will be forever grateful for the experience to have read all the stories of the deserving moms, grandmas, aunts, cousins, friends and more of so many deserving moms and moms-to-be, and especially the opportunity to make a wish come true for Angie. I can’t wait to see pictures of her kids in that Joovy stroller and to see how much she loves all the other great products!

And for the 9 finalists who didn’t get chosen, I completely sympathize with the disappointment that will follow this announcement and I wish you and your families all the best and thank you for sharing your stories with us.

Let me assure you that this was not an easy choice. My Mom was responsible for choosing the 10 finalists and kept me updated as she narrowed the list down along the way. We had roughly 270 QUALIFIED entries and most of the stories had very compelling aspects and tugged at our hearts enough to wish we had more than one set of prizes to give away.

We thank everyone who shared their stories with us and we wish all of you well with what the future holds for you. I know some of you will have struggles that these prizes may have helped with, but as I mentioned, we only have one set of prizes to give.

There were so many of you who wanted to help others by giving them these prizes and we are in awe of the generosity we witnessed in the entries. We are also in awe of the strength many of you have shown in light of the difficult circumstances life as thrown at you.

I know we will dash some hopes and dreams with this list and I am sorry about that, but know that these choices were labored over time and again, entries read and re-read and many discussions ensued about how we wished we could give everyone these prizes.

We also know that the 10 people on this list are probably not going to sleep for the next few days before we pull the winner. I am excited for all of them, I hope they don’t lose too much sleep!

So, without further ado, the following is the list of 10 finalists in the Virtual Baby Shower Grand Prize Giveaway. You will see a first name and last initial (if given) and 2 numbers. The first number is the number of their comment on the entry post and the second number is the number of their entry in the entry form (for my purposes).

Congratulations to those 10 people on making the finalist list! I have not made any notifications beyond this post so if you are on the list and wonder why I didn’t contact you, you will hear from me in the next day or two.

The Grand Prize winner will be announced before Friday.

Again, I want to thank everyone who entered and let you know that ALL of your stories touched us.

We also want to thank all 60 of the sponsors for participating and encourage everyone to consider our sponsors when shopping for baby shower gifts and for Christmas and other holiday gifts. They all have such wonderful innovative products and have been great to work with. For a list of all the sponsors, you can see our lower right sidebar or go here: Virtual Baby Shower Prize List.

Second, I wanted to tell you that if I currently subscribe to your updates by email, and you have it set up to get notified when people unsubscribe, and you see kim@accidentalmommies.com has unsubscribed, don’t worry – I subscribed by RSS before ending the email subscription. I’m getting on board with RSS readers because some of my favorite blogs don’t have an email subscription option plus I discovered FeedDemon, a desktop feed reader. FeedDemon is FREE and although it will take a little get used to because I have never used a feed reader, so far I am LOVING IT!

To enter the giveaway go here: Virtual Baby Shower $2,600 Grand Prize Giveaway

To see the prize list go here: Virtual Baby Shower Grand Prize

Summer Infant products range from bath and shower accessories to video monitors and from baby gates to bedding. Summer Infant product categories include many of the items you will need or want for a new baby and their products will make a fantastic gift for a new mom or mom-to-be at her baby shower. Summer Infant understands the emotional connection between mom and baby and “and pride ourselves on fulfilling the promise to consumers that this is “The Best Time of Your Life”.”

Summer Infant wants to “deliver the best for you and your baby.” From the website:

Who are we? We are moms, dads, aunts, and uncles that love nothing more than to make great products for you and your baby. At Summer, we strive for the best and always hope the delivery meets with that which we hoped and dreamed. Open communication with our consumers is one of our cornerstone philosophies, and we have instituted our For Moms by Moms™ section to keep the dialogue flowing with ideas, comments, feedback, and inspiration.

“ Delivering the best for you and your baby,” is not only our stated goal, but also our promise to you.

Summer Infant has generously donated 2 Symmetry Sleep Positioners, 1 of which I will be giving to my sister at her shower, and 1 of which is included as part of the GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY! This prize is valued at $59.99 plus shipping. I went with my sister when she was creating her baby registry and she was very interested in the sleep positioners but we were kind of dissatisfied with the selection at the store. She will be very excited to receive this gift and I cannot wait to give it to her!

Thank you Summer Infant for being a sponsor of our Virtual Baby Shower! Please visit Summer Infant to see all of their wonderful baby products.

To enter to win the grand prize, visit this post: Virtual Baby Shower MASSIVE Grand Prize GIVEAWAY $2,600 in prizes.

This was the final gift in our Virtual Baby Shower. The GRAND PRIZE giveaway ends at noon Central time on Sat. Nov. 1st so be sure to go enter before it is too late!

Boogie Wipes are a new innovation in moist wipes. They have added saline which offers quick, gentle, and effective relief of “stuck on boogies” causes by colds and allergies. Boogie Wipes were created by 2 moms who saw the need for a product that easily removed the mucus that tends to stick to kids faces when they have a cold. Boogie Wipes would make a great baby shower gift because they are a new, unique product and are extremely useful. Providing a new mom or mom-to-be with as many little tools to make her life easier is a valuable gift.

Boogie Wipes utilizes a natural “cure” in their wipes. From the website:

How are Boogie Wipes different
than a regular baby wipe?

* Made with Natural Saline
* Hypoallergenic
* Alcohol Free
* Moisturize with Vitamin E, Aloe and Chamomile
* Lightly Scented
* Gentle Enough for All Ages
* Phthalate & Paraben Free

A study by News24.com released in January 2008 offered saltwater as a “cure” and alternative method to ease symptoms. The natural saline (saltwater) in Boogie Wipes, offers an effective, gentle way to dissolve kid’s mucus.

Boogie Wipes has generously donated 2 Boogie Baskets, 1 of which I will be giving to my sister at her shower, and 1 of which is included as part of the GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY! They also donated 2 packages of Boogie Wipes that we gave away in one of our weekly giveaways. This prize is valued at $50.00 plus shipping. If the grand prize winner will be having an actual shower, Boogie Wipes will also provide sample packs to be used as “party favors” for all of the shower guests. I am so excited to give my sister this gift basket. It includes: several packages of Boogie Wipes, Boogie on the Run, a Boogie Mom t-shirt, a Boogie Baby t-shirt and coupons. I know she will love it!

Thank you Boogie Wipes for being a sponsor of our Virtual Baby Shower! Please visit Boogie Wipes to learn about their products, find a retailer that carries them and even purchase them online.

To enter to win the grand prize, visit this post: Virtual Baby Shower MASSIVE Grand Prize GIVEAWAY $2,600 in prizes.

Green World Bags are reusable, affordable, eco-friendly shopping bags. Their bags are fashionable and functional and are a simple, affordable way to make a difference. I was looking for a way to reduce gift wrapping waste when faced with wrapping so many gifts for my sister’s baby shower and Green World Bags are a wonderful choice in reusable bags for baby shower gifts. The designs are unique and attractive and are durable enough to be used over and over again. I keep saying it because I mean it – a mom cannot have too many durable bags and I encourage everyone to consider reusable bags for all of their gift wrapping needs. Green World Bags are good for baby shower gift bags, but also for shopping, other gift occasions and even more.

Green World Bags believes we should all make an eco-fabulous change in our lives. From the website:

Our bags combine fashion and function. They are shaped and constructed like a brown paper grocery bag. Why? Because this design has worked for decades. A set of four bags includes a handy storage envelope that emphasizes convenience and encourages the routine use of reusable bags. What’s more, our bags boast beautiful silk-screened prints, making them great for retail shopping too. Importanly, the price of our line makes it easy and affordable to keep a handful at home or in your car. Green World Bags are made to withstand more than a year of weekly usage and will hold the equivalent of 2-3 plastic bags. This translates to an annual reduction of approximately 700 bags for the average family. When they finally wear out, they can be recycled.

Green World Bags has generously donated 2 sets of 4 reusable bags, 1 set of which I will be using for some of the gifts for my sister at her shower, and 1 set of which is included as part of the GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY! This prize is valued at $19.95 plus shipping. The design on these bags are unique and really stand out. I can’t wait to show my sister how eco-conscious and was and tell her that she can reuse the bags (and maybe give one to me).

Thank you Green World Bags for being a sponsor of our Virtual Baby Shower! Please visit Green World Bags to see all of their great bags and affordable prices.

To enter to win the grand prize, visit this post: Virtual Baby Shower MASSIVE Grand Prize GIVEAWAY $2,600 in prizes.

SKN Reusable Totes are environmentally responsible and sensibly designed to create a high quality bag that meets the everyday needs of people while also helping the planet. SKN bags are innovative, fashionable, modern, design savvy and well crafted. SKN bags are 100% sturdy unbleached cotton and they have 5 vegetable inspired designs. SKN bags would make a wonderful alternative to gift wrapping or gift bags for a baby shower gift. I’ve said it before, a mom can never have too many bags and these are very attractive and very durable. Any mom-to-be would be glad to help the environment and have an SKN bag to take home and reuse!

SKN believes that good design improves our lives and that it can be combined with environmentally responsible endeavors. From the website:

We wear and use certain things because well designed items bring art into our daily lives. Good design lifts our spirits, exhibits externally what we feel internally, and tells our story.

Blending good, solid design with sustainability allows us not only to improve our immediate surroundings in form and function but also to positively impact our communities both locally and globally.

SKN has generously donated 3 reusable totes, 1 of which I will be using for some of the gifts for my sister at her shower, 1 of which was given away in our weekly giveaways, and 1 of which is included as part of the GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY! This prize is valued at $24.95 plus shipping. The bag included in the grand prize is the Blueberry Bag and I have the Lemon bag for my sister. I know she will appreciate the style and quality of the bag and the fact that she can reuse it over and over again!

Thank you SKN for being a sponsor of our Virtual Baby Shower! Please visit SKN to see all of their great bags and affordable prices.

To enter to win the grand prize, visit this post: Virtual Baby Shower MASSIVE Grand Prize GIVEAWAY $2,600 in prizes.

The winners of Week 7 of the Virtual Baby Shower are as follows:

Boogie Wipes Giveaway
The winner is comment #140: Aura!

Mother-ease Reusable Cloth Diaper Giveaway
The winner is comment #15: Seesawstar!

My First Shades Kids Sunglasses Giveaway
The winner is comment #138:Judy Brittle!

Congratulations to all the winners, you should have already received an email from me. If not, let me know via our contact page.

Thank you to everyone who entered!

This is the last week to enter to win the GRAND PRIZE! I can’t wait to see who wins! Unfortunately, our weekly giveaways for the Virtual Baby Shower have ended. But don’t despair, we have a bunch of other great stuff going on in the form of giveaways so don’t stray too far. Some of it is food too, so don’t start your Alli weight loss plan just yet!

1 Bag at a Time was founded by a mom who wants to increase public awareness about the impact of disposable bags on our planet. They provide high quality bags that are attractive and affordable and believe that consumers can make a difference. Utilizing bags from 1 Bag at a Time instead of traditional gift wrapping or bags is not only something that will help the planet, it will help the new mom or mom-to-be as well. Being able to reuse the bags for a long time is a convenient and practical item and a mom can never have too many bags!

1 Bag at a Time’s products have a positive effect on the environment. From the website:

Each of our bags is designed:
to replace 2 paper bags or up to 4 plastic bags each time it is used.
to be used weekly for two years or more.
to replace up to 416 plastic bags over its entire lifetime.

Put together, these small changes add up to big changes for our environment.

1 Bag at a Time has generously donated 10 reusable bags, 5 of which I will be using for some of the gifts for my sister at her shower, and 5 of which are included as part of the GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY! This prize is valued at $7.99 plus shipping. The bags are a light green color and will look adorable hiding all the great baby shower gifts inside.

Thank you 1 Bag at a Time for being a sponsor of our Virtual Baby Shower! Please visit 1 Bag at a Time to see all of their great bags and affordable prices.

To enter to win the grand prize, visit this post: Virtual Baby Shower MASSIVE Grand Prize GIVEAWAY $2,600 in prizes.