I have again “won” (note use of quotation marks!) three very low-level prizes in pursuit of cars: a t-shirt; a box of band-aids (very nice quality, I might add) and two packages of jelly beans.  I wasn’t even going to admit these as wins, but daughter Betsy insisted.  Hopefully the fourth time will be the charm and I’ll win something BIG!

Today Yum Brands notified me that I had won their daily contest, which means $180 in American Express gift cards is on its merry way to me.  The big prize is $20,000, and I’m still in the running.   Arrrgh ye ready to eat wonderfully-battered fish and chicken?

On Friday, February 19, 2010, Betsy was notified that she won Good Housekeeping’s “Aruba Vacation Sweepstakes”.  This prize includes airfare for two and five nights in the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino’s Tradewinds Club; a massage for two; and either a kiteboarding or windsurfing lesson.  The Tradewinds Club has its own lounge (breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner and happy hour included!) and private beach.  Fun in the sun!

I won a $500 VISA gift card thanks to Bimbo Bakeries’ Ultimate WINter Experience, which is a free month’s worth of groceries.  The grand prize was a trip to Vancouver for the WINter Olympics, but this is certainly usable.  Thank you, Bimbo Bread bakers!

I won Fourth Prize in the above contest today.  Fourth Prize is a Dell Studio Hybrid desktop PC with 2 GB memory, 160 GB hard drive, Intel Pentium Dual-Core Processor T4200, Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic, SP1 (what is that?), 19″ Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor and Bamboo Sleeve (again, whaat?).  

Now perhaps we can cleanse our computer room of one of the dinosaur computers sitting there. 

Got notice yesterday that I won First Prize of $100 in iTunes gift cards in a Sunny Delight contest.  I informed the kid who called me that, although I can’t say I’ve had Sunny D in ages, our kids drank gallons of the stuff back in the day.

Daughter Betsy got a call from the marketing firm in charge of a trip for two (Betsy and “a companion”) to the Daytona 500 February 12-16!  Unfortunately, she had to turn it down because of school and work.  But, as the marketing guy said, “At least you can say you won something!”

Today I received an e-mail from Karin Haubner, a PR agent representing Glaxo Smith Kline in St. Louis.  I am one of 15 lucky winners of the “Sensodyne Ultimate Hot or Cold Spa Experience” Sweepstakes! The prize consists of an 8 day, 7 night trip to Switzerland (or the Mexican Riviera Maya).  Chris and I chose Switzerland, and we have until 12/31/2009 to take the trip.  Yodeling, Swiss cheese and mountain hiking are in our future.   The prize is round trip coach airfare, 7 nights hotel, spa treatments and transfers.

I had two “close calls” in the past month.  The first came from a Mustang for Men cologne sweepstakes; I thought I had won the Grand Prize of an actual Mustang and a trip for two to San Francisco, including the use of another Mustang and six nights’ accommodations to drive up the California coast.  WRONG!  I won a set of Mustang for Men cologne.  At least the men in the Swift household will have some new cologne for their cologne collections.

The second near-hit was a “Congratulations!” e-mail I received from a Chris Davis at an ad agency in Austin, Texas.  Unfortunately, the words “RC” (for radio-controlled) preceded the word “2008 Mustang” in my prize notification.   This car will fit in the Swift family gift closet.  Bummer!

Maybe this means I am warming up to win something big and motorized soon! 

Is my long dry spell in the desert wasteland of no contest wins over?  Today two little trickles whet my contest thirst: a $100.00 American Express gift check to son Jim in a Lucky Magazine sweeps, and a $25.00 Lady Foot Locker gift card to daughter Betsy in an unknown sweeps.   May the heavens continue to open and pour down their contest largesse upon us in bigger ways in 2008!