Feeling like you’re at home while staying away from home can make traveling a more enjoyable experience. That’s why Residence Inn by Marriott has been hard at work making renovations at their locations around the country to make extended stays away from home relaxing and filled with all of the comforts of home.

Here are some of the fabulous amenities awaiting you at a Residence Inn:

• Spacious studios, one- and two-bedroom suites• Fully equipped kitchens, 24-hour Market & free grocery delivery • Swimming pool and whirlpool spa• Fitness center and Sports Court®• Outdoor spaces with fire pits, barbeque grills, Free daily hot breakfast buffet• Free high-speed Internet• Complimentary evening socials • Dry cleaning, on-site laundry and the chance to earn rewards with every stay.

If you are still in the process of making summer travel plans, be sure to give Residence Inn by Marriott a look for your lodging needs. Take a look around their site. I promise you will be impressed with what you see.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Residence Inn by Marriott and received a chance to win a weekend stay at a Residence Inn to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

It’s an unfortunate fact that teachers don’t always have the funds they need to get even the most basic supplies for their classrooms. Recent budget cuts in many districts all across the U.S. are only exacerbating this problem. However, there is a way you can lend a helping hand to make sure students have all of the educational resources they need to succeed.

Want to know how YOU can receive $25 to help the classroom of your choice? Read on!

Bing has teamed up with DonorsChoose.org to help teachers secure the extra funding they need for resources to help their students succeed. A teacher can log onto the DonorsChoose.org website to start a “classroom project” or donation request. Parents and students can then visit the Bing Teacher Appreciation site to leave a comment [up to 5 per visitor] about a teacher who has made a difference in their life, enabling them to receive a $5 giving code to DonorsChoose.org [one per comment]. Parents and students can then apply the $5 giving code to the “classroom project” of their choice. Classroom projects are created by teachers, so reach out to your children’s teachers and encourage them to submit their own projects!

Bing generously provided me with a gift code to donate $100 to the classroom of my choice at DonorsChoose.org. How exciting!! I knew that I wanted to help a school here in my state of Mississippi, so I chose this classroom that needs a large rug so the students have a comfortable place to sit while they read. This particular project was dear to my heart because I can remember my first librarian job in a school that only had old, dirty leftover carpet scrap squares for the children to sit on while I read to them. When our library finally got a nice, big rug for the kids to sit on, they were so excited and it made the room so much cozier. I’m so excited I could be a part in help this classroom achieve they goal of affording a new rug. They still need more help, so if you’d like to help out, please take advantage of Bing’s special promotion.

If you do participate, I’d love for you to leave a comment telling me what project you donated to.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Bing and a $100 DonorsChoose.org giving code to facilitate my review. Mom Central also sent me a thank-you gift certificate