Win 4 Tickets to the Tampa Boat Show: A Giveaway

August 29, 2013 by Kelli

There are few things I love more than spending an entire day on the water. I love the sound of the ocean lapping up against the side of the boat. I love the way the seagulls shout their praise from the skies. I love that when we are on the boat, we are together.

Boating with family is basically forced together time. There’s nowhere to go. If you’re on a boat, you’re required to actually interact with one another. Basically, boats are the minivans of the sea. There’s no technology to distract you, no separate rooms to escape to…at least not on the boats I’ve ever been on. Boating is, perhaps, one of the best ways to enjoy being together as a family. It’s fun, relaxing and the scenery can’t be beat.

Living in Florida, it is imperative to either own your own boat, or be friends with someone who has a boat. I mean, I guess imperative might be a strong word, but it’s a shame to be surrounded by ocean and never have the opportunity to float on said water. Which is why The Tampa Boat Show is kind of a big deal.

See how happy he is to be on a boat?!

The Tampa Boat Show is the region’s premiere boat show, showcasing the best of boating plus the latest marine accessories and aquatic activities. I love going to boat shows because every year the gadgets for boating get cooler, plus the boats are so shiny and pretty. Honestly, boats are better than minivans, mainly because minivans usually smell like moldy sandwiches and stinky feet while boats smell like paradise.

Ride on a boat, then ride in my minivan and tell me I’m wrong.

In addition to seeing and experiencing all the latest and greatest that marine sports have to offer, The Tampa Boat Show offers attendees the chance to have a little bit of fun. John Hillstrand from Discovery Network’s Deadliest Catch will be on hand for interviews, guests ages 10 and older can try their hand at diving in the heated 15,000 gallon Be a Diver pool, and attendees can experience seminars and different interactive learning events throughout the arena.

The Tampa Boat Show is coming to the Bay Area September 6-8. Tickets are $12 for adults ages 16 and up. Children 15 and under are FREE when accompanied by an adult. This makes the event the perfect weekend outing for families as you look, dream, and enjoy all that boating has to offer.

If you’re in the market for a new boat, or are simply interested in seeing what is new and cutting edge in the world of marine life, then I highly recommend The Tampa Boat Show. The good news is, I get to offer four tickets to one lucky reader today! Simply leave me a comment, any comment, and you will be entered to win four tickets to the upcoming Tampa Boat Show.

You can tell me your favorite boating memory or why you think boating is the perfect family activity. You can tell me your favorite color or your dog’s name, or the name of your favorite Aunt.

The point is, any comment will do, and if you’re anywhere near the Bay Area, you should enter because your chances of winning will be pretty good!

Comments will remain open until tomorrow night, Friday, August 30 at 5:00 PM, at which point I will draw a winner. Be sure to check your email to see if you won so that I can get your information and get the tickets in the mail to you quickly. And please share this with your local friends!

So who’s ready to start boating?

Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post. I received Complimentary tickets to the Tampa Boat Show for my participation in this giveaway. All opinions expressed are my own.

Filed Under: Family, Florida, Giveaway, Kids Tagged With: Complimentary tickets, family boating, Giveaway, That Tampa Boat Show

Teen Beach Movie: Sticky Sweet Innocent Fun

July 25, 2013 by Kelli

Somewhere, Annette Funicello is smiling and nodding her head as Disney’s latest TV film makes waves with young ones across the nation. Teen Beach Movie hit the small screen last week and as much as I resisted watching, I have to say…

I kind of enjoyed it.

At least I did the first time I saw it. By the 5th time, I was kind of over it, but since I’m not really in the demographic they were aiming to please, I’m not sure it matters if I’ve already tired of the sticky sweet tween flick. My kids certainly haven’t tired of it. Well done, Disney. Well done…

Teen Beach Movie is every bit as silly, campy and sugary sweet as you would expect a Disney teeny bopper movie to be, but there was something nostalgic about it that made me smile more than cringe. I almost didn’t let the kids watch it for fear I wouldn’t be able to handle the silliness of it all, but Tia was counting down the days until this movie came on with such fervor that I worried it would send her into a spiral of despair if I said she couldn’t watch it. So I caved, popped a little popcorn and we curled up on the couch for the big event.

While Teen Beach Movie was entirely focused on boy/girl dynamics, it was done in a very innocent, funny and underhanded way. As the littles got swept up in the silly lines and over the top characters, I couldn’t resist a few laughs at the obvious spoof Disney made on some of the old Frankie and Annette Classics.

It’s almost as though Disney took the movie Grease, put it in a blender with Beach Party, then dipped it in sprinkles, rolled it in Cotton Candy and served it up on a hot pink stick.

When “Tanner” (Garrett Clayton) first appeared onscreen I had to laugh out loud. That kid could not embody the 1960’s dreamboat any more than if he were computer generated. When Lee saw the movie with us, his first comment was, “He looks just like that guy from all the old Disney beach movies!” Paired with the adorable Grace Phipps who played “Lela,” it seemed as if Disney had found almost exact replicas of Frankie and Annette.

The music in the film is catchy in an I can’t really believe I’m singing along to this, sort of way, and it’s so authentic to the ’60’s that I briefly wondered if they had pulled actual songs out of the archives of the golden oldies. Just try to watch “Cruisin’ for a Bruisin‘” and not tap your toes.

In all, I was plenty pleased with Disney’s latest movie, and my kids have all given it two thumbs up (that’s six thumbs for anyone counting). They will continue to watch it over and over these next few weeks, and while I will likely bow out due to the fact that I’m not entirely sure it won’t give us all cavities, I certainly don’t have a problem with letting them continue to laugh and sing along to this summer gem.

To make this write up even sweeter, the kind folks at Disney have given me one copy of Teen Beach Movie to give to one lucky reader. To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment and let me know if you saw the film and if you know all the lyrics by heart now, too.

For additional entries:

– Share this giveaway on Facebook, then come back and leave me another comment.

– Share this giveaway on Twitter, then comment back and let me know for a third entry.

Comments will remain open until Tuesday, July 30 (the same day Teen Beach Movie releases on DVD) at 8:00 Central Time when I will pick a winner randomly. The winner will be notified via email and will receive the movie shortly thereafter.

So, come on. Fess up. I know you have ONE song from the movie

that’s stuck in your head. Spill it.

Disclaimer: I am working with Disney to promote the July 30th release of Teen Beach Movie on DVD. I received a copy of the DVD to review and a copy to giveaway. All opinions expressed are my own. I am grateful for the opportunity.

Filed Under: Giveaway, Product Reviews Tagged With: Disney, Giveaway, Sugary Sweet, Teen Beach Movie

I’d wave hello but I can’t raise my arms

July 17, 2013 by Kelli

Confession: I am out of shape. Massively, wildly, annoyingly, ridiculously out of shape. Where working out and fitness was once an integral part of my daily routine, it has become a chore – something I dread and want to get over with…or just not do at all.

When the kids were younger, going to the gym was my escape. It gave me an hour or two a day away from them. I’d drop them off in the play area where they could have fun and I could sweat off a little stress. Or, um, sit in a dark corner and read a book in silence, which I did on more than one occasion.

Physical fitness is mental, too, you know!

Now that they’re older, I can’t really take them to the play area anymore. Which means if I want to work out, I have to squeeze it into the parts of my day that I don’t want to spend in the gym – like early mornings (I would rather sleep) or the evening (I’ve had way too much time to talk myself out of it). I’d like to say that when they go back to school, I’ll get back in the routine, but I’m afraid my brain has shut down the part that used to find working out enjoyable.

I’m trying to revive it.

Last Saturday I accompanied my neighbor to a boot camp with a trainer who came to our neighborhood and ~~tortured~~ pushed us with squats, push ups and running. RUNNING! It’s been long enough that I knew I should take it a little easy, but there is still a competitive side of my brain that’s active and well, and she did NOT like being left behind.

It’s Wednesday, which means that I can finally move without muttering four letter words under my breath. I feel victorious!

Thankfully my upper body remained relatively unscathed from our ~~torture~~ fitness session. But yesterday when a friend and I took our kids to Busch Gardens for what was meant to be an afternoon of fun, that changed entirely. Picture this: two adults, five children, one of which has a sprained (possibly broken) foot, a wheelchair, two strollers and all the bags that go with taking children to a theme park.

Now, add lightening and a torrential downpour. If you see me today and I don’t wave hello, just know it’s because I can’t raise my arms for all the dashing through the rain in flip flops, pushing a 50 pound kid in an umbrella stroller.

I mean…this is getting ridiculous.

I told you a few months ago about how I joined forces with Pretty Muddy as a means to get back into shape and have a little fun doing it. So I haven’t really started training, yet. At all. Seriously not at all. I mean, the race isn’t until December and I only need to run 3.2 miles so I just thought I’d procrastinate a bit because I HATE ALL THE RUNNING!

I excel at procrastinating. It’s a gift.

After this week, though, I think maybe it’s time to put in a tiny bit of effort. So in an effort to stop embracing laziness, I signed up for MyFitU…a week ago. I plan to start using it today. Or tomorrow. Soon. I’m going to start using it soon.

Maybe if you join me, we can do this together? MyFitU has teamed up with Pretty Muddy as their official online personal trainer. As a result, I get to offer my readers a promotion for 50% off ANY MEMBERSHIP YOU CHOOSE. That’s an awesome deal! This offer can be applied to the 1, 3, 6 or 12 month plans, which means the more you commit to the program the more you save.

MyFitU is a great concept in that they take your overall health statistics and put together a personal plan to help you achieve your weight loss goals. The only thing MyFitU cannot do for you is make you get online and log in your daily activity.

Ahem.

MyFitU offers a comprehensive workout plan to help you maximize your workouts. Based on your weight and activity level, you will be given a daily caloric intake to aim for and you have access to hundreds of healthy recipes to help you acheive your goals.

Seriously, it’s the cheapest personal trainer you’ll ever sign up for!

So, does anybody want to join me? If so, visit MyFitU.com and sign up. When you get to the check out enter the promo code PRETTYMUDDY50 for your 50% off discount. Then come back and let me know if you’re going to give it a try. And go ahead and ask me if I entered my activity in for the day. I will happily accept the accountability.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off take a little more Ibuprofen and attempt to stretch out my screaming muscles.

Disclaimer: As part of the Pretty Muddy blogger team, I received a three month membership to MyFitU free of charge. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with both organizations as clearly I need someone to push me out of this lazy funk.

Filed Under: discipline, Exercise, Giveaway, Running, Sports Tagged With: Getting in shape, MyFitU, No more lazy, Pretty Muddy

Hair, BlogHer TV and a Chance to Win Some Cash

April 10, 2013 by Kelli

Well hey there, everyone!

Remember that post I wrote yesterday about time and how it’s a gift and we don’t lawfully possess the moments of our day? That was super, wasn’t it? Just super duper.

I’m painting today. I’ve had it planned to knock out this painting project for a couple of weeks. I also have a kid who’s home from school with a fever. Guess how many times I’ve murmured “I am not the lawful possessor of twenty-four hours” this morning?

I’m choosing to respond to this unexpected hiccup with grace and in a way that is not ill-tempered. I am also employing full use of media devices such as movies and iPads for the sickie so that the Great Paint Project of 2013 can commence! Wish me luck!

While I am busy transforming my house, would you do me a favor? I’m participating in a campaign with BlogHer TV right now and you can benefit from it. BlogHer TV offers a lot of great content for women and for moms, one of which is fun, short hair tutorials. Because we may be minivan moms, but it doesn’t mean we need minivan hair.

(I’m not sure if minivan hair is a real thing, but it was a punchy little line so I included it.)

(If there were such a thing as minivan hair, though, I would say I have it right now. Flat, unwashed, unstyled, a little psychotic.)

(I’m sure your hair looks great, though. *wink*)

Anyway, this is one of the hair tutorial videos that I enjoyed. If my hair were just a scooch longer I would be all over this hair style. It’s very cute and very fun and it looks pretty easy and quick to pull off. Watch the video and at the end you will have the opportunity to enter to win one of three cash prizes.

This promotion will run for the next four weeks and each week three lucky winners will be chosen. The Grand Prize viewer will win a $250 Visa Gift Card with two other winners receiving a $100 Visa Gift Card.

For all of the details on the Prizes and Promotions, please click here. And for the Official Rules, visit this page to learn all about the promotion and how you can win up to $250.

Now, while you invest a bit of time into your winning entry, I am going to invest a little time into administering medicine and painting my house!

Happy Wednesday!

Disclaimer: I am participating in an Olay BlogHer TV campaign. I am being compensated for this post. All thought and opinions expressed are my own. For more details on the rules of the Sweeps and how to enter and win, click the above mentioned links.

Filed Under: Blogging, Giveaway Tagged With: BlogHer TV, Fashion, Hair, Hair Tutorial, Olay BHTV Sweeps, Spring Hairdo

Thank you for five amazing years

January 11, 2013 by Kelli

You have a few more hours to enter this week’s giveaways.

Go here to enter to win one of two $50 Target gift cards.

Go here to enter to win one of two tickets to dotMOM.

And finally…have a great weekend. I hereby send you all a great big cyber hug! BOOM! Did you feel it?

Filed Under: Blogging, Giveaway Tagged With: 5 years blogging, Blogoversary, dotMOM, giveaways, Target is da bomb

5 Year Blogoversary Giveaway Part Deux

January 9, 2013 by Kelli

this giveaway is now closed. I will be in touch with the winners. Thanks for participating!

First of all, I would like props for what might possibly be the most creative blog post title ever. Because we all know that you can take a perfectly mundane phrase, toss in a little French and WHAMO! You’ve created art. (Never mind that I had to look up how to spell deux. Deaux? Deux? I JUST DON’T KNOW!!!)

Artsy, right?

No?

Ah, whatever. I’m not going for the Pulitzer here.

So you can STILL enter to win one of two $50 Target gift cards. That giveaway will be open until Friday so go comment to your little heart’s content. Today’s giveaway is equally as fun, though it may be a little harder for everyone to participate in.

Last September, I had the amazing privilege of attending dotMom as one of their featured bloggers and it was one of the highlights of my 2012. I met wonderful people there and came home so completely refreshed and blessed that I almost felt guilty about it.

Almost.

It really was a wonderful experience. The conference is put together by moms for moms and it is a place where you will be encouraged in your motherhood journey, no matter what phase you are in. Whether you’re pregnant, adopting, a mom of grown children, of toddlers, or children of the elementary school variety. There is something for you to learn, a nugget of truth for you to grasp hold of, a mentor who will give you the tools to keep taking steps forward toward shaping the small people in your midst.

It was such a great experience that I am planning to go back to dotMom again this year AND…

The fabulous women at Lifeway have given me two tickets to give away to the upcoming dotMom conference in Dallas, Texas!

The conference is Feburary 22-23 and, if you think you can make it to Dallas, I’d like to give you a ticket to dotMom. So…you know the drill, right?

Leave me a comment. Any comment. You can tell me why you would like to go to dotMom, what you ate for breakfast or what your favorite flavor of ice cream is (mine is chocolate/vanilla swirl, if you’re curious…). Just leave a comment to be entered to win a ticket to attend the Dallas dotMom event.

If you share this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter, come back to earn multiple entries (leave a comment for each time you share it. You can receive up to three entries).

I’ve checked the line up of speakers to the Feburary dotMom and am frantically checking my schedule to see if I could possibly make this event. The speakers are a-MAZ-ing!

And those are just the featured speakers. That isn’t the extensive list of wonderful speakers who will lead break out sessions geared toward inspiring and encouraging us moms in every aspect of our jobs.

So, who wants to go to dotMom next month? I will choose two winners on Friday at 2:00 EST.

Disclaimer: Lifeway provided me with the tickets to giveaway. I was not paid to write this post. All opinions expressed are, of course, my own.

Filed Under: Blogging, Giveaway Tagged With: Blogoversary, dotMOM, Giveaway, Lifeway

Five Poetic Years

January 8, 2013 by Kelli

“Blogging is the new poetry.”

Author Unknown

This contest is now closed. I will inform the winners momentarily. Thanks for participating everyone!

Five years ago tomorrow I sat down at the computer and entered my first blog post. I did not understand blogging, but I am a natural crowd follower and all the cool kids were doing it so I figured, why not?

To be honest, I’ve often thought about going back and deleting most of those early blog entries because…well, because they’re pretty bad. It was clear I didn’t understand the purpose of blogging and in some cases I overshared while in other cases I just wrote poorly.

But it’s all a journey, isn’t it, and blogging is no different.

When I began this blogging endeavor, I had three children under five. Landon was weeks old and most days I blogged while he napped in a pack and play next to me. Fittingly enough, as I type this entry he is laying beside me on the chair. It is only 5:40 in the morning, but my children all have a sixth sense, which means that there is no such thing as early morning alone time for this Mama.

His legs are slung over the side of the chair, all gangly and skinny. He’s asking me how to spell DOG, CAT and FART. Awesome…

The passing of time is so easily measured when one blogs. Moments are recorded and sent out into the void and sometimes those moments contain a huge piece of your heart. If you’re lucky, the heart pieces that were entrusted to the internet come back to you a little more whole and infused with joy. That’s what you all have done for me this half decade. You’ve infused me with joy and returned my heart just a little bit bigger.

I’ve been fortunate these last five years to have cultivated a small, but dear, community of readers who are the good ones. You all are kind and encouraging. You love to laugh (particularly at my husband) and you’re not afraid to cry. You want to help others and you are always willing to bless.

Google Analytics tells me that on average, there are 10,000 of you who visit this site monthly. That’s not very much in the grand scheme of blogging, I know. My corner is small. But it’s a nice corner. It’s peaceful here. The sun shines and the grass is fluffy and warm. We all sit around the table and drink tea out of Mason jars and eat Nutella without gaining weight.

That’s what this space is to me. It’s peace. It’s a gathering of friends who get to enjoy the best parts of life with me. Even when those best parts are hard.

I don’t share everything about my life in this space. That would be weird. I share the good, mostly. I share the funny, the sometimes mundane , the deepening of faith and the always changing craziness that makes life so exciting. There are times in the last five years when I’ve considered throwing in the towel on the whole blogging thing, but then I write a post that resonates and I remember that this life journey is much better when taken together.

I don’t know what the next five years holds. Hopefully more blogging, more growing and a lot more laughter. I may even have a book for you all to read by the end of this year! Who knows.

Life is an adventure, isn’t it? A grand, grand adventure.

So…

I’ve decided to thank you all, my sweet readers, for walking this path with me. Especially the last few months as we’ve worked toward our adoption and as we now hang in the balance. I can’t tell you what it’s meant to know you guys have our backs. I have two awesome giveaways for today and tomorrow that I want to share with you all to celebrate five years.

Today, I am going to give away two $50 gift cards to Target.

Because if there’s one thing we have all agreed on over the years, it is that Target is The Promised Land (LEE!). So, leave me a comment for an entry to win $50 to the land of milk, honey and super cute, reasonably priced clothing. I will draw the two winners randomly on Friday, January 11 at 2:00 EST.

And come back tomorrow for a chance to win two more great prizes that I’m so excited to give away!

Now at the end of the week, I will only be able to give away four prizes, unfortunately, but NEVER YOU FEAR DEAR READERS! No one will walk away completely empty handed because everyone (EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU) who comments is going to receive a cyber hug, a cyber fist bump and five cyber high fives – one for every year I’ve been a blogger.

You. Are. Welcome.

So what are you waiting for? Leave a comment to win 50 smackers! Want me to sweeten the deal? Okay, sure! If you share this giveaway on Facebook, you can come back and leave a second comment for a second entry. If you share this giveaway on Twitter you can come leave a thrid comment for a third entry.

This means you not only have three times the potential to win – it also means you will receive 15 cyber high fives! I am nothing if not generous.

I love you all. I really, really do.

(And to keep the government people happy, I will let you know that I am purchasing the gift cards to Target myself to give away. I have not been endorsed or paid by Target to write this post, but if Target would like to endorse or pay me, I wouldn’t argue so…)

Filed Under: Blogging, Giveaway, Life Tagged With: Blogging, Blogoversary, Five years, Giveaway, Life is grand, My readers rule!, Target

Disney-Pixar’s BRAVE – Review and Giveaway

November 9, 2012 by Kelli

This giveaway is now closed and a winner will be chosen and notified shortly. Thank you to everyone who entered.

Disney-Pixar’s newest animated film, BRAVE, packs a dramatic and thrilling punch. I really enjoyed it the first time I saw it, but after reading the concerns of others about the film’s content, I wondered if maybe I had missed something. So when Disney contacted me and asked if I would like to receive the soon-to-be-released 5-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition, I jumped at the chance.

Since receving the movie last weekend, I have watched it twice with my youngest child. (Remember when you were a kid and could watch movies over and over…and over again?) I have to say, I don’t share the concerns voiced, though I do respect them.

BRAVE is ambitious in a lot of ways. We’re faced with a bold and brash Princess who doesn’t want to get married. This, of course, isn’t the first time Disney has explored that storyline (Aladdin’s Jasmine didn’t want to be forced into marriage, either. I know my Disney movies…) But for the first time, a Disney Princess movie doesn’t involve any sort of love story whatsoever.

Honestly, I found that refreshing.

Merida is not pining for a fella. She wants to grow up more. She isn’t opposed to marriage – she’s just not ready for it. I think this is a good message for little girls…if they even pick up on that theme at all. Chances are, most young ones won’t get the underlying messages of this movie, and that’s okay. Because it’s a fun movie to watch.

(Never before has an animated film left me with such a desire to travel. The scenery is so gorgeous that I’ve got half a mind to pack my bags and move to Scotland.)

BRAVE is a little scary in places. The evil bear, Mor’du, makes several gnarly, growly appearances and the much of the movie takes place at night, which adds an air of tension. This has not affected my children in the slightest, but if you have kiddos sensitive to those sorts of things, you should be aware. It is not, in my opinion, any scarier than other Disney movies (a gigantic octopus witch getting stabbed in the stomach with the mast of a ship anyone? It’s a wonder any of us ever slept again after that one…)

I also enjoyed the complexity that BRAVE explores in the relationship between mother and daughter. Merida and her mom, Elinor, fight almost non-stop the first half of the movie. A few years ago, when my own daughter was younger, this may have bothered me. But considering I wanted to bash my head against the wall this morning due to a battle over shoes (SHOES! JUST PUT THEM ON PUT THEM ON PUT THEM ON!), I get it a little more. This mother daughter thing is give and take and I loved the resolve at the end of the movie on the part of both characters.

BRAVE is a little…um…braver than other Disney films. In one scene, a bunch of the men walk by having shimmied down the palace walls using their kilts as ropes, and we are greeted to our first ever Disney butts. I found this hilarious – you may not. But at least you know. I also enjoyed the relationship between Elinor and Fergus, Merida’s wily, burly father. Yes, the Queen comes off looking more polished than her husband, but he is also a very strong character who fights bears and protects his family without fear. And I love the sweet bond that is shown between father and daughter.

In all, I found BRAVE to be delightful and fun and I’m thrilled with the bonus features on this five disc combo pack (which includes 1 Blu-ray 3D disc, 2 Blu-ray Discs, 1 DVD and 1 Digital Copy). The bonus features further solidify my longing to visit Scotland.

Today, thanks to Disney, I have the privilege of offering one lucky winner their own 5-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition of BRAVE. Simply leave a comment to enter. You can leave a comment about anything at all. But if you have been to Scotland before, would you please tell me in the comments section – is it as beautiful as it seems in animation?!

There are four ways to earn additional entries:

– Share this giveaway on Facebook, then come back and let me know you shared it.

– Share this giveaway on Twitter then, you guess it, come back and let me know about it.

– Post this giveaway to Pinterest, then come back and leave yet another comment.

– Post about this giveaway on your blog for a final entry.

This giveaway will be open until Tuesday, November 13. I will draw a winner at 12:00 PM EST. I am working with Disney-Pixar in promotion of the release of BRAVE on DVD. I was provided a copy of the 5-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition for review. I was not paid for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Filed Under: Giveaway Tagged With: Brave DVD release, Disney, Disney's BRAVE, Giveaway, Product Review

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

September 11, 2012 by Kelli

The winner of the American Girl six book Caroline Abbott book set (try saying that five times fast) is:

Number 17: Bethany says: “This is my official Facebook entry comment. Boom!”

Thanks for entering everyone! I wish I could have given every single one of you a copy. This is why I don’t do giveaways often – the inability to please everyone just about does me in.

Have a FANTASTIC Tuesday. Go outside and soak in a little vitamin D! Ride a pony! Eat some Nutella! Search for the end of the rainbow! Pet a puppy! Sit in the silence! Put your toes in the sand! Listen to the ocean (surely there’s an App for that)! Dance to some good music! Kiss a baby! Kiss your spouse!

There are so many possibilities!

Filed Under: Blogging, books, Giveaway, Product Reviews Tagged With: American Girl, Caroline Abbott, Giveaway, Happy Tuesday

Meet the newest American Girl

September 4, 2012 by Kelli

Comments are now closed. Winner will be announced tomorrow. Thanks everyone!

You would be hard pressed to find another toy company that has come up with a more creative and lucrative idea than that of the American Girl doll. Blending history with all things girly, they have the market on quality toys for little girls. I mean, really – they put Cabbage Patch Dolls to shame.

Those dolls grew in the ground and had yarn for hair. The ’80’s were a strange time, folks…

Had American Girl been around when I was little, I would have been wildly in love with the dolls. Instead, I am just wildly in love with them as an adult, and thankfully I get to share them with my own daughter and watch her imagination bloom as she plays and learns through their vastly rich historical stories.

Well done, American Girl. Well done.

The newest American Girl historical figure is Caroline Abbott whose story takes place near Lake Ontario during the War of 1812. From the American Girl press release:

“Living with her family in Sacket Harbor, New York, Caroline loves sailing with her shipbuilder father, and she even dreams of captaining her own ship one day. But after British sailors capture her father and cousin, Caroline does her best to keep the promise she makes to her father to stay steady and ride storms through the better weather. In the end, Caroline finds – and proves – her own steadiness and strength as she navigates the challenges of wartime.”

Caroline launches with six historical books written by author and social historian Kathleen Ernst and they follow Caroline’s adventures through this rich moment in American history.

“Our newest historical character, Caroline, is a brave, independent girl who teaches girls today that they can navigate life’s challenges by staying strong, making good decisions, and taking action,” says Jean McKenzie, executive vice president of American Girl. “We know our fans will be inspired by the stories of Caroline, who shows girls that they can set their own course to help make changes for the future.”

With Christmas quickly approaching (I know, WHAT?!), Caroline Abbott would make a great addition to your American Girl’s collection. She has an array of historically accurate clothes and accessories that represent her time period and the books are sure to enthrall your daughters as they learn more about our country in a way that interests them.

Today, thanks to American Girl, I have the privilege of offering one lucky reader Caroline Abbott’s six book box set. You can share with your daughter (or granddaughter, or niece, or cousin, or neighbor, or sister-in-law’s Aunt’s second cousin’s daughter…) these fun and lively tales that bring American history to life in a way that they can all love and understand.

There are three ways to enter:

– Leave a comment. Any comment will do.

– Send out a Tweet letting people know about the giveaway and come back and leave a second comment letting me know you tweeted and you will earn a second entry.

– Post this giveaway to Facebook and come back and leave a third comment, letting me know and you will receive a third entry.

This contest is open to US Residents only and will end on Monday, September 10, when I draw a random name from the list of comments. You will have twenty-four hours to respond to the email telling you you’ve won. If you do not respond, I will choose another winner. The winner will receive the box set directly from American Girl.

Ready to enter?

Go!

Oh, and please…have a lovely Tuesday. It’s September people! SEPTEMBER! Which can only mean one thing…pumpkin spice lattes and (hopefully soon for us Floridians) scarves and boots. That’s enough to make me unendingly happy today…

disclaimer: I am working in conjunction with American Girl to promote the launch of their new historical doll and I’m grateful for the opportunity. I received the Caroline Abbott doll in exchange for writing this post. I was not compensated.