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The TRUTH About Motherhood

Tag: giveaway

  • Popcorn Love

    To celebrate summer fun, Redbox is asking moms, “What’s your family’s go-to movie night snack?” Plus, they are rewarding 2 lucky people with a chance to win $10,000 as part of the Redbox Summer of Fun & Games Sweepstakes.

    My family’s favorite go-to movie night snack has to be popcorn. I’m sure this is typical in most households but for this Chicago girl, nothing goes better with a great movie than Garrett’s Chicago Mix popcorn.

    #Redbox

    When the weather’s rainy and cold, there’s nothing quite like cuddling up under some blankets close to those you love the most, watching a great family movie and munching on popcorn.

    If the weather is miserably hot outside, at my house we call that a lounge day. We pick a movie the whole family will enjoy like Beverly Hills Chihuahua II or Grease and we have good time laughing together and munching on a fabulous mix of cheese and carmel corn ( Chicago Style).

    I may not live in the Chicagoland area these days but believe me when I tell you that my girls KNOW if there’s a great movie on the screen, Chicago mix popcorn should be on the table. We’ve even learned to improvise and make our own mix. I love sharing this special treat and my love of a good movie with my girls.

    I hope someday my girls will be watching a great movie, cuddled up with their little ones, eating some Chicago Mix Popcorn and think of special moments spent with their father and myself. I hope they get the same warm fuzzy feeling that I get sharing these extraordinary ordinary moments with them now.

    Redbox is celebrating summer family time with a great line up of family-friendly titles, awesome savings and two chances to win $10,000 as part of the Redbox Summer of Fun & Games Sweepstakes.*

    4 Easy Ways to Enter:

    1.  Enter your email address at www.redbox.com/summer

    2.  Rent a movie or game at a redbox kiosk (and provide a valid email address at checkout)

    3.  Reserve a rental online at redbox.com

    4.  Text ‘SUMMER’ to 727272

    Enter to win today!

    This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Redbox. The opinions and text are all mine.

    *Each item rented earns one entry, regardless of how long it is rented, up to three entries per day. Limit 3 entries per day, regardless of entry method. The sweepstakes begins May 27, 2011 at 12:00 a.m. CT and ends on August 1, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. CT. No purchase necessary. See official rules at www.redbox.com/summer.

    .

  • Redbox Summer of Fun Giveaway

    To celebrate summer of fun, Redbox is asking moms, “What’s your family’s favorite video game to play together?” Plus, they are rewarding 2 lucky people with a chance to win $10,000 as part of the Redbox Summer of Fun & Games Sweepstakes.

    In our home, Rock Band for the PlayStation 3 reigns supreme. We have spent many a weekend playing Rock Band in our media room while laughing and having a great time making memories with our two little girls.

    Redbox Summer of Fun~Giveaway,kiosk,rentals, movies, chance to win, summerRedbox Summer of Fun Giveaway

    Not only do we play this game with our girls, whenever we have family functions, the entire family gets in on the action.We host Thanksgiving every year and as part of the tradition, after dinner everyone heads downstairs and we select our favorite tunes and belt them out together. Our entire family, on both sides,singing, laughing and having an authentic great time together.

    What’s your family’s favorite video game to play together?

    It’s game time! Redbox, America’s favorite destination for movie rentals, is now renting video games in 21,000 kiosks nationwide for $2 a day. Redbox is truly a one-stop shop for affordable, family home entertainment with both games and movies.

    Through the generosity of Redbox, I am giving away 3 sets of 5 game codes, all you have to do is email subscribe to The TRUTH about Motherhood and leave a comment telling me what your favorite video game is to play with your family! Contest ends Thursday June 30th at 9 pm EST. Please be sure to leave your email address so that I can contact you if you win.Good Luck!

    Redbox is celebrating summer family time with a great line up of family-friendly titles, awesome savings and two chances to win $10,000 as part of the Redbox Summer of Fun & Games Sweepstakes.*

    4 Easy Ways to Enter:

    1. Enter your email address at www.redbox.com/summer

    2. Rent a movie or game at a redbox kiosk (and provide a valid email address at checkout)

    3. Reserve a rental online at redbox.com

    4. Text ‘SUMMER’ to 727272

    Enter to win today!

    This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Redbox. The opinions and text are all mine.

    *Each item rented earns one entry, regardless of how long it is rented, up to three entries per day. Limit 3 entries per day, regardless of entry method. The sweepstakes begins May 27, 2011 at 12:00 a.m. CT and ends on August 1, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. CT. No purchase necessary. See official rules at www.redbox.com/summer.



  • The Winner of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Macbeth family 4 pack Giveaway

    The Winner of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Macbeth family 4 pack Giveaway

    The winner of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater family 4 pack to Macbeth is ….
    comment # 2, Bertha “OMG, I LOVE Shakespeare! I have always wanted to see one of his plays and have never had the opportunity! I also am within 20 min of Chicago, so to be able to enjoy a Full day of festivities in Downtown Chicago is also something I don’t get to do very often, But would love the chance to! English was one of My Strong points in school, and Macbeth was one of My favorite plays, so please consider me when giving these tickets away! Thank You so Much!”

    Congratulations and I hope that you have a wonderful time at the play. You will have a blast.Please email me at truthfulmommy@gmail.com so I can get your information to get you your tickets!For the rest of you, I hope you will still go see the production. It is always a fabulous time and stay tuned, there is usually a production every couple of months.

  • Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents Macbeth Tickets Giveaway

    Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents Macbeth Tickets Giveaway

    As many of you know, I have been very lucky to have a relationship with the Chicago Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier. I have been to many of their shows and it is always a brilliant time.We’ve been to family friendly shows for the entire family and romantic date nights for the Big Guy and I. No matter when or why we are there, it’s always an amazing time.We like to make it a day, or night out. Our girls love a show at CST, a nice lunch and some walking around and shopping or taking in the sites downtown. Or if you are doing a date night, the pier under the stars is a great follow up to watching a production with your special guy.

    I couldn’t make it to this production myself due to some scheduling issues but I wish I could have. Macbeth is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. But the good news is I have a family 4 pack to give away to one of my lucky readers! Yey, for you! It’s very easy. All I ask is that you click on the “more info” tab at the top right hand side top of my homepage and then become a GFC follower and then leave me a comment telling me how you would spend your day in the city or your favorite thing about the city! It’s that easy. I will randomly select a winner this Friday @ 10 pm EST. Good Luck!

    Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) provides an introduction to William Shakespeare for all audiences with Short Shakespeare! Macbeth, a 75-minute abridged production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth adapted and directed by David H. Bell. A perfect outing for busy professionals and families, Short Shakespeare! Macbeth is performed Saturdays at 11 a.m. in CST’s Courtyard Theater as part of the CST Family Series, providing an opportunity for adults and young audiences alike to be introduced to Shakespeare’s masterpiece. Tickets for Short Shakespeare! Macbeth Saturdays at 11 a.m. from January 22 through March 5, 2011, in CST’s Courtyard Theater are $16–$20 with special discounts available for groups of 10 or more. All patrons receive a 40% parking discount at Navy Pier garages. Short Shakespeare! Macbeth is recommended for ages 10 and up. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.


    Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Short Shakespeare! productions give busy professionals, families and young audiences the chance to watch the magic of Shakespeare’s verse come alive, performed by a cast of professional artists—all in just 75 minutes. Immediately following each Saturday performance of Short Shakespeare! Macbeth, actors remain on stage for a discussion with the audience about the Macbeths’ quest for power and their own experiences stepping into Shakespeare’s iconic roles. After the discussion, audience members are invited to join the actors for one-on-one conversations and photo opportunities in Chicago Shakespeare’s lobbies, which provide stunning views of the Chicago skyline. CST patrons can make an afternoon of it on Navy Pier, with specially priced menus at the Pier’s most popular restaurants available by displaying their tickets day-of-show. Visit Chicago Shakespeare’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com for more information.


    A theatrical, percussive world of swords, sound and the supernatural make Macbeth one of William Shakespeare’s most spellbinding plays—and CST’s 75-minute abridged production, Short Shakespeare! Macbeth, provides a perfect introduction to his work. When Macbeth and his wife hear of the haunting witches’ prophecy that they will soon rule the land, they move to plot the murder of the King. Greed, torment and evil pave the Macbeths’ path toward destruction, ultimately proving all of the witches’ divinations true.

    Short Shakespeare! Macbeth is performed Saturdays at 11 a.m. from January 22 through March 5, 2011, in CST’s Courtyard Theater. Tickets are $16–$20 with special discounts available for groups of 10 or more. All patrons receive a 40% parking discount at Navy Pier garages. Short Shakespeare! Macbeth is recommended for ages 10 and up. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.


    Disclosure: I was provided with tickets to giveaway for Macbeth by The Chicago Shakespeare Theater. The opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but were NOT influenced by the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

    *Contest open to US readers only, 18 years old and older.Must be in or around the Chicago land area at time of performance. Contest ends 2/18/11 at 10 p.m. EST. Winner will be chosen randomly. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment unless it’s visible on your Blogger profile. (If I can’t contact you, a new winner will be drawn.) Winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email. If winner does not claim their prize in the 48 hour period, a new winner will be chosen at random.

    *Subject to availability. Valid by phone or in person only. Not valid in combination with other promotions or on previously purchased tickets.

  • A Carnival of the Senses for your Children

    The holidays are off and running with Halloween right around the corner, which means before we know it…Thanksgiving will be here and then in a blink of an eye Christmas and New Year. I love the holidays but I try not to get so swept up trying to get to each next holiday that I forget to enjoy the season and all the great things the season has to offer with my family.

    As most of you know, my family is a big fan of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Not only do they have great children’s productions they also offer fabulous productions for date night, like Romeo and Juliet. They are located right on Navy Pier, so my family normally makes a day of it.It’s a great way to spend a day together exploring the city.That is why we are so excited about the upcoming family series production The Carnival of the Animals and the Story of Babar,the little elephant.

    Image courtesy of The Chicago Chamber Musicians.

    Camille Saint-Saens’ the  Carnival of the Animals turns a parade of marching animals into a lively musical romp, where the tales of donkeys, turtles and swans are told through charming melodies.In Francis Poulencs’ The Story of Babar,the Little Elephant, a curious elephant leaves the jungle for the big city.Whimsical tunes tell the story of Babar’s travels, where he learns to wear a suit, drive a car and read books before returning to the jungle to become king of the elephants.Between concerts each day, interactive exhibits staged in the CST lobby will give children a chance to explore the instruments representing the animals- musicians will be available for autographs and young performers will demonstrate the craft and answer questions about the featured instruments.

    The latest CST production in the family series is another fabulous musical event for the entire family.From the Courtyard Theater stage, audiences embark on an adventure through the animal kingdom with the Chicago Chamber musicians (CCM).The Carnival of the Animals and The Story of Babar the Little Elephant will have a limited run November 6 and 7, 2010. The concerts are held at 10 am and 11:30 am on each day. Tickets are $15 and $18 with special discounts available for groups of 10 or more. All patrons receive a 40% parking discount at Navy Pier garages, which as you know in Chicago is worth its weight in gold.

    I’ve not seen it yet but we are very excited. CST is very family friendly and my girls love going to the theater. I love it because for the price it is a great way to introduce the little ones to some culture, chamber music and the theater plus it f can easily be followed by a great lunch on the Pier or a day walking around downtown with the family getting to know the fabulous city. If you are anywhere in the Chicago land or Northwest Indiana area, hope to see you there.

    And don’t forget for a Romantic Date Night, Romeo and Juliet is still running until November 21,2010. There is still time to see it.I would highly recommend it.You can read my review here.

    Disclosure: I was provided with tickets to see the Carnival of Animals and The Story of Babar, the little elephant by  The Chicago Shakespeare Theater in order to view the performance  and give my own personal opinions on it. The opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but were NOT influenced by the Chicago Shakespeare Theater..

  • The winner is….

    The winner of the Free 3 month Jumpstart membership is Beth @ The Willis Family! Congratulations Beth. I hope your daughters will love their membership as much as my girls love theirs! Happy Mothering!

  • JumpStart Giveaway; FREE 3 Month Membership

    I was recently given an opportunity by Knowledge Adventure, creators of the award-winning JumpStart and Math Blaster series of educational children’s games, to enjoy a 1 year membership to JumpStart online for free. I was very excited because I am all about anything that makes my girls love learning, makes them healthy or cultured. JumpStart certainly fits the bill when it comes to helping my girls love learning.

    For more than 15 years, Knowledge Adventure has set the standard in kids’ software by creating the finest educational products for use in the home and the classroom.I was actually familiar with and had worked with the JumpStart series in the past while working in the education field. So, I was thrilled to be asked to try out their new online membership. There is also a free demo available if you’d like to try it out for yourself!

    In addition to the CD games (which is what I had worked with in the past), JumpStart has launched a browser-based virtual world at www.JumpStart.com, for kids 3-10 years old. Kids can create avatars called Jumpeez for themselves and explore magical worlds, discovering and unlocking games, videos and storybooks that teach everything from math to reading. My girls loved the Jumpeez because they could personalize their names, and everything about them from their skin color, eye shape, to their outfit, eye color, hair color, etc. My girls loved how they could make their Jumpeez a reflection of them self. 

    Over the next year, JumpStart. will continue to add more features, portals and learning games to this site. The membership also allows access to thousands of additional lessons , available under downloadables. I think that is awesome! My only problem is finding enough time to utilize all of these wonderful tools. Though, it is quite fantastic to know that they are right here at the touch of my hand (or that of my girls) rather than one more thing that I have to find storage space for in my already full house of children’s toys, books, etc.I encourage you to check it out at www.JumpStart.com.

    The first area is called StoryLand, aimed at 3-5 year olds. This is the area that my children explored being that they are 3 and 5. When exploring the site, I would highly recommend listening to directions before just jumping in and taking off. My girls and I found that when we did that, we were left not knowing what direction to go or how the different areas worked. It’s pretty easy to figure out, with some patience, but if you have little ones, like I do, I would recommend saving yourself the trouble and listening to the directions in the beginning.Story land has wonderful learning games that my girls really thought were great. To name a few areas of education/entertainment was Sound Box, which is a phonics game to help recognize the letter and its sound, there are also numbers recognition, matching. The great thing about the JumpStart games were that my girls were having so much fun ‘playing’ they just wanted to keep in learning. In my book, that is always a plus.

    Older children can also explore AdventureLand and MarineLand, designed for kids in kindergarten to second grade. In addition, children in 3rd to 5th grade may be interested in checking out FutureLand, geared towards older children. JumpStart also just launched our most popular area, the Enchanted Sanctuary, where kids can hatch and raise their own dragons! This is a little too advanced for my girls but we will get there.

    JumpStart also has a parent blog, which is great to go to and find out what new features JumpStart has available on the site so that we can utilize JumpStart to its full potential. You know me, I am certainly a lover of a good blog. Who isn’t,  right?



    Knowledge Adventure has also been generous enough to provide one of my lucky readers with a 3 month membership for your lovely child to enjoy the JumpStart phenomenon. Awesome, right? Wondering how you can win this awesome gift for your child? Well, knowledge is power… so here’s how you can give your child the power….

    • Mandatory* Follow me via Google Friend Connect.
    • Mandatory* Email Subscribe to my blog.+2 
    • Mandatory* Add me to your blog roll. (Link me to your blog so I can find it!)
    • Visit the JumpStart demo and tell me what you think.
    • Blog about this giveaway & link me to it. +5
    • Like me on Facebook.
    • Post about this giveaway on your Facebook wall. +2
    • Follow me on Twitter
    • Like JumpStart on Facebook 
    • Tweet this giveaway. (You can do this once daily!)Please include @TruthfulMommy 


    *Contest open to readers 18 years old and older. Contest ends 7/21/10 at 9 p.m. EST. Winner will be chosen randomly. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment unless it’s visible on your Blogger profile. (If I can’t contact you, a new winner will be drawn.) Winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email. If winner does not claim their prize in the 48 hour period, a new winner will be chosen at random.

     “Disclosure: I was provided with a 1 year JumpStart membership  at no cost by Knowledge Adventure in order to test the products’ abilities and give my own personal opinions on it. The opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but were NOT influenced by the company or the free product provided.”

  • The Emperor’s New Clothes Giveaway

    I love Chicago and anything fun to do with the kids in Chicago is awesome, in my book. If you are looking for something a little different then taking the kids to the beach or the playground , look no further! We all know how hard it is to keep the kids entertained during the summertime. Normally, by about the end of June, I am completely out of ideas. What’s even harder is to find affordable entertainment, especially if it also provides a little education and culture for the girls. I know you all know exactly what I am talking about. With this in mind, The Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST)  has graciously invited my family to a performance of the new musical based on,Hans Christian Andersen’s The Emperor’s New Clothes. We are thrilled about attending a performance next month. The Chicago Shakespeare Theater is located at Navy Pier, so we plan on making a family day of it.I think it would also make a great play date excursion.The greater news is that CST is also generously providing a Free Family four pack set of tickets to be given away to one of my lucky readers to the performance of their choice.*
    I have read that  The Emperor’s New Clothes is high energy,chalked full of clever costumes and valuable lessons.If you’d like more information on the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes please click here. Sounds to me, like a great production for the whole family to enjoy. I can’t wait to see it for myself.
    Tickets are $18–$23 or as low as $12 per child for parties of 10 or more. Tickets to The Emperor’s New Clothes would make a great family day event and CST Patrons save 40% on parking at Navy Pier as well! 

    Ways to enter to win the Free Family Four pack
    • Mandatory* Follow me via Google Friend Connect.
    • Mandatory* Email Subscribe to my blog.+2
    • Add me to your blog roll. (Link me to your blog so I can find it!)
    • Blog about this giveaway & link me to it. +5
    • Like me on Facebook.
    • Post about this giveaway on your Facebook wall. +2
    • Follow me on Twitter
    • Follow Chicago Shakespeare Theater on twitter
    • Tweet this giveaway. (You can do this once daily!)Please include @TruthfulMommy and @Chicagoshakes in your tweet! 

     *Contest open to US readers only, 18 years old and older.Must be in or around the Chicago land area at time of performance. Contest ends 7/3/10 at 9 p.m. EST. Winner will be chosen randomly. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment unless it’s visible on your Blogger profile. (If I can’t contact you, a new winner will be drawn.) Winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email. If winner does not claim their prize in the 48 hour period, a new winner will be chosen at random.

    *Subject to availability. Valid by phone or in person only. Not valid in combination with other promotions or on previously purchased tickets.

  • Hot Locks Giveaway winner

    OK, my lovely ladies! I entered your entries into list randomizer at random.org in the order that I received them and then it generated a random order. Looks like the winner is ~J @https://boobiesbabiesblog.blogspot.com/. Thanks for participating.

    List Randomizer

    There were 20 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

    1. boobiesbabiesandablog@gmail.com
    2. boobiesbabiesandablog@gmail.com
    3. boobiesbabiesandablog@gmail.com
    4. Hobartsmama@aol.com
    5. aleska91@hotmail.com
    6. digicat@sbcglobal.net
    7. boobiesbabiesandablog@gmail.com
    8. aleska91@hotmail.com
    9. mami2jcn@hotmail.com
    10. boobiesbabiesandablog@gmail.com
    11. Hobartsmama@aol.com
    12. boobiesbabiesandablog@gmail.com
    13. boobiesbabiesandablog@gmail.com
    14. Hobartsmama@aol.com
    15. digicat@sbcglobal.net
    16. digicat@sbcglobal.net
    17. digicat@sbcglobal.net
    18. aleska91@hotmail.com
    19. aleska91@hotmail.com
    20. digicat@sbcglobal.net

    Timestamp: 2010-03-22 03:32:14 UTC

  • Hot Locks Doll Giveaway ~ Ends tomorrow!

    Hot Locks Giveaway, ending tomorrow~ Anyone interested in winning this adorable doll please follow the rules and enter to win.Good Luck!

    To win your very own Hotlock doll, Lily, all you have to do is follow the entry guidelines as listed below;

    Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.
    Email subscribe to my blog. (You must confirm & verify the subscription, or it will not count.)
    Add me to your blogroll.
    Follow me on Twitter.  @TruthfulMommy

    Fan me on Facebook. (My badge is in the right hand column.)
    Blog about this giveaway & post the link back to your blog in your comment. 
    Tweet this giveaway and post your tweet url in the comment. 
    You may use this sample tweet:
      WIN a Hot Locks Doll!  It’s all about the hair!  @TruthfulMommy Ends 3/21
    Contest open to U.S. residents only. 18 years old and older. Contest ends 3/21/10 at 9 p.m. EST. Winner will be chosen using random.org. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment unless it’s visible on your Blogger profile. (If I can’t contact you, a new winner will be drawn.) Winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email. If winner does not claim their prize in the 48 hour period, a new winner will be chosen at random.

    *I was not financially compensated for this giveaway. I was given  a sample of the above product for review. The opinions & views expressed are that of my own and were not impacted by having received merchandise.