giveaway
« Previous EntriesPersonalize Father’s Day Cards with Treat – Giveaway
Thursday, May 24th, 2012June is just around the corner and with that thoughts of summer, time with family, and Father’s Day come into my mind. For Father’s Day, the day is all about the special men in our lives. Since the boys were born, the focus has moved to celebrating the day as a family for TechyDad.
In past years, we have gone mini-golfing, to see a movie, and the amusement park. I’m not too sure what TechyDad will want to do. Of course, we also make sure to spend time with Papa. He is such a special part of our lives as well.
I know I will be spending time with the boys before Father’s Day to create some special cards for the men in our lives. We are excited to try out the new partner site from Tiny Prints called Treat. Treat offers personalized greeting cards that are fun to design for Father’s Day. Just looking around I already see something referencing Elvis that will be perfect for Papa, and a bunch that the boys will love to add photos to for TechyDad. Our photos from Disney World will be perfect additions to many of the cards that we can have shipped right to them, Grandpa, and uncles that live a distance from us.
Did you know that you can try Treat Cards for free? You can and perhaps it could be for Father’s Day. Simply use the code FREETREAT at checkout and the card will be sent right to the recipient for the time that you specify. This day and age, we often forget how special it is to receive a card in the mail. Treat Cards now helps us to do this by allowing you to schedule cards up to a year in advance and ship them out in time for a Birthday, Anniversary, or holiday that you are celebrating.
For more information on Treat, you can follow them via Social media on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+. Now for some other fun thanks to Treat Cards.![]()
Treat Cards would like to offer a giveaway to one of my readers for 10 free tokens to use for your own personalized card purchases. Think about how easy it will be to design them at home, have them sent, and the happiness you will provide to the person on the receiving end of the card.
Rules for Giveaway:
- MAIN RULE – Leave a comment letting me know what type of Father’s Day Card you prefer to send. Do you like silly, sentimental, or some sort of combination and why?
The following Bonus Entries may also be done. Please be sure to leave separate comments for each that you complete below to make sure you get the right number of entries.
- 1 Bonus Entry – If you win who will you be sending cards to with your tokens?
- 1 Bonus Entry – Tweet the following about the giveaway: Enter to #win 10 tokens from @TreatCards & @TheAngelForever so you can get creative when sending cards http://bit.ly/KNAicg. #giveaway. (May be done once a day – leave link to Tweet in comment below for new entry)
- 1 Bonus Entry – Leave a comment on any of my non-giveaway posts from the months of May/June. Leave a comment here to let me know which one. This Bonus entry may be done twice per day.
To enter, please follow the rules above within the comment section. The giveaway begins May 24, 2012 and ends June 3 , 2012 at 10:59 EST. You do not have to be a blogger to enter, but you must leave a valid e-mail address for me to contact you for mailing address once the giveaway is over. I will select the winner using random.org and contact you via e-mail. You will have 48 hours to claim the prize. If there is no response, another winner will be selected. Open to US residents only – Treat Cards does not ship outside of the US at this time.
Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a Global Influence campaign. I will be receiving tokens to order cards to send to my family and friends in return for writing this post. As a customer of Tiny Prints, I look forward to trying out Treat soon.

The Cupcake Club – Book Giveaway
Tuesday, April 17th, 2012Cupcakes and books are two topics that I love to talk about on my blog. I often write about baking, taste testing, and observing beautiful cupcake creations.
Most Tuesdays, I write about books that we are reading, or something related to a literacy topic. Last week, Tuesday Tales meshed both of these topics into a delicious new book review for The Cupcake Club: Peace, Love, and Cupcakes. In my review of the new book, I explained that this new series is written by a 9 year old girl and her mother.
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Sourcebook has graciously offered a giveaway for one lucky reader of The Angel Forever to receive your own copy of The Cupcake Club.
Rules for Giveaway:
- MAIN RULE – If you could invent your dream cupcake, what would it be. Let me know the type of cake, frosting, filling, or beyond that would make it a reality.
The following Bonus Entries may also be done. Please be sure to leave separate comments for each that you complete below to make sure you get the right number of entries.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Who would you like to read The Cupcake Club with and why?
- 1 Bonus Entry – Follow TheAngelForever on Twitter and leave a comment with your Twitter name below.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Tweet the following about the giveaway: Enter to #win a copy of The Cupcake Club from @Sourcebooks @jabberwockykids & @TheAngelForever http://bit.ly/HUmYP3 #giveaway #cupcakes (May be done once a day – leave link to Tweet in comment below for new entry)
- 1 Bonus Entry – Leave a comment on any of my non-giveaway posts from the months of March/April. Leave a comment here to let me know which one. This Bonus entry may be done twice per day.
- 3 Bonus Entries – Add my blog button to your website and/or add me to your blogroll. Be sure to leave a link with the location.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Head over to TechyDad’s blog and say hello to him. Let me know where you posted a comment. May be done once a day.
To enter, please follow the rules above within the comment section. Giveaway begins April 17, 2012 and ends April 25, 2012 at 10:59 EST. You do not have to be a blogger to enter, but must leave a valid e-mail address for me to contact you for mailing address once the giveaway is over. I will select the winner using random.org and contact you via e-mail. You will have 48 hours to claim the prize. If there is no response, another winner will be selected. Open to US and Canada residents only.
Disclosure: Sourcebooks offered me a review copy of the book and to give one away to a reader. No other compensation was given and all opinions are mine. Sourcebooks will provide shipment of the book to the winner and The Angel Forever is not responsible for fulfillment of the prize. An Amazon Affiliate link is included in this post for the book mentioned. I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to buy the book through that link
Hair Cut Fun for Kids at Snip-its – Giveaway
Thursday, February 23rd, 2012Getting hair cuts for the kids is NOT one of my favorite things to do. This is probably why you will see photos of the boys hair getting a bit longer than it should be. Yes, I would rather let them get shaggy at times than brave taking them for a hair cut. I am hoping that this will soon change.
Up north of us, there is a location that a lot of my friends bring their children to. It is called Snip-its. It is a child centered destination for hair care and more. Just look at this photo and you will understand.
We could never justify traveling to that location for a hair cut. The good news, though, is that Snip-its just opened a new Capital District location in Guilderland. Since it is winter break, I am hoping to take the boys to check out the new Snip-its today! Here is what they have to say on their website since we have never been:
Snip-its Haircuts for Kids of Guilderland, NY is the premier destination for your kids’ haircuts in the area, providing Guilderland, Albany and surrounding communities with quality haircuts in a fun environment! We have specially-trained stylists to proudly provide quality haircuts as well as kid-designed spa and cosmetic services in a fun and safe environment! Snip-its is also the perfect location for a unique birthday party, with plenty of themed parties where your children can feel like the star they are!
Giveaway:
Snip-its contacted me to offer a fun giveaway for Capital District readers. One lucky winner will receive a free haircut at the Guilderland store and three hair care products of your choice. We actually received a package of their hair care products for my boys to test out while we were waiting for the grand-opening of the store. FYI: The Guilderland store has a Facebook page where they also have specials listed.
Rules for Giveaway:
- MAIN RULE – Who would you love to bring to Snip-its in Guilderland and why?
The following Bonus Entries may also be done. Please be sure to leave separate comments for each that you complete below to make sure you get the right number of entries.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Follow TheAngelForever on Twitter and leave a comment with your Twitter name below.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Tweet the following about the giveaway: Enter to #win a free @SnipitsSalons hair cut and three products. For the new Guilderland, NY store http://bit.ly/yHXWxL #Giveaway (May be done once a day – leave link to Tweet in comment below for new entry)
- 2 Bonus Entries – Stop by The Angel Forever on Facebook and let me know what you would like me to add to my page there.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Subscribe to my RSS feed (or let me know if you already are) in a separate comment.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Leave a comment on any of my non-giveaway posts from the months of February/March. Leave a comment here to let me know which one. This Bonus entry may be done twice per day.
- 3 Bonus Entries – Add my blog button to your website and/or add me to your blogroll. Be sure to leave a link with the location.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Head over to TechyDad’s blog and say hello to him. Let me know where you posted a comment. May be done once a day.
To enter, please follow the rules above within the comment section. Contest starts today February 23, 2012 and ends at 10:59 EST on March 4, 2012. You do not have to be a blogger to enter, but must leave a valid e-mail address for me to contact you for mailing address once the giveaway is over. I will select the winner using random.org and contact you via e-mail. You will have 48 hours to claim the prize. If there is no response, another winner will be selected. Open to those in the Capital District area willing to travel to the Guilderland, NY Snip-its location.
Disclosure: Snip-its provided my family with a product package. We have never been to their store yet, but hope to go one day soon. This giveaway was made possible by Snip-its. The opinions are mine and I received no other compensation.
Chanukah Fever with Mama Doni – Giveaway
Thursday, December 1st, 2011Growing up, we had one main song that we heard for Chanukah. It was the dreidel song that everyone knew. Of course, our Hebrew School teachers introduced us to others, but they were a bit boring. These days, we are lucky to have many more amazing options.
Thanks to Waldmania! my family was introduced to The Mama Doni Band when they released the Shabbat Shaboom CD in the spring. Now my family is rocking out to a classic Chanukah CD from Mama Doni called Chanukah Fever.
About Chanukah Fever:
Chanukah Fever contains 14 songs by Doni Zasloff Thomas (Mama Doni) that show off her love for embracing Judaism, holidays, and traditions. She uses words and song to teach lessons while exposing families to new types of music. Doni blends her musical talent with reggae, rock, disco, Latin, klezmer, and more. The topics of the songs include latkes, dreidels, Yiddish expressions, and a lot of humor.
- Intro
- Chanukah Fever
- Latke Man
- Honey, This Ain’t Money!
- The Legend of Sour Cream vs Applesauce
- The Funky Gold Menorah
- Bubbie’s Mi Yimalel
- Eight
- A Land Called Sufganiyot
- Dear Hanukah Harry,
- Mac A. Bee
- I Say Chanukah (You Say Hanukah)
- La Vida Dreidel
- Ma-oz Tzur Finale
Thanks to YouTube, I can also share the “Chanukah Fever” video so you can hear what at least one of the songs is like. Here is The Mama Doni Band with “Chanukah Fever” – get ready to dance!
What We Thought:
To say that we loved this CD would be an understatement. The weekend that we received it, it stayed in my car and we drove around listening to it. Within a few listens, the kids were singing along. TechyDad and I could not help laughing and loved how it integrated traditions, Hebrew/Yiddish, and more. NHL is eight and knew some of the items from Hebrew School so it gave us some fun items to chat about. Even JSL, 4, loved rocking out to the catchy tunes.
I think my favorite song on the CD is “I Say Chanukah (You Say Hanukah)” because it pokes fun at the need to use the chhhhh (pretend you are trying to clear your throat) sound. It isn’t every day that words like Chanukah, l’chaim, chupah, and tuchus. I literally had tears in my eyes thanks to reading the words to this song.
I’m not sure if the boys have an absolute favorite since they enjoy the entire CD. Just the other day, NHL randomly started belting out “The Legend of Sour Cream Vs. Applesauce” while riding to school without the music on. I am sure that this CD will be played a lot in the upcoming weeks as we get ready for the Festival of Lights and try to keep family traditions alive.
For my local readers, The Mama Doni Band will be in town this weekend. On Sunday, December 4 they will have a concert at Congregation Agudat Achim in Schenectady, NY. For additional concert dates, head over to The Mama Doni Band Facebook page for updates.
Giveaway:
Thanks to Waldmania!, one lucky reader will have a chance to win their own copy of Chanukah Fever.
Rules for Giveaway:
- MAIN RULE – Which song from Chanukah Fever
are you most excited to share with your family and why?
The following Bonus Entries may also be done. Please be sure to leave separate comments for each that you complete below to make sure you get the right number of entries.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Follow TheAngelForever on Twitter
- 1 Bonus Entry – Tweet the following about the giveaway (May be done three times a day, but at least an hour between each Tweet): Enter to #win a @MamaDoni Chanukah Fever CD from @TheAngelForever http://bit.ly/rF7JNu #Giveaways #Chanukah
- 2 Bonus Entries – Stop by The Angel Forever on Facebook to say hello and leave me a comment on a status message. Let me know you have done so here.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Subscribe to my RSS feed (or let me know if you already are) in a separate comment.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Leave a comment on any of my non-giveaway posts from the months of November/December. Leave a comment here to let me know which one. This Bonus entry may be done twice per day.
- 3 Bonus Entries – Add my blog button to your website and/or add me to your blogroll. Be sure to leave a link with the location.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Head over to TechyDad’s blog and say hello to him. Let me know where you posted a comment. May be done once a day.
To enter, please follow the rules above within the comment section. Contest starts today December 1, 2011 and ends at 10:59 EST on December 11, 2011. You do not have to be a blogger to enter, but must leave a valid e-mail address for me to contact you for mailing address once the giveaway is over. I will select the winner using random.org and contact you via e-mail. You will have 48 hours to claim the prize. If there is no response, another winner will be selected. Open to US and Canada residents only.
Disclosure: This review and giveaway was made possible by Waldmania!. They provided me with the Chanukah Fever CD to facilitate this review. The opinions of this review are mine and I received no other compensation.
Tuesday Tales – Personalized Kids Book w/Giveaway
Tuesday, November 1st, 2011As a little girl, I remember a Chanukah gift that I received. It was nothing flashy, it did not require batteries, but it was extremely special to me. What was it? It was a book that someone bought me that had me as a main character in the book. It also had other fun details about me and was amazing. I often wondered how this book was made. I do believe that book is still at my parent’s house because I adored it so much.
I have often wanted to get a personalized book for the boys, but never knew where to order one. Thanks to Family Review Network, I connected with Just Kids Gifts to review and giveaway one of their books. Not only do they have personalized books for children, they also offer children’s personalized music CD’s, photo DVD’s, and music DVD’s.
When the book arrived, I asked JSL to come onto the couch to read it with me. When we started, it just looked like a typical book to him. Here is the cover of the hard cover book:
Since he is into trains, he jumped onto the couch and even big brother, NHL, came over to listen. When I read the front page of the book, the boys attention was even more intense. This is what they heard:
Once JSL stopped jumping up and down, and singing that this book was just for him we continued to read The Train With No Name. This is the summary of the book from Just Kids Books:
The little track tester isn’t important enough to have either a name or an engineer…That is, until your child steps in and helps the little track tester to save the circus train. This educational book helps teach about compassion, helping others and most of all, they’ll learn that you don’t have to be big to be important!
As a parent (and educator), I really liked that the book taught a lesson. By using JSL’s name it held his attention and made him think about what the author was trying to get. At four some of it may have gone over his head, but NHL (8) completely understood the point. With older children, not only will they love seeing their name in the book, along with friends, there is more to talk about afterward.
I know that if we have a holiday, birthday, or other gift for a child – we will be checking out other possibilities from Just Kids Gifts (they are also on Facebook). Thanks to their quick service, and great customer support I highly recommend them and will be purchasing more in the near future. I also love to support a business that is run by parents (to an 18 month old) and located in NY. We may have to get NHL his own book since he was so jealous of the one JSL received.
Giveaway:
Thanks to Just Kids Gifts, one lucky reader will have a chance to win their own personalized book.
Rules for Giveaway:
- MAIN RULE – What personalized book would you select for the child on your holiday gift list and why?
The following Bonus Entries may also be done. Please be sure to leave separate comments for each that you complete below to make sure you get the right number of entries.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Follow TheAngelForever on Twitter
- 1 Bonus Entry – Follow Just Kids Gifts on Twitter
- 1 Bonus Entry – Tweet the following about the giveaway (May be done three times a day, but at least an hour between each Tweet): Enter to #win a @JustKidsGifts personalized kids book from @TheAngelForever http://bit.ly/uNOcGq #Giveaway
- 2 Bonus Entries – Stop by The Angel Forever on Facebook to say hello and leave me a comment on a status message. Let me know you have done so here.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Subscribe to my RSS feed (or let me know if you already are) in a separate comment.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Leave a comment on any of my non-giveaway posts from the months of October/November. Leave a comment here to let me know which one. This Bonus entry may be done twice per day.
- 3 Bonus Entries – Add my blog button to your website and/or add me to your blogroll. Be sure to leave a link with the location.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Head over to TechyDad’s blog and say hello to him. Let me know where you posted a comment. May be done once a day.
To enter, please follow the rules above within the comment section. Contest starts today November 1, 2011 and ends at 10:59 EST on November 14, 2011. You do not have to be a blogger to enter, but must leave a valid e-mail address for me to contact you for mailing address once the giveaway is over. I will select the winner using random.org and contact you via e-mail. You will have 48 hours to claim the prize. If there is no response, another winner will be selected. Open to U.S. residents only.
Disclosure: This post was written for Family Review Network & Just Kids Gifts who provided the complimentary product in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are 100% mine. Just Kids Gifts is also providing the giveaway item to one reader.
Real Steel Now Playing – Giveaway
Sunday, October 9th, 2011My oldest son is in that in-between movie stage right now. Some of the G rated movies are a little too juvenile for him. He will go to see them to be a sport with his little brother. Truth be told, there are very few PG movies. PG-13 movies can often be acceptable for an eight year old, but we need to know why it got that rating.
TechyDad and I were talking the other day about the new movie that looks like a great opportunity for the two of them to head to together. Real Steel, just opened Friday. Although rated PG-13, it looks like it may be a film for them. Part of the story line focuses on a father and son relationship.
“Real Steel” is an action drama about a former boxer (Hugh Jackman) who, against all odds, gets one last shot at a comeback when he teams up with his estranged son (Dakota Goyo) to build and train the perfect contender for the new high-tech sport of robot boxing.
Here is a trailer about the movie, specifically the relationship with Charlie and Max. This should help you get more of a feeling about the new release.
While we have not seen the movie yet, it looks like something we hope to see soon.
FYI – Real Steel is also on Facebook where more information about the movie can be found. Meanwhile, I have a fun giveaway for all of you.
Giveaway:
Thanks to DreamWorks, one lucky reader will have a chance to win a Real Steel prize pack. This will include:
- Real Steel t-shirt in adult size S, M, L, or XL
- Real Steel bottle opener
- Real Steel stickers
- Real Steel temporary tattoos
Rules for Giveaway:
- MAIN RULE – If you had your own robot, what would you have it be able to do for you?
- The following Bonus Entries may also be done. Please be sure to leave separate comments for each that you complete below to make sure you get the right number of entries.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Follow TheAngelForever on Twitter
- 1 Bonus Entry – Follow Real Steel Movie on Twitter
- 1 Bonus Entry – Tweet the following about the giveaway (May be done three times a day): Enter to #win a @RealStealMovie prize pack from @TheAngelForever http://bit.ly/nB5awY #Giveaway
- 2 Bonus Entries – Stop by The Angel Forever on Facebook to say hello and leave me a comment on a status message. Let me know you have done so here.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Subscribe to my RSS feed (or let me know if you already are) in a separate comment.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Leave a comment on any of my non-giveaway posts from the month of September/October. Leave a comment here to let me know which one. This Bonus entry may be done twice per day.
- 1 Bonus Entry if you enter one of my other current giveaway here and here.
- 3 Bonus Entries – Add my blog button to your website and/or add me to your blogroll. Be sure to leave a link with the location.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Head over to TechyDad’s blog and say hello to him. Let me know where you posted a comment. May be done once a day.
To enter, please follow the rules above within the comment section. Contest starts today October 9, 2011 and ends at 10:59 EST on October 19, 2011. You do not have to be a blogger to enter, but must leave a valid e-mail address for me to contact you for mailing address once the giveaway is over. I will select the winner using random.org and contact you via e-mail. You will have 48 hours to claim the prize. If there is no response, another winner will be selected. Open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.
Disclosure: PR from DreamWorks sent me media information about Real Steel and asked me to conduct a giveaway for my readers. As a fan of their films, I wanted to offer this opportunity to all of you. No compensation was given, and all opinions are mine.
Star Wars Fans Unite With Cereal – Giveaway
Thursday, October 6th, 2011Growing up, I remember watching Star Wars and asking my mother to help me put my hair up like Princess Leia. For the record, it did not work too well. As I got older, I loved visiting the world of Star Wars at Disney Hollywood Studios.
Just before a recent trip to Disney, TechyDad and I decided to introduce NHL to Star Wars. He quickly fell in love with R2D2 and especially C3PO. Yes, we had a geek in training. It’s no surprise that when I bribed him to go on Space Mountain, I told him he could pick out any item within reason for going. Check out what the little Star Wars fan selected.
MyBlogSpark recently told us about a new Star Wars campaign that General Mills cereals and Walmart are doing to commemorate the release of Star Wars the Complete Saga on Blu-ray.
The DVD collection released on September 16th brings all six Episodes of the Star Wars saga together for the first time on Blu-ray. There are over 40 hours of special features, which include new content that was specially created for this release. I have a feeling my family may be adding this to our Chanukah list.
In honor of the release, General Mills Big G cereals have a limited edition Star Wars Good versus evil image on their packaging. These specially marked boxes can be found on Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Lucky Charms. When you collect all three, it will create a panoramic poster that includes Darth Vadar, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and many more.![]()
Giveaway:
To celebrate the release of these special boxes and the DVD collection, MyBlogSpark has allowed me to give a prize pack to one lucky reader. The prize pack will include:
- One box each of Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Lucky Charms to form your own Star Wars panoramic poster.
- $25 Walmart gift card
Rules for Giveaway:
- MAIN RULE – Which Star Wars move moment and/or character is your favorite and why?
- The following Bonus Entries may also be done. Please be sure to leave separate comments for each that you complete below to make sure you get the right number of entries.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Follow TheAngelForever on Twitter
- 1 Bonus Entry – Tweet the following about the giveaway (May be done three times a day): Enter to #win a Star Wars cereal and giftcard pack from @TheAngelForever and #MyBlogSpark http://bit.ly/omJyzk #Giveaway
- 2 Bonus Entries – Stop by The Angel Forever on Facebook to say hello and leave me a comment on a status message. Let me know you have done so here.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Subscribe to my RSS feed (or let me know if you already are) in a separate comment.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Leave a comment on any of my non-giveaway posts from the month of September/October. Leave a comment here to let me know which one. This Bonus entry may be done twice per day.
- 3 Bonus Entries – Add my blog button to your website and/or add me to your blogroll. Be sure to leave a link with the location.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Head over to TechyDad’s blog and say hello to him. Let me know where you posted a comment. May be done once a day.
To enter, please follow the rules above within the comment section. Contest starts today October 6, 2011 and ends at 10:59 EST on October 20, 2011. You do not have to be a blogger to enter, but must leave a valid e-mail address for me to contact you for mailing address once the giveaway is over. I will select the winner using random.org and contact you via e-mail. You will have 48 hours to claim the prize. If there is no response, another winner will be selected. Open to U.S. residents only.
Disclosure: I wrote this review as part of a MyBlogSpark campaign for General Mills. My family received the complimentary prize back and another will be provided to a winner of the giveaway. All opinions are my own and no other compensation has been given.
Tuesday Tales – The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes
Tuesday, October 4th, 2011
Do you accept mistakes and learn from them – or do you consider them a failure? The reality is that a lot of adults and especially children want to be perfect. As we get older, we learn that being perfect is not all that it is cracked up to be. The stresses, the pressure, and controlling nature put unnecessary weight on top of us.
Now, imagine these feelings in a child – a young elementary age kid. This happens to a lot of children and many times parents, teachers, and other adults in their lives miss it. My oldest son gets upset when his writing does not look like other children. I would notice him sitting with his homework erasing it when it looked perfectly fine. His need to keep it mistake free and to look like his classmates was bogging him down.
We have been working with NHL on letting go of perfection, accepting mistakes, and using them as a learning tool. TechyDad even wrote about this back in December in a post called Bursting Failure Fears.
When I was asked to review a new book from Sourcebooks, it intrigued me and looked like it would be perfect to read and use with NHL.
About The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes:
Beatrice Bottomwell has NEVER (not once!) made a mistake…
Meet Beatrice Bottomwell: a nine-year-old girl who has never (not once!) made a mistake. She never forgets her math homework, she never wears mismatched socks, and she ALWAYS wins the yearly talent show at school. In fact, Beatrice holds the record of perfection in her hometown, where she is known as The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes. Life for Beatrice is sailing along pretty smoothly until she does the unthinkable–she makes her first mistake. And in a very public way!
The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes – Written by Mark Pett and Gary Rubenstein – Illustrated by Mark Pett – Sourcebooks Jabberwocky – On sale October 2011 – ISBN 9781402255441 – $14.99 – Ages 4-8
What We Thought:
NHL and I read the book together the other day. Before we began, we started with a chat about how it would feel not to ever make a mistake. Did he think that it would feel good? Would he like this, or did he think there were some downfalls. My third grade son immediately mentioned he would worry a lot. He said he would be scared to do something wrong since he had never had it happen before. Yes, my kiddo was thinking and I was listening. It goes to show that kids do realize that the longer they wait for something to happen for the first time, the more anxious they can be.
As we started to read, NHL and I both liked Beatrice. My son noticed that they didn’t call her by her name and referred to her as “The Girl Who Never Made a Mistake” – he did not like this. While moving on with the story of Beatrice, we both noted that we could see how she was feeling thanks to the beautiful illustrations by Mark Pett. He allows us into the world of Beatrice Bottomwell and via her facial expression we can sense what is on her mind. Here is an example:
This was after Beatrice ALMOST made a mistake. NHL noted how sad she looked. She was not able to concentrate in her classroom to raise her hand, and she did not swing and have fun with her friend. This allowed me to ask NHL if he had ever felt this way in school or another location. We talked and enjoyed the booked together because it gave us the perfect chance to discuss some pretty heavy items – that being accepting mistakes and learning from them. Thanks to Beatrice, we also saw that it is OK to laugh at yourself and can often make you feel so much better.
As a parent and teacher, I love this book. It does a fantastic job opening the lines of communication for children to talk about mistakes, the need for them, and being able to move on and learn from them. Too many times, kids, as well as adults, will not let go and focus on the need for perfection. I highly recommend The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes to kids of all ages to learn this valuable lesson from Beatrice Bottomwell.
Giveaway:
Thanks to Sourcebooks, THREE lucky readers will each win a copy of The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes.
Rules for Giveaway:
- MAIN RULE – Share a mistake that you made and how it made you feel better about a situation.
The following Bonus Entries may also be done. Please be sure to leave separate comments for each that you complete below to make sure you get the right number of entries.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Follow TheAngelForever on Twitter
- 1 Bonus Entry – Tweet the following about the giveaway (May be done three times a day): Win a copy of The Girl Who Never Made a Mistake from @TheAngelForever and @Sourcebooks http://bit.ly/qErVIF #Giveaway #Win #Books
- 2 Bonus Entries – Stop by The Angel Forever on Facebook to say hello and leave me a comment on a status message. Let me know you have done so here.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Subscribe to my RSS feed (or let me know if you already are) in a separate comment.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Leave a comment on any of my non-giveaway posts from the month of September/October. Leave a comment here to let me know which one. This Bonus entry may be done twice per day.
- 3 Bonus Entries – Add my blog button to your website and/or add me to your blogroll. Be sure to leave a link with the location.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Head over to TechyDad’s blog and say hello to him. Let me know where you posted a comment. May be done once a day.
To enter, please follow the rules above within the comment section. Contest starts today October 4, 2011 and ends at 10:59 EST on October 18, 2011. You do not have to be a blogger to enter, but must leave a valid e-mail address for me to contact you for mailing address once the giveaway is over. I will select the winner using random.org and contact you via e-mail. You will have 48 hours to claim the prize. If there is no response, another winner will be selected. Open to U.S. residents only.
Disclosure: I received this book complimentary of Sourcebooks in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was given. The opinions expressed in the review are my own. Sourcebooks are also providing the giveaway items to my readers.
Hot Wheels RC Nitro Speeders – Review/Giveaway
Thursday, August 25th, 2011As the mother of two boys, we have a lot of cars in our house. I honestly think Hot Wheels could take over NHL and JSL’s room at times. I often laugh about what would happen if they came to life at night like the movie Toy Story. As NHL has grown up, he has wanted to try more tech savvy car items. At eight years old, NHL has received several remote control cars. Most of them have never worked well, or the remote antennae bend easily, and/or and it is dangerous around other children.
When Mom Select asked me to participate in a Hot Wheels RC Nitro Speeders opportunity, I was intrigued. Imagine a remote control car that stores within the case that fits in the palm of an adult hand. There is no antennae, the car charges within the case, and it can be ready to go easily.
When we took it out of the package, the first thing we did was take a photo to show how small the little Mustang is. Here it is compared to a quarter:
When I said that the remote could fit into an adult hand, I was not kidding. Everything packs up into this small and convenient size. It actually reminds me of the old style Nintendo controller from my childhood.
NHL had fun making an obstacle course for his Mustang. Here are the Mario Chess pieces being used in this unique way.
Although the package states that the Speeders are for ages 8 and up, JSL (4) had no problem using it. I would just keep him away from charging it on his own and make sure to help him take the car in and out of the case. As you will see, he loved it.
After quite a bit of use, the Speeder needed to be charged. Here it is getting some juice from the AA batteries that are within the case.
So, if you haven’t guessed it – we are big fans of the Hot Wheels RC Nitro Speeders. The boys like racing it around and are having fun learning how to control them better. With a little practice, I can see more complex courses being set up to tackle.
Giveaway:
Thanks to Hot Wheels, one lucky reader will win their very own RC Nitro Speeder ($27.99). This would make a great gift for a special child in your life or to be a kid at heart and play.
Rules for Giveaway:
- MAIN RULE – What car would you love to see as a Hot Wheels? Tell me the model, color, and anything else that would make it extra special for you.
- The following Bonus Entries may also be done. Please be sure to leave separate comments for each that you complete below to make sure you get the right number of entries.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Follow Hot Wheels on Twitter
- 1 Bonus Entry – Follow TheAngelForever on Twitter
- 1 Bonus Entry – Tweet the following about the giveaway (May be done once a day): Win a Hot Wheels RC Nitro Speeder ($27.99) from @TheAngelForever and @Hot_Wheels http://bit.ly/nJzCaB #Giveaway #Win
- 2 Bonus Entries – Stop by The Angel Forever on Facebook to say hello and leave me a comment on a status message. Let me know you have done so here.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Subscribe to my RSS feed (or let me know if you already are) in a separate comment.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Leave a comment on any of my non-giveaway posts from the month of August/September. Leave a comment here to let me know which one. This Bonus entry may be done twice per day.
- 3 Bonus Entries – Add my blog button to your website and/or add me to your blogroll. Be sure to leave a link with the location.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Head over to TechyDad’s blog and enter any of his current giveaways.
To enter, please follow the rules above within the comment section. Contest starts today August 25, 2011 and ends at 10:59 EST on September 12, 2011. You do not have to be a blogger to enter, but must leave a valid e-mail address for me to contact you for mailing address once the giveaway is over. I will select the winner using random.org and contact you via e-mail. You will have 48 hours to claim the prize. If there is no response, another winner will be selected. Open to U.S. residents only.
Disclosure: I received a RC Nitro Speeders from Hot Wheels to facilitate this review for MomSelect. No other compensation was given and all opinions expressed in this review are my families feelings about the product.
The Help – Coming August 10 (Giveaway)
Monday, August 1st, 2011Back in the October, I read a book that really left a mark on me. It was called The Help by Kathryn Stockett. When I finished listening to The Help I had to wait to read another book for a while. The messages within the book were beyond powerful. The amazing women depicted in it blew me away and I did not want it to end.
Soon after this, I started to hear that the book was being made into a movie and would be out this coming summer. I will admit, I was excited and nervous. You see, as a teacher, I’m often skeptical about books being turned into movies.
On August 10, 2011, The Help will burst into the movies for all to see. I was lucky enough to see it last Thursday during a screening. I am not allowed to say anything now, but I can share a preview with you:
My suggestion: if you have not read The Help, please do so. Read it with a group of friends, talk about it, and then make a girls night out to see the movie. There is even a free book club kit to use while enjoying the book. It has fun facts about the book, along with some recipes to test out. You can also keep up to date on the movie release with The Help Movie page on Facebook.
Giveaway:
While waiting for the official release date of The Help, the PR agency at Dream Works would like to add a bit of fun for you. One of you has a chance to win the following prize pack which includes:
- The Help t-shirt in adult femal sizes S, M, L, or XL
- The Help pocket jotter & pen
- The Help fan
- The Help nail file/mirror
Rules for Giveaway:
- MAIN RULE – If you have read The Help, which character are you most excited to see come alive on the big screen? If you have not read the book, why are you hoping to see the movie?
- The following Bonus Entries may also be done. Please be sure to leave separate comments for each that you complete below to make sure you get the right number of entries.
- 2 Bonus Entries – Follow me, TheAngelForever, on Twitter and let me know you Twitter ID.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Tweet the following about the giveaway (May be done up to three times a day): Change begins with a whisper – #TheHelpMovie comes out on Aug 10. #Giveaway on @TheAngelForever for a prize pack http://bit.ly/qVf3I5
- 1 Bonus Entry – Subscribe to my RSS feed (or let me know if you already are) in a separate comment.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Follow Help Movie on Twitter and leave your Twitter ID in a comment.
- 1 Bonus Entry – Leave a comment on any of my non-giveaway posts from the month of July or August. Leave a comment here to let me know which one. This Bonus entry may be done up to three times.
- 3 Bonus Entries – Add my blog button to your website and/or add me to your blogroll. Be sure to leave a link with the location.
To enter, please follow the rules above within the comment section. Contest starts today August 1, 2011 and ends at 10:59 EST on August 15 , 2011. You do not have to be a blogger to enter, but must leave a valid e-mail address for me to contact you for mailing address once the giveaway is over. I will select the winner using random.org and contact you via e-mail. You will have 48 hours to claim the prize. If there is no response, another winner will be selected. Open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.
As always to keep up to speed on giveaways and other items, Like The Angel Forever on Facebook.
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Disclosure: PR from DreamWorks sent me media information about The Help and asked me to conduct a giveaway for my readers. As a fan of the book, I wanted to offer this opportunity to all of you. No compensation was given, and all opinions are mine.
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