Author: Michelle

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Gift Birdy Brings Fun to Virtual Wish Lists

Have your kids started pouring over the Holiday wish books yet? Are they circling items in sharpie or leaving “hints” around the house or on your weekly shopping list?

Gift Birdy Giftbirdy moves the wish book and holiday wish list into the 21st century. It harnesses the power of Amazon in a kid-friendly platform that’s easily updatable. Kids are able to create wish lists from Amazon’s vast inventory.

With a little help, kids can sort through kid-friendly categories, and add gifts to their wish lists. Emailing the link to relatives is easy, and the wish list is updated as purchases are made. This kind of tracker will come in handy for my own nieces and nephews, who are into toys that have eleventy hundred assorted “sets”. Knowing which ones they really want, and which ones have been purchased will be really helpful this holiday season. I’m thinking Grandma may also appreciate knowing which “pink Polly Pocket” MaM is referring to when making her own requests.

Visit Giftbirdy yourself, and see what the fuss is about. This welcome video will tell you everything you need to know. It takes about 2 minutes to make an account and start browsing, and when your child is done, she can stick around and play games on the site.

The Funhouse is home to fun games, and while playing, kids can earn points, which can be redeemed for ‘bambinos”. Any kid into collecting is going to want to start logging in to earn those little critters.

So there you have it. Gift Birdy is online wish list making that’s easily sharable with whatever little helpers would like to see the list. What’s not to like about that?

Do you kids still spend hours dreaming with a toy catalogue? Have they tried making a wish list online before?

**Disclosure: This is a sponsored post from One2One Network and Gift Birdy. All opinions stated are my own.

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Listen to Your Mother: Indianapolis 2013 ((It’s Happening!!))

For past couple of Mother’s Days, I’ve watched Listen to Your Mother blossom and grow. I’ve had friends drive hours to participate, I’ve listened to stories online. Last summer, Judy and I decided that it was time. It was time to apply to bring LTYM to Indianapolis. I mean, with a few experienced bloggers having already participated, and having such a solid core of women bloggers here in central Indiana, surely we could pull together a show. Right? Right!

So we applied.

AND THEN WE GOT ACCEPTED. 

So we are doing “this.”

And what is “this”?

This is a show that will be locally produced and directed in twenty four cities across the country.

This is a show that will be comprised of local writers and readers, local women who have something to say about their own mothers, or on being the mom themselves.

This is a show that will hopefully be the inaugural event that will become a Mother’s Day tradition in our fair city.

What’s next: Judy and I first have to secure a venue and set a date. As soon as we know a date for auditions, we’ll let you know, I promise.

So….wanna audition and/or help in some other way?

Not local? Meet the other directors around the country- I bet there’s one near you!

Ann Imig, founder (LTYM: Madison)

Stacey Conner (LTYM: Spokane)

Heather Davis (LTYM: Oklahoma City)

Ellie Grossman (LTYM: St. Louis)

Erin Margolin (LTYM: Kansas City)

Carla Martins (LTYM: Providence)

Shoshana Martyniak (LTYM: Wilmington)

Tracy Morrison (LTYM: Twin Cities)

Lovelyn Palm (LTYM: Northwest Indiana)

Laura Seymour (LTYM: Kansas City)

Varda Steinhardt (LTYM: New York City)

Suzanne Tucker (LTYM: St. Louis)

Zakary Watson (LTYM: Denver)

Melisa Wells (LTYM: Chicago)

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Hallmark Moments and Milestones: TELL THEM, Indianapolis

Last week, the Hallmark Moments and Milestones Tour made a stop in Indianapolis, and brought all of their Hallmark goodness with them.

I’ve admitted to playing card store before, so it’s no surprise that their newest campaign, Tell Them What They Need to Hear got me right in the heart. Before I say anything else, let me open this blog post how they opened our session:

Everyone You Know Has Something They Need to Hear 

It’s a simple concept, really. It’s a simple concept, but in today’s world, not always the easiest to put into action.

We took a little time at the event to think about and then share who we need to tell something to-we even had pretty cards to print our ideas on.

Here’s the thing. There are a lot of people I need to talk to. Which is funny, because pretty much I’m “talking” on the Internet all the time. Real conversations are harder to come by. Talking on Twitter and Facebook is much like small talk at a party- you’re not going to get too personal or too deep on public social channels. There’s also the fact that some of the people I love the most aren’t online at all.

During the workshop, I started to formulate a plan. It’s safe to post here because my grandma is one of those people I love who isn’t online.

On October 17, 2013, my grandma will be 100 years old. I think a milestone like that deserves some pretty serious celebrating. I’m going to start the celebration this month, and tell my grandma something she needs to hear every month leading up to the big day. I’ve already written out her “Happy 100th Thanksgiving” card, and will mail it soon.

Tell Them. Go ahead. You’ll be happy you did.

A Hallmark artist starts with a block of wax, sculptes the ornament and then goes ot the craft store to design his clothes. Amazing!

During the event we also heard from Hallmark writers, and a sculptor of Keepsake Ornaments (truly amazing process). Christmas is a time when there are some really special things from Hallmark, including Keepsake Ornaments, recordable storybooks, personalized cards (and invites! and plates!) and their newest edition, Interactive Story Buddies.

The Discount Code: Are you already planning your Christmas cards? Hallmark can help. On Hallmark.com, you can design your own personalized cards, and Hallmark will even mail them for you. It’s kind of amazing. Invitations can also be designed, as well as party plates with personalized photos. Are you ready to create? Go to Hallmark.com and do just that. Then use this code BLOG30 to save 30% off your order!

The Giveaway: Just in time for the Holidays, dear reader, you have the opportunity to win an Interactive Story Buddy  (have you seen them? they are amazing)! Just leave me a comment- tell me who you’d like to gift the book to, or who needs to hear something you can tell them. Additional entries can be earned by liking Family Fun in the City, tweeting and following me on Twitter (just follow along with the fancy Raffle Copter).

Make sure you use your best email and I will pick a winner Wednesday evening, around 9pm. The winner will have 24 hours to reply, after which, if there’s no response, I will choose a new winner.

Good Luck!

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