Category: product reviews/giveaways

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Giveaway: Kids Kickstarter Photography Class

What? What? Two blog posts in one week? I know.
Today I’m excited to tell you about a class that’s happening right here on the Northside, through Indy Photo Coach. It’s a class for school-age kids (7-12) that will give them the basics and then some of point and shoot photography. IPC is a small, local photography school. A version of this class have been taught through the YMCA summer camp program, and now it’s time to offer it in weekly format. The class has been designed by an elementary school teach with a background in photography, as well as a mom-tographer.
photo by Darrell Luepnitz

Here’s a description from Indy Photo Coach: The Kickstarter Photography class (http://www.indyphotocoach.com/kids_kickstarter.html) is for kids 7 – 12. It will take place at a fabulous park on the southern border of Fishers and Carmel over three Saturdays in April. The cost for nine hours of lessons is $120.

MaM has been watching daddy take pictures from, well, birth. I’m excited to see how she starts to see the world through her own lens during this class! Kids with cameras are just cute, don’t you think?
Photo by Jennifer Whitis Sheets
 So now here’s the fun part!!! I am giving away one spot in the class to a lucky reader (really, thanks for clicking through and reading, I appreciate it)- just follow the directions in the Rafflecopter below.

Also, Gotchababy readers have a special discount code to use when registering for the class, which will get you $15 off of the class – just enter the code GOTCHA when prompted.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to Indy Photo Coach for offering this fun opportunity!
Disclosure: MaM will be attending this class in exchange for running this giveaway!
photo by Kathy Bowers Oneacre
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Our Shining Stars: Forever Friends

This weekend one of my dearest friends, Angie, came to town unexpectedly. Unexpected trips in December are never for fun, and her trip wasn’t for pleasure. BUT, despite the circumstances, we were happy to see each other. What was even cooler? Our kids were SO HAPPY to see each other.

Since college, with the exception of about six months when we were both in Indianapolis, we’ve always lived far, far away from each other. She was in Indy, I was in Cleveland. She was in Massachusetts, I was in Chicago. I was in Indianapolis, she was traveling across the country, then back in Massachusetts. She’s the friend who moved heaven and earth to make it to (and be in) my wedding, met me in Atlantic City (because, hey,it’s just a little south of Boston), and met me in Atlanta. Her twins and my MaM are only four months apart, and are becoming thick as theives. At the most, we get a couple of days a year together, but they are always good days.

This time around, our girls were just as excited to see each other as we were. Her daughter came with me to pick up MaM from school, and they squealed when they saw each other. They immediately ran upstairs and shut the door to MaM’s room. When it was time for little P to go, MaM protested. “MOM! We need more time! We didn’t even get to play with my toys, we just got busy talking.” (Like you do.)

These girls. I love everything about them, as people and as friends to each other.
Sunday, our last night together, the girls exchanged gifts, and I gave Angie a special star from the Hearts of Haiti collection at Macy’s. I’ve got a star on my tree, and now she’s got one on hers. Now whenever I look at it, I think of her and her entire fantastic family. She truly is a star in my life, and her daughter is one is MaM’s.

The Hearts of Hait Collection features more than 40 home decor items including quilts, metalwork, jewelry and paintings all made almost entirely from recycled and sustainable items such as old cement bags, cardboard, oil drums and local gommier wood. These fair trade items bolster the Haitian economy, which is critical since it is the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own. #CleverHaiti

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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!

a Rafflecopter giveaway