Category: Uncategorized

**UPDATED: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! STAY TUNED FOR WINNERS!**
Welcome to Day 2 of Bloggy Giveaways here at Gotchababy! Did you enter yesterday’s giveaway??? Can you believe how HUGE this carnival is? (ok, technically, if you’re looking at this late Monday night, it’s up and it’s good to go-tomorrow’s really busy, and I wanted to make sure this got up and running early in the week….)

You’ve seen the phones and the t-shirts, now here’s the ornament that will not only be a lovely gift (for yourself or a loved one), but it will also help end AIDS in Africa.

This is a glass ornament (that would be lovely on a window as well as a tree) etched with the signature inspi (RED).

Hallmark has an entire (PRODUCT) RED collection that is out of this world cool. There are cards, gifts, stationary and gift wrap that all bear the (RED) logo and support the (RED) cause. There are even premium ecards you can send. A percentage of each (PRODUCT) RED sold is donated to the Global Fund in Africa, which in turn, provides medication and education for those living with HIV/AIDS.

Hallmark also has a (RED) greeting card you can sign on Facebook. I am just learning the ropes of Facebook myself (I’m sure I’ll get it figured out just before the next new social networking site launches), but signing the card is really easy if you use Facebook, and then the image of the card is on your Profile page (the card doesn’t become a “friend”, but you become a “fan” of the card).

Anyway, I’ve become completely caught up in the power of (RED) and hope that you take a minute to read the information on some of the links above to learn more about it. Buying just one (RED) greeting card provides a dose of nevirapine, which prevents transmission of HIV from mother to child. How many other greeting cards do you know that can do that??

To win this fabulous, ornament-with-a-cause, leave me one comment, telling me where you would hang this in your home after the Christmas tree comes down. It’s so pretty, I think it deserves a year-round spot! You may earn up to two extra entries on this one–become a fan on Facebook and/or link this giveaway on your blog. Let me know in your comment what you’ve done so I can add an entry for you.

Comments will stay open until Friday afternoon. US/Canadian bloggers/readers only. You don’t need to be a blogger, just be sure to leave me an email address.

Links to the rest of this week’s giveaways here at Gotcha Baby:
Monday: Trimming the Tree
Wednesday: Living on Baby Time
Thursday: Horton Hears a Who
Friday: A Baby’s First Christmas Photo Keepsake

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. STAY TUNED FOR WINNERS!**

Thanks for coming to visit! I have a fun week of giveaways planned for you, compliments of Hallmark. If you have been here before, you know how Hallmark recognized my hubby, BgK, as an award winning dancer. If you’ve not heard that he was part of a national dance contest, check out his moves and the story of how he won some cash and a great trip!

I’ve got a week’s worth of fabulous, brand new for 2008 Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments to giveaway–a different ornament for each day, so you’ll have to come back often. After each post goes up, the comments will remain open until Friday at 3pm (or whenever my daughter falls asleep that afternoon).

You may enter once for each ornament, and I’ll give you an extra entry if you mention this giveaway on your own blog. Just let me know in the comments that you’ve done so.

Open to US and Canadians.

Up first, to get everyone in the mood and thinking Christmas thoughts: Trimming the Tree

This is the *first* in a new series, which will feature two bears–one big and one little. It is absolutely darling, and I think it’s a great series to start for a special child in your life.

To win, please enter one comment–telling me a favorite tree trimming memory or family tradition around trimming the tree. You don’t need to have a blog to enter–just make sure your comment contains a valid email address.

To start off the tradition telling: We always listen to the John Denver/Muppets Christmas album (which I picked up on CD back in ’94) when trimming the tree. Completely brings me back to my childhood!

Come back tomorrow–there will be a special ornament that will leave us all inspi(RED).

Updated: Here’s a link to Tuesday’s giveaway, and here’s a link to Wednesday’s. Here’s Thursday’s link. And finally, here’s Friday’s link.

Now, I think I have officially seen it all. Oprah today is all about US couples traveling to India to hire Indian surrogates. You may be thinking a few different things:

a) Michelle, how is it, exactly, that you are watching Oprah?
b) Seriously, people hire women in third world countries as surrogates?
c) see question b).

First things first–it is nap time and it is blissful. If we play really, really hard, MAM will take a short respite in the afternoon. AFM, of course, sleeps on demand right now. Sometimes I get a lot done. Some days I get sucked into Oprah.

Now onto the show. For less than $10k, you can fly to India, go to the fertility clinic, create an embryo and hire a surrogate to carry your child. Everything happens in India–the surrogates stay at the clinic at the beginning and end of the pregnancy, the money is life changing.

It’s all still sort of spinning in my head. I’m going to go on the theory, that just like when we sat in that adoption orientation meeting so long ago and felt a wave of peace rush over us, that must be what it’s like when someone finds out about this option that might work for them.

So far, the phrase that pays, “rushing that sperm on a rickshaw brings you closer together, I’m sure….”