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Jun 19, 2013

Planning Summer Fun & A Cedar Point Giveaway!

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How’s your summer going so far? Summer camp started for us this week (for real this time!), so the kids are now occupied during the week while I work in peace at home. Aaron has started his new job as well, and so far after day two it’s still going very well.

We’re already planning out what we’d like to do with our weekends for the next two and a half months. I’ll be traveling to Chicago for BlogHer in July, Aaron has some superhero appearances for charity, and we have a 5K this coming weekend. That still leaves several weekends open for us.

Cedar PointThe topic of Cedar Point and Lake Erie has come up several times in our discussions. We were thrilled to attend an early-season event at Cedar Point in May, where we discovered  Mira was finally tall enough to ride the big rides, including her first upside-down coaster. The entire family loves Cedar Point – even Cordy, who is terrified of roller coasters, can still name several rides that she adores in Camp Snoopy.

It’s nearly impossible to see and do it all in a single day, so when Mira asks, “When can we go back to Cedar Point?” it’s fair to consider going back again this summer, if only to seek out the things we didn’t have time for in May, and maybe return to a few favorite attractions as well.

Beyond all of the “usual” (if you can call anything at Cedar Point usual) fun, they have some additional events planned for the Fourth of July weekend. There will be an all-you-can-eat Picnic at the Point all weekend long,  July 4-7, from 4-6 p.m. on each day. One price will provide all of the fried chicken, hot dogs, brats, potato salad, and baked beans you can eat – but make sure to leave room for ice cream, too! Sounds even better than our extended-family get-together for the Fourth. Maybe we should move our family celebration to Cedar Point instead?

And of course there has to be fireworks, right? On July 4, the nighttime sky will light up with a fantastic fireworks display starting at 10:30pm.

The holiday isn’t just about the food and fireworks, though. Cedar Point also wants to show our military men and women their appreciation for all they’ve done for us as well. Any active, retired or honorably-discharged member of the United States Armed Forces can receive one FREE regular admission ticket to Cedar Point or Soak City on either Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday, July 4-7, 2013.

Valid forms of ID include Active Duty ID, Retired Personnel ID, VA ID, or a copy of DD-214 discharge papers and photo ID. Additional tickets can be purchased for spouse and children at normal military discount price of $39.99.

Giveaway!

Hugging Snoopy at Cedar PointReady to try out the GateKeeper or one of the other amazing Cedar Point roller coasters for yourself?

I’m going to help get your summer started off right by giving away a family four pack of Cedar Point single-day tickets for one lucky reader!

For those who may not know, Cedar Point is in Sandusky, Ohio, right on Lake Erie. (I’ve heard you can see Canada from the top of the Millennium Force on a clear day.) It’s a great day trip for those in the Ohio-Michigan-N. Indiana areas, but even if you’re not in those areas, it can be a fun mini-vacation as well. There’s so much to do in and around Cedar Point that you could easily fill up 2-3 days.

To enter, complete the mandatory entry in the Rafflecopter widget below. (You may need to wait a moment for it to load.) Additional entries can be earned by completing the other activities, but they are entirely optional.

I’ll select a winner after June 26, giving you plenty of time to use your tickets before summer is over. Winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to respond or an alternate winner will be selected. Tickets are good anytime during the 2013 Cedar Point operating season – check their website for days and hours of operation.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Full disclosure: Giveaway prize is provided by Cedar Point. No compensation was received for this post – my family genuinely loves Cedar Point and I was the one asking Cedar Point if I could help share the love.

Filed Under: family time, giveaways · Tagged: , , ,


Mar 7, 2013

Columbus: Are You Ready To HOOFit in 2013? (Giveaway!)

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Not that you can tell from today’s weather (hello, SNOW!), but Spring is nearly here! While I love the snow, I’m looking forward to warmer temperatures and being able to go outside for walks and runs again.

I’ve been using my treadmill for most of this winter, and I’m ready to get out for some fresh air. I did a LOT of walking at Disney and really appreciated the change of walking for the purpose of seeing things, instead of staring at my wall as I walked in the same place.

I recently found out that OhioHealth is once again partnering with the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium for another series of HOOFit walks this year. I joined in on some of them last year, and I can tell you it’s a creative idea to get in some exercise in a fun, family-friendly way.

And meet some wild new friends.

This is how it works: come to the Columbus Zoo on any of the HOOFit walk days at the start time and join in on a guided walk through one area of the zoo with a zoo guide and an OhioHealth physician leading a discussion on a specific health topic. You can ask questions of the physician, or just enjoy the walk and the health facts and tips as you stroll among the animals.

It may sound like a strange mix, discussing animals and our health, but from my experience last year it works well. Going to the zoo with little kids is something many of us already do, right? So we might as well learn a little more about how to keep our families healthy while we’re there. It’s a multi-tasking win.

Here’s the schedule for this year’s HOOFit walks:

  • March 14 – Wellness and Prevention
  • April 25 – Stroke Prevention
  • May 23 – Cancer Prevention
  • June 20 – Sports Medicine
  • July 25 – Spine Health (Neuroscience and Orthopedics)
  • August 29 – Women’s Heart and Vascular Health
  • September 26 – Cold weather wellness

There’s a topic for nearly everyone in that list. All walks except for the March and September walks will begin at 9:30am. The March and September walks will start at 10:30am. There’s no requirement to RSVP for the walk, but it’s still helpful for them to get an attendance estimate by joining the event on their Facebook page.

HOOFit is totally free with your paid Columbus Zoo admission. It’s packed full of information and usually a decent amount of fun, too. Kids are welcome, strollers are welcome…all ages and skill levels can appreciate this event. (If you’re expecting a power walk, however, you might be disappointed.)

Want to join in on a HOOFit event? I’ve got a four pack of Columbus Zoo single-day admission tickets to give away to one reader. Obviously you need to be in the Columbus area or planning to travel here to enter. (I swear I’ll have giveaways for non-Ohio folks soon!)

To enter: just leave a comment below telling me your favorite animal to see at the zoo. Easy-peasy. Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you if you’re the winner. One entry per person.

Giveaway is open until Monday, March 11 at noon. At that point I’ll select a winner at random and email you with details on getting your tickets.

Good luck, and I hope to see some of you out at the zoo this year!

Full disclosure: I received no compensation for this giveaway, as my family has a Columbus Zoo membership. I just think it’s a fun way to get in some exercise and promote healthy living.

Filed Under: giveaways, healthy living, local fun ·


Feb 8, 2013

Ring In The Chinese New Year At Molly Woo’s

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Did you know the Chinese New Year begins on February 10? It’s a little like the western New Year, only a longer celebration with no pesky resolutions to keep up with.

The Chinese New Year is based on the Chinese lunar calendar. The holiday begins on the first day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar and ends on the Lantern Festival fifteen days later. Each year is traditionally represented by one of 12 animals. This year brings the year of the Snake.

There are several celebrations going on around Columbus for this holiday, and I found out earlier this week that one of my favorite Asian restaurants will be kicking off the New Year in style. Molly Woo’s Asian Bistro (in Polaris, if you’re not familiar) will be hosting the symbolic Chinese Lion Dance on February 10 at 4pm.

The classic ritual of the Lion Dance is held to ring in the New Year and bestow good luck to those who witness it. What should you expect? Colorful costumes, dancing, drumbeats and cymbals are all part of the festive event. It’s family friendly and a fun way to introduce kids to Chinese culture.

There will be special dishes served only during the Chinese New Year festivities, and anyone born in the year of the Snake can show ID and get a coupon for a free appetizer on their next visit. (Not me, sadly. I was born in the year of the Dragon. But Aaron can get one!)

If you haven’t been to Molly Woo’s, this is a great time to go. I highly recommend the Honey Chicken and the Szechwan Green Beans, but really, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. They even have a gluten-free menu for those who can’t have gluten, like my poor husband.

Giveaway!

Want to check out Molly Woo’s yourself (or just visit again)? I’ve got a $25 gift card to Molly Woo’s to give away to one reader. Please be aware that there is only one Molly Woo’s restaurant and it’s here in Columbus. Unless you’re willing to travel here, those from outside the area might not want to enter.

How to enter: leave me a comment below telling me what Chinese animal represents your birth year. Not sure of the Chinese zodiac? You can find a guide here. One comment per person, and please make sure I have a way to contact you if you’re selected as the winner.

This is a short-running giveaway! Entries will be accepted until Monday, February 11 at noon ET. One winner will be randomly selected shortly after the entries close so your gift card can reach you as soon as possible. You should still have time to visit during the Chinese New Year celebrations, although the gift card has no expiration so you can go at a later date as well.

Good luck, and good eating!

Full disclosure: I was provided with a Molly Woo’s gift card for this giveaway as well as a matching one for myself. All opinions expressed here are my own, including my love for any bright, loud celebrations.

Filed Under: giveaways, sponsored ·


Oct 2, 2012

LEGO Castle Adventure at COSI (Giveaway!)

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I’m not sure why, but the last weekend of September is probably the busiest weekend of the entire year. No one in Columbus coordinated their calendars and as a result there were a billion things to do. (That may not be an accurate count of events, but isn’t too far off.)

We had so many activities going on this weekend that we were forced to pick only a few and turn down all other offers. I’m still exhausted as I look around my messy house and wonder when will I have an empty weekend to get any cleaning done?

But one exciting event of the weekend was visiting COSI for the opening of their new LEGO Castle Adventure exhibit. LEGOs? Castles? Science? It was like some of our favorite things came together in one big package for us.

The exhibit features the science of castle building, allowing older kids to practice building virtual castle walls to withstand a catapult, while also having lots of real LEGOs to build and play with. Professionally built LEGO castles and medieval scenes were on display, as well as a giant LEGO dragon and her baby.

There was also a throne room perfect for photos, and a smaller castle to climb with a slide on the other side.

Did I mention Mira was being a ham that day?

They even had a jousting arena, where kids could face off against targets or each other.

Bins of dress up clothing ensured that most of the kids in the exhibit were looking the part as a knight, king or queen. Mira especially liked dressing up and pretending to be a knight, using her pink unicorn shield to protect me from the dragon.

Cordy preferred to stay in the LEGO building area, creating a fortress to hide a small box she built. She said the box was filled with treasures. Very small treasures.

The LEGO Castle Adventure exhibit was a lot of fun, but after half an hour they were ready to see more at COSI. It’s a huge building, filled with different areas to explore, so we spent the next few hours wandering the exhibits.

We shot water at King Neptune in Ocean.

Mira tried to make a phone call in a 1962 phone booth in Progress.

We looked at tasty works of art, all created from Jelly Belly jelly beans.

And they hammed it up in front of a green screen in the WOSU studio.

It’s easy to spend most of a day at COSI, and we didn’t even have time to check out a movie in their Extreme Screen theater.

Giveaway!

Want to check out the LEGO Castle Adventure and COSI for yourself? I have a four pack of general admission passes, along with four Extreme Screen passes, to give to one lucky reader!

Obviously this is more convenient for readers local to the area, but if you’re planning a family trip to Columbus at any point this year (hey, why not?), these passes are good through the end of the year.

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment below telling me what part of COSI you would most like to explore with your kids. That’s it, easy-peasy. One entry per person. I’ll accept entries until end of the day on Monday, October 8, then select one winner at random. Please make sure I have a way to contact you if you’re the winner.

Good luck!

Full disclosure: the kids and I received a free one-day admission to COSI and COSI provided the giveaway passes. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: family time, geek paradise, giveaways, local fun, reviews ·


Sep 5, 2012

Dove Conditioner vs. Fried Purple Hair (& Giveaway!)

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This has been a rough summer on my hair. Beyond the usual hot, humid Ohio weather – which has been hotter that normal, though not quite as humid – I’ve also found new and creative ways to damage my hair. I’m letting it grow again, and the longer it gets the more I have to deal with split ends and damage. I also color my hair which, no matter what the box tells you, is not gentle on long hair.

But then in July I decided on a whim to color my hair in a more creative way. I had an overall color applied, but then I also decided to dye the lower 3-4″ purple, with a single purple streak near my face, too. Hey, why not? To obtain this unusual color, though, the portion of hair to be dyed must first be bleached. There are few things as damaging to hair as bleaching it.

The color came out pretty well, but my stylist warned me that my hair would need a lot of extra TLC. It wasn’t until the next day when I understood exactly what she meant. The ends of my hair felt like straw. My stylist had recommended any product with oils in it designed to nourish and repair my hair. She wasn’t kidding – over a month later and my hair still needs all the help it can get.

Blurry pic right after it was colored – it’s a frizzy mess.

I recently had the chance to try out the new Dove Nourishing Oil Care Conditioner on my frizzy, dry hair. Dove’s conditioners have a patented Micromoisture Serum that targets damage, repairing the surface of hair by sealing lifted cuticles. The bottle advertises weightless Nutri-oils that are rapidly absorbed and non-greasy.

A conditioner that is heavy on oils worried me at first. In the summer, my hair gets greasy quickly – wouldn’t oils make it worse? But hey, when your hair is like straw, oils are welcome if they’ll make my hair shiny, smooth and frizz-free.

The first thing I noticed was the Dove conditioner smelled awesome. It has a great sweet almond oil scent to it that reminded me of my favorite body lotion from many years ago. It has a thick consistency, too. Surprisingly, there were no instructions on the bottle regarding how long to leave it on. I was worried about leaving it in too long, so I rinsed it out after about a minute.

The result? My hair was so smooth. I was surprised at how easily my comb went through my hair. It wasn’t greasy at all, and even those straw-like ends felt softer. Not perfect, but softer.

Since I’ve started using the Dove Nourishing Oil Care Conditioner on my hair, it’s felt healthier and has slowly regained the softness it used to have. While Ohio weather will never permit my hair to be 100% frizz-free, it’s so much better now. After all of the abuse I’ve put my hair through, I’m thankful for products like this to help keep it healthy. For more on Dove’s entire line of conditioners, visit dovehair.com.

And for reading all of this, I’m giving you the chance to win a very cool giveaway.

Answer this question for me: what’s the worst thing you’ve done to your hair? Click the link below, let me know your answer on the form and you could be pampering not only your hair but also your face, nails and whole body with a $1,000 Spafinder gift certificate.

(NOTE: You must click the link below and answer the question there in order to enter. But please feel free to copy/paste it here in the comments, too, just so we can all share in the hair abuse we’ve committed!)

Giveaway Details!

Enter to win a $1,000 Spafinder gift certificate!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

COMMENTS TO THIS POST ARE NOT SWEEPSTAKES ENTRIES. PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR ENTRY METHODS FOR THIS SWEEPSTAKES.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Follow this link, and provide your email address and your response to the Promotion prompt

b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and then visit this link to provide your email address and the URL to that Tweet.

c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and then visit this link to provide your email address and the URL to that post.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. Winners will have 72 hours to claim the prize, or an alternative winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 9/4/2012 – 9/30/2012

Be sure to visit Dove®Hair.com to get a coupon for $1.50 off Dove Hair Therapy products.

 

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Filed Under: giveaways, me me me, reviews, sponsored ·