Awesome Spring Giveaway!

Spring is almost here and that means that warmer weather is on it’s way! The pool will be open, the trees will be full of beautiful green leaves, and the fragrance flowers will be wafting through the air (we’ll skip the part about allergies). Best of all the kids will finally be able to get back outside and play instead of being cooped up in the house.

Here’s a little secret… spring isn’t my season. Fall is my favorite season of all, but after the worlds longest winter I am ready for spring and all the mud and allergies!

So what goes well with spring, pretty flowers, and getting back outside? Pictures. Lots and lots of pictures of your kids playing outside, pictures of all the fun places you’ll visit, and pictures of all those family gatherings that are sure to happen.

Need a camera? What about a cute bag to carry the camera that you already have?

Well, this spring to celebrate the season I have teamed up with an incredible group of bloggers to bring you the best giveaway I have ever had!

click and carry giveaway

Isn’t that awesome? I think it is beyond awesome!

Well… what are you waiting for??? Enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The “Click & Carry” giveaway begins Tuesday, April 16th and ends at 12:00 AM on April, 23, 2013.

Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.  Void where prohibited.

All entries are optional with the exception of providing an email address so that we may contact you if you were to win.  We will never sell, distribute, or spam your email.  

Two winners will be chosen by Rafflecopter (powered by Random.org). The first winner chosen will have the option of choosing between a $500 gift card to B&H Photo, Video & Pro Audio or a $250 gift card to Kelly Moore Bags. The second prize winner will be awarded the item that was not chosen by the first prize winner. Gift cards are not transferable and cannot be exchanged for a cash prize.

This is a non-sponsored post.  Prizes were purchased by a group of participating bloggers.  B&H Photo, Video & Pro Audio and Kelly Moore Bags are not affiliated with this giveaway.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You understand that you are providing your information to the owner of this Facebook page and not to Facebook.

This promotion is powered by Rafflecopter. Metric Feat LLC (“Rafflecopter”) does not sponsor, administer, or endorse this promotion. Participants must read and agree to Rafflecopter’s Privacy Policy before entering and participating in this promotion.

Awesome graphic by the talented Lindsay Goldner at LLYDesigns.

#MyMichMemory – Potter Park Zoo

We’re getting close to the end of the summer but Lauren and I are still celebrating all the great places there are to see in Michigan and some of the awesome Michigan made products! This week we have an incredible giveaway for you!

Red Ruffed Lemur

Red Ruffed Lemur

I was floored when I heard Potter Park Zoo was offering… In my opinion it’s one of the best giveaways that we’ve had all summer!

Alright, so I should start out with explaining what Potter Park is for those of you who don’t know. Potter Park is a zoo that is situated right in Lansing, Michigan. The zoo has over 20 acres of land with more than 500 different animals, many of which are considered endangered.

Amur Tiger Cub Sisters

Amur Tiger Cub Sisters

What’s great about Potter Park is that it’s easy to get to, fun for everyone, they have fun family activities, and they’re open year round!

I’ve been to the zoo many times with my kids on school field trips and to just get away and do something different on a Saturday morning and we have always enjoyed our time there checking out the monkeys, tigers, and camels! Oh… and you can even ride the camels!

Cotton_Top_Close

Cotton Top Close

So what are we giving away?
A family membership!! This is a great deal for any family… It includes admission for two adults and all dependant children.

  • Unlimited admission to the Potter Park Zoo for a full year–They’re open year round!
  • Free or discounted admission to more than 100 zoos and aquariums across the U.S.
  • Annual “Members Only Party” at the Zoo
  • Subscription to Zoo Tales
  • Advance notice of special events, programs, and activities
  • A 10% discount in the Zoovenir Gift Shop

You also get admission or discounted admission to the following zoos in Michigan. (An asterisk (*) indicates a zoo or aquarium that offers an admission discount. All other zoos and aquaria offer free admission)

  • Binder Park Zoo, Battle Creek*
  • Detroit Zoo, Detroit *
  • John Ball Zoo, Grand Rapids
  • Saginaw Children’s Zoo, Saginaw

This is just the list of those here in Michigan but there are zoos all over the country that you can visit for free or at a discounted rate. Check out the reciprocal zoo list.

The winner will also get this years photo contest t-shirt! Check them out! I love the purple one…. of course it is my favorite color!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

#MyMichMemory – Midland Center for the Arts Giveaway

All over Michigan there are museums, children’s centers, and all sorts of family friendly activities. But one that I think gets overlooked is the Midland Center for the Arts. MCFTAlogo It’s tucked away in Mid-Michigan in the city of Midland and it pretty easily accessed from major highways! Also… it’s pretty close to Dow Gardens which is another great Michigan location to visit! Anyway…. I’ll admit that I haven’t been to the Midland Center for the Arts and I have no reason for it either when it’s no more than an hour away! This summer they have a great exhibition though… one that is sure to please almost all small children. Bob the Builder! Bob the Builder

Bob the Builder – Project Build It! Bob’s Sunflower Valley comes to life, filled with colorful characters, sensational sets and imagination! All senses will be engaged as boys and girls use hands-on activities to build, learn – and play! Help everybody’s favorite builder and his Can-Do Crew of animated machines get the job done. Can you do it? YES YOU CAN!

Bob the builder & friend

This family fun exhibit is open until August 18th so if you want to check it out you’ll have to hurry! There are 2 other great Bob the Builder events that they have coming up soon! The first one is Saturday, July 14 from 11 am – 2 pm, called the Build It Bash. They are going to have construction vehicles in the parking lot for kids to see and learn about! They are also going to have all kinds of fun games and activities up in the exhibit. Next, on Thursday, August 9 from 5 – 7 pm, they have Pizza PJs and Play! It’s a pizza dinner with Bob the Builder. Kids and grownups can enjoy dinner together and then play and learn together in the exhibit. Kids are welcome to wear their PJs! You can visit the website for more info about those events.

The Midland Center for the Arts has many interesting permanent exhibits such as; Restless Earth, Groundworks, Glaciers, Greening and a Life-size Mastodon or Trailblazers, Waterways, Lumberjacks, Farmers, Miners and Chemists. I really believe that there is something for everyone there and it’s the perfect place to go to beat the heat or rainy day fun!

How would you like to spend the day checking everything out there and of course making great memories? Explore, play, build, and maybe even learn something new!

Well as part of our awesome support of Michigan and the great businesses here we are giving away a family 4-pack (good for 2-adults and 2-chidren) to “Bob the Builder: Project Build It” on display now – August 18!!

Don’t forget to come back and check out all the great #MyMichMemory that everyone has written about!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Like it! Please….

This week on the Monday Menu I shared my Summer Pastabilities recipe for Southwest Grilled Shrimp & Pasta made with Hodgson Mill’s whole wheat pasta with all of you. It’s a healthy, wonderful dish for a quick dinner or as a side dish to bring to a summer picnic.

I need a huge favor from you… and if there is anything that you ever need in return simply ask!

My recipe is one of 50 that has been selected by Hodgson Mill as an entry to their Summer Pastabilities contest! I am really excited about this and am really hoping that I win!

This is what you need to do….

Follow Hodgson Mill on Pinterest.

“Like” my recipe. “Liking” my pin on any board other than Hodgson Mill’s contest board will not count toward helping me win a prize. Voting (like) ends on July 6th!!

OH… I almost forgot! If you like it then you can enter to win a prize pack from Hodgson Mill! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post or on Monday’s!

You have no idea how much I would appreciate some “Likes”!!

I will select a winner via random.org on July 7th and will notify them via email. The winner will have 24 hours to respond before another one is selected.

Don’t forget to vote because the voting period ends on July 6th!

You can follow Hodgson Mill on Facebook and subscribe to the Hodgson Mill Recipe Blog, www.HodgsonMillBlog.com.

Will you Like my pin?

Sears Boots Giveaway

Yesterday I hinted at a great giveaway on Twitter and today it’s here!

A while back I was able to try out some super cute winter boots from Sears for my daughter and when they arrived I was surprised at how adorable they were. And my daughter…. well let’s just say that she was beyond excited about them.

Sears Boots - Girls

She gushed on and on about how comfortable they were and that she loved the fur and most important of all… the peace signs! Because peace signs are really cool to a 9 yr old!

The boots are really well made and much warmer than I had expected them to be and she’s been able to wear them on some of the coldest days here in Michigan. With the ever changing weather here in Michigan they work well for fall, winter, or spring.

Lauren

She is turning into quite the fashionista… at least in her mind. If you were to ask her older sisters they would have another story to tell you… I consider it her own unique fashion sense that includes lots of peace signs & bright colors. So the boots fit right into her style.

Has the cold weather finally set in where you live? Do you have a little girl that would love a stylish pair of boots from Sears?

You can enter to win a pair of Canyon River Blues Youth Girl Svetlana boots (sizes 11 thru 6)! For each entry leave a separate comment and make sure that your email address is visible so I can contact you if you’re the winner.

Mandatory entry:

Leave a comment telling me who you’d give these awesome boots to.

Extra entries:

  • Follow me on Twitter & tweet about the giveaway using the buttons at the bottom of the post (leave the link to the tweet).
  • Pin It on Pinterest and leave a direct link to the pin.
  • Subscribe to With Just a Bit of Magic via RSS or email (if you already subscribe leave the email address you subscribed with).

The giveaway ends Tuesday, February 7th at midnight. The winner will be selected via random.org and then notified via email. The winner will then have 24 hours to reply before a new winner is selected. The giveaway is open to US residents only.

Disclosure: I was provided with a pair of girls Canyon River boots for my review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Monday Menu ~ Red Gold review, giveaway, & recipe!

When I was contacted to try out a couple of the new culinary classics from Red Gold tomatoes one of the things that surprised me most was that they’re grown right here in Michigan, as well as in Ohio and Indiana. All this time I’ve been buying locally grown product and I never knew it. What makes it even better is that this new line is being sold locally at Meijer stores in the Detroit area!

red gold culinary classicsWhen I first received the tomatoes I couldn’t decide what to do with them… there were so many choices! It was the diced tomatoes with chipotle that stood out though and I finally decided to make a Spanish rice casserole with them. Now, I’ll be the first to tell you that this recipe is more of the fly by the seat of your pants type thing and you can change it up anyway you want.

Ingredients

1 – 1 lbs of hamburger (you could also use ground turkey, ground chicken, cut up chicken, or leave the meat out)

1 medium onion diced

1 tsp garlic (add more or leave it out)

1 carton of broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable)

Rice (white or brown – I used brown Minute Rice)

1 28 oz can of Red Gold diced tomatoes with chipotle

2 cups of Shredded cheese (you can add more if you’d like or leave it out)

Optional seasoning

cumin

salt

pepper

Note: I left out the amounts of rice & broth on purpose. You can make as much or as little as you like for this casserole depending on how many you need to feed or how much meat to rice ratio you like. I made about 3 cups of cooked rice.

Directions

Brown the meat in a pan and once it’s almost done add in the onions and garlic. Cook until the onions are almost translucent and then add the tomatoes and spices. While the meat is browning cook the rice until it is partially done and set aside.

saute meat

Once the meat is done mix the rice into and let it simmer for 5 – 10  minutes.

mixing in the rice

Stir in about half of the cheese and pour into a baking dish and top with the rest of the cheese.

topped with cheese

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 15 – 20 minutes. Really all you want is for the cheese to get all melty & bubbly.

Spanish Rice - ready to eat

And you’re ready for dinner! Serve with tortillas or alone. You can add pretty much any kind of toppings that you can think of with this. For me avocado’s and black beans would be perfect!

Just a note…. this is a bit on the spicy side but with sour cream or guacamole you can cool it off if you don’t like the heat.

Are you interested in trying out the new Culinary Classics from Red Gold?

You can win a prize pack from them and all you have to do is leave a comment telling me how you would use one of the two varieties of Red Gold tomatoes I have pictured above. That’s it!

Now, if you would like extra entries you can do any of the following but be sure to leave a comment for each

1. “Like” With Just a Bit of Magic on Facebook

2. “Like” Red Gold on Facebook

3. Add With Just a Bit of Magic to your circle on Google Plus

4. Follow me on Twitter & Tweet about the giveaway (leave the link to your tweet)

The giveaway ends on Friday, January 20th at midnight. A winner will be selected via random. org and notified via email (make sure your email is visible so I can contact you) and the  winner will have 24 hours to respond before another will be selected.

I received Red Gold tomatoes to review, but all thoughts and opinions are mine.

And because the DSLR wasn’t handy I used my favorite piece of technology ever to the awesome pics for this post… my iPhone! Because of that I’m linking up with the incredible Liz & KLZ for #iPPP!

iPhone Photo Phun

Doodle Roll Review & Giveaway!

My kids have always loved to color, draw, and do crafts. I have a closet full of all sorts of coloring books, crayons, and the like but the majority of isn’t travel friendly. If they decide that they want to take something with them we have to pack a big bag of stuff and hope that we don’t lose anything along the way.

Doodle Roll

Doodle Roll is the perfect way to take coloring on the road! It has the paper all rolled up neatly and a place to store the crayons. Super easy! But it’s not enough that I like it…. the kids have to like it too. So we put it to the test!

Lauren - Doodle Roll

We rolled out a few pieces and the kids spent the morning one weekend drawing all sorts of pictures & making banners to hang up. Lauren made a banner with her name on it for her bedroom door.

Natalie - Doodle Roll

Natalie drew a few different pictures… the one she’s working on above was her brother’s name for his wall.

Andrew - Doodle Rol

Andrew isn’t much for sitting still and coloring so it surprised me when he sat down with his sisters! I loved that it came with the larger crayons… perfect for little hands!

Lauren - Doodle Roll

The only thing that the kids didn’t really like was the quality of the crayons. They weren’t as smooth as regular crayons but it didn’t stop them from using them.

Doodle Roll is a lot fun! It’s a great activity that you can do with your kids or one that you can take on the road with you. The Doodle Roll is also the perfect stocking stuffer for the upcoming holiday season or party favor for your next birthday party.

You can win it!

One lucky winner will win their own Doodle Roll.

Mandatory

Check out there characters on the Doodle Roll website and then come back and leave a comment which your favorite one is.

Want an extra entry or two?

Like Doodle Roll on Facebook

Follow Doodle Roll on Twitter

Follow With Just a Bit of Magic via Google Friend Connect

Like With Just a Bit of Magic on Facebook

For each entry leave a comment telling me what you did.

The giveaway will close on November 25th at 11:59pm and a winner will be selected via random.org. I will then contact them and they have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

 

This is a MamaBuzz Media review. The product was provided by Doodle Roll for this review. All views/opinions are my own.

Mom Agenda Review & Giveaway

To say that I’m a disorganized mess is an understatement. If it weren’t for my kids reminding me daily of things that they had going on I’d forget for sure and don’t even ask how I knew what I was posting on my blog and when…. one hot mess.

I had a Mom Agenda planner once upon a time and of course at the end of the year it ran out but being the disorganized mess that I am I didn’t use it to it’s fullest potential when I had it. I know…. that’s wrong.

One day I finally decided to get things organized… I needed to get things in control and using a Google calendar wasn’t going to be the answer I was looking for and I tried it. Yes, I know it’s everywhere I go…blah…blah…blah. But I’m a paper sort of person. I like to be able to write things down, make notes, compare this month to last month quickly and turning a page allows me to do that. I started making notes on 3×5 note cards and holding them together with a paper clip and it helped but not ideal.

A planner was a much better idea and it’s something that I can take with me!

In comes my awesome Mom Agenda desktop planner. It really is the answer to my lack of organization and I make sure that I have it with me all the time.

Mom Agenda Desktop Planner

My Mom Agenda Desktop Planner

One of the features that I really love is that I can look at the entire month or just a week because the planner is separated into two sections. This allows me to fill in important dates like birthdays, anniversary’s and family events and then the weekly view to focus on blog posts, daily appointments, and activities that my kids have going on.

This is really important now that I have one kid in elementary school, one in middle school, one in high school, and one still at home! With all of the activities that they’re involved in I need to keep track of everything so I don’t forget to pick on of them up!

Filling in my Mom Agenda Planner

Filling in my Mom Agenda Planner

Are you organized? Or are you a mess like me that could use some help?

Well either way today is your lucky day because one person will win their very own Mom Agenda Desktop Planner in fuchsia! Now you can be incredibly organized too!

Mandatory Entry

Tell me why you need a Mom Agenda planner and how it’ll keep your organized.

Looking for some extra entries? Leave a comment for each.

Follow me via Google Friend Connect. Leave your email address in your comment if it’s not in your profile.

Follow me on Twitter. Leave your Twitter name in the comment.

Use one of the handy Tweet buttons to share this on Twitter. Leave a link to your Tweet in the comment!

Like With Just a Bit of Magic on Facebook

The giveaway will close on November 1st at 11:59pm and a winner will be selected via random.org. I will then contact them and they have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

I was provided a Mom Agenda Desktop Planner to review but all opinions are my own.

 

The Sixty-Minute Shakespeare Review

Before blogging, Twitter, and all other social media activities I used to be an avid reader. I love to read… so much so that it wasn’t unheard of for me to finish a book in a single day or stay up half the night with my book glued in front of my face. Seriously, I had an odd addiction to books.

I’m not one of those people who will read anything that they can get their hands on though. I’m a fiction girl. Chick Lit, mystery, drama, historical fiction, poetry, and books along those lines. I’m also one of those people who wander the bookstore aimlessly for hours picking up books around the store and often judging them by their cover. I know…. I know… you should never judge a book by it’s cover.

I’ve always been a fan of Shakespeare but have had trouble reading the full texts because of the way it was written. But I still tried to get through them till I found the movies and easily set the books aside. By far my favorite has been A Midsummer Night’s Dream…. I love the faeries & mischievous Puck.

Midsummer Nights Dream

The Sixty Minute Shakespeare books are great! They’re short, simple to read, and still deliver the message that was intended with the full play. I read a act or two a day and was able to get through it pretty quickly. No, I didn’t try to read it in an hour although I don’t see why someone couldn’t.

The books are great for students or anyone just wanting to become acquainted with some of Shakespeare’s greatest works! I would recommend them to friends, family, and some of my teacher friends for their classrooms.

Five Star Publications publishes these books and you can purchase the entire series for $45.89 or individually for $8.99. From my perspective the series includes some of the best of Shakespeare’s works; Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing.

Shakespeare Series

Do you want to read Shakespeare but couldn’t get through it? Interested in trying the Sixty-Minute Series?

I’m offering one lucky reader the chance to win their very own copy of A Midsummer Night’s Dream!

To enter all you need to do is follow me via Google Friend Connect!

For extra entries you can do one or more of the following;

  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Follow Five Star Publishing on Twitter
  • Use the handy Tweet button to share this review & giveaway with others (leave a link to your tweet in the comment)

Please make sure that you leave a comment for each entry and that your email is visible in your profile or leave it in the comment so I can contact you.

The giveaway will end on September 19th at 12 noon EST and a winner will be selected via random.org and they will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be selected.

This is a MamaBuzz Media review. The product was provided by Five Star Publications for this review.  All views and opinions are my own and are not influenced by anyone or anything.

Tea Collection Review & Giveaway

With the new school year just around the corner and four kids to get ready for the fall season I’ve had to really start planning now for everything.

Luckily, I found Tea Collection and their incredible Children’s Clothing line. They have a huge amount of mix and match pieces that are perfect for fall.

One of the things that I liked best about Tea is that they have clothing for girls, boys, and babies. I wish I had known about them when my girls were all smaller because there were times that I would dress them all in the same dress or coordinating outfits and with the clothing from Tea Collection this is super easy!

The have a great selection for boys too which I often find lacking in many clothing stores. It seems that the greater majority of the products are for girls.

My youngest daughter loves to dress up, shop, try on new clothes and see what kind of outfits she can create and the sets that you get from Tea make this easy! And she’s at an age where I can still pick out almost anything for her and she likes it and of course will wear it.

Tea Collection

This was her favorite piece

She had a great time trying on all the new clothes that I got her and posing for pictures. She told me that everything was super comfy and soft (her exact words) and that she wanted to wear them now despite the high heat & humidity.

What I love about the clothing from Tea collection was how well made everything is and that it’s all made from 100% cotton. The colors are bright, the patterns are eye catching and kids just love it. Even my older girls wanted to know if there was clothing in sizes for them! I can’t wait for Tea to create a line for tweens & teens!

Tea Collection        Tea Collection
Do you have school shopping to do for your kids? Wouldn’t a $100 gift certificate to Tea Collection help out a lot this year? Well, if your answer is yes then all you need to do is enter to win!

Details
One lucky winner will get a $100 gift certificate from Tea Collection! This giveaway will end on August 18th at noon at which point a winner will be selected and have 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. Also, your email must be visible in your profile or in the comment so I can contact you.

Entry Method
Visit Tea Collection and share with me in a comment what you’d buy!

Want another entry?
Pick one or all of them! For each of the following you must leave a separate comment.
* Follow me on Twitter.
* Use the handy Tweet button to share this giveaway & make sure my Twitter id is in there (@JackieCross)
* Like With Just a Bit of Magic on Facebook.
* Follow With Just a Bit of Magic publicly via Google Friend Connect

Disclosure: This is a MamaBuzz Media review. I received a gift certificate from Tea Collection to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.