JERSEY BOYS is ‘Workin’ its way back to you,’ Atlanta! Following the smashing success of its Atlanta debut in 2009, with more than 92,000 patrons experiencing the show, this Broadway sensation is returning to the Fox Theatre. “IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GIVE JERSEY BOYS ANYTHING BUT LOVE! A virtually seamless musical that transcends generational appeal!” – Wendell Brock for Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “THE MOST EXCITING MUSICAL PACKAGE BROADWAY HAS SEEN IN YEARS.” – The Chicago Tribune. “THE CROWD GOES WILD.” – The New York Times. “TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!” raves the New York Post for JERSEY BOYS, the 2006 Tony Award®-winning Best Musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. This is the story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were 30! JERSEY BOYS, winner of the 2006 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Show Album and most recently, the 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, features their hit songs “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Rag Doll,” “Oh What a Night” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” “IT WILL RUN FOR CENTURIES!” proclaims Time Magazine. The JERSEY BOYS creative team comprises two-time Tony Award®-winning director Des McAnuff, book writers Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, composer Bob Gaudio, lyricist Bob Crewe and choreography by Sergio Trujillo.
I have 2 tickets to give away to the May 22 showing at 8pm. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post and let me know who you would take with you to the show. Giveaway ends 5/20. Tickets will be picked up at Will Call.
If you haven’t already, be sure and enter to win a $5,000 Home Theater Package from P&G! I don’t know about you but I could do a lot with that $5,000! You can’t win if you don’t try, so what are you waiting for? Enter for a chance to win a $5,000 home theater package. Good luck!
As a mom, we know you are hard working, loving, caring and above all, deserving of appreciation for all that you do. To show that appreciation, Mother’s Day Pillsbury® Ready to Bake! ™ Shape® Cookies are especially themed with amazing, extraordinary moms (like you) in mind! With a little help from a special Disney friend, these colorful pre-cut cookies are our way of saying, “thanks for everything mom!”
Quick and convenient, Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Shape Cookies are ready to enjoy in 8-10 minutes and can be found at your local grocer
Celebrate Mother’s Day with everyone’s favorite Disney character, Mickey Mouse
Make this Mother’s Day special with Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Shape Cookies. You can get a printable coupon for $1.10 off the purchase of (1) package of Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Shape Cookies today by CLICKING HERE!
One lucky reader will receive a Pillsbury Ready to Bake Prize Pack! It includes
A VIP coupon to purchase a package of Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Shape Cookies
Here are the winners from the Amazon Giftcard giveaway. More giveaways coming this week and don’t forget about the My First Crayola Giveaway that I posted earlier.
$25 Amazon Giftcard – ctowns812@…..
$10 Amazon Giftcard – tharper31@…..
$5 Amazon Giftcard (3 winners) – aspenromano@….., amykatea@….., and sugamommasb@…..
Congrats to all! I’ll be emailing you about your prizes so check your inbox and spam!
When you encourage your children to grow and develop through their first art experiences, some very important developmental milestones happen. Large and fine motor skills like hand-eye coordination begin to develop, as well as self-confidence and early literacy skills. As significant as their first words, a child’s first scribbles represent the beginning of their journey for symbolic communication that’s needed to develop reading and writing skills.
When children discover that they can make a mark, their desire to create is unleashed. And that’s where the fun and joyful moments begin for parent and child. Crayola wants all children to be creatively alive and so they’re helping parents begin the journey with a new line of products called My First Crayola™.
The My First Crayola line includes specially designed art supplies and activities for children as young as 12 months and features three inspiring ways through which little hands can create – with art tools, mess-free activities and creative activities that feature dry-erase crayons and music.
Tips on How to Celebrate Your Child’s First Scribbles
The first colorful mark your child creates is a milestone to be celebrated! Crayola’s child development expert Cheri Sterman offers tips on how to use wonderful, together-time moments to encourage a child’s development and sense of discovery.
Build their vocabulary. Not sure what to say about the page of dots or dashes your child created? Describe the colors and shapes you see to help your child add new words to their vocabulary.
Tell me about your picture? Children’s drawings are their first communication well before they can read and write.Ask your child to tell you about the drawing they create. That blue blob you’re looking at may be a puppy, an elephant or a tiger. It’s OK for the same blue blob to mean something different tomorrow. Resist the urge to tell your child what you see and listen to their interpretation.
Focus on the process. Pudding paintings and rhythmically dotting colors on paper are part of the important journey to eventually creating more recognizable drawings. Emphasize the enjoyment of the process more than the end result. The actual work is not as important as the joy your child felt when creating it.
Creative confidence. As your child grows into the toddler years, and their scribbles take shape creative confidence begins to bloom. One of the best responses to your child’s artwork is, “Let’s hang it on the refrigerator together.”
Check out some of the products in the new My First Crayola™ line!
Art Tools My First Crayola™ Washable Crayons, Markers and Stampers are designed to fit neatly in a toddler’s palm, and are just the right size and shape for a child to create their first artistic expression. For children age 12 mos +.
Triangular Crayons & Washable Markers
My First Crayola™art tools progress from easy-to-grasp washable crayons, marker holders and stampers, to triangular shaped crayons that guide a child’s hand into a proper writing grip. The shape also makes it easier for little ones to draw in a more purposeful and controlled way. For children age 24 mos +.
Mess-Free Activities
Toddlers can have clean, colorful and creative fun withMy First Crayola Mess-Free Marker & Paper and My First Crayola™ Mess-Free Fingerpaint and Paper. When used on magic mess-free paper, special markers and fingerpaints instantly reveal colorful patterns with no mess on skin, walls or fabric. Mess-Free Marker & Paper is recommended for children age 12 mos. + and Mess-Free Finger Paint for children 24 mos. +.
With the My First Crayola Mess-Free 2-in-1 Doodle Board, little ones can enjoy twice the fun without all the mess. With no ink, paint or paper required, the double-sided board allows for reusability and endless creative doodling. The “water drawing” surface magically reveals bold colors, providing little ones with lots of space to create with the refillable water pen.Flip it over to the sealed gel painting surface and children will get the feel of finger painting, but without the paint and the mess. For children age 24 mos +.
Creative Activities My First Crayola Washable Dry-Erase Activity Mat is perfect for colorful on-the-go creativity. It features 12 activities that slide into place on the mat so little ones can draw, erase and draw again using washable My First Crayola Washable Triangular Dry-Erase Crayons. The crayons’ triangular shape guides little fingers into a writing grip, so toddlers can more easily trace and create broad sweeps of color. The mat folds up easily and features convenient carrying handles and built-in storage. For children age 24 mos +.
Your child will be captivated with surprising sounds while creating adorable farm-themed artwork with the My First Crayola Washable Musical Rub-Art Station! Select one of the dual-sided rubbing plates, place it in the frame with paper and then watch your toddler create a scene with the character rubbing tool. The crayon rubbing activates music and animal sounds for toddlers to enjoy while they create. For children age 24 mos +.
For more clean and creative fun, bring home My First Crayola Bath Crayons and Canvas and transform your bathtub into an art studio. The cute character-shaped, bath crayons are designed for little ones to easily grasp in their palm. Watch their creativity flow as your little one draws on the two-sided canvas. The canvas adheres to the tub wall and rinses clean for use again and again, with one side featuring a cute design to be filled in with color and the other, blank for free scribbling. Two crayon refills come with each set For children age 12 mos +.
Crayola and Cheerios® cereal are offering up to $5.00 in coupon savings on My First Crayola™products, so you can enjoy a little colorful fun at the breakfast table! Look for My First Crayola™on original Cheerios cereal boxes.
Learn more about the tools from Crayola that make it easy for parents to help children develop their creativity, by visiting www.Crayola.com and liking Crayola on Facebook!
Crayola and Cheerios have teamed up through My Blog Spark to give one lucky Mommy Octopus reader a prize pack! This prize will include:
My First Crayola™ Washable Crayons
My First Crayola™ Washable Markers
My First Crayola™ Washable Stampers
My First Crayola™ Washable Dry-Erase Activity Mat
One specially marked box of original Cheerios® cereal
The information, products, coupon, video and additional My First Crayola™ gift pack was provided by Crayola® and Cheerios through MyBlogSpark. All opinions are my own.
EGGstra! EGGstra! It’s time to dust off those bunny ears and grab your baskets for Fernbank’s 3rd annual Dinosaur Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 7, featuring timed egg hunts, games, a walk-around dinosaur mascot and more.
Here’s your chance to win! One winner will receive complimentary admission for 2 adults and up to 4 children. Winners may choose reserved timed hunt to participate in.
To enter, simply leave a comment below and tell me your favorite thing about Fernbank. If you haven’t been, tell me what you’re looking forward to seeing.
Looking to spice up your weekly dinners or sweeten your next family gathering with an extra special dessert? Bake-Off.com now has 100 new recipe creations from Pillsbury Bake-Off finalists from across the country. Whether you are in the mood forBreakfast & Brunches, Entertaining Appetizers,Dinner Made EasyTM, or Sweet Treats, Bake-Off.com has tons of new ideas that are simple to make and sure to wow your loved ones.
Head to your local Walmart where you can find great savings on refrigerated Pillsbury products including: Pillsbury Original Crescent Rolls, Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, Pillsbury Pie Crust, and Pillsbury Cookies among other items
Don´t forget to check everydaysaver.com/Walmart before you head to your nearest Walmart to find additional coupons and offers
Having trouble deciding which of these mouthwatering recipes to make first? Here are just a few of the delicious ones available on BakeOff.com:
Marmalade-Glazed Asian Meatball Cups- Meet a saucy new meatball that’s baked on top of flaky crescent dough. With just 6 ingredients, they’re super easy
Walmart and General Mills have teamed up to give one lucky Mommy Octopus reader a $25 giftcard so you can try out these yummy recipes! To enter, click ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY below:
Giftcard and information provided by Walmart and General Mills through My Blog Spark. I also received a giftcard in exchange for posting.
It’s Mommy Madness at Ebates! Through the 13th, there will be some awesome cashback opportunities. If you aren’t currently familiar with Ebates, you are going to LOVE this! Ebates is an awesome cash back company that I’ve been with for about 2 years.
Right now if you sign up for Ebates you can get a FREE $10 Giftcard to your choice of either Barnes & Noble, Target, Home Depot or Magazines.com. All you have to do is shop through Ebates and make a purchase of at least $25 to earn your giftcard.
The next time you want to shop online, login to your Ebates account. For example, if I want to place an order at the Children’s Place website, I just login to my Ebates account. In the search field at the top, I would type in Children’s Place. I find the right website and click SHOP NOW. It then takes me to the Children’s Place website. You’ll see a “tracking ticket” screen pop up before you go to the other website.
Now that I’m at the Children’s Place website, I go through and place my order as normal. Within a few days, I’ll get an email from Ebates telling me how much cashback I’ll be receiveing into my account. Children’s Place gives you 5% cashback right now, so if I made a $100 purchase, I’ll get $5.00 put into my Ebates account.
The money sits in your Ebates account and every quarter you’ll get a “Big Fat Check” or a paypal payment of your accumulated amount.
The key to Ebates is to remember to sign into Ebates before you checkout at other sites, so you get your cashback. There are TONS of sites that offer cashback through Ebates, so I’m sure if you shop online, you’ll find a site that you can get cashback on. Some of the sites are Walmart.com, Target.com, Sears.com, Gap.com, Vistaprint.com, and many MANY others.
Here are the shops participating in this Mommy Madness Event:
Blue Nile at 5%
drugstore.com at 12%
HP Home at 5%
JCP at 6%
Lands End at 6%
Philosophy at 10%
Sephora at 8%
The Childrens Place at 5%
Vitacost at 8%
Daily Double Schedule:
5-Mar Steve Madden from 4% to 8%
6-Mar Lacoste from 3% to 6%
7-Mar Wayfair from 2.5% to 5%
8-Mar Ashford from 3% to 6%
9-Mar PLNDR from 5% to 10%
10-Mar Little Miss Matched from 5% to 10%
11-Mar bareMinerals from 4% to 8%
12-Mar Mantis Garden Products from 7.5% to 15%
13-Mar DJPremium from 6.5% to 13%
Now who wants to win $100 cash added to their Ebates account? To win, you must be an Ebates member (current or new). Click here to sign up so you’re eligible to win. Click Enter this Giveaway below to enter!
In partnership with Universal Studios’ motion picture debut of Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax* also known as the “Speaker for the Trees” who brings environmental truth and ecological hope to all, Seventh Generation will feature limited edition Lorax prints on all our diapers and training pants. These prints are intended to remind parents and caregivers of the lessons of The Lorax, and encourage family reading and environmental awareness while creating a few smiles. Discover (or rediscover) Dr. Suess’ The Lorax as you read about his legacy and messages of sustainability with your child, and inspire a new generation of environmentalists starting with your family!
The Seventh Generation family of Free & Clear baby products continues to deliver on your needs as it expands in March, with the addition of NEW Overnight Diapers. Moreover, Free & Clear diapers have been redesigned with new, improved tabs for better fit while Free and Clear training pants now have an absorbent core that is made with more renewable materials.
Be among the first to try these new products before they hit store shelves and rest assured that with every Seventh Generation purchase you’re helping to protect the planet for future generations!
NEW Overnight Diapers are absorbent enough to keep your baby and bedding dry through the night or during prolonged travel
Free & Clear diapers have improved more flexible tabs that provide even better fit
Free & Clear training pants have an absorbent core made with more renewable, plant-based materials. They also feature stretchy, tear away side panels for a better fit and added convenience, as well as inner leak barriers for superior leakage protection
Seventh Generation Free & Clear baby care products do not contain chlorine, fragrance, petroleum-based lotions or latex, and all Free & Clear products are also hypo-allergenic
Starting March 2, you can register for a free The Lorax scrapbook with the purchase of any three Free & Clear diaper products, until supplies last
Seventh Generation would love to give one lucky reader a prize pack that consists of a pack of Seventh Generation diapers and a Dr. Seuss The Lorax book! Simply click Enter This Giveaway below to enter!
This giveaway provided by Seventh Generation through My Blog Spark. I also recieved a prize pack for posting.
I have been using The Peaceful Housewife laundry detergent for about a month now and I love it! We really got to test out this product when all 4 of my kids got the stomach bug within hours of each other a couple weeks ago. This laundry detergent worked GREAT! Here’s some things to note about the detergent:
Biodegradable
Hypoallergenic, unless essential or fragrance oils are added at the customer’s request
Vegan-friendly
Perfect for eczema, allergies and sensitive skin!
Made without phosphates, sodium lauryl sulfate or phthalates
Contains no fillers or stabilizers
Free from optical brighteners, enzymes, and dyes
Economically priced at as low as $0.09/load
Safe for use with septic systems
Perfect for hand-washing delicates
Tough on stains while being gentle on fabrics
Mom-tested and approved!
Does not reduce effectiveness of flame retardant clothing or linens
My husband breaks out with many laundry detergents and we’ve had no problems with this kind! What is really awesome about this detergent is you can get a year’s supply for just $40 for conventional washers or $20 for HE. Amazing and frugal! All it takes in my HE washer is just a 1/2 tablespoon!
The Peaceful Housewife also makes and sells household cleaners. I have been testing out 3 of them and they work great! I love knowing that tons of chemicals aren’t on my counters!
I highly recommend checking out The Peaceful Housewife! They have been gracious and provided 3 prizes for our readers! 1 winner will receive a $20 gift certificate and 2 winners will each receive a $10 gift certificate!
If you’re ready to order now, use code OCTOPUS to save 20% off your purchase through the end of February.
Tig Tagz is hosting another giveaway with us! They make personalized disposable ID bracelets. What a GREAT idea this is! When we last went to Disney, we had ID bracelets engraved for the kids with my cell number on them in case the kids were lost. It seemed like a great idea until my oldest left her bracelet behind after she washed her hands in a bathroom. That obviously didn’t work for us the rest of the trip since the bracelet was lost!
Tig Tagz makes disposable ID bracelets that are tear-proof, sweat-proof, and water resistant. They also have really fun characters on them as well, so the kids enjoy wearing the bracelet. This product easily solves the “lost bracelet headache” we endured on our last trip. The kids can’t take them off and when you do cut it off, you have many more to stick on later. I love that they can be personalized with your phone number, allergies, or other medical issues.
My son has a soy allergy and I always worry when he’s out with a friend that they’ll forget about his allergy. The bracelet makes for a great reminder.
1 lucky Mommy Octopus reader will win a TigTagz set customized with your information. Simply fill out the rafflecopter to enter. Also, any orders placed through the end of February will receive a free bonus sample set!
Purex Insiders sent me 6 FREE product coupons – 3 of the new Purex Triple Action Detergent and 3 of the Purex UltraPacks. That means we will have 6 winners who each win a coupon for a free product.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta is opening a new exhibition this weekend called Wildlife Rescue. One of the blog assistants, Edith, got a sneak peak yesterday. Here’s what she thought about it:
Yesterday afternoon my 2 boys and I headed into Atlanta to check out Fernbank’s new Exhibition Wildlife Rescue. My oldest son is very much into animal rescue, so I knew this would be right up his alley.
The exhibition is located on the lower level, you get to walk under two HUGE dinosaurs to get to it. Once inside the kids took off, checking out all the fun facts and hands-on activities. They were able to try and hand feed a “baby condor”, try to use an elephant trunk to pick up blocks, and play along in game-show style trivia games. You can also “fly” in an ultralight plane to lead whooping cranes to their wintering grounds. Lots and lots of hands-on fun!
A favorite stop in the exhibit was the turtle crossing. Kids can don a turtle shell and crawl through a special tunnel under a highway to safety.
If you hit it at the right time you can attend an animal encounter and see some amazing critters up close. Kids 4 and up may even get a chance to pet one!
This was one of my boys’ favorite exhibitions we have been to at Fernbank. There were so many opportunities for hands on learning.
The Wildlife Rescue exhibit is included in your admission, along with all the permanent exhibits, including their new AMAZING children’s area NatureQuest. You can also watch an IMAX film for an additional cost.
Want to check out Wildlife Rescue yourself? The exhibition opens this weekend and runs through May 6 at Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta. Admission is $17.50 for adults, $15.50 of kids 3-12, and free for kids 2 and under.
Our friends over at Fernbank have given Mommy Octopus a family 4 pack of tickets to giveaway that includes 4 admission tickets and 4 IMAX movie passes! To enter click the button below, and don’t forget to follow Fernbank on Facebook for updates on this and other exhibits.
Contest runs through Friday, 2/10 at 8pm. The winner will be contacted after this time.
JERSEY BOYS is ‘Workin’ its way back to you,’ Atlanta! Following the smashing success of its Atlanta debut in 2009, with more than 92,000 patrons experiencing the show, this Broadway sensation is returning to the Fox Theatre. “IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GIVE JERSEY BOYS ANYTHING BUT LOVE! A virtually seamless musical that transcends generational appeal!” – Wendell Brock for Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “THE MOST EXCITING MUSICAL PACKAGE BROADWAY HAS SEEN IN YEARS.” – The Chicago Tribune. “THE CROWD GOES WILD.” – The New York Times. “TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!” raves the New York Post for JERSEY BOYS, the 2006 Tony Award®-winning Best Musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. This is the story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were 30! JERSEY BOYS, winner of the 2006 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Show Album and most recently, the 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, features their hit songs “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Rag Doll,” “Oh What a Night” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” “IT WILL RUN FOR CENTURIES!” proclaims Time Magazine. The JERSEY BOYS creative team comprises two-time Tony Award®-winning director Des McAnuff, book writers Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, composer Bob Gaudio, lyricist Bob Crewe and choreography by Sergio Trujillo.
