Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus giveaway in Chicago

~Updated with winner at bottom of post~

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey^® Presents DRAGONS is a once in a millennium event that honors The Year of the Dragon. Circus performers from the farthest reaches of the earth have assembled for Ringling Bros.^® Presents Dragons to showcase their astounding acts of bravery and astonishing athleticism. Ringling Bros. Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson presides over this fantastical celebratory tournament of circus champions that brings together mystic dragon lore with authentic circus feats. Dragons is a never-before-seen blend of renowned spiritual and real life legends that can be found only at The Greatest Show On Earth^®!

 FREE PARKING in all official Allstate Arena and United Center parking lots.  Visit arena website for more information.

Circus Celebrity seats sell out fast, as they include more than 20 minutes where you and your family become a part of the show on the Arena floor.  Get these tickets EARLY if you're interested!
The shows on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 5 pm and Sunday, Nov. 18 at 5 pm include post show Hispanic concerts.  Ticket prices for these shows are $5 more for each price level.

Opening night tickets on Thurs., Nov. 1 at 7 pm at Allstate Arena and Weds., Nov. 14 at 7 pm at United Center are just $12!

You can use the code MOM at the Ticketmaster checkout to save 40% on all weekday shows and 20% on all weekend shows. (Weekday is defined as any show Monday through Thursday or Friday matinee, not including holidays such as the day after Thanksgiving.  Discount does not apply to Circus Celebrity, Front Row, or VIP seats.  No double discounts.  Service charges, handling, and facility fees may apply.)

Your family can win a 4 pack of tickets to see the circus on either Nov 1, 2(10:30 show) or 14. Just enter a comment below telling me what your favorite part of the circus is! I'll pick the winner on 10/21/12 via Random.org.

Good Luck and enjoy the circus!!
Edited to Add Winner:

Congratulations to Garima! I hope you enjoy the circus! You will be contacted via email by a rep for Ringling with instructions on how to select and enjoy your tickets.

Thanks to everyone for entering and don't forget about the discount code to save BIG money on purchasing tickets for this year's show.

Sweet Tomatoes Giveaway

Ever eat at Sweet Tomatoes? If not, it's a chain of restaurants with some of the most delicious salads, breads and soups around. Served buffet style, but with a cafe' decor, I consider Sweet Tomatoes to be a great spot for a casual date night or a family dinner location that has something for everyone. Check out their Taste The World specials they have going on at the Sweet Tomatoes near me. Greek food for 2 weeks and then Mexican! I may have to go again... I love some Mexican food!

If you are interested in trying out Sweet Tomatoes or Souplantation (same yummy food; different name), enter a comment below telling which menu item you're interested in and you could be picked to receive a 4 pack of complimentary meals!* 1 entry per person and all entries must be entered before 12 pm CST, Sep 23.

I will use Random.org to pick the winner on Wednesday, Sep 26.

Edited with the winner:

The winner is #1, Lisa Noel. Congrats, Lisa! Hope you and your family enjoy your meals! Thanks to everyone for entering and remember to check back again for new giveaways!

*does not include drinks. Some restrictions may apply
*I received complimentary meal vouchers for my family but all opinions remain my own.

Cedar Point Halloweekends Ticket Giveaway - Winner at bottom!

In case you're new here, Cedar Point is one of my family's favorite vacation spots. Between the excellent rides, super clean facility and helpful staff, it has earned our undying loyalty as our favorite amusement park.Thankfully, Ohio is just an easy day-trip away so that we Illinois residents can still enjoy the park over the weekend.

And weekends are where it's AT each fall! Halloweekends are Cedar Point's fall-time special weekends during which the employees deck the "Halls" with all things SPOOKY. Family-friendly fall decorations line the paths and drape the rides while several more "intense" haunted houses are available for those more suited for the spookier side of Halloween.

Interested? Sound like a blast? You can win a family 4-pack of tickets for the 2012 Cedar Point Halloweekends! All you have to do is enter a comment below, being sure to include your email address. Tell me if you've been to Cedar Point in the fall, if you love or hate Halloween, who you'd take or just say "Pick me" and you'll be entered into the drawing. The giveaway ends on Tuesday, Sep 25 at 12 pm CST. I will use Random.org to pick a winner.

EDITED TO ADD WINNER:

Congratulations to #4, Mom24! Enjoy your time at Cedar Point! I will be emailing you today with the information to contact Cedar Point. Thanks to all for entering!

*1 entry per person, please. 
*If I cannot find your email address or if you do not respond within 48 hours, I will have to pick another winner to enjoy these tickets.
*Some restrictions may apply. 
*I received nothing in return for this post. No money, no tickets, nada. I just want you to have the opportunity to go to the park and Cedar Point agreed with me!

Disney On Ice: Treasure Trove!

Disney on Ice is coming back to the Chicago Allstate Arena! From September 13 through September 16, you can be a part of the magic and fun for an incredible discount! Use the code MOM at the Ticketmaster checkout and receive 20% savings on weekend and 40% savings on weekday shows!!

Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lion King and many other Disney favorites will amaze you on the ice. My children always enjoy the Disney on Ice shows and I am thrilled to bring them to this year's newest! If you have any little ones in your life, this is a fabulous outing for the entire group.

Be sure to check out all of the details on the Ticketmaster site and don't forget to use the code MOM at checkout for some awesome savings!!

*disclaimer: I will receive tickets for my family to see this show in exchange for this post, but all opinions remain my own.

Vegan Indian Cooking - a review

Sometimes, I receive products to review that just don't motivate me. Either the item isn't my style or the product itself is just kind of... meh.

And sometimes I receive products that positively speak to me! Sometimes, they unexpectedly excite and inspire me!

The Vegan Indian Cooking book by Anupy Singla arrived at my house this morning. After cautiously opening the wrapping, my daughter and I just about drooled for 2 hours straight, plotting and planning the recipes we are going to test out.

Chickpea Poppers

I KNOW! Vegan? And Indian, to boot? Can I pull this off? Especially when many of the ingredients are, to be honest, foreign to my shopping list? Well, after watching a documentary on the amounts of meat that our bodies ingest in comparison to the amounts of meat that we actually require to be healthy individuals, I am committed to giving this "Less Meat is More" idea a proper amount of attention and dedication. And with our upcoming date night to Standard Market and Grill on Saturday night (yes, we're going to a "grocery store" for our date night. But you haven't seen a grocery store like THIS before. It is truly a unique experience!), I shall have ample opportunity to purchase ingredients for some of the easier recipes like the Chickpea Poppers, South Indian Stew and Lemon Brown Rice.

My only concern with this cookbook is that not all of the recipes have pictures to show me exactly what it is I'll be concocting. And when one is cooking a totally new recipe, it helps to know if the end product is supposed to be green and lumpy or brown and smooth... :)

The Happiest Veggies in the Fridge...

Aren't you just in love with the colors from my garden? Don't you just wish that you could be partaking in the pasta sauces and salsa and other delectable concoctions I have been whipping up this summer?

And all of my delicious fresh veggies and herbs have been lasting and lasting and LASTING in my new Whirlpool refrigerator. I am totally confident when I put a bowl full of freshly picked produce into my fridge that is armed with the FreshFlow Filter, that they will stay that way until I need them.

I know I've said it before, but I do so adore my lovely new fridge! Have you checked out the Whirlpool site to see if they have any items that may appeal to you?

*Disclaimer: I will be reviewing this Whirlpool refrigerator for the next year. Though these posts will be sponsored, all opinions and words will be my own.

How To Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular hits Chicago!

Edited to add:

We SAW it and it was AWESOME! If you have the chance, you really must go and see this live show. It's unlike anything you've ever seen and the dragons were BEAUTIFUL and thrilling and SO realistic!


Have you seen the commercials for this amazing show? Have you watched the trailers for the live action creation based on the hit movie from Dreamworks?

With 23 different dragons of varying wing spans of up to 46 feet, the massiveness of this production is one that is sure to impress even the most critical of live show-goers. In fact, Toothless (the main dragon character) flies a total of 1.2 miles through the duration of the show. I find that AMAZING. The technology and precision involved in configuring that must be so specific!

It's been a hit in Australia and New Zealand and it's sure to be a hit across the United States. With effects and action like the snippets I've seen, I imagine it will be a fanTAStic experience!

Details on the Chicago show are below, but if you are located elsewhere in the States, be sure to check out their home page for information on your nearest city's shows!

We can't wait! 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ 

DREAMWORKS HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR will appear at the United Center on Wednesday, July 25 at 7:00 PM; Thursday, July 26 at 7:00 PM; Friday, July 27 at 7:00 PM; Saturday, July 28 at 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM; and Sunday, July 29 at 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM with free parking at official United Center parking lots for all performances.

Photo credit: Jeff Busby

Across the nation, for all shows on Monday through Thursday, you can save 25% off all tickets by using the code MOM at the checkout through Ticketmaster (see the promotions and special offers box).*

*certain restrictions may apply.  

* disclaimer: I will be receiving complimentary tickets for my family in exchange for reviewing the show and spreading the word but all opinions remain, as always, my own.