Category Archives: giveaway

Hallmark Christmas Fun Giveaway!!!

I recently received some awesomeness from Hallmark for Christmas!!! And now that it is officially December, I wanted to give you a chance to get some too!!!

First up is Tell the Elf Game! I always loved Mad Libs growing up and this fun game reminds me of it. The Elf will ask you a series of questions. Once they are all answered it will tell you a story them all! Elf’ed of course;). One person could answer all the questions but I think it is more fun in a group! Maybe passing it around the car when driving to Grandma’s house? So fun!

We also have Merry Okee. I mean who wouldn’t love Christmas karaoke to begin with? It comes with a songbook and you can sing as your own voice or as an elf voice! That can lure even the most self conscious person into participating!

These are so much fun! We are going to be having a ball with them all season. And how would you like your own set?? Hallmark has decided to give one of my lucky readers an early Christmas gift!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Swagbucks Coupon Holder Giveaway

If you saw my piece on Central Valley Today you saw my awesome Swagbucks Coupon organizer! I love Swagbucks and have earned many, many dollars in Amazon gift cards over the years! I encourage you all to sign up and give it a whirl. It is free and fun! If you sign up now you can use NERDMOM to get an extra 100 Swagbucks!! That puts you well on the way to a $5 Amazon gift card!

If you would like to win a fabulous Swagbucks coupon organizer it is super easy to enter my giveaway! Make sure that you leave a comment for each entry!

Mandatory Entry – Watch the video and tell me 1 way a person can earn Swagbucks.

Extra Entries:
-Join Swagbucks for 5 extra entries!!!! (Make sure to enter NERDMOM to get an extra 100 Swagbucks)
– Subscribe to my email feed.
– Follow me on Twitter.

The giveaway will be closed Friday, October 12th.
(Disclosure: Yes, Swagbucks gave me the coupon holder, no they didn’t ask me to write about it and I did include affiliate links in this post;)

Dora Let’s Play Backpack for iPad Giveaway

It is shocking but even when you have 4 kids you still can get 1 that is left out. At this point the one who can get left out the most is my baby, NerdPud. The older kids will all be in science classes or have homework. Since she is in Kindergarten all of her schooling is one on one and all fun. Which is great but it means I need to find ways to engage her while the older kids are busy! I also need to get this kid to read!!! She has been sort of doing it since she was 4 but she doesn’t have any interest in reading fluently.

Enter in Dora Let’s Play Backpack! It is a great new iPad accessory from Discovery Bay Games. It is in their Duo line of iPad games and accessories. You buy the backpack and then download the free app from iTunes. The backpack itself sits over the iPad and interactively with the app. There are 4 different types of adventures: ‘Let’s Listen,’ ‘Let’s Pack,’ ‘Let’s Match,’ and ‘Say It Two Ways’. Both players have tokens and place them on the spot that corresponds with their answer. The correct answer’s spot will open and the tokens will go into the backpack. The first person out of tokens wins!

I need to declare something up front. My kids are NOT allowed free access to my iPad. But they can earn access or when I am waiting for some kids, I use it as a bonding activity with them. That is where the Dora’s Let’s Play Backpack comes into the picture. Not only is it giving me a way to engage with her and have that valuable bonding time but it also serves as a great reward for reading. She doesn’t even notice that she is actually learning;). She loves it so much that she asks if she can read to me so she can play with Dora’s Backpack;).

The one and only problem I have had (everything can’t be hearts and flowers people) is using it outside. The first time I was using it she and I were outside under shade. We couldn’t get the backpack to interact with the app. But as soon as we went inside it worked perfectly!

You can pick up a Dora Let’s Play Backpack from Amazon for $39.99 or win one here for free!!!! Discovery Bay Games has graciously offered to give 1 away to one of my readers (In the US only, sorry)!

Mandatory Entry:

Leave a comment on this post answering this question from the NerdPud(yes, it really is what she wanted to know;): “How old were you when you learned how to read?”

Extra Entries (leave a comment for each thing you do):

-Subscribe to my rss feed
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway!
-Subscribe to my site by email
-Post about this giveaway

This giveaway will close October 1, 2012!

(Disclosure: I was given a Dora Let’s Play Backpack to review by Discovery Bay Games)

 

LEGO Summer Brickation Giveaway

From July 25th until September 4th (2012) Lego Brickation is hitting four spots around the US! One of those spots is in South Lake Tahoe located at 1001 Heavenly Village Way, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150!

So what is this Lego Brickation? According to The Shops at Heavenly Village:

Opening July 25 in shop #8 (on Highway 5) 10-8pm. Open 7 days a week thru September 4. The LEGO Summer Brickation will showcase the best of what the LEGO group has to offer. It will enable children and adults to benefit from a fun, hands-on experience of building and creating LEGO bricks and products. Different activity areas will be featured, providing families enjoyment in everything from building, games and challenges, to photo opportunities with life size LEGO models. Activity areas will include DUPLO® Boat, Build Tables, Creation Station, Race Ramps and LEGO Challenge Zone. Other notable experiences offered will be a LEGO South Lake Tahoe Mosaic, along with Life Size LEGO Models and a LEGO Cityscape.


I encourage you to check it out this awesome event! But why wait for the Lego fun? I am going to be giving away a prize pack just like that in the picture!!!

To enter just leave a comment with your favorite Lego memory!!!

The details: This giveaway will close on 8/2/2012 and it is limited to US addresses only. The winner will have 24 hours to claim their prize or I will pick another.

(Disclosure: This post has been compensated by GigCoin)

Marvel’s The Avengers Prize Pack Giveaway

I am so excited so see Marvel’s new The Avengers!!! I mean, I am telling you in case you haven’t gotten all the hints by my repeated posting of clips;). And in anticipation of the release I am stoked to announce that I am hosting a prize pack giveaway!

What is in this prize pack, you may ask. Awesomeness;). The winner will get 1 of each of these fabulous Avengers themed items!

MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS t-shirt in adult sizes of S, M, L, XL
MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS set of 6 buttons
one pair of MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS limited edition 3D glasses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So what do you have to do to win this? Not much!
Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment about who your favorite comic book hero is and why! Make sure in all your comments you leave an email or I can’t tell you if you won!

Extra Entries (and leave an additional comment for each one you do):
-“Like” NerdFamily Things on Facebook
-“Like” Marvel’s The Avengers on Facebook
– Follow NerdMom on Twitter
– Follow Marvel’s The Avengers on Twitter
-Subscribe to NerdFamily Things Rss
-Tweet about this giveaway (and mention @NerdMom)

This giveaway will close on May 9, 2012 and the winner will have 24 hours to respond. This giveaway is limited to the US and Canada.

 

 

Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 – Diary week 5

Thank you to Ubisoft for providing me with a copy of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012 and sponsoring this fitness diary series. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.

I didn’ t workout Christmas morning, the only day I’ve missed since I started exercising five weeks ago.  I’m really suprised that I’ve been able to be so consistant.  Before this, I don’t think I’ve exercised on a regular basis for nearly twenty years.

There’s quite a variety of activities and workouts in the program.  Even at this point, I think I’ve only gone through 25% of the content and there’s also a lot of variety within the activities.  I’m still not ready for the more strenuous activities.  But knowing the progress I’ve made in the last few weeks, I can see that if I continue to work out every day, it won’t be but a few months before I’m able to do them all, including the push-ups.

Looking over my first diary entry from a month ago, I think that some of my problems have been solved.  The waiting between exercises is much more bearable when your still catching your breath or resting from the last one.  And my stamina has increased to the point that I rarely give up before the end.  I’ve also started wearing my older clothes that were too tight before I started working out, which was one my main reasons for starting this project. I really do think that I have made the first steps toward a long-term change in my life.

This is the last week of my YSFE diary.  Here’s week 1 and last week.  And now how would you like to your own copy? Ubisoft is going to give a copy to one lucky reader!

Mandatory Entry: You much comment on 1 of the 5 diary posts.

Extra Entry:  As always we are making it even easier to win! Just leave a comment for each extra action!

  • Like NerdFamily Things over at Facebook
  • Follow my adorable wife, @Nerdmom, over on Twitter and then Tweet about this giveaway!
  • Subscribe to our RSS
This giveaway will close on 1/7 so enter!!!

Mertado Giveaway

What is better than getting great deals on housewares? Having it be a social experience that you can easily share your deals with friends! And that is possible on Mertado! I mean what can be a more social shopping experience than using a site built on top of Facebook? You can become a member for free to get access to all the deals by signing up by email or facebook. It is just that simple!

In addition to great houseware deals there is also some great videos. Mertado has gotten Food Network TV veteran Curtis Aikens to create some great videos with ideas (and recipes) to use with some of the items they are selling!

Speaking of great houseware products…. I received a fluffy, cozy Coral Springs Home Plush blanket from Mertado. I love it!!! It is twin size so if I were to want to share (not likely;) I could put it on 1 of my children’s beds. But they have plenty of blankets, right;)? But I will share with you!

Mertado is giving one of my fabulous readers a Coral Springs Home Plush blanket too! But you have to play to win! It is simple because there are many ways to enter!

Mandatory entry: What is 1 thing you have ever bought due to a friend’s influence (either due to their recommendation or because they had it;). I have bought a variety of clothes due to my best friend Sara’s recommendations.

Additional Entries (that need additional comments for each one):
-Become a member of Mertado for free! And it is worth 2 entries (leave 2 comments;).
-Like NerdFamily Things on Facebook
-Follow me on Twitter. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter including @Mertado.com and then come back here and show us the link.
-Follow Mertado on Twitter and then come back here and show us the link.

The giveaway will close 12/23! Make sure you leave an email for me to contact you!

This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.

Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 – Diary week 2

Thank you to Ubisoft for providing me with a copy of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012 and sponsoring this fitness diary series. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.

Week two and I haven’t missed a day yet!

  • This week, I’m definitely noticing that the workouts are getting easier and that I have more stamina.
  • I’m used to muscle aches being due to a one-time event, like helping someone move.  After a couple days, they would go away and I’m back to “normal”.  Now the aches I’m feeling mean I’m stretching myself and I’ll be better than “normal” when they go away.
  • I’m pro-rut. That is, I like to do get in a habit (some good, some bad).  I so surprised that I’m now in the habit of exercising every morning.  I’m actually wondering what it will feel like the first day that I don’t get up and work out.
  • I’m feeling it in my ankles.  It’s a little weird, but I guess my ankles need strengthening also.
  • There are targeted exercise routines for different parts of the body, so you can focus on your arms or your abs, etc.  Since I’m on the “shape up” program, I’ve been trying out a little of all of them (except the one listed as “sports preparation”, that one seems a little too intense for me.)
  • The loading times between exercises is easier to handle now that I’m not just doing the two-minute starter ones.  I don’t mind a little break.
Bootcamp
Bootcamp: That's not me on the right

When I first started it had me select an objective, and I said I wanted to “shape up and slim down”.  It then set a goal for 360 minutes of exercise (30 minutes a day, 3 days a week, for 4 weeks).  But at the end of last week, I was only at 6% done.  I figured out my problem.  As part of its plan for me, it wants me to choose from a set of specific activities.  Unfortunately for me, that set doesn’t include a lot of the very basic easy ones.  Now that I’m ready to move from light to medium exercise, I’m doing more from the “shape up” set and am now up to 22% done meeting my objective.  I’m planning on hitting 100% before the end of the year.  It’s also showing me as burning almost 600 calories so far, but most of those were this week as well.

I’ll be posting diary updates every week for the next three weeks.  Here’s week 1. After that, we’ll be giving away a free copy of YFSE to a random commenter chosen from the comments on one of the five diary posts, including this one.

Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 – Diary week 1

Thank you to Ubisoft for providing me with a copy of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012 and sponsoring this fitness diary series. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.

I’m not into fitness.  I lead a fairly sedentary life and I like it that way.  I like the weather to be 72 degrees and fluorescent.  So it’s not shocking that I’m out of shape. I’m also software developer and my hobbies are programming, playing computer and board games, and watching TV.   That’s why I jumped at the chance to review Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012, or YSFE for short.  My wife just picked up an Xbox 360 on a Black Friday sale and this way I get to work out and play video games at the same time!

I just saw a post on Lifehacker on giving your New Year’s resolution a 30-day trial, and I’m already doing that!  YSFE recommends 3 workouts a week, but I’ve been doing it every morning this week.  I left the house this morning at 5:30, but I still got up a little earlier that I would have so that I could work out. My biggest surprise was that I had more energy than I did before.  I had been planning on going to bed earlier to offset the early mornings, but I didn’t and I still had more energy all day.

Some notes from Week 1:

  • There’s a several minute intro video that you have to watch once per person.  I first watched it when my wife was signed in, then had to watch it again before my first workout.
  • The Kinect interface works very well. We have a Wii Fit Plus, which works well for specific activities, but the Kinect really tracks all of your movements pretty accurately for working out and for navigating through the menus.
  • Some of the warm-ups are really fun.  My favorite is the Wall Breaker which is basically a punching and kicking game.
  • Waiting for each workout to load seems to take a long time, and it either shows you how to do the workout (for the simple warm-up ones) or it shows a health fact or tip.  But there’s only a few tips and they repeat over and over.
  • The workouts are targeted at specific areas, like cardio or glutes, and do a good job demonstrating the exercises as well as monitoring you and telling you when you’re not doing them right.  This is very helpful since I tend to cheat (that is score the points with the least amount of effort).
  • Also, I’m so out of shape that I often run out of steam during the longer routines. (I’m expecting this to change over the next few weeks.)  Some of the workouts expect dumbells, but I wasn’t prepared.
  • There’s a wide variety of activities from running through Manhattan to performing a Bollywood dance number.  It may take me a month to try them all.
The Sumo Squat: My next challenge

My goal when I started YSFE was to slim down so that I could fit more comfortably in some of my older clothes (I think they shrink over time).  I can’t tell if that’s happening but I can certainly say that my energy level is way up and I think I’m going to try to stick to my every day schedule.  If I can make it to New Year’s Eve, I might actually have enough energy to stay up until midnight this year!

I’ll be posting diary updates every week for the next four weeks.  After that, we’ll be giving away a free copy of YFSE to a random commenter chosen from the comments on one of the five diary posts, including this one.