Category: Contests

Contests and monthly group writing projects from MamaBlogga: mom’s search for meaning.

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Contests

Giveaway: one free professional photo montage

I’ll confess: I’m a terrible mom. I have never, ever gotten professional portraits of my son. As part of my birthday gift last week, my mother (and sisters and brother-in-law) absconded with Hayden (and Marty) while I was at dinner and got professional portraits made. Since they’re copyrighted, I can’t post full-sized images, but here are the thumbnails from the website (fair use!):

thumbnail of professional portraits, 26 months

Can I just say that these are ridiculously cute? Not having been there during the shoot (or ever before), I’m absolutely amazed at what the photographer got Hayden to do.

Now, here comes the good part: I have four coupons to give away for a free 8×12 Perfect Treasure photo montage.

To be eligible, you must be a first-time customer to Kiddie Kandids (ie, you’ve never been there before). Please check their website or call 1-888-503-5336 to make sure that there’s a studio near you before signing up. The offer expires 17 May 2008 (hello Mother’s Day gift!). And warning: adorable photos of your children are addicting.

To get a coupon for a free 8×12 photo montage, leave a comment on this post before Monday, 14 April 2008*. If more than four people sign up, I’ll have a random drawing for the four winners. Please do not leave your mailing address here—I’ll contact the winners via email to get a mailing address.

* UPDATE: As of 15 April, I still have two certificates to give away—sign up before Thursday, 16 April 2008 for a chance to win!

Yes, I get something out of this if you use the coupon (AKA “Referral certificate”), but my mom didn’t remember what that was. And knowing me, by the time I get around to using it, it’ll have expired. So, hey, take a free photo. They’re adorable.

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Contests

March/April Group Writing Project Finale

It’s late I know, but we’re finally to the finale of the latest GWP. The March/April Group Writing Project was all about “Savoring the season.” With 22 great entries, we have a wonderful array of seasonal delights:

All of these great entries clearly took time and consideration. Read through them and find inspiration from mothers in all seasons of life.

Now, feel free (but, of course, not compelled) to spread the link love by copying the above list (instructions) and posting it to your own blog.

The Winna!
Chosen at random, the winner of our prize, a $30 Amazon.com gift certificate, is <drum roll>…

Savouring the season(s) by Jen

Congratulations, Jen, on not only winning the gift certificate (again, she was chosen at random!) but also on writing a wonderful entry! The gift certificate will be winging its way (electronically) to you soon!

Still working on your entry? Even though we’ve awarded our prize, we’ll continue to accept, read, link to and comment on submissions through next week.

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Contests

March/April GWP Days Three through Seven

Oh, dear, I’m behind again! Sorry I let this slip; don’t worry, I received your GWP entries, and here they are, the last, wonderful dozen of them:

Please read and comment on these wonderful submissions—I know I have!

Thanks for your patience; the final list (and the winner!) will be announced tomorrow!

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Kids/Parenting Fulfillment Contests

Savor the seasons of motherhood

I have to be honest. While spring is my favorite season of the year, it didn’t really have much to do with my choice of the GWP theme for March/April. Instead, the theme was inspired by a quotation, source long since lost, that a good friend’s mother shared with her:

Wise is the woman who cherishes each season
and cheerfully anticipates the next.

My friend shared this quotation during a lesson in church on having patience. Most of us in the room were mothers, many with young children—and I think we all recognized the very common human tendency to want to rush or move on through the difficult times of parenting.

Focusing solely on the future, the next season of our lives, robs many of us of the joy of today. We dwell on the difficulties that bedevil us now: lack of sleep, kids’ eating problems, overwhelming amounts of housework, lack of time with our children and/or spouse, kids’ tantrums, and on and on. We could all likely spend hours listing the things about motherhood that leave us dissatisfied. For me, at least, after I’ve done that, all I’m left with is dissatisfaction.

When I stop brooding over the “bad” parts of motherhood, however, suddenly my charge is less of a chore. When I look at the cute and sweet things that my son already does, when I marvel at the ways he’s grown and continues to grow every day, I don’t think about the drudgery that it was.

arty b/w photo of Hayden at 26 months

Perhaps hindsight is 20/20; perhaps memory is blind. But as I look back over Hayden’s brief life, my chief regret (aside, possibly, from mildly spoiling him 😉 ) is not enjoying him more, even during the difficult times.

So today, I’ll savor the season. Today, I will do the work of motherhood, and I will choose to be happy. Tomorrow I’ll be able to look back with fond memories of the time I spent today. And I’ll be ready for the challenges—and joys—that tomorrow will surely bring.

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Contests

March/April GWP Days One and Two

Happy birthday to me! Yep, today is my birthday, and I’m now a quarter-century-old. Mm hm.

But I haven’t forgotten about the GWP! So far we’ve had ten great entries:

As always, I encourage you to read and comment on all the entries!

Don’t forget to submit your entry today!

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Contests

March/April Group Writing Project

This writing project has ended. Please view the full list of wonderful entries at the March/April GWP Finale, and subscribe to MamaBlogga to find out about the next group writing project!

I know you’re all excited for spring. I would be too, if it hadn’t snowed on my springtime parade yesterday….

Anyway, in honor of this time of year, the theme for the March/April Group Writing Project is “Savoring the season.” As always, feel free to go in any direction that appeals to you. Even if you don’t choose to participate, you can encourage others to participate!

  • Your post can take any form as long as it reflects this theme—this includes anything from serious to sarcastic, about your children, your future children, your pet, etc.
  • You can participate with a blog post, a podcast, a video, a page on your website, etc., etc. If you don’t have a website, contact me and I’ll be happy to publish your entry here on MamaBlogga.
  • Only NEW posts (i.e., posts have not been published prior to 30 March 2008) are eligible. Posts must be submitted through the submission form before Sunday, 6 April 2008.

Why participate?
There are lots of reasons to participate! All entries that meet the guidelines will be listed and linked to here on MamaBlogga. This an opportunity for you to discover new blogs (and for others to discover yours!). In July, I came up with five ways to get the most out of the GWP.

And, of course, there is one more incentive: one lucky post author, drawn at random, will receive a $30 gift certificate to Amazon.com (to be announced Monday, 7 April 2008).

Finally, we’d appreciate it if you linked to this post or to the guidelines/submission form on your entry post so that others can learn about the project and participate.

Now get writing!