Throwback Thursday~Hip Hop Boy

Look at those curls!  Hip Hop Boy at his finest.

Tire Discounters-Making Mom a happy camper! *GIVEAWAY*

Going to be really honest with you-I detest taking my car to the shop.  Most of the time I have a child (at least one) with me whose Nintendo DS dies just as we sit down for the hour and a half long wait to have the brakes repaired.  Or they decide they are hungry 5 minutes into the 45 minute oil change/radiator flush procedure.  Or they totally flip out over the book they forgot to bring for the hour long tire changing routine.  If I don't have a child with me then I'm sitting there, waiting ever so (not) patiently for my car repair to be taken care of while I think of the thousand other things I really should/could/ought to be doing...uncomfortable, hungry and cranky like as not.

Then, like a flash of light from heaven, I received an email that changed my life.  Tire Discounters has created a "store of the future" and most of the changes they made were done so keeping in mind that their biggest clientele base is comprised of women.  That's right ladies, someone is finally figuring out that We Run The World!

Check out some of the amazing changes they've made to their stores:

• Energy efficient glass used in the nearly all glass front store to reduce heat.
• Recycled rubber materials in flooring and landscaping
• LED lighting and reflective roofing
• Digital in-store presentations on the nice flat screen tvs will keep you up to date as to where your car is in line
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Refreshment bar
• Variety of television programming
• Child's play area and family restrooms with diaper changing stations

They had me at refreshment bar.  Oh, and Wi-Fi.  So, what they are saying is that you can finally do what your husbands think you are doing anyway: Sit on a comfy seat, eat refreshments, check your Facebook and watch t.v. while letting someone else do the work. Yippee!  I wonder if they have bon-bons?  Where do I sign up??

Tire Discounters have gone one better...they've given  me a $25 gift card so that you can check out all of the good stuff for yourself!  One lucky reader can take her kids (or NOT) and have the oil changed in comfort at your local Tire Discounters store!  Woohoo!

Here's how to enter-

Tell me your worst "waiting on the car repair" story

Everyone has one of those 'I wanted to die of embarrassment' or 'I was about ready to go Kung Fu on that guy' stories.  Let's hear it!

Extra entries, you say?  Sure, why not!

• Check out the website and tell me which great service you'll be using your gift card for.  
• Share this giveaway-Facebook, Twitter, email, phone....get the word out!

That's it!  3 ways to enter, 3 chances to win!  Here are those pesky details:  Must be 18 and a resident of the tri-state area to win.  Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  If your email is not attached in blogger please leave it along with your comment so that I can reach you when you win.  Winner will be drawn and notified by email and on our Facebook page on Friday, May 31 at 5 PM.  Winner will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Good Luck and thanks for reading In A Galaxy!

disclosure: In A Galaxy was provided with 2-$25 gift cards-one for my personal use so that I could try out the coolness that is the new Tire Discounters for myself, and one to share with my readers.  All opinions contained herein are 100% my own.

 

Summerfair 2013 *GIVEAWAY*

It's that time of year again....pools will be opening soon, schools finally dismissing for the summer (yikes!), cookouts and boats on the river and Taste of Cincinnati downtown.  And along with all of these awesome summer traditions there is one of the artiest (artsiest? artful??) ones...Summerfair Cincinnati!!

This is an amazing tradition that is in it's 46th year!!  Can you believe that?!  It's an amazing collection of some of the coolest and most amazing artists you'll find anywhere in the world.  It's not just for you grown-ups either....this is an event for the whole family!

This is just a little taste of our visit from 2 years ago.  There really is a little bit of everything!  Even tasty treats... 

Music...

And fun for the kids!!

This is one that you don't want to miss!!

Want to hear something cool?  I have a pair of tickets to GIVEAWAY!!!  Woot!  First, here's the details on the event. 

Days to visit are:

• Friday, May 31:           2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Friday, May 31:           7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. (Little Black Dress Event--tickets are $15)
• Saturday, June 1:       10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Sunday, June 2:          10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

 

Cost to enter is $10 for adults and children over 12, children 12 and under are FREE!!  Parking is also FREE, courtesy of Summerfair Cincinnati!  The event takes place at Coney Island- 13 miles from downtown Cincinnati off of Interstate 275 at Kellogg Avenue.  

Want to enter to win?  OF course you do!  Just leave me a comment answering this question....

What was your favorite craft to do as a child?

Was it the classic potholder maker (did those loom things have a name?) or maybe colorforms?  I loved those!  Let me know what your favorite craft was and you are entered to win!

Extra entries:

• Check out the Summerfair website and let me know what you think you'll enjoy the most about your visit.
• Share this giveaway with your friends in whatever way you like to do so:  Tweet it, Facebook it, blog it, phone a friend, email it...just get it out there!

Please leave a separate comment for each entry IN THIS BLOG POST in order to qualify to win.  

Winner will receive two tickets valued at $10 each (and kids under 12 are free so take the whole family!)  This is a super quick giveaway...Winner will be drawn on Sunday, May 26 at NOON.  Winner will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  Please make sure I have a way to contact you by leaving me your email when you leave your comment.

For more information about Summerfair Cincinnati or the Little Black Dress Event please visit them at their website.  Good Luck!!!

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a pair of tickets for my personal use as well as a pair of tickets to give away on my blog in exchange for spreading the word about this event.  That being said, you can be assured that the opinions contained herein are 100% honest and all mine and were not influenced by anyone but the voices in my head.

Menu Plan Monday

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Another Monday, another menu plan.  I've been participating in Orgjunkie.com's Menu Plan Monday and what a difference it makes in the way our week goes!  Not only do we eat better because we are eating home cooked meals but it saves us so much money.  Looking for inspiration?  Check out her Menu Plan Monday post and find tons of menus and new recipes to try out.

Without further ado here is our plan for the week:

• Sunday-Sandwiches and leftovers (because Mom really needed to grocery shop!)

• Monday-Grilled boneless pork loin with grilled fingerling potatoes, zucchini, squash and asparagus and we're trying grilled Italian kale!

• Tuesday-Grilled BBQ chicken breasts with broccoli, cauliflower and baked potatoes on the grill

• Wednesday-dress rehearsal for the talent show which means grabbing an easy dinner out (not the best plan but unfortunately the only one I think is realistic)

• Thursday-Talent Show!  Vegetable beef soup in the crockpot and quick grilled cheese sandwiches before we head out the door for the show. 

• Friday-Grilled burgers with baked potatoes, corn on the cob and green beans 

• Saturday-busy busy busy!  Free Comic Book Day, a sweet 1st birthday party for a beautiful little girl, and night out for the (grown up) boys means that mom and the babies are on their own for dinner (salad for me, pizza for them)

I'm sure you've noticed the common theme here is the grill.  I LOVE that we have a grill now and that it's warm enough to be outside and cook dinner.  Less clean up.  Tastier.  Healthier!  I'm all about doing as much on the grill as possible (even the baked potatoes).  Tonight we had the pork chops, zucchini/squash AND potatoes all from the grill...I did the veggies straight out on the grill with a layer of foil beneath and made foil packets for the potatoes and they were yummy!  Has anyone tried pizza on the grill?  That's next on my list of "to try"!

Have a great week!

Advanced Autoparts Monster Jam~GIVEAWAY

Congratulations Vicki and Heidi!!  You are our Monster Jam winners!  Stay tuned for another great giveaway coming soon and thank you for reading In A Galaxy!!


Finally!  Monster Jam GIVEAWAY!!!  I know you've been waiting for this....my kids are SO excited and I'm betting yours are too!  I mean c'mon....Grave Digger?!  Awesome!

Monster Jam will be in town for two dates, three showtimes: 

Friday, April 5 at 7 PM
Saturday, April 6 at 2 PM or 7 PM

Just to get you excited all over again here's the video:

::::GIVEAWAY::::

Want to win tickets?  I bet you do!  I have TWO family 4-packs of tickets to give away and it's easy to enter.  First, the most important (mandatory) entry...just take a shot at answering this trivia question:

1. Average number of cars crushed at Advanced Autoparts Monster Jam shows per year: _____________________.
1. 3,000
2. 500
3. 1,000

Go ahead, give it your best shot!  Leave your guesstimate in the comments and you are entered to win!  Want some bonus entries?  Of course you do!  (please leave a separate comment for each entry IN THIS POST to qualify):

Bonus Entries:

1. Share this giveaway: Facebook, email, phone call...get the word out!
2. Sign up for email notifications from In A Galaxy (at the top, on the right) so you don't miss out on any great giveaways!
3. Tweet this giveaway: Enter to win @MonsterJam tickets on @InAGalaxyblog! #CincyMonsterJam

That's it!  That's four ways to enter, so four chances to win!  Now for those pesky details: Must be 18 and a legal resident of the Greater Cincinnati area to win.  Winners will be randomly drawn on March 30 and announced both in this post and on Facebook.  If your email isn't attached in blogger please make sure to leave it along with your comment.  Winners will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn.  Winner chooses date and show time.  Tickets will be made available at Will Call at US Bank Arena, you must have valid photo ID to claim them.

Don't forget-you can still use this awesome discount code if waiting to find out you won isn't your thing: 
 

Exclusive MONSTER JAM 4 FOR $40 FAMILY PACK!!  Parents can save up to $32.  All you have to do is simply log onto www.ticketmaster.com, select from the Fam 4 pack dropdown menu and use the code FAMILY to receive your 4 for $40 Family Pack.

You can also pick up a Pit Pass for $10 if you are attending the Saturday 2 PM show.  

The Party in the Pits on Saturday, April 6, 2013 from 11:30am – 1pm gives fans the opportunity to get a view of the trucks up close and meet the drivers of the massive monster trucks.

Check out Monster Jam on Facebook for updates and more information.    

Increase your chance to win by entering these great giveaways as well:

• The Little Things
• Little World After All
• I'm Living the Good Life
• A Bird and a Bean
• Adventure Mom  

 Good Luck!

I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events.

{this moment}

inspired by SouleMama:

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

He keeps growing, and Daddy keeps holding him up to see the action....

Happy Friday!

Do you wanna Monster Jam?

Monster trucks. I have your attention right?  What if I said-Grave Digger!  Now I KNOW I have your attention!  Who doesn't love Monster Trucks?  I mean really?  You don't have to be an automobile nut to get into watching ginormous trucks make roadkill out of smaller vehicles and each other.  That's just good clean fun!  Check out this video:



See what I mean?  So, I'll be honest...I'm going to have a few tickets to give away.  How many, you ask?  Well, that's a great question....I'll have TWO family 4 packs of tickets to give away!!  I know, right??  Pretty amazing!  In the meantime though you can take advantage of an incredible deal and not wait to find out if you win:

Exclusive MONSTER JAM 4 FOR $40 FAMILY PACK!!  Parents can save up to $32.  All you have to do is simply log onto www.ticketmaster.com, select from the Fam 4 pack dropdown menu and use the code FAMILY to receive your 4 for $40 Family Pack.

How amazing is that?!  So go ahead and "dig" in to get that "monster" deal! (see what I did there?)  And I'll be back tomorrow with the GIVEAWAY!!!

I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events.