I LOVE Summer & Family Vacations! #LittleMercies

This post is sponsored by Harlequin. All opinions are mine. 

Summer is one of my favorite seasons because it is one of the best times of the year to spend time with family, enjoy time outside and read books on the deck in the shade or on the beach! The book I am currently reading is perfect for summer and all the family time we have been enjoying: LITTLE MERCIES by Heather Gudenkauf, which became available in stores June 24, 2014.

I grew up looking forward to summer because of our annual summer vacations and road trips we would take in our big conversion van with all my siblings (some times more than TEN PEOPLE TOTAL!). We would travel all around the country, visiting different historical sites and beautiful locations like the Grand Canyon, Washington D.C., and many, many state parks. On our long road trips, a good book (or many!) were essentials to be packed. It got me through the long car rides and helped me fall asleep at night.

One of our many BIG family vacations!!!

We would camp in tents and eventually a pop up camper. The memories we made and the sights we saw will forever be remembered as some of my most cherished times!

Now that I have my own family, I can't wait to start making summer family vacation memories with my kids and husband like I did growing up.

Reading Little Mercies this summer really made me remember all those great family memories and cherish the great family I have. It is an unbelievably touching story that made me cherish my family and remember how blessed I am to be a mother and wife that is loved and that I can love back!

Find Out More About the Book:

• Visit Heather Gudenkauf’s Official Site
• Follow Heather Gudenkauf on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest
• Visit Little Mercies page on Goodreads
• Read an Excerpt from the Book

Check Out The Trailer:

* This post is sponsored by Harlequin. All opinions are mine.*

Buffets, Inc Prize Pack Giveaway

A product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.

In September, Garfield, America’s favorite food-loving cat, brought his fun and loveable grumpiness to your family at Buffets, Inc restaurants. Every Thursday night, kids 11 years and younger eat for just 99 cents at participating Buffets restaurants.

Get in on the fun by entering to receive Garfield-themed prize packs courtesy of the Buffets brands restaurants. The prize packs are valued at over $80.00 and each include: a Garfield tote bag from CafePress, Garfield cookbook from Gooseberry Patch, a Garfield lanyard with key fob and a glass cutting board from Gladiator Supply, a Garfield comic book from BOOM! Studios and two Be Our Guest cards for meals at any Ryan’s, HomeTown Buffet or Old Country Buffet. The prize pack is a great way for families to connect by doing enriching activities like cooking and reading together.

Visit It: You can visit a Buffets, Inc restaurant near you, including Ryan's, HomeTown Buffet and Old Country Buffet!

Win It: Buffets, Inc is generously offering (1) Garfield Prize Pack (includes Garfield tote bag from CafePress, Garfield cookbook from Gooseberry Patch, a Garfield lanyard with key fob and a glass cutting board from Gladiator Supply, a Garfield comic book from BOOM! Studios and two Be Our Guest cards for meals at any Ryan’s, HomeTown Buffet or Old Country Buffet)

Enter here for a chance to win:

(1) Buffets, Inc. Garfield Prize Pack 
(worth $80!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Thank you to Buffets, Inc for their product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Kids Bowl Free!

Summer for parents of school aged children can get to be REALLY LONGGGG if you don't have any fun activities plan for the kids! If you are at a loss for what to do this summer on a tight budget, then let me have the amazing pleasure of introducing you to Kids Bowl Free! It is such an amazing opportunity for children to bowl free this summer, get exercise, and have a ton of fun!

Kids Bowl Free is an amazing brand - designed by bowling centers to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure, and fun way for kids to spend time this summer. Select bowling centers and schools around the country are participating in the first ever Kids Bowl Free program.

Families can get two free games for up to six children per day, and family packs for the whole summer are $24.95. Children whose age does not exceed a limit by a participating bowling center are eligible to register for 2 free games a day, all summer long, courtesy of the participating bowling centers along with the schools and organizations.

If you like to bowl as a family, they also have a great deal for the whole family: the Family Pass! The Family Pass was created to allow for adult family members to enjoy bowling throughout the summer as well. The Family Pass starts from $24.95 and includes 2 GAMES PER PERSON PER DAY.

The Family Pass covers up to 4 adult family members. You may have 1, 2, 3, or 4 adults on the family pass. The price of the pass covers all 4 members.

My children are a little young still but I think my three year old will love having a chance to try bowling out and I know my husband and I are going to love our Family Pass because we LOVE to bowl together!

This is such a great program and it is a great chance for your children to get out of the house, stay out of trouble, and do a fun activity alone or with the whole family that will keep them active! Hurry over and sign your children up today at your local participating bowling center!

If you love this review and my site...

* Thank you to Kids Bowl Free for A Family Pass in exchange for posting! Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Keep Your Family Connected with Me in a Tree

For me, family is the most important thing in my life and raising children that are compassionate, loving, positive, and communicate openly with me and others is my top goal in life.

In this day and age, that is getting harder and harder to do. Children are more and more busy with sports and extra-curriculars, parents have to work harder and longer, and families aren't getting together and doing family activities together anymore. It is so sad to watch families and family values deteriorate.

So how do you stop this downward family spiral? You can start by using the awesome tools available out there to help families like the new online site Me in a Tree.

Me in a Tree is a new online organizational and communicating tool created to build stronger families. Me In A Tree makes a positive difference in the lives of families through fun, interactive, and easy-to-use online applications. These applications are designed to guide families to create consistency and certainty in family life. Me In A Tree believes that a positive family life is the best way to assist a child in achieving their full-potential and insuring they grow to become capable and caring individuals that contribute to a better society.

Me In A Tree guides and empowers parents to teach, motivate and nurture positive change in their families and children. They bring families together when busy schedules make it difficult. Their applications help develop open communication using an online platform designed to engage the whole family. Each family member gets to choose from our creative cast of characters, which families then use to interact with communication and organization tools.

My favorite tool from Me in a Tree is the Family Huddle.  The Family Huddle walks you through a fun game-like family meeting, getting the whole family talking, laughing and working together. It is a great way to make sure your family gets together, talks, and has fun!

So, if you see your family life deteriorating or you want to prevent that, make sure to head over to Me in a Tree and check out all their amazing tools for bringing your family together and making you stronger than ever!

If you love this review and my site...

* This post is brought to you by Me in a Tree. All opinion are 100% mine!*

Make Lasting Family Memories with the Globetrotters! #GlobieFamily

How do you bring your family together?

Doing family activities is one of the most biggest things my husband and I strive to keep important each and every day among the chaos of moving, have two children under 4 and living in someone else's house. It is the biggest reasons we made the big move to a bigger city and new area to do more family activities and get out more to make lasting memories with our children!

In the summer, there are endless possibilities and tons of fun things we love to do as a family: bike riding, going to the beach, walks every night, playing outside, going to the zoo, playing sports of all kinds, and so much more!

In the winter, it is a little harder to get out and do fun things but we still like to get out and go to the mall and walk around, go to the library, play in the snow, build snowman and go sledding!

And we even make memories just sitting in the house! We love to play hide and seek, build big towers with legos and blocks, big jungles with blankets, and so much more. No matter what we are doing, we normally end up on the floor laughing and smiling and that is what makes life fulfilling as a parent!

Bottom line: no matter what we are doing, as long as the four of us are together, we are having fun and making lasting memories. That is quality time and I love every moment of my time with my family! I love hearing my son talk about memories he remembers and cherishes...and he is only three years old! I can only imagine how many more we can make in the Many, many years to come!

One thing we are looking forward to in April is going to a Harlem Globetrotters game! No one in our family has ever been to a game but I have always wanted to because it looks like so much fun! My son loves basketball so I know he will love it too!

"The Harlem Globetrotters love seeing families laugh together during our games, and would love to see your family when we come to a city near you. If you're looking for an awesome event the whole family will enjoy, get your tickets to the Harlem Globetrotters "You Write the Rules" tour. Your family's smiles will start before you even get to the game because this year, your family can vote at harlemglobetrotters.com, and decide rules for the game like two balls in play at the same time that could affect the final outcome. After the game, Globetrotters will stay on court to sign autographs and take photographs with your kids. The only thing better than finding an event the whole family will enjoy, is getting a great deal on it. Save $7 per ticket* by using the promo code "TOGETHER". Get ready to experience a show your family will remember for a lifetime! *Discount available on select ticket levels"

So, if you are looking for a fun family activity, find out when and where the Globetrotters play near you!

And feel free to tell me your favorite family activities!

If you love this review and my site...

* Disclosure - I am part of the Harlem Globetrotters Affiliate program. I was given tickets to see the show. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Free Knight Training for Kids at Medieval Times and Medieval Times Tickets Giveaway

Hear ye! Hear ye! All m’lads and m’ladies who want to learn how to wield a sword and comport thyselves in true knightly manner, come forth!

This summer Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament in Schaumberg, IL is celebrating 20 years of being one of Chicagoland’s most popular family entertainment venues. In celebration, they’ve added Knight Training for children ages 5-12 who attend the first Sunday performances this summer though August (closed toed & heeled shoes required). This up-close-and-personal Knight Training is offered FREE to children with a paid ticket, immediately prior to sessions given by the Castle’s own Knights and hosted by the Lord Chancellor and the King himself! For the first time ever these exclusive sessions are the first show each Sunday, between June 26 and Labor Day 2011 at the Medieval Times Castle, 2001 N. Roselle Road, Schaumburg, IL.

Medieval Times’ one-of-a-kind Knight Training sessions transport kids back to the days when being a Knight meant living by a code of honor and chivalry, and the fate of a man or a kingdom hung in the outcome of a sword fight. Medieval Times invites kids to step behind the scenes and into the action of a royal tournament, with a special weapons demonstration and Knightly comportment training. In addition, the young Knights-in-Training will engage in sword fighting sequences under the watchful guidance of the brave Medieval Times Knights. At the culmination of this exhilarating experience, King Phillippe will dub all the participants Knights of his realm!

After the Knight Training, witness a royal tournament and feast on a bountiful four-course dinner fit for a King, joining fellow audience members to cheer for the brave Knight on horseback as he competes in medieval games of skill. See exciting sword fights and an authentic jousting tournament and experience heart pounding excitement as the Knights battle one another to become the Kings’ champion.

There's a reason Medieval Times is the No. 1 dinner attraction in North America: Their unique combination of a medieval banquet and thrilling competition between Knights captures the imaginations of all ages.

Buy It: You can make reservations and see more information at www.medievaltimes.com/chicago or call 1-888-WE-JOUST (888-935-6878)

Win It: Medieval Times is generously offering (2) tickets to any first Sunday performance (good through September) to a lucky winner!

Enter here for a chance to win:

(2) Medieval Times Tickets 
in Schaumberg, IL
(Worth $119.90!!!)

Ok, here are the rules:

1) This giveaway will end August 8, 2011 at 12:00 P.M. (noon) central time.

2) Must include email address in at least one comment/entry to qualify to win (so I can let you know you won) or tell me it is in your profile

3) This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and only one person per household is eligible to enter each giveaway.

4) Tickets are for Medieval Times in Schaumberg, IL and are valid for the first performance on any Sunday through September.

How to Enter:

***Mandatory Entry***

(must do this one before all others to qualify to win)

- Be a follower of The Review Stew on Google Friend Connect (publicly) or subscribe to my site by clicking on the orange button on the top right corner and tell me which one you did in a comment below

Help on how to Enter:
*Just go to the right side of the site and click the word FOLLOW below the "My Faithful Friends". Sign in and finish by clicking "follow this site". This only needs to be done once and you are then a follower! Just go down to bottom of page and click on "Post a Comment" Let me know there that you are a follower! You are now eligible to enter any giveaway in the future.*

Extra Entries
(Make a separate comment for each! The entries below are all optional entries that just give you a better chance to win. They are not mandatory to be entered to win the prize.)

1) Subscribe to my feed (top right corner) or subscribe by email (must confirm address) on right hand side of blog - let me know you did in a comment

2) Let me know in a comment if you are a Facebook fan of The Review Stew

3) Follow The Review Stew on Twitter - let me know in a comment below

4) Become a Facebook fan of Medieval Times and let me know in a comment below

5) Tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the following Tweet over on Twitter once per day. (leave status link) (one entry per day)

Copy & Paste Tweet:

#Win TWO @MedievalTimes Tickets from @TheReviewStew! http://goo.gl/fb/Dlufj US Only! Ends 8-8 #giveaway

6) Follow Medieval Times on Twitter and Tweet that @thereviewstew sent you!

7) Grab my blog button and post it on your blog - let me know you did and the link to your blog in a comment.

8) Enter any of my other giveaways - see the list on right hand side of blog. Let me know each giveaway entered in a comment (up to 5 entries only for giveaways entered)

9) Vote for my blog on Top Baby Blogs, Top Mommy Blogs, We're On the Fence (feel free to leave a comment or rate our site - it would be greatly appreciated!) - make a separate comment for each (can vote once per day for each site)

If you like my site and giveaways... 

Winners will be chosen randomly by Random.org, contacted by email and Medieval Times will send your prize by mail.

* Thank you to Medieval Times for their product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Making Memories with Bunk Beds!

I am going to share some family memories with you today!

I have seven siblings... Yes, there are eight children in my family and they are all from just TWO parents - my mom and dad! (And yes, my mom is a saint! :)

The oldest is 29 and the youngest is 12. There are six girls and two boys (yes, once again, I know my mom is a saint! :)

So...people often ask me how growing up with a big family was. Well, it was fun, crazy, crowded, loud and you learned to eat really fast or you didn't get food! :)

One thing that I really had a love/hate relationship with was sharing a room with my older sister for over 17 years! We shared bunk beds that entire time and we definitely had our share of fights! I was never clean enough for her and she also wanted me to "cuddle" with her in bed!

When I look back at my childhood now that I am a mother, I don't know how my mom did it! All of us children fit in three bedrooms which meant there were three sets of bunkbeds in our house! I know she was always on the lookout for bunk beds on sale because it seemed like there were never enough beds! :)

Nowadays, there are some really cool bunk beds I have run across, like the L-shaped bunk beds (shown above). We never had any quite as cool as those but the ones we did have lasted for over 20 years! My parents still has two of the original sets in the house!

One of my funniest memories sharing a bunk bed with my sister is when I used to be on the bottom bunk and I would stick my feet up against the bunk support and push up so my sister was "jumping" in her bed! She didn't appreciate that (especially when she was sleeping!) but that made me like doing it even more! :)

Well, I learned my lesson the time that it cracked and I was forever afraid that my sister and her top bunk was going to come crashing down on me while I slept!

Did you use bunk beds growing up?? What are your favorite memories from your childhood??