Minted.com Review and Giveaway

I am far from an interior decorator, but I do enjoy adorning my walls with travel memories. My dining room features a canvas print of this picture. My living room is decked out in photos I have taken on various trips to Europe. My hallway has black and white prints from Paris. When we decorated Big Arrow's big boy room, we chose airplanes as a theme. We use a blanket my husband got in India as our bedspread. I love to be inspired by and reminded of travel adventures all over my home.

Because of our upcoming move to England, one of my goals for 2013 has been to be braver. I know this experience will force me out of my comfort zone in so many ways. But I want to embrace the experience with open arms. When else in our lives will we have this chance? One way to encourage this is to, once again, surround myself with positive messages.

So when minted.com (you might know the site as a popular place for wedding invitations) contacted me to host a review and giveaway, the first thing I did was type "travel" into their search feature. When this print popped up, I knew it had to be the first thing to hang on the walls of our new home in England:

Passports with Purpose: Win an Ergobaby Carrier

Like many travel bloggers around the world, I'm honored to once again be participating in Passports with Purpose. If you're unfamiliar with this annual event, it's a virtual fundraiser among travel bloggers and their readers. Bloggers procure prizes and our readers donate in order to win. Simple enough. This year, we're raising money to build two wells in Haiti. We're aiming for $100,000. You'll help us, won't you?

This year, I'm excited to be contributing a prize for the first time. And I could not be more in love with what I'll be giving away.

If I had to name one product that makes traveling with a baby or young toddler easier, more comfortable and more convenient, it would definitely be my Ergobaby carrier. I never take it out of my car so that I'm always ready for impromptu adventures, it joins us on every trip we take, and Little Arrow (who turns 1 this week!) has called it home for quite a bit of his life on the road thus far.

I'm basically a walking billboard for this thing. In fact, I'll be sharing a picture of my family using the Ergo each and every day of the Passports with Purpose fundraiser on my Facebook page. It's just so versatile.

Use it hiking, like our trip to Clifty Falls State Park.

Or use it on the beach, which I did in Florida last winter.

It's essential for navigating big cities, and makes taking public transportation, like the light rail in Minneapolis, a breeze.

I didn't have an Ergo when I traveled with Big Arrow (now 3 1/2) when he was a baby. So I can tell you from firsthand experience just how comfortable this product is compared to other baby carriers. I'm somewhat petite, and yet I've managed to bring two pretty big baby boys into this world. I've literally worn Little Arrow in the Ergo for hours at a time, and I'm not the least bit sore or uncomfortable. It's really amazing.

More reasons to love the Ergo:

• The Ergobaby carrier, along with the Ergobaby travel pack, make traveling and exploring with a baby or young toddler practically hands-free. And trust me, you need your hands for the hundreds of other tasks of parenting... taking pictures, wiping noses, fetching snacks, finding pacifiers...
• It's machine washable. You really don't appreciate that feature until you need it.
• You can take it through airport security. Who wants to wake a sleeping baby when flying? Because there's no metal components to this carrier, you'll walk right through without disturbing baby, other than a quick hand check.
• The sun shade. Little Arrow spent hours on the beach or by the lake this summer. Mostly, he spent this time snoozing away in the Ergo, protected by the innovative sun shade.

So how do you win one? Easy. Head over to Passports with Purpose. There you'll see a listing of all the prizes that are being given away, including my prize (details below). For each $10 donation you make to this important cause, you'll receive one entry toward the prize of your choice.

The Details:

• A black Ergobaby Performance Carrier (like the one shown here)
• A black Ergobaby Travel Pack (like the one shown here)
• I don't have one of these nifty travel packs, but I sure wish I did! It's essentially a diaper bag that connects right to your Ergobaby carrier.
• Dollar value of approximately $220.
• Prize can be shipped anywhere within the United States.

The Cause: This year, the team that organizes Passports with Purpose selected water.org as the organization that will receive all the money raised. It's hard to imagine a more basic need (fresh water) in a more deserving place (Haiti). You don't need me to convince you why this is a cause worth supporting, but let me just say this:

Did you flush a toilet today? Or pour your kids a sippy cup full of clean water? Or take a shower? Did you stop to give thanks for these things?

Then do so by helping to ensure your fellow man can do the same.

Not interested in an Ergo but still want to contribute? There are FABULOUS prizes available. Please check them out and donate generously.

And before I end this, big kudos to the generous sponsors that elevate this fundraiser to astounding levels and make our $100,000 goal within reach. They are:

• Platinum: Expedia
• Gold: TripIt
• Silver: tbex
• Bronze: HomeAway. TravellersPoint, HostelBookers, Go with Oh

Disclosure: I received the Ergobaby carrier that I'm giving away by having a blog post I wrote selected for inclusion on the Ergobaby website. I chose to donate this prize to this campaign. All opinions about the carrier are entirely my own, and I received the one I use as a gift from family.

Support Passports with Purpose

A while back, when I was a full-time working gal at a startup nonprofit, my boss encouraged me to read a book that he loved: Leaving Microsoft to Change the World by John Wood.* It is the true story of a former Microsoft executive who left the corporate world behind to change the world, one library and donated book at a time. Inspired by his travels to third world countries and burnt out from the 9 to 5 grind, he started a nonprofit called Room to Read that does just that: builds libraries from the ground up in some of the world's poorest communities. The experience, cooperation, and resulting educational resource changes these villages forever.

So what does this have to do with Arrows Sent Forth? I'm one of the many travel blogs supporting a program called Passports with Purpose, where we encourage donations with the ultimate goal of building two Room to Read libraries in Zambia. I participated in Passports with Purpose in 2010 also, and well over $50,000 was raised to build a village in India.

What's really fun about this fundraiser is that with each $10 donation, you can choose a particular prize to be entered to win. There are more than 88 prizes to choose from, ranging in worth from $100 to $4,200. Here are a few of my favorites:

• A $1,000 voucher to HomeAway: I'm a lover of rental properties when traveling, and I've used HomeAway many times. I also won a trip to Boston through a blogging contest they sponsored. It's a very reputable company with properties in just about every vacation spot you can imagine.
• Buckeye Lodging Package for Two: a 2-night stay at any Ohio State Park Lodge, including breakfast, dinner and gift shop credit. I've stayed at several Indiana State Park Inns and have always enjoyed that experience. I'd love to explore my neighbor to the east just a bit more with this prize.
• 2-Night Stay at the Affinia Hotel Manhattan: I really want to take my kids to New York, it's my favorite American city. But the cost of overnight lodging has kept us from booking a trip. Problem solved if we were to win this!
• 3-Night Stay for a Family of 4 at Beaches in Jamaica: I went to Jamaica on my honeymoon and would love to return with the whole family.

Click here to see the full list of Passports with Purpose prizes.

A much younger Big Arrow plays at our local library.

I'm a lover of libraries. Big Arrow and I visit our local library just about every week. He loves story hour and devours the books we bring home with us. I can't wait to introduce Little Arrow to such an amazing place. I can't imagine a world without libraries and books, but for so many people around the world, something as simple as a shelf of books is an inaccessible luxury. By supporting Passports with Purpose, you can do your part to change that for two communities in Zambia.

You must donate by December 16 in order to be entered into the prize drawings!

 
*Links to my Amazon Affiliate account. A small portion of any sales made through this link will come back to support this blog, but this does not in any way increase the cost of purchase for you.

Win Tickets to Max and Ruby Live

One of my favorite memories from last year was taking The Arrow to the Yo Gabba Gabba Live show. I know not everyone allows their kids to watch television (and I say bravo to anyone who manages to avoid it!). But taking The Arrow to a fancy theatre to see his favorite characters come to life was a really unique experience for him that I certainly won't forget. It can be hard to find age appropriate cultural experiences like this for toddlers and preschoolers, and at least these traveling shows provide a mechanism to do that.

The cost of these live shows can be prohibitive though, especially when you're pricing tickets for the whole family. So I'm excited to be giving away a family 4-pack of tickets to the upcoming Max and Ruby Live Show at the Murat Theatre in downtown Indianapolis.

Max and Ruby Live
Saturday, October 8
4 p.m. show (doors open at 3 p.m.)
Balcony seats (valued at $28.50 each)
Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
502 N. New Jersey Street



Giveaway Rules:
Deadline to enter is midnight on Sunday, October 2. On Monday, October 3, I will randomly draw one lucky winner. I will do my best to contact that winner (so make sure you provide some contact info!) You will have 24 hours to respond to me, and if I don't hear from you, then I will move on to another. So on and so forth.

4 Ways to Win:

• Please leave me a comment telling me your favorite kid-friendly outing.
• "Like" Arrows Sent Forth on Facebook and leave a comment to tell me you've done so. (If you already do, tell me that!)
• Follow me on Twitter at @arrowssentforth and leave a comment to tell me you've done so. (If you already do, tell me that!)
• Share a link to this giveaway through a social media outlet of your choice, and leave me a comment to tell me you've done so.

Good luck!

If you're visiting Arrows Sent Forth for the first time, and are from the Indianapolis-area, you may be interested in reading some of my family's Indiana Adventures. Perhaps it'll inspire your family to try a new destination and go on an Indiana adventure of your own! If so, I'd love to hear about it!

Disclosure: I received the family 4-pack of tickets to Max and Ruby Live free of charge from a local PR agency. I received no other compensation nor did I receive tickets to the show beyond this giveaway. This is just a way for me to thank you for reading and hopefully provide some fun family memories!

I'm linking up to Things I Love Thursday at The Diaper Diaries.

Staying in Jamaica Plain While Visiting Boston

When I learned I had won the HomeAway Blog Away contest and we would be heading to Boston for the 4th of July, the trip was already less than two months away. Needless to say, many of the HomeAway properties in the city were already booked for that time period.

I soon narrowed our search down to ArtHouse in Jamaica Plain. I knew nothing about Jamaica Plain, but the house itself met our needs perfectly, so I took a chance and booked it.

Jamaica Plain

Jamaica Plain, photo courtesy of Wikipedia

The minute we arrived in Jamaica Plain I knew it was a perfect fit. It reminded us so much of our old neighborhood in downtown Indianapolis--lots of one and two family homes just a few inches apart from each other. It also had a diverse mix of people that we love.

Plus, we were just steps away from the Stony Brook T station, meaning we could be in downtown Boston in about 10-15 minutes. While my initial preference was to stay in the heart of the city, it was actually nice to escape it throughout the day, give The Arrow a little more room to play, and just relax a bit more than we might have otherwise.

We didn't rent a car, and we certainly didn't need one while staying in Jamaica Plain. We were just a few blocks from several grocery stores, restaurants, and other life necessities. Our favorite restaurant in Jamaica Plain was Bella Luna, which I'm sure I'll be writing about soon. Great spot for gourmet pizza, with a beautiful outdoor patio.

So Much To Do

We soon learned that Jamaica Plain is a destination in and of itself. The Sam Adams Brewery was just around the corner from ArtHouse. We tried to take the tour, but the last tour of the day on our last day of the trip was already sold out when we arrived (so book in advance or arrive early if it's on your list of things to see).

There's also Jamaica Pond, which is another attraction we didn't get around to visiting. The Franklin Park Zoo and Arnold Arboretum are both just short T rides (or long walks) away. In fact, if we would have had another day in Boston, I think we would have just spent it exploring this vibrant area.

Southwest Corridor Park near the Stony Brook T station

As it turns out, our favorite feature of Jamaica Plain was Southwest Corridor Park. It basically stretches from Back Bay to Forest Hills along the orange T line. A portion of the park was directly across the street from ArtHouse, making it incredibly convenient for our family. This section of the park featured a large, grassy space crying out for a picnic, a basketball court, a large playground and a small splash pad for cooling off. Needless to say, The Arrow insisted we make a lot of stops here as we walked to and from the T.

ArtHouse

The HomeAway rental property that we selected is called ArtHouse. It was a great two-bedroom, one-bath two-family home. We rented the first floor, while the owners live on the 2nd floor. This meant they were accessible and helpful to us if we needed anything, but yet we all had our own space and privacy.

It was decorated very nicely, was very bright and cheery, and overall, just a really comfortable and clean place to relax and rest our heads at night. Perhaps our favorite feature, although we didn't use it as much as we would have liked, was the backyard patio area. Very shady and serene, a perfect place to crack open a beer or have a glass of wine after a day of sightseeing.

Backyard patio at ArtHouse in Jamaica Plain

ArtHouse was ideal for staying in Boston with a toddler. The owners also have a young child, and we were greeted with several baskets of toys and books to entertain The Arrow during our stay. The small yard meant we had some extra space, and the proximity to the park just can't be beat.

There are many, many reasons I prefer rental properties over hotels when traveling, and ArtHouse was no exception.

Disclosure

One of the requirements of winning the HomeAway contest was that we would spend a portion of the prize money on a HomeAway rental property. HomeAway covered all of the expenses associated with renting ArtHouse. I was not required to write about our experience staying there, and all opinions are my own. If I were traveling to Boston on my own dime, I would definitely consider renting this property.

For more information on our time in Boston, read my Boston Trip Report.

Like what you see? Then "like" Arrows Sent Forth on Facebook!

Boston for the 4th of July

A few weeks ago, I asked for your vote to help send my family to Boston over the July 4 holiday as part of HomeAway's Blog Away contest. Boy oh boy, did you deliver! (A special shout-out to my friends and family, who were absolutely shameless in their efforts to "get out the vote." The 2012 presidential hopefuls could learn a thing or two from them.) I'm happy to report that we won the contest, our flights are booked and our HomeAway house is rented. I say "we" because while I can't pack all of you in my suitcase (darn baggage fees!), I do plan to report back on all our fun adventures and maybe help to prepare you for your next trip to Boston. Because truly, it's just one of those cities you HAVE to visit. More than once.

Want a sneak peak at where we'll be staying? I've used HomeAway several times to book vacation rentals (long before they were sending me on trips!). We've always had a great experience and I'm sure this will be the same.

Ever since my sister and I were the Grand Marshals of our neighborhood 4th of July parade at the age of 5, this has always been my favorite holiday. I'm ecstatic to be visiting one of America's most patriotic cities over the 4th this year. If you read my essay, then you know that the last time my husband and I visited, the arrow was with us, although let's just say he was as contained as he could possibly be. I have a feeling this will be a 4th of July to remember for a long, long time as we experience Boston's Harborfest, culminating with fireworks set off from the Charles River in the heart of the city.

That's what I'm dreaming of this week. I'm eternally grateful for all your votes that made this trip possible for our family. And many, many thanks to HomeAway for offering such a great contest to travel bloggers. I highly recommend entering their next contest--and I promise to pay it forward and vote for you!

In the meantime, have you been to Boston with kids? Any suggestions as I begin planning our trip?

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips.

Disclosure: HomeAway is paying $2,000 of our travel expenses. For us, this means they'll cover all of our lodging costs and a portion of our flight costs. We will pay all other expenses. All opinions expressed about the trip, the contest and HomeAway are entirely my own and I was not asked to express a particular point of view. I am required to post a few entries on my blog about our trip, but if you spend any time around these parts, you know I would do that anyway.

Photo courtesy of Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular.

Send my family to Boston!

Last night as I was settling in for an evening of Top Chef Masters, I saw a tweet pop up that notified me I was a finalist in HomeAway's contest to win a trip to Boston over the 4th of July. I entered a few weeks ago, excited to share the story of my family's first trip to Boston (where I learned I was pregnant with the arrow).

I didn't think much would come of entering, but I'm thrilled to be one of three finalists. (And I'm honored to be joined by Lisa from The World is Calling, one of my favorite blogs, and Stephanie from Twenty-Something Travel.) You can read our entries here.

If you have a moment today, I would greatly appreciate your vote on the HomeAway Facebook page. Voting is only open for 24 hours, and you can only vote once on Facebook. If you have a Twitter account, you can vote as often as you'd like, using my Twitter name (@arrowssentforth) and the hashtag #HomeAwayContest. If you're a lazy tweeter like me, you can just copy/paste this:

I'm voting for @arrowssentforth in the #HomeAwayContest.

We promise to bring you all back a bowl of clam chowder if we win (and cute pictures of the arrow romping around Boston)!