Passports with Purpose: Win a $100 UncommonGoods gift certificate!

The online travel blogging fundraiser, Passports with Purpose, is back again, this time working with buildOn to raise money to build schools and adult literary centers in Mali. Passports with Purpose groups together many travel bloggers from around the world who collect prizes from various sponsors to give away in return for donations to a particular cause (in 2013, we're supporting the charity buildOn). You can read more about Passports with Purpose here.

I participated in the fundraiser last year, but my heart feels even fuller for its cause this year. A big development happened in the Arrows Sent Forth family back in September, which I haven't shared much about on the blog. But Big Arrow started school (kids in England start full-time at 4, as opposed to 5 or 6 in the U.S.)

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.

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.

The Flying V at the NCAA Hall of Champions

Football season is in full gear around here. We're cheering on our favorite teams (c'mon Peyton, we NEED you!), I'm cooking up a big pot of chili this weekend, and our city is even preparing to host the biggest of all football celebrations, the Super Bowl!

Not only is Indy home to this enormous sporting event in February 2012, but it's also where you'll find the NCAA Hall of Champions, a museum dedicated to collegiate sports. This statue will greet you as you enter the museum:

If you know anything about football, you might recognize this formation at the Flying V or Flying Wedge. It's because of the Flying V and it's dangerous impact on the sport that the NCAA was formed. It was causing serious injuries, even deaths, and colleges and universities began to organize in order to address the situation. Soon the NCAA was formed. The Flying V has since been banned in nearly all organized sports. (More about the history of the NCAA is here.)

If you're visiting Indianapolis with kids, particularly those interested in sports, the NCAA Hall of Champions would be a great spot to burn off some energy!

If You Visit:
NCAA Hall of Champions
700 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10-5, and Sunday, 12-5.
Adult admission is $5. Kids 5-18 are $3. 5 and under are free.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Like what you see? Then "like" Arrows Sent Forth on Facebook! And speaking of fun attractions in Indianapolis, I've got a great giveaway planned for next week if you live in the area. Be sure to check back and enter!

Disclosure: I was invited to tour the NCAA Hall of Champions as part of a White River State Park press trip, which included my admission. I was under no obligation to write about my time at the museum, and all opinions expressed are my own.

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)!

Passports with a Purpose: How you can help build a village in India

A few months back, I heard about a really amazing campaign among a group of travel bloggers called Passports with a Purpose. Last year, this group raised an astonishing $30,000, which was used to build a school in rural Cambodia. You can read about the school here.

This year, the goal is even loftier: $50,000 to build a village in India. My husband traveled to India a couple of years ago. He loved every minute he spent there (especially the food!) but was astonished at the poverty he witnessed (and he was being shuttled from major city to major city, so I doubt he saw the worst of it.)

How does a group of travel bloggers raise that kind of money? It's pretty genius, actually. Many of the bloggers procure a prize from a generous sponsor. Then they encourage their readers to donate to the cause. For each $10 donated, you can register to win a particular price.

I don't have an amazing prize to offer. But I am including Passports with a Purpose in my holiday giving plans, and I hope you'll consider doing the same. While I'd love to win a prize (you can see a list here), my motivation and heart lies with a group of Dalits (India's untouchables) who desperately need housing, training and agricultural assistance. All money donated goes directly to Friends of LAFTI Foundation, an NGO that specializes in assisting impoverished Indian villages.

It's none of my business what your world view is, how you choose to spend your hard-earned money, and who you choose to help. But me? I firmly believe that never in history has our world been more interconnected. To some, that's scary. Instead, I think it means the horizon never really ends, and that we're all neighbors on this great big planet. It's why I travel, it's why I want my son to grow up traveling. So what's the use in building one village in a country where thousands, if not millions, of others need help? Well, to those people, my neighbors, it's everything.

Now you know what the PwP button on the left is all about. I hope you'll give it a click. Over the next few weeks, mostly on Tuesdays, I'll be profiling some of the other participants and their prizes.

Today I'm linking up with Best Family Travel Advice. From here, you can see a few of the posts people are writing today in recognition of Passports with a Purpose's launch.

Drum roll please...

Happy to announce that Random.org selected Comment #10 as the winner of the Yo Gabba Gabba cd. Jessyca, I've sent you a message with all the details, be sure to write me back by Nov. 7 or another winner will be selected. Thanks to all who commented!

Hope everyone had a fun Halloween!  The arrow spent the day chasing after his cool older cousin (who is very worthy of the arrow's affection) and acting totally annoyed with his younger cousin (who is the sweetest, most beautiful 10 month old girl ever). We love when my sister's adorable family comes to visit.  In the evening, the arrow-turned-dragon hung out in the front yard and helped me pass out candy. All in all, a fantastic Sunday!

Looking for some kids as cute as the arrow?
Let me introduce you to my niece and nephew.

He wasn't so sure about the costume at first, but by the end of the evening
 he refused to pull down his "hood" even when we came inside the house.



Don't forget: Enter to win a Yo Gabba Gabba CD

A few of the arrow's buddies from Yo Gabba Gabba.

The arrow and I had a blast at the Yo Gabba Gabba live show a few weeks ago.  It was fun to see my little guy in a completely new setting.  We danced, we sang along, we clapped and delighted in everything together.  A special night with lots of memories.

Misleading photo. He spent the entire show on my lap.
Not that I'm complaining, it meant lots of snuggling with mom!

I also thought I'd share this somewhat funny, somewhat disturbing story from Mom 101, who also attended a live show recently.

If you can't get enough Yo Gabba Gabba, check out this interesting interview with the show's creators. They claim they aren't on drugs. I'm still not convinced.

Mostly, this is just an excuse to remind all of you to leave a comment (or two, three or four) at this post to enter to win a Yo Gabba Gabba CD. I'll be randomly selecting a winner on October 31, meaning you'll get the CD just in time to entertain your kids on a long car ride to grandma's for Thanksgiving.

My First Giveaway! Win a Yo Gabba Gabba CD

Over at the Indiana Insider, where I've been guest blogging from time to time, I outlined what I consider to be the perfect, kid-friendly evening along Mass Ave, a great cultural district in the heart of downtown Indy.  We lived just a few blocks away for 7 years, including the arrow's first 9 months of life, so it holds a special place in my heart as the home to many of our first outings with a baby.

Next week, the arrow and I are heading to Mass Ave to see a live performance of Yo Gabba Gabba at the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre.  I'm grateful to the folks at Bohlsen PR for providing these tickets to me.  I'm a middle-of-the-road parent when it comes to letting my son watch TV.  I would never plop him in front of the set for hours on end, but I do think it has its place.  I know for us, an episode of Yo Gabba Gabba or Sesame Street has been a lifesaver when the arrow has been sick, didn't nap well, or when I needed to take a really important phone call.

A live show is going to make for such a fun outing, and I can't wait for these characters to come to life for the arrow.  I'm looking forward to sharing our experience with all of you.  If you're in the Indy area and want to join us, tickets are available via many major ticket outlets.  The show is scheduled for 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on October 13.

Regardless, I want to let all of you in on the fun, too.  So I'm hosting my first giveaway--if you can't make it to a Yo Gabba Gabba show near you, then listening to the music is the next best thing, right?  Bohlsen was kind enough to supply me with the Yo Gabba Gabba Music is Awesome Volume 2 CD .

Here are the rules:
On October 31, 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 one week to respond to me, and if I don't hear from you, then I will move on to another.  So on and so forth.

There are four ways to win:

• Please leave me a comment telling me your favorite kid-friendly outing.
• Subscribe to my blog feed and leave a comment here to tell me you've done so.

• Follow me on Twitter at @arrowssentforth and leave a comment here to tell me you've done so.

• Please share a link to this giveaway through a social media outlet of your choice, and leave me a comment here to tell me you've done so.

Can't wait to see who will be getting their dancey dance on to these spirited tunes!