Mommy Ramblings

December 3, 2017 · 1:12 pm

Remind Girls They are Adored by God #AdoredByGod #FlyBy

The world can be a tough place. The tween and teen years are especially hard. While it was no picnic when we were growing up, this generation has challenges and issues we could not even imagine, thanks to technology. Don’t get me wrong, I love technology, but it has brought about some darker things along with all the good.

Girls today have to deal with bullying, social media friendships as well as the awful social media “unfriending”, dating, changing bodies, awkward growth phases, mean girls and much more. Proper guidance and support is paramount to a healthy attitude and self-image as they navigate this stage of life.

Adored is a 365-day devotional that features an easy-to-read, relevant devotion paired with a scripture verse and journaling space to help readers reflect on that day’s special message. This book tackles those tough topics mentioned above, and shows readers how infinitely precious they are in God’s sight. This hardcover devotional is published by Zondervan, written for girls ages 13 and up and has a retail price of $14.99. You can purchase it HERE. Right now, you can get it on sale for just $8.49.

Having a book like this reminds girls they are not the only ones facing challenges, it helps them on the tough days and lifts them up every day. The journaling space is a wonderful way for girls to track their own growth and mindset through the year. This devotional makes a very meaningful gift this Christmas season. We have added it to Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide. You can visit the publisher’s site to access a Free 7-Day Download.

Making Magical Videos and More With Portable North Pole!

Every year my kids look forward to watching videos from Santa created especially for them. Since my son Luke has a birthday on Christmas Eve as well, he loves the special birthday video Santa sends him each year. I look forward to seeing their faces as they watch the personalized videos and hear their names, see their house, their photo and photos of what they want for Christmas. The videos are well made and believable. It is a magical thing and I look forward to creating them each year with Portable North Pole.

Last year we tried the phone calls too and were very impressed at how well they worked to remind our kids about some behaviors they needed to work on. A call from Santa is a very powerful wake up call!

Have you heard of Portable North Pole (PNP)? It’s the top free mobile Santa app with more than 160 million videos viewed, PNP is a cherished, modern holiday tradition for families worldwide. In just moments, create an adorable video from Santa that you and your child will remember forever. Simply visit the PNP website or download the mobile app on iOS or Android.

PNP offers a free video for every child with a new option to purchase a single premium video ($4.99) or upgrade to a premium package, including the Video Pass ($9.99) or Magic Pass ($13.99). Both packages provide six enchanting video storylines to choose from, with each offering five or more minutes of footage to watch, from exploring Santa’s workshop to the amazing gift-wrapping machine, as well as the Reaction Recorder (available on mobile app only).

In addition, you can create an unlimited number of videos, and receive a special “Santa’s Coming” video to watch on Christmas Eve. Plus, the Magic Pass includes HD video downloads and five weekly bedtime videos read by Santa leading up to the big day.

Save Now!

Save 20% and make Christmas magic With Portable North Pole! To get the 20% discount just use Promo Code: PNP7Family. You can also access the discount by clicking on the Magic Pass Discount and Video Pass Discount.

In just a few simple steps, you can help Santa gather all the information he needs about your loved one and create a tailor-made video message or phone call that is positively magical. But that isn’t all Santa and his magical elves have in store! To create truly unforgettable memories, you can even download a HD version of your video to keep for years to come.

Portable North Pole comes available in 3 main package types: the Free(Christmas and Birthday videos), the Video Pass (Unlimited Premium Santa videos + Reaction Recorder, as well as access to previous seasons’ videos), and the Magic Pass (Unlimited Premium Santa Videos, Reaction Recorder, HD Video downloads, access to previous seasons’ videos)! Available for a limited time only: The Pre-Season Magic Pass, which also comes with a Santa-Approved Nice-List certificate that lets your loved one know if they are one Santa’s Naughty or Nice list!

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Filed under Christmas, USFG

Tagged as Discount Promo Code, PNP, Portable North Pole, Santa Calls, Santa Videos

December 1, 2017 · 2:50 pm

Stay Connected with The Motorola Talkabout 2 Way Radio Sets #Giveaway

Do you love staying active with your family? I know we do, we love traveling, hiking, biking and setting off on adventures together. We also want to make sure that we take precautions to keep everyone safe.

That means proper helmets for biking, the right type of hiking shoes, water bottles to keep us all hydrated, safe sunscreen and more. When thinking about safety gear, we cannot dismiss the need for a way to keep us all connected and to receive important weather alerts.

That is why we love our Motorola Talkabout T260 two-way radios. We have the three radio set, but they also have a two radio set. The set has everything we need, it comes complete with belt clips, NiMH rechargeable batteries, Y cable charging adaptor with dual micro-USB connectors to charge 2 radios and a single micro-USB connector to charge a single radio.

I like that I can walk around the lake we live on which is over one mile around, and at any point check in with my husband or family at home. The connection is clear as a bell and that says a lot because we live in the mountains and get sketchy cell service. Having a radio with a clear connection makes me and my husband feel better when I am out walking alone.

Our kids love using them too! They can communicate from the dock or boat up to the house or use them when they are playing around our property to contact each other. They are easy to operate, lightweight, compact and durable. The radios have essential features like NOAA weather channel and alerts as well as iVOX/VOX hands-free communication making it easy to stay in touch no matter your location or situation.

They cover a long-range of up to 25 miles which really makes me happy. If we were ever separated on a hiking or cycling trip, the long-range gives me the peace of mind that I would be able to contact a member of our family.

You can check out our unboxing and review video below:

Features

Know the Weather In Advance
Keep updated with real-time weather conditions by turning on one of 11 weather channels or initiating weather alerts. NOAA radio service may not be available in all areas. Check with your local weather office for frequency and details, or visit www.weather.gov/nwr (Canada: www.msc.ec.gc.ca/msb/weatheradio).

Be Hands-free
With iVOX/VOX acting like a speakerphone and allowing hands-free communication, you can keep on moving without stopping to answer a call.

22 Channels Each with 121 Privacy Codes
With 22 channels and 121 privacy codes, totaling 2,662 combinations, it’s easy to find an available channel.

Compatible with Any Radio
You can communicate with other FRS/GMRS radios regardless of brand by being on the same channel and privacy code.

Power Through Your Adventures
There are two ways to power your Talkabout T260 radio: use the included NiMH rechargeable batteries for up to 12 hours or use 3 AA batteries for up to 29 hours. To recharge the NiMH batteries, choose from one of three ways: connect it to your vehicle adaptor or your computer, or plug the micro-USB cable into an outlet.

20 Call Tones
A call tone is what people calling you can hear instead of the normal default ring. It grabs the attention of your family and friends before you start speaking.

Eco Smart
Most of the energy wasted when using a mobile device occurs during the charge. This radio consumes less power during its idle condition.

Quickly Find a Channel
Use the scanning feature to see which channels are currently in use.

Low Battery Alert
Low battery alert reminds you when batteries are running low.

Keypad Lock
The keypad lock prevents your personalized settings from being inadvertently changed.

T260 Packaging Includes:

• 2 radios
• 2 belt clips
• 2 NiMH rechargeable batteries
• 1 Y cable adaptor with dual micro-USB connectors
• 1 user guide

Holiday Gift Guide Pick

Mommy Ramblings thinks that the twin or triple pack of the T-260 Motorola Talkabout make a great gifts for those active people and families on your holiday gift list. We have added the T-260 Talkabout to Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide. The twin pack has a MSRP of $64.99 and the triple pack has a MSRP of $89.99. Right now these sets are on sale on Amazon! You can pick up the 2 pack for just $41,22 and the 3 pack for only $69.99. Hurry though, Amazon prices change quickly, so you never know how long they will last.

You can stay in the loop with Motorola Solutions on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Giveaway

Motorola Solutions is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win a Motorola Talkabout T-260 Twin Pack! Thank you to Motorola Solutions for the review T-260 Triple Pack and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US residents.

Motorola Talkabout T-260 Twin Pack 2-Way Radio Set Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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Filed under Family, Gifts, Giveaway, Home & Garden, Outdoor, Review, Tech

Tagged as Active, Communicating, Family, Gear, Gifts, Holiday Gift Guide, Motorola, Safety, T-260, Talkabout, Tech

· 12:16 pm

“The Stable Cat’s Christmas” Book Tour & Review

Can you believe it is almost Christmas? I feel like the last part of this year is zooming so fast, I can barely keep up. With all the hustle and bustle of the season, it is nice to just slow down, and sit together with my kids and read a book that brings us back to the true meaning of Christmas.

With all the commercialization, it can seem like everyone’s focus is on the latest sale or chasing after this year’s hottest toy. The Stable Cat’s Christmas by Christina Vrba is a timeless picture book that celebrates the fact that everyone has a gift they can bring the newborn King, no matter their size or stature.

This message resonates so well with children, who sometimes feel their size or age limits them in contributing something that matters to our world.

The Stable Cat is worried that it has nothing to offer the newborn king. The cat has no jewels, riches or gold to bring this very special baby. However, when the cat notices the newborn king shivering in the stable, there is no doubt, this stable cat can help. Curling up with the newborn baby Jesus, the stable cat offers its warmth to our tiny king.

This is a heartwarming story and it will be one you will want to share with your children or grandchildren every season.

Giveaway:

Worthy Kids/Ideals is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win their own copy of The Stable Cat’s Christmas! Thank you to Worthy Kids/Ideals for the review book and for sponsoring this great giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US Residents.

The Stable Cat’s Christmas Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:Enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget. Good Luck!!!

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Filed under Books, Christmas, Holiday Gift Guide

Tagged as Books, Christmas, Classic Books, giveaway, Picture Books, The Stable Cat’s Christmas, Worthy Kids/Ideals, Worthy Publishing

November 28, 2017 · 6:10 pm

Red & Lulu Book Is Sure To Be A New Christmas Classic #Giveaway

I want to share a very special book with you, that I find just amazing. It is a children’s book, one that is sure to become a traditional favorite in our home. One of my favorite books as a child was one about the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center and where it came from.

Over the years, I have shared books with similar tones with my children. This year, we were introduced to Red & Lulu by Matt Tavares. From the first time I opened and read the large, hardcover book with my kids,we were hooked.

For me, it had much to do with the bonded pair of cardinals, Red and Lulu. Cardinals are very special to me and if you have been reading this blog for a while, you may remember my post about the significance of them in The Cardinals’ Kiss.

Beyond the cardinals, we live in Upstate NY where many of the trees that have graced Rockefeller Center have come from. Put the two together and add the magic of the Christmas season, and you have a recipe for a new holiday classic. I know we will read this book many times this season.

Red and Lulu lived happily in the tree that was going to be cut down and transported to New York City. The problem was not that they were going to lose their beloved home, it was bigger than that!

The morning the tree was cut and loaded on the truck, Lulu was in the inner branches. Lulu was in trouble because Red was not with her at the time and now she was on her way to The Big Apple.

Red caught sight of what had happened and flew as fast as he could to catch up to Lulu, but before long, he lost sight of the truck. Red did not give up, he flew all the way to NYC and eventually found Lulu and their tree. Reunited, they happily explored this big, bustling city and made many friends in beautiful Central Park.

Red and Lulu were so happy to be together again. They would sit in the branches of their tree and admire the lights and the people who came from all over the world to see the majestic evergreen.

When the season was over, Red and Lulu made a new home with their new friends in Central Park. One of the perks of their new location, was that every year they could return to Rockefeller Center and sit on the branches of a new Christmas tree. The whole season long, they could happily enjoy, the sights and sounds of the city that never sleeps, during the most wonderful time of the year. This book shows there is no distance too far to keep a determined cardinal from his loved one in an ode to serendipity and belief that is destined to be a new Christmas classic.

This book pulls at my heartstrings in so many ways. That is why I have added it to Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide.

Candlewick Press is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their own hardcover copy of Red & Lulu! Thank you to Candlewick Press for the review book and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.

Red & Lulu Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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Filed under Books, Christmas, Gift, Giveaway, Review

Tagged as Books, Cardinals, Christmas, Christmas Tree, giveaway, love, NYC, Rockefeller Center

· 2:18 pm

Is Your Toothbrush Eco-Friendly? #DitchThePlastic #Giveaway #WooBamboo

Do you do your part to make the Earth a better place? Are you recycling your cans and glass jars? Do you compost your organic waste?

Maybe you feel like you are doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint and leave the world a better place for your children and grandchildren. Take a look at your toothbrush, it is probably made of plastic.

Did you know that over a billion toothbrushes are thrown out every year? They are, and they are ending up in oceans and landfills. It is time we do something about this! Fortunately, there is an alternative to typical plastic toothbrushes. Now, you can get toothbrushes made of sustainable bamboo that are biodegradable!

WooBamboo makes toothbrushes and biodegradable floss that are a better choice over plastic. They also make toothbrushes for pets and have a toothpaste and mouthwash that will launch soon Their products are artfully designed to be the best, most natural and eco-friendly option to conventional toothbrushes and floss on the market.

Beyond being better for the environment and more natural, WooBamboo’s products are stylish and cool! How many times do you say that about your oral care products?

Today, it is easier than ever to find WooBamboo products. You can find WooBamboo products at major retailers like Amazon, Target, CVS, Costco and many others.

We think that WooBamboo toothbrushes and floss make great stocking stuffers so we have added them to Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide! To help your holiday shopping dollars go further, we have an exclusive coupon code to share with our readers. Use MOMMYRAMBLINGS20 to take 20% off when you shop at WooBamboo.

Giveaway:

WooBamboo is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win a WooBamboo adult toothbrush, child’s toothbrush and floss! Thank you to WooBamboo for the review products and for sponsoring this eco-friendly giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Giveaway open to US residents.

WooBamboo Eco-Friendly Bamboo Toothbrushes and Floss Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Please enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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Filed under Gift, Giveaway, Health, Holiday Gift Guide

Tagged as Bamboo, Better Choices, Eco-Friendly, Oral Care, sustainable, Toothbrushes

November 25, 2017 · 11:24 pm

Parental Control Apps To Track Your Kids’ Locations & More

If you are the parent of a teenager, you probably want to know where they go when they are not at home. You may have heard of physical GPS tracking devices that are commonly used, but why go through the trouble and expense of buying that equipment when you can get the information you want using mobile Apps? Apps like Kidgy.com give parents the control they want to monitor their kids and make sure they are safe. Using the Kidgy App, parents can easily track their child using GPS through their smartphone.

Life360

Life360 is available for iPhone and Android devices and keeps millions of families and close friends connected, no matter what chaos life throws their way. Organize your family, friends, caregivers and more easily with circles. Add favorite locations like school, work, home and more and receive alerts when circle members arrive at or depart from them. Message the entire circle at once or privately, eliminating the need for endless texts and calls.

Life360’s free version allows you to set up 2 places and keeps location history for 2 days. The PLUS version gives users full access and maintains location history for 30 days. The cost of Life360 PLUS is just $24.99 a year.

My Family GPS tracker

My Family is another good family tracking App. Unlike Life360, My Family is available for Windows and Amazon powered devices in addition to android and iOS devices. This App has premium features like the ability to save location history for up to 3 years. My Family also allows parents to make force calls to their kids that cannot be ignored. While this may seem intrusive, sometimes parents need to be, when it comes to the safety of their kids.

My Family also has an emergency button that notifies parents if their child comes across some type of trouble or leaves or enters a certain location. The user interface for My Family is user-friendly, so operating the App is simple. Best of all, My Family is free to use for android, iOS, amazon and windows users.

ZoeMob Family Locator

Finally, ZoeMob Family Locator is another useful App for keeping track of your kids’ location. Think of it as a family assistant because it is more than just a family locator. With additional features like calendars, shared lists, built-in messengers and more, it helps you to keep everyone connected.

Despite all the add-ons, this App is simple to use to keep track of your family members, set driving speed limits, program it to receive notifications for certain locations and so much more. The free version of ZoeMob is available for both android and iOS and can be accessed through the product website.

This is a sponsored guest post that does not necessarily reflect the views or ideals of Mommy Ramblings.

Black Friday Sale On The Best StudioPress Themes To Create or Update Your Website!

You are going to be seeing some big changes on our blog in the upcoming weeks. We will be changing our look, and think it is long overdue. I purchased one of the most popular website themes, Genesis Framework, many months ago.

The good thing about Genesis Framework is that once you buy it, it is yours to use for life. This is an extremely good thing when like me, life gets in the way, and your plans to update your website get delayed. I had not decided on a StudioPress Child Theme to go along with my Genesis Framework, and that turned out to be a good thing!

This morning in my inbox, I received an email from StudioPress, letting me know their Black Friday Sale has started early and all New Customers get their themes at 25% Off. If you are a Returning Customer like me, you get your themes at 50% Off! If you are a new customer, buy one theme for 25% off. Start a new order and get the next theme for 50% off as a returning customer! Since you will want a framework and theme, you can still make out like a bandit!

Every theme is included in the discount!

There are no exceptions!

And yes, this includes the Pro Plus Pack, which gives you instant and immediate access to all StudioPress themes — including third-party themes. (It’s more than 60 themes in all, every one with a unique specialty but flexible enough to fit almost any purpose you can conjure up.)

Maybe you’ve had your eye on their newest themes like Outfitter Pro or Authority Pro since they were launched. Great! They’re both included in Pro Plus, which you can get at the discount … or you can buy either of those themes, or both, or any other theme or combination of themes and get 50% off the entire order.

The only “catch” — which isn’t really a catch, because you’re expecting it — is that the offer only lasts for one week.

This Black Friday sale begins today (11/21/17) and ends one week from now (11/28/17) at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

I wasted no time in shopping for my new child theme. The ones I like the best and have been debating over are: Mom Blogger Pro, Lifestyle and Magazine. However, with the Pro Plus Pack being 50% off too and letting me have access to all the themes, that was very tempting!

I finally made my decision and pulled the trigger this morning. I love that I was able to snatch up such a great theme at an even better price. If you have been waiting to purchase themes for your website, you can also benefit by getting great pricing on all kinds of themes. They have a huge selection of themes to create or customize your website whether you are a foodie, author, online retailer, realtor, photographer or any other kind of professional or business.

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to take your website to the next level for less than you would imagine. To make a great thing even better, BlueHost has some amazing Black Friday deals of their own on low cost web hosting and domains! I have used BlueHost for almost 10 years and recommend them highly. If you need help starting a blog or website check out How To Start a Blog in 15 Minutes.

Let me know if you do purchase a theme or web hosting. I love sharing great deals with you!

This post includes affiliate links, if you click and purchase something , I will earn a small percent of the sale as commission. This is a good thing because you will be helping me continue to build my blog and bring you more great content, reviews and giveaways. Thank you for your support.

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Filed under Blogging, Business

Tagged as Black Friday Sale, blog, Bloggers, Blogging Resources, Bluehost, Hosting, Sale, Studio Press, StudioPress, Themes, Website

· 12:08 pm

“The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature” Available Now! #NutJob2

My kids loved the The Nut Job movie so, when The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature arrived on our doorstep a few weeks ago, they could not watch it fast enough. We set it up in our Epson projector and they were glued to the screen from beginning to end. When I asked them about it, my one son said that the part where (spoiler alert) Surly thought Buddy was dead was really sad. He was really happy when he turned out to be just unconscious. Overall they really enjoyed the movie and it is one they love to watch.

Surly and his friends are back in the action-packed animated adventure, The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature, available on Digital, Blu-ray^TM, DVD, and On Demand NOW from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Filled with heart and animal hijinks, this family-friendly comedy introduces new fan-favorite characters including Mr. Feng (Jackie Chan, Kung Fu Panda), the adorable but deadly city mouse, and Frankie, the love-struck bulldog (Bobby Canavale, Ant-Man).

The film also features an incredible voice cast including Will Arnett (Lego Batman), Katherine Heigl (“Grey’s Anatomy”), Maya Rudolph (Bridesmaids), Bobby Moynihan (“Saturday Night Live”), Isabela Moner (Transformers: The Last Knight), Jeff Dunham (Smurfs: The Lost Village) and Gabriel Iglesias (The Fluffy Movie). The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature comes packed with exciting bonus content including deleted scenes, special animation and art reels as well as a feature commentary with the filmmakers, giving viewers a peek inside the making of the film and how the characters were brought to life.

Surly Squirrel (Arnett) and the gang are back, returning to Liberty Park after they are forced to leave their easy life at the nut store. Getting back to nature is the last thing Surly wants to do, but when a greedy mayor decides to destroy the park to build an amusement park, Surly and his ragtag critter friends must band together to save the place they call home.

BLU-RAY^TM, DVD AND DIGITAL BONUS FEATURES:

Deleted Scene
Animation Progression Reels: Watch as two key scenes are brought to life, from storyboard and pre-visualization, to final animation, lighting and effects.
Concept Art Reel: See the concept art that inspired animators to create the world of The Nut Job 2.
Feature Commentary with Director/Co-Writer Cal Brunker and Producer/Co-Writer Bob Barlen

Running Time: 1 Hour and 31 Minutes

Rating: Rated PG for action and some rude humor

You can watch the trailer HERE! Get it on Amazon. To see more you can visit The Nut Job 2 website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. What do you think? Have you seen The Nut Job 2?

The Splendid Baron Submarine #BizarreBaronInvention #Giveaway

With the days getting dark earlier and the temps getting colder, it is so nice to snuggle up on the couch by the fire and read with my kids. A book we have been diving into recently, is The Splendid Baron Submarine by Eric Bower. This is Eric’s second book in The Bizarre Baron Inventions series. This novel follows the Baron family as they set off for an underwater adventure with their steam-powered submarine. It is not all fun and games, their journey is filled with complications that the Baron family is not prepared for.

Young, clumsy and terribly unscientific Waldo “W.B.” Baron is really excited for a deep-sea diving adventure when his clever, inventor parents are hired to go on a secret treasure hunt. This top-secret mission ends up being filled with very unexpected shark attacks, diving mishaps and even a pirate’s curse. Follow as W.B. discovers these complications one stumble, trip and fall at a time.

My boys love this book, and I am enjoying it with them. It is one of those books that we need to read just one more chapter of before calling it a night. If this sounds like something your kids would like, you are probably right! You can purchase this book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and IndieBound.

About Eric Bower

Eric Bower is the author of The Bizarre Baron Inventions series. He was born in Denville, New Jersey, an event of which he has little recollection, yet the people who were there have repeatedly assured him that it happened. He currently lives in Pasadena, California. His favorite type of pasta is cavatappi, his favorite movie is The Palm Beach Story, and he is the proud recipient of a “Beanology Degree” from Jelly Belly University in Fairfield, California. His wife and family have told him that the degree is nothing to be proud of, since “It’s not a real degree. You know that . . . Right?” and “Eric, they literally give them to everyone who visits the Jelly Belly factory,” but he knows that they’re all just jealous.

Giveaway:

Enter to win a The Splendid Baron Submarine themed prize pack!

One (1) winner receives:

A copy of The Splendid Baron Submarine, by Eric Bower
A The Splendid Baron Submarine themed gift pack. Includes some pirate-themed goodies, Go Fish, and ghostly treats as well.

Giveaway ends December 15, 2017, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

Giveaway open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older.

Prizes provided by Amberjack Publishing

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