Around the Blogosphere – Week 87

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to our weekly roundup here at “5 Minutes Around the Blogosphere”.

As you know, you can come back all week and add a post or giveaway to our Mister Linky. Be sure to check back often, as new links will be added daily. You don’t want to miss out on something fun.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Heather from I’m No Supermom could use your help! She’s one of ten finalists in the Best Western Retro to Now Road Trip photo contest and, with your vote could win a vacation and road trip. Learn more about how you can help vote for her by visiting her blog.
• Do you have a young actor in the house? Universal Pictures is hosting an online casting call to fill a role in the upcoming feature film, The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud. The film is based on the novel of the same name.

  Sam is Charlie St. Cloud’s kid brother on the cusp of puberty, appealing, annoying, adventurous,and trying to act grown up while still being a kid. Universal Pictures is looking for 11-14 year-old boys to play the role. Sam should be a regular kid, natural, non-actory, and unaffected.

  Please note that all who audition must be available for work from July 2009 through October 2009. For more details, please refer to the media alert below and go to www.iamsamstcloud.com, where you can download the audition scene and submit your audition tape online.

• The Fresh Air Fund is in need of host families for the summer. Thanks to host families who open up their homes for one or two weeks each summer, children growing up in New York City’s toughest neighborhoods have experienced the joys of Fresh Air vacations. You can also donate to the cause and give a child the experience of a lifetime with your gift to The Fresh Air Fund. Every year, The Fresh Air Fund gives thousands of inner-city children the priceless gift of fun – and opens the door to a lifetime of opportunities.

CONTESTS & SWEEPSTAKES

• Do you know a deserving military family? As part of the Blogs Can Change Lives outreach, 5 Minutes for Mom is giving away an HP mini laptop as a way to say thank you to all the military families around the globe. The laptop will go to a family who, for whatever cannot afford to purchase a laptop to take with them overseas. You can nominate a family (or your own family) and read all the details here. In addition, you can spread the word about about Blogs Can Change Lives.
• This one’s for the kids! Enter TDMonthly’s first Charitable Kid Contest and help needy children. The child who wins will have the opportunity to give away 100 25-key Schoenhut My First Piano IIs to needy children in their community, and will have the chance to be named a TDmonthly Charitable Kid! To learn more and for contest rules, click here
• Visitors to the popular family travel site WeJustGotBack.com have a chance to win a three-day family vacation in Hershey, Pennsylvania, when they play an online scavenger hunt. To play, contestants must answer five questions about Hersheypark, one of the Northeast’s most popular amusement parks. Entrants can find all the answers at Hersheypark.com. All entries with five correct answers received before July 15, 2009, will be entered into a random drawing to choose one winner.

  The grand prize is a three-day family vacation for four in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a destination nicknamed Chocolatetown, USA. The prize, valued at $1,180, includes a stay at the Hershey Lodge and tickets to Hersheypark and other family-friendly attractions. For more information and official rules, visit WeJustGotBack.com.

• Envision Beauty and Sakroots are hosting a giveaway. Participants can enter for a chance to win the Eco Harmony Drawstring Bag, The Solution by Envision Beauty, and Envision Beauty’s amazing new Brightening Cleanser – the perfect way to get gorgeous skin this summer!
• If you have a fourth grader that can write an essay on “Being Me”, he or she could win a copy of Too Tall Alice, a bookmark and an “I’m Just Right For Me” wristband. The Standing Tall with Too Tall Alice campaign is designed specially for children so they will be able to see in the words of other children the inspiration to overcome their own feelings of insecurity. Rules of the contest can be found here.
• Disney.com announces the launch of U Rock 2 – giving kids a chance to live out their ultimate rock and roll dreams. With this stand-out online promotion, fans can channel their inner Music Video Rock Stars, creating and submitting their own music videos set to songs by Disney favorites such as Jonas Brothers and Selena Gomez.

  The prize includes a free trip to Los Angeles and a chance to “take over” Radio Disney as part of the fun. Watch and vote for your favorite videos online through the link below or via mobile phone. Fans can submit their videos now through July 12.

• With Father’s Day just around the corner, what better gift to give him than a delicious meal at IHOP? Between now and June 21 guests can submit their heartfelt story in 250 words or less at www.ihop.com about why they love their dad and think he deserves a delicious meal at IHOP. Five winners will each receive a $100 IHOP gift card.

BLOG GIVEAWAYS

For Everyone

• Melinda Joy Voucher for one Immaculate Baking product (63rd comment wins)
• Mom Knows It All AminoGenesis & HealthDropz (6/5 US Only)
• Mom Knows It All Uprinting Poster Print (6/8 US & Canada)
• Mom It Forward iPhone 8GB, a $50 iTunes gift card, and an autographed Diane Birch CD (6/8 )
• An Island Life Vanessa Williams The Real Thing CD (6/8 Worldwide)
• Metropolitan Mama $250 gift card to Bass Pro Shops (6/8 US Only)
• Metropolitan Mama Motorola T505 Bluetooth Speakerphone (6/8 US Only)
• Metropolitan Mama Phone or iPod case of your choice (6/8 US Only)
• Metropolitan Mama TIKKA XP headlamp from Petzl (6/8 US Only)
• Fiddledeedee Reviews Sampler box of Little Debbie Muffins – 3 winners (6/8 US Only)
• Moms Knows It All Burpee Garden Vegetables (6/9 US Only)
• Evergreen Moms Healthy Chocolate Treats (6/10 US & Canada)
• A Wrestling Addicted Mommy $50 gift certificate to Ginch Gonch (6/10 US & Canada)
• Mom Knows It All Black & Decker Cordless Drill (6/11 US Only)
• Melinda Joy Tin of Laura’s Brownies (6/12 Worldwide)
• Everything Up Close Waterpik Ultra Cordless Dental Water Jet – 5 winners (6/12 US Only)
• An Island Life $100 to The Home Depot (6/13 US Only)
• 1 Happy Corner Father’s Day Sprite Dozen and Cashews Combo (6/14)
• Healthy Moms Pillsbury Prize Pack (6/15 US & Canada)
• Everything Up Close Daddy Diaper Changing Toolbox (6/15 US Only)
• Rockin’ Mama Daddy Diaper Changing Toolbox (6/21 US Only)
• Rockin’ Mama Camping Survival Kit (6/21 US Only)

For Women

• Mom Knows It All Black Mountain Jewelry (6/7 US Only)
• Sandier Pastures Necklace from The Pretty Peacock (6/9 Worldwide)
• Not Entirely British $50 gift certificate to LDSWA – The Spirit of You Collection Store (6/10)
• Healthy Moms Yoga mat (6/11)
• Pho for Five Pretty Peacock Artisan Jewelry, personalized Sparklette tag (6/12 US & Canada)
• Mommy’s Idea Pendant from Squares of Flair (6/13 US Only)
• Rockin’ Mama Aroma Sothys Gift Set (6/18 US Only(

Baby Essentials

• Glimpse Kozi Strollz Stroller Blanket (6/8 Worldwide)
• The A-Priori Mommy Bebe au Lait Nursing Cover (6/10 US Only)
• Kitchen Stewardship Bugaloo shoes (6/11)
• Glimpse Toezer Pouch (6/11 Worldwide)
• Nurse Mommy Items from My Conservative Baby – 4 winners (6/12)
• Nurse Mommy Mommy Hook (6/18)
• Rockin’ Mama Pair of Sunglasses from My First Shades (6/19 US Only)

Just For Kids

• Evergreen Moms Custom ribbon bracelet and tee from Munchkin Designs (6/6 US & Canada)
• An Island Review PhartEphant (6/8 US Only)
• Did You See That? Summer fun toy from Prime Time Toys (6/9)
• Mommy’s Idea Kid Bundle (6/10 US Only)
• An Island Review Tidy Kidz Membership (6/11 Worldwide)
• Evergreen Moms Bits ‘N Pieces Coloring Wallet (6/12 US & Canada)
• Tara’s View of the World Items from Flutterbye Dreams (6/12 Worldwide)
• Rockin’ Mama Pair of Shoes from Eleven (6/12 US Only)
• Mommy’s Idea Sylvan Learning Workbook (6/13 US Only)
• A Working Blogging Mommy Hoodie from Happy Green Bee (6/16 US Only)
• Nurse Mommy Time Out Pad (6/18)
• Traveling with Baby UV Skinz clothing (6/19)

Books for Grown-Ups

• Here and There The Ultimate Teacher (6/8 US Only)
• Tara’s View On Books Chicken Soup for the Soul – Campus Chronicles (6/11 US & Canada)

Books for Kids

• Tara’s View On Books Dance Me, Daddy (6/14 US & Canada)

Would you like to share a fun giveaway or a worth our while post? Please add it to the Mr. Linky below. You can come here any time this week to add in your link. Don’t miss out on the fun. Be sure to visit throughout the week as the linky grows, and more sites are added.

If you would like to have a post on your blog featured in 5 Minutes Around The Blogosphere, please send us an email with the actual link to your post at features5minutesformom at gmail dot com and we’ll see if it can be arranged.

You can find Marissa writing away at Mama Sparkles.