Well, almost.  Chances are it doesn’t really *feel* like Summer to you until school ends next week.  But still… it’s SO CLOSE!  

In the meantime, try not to freak out waiting for classes to end.  Even though this is all I’m sure you’ll want to do:

But, here at the Burlington Library, today marks the start of our Summer Reading Game where the teens of Burlington will get to earn points by reading (of course), completing various online tech activities, and coming to the awesome slew of events that we’ve got scheduled for this Summer including a Zombie Survival Scavenger Hunt and a Hunger-Games-Style water fight in Maiben park.  

No seriously, you’re going to earn Game Points by coming to a park and slaughtering your friends with water balloons. And for going through a maze full of zombies. And those points can result in prizes like ice cream or pizza or even in one of our grand prizes: a Google Nexus Tablet or a Sony Bloggie videocamera.  
Do I really need to twist your arm to get you to join us here? 

This is being pushed forward by Jo’s Trust, a charity that was set up in memory of a  family member of one of my close friends.

Jo’s Trust is a wonderful charity, that is working tirelessly to raise the awareness of cervical cancer, and the importance of women going for regular check ups to prevent cervical cancer.

They recently held an event by their ‘Young Friends’, a group of twenty-somethings at the forefront of helping raise awareness about the cause.  A night of drinks, dancing and donating was organised by the group at Boujis nightclub in SW London; and what a night!

Guests were invited to enjoy complimentary cocktails, and cupcakes were provided by Lola’s cupcakes – which I have to say were truly delicious.  Not only that, but canapés were provided by Charlie Wethered (from Masterchef), featuring deliciously fresh asparagus tips and moreish chocolate & raspberry brownies.

To top off the luxury of the goodies on store, guests were also invited to enter a raffle which contained prizes ranging from a signed One Direction shirt to a weekend away shooting on a country estate…  Not bad for a raffle!

My friend and I entered the draw with the optimism of Jack Dee, and as the prize winners were being announced and I was begrudgingly clapping the winners I heard a strange announcement… “and this prize goes to Lauren Gray”.  I never win raffles… ever!  So I was very pleased to find out I had won a lovely bottle of English sparkling wine complimented by a tour for 4 people around the vineyard where it is produced.  No need to say that I was very happy with this outcome!

The evening was brought to a close by the model, come DJ, Morwenna hitting the decks and this allowed everyone to let their hair down and have a dance (despite the early start for work in the morning!).

My friend and I getting our pose on.

Overall the evening managed to raise £3,000 an amount not to be sniffed at, but the good work does not stop there!

Jo’s Trust are always in touch with volunteers and people who have been affected by cancer, so if you would like to get involved please either: visit the website, like them on Facebook or better yet follow them on Twitter for regular updates!

The Gruenenfelder & Septeowski Memorial Golf Tournament, proudly sponsored by us here at Jack Schmitt Chevrolet Wood River, will be taking place very soon! The tournament is scheduled for Sunday, June 30^th at the lovely Belk Park Golf Course in Wood River. Registration, practice, and a free, delicious lunch begin at 11:30 a.m., and a shotgun start will begin at 1 p.m.

Aside from getting to play a fun tournament of golf with all of your friends, colleagues, and neighbors, you will receive all sorts of great things like green fees and a cart, free lunch and beverages, free dinner and beverages, and on-course beverages such as beer, water, and soft drinks! You can even choose to purchase Mulligans, skins, and participate in a 50/50 drawing!

Many glorious prizes can be won at this golf tournament as well! If you happen to be the big winner of the major hole-in-one, you will be the recipient of a 2013 Malibu Lease! Also, every Par 3 has a hole-in-one prize, and there will also be a betting hole with a minimum of $500. You can even win prizes if you are the winner of the Longest Drive or the Closest to the Pin. There will even bee $200 Maui Jim Sunglasses and Sportswear gift cards available for some lucky participants to win!

You can enter this great tournament for only $90, or you can sign up a team of 4 players for a total of $360 ($90 per person)! The deadline to register for this tournament is Friday, June 21, and you can mail checks and registration forms to our address, giving attention to Laura or Linda.

So what’s so special about this golf tournament? Well, aside from all the players being provided with many free goodies and getting the chance to win lots of amazing prizes, all of the proceeds from this tournament will benefit The Gruenenfelder Educational Fund and the Keyesport Fire Protection District & Dive Team. The Gruenenfelder Educational Fund is a fund that was set up for Cory Gruenenfelder’s four children after he drowned in Carlyle Lake on August 25, 2012.

Cory lost his life in Carlyle Lake last year when his good friend, Mike Septeowski, fell into the lake and began to drown. Cory bravely and desperately tried to save Mike, but the wind was so strong and violent that sadly, they both were unable to reach the boat and drowned.

The Keyesport Rescue & Dive Team helped find the men’s bodies only a few days later after spending tireless hours of searching in largest man-made lake in Illinois. Cory left behind his wife and four children ranging from ages 8 to 21, and because the main breadwinner’s life was so tragically and suddenly taken from them all, the children will need funding to help them receive good education and fund them through college.

The family is hoping to receive as much help as they can; they are still hurting and grieving after not even a year of losing a beloved husband and father. They need your help!

Aside from playing your way through the course, you can help support Cory and Mike’s families through sponsorship. Here are some of the levels of sponsorship you can choose to do:

*Team Sponsor – 4 players and 1 hole sponsor: $400

*Hole Sponsor & Sign: $100

*Cooler Bag Sponsor: $300

*Lunch Sponsor & Sign: $500

*Beverage Cart Sponsor & Sign: $300

*Dinner Sponsor & Sign: $500

*Trophy Sponsor & Sign: $250

If you feel like donating money in any amount, your donations will be graciously accepted and very much appreciated.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up TODAY to reserve your spot and to come have fun while supporting such a worthy cause! We truly hope to see you there!

Please fill out the registration form and send the form and a check to our address no later than Fri., June 21!

“Everyone probably thinks I’m a raving nymphomaniac, that I have an insatiable sexual appetite, when the truth is I’d rather read a book,” said Madonna.

“A book for a buck written by such renowned peers is one fantastic sale,” said Arlene Webb. “Everyone should grab them up just to show DP how awesome they are as a publisher.”

#
Please comment on your favorite quote, and most of all, don’t forget to click on the raffle helicopter to get included in the drawings. The more blogs you comment on (find the schedule by clicking the Book for a Buck button) the more chance to win ebooks and/or the Nook.
 

 

 
Secrets:
Joan not only knows how to keep them, she hoards information. After all, blurting truths could prolong her life and that’s not something she’s willing to allow.

As a renowned journalist, exposing lies is Wesley’s job, but being honest extends to revealing his own agenda as well. He admits on the application he’s been asked to write a story kicking up any dirt he can on Madam Evangeline’s dating service.

Desires:
Joan has a reputation to uphold. Labeled a promiscuous monster, authorities shouldn’t be surprised her offer to finally tell them where the skeletons are comes at a price. One date, one night, one final fling.

Wesley doesn’t need one date, one night, a simple fling. Women eyeball him all the time. He knows some hookup service can’t find him his heart’s desire, a sweetheart to cherish for a long and committed lifespan, but he won’t make it a slam-dunk for them by saying otherwise.

Warning Notice:
If secrets stay buried and desire is feared instead of embraced, electricity will flow and not in a good way.
 

 
 

 
Water.
What Cassi thought was a simple obsession with clean water has taken over her life. When she orders a distiller online to replace the one smashed by her abusive boyfriend, she gets more than she bargained for.

Enter a man with a badge, hunting a terrorist, and Cassi is his number one suspect. Not only is she struggling with her fixation on pure H2O, she has to prove she’s not the one he’s looking for—only she kind of wishes she was. Before she knows it, Cassi is in over her head.

Justice.
Ray had everything, until a random crime ends badly and he’s left to hold to his grief or make changes in his life. Charming his way into people’s personal business—slapping on the cuffs as needed—gives him reason to get up in the morning. When he falls headfirst into another chance at love, he must take the plunge without hesitation or risk losing more than his heart.

As the pair join hands, sparks fly as well as bullets, leaving Cassi and Ray to wonder if the universe could right itself. Will the past reach out and drown their chance for happiness?
 

Thank you, so much, Cassandra for hosting me today. Happy reading!
Sincerely,
Arlene Webb
 
Cassandra: Thanks so much for stopping by, Arlene.
Peeps! Decadent Publishing has a great promotion going on now – A Buck A Book WIN A Nook! You can get ebooks for only $1 from great authors, as well as the chance to WIN a Nook 7″ HD Tablet.

The total value of the ebooks is around $48, so you will be saving 75% if you buy all of them. Prices of the ebooks on sale range from $2.99 to $5.99, so $1 is a HUGE deal!

 
They are already marked down on Amazon, Decadent Publishing, Smashwords, and ARe, and will be until 1 July.
 
 
 

Congratulations to Alex Gordon,  Leo Meijer  and  Daniel Dion  for their winning entries, showcased in today’s podcast.  For more details or to download the winning workbooks, visit  http://www.mrexcel.com/pc19.shtml

Today’s Podcast is sponsored by “Learn Excel 2007 through Excel 2010 from MrExcel”. Download a new two minute video every workday to learn one of the 512 Excel Mysteries Solved! 35% More Tips than the previous edition of Bill’s book!

And if you are using Excel 2013, you may want to check out…

“Microsoft 2013 InDepth” – by Bill Jelen. Excel 2013 In Depth is the beyond-the-basics, beneath-the-surface guide for everyone working with Excel 2013. Excel expert and MVP Bill Jelen provides specific, tested, proven solutions to the problems Excel users run into every day: the types of challenges other books ignore or oversimplify. Jelen thoroughly covers all facets of working with Excel 2013.

“The Learn Excel from MrExcel Podcast Series”

MrExcel.com — Your One Stop for Excel Tips and Solutions. Visit us today!

 The time has come for the amazing Rachael Ray Kiss The Cook Giveaway!!

Prize Package Includes:

Rachael Ray Hard Anodized II 10 piece Set
Create super-nutritious and innovative meals that are never boring with the help of Rachael Ray cookware. Create Rachael’s Vegetable Cacciatore by browning vegetables in the saute pan while the accompanying whole wheat penne bubbles away in the stockpot. Or try adding a little spice to a simple lunchtime meal with a chipotle grilled cheese sandwich browned to perfection in one of the skillets.

Rachael Ray Hard-Anodized cookware is the perfect combination of durability and style, and this 10-piece set certainly fits the bill. This set has all the essential pieces to make memorable meals every day. Hard-anodized construction provides even heat, helping to reduce “hot spots” that can burn food, and it’s coated with a durable nonstick both inside and out for exceptional food release and easy clean up. The tempered glass lids allow you to monitor your food while it cooks, keeping heat and moisture sealed in. Grippy handles feature striking orange padding for a comfortable feel. This cookware is oven safe to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and dishwasher safe for convenient, fast and simple cleanup.

Set includes
1-Quart and 2-Quart Covered Saucepans
6-Quart Covered Stockpot
3-Quart Covered Saute
8.5-Inch and 10-Inch Skillets

Rachael Ray Bakeware Set – Orange
This Rachael Ray 5-Piece Nonstick Bakeware Set is perfect for sweet and savory dishes alike. With five versatile pieces, this set has what you need for baking everything from fresh cookies to decadent cakes and breads, but Rach uses this set for so much more. The cookie sheet is perfect for roasting vegetables or oven fries; the rectangular cake pan is the perfect size and shape for a cheesy lasagna; the loaf pan is the essential pan for homestyle meatloaf; and the round cake pans fit the bill for quiches or a zesty chicken tortilla casserole.

Rachael Ray bakeware is made from durable carbon steel that can bake over and over again with the same great results. The grippy handles provide a firm grasp when pulling items from a hot oven. The sturdy construction also resists warping so cakes and pies come out perfectly round every time. This bakeware is oven safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit for convenience and a portion of the proceeds from this purchase goes to Yum-o!, Rachael’s nonprofit organization that helps kids and their parents develop healthy relationships with food and cooking.

Set includes
10-Inch x 15-Inch cookie sheet
9-Inch x 13-Inch cake pan
9-Inch x 5-Inch loaf pan
Two 9-Inch round cake pans

Rachael Ray Nylon Tool Set – Orange (6 Pc)
These slender spoons are lightweight and easy to hold. Fill your kitchen drawer with these must have tools. The flat head on this ladle mean no more pan-tilting so you get every last drop, just glide and remove. This classic whisk stands alone with it’s wide base and easy to grip handle. It gets the job done and keeps your counter clean. The long flexible heads on these Spatulas can flip everything from delicate eggs to juicy steaks. The open design lets grease fall back into the pan instead of landing on your plate.

Thank you to each reader who is taking the time to visit, read and entering to win this fabulous prize package. Do take a moment to also visit our lovely co-hosts whom without them great things such as these would not be possible:

Making Memories With Your Kids
TOTS-Business Resources for Bloggers and Business Moms
Monica’s Rants Raves Reviews
My Vegan Gluten-Free Life
Ultimate Coupon Club
Capri’s Coupons
Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer
The Mandatory Mooch
Quick Tattletails
Cloth Diaper Addicts

One lucky reader will receive a Rachael Ray Cookware Prize Package!
Giveaway ends June 24th at 11:59pm, open to US and Canada residents, ages 18+.

To enter please use the Rafflecopter form here
or
directly on my facebook page

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. In My 30s And Its Time is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.

Please contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event!

As many of you have probably noticed, I’ve done a lot of my blogging via BlackBerry, and more recently, via iPhone.

About 2 months ago, I installed an application from Mercedes Benz. It’s actually quite awesome, especially since I was in a random draw and became one of the winners.

I won the following items:

🎁 Mercedes Benz Carrier Bag
🎁 A Set Of Magnets
🎁 A Set Of Playing Cards
🎁 A Card with changing images of Mercedes Benz
🎁 A Golf Shirt
🎁 A Golf Cap

I love winning things and thanks to Mercedes Benz, these items are definitely going under ‘Collectors Items’.

So thank you Mercedes Benz and #Activate_A.

Prizes:

1 x Signed paperback copy of Cursed

1 x Bookmark

1 x Magnet

1 x Cursed Cover photo (6”x4”)

A few business cards

Cursed Giveaway Prizes

This giveaway will be hosted on the Cursed – Book 1 Facebook page, in the Giveaway tab.

Start Date: Wednesday 26th June 2013

Finish Date: Tuesday 09th July 2013

The direct link for this giveaway is: http://is.gd/xQd0d8

It will run for 3 weeks as you can see so please all enter and share the competition

A WORD IN YOUR SHELL-LIKE

Son: What’s that? [Points to iTuneU app on my smartphone]

Mum: It’s called iTunesU. It’s where you can get books and information into the phone.

Son: No, what’s it a picture of?

Mum: It’s a hat. It’s called a ‘mortar board‘. It’s what people wear when they graduate from University. It’s our Graduation Day today! There will be lots of people at my work wearing funny hats!

Son: What’s ‘Graduation Day’?

Mum: It’s a day when we celebrate that people have finished their courses.

Son: What’s a ‘course’?

Mum: It’s when people decide to learn about certain things, and gather lots of information. Then they write about what they’ve learned in books and things. And today we’re celebrating because they’ve learned what they wanted to learn to make them better at doing things. Some of them will get prizes too for doing really well at certain things.

Son: What prizes will they get?

Mum: I’m not sure.

Son: How many people is there?

Mum: I think there are about 20 in our part of the day.

Son: Well… [looks around] You can give them some of my shells from Crete. I’ll give you three and you’ll have to find something else at your work for the rest of the people.

Related articles

• Jobs race may force us abroad, say graduates (independent.ie)
• Shells Cast at Our Feet: Imperfect Beauty (blueholewisdom.com)
• Native American Student Wears Feather to Graduation, Is Denied Diploma (jezebel.com)
• Back from Hiatus: Grad cap revisited (thousandwordselfie.wordpress.com)

So, here is how it goes!

PRIZES -bunny nose

-2010 glasses

-2013 glasses

-your blog advertised on sidebar

-add me on Fantage!

-peace tee

-random rare item

-blonde intriguing

POINTS

-advertise this blog: http://fantagespy.wordpress.com on your blog in side bar -20 points

-follow fantage spy! (Required) -10 points

-reblog! -10 points

-donate a random item

-5 points -donate a rare item

-8 points -donate a limited -20 points

-donate one of these items: glowies, animal slippers, stained glass -100 points

-donate 200-500 ecoins -30 points

-donate 501 and up ecoins -40 points

-calculate total points yourself. MUST look like this. example:

user: (ur username here)

blog: (your blog here)

email: ( your email here)

things you have done

-followed

-liked

-etc etc etc!

(total points here)

RULES

-1 place chooses 3 prizes

-2 place chooses 2 prizes

-3 place chooses 1 prize

-the person with the most points wins! -comment all the things you have done and add up all the points

PEOPLE WHO ARE JOINING

-cat

-secretlyunicorn

-foreverball11

-shenpeg

-princess_JC

-xepecilliex

-oakrose12

-krazycakes

-lilly2886

-ღღღנяƒღღღ

-ashley0711

-☮♫ღѕαℓωα197ღ♪☮

-mrgrnforever

Tickets will be £2 each or 5 for £5.
With ALL proceeds going to Cancer Research UK.

You will be able to buy tickets at USwimOpenWater the week of the 29th OR make a donation at http://www.justgiving.com/ellathemermaid and let me know how to contact you in the comment when you donate, and I will enter the tickets into the raffle for you.

Good luck and keep an eye out for details of more fab prizes up for grabs in the coming weeks… Including some none swim related for those of you who are less mermaidy

(£80 voucher for Custom Ear Plugs)

So in addition to doing a fundraiser for the relaunch of my first book, “For the Future Generations”, I’m also doing one for my next young adult novel, “A Novella Called ‘Launch Day’”. The funds will be used for about the same things as the other, and the prizes are pretty much the same: a bookmark or eBook from Lulu, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble for $5.00 donations, a Kobo eBook for $10-$15 donations, a printed book for $25 donations, a bookmark, printed book, and poster for $50 donations, and a printed book and invitation to the book launch party (for Nashville, TN residents only) or digital book, poster, and printed book for donations of $100 or more. 

Again, if you would consider a donation, it would be greatly appreciated; if not, I totally understand. But that’s that. 

Oh, and the fundraiser ends in 57 days.

NOW TV, the new movie and sport streaming service powered by Sky, are embracing the ever evolving world of film-making by launching ‘the worlds smallest film festival’ comprising of entries entirely submitted via Vine, the recently released video sharing app from Twitter.

Having launched last week, NOW TV  are urging budding 6-second film-makers to submit their entries by simply tagging their videos with #NOWTVMovieFest along with the hash tag of the category they’d like to be entered into. So what are you waiting for

 There are some FAB prizes to win! 

Winners will be selected by a panel of industry professionals with the grand prize being a place on the Raindance Directors Diploma course and a Canon dSLR camera and category winners each receiving a Canon dSLR.

 Where can I find out more?

For all the info, to check out the entries so far and see which categories you might like to enter, head over to the NOW TV movie blog

Entries will be accepted from now up until 30th June, with the winners being announced on the 8th July, so get Vine-ing!

To sign up for a free trial of NOW TV, click here!

On 15 June the FIFA Confederations Cup 2013, the spectacular curtain raiser for next year’s main event, kicks off in the land of the five-time world champions. Brazil will face Japan – the first team to officially qualify for the 2014 showpiece – in what promises to be a spectacular opening game in Brasilia.

As you prepare to watch the champions of the confederations clash in Brazil, get ready for your own battle right here on FIFA.com. We are giving away incredible prizes in June. Read on to find out what’s up for grabs for FIFA.com Club members this month.

Win adidas Cafusa Kick Off Balls
They were a massive hit when we gave them away in South Africa, and they’re going to be even more popular this time around. FIFA.com has secured the official kick off balls for the matches* at Brazil 2013. Every match at the tournament will begin with the tap of a specially marked adidas Cafusa kick-off ball and we want YOU to have this exclusive and unique keepsake. During each of the 16 matches we will be holding a short quiz. Enter the quiz and you could win the kick off ball for that specific match! And just to make the jealousy of all your friends as official as possible, each ball comes with a certificate of authenticity.  
Play the Kick Off Ball Quiz

* The kick-off balls for the opening match and Final of the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013 are not included in the contest. Instead, the quiz winners of these two matches will receive an official match ball that was used during these respective games.

Dream Team Contest
Players will be looking to impress their coaches and try to secure a place in their 2014 FIFA World Cup™ plans by putting in a stellar performance in Brazil this month. Want to know what it’s like to pick a winning team? Pick your Dream 11 players for Brazil 2013 and you could win some incredible prizes. The Grand Prize is a football signed by the entire 2012 FIFA/FIFPro World XI! Signatures on the ball include several Spanish world champions and superstars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The second-place prize is an adidas Jabulani signed by the one and only Pele and we also have several adidas Tango 12 prizes for the remaining runners’ up.

Play the Dream Team game

Vote for the Man of the Match
At every single match of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, YOU get to decide on the man of the match! That’s right, the fans will decide the Budweiser Man of the Match for all of the games at Brazil 2013. Voting will begin at half-time and close once the final whistle blows. Vote on FIFA.com, via the Budweiser mobile app or on Twitter (Use #FIFA + trigram of the team + player shirt number - e.g. #FIFABRA9).  

Find out more about the Budweiser Man of the Match award

To participate in our various contests, you need to be a Club member. If you haven’t already, become a Club member on FIFA.com. Be sure to follow the Club on Twitter (@fifacomclub) to get the latest news about games, contests and prizes. See you in Brazil!

VisitPittsburgh has launched a new photo contest called “Say Cheese, Pittsburgh.”

The contest runs from June 7 through July 24.

Pittsburgh’s tourism agency says they will use the best photo submissions to promote the region to travel writers, tourists and meeting planners all around world.

They are looking for shots of Pittsburgh’s skyline, as well as from local events and festivals, including the Point State Park fountain, the Three Rivers Arts Festival, Kennywood, the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium and more.

Five prizes will be awarded:

• First Prize: $1,000
• Second Prize: $250
• Third Prize: $150
• Fourth & Fifth Prizes: $50 each

The winners will be announced on July 29.

To submit a photo, visit VisitPittsburgh.com/photo-contest, complete the entry form and the upload your favorite photo of the city.

For more details and information on the contest, visit: VisitPittsburgh.com/photo-contest

RELATED LINKS:
More Local News

1. Who has the cleanest three cabins of the day out of everyone?
2. Who is cleaner girls’ cabins or boys’ cabins?

The first challenge is conducted day by day. Cabins get rated on a 30 point scale and are judged on indoor appearance, outdoor appearance, and overall cleanliness. The judges suggest sweeping, mopping, taking out the trash, making the beds, hiding or neatly arranging luggage or fans, and removing unnecessary clutter. The top three girls cabins and the top three boys cabins will receive reserved spots in line at meal times. The top boy cabin and the top girl cabin will recieve a travelling trophy in the form of a broom to be displayed to all.

The second challenge is determined using the average of the girls’ cabins and the average of the boys’ cabins day by day. How do you find the average you ask? Each cabin’s score is added together with the other cabins on their team (girls with girl cabins, boys with boys) and then is divided by the number of cabins on the team. The team that has the highest average will “win” cabin clean – up for the day. Whichever side wins cabin clean – up for the majority of the five days will win bragging rights. It may not sound like much, but those who win know that all the cleaning they did was worth it.

Anya writing and now signing out.
Concordia Cub Week 2013.
36 days left.