Geek Parenting

I Spy Giveaway Winners

ARC — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:54:00 GMT

Okay, our I Spy: A to Z giveaway has officially ended. Thanks to everyone who entered and big thanks to the I Spy folks who sponsored the contest. Using the nifty tool over on Random.org, I have selected the following winners:

Grand Prize Winner: Shelly Ring

Shelly won:

Wii Video Game 'Ultimate I SPY'
Board Game 'I SPY Memory Game'
I SPY A to Z: A Book of Picture Riddles
I SPY Treasure Hunt

Runner Ups: Jennifer, Andrei, MonsterAteMy, Mangoat

They each won a copy of I SPY A to Z: A Book of Picture Riddles

Summary:

Easy-to-read riddles by Jean Marzollo are paired with forty-sixobject-filled photographs by Walter Wick to create I Spy A to Z, themost engaging alphabet book ever! With more than thirty titles and 36million books in print, the I Spy series continues to win the heartsand minds of parents and kids everywhere.

Thanks again to everyone who entered. I will contact all the winners directly for an address, then I Spy will mail you your prizes. Check back soon for more geeky giveaways!

Wordless Wednesday: Geeky Fortune Cookie Edition

ARC — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:54:00 GMT

They Might Be Giants Offering Little League Sponsorships!

ARC — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:42:00 GMT

If you know a geekling with a little league team needing sponsorship, you should contact They Might Be Giants! Yes, the band.

Apparently, an all-star team in Seattle (pictured) named themselves They Might Be Giants and when the band heard about it, they offered the team free shirts and official sponsorship. Now they're giving the same to 10 more teams, which I think is awesome. It's first come, first served!

If you would like They Might Be Giants to sponsor your little league team, send an e-mail to littleleague@tmbg.com with the following info:

City, State and Zip
Name of the local sports organization
Ages of team members
Size of your team
Anything else we should know!

Giveaway: "I Spy A to Z" Books, Plus Grand Prize Package!

ARC — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:45:00 GMT

I recently received a copy of I Spy A to Z: A Book of Picture Puzzles and my kids love it. If you are unfamiliar with the I Spy product line, the company makes fun books and games that engage your geeklings' brains. I Spy was nice enough to sponsor a Geek Parenting giveaway, which starts today.

How to Enter: Leave a comment on this blog post and you will be automatically entered to win. (Be sure to leave an accurate email address in the appropriate field. It won't be published!)

Prizes: There will be five (5) winners in total.

One (1) Grand Prize winner receives a Grand Prize Pack including:

Wii Video Game 'Ultimate I SPY'
Board Game 'I SPY Memory Game'
I SPY A to Z: A Book of Picture Riddles
I SPY Treasure Hunt

Four (4) runner-up winners receive a copy of the new bookI SPY A to Z: A Book of Picture Riddles

Easy-to-read riddles by Jean Marzollo are paired with forty-six object-filled photographs by Walter Wick to create I Spy A to Z, the most engaging alphabet book ever! With more than thirty titles and 36 million books in print, the I Spy series continues to win the hearts and minds of parents and kids everywhere.

Happy Birthday, Brian!

ARC — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Today is my husband's birthday. Here he is, about 30 years ago, in a Battlestar Galactica ringer tee. He''s still a major geek and I love him for it. Happy birthday, Brian!

1950's Anti-Comic Book Propoganda

ARC — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 02:34:00 GMT

My husband and I were watching "Comic Book Confidential" tonight and this part cracked me up. I really wish they had used this retro short film on MST3K:

Sci-Fi Superfan Blog

ARC — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:43:00 GMT

I have been a very adulterous blogger of late and Geek Parenting has suffered a bit. In case you're interested, I've just launched a new sci-fi movie blog over on MSN. This is more than just a blog, actually. It's a blog-wiki hybrid -- the stuff of mad science! Some of the entries are open for visitors to edit, which should be fun.

The site is brand-spanking new, so please check it out here and feel free to leave some comments!

This is part of a superfan blog network. You should also check out MSN's Twilight Superfan Blog, Geek TV Superfan Blog, and Soaps Superfan Blog. There are more in the pipeline, so I'll keep everyone updated.

Lil' Geek of the Week

ARC — Wed, 13 May 2009 18:17:54 GMT

Sorry I have been out of the loop for so long, everyone! My mother just passed away rather unexpectedly, so the past month or so has been a complete blur. Don't want to bring everyone down about that, though, so please enjoy these awesome pics of Aiden, our star geekling of the week!

Aiden just turned four and is already acquainted with his daddy's iMac.

He also has his own Lightning McQueen laptop, complete with QWERTY keyboard and four-button mouse.

When Aiden isn't using his laptop, he's taking pics of it with a digital camera!

Wow, that's actually a great shot - and he's barely four! My son prefers low-tech toys like, say, the toilet. Or his nose. Big thanks to geekdad Darin for showing off his little genius. He's adorable!

Do you have a pic/video of your kid(s) geeking out? Send it to me at and we'll put him/her on the site!

"Monsters vs Aliens" Graphic Novel Winners

ARC — Tue, 05 May 2009 04:15:00 GMT

Happy Star Wars Day, geek parents! Sorry to announce these winners so late, but the following readers will be receiving a "Monsters vs Aliens" graphic novel:

Donald
Doyle
Ruth Boehme
Douglas Warren
Mommy Cracked

Congratulations and thanks again to Titan Books for send these to me for a giveaway. Be sure to check out their online store and May the 4th be with you!

Pokémon Video Game Championships

ARC — Fri, 01 May 2009 20:09:00 GMT

Do you have any Pokémon trainers in your house? I'm sure many of you do, so I thought I’d tip you off about the Pokémon Video Game Championships, which are being held this spring and summer. Regional Qualifier Tournaments begin on May 9 and will be held in six major U.S. cities until the middle of June.

Remember, these regional competitions are open to the public. Be sure to consult the official site for a checklist of what to bring. Gotta catch ‘em all!

Pokémon Video Game Championship Schedule:

May 9 - SEATTLE
Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion
305 Harrison Street Seattle, WA 98109
Senior Registration: 8:30 - 9:30 A.M.
Junior Registration: 11:30 A.M - 12:30 P.M.

May 16 – SAN FRANCISCO
City Beach
4020 Technology Place Fremont, CA 94538
Senior Registration: 8:30 - 9:30 A.M.
Junior Registration: 11:30 A.M - 12:30 P.M.

May 23- PHOENIX
Phoenix Convention Center
West Building Hall 2
100 N 3rd St Phoenix, AZ 85004
Senior Registration: 8:30 - 9:30 A.M.
Junior Registration: 11:30 A.M - 12:30 P.M.

May 30 - DALLAS
Arlington Convention Center Hall 1
1200 Ballpark Way Arlington, TX 76011
Senior Registration: 8:30 - 9:30 A.M.
Junior Registration: 11:30 A.M - 12:30 P.M.

June 6 - PHILADELPHIA
Valley Forge Convention Center
Montgomery and Lancaster Rooms
1160 1st Ave King of Prussia, PA 19406
Senior Registration: 8:30 - 9:30 A.M.
Junior Registration: 11:30 A.M - 12:30 P.M.

June 13 - NASHVILLE
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
Ryman Exhibit Hall B5
2800 Opryland Drive Nashville, TN 37214

June 27 - National Championships – ST LOUIS — OPEN TO PLAYERS EVERYWHERE!
America's Center
701 Convention Plaza
St. Louis, MO 63101 (314) 342-5036
Senior Registration: 8:30 A.M.
Junior Registration: 12:30 P.M.

August 14 - World Championships – SAN DIEGO (Invitation Only)
Hilton San Diego Bayfront
1 Park Boulevard San Diego, California 92101

Word Up, It's Word Girl

ARC — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:26:00 GMT

Our little Lois has decided to become a superhero (Word Girl) rather than an intrepid reporter. Not familiar with Word Girl? It’s a really cute show on PBS with a focus on phonics and Lois Lane is crazy about it.

Basically, Word Girl is a superhero who saves the day while teaching everyone at home new words. Her sidekick is a breakdancing monkey named Captain Huggyface. Naturally.

Here is Lois zooming and punching her way through the theme song. She’s quite serious when she makes those heroic poses!

Buy the X-Men Animated Series on DVD Tomorrow!

ARC — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:56:00 GMT

If you're like me, then you're a geek parent who is young enough to remember watching X-Men on Fox Kids every Saturday morning. Well, they are finally releasing the series on DVD. Volumes 1 & 2 will be available tomorrow (April 28). Together, these volumes cover the first 32 episodes, ending with the awesome five-part Phoenix story arc. I scored an advance copy of both sets and have been vegged out for days watching them.

Although it pales in comparison to some of the animated shows from DC, this is a must-have for X-Men fans and your kids will love it. I will also forgive the lack of special features because it's just nice to finally have these on DVD! So, pick up both volumes tomorrow, as your geeklings are probably being saturated with Wolverine trailers and are primed for the animated series.

Here's a fun clip from the show. Will we ever look at Juggernaut the same way after the infamous meme?

Giveaway: "Monsters vs. Aliens" Graphic Novel Adaptation

ARC — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:05:00 GMT

My fellow comic book geeks know how hard it is to find a graphic novel that is appropriate for all ages, so I'm happy to offer this contest. I have five (5) copies of the Monsters vs. Aliens Movie Adaptation to give away. It is a graphic novel companion to the 3-D Dreamworks movie and I'm really impressed with the artwork and writing.

Contest Rules:

Simply leave a comment on this entry and you are automatically eligible. Be sure to enter your proper contact email in the form, though. It won't be published. Five (5) winners will be randomly chosen from the comments below.

Deadline:

Friday, May 1

Good luck and thank you to Titan Books for sponsoring this giveaway. Be sure to check out their online store, which features a huge range of comic books, magazines, boxsets and more!

A Little Housekeeping...

ARC — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:26:00 GMT

Hey, geek parents. Sorry I've dropped off the map for several weeks. My mother had some serious health issues and has been in ICU. Since I live across the state, I've been traveling a lot and now have a ton of work to catch up on.

On a lighter note, I have more giveaways coming up and I'm about to launch a sci-fi movie blog for MSN, which is exciting. I'll share the link here once it goes live!

Have a happy holiday weekend! Here is my favorite Easter video, which I watch every year as a tradition now. Don't let your kids see it:

Clifford Plush Doll Winners!

ARC — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 20:35:00 GMT

Our Clifford plush doll giveaway is officially over! The following people will receive a Clifford of their very own. I probably should have noted before that these dolls are life-size and will not fit inside your home. So, unless you have a large backyard, you will have to move out to an island town. (Sorry I didn't mention that - hope it's not a problem!)

Congrats to:

Manuel Valcarcel (Time to introduce the 2 year old to Clifford)
Melissa (My daughters just love Clifford . . . now they even have that Clifford puppy days show they want to watch.)

Mighty B! DVD Winners

ARC — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:34:00 GMT

Thank you to everyone who entered the Mighty B! DVD contest. I have randomly selected the following five people, thanks to the nifty Random.org calculator:

1. Shelly Ring - (I had no idea that was Amy Poehler! My kids love this show! I can't seem to get past the annoying lisp though! LOL)
2. Lorene - (my 8 year old loves this show)
3. Gail - (Enter me..looks cool)
4. Jill - (Love love love the Mighty B. Love the song, love the show. Love it when she says, "But I wanna rock so hard.")
5. Shellie Seering - (What a fun looking DVD, thanks for sharing this great giveaway!)

Sorry I can't give out a DVD to everyone! I still have quite a few active giveaways, though. Or, as a consolation prize, you can enjoy the following clip of Ricky Gervais being naughty with Elmo. (Not for young eyes and ears!)

Giveaway: "Ultimate I Spy" for Nintendo Wii

ARC — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:29:00 GMT

My entertainment surplus package continues! This is another fun, yet educational, game for the geeklings. It's for the Nintendo Wii:

Ultimate I Spy (Retail Price: $30)

Ultimate I Spy combines seek-and-find gameplay with the unique capabilities of the Wii gaming system. It is great for kids 7-10 and perfect for family play. I Spy is a multi player game with over 20 hours of gameplay and includes 40 I spy riddles in 10 unique environments. With its 3D immersive environment and scavenger hunts, you can link up with your friends to enjoy all the action in each game.

How to Enter: Leave a comment on this entry and you are in! Be sure to use a working email address - it will not be published

Contest Deadline: Wednesday, March 25

Giveaway: "I Spy Fun House" Game for PC / Mac

ARC — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:22:00 GMT

Okay, here's one for your little computer gamer. It's PC and Mac compatible:

I Spy Fun House (Retail Price: $20)

Explore an I Spy Fun House filled with optical illusions and brain-teasing puzzles! Solve I Spy riddles to earn your tickets to the Fun House, and then discover a topsy-turvy world where everything is not always as it appears. Unlock games and activities while on a scavenger hunt to complete portraits of the carnivals sideshow performers.

How to Enter: Leave a comment on this entry and you are in! Be sure to use a working email address - it will not be published

Contest Deadline: Wednesday, March 25

Giveaway: "Blue Dragon Plus" and "Boing! Docomodake" on Nintendo DS

ARC — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:03:00 GMT

This is one of several game giveaways I'm posting today, so stay tuned! Two winners will win both of these games for the Nintendo DS:

Blue Dragon Plus (Retail Price: $30)

Blue Dragon Plus is a real-time strategy game. Its gameplay style is similar to that of Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, also for the DS. It can be played entirely with the Nintendo DS stylus. Like in Revenant Wings, battles initiate once the party comes in contact with the enemy, and the characters can attack automatically. Characters can also engage in Shadow Battles when an enemy with a shadow is encountered. Magic can be used when characters use their skills by summoning their shadows.

Boing! Docomodake (Retail Price: $20)

Set on the day of the annual festival held in the Docomodake Forest, the Docomodake family is nowhere to be seen! Gamers play as Papa Docomodake and guide him through various obstacles and challenges in order to find his family and get them to the festival on time. Papa Docomodake has a trick or two to help him on his quest. With a tap of the stylus he can release 'Minis' that aid him when the going gets a little tough. Remember, Minis make the impossible possible!

How to Enter: Leave a comment on this entry and you are in! Be sure to use a working email address - it will not be published

Contest Deadline: Wednesday, March 25

Giveaway: "I Spy Treasure Hunt" and "Outwit" for LeapFrog Leapster

ARC — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:02:00 GMT

If you have a LeapFrog Leapster at home, these two games should be a great addition. One winner will get the following:

I Spy Treasure Hunt (Retail Price: $25)

Discover treasures left behind by three legendary pirates! Reveal pieces of their treasure maps while playing I SPY riddles and games that build thinking and vocabulary skills. Leapster2 players can connect online for extra activities and rewards. And with the LeapFrog® Learning Path, parents can see what their child is learning. Appropriate for ages 4 years to 8 years.

Outwit! (Retail Price: $25)

Challenge your mind with brain games from five clever animals! Play 15 fast-paced games that build thinking, memory, reasoning and identification skills. Leapster2 players can connect online for extra activities and rewards. And with the LeapFrog® Learning Path, parents can see what their child is learning. Appropriate for ages 4 years to 8 years.

How to Enter: Leave a comment on this entry and you are in! Be sure to use a working email address - it will not be published

Contest Deadline: Wednesday, March 25