{Giveaway} Wild Kratts LIVE at Ovens Auditorium

PBS's two wildest brothers - the Wild Kratts will be performing their LIVE show at Oven's Auditorium on Saturday, February 13th at 1PM and 4:30PM. They're bringing their animated show to real life, you can join them while they protect animals of the creature world, and share animal facts with the audience. It's going to be a wild adventure! Tickets are available here.

You can win tickets by following MomAboutCharlotte on Instagram and commenting on this post with what type wild of animal your kids are most like. Mine are totally howler monkeys. so. darn. loud. I'll draw a winner on February 8th.

Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus Xtreme

We took the kids out for a fun night at the  Ringling Brother and Barnum & Bailey Circus Xtreme at the Time Warner Cable Arena Jan 27-31st. Tickets still available on Ticketmaster.

They danced along with the music and marveled at the performers gravity defying feats. 

In addition to the thrills, the circus is also, beautiful and captures your imagination with colors fabrics and unique motion.

The majestic animals are my children's favorite part of the circus. 

Every time we go there is a new exciting act and a new part of the show that amazes and exceeds expectations. 

Even our littlest circus goer was enthralled with the event!

Controlling Playroom Chaos: Bin me up Scotty

Well, another Christmas has come and gone, leaving in its wake - playroom chaos. I'm still (trying) to institute my "rule of 5" that I previously blogged about, and it has been helpful to keep down on the sheer quantity of crap that covers my floors. However, I realized I needed to organize the 'fives' to make any daily impact.

That's when I decided to {Bin me up Scotty}! We set off to the institution that is IKEA, filled the kids with Swedish meatballs (free kids meals that weekend) and navigated the labyrinth of organizing options. We finally settled on 4 tower TROFAST's and their assorted bins. We wanted to be able to keep certain items up and away from our 3 year old, but within the reach of our 7 year old, and with it's 57" height it met our needs. The TROFAST system was on sale during the month of January.

In addition to the TROFAST organizers, I also consolidated their games by recycling all the boxes and moving the game's contents into labeled Ziploc bags. This reduced our towering pile of boxes to bin-able easy to see and grab games. It look so much neater and the kids have been playing with them more because they're accessible, unlike the ominous teetering tower of boxes.

I'm with Cupid ==>

My wonderful girlfriend Melissa and her sweet hubby Tyler will be stripping down to their skivvies in the freakin freezing cold this February to raise money in "Cupid's Undie Run" so kids like Sophia, their daughter's good friend, can grow up happy and healthy. 

Sophia was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis (NF1) in February 2014. At the beginning, her family was often asked how they knew that something was wrong. They didn’t. Sophia is the perfect end piece to the family's three stepping stone children who all live in Mint Hill, NC. The littlest of the children, Sophie is wild and in to everything, full of energy and smiles and giggles from sun up to long past bedtime. As far as her parents were concerned she was doing just as well as her brothers developmentally and they had absolutely no concerns about her future. Since her diagnosis, all they know is that her future is uncertain.  

Sophia’s journey is just beginning. Many trips to the doctor, although important, have been scary for Sophia and her family. All of these doctor visits leave them with uncertainty and without answers. For her family a diagnosis of Neurofibromatosis means a future that is clouded with doubt and worry.  

NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS and we cannot stop until there is a cure for NF so that kids like Sophie can stop being afraid and her family can live a day without worry. 

You can help by donating or joining our team of undie-clad runners. Your donation will provide critical funding that will allow for treatments, clinical trials and ultimately will fund the research to find a cure for NF. 

Donate to support Sophia and kids like her here.

https://my.cupids.org/MelissaMiller

{Giveaway} Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus Xtreme

{Giveaway info at the bottom of the blog!} 

It's not your typical family night when an Xtreme performer gets shot across an arena from a giant cannon! Hold onto your seats as Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus Xtreme blasts into Charlotte at the Time Warner Cable Arena January 27th - 31st. 

The excitement starts an hour before show time with the All Access Pre-show where your family can meet the amazing cast members and get up close and purr-sonal with their tigers and other animals. Performers include high-wire wizards, strong men, BMX trick riders, daredevils on the trampoline bungee aerial skydiving and more. 

Purchase tickets here. 

Show Schedule 
Wednesday January 27 at 7 p.m.
Thursday January 28 at 7 p.m.
Friday January 29 at 10:30 a.m.
Friday January 29 at 7 p.m.
Saturday January 30 at 11 a.m.
Saturday January 30 at 3 p.m.
Saturday January 30 at 7 p.m.
Sunday January 31 at 11 a.m.
Sunday January 31 at 3 p.m.

{Giveaway Info} WIN 4 tickets to the show on Thursday, January 28th at 7pm. I won't even make you pile into a clown car - nope - just do any of the following - 1 entry per completion.

1. Comment on our Facebook post with your favorite circus act.
2. Comment on THIS blog with your favorite circus act. 
3. Share the Facebook post publicly (you have to change the post privacy to public so I can see it)

I'll draw a winner on January 24th. Good luck! 

SEA LIFE: It's a BOY!

What's got 8 tentacles, 3 hearts and can achieve the mental capacity of a 5 year old? It's SEA LIFE Aquarium's newest addition - a baby boy Giant Pacific Octopus. SEA LIFE will be introducing this little guy to their enrichment programs to stimulate his mental growth. Aquariasts will bring him through experiences like tentacle painting and puzzles.  Head over to the Shipwreck area of the aquarium to catch all the educational goings-on every day at SEA LIFE at 2:15pm.

After you've seen the little squirt's ability to Picasso with the best of them, enjoy all the aquatic creatures in SEA LIFE's 26,000 square foot aquarium. It's our go-to place to bring the kids when we're looking for a fun indoor activity - so much to explore and lots of space to do it. Let their hands get up close and personal with the ocean inhabitants in the touch pools, and watch as sharks circle overhead in the coral reef tunnel. Each visit is unique, and teaches the kids something new about our world and conservation of the sea.

Tickets are available at a discounted rate starting at $12.95 a person online.

{Giveaway} LEGO KidsFest Comes to Charlotte, NC

It's time to get excited kids, moms and dads! Those tiny colorful bricks that ignite imaginations are headed to Charlotte in the biggest, most LEGO-ist way possible! When I was a kid my siblings and I spent HOURS constructing and playing in our LEGO worlds. Now as a mom, my seven-year-old daughter and I love spending time creating and building LEGO projects together. My three-year-old son is just starting his experiences building with LEGOS, and is particularly fond of making cars and then smashing them. Boys.. ;). So I'm just as excited as they are to check out this one-of-a-kind LEGO experience that's rolling into the Queen City February 19th - 21st, 2016. Don't be left out of this awesome event, tickets have sold out in other cities -  pick up tickets now by clicking here .  Want more details about LEGO KidsFest click here. 

Now for the {Giveaway} Info - our winner is Paige Gallelli! I encourage you to LIKE and Follow LEGOKidsFest on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram for all the latest ticketing updates as this event has been selling out in prior cities. Must be 18 to enter, 1 entry per day allowed, random drawing by USFG! Winner will be randomly chosen by USFG on Tues Jan 15 and announced on my Blog and notified via email. 

The LEGO KidsFest national tour stops at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, NC, from February 19 - 21, 2016, for the very first time, bringing all of the creative hands-on, minds-on fun of LEGO building and experiences together in this three acre activity- and entertainment-packed family event. 

LEGO KidsFest is for children of all ages and builders of all skills and interests. 
Among the many LEGO attractions, families will find: 

* LEGO Model Museum: life-sized models made entirely from LEGO bricks 
* LEGO Master Builders: live demonstrations and activities from the crew who get paid to play 
* Race Ramps: build a custom car, then race it down the ramp against friends and family  
* LEGO Star Wars: build and display a Star Wars model
* LEGO Disney Princess: create a princess scene to add to a LEGO story book 
* LEGO Super Heroes: pose with a life-sized Spiderman model and more
* LEGO DUPLO: younger visitors can explore imagination through building
* LEGO Retail: purchase LEGO merchandise and official KidsFest tour goods
* LEGO Friends: build for the five empowered friends from Heartlake City 
* LEGO Ninjago: spin the way to being a Spinjitzu member 
* LEGO Mindstorms: build and program robots and snakes 
* LEGO Technic: get hands-on with the cool, realistic vehicles at the booth
* Creation Nation: build your own creation to add to a custom map of the U.S. 
* Brick Pile: a gigantic pile full of LEGO bricks for creative play and enjoyment
* Monochromatic Builds: bricks of a single color foster group creativity

"Our 2016 LEGO KidsFest tour is going to delight both new and returning audiences," said Vince Rubino, Events Manager for LEGO Systems, Inc. "We've still got some favorites on the show floor, like the Big Brick Pile, Creation Nation and the Race Ramps. There are also many new and unique activities designed for building, learning and fun." 
Five sessions - all identical and 4 1/2 half hours in length - are held at each tour stop. LEGO KidsFest tickets can be purchased at www.LEGOkidsfest.com. Tickets are $19 for the Friday and Sunday afternoon sessions, and $22 for both sessions on Saturday and the Sunday morning session.
On tour since 2009, previous LEGO KidsFest tour stops have included major cities such as Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Atlanta, San Jose, Cleveland, Richmond, Phoenix, Portland and more.

LEGO KidsFest North Carolina: February 19 - 21, 2016
Three Acres of Hands-On Educational Fun for All Ages