Thursday, December 24, 2015

FINAL FAVS: ChiIL Mama's Holidaze Twelve Days of Giveaways Final Five Freebies

Happy holidays all, from our family to yours. It's been so much fun doing our ChiIL Mama's Holidaze Twelve Days of Giveaways yet again this year. We'll be off line a few days enjoying our family. 



When we come back we'll be celebrating the new year and starting 2016 off in a fun way by giving away 1 of each of these fabulous toys & games to our lucky readers and two of our readers will both get two gorgeous adult mandala coloring books of their choice! Open nationwide (USA).

Disclosure: Thanks to the toy companies, artists and publishers for providing complimentary giveaways for our readers and review samples. As always, all opinions are our own.

Wish List/ Last Minute Favs for the holidays and beyond... 
These are sweet ideas for your Christmas cash too, if you're going shopping in the post holidaze days!

1. Coloring Mandalas by Wendy Piersall (4 versions available) $10 each


















2. Chrono Bomb by Patch Products $29.99
This award winning game is THE BOMB! Active fun for all ages!






 Educational fun for the little mimics in your life, so they don't monopolize your pad! 

  • Durable play tablet features colorful light-up images!
  • Over 50 fun and educational sounds, phrases and songs!
  • Press the images on the touchscreen!
  • Children will think it's more fun than grown-ups' tablets!
  • For ages 12 months and up









Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! We appreciate all our readers. Check back with ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often. It's rewarding!

Disclosure: Once again, thanks to the toy companies, artists and publishers for providing complimentary giveaways for our readers and review samples. As always, all opinions are our own.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

FLASH GIVEAWAY: FAMILY 4 PACK OF TICKETS TO RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER™: THE MUSICAL” DEC 18TH AT 7PM AT ROSEMONT THEATRE

ChiIL Mama's giving away 4 FREE Tickets to "RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER™: THE MUSICAL” AT ROSEMONT THEATRE 


Family-Friendly Stage Adaptation of CBS’ Highest-Rated Christmas Special of All Time Comes to Life on Stage this Holiday Season



In 1964, the beloved stop-motion animated television classic, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” made its network television debut delighting audiences across the country. This holiday season, the “most famous reindeer of all” from the longest-running and highest-rated television special will appear live on stage in “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical” at the Rosemont Theatre (5400 North River Rd. in Rosemont) for four performances ONLY December 18 -19.

Disclosure: We're pleased to partner up with The Rosemont Theatre, Iconic Entertainment Studios, Right Angle Entertainment and Wishing Star Productions. They have provided tickets for our giveaway. As always all opinions are our own.

ChiIL Mama's giving away 4 free tickets to one lucky reader. First to comment "Me please" below with an adult name for the box office WINS!


Following last year’s critically acclaimed and hugely successful inaugural tour, Rudolph and a holly jolly cast of iconic characters including Hermey the Elf, Yukon Cornelius and the Abominable Snow Monster will help Santa save Christmas during three North American tours visiting 50 cities.


“Because our inaugural run was so popular, we will have three tours this year in an effort to bring Rudolph and his friends to even more families and young theatregoers across North America,” says Producing Partner Jonathan Flom.



Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical” practically transports audience members into the television special with all of the beloved original songs and a recreation of the original set and costume design for the stage. The cast brings new energy to the classic story and dialogue, while irresistible and lovable puppets help showcase the original charm of the television show’s stop-motion effects. “We address all of the familiar story elements from the television special with a talented cast and puppeteers who help recreate the magic on stage,” says Producing Partner Bob Penola.

The story tells the tale of a young Rudolph who, because of the appearance of his bright, shining nose, is ousted from the reindeer games in Christmas-town. He flees town, meets up with new friends Hermey and Yukon, and a series of funny and endearing adventures ensue including a visit to The Island of Misfit Toys. Rudolph journeys home, where a snowstorm of epic proportions is threatening Christmas.


Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical” is produced by Iconic Entertainment Studios, Right Angle Entertainment and Wishing Star Productions.

Rudolph and his friends will visit the Rosemont Theatre (5400 North River Rd. in Rosemont, IL) for four performances on Friday, December 18 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, December 19 at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets ($29.50 - $75) are on sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, or by calling 866-448-7849. For group discounts, visit www.grouptix.net or call 773-327-3778.

For more information, visit www.rudolphthemusical.com. 



Disclosure: We're pleased to partner up with The Rosemont Theatre, Iconic Entertainment Studios, Right Angle Entertainment and Wishing Star Productions. They have provided tickets for our giveaway. As always all opinions are our own.

Friday, December 11, 2015

WIN Sweet Holiday Treats For All Your PEEPS® #peepsholiday

A certain iconic Easter treat just couldn't wait around for spring. That's good news for PEEPS® lovers. And this chickie isn't just a bird anymore. It's morphed into all kinds of holiday favs like gingerbread men, Christmas trees, snowmen and even Minions! 



Disclosure: ChiIL Mama is pleased to partner up with PEEPS® and PEEPS & COMPANY® products. They've given us complimentary products to review and to give away to one of our lucky readers, information, and discount code. As always, all opinions are our own.

My kids were pleased as PEEPS® to deck the tree with boughs of candy. Falalalala...lalalala. And they even shared some of our tasty treats with their secret santa friends. These make adorable gift toppers too! 



Want to win a Big Assorted Holiday PEEPS® Box of your own? ENTER HERE through midnight December 16th. Open nationwide, continental USA. No PO Boxes please.



All our readers are winners with 20% off your next purchase, no minimum required, from now through Thursday, December 31Discount code:  SWEETINGS15



The festive array of shapes isn't the only thing that makes these treats extra sweet. There are a host of fun flavors too, from Banana Cream Minions to Peppermint PEEPS®. 



Our fav is the hooved mammal with the identity crisis... the Chocolate Mousse Reindeer! Moose?! Reindeer?! Mousse?! Delicious!! And of course we can't forget the gingerbread flavored... wait for it... PEEPS® Gingerbread Men. 



As always, PEEPS® marshmallow treats in all their various shapes and flavors are gluten free and fat free.



Want to mix it up a bit? We highly recommend a MIKE AND IKE® filled Candy Cane. These work particularly great on the Christmas tree! MIKE AND IKE® MERRY MIX Candy: Filled with 4 ounces of MIKE AND IKE® candies featuring Lime, Cherry and Holiday Punch flavors, this is a great way to add a little extra sweetness to the presents you give or if you need an item on hand for a quick gift that's sure to please the sweetest people in your life.



Lastly, want a fun gift that'll won't get gobbled down and be gone? Add a super soft PEEPS® Plush to the mix. Cuddle up with your favorite PEEPS® this year. Perfect for stocking stuffer or under the tree and a warm surprise. Plush varieties include: PEEPS® Gingerbread Man, PEEPS® Elf Plush Chick, PEEPS® Plush Candy Cane Chick, PEEPS® Plush Snowman.




Information about the PEEPS® products:
PEEPS® Large Banana Crème Flavored Minion: PEEPS® introduces a new banana crème flavored marshmallow in honor of the beloved Minions characters. Three varieties of the individually packed large Minions include the likeness of Kevin, Stuart and Bob – stars of the Minions movie available on DVD this holiday season. Available only for a limited time!


PEEPS® Vanilla Crème Chicks Pop: Fans can celebrate holiday traditions with these four classic Vanilla Crème flavored marshmallow Chicks on a stick.


PEEPS® Marshmallow Minions: To celebrate the DVD release of the Minions Movie, PEEPS® created a Minion-shaped marshmallow reflecting their fun PEEPSONALITY®. The original marshmallow Minions are sure to please admirers of all ages. Available for a limited time only!

PEEPS® Candy Cane Flavored Marshmallow Chicks: Those who prefer their Candy Canes chicks without the chocolate can indulge in the peppermint-goodness of Candy Cane favored chicks!


PEEPS® Large Marshmallow Snowmen: Large, fluffy PEEPS® Brand Snowmen are fun to eat and to share! Available in one count stocking-stuffer size packages, and three count share size.

PEEPS® Gingerbread-Flavored Marshmallow Gingerbread Men: Now you can get the gingerbread flavor you crave all year long in something other than a cookie with PEEPS® gingerbread flavored marshmallow gingerbread men.


PEEPS® Marshmallow Trees: It wouldn’t be the holiday season without seeing a Christmas tree! Enjoy green PEEPS® tree-shaped marshmallow decorated with red, yellow and blue garland and topped with a star.


PEEPS® Marshmallow Snowmen: PEEPS® traditional sized snowmen! PEEPS® Marshmallow Snowmen are adorned with a top hat and candy cane decorations with a nostalgic look.

PEEPS® Chocolate Mousse-Flavored Marshmallow Reindeer: These reindeer shaped marshmallow PEEPS® are chocolate-mousse flavored and oh so delicious!

PEEPS® Holiday Pop: This delicious marshmallow flavored pop comes with four assorted Chicks representing the holiday colors: green, red and white.


PEEPS® Lollipop: A delightful handmade PEEPS® lollipop perfect for party favors, stocking stuffers, or secret Santa surprises. Available in PEEPS® Gingerbread or PEEPS® Snowmen varieties.


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Disclosure: ChiIL Mama is pleased to partner up with PEEPS® and PEEPS & COMPANY® products. They've given us complimentary products to review and to give away to one of our lucky readers, information, and discount code. As always, all opinions are our own.




An exciting part of 
Now through December 18th

GIVEAWAY: WIN A Family 4 Pack (up to $180 value--2 available) To The House Theatre Nutcracker!


ChiIL Mama & The House Theatre want to take YOU to 
CHICAGO'S MACABRE, BALLET FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY, THEATRICAL ADAPTATION OF THE NUTCRACKER, THROUGH DECEMBER 31,
AT THE CHOPIN THEATRE



ChiIL Mama's ChiIL Picks List: 
Best Chicago Family Holiday Shows
ChiIL Live Shows on Our Radar


The House Nutcracker is a hotly anticipated annual family tradition for us here at ChiIL Mama. Where else is your ticket a take home ornament (rats if you're lucky) and your program contains a recipe for Martha's Famous Sugar Plum Cookies?! We dig the singing toys, creepy giant, multi headed rat puppets, mourned Marine, and NO BALLET whatsoever. We adore this utterly unique holiday take on The Nutcracker, overcoming grief, and conquering fears. It's even a huge hit with the tweens and teens, a notoriously hard to please demographic between children's theatre and full on adult productions. Highly recommended. We're thrilled to partner up with The House on a fabulous ticket giveaway!




Disclosure: Thanks to The House Theatre for providing tickets for our giveaway and review comps for our family. We have not been compensated in any other way for our coverage. As always, all opinions are our own.

We're giving away TWO Family Four Packs of Tickets to the House Nutcracker (up to $180 value each--2 available)ENTER HERE. Winners' choice of dates pending availability. Enter often through midnight Monday 12/14.


An exciting part of 
Now through December 18th

The House’s modern holiday theatrical production weaves together riveting dialogue, astonishing puppetry, original song and spellbinding spectacle to tell a heartwarming, darkly moving story of magic and hope -- a fun outing fit for the whole family.

Check out our family's adventures at the press opening in the full slide show right here:

Live music is a boon to this excellent production.



And you can bring beer into the snow... erm, I mean SHOW.




We love that the audience can get hands on with the show snow over intermission & meet some of the characters! 

The House Theatre of Chicago once again brings holiday cheer with its sixth annual return of the all-original, family-friendly version of The Nutcracker playing at the The Chopin Theatre Upstairs Theatre, 1543 W. Division, through December 31. The show was created by Company Members Jake MintonPhillip KlapperichKevin O’Donnell and Tommy Rapley. Company Member Rapley reprises his role as director and choreographer of the holiday production based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s story. 

Snow fun being a tween at The House Nutcracker!




The House’s fantastical expansion of this holiday classic centers on young Clara’s journey to celebrate Christmas in the face of grief after the death of her brother. With the help of a magical nutcracker, this brave little girl will fight the Rat King and save her family. 




The House’s original play version of The Nutcracker has become a Chicago Holiday tradition for many families. It premiered at the Steppenwolf Theatre in 2007 under the Visiting Company Initiative and enjoyed highly acclaimed new productions at The House from 2010 through 2014, as well as simultaneous 2012 productions in both Chicago and Miami.


The Magic IS Real! Who knew I married a NUTCRACKER?! 



Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. with 3 p.m. matinees Saturdays and Sundays. Additional remaining holiday weekend performances are Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 7 p.m.; Monday, Dec. 28 at 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m., and 
Wednesday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m.


PRICES: $15 - $45
TIMES: Thursdays & Fridays 7:30, Saturdays 3:00 & 7:30, Sundays 3:00 & 7:00
SEATS: Performed in the round, with seats on all sides, and always general admission
RUN TIME: 2 hours, including one 15 minute intermission

AGES: 5 to 105! Read more in the Parent's Guide from co-writer Jake Minton.

HEP RATS: We got a huge kick out of this T.U.K. shoes wearin', British accented rat pack!





NOTE:  The House hosts a family-friendly New Year’s Eve extravaganza following the closing performance December 31 and will last until 1:00am. Tickets to the New Year’s Eve Extravaganza are on sale NOW. Regular run tickets are $25 - $45. Student and industry same-day discounted tickets are available for $10 for all dates, based on availability. Tickets may be purchased by calling 773.769.3832 or by visiting www.thehousetheatre.com.

About the New Year’s Eve Extravaganza:
Following the closing performance Thursday, Dec. 31, The House  hosts a family-friendly New Year’s Eve Extravaganza. The party features music from House Company members, led by Kevin O’Donnell, a dance floor, full table-top and party game room, photo booth and savory and sweet eats and drinks. Tickets will go on sale Thursday, Nov. 5.



ABOUT THE ARTISTS
The Nutcracker is adapted by Jake Minton and Phillip Klapperich from “The Nutcracker and the Mouse,” a story by E.T.A. Hoffmann with original music by Kevin O’Donnell. 

The cast for The Nutcracker features the return of House Company Members Chris Matthews in the role of “Monkey” and Marika Mashburn as “Martha/Really Scary Rat” and welcomes Company Member Abu Ansari as “David/Quite Scary Rat.” Returning to the cast are guest artists Jaclyn Hennell as “Clara” and Andrew Lund as “Hugo the Robot.” Rounding out the cast and new to The Nutcracker this year are guest artists James Houton as “Drosselmeyer/Really Quite Scary Rat,” Rachel Shapiro as “Phoebe the Babydoll” and Desmond Gray as “Fritz the Nutcracker.” 

ABOUT THE HOUSE THEATRE OF CHICAGO
The House is Chicago's premier home for intimate, original works of epic story and stagecraft. Founded and led by Artistic Director Nathan Allen and driven by an interdisciplinary ensemble of Chicago’s next generation of great storytellers, The House aims to become a laboratory and platform for the evolution of the American theatre as an inclusive and popular artform.


The House was founded in 2001 by a group of friends to explore connections between Community and Storytelling through a unique theatrical experience. Since becoming eligible in 2004, The House has been nominated for 60 Joseph Jefferson Awards (19 wins) and became the first recipient of Broadway in Chicago’s Emerging Theater Award in 2007, and was awarded a 2013 National Theatre Company Grant by the American Theatre Wing, founder of the Tony Awards. Now in its 14th year of original work, The House continues its mission to unite Chicago in the spirit of Community through amazing feats of Storytelling.



Check back with ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often. It's rewarding! 



Now through December 18th

Here are more of our favorite family shots from the press opening. 




Great gift ideas abound here, at House Theatre. Their t-shirts are some of the coolest in the Chicago theatre scene and their posters are ahhhhmazing! Then there's always season subscriptions or tickets to an upcoming show. Experience based gifts are great clutter busters and make lifelong cool memories.

















Blizzard in a box! Hooray for the awesome clean up crew and for letting us play first. You rock!!






Whatever you do this holiday season, don't miss THIS!


Disclosure: Thanks to The House Theatre for providing tickets for our giveaway and review comps for our family. We have not been compensated in any other way for our coverage. As always, all opinions are our own.

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