American Girl Author Valerie Tripp and #PricelessChicago With #Mastercard #greatgifts

American Girl tops ChiIL Mama's Great Gifts List.   American Girl has an impressive commitment to literacy and philanthropy.   They publish an exciting array of books that get girls interested in reading and engaged with history.   And of course the dolls and accessories are adorable, well made, and so much fun to collect.

Look Ma!   No lines!

We were given an amazing opportunity with Mastercard's Priceless Chicago perks.   The last weekend of October, we got to meet and interview author Valerie Tripp, shop at American Girl Place Chicago an hour before the store opened to the public, and have a fabulous brunch at the American Girl Cafe!   It was a priceless experience to share with my 9 year old daughter.   



Author, Valerie Tripp, was personable and wonderful.


Mastercard is offering another special early access/brunch for purchase by the public in December.   We'll have all the details as soon as they're available.   This one will be exclusively for Citibank Mastercard holders, so get your plastic ready, or apply today.   Highly recommended!

It was truly a treat to meet Valerie Tripp, one of the original American Girl book authors and personal, long time friend of company founder, Pleasant.   Valerie is a prolific writer whose American Girl books about Felicity, Kit, Josefina, Molly, and Samantha are well loved and read around the world.

Samantha, Sage, Caroline & Kanani share brunch at the famous & fabulous American Girl Cafe

Something Old/Something New:

We enjoyed a fabulous brunch in the American Girl Cafe with many press and blogger friends, their daughters and lucky members of the Mastercard holding public.   Before we went, my daughter Sage had trouble narrowing down just which American Girl dolls would get to come along on our adventure.



That morning she was elated to open her brand new historical character doll, Caroline, so of course she decided to bring her.   We had saved Caroline for the day of our Mastercard Priceless Chicago brunch and let the excitement and anticipation build. 



Then, of course, Sage also wanted to bring her Samantha doll and books for Valerie to sign.   So, we had one of the oldest, original Pleasant Company American Girl Dolls and the very newest of the collection on board.   Finally, Sage wanted Kanani--the Hawaiian girl of the year from 2011 along for a trip to the salon.   Her long, lovely hair does tend to tangle when the doll is well loved and played with often.   So she joined our special shopping day, too!   

Kanani's wearing a vintage American Girl Olympic Suit with a medal (from gymnast McKenna's 2012 collection) from our recent meeting with real Olympic Medalist, Aly Raisman, also at American Girl Place, Chicago, a few weeks before.   We also have McKenna, they gymnast doll of the year 2012, but Kanani resembles Sage more closely, so she chose to dress her as a gymnast instead.

Click here for our photo filled feature on our recent meeting with real life Olympic Gold Medalist, Aly Raisman

Before:



Although her messy buns were cute and matched Sagezilla's own gymnast buns, the doll was in need of some pro hair styling help!   We'd never been to the Doll Salon before and left quite impressed.  For $20, Kanani left with a super cool lattice style, two long fishbone braids, and patriotic ribbons to match her Olympic suit!

After:

Check back with ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.   We will be publishing our original video interview with Valerie Tripp along with some footage of her brunch talk in the very near future.   We'll also have a big American Girl book give away up this month, an American Girl Cafe Birthday Party feature, and more.

If you've got a young, American girl in your life, this opportunity truly is a priceless day out together!

*Thanks again to Mastercard for brunch with Valerie Tripp, a $50 gift card to use during our fun day, and early access to the store.   Thanks to American Girl/Mattel for providing us with books, dolls & magazines to review and great giveaways for our readers over the years.   All opinions are our own.

Cubs Priceless Adventure-Mastercard #photo & video filled recap

 

When people ask me Cubs or Sox, I always say Blackhawks. 
  

So, even though hockey's on ice (or rather off ice) for the season, my heart still belongs to The Blackhawks.   I was surprised and happy to hear the old school Hawks theme song and see their iconic indian head represented on the screens between innings, when I went to see The Cubs play on 5/29 and 6/13.

    

  I even saw Hawks fans proudly showing their true colors among all the Cubbies red white & blue.   Maybe these hybrid Hawks/Cubs fans are "hubs", eh?  Better than the alternate.   Hee hee.
 

 

That said, when we were invited to a special Cubs day ON Wrigley Field with other members of the press, bloggers and Mastercard Priceless Cubs Pledge winners, we said an emphatic, YES! 

     

We were invited to:
 

*bat and catch with the coaches

 

 
*take a few swings in the batting cage behind the ivy, then keep a ball and get it signed by the coaches
 

    

*dine in style at the Stadium Club
 

*AND catch a free night game--Cubs V. Tigers

 

My kids tease me for saying WOO HOO and awesomely awesome......but even as a writer, I can't think of anything else that better sums up our day ON Wrigley Field.    It was indeed awesomely awesome!   Woo Hoo!!

 
Check out Du-Jay tossing a few balls and getting some great pointers from the pros!!

   
Then see him passing along his new found wisdom to little sister...priceless!

 

My Dad was born and raised in Rogers Park and has remained a life long Cubs fan since 1938.   

            

Here's my dad, Richard Rosene, as a child in the 40's Even though he lives two states away now, he still fervently follows The Cubs.  He also fondly tells stories of taking the el down to games as a child in the 40's.  He remembers sitting in the bleacher seats and his dad buying the kids lemonade, but he never saw a game from anywhere but the cheap seats.   
 

 His art work from April 1947--entitled "Ballgame" 

 
So, it was especially thrilling for him to see his grandson and granddaughter have a rockin' opportunity like this! 

    
The kids dug being on the flipside of the infamous ivy....

       
And walking in the footsteps of the pros... 

   

They also enjoyed getting to keep a ball and get it signed by the coaches!

 

 

It was a highlight getting photographs in "the circle" and hanging out with old and new blogger and press friends. 

    
  Dinner was a huge hit....especially the carry out cups full of gummy bears and M & M's for the game.


     

 
Sagezilla even got a chef's hat from the writer of "Reading Between the  Vines".

    

You too can enter to win a priceless experience by submitting your own Cubs pledge & then proof, by clicking the link right here, but do it now.   The contest closes on June 24th!!   

 

It can be silly, embarrassing, humanitarian or hard to do.  
   

Be creative.

 I pledged to donate 1 bag of kids clothes and toys to a womens' shelter or soup kitchen for every Cubs win to date as of 6/13 (21).  We're filling 'em up and sharing our stuff.   I figure that good karma's a win win situation.   My husband's just thrilled we're clearing the clutter.

My kids are more likely to juggle a ball than hit one with a bat.    They're becoming accomplished circus performers with CircEsteem, Chicago's premier youth circus.  They offer sliding scale classes in circus arts to kids from all income levels and neighborhoods across Chicago.  The team kids have even done circus exchange programs with kids in Africa and Germany, trading off hosting and traveling abroad! 
 

When I asked Sagezilla (9) and Du-Jay (11) what they would pledge to do in support of The Cubs, they eagerly and excitedly planned a few circus tricks to do ON Wrigley Field.    That way their kid energy and enthusiasm will infuse the field and linger there, boosting the Cubs players' stamina, flexibility, and enthusiasm!!

 

Du-Jay (11) pledged to juggle 3 balls 20 times while Sagezilla (9) did back walkovers ON Wrigley Field.  See ChiIL Mama's kids fulfill their pledge right here!

*Disclosure:   Thanks a million to Mastercard for providing this opportunity for us.   The memories we made and the photos and video we shot that day are truly priceless!