Free Plants Vs. Zombies Downloads For Halloween #StopZombieMouth

Stop Zombie Mouth!!

Even skeletons, like Du-Jay, need to brush their pearly whites!!   Tooth decay is scary.   Help us stomp out zombie mouth this Halloween with good dental habits and sugar free treats.




Looking for a sweet treat for Halloween that won't land you in the dentist's office?!   PopCap has FREE downloads of the full Mac or PC version of Plants Vs. Zombies you can pass out this year!!   That's nearly a $20 treat each, for FREE.

ChiIL Mama's all about alternatives to candy for Halloween.   In the past, we've passed out stickers, little playing card packs and mini Play Doh cans, but this year trumps them all.  

Thanks to Pop Cap for sending us 50 Plants Vs. Zombies card packs to share with friends.   

Du-Jay and Sagezilla have already been having a blast passing out Plants Vs. Zombies special collector cards and trading with their friends.   The cards are all zombies--about half that exist in the game and half new.   Their favorites are the Vampire Imp, the Daredevil Imp, the Bunny Zombie and Crazy Dave.   

Best of all...the card packs come with a free full edition game download and they're calorie and cavity free!

This educational, award winning game even helps grow your brains.

Give the Treat that kids will love!! PopCap’s hit Plants vs. Zombies instead of sweets for Halloween this year! Download free game coupons (redeemable for the full PC/Mac edition of Plants vs. Zombies) at http://stopzombiemouth.com

These free codes can be redeemed at http://stopzombiemouth.com starting Oct. 30, but no later than Nov. 10!! They are good for the PC or Mac version of the super-popular game, which normally sells for $19.95. game code can be used starting 10/30/2012!

This Halloween, ADA and PopCap Games are redefining what a Halloween “treat” can be, by giving a fun game free, instead of candy. Just think how much kids love games. The American Dental Association (ADA), the leading source of oral health-related information, and PopCap Games, a leading digital games creator and a division of EA, have partnered to raise awareness of the importance of kids’ oral health in addition to providing a fun alternative to sugary treats on Halloween night.

Stop Zombie mouth.   Plants Vs. Zombies is a ton of fun, but tooth decay is NOT.   Our friend, Charlie, is a huge Plants Vs. Zombies fan.   His creative, homemade zombie costume won last year at Chicago's Punkin' Prom!

*Thanks to PopCap Games for the 50 packs of Plants Vs. Zombies trading cards.   All opinions are our own.

Winner Announced-Halloween Show-Mr. Singer & The Sharp Cookies #halloweenkidsvideos

Beat Kitchen's Halloween Concert for Kids is Baaaack

Congrats to Jennie R.--ChiIL Mama's family 4 pack ticket winner this week.   Enter like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.   We're back again as one of the media sponsors for Beat Kitchen's excellent weekly kindie music series, and we have great free tickets to ALL the kids' shows.   We'll have all our November concerts up for entry this week.


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Wanna get in the Halloween spirit?

This week's concert is something special!   Mr. Singer & The Sharp Cookies are back with another Halloween Show.   ChiIL Mama caught the whole spooky set from their Beat Kitchen show on video last year, and it was one of our all time favs.   They played not only their own well loved originals, but a host of rockin' covers that the big kids (AKA:  parents) dug just as much as the littles!   Check out their live versions of The Cramps' Goo Goo Muck, White Stripes' Little Ghost, Devil Town, Got a Monster in Me, Spider Man and more below.

Beat Kitchen's Concerts for Kids are every Sunday at noon, cost just $6, and are all ages.   Kids under 2 are free.   Show are geared toward birth through 10 year olds with accompanying parents.










You can check out loads more great, live Mr. Singer clips on ChiIL Mama's YouTube Channel right here.


Save the Dates:

ACT OUT: 500 Clown Halloween & Beyond Special Expiring Saturday Night

Some of our all time favorites are performing for Halloween and beyond.   For a hilarious, high caliber Halloween night out for parents, we HIGHLY recommend 500 Clown Frankenstein/ Mucca Pazza and Honey Buns the 26th-28th!   Check out our prior Mucca Pazza coverage by clicking here.

We saw Honeybuns at Collaboraction a few months back and couldn't stop laughing.   His physical comedy and mental mind games  are unlike anything I've ever seen, and I see a LOT of theatre!   He messed with everyone in the audience and even ended up leading the audience out of the theatre and onto the street, like some crazed pied piper.   His raunchy, irreverent show was beyond hilarious.   Adults only.

500 Clown Frankenstein is appropriate & enjoyable for tweens and up.

$32 gets you 4 great Hours of HALLOWEEN FUN!!! The Special Offer expires this Saturday night photo Michelle Kaffko Dean Evans, Jay Torrence, Pam Chermansky, Adrian Danzig, Leah Urzendowski Here's the deal. Buy one $32 ticket and see 500 Clown Frankenstein at The Viaduct at 7:30 PM next Wednesday night. Then Bike (or drive if that's more fun for you) to The Double Door - a distance of 2.4 miles To see Mucca Pazza, and before them The J Davis Trio! Our Trailer with Their Music tickets Special Feature 500 Clown Web Journey THE VIADUCT IS LOCATED AT 3111 North Western Avenue Chicago, IL 60618  Honey BUNS!!!!!!!!!!! Dean Evans of 500 Clown Frankenstein is also performing as: Honeybuns, "The World's Greatest Mime." He opens Collaboraction's season with a revamped show that will simultaneously delight, disgust, and defy all attempts at description. Honeybuns is at the Flat Iron Arts Building, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave in Wicker Park. LAST THREE SHOWS: October 26, 27, and 28 at 8pm Read this review BUY TICKETS

Winning Wednesday: Halloween Bonanza & ChiTAG Ticket Winners Announced & Twitter Party TONIGHT 10/24 #StopZombieMouth #giveaway #ChiTAG

Big Congrats to Cher K--our Halloween Bonanza winner and Lori C., this week's ChiTAG family ticket winner.   Enjoy!

Click here for full details/reviews on our Halloween give away. 

*The Grand Scream of Things--Kindie Halloween CD by Andy Z ($13.00)

*Ghost Hunters book-The Haunted House by Jason Mark ($8.99)

*2 Disney Trick or Treat Bags--Woody and Cinderella ($10.50 each)

 Total Value:  $43.00

Click here to enter to win our ChiTAG Ticket give away.   We still have 4 more family packs of tickets to give away with new winners announced every Wednesday.   Enter like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often!

*Thanks to ChiTAG for the giveaway and review tickets.

More Halloween Fun TONIGHT (Wed  10/24)

Stop Zombie Mouth with PopCap Games and the ADA and you might win $200 or $50 gift cards!  

Join the Stop Zombie Mouth Twitter Party

Our friend, Charlie, turned into a zombie and won the Punkin' Prom costume contest at Lincoln Hall with his excellent Plants Vs. Zombies costume!   Du-Jay made him a pea shooter.

ChiIL Mama's all about sweet, sugar free treats for Halloween.   In the past, we've given out mini playing cards, stickers and tiny tubs of Play Doh, but this year trumps all of those.   We're giving out rockin' awesome Plants Vs. Zombies trading cards with codes for a free game download for Windows or Mac!!   That's a $20 treat!   Tooth decay is always scary and who wants Zombie mouth?!   You can download your own free game codes to pass out for Halloween and learn more about sweet, candy free treats at the Twitter party tonight.   Check out the details below.

• Anyone wishing to give away PopCap’s hit Plants vs. Zombies instead of sweets for Halloween this year can download free game coupons (redeemable for the full PC/Mac edition of Plants vs. Zombies) at http://stopzombiemouth.com.

• The free codes can be redeemed at http://stopzombiemouth.com starting Oct. 30, but no later than Nov. 10. They are good for the PC or Mac version of the super-popular game, which normally sells for $19.95.

Please join us for an online Halloween Celebration!  We’ve teamed up with PopCap – the coolest online games for kids and the American Dental Association to help Stop Zombie Mouth! Join the #StopZombieMouth Twitter Party with Halloween Party Tips and Great Prizes!

CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND RSVP FORM  

DATE: Wednesday, October 24^th

TIME: 9:00 – 10:00 PM ET

LOCATION: #StopZombieMouth

HOSTS: @DawnSandomeno  @BethRosen  @RoleMommy  @Partybluprints and @EvolvingStacey

SPONSORS: @Popcap and The American Dental Association  @ADAMouthHealthy

RULES: You must RSVP and be a US resident 18 and older to be eligible to win.

Click here to check out ChiIL Mama's past PopCap Games Coverage.

Plants Vs. Zombies is a true winner.   It features fast paced, strategic game play, silly graphics, and best of all, it's even educational!  

We're happy to share the fun on behalf of PopCap Games and the American Dental Association.   We were given a set of 50 PopCap trading cards in conjunction with this campaign.   All opinions are our own.

Trick or Ticket?! With Halloween Ringling Treat #ChiRingling

Here at ChiIL Mama, we're all about sweet Halloween treats that don't land us in the dentist's office for fillings.   Sooooo, we're super stoked to tell you Halloween Ringling Treat is BACK this year.  TRICK OR TICKET INDEED.

This is no Tootsie Roll or pinata chum!   Five homes in the Chicago region are giving away Ringling Circus Tickets!!

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents Dragons invites you to Trick or Treat for a FREE Ticket to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Dragons!  Simply visit one of the 5 Halloween Ringling Treat Houses during their Ringling Treat hour:

House 1 – Bronzeville/Chicago, 4655 S. King Dr. – 3pm – 4pm
House 2 – Aurora, 1140 Symphony Dr. – 4pm – 5pm

House 3 – Crystal Lake, 66 Barrow Dr. – 4pm – 5pm

House 4 – Oak Park, 300 Forest Avenue – 5pm – 6pm

House 5 – Clarendon Hills, 124 Arthur Ave. – 5pm – 6pm

Parents who visit a Ringling Treat House with children between the ages of 2 and 12 will receive one voucher for a FREE Kid’s Ticket for each child present.  

Voucher is redeemable for a ticket to any Monday – Friday performance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Dragons at Allstate Arena and United Center. Voucher must be redeemed for Kid’s Ticket at the arena box office.  Additional tickets and adjoining seats may be purchased at that time.  

Trick-or-Ringling Treating is available on Oct. 31 until the end of the hour noted or until 100 FREE Kids’ Vouchers are distributed at each house, whichever occurs first.

Aly Raisman At American Girl Place, Chicago #giveaway #photofeature

ChiIL Mama and Sage were elated to meet Aly Raisman, Olympic Gold Medalist and Girl's Gymnastics Team Captain.

     "I'd like to get a gold medal gymnast's autograph before I'm double digits." my daughter exclaimed in the car on the way to meet Aly Raisman.   I laughed and said, "What?".

     "You know, Mom.   I'm not going to be 9 forever and after this birthday I'll probably be double digits for the rest of my life.   So this year is special to me and so is meeting my heros.   This way I have something special to remember both."   

It was indeed a special week of heros for 9 year old Sage.   Sunday we were thrilled to score press credentials to a brunch with Olympic Gold Medalist, Gabby Douglas.   Monday we met Aly Raisman at American Girl Place at Water Tower Place in downtown Chicago.    And my daughter did indeed get an autograph from one of her huge heros before she reached double digits!

Amid flashing photos from a long line of fervent fans, and a horde of TV news media cameras, Aly was composed and friendly.

In Chi-Town on 10/15,  the "golden tickets" weren't for a tour with Wonka.   300 lucky fans, families and star eyed gymnasts queued up outside of American Girl Place to meet the legendary Aly Raisman.

Young fans made good use of their line time checking out the cool window displays for American Girl's brand new historical character, Caroline Abbott, from 1812.


Check out ChiIL Mama's photo filled Caroline coverage and review of the first Caroline book here.   

Check back with ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often. We'll soon have our photo filled feature from the book signing with Kathleen Ernst, Caroline author, and a print interview with her.   We'll also have a video interview with Valerie Tripp, another historical American Girl author, and more photo filled features in the very near future.

Here's one very excited young gymnast, waiting to meet one of her heros.  She fixed her American Girl Kanani doll's hair in buns to match her own, and dressed her in an American Girl Olympic Suit, complete with a gold medal from McKenna's collection.   Kanani's even got a mini ankle brace just like Sage!

We were also jazzed to check out all the new book releases in the windows as we inched our way toward Aly.   Readers rock!

October is National Book Month, and ChiIL Mama's celebrating with a number of book reviews and give aways including a great set of brand new American Girl releases!   We'll have our book reviews and give aways up shortly and open for a month.  One of our lucky readers will win all of the following: 

*Slumber Wonders
*Bored No More
*Picture Yourself Here
*Bound for Snow  
*Find Your Way 

Meeting Aly Raisman:

 

Aly Raisman-Olympic Gold Medalist signs photos at American Girl Place, Chicago. Shown with 9 year old Chicago competitive gymnast, Sage. 

Aly says her favorite event is floor (her best event as well--as she took the Olympic Gold for her floor routine!). When she asked Sage what her favorite is Sage replied "I like floor, too, but my very favorite is bars."   Sage will be competing in her first USAG (Jr. Olympics) Meets this January.   She's competed the past two years in the IPDGC meets, going to state both years and taking first in state in 2010!  Like Aly, Sage started gymnastics as a toddler in Moms, Pops and Tots classes and never looked back.   Now she practices 10 hours a week with her team and does an additional 3 hours a week of circus arts like lyra, Spanish Web, Chinese Pole, acro, unicycle, juggling, trapeze and silks!

It was great to meet Aly, of course, but we also enjoyed our wait in line with our new friends, Noele and Christine.

They offered to keep Sage company while I made a food run across the street to The Cheesecake Factory for carry out, since she came straight from school and was super hungry.  We were happy to be able to return the favor and do something nice for them.  Their cell phone died right when they got up to take a picture with Aly.  We were more than happy to snap a few shots for them.   It's so great to meet new friends, sweet strangers, and people in a big city who will still step up in a neighborly way! 

Click here for ChiIL Mama's past coverage on McKenna, American Girl's doll of the year 2012, who is a young gymnast. 

You Might Also Like:

*McKenna launch party at The AmericanGirl Doll Store at Water Tower Place, Chicago (photo filled recap).

*American Girl Doll  McKenna's visit with the Chicago Comets real competitive gymnastics team (photo filled recap).

*Farewell to Kanani, Hawaiian American Girl Doll of the Year, 2011 and welcome McKenna (photo filled recap). 

Catch McKenna quickly.   McKenna and her outfits and accessories are only available through Dec. 31!



Remember to enter Caroline's heroes contest through October 31st!

**Click here for all the details**

Have you ever had to be brave? Enter our contest by creating a video clip (up to 60 seconds) about a time you felt like an everyday hero. You can tell a story, re-create a moment, or even act out the scene with your doll. Ask your parent to upload your video here by October 31 for your chance to win.*

Then come back November 5 to vote for one of our six finalists and help choose the winner of our grand prize, which includes a trip for four to Washington, D.C.; an extra-special day at the American Girl store; a Caroline doll, books, and accessories set; plus a VIP tour of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History to learn more about life in Caroline's day.

Ringling Brothers Circus Ticket Winner, Boss Clown Elections & Trick or Treat for Circus Tickets #ChiRingling #giveaway

Congrats to Kathy who won ChiIL Mama's family 4 pack of tickets to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Dragons.   We've sent our winner an e-mail confirmation, in case there were multiple Kathy entrants and there's any doubt.

Click here for our past coverage including full details on the show.

Of course, all our readers are winners.   If you didn't win ChiIL Mama's ticket give away this week, we still have a great nationwide Halloween give away and loads more Chicago area tickets.   We also have a Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Presents Dragons Discount Code for everyone.

Check back with ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.   We'll have more news about The Chicagoland Halloween Ringling Treat soon.

·         5 Chicagoland houses will be distributing 100 Free Kids tickets as Halloween treats again!

Speaking of voting....here's the other big news.   Chi-Town gets to be the final city in the Boss Clown National Election.   And WE get to announce the winners.   Vote on line and watch live on Wednesday. 

WHO:

Parents and Kids across the nation looking to engage with the presidential election process in a fun, kid friendly manner.

WHERE:

It’s all online - www.ringlingbros.com/bossclown

WHEN:

Log online now to meet the Candidates and see previous debates

Log online Wednesday, October 24th at 10:30 a.m. to see the final debate and election LIVE FROM CHICAGO

Who’s The Boss…Boss Clown that is??? For the first time in Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus history, that question will be answered by elementary students across the nation. In an effort to educate students on the electoral process and specifically presidential debates, Ringling Bros. is holding the largest Boss Clown election ever with debates at host elementary schools in Denver, Boston, Pittsburgh and Chicago.

Boss Clowns are lead clowns on The Greatest Show On Earth and the center of the circus! Each Boss Clown debate precedes or follows the actual presidential debates. While the debates focus solely on everything clown and circus, they are structured like an authentic presidential debate, providing our students a real debate experience with a comedic twist that only Ringling Bros. can provide!

Denver, Boston and Pittsburgh debates have already taken place and votes are being tallied from each city and around the country! The final debate and victory announcement for the Ringling Bros. 2012 National Boss Clown Election takes place on Wednesday, October 24th at 10:30 a.m. at Chicago’s Walt Disney Magnet School! Chicago students have the privilege of not only being the final voters but also of being the only students nationwide to vote electronically as well as at actual polling booths – providing them an authentic electoral experience!

All debates can be watched LIVE at www.ringlingbros.com/bossclown as well as any time after the debates!

Watch and be a part of The Greatest Show On Earth!

WHAT ABOUT LIVE EXPERIENCES:

After all that fun and clowning, your family may want to experience Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey in person.  Great news is you can experience the greatest show on earth in full effect all November!  Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Dragons will be in the Chicagoland area the whole month. You can SAVE 40% on all weekday shows and Save 20% on all weekend shows using the promo code MOM.

(*Weekday is defined as any show Monday through Thursday or Friday matinee, not including holidays such as the day after Thanksgiving.  Discount does not apply to Circus Celebrity, Front Row, or VIP seats.  No double discounts.  Service charges, handling, and facility fees may apply.)