Lilly/Disney Books & Backpack Giveaway Winners Announcement

I'm knocking down two birds with one microphone this morning. 

It was time for another microphone test for my upcoming podcast and also time to announce the winners of the Lilly Diabetes and Disney books giveaway. I took the opportunity and choose the winners during the mic test. All you have to do is click play on the audio player below to find out if you won - good luck!

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Winners will be receiving an email from me very soon. I want to say congratulations to those who were picked at random and thank those who participated and weren't chosen. Thank you!

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Now THIS is a Giveaway!

Lilly Diabetes reached out to see if I'd be interested in giving away twelve L.L. Bean backpacks full of their diabetes themed books to my readers – I was all like, "ah, yea!".

There are a number of ways to enter using the widget below. Some options are "worth" more entries than others and some are even eligible to be completed daily (like tweets). The more entries you have when the winners are chosen, the better your odds of winning. Here's a look at what you are trying to win...

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Disney Books: Tween novels - Superstar Dreams - ESPN: Covering the Bases - ESPN: Power Forward - ESPN: Up for the Challenge - ESPN: Running Interference - Hannah Montana: Uptight (Oliver’s All Right)

Coco Books: Coco’s First Sleepover - Coco Goes Back to School - Coco & Goofy’s Goofy day 

Disney Cookbook - Disney Holiday magazine - Disney/Lilly Postcard

PLUS the L.L. Bean backpack

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get much more information about the books here...

Small print: I am sorry to all of my Canadian readers but for this one it's US residents only, 18 years or older. One prize per person. Twelve winners will be chosen by random (Rafflecopter app). In the past I have attended blogger events hosted by Lilly, my travel, lodging and meals were covered by the company. I have also been a spokesperson for Lilly in the past, when I gave interviews about my tips for sleepovers for children with diabetes. No purchase is necessary to enter. No personal information is being collected by Lilly or Arden's Day. Prizes have no cash value.

More info on my blogging morals are available at my disclaimer/disclosure.

Good luck!

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In Need of a Vacuum Cleaner Recommendation

My life really is strange sometimes. Yesterday I was in a Manhattan studio for a Lilly Diabetes satellite media tour where I was interviewed, along with Amy Hess-Fischl, twenty-nine times by different television and radio stations from all around the country. It was a whirlwind day that began at four in the morning. We gave one interview right after the other for almost seven hours, it was a really fun day of talking about sleepovers, diabetes management ideas and the Lilly/Disney collaboration at Spoonful.com/type1. 

The bright lights of the big city didn't last too long for this stay-at-home dad. When I arrived home yesterday my son was sick, the laundry was piling up and Arden had homework to do. I got back into my routine pretty quickly and this morning things were back to normal here at home.

I found the kitchen counter this morning after the kids left and gave it a polish, then I thought I'd do a bit of vacuuming before I had breakfast but something terrible happened. My closest comrade in this life, my partner, the yin to my yang - she passed away suddenly. I don't know what I'll do without my little buddy, but I guess I'm just going to have to press on. Sure she sucked at her job and I never liked the yellow jacket that she wore, but Eureka... she tried. 

Anyway, here's some pictures from yesterday's media tour and audio from one of the radio interviews. After you take a look, if you have a good one, can you please leave a vacuum cleaner recommendation? I need a sturdy upright that does wood and carpet and I like a nice wand for the corners and such. Not too expensive but I'll spend some money for a vacuum that'll last. Thank you!

Audio - Radio Interview with WIBC Indianapolis 

Oh Lilly: Coco, Sleepovers and Me

Remember back in August when I gave away ten copies of 'Coco's First Sleepover' and I told you that sometime way in the future, I'd be participating in a Lilly Diabetes press junket to talk about sleepovers and diabetes? Well, time sure does fly because I'll be leaving Monday for The Big Apple, Metropolis, site of the 1964 World's Fair, the city that never sleeps... if I can make it there... Okay, you get it, I'm going to New York City.

On Tuesday, September 24th I'll be participating in a satellite media tour for Lilly Diabetes. I arrive early in the morning armed with only my knowledge of being the parent of a child with type I diabetes and my urbane wit. Throughout the day I, along with Amy Hess Fischl, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., BC-ADM, C.D.E., will answer questions as they are asked by the following media outlets. List subject to change.

TV:

WNEM/Flint-Saginaw, MI

WBTV/Charlotte, NC

WTVG/Toledo, OH

NEWS AROUND AMERICA

CONN TV

LOUISIANA HOMETOWN

KOLC/Reno, NV

KHQA/Quincy-Hannibal, MA

WSAW/Wausau-Rhinelander, WI

KAZT/Phoenix, AZ

WDTV/Clarksburg-Weston, WV

WGGE/Springfield-Holyoke, MA

Radio:

WDIS/Boston, MA

Main Street Radio

WCBC-AM/FM/Washington, DC

WFMY/Greensboro-High Point, NC

KLTF-AM/Minneapolis, MN

KXFN-AM/St. Louis, MO

WIBC-FM/Indianapolis, IN 

KOGA-AM/Denver, CO

WXGM-FM/Norfolk-Portsmouth, NH

WARM-AM/Wilkes Barre-Scranton, PA

WYYZ-AM/Atlanta, GA

WCAP-AM/Boston, MA

 

I'm excited to be helping Lilly and Disney to get the word out about their diabetes themed children's books and grateful that they thought of me when the opportunity arose. All that's left is to find out if I fit into the jacket that I wore on Katie Couric.

Lilly will provide transportation to and from New York (car ride), a stipend for expenses and one nights lodging. The Coco books are free through your Endocrinologist, just ask your doc for a copy (they can get them through their Lilly sales rep).

Who wants a copy of Coco's First Sleepover?

So I have ten copies of the new Coco book to giveaway - who wants one?! Nothing fancy about this offer, how about the first ten residents of the U.S or Canada that leave a comment asking for a book, get one. Don't forget to leave your email so I can contact you for a mailing address.

and while I'm on the subject of Coco and sleepovers...

Coming in late September, Lilly Diabetes will be embarking on a satellite media tour focused on providing tips and guidance for parents when preparing a child with type I diabetes for sleepovers. These radio and TV interviews will be given by Amy Hess Fischl, a CDE and dietitian and some guy named Scott who writes a blog or something. The advice will be based on my personal experiences and the learned advice of Ms. Fischl.

Here's a little more about Amy, me you've heard enough about this year to last a lifetime.

Amy Hess Fischl, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., BC-ADM, C.D.E.

Coordinator, Teen & Adolescent Diabetes Transition Program

University of Chicago Comprehensive Diabetes Center-Chicago, Ill.

For more than 15 years, Amy Hess Fischl, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., BC-ADM, C.D.E., has been educating and inspiring children and families living with diabetes. A Certified Diabetes Educator(r), registered dietitian and current coordinator of the Teen and Adolescent Diabetes Transition Program at the University of Chicago's Kovler Diabetes Center in Chicago, Amy has travelled across the country and around the world raising disease awareness and promoting the importance of proper diabetes care, particularly for children and young adults.   

Lilly will provide transportation to and from New York (car ride), a stipend for expenses and one nights lodging. I don't yet have all of the details about the day, but I do hope that they are planning on feeding me at least twice. The Coco books were provided by Lilly but they are free through your Endocrinologist, just ask your doc for a copy (they can get them through their Lilly sales rep).