Your Chance to Win a Family 4-Pack of Tickets to Mirror Mirror!

IN THEATERS MARCH 30!

For your chance to win one of five (5) Family 4-Packs of tickets to see an advanced screening of Mirror Mirror at a Downtown Chicago Theater on Wednesday, March 28^th (7 p.m. showing), you must:

Comment below, AND Like us on Facebook ; THEN, e-mail Lisa Bakewell, Managing Editor (Lisa at familytimemagazine dot com) with your contact information (email, phone, and address). 

You Can Also Follow Family Time Magazine ON THIS BLOG for up-to-the-minute Events, News, and Contests, and Twitter too! (It would be great if you would retweet this post!)

NOTE: This screening is overbooked to ensure capacity, and we strongly recommend that you arrive early! Seats are not guaranteed, are limited to theater capacity and are first-come, first-served. Also:

• Contestants will be given one (1) chance to win. 
• Winners will be chosen at random (www.random.com) on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 after NOON CST. 
• Winners will be notified via email. 
• Winners will be responsible for their own travel expenses to the show.  Location: Downtown Chicago Theater

About the movie:

One of the most beloved stories of all time is coming to life in the motion picture event for the whole family, Mirror Mirror.  A fresh and funny retelling of the Snow White legend, Mirror Mirror features breakout star Lily Collins (The Blind Side) as Snow White, a princess in exile, and Oscar®-winner Julia Roberts as the evil Queen who ruthlessly rules her captured kingdom. Seven courageous rebel dwarfs join forces with Snow White as she fights to reclaim her birthright and win her Prince in this magical comedy filled with jealousy, romance, and betrayal that will capture the hearts and imaginations of audiences the world over.  The film also stars Armie Hammer (The Social Network) as the Prince, and Nathan Lane (The Birdcage) as the hapless and bungling servant to the Queen. 

After a beloved King vanishes, his ruthless wife seizes control of the kingdom and keeps her beautiful 18-year-old stepdaughter, Snow White, hidden away in the palace. But when the princess attracts the attention of a charming and wealthy visiting prince, the jealous Queen banishes the girl to a nearby forest.

Taken in by a band of rebellious but kindhearted dwarfs, Snow White blossoms into a brave young woman determined to save her country from the Queen. With the support of her new friends, she roars into action to reclaim her birthright and win back her Prince in this magical adventure comedy that will capture the hearts and imaginations of audiences the world over.

Mirror Mirror stars Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich, Eat Pray Love), Lily Collins (The Blind Side, Priest), Armie Hammer (The Social Network), Nathan Lane (The Birdcage), Sean Bean (“Game of Thrones”), Mare Winningham (Brothers) and Michael Lerner (Elf), with Mark Povinelli (Water for Elephants), Jordan Prentice (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle), Danny Woodburn (Watchmen), Sebastian Saraceno (Bedtime Stories), Ronald Lee Clark (Epic Movie), Martin Klebba (Pirates of The Caribbean) and Joe Gnoffo (The Benchwarmers) as the Seven Dwarfs.

Fun and Free Date Ideas for Valentine's Day

Not interested in jumping on the expensive Valentine's Day wagon? Then it's time to remember that romance isn't intrinsically linked to throwing cash around. There are many ways to treat your loved one to a special date without emptying your wallet, and Mr. Free Stuff has compiled a list of "44 Free Date Ideas for Valentine's Day" for your consideration. Here's a sampling to get the wheels turning:

1. Attend amateur night at a coffee house
Many local coffee houses have amateur nights, when people can come in and perform or simply read their poetry. If you're bold, you might jump in and participate.

2. Play poker
Instead of gambling with cash, play for things like M&M's, peanuts, raisins, or any other edibles. The best part is that, at the end of the game, you get to eat your winnings.

3. Go sledding
If you don't have a traditional sled, you can use such common household items as garbage bags, cardboard boxes or cookie sheets. You could even turn it into a contest to see who comes up with the most successful make-shift sled.

4. Host a wine tasting
Turn your dining room into a vineyard's tasting room with tasty finger foods and vino from your wine rack. Comment on the tannins and oaky flavor of each glass and celebrate the "bottomless" nature of your at-home tasting.

5. Create a photo shoot
Sick of those grainy iPhone candids? Create something memorable by taking more professional-style portraits. Avoid the mundane by getting creative with costumes, backdrops and camera angles.

6. Go to a playground
Channel your inner child and hit up your neighborhood playground for some old-fashioned fun. Race across the monkey bars, trade personal stories of playground antics and hallenge each other to go higher on the swings.

7. Cook together
Leave the crowded restaurants and overpriced filets for Valentine's Day rookies and prepare something at home. Cooking a tasty meal is a lot more fun in pairs and offers a great opportunity to catch up. Pour a couple glasses of wine, turn on some Louis Armstrong and bond over vegetable chopping.

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Kid-Friendly Projects Fuel Winter Family Fun

Colder temperatures mean more indoor time, making it a challenge to find activities that will keep kids happy and engaged. The good news for parents is that even common household items can create hours of fun time. These child-friendly arts and crafts projects will allow you to spend quality, memorable time with your family this winter season with things you already have around the house.

Arts and Crafts Ideas
With the most soft cotton at the tip*, Q-tips cotton swabs are gentle and safe for baby care and pet care; great for cleaning nooks and crannies in the house and for fixing makeup mishaps. They can also be used in a variety of craft projects. Use them to:

·        Replace expensive paint brushes. Perfectly-sized for children's small hands, you can use a different cotton swab for each color and simply toss when finished.

·        Apply glue to small areas on models and crafts. Use one tip to apply the glue and the other to remove any excess glue before it dries.

·        Carve detailed designs into pottery. Moisten the tool to put the finishing touches on sculptures.

·        Touch-up hard-to-reach areas on freshly painted model airplanes and cars – or even dollhouses.

Have fun with your family making this adorable snowman that’s simple for children to create with a little help from mom or dad.

Cheery Snowman

Skill Level: Intermediate
Prep Time: 2 hours
Dry Time: 30 minutes

Materials:
1          Standard pack (500-count) of Q-tips cotton swabs
3          Styrofoam balls; 1 large, 1 medium, 1 small, (no smaller than 2 inches in diameter)
1          brown pipe cleaner
1          sheet wax paper
1          Popsicle stick or floral stake
            Child-safe scissors
            Child-safe, non-toxic black paint
            Child-safe, non-toxic orange paint

Have an adult cut the bottom off the largest Styrofoam ball, so the piece can lay flat upon a table or surface.

Using a Popsicle stick or floral stake, stack all three Styrofoam balls from largest at the bottom, to smallest at the top to form one standing figure.

Fold and twist 5 cotton swabs in half; dip 9 halves into the black paint and 1 into the orange paint. Lay flat on wax paper to dry.

Cut pipe cleaner in half; insert into sides of middle Styrofoam ball as arms.

Begin folding cotton swabs; insert into foam balls until completely covered.

Insert black cotton swabs into top ball for coal eyes and mouth. Insert orange cotton swab as the carrot nose.

Find step-by-step photos for this project, additional kid-friendly crafting ideas and household tips at www.qtips.com. Or, share your own tips or craft ideas at www.Facebook.com/qtips.

*From the end of the stick to the top of the swab.

The Addams Family--Main Floor Ticket Special--$49!

*Valid on main floor seats for December 27 only. Not valid on premium locations, with any other offer or on previously purchased tickets. Normal ticketing fees apply. Subject to availability. Other restrictions may apply. Offer ends at 7:30 pm on December 27.

'Tis the Season for Family Fun and Tradition

I love the holidays! Sure, some years are better than others financially, but the spirit of the season always captures me.

I love the idea of taking a drive and looking at the wonderful home decorations with my family, and I actually like the hustle and bustle of the crowds doing last-minute shopping. Seems funny, doesn't it? Any other time, I hate crowds, but not during the holidays!

A few years back, my husband started the tradition of cooking our Thanksgiving turkey and our Christmas ham on the charcoal grill. It started out as a necessity--since our oven was broken--but it became a tradition that we all love. There's something about grilling the meat that adds a lot of flavor, and it doesn't take any longer to roast the turkey or ham outside. Also, it allows me to use the oven for other parts of the meal...like dessert!

Another tradition that I treasure is decorating the tree with my husband and my two boys. I definitely don't have a designer tree, but I love it just the same. I have a terrific mishmash of decorations...some made by my boys, some that hold sentimental value, and some that were given as gifts. It's so much fun to unwrap each ornament and reminisce about our Christmas memories.

When I was growing up, one of our traditions was to decorate our tree with lights and bulbs, then add tinsel...one piece at a time! That's one tradition I haven't continued with my own family. I'm not sure if it's because I don't really like tinsel or because I've hung my life's quota already. Regardless, my boys have never asked about tinsel, and I never offered it up!

One tradition that caught on in my own family is the Christmas Eve present. It's always the same. The tradition originally started because the boys begged to open a gift on Christmas Eve. I obliged because I wanted the boys to look half-way decent for pictures in the morning. The compromise, and now the tradition? Pajama pants!

What about you and your family? What are some of your holiday traditions? I'd love for you to share them with us...no matter which holiday(s) you celebrate!

-Lisa Bakewell