Salt Lake Comic Con Fan X 2015 3-Winner #Giveaway!

The wildly popular Kid Con is back too!

It's back! One of the most popular events ever and popular around the whole country, as people join in the fun of dressing up and "becoming" their favorite characters from cartoons, t.v. Shows and movies!  

For Those of you who attended Salt Lake City Comic Con in September 2014 and came away wanting even more, I've got great news! Salt Lake Comic Con Fan Xperience is back, with a smaller, high-quality event with event founders Dan Farr and Bryan Brandenburg announcing a significantly lower amount of  tickets being allotted.   There will be only 50,000 tickets per day, as compared to the maximum crowd attendance of 120,000 people one day at Comic Con 2014, overwhelming the arena on opening day in September. With this and other improvements, this year's Salt Lake City FanXperience shouldn't  be one to be forgotten for those privileged to attend!

As a volunteer and attendee at the SLC Fan X 2014 I can attest there is something for everyone and it brings out the inner nerd in all of us!  It brings the whole family together, as the kids can dress up, attend KidCon and see other kids dressed up in their favorite characters.  Also, with one-of-a-kind vendors congregating at the event, you'll be sure to find gifts and collectibles you could never find on Amazon.  

The Comic Con Organization also gives back to the community.  They have worked to donate and work with 18 charities and public organizations including Boy Scouts of America, Firemen & Friends For Kids, Huntsman Cancer Institute, & Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital.  Also, in the near future, they will be partnering with the American Red Cross at the event itself.

If you aren't impressed with huge, pressing crowds, this is the event for you.  With the huge crowds of September still in many people's minds, it might be appropriate to understand what actually happened.  Basically, the founders didn't realize the huge popularity of the event.  Complimentary tickets were given out as a gesture to schools, law enforcement personnel, fire department personnel, military and individuals in need.  This is a standard procedure for most major events and the average redemption rate for an event is under 25%.  But for this hugely popular event, the redemption rate for these tickets alone was at 97%!  This put the already highly attended event over the top!  Now the organizers of Comic Con are excited to put their experiences to great use and Fan Xperience 2015 will be amazing! 

This year's star roster includes Carrie Fisher, Morena Baccarin, Felicia Day, Tom Felton, Brandon Routh, Christopher Lloyd, Alaina Huffman and many more! 

I, along with my two lovely Co-Hosts, Housewife Eclectic and Dawn's Delights, am pleased to announce that 3 winners will be able to participate in the fun and excitement of Comic Con Fan Xperience 2015!  1st Prize - Two 3-day passes to Fan Xperience 2015!  2nd Prize - One 3-day pass to Fan Xperience  2015 and 3rd Prize - 2 Commemorative Collectible Pins from  Comic Con Fan X 2014 and 2015!  Enter the Rafflecopter Form below!  Good luck! 

Please consider liking each and every one of  the participating bloggers on Facebook!  We work hard to bring great information and giveaways like this to you!

This blog did not receive any monetary compensation for this giveaway.  Also, this giveaway is no way sponsored, endorsed by, affiliated with, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google or any other social media platform.  No participating bloggers are responsible for delivery of prizes. Thanks to all the Utah Blogs who participated along with A GAL NEEDS...to promote this giveaway. Also special thanks to Troy Hulse, Sr. Volunteer Manager, at Comic Con!
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lessons Learned During Hibernation And Motivating Monday #Link-Up

Tomorrow it all starts back up again.  I'm back at work after my 2-week holiday break.  It went both fast and slow. It was very laid-back.  We didn't travel anywhere, we didn't do much of anything at all.  Except eat.  We did lots of that.  For one thing, it was too cold.  It snowed on Christmas and after that the temperatures went below 10 degreees, actually dipping to 0 degrees one night, and that is just too cold for me to go ANYWHERE (I know, I'm a pansy compared to you Northerners and you Arctic Circle folks!)  It was quite a novelty to harvest huge icicles from the gutters around the house!  

What does one do when hibernating in one's den?  Well, I know that a lot of people play Monopoly and other such "raucous" games, as evidenced by the Instagram tag, #Monopoly. We, ourselves, played a few intense games and I came away winning once and being totally crushed another time!   We played for hours at a time.  I found it surprising how similar Monopoly is to real life   One or two sequences of bad luck and your world can come crashing down.  But if you can just hang on and try every avenue to outlast the Minion of Misfortune, your luck can suddenly turn around and it's smooth sailing until the next series of unfortunate events.  (Speaking of avenues, Baltic Avenue is a really cheap property. But with a hotel on it, you can get $450 a pop!) Real life's ebbs and flows last more than several hours, however. Sometimes it is hard to be positive that things will get better and hard to foresee so far into the future!  I suppose that is why the New Year has so much value.  We can "resolve" to be more positive in our outlook and press forward in life, until it's our turn to land in Free Parking!

Also, Welcome to Motivating Monday!  We all need a little motivation!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for motivating posts, tips, pictures and videos!  If I happen to find yours, I'll link it up and let you know!  It's like being featured!  If you'd like to link up, I'd love it if you would!  I'll stalk visit your site, comment, promote and publicize on one of my own social media channels!  Don't be shy--I'm really very supportive!  Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog number increase! 

Sashka Crystal Hand-Beaded Bracelet 4-Winner #Giveaway Event!

Welcome To  

The Sashka Bracelet Giveaway Event!

Christmas is over and you did for everyone else! Make this one for you!  Sashka Co. bracelets are hand-made, crystal, one-size-fits-all, fair-trade, and come in every color of the rainbow.  They sparkle in the sunlight and complement your outfits.  Go boho chic, bold, subtle, or perfectly coordinated.  Read the review here!

 

 

4 winners will each receive a Sashka bracelet! Open to U.S.  Open to 21 and over. No participating blogger, including A GAL NEEDS..., is responsible for delivery of goods and services.  One entry per person, per household.  Ends midnight on January 24th!  Please consider liking each and every one of  the participating bloggers on Facebook.  We really appreciate it.  For additional guidelines, see Rafflecopter Disclosure section.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Past Year In Retrospect

Before I sat down to write this post, I thought back about my blogging year.  As memories of the past year streamed behind me, I remembered both good and bad.  I feel there were some months where I was incredibly focused.  I followed up on deadlines, I pursued social networking, I produced content and communicated with sponsors. But other months were....less than stellar.  And let's face it, there are quite a few areas that need to be addressed regularly if you're a blogger. For instance, if social networking is neglected for any length of time, traffic can be severely impacted.  (Which it was) And if one doesn't post regularly, it can be devastating. But how much posting is sufficient?  Once a week?  4 times a month? In my mind, that isn't near enough.  But that is what happened at times. 

My quandary was time.  I love to blog, but realistically how much time do I have to spend on it? Life sometimes gets in the way.  Who can plan for the unexpected?  Who would've thought my son would go to State and then actually win State?   And after all, my first 3 priorities are my faith, family and my job, which provides my reliable source of income and, let's be honest, gets me out of the house. Even so, blogging is an easy 4th.  While things went even as they did, I still managed to grow my blog, produce content, do reviews, and host giveaway events.  More importantly, I still love to blog and don't dread opening up my browser to create!  Here are some of the highlights of 2014!

• I was flabbergasted at the high water usage in certain areas of our desert state and I ran into an all-too-common occurrence as we build further and further into wildlife habitat!  

• I had a crazy driving adventure due to road-rage and was "under"whelmed by our legal system and the abundance of frivolous lawsuits happening everywhere.

• I was ever-concerned with my diet, health and beauty and perseverated about how my genetic make-up was perfectly good and acceptable, despite popular argument and evidence to the contrary!

• I hosted an average of one giveaway per month and my favorites were Magic Zoo Jewelry, Cariloha bamboo sheets, Mrs. Fields Cookies, Classical Stretch Season 10, Rejuvenator Microbubble Showerhead and Rainshadow Labs!

• I started two linkys - Motivating Monday and Sabbatical Sunday!  These will be continuing throughout 2015 because I love to read your blogs and learn from your experiences!  I don't ask anyone to follow other blogs, but I do promise to promote all link-ups on one of my social media channels! 'Cause I love you!

I've never been into goals for my blog but this year I think I'll try it and even make it public! My goals for next year are to grow my content and giveaways by 20%!  That means 3 more giveaways than last year (and I do select my giveaways carefully) and 4 more self-authored posts!  Yay!  Something to shoot for!  My most important goal, however, is to continue to love blogging and if that means taking a break sometimes to clear my head, I will definitely do it!
 

What are your goals, blogging or otherwise, for 2015?

Blogger Op - Crystal Hand-Beaded Bracelet 4-Winner Giveaway Event!

Hosted By:  A GAL NEEDS....
Sponsored By:  Sashka Fair Trade Bracelets
Dates:  January 5, 2015 - January 24, 2015

4 winners will each receive a beaded roll-on bracelet from Sashka. (ARV $12 each + shipping) Open to US. 18+ or older. FREE Twitter, Facebook, Bloglovin', YouYube, Instagram or Pinterest Link For Participating! As a participant, you will need to post the official giveaway on your site (your own brief wording+related no-follow html), running it as if it were your own giveaway. You will also need to promote this giveaway at least 3X per week on Twitter, Facebook and/or Pinterest. One of the required entries will be a comment on your page if they are entering from your page, so this will also be a plus for your blog! . Co-Host link includes link-back and 3 free links! This will be $8.00 via Paypal. Also, if you would like additional links, you may have up to 3 additional for $2.00 each via Paypal. *~No announcement required~*~ Your link(s) will be added once you report the url to your post.  You can sign up here!

Sabbatical Sunday Link-Up

Hello and welcome to Sabbatical Sunday!  I hope that your holidays are going well!  I am very happy with how mine have gone so far and am loving the rest and relaxation!

I like to take a break from the regular routine on Sundays.  It gives me a chance to clear my head, re-set priorities and appreciate the many blessings I've been given.  I rest, reflect, and I try to find ways to inspire me to be a better mom, wife, Christian, and person.  Sundays are my day to take a short sabbatical!  If you have a post that you'd like to share that is a little different from the ordinary weekday post, feel free to link up here!  We'd love to have you!  Although I don't ask anyone to follow anyone else or promote, I will do that for up to 25 link-ups.  I will promote you on at least one of my Social Media sites.  I will try and link back to you so you'll know!  That's just 'cause I love you!  Of course anyone is more than welcome to check out the other links and sites!  That's what you do on a Sabbatical! 

7 Things A Gal Should Consider When Getting An Oil Change

Changing your car's oil is such a mundane but necessary chore! Ughh!  To keep your car in tip-top condition, you should change it every 5000 miles on average. If you're a single gal, or even if you're not, chances are you're not going to want to do it solo, even though many people say it isn't all that difficult!  My props go out to you if you do!!!  What you might want to think about is finding a reliable place to do that maintenance for the best bang for your buck.  Many people use the dealership where they bought the car.  Unless your car is warrantied, dealerships usually charge the most for services and since this is such a basic service, I like to shop around.  Because I have had both good and bad experiences taking my car to get the oil changed,  I came up with a few things to make sure that trip is as easy on your pocketbook and time as possible!

1.  Make Sure They Specialize In Oil Change - Once upon a time, I got my oil changed at a Muffler Shop that says they also do oil changes.  Judging by the length of time I waited, they must have learned it on the job and I was their first customer!  I was in their waiting area for over an hour and a half.  That is way too long to be waiting for an oil change.  In my opinion, the maximum time you should be expected to wait for a standard oil change is 45 minutes.

2.  Read the Reviews - Nowadays people are more than happy to share whether or not they had a good or bad experience on Google+ and other review sites.  Look up your intended garage and see what others are saying. Also don't be afraid to place your own review for others to benefit! 

3.  Ask What the Expected Wait Time Will Be - In light of how long I waited,  I always inquire the approximate time I will have to wait.  If they go much past 15 minutes beyond the expected time, they will definitely get a star off of their online review and I will tell them so. 

4.  How Busy Is It?  If you are the only customer in the shop, that's not a good omen.  On the other hand, if the place is overrun the chances of getting their best service isn't the greatest.  Case in point:  Once I took the car to my local Walmart.  It was crazy busy and the next time my husband tried to change the oil, he couldn't get the oil plug off.  They had wrenched it on so tightly that the threads were stripped.  Not a great service if you can't go back and do it yourself.

5.  How convenient is it to where you are?  It doesn't make sense to drive over 15 minutes out of your way.  I say 5 minutes is a reasonable time to drive and not much more.  If it's a few minutes off my route to or from work, from my house or from where I shop and eat, that would be an acceptable distance. Unless, of course, there isn't a place within miles...then make a day-trip of it and do the shopping, appointments and errands as well.

6. How Welcoming Is It?  Face it, you want to feel wanted where you are paying good money for a service.  Granted, you may not get complimentary herbal tea or an essential-oil sensory journey while you wait, but the lobby should be nice, the personnel should be friendly and answer your questions AND they should have vending machines, bathrooms and a t.v., don't you think?

7.  Price - Last but not least, the price should be reasonable.  You can call around and find out what the different auto centers charge for an oil change.  Sometimes it may be worth paying a little bit more if any of the above considerations are important to you.  If not, by all means, get the lowest price possible!  Bottom line, you should feel that getting an oil change is worth the time and money you spend for an essential maintenance on your car!

Once you find a place that may be to your liking, let them know that you are planning on being a regular customer and that you would be pleased to recommend them to your friends if you continue to like their service.  Make sure they know that you are potentially there for the long-term.  If they are wise, they will aim to please!

A Mixture Of Nature And Suburbia In Sandy #Utah

I'm a native California girl but that was a long time ago...when you could walk on the San Joaquin River levees and trails alone and not be afraid of being accosted by exhibitionists, transients, pick-pockets and more.  (The last time I visited, it was a exhibitionist, yikes!)  It's still beautiful, don't get me wrong, but those days are gone for me.

It seems like I've always lived in beautiful places, like the 10 years I spent in Floyd, VA, so green, so humid, so close to the Blue Ridge Parkway...I loved it so much!

Now it's Utah that I call home, and I love it here too!  I lived for several years in Provo, UT.  It's a college town, home to BYU and UVU.  Then we moved north to the Sandy/Draper area.  At first I wasn't sure I'd like it.  I'm sort of an introvert, who loves to get away to nature.  I crave places that aren't crawling with people.  I need places to be able to walk and be by myself, to meditate and reflect and let my dog roam while I'm doing so. 

Sandy is in Salt Lake County and close to many fun events and shopping areas.  But I was so happy to find that it also has a slice of the most beautiful nature around and the solitude I love is right in my back yard!  As a matter of fact I really consider Dimple Dell equestrian, hiking jogging and recreation area my backyard.  Dimple Dell is an expansive park offering hiking, biking & horseback riding along with ponds, streams & picnic areas.  It is like a huge nature park in the middle of the suburbs  It goes for miles and has many trails.  There are many entrances to the park.  One trailhead entrance is right by 24-Hour Fitness in Sandy at 10365 S 1300 E.

I frequent just a small part of Dimple Dell, just enough to fit in a 50-minute walk with my border collie, Evee,  several times a week.  I have carved out my own route, one that I know isn't too well-traveled. 

I even have my own private bench to take in the gorgeous mountain view! 

Another great thing about living in Sandy/Draper area are the many places to bike.  I like to bike on Wasatch Blvd, where you can get gorgeous views of the city below or bike towards Little Cottonwood Canyon.  The Pepperwood Area towards Draper is also gorgeous to bike through and there are several parks and mountain biking trailheads you can take.  I like going earlier in the morning because the traffic is a little heavier during the day and unfortunately there aren't designated biking lanes for some of the way. Most drivers, however, are very considerate, if you don't hog the road.  I also recommend using lights both on front and on back of your bike, or a reflective vest or a light on your helmet.

If you are in a crowd-loving mood we have plenty of places and events here for that as well!  As a matter of fact, Sandy specializes in events and venues of all kinds!  The shopping is amazing.  Just get off I-15 at 123rd South and you have restaurants galore and the South Town Mall is right there, with Dillard's, Macy's, and R.E.I. to name just a few.  Both Trax and Frontrunner Trains are accessible in both Sandy and Draper, heading as far north as Layton and south to Provo (Frontrunner only). 

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium - This 9th largest aquarium in the United States is located here in Draper at 12033 South Lone Peak Parkway.  It is a childhood dream come true for founder and CEO, Brent Anderson.  As a child, he was given a book about the sea from his grandma,  It awed and inspired him so much that as an adult, when asked what he would do if he knew he couldn't fail, he knew he had to bring his youthful dream to reality.  The Aquarium has 4 main galleries - North American River Otter Exhibit, Ocean Explorer, South American Explorer, and a 300,000 gallon shark tank! 

Sandy Amphitheatre - Located on the corner of 9400 South and 1300 East, this Amphitheatre is open during the summer and has amazing concerts!  It has a capacity of 2,750 and allows people to bring in their own chairs.  It is a truly unique concert experience!  I live so close to it that I can hear the music in the evenings when I'm sitting outside on the porch or have the doors and windows open.

Rio Tinto Stadium - Soccor has become a big deal in Utah, ever since REAL Salt Lake made Rio Tinto Stadium their home.  This is located on 9256 S. State Street in Sandy.  I've been to a game and it's packed! 

As you can see, the area where I call home has a lot to offer!  You really ought to come and explore!  And let me know when you come...we'll do lunch!

#Football, #Thanksgiving and #MyPostMonday Link-Up

Whew!  I need just a minute to breathe!  It's been from one event to another and I'm left breathless!  We had been going to a lot of football games right before Thanksgiving because that's what you do when your son is on the football team during his senior year of high school.  What was really an added bonus is that his team was going for their 3rd straight State Championship!  They just kept winning!  So we kept going!  The season finally ended, at the University of Utah Rice-Eccle's Stadium.  It was truly tense because during the 1st half, Roy was going full tilt and wouldn't even let Timpview score.  It was 8 - 0 at halftime.  But Timpview re-grouped and somehow figured out what it was they were supposed to do.  At the end of the game, it was 28 - 8 Timpview!  So proud of my son who was part of the defensive line and battled it out to prevent more scoring from Roy.  Below are pictures of me with both of my amazing sons during the championship game!  Love them!

During the game

After the game with my Senior

  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I did it all this year.  Usually we go to the relatives to enjoy a good buffet meal, but this year everyone did their own thing.  We enjoyed the more low-key and intimate atmosphere.  I felt really good about what I made, including a turkey and ham, trifle, sweet potato casserole with brown sugar and pecan topping, various pies, rolls, stuffing, turkey gravy the obligatory cranberry sauce, rolls, etc.  There were no family blow-outs even though we did have some lively discussion on several current events in the news!

Guess what?  Today is #MyPostMonday!  We all need a little motivation!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for motivating posts, tips, pictures and videos!  I'm especially looking for Christmas posts and if I happen to find yours, I'll link it up and let you know!  It's like being featured!  Sometimes I miss some amazing posts.  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Don't be shy--I'm really very supportive!  Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase!

Guest Post - A Perfect Southern Utah Adventure

Hi, I'm Kendra from the blog The Things I Love Most!  I'm excited to be blogging here at A GAL NEEDS...! I am also really excited to be a part of this Blogging Roundup of 14 Utah Blogger sharing 14 Utah Adventures! I love Utah!  I was actually born and raised in Utah County, but moved to Southern Utah with my husband and children about 8 years ago!  We absolutely love it here, and are tempted, sometimes, to never move back. (Although we still really love Utah County). We have learned to love the heat and don't really like snow very much anymore, except for when we are visiting!

When we first visited Southern Utah to see if we wanted to live here, we fell in love with it right away! It's kind of the best of both worlds in my opinion.  We have amazing Red Rock, Beautiful Pine Valley Mountain not far out of town, and if you want snow in the winter you only need to drive a half hour north to Cedar City!  When most people think of Southern Utah they think of the big places like Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park.  Both of which are amazing places and if you haven't ever been there, you totally need to go! Today I am going to share with you some great places to visit if you were going to go to St. George for a weekend and wanted some fun things to do as a family or even just as a couple!

• Pioneer Park - (aka Dixie Rock) - This isn't a park with a playground, it's a big 52+ acre area with some great hikes, picnic tables, amazing views and more.  My favorite view is when you get on top of the Dixie Rock and you can see the whole valley, including the spectacular St. George Temple. There is a really cool slot canyon to climb through that's kind of hard to find but it is well worth the search.  Ask someone you see if they know where it is!  This area is free.

• Snow Canyon State Park - This is a hidden gem in Southern Utah. You could camp here and spend days.  I've done most of the hikes in this park! Our favorite place to go here is the sand dunes! The kids have so much fun playing and rolling down the big hills of sand! They also have fun biking paths and some great hikes you can do with or without kids.  Make sure you find the caves, they are really cool, but not easy to do with children. This place is amazing because you see red, black and white rocks all blended together!  There is a fee to enter the park unless you have a state park pass.

• Red Cliffs Recreation Area - This place is amazing, and only a couple miles away from my house! We love to go here and let the kids play!  It's a great place to camp, hike, rappel, and when there is water flowing, a fun place to play in the pools at the end of the hike!  There is a $5 fee for day use.

• Oak Grove - If you need to get up in the mountains and enjoy a cool evening out of the St. George heat this is the place to go! It gorgeous and very peaceful! There is a $5 fee for day use.

• Pine Valley Recreation Area - We love to camp, hike and go to the reservoir up in Pine Valley. We recently camped up there in October and the weather was great! The retirement town is nestled in the mountain of Pine Valley. If you go, make sure you visit the church there.  The architecture is amazing! There is a day use fee, and it is only open from May to October each year. 

• Kanarraville Falls Hike - This hike can be done with children although you may not be able to go all the way to the top unless you have some tough people to carry the kids up the hard part, which is what my husband and our friends did. .  The hike is mostly in water, which was about shin deep on me.  At the top are some fun natural watersides and really amazing slot canyons that you walk through.  There is a parking fee of $10, but it is worth it!

• Oak Grove - If you need to get up in the mountains and enjoy a cool evening out of the St. George heat this is the place to go! It gorgeous and very peaceful! There is a $5 fee for day use.

• The Virgin River- We love to go down to the Virgin River and let the kids play. There are lots of place to enter the river.  It's free and fun!

• Warner Valley Dinosaur Track Site - We always take our friends that come visit to these awesome dinosaur tracks!  My kids love to sit in them and imagine what it was like when dinosaurs lived on the earth!  It is free and a very short hike to the tracks.

If you aren't in the mood to hike all weekend, St. George has some great parks, and some amazing splash parks.  Here is a link to all of them!  Our favorite park, when it's not busy season, is the St. George Town Square with a fun man-made river, carousel, children's museum, library and fountain, also visits Judd's old country store and get some yummy soup and old fashion candy!

There are also some great lakes to visit that don't cost too much that are both about 15 miles outside of St. George in the Hurricane area!

• Quail Creek State Park - There is a place that you can walk down in the parking lot to avoid paying the state park fee. They don't mind.  Mostly the fee is for boaters and campers.  The beach here is more rocky, so if you don't want sand all over in your car, then this is the beach for you!

• Sand Hollow Lake State Park - I love this lake, but my husband hates red sand all over inside our vehicles so we don't go here as often, but when we first moved down here we were there every weekend in the summer

There are a lot of places to camp, but if you aren't very excited to camp our favorite hotel is the Holiday Inn Express in Washington.  They have very nice rooms, serve a great breakfast, and have a nice pool!

I would advise that if you are planning a St. George weekend trip, check the St. George City Calendar to make sure it isn't a busy week. St. George holds a lot of big races, and the Senior Games each year The city is very packed during these week. There are plenty of weeks throughout the year that are perfect to come!