21st Annual National Sweepstakes Convention

Here's an article that I wanted to share with you guys.  What's interesting to me is I actually do know more than half of the people mentioned in this article.  I meet them through this wonderful hobby at a yearly convention for Sweepers.  This year's convention is being held in Bloomington, MN and is being coordinated by Bob Mendell, who is also mentioned in this article.

If you are  interested in learning more about the yearly sweepstaking convention, you can visit the website that Bob Mendell has put together for prices, information and other various things related to this.  This year's convention is being held right before/during Labor Day. I believe that usually the Sweeper's convention is held in June, however the prices for the hotel was better during Labor day this year, so that's when they decided to hold it.  I'm not particular, as I am disabled and I can pretty much pick up and leave for trips.  The only stinky part of it, it's also the same time of year when school starts.  So I have to figure out who's going to house sit and take my kid to school, while I'm off meeting old friends, renewing my interest in this wonderful hobby  and Lord willing, winning more stuff.  It's 3 days of fun for me.  I look forward to it every year.  


It's my intention to share some photo's from this coming year's convention on this blog.  I love to take photo's of the decorated envelopes (this is something that I will discuss at another time), my friends, my wins if there are any and I always hope and pray that there are, as well as photo's of the interesting area that we may be visiting for that particular year.  This year's convention also happens to be during the same time as the Minnesota State Fair!  I am also looking forward to going to that as well. MMMM Cotton Candy!  My favorite Fair Food, next to the corn dogs, and fried Twinkies and of course there's the...wait..we were talking about sweepstakes convention.

Then of course, there is also the Mall of America.  I've actually been there once before, for another convention.  I believe it was back in 2000, at the Little People of America's convention.  I'm not totally positive, but I think we are even staying at the same hotel! 

Anyhoo, I just lost some of what I've just written down and I hate it when it does that!  Ggrrr.
Oh well, basically I love the National Sweeper's conventions and I look forward to them each and every year.  In case you are unable to make this year's convention, the following year's convention is going to be held somewhere in Indiana (I believe)  I will admit, that I'm not sure if I will be able to make that one, as I have been to the last five conventions, but I would also hate missing out too. 

There is also another convention that I would love to go to, and that's a blogher's convention in NYC in August.  I won a trip to NYC and went last November, and I fell in love with New York!  My best friend went with me and we had a blast!  She is also a blogger and we are trying to see if we can go to that, if at all possible.

Of course, if I had enough money,  I would also be going to the LPA (Little People of America's) convention in July. Then of course there is also the Blizzard convention for my husband and I, who both play World of Warcraft.  I believe that convention is usually held in October, but I could be wrong. Man, I think I need intervention from all these conventions! or maybe find a convention for people that love to go to conventions?  Yep, I need intervention! Or win the lottery and then go to all the conventions, to my little heart's content!

Do you go to any conventions?  If so, which ones? 




Hoppy Easter!

I just wanted to pop on here for a moment and to wish everyone a wonderful Easter.  I will be back to posting in a day or so, as I've been caught up visiting with family and doing things with my daughter.

Today we went to a bowling alley for a friend's birthday party and tomorrow, we will hopefully be joining some friends for some Easter lunch and an Easter egg hunt for the kiddo's.  I am hoping to take some pictures with a new camera that I just won on April Fool's day of all day.  It's charging up now and I am hoping that it takes good pictures.  My favorite camera seems to be missing and I am hoping to run across it, as it is my personal favorite of any camera I've ever had.  But it will be fun playing around with this new toy. 

I won a Fuji Film Finepix Z70 camera from an online sweepstakes (Bloomingdale's Smile Sweepstakes). This particular sweepstakes you had to submit a photo or 60-second or less video of what makes you smile.  Even though it took a little more effort than just entering your usual information for a sweepstakes, it was a random draw.  They ended up giving away 264 of these cameras. So I just choose a funny photo of my husband.   Of course he wasn't all that happy about it, but I love this particular photo as it ALWAYS makes me smile to myself.  I even use this photo on my iphone, so that whenever he calls me, it pops up.


What can I say?  He's all mine! :)

Here is a couple of photo's of the new camera I got! 


On this particular sweepstakes, it was a 1 entry only  sweep too!  Whoot!

I had NO idea it was coming and that's a great thing about this hobby.  Anyday it could feel like Christmas or your birthday.  This camera looks to be a nice one too.  It's 12 MP and also has a 5x optical zoom with a 2.7 LCD screen on the back.  The only thing it doesn't have is a place where you put your eye and look at it through.  A view finder may be what it's referred to, but I am having a serious brain fart at the moment and can't think right.  I only got about five hours sleep last night and it's already after 10pm.  I have to get up bright and early tomorrow, to help the Easter bunny at Wal-mart.  (Sometimes I really slack off some of the mom duties and pay for it in other ways, like having to get up at the butt crack of dawn, so I can make my kid happy)

Anyhoo..I hope everyone is doing well and has a great Easter Sunday!