All opinions expressed are my own.

This contest is now closed.  The winner will be notified.

*****

“Welcome to REI.  Can I help you folks?”

We were greeted when we walked in the door.  Pleasantly.

I gotta tell you, it sorta threw me for a loop!  Normally people catch a glance at me desperately trying to wrangle three kids and a baby and roll their eyes or make a bee-line in the opposite direction.

But on this day, we were greeted.

I have never been to an REI store.  I sorta figured they were for the more “athletic” types.

While the store was filled with well toned, well tanned, and perfectly tenacious folks, I didn’t feel out of place.

They actually had stuff that I was really, really interested in knowing more about!

Like “green” products.

Although I wouldn’t classify myself as a “green” mom, that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to be more educated about all the ways that I can be more responsible.  They actually had an entire section of green stuff!

It was cool.

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And kid stuff.

They are kid experts. And that my dear friends, is my love language.

They know how to get kids to exercise.  How to feed kids.  How to keep them properly hydrated. How to dress appropriately in the sun.

And they even how to entertain kids with cardboard shoe horns with their dad tries on seventeen different pairs of hiking sandals.  (totally not making that up)

My kids oohhed and aahhed over their Adventure Journal while “camping” in one of the display tents.

I even found matching shirts and vests for all my kids on sale.  Seriously, the sale racks were off the hook!  (yes, I just said off the hook.  And it felt good, so there.)

There were these adorable pink baby Ugg boots on sale for dirt cheap which I totally would have bought had I not given birth to a boy and it wasn’t 90 degrees here.

Just sayin.

Now.

Because the folks at REI are so dang generous, they are going to let me give away a $100 gift card to one of you!!

Since most of you reading my blog are parents, you are going to have to trust me on something.

Your kids will ADORE it.

Bring the whole family and have a blast finding the perfect outdoorsy essentials!

Or you can just get some awesome clothes that will make you happy.

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I couldnt agree more.

What outdoor activity do you pledge to do with your family this summer and how would a $100 REI gift card help you get there?

Take the REI Outdoor Pledge and submit a comment to be entered.

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment telling me what outdoor activity you pledge to do with your family.

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

For Example:

I entered to win an @rei giftcard from @manda2177! bit.ly/nijrxs

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older and runs from 8/17 – 9/20/11.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

 

Head to the BlogHer round-up page for more chances to win!

Share with your friends!

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Meet Amanda Rettke

Amanda Rettke is the creator of I Am Baker, and the bestselling author of Surprise Inside Cakes: Amazing Cakes for Every Occasion – With a Little Something Extra Inside.Over the course of her 15+ year blogging adventure, she has been featured in and collaborated with the Food Network, New York Times, LA Times, Country Living Magazine, People Magazine, Epicurious, Brides, Romantic Homes, life:beautiful, Publishers Weekly, The Daily Mail, Star Tribune, The Globe and Mail, DailyCandy, YumSugar, The Knot, The Kitchn, and Parade, to name a few.

Reader Comments

  1. I pledged to go on a hike! We have a great area to hike not too far from our house. I know my boys would love it!

  2. I’d like to get the family out of the house and go have a picnic now that it is getting cooler.

  3. We are doing archery and outdoor photography this weekend and hiking/biking is the norm is our family!

  4. I pledge to take my husband, son, and dog hiking on a nature trail at Long Hunter State Park. The weather is perfect for it right now.

  5. I’m going to go hiking in the local botanic garden with my daughter and we’ll take pictures while there. REI has hiking boots, sunscreen, hats and classes on digital cameras to help us!

  6. Hey… I haven’t been here in a long time! look how I re-found you through REI!! 😉 I get so lost in the land of blog! 😉 anyway… I took the pledge… easy sneezy… we camp, hike, beach trip, bike, geocache…etc.etc. and bonus… we got a new REI in town this summer! I am lovin this giveaway… hope I win… we want new camp pads for under our sleeping bags! Nice to see you again… will have to surf your blog tomorrow!

  7. I will take long walks with my niece everytime I see her (my sister lives out of town). My niece loves to take long walks with me and the dogs. Until the next time she’s in town, I guess I’ll have to settle walking with my mom and the dogs 😉

  8. We would use the $100 from REI to get the rest of our backpacking gear. We live near Fresno and there are so many great places to enjoy the out doors! I’d pledge to finally try over night backpacking instead of car camping!

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