Italy Trip Sweepstakes Giveaway - 8 Day Trip for Two to Europe Plus $1 Off Coupon, Ends 11/24

Giveaway 

If you love Italian food and travel as much as I do, then you're not going to want to miss entering to win this third annual trip to Italy sweepstakes. Thanks to Michael Angelo's Gourmet Food you could be the lucky one to win an all expenses paid 8-day foodie dream trip adventure to Italy for two.

Image provided by Michael Angelo's

This isn't just any packaged tour trip, either. The winner and his/her guest get to stay in a private villa with the Michael Angelo family and will tour the area including attending the exclusive Castello Banfi event, plus visit Rome and Tuscany. 

Word around the world is that Michael and his mom Sara are phenomenal cooks, so I think whoever wins this will be in for the ultimate travel experience of a lifetime. Complete contest rules.

Enter NOW
Entry period ends 11/24/13

Everyone's a winner, too. Just for entering you'll get a Free $1 Off Coupon!

FTC Disclosure: I have entered to win this sweepstakes and invite MommyBlogExpert readers to join me in trying for the Grand Prize. However, I did not receive any compensation or payment in exchange for this post and opinions here are my own. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Iceland Vacation Images Illustrate Power of Smartphone Camera Review

Technology

This is a compensated post

2nd in a Series of 3 Posts on the Samsung Galaxy S4 Smartphone

Content by Janis Brett Elspas, Photos by Raphael Elspas

I can't tell you what a blast it is working as a Verizon Wireless Lifestyle Blogger brand ambassador. In 2013 alone, I've tried quite a lineup of cutting edge mobile smartphone devices that run on Verizon's network including the Nokia Lumia 822 Windows Smartphone, HTC Droid DNA, BlackBerry Z10.

As I mentioned in my Samsung Galaxy 4S post about the stop motion function this smartphone has some very cool photography capabilities that offer much more than a stand-along digital camera.

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon Iceland, Raphael Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Now I'm going to continue sharing how the Samsung Galaxy S4 that I received at the recent Verizon Wireless Lifestyle Blogger Conference fits into my busy family life and how my son Raphael tested it out by capturing all these stunningly beautiful photos of our August vacation to Iceland. For example, look at the iceberg photo above that he took. Yes, icebergs are indeed naturally blue -- many shades of blues and turquoise actually -- because there are no air bubbles in this wonder of nature that recently flipped to expose the bottom on top.

Lava Rock near Blue Lagoon, Iceland, Raphael Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Look at the detail and texture exposed in this image above that Rafi also took with this smartphone's camera. It looks so real-life rough, you want to reach out and touch this lava rock, typical of the stone you'll find strewn throughout this country near both active and dormant volcanoes. This photography technique where the background in blurred to focus on the foreground subject is among Raphael's favorite ways to take pictures.

Gullfoss Waterfall on Iceland Golden Circle, Raphael Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

You'll find it hard to believe that none of the photos in this post were edited with Photoshop or anything else, especially the next photo which was taken on a dark rainy day, so there was minimal light and poor weather conditions. Yet, observe the brilliant emerald green wild grasses that seem to embrace one of Iceland's most stunning jewels called Gullfoss, which from Icelandic translates to golden falls because on a clear day in full sun you can almost always see a rainbow reflecting off the roaring cascading waters.

Sheep graze wild throughout Iceland, Raphael Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

I really love this photo, too, of Icelandic Sheep grazing. In case you're wondering, the blueish green tints in the picture are natural. Look closely and you can even see the ripples on the water. Iceland is one big national park in my eyes and this pasture scene is truly a wonderful celebration of all its unspoiled beauty. 

Drive outside the capital city of Reykjavik and you'll likely see these native sheep wandering unfenced just about everywhere, including across paved roads that serve as major arteries for both locals and tourists. The most amazing thing of all about this shot: it was taken through a closed car window!

Photographer Raphael Elspas on location in Iceland, MommyBlogExpert.com

In a rare moment during our very active 9-day trip touring around this tiny island country in the North Atlantic, Raphael relinquished his phone temporarily to let me take this photo of him with the Samsung Galaxy S4. As the image and its bright blue sky and crystal clear river attest, Iceland has the cleanest, purest air and water on the planet.

Both my son and I are looking forward to taking this on our next vacation trip to another exotic locale. We love traveling the world together and the Samsung Galaxy S4 is great to bring along for capturing all our family memories.

This device, available in white and black, carries a list price of $599.99 but right now you can snap up a Samsung Galaxy S4 for only $199.99 with a two year Verizon contract. This advanced smartphone is also available for $0 down and $25.22/month on the Verizon Edge plan.

Samsung Galaxy S4 in white that I received, MommyBlogExpert.com

FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I disclose that I am a Verizon Wireless Lifestyle Blogger brand ambassador and that I received the product featured to facilitate this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Halloween Party Pinterest DIY Inspiration

Celebrations

100s of Crafts Food Costumes Pumpkins Ideas

It's already October 3rd and before you know it, Halloween will be here. This is a favorite holiday for so many kids and adults, especially ones that love going all out when dressing in costume and those who enjoy the many other fun things associated with this fall celebration: pumpkins, parties, trick or treating, haunted houses, the colors orange & black, candy corn, candy apples, and witches ghosts & goblins, immediately come to mind.

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Creative, Easy Halloween Inspo

For sure, there's no better place to find a collection of the most innovative ideas ever for your All Hallows Eve festivities than on Pinterest. Just take a peek above at some of the many Halloween projects I've already pinned for you to enjoy and share with your own followers.

Whether you're looking for scary or whimsical inspiration, I invite you to head over to MommyBlogExpert's Pinterest Halloween Fun Stuff board to see all the resources I've spent hours curating for you. I'll be adding new finds as I uncover them, too, right up until Pumpkin Day so keep checking back to see what's new on this board.

Here you'll find a growing treasure trove of many dozens of really creative and fun DIY Halloween theme ideas for kids and adults including everything from food, drinks, sweet treats and decorations for home & school to games, makeup, nail manicures, costumes and more. Of course, you will discover truly wonderful how-to projects and directions for decorating and carving pumpkin, as well.

While you're at it, I encourage you to check out and follow other MommyBlogExpert's Pinterest pages! Have a blast repinning the things you love to your own boards!

Happy

Halloween!

FTC Disclosure: This post features MommyBlogExpert's Pinterest pages, especially the board I've created Fun Halloween Stuff. However, I did not receive any compensation or payment in exchange for this post and opinions here are my own. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.