GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL WATER SAFETY DAY

Goldfish Swim School locations across the country will be celebrating Water Safety Day on Saturday, May 19, 2018 and everyone in the community is welcome to stop by their pools for a special event. While water safety is a topic the swim school takes very serious and focusses on throughout the year with its students and their families, this one day event is a great way to reinforce these important messages in a fun way. Stop by to check out a presentation about being safe in the water with Bubbles, Goldfish's mascot, as well as take in some safety demonstrations and drills in the pool led by swim school instructors and lifeguards. Plus there will be fun activities and games to participate in as well. Water Safety Day events are open to the public and FREE to attend.  Your family doesn't have to be Goldfish Swim School members to participate in this golden experience.

The Goldfish Swim School facility that my kids are enrolled at has a lot of fun festivities planned for May 20th. You have your choice of jumping in their indoor pool or some outdoor bounce houses during their Water Safety Day festivities. Complimentary beverages, hotdogs and snacks will be given out from a food truck in their parking lot as well. Plus my daughter's favorite part of last year's event will be returning again ... an incredibly talented balloon artist who will be providing kids with some wonderful souvenirs to take home with them. Plus there will be lots of other things to do that you'll have to stop by to find out about. Did I mention this is all FREE for parents and children who stop by whether or not you are taking lessons at the swim school?!

Contact your local Goldfish Swim School for specific details about what specific locations have planned for Water Safety Day as well as the hours when their activities will take place. Find a location near you by visiting goldfishswimschool.com. There are Goldfish Swim Schools across the USA in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin; as well as in Ontario Canada.

Whether or not you can make it to Water Safety Day, here are some tips from my friends at Goldfish Swim School to keep in mind to be proactive in avoiding a tragedy:

• Keep it Fresh:  When the weather warms up families start spending more time in and around water. As summer approaches make sure to go over water safety rules and practice with children what to do in an emergency. Use your own behavior in and around water as a model for kids to follow. They are more likely to pick up on how to stay safe around water by following your example. 

• Pool Rules: If you are going to be spending a lot of time around pools it is always a good idea to have some hard-and-fast rules for your family. No running. No diving in head first. Depending on the ages of your kids, you might require a lifejacket, or have a “no going in the deep end” rule. It’s also a good idea to have built-in breaks. Swimming is tiring and you can get dehydrated or fatigued without really realizing it. Taking a 15-minute break each hour to drink some water and chill is a great rule to make your own this summer! 

• Never Swim Alone:  This is a rule that should NEVER be broken, no matter where you go or how old you are. Even the strongest swimmers can cramp up or have a medical emergency. Don’t enter the water anywhere, for any reason, alone. No surfing at the ocean, kayaking on the lake or doing laps at the hotel pool by yourself. 

• Get CPR Certified:  Even families with the best laid plans can find themselves in an emergency situation. Being prepared – and trained – for an emergency is one of the best water safety tips out there. Have someone in your family become CPR certified (with rescue breathing) or maybe do it together as a group activity. It’s a relatively quick and easy class and it’s offered by community centers and other local groups. It could save a life.

• Always Pay Attention:  There could be a hundred adults around a pool party but if no one is paying attention to what is going on in the water it really doesn't matter how many people are there. Sometimes, even a few minutes of inattention can be deadly in and around water. When water is around, there should always be a few dedicated “water watchers” whose sole job is to keep an eye on the swimmers. Vigilance is key. No chatting, no checking your phone. Watch the water and those in it.

• Lessons Learned: One of the best ways to keep kids safer in and around water is to teach them to respect it. One of the best ways to do that is to enroll them in swim lessons. The confidence and skills they’ll learn are invaluable.

Being enrolled at Goldfish Swim School has been a wonderful experience for our family.  Both my son and daughter have really excelled in developing their swimming skills through the lessons they've taken there.  But in addition to mastering swimming strokes, they've also learned how to remain calm and handle problems that could endanger them while in or around the water.   In fact, last summer when my son got in an over his head situation while at a water park that could have quickly become dangerous, he used the water safety tips he had worked on during lessons at Goldfish Swim School to keep his cool.  He didn't panic, treaded water, looked for the closest point to get out of the water, and got the attention of a lifeguard to help him. You can read more about how Goldfish Swim School saved the day in this past ageekdaddy.com blog post.

We've attended Water Safety Day at our local Goldfish Swim School the last several years and always had a great time.  As a parent, I appreciate fun family activities like this that are both entertaining and educational.  This event absolutely gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval! 

INSECT LORE TWITTER PARTY

A Geek Daddy is co-hosting another great Toy Insider Twitter Party on Friday, April 6 from 11am-Noon ET.  Join in as we chat about Insect Lore's incredible gift sets that get kids ages 4 and up interested in nature, biology and other aspects of STEM learning.  Plus we'll be giving away gift sets that let kids get an up close look at ants, butterflies, lady bugs and praying mantises.

Follow @Geekdad248, @TheToyInsider, and @InsectLore; participate in the Twitter Party conversation plus answer trivia questions using the hashtag #InsectLore and complete this RSVP form for a chance to win gift sets during this hour long event.  Must be a United States resident to be eligible for prizes.

Insect Lore's let children learn about the lifecycles of insects and then give back to the environment by releasing butterflies, lady bugs and more into your neighborhood.  All of the insects available in these gift sets are great for making helping make backyard gardens healthy and none of them are considered invasive to local environments.  Read about the different Insect Lore gift sets we'll be giving away during the #InsectLore Twitter Party over at the Toy Insider's website.  Which one would be your family's favorite? ants? butterflies? lady bugs? praying mantises?

Hope you will join us in bugging out during this Spring Break week! Give me a shout out if you are partying with us! Plus don't forget to fill out the RSVP form for a chance to win some of these great prizes.

ROCKET

Rocket your preschooler off to bedtime with this great book created by Mike Vago and illustrated by Matt Rockefeller from Workman Publishing. ROCKET: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE PAGES has kids soar, sail and swoop a three-dimensional plastic spacecraft through the pages of the book as it explores our solar system.  This toy rocket never leaves the book as it moves over and through pages soaring up from its launching pad and flying past asteroids, comets, moons, planets and more.

Kudos to Rockefeller for filling the book with eye catching views that parents will appreciate as much as kids. The book highlights just how bright and colorful outer space can be through its wonderful illustrations.  The included space ship, that for me brought back childhood memories of the USS Swinetrek from The Muppet Show's "Pigs in Space" segments, provides an enticing interactive element that children are sure to have fun with.  Vago's rhythmic verse that navigates readers through their solar system adventure is a nice way to lull kids to sleep.  A great bedtime story for parents to read to their future astronauts before everyone goes nighty night.

For its originality and impressive imagery, ROCKET: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE PAGES gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval. This 14-page picture book is recommended for preschool through 3rd grade aged children.  It is available through Workman Publishing's website or at Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million retail locations.

TRAVELING DAD 2017 RETROSPECTIVE

As 2018 begins, I wanted to take a look back at my first year contributing feature articles for the Traveling Dad website.  Branching out from ageekdaddy.com, I started collaborating with other dads sharing parent focused travel tips and family vacation experiences on travelingdad.com last year.  Looking at 2017 in retrospective, a lot of my posts for #TDAD revolve around family-friendly destinations in Michigan but also covered spots like the War World I Museum in Kansas City, the High Line in New York City, the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Universal Orlando Resort and Santa Claus' house in Alaska.  I also wrote some posts on informational topics like having fun bird watching with kids and tips for participating in cosplay events.

Here are some of my favorite Traveling Dad contributions from 2017:

DETROIT HOLIDAY STAYCATION

Read about my family's experience staying at the historic Double Tree Suites Fort Shelby Hotel and going to see the Detroit Thanksgiving Day Parade as a holiday staycation.

EXPLORE MICHIGAN'S WILD SIDE AT THE EDDY DISCOVERY CENTER

Visit the nature center at one of my family's favorite Michigan state parks in this Traveling Dad post.

A HIKE ALONG THE TEMBO TRAIL

Join my family for a trek at the Toledo Zoo as we encounter close up views of elephants, hippos and rhinos.

MICHIGAN SEA LIFE AQUARIUM

Did you know that sharks live in Michigan?  You'll find them at the Michigan Sea Life Aquarium.

Read these and other travel related pieces by myself and others at travelingdad.com regarding categories such as Disney theme park & cruise info, domestic destinations, international trips, credit card points and rewards plus dad travel 101 tips.  Additionally, I'll be posting more travel themed posts on ageekdaddy.com as well tagging mentions to them on social media using the #TDAD hashtag to go along with my Traveling Dad contributions.  Now a year is under my belt, I have a better feel for writing content for travelingdad.com and am excited about getting into a Traveling Dad groove for 2018.  Stay tuned for what hopefully will be a year filled with a lot of amazing family travel experiences that this Traveling Dad is looking forward to sharing with you.

THE TOY INSIDER 2017 RETROSPECTIVE

I just wrapped up my second year being a part of the Toy Insider's Parents Panel and being involved with it was one of the highlights of 2017!  As a part of this group of moms and dads, we each make regular contributions on thetoyinsider.com providing tips from parents for parents on a wide range of topics including educational tools we've used, our kids' favorite toys, and ways to get children engaged in imaginative play.  In addition to writing for the Toy Insider's website, Parents Panel members are provided samples of toys throughout the year so we can share reviews of our family's own experiences on our own websites, serves as Twitter party hosts where we give out some really nice prizes while having some fun conversations, and get inside access to preview events where we get to see the next hot toys before they even hit store shelves.

Hope you have read some of my posts on thetoyinsider.com!  Here are a few of my best Toy Insider posts from 2017:

GET KIDS BUG-EYED ABOUT LEARNING

SUMMER STAY-CATION:  FUN IDEAS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

KEEP KIDS ACTIVE: FUN WITH FLYING DISCS

GAMES EVERYONE KNOWS (BUT DON'T KNOW HOW TO PLAY)

MAKING LASTING MEMORIES WITH FUN FAMILY MOVIE NIGHTS

I'll be continuing on with the Toy Insider's Parents Panel into 2018 so keep an eye out on my Twitter, Instagram and Facebook feeds for announcements about my blog posts for them, contests and giveaways, toy reviews, Twitter parties and more.  Plus you can CLICK HERE for a listing of upcoming Twitter Parties as well ... I always have fun joining in on them and each one always gives out some great prizes to a few lucky participants.

SAXX UNDERWEAR

Underwear has really evolved for men since the tighty whities and plaid flannel boxers of years past.  SAXX UNDERWEAR sent me some samples from their everyday boxer brief collection and have to say I was impressed.  They've combined comfortable designs with new blends of fabric to provide underwear that fits and feels great for the guy who is spending his day working or traveling.  No wonder National Geographic described a pair of SAXX UNDERWEAR as "the ultimate men's travel underwear."  From my own personal experience, this Traveling Dad has to concur with that assessment.

Every pair of SAXX UNDERWEAR features three patented technology features to provide wearers with the fit, feel and function to make this brand a must have for any guy's wardrobe.  Plus they stand behind their commitment towards quality with a 30 day comfort and performance guarantee.  Your money will be refunded or they will exchange for another pair if you are not satisfied with SAXX UNDERWEAR.  These main features that set this brand apart though are sure to make most guys happy with this purchase:

BallPark Pouch™ :  Designed for contact-free support, this 3D hammock-shaped pouch keeps everything in place, thanks to mesh panels that prevent skin-against-skin friction, and feature no exposed stitching for chafe-free comfort.

Three-D Fit™:  Guys' bodies aren't two dimensional so SAXX UNDERWEAR utilizes nine panels of fabric to create 3D shaping around glutes, thighs, quads and hamstrings to provide a great fit.

Flat Out Seams™:  While other underwear companies place the raised-thread seam against the body, SAXX reversed conventional thinking and placed the flatter, softer side of the seam inward, for chafe-free comfort.

While boxer briefs are my preferred style, SAXX UNDERWEAR also are available in long leg, trunk and brief designs as well as in a variety of patterns ranging from solid colors to uniquely created prints.  Designs vary as well in aspects such as opening or no fly and the softness or flexibility of the material.  While there are some subtle changes amongst designs to cater to customers different preferences every pair of SAXX UNDERWEAR is designed to be breathable and moisture wicking to ensure its wearer is comfortable all day long.

Because SAXX UNDERWEAR has utilized technology to craft some of the most comfortable underwear I've ever put on to wear, it has earned A Geek Daddy nod of approval.  Why can't guys pamper themselves without giving up their rugged sides?!  These underwear let men indulge themselves with comfort while providing features that will enhance an active lifestyle.  For more information, please visit saxxunderwear.com.

BOOM BLAST STIX

Moose Toys' BOOM BLAST STIX makes a nice addition to a family's game night activities.  Players compete to avoid being the person who causes the pile of game pieces called STIX they are stacking to explode into the air.  It isn't about winning this game but rather avoiding being the loser in this explosive game that requires a gentle touch and nerves of steel.

Each player is provided an equal number of stix which each must be locked into the form of a triangle. One at a time players add one of their stixs to the pile. Round and round the turns go as the stix begin to stack up on the playing surface which also doubles as the game's storage container.  Now is the time for good natured taunting about who will make the stixs go BOOM!  Teasing one another about who is going to screw up first is a key part of having fun with this game.

Be careful because nudging a stix in the wrong place or putting too much pressure on one is likely to cause it to pop open.  And if one pops open you're likely to have a chain reaction causing a BOOM of STIX blasting up into the air. Oh no!!!

Whoever causes the chain reaction loses the game.  Then it is time to pick up the stix and play all over again. With only three rules it is easy to play!

1. LOCK your STIX;
2. STACK your STIX
3. But don't BOOM BLAST your STIX!

The games my family have played together tend to last five to ten minutes which is long enough to be entertaining but short enough to keep kids enthusiastic and attentive while playing.  Being easy to set up plus quick to play makes BOOM BLAST STIX especially nice for family game nights.  All the stix blasting up into the air has a wow factor that will energize people about wanting to play.  BOOM BLAST STIX from Moose Toys is a fun, affordable game that young and old alike will enjoy playing together.

TOY INSIDER PARENTS PANEL

During the last year I have partnered with The Toy Insider as a member of their Parents Panel, a group of moms and dads who make regular contributions to thetoyinsider.com with tips from parents for parents on a wide range of topics including educational tools we've used, our kids' favorite toys, and ways to get children engaged in imaginative play.  Parents Panel members are provided samples of toys throughout the year so we can share reviews of our family's own experiences, host Twitter parties where we give out some really nice prizes while having some witty banter, and get inside access to preview events where we get to see the next hot toys before they even hit store shelves.  This is a really great group of people including James Zahn (The Rock Father), Destiny Paquette (Suburban Wife City Life), Stephanie Glover (A Grande Life) and Charlene DeLoach (Charlene's Chronicles) and myself. 

Here are some examples of my past Parent's Panel posts that you can find on thetoyinsider.com:

Summer Stay-cation: Fun Ideas For the Whole Family

Bringing the WOW Factor to Your Next Family Game Night

Get Kids Bug-Eyed About Learning

Toys to Make Your Kids King of the Hill on the Neighborhood Playground

I'm excited to announce that I'll be continuing as a member of Parents Panel for another year with my new term with the group starting during my appearance at the Toy Insider's annual holiday shopping toy preview Sweet Suite 2017 at this year's Blogger Bash in New York City.  Stay tuned for another year of Toy Insider fun!

CALEXIT

** A Geek Daddy received a complimentary comic book to review ** 

Could a situation like what is going on in Syria with a country falling into anarchy as everyday citizens revolt from an authoritarian government and fanatical groups jump into the fray causing mass casualties and destruction throughout the land ever happen within the United States?  Author Matteo Pizzolo and artist Amancay Nahuelpan portray a dystopian near-future where California becomes embattled territory as its residents begin to battle against the federal government, and each other, over the state's withdrawal from the United States.  In the CALEXIT comic book series being published by Black Mask Studios, when a Trump-like President becomes empowered by a second term re-election, he orders the mass deportation of all non-citizen residents.  California responds by declaring itself a "Sanctuary State" and resisting the policy resulting in all of its federal assistance and funding being cut off.  This leads the State Legislature and Governor to declare, similar to the Great Britain exiting the European Union (Brexit), that California would be withdrawing from the United States.

In response, local authorities begin taking sides with liberal urban areas supporting CALEXIT and  conservative rural regions standing up against it.  Citizen militias begin to form as well supporting each side and armed conflict erupts.  California is thrown into a chaotic civil war scenario and the President then takes control of the state's national guard to secure major cities and infrastructure while supporting local efforts to extinguish the rebellion.  In areas occupied by the federal government such as Los Angeles life goes on as if a state of emergency isn't taking place with tourists still coming into town to visit place like the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Disneyland creating a very odd dynamic.  Especially when the occasional sniper takes out a soldier guarding the tourist spots! 

This is where readers find themselves in the first issue of  CALEXIT that arrived at comic book shops today.  The ongoing series will tell the story of Jamil, a 25-year old man working as a courier (aka smuggler) that has a knack for slipping between secessionist and federalist battle lines, and Zora, a 27-year old woman who was adopted by an American family as a baby and is now facing deportation after having been told she is no longer a citizen because the law that allowed her adoption and citizenship has been invalidated. Zora has become a figurehead for the California resistance movement being tracked by a diabolical homeland security field agent who will do anything it takes to eliminate the rebellion.  Jamil and Zora are trying to escape a Los Angeles occupied by the United States military to keep her out of the hands of Agent Rossie who is engaging in a merciless hunt for the young woman.


Black Mask Studios aims to bring a punk rock ethos to comics and it hits that mark with this comic book series.  A fictional warfare themed suspense story with realistic plot undertones, CALEXIT is a great pickup for adults who enjoy comic books.  Fans of comic book/television series such as The Walking Dead and The Strain will appreciate the material in this gritty series that has its characters dealing with political drama and overcoming dangerous situations.  Instead of battling against supernatural horrors though the characters in CALEXIT must overcome situations arising out of sociopolitical issues pulled from today's news headlines.

I really enjoyed reading this comic book and am looking forward to the next issue.  This looks like a series I'll be adding to my pull list at the neighborhood comic book shop.  Beware that while CALEXIT is a comic book it isn't meant to be read by kids.  It is meant for an adult audience and is full of mature content.  The first issue includes swearing, lots of killing (a severed head is delivered as a warning in one scene), and sexual situations including a couple getting at it on while riding a merry-go-round at a playground.  This is a grown-up story that is full of shocking and thought provoking situations that will really draw you into its characters, plot and setting.  While it is full of shoot outs and other action scenes, CALEXIT also incorporates plenty of drama making Pizzolo's writing as interesting to read as it is entertaining to peruse through the comic book's nicely done illustrations by Nahuelpan.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM:

Named Wired Magazine's 'World's Most Wired Comics Creator' and included in Bleeding Cool's 'Top 100 Most Influential People in Comics,' Matteo Pizzolo is a comic book writer-creator, award-winning filmmaker, and co-founder of Black Mask Studios. He is currently focused on writing comic books such as CALEXIT that explore and challenge the dynamics of today's political hot topics.

Amancay Nahuelpan has worked on ROBOCOP (Boom!), BOY-1 (IDW) and co-created YOUNG TERRORISTS and CLANDESTINO (Black Mask Studios).  He broke into the field of comic book artistry by participating in the Zuda Comics Competitions and his first published work was in OCCUPY COMICS.  Nahuelpan provides the visual vibe of CALEXIT by creating the interior illustrations and cover artwork for the comic book series.

DESPICABLE ME 3 MOVIE REVIEW

Universal Pictures treated A GEEK DADDY to a family dinner and outing to the movies where we had the chance to see an advance screening of DESPICABLE ME 3.  My 8 year old son and daughter who have grown up watching the films in this movie franchise were really excited to see a new adventure on the silver screen.  The twins were especially interested to see how the story's plot of introducing Gru to a twin brother he never knew about would play out!  They've never seen The Parent Trap (1961 / 1998) which Despicable Me 3 is parodying so this was mind blowing element of the movie for them. 

Before heading out to see Despicable Me 3, my kids insisted we have a movie marathon watching the previous two Despicable Me films and Minions on home video.  So we entered the theater all revved up to see the newest adventure of Gru and his Minions!

Despicable Me 3 continues the story of Gru, Lucy, their adorable daughters—Margo, Edith and Agnes—and the Minions. After he is fired from the Anti-Villain League for failing to take down the latest bad guy to threaten humanity, Gru finds himself in the midst of a major identity crisis.  But when a mysterious stranger shows up to inform Gru that he has a long-lost twin brother—a brother who desperately wishes to follow in his twin’s despicable footsteps—one former super-villain will rediscover just how good it feels to be bad.



I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish watching this movie.  Despicable Me 3's nostalgic '80s spoofs, physical humor and wise cracking jokes had me chuckling throughout the movie.  The film really does a nice job of complementing the tone and vibe of the previous Despicable Me  movies while also standing out on its own merits.  It also continues the theme of valuing family, expanding the role of Lucy as a mother to the girls and adding Dru into the mix, which this parent watching the movie with his kids appreciated.

Addressing Minion overkill from the last two movies, Despicable Me 3 sees a diminished role for these characters in the script with more of a focus on Gru, Lucy and their daughters.  I liked this because it made the moments featuring the Minions stand out more and I thought they were funnier  because you didn't get worn out by their ongoing antics continuously taking place like in the other films.  Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of the Minions, but sometimes quality is better than quantity.  Also Balthazar Bratt is not just a humorous addition to the movie but also a very worthy adversary.  


My kids LOVED the movie!  My daughter really was into Agne's search for a real life unicorn.  My son thought Bratt's bubble gum weapons were AWESOME!  They both appreciated the dynamic that take place between Gru and Dru as well.  My wife thought the movie was "OK" better than Despicable Me 2 and Minions but not as great as the original Despicable Me.  I really liked the movie because it is an all-ages appropriate animated summer movie that families can enjoy together with parents and children alike finding it interesting and funny to watch.

 Despicable Me 3 is rated PG for rude humor (mostly the Minions) and mild action sequences which include "dance fights", jail house antics, and characters risking being impaled on menacing spikes. Plus Lucy beats up quite a few people showing she's not someone to be messed with.  All in all I didn't see anything overly objectionable that should give parents concern about taking a child of any age to see this movie.  It really is a nice movie for a family outing to the movie theater.

Despicable Me 3 gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval because it is a colorful, zany movie that I enjoyed viewing as much as my kids did.  It is a funny fun movie very much worth going to see in my opinion.  Kids and kids-at-heart will really be entertained by it!

Despicable Me 3 opens at theaters across the United States on June 30, 2017.  For more information about the movie, please visit www.despicable.me or check out the film's social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook and GruTube.

FREE DESPICABLE ME 3 ACTIVITY SHEETS

Courtesy of our friends at ILLUMINATION ENTERTAINMENT and UNIVERSAL PICTURES, A Geek Daddy has some free Despicable Me 3 themed activity sheets to share with you.  Just download and print them out.  Enjoy!



Despicable Me 3 arrives at movie theaters across the United States on Friday, June 30, 2017.  In the movie, the mischievous Minions hope that Gru will return to a life of crime after the new boss of the Anti-Villain League fires him. Instead, Gru decides to remain retired and travel to Freedonia to meet his long-lost twin brother for the first time. The reunited siblings soon find themselves in an uneasy alliance to take down the elusive Balthazar Bratt, a former 1980s child star who seeks revenge against the world.  For more information about the movie, visit www.despicable.me

ALIEN INVASION PRIZE PACK GIVEAWAY

July is the 70th anniversary of the famed Roswell UFO crash and COMET TV is marking the occasion with an INVASION: ALIEN ATTACK Movie Marathon on the Fourth of July. Beginning 10 am (ET/PT), the over-air broadcast sci-fi / horror network COMET TV will be showing There's Invisible Invaders (1959), The Falling (1987), Strange Invaders (1983) and more!

A GEEK DADDY has a great alien invasion themed movie marathon watching prize pack to giveaway during the Fourth of July holiday as well courtesy of COMET TV.  You can watch COMET TV in the Metro Detroit area of Michigan via digital antenna on Channel 19-7.  CLICK HERE to see if COMET TV can be viewed by digital antenna in your area.  If not, COMET TV can also be viewed for free by utilizing its app on Apple TV and Roku or watching its live website stream at CometTV.com.

For a chance to win it please follow @Geekdad248 on Twitter and retweet the embedded message below before 11:59 pm ET on July 4 2017.  Must be a US resident over 18 years old to participate in this promotion.

Follow @Geekdad248 & RT before 7/5/17 for a chance to win an ALIEN INVASION Prize Pack #Giveaway courtesy @WatchComet (US Only) #CometTV #ad pic.twitter.com/2QakhJ2qMA

— A Geek Daddy (@GeekDad248) June 29, 2017

 The Alien Invasion Prize Pack includes:

1 - Limited Edition custom designed Fidget Spinner: They are all the rage right now and there’s no better way to cool down when you’re hot under the collar and worried about the survival of the human species!

2 - Comet TV Popcorn Tubs: Munch your cares away with these two custom design popcorn tubs. Perfect to share with a friend or keep all the rations to yourself. You just might need it!

1 - Comet TV Cylinder Survival Bottle: During times of invasion you still need to hydrate. What if you were by a lake or stream while running from the aliens and didn’t have anything to put water in. Breathe freely my friends, we got you covered!

2 - Bags of Popcorn: How can we give you Popcorn Tubs without the popcorn. We’re not evil… Well…. Only sometimes.

1 - Limited Edition Comet TV Alien Invasion Collector Card: Warn your friends about the Alien Invasion with this handy dandy card! Shout it from the rooftops, scream it from the top of your lungs… Or just share it on Facebook. Either way, this limited edition collector card is an awesome way to share the love!

COMET TV is a partnership between Sinclair Broadcast Group and MGM providing the first 24/7 digital broadcast network with a focus on science fiction and horror programming.  Viewers in more than 100 U.S. markets can watch COMET TV for FREE just by plugging a digital antenna into their television and receiving the signal being broadcast through the air.  No paid cable or subscription services needed to watch COMET TV!

Disclaimer & Rules:  A Geek Daddy has not been financially compensated for this endorsement or hosting the giveaway but was provided the same items being provided as a prize for personal use. The prize is provided by COMET TV and A Geek Daddy is hosting the promotion as a benefit to our readers. Must be a US resident over the age of 18 to participate.  One entry per mailing address and winner will be randomly selected from all eligible entries.  If you have already won this prize through another blog participating in this promotion, your entry will be disqualified.  By participating in this promotion you waive any liability of any kind against the publisher of this blog. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. No P.O. Boxes allowed for delivery of the prize. COMET TV will be responsible for shipping the prize to the selected winner.  A Geek Daddy is not responsible for delivery of the prize.

FUN FACTS ABOUT CLYDESDALES

As part of the Detroit area's Huron-Clinton Metro Parks 75th anniversary celebration, they recently hosted an opportunity for families to get a close up look at the magnificent Clydesdale horses from Greenwood Farms.  Clydesdales are one of the most well know horse breeds by Americans, due in large part to their being a mainstay of Budweiser's branding and marketing efforts since the 1940's.  It wouldn't be a Super Bowl without seeing an advertisement featuring the Budweiser Clydesdales!

Anheuser-Busch paraded a team of six Clydesdales down a St. Louis street in 1933 carrying the first cases of Budweiser beer produced by their brewery after the repeal of Prohibition.  Clydesdale horses have been synonymous with Budweiser ever since.  Anheuser-Busch now maintains a stable of more than 100 Clydesdales it utilizes for advertisements, corporate functions, charitable causes and community appearances.

Did you know though that Clydesdale are considered an endangered horse breed?  Originally used as war horses because of their great size and calm disposition, farm work horses for plowing and cart haulers for moving cargo, the Clydesdale became obsolete with the development of motorized transportation.  Owning these horses became a liability instead of a necessity so people stopped breeding them.  By 1975 there were only 80 of these gentle giants left in the world.  Thanks to the popularity of the horses from Budweiser's promotions, stables like Greenwood Farms began efforts to save these gentle giants.  Today there are more than 5,000 Clydesdales around the planet with a majority of them being in the United States where they are treated with a sense of national pride.

I didn't want to miss out on getting a close up look at one of these magnificent animals so took my kids on a road trip over to the Farm Center at the Metro Park's Kensington location for this event.  You really don't realize how big these horses are until one is towering next to you.  As burly as these horses are they are very gentle and really soft to pet.  The horses weren't disturbed at all by being touched and having people take pictures alongside them.  It really was a memorable moment and my kids were delighted by the experience.  If you have the chance to visit with a Clydesdale don't miss out on the opportunity.

Here are a few fun facts about Clydesdales:

• While Clydesdales have become recognized as a symbolic American animal, the breed originates from an area of Scotland once know as Clydes Dale.

• A horses height is measured in hands. One hand is equal to four inches.  The average height for a Clydesdale is 18 hands = 6 feet tall.

• Clydesdales have huge feet!  Their horseshoes are 20 inches in diameter and weigh 5 pounds which is twice the size and four times the weight of a normal horseshoe.

• They eat a lot!  An adult Clydesdale can eat 60 pounds of hay and drink 30 gallons of water per day.  These horses can weigh more than a ton!

• To deal with the cold winter temperatures of their native Scotland, Clydesdale have developed a trait called feathering which is which is hair around the horses' hooves and ankles.  Take a look in the pictures we took at the white hair where you'd normally see the hooves on another type of horse breed.

• A newborn foal will normally weigh around 180 pounds.  That is what I weigh right now!

• These horses are extremely strong.  One Clydesdale can pull more than 7,000 pounds by itself. Wow!

The Huron-Clinton Metro Parks consist of 13 parks spread throughout five counties in southeastern Michigan covering 25,000 acres.  Biking, hiking, kayaking and swimming are just a few of the activities people can enjoy while visiting.  For more information, visit metroparks.com