If you have been looking at taking your family on a Disney Cruise, you know that for most of them you now need passports. We learned that the hard way! Passports are one thing that most people do not think about when they make their travel budgets but the reality is that they can be a little bit expensive depending on how many you need and how fast you need them. My daughters are only 8 and 10 and we have already had to get them a second passport each because they expire in only 5 years when you are under 16.

Did you know that it can take months to get a passport depending upon where you go? We used to go to the Post Office but my friend Adam introduced me to VisaHQ.com and they have some really great alternatives for getting expedited U.S. passports. You can get them in as little as 1-2 business days if you need them quickly. They actually offer a range of services from passports to Visas and I was lucky enough to get a coupon code!

From now through September 30, you can use coupon code SUNSHINE10 to get 10% off of the service fees for passports purchased through VisaHQ.com. Even though we don’t currently have a trip planned, we went ahead and ordered new ones for our kids because we would rather be safe than sorry if an opportunity presents itself!

Did you know that Nature Valley is a sponsor of the National Parks Project? Hundreds of millions of people have visited America’s parks, and the National Parks Project exists to help restore and preserve them so that future generations will have the same opportunity. Nature Valley has teamed up with Patricia Shultz, author of “1,000 Places to See Before You Die,” to support the parks. When you buy specially marked packages of Nature Valley Bars and mail in the wrappers, Nature Valley will not only recycle the wrappers but will also donate .10 per wrapper to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) (up to $600,000). You can find out more about the project at PreservetheParks.com. Not only does the site have great information about the information, but it also links to some great photos of places like Yellowstone National Park and Grand Canyon National Park.

I was lucky enough to receive a package from Nature Valley and MyBlogSpark the other day that contained a box of Nature Valley Oats ‘n Honey Granola Bars, mini backpack, a compass, a solar-powered key chain flash light, a reusable water bottle, and a copy of Shultz’s book. I was going to take a picture of it all, but my kids at the granola bars so fast that all I have left are wrappers! It was surprising to me because although I eat a lot of granola bars, my kids have never shown any interest in them before. It’s perfect timing because now I know that I can buy them for their lunchboxes this year. We were particularly excited that there were BoxTops on the box because our school collects them.

I’m not the only lucky one because Nature Valley and MyBlogSpark are going to give one of my lucky readers a package just like mine!

To Enter:

1) Leave a comment below telling us what you think about the National Parks Project (one entry).

2) Twitter about the contest and leave a comment below with your Tweet (one entry).

3) Sign up for our newsletter on the right and leave a comment below (e-mail will be verified) (one entry).

4) Blog about this contest and leave your link to the post below (two entries).

Drawing will take place August 19 at noon Eastern. Must be a US Resident, age 18 or older to enter. Winner will be notified via e-mail and have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

Edited: Congrats to our winner, Lawanna Wheatly!

I have been finding some great contests lately by national brands, but this may be one of my favorite. Discovery is giving away a Discovery Adventures Serengeti Wildlife Safari trip for two including airfare. The trip is values at almost $10,000!. Can you even imagine winning a safari trip through the African wildlife?

Even if you are not the lucky Grand Prize winner, Discovery is giving away a number of other prizes including a Life Ultimate Fan Set (which includes a Blu-ray Disc Player), a Life DVD Fan Set, and Life Extraordinary Animals Books.

Visit the Discovery Adventure of a Lifetime Sweepstakes for more information. Contest ends 04/23/2010.

Big news on Good Morning America today! Disney is giving away theme park tickets for people who volunteer. The new program is called “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day.” When you volunteer one day for a participating organization, you will get your choice of a ticket for Disney World or Disneyland. If you cannot use your ticket yourself, you can even donate it to a Disney charity.

Although Disney is obviously getting a lot of publicity out of this and it isn’t costing them much (they’ll likely get more people to visit just because of the promotion), I still think that it is great to see a corporation encouraging people to give back to the community. In particular, this is a good reason to get parents to engage their entire family in a volunteer activity.

In addition to the Give a Day promotion, you can enter to win a free trip to Disney in the “Cheers to Volunteers” Sweepstakes. The grand prize is a 5 day, 4 night vacation for 4 to Walt Disney World or Disneyland. You get bonus entries for Tweeting the contest each day. (ends March 31, 2010)

The program will officially begin January 1, 2010. You must be at least 6 years of age and pre-register for your volunteer service. Of course, there are quite a few details that you will need to check out at disneyparks.com in January, but it looks like a terrific opportunity! You may also want to follow the Disney Parks twitter account to get up to the minute information.

Looking for a little fun and adventure in Indiana? I’ve got great news! The other 49 states have nothing on us! We have beaches, zoos, caves, museums, sporting events, and more. You just have to know where to find them. While this is not an exhaustive list, it is a great start for those of you looking to try something new.

Bloomington has been called the “cultural pulse of the Midwest” by Travel & Leisure Magazine. Bloomington offers a little bit of everything–beautiful views in the fall and spring, NCAA sports, and frequent cultural events and festivals. When you are there, make sure you visit our favorite–Oliver Winery.

Holiday World in Santa Claus is a small amusement park with big heart. With great rides, reasonable prices, and free soft drinks, Holiday World is a local favorite.

Did I mention before that we have a beach? Indiana Beach in Monticello, Indiana is home to roller coasters, a water park, camping, shopping, and other entertainment.

Southern Indiana has terrific caves, some of which are national landmarks. Tour the Marengo Caves, Wyandotte Caves, or Squire Boone Caverns. You’ll admire their beauty while you appreciate the history behind their formation.

The French Lick, Indiana area is known for more than Larry Bird. It is home to the French Lick Springs Resort as well as the West Baden Hotel.

The Hoosier National Forest affords some of the most beautiful scenery in the state. Gentle rolling hills and gorgeous foliage make driving down the highway seem like a treat. On the north of the Forest is Brown County, known for its splendor in the fall.

For the smaller set (preschool aged kids), Indiana has its fair share of zoos and museums. The zoos in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne are both popular. Even more, the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis is one of the best in the country.

Although this is just a very short list, hopefully it will inspire you to go out and make the most of our state has to offer. I know that I will!

For more information on these and other Indiana tourism locations, visit www.enjoyindiana.com.