Promote Handwashing with The Shandle

From the company: The Shandle is a utility product that encourages children to "wash their hands after going to the bathroom". The product, containing an anti-microbial handle, sticks to the toilet seat and has playful designs and messages that remind children about good hygiene in addition to preventing children from ever having to touch the germ filled toilet seat. The perfect message to children to aid in the fight against the H1N1 Virus. It's available exclusively through our web store.

How it works: The Shandle has characters with reminder messages printed on both sides. These messages are always visible whether the seat is up or down. Peel and stick the Shandle to the bottom of the toilet for easy installation. It's strong enough to hold the weight of both the seat and the lid but removes easily with soap and water.





Whether you pick a hand washing reminder, seat lift and lower design or a flush when finished reminder... the Shandle toilet seat handle will be there to help your family practice healthy habits. Make handwashing fun AND never touch the dirty toilet seat ever again!

My take: Raise your hand if the H1N1 virus has you scared silly right now. Why does it bother me? Because I have two kids with asthma and tax season hours on the horizon - so I have the double whammy of no time to get sick and two kiddos that could get REALLY sick if they pick up a virus like H1N1. So handwashing is something we drill into the kids, especially now. What I like about The Shandle is not only does it give a reminder to them to wash their hands after using the restroom, they don't have to touch the toilet at all when putting the lid down! It's a cool reminder for those of you with boys too, to actually put that seat back down when they are done. The Shandle has made a world of difference in our house and I encourage you to try it for yourself!

Where to buy: SHOP NOW (7 options, $6.99 each) . The Shandle comes with a 100% Money Back Guarantee so you can try it risk free.

Bonus: Be sure to read Frog Bear's Handwashing Tips!

This post was written for Shandle who provided the item for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

The review was sponsored by An Island Life; I am proud to be part of Kailani's review team:

Smucker's Uncrustables

From Mom Central: "Long school days followed by soccer practices and other after-school activities have my kids' appetites working overtime. The minute 3 o'clock strikes they show up in the kitchen looking for a snack to hold them over until dinner. When it comes to after-school snack time, I often find myself searching for a satisfying option that proves easy to prepare and I can feel good about giving them. In an effort to give Moms an "after school snack break," The J.M. Smucker Company will give away 80,000 Smucker's Uncrustables sandwiches, a wholesome after-school snack that provides the protein our kids need and the great homemade peanut butter and jelly taste they love. These thaw-and-serve sandwiches make for easy on-the-go snacks for an active family like mine. And now that Uncrustables are made with whole wheat bread, Moms can feel great about serving them."

Bonus:Starting September 28, parents can register for a free 4-pack box by logging on to http://www.uncrustables.com/ and sharing a helpful time-saving after-school organizational tip. Well, shoot! Apparently they are no longer giving away the free 4 packs. You can view all the organizational tips they received here though.

My take: From previous posts, you know I'm always looking for lunch items that are convenient and easy since we don't have a lot of time in the morning for packing lunches. Of course, I need lunch items that are nutritious and delicious as well or the kids won't eat them. It's a tall order to fill but Smucker's Uncrustables fit the bill, especially now that they have a whole-wheat version. My son cannot eat these (peanut allergy) but my daughter (and husband!) love them - and they never even noticed when I switched to whole-wheat either. They are just the right size for her little hands and without the crust she can't stand (interestingly enough, the crust of a sandwich is my son's favorite part so I doubt he'd like these anyway :-) With an apple and a cookie, Smucker's Uncrustables make the perfect on-the-go lunch in our house. Try them yourself and see!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Smucker’s Uncrustables and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Mom Central

SpongeBob Squarepants - To Squarepants or Not To Squarepants

SpongeBob Squarepants - To Squarepants or Not To Squarepants

Format: Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
Language: English
Number of discs: 1
Rating: Unrated (US); G (Canada)
Studio: Nickelodeon
DVD Release Date: July 21, 2009
Run Time: 88 minutes
List Price: $16.99

Product Description: SpongeBob turns Bikini Bottom upside down in search of a new pair of pants in the never-before-seen title episode, To SquarePants or Not to SquarePants (8 episodes in all).

Episodes included are:

To SquarePants or Not to SquarePants

Squid's Visit

The Splinter

Slide Whistle Stooges

Boating Buddies

The Krabby Kronicle

The Slumber Party

Grooming Gary

Special Features: Animation Art Gallery (storyboard panels and character art)

My take: Let me preface this review by telling you my son's 7th birthday is coming up and we just sent out Spongebob Squarepants invitations and I ordered the Spongebob Squarepants cake pan today. That's how much he loves the show. Let me also say that until recently, when I caved changed my mind, I had forbidden Spongebob from even being viewed in our home. Of course, being forbidden fruit, the show had enormous appeal for my kids, in particular my soon-to-be 7 year old boy. So, after polling my friends on Facebook, I took their advice that parenting is more important than a bit of underwear humor, and let the kids start watching the show. And you know what, it's not a bad show. Yes, it can be inappropriate but no more than they see in their every day lives (all young boys love that gross humor, you know?) and my kids are well aware of what is acceptable behavior in real life and what is not. This new DVD includes 8 typical Spongebob episodes and since my kids hadn't seen any of them, they were glued to the t.v. while the show was on. And judging by the uproarious laughter I heard throughout, this was another hit DVD for them. So if you have a SpongeBob fan in your home, I can highly recommend this one. Afterall, Christmas and Hanukkah are coming in less than 3 months (gah!)

This post was written for Nickelodeon Kids who provided the item for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

The review was sponsored by An Island Life;

I am proud to be part of Kailani's review team:

Votre Vu Hero Anti-Aging Products

From the Company: Although there are many joys of getting older, no one looks forward to dealing with pesky lines around the mouth or dark circles under the eyes. Especially in this economic climate, our faces are taking the brunt of our daily stresses, which tends to accelerate the aging process. Votre Vu, a luxurious skin care brand that brings the best naturally-based solutions to the U.S. market and beyond, is helping to turn back the hands of time with their newest anti-aging solutions. Try these products from Votre Vu to reclaim your young, radiant and resilient skin:

Votre Vu Hero Anti-Aging Products:

· Tragic Magic Rescue Crème- This crème is designed to correct the excessive sensitivity of the facial skin and restore equilibrium to the self-defending barrier of highly reactive skin.

· Parfait Nuit Crème de Nuit Dry and Anti-Aging- Designed to fully stimulate cellular regeneration, Vitamin A and Rosewood Oil lead this natural multi-pack of proven complexion enhancers. Silky suppleness and firmer, more resilient skin is progressively restored. The skin’s upper layers are fully nourished from the revitalizing wheat proteins while vegetable extracts visibly fade away lines and wrinkles.

· Full Benefits Anti-Aging Tonic- This toner is ideally suited for tired skin showing signs of fatigue, yet still yearning to rediscover tone and vitality.

· Portrait Collar Restorative Neck Crème

This neck crème is wrapped in supporting ingredients that combat sagging tissues, diminish dreadful lines and promote youthful looking skin. Retail: $49.00

· Mal-Linge Wrinkle Eraser

This product has a proprietary blend of collagen builders, antioxidants and botanically based stimulators may visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Use to reduce the appearance of laugh lines and bird’s feet marks around your eyes. Retail $56.00

My take: It's not often I get to review products that are for me - most often I'm working on movies and toys for the kiddos - so receiving the Votre Vu products highlighted above (the two products that have pictures above) was a real treat. And let me tell you too, I am 38 years old and those wrinkles I thought were a long way off back in my youth have already made an appearance. Now, I've only used these products for a week so far so I can't really tell you if my wrinkles have been "erased" or my neck "restored" but my skin is very smooth and more importantly, blemish free (most skin products make me break out but not Votre Vu). The wrinkle eraser has a pleasant citrus scent and even the instructions will make you laugh ("apply on forehead, frown lines, crow's feet, lip/mouth and laugh lines...no joke!") The Restorative Neck Creme directions also included "Keep Your Chin Up" - good advice at any age!

About Votre Vu: Votre Vu is a luxurious skin care brand that brings the best naturally-based skincare solutions to the U.S. market and beyond. Harold Zimmerman, the CEO of the company introduced the best of both beauty worlds to the American market by merging French traditions and American ingenuity. Their extensive line offers high standard skincare products including facial care, body creams, and hair care. Votre Vu products not only tend to outer beauty, but ensure that every area of a person’s skin care health regimen is tailored to their concerns and needs. Through Votre Vu’s successful E-commerce and consultant opportunities, the company offers customers multiple channels of convenient shopping. The goal of the company is to create direct communication between the brand and consumers.

This post was written for Votre Vu who provided the items for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary products.

The review was sponsored by An Island Life;

I am proud to be part of Kailani's review team:

My Week from 2FishKids (review and giveaway)

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.

CONGRATULATIONS SARAH!

(2nd winner did not respond within 48 hours; have now contacted alternate winner)

From the company: What is "My Week?" A magnetic and wipe-off calendar for young children. MY WEEK is perfect for showing little ones how our days are organized. It is colourful, playful and personalized to your child's life. Introduce the days of the week, seasons, weather, routines and special events! Help your child anticipate and recall their daily and weekly activities!Use MY WEEK on a refrigerator, magnetic white board or even a cookie sheet!

MY WEEK Includes:
* Magnetic Calendar (13 1/8" x 8 1/8")
* 58 Activity Magnets
* Dry Erase Marker
* Reusable Storage Bag

COST: $19.99 (CAD)



My take: I first read about MY WEEK over at The Opinionated Parent last year and thought "what a cool idea" but of course, forgot all about it. Because I have a sieve for a mind apparently. ANYwho, my 5 and almost 7 year old have really started thinking about "days of the week" lately and what exactly they are doing each day. I don't exactly crowd their days with activities (only one after-school activity) but I was getting tired of being asked every day what their agenda was do want to help them learn the concept of calendars and keeping track of their own activities. "My Week" is perfect! I cleared a large space on the refrigerator and set up one for each child. Using the preprinted rectangles for some things (which days of the week they have school, art, music, gymnastics, church, etc.) and writing directly on the calendar or blank rectangles for others (tutor, P.E. class, etc.) both kids can now see for themselves what is happening each day. We can even put little squares depicting the daily weather and magnets saying TODAY, TOMORROW and YESTERDAY on the appropriate days. My kids depend on them so much now that when we had to miss church due to the illness of my son recently, my daughter very indignantly said to me "but church is on the calendar!" And now that they both know when they are doing things, I'm getting a lot less protests when it's time to go do an activity - giving them that control and preparation has helped tremendously! I recommend this calendar to anyone with small children.

Bonus: use the coupon code CPA15 to get 15% off everything in the store!

The giveaway: 2FishKids has the best customer service I have ever seen. I ordered and paid for my two calendars myself. The Canadian Post and/or US Post did a TERRIBLE job of actually delivering them to me - I think it was about a month later when I got them. Nathalie at 2FishKids was in constant contact with me the entire time and ended up mailing me two more calendars via express post. All four calendars arrived within a few days of each other. So I asked her permission to give the other two calendars away TO YOU! She graciously agreed. So TWO lucky winners (US address only please) will get their very own "My Week" calendar - I will mail them to the winners myself.

To win: Visit 2FishKids and come back here and leave me a comment telling me the name of one other of their products not reviewed here. Be sure to leave your email address with your comment if you are not a blogger or your email is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m., EST, Thursday, October 1, 2009. Good Luck!

Bonus entries: Get up to 6 extra entries for a total of 7 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
• Twitter, Stumble or Digg this giveaway
• Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email (see top left sidebar)
• Add my blog to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar (leave your website address for verification)
• On Technorati - click on this link, then on Fan or Fav (or use the green link on the top left sidebar)
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MARVEL X-MEN Volumes 3 & 4

On September 15th Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released the animated MARVEL X-MEN Vol. 3 & 4 on DVD! Volume 3 delivers 15 complete episodes including the 4 part “Dark Phoenix” saga. Volume 4 has an additional 14 episodes including the 4 part epic battle when the X-Men join heroes of the future in “Beyond Good and Evil.”

X-Men, Volume Three (Marvel Collection)
Actors: Iona Morris, Lenore Zann, Alison Seasly-Smith
Language: English
Number of discs: 2
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: September 15, 2009
Run Time: 345 minutes
Suggested retail price: $23.99 US; $29.99 Canadian
Rated: ‘TV-Y7-FV’
Run time: TBD

From the studio: The X-Men are back for more nonstop thrills and excitement in Volume 3 of the definitive animated series. Faithfully created from the pages of the original Marvel® comic books, these classic stories are a must-have for any X-Men fan! When the all-powerful Dark Phoenix inhabits the body of Jean Grey, The X-Men go to battle in order to save one of their own. Get into the action with 15 spine-tingling episodes, including the 4-part "Dark Phoenix" saga, in this collectible 2-disc set!

Episode Guide
Disc 1
o Savage Land, Strange Heart (Part 1)
o Savage Land, Strange Heart (Part 2)
o Obsession
o The Dark Phoenix (Part 1)
o The Dark Phoenix (Part 2)
o The Dark Phoenix (Part 3)
o The Dark Phoenix (Part 4)

Disc 2
o Cold Comfort
o Orphan’s End
o The Juggernaut Returns
o Nightcrawler
o Weapon X, Lies, and Video Tape
o One Man’s Worth (Part 1)
o One Man’s Worth (Part 2)
o Courage

X-Men, Volume Four (Marvel Collection)
Actors: Iona Morris, Lenore Zann, Alison Seasly-Smith
Format: Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC
Language: English
Number of discs: 2
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: September 15, 2009
Run Time: 322 minutes
Suggested retail price: $23.99 US; $29.99 Canadian
Rated: ‘TV-Y7-FV’

From the studio: The action reaches all-new heights in Volume 4 of the landmark X-Men animated series. With adventures adapted directly from the original Marvel® comic books, this collection is a rich piece of the X-Men legacy and a must-have for every X-Men fan. The X-Men must join forces with the heroes of the future when Apocalypse, a mighty mutant, is driven completely mad by his powers! Discover the stunning conclusion to the 4-part epic "Beyond Good And Evil" in this sensational 14-episode set.

Episode Guide
Disc 1
o Proteus (Part 1)
o Proteus (Part 2)
o Sanctuary (Part 1)
o Sanctuary (Part 2)
o Beyond Good And Evil (Part 1)
o Beyond Good And Evil (Part 2)
o Beyond Good And Evil (Part 3)
o Beyond Good And Evil (Part 4)

Disc 2
o Have Yourself a Morlock Little X-Mas
o The Lotus and the Steel
o Love in Vain
o Secrets, Not Long Buried
o Xavier Remembers Family Ties

My take: True story - until we received these DVDs from the studio, I had never seen the Marvel X-Men TV show (which debuted on October 31, 1992 ) or read the comic books (first released in 1963, dude, almost a decade before I was born!). However, I am a HUGE fan of the movie series (Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart being a big reason why, *ahem*) and when I read what the X-Men are all about, I knew this was a show I wouldn't mind my son watching (from wikipedia: the ills of prejudice, intolerance, isolation, and racism were all frequent themes in the animated series, as they were in the comics. The series also deals with other social issues, albeit sometimes in subtext, that are not often handled by children's programming: divorce, Christianity, the Holocaust, AIDS hysteria, and even satires of television itself ). But did he like it? Would he watch it long enough to absorb some of those lessons? Well, considering he sat glued to the t.v. the entire time it was on, and requested dinner in front of the t.v. so he didn't have to turn it off, I'd say so. I'm thinking I'm going to have to get Volumes 1 and 2 now...

From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction

Be inspired by the amazing Community Meltdown story: 1,000 people lost 8,000 pounds in 8 weeks, had fun and found a renewed sense of community. Readers will be motivated by Carole Carson as she goes from fat to fit and loses 62 pounds—spurring a whole community to shape up.

From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction
by: Carole Carson
List Price: $14.95
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Hound Press; illustrated edition edition (April 1, 2007)
Language: English

From the author: In my latest book, I'm on a mission to communicate an empowering message: "You and your friends can have fun, get fit and lose weight!" Just before turning 60, I totally remade my life. After chronicling my 62-pound weight loss—shrinking from a size 18 to a size 6—in weekly newspaper articles, I inspired more than 1,000 people to team up and lose nearly 8,000 pounds of fat in two months. Dr. Henry S. Lodge, coauthor of the New York Times Best Seller Younger Next Year and Younger Next Year for Women, calls it "a remarkable book about the remarkable person inside each of us. Whenever you decide to take charge of the rest of your life, Carole Carson will be waiting to show you the way."

Amazon.com review: "This guide chronicles how one woman’s very public journey to lose weight mushroomed into a community quest to get fit. At the age of 60, Carole Carson broke the taboo of speaking about obesity when she openly admitted her shame and guilt about being fat and out of shape on the front page of the local newspaper. As she recounted her transformation from butterball to butterfly in a weekly newspaper column, she gradually inspired more than 1,000 people in her Northern California community to join her. People who had struggled with weight loss and fitness suddenly found that when they joined with their friends and neighbors they could accomplish together what they could not do by themselves. They learned a completely new way of living and discovered that getting fit was fun and in the process lost the equivalent of a school bus! Through the guide’s seven-step process, among other practical strategies and resources, readers will find a framework for duplicating the Nevada County Meltdown’s successes in their respective communities—their congregation, their office, their friends and family—realizing the power of partnership and revitalizing their ties with each other."

From Fat to Fit was named a finalist in the health and fitness category of the National Best Book 2007 Awards, sponsored by USABookNews.com.

My take: You'd have to be living under a rock to not see all the headlines about obesity in America these days. As a country, we are in real trouble. The trouble is, we are all (myself included) looking for a quick fix to our weight problems - pills, surgery, a "magic" solution. And it's no surprise shows like The Biggest Loser is such a hit and weight loss programs like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and the like are such big money makers.

We ("we" meaning those of us who are overweight) all want to get healthy - but many struggle to accomplish permanent weight loss. But in the end, to accomplish that, all we have to do is create a calorie deficit - burn more calories than we take in. That's it, that's the "magic" bullet. And that's what I think was Carole Carson's main point in the first part of this book. She MOVED her body more and ate healthy. She stopped the "garbage in, garbage out" cycle. Her story is truly an inspiration for anyone on a similar weight loss journey. I felt the second half of the book was mainly a "how-to" manual for how she inspired an entire community to do the same. So if you are looking to inspire yourself or others, this could be a good book for you. Just don't go looking for any "magic bullet" here or any "new" weight loss solution - there isn't one here or anywhere else.

Bonus: Be sure to check out Carole's website for more inspiration, resources and articles.

About the author: Carole Carson, dubbed “An Apostle for Fitness” by the Wall Street Journal, is the author of From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction. Just before turning 60, Carole decided to reinvent herself. After chronicling her transformation from butterball to butterfly in weekly newspaper articles, she invited others in her Northern California community to join the fun. Inspired by her example, more than 1,000 ordinary people teamed up to lose nearly 4 tons of fat in two months during the Nevada County Meltdown. Carole’s multifaceted background includes business leadership, marketing, public relations, event planning, writing, training and consulting to businesses and nonprofits. Her mission is to communicate her empowering message: “You and your friends can have fun, get fit and lose weight!” Carole writes a featured newspaper column and has appeared on NBC’s Today show, CBS’s Early Show, MSNBC’s Countdown, CNN News and national radio programs. Besides teaching and consulting, Carole has produced a weekly community television show, The Tipping Point, and a reality show, Go Fat to Fit.

This post was written for Hound Press who provided the item for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

The review was sponsored by An Island Life:

I am proud to be part of Kailani's review team:

Alvin and the Chipmunks

GO WHERE NO CHIPMUNK HAS GONE BEFORE WITH TWO NEW DVDS STARRING EVERYONE’S FAVORITE CARTOON CROONERS, INCLUDING THEIR VERY FIRST TELEVISION BROADCAST, NEVER BEFORE RELEASED ON DVD!

ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS: The Very First Alvin Show

Language: English
Number of discs: 1
Runtime: 74 minutes
U.S. Rating: Not Rated Canada Rating: G
Studio: Paramount
DVD Release Date: September 8, 2009
Pricing: $16.99 U.S./$18.99 Canada

From the studio: The Very First Alvin Show features the 1961 broadcast of the classic Chipmunk series that started it all. Transferred from 35mm film to HD, this episode has never been released on home video. The DVD also includes the musical episode “Rockin’ Through the Decades” hosted by Will Smith and featuring the Chipmunks singing hit songs such as “She Loves You”, “Satisfaction, ” “Beat It” and more, as well as the episode “A Chipmunk Reunion” in which the Chipmunks search for their long lost mother.

Product Description from Amazon.com: The very first broadcast show of the classic Chipmunk series from 1961 that started it all, never released before on VHS or DVD! The Chipmunks humor, mischief and music are on full display! The DVD includes this classic episode, plus two additional episodes, “Rockin Through The Decades” and “A Chipmunk Reunion.”

The ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS: The Very First Alvin Show DVD is presented in full screen format and includes the following episodes: · The Alvin Show Episode #1 (Dolby Digital English Stereo) · A Chipmunk Reunion (Mono) · The Chipmunks Present Rockin’ Through The Decades (Mono)

ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS GO TO THE MOVIES: Star Wreck

Language: English
Number of discs: 1
Runtime: 66 minutes
U.S. Rating: Not Rated Canada Rating: G
Studio: Paramount DVD
Release Date: September 8, 2009
Pricing: $16.99 U.S./$18.99 Canada

From the studio – In Star Wreck, Alvin and the gang star in hilarious send-ups of Hollywood movies and characters: “Star Wreck” takes them into outer space aboard the S.S. Boobyprize; “Elementary, My Dear Simon” finds them on the trail of the infamous Moriarty; and “Chip Tracy” follows the only clean cop in a city awash in crime.

Product Description from Amazon.com: Funny things are happening where no Chipmunk has dared to go! Alvin stars as Captain Dirk, commander of the S.S. Boobyprize; Simon is Mr. Speck, and Brittany is Uhaha. Together, they must rescue fellow crewmember Dr. McRoy (Theodore) after he gets abducted by a weird extraterrestrial family! This high-flying spoof of the box office smash will leave you beaming with laughter! The DVD includes 2 additional episodes: Elementary, My Dear Simon, and Chip Tracy.

The ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS GO TO THE MOVIES: Star Wreck DVD is presented in full screen format with Dolby Digital English Stereo and includes the following episodes:
· Star Wreck
· Elementary, My Dear Simon
· Chip Tracy

My take: You know, I had no idea Alvin and the Chipmunks first aired in 1961 - how about you? That was 10 years before I was even born, yet I remember watching the show a few times as a child and it's still around now so that is some serious staying power for a "kids' show!" And until the studio sent these DVDs to me to check out, I never realized I had lapsed in my parenting duties - would you believe my children had never even heard of Alvin and the Chipmunks?! I know, shocking! But in all seriousness, they really are enjoying them now - they've been watching both DVDs in the car on the long ride to school each day and I've been laughing my hiney off just listening to the shows - Star Wreck in particular makes me laugh out loud because I'm a huge Star Trek fan (but not such a serious one I can't appreciate parodies of the show). And anytime I hear them sing a popular song like "Beat It" in those high squeaky voices I can't help but smile. I dare you to watch and not do the same.

About Paramount Home Entertainment : Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. PHE is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment products on behalf of various parties including: Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Paramount Famous Productions, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, CBS and PBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment.

JELL-O Mousse Temptations *updated*

JELL-O Mousse Temptations

From the PR Firm: In common vernacular, "I got nothin'." Meaning - the PR firm sent me nothing BUT the product. Hmmm...intriguing.... (EDITED TO CLARIFY - long time readers of this blog know I always have some verbiage from the PR firm about their product to put in this section - you know, explaining more about their product and why it is so cool. Then in the next section I tell you MY opinion. In this case, Jell-O didn't send me anything, I think preferring to let the product speak for itself? Or perhaps it's so new there is no PR information available yet? Not sure. I was just intrigued - it was the first product I've ever gotten without any information on it - everything you see below I found on my own).

The product: Mousse Temptations by Jell-O comes in three delicious flavors: Caramel Crème, Dark Chocolate Decadence and Chocolate Indulgence. Since I'm (constantly) on Weight Watchers, let me look at the stats before I put this indugence in my mouth:

Caramel Crème - 60 calories, 3 grams of fat, 0 grams dietary fiber = 1 point
Chocolate Indulgence - 60 calories, 3 grams of fat, less than 1 gram of dietary fiber = 1 point

Dark Chocolate Decadance - 60 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 1 gram dietary fiber = 1 point

Looking good! But how did they taste?

Oh. My. Word.

Sugar free?? 1 point?? Sweet, light, melts in your mouth??? All that and won't ruin your diet healthy eating plan? Sign me up!

Seriously, I found these mousse cups to be very, very good - and it is hard to believe they are only 60 calories with no sugar. A hit out of the park for Jell-O in my humble opinion! I will definitely be keeping these in my refrigerator for my go-to snack for chocolate cravings.

Bonus: These delicious mousse cups are also Hungry Girl approved - just check out her recent tweet!

Update: I received this email from Hungry Girl this morning: Mousse Temptations by Jell-O - This is, HANDS DOWN, the most creative and delicious guilt-free stuff to come out of the Jell-O kitchen in, well, possibly FOREVER. It's available in three flavors -- Chocolate Indulgence, Dark Chocolate Decadence, and Caramel Creme -- and has 60 calories, 2.5 - 3g fat, 9 - 10g carbs, 0 - 1g fiber, and 1 - 2g protein (POINTS® value 1*) per snack cup. You MUST try all the flavors! They're popping up on select shelves now, and we're told they'll be EVERYWHERE by October. Yay, mousse!

This post was written for Jell-O who provided the item for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

The review was sponsored by An Island Life; I am proud to be part of Kailani's review team:

Power Rangers RPM Vol. 2: Race for Corinth

On TUESDAY SEPT 8th, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will release POWER RANGERS RPM VOL. 2: RACE FOR CORINTH on DVD! Get ready for pure racing excitement as the Power Rangers rev up the action against an evil army of mechanized “Grinders” battling from the doomed city of Corinth!

Power Rangers RPM, Vol. 2: Race for Corinth

Suggested retail price: $19.99 US; $24.99 Canada

Rated: ‘TV-Y7-FV’ (US); ‘PG’ (Canada)
Language: English
Actors: Eka Darville, Ari Boyland, Rose McIver, Milo Cawthorne, Dan Ewing
Directors: Jonathan Brough, Vanessa Alexander, Charlie Haskell
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: September 8, 2009
Run Time: 115 minutes

From the studio: Get ready for pure racing excitement as the Power Rangers rev up the action against an evil army of mechanized “Grinders” in Power Rangers RPM Volume 2: Race For Corinth. Battling from the doomed city of Corinth, Dr. K’s elite team of teenage heroes face the sinister Venjix Computer Network, which is intent on taking over the world’s communication and defense systems. Will the Power Rangers be able to master Dr. K’s high-tech Racing Performance Machines in time to save all mankind?

Just a few months ago, Volume 1 of Power Rangers RPM was released (I reviewed it here). If you read that review, you know how happy my son was to open up the mail recently to find Volume 2, sent to us to check out (clue - words such as "awesome!" were used). I think he liked this one ever more than the first one. As you know, Power Rangers RPM
is set in a time when the earth is ruled by machines and pollution has forced the last surviving humans to retreat into the last surviving city, called Corinth (sounds a lot like The Terminator world to me). Anyway, what was cool about these episodes (that make up Volume 2) is that they narrate the beginning, if you will, of the Power Rangers - how they came to be in the city of Corinth, and how they plan on saving the world from there. You can read more on wikipedia if you are interested, or you can check out these clips below - either way, if you have a PR: RPM fan in your house, be sure to pick up this latest DVD set!

I Just Want To Help People



Vengeance Attack Pod

Bedknobs and Broomsticks: Enchanted Musical Edition

Bedknobs & BROOMSTICKS: ENCHANTED MUSICAL EDITION

On September 8th, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment releases the fully restored and remastered BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS: Enchanted Musical Edition on DVD!

Suggested retail price: $29.99 US; $35.99 Canada
Rating: G (General Audience)
Run time: 139 minutes
Language: English, French and Spanish subtitles
Actors: Angela Lansbury, Roddy McDowall, Reginald Owen, David Tomlinson, Sam Jaffe
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Walt Disney Video
DVD Release Date: September 8, 2009

From the studio: Experience the extraordinary animation, enchanting music and Academy Award(R)-winning special effects (1971: Best Effects, Special Visual Effects) of Disney's beloved classic BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS -- now fully restored and remastered in the Enchanted Musical Edition with dazzling new bonus features. Viewers will need to hold on tight for a magical, musical, fun-filled journey!

When young Charlie, Carrie and Paul move to a small village during World War II, they discover their host, Miss Price (Angela Lansbury), is an apprentice witch! Although her early attempts at magic create hilarious results, she successfully casts a traveling spell on an ordinary bedknob, and they fly to the fantastic, animated Isle of Naboombu to find a powerful spell that will save England! All-new fun is brewing in this Enchanted Musical Edition, including "The Wizards of Special Effects" feature. Also starring David Tomlinson (MARY POPPINS) and Roddy McDowall, BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS is a heartwarming adventure viewers will love to revisit!

Bonus Features:

THE WIZARDS OF SPECIAL EFFECTS - Hosted By Jennifer Stone From Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place Jennifer Stone, Harper on Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place, becomes a Special Effects Wizard Apprentice and learns about the academy award winning 1971 special effects in Bedknobs and Broomsticks, then compares them to the special effects magic of her current show Disney’s Wizard’s Of Waverly Place.

MUSIC MAGIC: The Sherman Brothers - Take a look behind the scenes from a musical point of view of Bedknobs and Broomsticks with The Sherman Brothers, Angela Lansbury and Scott MacQueen. This featurettes explores the origins of the songs, including what was deleted and what made it into the final version of the film.

“PORTOBELLO ROAD” Recording Session - A rare clip of David Tomlinson’s recording of the song “Portobello Road”

DELETED SONG – “A Step in the Right Direction”

Featurette: A Step In the Right Direction- Lost Song


My take: Confession - my favorite movie from childhood was (and is still) Mary Poppins. Oh, and The Sound of Music. Come on...who doesn't love the dulcet sounds of Julie Andrews' voice? Anywho...I think it was my love of Mary Poppins that first lead me to enjoy Bedknobs and Broomsticks as well. I did a little research and discovered that the two films share more than a central female character who is magical - in fact, both of these Disney classics share songwriters (The Sherman Brothers), a director (Robert Stevenson), actors (David Tomlinson and Reginald Owen), an art director (Peter Ellenshaw), AND a music director (Irwin Kostal). I also found out that the original release of Bedknobs and Broomsticks was missing a half hour of footage (including songs) that were reinserted in this edition. Apparently, all of those original songs, with the exception of “A Step in the Right Direction” are in this new version (because the original footage of that film was lost - but it was at least partially reconstructed using still photos of the scene as an extra to this DVD).

How did I like Bedknobs and Broomsticks this time around? Well, like Pete's Dragon, the movie is a mix of live-action and animation - indeed, my favorite scenes are where Angela Lansbury and the children are interacting with the animals on the Isle of Naboombu (the soccer game is a hoot!). The special effects, given today's technology, are almost painful to watch (like the kaleidoscope of colors meant to simulate the bed's magical movement). That said, I still enjoyed the trip down memory lane. And just like me, I think you'll enjoy sharing your own memories with your kids - and creating new ones while bonding over what used to be YOUR favorite movies, like this one.

Soccer Game


Traveling Spell

About the studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, a recognized leader in the home entertainment industry, is the marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone,Hollywood Pictures, Miramax and Buena Vista product, which includes DVD, Blu-ray Disc™ and electronic distribution. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is a division of The Walt Disney Studios.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Adventures in Wonderland

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Adventures in Wonderland

Disney Premieres All-New Fairy-Tale AdventureFollow Mickey and And the Clubhouse Gang On A Most Curious Adventure in This All-New Animated Movie on Disney DVD September 8, 2009

Suggested retail price: U.S. $26.99, Canada $29.99
Rated: U.S. Not rated, Canada G
Total episode run time: 50 minutes
Languages: English, Spanish, French
Actors: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Walt Disney Video
DVD Release Date: September 8, 2009

From the studio – Get ready for an all-new fairy-tale adventure when Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Adventures in Wonderland comes to Disney DVD on September 8, 2009. Inspired by Disney’s remarkable classic, Alice in Wonderland, the movie features all-new animation, original songs and interactive bonus feature.

Mickey, Donald and the entire Clubhouse gang embark on their most majestic journey yet as they enter a wondrous world where they encounter Tweedle Chip, Tweedle Dale and Goofy Hatter; play croquet with Queen Clarabelle and more. During their fascinating adventure, they navigate giant mazes and solve mysterious riddles on their hunt for Daisy’s birthday present, a lost cuckoo bird, while racing time to get back to the Clubhouse in time for Daisy’s surprise birthday party.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Adventures in Wonderland includes an additional bonus episode, “Goofy Goes Goofy” and features interactive Adventure Modes with two levels of difficulty using the remote control. Adventure 1, perfect for kids ages 2-3, answers fun questions about colors, shapes and sizes, as the story moves along. Adventure 2, appropriate for kids ages 4-5, is a slightly more difficult level with challenging questions using memory, logic and telling time.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse ranked as the #1 cable series with kids 2-5 in February 2009, with more than 24 Million unique viewers – over 42% of preschool kids age 2-5. It features the iconic characters of Mickey and friends encouraging teamwork and problem-solving. (Source: Nielsen Media Research, National Ratings, Live +7, 1/26/09-2/22/09)

My take: Mickey Mouse shows are always a hit in our house so I was delighted to receive the latest Clubhouse adventure to review. This DVD immediately went into our DVD library we keep in the car for repeated viewing. Both my 5 and 6 year old (soon to be 7!) enjoy Mickey Mouse Clubhouse shows and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Adventures in Wonderland was no exception. As a matter of fact, my son has already memorized much of the show and talks along with Mickey during the adventure. I thought this was a cute rendition of the classic Alice in Wonderland story, using beloved Mickey Mouse characters in place of Tweedle Dee (Tweedle Chip), Tweedle Dum (Tweedle Dale) and the Mad Hatter (Goofy Hatter). And this DVD also has the new interactive Adventure modes I talked about earlier - a very cool feature to further engage your kids in the learning process. All and all, a great addition to the Disney line up!

BONUS FEATURES
*Bonus episode – Mickey Mouse Clubhouse“Goofy Goes Goofy”: Goofy accidentally gets soaked with the Professor’s latest experimental goo – and he splits into six Goofys! It’s up to Mickey and friends to help out with the Goofys until the effects wear off.

Trailer

About the studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, a recognized leader in the home entertainment industry, is the marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax and Buena Vista product, which includes DVD, Blu-ray Disc and electronic distribution. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is a division of DisneyEnterprises, Inc.

Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams

Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams Special Edition

Actors: Erin Torpey, Corey Burton, Gilbert Gottfried

Directors: David Block

Release Date: September 8, 2009

Suggested retail price: U.S. $29.99, Canada $35.99

Rating: G (General Audience)

Total episode run time: 56 minutes

Sound Languages: English, Spanish, French

Number of discs: 2
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment DVD

From the studio: In the splendid tradition of classic Disney storytelling comes the special edition of the delightfully majestic movie, Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams out on Disney DVD, September 8, 2009. The two-disc DVD has even more wonder and enchantment than before, with one of the first peeks at Disney’s newest princess from Princess and the Frog plus two never-before-seen music videos featuring Cinderella and Mulan.

Brimming with stellar animation and compelling music, Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams features the beloved princesses from two of Disney’s most revered films – Jasmine, from the Academy Award® Winning Aladdin (1992, Best Music, Original Score and
Best Music, Original Song) and Aurora, from the timeless classic Sleeping Beauty. With classic Disney storytelling and magical songs, this timeless adventure follows Aurora and Jasmine as they discover the power of believing in oneself.

BONUS DISC SET INCLUDES
*Exclusive footage of Disney’s newest princess from Princess and the Frog. *Two never-before-seen music videos featuring Cinderella and Mulan.

ORIGINAL DVD BONUS FEATURES
*”Aurora Dress-Up” game
*”Find Sahara” game
*”You’ll Never Lose This Love” music video featuring Belle

My take: My 5 year old girl has been all about the Disney Princesses for a while now, though they are competing with Hannah Montana lately for her attention. So I thought she would love to see this movie, especially since Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) was in it (she's not very familiar with Jasmine, having only seen Aladdin a few times). I was right. Not only did she love watching the movie, she asked for a mini-Aurora doll at Target the next day! And I heard her 6 year old brother singing the theme music from the movie after watching it too! As far as the bonus features go, my daughter's favorite was the music video "You'll Never Lose This Love" by Belle from Beauty and the Beast - she loves any opportunity to sing and dance like a princess (while in costume of course). Packaged with the DVD is a small bonus disk too that includes more music videos (with Cinderella and Mulan - also a hit with my daughter) and a sneak peak at the upcoming movie, The Princess and the Frog, which features the first African-American Disney princess (you can read some interesting trivia about it here). All in all, another winning DVD for your own Disney Princess!

About the studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, a recognized leader in the home entertainment industry, is the marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax and Buena Vista product, which includes DVD, Blu-ray Disc and electronic distribution. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is a division of Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Eating Right Kids™

From the website: Introducing Eating Right Kids™. Looking for something your kids will want to eat with better-for-kids nutritional benefits? Eating Right Kid™ and Warner Brothers Looney Tunes have teamed up to bring you meals, snacks, cereals and drinks your kids will love—and you’ll feel good about.

Similar to Eating Right™, each Eating Right Kids™ package features the color-coded Spot Your Needs System™ on the front—so you can find important nutritional information in seconds!

Along with great taste and great nutrition, Eating Right Kids™ is fun, too. Because the whole Looney Tunes gang is ready to get kids eating right with games and activities right on the packages!

From the PR Firm: It’s back to school time and you’ve probably been thinking about books, supplies, clothes and more. However this is also a great time to focus on food and eating right! Better-for-you food doesn’t have to be boring! Warner Bros. Consumer Products has partnered with Safeway for Eating Right Kids, a food and beverage line featuring the beloved Looney Tunes characters. It’s a great choice for packing lunches, after-school snacks, and quick and easy dinners.

From Consumer Affairs: Safeway is partnering with Warner Bros. Entertainment to launch a new line of Loony Tunes-festooned food and drink items for children, as an extension of the supermarket chain's Eating Right line of more nutritional foods.

Dubbed Eating Right Kids, the new line-up, which will roll out this summer, includes more than 100 food and drink products that will be promoted as helping moms pick more nutritious food for their children.

Warner Bros. chairman-CEO Barry Meyer said the deal is a way to turn its well-known cartoon characters into "ambassadors of health and fitness." He said the partnership "allows us to utilize the Looney Tunes characters' enduring popularity with kids and teens to promote a lifestyle choice that's healthier for them."

Both supermarkets and Hollywood have been pilloried by consumer groups for promoting and selling too much junk food to children, contributing to a nationwide epidemice of obesity and early health problems.

As part of the deal, Warner Bros. said it will no longer feature its Looney Tunes characters on less-healthy food packaging, other than certain ice cream products or birthday cakes. "We've cleared the market of anything that might be considered unhealthy," said Brad Globe, prexy of Warner Bros. Worldwide Consumer Products. "Our Looney Tunes characters are our crown jewels. We said, 'Hey, we need to figure out how we can be part of some kind of solution and use our characters in a positive way that will improve the issues related to childhood obesity.'"

Safeway's Eating Right Kids packaging will exclusively feature such characters as Bugs Bunny, Tweety, Taz, Sylvester, Wile E. Coyote, Roadrunner, Marvin the Martian and Daffy Duck. Included in the line-up are breakfast foods, portable meals, dairy, snacks and beverages.

Safeway said the products will be formulated based on the most recent dietary recommendations from several federal and state agencies, including the Dept. of Health and Human Services, the Dept. of Agriculture, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, as well as California's school nutrition guidelines.

My take: Team Mom sent me a cute little lunch bag with Bugs Bunny on the front with a few of these new Eating Right Kids™ food products tucked inside: a Kids Mixed Berry Milk Chocolate Coating Chewy Bars, a Kids Mixed Fruit Fruit Cup, a bottle of Kids 100% Juice Apple, and a microwavable container of Kids Macaroni (that for the life of me I cannot find on the website but it's like a healthy whole wheat version of your standard Macaroni and Beef meal).

The juice was quickly drained by my very picky 6 year old - and I liked it to for the all natural ingredients - no HFCS in sight! The chewy bar was quite tasty - and with with 6 grams of whole grains per serving and again, no high fructose corn syrup, it's a bar I feel good about giving my kids. The Macaroni both kids passed on - they are not big on canned pasta - so it went in the bag for the food pantry. And the fruit cup was no different than the fruit cups you can get at the store. But all in all, what a great concept - healthy, affordable lunch options. Take a look at all the food products in the line here and check them out for yourself if you are lucky enough to be near a Safeway store.

LOONEY TUNES: TM &© Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

I am proud to be a member of Team Mom, which sponsored this review.

Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker

Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker

Price: $12.99

Actors: San Francisco Ballet, School of American Ballet, Nicki Rapp
Directors: Mary Kate Mellow and Stephanie Troeller
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Prima Princessa Productions, LLC
DVD Release Date: August 1, 2009
Run Time: 40 minutes

From the DVD creators: Magic Christmas spectacular! This show is filled with snow fairies, toy soldiers, presents, tutus and more!!! Prima Princessa features the world famous San Francisco Ballet performing Nutcracker, with a cartoon fairy ballerina narrating so that kids of all ages can enjoy this classic holiday tale. Between acts you'll see live action demos of real ballet steps performed by School of American Ballet students, plus contagiously adorable tutu-clad children!

“Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker” is the second show in the Prima Princessa Presents series, which is designed by two mom-entrepreneurs on a mission to bring the beauty and magic of ballet into the lives of children everywhere.

This 40 minute show is the perfect Holiday Gift for children ages 3 to 6. Join Prima Princessa, the adorable cartoon ballerina princess, as she takes you on an amazing holiday adventure filled with snow fairies, toy soldiers, sugarplums and sweets galore! Get on your pretty tutu and get ready to dance with the San Francisco Ballet as they perform excerpts from their world famous “Nutcracker.” Between acts your kids will get up off the couch and dance along as they learn real ballet steps demonstrated by students from the School of American Ballet, the official academy of the New York City Ballet.

Bonus: Print out coloring book pages at the Prima Princessa website!

My take: Back in March 2008, I reviewed the first Prima-Princessa DVD - "Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake." That was just before my daughter started taking ballet lessons at school (we have an awesome teacher/parent who gives the girls classes right in the school while my daughter is in after-care so she gets top-shelf ballet lessons and I don't have to take her anywhere). So I was tickled pink to received the latest Prima Princessa DVD, Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker. Just like the original DVD, this one combines scenes of little children dancing along side clips of professionals performing The Nutcracker Ballet, all narrated by "Prima Princessa." And it's not just the performances - the Prima Princessa DVDs include "how-to" segments for real ballet steps! I like these DVDs so much I've offered them to my daughter's teacher to show the kids as an introduction to ballet when their lessons start up again in a few weeks. I highly recommend both Prima Princessa DVDs for the little ballerinas in your life! Just think what an awesome Christmas gift the Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker DVD would be (and a great introduction to the "real" Nutcracker Ballet to watch at home until she is old enough to take to "the ballet").

Creators' Biographies:
Stephanie Troeller
Stephanie danced in a pre-professional dance company, American Dance Theater, during her entire childhood. After graduating high school she studied in Paris France at the L’Ecole Internationale de Theatre de Paris, Marcel Marceau and then at Martha Graham in New York City. After college, Stephanie went on to pursue a career in cartoons. She has under her belt 15 years cartooning and product design experience with Hanna Barbera, DC Comics, and Warner Bros. Studio Stores. Stephanie is the writer and creator of her Self-syndicated comic “Relationstrips” which appeared in many alternative weekly papers nation wide.

Mary Kate Mellow
As a former small business entrepreneur, Mary Kate understands how creative talent coupled with hard work and determination, are crucial ingredients for building a business. Just a few years out of college and with no formal training as a jewelry designer, Mary Kate started a jewelry business. She quickly jumped from craft fairs to selling into premier retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Pea in the Pod, Dallas Museum of Art Shop, Harold’s Catalog and many other upscale boutiques. Her jewelry has appeared on the cover of Seventeen Magazine and in Women’s Wear Daily.

The Zula Patrol

The Zula Patrol: Moons Mayhem

List Price: $12.98
Directors: Deb Manchester
Format: Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Language: English
Number of discs: 1
Rating: G (General Audience)
Studio: Well Go USA
DVD Release Date: August 25, 2009
Run Time: 66 minutes

The Zula Patrol: Moons Mayhem follows the intrepid team from Zula in six humor-filled stories that begin with a challenge, and end with a resolution, as they explore the fascinating, often volatile world of moons. The episodes include: Moon Struck, Blue Moon, Going Through a Phase, Moons Mayhem, Three Ring Gorga and Me, Myself and Io. It’s non-stop lunar adventure for The Zula Patrol, as they as they rescue a turbulent Venus, who is on a quest to acquire a moon of her own; discover the many moons of Jupiter during Jupiterfest; explore the composition of the surface of Earth’s moon; help save Bula from an awful Were-Mouse curse, and thwart Dark Truder’s nefarious plan to steal all the moons within the solar system.

The Zula Patrol: Animal Adventures in Space!

List Price:$14.98
Directors: Deb Manchester
Format: Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Language: English
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Well Go USA
DVD Release Date: June 2, 2009
Run Time: 60 minutes

In The Zula Patrol: Animal Adventures in Space!, the team explores how insects, reptiles, mammals, plants and rocks form and interact with each other. In Larvae or Leave Me (the first episode), Skip the grasshopper can’t find his friend Wriggly the caterpillar – until he discovers, with help from The Zula Patrol, that Wriggly has transformed into a beautiful butterfly! Four additional stories on the DVD are: Egg Hunt, There Goes the Neighborhood, Choosing Sides and Camp Worm. No job is too big for The Zula Patrol, as they search for stolen frog eggs, help restore life to a canyon ecosystem, solve the mystery of the missing honey, and tunnel through dirt with their worm comrades to help the trees grow – and end up thwarting a threatened “alien invasion” from another planet.

From the PR firm: To help usher in the new school year, we have two exciting new DVDs for review/giveaway from “The Zula Patrol,” the popular animated science-and-astronomy series for kids that airs Saturday mornings nationally on NBC, as well as weekdays and weekends on public television stations.

“The Zula Patrol” features a gang of lovably wacky alien characters including stalwart Captain Bula, brainiac Professor Multo, feisty hot-doggin' space pilot Zeeter, the amazing space pet Gorga, and twin flying explorers Wizzy & Wigg. They take kids on a roller coaster fun ride across the Universe, helping them discover interesting facts about science and astronomy in the process.

My take: Until the PR firm sent me these two DVDs to check out, I had never heard of the Zula Patrol. But any show that educates while it entertains is a show I want to check out (you may recall I'm all about sneaky education that way). When I saw the characters on Zula Patrol I was a bit skeptical at first - you have to admit those are some odd looking alien creatures! But they won me over. I really liked all the science and space (astronomy) facts they were teaching - without my kids even knowing they were learning. And both my 5 and my 6 year old watched the whole DVDs without stop and asked to watch them again (a sure sign they were interested). I must admit I learned a few things myself about our solar system (hey, it's been YEARS since my school science classes!). So I can definitely recommend The Zula Patrol DVDs for your kiddos - based on my own kid's reactions, I'm thinking between the ages of 4 - 6 would be just about right [then you can turn to ZulaWorld.com for more education for your 6 - 10 year old (see below)]!

Bonus (from the PR Firm): In addition to these great new DVDs, fantastic new games and activities will debut throughout the month of August on ZulaWorld.com, the acclaimed new science-and-astronomy site that USA Today calls “a great addition to the kid virtual world market.” ZulaWorld.com was created for school-age children ages 6-10 (note, the website is for slightly older kids than the DVDs, which are geared to ages 4 and up).

Here are some of the new features you and your kids will discover when you visit www.zulaworld.com this month:

The planet Mars is being introduced into Zula’s Solar System, filled with new adventures kids can spend hours exploring. The first in a series of Global Community Missions will launch, calling all kids to join in a search for Zula’s missing frogs – and return them to their rightful home! After entering each others’ spaceships with a “secret handshake,” kids can test each others’ skills in a multi-player Tic-Tac-Toe game. A multi-player Bumper Ship game will provide all the fun of an amusement park ride – deep in outer space! Just in time for school, kids will be able to chart their ZulaWorld.com activities in an On-line Journal. The creators of “The Zula Patrol” are truly passionate about science – and want to share their excitement with kids everywhere!

We think the DVDs, along with the great new activities on ZulaWorld.com, can help kids learn important core concepts about science in a fun and entertaining way.

Giveaway #1: TEN lucky winners will get a free ZulaWorld.com VIP membership! The ZulaWorld.com VIP membership is good for one month.

Giveaway #2: One lucky winner will receive BOTH DVDs reviewed above – “The Zula Patrol: Animal Adventures in Space” and “The Zula Patrol: Moons Mayhem.”

To win: Leave me a comment telling me the name of which educational TV show your kids love right now. Is it Zula Patrol or something else? Be sure to leave your email address with your comment if you are not a blogger or your email is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m., EST, Thursday, September 17, 2009. Good Luck!

Bonus entries: Get up to 6 extra entries for a total of 7 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
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