Wild Child (music review and giveaway)

Wild Child

For ages 4 - 12

Label: Big Round Records

SRP: $11.99

Run time: 47 minutes.

http://recessmusic.com 

LYRICAL SONGS, AFRICAN RHYTHMS, AND THE VOICES OF NATURE

CREATE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

FOR KIDS

WILD CHILD

THE NEWEST ‘CELEBRATE EARTH’ CD

FROM RECESS MUSIC

“A hidden gem! Various artists encourage kids to turn off the water and take a little time to smell the pansies. Great messages for kids about loving and protecting the Earth. ” – Common Sense Media review of Recess Music’s Celebrate Earth

“Really nice tunes for environmentally conscience kids and parents.” – Lahri Bond, 2011 Parents' Choice® Award review of Recess Music’s Ocean Motion

From the PR Firm:  Recess Music, a company that strives to awaken kids to the magnificence of our planet through albums of earth-friendly music, looks forward to the August 16 release of Wild Child, the fourth in its award-winning “Celebrate Earth” series of CDs. Singing the praises of Africa fauna, the 14 tracks of Wild Child showcase musical contributions by a sampling of today’s most gifted kids’ musicians, including Jack Grunsky, Anna Moo, and Danny Adlerman.


Notes Recess Music’s founder, Nancy Doan, “Of all the creatures on Earth, the animals of Africa are some of the most threatened in our world. When I think of the children of future generations, I’m struck by how sad it will be if they never have the possibility of seeing an elephant or a tiger or a hippo in its natural habitat. I believe that Mother Nature intended for ALL of Earth's inhabitants to share our green planet with one another.”


Wild Child opens with “Earth Lullaby,” featuring the beautiful voice of Kathy Lowe accompanied by African drums, chorus, electric guitar and bass, and continues with a gospel-tinged celebration of the Serengeti plain by the team of Aaron Glassman and Andrew Spence. Penelope Torribio gently captures the delicate beauty of a fragile environment as she sings “Rainforest By Morning.” Exotic birdcalls at the song’s conclusion create a smooth transition to Jack Grunsky’s relaxed, Caribbean styled “Sunrise In The Jungle.” The African day builds momentum with Ed Jordan and Alan Glass offering delightfully catchy rhymes about “Rita, the Cheetah.” More animal calls announce the South African sounds of Danny Adlerman singing “Africa Calling,” and Anna Moo poses some provocative questions in her exotic, “Mysteries Of The Nile.” The African experience continues with evocative selections by Birdie’s Playhouse, Kimmy Schwimmy, Melita Doostan, Wayne From Maine, and Aaron Burnett. At the album’s close, Cosima offers a taste of authentic African language in “Thula Baba,” with Tish Steinfeld settling listeners down for the evening in “Full Moon Over Africa.”


While experiencing a multi-faceted life as a mother, wife, and minister, Nancy Doan became convinced of the need to make the world a better place through a two-fold approach: sustaining our environment and teaching kindness. Because music held a prominent place in both her own childhood and her experiences as a mother, Nancy developed an appreciation of the power of music as an educational tool. When the onset of systemic lupus erythematosus dictated a career change, she cast about for a way to continue to serve the causes to which she had dedicated her life. This search ultimately led to the creation of Recess Music, a company dedicated to the twin goals of environmental awareness and social empathy.


Fulfilling its declared mission of entertaining, encouraging, and educating children and families about the wonders of our planet, Recess Music has previously released three albums in the “Celebrate Earth” series, beginning with Celebrate Earth in spring 2010. Growing Veggie Soup followed, with songs chosen for their focus on gardening and sustainable farming practices. The music of Ocean Motion, the award-winning third installment of the “Celebrate Earth” music series, is dedicated to the understanding and preservation of the world’s ocean life and its habitats.


Coming next from Recess Music, in fall 2011, will be U R Some 1, the second in the company’s “Best Foot Forward” series of albums dedicated to helping kids value a world that is wise, fair, and generous hearted.


Availability: Wild Child will be available online at www.recessmusic.com, amazon.com and its international affiliates, iTunes, and brick and mortar retailers throughout the U.S.


Song Listing:

1. Earthly Lullaby
2. Serengeti
3. Rainforest By Morning
4. Sunrise In The Jungle
5. Rita The Cheetah
6. Africa Calling
7. Mysteries Of The Nile
8. Elephant In The Congo
9. Drumming With The Animals
10. Animals
11. Just Another Day In The Jungle
12. Mountain Lion
13. Thula Baba
14. Full Moon Over Africa

My take: I've not heard any of the first three of the "Celebrate Earth" cds in this series of music, but if they are anything like Wild Child, I'm definitely going to have to check them out.  I truly loved all this music and listen to "Earth Lullaby" (track 1) at least once a day.  The CD as a whole provides a truly soothing respite from the day to day irritations that we must endure each day; turn on Wild Child during your morning or evening commute and let it sooth away the road rage (truly!).  Another reason I loved this CD was how it provides a jumping off point for a conversation with the kiddos about Africa and all the mighty and inspiring animals ("Mountain Lion" and "Rita the Cheetah") that reside there and the habitats we are in danger of losing ("Serengeti" and "Rainforest by Morning").  After listening to the music, we can visit the zoo again and tie it all in together.  Who knows, maybe we'll have a zookeeper or environmentalist in our future. :-)

The giveaway:  WIN IT BEFORE YOU CAN BUY IT!  One lucky winner will win his/her very own copy of the Wild Child CD! {US and Canadian addresses only please}

To win: Leave me a comment telling me the name of another Recess Music CD. 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, Friday, August 5, 2011. Good Luck!

Bonus entries: Get up to 8 extra entries for a total of 9 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
• Share this giveaway on any of your Social Networking sites (like Twitter and/or Facebook) and come back here with a link to your post/tweet (you can have up to two entries - be sure to leave 2 comments)
• Follow me on Twitter (leave a comment with your twitter id)
• 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
• Follow me on Google Friend Connect (see top left sidebar)

P.S.:  Be sure to check out my new fan page for Did You See That? on Facebook!

P.P.S.: New Facebook rules do not allow contest entries for "Liking" facebook pages.

This review was sponsored by Waldmania! PR who provided the CD for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary CD.

Abandon

Abandon

By: Meg Cabot

Price: $17.99

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Point; 1 edition (April 26, 2011)
• Language: English
• 
  

From the publisher: New from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a dark, fantastical story about this world . . . and the underworld.

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.


But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.


Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away... especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.


But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

My take: I've been racking my brain, trying to remember if I had ever read any of Meg Cabot's books before, but to no avail.  I simply cannot remember.  But after reading Abandon, I know I'll be on the hunt for more of her work - especially the rest of this series.  This book is marketed as Young Adult Fiction but it has appeal to such a broader audience, I'm reluctant to pigeon hole the work.  Yes, the main character is a teenager.  But the story is so much more.  Basically a recast of the myth of Persephone, Abandon is the take of a young woman who died and came back to life, by her own choice.  Medically, there were reasons she was resuscitated, but those weren't the real reasons she was able to return.  And death, in the form of a Hades-type figure, wants her back.  I think a lot of the negative reviews may stem from the fact that this is the first of a series of books...yes, many of the characters and plots are undeveloped...but I think that may be intentional on the part of the author as she holds back some to keep you coming back for the rest of the story.  I for one, look forward to reading the rest of the tale.

This review was sponsored by Amazon Vine™ who provided the book for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary book.

Amazon Vine™ is a program that enables a select group of Amazon customers to post opinions about new and pre-release items to help their fellow customers make educated purchase decisions. Customers are invited to become Amazon Vine™ Voices based on the trust they have earned in the Amazon community for writing accurate and insightful reviews. Amazon provides Amazon Vine™ members with free copies of products that have been submitted to the program by vendors. Amazon does not influence the opinions of Amazon Vine™ members, nor do they modify or edit their reviews.

The Heart of Memory

The Heart of Memory: A Novel

By: Alison Strobel

List Price:  $12.99

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (March 29, 2011)
• Language: English

From Amazon.com: When beloved Christian writer and speaker Savannah Trover becomes gravely ill, she has to face the sham that her faith has become. Days before her heart transplant, she vows to change her ways and she renews her relationship with Christ. But when she awakens from the surgery, Savannah discovers that her faith has left her completely. Savannah's husband, Shaun, is concerned about his wife's odd behavior---and even more concerned about the secret he's keeping from her. If she doesn't bring down their ministry, then he might, losing his family in the process. A stranger may hold the answer to Savannah's recovery, but is Savannah strong enough to return to her old way of life? Can Shaun right his wrongs before word gets out? And do either one of them remember how to be who they once were---or who they want to be? In this latest relational drama from Alison Strobel, readers will explore the difference between emotional faith and life-giving truth as Savannah wonders if she can ever trust her heart again.


About the Author: Alison Strobel writes novels that explore life, love and faith. She lives in Colorado with her husband and two daughters. Visit her at www.AlisonStrobel.com.


My take: I've been blessed with this blog to be able to read a lot of amazing Christian fiction (mainly from Thomas Nelson publishers).  So when I received my Amazon Vine newsletter and saw this book, I asked for it right away.  The Heart of Memory is a complex book with more layers and story lines than I had imagined.  On one hand, you have Savannah's faith story - how she makes a living selling her Christian beliefs (and really, how odd that is to make a buck off your faith), how she regains that faith only to lose it again after a traumatic health scare, and finally, how she finds her way back to Christ again.  Throw in the side story of her husband's big secret and an intriguing backstory on cellular memory and this book will keep you thinking long after you've read it.  A great book from Mrs. Strobel and I look forward to reading more of her work.  

This review was sponsored by Amazon Vine™ who provided the book for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary book.

Amazon Vine™ is a program that enables a select group of Amazon customers to post opinions about new and pre-release items to help their fellow customers make educated purchase decisions. Customers are invited to become Amazon Vine™ Voices based on the trust they have earned in the Amazon community for writing accurate and insightful reviews. Amazon provides Amazon Vine™ members with free copies of products that have been submitted to the program by vendors. Amazon does not influence the opinions of Amazon Vine™ members, nor do they modify or edit their reviews.

BUBBER®

From KidStuff:  For children, looking up in the sky and spotting faces, animals and buildings formed by clouds is as common as making sandcastles on the beach. But wouldn’t it be amazingly cool if you could reach up, grab the clouds and sculpt anything they wanted? As far-fetched as that may seem, WABA Fun has a way that comes close to making that idea possible.


It’s called Bubber®, and for kids, it’s almost like sculpting with a cloud. This lightweight and pleasant-to-the-touch compound provides a welcome alternative to cold clay, messy doughs and cloud-watching. Made in the beautiful town of Halmstad, Sweden, award-winning Bubber is the lightest modeling compound on earth! This easy-to-use product feels great in your hands and, since it’s so lightweight, children can mould just about anything.


Bubber feels light as air and fluffy as a cloud. Discover the joy of carving in a soft compound that leaves clean, sharp lines and amazing imprints. Working with the soft compound feels pleasantly warm in your hands. Even the littlest hands can shape a large amount of this compound. It’s perfect for small and big kids and helps stimulate their fine motor skills.


Besides being a favorite activity for kids, Bubber is one of the more appreciated products from a parent’s perspective. In addition to the incredible boost to creativity that it offers children, Bubber will never dry out. Even if it’s not stored properly, it will still be as pliable the next day. Bubber is strong, yet extremely lightweight. It can make very tall and/or big structures that won’t collapse like heavy dough or clays. And, perhaps best of all, Bubber cleans up easily. It actually sticks to itself so you can blot it up or easily vacuum it from floors and carpets.


Just like clouds, Bubber is non-toxic, non-allergenic, contains no gluten, leaves no stain or residue and never dries out. But unlike clouds, Bubber comes in a variety of colors and packs and you don’t need to be 10,000 feet tall to play with it!

Bubber Bucket

Age range: 3 years +

$12.99

– Like clouds in a can, this 5 oz of Bubber bucket comes filled with your favorite color. The colorful bucket with handle works perfectly for storage and for taking Bubber along for hours of portable fun. Available colors are white, yellow, red, purple, blue or green.

*NEW* Bubber Box - More Bubber fun!

Age range: 3 years +

$29.99

15 oz of Bubber in your favorite color in a convenient box. Available colors are white, yellow, red, purple, blue or green. Awards: ASTRA’s Best Toys For Kids - Creative Play, Creative Child Magazine Toy of the Year, Dr. Toy 100 Best Children’s Products

Castle Molds

Age range: 3 years+

$12.99

Create a detailed castle—or any other structure or model—out of your favorite sand, dough or molding compound with these molds! Build towers, stairs and stone walls. The set includes 8 plastic pieces including two sculpting knives, a square extruder, a round extruder, stair maker, stone wall maker and more. The Castle Mold set comes in a polybag.

Inflatable Carry Case

Age range: 3 years+

$14.99

Take your arts and crafts projects on the road! This is a flexible work space that’s designed to be easy and compact to carry and store. The 28” x 20” x 2” (when fully inflated) tray includes a Velcro cover that keeps your compounds and molds clean and safe while not in use. The handled Inflatable tray folds to a compact size for travel and storage.

School Stamp Set

Age range: 3 years+

$24.99

Teachers are very familiar with the positive response when several senses are engaged in the learning process. With these stamps, students can practice spelling, math and languages. When used with any modeling compound, mistakes are easy to correct.

The set comes with upper and lower case stamps, special signs and number stamps. A total of 96 pieces altogether. The special stamps include signs for use with Swedish, Norwegian, Danish French, Spanish and German. The math stamps include numbers as well as arithmetic function signs.

My take:  We were sent a "Bubber Bucket" of green Bubber to try out.   My little 6 year old girl loves to make things with playdough, moon dough, modeling clay, etc., etc.  So we had a nice set on hand (from her Moon Dough) to use to try out the Bubber (which is remarkably just like Moon Dough).  She pulled out her farm kit the very minute the Bubber came out of the package and got to work.  Honestly, neither of us saw how it was any different from Moon Dough so if you like that, you'll love Bubber.  Their castle mold looks like fun but we were not given that to try out, just the Bubber bucket.  I love that idea of the inflatable carrying case too; bubber is super easy to clean up (my 6 year old can do it herself!) but I'd love to see it contained in a smaller area!  Pluses:  my daughter's hands turned green but that washed right off.  Also, unlike play dough, bubber never dries out!  I would imagine a gift of Bubber with the School Stamp Set would make an awesome back to school gift for your child's new teacher too.  So try out Bubber - it's lots of fun!

ABOUT WABA FUN : WABA Fun designs, manufactures and markets educational children's toys under the Superstructs™, Moon Sand®, and Bubber® brand names. Award-winning Superstructs, Moon Sand, and Bubber sets are available through education and specialty toy retailers, mass market, catalog and online retailers. WABA Fun develops products that inspire imagination and encourage children to be creative with their own playtime. To learn more about these unique tools for creative learning, visit www.wabafun.com.

This review was sponsored by

KidStuff Public Relations

P.S.:  Be sure to check out my new fan page for Did You See That? on Facebook!

This post was written for WABA Fun and KidStuff PR who provided the Bubber Bucket for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary Bubber Bucket (a USD $12.99 value).  

My opinions are my own.

It's a Phineas and Ferb Summer!

"Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension"

 A Disney Channel Original Movie

Premieres FRIDAY, AUGUST 5 (8:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel

and Saturday, August 13 (10:00 a.m., ET/PT) on Disney XD

From the studio: 'Big idea' opportunists Phineas Flynn and Ferb Fletcher launch into their biggest journey yet in "Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2^nd Dimension," based on Disney Channel's Emmy Award-winning animated comedy series, "Phineas and Ferb." Joining the highly successful Disney Channel Original Movie franchise, the adventure-filled movie is produced by Disney Television Animation.

"Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2^nd Dimension" will feature a multi-platform roll-out, starting with Disney Channel's premiere, Friday, August 5, 2011 in the U.S., and shortly thereafter on Disney Channels Worldwide. The movie will encore Saturday, August 13 on Disney XD and on ABC (date TBD). The soundtrack, available Tuesday, August 2 through Walt Disney Records, will feature music from the series as well as seven new songs showcased in the movie.

The story begins on a summer afternoon in Danville. While celebrating the anniversary of getting their beloved pet, Perry, imaginative stepbrothers Phineas and Ferb are catapulted into Dr. Doofenshmirtz's Evil Inc., where they encounter a machine that opens portals into other dimensions.  Phineas and Ferb travel to Alternate-Danville, the eerily familiar dimension resembling their home in the Tri-State area. There, they come face to face with their alternate egos, while their faithful pet Perry reveals a secret of his own. 

In Alternate-Danville they encounter the sinister Dr. Doofenshmirtz2, who has successfully managed to reign over the gloomy universe, forbidding all things summer. Phineas and Ferb team up with Isabella2 and an underground group called the Resistance, led by Candace2, who together help open up a window back home.

Unfortunately Dr. Doofenshmirtz2 and his sentinel of robots follow the kids back home and threaten to take over the real Danville. Phineas and Ferb get a resurgence of hope with help from Agent P and a key that holds the secret to usurping Dr. Doofenshmirtz2 and his army. Meanwhile, the Resistance seizes an opportunity to restore order, happiness and summer back in their home. Even though everything hangs in the balance, including Perry's future fate with Phineas and Ferb, everybody must focus on the task at hand before Dr. Doofenshmirtz2 unleashes true havoc on the Tri-State Area.

 The voice cast features singer-actor Vincent Martella ("Everybody Hates Chris") as Phineas Flynn, Thomas Brodie-Sangster ("Nanny McPhee") as Ferb Fletcher, Ashley Tisdale ("Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure") as Candace Flynn, Mitchel Musso ("Pair of Kings") as Jeremy, Caroline Rhea ("Sabrina, the Teenage Witch") as mom Linda Flynn-Fletcher, Richard O'Brien ("The Rocky Horror Picture Show") as dad Lawrence Fletcher, Dee Bradley Baker ("American Dad") as Perry the Platypus, Alyson Stoner ("Camp Rock," "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam" ) as Isabella, Jeff "Swampy" Marsh as Major Monogram and Dan Povenmire as the nefarious Dr. Doofenshmirtz. Doris Roberts ("Everybody Loves Raymond") guest stars as Mrs. Thompson, Dr. Doofenshmirtz's senile neighbor.

Other core cast members include Maulik Pancholy ("30 Rock") as brainy neighbor Baljeet, Bobby Gaylor ("Hope & Faith") as neighborhood bully Buford, Kelly Hu ("Hawaii Five-0") as Candace's best friend, Stacy, and Tyler Mann ("Weeds") as Major Monogram's faithful intern, Carl.

The teleplay was written by creators/executive producers Emmy Award-winner Dan Povenmire, Jeff "Swampy" Marsh and Jon Colton Barry. Povenmire and Robert Hughes direct. "Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2^nd Dimension" is a production of Disney Television Animation. It carries a TV-G parental guideline. 

Bonus:  Perry the Platy-bus On Tour (started MONDAY, JULY 11 in New York City): Outfitted stem-to-stern as Phineas' and Ferb's teal-colored pet platypus, Perry the Platy-bus will explore the adventures of the road on a coast-to-coast journey to San Diego's Comic-Con International (July 21-24) and then slips through the wind, all the way to the Disney D23 Expo in Anaheim (August 19-21).  During "Perry the Platy-bus On Tour," fans are invited to marvel at nearly 4000 pounds of Perry (complete with a bill, tail and googly eyes), come aboard, play the exciting new Unity 3D video game, "The Movie Game: The Dimension of Doooom!" and video console games, sing Perry-oke and more. There is no admission charge.

More of the Summer of Phineas and Ferb:

• The soundtrack, "Phineas and Ferb: Across the 1st and 2nd Dimensions," from Walt Disney Records, will debut Tuesday, August 2, and a two-disc "Ultimate Fan Pack" including a DVD, digital copy of the movie, eight digital music tracks, eight deleted scenes, a bonus episode with character and filmmaker commentary and more, will be available Tuesday, August 23.
• "The Movie Game: The Dimension of Doooom!" and a "2D Yourself" activity that allows users to create a custom avatar to explore the 2nd Dimension, among other digital experiences, will begin rolling out on the new "Phineas and Ferb" supersite Friday, June 17 on DisneyChannel.com and DisneyXD.com
• A video game inspired by the movie, "Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension," for the Wii system, Nintendo DS family of handheld systems and PlayStation 3 computer entertainment systems, will release this summer through Disney Interactive Studios
• A special junior novel, joke and novelty book, and an official 96-page magazine will be available Monday, July 27 via Disney Publishing Worldwide
• Disney Theatrical Group will introduce "Disney's Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour EVER!," a live touring stage show produced by Feld Entertainment that will play in more than 80 hometowns across the country, beginning August 21 in Lakeland, Florida
• Disney Consumer Products categories for "Phineas and Ferb" include action figures, apparel, accessories, grocery and health and beauty products

My take:  I first heard about Phineas and Ferb from an online friend, on her blog, before she stopped blogging and disappeared all together.  According to her, this show was a huge hit for her entire family so I was eager to check it out for myself.  And what do you know, she was right!  If you've never seen the show (hard to believe), here is a synopsis I found on Wikipedia:  "

the series follows Phineas Flynn and his English stepbrother Ferb Fletcher on summer vacation. Every day the boys embark on some grand new project, which annoys their controlling sister, Candace, who tries to bust them. The series follows a standard plot system; running gags occur every episode, and the B-Plot almost always features Perry the Platypus ("Agent P"), acting as a secret agent to fight an evil scientist named Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz. The two plots intersect at the end to erase all traces of the boys' project just before Candace can show it to their mother. This usually leaves Candace very frustrated." Let me tell you, with two kids of my own who are constantly trying to bust each other, we could ALL relate to the show.  It's hysterical!  We can't wait to see the new movie next month - after all, what could be better than TWO of all of our favorite characters!  Be sure to check the show out for yourself - after all, how can you NOT love boys with a platypus for a pet?!

Disclosure: My opinions are my own:  In return for letting ya'll know all about the Summer of Phineas and Ferb, my family received a great price package of Phineas and Ferb merchandise (from the list above).  Alas, I didn't get a picture of all of it as my kids took off with it all before I even had the entire package open!  You can see a picture of their "loot" on this review page though.

Madeline and Her Friends (DVD review and giveaway)

Madeline And Her Friends

• Actors: Andrea Libman, David Morse, Stevie Vallance
• Directors: John D. Wilson
• Format: Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: G (General Audience)
• Studio: Shout! Factory
• DVD Release Date: June 7, 2011
• Run Time: 132 minutes
• List Price: $12.99

From SHOUT!:  Would you take a lovable pup to the opera? What if it was well-behaved?   Alas, that is what Madeline and her friends did.  Did it go well? You'll have to watch this clip to find out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVQbYLXvHMg

Madeline, the smallest of 12 little girls in Miss Clavel’s class, and her best friend — her loyal dog Genevieve —take the fun to town in her latest DVD Madeline And Her Friends with six outrageous adventures inspired by Ludwig Bemelmans’ best-selling children’s books!

The DVD streets on June 7, 2011 via Shout! Factory. Containing six animated episodes, all making their DVD debut: Madeline and the Soccer Star, Madeline’s Singing Dog, Madeline and the Missing Clown, Madeline and the Talking Parrott, Madeline and the Big Cheese, and Madeline’s Rescue the DVD is perfect for the whole family!

My take:  As I sit here, writing this review, it is a hot (110 degree heat index) Sunday afternoon here in S.E. Virginia, as it as been all month.  My daughter and I have been watching movies all weekend, both in the theater, and here at home to stay in the air conditioning.  Right now, she is actually watching "Madeline and Her Friends" for about the billionth time since we received it for review.  Ok, I exaggerate.  It's only been about a million times.  Ok, seriously.  I'll tell you what I DO know to be true about this DVD:  our daughter has memorized the order of the episodes already (her favorite is the last episode) and she loves to sing along with Madeline and her friends.  Why do I like Madeline? Because I can get some work done while our daughter watches the shows - I do not have to worry at all about what she is watching - it's all wholesome, good fun.  If your child is just starting an interest in Madeline, this DVD is a good introduction to the series.  If she has been into Madeline for a while (like our little girl), this is a must have for your collection.


To win: Leave me a comment telling me why you'd like to win this movie (winner will be picked at random so your actual response will not determine the winner)! 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, Monday, August 1, 2011. Good Luck!

Bonus entries: Get up to 8 extra entries for a total of 9 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):


• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
• Share this giveaway on any of your Social Networking sites (like Twitter and/or Facebook) and come back here with a link to your post/tweet (you can have up to two entries - be sure to leave 2 comments)
• Follow me on Twitter (leave a comment here with your twitter id)
• 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 - Fan or Fav (use the green link on the top left sidebar)
• Follow me via Google Friend Connect (see top left sidebar)

This review and giveaway was sponsored by:

This post was written for Shout! who provided the DVDs for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary DVD. My opinion is my own.

P.S.:  Be sure to check out my new fan page for Did You See That? on Facebook!


P.P.S.: New Facebook rules do not allow contest entries for "Liking" Facebook pages.

The Smurfs: A Magical Smurf Adventure

WARNER HOME VIDEO

RELEASES ANOTHER CAPTIVATING COLLECTION

OF “SMURFTACULAR” SMURFS EPISODES ON DVD WITH

THE SMURFS: A MAGICAL SMURF ADVENTURE

AVAILABLE JULY 19, 2011

• 
  
• Format: Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• DVD Release Date: July 19, 2011

DVD Release Will Feature 10 Episodes of the Emmy® Award Winning Series

DVD will be released during the summer of Smurfs!

From the studio: Get your Smurf on with Warner Home Video’s (WHV) release of The Smurfs: A Magical Smurf Adventure, a “super-Smurfy” collection featuring 10 episodes from the hit ‘80s Saturday morning cartoon series. Available in stores July 19, 2011, this delightful compilation stars everyone’s favorite Smurfs, including Lazy, Brainy, Smurfette, Hefty, Clumsy, Papa Smurf, and others in a delightful set of adventures the entire family can enjoy together. The Smurfs: A Magical Smurf Adventure will retail for $19.97 SRP.


10 “Smurftastic” Featured Episodes Include:

• Smurf Van Winkle – Lazy is tricked into believing he's slept his life away.
• Revenge of the Smurfs – The Smurfs try to get even with an army that’s stormed their village.
• Magic Fountain – The Smurfs search for a magic fountain.
• Smurf Me No Flowers – Lazy is led to believe he has only a few days to live.
• The Cursed Country – An evil master captures Smurfs to work in his diamond mine.
• The Blue Plague - Brainy gives the Smurfs a meal that makes them feel like chickens.
• The Ring of Castellac – The Smurfs return a drugged duke to his rightful place.
• A Mere Truffle – Tracker loses his memory while leading the Smurfs on a truffle hunt.
• Gormandizing Greedy – Greedy gains weight after a diet of sweets and desserts.
• Sister Smurf – Smurfette and a young girl are held captive by an old hag.

The Smurfs are a group of over 100 bluish, three-apple tall creatures who live in the mushroom homes of Smurf Village. They are led by 543-year-old Papa Smurf (who doesn’t look a day over 530). Their lives would be perfect were it not for their villainous Gargamel, a wizard who spends his days trying to capture them to eat, turn into gold, or for other evil reasons. Gargamel’s cat Azrael adds to the menace, always looking for a tasty, Smurfy snack.


Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Smurfs originally premiered as part of NBC’s Saturday morning programming lineup. The Emmy® Award winning series ran for nine seasons on NBC earning a 42% share of the U.S. Saturday morning audience.


“Fans have eagerly been awaiting another installment of The Smurfs on DVD and we are delighted to bring them another volume of this classic cartoon this summer,” said Jeff Brown, WHV Executive Vice President and GM of Non-Theatrical Franchise. He added, “The Smurfs remain immensely popular decade after decade because the universal messages of love, friendship and respect that they impart in each of their episodes are timeless. Those who grew up with The Smurfs on TV in the ‘80s are now eager to pass the joy they experienced while watching this series onto to today’s younger generations.”

My take:  If you have young children, you probably already know about The Smurfs movie coming out July 29th.  If you have young children, you are probably already sick and tired of hearing "when's the movie??!" very excited, waiting with them for the release date.  With this DVD (The Smurfs: A Magical Adventure), you can offer some "smurfy" goodness to your child while you wait.  It's a delaying tactic, to be sure, but it works with my 6 year old daughter!  She walks around the house constantly saying "You've smurfed with the  wrong girl!" (and roars with laughter every time) so she was very excited to get this DVD.  It's a collection of 10 original episodes from the 80's t.v. show, on 2 discs.  How many of you watched that show?  I didn't as we weren't allowed to watch cartoons or much t.v. beyond that either (oh, the horror!) but it's a cute show from what I've seen and lacks a lot of modern day "cartoon" violence (ahem, Pokeman, Airbender).  What IS for sure is how much my daughter likes it - she's been watching it every single day since we got it (she gets to watch a dvd before bed to calm her down).  Hopefully, this will hold her until the 29th.

About Warner Home Video: With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc., commands the largest home entertainment distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video and New Line Cinema.

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment's home video, digital distribution, interactive entertainment/videogames, direct-to-DVD production, technical operations and anti-piracy businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. WBHEG is responsible for the global distribution of content through DVD, electronic sell-through and VOD, and delivery of theatrical content to wireless and online channels, and is also a significant worldwide publisher for both internal and third party videogame titles. For more information on this and other titles distributed by Warner Home Video, visit www.whvdirect.com.

The giveaway:  One lucky winner will receive their very own copy of The Smurfs: A Magical Smurf Adventure! (US ADDRESSES ONLY please)

To win: Leave a comment here telling me another Warner Brothers Entertainment Family DVD that you'd like to watch. 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, Friday, July 22, 2011. Good Luck!

Bonus entries: Get up to 9 extra entries for a total of 10 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Follow Warner Brothers Entertainment on Twitter (leave a comment here with your twitter id)
• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
• Share this giveaway on any of your Social Networking sites (like Twitter and/or Facebook) and come back here with a link to your post/tweet (you can have up to two entries - be sure to leave 2 comments)
• Follow me on Twitter (leave a comment with your twitter id) (you can use the yellow button on the top right sidebar)
• Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email (see top right sidebar)
• Add my button to your sidebar (leave your website address for verification)
• Fan or Fav me on Technorati (or use the purple box link on the top right sidebar)
• Follow me on Blogger using Google Friend Connect (see right sidebar)

This review was sponsored by The Lippin Group PR who provided the DVDs for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary DVD. My opinion is my own.

P.S.:  Be sure to check out my new fan page for Did You See That? on Facebook!

P.P.S.: New Facebook rules do not allow contest entries for "Liking" Facebook pages.

Photos (and much more) by Tammy

I was born in Missouri, in the Ozarks, near the town my mom grew up in.  Just about every summer, we took a car trip back there from Virginia to stay and visit with relatives.  One of those relatives was my cousin Tammy.  Tammy is just a wee bit older than me and her sister is just a wee bit younger than me and all of us had a ball playing the summer away.

As we grew older, Tammy's talent as an artist has emerged and grown.  She, her mother and her sister (and my mother) have always been talented painters/artists as long as I remember but Tammy has taken her art to all new levels, as I've watched in awe.

She photographs (view and purchase here: http://www.photosbytammy.smugmug.com/)

She paints on antique windows:

She paints on canvas (this is a painting hanging in my foyer that I commissioned from Tammy - you can make requests!)

She paints on ornaments:

And now she is designing jewelry!

Just look at these beautiful pendants - I own three similar ones (I paid for them, this is not a paid review):

And I bought necklaces like these as gifts for our DAISY Scout leaders:  Daisy pendants!

She can even produce a custom photo pendant for you.  This is my grandmother (wasn't she beautiful?)

So my advice to you, if you are looking for art to hang in your home or wear on your body (or give the same as gifts), do yourself a favor and check out Tammy's Etsy Shop.   You can get a 10% discount by using the code REVIEW too!

This was an uncompensated review - I did not receive any product; I just love my cousin and love her work. My opinions are my own.

P.S.:  Be sure to check out my new fan page for Did You See That? on Facebook!

Summertime with Nickelodeon (product review and giveaway)

From the PR Firm: Summer is finally here and with school out kids will be spending much of their time outside in the summer sun. More time outside means you and your kids have to be prepared for everything, and Nick is here with some great summer toys to help you and your kids through the summer season.

Below you’ll find toys and protection products featuring some of Nickelodeon’s favorite characters – SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go!

Band-Aid Dora the Explorer Adhesive Bandages - Assorted Sizes

·         Transform Moments of Hurt into Moments of Healing. BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages are the products your kids will want to put on. Helps make healing more fun!

                           

SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer Sunbow Sunscreen Spray

·         SPF 30

·         Provides a non Oxybenzoate formula with Homosalate (Organic Compound)

·         Antioxidant protection

·         Continuous hydration

·         Bubble gum fragrance

·         SpongeBob SquarePants (yellow formulas), Dora the Explorer (pink and blue formulas)

SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, and  Go, Diego, Go! Sunbow Zinc Oxide Cream

·         SPF 30

·         Free of Oxybenzone and Octinoxate

·         Zinc Oxide Formula * Natural UVA-UVB Protection

·         SpongeBob SquarePants (yellow formula), Dora the Explorer (pink formula), and Go, Diego, Go! (blue formula)

Also:

·         Dora the Explorer ¡Fiesta! Analog Watch

·         SpongeBob SquarePants Nylon Kite 

·         SpongeBob SquarePants Kickboard

My take:  I wouldn't swear to the exact number, but I'd bet Nickelodeon is on at my house at least 90% of the time the t.v. is on.  My kiddos LOVE that channel and in particular, they've been fans of "Dora the Explorer", "Go, Diego, Go" and "Spongebob Squarepants" for quite a while now (my daughter and I both are big fans of "iCarly" now too).  So when asked if I wanted to review any of the summer products, I was all over it.  We received 2 of the Dora watches (one I will give away to one of you lucky readers!!), a Spongebob Squarepants Nylon Kite and one bottle of the SpongeBob SquarePants Sunbow Sunscreen Spray.  Not much to say about the kite - we've not had time to fly it yet with all the bad weather we've had of late but it looks perfect for a trip to the local mountain park (Mt. Trashmore) with all the other kite fliers in the city.  The watch immediately went on my daughter's wrist and has hardly come off since.  She loves having a big girl watch and because it's analog instead of digital, I like it because it helps in teaching her how to tell time.  It's sturdy - she wears it to day care - and it's not gotten broken or scratched.  The best product we received though is that sunbow scunscreen spray.  My son is very light skinned like me so he needs a lot of sunblock.  He hates the aerosol sprays though (too cold!) and hates regular sunblock (too heavy on his skin).  This spray is perfect - it's a pump spray so I can put it right into my hand like regular lotion and it's light on his skin.  It's yellow when it comes out but dries to clear right away.  And he's been sunburn free for weeks now.  Love this!  Keep on reading for how YOU can have a Nickelodeon summer too. 


The giveaway:  A Dora the Explorer ¡Fiesta! Analog Watch (limited edition watch, not sold in retail stores, approximate value $USD 20). 


To win: Leave a comment here telling me what is your child's (or children's) favorite Nickelodeon show! 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, Friday, July 15, 2011. Good Luck!

Bonus entries: Get up to 9 extra entries for a total of 10 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Follow Nickelodeon on Twitter (leave a comment here with your twitter id)
• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
• Share this giveaway on any of your Social Networking sites (like Twitter and/or Facebook) and come back here with a link to your post/tweet (you can have up to two entries - be sure to leave 2 comments)
• Follow me on Twitter (leave a comment with your twitter id) (you can use the yellow button on the top right sidebar)
• Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email (see top right sidebar)
• Add my button to your sidebar (leave your website address for verification)
• Fan or Fav me on Technorati (or use the purple box link on the top right sidebar)
• Follow me on Blogger using Google Friend Connect (see right sidebar)

This review was sponsored by Weber Shandwick and Nickelodeon who provided the products for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary products.  My opinions are my own.

P.S.:  Be sure to check out my new fan page for Did You See That? on Facebook!

P.P.S.: New Facebook rules do not allow contest entries for "Liking" Facebook pages.