Thomas & Friends: Merry Winter Wish DVD - review and giveaway - ended

 ***Congrats to mamaOtwins+1!****

I have one more Thomas & Friends DVD to giveaway today!

This one is Thomas & Friends: Merry Winter Wish. Just in time for the holidays!

I've been saving this one for the kids until after Thanksgiving. I think we are going to put it in tonight and enjoy it together with a bowl of popcorn!  
 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Celebrate with the ultimate collection of Thomas & Friends™ tales that every child will be asking for! Just in time for the holidays is the first collection of fun, festive, winter-themed adventures in new CG animation with Thomas and his engine friends in Thomas & Friends: Merry Winter Wish available in DVD, Digital Download and On Demand from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment. Children will also enjoy host Driver Perkins, who can ONLY be seen on DVD, and engages children with interactive dialogue and extra fun!

DVD SYNOPSIS

Next stop, Winter Wonderland! Join Thomas and his friends as they celebrate the holidays in these four enchanting tales. Thomas has a special delivery for the season - the Star of Knapford, a festive light that makes wishes come true! The children are excited for the Snowman Party in the Town Square but it’s up to Thomas to find the snowman a special hat before the party can begin. Watch Bash, Dash and Ferdinand prepare for the first ever Misty Island Christmas party. Then Henry helps Sir Topham Hatt prepare a secret holiday surprise for all of Sodor. The more friends the merrier, so join the fun and see that winter wishes do come true with Thomas & Friends!

To enter to win your own DVD all you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post! For fun tell me what your favorite holiday DVD is.

Don't forget to include your email address in the comment. I know you have to include it to publish the comment, but unless it is actually within the body of the comment or you have email enabled on your Blogger profile I can't see it.

You have until midnight on Sunday, December 5, 2010 to enter. I'll announce the winner that week. Again, don't forget to leave your email address so I can contact you!

US mailing addresses only.

Full disclosure: Andrea Blain Public Relations and Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment provided me with my own copy of this DVD . I am not receiving monetary compensation for hosting this giveaway. The opinions in my review are purely my own. 

Thomas & Friends: Adventure Pack 4-DVD set - review and giveaway - ended

 ****congrats to slb3334!!*****

Kiel and my husband have about a 45 minute drive to and from work/daycare every day. They usually take our minivan which has a DVD player in it. That allows Rich to listen to his sport radio crap and Kiel is mostly entertained.

When we got the 4-DVD Thomas & Friends: Adventure pack, which includes a complete TV season of Thomas & Friends episodes.

Now, I haven't watched these myself, but my husband said Kiel has been enjoying them on their drive for the last several days. Each disk is just about the right length of time for their drive.

DVD SYNOPSIS
Full steam ahead for friendship and fun with Thomas and his engine pals! This full series set has exclusive, heartwarming tales on the tracks filled with more adventures, and more lessons than ever before. Capture the spirit of Thomas as he learns to share his workload and experience exciting festivals and surprises in these episodes, including never before seen on TV footage exclusive to the DVDs. Hop on board and put on your conductor's hat for this thrilling all-in-one-set with Thomas & Friends.
 


DVDs include:
· Thomas & Friends: Railway Friends
· Thomas & Friends: High Speed Adventures
· Thomas & Friends: Team Up With Thomas
· Thomas & Friends: Percy and the Bandstand

To enter to win your own DVD all you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post!

Don't forget to include your email address in the comment. I know you have to include it to publish the comment, but unless it is actually within the body of the comment or you have email enabled on your Blogger profile I can't see it.

You have until midnight on Sunday, December 5, 2010 to enter. I'll announce the winner that week. Again, don't forget to leave your email address so I can contact you!

US mailing addresses only.

Full disclosure: Andrea Blain Public Relations and Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment provided me with my own copy of this DVD . I am not receiving monetary compensation for hosting this giveaway. The opinions in my review are purely my own. 

Barney: Best Fairy Tales - review and giveaway - ended

***congrats to Kathy Pease!!***

Barney doesn't irritate me as much as he does some people I guess. I wouldn't say I look forward to watching that purple dinosaur, but there are times when a half hour of an entertained and quiet child is priceless. 

Barney: Best Fairy Tales, (released November 9, 2010) did not disappoint when it came to the "keep my child occupied" factor. And honestly, there were a few parts of it that even I thought were kind of cute.

Barney brings nine of the best known fairy tales to life, including Jack And The Beanstalk, Goldilocks and The Three Bears, and Three Billy Goats Gruff.

SYNOPSIS

Once upon a time in a land of friendship and fun, a fairytale celebration had just begun! In this collection of enchanted stories, Barney, B.J., and Baby Bop share their favorite tales about Goldilocks, Elves, Tortoises and Hares. Let your imagination unfold as you delight in new dances and plays, and learn that no one is too big or too small --everyone is perfect just the way they are! With your beloved dino friends by your side, you'll be sure to live happily ever after!

Classic tales include:
Jack and the Beanstalk
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Three Billy Goats Gruff
Shoemaker & Elves
The Sharing Hen
Little Boy Blue
Three Little Kittens
Tortoise and the Hare
Girl Who Cried Wolf

To enter to win your own DVD all you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post! For fun tell me what your favorite fairy tale is.

 
Don't forget to include your email address in the comment. I know you have to include it to publish the comment, but unless it is actually within the body of the comment or you have email enabled on your Blogger profile I can't see it.

You have until midnight on Sunday, December 5, 2010 to enter. I'll announce the winner that week. Again, don't forget to leave your email address so I can contact you!

US mailing addresses only.

Full disclosure: Andrea Blain Public Relations and Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment provided me with my own copy of this DVD . I am not receiving monetary compensation for hosting this giveaway. The opinions in my review are purely my own. 

Thomas & Friends: The Lion of Sodor - review and giveaway

 ***congrats to lstanziani!!***

Kiel has learned to recognize the large yellow envelopes that arrive with DVD's in them.
"Is it Thomas?" he asks? He's pretty excited by anything we receive to review, but Thomas and Shaun the Sheep are definitely his favorites.

There was something extra exciting about Thomas & Friends: The Lion of Sodor though. Probably the golden lion on the front. "Rrrrrarww" says Kiel!

I like the message in this one that stresses the importance of listening to others. I need to get my older son to sit down and watch it a few or 20 times!

Thomas & Friends: The Lion Of Sodor will be aavailable On DVD, Digital Download and On Demand
December 7, 2010

DVD SYNOPSIS

Join Thomas as he roars down the tracks with the most special delivery yet, The Lion of Sodor. Thomas’ special delivery is not what he thinks it is - a real lion. When the other trains try to tell him that it’s actually a statue, he is too excited to listen. Join Thomas as he learns the importance of listening to others in this lionhearted collection of tales from the tracks.

To enter to win your own DVD all you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post! For fun tell me what lessons your kids learn from Thomas.

 
Don't forget to include your email address in the comment. I know you have to include it to publish the comment, but unless it is actually within the body of the comment or you have email enabled on your Blogger profile I can't see it.

You have until midnight on Sunday, December 5, 2010 to enter. I'll announce the winner that week. Again, don't forget to leave your email address so I can contact you!

US mailing addresses only.

Full disclosure: Andrea Blain Public Relations and Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment provided me with my own copy of this DVD . I am not receiving monetary compensation for hosting this giveaway. The opinions in my review are purely my own. 

FiberOne giveaway - includes a $25 Safeway giftcard! -- ended!

****And the winner is  allthingsnew who said..."I'd like to call the Caramel Delight cereal! Thanks so much for hosting this giveaway!"***

I have another MyBlogSpark giveaway for you guys!

This one is from Fiber One and is for VIP coupons good for one free box of Fiber One cereal and one free box of Fiber One bars, in addition to a $25 Safeway gift card (also valid at Dominick´s, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Vons, and Genuardi´s). 

Fiber One products have you covered with at least 35% of your daily value of fiber in every serving of their cereals and bars. And now they taste even better!

I haven't tried the Fiber One cereal yet, but I have a new box in my cupboard just waiting. I love the FiberOne bars! I learned the hard way not to eat more than one at a time however, if you know what I mean.

Even my little one who barely eats anything likes the bars!

If you would like to win two VIP coupons for Fiber One and a 25$ gift card to Safeway just leave a comment on this post.

Don't forget to include your email address in the comment. I know you have to include it to publish the comment, but unless it is actually within the body of the comment or you have email enabled on your Blogger profile I can't see it.

You have until midnight on Sunday, November 14, 2010 to enter. I'll announce the winner that week. Again, don't forget to leave your email so I can contact you!

US mailing addresses only.

Disclosure: The VIP coupons and a $25 Safeway gift card for me and for one of my readers was provided by Fiber One through MyBlogSpark. Any opinions given are my own.

Family Flick Night gift pack giveaway --ended

***And the winner is shirley who  said..."Here we use dry Trix and Reese Puffs for snacks, too. Thanks"***



I received a box from MyBlogSpark and General Mills today. I opened it up to find a "Family Flick Night" gift pack, which included a box of Lucky Charms cereal and Trix cereal.

Noah saw me open it and declared this was "the best day ever!" Kiel jumped up and down with excitement. I'm seriously going to wrap up boxes of cereal for Christmas since it excites them so much. I think it's obvious we don't buy "sugar" cereal.

The exciting part for me though was that the box also included four Movie Cash certificates! Yeah!

Right now General Mills is running a promotion when you purchase two specially marked packages of Big G cereals including Honey Nut Cheerios® (17 oz.), Cinnamon Toast Crunch® (17 oz.), Lucky Charms® (16 oz.), Trix® (14.8 oz) and Reese´s Puffs® cereal (18 oz.

After purchasing two participating cereals, visit generalmills.com/moviecash to enter the unique code found inside each box of cereal and print your free Movie Cash certificate (good for one admission of up to a $12 value at participating theatres). To find a participating theater in your area, log onto http://emoviecash.com/dis_locator/. 

 

If you would like to win your own "Family Flick Night" gift pack which will include two boxes of the participating Big G cereals and four Movie Cash certificates just leave a comment on this post. 

Don't forget to include your email address in the comment. I know you have to include it to publish the comment, but unless it is actually within the body of the comment or you have email enabled on your Blogger profile I can't see it.

You have until midnight on Sunday, November 14, 2010 to enter. I'll announce the winner that week. Again, don't forget to leave your email so I can contact you!

US mailing addresses only.

Disclosure: A "Family Flick Night" gift pack for me and for one of my readers was provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. Any opinions given are my own.

The Day Leo Said I Hate You

What do you do when you kid tells you for the first time that he hates you?

Unfortunately, with a seven year-old with an attachment disorder I hear that phrase pretty much every time he gets mad at me. I also hear "you are a lier," "you are stupid," and the latest "you wear hideous clothes," which I have to say gave me a good laugh.

My almost three year-old on the other hand hasn't done more than the stomp his feet and cry temper tantrum with a few "I don't yike that mommy" thrown in there, when he is mad. And then you can tell he immediately feels bad if he senses mommy isn't happy with him. It's a wonderful thing!

I do know that the phrase "I hate you" is in our future. Not only does he hear his older brother say it, but I think its a normal feeling for kids to have at some point, as they try and figure out what their feelings mean and appropriate ways to express them..


When I was offered the chance to review the childrens book The Day Leo Said I Hate You! by Robie Harris I was excited. 

 

I'm always happy to add new books to our library, and this one has become a regular in our nighttime story routine.

The story starts out with Leo making some poor behavior choices (rolling tomatoes in the house until they burst, droping string beans into the fish bowl, and squeezing toothpaste all over the toilet) to which his mother repeatedly tells him "no." Leo's frustration at being repeatedly told "no" overwhelms him and eventually he tells his mother that he hates her. His mother, at first horrified, then explains to him that you that words can hurt, but there are things you can hate, like broccoli. 

The illustrations are colorful and engaging, and mirror the intensity and emotions of the story.

I was somewhat nervous reading this with Kiel, because I didn't want to introduce these words to him and then live to regret it. While that would have been the case with his older brother, with my younger, well attached, "typical" child I did not need to worry.

Kiel was fascinated by the illustrations and recognized immediately when Leo was doing something naughty. Watching Kiel shake his finger at the pages of the book and say "naughty" to Leo was adorable. 

Not only did we use the story to talk about "mean words," which honestly I think went over Kiel's head a bit, but we used the illustrations to work on recognizing and talking about feelings. Kiel was drawn to the emotions shown on Leo and his mothers face and was very animated in telling me that Leo was sad, or Leo's mom was mad.

Some of our books we read purely for the enjoyment of the story and just snuggling together. Other books we use in a more dynamic way, with the two of us interacting with the story line. The Day Leo said I hate You! is definitely the kind of book that your child will enjoy the story and the illustrations, but as a parent you can feel like you are teaching your child something too.

The next time my older son gets mad and says mean things to me, after he calms down, I plan on pulling out this book and reading it with him. Although it is meant for younger children I think we can use it as a discussion starter with him.

The Day Leo Said I Hate you is now available in paperback and for Kindle, as well as in hardcover. All versions are on sale at Amazon right now.

I was provided with a review copy of the book by Raab Associates Inc. All opinions are my own.

Betty Crocker Boxed Instant Mashed Potatoes Review and Giveaway - ended

 **And the winner is.... Have A Sweet Day! who said..."we usually make them from scratch but with 6 kids and all the things we have going on this would be great."**


I grew up in a family that thought instant mashed potatoes were the side dish of choice. We also drank Carnation instant milk for several years. The milk was to save money I think. The instant potatoes were to save time. Peeling and mashing potatoes was reserved for holiday meals.

By the time I was in college I hated instant mashed potatoes. Watery, flavorless white mush.

When MyBlogSpark and Betty Crocker offered me the chance to review the new Betty Crocker Boxed Instant Mashed Potatoes I almost turned them down. Then I thought maybe I should try them and see if I was surprised. Either way I was going to be honest about what I thought.

With a just-like-mom´s taste, Betty Crocker Boxed Instant Mashed Potatoes go from stovetop to table in just eight short minutes. Based on a scratch recipe, the Homestyle Creamy Butter variety will have your family thinking you spent hours in the kitchen the next time you serve up a hearty helping. If you prefer an extra kick of flavor, give the Roasted Garlic variety a try. And with two pouches in every box there´s plenty to go around.

I made them tonight and served them with my homemade meatloaf. This was the reaction:

 Noah gave them two thumbs up! He wanted more.

This is Kiel giving his "yuck" face. He didn't care for them. Unfortunately, he didn't actually try them either, so don't take his opinion seriously.

Rich said they were the best instant mashed potatoes he has had. He would eat them again.

Me? Well, I'm a purist. I still prefer the real thing, but I do agree with Rich that for instant they weren't bad. 

If you would like to try them yourselves you can grab a $0.55 coupon here. 

And, if you would like to win the prize pack pictured below leave a comment on this post.

Don't forget to include your email address in the comment. I know you have to include it to publish the comment, but unless it is actually within the body of the comment or you have email enabled on your Blogger profile I can't see it.

You have until midnight on Friday, November 12, 2010 to enter. I'll announce the winner that weekend. Again, don't forget to leave your email so I can contact you!

US mailing addresses only.

Disclosure: The Betty Crocker Boxed Instant Mashed Potatoes, the prize pack, information and the prize package for giveaway were all provided by Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark. Any opinions given are my own.