MORE SUMMER ENTERTAINMENT FROM PHASE 4 - SMITTY, FREDDY FROGFACE, & DONKEY X dvd reviews

I shared with you all recently about Phase 4 teaming up with Redbox and giving parents some new releases to entertain kiddos.  Well, I have 3 more new releases in July from Phase 4 to tell you about - Smitty, Freddy Frogface, and Donkey X.

First I have to say my family and I always have a Family Movie Night at least once a week as long as our schedules allow it.  So I was super excited to receive 3 more dvds to share with my kiddos along with some popcorn and mini M&Ms. 

SMITTY

Mischievous thirteen-year-old Ben is sent to his grandfathers farm for the summer, where he crosses paths with a lovable mutt. With help from the unlikely canine companion, Ben learns the importance of friendship, family and responsibility. When life gets tough for Ben, a friendly paw is all it takes to pull him through.

MY THOUGHTS

This is a great family movie and is perfect for Family Movie Night.  I really enjoy when I can share a movie with a great message with my children and Smitty is definitely that movie.  I definitely recommend this movie for all ages and it is perfect for a movie night.  It is great since there is no bad language or anything.  Oh and be sure to bring some kleenex.  I did cry while watching it.

The movie is currently available where dvds are sold like Target and Wal-Mart, at Redbox kiosks, and online at Amazon.com for $ 13.99.


FREDDY FROGFACE

Being small doesn´t make life easy for little ten-year-old Victor and his friends, who not only have to face a world full of stern grown-ups but also the town bully Freddy Frogface. When a circus comes to the sleepy little town, Victor is thrilled at having the chance to perform in a talent show with his dog Sausage. Yet Freddy soon comes up with a sinister plot of his own to spoil Victor´s plans.

MY THOUGHTS

This movie brought mixed reviews in my household.  My daughters liked parts of it and my son did not like it at all really.  I really liked the dog!  I am not sure if the movie sends the best message to kids about bullying.  Of course it does have bright animation which I liked but like I said the message seemed a little in the wrong direction.

I recommend renting the movie from the Redbox kiosk first to see what you think.  Of course you can also purchase the movie from Target, Wal-Mart, or Amazon.com for $ 19.99.

DONKEY X

Follow Rucio, the most adventurous, brave, and mischievous donkey of Castile as he tells the true story of the legendary Don Quixote. Rucio jumps at the opportunity to join Don Quixote on his quest to battle The Half Moon Knight and overcome the dangerous obstacles that lurks them on the way.

MY THOUGHTS

This movie is supposed to help kids learn about the story of Don Quixote and I love the idea of using cartoons to share great parts of history or literature.  Now I like the Donkey and so did my kids.  The movie did lose my kids at parts.  There are some witty dialogue that adults can enjoy.  My family seemed to enjoy the movie for the most part.

Donkey X is available at Target, Wal-Mart, Redbox kiosks, and online at Amazon.com for $ 11.21.  So why not rent or buy this movie today and have a movie night with the family.

* I received the above mentioned products solely for review purposes.  The above mentioned opinion is completely my own and completely honest.

CELEBRATE NATIONAL HOT DOG MONTH with UDI'S GLUTEN FREE BUNS and SOME OTHER TASTY TREATS!

In case you did not know, July is National Hot Dog month.  In my household, we love hot dogs especially during grilling season.  I mean nothing tastes better than a grilled hot dog!  So recently my youngest daughter celebrated her fifth birthday and of course we had HOT DOGS! 

Now one of my goals this year and every year is to eat healthier so I was excited to get to share some Gluten Free products from Udi's with the birthday guests.  I received several products from Udi's including hot dog buns, hamburger buns, dark chocolate brownie bites, chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, and oatmeal raisin cookies.

Now the verdict was mixed on the hot dog buns.  Some people loved them and others did not.  I personally liked them.  Now I have heard that they are even better toasted and wish I had tried them like that.  Well, I definitely will next time.

The hamburger buns were good to me as well and everyone enjoyed them as well.  We did toast these on the grill a little with the hamburgers.  I definitely think toasting the bread is even better than not toasting them.

Now I was hesitate to try any of the cookies.  Usually healthier cookies have no flavor or a bad after taste.  BUT that is so not true with any of Udi's cookies especially the Chocolate Chip Cookies.  They were gone in seconds at my house.  They were simply delicious!  This have quickly become my favorite brand of cookies.  I personally loved the Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.  I could quickly eat the whole container in one sitting!  They are seriously that GOOD!

Now the Dark Chocolate Brownie Bites and Snickerdoodles were really good too.  I mean my kids loved these cookies.  I could not get over how coft and chewy all of them were.  Udi's simply knows how to make excellent products especially cookies.

Now after my family goobled up all the goodies, I immediately went online here to find a store near me.  Imagine how excited I was to see that I had a few stores near me.  Also if you sign up for their Special Offers you can have a $1 off coupon sent to your email box.  Trust me sign up and use the coupon!  You will not be disappointed.  You can also order the products online if there is not a store near you that sells them.  SO be sure to give Gluten Free a try like my family did.  It will easily change your life and for the better!

* I received the above mentioned products solely for review purposes.  The above mentioned opinion is completely honest and completely my own.





GameMill brings HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA to NINTENDO DS & 3DS this SEPTEMBER

GameMill Entertainment, an independent publisher of entertaining mass-market video games, announced today its plans to release Hotel Transylvania for the Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held systems, an action-adventure video game based on Sony Pictures Animation’s upcoming animated comedy Hotel Transylvania. Hotel Transylvania the game is set to hit store shelves this September. Hotel Transylvania the film will be released in theaters nationwide on September 28, 2012.

Welcome to Hotel Transylvania, Dracula’s lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up, free to be the monsters they are without humans to bother them. On one special weekend, Dracula has invited some of his best friends – Frankenstein and his wife, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, the Werewolf family, and more – to celebrate his beloved daughter Mavis’s 118th birthday. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem – but everything could change for the overprotective dad when one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis.

Featuring a wide variety of locations, puzzles, and boss battles galore, the game creates an imaginative and fun way to interact with the movie characters.
Developed by Way Forward, Hotel Transylvania for Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS is rated “E10+” for Everyone 10 and up by the ESRB. For additional information about GameMill’s line of products, please visit: www.game-mill.com.

Be sure to keep an eye out for the upcoming game coming to stores in September.  It sounds like it is going to be a very fun and challenging game and I look forward to it.

SUMMER FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT WITH PHASE 4 FILMS - SPACE DOGS AND KIARA THE BRAVE review

Here in the South, we have had some nasty storms lately and also unbearable heat for the kiddos.  So if you are like me, you scramble for things to do on those days.  Don’t fret! Phase 4 films is releasing eight new family-friendly films that are sure to keep kids entertained rain or shine! All films will be easily accessible to rent at Redbox locations and for purchase at retailers nationwide starting this summer.  The first two releases of the eight are Space Dogs and Kiara the Brave.

SPACE DOGS

The exciting, animated tale based on the true story of Belka and Strelka; two Russian dogs sent to space in 1960. A circus dog and a stray dog embark on an out-of-this-world adventure to become the world's most famous canine cosmonauts!

MY FAMILY'S THOUGHTS

I love when the movie industry takes an important event in history and makes it into an animated film so kids will learn something while enjoying a cute cartoon. This is exactly what happened with Space Dogs. It is a cartoon movie based on the actual story of the 2 dogs that went into space.

My kids loved this movie and my daughters liked it even more when I told them that it was based on a real story. It is beautifully animated and is a very cute story. All 3 of my kids watched the whole movie which can be a huge feat in my household.

I definitely recommend this movie to every family. I mean it is entertaining and educational for all ages. The dvd is available now at Redbox kiosks and nationwide at stores where dvds are sold and also online at Amazon.com for $ 13.29.  So head to your local Redbox kiosk and rent a copy tonight or just buy a copy!

KIARA THE BRAVE

Dreamzone has been a peaceful and a magical kingdom under the rule of King Maximus. That s about to change when he is captured and imprisoned by his evil brother Dreadmis. When he unleashes his vengeance upon the kingdom, the King s daughter, courageous Princess Kiara must conquer evil and restore harmony in Dreamzone. Together with her best friend Super Kloud, they embark on a magical journey to protect their Kingdom and bring the rightful owner back to the throne.

MY FAMILY'S THOUGHTS

My daughters were really excited to see this movie when I showed it to them.  I was excited to watch it with them too since the cover made it look like it was going to feature a strong leading lady. 

Now the movie is not to be confused with Brave that has recently entered theaters.  This movie has nothing to do with that movie at all!  Now with that said, my daughters and I were still excited to see it.  I had a hard time getting my daughters to get interested in the movie at all.  Also I had a hard time trying to figure out what was going on in the movie myself and so did my kids.  My son started watching it with us too and struggled with it too.  To be completely honest, we ended up turning the movie off since all three kids got up and left the room. 

I honestly do not know how the movie ended and maybe one day the family and I will try to finish it but I honestly doubt it.  The movie is available now in Redbox kiosks  and also where dvds are sold and online at Amazon.com for $ 13.20. I would recommend though renting it first if you decide to watch it.  I mean just in case your kids are like mine and are not interested in it at all.

* I received the above mentioned products solely for review purposes.  The above mentioned opinion is completely honest and completely my own.

SCOOBY-DOO LAFF-A-LYMPICS dvd review

Let the fun and games begin! Scooby-Doo! and the gang are off to compete at the World Invitational Games in the all-new 22-minute episode Spooky Games! And there’s no shortage of spookiness – the gang’s fun gets sidetracked when a 1,000-year-old statue comes to life and threatens the entire event! Will the games go on? The high jinks continue with world-hopping episodes of Hanna-Barbera’s competitive classic Scooby’s All-Star Laff-A-Lympics! Three teams enter, and all fun breaks loose! Grab a seat as the Scooby Doobies, the Yogi Yahooeys and the Really Rottens get ready, get set, and get into more eccentric events! From bullfights to mountain climbing, roller skating to leprechaun hunting, trek the globe to catch all of the animated antics! Special guest stars abound, including Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble. This collection is a sure shot to take the gold!

Disc 1:

• Scooby-Doo! Spooky Games – All-New Never Before Seen Episode!
• Spain/Himalayas
• India/Israel
• Africa/San Francisco
• Grand Canyon/Ireland

Disc 2:

• Hawaii/Norway
• North Pole/Tahiti
• Arizona/Holland
• Quebec/Baghdad
• Swiss Alps / Toyko , Japan
• Sahara / Scotland
• France / Australia
• Egypt / Sherwood Forest

Featured Teams:

The Scooby Doobies – This team is made up of Scooby-Doo! as team captain, Shaggy Rogers, Scooby-Dum, Dynomutt, The Blue Falcon, Captain Caveman, Brenda, Dee Dee, Taffy, Speed Buggy, Tinker, Babu and Hong Kong Phooey.

The Yogi Yahooeys – This team consists mainly of Yogi Bear as team captain, Boo-Boo Bear, Cindy Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Pixie, Dixie , Mr. Jinks, Hokey Wolf and Yakky Doodle.

The Really Rottens – This team is comprised mainly of villainous characters and includes Mumbly, Dread Barron, The Dalton Brothers, The Creepleys, the Great Fondoo, Magic Rabbit, Daisy Mayhem and Orful Octopus.

MY THOUGHTS

I am a huge Scooby-Doo fan so I am always excited when new Scooby-Doo movies are released to share with my children.  I was so excited to get to see the Laff-A-Lympics being brought to dvd as I can remember watching episodes when I was younger. 

My kids loved seeing the events and the different characters in the same episodes.  We also loved watching it right before the 2012 Summer Olympics began.  My daughters loved Cindy Bear of course.  My kids have since watched the dvd more than once and I have to say I do not mind since it is cartoons I love too.

This dvd is perfect for old school fans and new fans alike. So if you are like me and remember the show, how about sharing it with the little ones in your life now.  Let's keep the classics alive!

The dvd is available now where dvds are sold and online at Amazon.com for $ 14.99.  So grab a copy today and make it a family movie night tonight.

* I received the above mentioned product solely for review purposes.  The above mentioned opinion is completely honest and completely my own.

UPDATES AND GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!!!!

I just wanted to share some updates about upcoming posts and such.  This week and possibly part of next week, I will be sharing some Back to School products.  If you have kids starting school in the next few weeks, be sure to check out my Back to School product guide.  Who knows there may even be a giveaway or two.  Also be sure to check out my current giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card if you have not already entered it.  It ends on the 31st!  SO HURRY!

Now for my giveaway winners.  First please forgive me for the delay in getting them up.  It is total chaos in my household right now with getting ready for Back to School since I have one starting Kindergarten and another starting their first year in Middle School.  I promise to stay on it more in the future.  Without further ado, the winners!!!!!

SOCUTIES GIFT CERTIFICATE - SUE HULL

CHANNELLOCK GIFT SET - ANNA FRUGAL

PUREX COUPONS - ASHLEY PARKER, MARCIA GOSS, & LINDA LANSFORD

CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners!

GUND "TOP DOG" CONTEST AND "MOST PINTERESTING" DOG CONTEST

Inspired by the wildly-popular "World's Cutest Dog" Boo stuffed dog from GUND, the “Top Dog” Contest invites pup parents from around the country to submit photos of their own four-footed friends on the GUND Facebook page in one or all of the following four categories:

· Most Beautiful Dog
· Ugliest Dog
· “Doganista”/Best Dressed Dog
· Dog that Most Resembles its Owner

The Grand Prize will have tails wagging; GUND will create a limited edition model of the winner’s dog. The dog will be available in gift and toy stores in 2013. That’s right! Your pup could become a GUND plush just like Boo!





You can submit your dog photos via the contest tab on GUND’s Facebook page .The contest will run July 16 - August 15, 2012; winners will be chosen the week of August 20^th and announced the week of August 27^th.

· Entries: July 16 – August 5
· Voting: August 6 – August 15

Also right now, GUND is running the “Most Pinteresting Dog” Contest on Pinterest. Just post your entry on your pages, “tag” @GUNDMostPinterestingDog and submit the linkto GUND at MostPinterestingDog@GUND.com.

The “Most Pinteresting Dog” Contest winner will be selected based on the number of times the entry is “liked” on the GUND Pinterest board and the winner will receive a selection of GUND products valued at $250 retail.

For complete rules, see “Top Dog” Contest and “Most Pinteresting Dog” Contest rules at www.GUND.com.

* I will receive a GUND toy dog in exchange for this post.  As always any opinions are honest and completely my own.