If you haven’t yet heard of the mega popular game, Angry Birds, you must have been living under a rock for the last couple of years. Even my parents, who don’t own a single smart phone or tablet has heard of these flying attack creatures. So it was only a matter of time until the game expanded into other areas like clothing, memorabilia, and of course tangible games. So when we had the opportunity to review Angry Birds Star Wars AT-AT Attack Battle Game ($34.65) the girls were so excited!

The Angry Birds Star Wars app comes to life! This line of Hasbro toys captures all the launching and destroying fun of the app in physical form and features your favorite Star Wars characters re-imagined as high-flying Angry Birds and villainous pigs! Stack, launch, and destroy with the AT-AT Attack Battle Game, which includes 21 blocks to create the massive, signature AT-AT, a Lightsaber launcher and 12 Angry Birds Star Wars figures – including two that are exclusive to this set! Players can also unlock Angry Birds Star Wars in-app content with a special code in each pack.

Courtesy of Hasbro

The game came with 12 figures, 21 blocks, 8 AT-AT pieces, 1 Lightsaber launcher and instructions.

There weren’t any real set-up requirements. All we had to do was balance the blocks onto the platform in any fashion we wanted and place the Star Wars figures on top. 

Then we loaded the Lightsaber launcher with an Angry Bird and let it fly!

It took a little practice but Kiana was knocking down those blocks in no time.

The only thing is that you need a hard surface to build your platform. Since our place is carpeted I had to use a tray stand as our base. I thought that maybe it would make it harder for Kiana to launch her birds but she seemed to do just fine. It was also a bit of work to build the blocks since the slightest movement could make them all come tumbling down. But the girls felt that the challenge was part of the fun.

This game has become a big hit with my girls . . . bringing Angry Birds to life. They’ve been playing with it throughout the day and don’t show any signs of slowing down. Angry Birds Star Wars At-AT Attack Battle Game would make a great gift for any Angry Birds fan.

Connect with Hasbro Game Night:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter

This post was written for Hasbro who provided the complimentary item in exchange for my honest review.

Kacie grew up watching Caillou and his daily adventures with his family. It was a simple storyline that focused on family and every day activities. So when we had the opportunity to review the Caillou bath toys and DVD screener it really brought back fond memories of Kacie’s childhood.

About Caillou

Growing up is the greatest adventure and with Caillou your preschooler will learn how to manage everyday adventures like tying shoes, composting, how to be healthy and much more! Discovery, learning, growing.  In Caillou’s world, these things are paramount. Being 4 years old means life is full of little challenges – and sometimes BIG ones too! Caillou meets these challenges eagerly; exploring his world, discovering new things, and often learning from his mistakes. With a focus on healthy nutrition, exercise, safety, and the environment, each “Caillou” episode is grounded in an everyday experience – one that inspires children to grow emotionally as they explore the world around them. As Caillou overcomes life’s obstacles and makes healthy choices, children are inspired to do the same – making him an everyday hero!

• All-new episodes of Caillou are now airing on PBS and Sprout.

Caillou Bathtime with You 

Little ones will love bath time even more with this fun activity set. Send the Caillou figure (included) down the slippery slide. Use the larger Caillou’s hat to scoop up water and pour it in his head. Turn the swim ring and move the green fish back and forth to hear a sound. Use the net to fish the smaller Caillou figure from the water. Attach the playset to the wall with suction cups (included) for easy drying between uses.

• Ages 12mos-4yrs
• $19.99

One of the things my kids really enjoy are bath toys and this set is a really cute one. The set came unassembled but it only took a couple of minutes to set it up.

It comes with 2 Caillou play characters, inner tube, net, spinning water wheel, slide, water container and scooper.

There’s also a little green fish that you can slide back and forth making a cool clicking sound.

What I really liked about this playset is that every separate piece has a place on the main unit for easy drying and storage. No loose toys lying around which can be easily misplaced or lost.  I also liked the slide suction cup on the back so you can attach the unit to the bathroom wall when not in use.

But most of all, the kids love playing with it in the bathtub. I could hear Kiana and Kaila laughing as they made Caillou go down the blue slide or try to scoop up toys with the net. I have a feeling they’ll be playing with this bathset for a long time to come.

Connect with Caillou:

• Like Caillou on Facebook
• Check out the Caillou toy line available at ToysRUs.com

WIN IT!

One lucky winner will receive a Caillou Playset for Bathtime ($29.95).

To enter:

• Just mention in comments before midnight, June 2nd who you’d like to win this for. That’s it!
• A random winner will be selected and notified via email shortly thereafter.
• The winner will then have 48 hours to claim their prize.

To earn extra entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra ticket but you must leave a separate comment for each one.

• Subscribe to An Island Life’s feed.
• Follow An Island Life on Twitter.
• Tweet this giveaway (once daily). Enter to win a Les Miserables prize pack! @kailani @Caillou #giveaway http://islandlife808.com/?p=37367
• Already a fan of Caillou’s Facebook page.
• Already a fan of An Island Life on Facebook.
• Place our button in your sidebar.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog with a link back here.

This giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck!

This post was written for DHX Media who provided the complimentary items for review and giveaway.

Landed at the New Chitose Airport

Dinner was a seafood buffet at Nanda. They had ready made dishes as well as items you can cook on your personal grill.

Most of the food was delicious but I did stay away from these.

Jumped on the JR train and ended up in Otaru, a city and port in Shiribeshi, Hokkaido, Japan, northwest of Sapporo. The city faces the Ishikari Bay, and has long served as the main port of the bay.

The mountains surrounding the city is still covered in light snow.

Loved checking out all the tiny little alleys and dining places. Most eating establishments could only fit 5-6 people inside.

The great thing is that since the island is still pretty cold, Sakura season hasn’t even started yet. I hope to make it back there to see the Cherry Blossoms in full bloom!

I have to admit that I’ve never seen an Iron Man movie before or really know the history behind this super hero. But I was super excited to attend the advance screening of the new Iron Man 3 movie recently.

Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him.

Courtesy of Marvel Studios

So go see the movie and decide for yourself . . . does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Connect with Iron Man 3:

• “Like” IRON MAN 3 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ironman
•  “Follow” IRON MAN 3 on Twitter:@Iron_Man
•  Visit the website: http://marvel.com/ironman3

 
This post was written for Marvel Studios who provided the complimentary tickets in exchange for this preview.

I have to admit that when I first went to see this movie I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve never seen the Broadway show on stage or really knew anything about the story. What I found was a powerful movie and awesome soundtrack that just blew me away. In fact, I’ve been wanting to see it again just to hear Anne Hathaway sing “I Dreamed a Dream” one more time.

That’s why I was thrilled to hear that Les Miserables is now available on Movies on Demand. That means I can enjoy this movie from the comfort of my own home. 

Les Miserables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Now available On Demand the same day as DVD. Academy Award® Winner for Best Supporting Actress (Anne Hathaway), Best Sound Mixing, and Best Make Up and Hairstyling.

Movies On Demand offers many new releases via your digital cable remote often times weeks before they are available from other rental options and years before they can be streamed online. That means you can watch these films while you’re still excited to see them . . . and in the comfort of your own home. Baby crying? Needing a bathroom break? Got the munchies? With Movies on Demand you can pause your film and return when you’re ready. Plus, you can watch your selection as many times as you want for 24 hours! Now that’s a deal!

So stop by Movies on Demand and check out what you could be watching right this very minute!

Connect with Movies on Demand:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter

This post was written for Movies on Demand who provided a complimentary prize pack for myself and for one winner in exchange for this post.

WIN IT!

How would you like to win a Les Miserables prize pack which includes (1) Les Miserables Scarf and (1) Les Miserables soundtrack? To enter:

• Just stop by Movies on Demand and check out their movies. Then come back and mention in comments before midnight, May 1st which one is your favorite. That’s it!
• A random winner will be selected and notified via email shortly thereafter.
• The winner will then have 48 hours to claim their prize.

To earn extra entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra ticket but you must leave a separate comment for each one.

• Subscribe to An Island Life’s feed.
• Follow An Island Life on Twitter.
• Follow Movies on Demand on Twitter.
• Tweet this giveaway (once daily). Enter to win a Les Miserables prize pack! @kailani @MoviesOnDemand #giveaway http://islandlife808.com/?p=37329
• Already a fan of Movies on Demand’s Facebook page.
• Already a fan of An Island Life on Facebook.
• Place our button in your sidebar.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog with a link back here.

This giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck!

As a flight attendant, I’m always aware of germs lurking around me. It’s everywhere . . . on the plane, in the airport, in my hotel room. But it doesn’t stop there. When the kids come home from school I’m always reminding them to wash their hands before they eat anything. It’s a never ending process. To make things easier I always make sure I have their favorite anti-bacterial soaps readily available at every sink in the house. The kids love the fun colors and fruity smells and have even taken to washing their hands without me having to ask them.

Doing their part in helping to keep your family healthy, Lysol has introduced a concept called “Healthing” which focuses on looking beyond just cleaning and making sure you take the necessary steps to keep your family healthy by disinfecting your home.

One important way to integrate Healthing into your home is to understand the difference between cleaning and disinfecting, as both are important components of the Healthing process.  While cleaning and organizing is certainly important, killing germs on commonly touched surfaces can lower the risk of spreading bacteria and viruses between family members.

But it doesn’t stop there. Lysol has partnered up with television personality Giuliana Rancic and have been making visits to select YMCA’s throughout the country. They have been providing patrons with a hands-on education about ways that they can improve their hygiene routines in their own homes and in their lives. The great part is that they have made their message relatable to kids. As a parent, I can really appreciate this since it makes my life so much easier if the kids actually enjoy the steps to being healthy. Lysol has also provided actual products to these YMCA’s along with a donation of a one-year membership to a deserving family.

What a great way to get your family and the community involved in staying healthy! And let’s face it, the healthier the people around you are the healthier you and your family will be. Don’t just clean . . . disinfect!

Connect with Lysol’s Healthing Campaign:

• Website: http://www.lysol.com/healthing
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lysol
• Guidebook: http://www.lysol.com/healthing/what-is-healthing

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for LYSOL^®. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.”

Take to the stage with We Sing Pop!, the first game in the We Sing karaoke series to feature 30 sensational pop hits from the World’s leading pop stars. Perform like a true pop idol with 6 decades of original hits to choose from including modern day pop icons and chart legends like Adele, Jessie J, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Pussycat Dolls, Wham and more.

This game came complete with game disk and one microphone. The game itself was pretty self-explanatory and we liked that we knew almost every single song listed. This made it much more enjoyable for the kids since they’re familiar with pop culture. Some of their favorite tunes were from Bruno Mars, Jason Mraz, and Outkast. I also liked that they had some older tunes like YMCA, I’m Your Man, and Ice Ice Baby. However, you may need to preview the music videos since they’re the actual artist video and may not be appropriate for all ages. In fact, the Lada Gaga “Born This Way” video kind of freaked Kaila out a little. But other than that, I liked seeing the original artist performing.

Another feature that we liked was that when you scroll through the songs, a snipet of the tune is played so that  you know exactly what song it is. This is great for someone like me who knows what the songs sound like but can’t always remember the titles.

There are 3 different levels – easy, medium, hard – as well as a multi-player mode which can accommodate up to 8 players. This turned out to be a great feature especially when the kids had friends over. I also liked that the different levels allowed all the kids to participate.

All in all, we enjoyed playing with We Sing Pop! but again I feel that it is probably more appropriate for older kids and adults. The next time I have a grown-up gathering, I’m definitely bringing out this game. I can just imagine all the fun we could have!

Purchase your copy of We Sing Pop! at Amazon for $29.99.

This post was written for Nordic Games who provided the complimentary product in exchange for my honest review.

We recently received a gift pack containing all 4 sampler DVDs,

2 CROODS books,

and a movie reel tin filled with movie time snacks.

The kids were so thrilled that they couldn’t wait until the next movie night so we decided to have a little matinee showing instead.

Our favorite was the Kung Fu Panda DVD because of the episode “The Princess and the Po”. The little princess was a little bratty in the beginning but with Po’s help she learns the true meaning of friendship.

We really liked these movie shorts and special features. It let us enjoy our favorite movies without a lot of time commitment. Hurry and collect all four!

“Disclosure:  The information, products and General Mills gift packs were provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.”

Introduced in 1937, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese is celebrating 75 years of being an American household favorite.  It”s  gooey, cheesy and brings smiles to peoples faces everywhere. C’mon . . . You Know You Love It!

And with the many variations to the classic recipe, even adults are falling in love with Kraft Macaroni & Cheese! You could eat it every night of the month and not have the same meal twice. How cool is that?

So show your love for Kraft Macaroni & Cheese!

• Website
• Facebook

WIN IT!

How would you like to win a Kraft Macaroni & Cheese prize pack which includes branded socks, a t-shirt, and KMC bowl. To enter:

• Just stop by Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and check out their recipes. Then come back and mention in comments before midnight, April 3rd which is your favorite. That’s it!
• A random winner will be selected and notified via email shortly thereafter.
• The winner will then have 48 hours to claim their prize.

To earn extra entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra ticket but you must leave a separate comment for each one.

• Subscribe to An Island Life’s feed.
• Follow An Island Life on Twitter.
• Tweet this giveaway (once daily). Enter to win a Kraft Macaroni & Cheese prize pack! @kailani #giveaway http://islandlife808.com/?p=37276
• Already a fan of Kraft Macaroni’s Facebook page.
• Already a fan of An Island Life on Facebook.
• Place our button in your sidebar.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog with a link back here.

This giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck!

This post was written for Kraft who provided the complimentary prize pack in exchange for this promotion.