On the set of Delivery Man in New York City.

A few months ago I was fortunate to do a set visit for the upcoming Dreamworks film Delivery Man on the streets of New York City. In addition to watching a couple of scenes being shot myself and some other lucky bloggers had the opportunity to interview Vince Vaughn and Cobie Smulders.

I am not able to talk about the set visit or interviews (yet) but I will say that Vince Vaughn is very nice and super funny in person and Cobie Smulders was a pleasure to talk to.

Here is a brief description about the film.

An affable underachiever finds out he’s fathered 533 children through anonymous donations to a fertility clinic 20 years ago. Now he must decide whether or not to come forward when 142 of them file a lawsuit to reveal his identity.

I’m excited to see this film. Sadly the studio has not released an official trailer for the film. So far they’ve only released a little “teaser” trailer. You can check it out on the Fandango website.

Here is the trailer for your convenience.

Can you imagine being in Vince Vaughn’s character’s place? LOL!

You can follow the film on the various social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram (DeliveryManMovie). Once I have the official website I’ll share that with you as well.

You can also follow the conversation using the hashtag #DeliveryManMovie.

In honor of Father’s Day the studio has created a special Father’s Day Sweepstakes. All you need to do to enter is share your funniest photo of your father via Twitter and Instagram (remember to use the hashtag #DeliveryManMovie) for a chance to win a 50″ TV and other fabulous prizes. The sweepstakes ends on June 6, 2013 and the winner will be announced on June 16, 2013.

Please visit the official sweepstakes Facebook page for more information.

I wish I could enter my husband. He IS a father, just not MY father. But he’s pretty funny and I have dozens of silly photos of him.

In one photo I had my kids purposely wear ugly Christmas sweaters for a post I was doing any my dear hubby “photo bombed” the photo.

Two years ago is snowed just before Halloween. Our balcony was decorated with Halloween things like bats and ghosts. My husband went in the basement and brought up our 5′ Santa Claus and set him up on the balcony. He even plugged him in so he lit up that night. Our neighbors (who already think we’re nuts) thought it was hysterical.

One Halloween my husband thought he’d create his own costume (as a joke – he didn’t really leave the house in it) wearing my daughter’s Tinker Bell wings and my son’s Scream mask.

Last year at a movie screening my husband saw a poster for the Invisible Man and thought it would be fun to have his picture taken with him (as you can see he has his arm around the Invisible Man’s shoulders – LOL!).

One night when I was going to bed (my hubby had gone to bed before me) I found him fast asleep with the remote control on his head (he really did fall asleep like this).

If I can find many funny photos of my husband I’m sure you can find some funny photos of your father to use to enter the Delivery Man Father’s Day Sweepstakes.

I hope you will consider entering. Imagine giving your father a 50″ TV for Father’s Day (or one of the other great prizes). I’m sure it would make his day.

If you enter, good luck!

And don’t forget to keep an eye out for the new Dreamworks film Delivery Man, in theaters November 22, 2013.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this for the enjoyment of my site readers. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.

The summer is a great time to catch blockbuster films in the theater. This summer is sure to excite movie goes with a great assortment of action packed films.

One film I’m especially excited about seeing is The Lone Ranger. It stars Armie Hammer as the Lone Ranger and Johnny Depp as Tonto. I ♥ Johnny Depp. He really puts his heart and soul into all his characters. I’m excited to see how he portrays Tonto.

In case you are unfamiliar with the film, here is a brief description.

From producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski, the filmmaking team behind the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, comes Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ The Lone Ranger, a thrilling adventure infused with action and humor, in which the famed masked hero is brought to life through new eyes.  Native American warrior Tonto (Johnny Depp) recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid (Armie Hammer), a man of the law, into a legend of justice—taking the audience on a runaway train of epic surprises and humorous friction as the two unlikely heroes must learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption.

This is a Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer film, so you know it’s going to be spectacular.

Check out the film’s trailer. You can also check it out on iTunes.

If you would like to keep up to date on the film you can check out the film on both Facebook and Twitter.

The Lone Ranger is considered an action-adventure film. I’m sure Johnny Depp will bring some of his great sense of humor into the film as well.

What do you think about the film? Do you think you will see it when it’s released in theaters? Feel free to comment.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I am sharing this for the enjoyment of my site readers. Any opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.

Epic finally opens in theaters TODAY (May 24, 2013). Yeah! !

If you are looking for something to do with your family this weekend why not check out the film for yourself. It’s a amazing film that the whole family will enjoy. Even my not-easily-impressed teenagers loved the film.

I thought it would be fun to tell you a little bit about each of the major characters in the film. Sort of a “Whose Who?” sort of thing.

The images are from the Epic Facebook page.

Ronin, voiced by actor Colin Farrell, is in charge of the Leafman. Ronin has stepped up to play a father figure to young Nod after Nod’s father, Ronin’s best friend, dies. Ronin is very tough on the outside but on the inside he’s an old softy who in love with the beautiful Queen Tara. Just like the Queen, Ronin is willing to give up his life to protect the ones he loves, as well as the forest.

Josh Hutcherson (who is a favorite of my teen daughter and her friends) lends his voice to the character of Nod. Nod is a young man who really hasn’t found his place in life. His father was a Leafman, but Nod doesn’t feel seem to fit into the Leafman mold. He has a good heart and is an excellent flyer, but he constantly seems to butt heads with Ronin. Nod tries to escape the world of the Leafman only to realize that it’s truly his destiny.

MK is voiced by actress Amanda Seyfried. MK (short for Mary Katherine) is a teenage girl who goes to stay with her father, Bomba, after her mother passes away. MK is disappointed when she finds out that her father is still obsessed with finding a world of little people in the forest, which is the reason why her mother left him in the first place. Soon she discovers that her father was not so crazy after all when she finds herself thrusted into a secret world that she never knew existed and suddenly finds herself right smack in the middle of an epic battle between good and evil.

Christopher Waltz may be a nice guy in real life, but the character he voices in the film, Epic, is pure evil. He is hell bent on destroying the forest as well as seeking out revenge for the death of his only child, Dagda.

The Queen Diva herself, Beyonce Knowles, voices the part of Queen Tara. Queen Tara is protector of the forest. She is also the love interest of Ronin. She is a caring Queen who is willing to give up her life in order to protect the forest from harm. She’s also a fighter. Don’t let that sweet demure fool you.

Singer Pitbull is the voice of Bufo. Bufo is a mean thug he likes to bully people (and non-people critters) around. That is until he gets on the wrong side of the evil Mandrake. Soon he finds himself being bullied.

Irishman Chris O’Dowd is the voice of lovable Grub. Grub takes his job as the pod caretaker very seriously. This sweet, slimy snail wants nothing more than to do something amazing so that people see him as a hero, not just a slippery snail.

Funny man Aziz Ansari steals the show as the smooth talking, confident and slimy slug Mub. Mub has a big crush on MK and will do anything to win her affection, even if it means competing against slime-free Nod. Mub wears his slime proudly.

Aerosmith’s front man, Steven Tyler, voices the sweet and goofy Nim Galuu. Nim Galuu is some what of a wise man who reads the scrolls found in the rings of a sacred tree that not only talk about the past but can also predict the future.

Jason Sudeikis voices the part of MK’s father, Bomba. Bomba is a quirky, absent-minded professor who has dedicated his life to finding a civilization of people never seen before. His obsession cost him his marriage and almost his relationship with MK.

There is also the adorable Ozzie the dog. I couldn’t find a photo of him. He’s Bomba and MK’s elderly three legged dog. If it wasn’t for Ozzie, MK might not have found the secret world of the forest.

Here is the trailer for Epic. You should check it out! If you are reading this via e-mail you can find the trailer here, http://youtu.be/NPnSC4stKC4.

You can check out the film their social networking sites to0, including the official website, www.EpictheMovie.com. The website has a lot of great features including photos, activities, videos and more.

Like Epic on Facebook

Follow @EpicTheMovie on Twitter #EpicTheMovie

Watch Epic videos on YouTube

Follow Epic on Instagram

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I am posting this for the enjoyment of my site readers. Any opinions expressed, unless otherwise noted, are my own and were not influenced in any way.

Tomorrow the film Epic comes to theaters across the country. Earlier today I shared an interview I participate in with the film’s Director, Chris Wedge, as well as two of the stars from the film, Amanda Seyfried (MK) and Colin Farrell (Ronin). You can find that interview here.

Prior to their interview my group had the opportunity to interview two other voice actors from the film, Chris O’Dowd and Aziz Ansari.

I have participated in many interviews in the post, both in group settings and one-on-one. I have to say that this was one of the funniest interviews I have ever participated in. Chris and Aziz had us in stitches the whole time. We could have easily chatted with them all day.

Chris O’Dowd is probably best known from the hit film Bridesmaids. He played the part of Officer Rhodes. Chris has also appeared in 3,2,1…Frankie Go Boom, Gulliver’s Travels and This is 40. Chris was born and raised in Ireland and has a really nice accent (I love accents!).

Chris is a tall man with a very “laid back” quality about him. He’s also very funny and has a quick wit. He is just naturally a funny guy.

Chris voices the character of Grub.

Chris O’Dowd as the voice of Grub the snail.

Aziz Ansari is best known for being the voice of Squint in all of the Ice Age movies. He also plays the part of Tom Haverford in the series Parks and Recreation. Aziz also used to be a stand up comedian. He started stand up comedy when he was only 18 years old.

Even though Aziz was dressed up in a nice suit, he had a very cool and relaxed vibe about him. Just like Chris, Aziz is a very funny man, able to quickly come back at Chris with humorous remarks.

Aziz voices the part of smooth talking, but slimy, Mub the slug.

Aziz Ansari as the voice of Mub.

Chris and Aziz have incredible chemistry together, both in the film and in person.

I’m not 100% certain but I believe Amanda said that Chris and Aziz were sharing a hotel room together. Seeing how these two are together I’m sure that laughter was echoing from the room all night long.

Here is our interview with Chris O’Dowd (Grub) and Aziz Ansari (Mub).

I left some of the bantering back and forth between Chris and Aziz because I thought it highlighted just how well these two play off each other and why they have such fabulous chemistry both on and off screen. Humm… maybe there will be a Mub and Grub spin-off? LOL!

Q: What was your favorite movie as a kid?

Aziz Ansari:  That is a good question.  That might be the first good question I’ve heard ever in my history of doing interviews.

Chris O’Dowd:  I’m trying to think what I loved.

Aziz Ansari:  Did they have kids movies in Ireland?

Chris O’Dowd:  Yes, we had movies.  What did I love?  Jaws?  Does that count?

Aziz Ansari:  Jaws?

Chris O’Dowd:  It’s not a kids movie.

Blogger:  A child friendly movie.

Chris O’Dowd:  A child friendly movie.  Well, ET – loved ET.

Aziz Ansari:  ET I think was the first movie I saw in the theaters. I’d just been born when ET came out, and I think my mom and dad took me to ET.

ET is great.  What else did I see?

I watched Flight of the Navigator.  Do you guys remember that?

That was good.  You know what I’m talking about.  What else did I love?  Terminator 2 – I watched that a lot as a kid.

Chris O’Dowd:  Was Fast and the Furious out then?

Aziz Ansari:  That was when I was just born. Fast 1 had just come out when I was born.

Chris O’Dowd:  Yes, Vin Diesel had hair.

Q: Did it take any convincing at all for you guys to decide that you wanted to be a part of this movie, or was it a pretty quick decision, you were like, oh, my gosh, this is going to be great, this is going to be huge?

Aziz Ansari:  I’d worked with some of the same team before on a little film called Ice Age 4:  Continental Drift.  And so, I knew it was that team, and we had a lot of fun working together on that.  And it just seemed like a cool idea to do an animated film set in this universe.  So, I signed up pretty quickly and was on board.

Chris O’Dowd:  Yes, I wasn’t 100 percent sure, to be honest, because I hadn’t done it before.  And I thought, I don’t know if I’ll enjoy it.  But, I realized Chris [Director Chris Wedge], and he was so enthusiastic, and he brought me into this room where they had started doing a lot of the early drawings for it, and it just looked so magical.  So, that was very, very tempting.  And then, I really wanted to work with Aziz.

Q: When you ran over the script and everything, was it kind of right in the front of your mind that you thought, wow, this is a great environmental message, this is something I want to be a part of?

Chris O’Dowd:  That was it. That was a big selling point that they were even selling to me at the time, I remember, which it is.  And there isn’t anything really like that out there at the moment.  I know The Lorax I guess was kind of like that. I didn’t see it, but I know it had a message in that kind of area.  But, it’s great.  It is great because forests are nice, aren’t they?

Aziz Ansari:  This was actually a struggle for me because I really into deforestation, and I don’t agree with the message of the film, but I could always separate my personal views from my creative work.  No, I’m for the environment.  I’m pro environment, just to be clear.

Q: How much of what you guys did in the film was improv?  You have such a good rapport together. 

Aziz Ansari:  There are a few things here or there, but generally, what you see is a scripted.

Chris O’Dowd:  Yes.  You’re a tiny piece of this massive thing.  People are drawing it just for so long, they don’t draw it any more probably.  But I think by the time it gets down to it, you kind of just do your bit, which is mostly scripted.

Q: Were you together when you did the voices?

Aziz Ansari:  This is something people are very interested about.  We’ve been asked this a few times.

Chris O’Dowd:  Yes, and what we were wearing.

Aziz Ansari:  No, you went to the stock questions.

We did our first big session together, which was where we did like a lot of the stuff, and then he was shooting a film in Ireland, I believe.

Chris O’Dowd:  That’s right.

Aziz Ansari:  And I was filming in Los Angeles, so we were not in the same area.  But, we were lucky enough to do the one major big session together, which was fun.

Chris O’Dowd:  Yes, it was really good.  And that kind of gave us the idea of what the chemistry would be and what the dynamic would be and all that kind of stuff.  So, it was good but, I had to go back to Ireland and shoot something, and it was great.  And Chris was kind of enough to of come over and record some of my stuff there, which was fun.

Q: I have a question about the process.  Is it hard? Because when you’re acting you’re face-to-face.  So, how is it with animation?  Are you seeing it on the screen as you’re doing the voices so you can get the feel of it?

Aziz Ansari:  Well, early on, they just show you kind of drawings of the characters and stuff and just kind of sketches and things like that and the concept art.  And then, as you go along, it gets more and more animated but, you don’t really see the finished thing until maybe the last couple of sessions, if there’s a couple of things you need to fix, some audio tweaks they need to make, then you see it.

But, generally, for most of it, you’re just kind of doing it into the microphone and you don’t see anything.  And so, by the time you finally see it, it’s really cool to see how it all kind of comes together.

Chris O’Dowd:  I had a framed headshot of Aziz’s, and we’d just pretend that he was there.

Aziz Ansari:  I had an actual snail that I just pretended was Chris, and I would look down at him for inspiration.

Q: Do they base the characters on you guys at all?

Chris O’Dowd:  Just physically, yes.

Aziz Ansari:  Well, you look at our faces.  I look like a slug, of course.

Chris O’Dowd:  I don’t know actually if in terms of what little mannerisms or things they kind of bring into it, but maybe a touch.

Aziz Ansari:  Yes.  I mean, there aren’t any dots on our faces when we’re in the booth or anything.

I think they do film us when we’re recording, for our mouth movements and stuff like that.  So, I’m sure they draw on some of that stuff for the physicality of the animation.

Q: Are you proud of your helmet?

Chris O’Dowd:  Excuse me?

Blogger:  At the end when he gives you the helmet?

Chris O’Dowd:  Oh, yes, that was great. Yes, I’m very proud of my helmet.  I like the idea of that kind of character who, all he wants to do is be a hero, and he just doesn’t have that ability.  So, it was nice.

Blogger:  Kids can really relate to that.

Chris O’Dowd:  Yes.

Blogger:  It’s such a wonderful message in so many different ways.

Q: Do you find doing animation easy or hard, compared to filming live?

Aziz Ansari:  Definitely easier.

All you do is you just do this, you’re done.  Look out.

Q: Are you doing that much prep work? You could just read your lines compared to memorize them, right?

Aziz Ansari:  Pretty much.

Chris O’Dowd:  That’s very little.

Aiz Ansari:  Acting is very easy. For very brief amounts of time, you’re just pretending, and then it’s done.  It’s a good gig.

Chris O’Dowd:  Let’s blow this joint.

Aziz Ansari:  No, but it’s really fun and the animation, it’s really fun and relaxed, and everyone on the team that worked on this, they’re all easy to work with, and they make it really fun.  So, I have a good time doing them.

Q: Do you think you would do another film, since it’s your first one, will you do another animation?

Chris O’Dowd:  I think so.  It is fun.  It’s a different kind of skill, but I really enjoyed it.  So, yes, hopefully something where I’m more attractive would be good.

Aziz Ansari:  Not another snail part?  You don’t want to get typecast as a snail in every part.

Chris O’Dowd:  Well, that’s the thing – I’m just going to get a lot of mucous based characters.

Aziz Ansari:  Well, Chris, we don’t have any snail based characters in this one, but maybe the next one.

Chris O’Dowd:  Yes, I hope so.  I’d like to.

Q:  Did you have a favorite scene?

Aziz Ansari:  I enjoyed the scenes where Mub was hitting on MK.  That was fun.  I like the idea of a slug that’s that confident in himself to where he thinks he can get it going with a human being – very ambitious.

Chris O’Dowd:  I liked meeting Beyonce.

Aziz Ansari:  Yes.

In real life when we tried to meet Beyonce, her security came and escorted us away – we’re Mub and Grub.  Sure, guys.

Chris O’Dowd:  I’m a snail, I’m a snail.

Q: So, are you guys hoping that all of our kids dress up as snails and slugs for Halloween, then?

Aziz Ansari:  Oh, my gosh.

Chris O’Dowd:  That would be crazy. That would be amazing.

Aziz Ansari:  Mub and Grub Halloween costumes?

Chris O’Dowd:  I love the idea that we’ve given mothers so much work to do.  That’s a tough costume. That’s going to be big.  Oh, I’m so sorry.

Q: What about seeing yourselves merchandised?  Maybe you’ll be stuffed animals.

Chris O’Dowd:  Wow, yes.

Aziz Ansari:  Whoa.

Seems like they’d be pretty cuddly.

Blogger:  With a voice chip.

Aziz Ansari:  Oh, my gosh.

Chris O’Dowd:  That would be really cute.

Aziz Ansari:  As long as we get a cut, of course.

Chris O’Dowd:  Yes, yes.

Aziz Ansari:  That would be very cute.

Chris O’Dowd:  That’s such a lovely idea.

Q: Do you guys have some Energy Star appliances and electronics and things at home?  Do you look for that little Energy Star label?  Is that something that you really take note of when you’re shopping?

Aziz Ansari:  Do they have that in Ireland?

Chris O’Dowd:  No, I don’t know what that is.

Aziz Ansari:  So, when you buy a fridge here, sometimes, the fridge has a little star on it, and that means, hey, we’re doing stuff to help save energy.

Chris O’Dowd:  Oh, okay.

Blogger:  So, do they have anything like that in Ireland?

Chris O’Dowd:  I know the kind of thing you mean.  Yes, energy saving tick or something.

Blogger:  To help you reduce your energy.

Aziz Ansari:  I’m really into home appliances.

Blogger:  Well, it sounds like you might be really into energy saving.

Aziz Ansari: I think if you’re a consumer, and you think, oh, well, this company’s going out of the way to make sure it’s an environmentally conscious product, why not support that?

Chris O’Dowd:  I still keep all my meat and food just in a small salt pit, you know?

Aziz Ansari:  So, you’re really saving a lot of energy.

Chris O’Dowd:  Yes, I’m trying to.

Aziz Ansari:  You don’t have a fridge.

Chris O’Dowd:  I don’t use a fridge.  I like things lukewarm.

Blogger:  I like this movie because the message is definitely obviously pro-environment.

Chris O’Dowd:  Yes.

Blogger:  I sometimes think that sometimes environmentalists can kind of turn people off because they just sort of are like, well, are you doing this, are you doing that?

Chris O’Dowd:  That Ed Begley, Jr., right?

Aziz Ansari:  What did he do?

Blogger:  He’s a little extreme?

Aziz Ansari:  Really?

Chris O’Dowd:  Oh, he’s so great, yes.

Aziz Ansari:  What does he do?  I don’t know anything about it.

Chris O’Dowd:  He’s terrific.

Blogger:  He lives in a tree house.

Aziz Ansari:  Whoa.  All right.  I wasn’t aware.  I’ll have to look into it.

Chris O’Dowd:  No, I know what you mean.  I think it’s a very welcoming message in a movie.  I think it’s nice. You just don’t know if people are going to take onto that kind of thing, and hopefully, kids will.  It’d be great.

Q:  What did you think when you first found out?  Did they just say, would you like to play a snail, or would you like to play a slug, or did you kind of sign up for the film and then find out?

Chris O’Dowd:  Well, I auditioned for the part of Queen Tara, and it wasn’t until a couple of weeks in that they recast, got Beyonce and decided to go a different direction.

Aziz Ansari:  Sorry, Chris, they’re going in a slightly different direction.

Chris O’Dowd:  Yes.

I thought it was kind of a cool idea to play a snail because there aren’t enough on screen, you know?

Aziz Ansari:  Snails are very under-represented.

Chris O’Dowd:  Which is snailist, frankly.

Aziz Ansari:  Yes.

Blogger:  Snailist.

Chris O’Dowd:  Don’t be snailist, yes.

Aziz Ansari:  I mean, I watched Iron Man 3 the other day and there’s not one snail.

Chris O’Dowd:  Not one, not one.

Aziz Ansari:  Not one snail or slug in this world.

Chris O’Dowd:  It’s a pretty snailist movie.

Aziz Ansari:  You’ve just got to focus on the human characters.  Star Trek – same thing–.

Chris O’Dowd:  Nothing, yes.

Aziz Ansari:  It’s really a little discriminatory.  That’s why it’s good EPIC gives snails and slugs a fair shake.

Chris O’Dowd:  And you watch the way that the landscape will change.  There’s going to be a lot of mucous based things.

Aziz Ansari:  Iron Man 4, one of the characters is gonna be a snail, yes.

Chris O’Dowd:  That’s right.

Q:  Are you opposed to escargot?

Chris O’Dowd:  Yes.  Well, anywhere that we get mentioned, I don’t mind, even if it’s being eaten.  That’s fine.  I just want to get out there.

Aziz Ansari:  A lot of pressure.

Chris O’Dowd:  Nobody can stand up to the heat.

Q:  Could you give any advice for someone that was either inspiring to be a comedian? Because, I’m sure, obviously, it’s very hard to get into that business. 

Chris O’Dowd:  Just write and write as much as you can, write down any funny things that you have and just send them to me and don’t tell anybody that you’ve done it.  And then, I can just use them.

Aziz Ansari:  Yes, I think, as soon as you can, just start working on whatever it is, whether it’s standup or improv or whatever.

Blogger:  That’s how you started, right, standup?

Aziz Ansari:  I started off doing standup in New York, and I also took classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.  I think you can just do your research and try to go to these places like the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and start taking classes or whatever.

But, I think it’s always good to just start as soon as you can.  I started when I was fairly young, at 18, 19 years old.  But, man, I wish I’d started even younger.  I feel like the more time you put into something, the better you get at it.  And I think just go for it and see what happens.  Good luck.

As you can see these two have a great rapport with one another. That carries over into the film. Mub and Grub add a lot of humor into the movie. I could easily see them being turned into plush stuffed figures (minus the slim of course ).

If you would like to check out Mub and Grub in action go see the film Epic which opens in theaters across the country tomorrow (May 24, 2013).

If you would like to learn more about the film check out the film’s official website, www.EpictheMovie.com. You can also check them out on the film’s social media outlets.

Like Epic on Facebook

Follow @EpicTheMovie on Twitter #EpicTheMovie

Watch Epic videos on YouTube

Follow Epic on Instagram

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I am sharing this for the enjoyment of my site readers. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.

If you have read my blog on a regular basis you know that I support Feeding America. In fact I had the opportunity to not only help distribute food to the hungry in Tampa, Florida, but I also had the opportunity to tour the Feeding America Tampa Bay warehouse where I learned a lot about how the program works.

You can find more posts about Feeding America by doing a search on my blog’s search bar. That should pull up all my posts about the organization.

I thought I would let you know about a campaign that helps to benefit Feeding America. It’s from the makers of One a Day Women’s vitamins.

This spring and summer, the makers of One A Day^® Women’s and Feeding America^® have teamed up to embark on year two of the Nutrition Mission, a charitable initiative to provide nutritional support to the more than 50 million Americans, including 16.7 million children who live in food insecure households. The One A Day Women’s brand and Feeding America are encouraging consumers to join their Nutrition Mission and help families across America get the nutrition they may need.

Consumers can join the Nutrition Mission through Buy a Bottle, Make a Difference. Now through July 28^th, when you purchase a bottle of One A Day Women’s Multivitamins, the brand will make a donation of two meals – up to 2 million meals – to Feeding America.

The Nutrition Mission will also recognize the people that fight against hunger in their local communities by awarding four $25,000 grants to their local Feeding America food banks. Through July 1^st, the Nutrition Mission encourages volunteers to share stories of how they fight hunger in their local communities to be entered for a chance to be selected for one of the four grants. Winners will be announced in September with one winner receiving a trip to meet Sheryl Crow in New York City to help further raise awareness of food insecurity.

For more information about the Nutrition Mission, visit: www.NutritionMission.com.

I would like to encourage readers to consider participating in the campaign as well as share the information with family, friends and co-workers. I would like to encourage readers to donate to their local Feeding America site, or a local food charity. Food items are always welcome as well as cash. You can also donate your time. Most sites need volunteers to help distribute food at local food banks as well as help around the warehouse.

For more information or to find a location near you visit FeedingAmerica.org.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I am sharing the information for the benfit of my site readers and the Feeding America organization.

On Saturday, May 18, 2013, after watching the “green” carpet premiere of Epic at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York City I was fortunate to interview the film’s director, Chris Wedge, and several stars from the film – Amanda Seyfried, Colin Farrel, Chris O’Dowd and Aziz Ansari.

The interviews were broken up into two groups. Chris Wedge, Amanda Seyfried and Colin Farrell were in one group and Chris O’Dowd and Aziz Ansari were in another group.

I’ll break the interviews up into two posts to make it easier. This first post will feature the interview with Director Chris Wedge, Amanda Seyfried and Colin Farrell. If you want to read the interview with Chris O’Dowd and Aziz Ansari you can find it here.

Chris Wedge, the Director of Epic, has directed other family favorites – Ice Age and Robots. He’s been the Executive Producer on other Ice Age films and has even lent his voice to the character of Scrat who appears in all of the Ice Age films.

Chris came across as a quiet man but he was more than happy to chat about his incredible new film, Epic.

Amanda Seyfried is best known for her roles in such films as Les Miserables, Mamma Mia, In Time and Dear John. She also stared as Sarah Henrickson in the HBO series Big Love.

I knew Amanda was a petite young lady, but I didn’t realize just as tiny she was until you see her in person. She also comes across as VERY shy, which is not something you would expect from an actress. She’s very soft spoken and quiet.

Amanda is the voice of MK.

Amanda Seyfried as the voice of MK

Colin Farrell was once seen as a “Hollywood Bad Boy”. He has stared in such films as Total Recall, Horrible Bosses, In Bruges and one of my personal favorites, Phone Booth. In 2009 he filled in as the character of Dr. Parnassus in the film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus after the untimely death of Heath Ledger. He filmed the role along with Johnny Depp and Jude Law. Colin donated his salary from the film to Heath’s daughter Matilda.

I was expecting a bit of a cocky attitude from someone once seen as a Hollywood hell raiser, but that was not the case at all. Colin was very friendly, personable and funny. He also was very well spoken and clearly adores his two young sons. I was pleasantly surprised by him. He’s also a lot smaller in person then he comes off as on the big screen.

Colin is the voice of Ronin.

Epic – Colin Farrell as Ronin

We interviewed this group after interviewing Chris O’d Dowd and Aziz Ansari. Chris and Aziz had our group laughing hard the entire time. When this group walked in Amanda wanted to know why we were laughing so loud. We told them that Chris and Aziz were just really funny. Colin, not to be outdone by his cast mates, started off the interview with “So, an Englishman, Irishman and Scotsman walk into a bar” to which Chris chimed in “A priest and a Rabbi are walking down the road…”. We asked them to finish but due to time we needed to get on to the interview.

Q: Did the environmental message in this movie have an impact on whether or not you wanted to take a part in it?  Was that something that you said, wow, this is a great way to really get this message out there to the kids?  I mean, obviously, it’s a good thing, but was it something in your thought process?  And for you, Chris, was that a huge part of this for you?

Chris Wedge:  It seemed like a fun magical place to go.  I do what I can to live as small as I can.  It’s kind of hard when you’re working on one of these movies because you’re on airplanes all the time.

Colin Farrell:  Yes.

Chris Wedge:  But, the idea behind the movie was that we would go to a place that seems familiar to us, but we would see the magic inside of it.  And when I wanted always to get in touch with that from an emotional perspective, I thought about the times that I just walk into the forest, whenever I’m by myself, and just stop and listen and just feel it, because you can feel the presence of some kind of nature power going on all the time.

There’s a little movie going on with the squirrels that are chasing around and the things are growing out of trees, and it’s always happening, and you can feel the presence of that.

And, look, we’ve done a very stylized version of a magical forest here, but if it generates some more kind of respect for that in kids, if they think, wow, maybe if I walk out there, I’ll see this, because I am taking perspectives and showing you that, sometimes, it looks just like it does to us, right, you’ll see evidence that this is happening.

So, my hope was that a kid would go out and see like, wow, those birds making all that noise, that’s not just a sparrow chasing a crow away from its nest, it’s Leafman and Boggins that are fighting, that would be it for me.  There’s magic out there that we just don’t pay attention to.

Colin Farrell:  This is me on the environmental warpath, absolutely.  There’s no doubt that there’s a message that’s inherent in the script just by the representation of the beauty of nature and the minutia of nature and the simultaneous fragility and strength of nature.  So, that’s all inherent in the script.

So, to respond to the script, I think you’re responding to those ideals.  But, no, it’s just a case of meeting Chris and his team and really seeing the visuals and just loving the story and loving the world.

And as Chris said, if anyone can come out of this with a moment’s more pause for thought than they would have had before it or if kids want to go out and pick up a rock and see what lies underneath it and put the iPad down for five minutes, happy days, you know?

Q: When you’re creating the characters and you have the actors in there, how does that work as far as they don’t look like them, but you can tell that their facial expressions, there are things that you can say, oh, that looks like them!

Chris Wedge:  The animated characters are collaborations.  They come from a lot of different places.  So, we write them, and we design them, and we have animators.  But, we get voices from human beings that can create a performance for us.

Every time we record, there’s a little camera watching these guys, watching their faces as reference for our animators.  But, often, the animators don’t ever look at it because so much of the performance comes through in what they hear.

So, this part is just what you hear, really.  But, it inspires a lot of what you see.  I mean, we didn’t make these guys jump onto anything and ride it around or do anything crazy.

Colin Farrell:  I just rolled around in the forest before I went into work just to get in the mood.

Chris Wedge:  It’s weird.  His fingers were always dirty when he came in. But, you get all of it from performance.

Q: My blog is called Latina on a Mission, and a lot of my readers are single moms.  So, MK and General Ronin both felt a loss.  So, if you were to channel your character, what kind of advice would you give kids who have loss, whether it’s that their parents separated or something else?

So, I’m wondering, what advice would you give to kids?  What did you get from that character, both of you?

Colin Farrell:  I’m a single father, and both my kids have mothers who are single mothers, single parents, and as wee as it sounds, how a parent treats their child I think is less of a reflection on their child than it is on the parent.

And I think if that can imparted, if somebody treats their child with kindness and with grace and with love, well then, maybe the parents wants to say because they’re proud of their child and they love their child, it’s to do with my child.  I think it’s more to do with a parent in the same way that if a parent abuses their child, treats them with harshness or cruelty, it’s nothing to do with the child.  It’s to do with the parent.

And loss can represent a sense of abandonment, of course, a sense of being unwanted.  Even if that loss is as the result of a passing of a life, as the result of death even, it’s the way human beings are and as sensitive as we are, but certainly, if it’s a father who’s not turning up.

So, I think, love is the most important thing.  And then, if there’s a feeling as an absence of love, as much as it can be explained to the child that that is through no fault of their own, I think that’s a really important thing.

Amanda Seyfried:  Well said.

Chris Wedge:  I have to say, I’ve been worried about that because I thought about it. I mean, obviously, when you’re writing something, you’re trying to create motivations for characters and situations that they have to work through and relationships that can build and be emotionally satisfying.

But, I’ve been watching those scenes in front of audiences and going, hmm, really, hmm, do we really have to wallow in this thing, does she really have to have lost her mom to make this story work.

Amanda Seyfried:  It’s big.  Yes, it’s the worst thing that can happen, I think. But, it just shows that there’s a future.  I mean, I couldn’t imagine a future without my mother, but there is one if that happened.  And, nobody wants to think about that, but life does go on.  Does it?

Chris Wedge:  The point’s about connections in the movie.  And both Ronin and Nod feel as though they’re isolated at the beginning of the movie, and Nod with Ronin realizes that he’s a father surrogate, and MK realizes she never lost her father, she just thought she had.  It was her attitude more than his that had created the visions.

Q: What was your favorite movie when you were a kid?

Colin Farrell:  Star Wars for me.  I had all the figures and collected all the figures and loved those films, yes, very much so.

Amanda Seyfried: Sonic the Hedgehog. And I was Sonic, so I got to fight evil myself, which is exciting.

Q: I have a question for Collin.  I’m a mom of two boys, so I’m assuming, when you’re out and off on set for a couple of months maybe at a time, do you bring your kids with you?

Colin Farrell:  They visit me, yes, every time I go to work. It’s much harder to leave home than ever.  I mean, to be honest, I love what I do, and I consider myself very lucky to be able to do what I do and make a living doing it.  But, I would love to do one film every year maybe and be at home.

Over the last few years, I’ve had periods where I’ve been off for six months and then periods where I’m off for four weeks between jobs.  It gets harder but the lads visit.

And they seem, as much as I can detect, really well adjusted to how everything is.  And they have two mothers that really adore them, and they have a dad that adores both of them.

And so, a mortal fear of mine is the idea that they will ever feel unwanted or something because of the amount I’m away.  Look, my dad was around every day when I was growing up, and I didn’t feel wanted by that man, and he was there every day.

When I’m not working, if I’m home for six weeks, they’re sick of looking at me.  I’m there all day.  Do you know what I mean?  I don’t have a nine to five.  So, I have these really intense periods of being home.

Q: (Directed to Colin) Have your children seen the movie yet?

Colin Farrell:  No, neither of them have, no.

Blogger:  Are you going to let them see a movie?

Colin Farrell:  I can’t get my hands on that pirate copy I’ve been trying to find.

Amanda Seyfried:  You could just videotape it when you go to the theater.

Colin Farrell:  That would be genius.

Amanda Seyfried:  I’m sure they have some kind of screening. Do they go to movies?

Colin Farrell:  Yes, what have we seen recently?  Sitting down for an hour and a half, James kind of gets bored.  But, Henry made it through Hotel Transylvania.

Q: How old is MK, the character?

Chris Wedge:  I wanted to make her a little older.  But, I wanted her to be right on the cusp.  I wanted her to be 17, 18, just old enough to be on her own, just old enough to be about done with high school, just old enough to do it on her own if she had to.

Amanda Seyfried:  To make her own decisions.

Chris Wedge:  Yes, but she goes in this thing with a purpose.

Q: Amanda, MK seemed like a really strong character.  So, I’m wondering, how did you feel about that?

Amanda Seyfried:  I’m attracted to those kinds of gals.  Yes, I like to find characters that I can relate to in some way.

When I’m looking for a challenge, a character that I can’t relate to at all is always great.  But, this girl is somebody I can relate to because she’s very headstrong and honest and wants to know what it is she’s about.  And, I’m struggling with that every day.

And that’s real for anybody that age… But, also, she’s really, really brave, and I’m not.  I aspire to be that way.  So, I like playing characters that would react to things in a completely different way.

Colin Farrell:  You may be more brave, I don’t know, than you give yourself credit for.

Amanda Seyfried:  Maybe, yes.  But, if I were shrunken into some other kind of world or even transported–like say I woke up and I was in the middle of the Congo, I would be so paralyzed with fear.

Colin Farrell:  You may shock yourself, you really may.

Amanda Seyfried:  Yes.

Colin Farrell:  I’d say I’m the same.  I’d would say, is this a Michael Crichton book, The Jungle?  You may surprise yourself.  I don’t know.  Human beings are strange creatures.

Amanda Seyfried:  That’s true, actually.

Colin Farrell:  And they’re capable of massive amounts of resilience.

Q: How did you get the images to look like that?  I haven’t seen 3D like that. You could tell from the very first scene it was going to be something different. 

Chris Wedge:  Well, thank you.

Blogger:  The color was so saturated and it was just so beautiful.  Is there something different that you did?

Chris Wedge:  Well, a difference is in the technology that we use.  We’ve been working on this stuff for 25 years, and so there are physicists at Blue Sky that work on the physics of light.

And a lot of it, I have to say, it comes from the art direction.  The idea for this movie, I wanted to make a very romantic fantasy film.  And so, I went back to the illustrations and paintings of NC Wyeth was the main one.  He painted one single beautiful image for Treasure Island or Robin Hood or Sea Hawk, and that incredibly nuanced textured artwork is what I wanted it to look like a storybook.

I’m sure that we could have asked more questions but they were very busy and had more interviews to do throughout the day. I even rode in the elevator with Amanda when she headed back to her hotel room.

I hope this interview gives you are little more insight into the movie, Epic, which opens in theaters on Friday, May 24, 2013.

For more information about the film, it’s cast and charters plus photos and activities, visit the official website www.EpictheMovie.com. You can also check it out on all it’s social media sites.

Like Epic on Facebook

Follow @EpicTheMovie on Twitter #EpicTheMovie

Watch Epic videos on YouTube

Follow Epic on Instagram

To find other Epic related posts please use the search box located on the top right side. Simply enter in the word Epic.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I am posting this for the enjoyment of my site readers. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.

I was not asked to post this information. I just happened to be reading a press release and thought that some readers might appreciate this information.

Even though the summer months are a time to do fun and exciting things, as well as enjoy lazy days of doing nothing, it’s also a great opportunity to continuing your child’s education. Education can be fun!

Check out the special Summer learning line up that PBS KIDS has in store for viewers.

Most people in TV go on vacation in the summer, but the PBS KIDS line-up is heating up this summer — with a host of special episodes and theme weeks, like Wild Kratts ”Bug Week” (June 3), Sesame Street ”Literacy Quest Week” (June 17) and Dinosaur Train ”Dinosaurs A-Z” (July 8).

Starting Monday, June 3 (check local listings), PBS KIDS presents 10 weeks of themed programming to inspire children ages 2-8 to explore and learn. Each week will feature episodes from a different PBS KIDS series.

The line-up includes:

Wild Kratts - “Bug Week,” starting June 3rd

Super Why! - ”Super You Week,” starting June 10th

Sesame Street - ”Literacy Quest Week,” starting June 17th

Martha Speaks – “Puppy Week,” starting June 24th

Curious George – “Creative George Week,” starting July 1st

Dinosaur Train - “Dinosaurs A-Z,” starting July 8th

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood –  ”Let’s Play Outside Week,” starting July 15th

The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About That! –  ”Let’s Get Wet Week,” starting July 22nd

Arthur – “Sports Week,” starting July 29th

Word Girl - “What’s Up With WordGirl Week,” starting August 5th

It looks like they have a lot of great theme weeks set up for most of the summer. My children are too old to watch any of these shows, however my husband and I are still big fans of Sesame Street and Arthur. We might just have to check them out. LOL!

For air times and channel please check with your local TV Guide listings.

For more information about PBS KIDS visit PBSKIDS.org.

Kimberly

*I was not asked to post this information, nor was I compensated for it. I am sharing it for the enjoyment of my site readers.

I’m so excited to share with you the amazing time my family and I had at the premiere of Epic in New York City on Saturday, May 18, 2013. If you follow me on Twitter and Instagram I’m sure you saw some of my tweets and photos.

My family was very excited for the opportunity to walk the red carpet again (in this case it was a green carpet). The last time was two years ago. I am thrilled that I was able to bring along my family. I’ve been to a few red carpet premiere events and usually families are not allowed. I am grateful to 20^th Century Fox for allowing my family to experience the event with me. In fact there were plenty of children at the event which was wonderful to see. In fact a few children were actually interviewing the talent on the “green” carpet.

We arrived early at the event. Thankfully the weather held up while we were waiting for the event to start. Sadly the weather didn’t work in our favor later on in the day.

It was nice to see a few familiar faces. There were also many boys and girls from the Boys and Girls Club of America there with us.

I snapped a few photos before the event began.

Finally it was time to go into the Ziegfeld Theater. My family walked across the green carpet and stopped for a family photo.

I should make note that it was a more casual premiere compared to others where you need to get dressed up. I’ve been to both casual and non-casual premieres. I’m glad this one was more casual because there was a lot of walking to do in NYC and it would have been hard in a fancy dress and dress shoes.

I wore sneakers since it was drizzling and we had a lot of walking to do. I really hate getting my picture taken. I look gross.

I don’t know why my son looks like he’s posing for a mug shot. LOL!

Then we stepped inside the theater to find seats. The theater provided everyone with a beverage and some popcorn. There were even stuffed mini-cupcakes available arranged to form the word Epic. No one wanted to touch them right away, but after the movie the guests were happy to indulge in the sweet yummy goodness.

We had perfect seats in the theater. We had an unobstructed view of the screen.

This photo was uploaded to my Instagram account.

My kids were anxiously waiting to see if anyone who was in the film showed up in the theater. From previous experiences some times they do. Other times other famous faces not in the film show up. My son saw X-Factor winner Carly Rose Sonenclar and I saw actress Patricia Clarkson (Parks & Recreation, Easy A, Shutter Island).

This photo was also uploaded to my Instagram account.

My family enjoyed the movie. I am unable to provide a review at this time, but let’s just say there is a reason why they chose the title Epic, because it was!

Here is the movie’s trailer to give you an idea about how amazing this movie is. You can also find the trailer here, http://youtu.be/NPnSC4stKC4.

EPIC has it all – Samurai-like action and warriors, incredible aerial battles, laugh out loud humor and an adventure that will transport you to a hidden, rich and beautiful world, unlike any you’ve seen before. 

The 3D CG adventure comedy hits theaters on May 24! From the creators of ICE AGE and RIO, EPIC tells the story of an ongoing battle between the forces of good, who keep the natural world alive, and the forces of evil, who wish to destroy it. When a teenage girl finds herself magically transported into this secret universe, she teams up with an elite band of warriors and a crew of comical, larger-than-life figures, to save their world…and ours.

EPIC features an incredible cast including: BEYONCÉ KNOWLES, COLIN FARRELL AMANDA SEYFRIED, AZIZ ANSARI, PITBULL, STEVEN TYLER, JOSH HUTCHERSON, CHRIS O’DOWD, CHRISTOPH WALTZ and JASON SUDEIKIS.

After the movie I had to head up to the Mandarin Oriental hotel to interview Director Chris Wedge, Colin Farrell, Amanda Seyfried, Chris O’Dowd and Aziz Ansari.

The original “game plan” was for me to head to the hotel so I could do the interviews and my family was going to get a bite to eat then stroll around Central Park. Unfortunately it started to drizzle. The studio was kind enough to let the families hang out in the suit at the hotel and enjoy some yummy food while the bloggers and other members of the media interviewed the talent. My family didn’t mind. They were able to see some spectacular views of NYC. It’s just unfortunate that it was raining so it wasn’t a nice, sunny day outside.

The interviews were A LOT of fun. Chris O’Dowd and Aziz Ansari were especially funny.

I’ve done celebrity interviews before. Sometimes they seem too rigid and “by the book”, but other times they just seem like you are hanging out with some friends chatting over a cup of coffee. That is how these interviews felt. They were a lot of fun.

Be on the look out for some highlights from the interviews. I’ll post them tomorrow.

We were able to get out pictures taken with the talent too.

We had a great time. It’s unfortunate that the weather didn’t play out in our favor.

On the way home my kids had the chance to see first hand what “gridlock” looked like. We also walked right past the Ed Sullivan Theater where Late Night with David Letterman is filmed.

My son is already asking me when the next movie premiere will be in New York City and could we get invited? LOL! I told him it’s not that easy. I think my son is just anxious to get his photo taken with a celebrity so he can show his classmates.

My daughter was disappointed that Josh Hutcherson wasn’t there. She really wanted to see him in person. All her friends have a crush on him.

I’ll be sharing the interviews tomorrow. In the meant time if you would like to learn more about the film visit the official website, www.EpictheMovie.com. You can also check out the film on the various social media outlets.

Like Epic on Facebook

Follow @EpicTheMovie on Twitter #EpicTheMovie

Watch Epic videos on YouTube

Follow Epic on Instagram

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this for the enjoyment of my site readers. Any opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.

As a blogger I receive A LOT of pitches every day. Many of them are clearly not a good fit for my site (I honestly don’t care about diaper cream…LOL). Sometimes something comes through that I feel is worth sharing with my readers. Most especially when it has to do with health matters and charitable campaigns.

Personally my heart is in good health, although my age and being overweight might change that in the near future (I hope not!). I already had one scare and had to see a Cardiologist when I had chest pains and it hurt to breath. Turns out I pulled a muscle in my chest when I was giving our dog a bath. Needless to say it was an eye opener for me. What if it was heart disease?

WomenHeart and Bayer HealthCare have teamed up for a wonderful campaign to not only bring awareness to women’s heart health but also to help raise funds for the The National Coalition for Women and Heart Disease. The campaign is called Handbags & Hearts.

Here is some more important information about the campaign.

Forty-two million women have or are at risk for heart disease.  It’s the biggest killer among women in the U.S., as heart attacks claim the lives of more than 250,000 women annually, which is six times more than breast cancer.  With the help of actress, singer and author Vanessa Williams, who is currently starring in “The Trip to Bountiful” on Broadway, Bayer HealthCare, the makers of Bayer® Aspirin and WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, launch Handbags & Hearts, a national campaign that leverages the link between women and their handbags – the one item they do not leave home without – and urges women to pledge to carry aspirin at all times and learn the symptoms of heart attack to be prepared for one.

How to Participate:

• Take the Pledge: For every Handbags & Hearts pledge and share received, Bayer HealthCare will make donations ($1 for pledge, $2 for share) to WomenHeart up to a total of $200,000.  Together we can save hearts – one handbag at a time.
• Donate: Bayer has designed a Heart Attack Preparedness Kit that carries aspirin and provides tips for what to do in case of a heart attack.  You can make an additional donation of $5 to WomenHeart to receive the kit at HandbagsAndHearts.com.
• Advocate: Encourage all the important women in your life to take the pledge and learn the symptoms of women’s heart attacks, which can be different from men’s symptoms.
• Visit: Go to www.HandbagsAndHearts.com to take the pledge and learn more about heart disease in women and Vanessa William’s personal connection to heart disease.

I’ve visited the site and found that it’s overflowing with great information about heart health.

The Heart Attack Preparedness Kit includes:

• 2 Genuine Bayer Aspirin
• $1 off coupon
• Preparedness card
• ProHeart pouch

I would like to encourage you to take the pledge and share this campaign with your family and friends, especially those with heart disease or anyone who has been touched by it. It only takes a minute of your time.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I am sharing the information for the benefit of my site readers. Any opinions expressed are my own unless otherwise noted.

It’s sad that I need to post something like this. Every summer I usually post something in regards to keeping your pet safe during the hot months. By now you would think that most people would know better than to leave their pet in a parked car while they go shopping or stop to have lunch. Sadly I continue to see dogs and cats left in parked cars. Even with the windows cracked open you are risking your pet’s health. Even after a few minutes the temperature inside your car can reach up to 120 degrees (even with the windows cracked!). Exposure to such temperatures can cause your pet brain damage, suffocation and heatstroke. Pets can DIE being left in parked cars on a hot day. Is the health and life of your pet worth you running into the coffee shop to grab a coffee or getting your nails done?

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PET IN THE CAR!

Plain and simple. That is easy enough to understand. JUST DON’T DO IT!

If you have your pet in the car and you need to stop some place take them home first. Or leave them at a friend’s house. Just don’t leave them in the car.

A couple of years ago I ran a post that provided readers with some more pet safety tips for the dog days of summer (no pun intended ). I think these tips are worth repeating.

Pets Need Sunscreen

Just like humans, cats and dogs can get sunburned, especially if he/she has  light-colored hair. Animal sunburns can cause the same problems as that of  humans: peeling, redness and even cancer. As skin cancer in pets is a serious  concern, purchasing pet-friendly sun screen can go a long way in protecting the  health of your pet when the heat kicks in. Places that are easy to forget, but  prone to burning are: inside the nostrils, tip of nose, around your dog’s lips  and the inside of ears for dogs with stand up ears.

Summer Style

Giving your dog a lightweight summer haircut helps prevent overheating. Shave  down to a one-inch length, but never to the skin, so your pet still has some  protection from the sun. Brushing cats more often than usual can prevent  problems caused by excessive heat.

Pets Need Extra Water….But don’t let them drink just  anything

Give your dog extra water during the summer, but be sure not to leave the  water out for too long. Change the water often to prevent your pet from getting  sick from bacteria that can grow in hot water. Also, when dogs are thirsty, they  are bound to drink something they shouldn’t. Puddles of what may look like water  on the ground can be mistaken for dangerous chemicals, so keep an eye out when  your dog is looking for something to sip on.

Make a Safe Splash

Buy a kiddie or dog swimming pool and fill it with water for your pet. But,  do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool – not all pets are good swimmers.  Introduce your pet to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices  when on boats. To remove chlorine or salt from the fur, rinse your pet after  swimming. Be sure to also keep your dog from drinking pool water, which contains  chlorine and other chemicals that could cause stomach upset.

Pets at Outdoor Summer Events

Warm temperatures and outdoor fun go hand-in-hand, but when the temperatures  hit record highs, refrain from taking your pet to crowded summer events like  concerts or fairs. The loud noises and crowds, combined with the heat, can be  stressful and dangerous for pets.

Exercising in the Heat:

Pets need exercise even when it is hot, but show extra care to older and  overweight pets that are more at risk from high temperatures. Limiting exercise  to early morning or evening hours can help. Extra caution should also be taken  with short-nosed dogs, and those with thick coats.

Watch for Heatstroke Dogs can develop heatstroke fairly  quickly. Signs of this include excessive panting, staring, anxious facial  expressions, warm skin, refusal to obey commands by owner, vomiting, collapse  and rapid heartbeat. If you suspect that your pet is suffering from this, lower  the animal’s body temperature by applying towels soaked in cool water to the  hairless areas of the body. Often the pet will respond after just a few minutes  of cooling, only to falter again with his temperature soaring back up or falling  to well below what is normal. If this happens, take the dog to the vet  immediately – don’t try to solve this yourself.

If you have any other special tips for keeping your pet healthy during the  hot weather months please feel free to leave them in the comments section.

Kimberly