Super Hero Boy

DVD Review : Barney Mother Goose Collection

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 23:29:00 PDT

Barney Mother Goose Collection is one of my favorite Barney DVD sets of all time. Barney and his friends visit Mother Goose's world and sing and act out so many of the favorite nursery rhymes and songs such as London Bridge, Humpty Dumpty, Hickory Dickory Dock and so many more. I was almost embarrassed to learn that Connor really didn't know any of the songs included so he had a great time watching the show and learning all the nursery rhyme songs! Also included on the dvd is a sing along that features fifteen of the songs included in the dvd and a rhyme a long that includes 17 of the rhymes. Connor almost prefers the sing along to the dvd itself! What we really really love about this set though is the fact that it comes with a music cd that you can take along with you in the car of Barney and his friends singing some of the favorite songs included on the dvd! Also included is an activity book that you can take along with you in the car or just enjoy at home, it's fairly small so you can easily tuck it in your purse or diaper bag for a quick activity on the go!

You can purchase your own copy of Barney Mother Goose Collection on dvd right now on Amazon!

Disclosure: I was given a a copy of Barney Mother Goose Collection for review, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors.

Review & Giveaway : Zippies - The coolest ID tags!

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 21:33:00 PDT

Connor is four, with four comes all sorts of new challenges but the biggest one we have been facing lately is him taking his brother's stuff and trying to pretend it was his in the first place. Today they practically drove me nutty at the barn. I gave them two water bottles which soon multiplied into six water bottles (someone ran back and got more out of the fridge) and the worst part is by the end I had no clue who's water bottle was whose.. and even worst which one was mine! Poor Dylan got the short end of the stick as pretty much any water bottle he claimed his brother came in and stole it pretty quickly and switched him out the less full one he was carrying. When I got home I realized, today would have been a great day for some Zippies.

Zippies are some of the coolest ID tags we have ever seen. First of all they are super heavy duty rubbery animal faces which won't fall apart, bend, or break on you in the first use. Most of them are pretty non gender specific and they come in a variety of different animal faces from bunnies to lizards to toads (my personal favorite) so there is bound to be one your child will like. Though all that aside that is not at all what I love about them. What I really love is their genius way that they hook on to your stuff, or should I say the several ways they can hook on to your stuff. The first and most obvious way is they come with a very heavy duty elastic cord and tightener which is great for hooking over the top of water bottles, hooking to backpacks, looping over small stuffed animals, and even attaching to your child's door knob or dresser knob so you can easily find your Zippie on the way to school. The second is a ring that is slightly under the draw string that opens up almost like a little key chain clasp which can be used for a key chain, hooking onto loops, belts, or really anything you can clip something on. The last way is you can actually take the Zippie off the ring itself and hook it onto a necklace, bracelet, or put it on your own ring, loop, or snap. Needless to say how you use your Zippies is totally up to you!

I have a Zippie on each of the boy's backpacks, and I try to remember to put them in my purse to identify our drinks as even though my boys are not reading yet they can still identify their animals to find their own drinks or even toys. You can learn more about Zippies as well as check out all the different designs on the Zippies website.

Now here comes the fun part!

Zippies has offered to give a set of five Zippies to one lucky reader!

To Enter :

Leave a comment on this post. Just check out the Zippies website and let us know which Zippie is your favorite!
Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
Please US entries only.
To get extra credit :
- For an extra entry - Please post each extra entry in a separate post :
- Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add my button to your sidebar and let me know its there. (please note if you have our old button on your sidebar you'll need to update the link/image)
- Subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
- Let people know about the giveaway on Twitter with a link to the giveaway!
- Join our Facebook Page!
- This contest will end September 22nd at midnight!

Disclosure: I was given a set of Zippies for review, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors.

DVD Review : Fanboy & ChumChum Brain Freeze

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 22:00:00 PDT

I'm praying for fall as soon as possible but in the meantime you and your kids can cool off watching Fanboy & Chum Chum Brain Freeze out on DVD. Connor is absolutely obsessed with this wacky super hero duo and I can't blame him as they are pretty silly and like Connor it seems they are always getting themselves into trouble. This dvd is purely dedicated to Fanboy and Chum Chum's favorite treat, the coveted Frosty Freezy Freeze! All seven episodes are about the drink and what the boys will do to get their hands on one!

Episodes included :

Brain Freeze - Fanboy and Chum Chum discover that their favorite Frosty Freezy Freeze flavor, Berry Pink, is about to be discontinued. Determined to have as much as they can before it’s gone forever, they end up with a massive brain freeze. The next morning, Fanboy and Chum Chum wake up with no memory of what happened and their signature tighty-whiteys are missing. They must retrace their steps to find out how their crazy night unraveled so they can find their precious underwear and restore order.
Berry Sick - During a summer heat wave, the boys discover the Frosty Freezy Freeze machine is on the fritz. It’s up to Fanboy and Chum Chum to get the Berry the Ice Monster, the machine’s operator, back in good health.
Refill Madness - Lenny and Boog learn that Fanboy and Chum Chum have a valuable cup that entitles them to endless free refills at the Frosty Mart. The two decide to work together to try to steal the cup.
The Frosty Bus - Fanboy and Chum Chum are waiting for the Frosty Bus to buy a Frosty Freezy Freeze. Unfortunately, Boog is driving and torments them by always keeping their beverages just out of reach.
Jingle Fever -When Fanboy and Chum Chum find out they can win a million Frosty Bucks by writing the new Frosty Mart jingle, Lenny does everything in his power to stop them.
Back from the Future - After Fanboy and Chum Chum show Lenny that Dollar-nator is a time machine, he decides to use him to travel back in time and prevent Fanboy and Chum Chum from ever tasting a Frosty Freezy Freeze. But despite his greatest efforts, the boys somehow always end up discovering Frosty Freezy Freeze.
Norse-ing Around - Fanboy and Chum Chum discover a frozen Viking in their icebox and decide to help him “achieve glory” so he can get into Valhalla.

Connor especially loves the episode where the Fanboy and Chum Chum get the brain freeze and loose their underwear. He will watch it over and over laughing hysterically each time. At first I really did think the show was a little on the silly side but compared to some of the other kid's programing these days I'd much rather see my kids laugh and enjoy a show verses put something on the tv that has too much violence or adult topics. Fanboy and Chum Chum is purely just good fun.

You can pick up your own copy of Fanboy & Chum Chum Brain Freeze on dvd right now at Amazon!

Disclosure: We were given a copy of Fanboy & Chum Chum Brain Freeze free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors!

I am one lucky mom...

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Tue, 17 May 2011 00:47:00 PDT

How can I not feel incredibly blessed... my boys are my life, my love, and my entire world. I can't resist bragging a little that they are pretty amazing and beautiful to boot.

I love them!!

If your curious Dylan is wearing a Picaflor Kids romper and a pair of Umi Tadpole baby shoes. Both of which were previous reviews and hand me downs from Connor.

These pictures were taken by the amazing and very affordable Jessala White Photography.. tell her we sent you!

Disclaimer : No one paid me for this post, Dylan's outfit was given to us almost two years ago for review, and we still love it. Jessla's pictures were purchased and I highly recommend her.

DVD Review : Shaun The Sheep : The Big Chase

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Sun, 08 May 2011 16:50:00 PDT

Shaun our favorite sheep has a brand new dvd out that is sure to thrill all your little sheep lovers in the house! I've said this before about Shaun but it never fails to marvel me that a show can be so incredibly entertaining to have absolutely NO words. Shaun and his friends are sheep.. they don't exactly talk much. Though there is never any doubt as to what the sheep are up to or how incredibly funny their antics become.

There are seven episodes included on this dvd :

The Big Chase
Bitzer From the Black Lagoon
Zebra Ducks of the Serengeti
Bitzer’s Basic Training
The Magpie
The Boat
Hide & Squeak

Connor especially loved the title episode The Big Chase! Timmy decide to steal the farmers brand new four wheeler and the sheep have to find a way to chase him down. I had to laugh as honestly it's exactly the kind of thing that Connor would do himself if given the chance. Plus anything involving Timmy is always a good laugh.

I've always highly recommended Shaun the Sheep dvds for friends going on long car trips. They are perfect for sticking in the portable dvd player as they are not as distracting as other movies I've found and my kids can't keep their eyes off of them. Even Dylan finds Shaun super funny!

You can pick up your own copy of Shaun The Sheep - The Big Chase right now on dvd at Amazon!

Disclosure: We were given a copy of Shaun The Sheep - The Big Chase free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors!

Umi Shoes, Connor's favorite sandles for summer!

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Fri, 06 May 2011 20:03:00 PDT

Anyone who knows me and Connor will tell you that we wear sandals just about everywhere. So much so that it's not uncommon to see one or both of us sporting sandals in the winter. Though I love shoes, I just am a sandal girl always have been. I think I picked the habit up growing up in the south and from my mother who is just as guilty as I am. So needless to say the first thing Connor asked for when summer came was a new pair of sandals.

Though Connor loves flip flops, just like his mom, they just do not hold up to all the running and jumping that boy does. So we needed something that would hold up to all that jumping and running and still look great. Umi Shoes has been one of our long term favorites for tennis shoes and dressier shoes and when I saw the Nyoni I knew we had his new sandals for the summer. These sandals are as well built and have the same sort of sole and insoles that you would expect from a tennis shoe. What I really love though is the fact that the straps and heel strap are all padded. We've had some real problems in the past with sandals rubbing holes in Connor's heels and these ones show no sign of that happening and I know his feet will be well supported. They also feature very heavy duty velcro straps which will take the abuse that young children put on velcro shoes.

I especially love the color choices offered this year. We went with the ocean color in the Nyoni which has a green accent that runs all around the shoe. Most of Connor's wardrobe falls within blue and green and they match nicely to just about everything in his wardrobe. Though if I bought a second pair we'd get the chocolate for his dressier outfits. Don't worry girls they come in pink too!

Umi Shoes offers really exceptional shoes that hold up great and look even better! Connor has several pairs that he will be passing down to Dylan and they still look awesome. If your headed over there and are looking for a great looking pair of tennis type shoes I highly recommend you check out the Oleson as well. I've been drooling over them for weeks!

Visit Umi Shoes to see their entire selection!

Disclosure: We were given a pair of Nyoni sandals free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors!

DVD Review : IMAX Hubble

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Thu, 05 May 2011 18:02:00 PDT

First of all I need to tell you guys that I absolutely love anything related to NASA and missions in space. This has alot to do with the fact that in the years before my grandfather died most of our conversations went around the current mars mission and listening to NPR together to get all the current updates. My grandfather was fascinated and his excitement was nearly impossible not to wear off on you. Plus I grew up on National Geographic and documentaries. While most kids watched cartoons I couldn't keep my eyes off any sort of learning or nature show.

With that said the release of some of the most breath taking nature and earth dvds in the last few years have had me in total awe and practically drooling on the cases. Though the IMAX Hubble release hasn't gotten as much press as some of the other dvds that have come out in the past year or two it should not be ignored and images alone makes me really wish I would have caught this one in all of its IMAX glory in the theater.

The documentary follows the 2009 crew that was sent to rescue the Hubble Space Telescope. You follow the crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis as they set out to rescue the oldest and very well known telescope. It takes five space walks and a pretty risky maneuver with a mechanical arm to fix the Hubble but the images and video captured during the mission is breathtaking to say the least. I wish they would make more such documentaries as I really think if people payed even a little bit of attention to the space program they would be as fascinated. Maybe a little more recognition and more people would realize just how important our space program and NASA truly is.

I can't say enough great things about IMAX Hubble and regardless if you have kids or you just want to watch something that will take your breath away it's an awesome video and I promise you will want to watch it more than once.

IMAX Hubble is available on dvd and you can pick up your copy at Amazon!

Disclosure: We were given a copy of IMAX Hubble free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors!

Book Review : I Must Have Bobo!

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:46:00 PDT

Willy has a favorite stuffed friend or "pet" as Connor likes to call him named Bobo. Bobo is from the very beginning of the book a quite popular plush monkey. Willy wakes up one morning to realize that his beloved Bobo is no where to be found, not even under the bed, and Willy does everything with Bobo!! Well it seems that Earl, Willy's crazy cat, loves Bobo as much as Willy does and he's hiding in the bed with him!

I had to laugh right there as though Connor's favorite "pet" is not nearly as important to him as Bobo is to Willy he does get rather upset when he can't find Helicopter (his current name though it changes as well... a plush black dog that is shaped really similar to Bobo in this book). He does routinely argue with my chihuahua Melos and the face he gives Melos is very very similar to the look that Willy gives Earl every time he catches him with Bobo. So needless to say Connor really got into the storyline and loves to point out how naughty Earl is just like "his" Melos.

Personally I absolutely love I Must Have Bobo! and it's become one of my favorite quick reads as it's one of those picture books that you can really get into when your reading it out loud. Connor especially loves it when I throw my arms up in the air and I say "I MUST HAVE BOBO!" really loud every time Willy has lost Bobo again!. He also loves to squeal "BAD EARL!!" every time Earl takes off with Bobo when Willy is not watching. It's a fairly fast read with only one real phrase per page but on the nights that I'm especially tired and I want a book that has a big bang without having to spend two hours reading it, Bobo has moved to my top ten list in choices.

The graphics in the book are simplistic on a creamy yellow backdrop. No major elabrate drawings or super bright colors so if your looking for a stunning picture book you may have to look twice at I Must Have Bobo! as though it is rather "simple" I love the fact that it's not busy and it's all very tasteful. It's one of those books that will look as good 20 years from now as it does now. It reminds me a little of the same sort of "look" as Harold and the Purple Crayon from my youth where only the important items in the background other than Harold have any real detail.

I Must Have Bobo! by Eileen Rosenthal is a super fun read for both children and adults and you can pick up your copy on Amazon!

Disclosure: We were given a copy of I Must Have Bobo! free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors.

DVD Review : Angelina Ballerina - Ballet Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:02:00 PDT

Oh Angelina, you just can not get any more girlier than this mouse. Actually it cracks me up, people always misspelled my name Angelina instead of Angela though I'm still not sure why. To top it off I'm pretty sure I had a lavender tutu just like Angelina's when I briefly took ballet lessons but I quickly learned I'm not really the dancing type. Regardless I think every little girl dreams of a few things growing up, being a princess, owning a unicorn, and being a dancer. I still dream of two of the three.. heh.

Angelina fans will absolutely love this dvd but really it shines as an introduction to Angelina! Angelina has just moved and has found herself in a new home and a new school. She has to adjust to her new surroundings, something I know about all too well, and a new school, teachers, and friends! I think every little kid, and adult, has some fears of being in a new place and new people. Seeing Angelina adapt and thrive is a great lesson for any child! Plus who can resist a mouse in a tutu?

Included Episodes :

Angelina's New Home
Angelina's New Ballet Teacher
Angelina En Pointe
Angelina's Ballet School
Angelina and the New Music Store

Plus!

"Create Your Own Dream Routine" Game

What is really unusual about this dvd is there are no bonus episodes from other Hit Entertainment characters. Though it makes up for it in the fact that all the episodes you get are just all about Angelina.

Angelina Ballerina : Ballet Dreams is available right now and you can pick up your copy on Amazon!

Disclosure: We were given a copy of Angelina Ballerina : Ballet Dreams free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors

DVD Review : Spongebob Squarepants The Great Party Caper

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 17:05:00 PDT

Spongebob Squarepants : The Great Party Caper is brand new seven episode Spongebob collection featuring the title episode The Great Party Caper. Spongebob seems to endlessly entertain Connor and Chris but I've really never been a huge Spongebob fan though I do enjoy the fact that it keeps my crazed munchkin entertained. However, The Great Patty Caper episode by far has been one of my favorite episodes to date. Spongebob and Patrick have to find the missing Patty recipe. It was stolen from the vault... could Plankton be behind this one?

The other six episodes included are not mystery episodes and really follow no particular theme.. but they all seem to be from season seven so if your waiting on that season seven collection this is a great way to get a few of the episodes now to enjoy.

Included Episodes :

The Great Patty Caper - It’s part whodunit, part whereisit as SpongeBob, Patrick and Plankton take a train to search for the Krabby Patty recipe’s latest hiding place.

Growth Spout - When Pearl starts growing rapidly, Mr. Krabs’ wallet is in for a fight to survive.

Stuck in the Wringer - SpongeBob gets himself into quite a situation when he gets stuck in a wringer after his shower.

Someone’s in the Kitchen with Sandy - In his latest attempt to steal the Krabby Patty formula, Plankton disguises himself as Sandy.

The Inside Job - In another crazy move for the Krabby Patty formula, Plankton manages to infiltrate SpongeBob’s head.

Greasy Buffoons - Mr. Krabs and Plankton overindulge everyone and their love of greasy food in an all-out fast food war.

All in all that's 89 minutes of Spongebob goodness including some very short but cute animated shorts. A great pre-season seven edition to your collection!

Spongebob The Great Patty Caper is available right now on DVD and you can pick up your copy on Amazon!

Disclosure: We were given a copy of Spongebob Squarepants : The Great Party Caper free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors

DVD Review : Invader Zim Operation Doom

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 17:15:00 PDT

Ok call me a total geek but I giggled like a mindless supervillian when this dvd came in the mail. Invader Zim has long been one of my favorite and if you ask me one of the most under appreciated kids. Why they ever took it off the air in the first place is beyond me but it's one of those cartoons that adults as well as kids can really enjoy. Actually I was an avid Invader Zim watcher way before I even thought about having kids. Invader Zim's creator Johnen Vasquez is my comic book hero of all time creating the very dark but super funny Johnny the Homicidal Maniac series and Squee both of which will make me squeal for joy and both of which are the two comic books that I read over and over on a fairly regular basis.

Invader Zim was most certainly written more for the main stream and lacks most of the dark aspects of the comic book series but it still includes the quirky humor. How can you NOT like Invader Zim... he's a robot banished to Earth and he decides to discuise himself as a human and go to school so he can learn more about the humans. He isn't very popular but maybe that has a little to do with the fact that all he ever thinks about is how he is going to take over the world. My favorite character is by far Gir though.. possibly he is sort of the opposite to Zim like Squee was to Johnny. Melos (my beloved Chihuahua was almost named Gir but I realized he was a little too smart to be Gir early on). Gir is completely mad, totally messed up, robot companion of Zim's and I have to say he's easily if anything a huge factor in why I was totally obessed with this show when it was on the air. They could have made a Gir show all on its own and I would have ended up sitting there hours on end drooling on the screen. He's cute, completely idiotic, and aboslutely hiallrious.

Now let me squeal with joy when I tell you that though this is not the complete set of episodes made for Invader Zim, Invader Zim : Operation Doom includes 14 episodes of the series which is close enough to the whole series as if I'm not mistaken there are only 20ish episodes of the show total, which still totally depresses me. And though its not as fancy, nor does it include any extras, as perviously released box sets it will also not set you back $50+ like those would. So if your a Invader Zim fan or if you just want to add a little evil robot takes over the world to your dvd colllection I highly.. HIGHLY.. recommend you buy this dvd. I rarely say this, but if I could recommend any Nickelodean release this year this would hands down be the one I'd buy.

Invader Zim : Operation Doom is gloriously available right now on DVD and you can pick up your copy on Amazon!

Now excuse me while I go do a happy dance.

Disclosure: We were given a copy of Invader Zim : Operation Doom free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors

DVD Review : Felicity : An American Girl Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:45:00 PDT

I was not lucky enough to grow up with American Girl Dolls, they really came on the scene after I became too old to really show interest. I did however grow up with Anne of Green Gables and the Secret Garden and Felicity has the same sort of appeal.

American Girl Adventures are dvd adaptations of American Girl Dolls stories. Each doll has it's own story line and book and these dvds are just a extension of that. Felicity won my heart right away as well she loves an abused horse that she calls Penny and wants to set her free. A girl after my own heart indeed!

Felicity has more than just horses on the mind though, she has to learn how to juggle the expectations set on her as well as the revolution that is coming. People that she loves are conflicted between being loyal to the king and wanting to live free as their own independent country. Friendships and her own family is divided. As well she has to juggle the struggle in her own heart between growing up and taking her place as a lady in society and her adventurist spirit and what she feels is right. The horse she calls Penny belongs to a man who mistreats his animals and she wants nothing more than to free his animals from his cruelty. Though it may not be the same issues girls face today the spirit of the issues is the same. We all struggle with our own sense of self and sense of right and what society and family puts on us.

American Girl Doll fans I'm sure will also enjoy seeing their favorite doll brought to life!

You can pick up your own copy of Felicity : An American Girl Doll Adventure right now on Amazon!

DVD Review : Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated : Season One Volume 1

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 13:31:00 PDT

Every time I turn around I seem to find another Scooby-Doo series out on dvd. Though that sounds like I'm complaining, believe me I'm not. Really I mean it when I say there is no such thing as too much Scooby-Doo and I'm grateful that there are enough episodes across several series to keep you busy for quite some time. My own childhood afternoons would have never been the same without endless amounts of Scooby-Doo to keep me busy.

The newest dvd release is Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated : Season One Volume 1 and it was the one series I had not seen any episodes of prior to doing this review. I was a little excited as this series claimed to be the most modern as well as offered some new aspects to the plot line that though hinted at in the past with some of the series was never really played out. The first of which is the love interests between the group. You always just assumed that the gang must have had something going on there, but it was really never that obvious or at least I can't remember it ever being part of the plot before. With Mystery Incorporated the gang's love interests have come into full view and in some ways I kinda like that aspect it does sometimes honestly get a little frustrating. It certainly does make Scooby-Doo more interesting to some of the girls out there though! The other aspect that I found really interesting is getting glimpses of the gang's parents. Again something you just always assumed but never really saw up till now.

The part I really like about this series is the new face lift the gang gets. Though their outfits and the van really do remain the same the graphics are very obviously cleaned up and the whole show gets sort of a modern comic book feel. All the lines are cleaner and the camera work is just far superior to some of the other series. It certainly brings the gang into the modern world.

You can pick up your own copy of Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated : Season One Volume 1 on dvd on Amazon!

Disclosure: We were given a copy of Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated : Season One Volume 1 free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors

DVD Review : Dora's Ballet Adventures

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 12:59:00 PDT

I always figured Dora for more of the tomboyish type but in her new dvd adventures Dora is a full out ballet princess which has it's good points and bad. Regardless of if Dora is meant for girls or not, Dora is one of Connor's favorite Nick Jr friends. So much so when we moved into our new house and found one of the bedrooms already decorated with a Dora border it was almost world war kids when we decided to take it down for a more neutral look. Dora's new dvd adventure Dora's Ballet Adventures is geared more towards the girlie girls and though I think that's absolutely fair as Dora deserves to have a little girl time of her own, it did loose Connor's interest in this particular dvd. With that said it's a great addition to your Dora collection, at least for her girl fans.

Dora's Ballet Adventures is an exclusive of Target and it includes four never seen before episodes all focused on music and dancing!

Included :

Dora’s Ballet Adventure - Dora’s dance class is getting ready for a special dance recital and her whole family’s there to watch her perform. They just need to wait for the Delivery Duck to deliver their ballet slippers. But the Delivery Duck brings scuba flippers instead of ballet slippers! Dora and Boots must get the slippers before the recital begins.

Dora, La Músico - C’mon and join the musical parade! Dora and Boots are leading a parranda over the Piano Bridge and through the Singing Gate to free the instruments that were locked up by the evil Señor Shhh!

The Super Silly Fiesta - Dora and Boots are invited to the Big Red Chicken’s Super Silly Fiesta where there will be silly snacks, silly games, silly hats and even silly dancing. But, the Big Red Chicken lost his party cake! Dora and Boots set off to save the fiesta. After searching forever, they find the cake in the silliest place Big Red Chicken could have left it – on his head!

Surprise - It’s Boots’ birthday! Dora tells him that all of his friends are waiting at her house to give Boots a big party. To reach Dora’s house, they’ll have to climb a long flight of Stairs and cross the Troll Bridge.

You can purchase your own copy of Dora's Ballet Adventures at Target!

Disclosure: We were given a copy of Dora's Ballet Adventures free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors.

Game Review : Kidz Bop Dance Party! The Video Game for Wii

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 23:50:00 PDT

I'm whole heartily addicted to dance video games, which is in itself is sort of sad as I'm really not a good dancer in the first place. Though when no one is looking I dance my little heart out to the wii which is not only great exercise but it's the type of exercise you get into and really don't even realize you are doing it in the first place. The biggest problem is Connor usually wants to play with me and with some of the adult themed titles he really has a super hard time keeping up and just ends up getting frustrated.

Kidz Bop Dance Party! The Video Game is a Wii dance game that is truly made for kids. The included songs are popular songs but they are redone with kids in mind. Twenty four songs are included like : Party In The USA, Paparazzi, Since U Where Gone, Thriller, and many more. The songs will appeal to kids as well as get them moving. The game itself though the graphics are not nearly as good as some of the other dance games I have played they are very very colorful and unlike some of the other dance games you can to some extent customize your own avatar.

Now what really sets this title apart from some of the more adult skill level dance games is the actual game play. Kidz Bop Dance Party! is beyond simple in its controls. Actually I'm not so sure if it's a good or a bad thing but practically anyone can play it and as long as you keep the controller moving you can score pretty well no matter if your dance moves really are anything like what's happening on the screen. Connor loved the fact that "he could do it" but if I played it with him I found the whole experience aggravating as I didn't seem to score much differently if I just jumped around like a crazy person or actually attempted to follow the moves.

Now my honest opinion after really thinking about it... I will completely forgive Kidz Bop Dance Party for being geared towards kids, being super simple to control, and lacking some of the graphical aspects of my own dance games. The reason for this is Connor was beyond excited that he could play this game without any help from "Mom" and if it gets him up and moving burning off some of that excess energy it's beyond worth its faults. So all in all if your looking for a kid friendly easy to play dance game for the Wii, we really do recommend it.

Kidz Bop Dance Party! The Video Game is available right now and you can pick up a copy on Amazon!

Disclosure: We were given a copy of Kidz Bop Dance Party! The Video Game free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors

DVD Review : Hit Entertainment 4 DVD Action Pack!

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 23:51:00 PST

One package, four seperately dvds in one fat chunky case. You know what that means mommas... the perfect travel companion and an all in one entertainment center. heh. Sorry I couldn't resist. Actually we love collections like this for just that reason they are easy to transport and even easier to store.

Hit Entertainment's new 4 DVD Action Pack includes two of the favorites for boys both Thomas & Friends and Bob The Builder with a Fireman Sam dvd thrown in for good measure. All four dvds are full length Hit Entertainment features all feature several episodes each as well as bonus features.

Included :

Thomas & Friends : Steamies vs. Diesels - This is an older dvd and is not CGI though to be perfectly honest I'm a big non CGI Thomas fan though the animation is not as smooth there is something about the old style Thomas that I really enjoy.
Thomas & Friends : Track Stars - a newer dvd and not one we had previously seen. We especially love the sing along extra on this dvd as well as the read along.
Bob The Builder : Heavy Duty Diggers - I was really suprised to see this dvd included as its fairly new and we even did a full review for it when it was released singally. It inlcudes five Bob episodes and is still one of Connor's favorites.
Fireman Sam : Help is here - Fireman Sam is one of my favorite Hit Entertainment characters. I guess we are partial around here as my husband is in public service as well. I also love the fact that Fireman Sam gives kids a role model for safety and helping others, something Connor desperately needs.

All in all you end up with 182 minutes of run time which is more than enough to make it through most car trips! I especially love that all the dvds are included in one thicker than average case that keeps them organized and it's easy to grab on the way out the door or to throw in an overnight bag for the grandparents.

You can pick up your own copy of Hit Entertainment 4 DVD Action Pack on Amazon right now!

Disclosure: We were given a copy of Hit Entertainment 4 DVD Action Pack free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors.

DVD Review : Wishbone

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:13:00 PST

OH Wishbone, how I loved you afterschool on PBS and how pleased I was to see you on DVD to share with my son. I almost am a little embarassed to admit that I watched Wishbone faithfully every day after school, as a high school student! I even watched Wishbone later when it was rereleased in the late 90s as an adult while I worked on my sewing projects, which ironically were also for dogs. Wishbone is not only one of the cutest jack russell terriers you will ever see but the costume quality for a dog costume was really supurb in this series.

Wishbone is not just any dog, he is a dog with a really serious imagination. Wishbone dreams of some of the great literary stories and acts them out for you with a flair that only a certain jack russell terrier could!

Episodes Included :

The Impawssible Dream - With Wishbone's owner Joe aspiring to make his best in free throws, Wishbone dreams about "Don Quixote"!
The Hunchdog of Notre Dame - Inspired by his new friend Nathaniel who's just a little bit different, Wishbone dreams of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". Personally our favorite of the episodes included too, Wishbone's hunchback costume is so adorable.
Hot Diggety Dog - Wishbone starts dreaming of "Journey to the Center of the Earth" when digging in the yard!
Paw Prints of Thieves - Wishbone is inspired when his owner Joe saves food from the cafeteria and gives it to those that need it and it make him think of "Robin Hood"! A close second in my opinion to the hunchback episode and Connor's personal favorite!

Each episode not only introduces kids to some classic stories but presents them in a way that sparks their interest and hopefully will inspire them to read them and act out their own favorite books as well. After watching I had Connor pick a book from his collection and I had him help me act out small parts. He's not really ready yet for a full production but we've started introducing the idea that he can act out small parts of each book as I read them. It's a great way to get kids more involved and interested in reading! Wishbone is just fabulous and I can't say how pleased and excited I am to see him on dvd. I just hope the release follow up dvds with additional episodes on them!

Wishbone is available right now on dvd and you can pick up your copy on Amazon!

Disclosure: We were given a copy of Wishbone free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors.

Dylan turns a year old!

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 09:30:00 PST

I'm still speechless, how on earth has it been a year? Dylan had his first birthday party over the weekend. It was a small event compared to some of our other parties in the past.. no blow ups, no fancy location, just a good ole fashioned home birthday party with friends and family. I have to admit I did splurge on our cake and I hired a photographer though both were more than reasonable and I really didn't spend more on the cake than I would have regularly. However the party was amazing and I loved having our friends and family all at our new house and even Nana (my grandmother) came up from Florida for the day.

Dylan has had quite the first year most of which he spent being sick, going through therapy, and visiting countless doctors trying to figure out exactly what happened in the first place. For those of you that have not kept up with us on Facebook we've had sort of an up and down year. It all started when he was about two months old and he started crying non stop 12 to 14 hours a day.. every day.. for several months. We were told it was acid reflux and colic but nothing helped him and the movements of even a swing would set him off. He never gained a ton of weight and though I'm an avid breast feeding supporter he could never seem to get enough suction to keep my milk supply going and I was forced to put him on formula against everything I felt was important. He just seemed to be getting weaker and weaker and smaller and smaller and finally around five months he got very ill with what at first seemed like a virus which landed him in the hospital for over a week with severe nausea and he couldn't keep any formula or even just plain water down. The poor little guy left the hospital at only barely over his birth weight. I really didn't even realize how fragile he was until I went back recently and looked at some pictures I took of him not long after. His little arms were soo skinny.

Afterwards it was all a struggle to get back to normality. He failed to meet any of his milestones, and had to be put in physical therapy and he just couldn't seem to get his strength up and was missing all his milestones. To top it off we could never figure out exactly what happened in the first place. We were sent to neurologists, nutritionists, and even to the children's hospital. His gross motor skills were severely off and his leg muscles were so tight early on that I couldn't even get him into a proper sitting position. Though many scary things were mentioned thus far he has tested negative for everything he's been tested for. I will say however that physical therapy was a godsend and he's improved dramatically since we started working on his muscle tone and flexibility. Now I'm proud to say at a year old it's almost impossible to tell anything was ever wrong he now meets all his milestones and he took his first independent step during his birthday party (though I missed it!!!). He still suffers from slightly stiffer than normal leg muscles but I'm more than positive that if we keep on it and keep him active that as he grows that too will become a distant memory.

Dylan is a beautiful baby, always happy, always smiling, just a pure joy. He's taken everything in stride and worked so hard to build those muscles and he refuses to hear the word no. It seems every time we have a setback and any time anyone mentioned that it may take him longer to reach a milestone it always seems like he understands and works three times as hard to show them differently. I mean can you believe that he learned to sit up at Christmas and now just a few short weeks later he is not only standing and cruising but attempting to walk as well! Even just two weeks ago they were sure he would be in leg braces for at least a year if not more and now he's attempting to walk independently. Now I wonder if leg braces are even the best choice for him. He always surprises me! Even in the last two months he has gained SIX pounds and now is not only on the growth chart but is shooting up it at amazing speeds.

Dylan, I love you little man. I know it seems like we got cheated a little on your first year... I can't wait to see what you do this year. I love you and I will be at your side and ready and excited for all there is to come!

For all our readers I'm grateful for your continued support. Dylan, Connor and I love you guys and we hope that this year will bring us more towards normality and we can't wait to share what is to come with you all.

All of the above photos were taken by Jessala White Photography and the amazing cakes were made by Coloring on the Walls. Thanks ladies they were amazing!

DVD Review : Jump Into Spring

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 23:34:00 PST

Jump Into Spring is one of my favorite types of DVDs by Hit Entertainment. This dvd features eight episodes from some of Hit Entertainment's favorite characters. I especially love these dvds they give you a little bit of everything all in one. Jump Into Spring is also one of our favorites in awhile as it features our absolute favorite Hit Entertainment character Timmy from the Shaun The Sheep series in his awesome show.

Included on the Jump Into Spring DVD :

Thomas & Friends – “Don’t Go Back”
Fireman Sam – “Three-Legged Race”
Barney – “A Game For Everyone”
Bob the Builder – “Dizzy and the Wheelies”
Kipper – “The Big Race”
Roary the Racing Car – “Big Chris’ Big Workout”
Angelina Ballerina – “Angelina Cheerleader”
Timmy Time – “Timmy Wants to Win”

I was overjoyed to see the Timmy Time episode as I've been dying to see this series as we are huge Shaun The Sheep fans. I will say though its a spin off series it's not exactly the same as Shaun the Sheep and it seems to be targeted more towards younger watchers. Timmy is not a resident of the farm like on Shaun the Sheep but is part of a whole city of animals in the classic Shaun The Sheep no talking format. The episode is cute and the backdrop is much brighter colored than classic Shaun the Sheep. Connor loved it and the colors got Dylan's attention much more than normal Shaun The Sheep episodes. I'm torn as to which "feel" I like better but I was overjoyed to see more "sheep" themed episodes.

Roary The Racing Car is also a new series being showcased on this dvd. Perfect for Bob The Builder fans who want more vehicle only plot lines. Roary is a very energetic racing car and honestly the whole show reminds me a little of the "Cars" movies with a British accent, heh! Connor begged for more and I really hope we see more of Roary in upcoming releases!

Jump Into Spring is available on dvd right now and you can pick up your copy on Amazon!

Disclosure: We were given a copy of Jump Into Spring free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors.

Taking the day off.. a family day at the park!

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:34:00 PST

We've all been stressed lately. Between Dylan staying up all night long crying and teething and everyone putting in extra hours on house projects. (Afterall what is the point of not sleeping with a sad baby.. you might as well paint while you sit up with him!) We needed a day out of the house. We spent the afternoon at the local park that is right beside the river. Ate a picnic lunch, enjoyed some ice cream, and the boys played.

Dylan turns ONE tomorrow. I'm not sure how that even happened but it's awfully bittersweet.

I dedicate this to my favorite baby.. Dylan.

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:25:00 PST

Dylan will be ONE in just a few short days.. well really a few short hours. Friday the 18th is his first birthday. A friend dedicated a video of the Muppets to me and my husband and it inspired me to dedicate this one to my favorite little munchkin. My constant sidekick. Who has been teething non stop lately and seems want to be plastered to me round the clock. Not that I mind, I'll savor the babyness while it lasts.

Dylan, please stay little just a little while longer? I love you little man.

Happy Valentines Day!

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 18:57:00 PST

I hope you are all having a super awesome Valentines Day! We had cupcakes delivered from Coloring On The Walls (for those of you that are local to us she is in Millbrook) and the boys were so excited I let them have cupcakes for breakfast AND lunch... after all Valentines Day only comes once a year. The cupcakes were amazing and super reasonably priced we ordered Dylan's birthday cake from her as well and I'm so excited to see how it comes out.

Chris also surprised me with flowers... Connor said he approved. heh.

DVD Review : Shaun the Sheep : Spring Shena-a-anigans

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 21:38:00 PST

I've recommended Shaun the Sheep over and over to my Mommy friends as well as to Aunts and Uncles who want to stock their house with kid friendly dvds that they will enjoy as well. Shaun is, in our opinion, one of the funniest dvd series for kids, families, and even adults love him. Shaun the Sheep's newest dvd is spring themed and has seven episodes that you won't be able to resist laughing at.

Included on this dvd :

“Spring Lamb” - It’s bath time for a reluctant Timmy. In trying to escape, Timmy gets a spring attached to his tail. It’s up to the flock to catch the bouncing baby sheep and return him to the tub before he destroys the farm.

“Supersize Timmy” - Timmy accidentally eats a tomato grown with “Miracle-Grow” fertilizer and expands to become the King Kong of sheep. Shaun must keep the giant toddler out of sight while trying to figure out how to return him to normal size.

“Bagpipe Buddy” - The sheep discover a set of bagpipes on the rubbish dump which they immediately misidentify as a sick emu. They set about trying to nurse it back to health before releasing it back into the wild.

“Cheetah Cheater” – A wildlife film inspires Pidsley the cat to play a prank on the flock by disguising himself as a leopard. Shaun is convinced there is a huge beast on the loose and concocts a plan to catch it.

“Lock Out” - While preparing for bed, the Farmer manages to lock himself out of the house and is stuck outside in his pajamas. He decides to spend the night in the barn but his incessant snoring drives the flock mad. Shaun heads up an operation to return him to his bed without waking him up

“Draw the Line” – The flock hijack a road line-painting machine and cause chaos while creating giant works of art in the field.

“Ewe’ve Been Framed” – When Shaun accidentally breaks the farmer’s glasses, he and Bitzer have their work cut out trying to prevent their short-sighted master from having mishaps around the farm. Things get a little hair-raising for the flock before Shaun manages to replace the smashed up spectacles.

We are serious fans of the smallest sheep on the farm, Timmy, and I was soo pleased to see two episodes deciated to our favorite pint sized sheep. Though Supersize Timmy was our favorite and I can only imagine what I would do if one of my own munchkins got a hold of a toddler growth potion, heh! Also included on the dvd is special Timmy episode as a bonus "Timmy's Plane", a sheep sheering dvd game, and a special Timmy song. I guess I must not be the only Timmy fan out there, though I can't say I'm disappointed as I love the extra Timmy time.

I know I've said it before but one of my favorite features about the Shaun The Sheep series is the most of the characters do not talk! I know that sounds odd but it makes for perfect viewing when the baby is asleep or in the car when you do not want to be distracted by a ton of dialog. Though I can not guarantee that you won't laugh so hard you will wake up the entire house. Though a lack of a real dialog does not at all hinder you from understanding or down right laughing at what's going on with the sheep.

Shaun The Sheep : Spring Shena-a-anigans is available right now on dvd and you can pick up your copy on Amazon!

Disclosure: We were given a copy of Shaun The Sheep : Spring Shena-a-anigans free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors.

Book Review : Beauty & The Beast by Robert Sabuda

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 21:21:00 PST

In my childhood pop-up books were a novelity and always something that caught my eye and there were always a lot of oohs and ahhs over them. I've always been fascinated by the workmanship that goes into them. Connor feels the same way about them and almost dances with joy anytime we get the opportunity to review one. He just cannot top himself from looking at them even if I put them on a top shelf he usually finds a way to get them down and will spend tons of time just checking out each page and each little hidden detail. Though up till now I really thought I knew what to expect out of a pop-up book but recently I've been really been blown away by some of the newer ones coming out on the market.

Beauty & The Beast by Robert Sabuda is the familiar story we all grew up with of Beauty & The Beast but the pop-up version that is part of the series of pop-up books released by Simon and Schuster is by far one of the most beautiful, most detailed, pop-up books we have ever had the pleasure of reading. Right away with the front cover you notice the dark colors and dark lines of the illustrations. The entire book is illustrated in a way that reminds you of a stained glass piece even more so the colors lend to the story which after all is kind of spooky at first seeing as the princess ends up in a castle with a scary beast! What is really amazing about the book however is the detail to the pop-ups and how the book itself is read.

Each page is a little bit of a puzzle. You open the page and you are greeted with a large center pop up that is detailed in every aspect, you actually have to turn the book each way to see the entire picture. As well each page offers folding pages that open all of which are adorned with their own small pop-ups in the folds. Some pages even offer special surprises like the folded hallways on the very front page that act almost like mini kaleidoscopes as you have to look through the keyholes to see the entire scene. I've read the book at least a dozen times, and every time I am greeted with a new little detail that I missed the time before. Unlike most pop-ups it also has a rich story line and you get the full story along with the great pictures. Though by far the real gem of this book is the amazing graphics, they tell the story all on their own

One thing I will note though is how potentially fragile this book is. It's not a book that I will allow Connor, who is coming four in a two months, to play or look at by himself. Though well built it would be very easy to rip one of the pop-ups or folded story pages out of the book all together if you do not handle it with care. Unless it is a gift for older children I recommend storing it out of the way of small hands and bringing it down to read together when you can supervise it being handled. Priced at $29.99 it is well worth every penny in pictures alone. It would also make a beautiful and remembered gift!

You can purchase your own copy of Beauty & The Beast : A Pop-up Book of the Classic Fairy Tale on Amazon right now!

Disclosure: We were given a copy of Beauty & The Beast : A Pop-up Book of the Classic Fairy Tale free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors.

DVD Review : Fun on The Farm

noreply@blogger.com (angelaandconnor at gmail.com) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 21:43:00 PST

Have a tractor addict in your family? Or do your kids dream of growing up to be farmers? John Deere's new children's dvd Fun On The Farm might be exactly what your looking for!

You know, this dvd was sitting at the bottom of my dvd review pile as I really honestly didn't think we'd get into it. Connor however pulled it out and insisted I move it to the top. The dvd shows all sorts of things about farms from how crops are grown and harvested to different types of tractors and farm equipment and even takes it's viewers on a trip to a Farm exhibit at the Chicago Lincoln Park Zoo (Chris's home turf and a zoo we all love!). What I really didn't expect is how much we would really enjoy it. Especially the "wacky" farm bits where crops grow pizza, seeing as that's the favorite meal around here I would seriously have some of those plants around if they were real! Though personally my favorite was the included dvd game, The Cloud Game, where you have to find the figure in the cloud. I've been catching myself ever since staring out the window looking for animals in the sky, something I haven't done since I was a child.

Fun On The Farm is around forty minutes long and boasts some pretty entertaining songs and cute skits and is really geared towards the preschool range of viewers. Older kids may find it entertaining but may loose interest as it's really more about the images and educational value than having a real story. I really wish we had this dvd a few years ago when Connor's cousin was obsessed with combines! He would have been glued to the tv watching this one over and over!

Fun on The Farm is available right now on dvd and you can pick up your copy on Amazon!

Disclosure: We were given a copy of Fun on The Farm free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors.