Archives for December 2017

Atlas is Pet of the Week!

December 12, 2017 By DeniseB Leave a Comment

Atlas may be as strong as the mythical Titan he’s named for, but the shelter staff call him Lover Boy! He’ll run to you to give you kisses! He’s jolly and loves being with people, and he knows “sit” and “stay.” Atlas came in as a stray and his family didn’t come to look for him, but he’s not one to carry the world on his shoulders, like his namesake. Make his holiday happy—meet him at 7700 East Spring St., (562) 570-PETS. Ask for ID#A591640.

Credit: (The usual suspects contributed to this rescue)

Filed Under: Pet Corner

Super 4: Welcome to Kingsland – So Many Adventures! Something for Everyone.

December 11, 2017 By DeniseB Leave a Comment

Embark on a series of adventures with the Super 4 as they travel throughout the wider Playmobil® universes. Whether it be a sci-fi futuristic world, a magical fairy world, a world of pirates, or a world of medieval knights, the adventures are never ending! Welcome to Enchanted Island, an island covered with a mysterious enchanted forest, which is home to every form of magical creature you could ever imagine fairies, mischievous boy sprites, unicorns, sirens, ancient tree spirits, and magic wishing wells. Visitors to Enchanted Isle must beware for nothing is ever quite what it seems, and dreams and reality quickly become one. At the center of the forest is the palace of the capricious Fairy Queen, who is in a constant temper due to being turned into a frog by a talented young fairy who overdid herself and, in an attempt to grant the ultimate favor to the queen by making her even more pretty , she cast a spell that in fact gave her the head of a frog! Unfortunately, that talented young fairy is our friend, Twinkle. Twinkle has great potential as a fairy but she must learn to master her wand and its magic. Join Twinkle along with her Super 4 friends as they band together to fight villains and save their worlds from chaos. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jolleen M. comments, “Even though you may expect this DVD to be a cliché about a Prince saving a Princess, it is nothing like that. These episodes have so many adventures and each episode has something for everyone to enjoy.” Damon F. adds, “The message of this show is that if you work together, you can do anything.” See their full reviews below.

Super 4: Welcome to Kingsland
By Jolleen M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic age 12

These amazing animated episodes are great for everyone. Even though you may expect this DVD to be a cliché about a Prince saving a Princess, it is nothing like that. These episodes have so many adventures and each episode has something for everyone to enjoy.

Prince Alexander and his friends Ruby (a pirate), Twinkle (a fairy) and Jean (a secret intelligence agent) go on numerous adventures and come close to dangers from dragons, trolls and evil majesties who try to take over the kingdom. Prince Alex and his friends use their different thinking styles to come up with solutions to the different problems. Each character has a completely unique personality and different style.

Twinkle (Sarah Natochenny) can make herself sound so innocent and very caring. Sarah Natochenny seems very enthusiastic and happy, which completely matches Twinkle’s personality. Baron, an evil majesty, voiced by Sébastien Desjours, sounds a lot like a person who is very nosy and would like to fiddle with your life. Sébastien Desjours’ voice reminds me of an evil wizard or some sort of evil rich person. Desjours can sound very menacing and mischievous.

The costumes for each character show off its personality. For example, Jean is in a suit and has his handy, dandy smart watch device. The animation is unique and gives a lot of information about him visually. The backgrounds are detailed and the faces of the characters reveal their emotions. I like how they animate the dragons. They look pretty realistic and their movements are very smooth. The dragon’s breath of fire looks epic and moves the same way as an explosion moves.

My favorite episode is when Alex and his friends actually think that Baron is trying to befriend them without trying to gain something from them. This is my favorite episode because, at first, I thought that Baron was just trying to steal the sword from them and I expected him to eventually be successful at taking the sword. But when a dragon scoops up the sword from Alex’s hands, Baron jumps on the dragon and throws the sword down to Alex. I actually thought that Baron wanted to help them. Later, they realize Baron gave them a fake duplicate of the precious sword.

The message of this film is to live life with adventure and do the right thing. Alex, Twinkle, Jean and Ruby always have fun and make sure to help those around them. They never try to steal what isn’t theirs or try to make other people’s lives miserable. These episodes really show the importance of teamwork and it could inspire kids to help in their community.

These episodes are very entertaining and fun to watch. I recommend this DVD for ages 4 to 13 and give it film 5 out of 5 stars. The DVD is available now so be sure to check it out.

Super 4 Welcome to Kingsland

Damon F., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 10

Super 4 Welcome to Kingsland is a DVD of episodes about the Playmobil characters known as the Super 4. The series is based on the worlds of Playmobil. The worlds shown on this DVD are: Kingsland, which holds knights, barons, kings, princes, princesses and dragons; Fairy World, where fairies and little strange monsters live; and the Lost World, which includes dinosaurs. I must admit, I was disappointed that this DVD is very repetitive. The characters that aren’t Super 4 members do pretty much the same thing in every episode. For example, the knights just worship the king and don’t fight. And, the plot where the baron tries to marry the princess is used in two different episodes.

The members of the Super 4 are: Alex, (Damien Ferrette), the prince of Kingsland and the leader who started the Super 4; Twinkle, (Annouck Hautbois), a fairy from Fairy World, who doesn’t always get her spells right the first time; Ruby, (Laetitia Lefebvre), a pirate from the Pirate Lost Island, who sometimes gets in trouble for stealing treasure but always gives it back unless it is owned by the enemy; Gene, (Franck Lorrain), the team’s genius from the Agents’ world, who never gets things wrong. The Super 4 are a group of friends who embark on many adventures and missions to fight villains. This collection is about a few of their adventures saving Kingsland, Alex’s home world from chaos.

My favorite episode is called “Rage of Dragon” which is about the enchanted witch from fairy world who puts a spell on Ruby that turns her into a dragon. Super 4’s remaining members must figure out what happened to her and help her break the spell. That episode really stands out. My favorite character is Alien, Twinkles strange little monster pet who is really scared of dragons. He is funny because he is always clumsy.

The message of this show is that if you work together, you can do anything. Even though I didn’t like the plot repetition, younger kids who like repetition and play with Playmobil might love this. For that reason, I rate this DVD 2 out of 5 stars and it for ages 2 through 6. This DVD/Blu-ray is available now so go check it out.

Credit: KIDS FIRST!

Filed Under: Media Reviews

Digimon Adventure Tri 3: Confession – A Beautifully Anime Film That Touches Your Heart

December 11, 2017 By DeniseB Leave a Comment

Tai and his friends are haunted by the infection that resulted in Meicoomon destroying Leomon. What could have caused it? When did it occur? Now, all of the Digimon are quarantined, in hopes that answers can be found and the infection can be stopped. Unfortunately, one of the quarantined Digimon is already showing symptoms. The adventure now evolves once again. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jolleen M. comments, “All of these brave and courageous Digimon are so cute! This story is so powerful and made me bawl my eyes out.” Arjun N. adds, “Digimon Adventure Tri: Confession impressed me because of its wonderful style and action. The voice-acting is spectacular and the impressive animation allows for amazing visuals.” Talia J. wraps it up with, “Digimon Adventure Tri. 3: Confession is a beautifully made anime film that touched my heart and will touch the hearts of others.” See their full reviews below

Digimon Adventure Tri 3: Confession

By Jolleen M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

All of these brave and courageous Digimon are so cute! This story is so powerful and made me bawl my eyes out. The animation for each Digimon is unique and the animation for the human characters shows their emotions quite well. I really love seeing the sweet bond between the Digimons and their owners.

I haven’t watched Digimon part 1 or part 2 before, so it was a bit confusing for me in the beginning. But after the story got underway, I got the gist about what was happening. The storyline starts off with the characters trying to find a cure to an infection. The infection caused one of their Digimon, Meicoomon, to start causing trouble in the human world. They don’t know where Meicoomon has been or where she will go, so they have to keep all of the Digimon in Koushiro’s office to prevent them from getting infected. But one owner brings his Digimon home by accident. Later that day, the Digimon gets the virus but they don’t tell anyone. During the fight to keep Meicoomon in the digital dimension, the virus spreads to one of their Digimon friends who went to hold Meicoomon. The Digimon realize that they have no choice but to fight till the end to protect their owners and their human world. The Digimons say a sad goodbye to their owners and, even though their owners don’t want them to fight, they go anyway, ready to die.

The voice acting in this film is really convincing. Convincing in the way that I could tell when a character is desperate, sad or angry, and also convincing. Miwa Matsumoto (Patamon) sounds like a very delicate and caring creature. Patamon’s close bond with his partner T.K. is very sentimental. When Patamon has to say goodbye to T.K., I cried so much because I could tell that T.K. could not live without Patamon. But Patamon sounds determined and very emotional, as if he was crying.

The animation of this film is anime style. The animation for the Digimon is very unique. Each of the Digimon are completely different from the others and they each have different personalities and physical characteristics. The human characters are animated so that their faces shows their emotions. My favorite part is when Patamon and T.K. have to say goodbye to each other. Even though this part made me sad, I feel like it is the best part of the film. I really feel the emotions from T.K. in this scene.

The message of the film is about overcoming obstacles. Meiko is very depressed because her Digimon, Meicoomon took a dark turn. Even though this obstacle is in her way, she gets out of bed every morning and tries to do something to bring Meicoomon back to normal. She realizes that just crying won’t do anything for her Digimon.

This film is very sentimental. I really enjoyed crying about this film. Sometimes you just got to cry and have your heart be moved and not worry about how everything will turn out. Be sure to check this film out to see what happens. I recommend this for ages 8 to 14 and give it 5 out of 5 stars. It is out on DVD’s now so go check it out!

Digimon Adventure Tri: Confession

By Arjun N., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15

Digimon Adventure Tri: Confession impressed me because of its wonderful style and action. The voice-acting is spectacular and the impressive animation allows for amazing visuals. This is sure to be a hit with Digimon and anime fans.<p>

The story follows the events after an infected Meicoomon (Kate Higgons) turns to the dark side and kills Leomon. Due to this, Meicoomon’s owner, Meiko (Miho Arakawa), is dealing with extreme guilt and all the other Digimon are left in the office of Izzy (Mona Marshall) to prevent further infection. However, when Takeru (Junya Enoki) finds out his Digimon, Patamon (Laura Summer), is facing infection, he tries to stop it before it is too late. Meanwhile, Meicoomon returns to cause more havoc on Earth.

Miho Arakawa, as Meiko, excellently presents her guilt and blame after Meicoomon turns to the dark side. Her sadness is well presented as she tries to abandon her team. Junya Enoki, as Takeru, is a highlight delivering a well-ranged performance full of charisma and urgency, as he tries to put his team back together to save Patamon. Also, the emotional drama between Takeru and Patomon is well done, and due to this, he is my favorite character. Tom Fahn, as Agumon, is a well-presented team leader of the Digimon who will do anything to save his friends. Laura Summer, as Patamon, delivers and equally emotional performance to Takeru as she is facing a possible impending infection, which will turn her against her Digimon friends. Kate Higgons, as Meicoomon, is a well-developed antagonist who is a formidable foe for the Digimon to fight.

The direction by Keitaro Motonaro is wonderful due to a pace that feels as if it’s an interesting magna story. My favorite scene is the scene when Takeru tells Patamon that he is infected, because it is extremely emotional due to the incredible acting of the two characters. My only problem with this movie is the large amounts of expository flashbacks that further progress the story. It feels like a lazy way to tell a story.

The message of the movie is about finding a way to forgive yourself. Meiko’s intense guilt and blame for herself is a big plot point, but she learns that moving on and helping the team will be for the better. I give this film 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18 because of its action and emotional themes. The movie is available now on DVD and Blu-Ray, so check it out.

Digimon Adventure Tri.: Confession

By Talia J., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14

Digimon Adventure Tri. 3: Confession is a beautifully made anime film that touched my heart and will touch the hearts of others. The storyline picks up right after the events that took place in past movies. Tai and his friends are still trying to figure out what caused the infection that made Leomon go rogue. All the Digimon are quarantined in hopes to keep them safe from the infection and buy the friends some time to figure out ways to stop it from spreading. Sadly, one of the Digimon is showing some indications that they might have the infection.

This DVD is the third film in the franchise Digimon Adventure Tri. I had absolutely no background knowledge of the first film Digimon Adventure Tri, nor did I know anything about the second film Digimon Adventure Tri.2: Decision. Consequently, it was a bit difficult for me to understand what was happening in the beginning of the film, since the characters referred to things that happened in the previous two films. For example, the character Leomon is discussed a lot in the beginning of the movie. I had no idea who or what that character was for the first twenty minutes. Eventually, I picked up that Leoman is a Digimon. Then, I had to rewatch the scenes where they talked about that character. The one very helpful thing in this film are the flashback scenes. They really helped me understand the plot. I recommend that people watch the first and second films before watching this one as it will help them understand the plot of the film.

This is not my first anime film, but it is my first anime dealing with magical characters like Digimons. I was not a fan of Pokemon growing up so I never watched too many anime films. Occasionally I have watched a realistic fiction anime but never fantasy ones. After watching this film I’m definitely going to put more time in watching anime films. This film gives justice to the world of anime. The storyline is compelling and the whole concept of digital monsters is absolutely fascinating. I love the relationships between the people and their Digimons. My favorite duo has to be Patamon (Anna Garduno) and TK (Johnny Yong Bosch). I could feel the love they have for each other. I grew very fond of these characters over time. I emphasized with them when times were bad. These two characters make this film even better.

The animation is absolutely stunning. There is so much detail that goes into making anime films. This film meets that high standard. The Digimon are drawn beautifully. Their exterior designs match their personalities so well. I could tell a lot of time went into drawing these monsters. The humans also have a very special look to them. My favorite feature is the characters’ eyes. You can feel the characters’ emotions by looking into their eyes. It can be difficult to truly connect with animated characters at times, due to their not looking realistic. These characters are drawn very realistically and I personally connected to them.

I recommend this film for ages 7 to 16. Younger audiences will love the fun characters and the older audiences will find the story line interesting. I give this film 5 out of 5 stars. I felt a connection to the characters and an urge to know the ending. I think the animation is stunning. This film is available now on DVD now so go check it out!

Credit: KIDS FIRST!

Filed Under: Media Reviews

The top 3 strollers of 2018

December 11, 2017 By DeniseB Leave a Comment

If you are expecting a child, you are in for quite a treat. Before the baby comes however, there is much to be done, especially if you are a new parent. It is amazing how much stuff a little tiny baby needs to be taken care of. Bottles, sleepers, diapers, strollers, and blankets are just a few things that are needed when you have a new baby. When you begin shopping for these necessary items that your baby will need, you may want to conduct research to ensure that you are purchasing the safest and best products that are on the market. This article will help you identify some of the best strollers of 2018 so that you are well equipped with knowledge when buying the product you will use to cart your baby around.

Bugaboo Donkey 2 2018. This stroller is great as it is well known for being a multi-use stroller that is functional and easy to use. One of the main perks to owning this stroller is that it can be customized to fit the parents’ wants and desires. The wheel suspension has improved since previous models making the stroller more mobile and safe to use. The side basket is now much bigger and has pockets for important things such as a phone, keys, wallet, or other necessities. In the past, this stroller had a challenging brake that lacked ease of use. Due to improvements, the stroller brake can now easily be pushed no matter what shoes you are wearing. If you are looking for a durable stroller that gives you the ability to customize it to meet your needs, the Bugaboo Donkey 2 may be the perfect stroller for you and your baby.

Britax B-Agile 3 & B Safe 35 Travel Elite System. If you travel a lot and need a good stroller with a travel system, the Britax B-Agile is a great choice. This system is lightweight and easy to transport. In addition, the ability to fold this with one hand in a quick manner is quite a perk for those who are always in a hurry. Combined with a large storage section underneath the stroller, this system is perfect for families who plan to go on vacation to Disney World or other amusement parks. Another great perk to investing in this stroller system is that it can be used for toddlers as well, so plan on having it for a long time.

4 Moms Moxi Stroller. This stroller is amazing if you have ever dreamed of being a Jetson. If you are the type of parent who likes having the newest and best that technology and innovation has to offer, the 4Moms Moxi Stroller is one that you should include on your wishlist. Known to be one of the first smart strollers, this stroller has many surprises that most do not offer. For example, this stroller has built-in power generators that work to move the back wheels. There is a self-charging battery that uses an LED screen and gives you the ability to charge your phone should it be low. Finally, it has headlights and taillights so that you can be seen should you choose to take a late night stroll with your little tot.

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week

National Geographic’s Hey Baby!: A Collection of Pictures, Poems, and Stories from Nature’s Nursery is a Must-Read!

December 10, 2017 By DeniseB Leave a Comment

Self Disclosure: I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com), May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my honest opinion on my blog. The opinions posted are my own.

I recently had the chance to receive a few great books and National Geographic’s Hey Baby!: A Collection of Pictures, Poems, and Stories from Nature’s Nursery is a book I highly recommend for the whole family! It simply is a beautiful book that will educate you and your children about some really cute baby animals. I love the life stories of each animal and the photographs are truly amazing! I couldn’t put this book down! I had to look thru it and see each and every animal! This really is a must-buy for all animal lovers and I love that it includes animals from the sea, air, and land. This would make a great gift suggestion for ages 4+ and it is beautiful enough to leave on your coffee table for guests to look at.

National Geographic also has a fun book for young readers called Let’s Play Collection. This is a book that will encourage even the most reluctant younger readers to want to read especially if they are animal lovers!

Another gift book idea is 1,0001 Ways to Slow Down: A Little Book of Everyday Calm by Barbara Ann Kipler. I like all the simple suggestions in this book and it would be great for adults for the New Year!

Self Disclosure: I received free books to facilitate this post.

Filed Under: Media Reviews

The Snowman & The Snowman and the Snowdog – A Magical Holiday Duo

December 7, 2017 By DeniseB Leave a Comment

These two films are based on the books by Raymond Briggs. The Snowman is about a young boy who wakes up to find a thick blanket of snow has covered the ground as far as the eye can see. Filled with excitement, the boy decides to build a snowman using a tangerine for his nose, coal for his buttons and eyes, and tops him off with a hat and scarf. Later that night, the snowman comes to life! The young boy and the snowman embark on a magical adventure of discovery where the snowman explores the young boy’s world and in return he takes him flying to his home in the North Pole. Upon arriving at the North Pole, the two join a party as the guests of honor to a very special person. The Snowman and the Snowdog is the charming sequel to The Snowman. On the 30th anniversary of the original film, Briggs gave his blessing to a sequel and the magic began all over again, this time with a new set of friends. When a young boy and his mother move into a new house, the boy discovers a secret box hidden under the floorboards of his bedroom. In the box, he finds a hat, scarf, some lumps of coal and a shriveled tangerine – it’s a snowman-making kit! Later that day it starts to snow and the boy builds a snowman and with the little spare snow leftover, a snowdog. That night they come to life and take him on a wonderful adventure. As dawn breaks they fly home, but before the boy returns to bed a magical surprise awaits him. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Calista B. comments, “I really got into the Holiday Spirit after watching these two movies. I found them both to be charming and sweet little short films.” Sahiba K. adds, “Each aspect of these two short films from the animation, to the music and the cinematography is lovable and got me into the holiday spirit.” Eden T. wraps it up with, “The detail in these movies is stunning! Even though there is no talking, the artistry makes up for that. Each scene is hand-drawn, which must have been a technical pain for the scenes in motion!” See their full reviews below.

The Snowman & The Snowman And The Snowdog

By Calista B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 14

I really got into the Holiday Spirit after watching these two movies. I found them both to be charming and sweet little short films.

The Snowman is based on the children’s book by Raymond Briggs. The story is about a young boy who builds a snowman that later comes to life. It’s a simple story, but a lot of the charm comes from two aspects. First, the animation stands out among other animated films. That’s because this film’s animation looks like a picture book. Congrats to the director Hilary Audus who keeps the original look of the books, which is rather neat. I love the subtle details like the movement and the backgrounds. Second, there is no talking throughout the entire movie. It’s narrated by music. Now, obviously, if a movie is going to have just music, the music has to be good. And yes, the music is really good. It sounds very whimsical and beautiful thanks to the wonderful work by Andy Burrows and IIan Eshkeri. The only time anyone really speaks, is at the opening and in the song, halfway through the movie. Speaking of this song, called “Walking in The Air,” it is really good. It is very calming and magical.

The second film on this DVD is the sequel, The Snowman and The Snowdog. A kid moves into the house that originally belonged to the boy from the first movie and shortly after that, his dog died. Fast forward to winter and the kid finds the items used to build the original snowman. The child rebuilds the snowman and builds a new snowdog and then that night, the snowman and the snowdog come to life.

The animation is in the same picture book style, which is nice considering this film and The Snowman were made 30 years apart – The Snowman in 1982 and The Snowman and The Snowdog in 2012. This film is also wordless, excluding a song. I didn’t like this song as much as “Walking in The Air,” but it is still good. It just doesn’t match the beauty of “Walking in The Air.” This DVD is a great film to get your family into the holiday mood. I give both of these films 4 out of 5 stars. And I recommend them for ages 4 to 18. This double feature DVD is available now so, go check it out.

The Snowman & The Snowman and The Snowdog

By Sahiba K., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 15

The Snowman and The Snowman and the Snowdog double feature, based on the books by Raymond Briggs, is heart-warming and delightful! The peaceful and calming music had me feeling relaxed and cozy. The snowman’s soft smile and his innocence lit up my face and made me want to give him a hug. Each aspect of these two short films from the animation, to the music and the cinematography is lovable and got me into the holiday spirit.

The story of The Snowman follows a young boy who builds a happy snowman. That night, the boy watches his snowman come to life and together they go on a magnificent journey. The Snowman and the Snowdog continues the story many years later when a new boy, whose dog has just passed, moves into the house where the happy snowman was originally built. He finds a snowman making kit and rebuilds the snowman along with a snowdog to accompany him. Again, they both come to life and take the boy on another miraculous journey.

The animation is soft. Almost everything appears to be shaded with colored pencils. The shading uses multiple colors which makes even the simplest objects, like a wall, interesting and gentle to look at. When the boy is outside, it snows most of the time. The snow is beautiful and is everywhere, in front of the characters and behind them. It adds a very realistic, yet tranquil effect. The outlines of different objects are subtle also, adding to the animation’s serene quality. The music is peaceful and communicates emotion, because there is no dialogue. It reflects the boy and snowman’s thoughts so that nothing has to be said. For example, when they are feeling playful, the music is upbeat and faster, but when something sad or curious interrupts their playfulness, the music slows down and has a lower tone. Therefore, the music engrossed me in following their journey and I could easily understand the characters’ feelings. The animated cinematography of certain scenes is simply beautiful. For example, the snowman flies with the boys high in the sky and, the way the city is shown from above, made me feel like the snowman was carrying me too.

My favorite parts are always when the snowman takes to the sky because the music, animation and cinematography all come together to create a magical experience. The message of these two short films is to subtly introduce the concept of loss. I give this double feature 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 2 to 18. It is available now on DVD so check it out.

The Snowman And The Snowman And The Snowdog

By Eden T., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 9

This double feature DVD includes heartwarming films about the winter season that never ceases to amaze me. I like both movies because they remind me of myself during the holidays. For example, when the boy has to scrounge up snow for his snowman, I thought about when I tried to do the same thing! This DVD includes two movies: The Snowman and The Snowman and The Snowdog. I love both equally!

In The Snowman, a young British boy in a classic 1950s English rural home builds a snowman on Christmas Eve. At midnight, the snowman comes to life and takes the boy on a flying trip around the world! The scenes become grander and grander until you think nothing more can happen! After all of this is over, they travel back home. The next morning, the boy…well, you’ll see. The ending brought meaningful tears to my eyes!

The sequel movie, The Snowman and The Snowdog picks up where the first movie left off. It takes place in modern times with another boy who has recently moved into the exact same English house (now renovated). Less than a year after moving in, the boy discovers under a floorboard a time capsule left behind by the previous boy. This box includes a picture of the same snowman and the original objects used to decorate it. The lad builds the snowman according to the picture and the Snowman is reborn! Still, the boy isn’t finished. While saddened with the recent loss of his dog, he also builds a Snowdog! They travel around the world in similar fashion as the first boy, but there is a surprise ending!

The detail in these movies is stunning! Even though there is no talking, the artistry makes up for that. Each scene is hand-drawn, which must have been a technical pain for the scenes in motion! These movies are based on Raymond Briggs’ classic picture books. Besides young children, adults who have read this book in their youth will also appreciate these quality films. The unexpected ending is truly memorable!

I give this DVD 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend it for kids ages 2 to 6 and adults who enjoy fine art. This movie is available both on DVD and VOD. So, enjoy this winter delight!

Credit: KIDS FIRST!

Filed Under: Media Reviews

Shh! Top Spots Parents Hide Christmas Gifts from their Kids

December 7, 2017 By DeniseB Leave a Comment

Looks like “Santa,” or should we say mom and dad, might make it on the naughty list next year! From wrapping paper swaps to half-eaten cookies, parents are going to tricky lengths to ensure their kids don’t discover the truth about Santa and, at zulily, they’re finding out just what those lengths will be…Read below for a few of their favorite holiday stats (polled from parents just like you!)

Nearly half of US parents (46 percent) indicated that their children have snooped around searching for gifts to find out what all their presents were going to be for Christmas.
Parents are most likely to hide presents from St. Nick in the trunk of their car (32%) – with the linen closet being the second most likely choice for hiding presents (31%).

o Garage (23%), Basement (21%) & Friend’s House (20%)

Over half of parents (51%) believe that their children would be willing to get their teeth cleaned at the dentist in exchange to finding out what all their presents will be, before Christmas.
47% of parents believe their children would be willing to clean their room daily for a year in exchange to finding out about their presents.

Where do you hide your gifts? 😉 And, thinking about gifts…have you checked out some of the great deals at zulily?

Happy Holidays!

Self Disclosure: Information and images were provided by our friends at zulily. I may have also received some form of compensation to post but I’m a real fan of zulily.

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week

Holiday Gift Guide: The Next Edition!

December 7, 2017 By DeniseB Leave a Comment

It’s really starting to look like the holidays are here! I love this time of the year!

Here are some more great gift ideas for everyone on your shopping list!

With ZIPIT Interactive Coloring& Activity Books your creation awakens. Our inspiring themes, coloring pages and Magic Stickers take the ordinary coloring book and makes it extraordinary. Inside this coloring book you will find pages of animated stickers that come alive when you view them with the ZIPIT Creativity App. Go ahead and apply each sticker on top of its own picture. To help you get started several pages have stickers on them already. Once you download the free App, the excitement is just beginning! By looking at the book’s pages through the App, you can see the stickers move and your creation come to life! Hold the app over your colored pages or snap an image of anything you like and unleash your creativity. Comes in blue and pink.

Younger children will love this! I love the creativity!

Age range: 5 years+

MSRP: $4.99

Available online here.

An interesting gift is teaching a child how to use chopsticks easily with Marcus & Marcus’ Kid’s Chopsticks. These animal-themed chopsticks will help keep your chopsticks in line. The animal hinges are made of soft, food-grade and brightly colored silicone to add an element of fun to the dinner table. Marcus & Marcus kid’s chopsticks are made of BPA-free, PVC-free and phthalate-free materials. These are really cute and so easy to use!

Age range: 6 months+

MSRP: $9.99

Available online here.

Games are usually a hit with kids of all ages! Here are some of our favorites from our friends at Blue Orange Games!

Less is more in this subtle card game. Group the cards in your hand by number and color to try canceling out their point values. Multiples of cards are scored as zero, so each number is only counted once. Trade cards while keeping a watchful eye on your opponents. Mind your strategy as you all reach for the goal of canceling out your hand and achieving the ultimate combo: ZERO! This one is fun for the whole family! I like that it is a fast-paced type of game.

Will you risk it all? Roll all 6 dice and win the number of points that match the big colored die. Decide to bank your points, or take a risk and roll again. Keep scoring as long as you have numbered dice that match the colored die. If nothing matches, forfeit all points won that round and try again next time! Take big risks with this fast and fun dice game! I had a blast playing this one!

Explore the lands and expand your kingdom! Each turn, connect a new domino to your existing kingdom, making sure that at least one of its sides connects to a matching terrain type already in play. Build up your 5×5 grid as best you can, as the player with the richest lands takes it all! Game of the year winner!

If you have a little one who loves story-time this next one is a must-buy! This one is pretty cool and I wish I had one of these when my son was a little one! Introducing…Moonlite!

Moonlite was invented by former Google veteran Natalie Rebot when she was inspired by her daughter’s love of shadow play before bedtime. Moonlite is a children’s storybook projector that attaches to almost any mobile phone and uses the flashlight function to project vibrant story images onto the ceiling or wall. It brings storybooks to life with a modern twist on traditional storytelling that both children and parents fall in love with. Her tech background helped her developed the product in the easiest form to bring to moms everywhere. It’s a story-time projector for your mobile phone! It’s easy to use and great for travel too!

Moonlite is available in Target stores, across the country so look for it this holiday season. This is super easy to use and a lot of fun! I highly recommend this one for anyone with a little one!

Find out more at https://mymoonlite.com/

OgoSport’s Active + Creative Play Holiday Toys are at the top of my shopping list this year!

Check out the OgoMinton! It has all the thrill and challenge of Badminton but designed specifically for short range play. It’s smaller sized racket and stretchy ogosoft ball make it ideal for kids to play with indoors or as a travel toy for on-the-go fun. This is a lot of fun and I like that it is easy and safe to play indoors. Great for rainy days!

For the kids who enjoy active + constructive play, the OgoBILD POD is a kit that will inspire creative building for hours. With its connective tubes and interchangeable rubber balls, POD allows kids to design all sorts of flexible, moveable, and innovative structures. From creating geometric shapes and 3D objects that can bounce, to building forts to camp out in, kids will expand on their STEM skills with POD…and have a blast doing it! I am really impressed with this one and highly recommend it for ages 6+.

There’s even something for the little ones!

The Bolli Rattle will strengthen their sensory, fine motor, and hand-eye skills as they squish, roll, grab, chew, and shake this stretchy rattle ball. The open-play design is easy to grasp and teeth, the interior rattle is entertaining, and the material is stretchy, soft, and captivating. It comes in a rainbow of colors, is BPA free, dishwasher safe, and made of food safe silicone (safe for teething!).

Find out more here.

Here are a few of our favorites from our friends, Stuck On You!

I just love the Personalized Wooden Name Blocks! They are lightweight, do not chip and come in a personalized felt bag. These would make a great gift for a little one this holiday!

Stuck on You has a variety of great gift ideas! I love their Monogram Christmas Cup and I really love the Christmas Address Labels! I like that you can even choose the font and design.

Check out Stuck On You this holiday season!

Follow Stuck on You:

https://www.facebook.com/StuckOnYouUS/

https://www.instagram.com/stuckonyouofficial/

https://twitter.com/StuckOnYouTweet

https://au.pinterest.com/StuckonYouAust/

https://www.youtube.com/user/StuckonYouLabels

https://www.linkedin.com/organization/935409/admin/updates

Sunglasses in Winter? You bet! Especially if you live in sunny So Cal! Today it was cold in the morning and it was still sunny and then in the afternoon, it was 77 degrees!

I love Real Shades! They are quite affordable and premium quality, 100% UV protective sunglasses designed specifically for kids, with the most durable materials available so they will last. They are also available in adult sizes. I really like the quality of these sunglasses and there are many designs to choose from. Check them out this holiday season at www.realshades.com.

Happy Holidays!

Stay tuned for our next Holiday Gift Feature early next week!