New Veggie Tales DVD: Happy Together

Join Bob, Larry and all your VeggieTales pals for “Happy Together!”
The three stories in this special DVD are classics from other DVD's, and the stories are about friendship, faith and family. The Veggie Tale DVD's are great family entertainment because the stories are so educational with how people can learn good morals and family values.

Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler: you go on a mysterious adventure with Sheerluck Holmes and his venerable sidekick Dr. Watson working together to solve crime.

The Grapes of Wrath: A family of cranky grapes are poking fun at little Jr. Asparagus, and he is not happy at all. Being very upset and sad, Jr. must learn to forgive them, but can he?

Esther the Girl Who Became Queen: Not born a queen, but made her way into the kingdom, Queen Esther must do the right thing and make wise choices for the people of her land. She has many people to care for, and big decisions to make.

One thing my kids love about the Veggie Tale DVD's are when they show little kids sharing stories and thoughts/ideas about topics relating to the story lines. The "Veggie Kids" share their perspective on true happiness as only kids can!
Also included are 3 “Happy Songs” from the popular Silly Song series – Pants, Dance of the Cucumber, and Larry Sings the Blues –adding even more happy moments to this fun-filled DVD!

Big Idea Entertainment just came out with Veggie Tales: Happy Together, January 22. You can watch the DVD trailer here: Veggie Tales Happy Together, and check out more clips here.

SRP $14.99

I was sent a copy of the Happy Together DVD from Big Idea Entertainment for review purposes. I was not compensated for my time or written review.

Hallmark for Christmas (plus 2- $25 gift card giveaways)

Christmas is right around the corner, and I think it has really come up quickly! I have talked to several other people that are just surprised at how quickly Christmas has come this year! If you are like me....BEHIND...on the Christmas shopping, gift ideas...well, Hallmark has some great ideas to help you out!
I think Hallmark does a fantastic job with having such great products, sentimental products, gifts to give everyone on your list. I know that Hallmark products will be ones that give out this Christmas! (even if it is a little late)

I love the new Digital Scrapbooks that Hallmark came out with! The Digital Scrapbooks come in different themes, and you can choose which one you would like. You can personalize your digital scrapbook with music, photos, and text messaging all in one to be displayed on a digital photo frame (one of my wish list items), computer screen, television screen or anyplace that you can use a USB drive. You can make more than 50 personalized slides with the digital scrapbook from Hallmark! That is a lot of photos! It is simple to use, too! Just plug in the USB, access the drive, click on the icon, download and enter the codes. You can save your work as you go. This makes a great gift to give someone, or buy it and personalize a gift for someone!
Another great Hallmark product is their new DVD Greetings. This is a great way to bring the traditional holiday letter to life. You can pick photos to insert into your online letter, and animation brings it to life. Each DVD Greeting hosts a template that can be edited and customized with personal photos. You simply burn the photos onto the DVD in your Hallmark card. Everything is included in the Hallmark card: Card & DVD. It is easy to make, and fun to send!
A Hallmark product that is so fun to give is the Recordable Cards. These cards are so fun, because you can include your own personal 10- second message inside. Some of Hallmarks recordable cards have music, and some don't. There are more than 30 holiday Recordable Cards to choose from. The Recordable Cards with Music also feature a 30-second song clip which plays after the message. These are fun cards to personalize, and fun to watch the recipient to open up.

The new products were designed to help families celebrate and capture the memories and joys of the holiday season.


ENTER TO WIN:
Hallmark has offered to giveaway two $25 Hallmark Gold Crown Gift Cards. To enter to win a gift card, share your favorite holiday memories and what your definition of Christmas is to you.
Contest ends December 29th, 2009.
**For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or become a fan on facebook, and/or visit everyday with a link to your favorite Hallmark product. Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

This review was provided from Hallmark. They have provided me with a free product to review and information to share with my readers. I am sponsored to offer gift cards to giveaway to my readers through this review. I was given the product for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review.

HIT Entertainment & Lionsgate's New Releases

HIT Entertainment and Lionsgate released a few great DVD's today! The prices are right, and kids love them!
Bob the Builder: Built for fun (Rolley vehicle included) $14.98
Bob the Builder and the Can-Do Crew come together in five episodes (Radio Bob, Super Slasher, Roley Brings the House, Silent Scoop, and Scrambler gets Prepared) as they build a radio station complete with a sky-high broadcast tower, play skidsies with Roley and Muck, design greenhouses out of recycled material and much more. Alongside Bob, Scoop, Benny and the rest of the team, kids see that they can accomplish anything with a Can-Do attitude.
This special DVD includes a "Build with Bob" game, and a read-along called "Building Buddies."
My kids love Bob the Builder, and he always has a good, and positive attitude toward teamwork, and helping others.

SCHOOL DAYS $14.98
Jammed packed with all new school episodes, to get our kids excited about learning, come the fun-loving preschool entertainers: Thomas, Barney, Fifi and the Flowertots, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam and Kipper. We have enjoyed watching the episodes and listening to the lessons on sharing, friendship, cooperation, and learning.
With six different episodes, these characters bring lots of fun for preschoolers everywhere.
· Thomas & Friends - “Thomas and the Colors”
· Barney & Friends - “The New Kid”
· Fifi and the Flowertots - "Flying Lessons”
· Bob the Builder - "Dizzy and the Walking Bus"
· Fireman Sam - "Fiery Finale”
· Kipper - "Hide and Seek"
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
· “Big Chris Learns to Fly” - a bonus episode of the all-new TV series Roary the Racing Car,
from the creators of Bob the Builder. My kids always look forward to seeing Roary and just love seeing what kind of mischief he is going to get into.

Barney: Book Fair DVD + Book Collection $14.98 (DVD + Book Set)
It's time for a book fair! Barney, Baby Bop, BJ and the kids are headed to the park for a book fair. Every time the kids open a book, they are dazzled with a new tale. I like how they use their imaginations with rocket building, and hosting a circus. Barney episodes always have lots of dancing, singing, music and great lessons to learn. The DVD is a full-length, and it comes with a Counting to 10 storybook (hardcover). I think this set is great for the price, because you get a full-length DVD show, plus a story book to share with your children...all for only $14.95. Barney is a fun-loving character, and always shows kids how to be more caring, loving, and to share with others.

The book (Counting to 10) is very colorful, and it is fun to count to 10 with my kids. They love counting books, and it is fun counting with Barney.

DVD Lunch Box Gift Sets $19.98 each. (Included inside the lunch box is 3 DVDs)

There are 4 fun lunch box gift sets available from HIT Entertainment and Lionsgate: Bob The Builder, Barney, Thomas & Friends and Care Bears.
These sets are so fun~ I love them! I got a Bob the Builder set to review, and my son loves it! The DVD's have fun stories, and my son loves using his lunch box to hold his treasures in it.

The lunch boxes are insulated, and have a handle for easy carrying. I think this set is very well priced! You get a great bag/lunch box, plus 3 movies.
DVD SYNOPSIS
· Barney Lunch Box
Adventure Bus - Hop aboard and get ready for the ride of your life as bus driver Barney takes you to some of the gang’s favorite imaginary destinations, including a castle, a pizzeria, a circus and the Old West!
Imagination Island - A storybook adventure comes to life when Tosha and Min discover that their wish to sail to a magical island is possible with help from Barney and his friends.
Everyone is Special - Join Barney and his friends for a dino-mite day in the park as they celebrate all the things that make them – and you – special!
· Thomas & Friends Lunch Box
Tales from the Tracks - Ride the rails to adventure as Thomas and his engine friends attend a birthday picnic, discover a ghost engine and learn the legend of a very special lamp.
Best of Percy - Learn more about the junior member of the railway, a faithful friend of Thomas’ from the very beginning, and celebrate all of the special traits and qualities that make Percy a fan favorite.
Races, Rescues & Runaways - You’ll find that life on the Island of Sodor is never boring, especially when the engines get into trouble. But no worries … as friends they’re always there to lend a helping hand for each other.
· Bob the Builder Lunch Box
The Big Game - Bob and his machine team are ready to play! Prepping for the big soccer match, a line-marking machine suddenly runs amok. Can the Can-Do Crew fix it in time for the opening whistle? Yes, they can! Then it’s off to the tennis courts to serve up more fun!
Celebrate With Bob - Looks like Bob is in for a busy, busy day! There’s a dance contest, a surprise birthday party, a really messy office and a broken computer, but it’s all in a day’s work for our favorite Can-Do builder.
Can We Fix It? - It’s harvest time and there’s plenty to do: Farmer Pickle’s barn is about to collapse and needs repair before the impending rainstorm, Travis gets stuck in the mud, a golf course needs constructing and Bob builds himself right into a windmill!
· Care Bears Lunch Box
Journey to Joke-a-Lot - Follow Funshine Bear, who, frustrated by too many jokes gone wrong, travels to faraway Joke-a-lot where the community of kooky, colorful characters quickly crowns him King. Missing their beloved prankster, his fellow Care Bears leave the comforts of Care-a-lot behind and embark on a quest to coax their friend to return home.
The Gift of Caring - Join the Care Bears as they use fun, magic and the most extravagant gift of all - caring. In seven heartwarming episodes, the Care Bears tumble through birthday parties, reunite with long-lost friends and even search for a valley of gold! They're wrapping up some fun they can't wait to share with you!
Fitness Fun On Your Mark...Get Set...Go Have Fun! Join the lovable Care Bears in active adventures that teach everyone how to be a good sport - and everyone is a winner! In five fun-filled episodes, the Care Bears and their Cousins share lessons in friendship, fair play and fitness. The whole family will love getting into the game!

Thomas & Friends: Percy And The Bandstand $14.98
Thomas & Friends™: Percy and the Bandstand, has 4 new episodes on it from the Island of Sodor. The newer Thomas & Friends DVD's have new animation. The host, Mr. Arkwright, returns with never before seen content that can ONLY be found on DVD! Mr. Arkwright is Sir Topham Hatt’s right-hand man and the new driver on the Island of Sodor.
About the shows:
Come along with Thomas, Toby, Duncan, Percy and all the other engine friends and Sir Topham Hatt for a hot-air balloon ride, a top-secret birthday party, a special surprise at the bandstand and much more. It’s a non-stop celebration of fun and friendship! Future engineers -- hop aboard for trainloads of action in these four adventures:
Episodes Include:
· “Toby’s Special Surprise”
· “Duncan and the Hot Air Balloon”
· “The Man in the Hills”
· “Percy and the Bandstand”
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
· “Songs of Sodor” Game
· Three Read Alongs:
Toby and the Flood
A Better View For Gordon
Busy Going Backward

For more information: visit HIT Entertainment and/or or Lionsgate.

Sign Language = good communication!

I love that I have found out about teaching children Sign Language! My children have caught on to sign language pretty quickly, and they LOVE the Signing Time videos featuring Rachel, Alex, Leah....and we can't forget Hopkins! With the kids learning Signing, we have been able to know what they want even before they were talking clearly. Madelyn has used so many signs while talking! This is a language that can be used throughout their life, and it opens the doors for communicating with the deaf. I love signing because I love talking with my hands, plus I think it is a great way to worship! I have always been fascinated with those who signed!

Signing Time videos are so great! Rachel Coleman sings fun songs, Leah and Alex help "show/act" the sign being taught, and there are fun characters to animate the signs! Rachel uses a lot of repetitiveness to help make the sign be remembered. I often find myself singing songs from the videos during my day. The songs are catchy, and it really helps kids grasp the signs when put to music. Rachel Coleman, the star of Signing Time, helps the viewers to know why a sign is used for a particular thing. She does a fantastic job!
I wanted to let you know of a great promotion that Signing Time has going on for this month! If you purchase Baby Signing Time DVD Gift Set Vol. 1-4, you will save over 25%! This special promotion includes a bonus "Good Night Baby CD" and FREE Shipping! There is no coupon code needed for this great deal! You have until March 31 to take advantage of this offer!

I highly recommend Signing Time videos to teach your children (and yourself) a new language! You really can communicate with your child even before their "first spoken words."

“Strawberry Shortcake Holiday Dreams Collection”: DVD review and GIVEAWAY!

I loved Strawberry Shortcake when I was little, and this is a toy collection that I am so glad that it is returning for my kids to enjoy too.
I was excited to review the all new Strawberry Shortcake adventure series on DVD~ three DVD's in this collection of favorite adventures. “Strawberry Shortcake Holiday Dreams Collection” was released on October 7th. The three DVD's that come in this great gift pack include: “Berry Merry Christmas,” “Big Country Fun” and “Let’s Dance.” This is a perfect gift to get for Christmas.
Here is what the movies are about:
Berry Merry Christmas - Christmas is coming!
Strawberry Shortcake wants to do something special for her friends, so she travels to a magical place called Holidayland with Honey Pie Pony, searching for the perfect presents. And she finds them! Then, a trip to the North Pole and a visit with Santa make the adventure truly wonderful. Unfortunately, a pile of melting snowballs turns Strawberry's carefully selected gifts into a soggy mess. In the end, Strawberry learns that the best gift of all is the gift of friendship.

Let’s Dance - Strawberry Shortcake and her Friends love to dance – and the Peculiar Purple Pie Man of Porcupine Peak is taking advantage of that! He has Sour Grapes open a phony dance studio, posing as a famous teacher … so she can keep the kids busy while he plunders the berry crops, but things don’t go as planned. Sour Grapes begin to enjoy teaching Strawberry & Friends and can’t bring herself to betray them, much to Pie Man’s chagrin.

Big Country Fun - Yee-ha! Strawberry Shortcake and her friends are in for some of the berry best fun in the West! Strawberry and Angel Cake take jobs at the Berry Prairie Dude Ranch and turn out to be excellent little cowgirls! But when the two friends must compete to become “Best Ranch Hand,” they lose sight of their responsibilities – and their horseback riding trail! Will they realize that being careful and listening to direction is more important than winning? More challenges gallop in when the Purple Pie Man tries to put Carmel Corn’s farm out of business so he can replace it with an amusement park – PieManLand! Hoping to help out, Strawberry and her pals put on a good old-fashioned country fair to earn enough money to keep their berry favorite farm in business.

Big Country Fun is my favorite DVD in this Holiday series. I know a few little girls who would love this set for Christmas or an upcoming Birthday! (besides Madelyn) The “Strawberry Shortcake Holiday Dreams Collection” comes with 5 Holiday greeting cards from American Greetings. The cards are post cards, so it is a fun way for kids to mail them to friends or family. Of coarse the cards are of Strawberry Shortcake and friends.
About Cookie Jar Group
Cookie Jar Group is a Canadian-based global children’s entertainment and education company dedicated to excellence. They are leaders in the creation, production, marketing and licensing of evergreen character brands that appeal to kids and families worldwide. Their library of nearly 6,000 half-hour episodes features some of the world’s most recognizable characters, including “Strawberry Shortcake”, “Care Bears”, “Caillou”, “Inspector Gadget”, “The Doodlebops”, “Arthur” and “Johnny Test”. They also own a one-third interest in international children’s television channel Kidsco. Through our pan-European merchandising subsidiary, Copyright Promotions, they are the worldwide licensor or agent for third-party brands such as McDonald’s and Mommy and Me. Cookie Jar Education, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, is one of North America’s largest providers of supplemental education materials, reaching nearly 2,000 teachers across the United States, through the Carson-Dellosa and HighReach Learning brands.
About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC (TCFHE) is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming on VHS, DVD and Blu-ray Disc (BD) as well as acquisitions and original productions. The company also releases all products around the globe for MGM Home Entertainment.
***You can purchase the “Strawberry Shortcake Holiday Dreams Collection” at Amazon for $26.98 (on sale right now for $23.99)~ or you can enter for a chance to win your own set! That is right, I am giving away one copy of "Strawberry Shortcake Holiday Dreams Collection!" This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. Let me know if you had a favorite Character of Strawberry Shortcake and Friends growing up, or what your favorite toy was. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits to win, and click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on October 23RD, at 7:00 PM CST.

“Care Bears Flurries of Fun”: movie Reviews and Giveaway!

I grew up with the Care Bears, and I thought they were great! I really liked watching their show, and playing with the animals! I think it is fun that they are back for my kids to enjoy! Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has come out with a great 3-pack collection of Care Bear movies in one set called, "Care Bears Flurries of Fun!" that just came out on Tuesday, October 7th! This 3 pack collection includes: “Care Bears Oopsy Does It,” “Care Bears Grizzle-ly Adventures” and “Care Bears Ups and Downs." I really think that these videos are fun for younger kids. The movies have good lessons that are taught, and put in a fun cartoon-way. You know they must be good when my little girl asks to watch bears! She is only 19 months old.
Here is a little synopsis of the DVD's:
“Care Bears: Grizzle-ly Adventures” presents two episodes featuring the new bear in the Care Bear’s neighborhood—Grizzle. He’s a mean little bear in a big robot suit who hates caring. In “Broken,” when Share Bear’s favorite necklace is needed to fix her robot friend, Wingnut. Share keeps the necklace and goes to Grizzle instead. This is a test to the Care Bears to see if they can trust Grizzle. “Emma’s Dilemma” things are missing all over Care-a-lot. The Care Bears let Emma help them search, but she ends up missing, too, thanks to Grizzle. Can Emma and the bears find a way out of his trap? This DVD is Caleb's first choice when we watch the movies.
“Care Bears Oopsy Bear Does It,” Oopsy Bear is the only Care Bear without a belly badge. When Cheer and Grumpy Bear build an amusement park for their friends, Oopsy Bear accidentally destroys it. Grizzle, an evil bear, uses Oopsy’s mistake in a plot to steal the Care Bears’ belly badges. But, Oopsy stumbles to the rescue proving you don’t need a badge to be a bear who cares.
“Care Bears Ups and Downs” also features two episodes “Cheer Up," and “Down to Earth.” In “Cheer Up,” Cheer Bear decides to throw a party for Surprise. But she becomes uncheery when Surprise turns out to be not surprised. So she distracts Surprise with “tasks” like picking flowers, hopping through town on one foot, and doing everything in reverse, so that the Bears can plan the party. There is a real surprise in the end, though! In “Down To Earth,” Wingnut’s Care Bear Transporter beams Funshine to Earth so he can teach a lonely young boy how to make friends and have fun. But then the Care Bear Transporter breaks… and unless Wingnut can fix it, Funshine won’t be able to return to Care-a-Lot!
TOTAL RUNNING TIME for these DVD's is 160 minutes.
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC (TCFHE) is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming on VHS, DVD and Blu-ray Disc (BD) as well as acquisitions and original productions. The company also releases all products around the globe for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce throughout the world. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC is a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company.
You can purchase your collector's set "Care Bears Flurries of Fun" at AMAZON which retails for $29.98. Or, you can enter for a chance to win your own set! That is right, I am giving away one copy of "Care Bears Flurries of Fun!" This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. Let me know if you had a favorite Bear growing up, or what your favorite toy was. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits to win, and click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on October 23RD, at 7:00 PM CST.

Potty Adventure DVD: A Review and a Giveaway!

Potty Training is not my strength with parenting. I don't look forward to it, and I think it is a huge job! Caleb is 3 years old, and not interested in using the toilet....at all! He would be fine to wear diapers forever (OK, maybe not forever, it just seems that way). I was so happy with the DVD I got to review: Pocket Snails Potty Adventure! The DVD has 3 little snails explaining the steps of potty training to Jake's little sister, Wendy. I think this DVD explains things very well to kids. They do a great job encouraging, too! The DVD even includes a Map of the things they talk about. The first step is to know the feeling that you have to go. Then, you tell your Mom or Dad. It goes through all the steps to the final step of washing your hands. I really like how the video uses the terms for when you were younger you wore diapers, and now that you are older you will use underwear. I like that the DVD doesn't imply that kids are still babies if they wear diapers. Some DVD's do that, and I think that can be demeaning to kids. During the DVD, the Pocket Snails spend most of their time in the bathroom and take pictures of the things they do. Caleb and Madelyn were really enjoy the movie. I am hoping that this will spark an interest in Caleb wanting to go! Thank you Pocket Snails! This DVD is for kids ages 2 and up.
Pocket Snails is one of the media productions from Soaring Star Productions, LLC. Soaring Star Productions, LLC is a children's educational media company located in the Grand Canyon state of Arizona. They specialize in producing distinctive, humorous and exciting educational media for the preschool child. They are dedicated to providing high quality, innovative and appealing products that are both educationally rewarding and entertaining.
You can purchase your own Potty Adventures DVD here for $14.95, OR~
YOU CAN HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN! Soaring Star has offered to sponsor a giveaway for my readers! This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. To enter the contest, check out the Pocket Snails website. Then comment on one other DVD you think looks good. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits to win, and click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on October 15th, at 7:00 PM CST.