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Category Archives: Reviews
Mama Bargains.com Review – Great Service and Excellent Products
I had the pleasure of trying out Mama Bargains recently. You might remember the giveaway we ran last month where one lucky Chip and Co fan won a $30 Gift Card. As an added bonus for that giveaway MB also gave me a $30 Gift Card to try out their service.
So with Gift Card in hand I started stalking monitoring their website. I left a tab open in my firefox and checked their website 5-7 times a day. I also became a fan on Facebook Page so I wouldn’t miss out on anything. I read on their site you can also have them text you when a new deal comes available which didn’t interest me but it might for some people.
It took me a little bit to figure out that they post offers on their website and it stays there till it sells out. Then the next deal goes live. Doesn’t matter what time it is the next one goes live. So you have to monitor their site constantly. If you check out their FB page you will see they have a community that does the same thing I have been doing night and day.
It actually turned out to be alot of fun.
Most of the products listed didn’t interest me. Some were for boys, others were to fru fru girly for me so I waited for the right time to strike. It took about a week of watching and waiting till I found something.
This bright bin lunch box came available. Which is perfect since my oldest starts Kindergarten this year. We have a Ariel lunch bag now but I remember the good old days of bringing in my Gi Joe Night Rider lunch box to school and thought this would be a good gift for my little one. My idea is to get some Disney Stickers and Paint Markers and decorate it up.
So once this deal went live I ordered it. Ordering was a breeze and took only moments. I think it took me longer finding my email with my Gift Certificate code than it did to order the product.
Now we played the waiting game. It took about 8 business days to receive the product which is not bad. The product comes straight from them so that is pretty good shipping time.
Here is our lunch box. Just like the picture. The color is a little off from the lighting on the camera but it is a Firetruck Red. My little one really liked it and is excited to personalize it like we did with her Disney World Autograph book.
Overall my experience was great and I had no issues with my experience. Mama Bargains has some really great deals if you don’t mind waiting. If you have young children this website is perfect! I look forward to watching their website and facebook for more deals and offers.
Let me know what you think in the comment box below.
Review: Cars 2 Special Collector’s Edition Magazine
In conjunction with the release of the movie, Disney also put out this 96-page magazine which re-tells the story of Cars 2. In addition to the full story, you’ll also find games, puzzles and posters in this fun magazine that’s aimed at a reading level of about second grade and up. The artwork is enjoyable for anyone who liked the movies and who enjoys Pixar films. I think the games and puzzles really sell the magazine–as a mom, anything that gets your kids to put down the video games is good, right? If you’re trying to sneak in some summer reading for your kids, this might be a good choice.
There is one possible flaw to this magazine. A lot of boys have moved on from Cars storyline by the time they’ve reached the reading level required to enjoy this book on their own. They might still enjoy the movie, but the Cars series is less interesting to most grade school boys than say, Star Wars or Harry Potter. My four-year old was more interested in this magazine than his older brother, but at his age, he’s not reading yet. I think it’s still a fun choice for kids and I’d definitely pick it up for a long road trip–the games alone make it worth the price. In fact, I think the games are the magazine’s strong point.
If you have a Cars fan in your house, regardless of age, definitely check out the magazine. For $9.99, it’s an entertaining read. Just be advised that while the format is little kid friendly, the words and storyline are more for a slightly older kid.
CARS 2 World Grand Prix Read and Race Review
Now on iTunes is the Cars 2 World Grand Prix Read and Race app.
For my 5 year old son, reading is a bore but this isn’t like any regular book. As you read along with the narrator (it can also be turned off for independent readers), you get to customize cars for your team to race with later. If you skip ahead, you may miss one of those “customization” spots during the story. He enjoyed picking colors, spoilers, wheels and going back to the story- then the big race at the end!
During the race we noticed it takes a very light turn to stay on the course- he got used to it as he tried. The user can pick which car to race out of their team and one of two tracks to race on- we liked driving through Radiator Springs.
He has been asking to play this over and over ever since we tried it out. We use computer games as rewards, and he will do what is asked if something like this is his reward. This one falls between educational and fun in our family! Something for me (I require an educational element) and something for them so it made everyone happy!
Even my 3 year old son enjoys following along and designing his cars. He hasn’t tried the race yet, but we’ll have to give him some help at first so he can get used to the turns.
This app is $6.99 on iTunes for iPhone and iPad.
Related articles
- Cars 2 World Grand Prix Read and Race App! (chipandco.com)
- Disney/Pixar Kicks It Into High Gear with Cars 2 (chipandco.com)
Winnie the Pooh is Sweet Like ‘Hunny’
Winnie the Pooh, 2011
WINNIE THE POOH (2011)
Stars: Jim Cummings, Craig Ferguson
Directors: Stephen J. Anderson, Don Hall
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Genre: Kids/Family, Animation
Rating: G
Grade: A
There are few cartoon characters that come with as much nostalgia as Winnie the Pooh. Pooh Bear has been adored by children and families everywhere since the 1920s. Walt Disney Animation Studios has picked up right where Pooh left off – on his quest for honey. Not much has changed around Hundred Acre Wood. All of our favorite characters make an appearance in this feature film version. Pooh’s BFF, Eeyore, has lost his tail. Christopher Robin along with Pooh and the rest of his stuffed animal buddies decide to hold a contest to see who can find the best replacement tail for Eeyore. Of course, along the way Pooh is constantly distracted by his incessant hunger for honey. During their search for Eeyore’s tail, the gang become afraid of a fictional creature called a “Backson” which they think has kidnapped their owner Chistopher Robin, and they devise a plan to trap the Backson thus rescuing Robin.
Movie Review: Winnie the Pooh
Today was a new first for my children – it was their first experience watching a movie in a movie theater. Winnie the Pooh was just the film for this momentous occasion. It was the perfect fit – with a running length of 69 minutes, I was reasonably sure our toddler son would be able to make it through the movie and our soon-to-be-kindergartener was still young enough at heart to enjoy the classic characters.
Now, it’s been a long time since I’ve been to see a movie myself but I suppose I still have to consider myself naïve for assuming they would skip the movie previews for a children’s movie. After a few movie trailers, the short, The Ballad of Nessie was shown. It was a super-cute, simple story that reminded kids not to hide their feelings. Sometimes a good cry is exactly what you need.
On to the Main Feature
Winnie the Pooh began with a peek into Christopher Robin’s true-to-life bedroom. Christopher Robin is a collector of many things, but especially his stuffed animals. And with that introduction, we stepped into the pages of a classic Winnie the Pooh storybook as we followed this lovable bear and the other inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Woods on their escapades.
Readers of the Winnie the Pooh Golden Books will notice a storyline similar to Pooh’s Grand Adventure. Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit, Piglet, Kanga, Roo, and Tigger get themselves into a mess of trouble simply by being themselves. It’s a tale of friendship and problem-solving that is told using the style of the traditional illustrations in the Winnie the Pooh stories.
My only minor gripe is that I thought there were a couple of unnecessary instances of cartoon “violence.” You know the kind – no one gets hurt and the kids laugh. Nevertheless, it seemed out of place to me. My husband on the other hand, didn’t even know what I was talking about when I asked if a couple of scenes bothered him so it’s a personal opinion.
Disney is to be commended for the light hand they used when creating this film based on the beloved Winnie the Pooh stories. There weren’t any fancy tricks to “modernize” this timeless treasure. They didn’t stray from the simple and sweet nature of the characters and of the storytelling. They paid respect to the beautiful illustrations in the books by recreating them on the movie screen.
My two boys were mesmerized throughout the film. Winnie the Pooh has been part of their childhood and it seems appropriate that this was the film that marked another first in their life.
Related articles
- Video: Winnie the Pooh – “Owl’s Cold” (chipandco.com)
- 2 New Winnie the Pooh Trailers based off of Harry Potter (chipandco.com)
