Oriental Trading Company Halloween Costume Review

Disclosure: I received the following products in exchange for a review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the products.

Fall has arrived and with it comes thoughts of carving pumpkins and picking out Halloween costumes. While some years choosing a Halloween costume is difficult, this year it was easy. Two of my boys found the costume they wanted at the Oriental Trading Company. 

I always enjoy reviewing products from the Oriental Trading Company. I love that their website offers a variety of party supplies, teacher supplies, toys and games, crafts, and holiday products including Halloween costumes. Last year, my youngest son wore an adorable Mickey Mouse costume from the Oriental Trading Company and this year he picked out Olaf.

This costume is actually listed as a girls Halloween costume, but I do not think it matters. In my opinion he looks adorable! It is a little big on him since I chose the child size 4-6x, but I figure it will allow him to use it for a while. This costume comes in two pieces. There is the jumpsuit with a foam overlay and the headpiece. He is so happy to be Olaf this year!

My middle son decided to be the WWE wrestler Rey Mysterio this year. When the costume came in the mail he was excited to try it on. His costume came with the pants, mask, and the muscle chest shirt.  Just look at all those muscles!

Although October has just started, Halloween will be here before you know it. If you are looking for that perfect Halloween costume or any type of Halloween supply, check out the Oriental Trading Company. 

Scooby-Doo and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon Review

Disclosure: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the movie I reviewed in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own.

Press Release Synopsis: When Scooby and the gang attend an off-road racing competition, the last thing they expect to stumble upon is a menacing phantom. However, before they can say "ruh-roh," things take a turn for the worse, as Inferno schemes to sabotage the race and cause chaos for everyone. With the help of WWE Superstars Triple H, Paige and Sheamus, as well as Scooby's new driving partner, The Undertaker, it's up to Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang to save the race before it's too late!

With a star-studded voice cast, including WWE Superstars The Undertaker, Triple H, Paige, Sheamus, Mr. McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Lana™, Rusev^®, The Miz^®, Kofi Kingston^®, and Goldust^®, this action-packed film is a can't miss! Bonus materials include two episodes from fan-favorite series, Be Cool Scooby-Doo! and Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, and exclusive content containing a behind-the-scenes segment featuring Scooby-Doo Monster Jam truck drivers. Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon is a film that Scooby and WWE fans alike can enjoy!

Our thoughts:  My boys loved Scooby-Doo! Wrestlemania Mystery, so they were excited to hear that Scooby-Doo and WWE were going to team up again in a new movie. In Scooby-Doo and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon, my boys were thrilled to see that The Undertaker and Sheamus would be featured in the movie. Not only was the movie entertaining, but it kept us guessing as to who was the masked villain. I have to say that we were all surprised this time when the villain was revealed! Both my boys thought the movie was awesome and we can't wait to see what the next adventure will be for the Mystery Inc. gang.

Peppa Pig Sunny Vacation DVD Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the DVD to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion.

Press Release Synopsis: 

It's time for a special Family Holiday! Celebrate the summer as we come along with Peppa, George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig on a Sunny Vacation abroad. Peppa is enjoying all of the sights and sounds of Italy, but she also can't wait to go home and see her friends!

"Peppa Pig Sunny Vacation" on DVD is packed with excitement as Peppa and her family set off on their trip across Italy. Kids and parents alike will love the four-part sunny special with 8 additional super fun-filled Peppasodes!

Our thoughts: My four-year old loves Peppa Pig! He has many of the toys including Peppa's house, car, and camper van, and he even had a Peppa Pig birthday party this year. When "Peppa Pig Sunny Vacation" came in the mail he was excited to watch our new DVD. I think his favorite episodes were the first four where Peppa and her family travel to Italy. We just came back from our own vacation, so I think he could relate to her trip. As we watched these episodes, we talked about how we had just been to the airport and flew on a plane for our vacation. While it seemed that his favorite episodes were the first four, all 12 episodes are sure to entertain any fan of Peppa Pig.

Summer Products at the Oriental Trading Company

Disclosure: I will be receiving products in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.

School has been out for a week and I have enjoyed spending time with my boys relaxing and being lazy. However, it has given me time to realize that I need to find fun ways to keep my boys entertained throughout the summer so that they do not spend all of their time watching TV or playing video games.

As I thought about ideas for my boys, I thought about crafts and outside activities. This coincided perfectly with an email I received from the Oriental Trading Company asking if I would be interested in writing about some of their summer products. Every time I browse their website, I am always amazed at how many products they offer. As I looked for both crafts and outside activities, the following products caught my eye:

1) Glow Products: With July 4th right around the corner, glow products would be perfect to have on hand and the Oriental Trading Company has a variety of them. They have necklaces, bracelets, yo-yos, sunglasses, tattoos, slime, and more for a total of 334 products. My boys would have a blast with any of these glow products.

2) Outdoor Products: As I checked some of their summer toys and games, I found quite a few products that would keep my boys busy this summer. My youngest would love the beach balls, parachutes, beach toys and bubbles. My older two boys would have a blast with the squirt guns and water balloons.

3) Summer Crafts: My youngest, who is four years old, keeps me very busy and so I thought it would be a great idea to do a few crafts with him this summer.  A few  that caught my eye were the Fabulous Foam Super Sunglasses Kit, the Colorful Turtle Tissue Paper Craft Kit, and the You Are My Sunshine Sign Craft Kit.

After checking out their summer products, I now have some ideas on ways to keep my kids busy this summer. I also plan to check out their project ideas from time to time in hopes for a little inspiration as well. So if you are looking for some fun summer items or just looking for project ideas,  check out the Oriental Trading Company.

Adventures in Babysitting Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the movie to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the movie.

Press Release Synopsis:

"Adventures in Babysitting," inspired by the hugely popular 1980s film of the same name, is an upcoming Disney Channel Original Movie starring Sabrina Carpenter (of Disney Channel's hit comedy series "Girl Meets World" and Sofia Carson (of the hit Disney Channel Original Movie "Descendants"). In "Adventures in Babysitting," a dull evening for two competing babysitters, Jenny (Sabrina Carpenter) and Lola (Sofia Carson), turns into an adventure in the big city as they hunt for one of the kids who somehow snuck away.

Our thoughts: Our family loves the show "Girl Meets World" and we are fans of Sabrina Carpenter, so we were excited to watch the newest Disney Channel Original Movie "Adventures in Babysitting." My boys and I watched it for a family movie night and we all enjoyed the movie. It definitely entertained us as we watched the two babysitters, Jenny and Lola, try to find Trey who snuck out his window and went into the big city. It is here in the city, where their adventure really begins. Even when Trey is found, their adventure continues as they try to make it home before the parents of the kids return. This is no easy task when the car they were driving is towed and they need to find $100 to get it back. It seems to be one mishap after another which kept us interested to see how the movie ended.

Although there were lots of great moments throughout the movie, our favorite part was when both Jenny and Lola rapped about their predicament. You can watch this rap in the video below. This movie is family friendly, entertaining, and is sure to keep you wondering what could possible happen next? If you are interested in this movie, it comes out on DVD on June 28.

Lego Scooby-Doo!: Haunted Hollywood DVD Review

Disclosure: Warner Bros. Home Video provided me with some of the materials I used in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own.

Press Release Synopsis:

In LEGO^® Scooby-Doo!: Haunted Hollywood, the gang heads to the entertainment capital of the world, Hollywood, where they take a tour of the legendary Brickton Studios, a historic Hollywood movie studio. While visiting the lot, the gang is surprised to find the once powerful film studio has fallen onto hard times. Neglected and in disrepair, Brickton, which has lost its luster, now faces threats of closure and an impending sale to greedy developers who want to tear it down. 

To top it off, the Mystery Inc. gang discovers that the studio’s backlot is haunted by the ghost of Boris Karnak, a famous, old-time movie actor who has been making ghostly appearances in the roles he once made famous – including the Headless Horseman, the Mummy and the Zombie. The ghostly sightings have frightened away the cast and crew of Brickton’s latest film production, which was the studio’s final effort in trying to save the company from going under. Now with production halted on the movie which was supposed to rescue Brickton from its demise, it looks as though the famous backlot is destined to fall into the hands of the developers after all. Will it be a wrap for Brickton or will Scooby and the gang find a way to help the studio achieve box-office success? It’s a “bricktacular” adventure no Scooby-Doo! fan will want to miss! 



Our thoughts: Since my boys love Legos and they also love Scooby-Doo, I knew that they would be excited to watch Lego Scooby-Doo!: Haunted Hollywood. Some weekends seem so busy, but this weekend we made the time to sit down and watch the movie. Both of my boys, as well as myself, enjoyed the movie. I'm always entertained with the different traps that Fred comes up with, as well as trying to guess who the villain or villains may be. I love watching Scooby-Doo with my boys, because it reminds me of watching it as a child. This movie comes out on Blu-ray Combo, DVD, and Digital HD on May 10.

Our Adventures with Autism

As I looked at my blog recently, I was a little surprised that the last time I blogged was December 2015. I hadn't decided to stop blogging, but I guess life got in the way and a new adventure started.

In November of 2015, my youngest son, Little C, was diagnosed with autism. If you asked me if I was surprised, honestly I would have to say no. I didn't even know that much about autism at the time, but a part of me suspected that he might have it.

Since he was two and was evaluated for Early Intervention, he was showing development delays.  At two, he hardly talked, however, he could say any letter of the alphabet for you if you randomly showed him one. So we had him evaluated and he started receiving Speech and Physical Therapy. We were surprised when he qualified for PT because we did not realize he was behind.

When he turned three, he no longer qualified for speech, but he still received PT. In April, our pediatrician recommended that we have him tested at the Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester for his developmental delays. We started the paperwork to have him tested but it wouldn't be until November that he would be seen.

Little C started preschool in the fall and we started noticing that he was showing signs of Sensory Processing Disorder. It was finally in November when we received the diagnosis that Little C had high-functioning autism. I don't think we were that surprised because we recognized some of the signs.  He often did not make eye contact when he spoke to us, he had a great vocabulary but had trouble answering questions, he needed routine, and was showing little pretend play.

These past few months have been an adventure. In December, he was tested for OT and qualified. Both his OT and PT work with his sensory issues. We have been introduced to brushing techniques. We have been challenged with meltdowns. We have been blessed with a little boy who sees the world differently.

My viewpoint on parenting has changed as well. I could remember times when I may have seen a kid have a meltdown in a store. I use to think can't those parents control their kids. Now I am sympathetic, because that could be me one day. I realize that my son's meltdowns, unlike a tamper tantrum, can  not not be controlled. They can happen at any time. I don't quite understand how his sensory issues effect his life, but I realize that they challenge him as well.

At first, I think people were surprised with his diagnosis. When I showed my students a picture of him and talked about his autism, a few mentioned he doesn't look like he has autism. I responded what does autism look like? As I research more and more, I realize that every child with autism is going to be different. I realize that I will be taking on a role of advocate for my son. I realize that times will be challenging. But I also realize that God has blessed me with an incredible child who helps me to see the world a little bit differently.

"Pan" Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the movie to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the movie. 

Press Release Synopsis:

Peter (Levi Miller) is a mischievous 12-year-old boy with an irrepressible rebellious streak, but in the bleak London orphanage where he has lived his whole life those qualities do not exactly fly. Then one incredible night, Peter is whisked away from the orphanage and spirited off to a fantastical world of pirates, warriors and fairies called Neverland. There, he finds amazing adventures and fights life-or-death battles while trying to uncover the secret of his mother, who left him at the orphanage so long ago, and his rightful place in this magical land. Teamed with the warrior Tiger Lily (Rooney Mara) and a new friend named James Hook (Garrett Hedlund), Peter must defeat the ruthless pirate Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman) to save Neverland and discover his true destiny - to become the hero who will forever be known as Peter Pan.

Our thoughts: My boys have always been a fan of the movie Peter Pan, so it was no surprised that they would be interested in "Pan". I have to admit, I was looking forward to watching the movie too. I wanted to see how the story of Peter Pan began. It was an interesting plot, with Peter befriending Hook in order to escape from Blackbeard to search for his mother. While searching for his mother, he embarks on an adventure that leads him to fight Blackbeard and save Neverland. My boys' favorite characters were both Hook and Blackbeard and my oldest wished the move could have been longer. We all enjoyed the movie and found it entertaining. It left me wondering, however, will there be a movie in the future that explains how Peter and Hook become enemies? If so, I would definitely be interested in watching that as well.

Oriental Trading Company Halloween Review

Disclosure: I received the following products in exchange for a review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the products.

Every year around September my boys start thinking about Halloween. This year was no exception. Finding the perfect costume is of utmost priority in their minds. Although my older boys had a tougher time deciding what to be, for my youngest the decision was an easy one: Mickey Mouse. This worked out perfectly since Oriental Trading Company asked me to write a review about their Halloween products and they happened to have a Mickey Mouse costume.

I have always enjoyed shopping at Oriental Trading Company. At Oriental Trading Company you can shop for craft and hobby supplies, toys and novelties, party supplies, teaching supplies, home decor, and holiday products. In the past, I never would have thought to shop at Oriental Trading Company for a Halloween costume, but now my mind is changed. They offer a variety of different costumes for kids and adults to choose from, as well as accessories and props.

When the Mickey Mouse costume came in the mail, my son was so excited to try it on. The costume is made up of a bodysuit with a cute bowtie, as well as Mickey Mouse ears. My son absolutely loved the costume and wore it around all night. If we let him, he would wear it every day.

Since my older boys will dress up with a cape from time to time, I asked to review the Superhero Cape and Mask set. I figured this way my youngest could have his own cape too. Although he was excited to try on the cape and mask, it was a little too big for him so we will have to save it for when he is older. However, I was able to have my middle son try on the cape for the picture above. I was a little surprised that the cape feels like it is made out of plastic, but I do like that it is reversible with blue on one side and red on the other. It is only $6.25 so it might make a great party favor.

Besides being able to buy costumes at Oriental Trading Company, they offer a large variety of candy and favors. When I checked out the candy selection, it was easy to choose which to review. Since I work with kids, I know some of their favorites: Toostie Caramel Apple Suckers and Dum Dums. The Toostie Caramel Apple Suckers cost $5.75 for 24 lollipops, while the Dums Dums cost $9.99 for 120 lollipops. Since the Tootsie Caramel Apple Suckers are hard to find in stores, I was thrilled that Oriental Trading Company has these on their website. Although to me they are a bit pricey, the kids absolutely love them and ask for them all of the time!

Besides candy, kids also love stickers. So the last item I chose to review was a roll of Prism Pumpkin stickers. Each sticker is on a perforated piece so this would be perfect to hand out on Halloween.

If you are looking for Halloween products, I would recommend Oriental Trading Company. They offer a variety of costumes and accessories, candy and favors, party decorations and supplies, holiday decor, and crafts. I think their prices are reasonable and from time to time they even offer free shipping.

Mike & Molly: The Complete Fifth Season

Disclosure: I received a copy of the DVD in exchange for this post. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinions of the show.

My husband and I both enjoy watching Mike & Molly. With a funny and talented cast, this show is always entertaining! If you haven't had a chance to watch the fifth season, here is the synopsis below.

Press Release Synopsis: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings the fifth season of the hilarious hit comedy Mike & Molly to DVD on August 18, 2015. It's a season full of laughs, challenges, and triumphs for one of TV's most lovable couples. With an advance on her first book, Molly (Emmy® winner Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaid, The Heat, Spy) has become a real writer and must juggle the pressures of her publisher's deadlines with the challenges of writer's block. Meanwhile, Mike (Billy Gardell - My Name Is Earl, Jersey Boys) must deal with his too-close in-laws and the looming debt he and Molly will have to pay if she doesn't finish her book. Together, they embark on the next chapter of their lives as their crazy, hilarious love story continues to unfold. Mike & Molly: The Complete Fifth Season will retail for $24.98 SRP.

When she returns from the Iowa Writers' Workshop with a publisher's check in hand, it's official: Molly's a real writer! Now all she has to do is bang out that romance novel and start signing books. No sweat, right? As Molly struggles to cope with writer's block, her publisher's bizarre notes and stressful deadlines, her hubby feels the pinch. And with his in-laws living under the same roof and his partner dating Molly's sister, Mike's got his own world of drama to deal with. But when it comes to making true love work no matter what life throws in their way, this couple writes the book. Good times are here in all 22 Season Five episodes filled with life, laughs, and love.

Descendants DVD Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the movie to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the movie.

Press Release Synopsis:

In a present day idyllic kingdom, the benevolent teenaged son of of the King and Queen (Beast and Belle from Disney's iconic "Beauty and the Beast" is poised to take the throne. His first proclamation: offer a chance at redemption to the trouble-making offspring of Cruella de Vil, Maleficient, the Evil Queen and Jafar who have been imprisoned on a forbidden island with all the other villains, sidekicks, evil step-mothers and step-sisters. These villainous descendants (Carlos, Mal, Evie and Jay, respectively) are allowed into the kingdom to attend prep school alongside the offspring of iconic Disney heroes, including Fairy Godmother, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel and Mulan. However, the evil teens face a dilemma. Should they follow in their nefarious parents' footsteps and help all the villains regain power or embrace their innate goodness and save the kingdom?

Our thoughts:  My boys love to watch the Disney Channel and were thrilled when they saw the trailer for Disney's Descendants. My oldest son is a fan of Disney villains, so this movie was sure to catch his interest. On July 31st, my boys and I sat down to watch Descendants for our family movie night and it met our expectations!

My family loves many of the Disney stories, but one of the reasons Descendants seemed so interesting is because of the focus on the villains' offspring. We are introduced to the children of some of our favorite Disney heroes and villains. My oldest son's favorite villains are Maleficient and Jafar, so it was perfect that this movie highlights the children of these two characters (Mal and Jay), as well as the children of Cruella de Vil and the Evil Queen (Carlos and Evie).

At first, Carlos, Mal, Evie, and Jay do not want to attend prep school, but they go with the plan to steal the Fairy Godmother's wand.  They believe that by stealing the wand they will make their parents proud. However, despite their evil plot, they start to find out that there are parts to the prep school that they enjoy. They also learn that just because their parents are evil, they do not have to follow in their footsteps.

I enjoyed not only the story and message of the movie, but the dancing and music as well. Since Mal made a comment at the end of the movie about it not being the end of the story, we can't wait to find out what's next. We felt that this movie was fantastic and we are hoping for a sequel!

Looney Tunes Rabbits Run DVD Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the movie to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the movie.

Press Release Synopsis:
What happens when Bugs Bunny becomes embroiled in a scheme surrounding the invention of a highly-sought after invisibility spray? The result is a mad-cap adventure set in New York City and Paris titled Looney Tunes Rabbits Run. This brand-new, original animated film will be released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) Aug 4, 2015 and will retail for $19.98 SRP.

In Looney Tunes Rabbits Run, Bugs Bunny is a New York City cabbie who picks up the beautiful but bumbling perfume salesgirl, Lola Bunny, after she's lost her job at a department store. Bugs, who drives Lola home from work in his taxi, has no idea he's about to embark in the longest ride of his life!

In her spare time, Lola is an amateur perfume maker who's convinced one day she'll concoct the world's most beautiful fragrance and sell it to the House of Moufette in Paris. Unbeknownst to Bugs, Lola, in one of her attempts to create the next big fragrance, has inadvertently invented an invisibility spray, and now the whole world is on their tails to steal her precious concoction!

On the run to Paris, Bugs and Lola must outsmart everyone from government officials, to Lola's greedy department store boss, Giovanni and even Yosemite Sam, all of whom are after Lola's "scent-sational" invisibility spray. Will Bugs help Lola thwart the bad guys and help her realize her dream of launching her own signature fragrance line? It's a heart-stopping, looney adventure that animation fans won't want to miss! Joining Bugs and Lola is a lineup of favorite Looney Tunes characters including Speedy Gonzalez, Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck, Pepe Le Pew, Foghorn Leghorn and many others.

Our thoughts: Last week for family movie night we watched Looney Tunes Rabbits Run. My boys have always been fans of Looney Tunes so I was not surprised that they enjoyed watching the movie. Throughout the movie, we loved seeing the appearance of so many different Looney Tunes characters.  My oldest son's favorite characters were Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck, and Marvin the Martian, while my middle son's favorite character was Bugs Bunny. My boys found this movie funny and entertaining and gave it two thumbs up!

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the movie to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the movie. 

On a mission to save his world, SpongeBob SquarePants is headed to ours. When pirate Burger Beard (Antonio Banderas) steals the secret recipe for the beloved Krabby Patties, SpongeBob and friends come ashore to bring back the missing formula. To succeed, they must team up with former rival, Plankton, but soon realize that to defeat a super-villain, they must unleash their inner superheroes. 

Our thoughts: My two oldest boys are big fans of SpongeBob so they went to see The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water when it came out in theaters.  Since they loved the movie, they were thrilled when they found out that we were going to review the movie on Blu-ray and DVD.

Although they wanted to watch it the day it arrived in the mail, we waited until the weekend to watch it as a family. Not only did the movie capture their interest because they are fans of SpongeBob, but they loved the idea of the characters becoming superheroes. My oldest son's favorite character in the movie is Mr. Krabs, whose superhero character is a robot. My middle son's favorite character was Plankton whose superhero character is strong with huge muscles. I have to admit Plankton was probably my favorite too. I liked the idea that he decided to work with the team of SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Sandy, and Mr. Krabs instead of against them. He even has a chance to keep the Krabby Patty Secret Formula but gives it back instead of being selfish.  Of course, when he returns to Bikini Botton, he goes back to being his old self. As far as my boys are concerned, the movie was awesome!

Win it: Paramount has offered to give away a copy of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water to one lucky reader. Just enter below...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will end on June 29, 2015 at 12:00 am(EST). The giveaway is open to US residents only- no PO Boxes. The winner will be chosen randomly and will be notified by email. The winner will then have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Teen Titans Go!: Appetite For Disruption Season 2 Part 1 DVD Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the DVD to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the DVD. 

Teen Titans fans can relive the latest adventures when Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) releases Teen Titans Go!: Appetite for Disruption Season 2 Part 1 on DVD April 14, 2015. The two-disc DVD set is priced to own for $19.97 SRP and features over 4 hours of content on 2 DVD discs! Teen Titans Go!, which consistently ranked as the #1 show for kids 6-11 on Cartoon Network has been renewed for a third season of fun and mayhem.

In Season 2 Part 1, the Teen Titans return with a whole new bevy of baddies, beverages and adventures! Partner up with Robin, Cyborg, Raven, Starfire and Beast Boy to defend Jump City against slimy monsters, tyrannical villains and of course, crime fighting induced hunger pains. Every vote counts when the Teen Titans hold team leader elections, Beast Boy dials up the "man-factor" with his new robotic limbs, while Raven races to save the cotton candy bushes from the Gumdrop Goblin. It's a titan red alert with 26 gut-punching, gut-busting adventures in this all-new collection.

Our thoughts: My boys absolutely love the show Teen Titans Go! I think the last time I checked, they had around 55 episodes saved on our DVR. So when I was asked to review the Teen Titans Go! Appetite For Disruption Season 2 Part 1 DVD, I knew that my kids would be excited. Although my kids love the show, this is really the first time that I sat down and watched some episodes with them. 

This cartoon focuses on five main characters. Robin is the leader of the Teen Titans. Starfire is an alien princess who is learning how to fit in on Earth. Cyborg is half human and half robot. Raven is a half demon, and Beast Boy can transform into any animal. My oldest son's favorite characters are Robin and Raven. He likes Robin because he is the leader of the group, and he likes Raven because she has magic. My other son's favorite character is Cyborg because he is a robot machine.

The two-disc DVD set contains 26 eleven minute episodes. One of my oldest son's favorite episode was called "Caramel Apples." In this episode Raven's demon father, Trigon, has arrived to destroy Jump City and the world because Raven did not get him a Father's Day present. When Raven tells Starfire why her father is upset, Starfire makes Trigon a picture which makes him happy. He stops trying to destroy the Earth and starts spending time with Starfire. This upsets Raven and she starts fighting with Starfire, which she soon discovers her father wanted her to do all along. The girls apologize to each other and send Trigon away.

This cartoon definitely entertains my boys, and now that they own a DVD with 26 episodes I can finally delete some of the shows on our DVR! If you have a Teen Titan Go! fan in your house, I would definitely recommend this DVD.

Shutterfly iPhone 6 Case Giveaway

Disclosure: I received a code to giveaway in exchange for a post.  However, all opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of Shutterfly.

I love taking pictures of my family and since I upgraded to an iPhone last summer I feel like I always have a camera available to me. Since I take a lot of pictures, it is important to me to make sure I always back them up. Although I do back them up on my hard drive, I also upload them to Shutterfly. 

At Shutterfly you can upload and store an unlimited amount of photos. You can also use their site to share your photos with family and friends and turn your photos into cards and gifts. I have personally made photo cards, photo books, mugs, mouse pads, ornaments, magnets, and calendars. Whenever I have given a gift to someone that I created through Shutterfly, I have always received compliments about that gift. However, if you are not happy with your product, Shutterfly offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee where they will replace it for free or offer a refund.

After upgrading to an iPhone, I made sure to download the Shutterfly app to my phone. By having the app, I can see all of the photos that I have ever uploaded to Shutterfly right on my phone, plus I can upload all of my iPhone pictures onto the Shutterfly website.

One item that I have yet to try out at Shutterfly are the iPhone cases. As you browse through their selection, you can refine your search based on the type of iPhone you have, case type, case finish, color, and the number of photos you wish to have on your case. As I looked at their selection, my favorite was called Love Makes Family. 

Besides offering great products, I love that they offer discounts and free products from time to time. Many times on the weekend I will be surprised with an email offering an item for free with the exception of shipping. I have received emails about free magnets, cards, and address labels, just to name a few. 

Since I love the quality of their products, I would definitely recommend Shutterfly! To give you a chance to try our their site, I am giving away a Shutterfly code for a free iPhone 6 case. Just enter below...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age Smackdown Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the movie to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the movie. 

Get ready for some raw-kin’ action in this all-new, original movie that brings some of WWE’s toughest, wildest superstars to Bedrock! When Fred loses his family’s vacation money, he hatches one of his hair brained plans to get it back. It’s a sports entertainment spectacle that involves throwing his best bud, Barney into the wrestling ring with the likes of John Cenastone (John Cena), Marble Henry (Mark Henry) and even The Undertaker, with Fred himself as event promoter! The crowds roar, the “clams” are pouring in from ticket sales and even Mr. McMagma (Vince McMahon) is taking notice of all the hoopla. Can Fred keep serving up bigger and badder matches or is he in for the rocky ride of his life? Including all-star appearances from The Boulder Twins (Brie and Nikki Bella) and Daniel Bry-Rock (Daniel Bryan), it’s time to get the whole family together for a collection of hard-hitting, side-splitting laughs from the most epic event in all of prehistory!

Our thoughts: My two oldest boys and my husband are huge fans of WWE, so my boys were excited when we received a review copy of The Flintstones and WWE: Stone Age Smackdown! As soon as it arrived in the mail they wanted to watch it, and that's exactly what we did when dinner was over.

As we watched the movie together, I could tell that my boys were enjoying it. After the movie was over, my boys even watched parts of it over again. Their favorite characters of the movie were The Undertaker and John Cenastone. While the Undertaker has always been a favorite wrestler in our house, we saw a comedic side to him in this movie as he has a scene wearing pink shorts. Another scene that stood out was between John Cenastone and Daniel Bry-Rock where Daniel got to say his catch phrase "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

The Flinstones & WWE: Stone Age Smackdown was a hit with my boys and the only complaint was that they wished the movie was a little longer. Growing up I remember watching the Flintstones, so I enjoyed that I could share a part of my childhood with my boys. If you are a fan of the Flintstones and WWE, you might want to check out this movie. You can own it on Blu-ray™ Combo, DVD & Digital HD on March 10.

Scooby-Doo! Moon Monster Madness Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the movie to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the movie.

It's one giant step for dog-kind as Scooby-Doo and the gang blast off for an epic journey into outer space in this must-own, original, new film! After winning the last five seats in a lottery, Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne and Velma are off to space in billionaire Sly Barron's brand new ship, the Sly Star One, a space tourism vessel setting off on its inaugural voyage. It's all gravity-free fun until a mysterious alien begins to destroy the ship! As the vessel breaks down, the crew is foced to land on Sly Baron's base - located on the dark side of the moon! Will the gang unravel this alien mystery? Will Scooby and Shaggy find snacks on the moon? Fans will want to hop on board, fasten their seat belts and journey to the outer limits with Scooby-Doo to find out!

Our thoughts: My oldest son loves learning about space, so I was pretty sure that Scooby-doo! Moon Monster Madness would capture his interest. We are all big Scooby-Doo fans and love it when a new movie is released. My family enjoyed watching the gang's newest adventure as well as trying to guess who the villain might be. From the beginning to the end, the movie captured our interest. When I asked my boys what they thought of the movie they said "it was awesome and amazing!"

Scooby-Doo! Moon Monster Madness is available on DVD in stores now and would make a great family-friendly movie for any Scooby-Doo fan!

Dolphin Tale 2 Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the movie to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the movie.

Last weekend for family movie night, we decided to watch "Dolphin Tale 2". We enjoyed the original "Dolphin Tale" so we were interested in finding out how Winter's story continues. In case you have not seen the first movie let me just share a few details. The first movie is about a bottlenose dolphin named Winter and a boy named Sawyer. When Winter's tail is caught in a crab trap, Sawyer calls for help and comforts the dolphin until the Clearwater Marine Hospital is able to rescue her. When Winter's tail needs to be amputated, Sawyer comes up with the idea of having a prosthetic tail created for her to help her swim correctly. 

In this sequel, the team at Clearwater Marine Aquarium has a new challenge to overcome when Winter loses her surrogate mother. Not only are they concerned about Winter as she grieves, but regulations require dolphins to be paired. With the possibility that Winter might have to be moved, they hope that they might find a companion for Winter before time runs out. 

I love watching movies based on true events and "Dolphin Tale 2" met my expectations. It was both entertaining and family friendly. I also liked the fact that at the end of the movie actual footage was shown of some of the events seen in the movie. 

"Dolphin Tale 2" arrives onto Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD on December 9 from Warner Bros Home Entertainment and would make a great family-friendly movie to give at Christmas.

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated The Complete Season Two Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the DVD to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the DVD. 

The Mystery Inc. crew is on the run again in this spooky second season of the hit Cartoon Network series! Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Daphne, Fred and Velma are off on more outlandish adventures as the super-sleuths race to outwit everything from creepy clowns, to aliens, to an evil entity determined to destroy the world! The darkest secrets of their hometown of Crystal Cove, the "Most Hauntedest Place on Earth" are about to come to light, but will finally solving this mystery mean the end for Scooby-Doo and the Gang? Fans will want to bring this frighteningly fun collection home so the whole family can find out! 

My thoughts: If you are a Scooby-Doo fan, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated The Complete Season Two DVD featuring 26 episodes may be for you.  One thing that I loved about season one and now season two of this new Scooby-Doo series is that there is an underlying storyline that connects all of the episodes. At the end of season one, the gang has separated, so season two starts out with reuniting the gang. Although I have only watched about half of the season, each episode makes me want to watch the next. I can't wait to see how the overall storyline ends!

With the holidays right around the corner, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated The Complete Season Two DVD would make a great gift for any Scooby-Doo fan.

Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the movie to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the movie.

Scooby-Doo and those "meddling kids," Shaggy, Fred, Daphne and Velma are back! In this spooky adventure, Velma discovers she's inherited her great-great-uncle Dr. Von Dinkenstein's cursed castle in the terrifying town of Transylvania...Pennsylvania, that is. Just when the Gang persuades Velma to claim her inheritance, the ghost of Dinkenstein Castle blows up the Mystery Machine as a warning to the group that each of them will lose what is most dear to them if they continue to pursue the mystery of the castle. Now the gang must spring into action to solve the mystery while also dealing with the threats from Dinkenstein's ghost. Can Fred work without his precious Mystery Machine? What happens to Daphne when she loses her good looks? And how will Scooby and Shaggy ever work without their appetites? More importantly, what family secret has Velma been hiding all along?

Our thoughts:  A few days ago, I made popcorn and then cuddled up on the couch with my boys to watch Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy. My boys had already watched it once, but were pretty good at not giving away any clues so that I could guess who the villain might be. The first time they watched it, they thought it was good but a little creepy. As I watched the movie with them, I definitely became interested in the storyline. One of my favorite parts of the movie was watching Scooby and Shaggy take on different personalities. Instead of being scared of monsters and hungry all of the time, they became courageous and actually turned down food. I kept wondering what happened to cause them to act that way and of course I was enlightened at the end of the movie of the reason.

Throughout the movie it does appear to the gang that the curse is real and they are each losing what is important to them. Fred loses the Mystery Machine, Daphne loses her good looks, and Shaggy and Scooby lose their appetite. Despite losing what seems important to them, they are able to still work together and solve the mystery. I liked it at the end when Velma states they could not lose what is most dear to them, because it is their friendship that is most important.

The Blu-ray® combo pack and the DVD will be available on August 19 and would make a great family-friendly movie for Halloween.