Two Cute Holiday Movies from Cinedigm That Your Little Ones are Sure to Love!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year….

 

Yeah, I know, I know, but I love Christmas.  I swear nothing makes me happier on a cold December night than snuggling up on the couch with all of my kiddos (and hubby), with a cup of hot chocolate (extra marshmallows please) and a good Christmas movie.  Since I know that there are many of you who enjoy that simple act of watching holiday movies with your little ones as much as I do, I thought I’d share a couple of cute new Christmas movies that I just had the opportunity to check out so maybe you can add them to your holiday movie list as well!

 

We recently had the chance to review two new holiday movies from Cinedigm; “The Secret World of Santa Claus: Elves in Toyland” and “The Secret World of Santa Claus: A Present for Santa”, both with an SRP of $14.95 available from Cinedigm.

 

About “The Secret World of Santa Claus:  Elves in Toyland”  and The Secret World of Santa Claus:  A Present for Santa”:

Kids and families will count down to Christmas with the DVD debut of the beloved international sensation, The Secret World of Santa Claus! The two special two-disc sets each feature a dozen episodes of the timeless animated series. In “The Secret World of Santa Claus: Elves in Toyland,” Santa, his reindeer and trusty elves sleigh into a land full of enchantment. But when they arrive, they find the meddlesome Gruzzlebeard has cast a wicked spell on the toys, making them come to life. With Christmas fast approaching, Santa and his elves must undo the maleficent magic before it’s too late…! And in “The Secret World of Santa Claus: A Present for Santa,” children work with Santa’s elves to make him a gift so he won’t be the only person on the planet who never receives presents on Christmas. While they’re hard at work, the dastardly Gruzzlebeard unleashes hungry termites that nearly eat Santa’s house, along with his trademark suit with special powers! Santa is very distressed, but when he awakens to a big present outside, courtesy of the children, he discovers all hope is not lost.

 

My children, especially Lil Diva and Lil Man, love Christmas movies and these two were no exceptions.  My kiddos have watched both movies several times now and each time I find them glued to the television (not a small feat, believe you me) so I’mpretty sure that means they really enjoy them! 

 

You can pick up both of these movies wherever Cinedigm movies are sold!

 

Disclosure:  I received the items above for review and/or inclusion in our Holiday Gift Guide, all opinions are 100% my own!

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Holiday Gift Guide: Winx Club Sirenix Musa Doll

Having a houseful of girls means that I’ve seen (and played with) my fair share of dolls and I have to admit, I get almost as excited when a new doll arrives as my Lil Diva does…I’m just a big kid at heart I suppose. Lately my Diva is all about Winx Club and their fabulously fashionable line of dolls that go along with their hit show and they are a favorite around here.

We were lucky enough to receive one of the newest dolls from the Winx Club’s newest transformation, Sirenix, for our Holiday Gift Guide. We received the Musa doll and if you know anything about Winx Club or the adorable dolls, then you know how exciting they can be to open for your lil one. Lil Diva is definitely in the doll stage and she spends most of her days playing with her dolls quietly in her room (yes, I realize how lucky I am that she does this LOL) and the Winx Club dolls have become some of her favorites.



About Winx Club Musa Sirenix Doll:

The Winx Club's latest magical transformation, Sirenix, is making a splash! Whether on land or under the sea, these girls are always riding the wave of fashion. With cold water activated color change hair, these dolls have the latest hair trend! Six dolls to collect.

If you have a little girl on your holiday list who loves Winx Club, then you’ll definitely have to check out the latest line of dolls, there are six dolls in the Sirenix line to collect, but I have to say, I’m kind of partial to Musa…she’s adorable!

Make sure you check out all of the awesome gift ideas in Misadventures in Baby Raising’s Holiday Gift Guide 2013!

Disclosure: I received the Winx Club doll for inclusion in our Holiday Gift Guide, all opinions are 100% my own!

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Holiday Gift Guide: Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas Starring Si Robertson of Duck Dynasty {Win It!}

If your little ones like VeggieTales and Duck Dynasty, then I’ve got a treat for you! 

Now I know you may be asking yourself what on earth VeggieTales and Duck Dynasty could possibly have in common, but the answer is…much more than you think! 

Recently VeggieTales announced their newest DVD, that’s just perfect for Christmas…“Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas,” and it stars one very familiar member of the Duck Dynasty clan…Si Robertson!  Yes, y’all, could quite possibly be the absolute best kids/Christmas movie ever!



About “Merry Larry and the True Lights of Christmas”:

This installment of the widely-recognized children’s series features reality star Si Robertson of Duck Commander as a brand new character, Silas the wise okra, as well as an all-new song titled “Light of Christmas” performed by Owl City and TobyMac.

Starring all-time favorites Larry the Cucumber as Merry Larry the mall elf and Bob the Tomato as Phillip Fleagle the lights display extraordinaire, the film tells a heartwarming tale centrally themed around compassion for others and the true meaning of Christmas.

I don’t know about yours, but my kids can’t get enough of the Robertson family and Uncle Si is their absolute favorite so combining Uncle Si with one of their all-time favorite children’s movies was almost too much excitement for them to stand….seriously y’all, I thought they might bust waiting for me to open the DVD and get it in the DVD player.  Now normally I’m not much on watching movies, but I couldn’t resist watching this one with my little ones, even Daddy got in on the act and I am very happy to report that it was a HIT!  My kids loved seeing Si as Silas the wise okra and the message of compassion for others and the true meaning of Christmas was as prominent as the powerfully, positive messages in all VeggieTales movies, it’s definitely a new Christmas favorite at our house!  If your little ones love VeggieTales, then they’ll definitely love “Merry Larry and the True Lights of Christmas”!

BUY IT!
Merry Larry and the True Lights of Christmas are available everywhere VeggieTales DVD’s are sold!


WIN IT!

One lucky MIBR reader is going to win a copy of Merry Larry and the True Lights of Christmas on DVD!  Check out  the Rafflecopter widget below for official rules and to enter!


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 Disclosure:  I received Merry Larry and the True Lights of Christmas to review, all opinions are my own! 

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Holiday Gift Guide: Fisher-Price iJig Interactive Electronic Puzzle System {Win It!}

I hope everyone’s enjoying our Holiday Gift Guide…make sure you check back often for lots more great gift ideas for the whole family and for lots of great holiday giveaways!

My Lil Diva is at home with me everyday (due to her birthday falling just after the cutoff for kindergarten, she gets an extra year with Mommy…I am NOT complaining) and trying to keep a 5 year old entertained isn’t always as easy as one might think.  Since Diva’s days will be much more structured once she enters kindergarten, I try to keep her busy with both structured and free play and when she has the chance one of her absolute favorite things to do is putting  together puzzles.  All of my children definitely get their love of puzzle building from me, it’s nothing for me to buy a 1500 piece puzzle and spend every free moment putting it  together, it’s very therapeutic, and that love has rubbed off on my kids.  One of the reasons I encourage puzzle building as much as I do, especially with Lil Diva, is because it combines education (problem solving, learning patience, hand-eye coordination) with fun and that’s a win—win for both of us!




While traditional wooden puzzles are the ones I usually choose for Lil Diva, I couldn’t resist trying out the new iJig Interactive Electronic Puzzle System from Fisher-Price, when I was given the chance.  You’d think since trying out new toys is just part of the blogging gig (at least it has been for me), I wouldn’t get overly excited with another one, but nope, that’s so not the case, because I couldn’t wait to get out the iJig and try it out…and I’m not even ashamed to admit that Lil Diva was no where to be found while I was playing.  Before I get into more detail about the iJig, I thought I’d show you a little demo of the iJig at work…you’re going to love this one…I promise!

How cool is that?

About the Fisher-Price iJig:

Fisher-Price I-Jig is the unique interactive electronic puzzle & game system with three modes of learning and discovery for hours of engaging play.

Mode 1: Smart Puzzle - An interactive jigsaw puzzle that cues your child with encouraging phrases and fun sound effects to help him learn hand-eye coordination, objects and sounds.

Mode 2: Find & Seek Game - Your child will learn sound, object, color and counting skills. Each puzzle offers a unique set of exciting discoveries.

Mode 3: Discovery Time - Each puzzle & puzzle key come with a unique Discovery Time Game for a unique play experience with each puzzle. The three separate levels of game play allow the I-Jig Interactive Jigsaw Puzzle to grow with your child, helping them to master basic skills and move on to more complex learning while having fun.

I’m pretty sure that the iJig from Fisher-Price is going to be at the top of quite a few holiday wish lists this year and for good reason…this thing is seriously fun!  If you have a little one who loves puzzles, then you should definitely check out the iJig…did I mention that you can also buy other puzzles and puzzle keys?  The fun never has to end! 

Make sure you check out the rest Misadventures in Baby Raising’s 2013 Holiday Gift Guide for lots more gift ideas for the entire family! 

WIN IT!

One MIBR reader is going to win a Fisher-Price iJig Interactive Electronic Puzzle System!  Check out the Rafflecopter widget below for official rules and to enter!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  I received the iJig from Fisher-Price to include in our holiday gift guide…all opinions are 100% my own!

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Holiday Gift Guide: Tickety Toc Wooden Puzzles

My little ones love Nickelodeon and one of their favorite shows is Tickety Toc.  Lil Diva gets so excited when it comes on every day and sits and watches it contently.  If  your little ones are also fans of Tickety Toc, then they'll be super excited when they see the new Tickety Toc toy line from Just Play^™ – complete with interactive trains and playsets, huggable talking dolls and plush, collectible figurines and more – is available just in time for the holidays and only at Toys“R”Us stores nationwide and online.



The new Tickety Toc toy line for children ages 3 years and up features a standout assortment of imagination-inspiring playthings from Just Play available exclusively at Toys“R”Us stores nationwide and online at Toysrus.com, including:

· Tickety Toc Clockhouse – Preschoolers can recreate exciting Tickety Toc adventures with this special playset. Young fans can give Pufferty a push around the track, take the twins on-board and turn the special cogs to open the Clockhouse doors, unlocking more fun inside! With endless escapades to embark on, this playset is “right on time” to deliver tons of fun for young Chime Timers! Includes: Clockhouse, Tommy and Tallulah figurines, Pufferty mini train and track system.

· Tickety Toc Musical Pufferty Train – Children can press the smoke stack on the playful Pufferty train to hear the Tickety Toc theme song play as they take Tommy and Tallulah for a ride! The rocking see-saw and spinning seat help keep the non-stop fun going “full steam ahead!” Includes: Pufferty Train and figurines of Tommy, Tallulah and their friend, Tooteroo.

· Tommy and Tallulah Talking Dolls – Fans of the Tickety Toc series can relive their favorite chime time escapades with these 10-inch, interactive Tommy and Tallulah dolls. Based on the show’s fun-loving, problem-solving twins, the dolls each say several recognizable phrases and sing the show’s theme song.

· Tommy and Tallulah Mini Plush – These new beanies are mini versions of twins Tommy and Tallulah – and the perfect cuddly companions for young Tick Tocketeers to take along on their own adventures!

· Tickety Toc Tommy and Tallulah Figures with Accessories – These pocket-sized figurines of Tommy and Tallulah deliver big fun for the preschool set. Each comes complete with their own must-have accessories, perfect for recreating scenes straight from the show.

· Tickety Toc Multi-Pack Figurines – This special multi-pack collection features everyone’s favorite Tickety Town friends! The set includes twins Tommy and Tallulah, Hopparoo, Madame Au Lait, McCoggins and Tooteroo.

Additional Tickety Toc products now available at Toys“R”Us include the debut “Chime Time Adventures” DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment and exclusive puzzles from MEGA Brands. The first Tickety Toc book, “Welcome to Tickety Town,” from Scholastic as well as a matching game from Wonder Forge will also premiere at Toys“R”Us later this fall. In addition, the first Tickety Toc story app, “Bubble Time,” from Cupcake Digital, is set to launch this month on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and the Barnes & Noble NOOK Store^™.



We received one of the Tickety Toc wooden puzzles to check out and couldn't resist including it in our Holiday Gift Guide!  Lil Diva loves putting together puzzles, seriously, most days she can be found sitting at the dining room table putting together and then taking apart (and then putting together again) her favorite puzzles, it's one of her absolute favorite things to do.  I love that she can be creative, while also working on memory and hand-eye coordination all while doing something she loves.  The Tickety Toc puzzles feature pieces that are the perfect size for Lil Diva's small hands and she hasn't stopped putting it together since it came...I think that means she likes it!

BUY IT!

You can pick up the Tickety Toc puzzle and check out all of the other toys in the Tickety Toc line at Toys "R" Us and online at the Toys "R" Us website...they'll make great holiday gifts for all the Tick Tocketeers out there!

Don't forget to check out the rest of Misadventures in Baby Raising's Holiday Gift Guide, for awesome gift ideas, recommendations and more! 

Disclosure:  I received the item above in order to facilitate my review...all opinions are my own!

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Personalized Christmas Ornaments from OrnamentShop.com {Review}

I have a confession...

I have been counting down the days until I can put up my Christmas decorations since August, yes, seriously, I love Christmas that much.  While I still haven't managed to talk my husband into letting me put up our tree and decorations before Thanksgiving (rest assured though, I'm working on it every single day), I have managed to stock pile all kinds of new ornaments and decorations that I cannot wait to get out and put up!  So given my affinity for all things Christmas, when I received an email from a company called OrnamentShop.com about doing a little review, I just couldn't resist.  If you love the holidays as much as I do, then I can't wait to introduce you to OrnamentShop.com!

About OrnamentShop.com:

Over the past 15 years, satisfied customers have helped us become the Largest Online Retailer of Personalized Christmas Ornaments. At OrnamentShop.com you can expect high quality products and personalizing at reasonable prices. In addition, you can feel confident with our secure shopping cart system and our very high customer ranking!

When  my husband and I first got together, we decided to buy personalized ornaments for each of the kids and ourselves every year for Christmas as sort of a tradition if you will, unfortunately, after the first couple of Christmases, we couldn't find any that were unique enough, or if they were unique, they couldn't be personalized so that tradition very quickly died...sadly. Every year I still find myself trying to find unique, personalized ornaments for our family, but little did I know all I had to do was head on over to OrnamentShop.com and find exactly what I was looking for! 

We received a personalized family ornament from OrnamentShop.com to review last week and I have to say, I couldn't be happier with the finished product!  When I was browsing their website to choose an ornament to review, I couldn't get over how big their selection of ornaments actually is, I mean they have everything from sports teams to hobbies and holiday themed ornaments, the selection is by far the biggest I've come across.  Since there were so many ornaments to choose from, the hardest part was choosing just one, but the second I laid eyes on the Penguin Family ornament, I knew I'd found the one!  One of the hardest parts of having such a large family, is finding personalized items that have enough room for all of us, this was almost always the case when I would look for ornaments to personalize for our family, but at OrnamentShop.com, there are so many options that finding an ornament that could be personalized, that also had 8 figures on it was a piece of cake (they also have family ornaments with more than 8 figures).  I also love that OrnamentShop.com offers FREE personalization on each of their personalized ornaments...it's nice to know that you can have a personal touch added at no charge!  Since I very strongly believe that a picture is worth a thousand words, I thought I'd share what has come to be my absolute favorite ornament, with all of you.

Is that not the cutest, most awesome family ornament ever?  I absolutely love it and couldn't be happier with how it turned out! 

If you're looking for the perfect place to find personalized holiday ornaments, you have to check out OrnamentShop.com, you'll be so very glad that you did!

BUY IT!

You can purchase the Penguin Family ornament online at OrnamentShop.com for $14.95! And right now they are offering FREE shipping when you buy 5 or more ornaments, so get those orders placed now!

Disclosure:  I received the item above in order to facilitate my review...all opinions are 100% my own!

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Check Out the Latest from LeapFrog (Creativity Camera Protective Case and Learn to Write with Mr. Pencil Stylus) Review

Children's educational toys and learning products have changed so much since my oldest daughters (now 14 and 11) were little; compared to their older sisters, Lil Man and Lil Diva seem to have a wealth of knowledge at their fingertips and so many creative and fun products to help them learn everything they need to learn to be ready for whatever the world throws at them.

LeapFrog has long been one of my go-to brands when it comes to educational toys for my kids, I love that they make learning so much fun for little ones by providing them with toys that are actually learning tools in disguise, like two of their newest offerings the Creativity Camera Protective Case & App and the Learn to Write with Mr. Pencil™ Stylus & Writing App. 

About the Creativity Camera Protective Case and App.
 

• Designed for little ones, the Creativity Camera Protective Case and App combines the camera power of iPhone® and iPod touch® with creative learning fun! The case protects your iPhone or iPod touch device and the information stored in it while your child enjoys hours of play. To use, simply download the free creativity learning app, and place your device into the protective case for hours of games and activities. Children can edit photos to make silly pictures, go on photo missions to create special albums and even play an exciting augmented reality game. This innovative app toy turns your device into the ultimate creativity camera that kids will love!
  
  

   

  
  

  

  
  

About the Learn to Write with Mr. Pencil Stylus and App.

 

•  The Learn to Write with Mr. Pencil™ app toy gives kids a fun, engaging way to interact with the world of Mr. Pencil and the citizens of Doodleberg as they learn writing and drawing skills! Children can use the adorable stylus to unlock an adventure-filled app with more than 85 interactive activities, and practice writing letters and numbers along with drawing skills in a fun way.. And don't worry about the safety of your screen - this kid-friendly stylus is specially designed not to scratch it! This breakthrough app toy helps turn your iPhone®, iPad® and iPod touch® into the ultimate learn-to-write tool.
  
  

   

  
  

  

  
  

 

Thanks to MomSelect and LeapFrog, we had the chance recently to try out both of these cool new offerings from LeapFrog and my little ones, couldn't have been more excited!  With a number of Apple products in the house, I couldn't wait to get the kids started playing with these two products and they were both adamant about starting with the camera.  One of Lil Man and Lil Diva's favorite things to do is pick up my iPhone (or my oldest daughter's iPod Touch) and take photos, they love capturing their own silly faces as well as the occasional awkward shot of mom in the kitchen cooking (not very cool kiddos, not very cool).  While I don't always love their choice of subjects, I do love seeing them have such a deep love of photography and the creativity that it can and often does, inspire.  I did hesitate for an instant when taking my iPhone out of it's protective case and placing it inside the Creativity Camera, but the instant I closed the door, I knew that it was well protected no matter how rough the kids were with it, which definitely made it easier for me to hand it over for the kiddos to go create. 

 

It didn't take long before both Lil Man and Lil Diva were snapping pictures of everything from the cats to the floor, but their favorite subject seemed to be themselves, as you can see below, Lil Diva was having a lot of fun with the editing aspect of the Creativity Camera app.  Lil Diva loved that she was able to snap her own picture and then go in and add silly colors and frames and even cute little stars and hearts and flowers, she actually spent the better part of an hour walking around the house taking photos and then editing them, the two below are a couple of my favorites. 

 

 

 

 

I honestly can't remember Lil Diva having this much fun with another educational toy, unless of course, you count her beloved LeapPad. 

 

What I love about the Creativity Camera Protective Case and App:

 

*  It's easy for Lil Diva to use!  The size and shape of the protective camera case, is perfect for Lil Diva's tiny hands, while the camera itself is bigger than most traditional cameras, Lil Diva had no trouble at all carrying the camera around and snapping pictures with it.

 

*  It lets Lil Diva become familiar with taking photos and editing them within an app that is specially designed for little ones.  I like that my little ones can take photos (without limitations) and edit them within one app, without having to go into the photo albums on my phone, choosing a photo and then opening another app to edit.  The editing options available are simple to use and perfect for Lil Diva's age range. 

 

*  Lil Diva can be creative without me worrying that my iPhone will be destroyed in the process...I really love the piece of mind that gives me!

 

 

Next up is my personal favorite of the two, the Learn to Write with Mr. Pencil Stylus and App.  I decided not to enroll Lil Diva in preschool this year, mostly because she's my last child and I wanted to spend some more time just the two of us before she starts kindergarten next fall, but the decision not to enroll Lil Diva in school meant that I would have to work with  her twice as hard while she's at home to get her ready for kindergarten next year.  I'm constantly picking up new educational tools and trying new activities to keep Lil Diva interested and excited about learning, but keeping a four year old's attention isn't always easy.  The one thing Lil Diva does always love to play with is my iPhone so I knew that chances were good that she would really like using the Mr. Pencil Stylus along with the app on my phone...and I was right!  Check out the video below of Lil Diva using the Learn to Write with the Mr. Pencil Stylus and App.

 

 

As you can see from the video, Lil Diva is excited about playing with the Mr. Pencil Stylus and app, but it doesn't take long for her to become frustrated when the app doesn't respond the way she wants it to.  It took a little practice on her part, but Lil Diva quickly caught on to how the stylus worked and was able to navigate through the tasks with ease. 

 

What I love about the Learn to Write with Mr. Pencil Stylus and App.

 

*  Lil Diva is learning to write her letters, shapes, and numbers the correct way, but in a way that is also fun for her.  I really appreciate that the app forces the child to write the letters and numbers in the correct way and will not let them move on if they haven't, this of course, was also the one thing about the Mr. Pencil Stylus and app that Lil Diva often became frustrated with, but her desire to move on throughout the tasks, had her quickly figuring out the correct way to write each letter.

 

*  I really love that the Mr. Pencil stylus is so portable, Lil Diva can open the app on my phone from virtually anywhere and as long as she has the Mr. Pencil stylus (which easily fits in her bag) she's ready to play and learn.

 

I'm really glad that we were able to check out these two new gadgets from LeapFrog, not only have they become a big part of Lil Diva's everyday play, they've also become two great learning tools, which I can definitely appreciate.  Though Lil Diva has no idea that she's getting one, my husband and I bought her an iPod touch for Christmas, I just know that these two toys will become an even bigger part of her everyday learning and play when she has her own device to play with them on.  If you have a little one in the 3-6 age range (and honestly, Lil Man in 6 and loves the Creativity Camera), then I definitely suggest checking out these great new toys from LeapFrog, both of them would make excellent holiday gifts for the little ones in your life!

 

Disclosure:  I received the items above from MomSelect and LeapFrog to review...all opinions are 100% my own.

 

 

 

 

 

 







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