Product description:In this gorgeous telling of The Nutcracker, Gail de Marcken brings E.T.A. Hoffmann’s richly enchanting world to life. With beautifully detailed illustrations, the story of THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING will become an instant classic . It’s a story readers of all ages will delight in.

E. T. A. Hofmann is the well-known German writer and composer. He pursued a career in law before turning his talents to composing music and writing stories. He is best known for his writing, and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King is one of his most famous stories. GAIL deMARCKEN is the acclaimed illustrator for many wonderful picture books such as Miss Hunnicutt’s Hat, The Quiltmaker’s Gift, and The Quiltmaker’s Journey, all written by Jeff Brumbeau; Clever Ali by Nancy Farmer; and Born to Pull by Bob Cary. Her artwork has won many prestigious awards. Ms. deMarcken has lived all over the world and currently lives with her husband in the woods near Ely, Minnesota.

**** This book is longer than a normal children’s book, but very enjoyable. My children loved learning about the Nutcracker and liked the Images of the Mouse King. This book is very colorful and a great holiday gift to any child.

pages: 56 pages

Retail: suggested $18.99

hardcover

Rating:7

Disclosure: I received product at no charge to me, in exchange for my review. all thoughts and views are my own.

Holiday Gift Guide: The Christmas Magic Book Review

November 14, 2009November 14, 2009 - brandy3

Product Description: Far, far North, when the nights are longest and the stars shine brightest, Santa begins to prepare for his big night of giving. He gathers his reindeer, feeds them parsnips and berries, and polishes his bells and his sled. Then lovingly, he chooses toys for every child in the world. For Santa loves them all, and he knows what each child at heart wants most. Then, with the thrum of magic that makes reindeer’s fly, he spreads the Christmas joy and warmth throughout the world–as he always has — and always will until the end of time.

The Author:LAUREN THOMPSON is the author of several New York Times bestselling childrenÂ’s books, including the much-beloved Little Quack and Little Mouse series and the award-winning picture book Polar Bear Night. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and their son. Jon J MuthÂ’s highly acclaimed picture books are beloved around the world and have been translated into more than ten languages. His Caldecott Honor Book, Zen Shorts, and the sequel, Zen Ties, were both long-running New York Times bestsellers. He lives with his wife and four children in upstate New York.

****This book is very bright and colorful. The book is a little different from most christmas books. No mention of elf, Rudolph, or any of the reindeer by name. It was a fun and interesting book. My kids really enjoyed it.

Retail price: $11.99 on Amazon.com

Pages:40

hardcover

Reading age:4-8 yrs old

Rating:7

Disclosure: I received this product for free in exchange for my review, this however does not affect my views on this product.

Holiday Gift Guide: Build A Bear Frosty the Snowman(giveaway)

November 11, 2009November 12, 2009 - brandy3 203 Comments

At Build A Bear Workshop, their mission is to bring a teddy bear to life. An American icon, the Teddy Bear brings to mind warm thoughts about our childhood, about friendship, about trust and comfort, and also about love. Build-A-Bear Workshop embodies those thoughts in how they run their business everyday.

Build A Bear has started a quick and easy way to get your holiday shopping done. Gifts on the go features an array of customized animals, stuffed, dressed and conveniently packaged. They range in price from $15-$40. Some stores will also feature a build a gift station, where you can purchase an animal already stuffed, then purchase clothing to go along with it.

This Holiday season Build a Bear is introducing some new furry friends.

Frosty The Snowman, Holly and Hal Moose return with there lighting antlers and cheeks.

Winter Hugs Bear-4 in the 2009 collection(I really want this bear!), and so much more.

**I received a Frosty the Snowman to review. This guy is so adorable. He makes a little chime sound and his cheeks light up. Great Gift for the holiday season. He is so soft and cuddly and features a broom, hat, pipe and scarf. Frosty is a great little friend that now gets to join Hal the Moose (reviewed last year)

Just for you: The great people at Build A Bear have offered one of my readers a Frosty the Snowman.

To enter:Visit www.buildabear.com and tell me your favorite animal

extra entries:

Blog about this-20 entries

subscribe to my feed-1o entries

follow me on twitter-5entries

Tweet this giveaway-10 entries first time.(can be done daily for 6 entries)

Fav my technorati-6 entries

Contest will close 12/4/09

Disclosure: Build A Bear provided me with a product to review at no cost to me, and one to giveaway to my readers.

Holiday Gift Guide:Little Mommys Real Loving Baby Walk and Giggle Doll

November 8, 2009November 7, 2009 - brandy3 2 Comments

Product Description: Little Mommy’ Walk and Giggle’ doll needs your loving care as you nurture, play and help her take her very first big girl steps! Try to keep up as this interactive doll goes from sitting, to standing, to walking with you, and all by herself! This ‘big girl’ also loves to play peek-a-boo, drink’ from her bottle and take her puppy pull toy for a walk. Fully interactive doll includes 60 phrases, sounds and songs.

*****This doll is so fun for any little girl, she talks, walks, sits, everything. My daughters are following her around everywhere. The doll takes 6 AA batteries that are not included, and the batteries go fast since this doll is so active. It’s like the doll has a mind of its own. over 60 words, and she goes from sitting to standing to walking. perfect gift for any “little mommy”

Recommended for ages 3+

retail price:69.99 on Amazon.com

rating:8

Disclosure: I received the product at no charge in exchange for my review, this however does not affect my views on the product. All opinions are my own.

Disney’s Up Review

November 7, 2009June 2, 2020 - brandy3 1 Comment

Synopsis: Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios take moviegoers up, up and away on one of the funniest adventures of all time with their latest comedy-fantasy. Up follows the uplifting tale of 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic 8-year-old Wilderness
Explorer named Russell. Their journey to a lost world, where they encounter some strange, exotic and surprising characters, is filled with hilarity, emotion and wildly imaginative adventure.

Bonus features:

Commentary by director Pete Docter and co-director Bob Peterson.
Dug’s Special Mission – An all new original short film that follows the
misadventures of Dug as he attempts to complete his “special mission.”
The Many Endings of Muntz – Many ideas were hatched about how to dispose of the film’s arch villain, Muntz, and now viewers can see the many alternate endings.
Partly Cloudy –The hilarious short film that preceded screenings of Up.
Everyone knows that the stork delivers babies, but where do the storks get the
babies?
Adventure is Out There – This action-packed documentary tells the story of the filmmakers’ own trek to the tepuis mountains of South America to research the
design and story of the film.

Features for the Blu-ray disc.

Cine-Explore – A visual montage of concept art, clips and documentary.
Geriatric Hero – A character study of Carl, from research to realization including art and design, rigging, animation and story.
Canine Companions – For anyone who ever wondered where CG puppies come from.
Russell: Wilderness Explorer – A character study of Russell from inspiration and design to finding the character arc and authentic voice for this wilderness ranger.
Our Giant Flightless Friend, Kevin – Find out how avian research and development at Pixar helped bring a mythical, 13-foot tall iridescent bird to life.
Homemakers of Pixar – Carl and Ellie’s house is an important “character” in the film.
Balloons and Flight – Carl’s house and Muntz’s dirigible presented the
filmmakers with two different problems.
Composing for Characters – Composer Michael Giacchino returns to score his third Disney•Pixar feature film.
Married Life – The original story concept that became the powerful “Married Life” scene, showing Carl and Ellie’s love story.
Global Guardian Badge Game – Players try to locate countries, states and capitals around the globe in a multi-layered BD-Exclusive geography game.

****This is a funny movie and very different from a lot of Disney movies I have seen. My children really enjoyed the characters, specially Russell and Dug. All I kept hearing was Mommy a talking doggie! I really like the character of Carl, he is a typical old man. My favorite part is when the house first takes off, and he realizes Russell is on the porch. Russell says can I please come in, Carl says no and slams the door! Ha classic!

Retail price:2 disc set-$39.99 and 4 disc Blu-ray combo-$45.99

Release date:November 10, 2009

Running time-96 minutes long

Disclosure: I received this product free in exchange for my review. However this does not affect my personal views on the product.

Holiday Gift Guide:Dora’s Christmas Carol Adventure review

November 5, 2009 - brandy3 1 Comment

Product Description:When Swiper tries to swipe the Christmas Star from Dora’s Nochebuena Party, he lands on Santa’s naughty list. To get back on the nice list, Dora must help Swiper travel to the past, the present, and the future to discover the true spirit of Christmas. Will you help too?

**** This movie is great for the holidays. My kids were so excited to learn more about Christmas, and helping Swiper getting on Santa’s nice list. We really like Dora, and my kids speak in total spanish when watching her. In this episode, you can learn spanish christmas words, and how Dora and her family celebrate the holiday season.

Release date: Nov.3, 2009

Running time: 52 minutes

retail: $13.99 on Amazon.com

Rating:9

Disclosure: I received a copy of this DVD at no charge to me in exchange for my review. This however does not affect my views on the product.

Holiday Gift Guide:Funky Kidz Music CD Review

November 4, 2009 - brandy3

From Site: This musical recording is a compilation of classic children’s songs, familiar to both kids today and parents of yesteryear. The songs are meant to invoke happy memories of childhood for everyone, while exposing children to the funky, high-instrumentation sound that oozes out of the Crescent City.

As a funky mother of two, I was disappointed by the offerings of children’s music and set out to expose my kids to a variety of musical genres. From the time they were in my belly, I played everything from hard rock to classical ballads. My sons, Jake, 9 (assistant producer) and Aidan, 5, took a love to New Orleans funk and so the concept was born… take kids songs and just make them funky.

The songs on the CD Are:

You’ve Got A Friend In Me – Bonerama
Hokey Pokey – Big Sam’s Funky Nation
Zip A Dee Doo Dah –Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk
Yellow Submarine – Papa Grows Funk
If I Only Had A Brain – Paul Sanchez
He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands – George Porter Jr.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow – Theresa Andersson
Froggy Went A Courtin – The Radiators
This Land is Your Land – Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters
When I See An Elephant Fly – Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes
This Little Light of Mine – Ingrid Lucia
Garden Song – Amanda Shaw and the Cute Guys

****I wasn’t really into the music, but I’m from the west coast and have never really heard this form of genre. My husband thought it was great and was really pleased. It’s a great way to introduce children to the sounds of New Orleans. My children liked it after the first couple times it played. I think It’s a great CD for introducing genres of music to your children.

Retail price:$13.99 at www.FunkyKidzMusic.com

rating:6

Disclosure: I received a Copy of this CD at no charge to me in exchange for my review. This however does not affect my views of the product.

Holiday Gift Guide:Mickey’s Magical Christmas Review

October 30, 2009October 30, 2009 - brandy3

In this full-length adventure, a huge snowstorm leaves Mickey, Minnie and many other friends stranded leading Mickey and his guests at the House of Mouse to whip up an impromptu party that includes instilling a “Humbug”-quacking Donald Duck with the holiday spirit. Everyone shares their home movies and even grumpy Donald starts to smile when they realize the “Best Christmas of All” is the one you share with friends and family.

Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in the House of Mouse features more than 35 Disney characters, like the Princess’s, Lion King, Winnie the Pooh, Dumbo, Bambi and more.

Bonus features:

Sing along songs-Deck the Halls, and Sleigh Ride

an episode of animated series house of mouse

The sounds of Christmas-discover secrets of Disney sound effects

****This movie is compiled with all your favorite characters, in great Christmas stories. My kids really enjoyed the movie, how could they not its Mickey. We really had fun with watching all the Disney characters come together. The.re were a few flaws in the movie,things that didn’t make sense. You don’t really notice unless your forced to watch it over and over.

Retail-$26.99

Release date: Nov. 3, 2009

Running time: 65 minutes long

Rating:6

I received this DVD free of charge in exchange for my review. This however does not affect my views on the product.

Holiday Gift Guide: Boon Animal Bag

October 30, 2009October 28, 2009 - brandy3 1 Comment

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The Animal Bag is an oversized, plush bag covered with large, zippered windows made out of transparent, durable mesh. Children can fill the bag with stuffed animals of all sizes, then use the Animal Bag as a soft seat. Made from high-quality, breathable fabrics. Machine wash or dry clean.

***This bag Can fit a lot of Stuffed animals, We had a full dorm fridge box full, and almost all of them fit. My kids love how soft it is and you can jump and sit on it. I didn’t expect it to be that big though. I can’t find anywhere in my kids room to put it. I have to admit though it’s better than having stuffed animals laying everywhere. This is a must have for getting your childs room organized and clean.

Ernie is trying to get out!

Retail value:$59.99 at Boon

Rating:9

Disclosure: I received the product free of charge in exchange for my review this however does not affect my views of the product.

No Time Mommy

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Holiday Gift Guide 2009