Disney Villains Simply Sinister Songs CD Giveaway
September 20, 2010 by Debra
Filed under children, entertainment, giveaways
This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to commentor #48: Teri H!
Our family had some extra fun tonight…Disney fun that is. We have a few Disney music CD’s, many of them from certain Princess movies I know, so it was a real treat to have a bit of fun with the Disney villains.
For some reason my 3-year old is just fascinated by the Disney villains….from Ursula to Jafar. She doesn’t “like” them per se, but she wonders about them….even worries about them.  It’s pretty comical. So tonight, we got together in her room and put in the new CD, Disney Villains: Simply Sinister Songs.
Here’s the song list:
- Pink Elephants on Parade (Dumbo)
- Siamese Cat Song (Lady and the Tramp)
- Cruella De Vil (101 Dalmatians)
- I Wan’na Be Like You (The Monkey Song) (The Jungle Book)
- Every Little Piece (Pete’s Dragon)
- Poor Unfortunate Souls (The Little Mermaid)
- Gaston (Beauty and the Beast)
- Oogie Boogie’s Song (The Nightmare Before Christmas)
- You’re Only Second Rate (The Return of Jafar) (Aladdin and the King of Thieves)
- Be Prepared (The Lion King)
- Snuff Out the Light (Yzma’s Song) (The Emperor’s New Groove)
- Yodel-Adle-Eedle-Idle-Oo (Home on the Range)
- Friends on the Other Side (The Princess and the Frog)
What I enjoyed most was that it wasn’t just the “songs”…..you got some of the actual dialogue to put it in context too…..the scene! The song list is quite a mix of old and new.  Having classics like Lady and the Tramp next to The Princess and the Frog was fun and almost unexpected.  It’s pretty funny, but to this day, I still think the Siamese Cat Song is creepy! 
   Oh, those Disney Villains!
A great CD for any Disney fan!!
WIN IT!
How would you like to win a copy of Disney Villains for your CD collection? To enter:
- Just mention in comments before midnight, Sept 27th who your favorite Disney Villain is. That’s it!
- A random winner will be selected and notified via email shortly thereafter.
- The winner will then have 2 days to claim their prize.
To earn extra entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra ticket but you must leave a separate comment for each one.
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- Mention this giveaway on your blog with a link back here.
This giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck!
This post was written for Disney who provided the item for review and giveaway. The author was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product. By entering this giveaway, you are acknowledging that you have read, understood, and agree to our disclosure policy.
“A Bedtime for Bear” by Bonny Becker
September 15, 2010 by Debra
Filed under books, product reviews
Are you a fan of the “Bear and Mouse” series by Bonny Becker? If not, let me introduce you, because these children’s books are not only great for young children and early readers, but they make the average parent chuckle (namely, me!).
I was first introduced to this series with the new book, A Bedtime for Bear
While geared towards children in kindergarten through 2nd grade, my 3-year old thinks these characters are hilarious….and she’s right. The bear isn’t your typical cuddly type. Oh, he’s a grump and needs to have things just so. It’s surprising that he even has a great friend in Mouse (who very sweetly puts up with Bear).
In this tale, Bear has a bedtime ritual…..it’s clear that he has to have his pillow fluffed just right, his glass of water in the perfect, easy to reach spot, and it must be QUIET. One night Bear just happens to forget that he’s having a guest spend the night, Mouse. Oh boy, do things get interesting. You can imagine Bear getting upset when Mouse brushes his teeth or hums. Oh, he’s a definitely a Grump!
BUT…..once things do get quiet, very quiet, Bear hears something. Something that frightens him. He must wake up Mouse….he’s scared. But of course he pretends that it’s Mouse who is really scared. Sweet old Mouse goes right along with it, calming Bear down by looking in all the scary spots (curtains, closet, under the bed).
With 48 pages, this makes for a great bedtime story. It’s an adorable book and I can now say I’m a huge “Bear and Mouse” fan….and can’t wait for the next release!
FRUGAL TIP: Available on amazon for just $10.19
(A complimentary book was provided for review courtesy of Candlewick Press….nothing else. All statements are the opinion of the author.)
Dr. Seuss iPhone Apps from Oceanhouse Media
August 25, 2010 by Debra
Filed under educational, electronics, games & toys, kids, product reviews
When I got my iPhone earlier this year, I never really thought my 3-year old would be using it. Surprisingly enough, there are so many apps that are educational for children, not to mention many that can help entertain kiddos when stuck in an airport for 17 hours. Yep!
Dr. Seuss has iPhone Apps! Dr. Seuss characters are so loved in my house, that my daughter has been rhyming words on her own since she started talking. After travelling a bit with her this past month, we’ve tested out some of the Dr. Seuss Apps and I’m just so impressed.
Oceanhouse Media recently released three new Dr. Seuss eBooks for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. These include Green Eggs and Ham, Hop on Pop, and Gertrude McFuzz. All Dr. Seuss eBooks are designed as universal apps that can be used on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch for no additional charge.
Since my daughter is still fairly young, we tried out a variety of Dr. Seuss apps just for her age.
Hop on Pop (ebook)
Dr. Suess’s ABC (ebook)
There were 3 options in which to use the ebooks:
* “Read to Me” — listen to the narrated story with words highlighted as they are read
* “Read it Myself” — read the book in its traditional form
* “Auto Play” — plays like a movie, automatically reading and turning pages.
As a mom I loved the different options in which to use the ebooks…….it will grow with my daughter. Â Dr. Seuss’s ABC ebook is reinforcing all those letters my daughter has worked so hard to learn. With Hop on Pop, when we touched a word on the page, the narrator told us what it said. So helpful for children just learning to read.
Up with a Fish (game)- Based on The Cat in the Hat, this game has you tilting the iphone to catch certain items (and avoid others). So fun and easy even for a toddler.
Lorax Garden (game) Different games where you water flowers, pull weeds, grow forests and more.
Dr. Seuss Camera (Cat in the Hat edition) use this app to take photos and have people become characters themselves. Then you email your family and friends the funny pics!
I’m really loving all these children’s iphone apps……who knew? Best of all….the price!
This post was written as part of a campaign for Oceanhouse Media, who provided complimentary iphone apps in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Book Review: The Language of Life by Francis Collins
July 27, 2010 by Debra
Filed under books, product reviews
DNA. So many diseases are hereditary. Others “appear” to be hereditary. Medical researchers are discovering new information each year, “unlocking the secrets” of many diseases. All of this or some of this could impact you or your loved ones.
Our DNA gets tested already. If you’ve had a baby in recent years, you know they undergo testing for many diseases at birth. Genetically screened. But what about adults? Should we learn about our DNA, if it’s damaged or not?
Bestselling author Francis Collins, explains the basics of DNA, genetics, and personalized medicine in the new book, The Language of Life: DNA and the Revolution in Personalized Medicine
Genetic testing has been something my family has talked about for awhile. Even before losing my mom to breast cancer. We didn’t all agree….but one thing we knew, if one of us got tested, the results could impact us all. I’ve always wanted to stay on top of the latest medical research, especially when it could involve breast cancer, so I was absolutely thrilled to review this new book.
It’s not a book to take lightly. For one, even though it’s not a medical textbook, there’s quite a bit in the book about genetics, you know….medical info.  Some basics I learned in school, but there’s a lot in there. At times, I was thinking so much that I needed to take a few days off. It’s easy to read, don’t get me wrong, but I really wanted to digest what he was saying.
It’s absolutely fascinating. Francis Collins walks you step by step through case studies (real families), and talks about the benefits vs risks. He talks about cancer, diabetes and rare diseases. He openly talks about the various companies who offer genetic testing……and got tested himself. He even shares his personal results in the back of the book.
One of the most interesting topics was about Adverse Reactions to Medicine. Know anyone who’s had an allergic reaction to a drug, or worse, an anaphylactic reaction? Francis Collins explains one story of how a quick genetic screen of a 12 year old girl suffering from leukemia may have saved her life. Had she been given the “normal” doses of drugs for her age as treatment, she might have died. Fortunately for her, the Mayo Clinic was one of the few places in the world who were testing kids for their ability to handle one particular drug. 1 in 300 people are missing an enzyme…..if one of these people took the “normal” dose, it could be dangerous and potentially fatal. She was missing that enzyme. What were the odds……she was very lucky. To be tested for drug sensitivites….it’s a reality now.
While genetics is not something that’s always easy to understand, Francis Collins does an excellent job of explaining it to someone with no medical training. For many individuals and families, this book might be extremely helpful. It was for me.
This post was written as part of a promotion for HarperCollins and this new book. I was provided a complimentary book for review in exchange for my personal and honest opinions. No other form of compensation was received.
