Life of Crime Giveaway! (9/7)

*Disclosure:  The following was provided to me to share with my readers in promotion of Life of Crime.  I was not compensated in any way.

 

About Life of Crime:



When a pair of low-level criminals kidnap the wife of a corrupt real-estate developer, they get both more and less than they bargained for in Life of Crime, a dark caper comedy based on legendary author Elmore Leonard’s novel The Switch. Starring Jennifer Aniston, John Hawkes, yasiin bey, Mark Boone Junior, Isla Fisher, Will Forte and Tim Robbins, Life of Crime is packed with the outrageously eccentric characters, black comedy and unexpected twists that earned Leonard a reputation as one of America’s sharpest and funniest crime writers.

Mickey Dawson (Jennifer Aniston), the wife of crooked real-estate developer Frank Dawson (Tim Robbins), is kidnapped by two common criminals (yasiin bey and Jon Hawkes), who intend to hold her for a $1 million ransom and extort her husband with inside information about his illegal business dealings. But Frank, who is holed up in the Bahamas with his mistress, decides he’d rather not get his wife back, setting off a sequence of double-crosses and plot twists that could only come from the mind of master storyteller Elmore Leonard.

See it in theaters August 29th!

GIVEAWAY!:One lucky reader will win a $15 Fandango Gift Card!!

Congratulations to comment #4, Debby! :-)

To enter to win watch the trailer and tell me what you think about the movie. Please be sure to leave your e-mail address with the comment, so I can contact you if you're the winner.

Each household is only eligible to win $15 Fandango Gift Card via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Extra Entries:(1 extra entry per method. Leave a comment for each.)

*Subscribe to my blog in the upper left hand corner.

*Follow me through Google Friend Connect
*Follow me on twitter.
*Tweet this giveaway and leave the URL in your comment
*Follow me on Pinterest
*Pin an image from this post to one of your boards
*Leave a comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which post.

Open to U.S. residents 18 years and older. Giveaway will end Sunday, September 7th, 2014 at 11:59 EST. Winner will be chosen shortly after and contacted via e-mail. The winner will have 48 hours to respond otherwise I will have to choose a new winner.

The Joys of Having Children...and Chickens...

Background info:  We have free-range chickens, which means our chickens roam our yard.  With 19 hens and 3 roosters, we basically can't go outside without one of us stepping in a chicken 'land mine'.

The story:
On the eve of Blake's 7th birthday, I was in house thinking about what I'd say about Blake at this point in his life.  The word that came to mind to describe him was 'compassionate'.  As I'm thinking about all the ways Blake shows compassion, Morgan comes in from outside, very upset, and this is what followed:

Me: "What's wrong Morgan?"
Morgan: "Blake is MEAN. He stepped in chicken poo and tried to wipe it off on me."
Me: Grinning to myself at how ironic it was that my thoughts just totally contradicted Blake's current actions, I respond: "That is mean, Morgan...and gross!"

*Blake then makes his way into the house and sits on a step between the kitchen and the landing.  Morgan makes the same accusation again at his appearance...

Blake: Clearly upset that Morgan called him out. "I did not!  I was just wiping the chicken poop off my shoe!"
Morgan: Annoyed "On ME!"
Blake: No response, but I catch a grin just before he hides his face.


Blake is still my sweet, compassionate, 7 year-old little boy.  But he is also a little brother to a big sister and, at times, the sweetness has to go out the window for a good laugh. ;-)

Orkin Fact or Fake Blog App and GIVEAWAY! (9/3)

*Disclosure: The following information was provided to me in promotion of Orkin LLC. I will be provided with the same items as in the giveaway in exchange for this post.

“Daddy longlegs are poisonous.”
“Mosquitoes prefer adults over children.”
“Ants can survive underwater.”

You’ve heard the myths about bugs before. Do you know what’s fact and what’s fake?

Take Orkin’s Scientific Fact or Scientific Fake™ Quiz to test your knowledge, and be sure to watch every clip for the scoop on these infamous bug myths.

Orkin uses the latest technology and unparalleled training to develop a treatment that's right for your home and your needs. To learn more about pest control that's based in science or to schedule an inspection, visit orkin.com or call (844) 503-8251.

Orkin Facebook Page: facebook.com/OrkinPestControl
Ask The Orkin Man® Twitter Page: twitter.com/AskTheOrkinMan
Orkin YouTube Channel: youtube.com/user/OrkinVideo

GIVEAWAY!:

Congratulations to comment #2, bn100!!

One lucky reader will win the Back-to-School Scientific Prize Pack, which includes:
- Clip-on Fisheye Lens (iPhone, Galaxy, Android compatible)
- Orkin On-the-Go Drink Tumbler
- Orkin Drawstring Bag
- Orkin “Field Notes” Notebook w/ Pen

 

To enter to win tell me your results of the Scientific Fact or Scientific Fake Quiz. Please be sure to leave your e-mail address with the comment, so I can contact you if you're the winner.

Each household is only eligible to win One (1) Orkin Fact or Fake School Pack via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Extra Entries:(1 extra entry per method. Leave a comment for each.)

*Subscribe to my blog in the upper left hand corner.

*Follow me through Google Friend Connect
*Follow me on twitter.
*Tweet this giveaway and leave the URL in your comment
*Follow me on Pinterest
*Pin an image from this post to one of your boards
*Leave a comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which post.

Open to U.S. residents 18 years and older. Giveaway will end Wednesday, September 3rd, 2014 at 11:59 EST. Winner will be chosen shortly after and contacted via e-mail. The winner will have 48 hours to respond otherwise I will have to choose a new winner.


First Things First Family Prize Pack GIVEAWAY! (8/17)

*Disclosure:  The following information was provided to me in promotion of First Things First.  All opinions are my own.  I will be provided with a small compensation in exchange for this post.

First Things First (FTF) is an award winning not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening families in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

FTF is a resource that collaborates with and is supported by a broad cross-section of community organizations, groups and individuals.

FTF accomplishes it mission through meaningful media messaging and skill building classes.

Did you know?:

• 24 million children are growing up in homes without their biological fathers.

• Only 30% of divorces are due to infidelity, addiction or abuse, 70% of divorces are due to couples feeling disconnected.

• Couples who manage to devote time specifically to one another at least once a week are markedly more likely to enjoy high-quality relationships and lower divorce rates, compared to couples who do not devote as much couple time to one another.

• Fathers provide unique benefits to their daughters through their active and positive presence from the time of birth all the way through adulthood.

FTF created the following video to help promoting husbands and wives dating through their marriage:


I've always heard how important it is to date your spouse.  I remember a sermon I heard once where the pastor and his wife went out on a date every Friday night and thought how great that was!  As much as I would like to go out on a date each week, life gets busy and honestly it just doesn't happen.  We're lucky if we go once a month, but we do find time to spend quality time together on a regular basis...and it always feels good to reconnect.  I think it's important for parents to spend time on their relationship for, not only their own well-being, but the well-being of the whole family.

GIVEAWAY!

Congratulations to comment #7, Debby!

One lucky reader will win a First Things First Family Prize Pack!:
*His and Hers Moonpie T-shirts (2 Large T-shirts)
*2 Boxes of single-decker Moonpies

To enter to win tell me what you think of the above video.  Please be sure to leave your e-mail address with the comment, so I can contact you if you're the winner.

Each household is only eligible to win 1 First Things First Family Prize Pack via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Extra Entries:(1 extra entry per method. Leave a comment for each.)

*Subscribe to my blog in the upper left hand corner.
*Follow me through Google Friend Connect
*Follow me on twitter.
*Tweet this giveaway and leave the URL in your comment
*Follow me on Pinterest
*Pin an image from this post to one of your boards
*Leave a comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which post.

Open to U.S. residents 18 years and older. Giveaway will end Sunday, Agust 17th, 2014 at 11:59 EST. Winner will be chosen shortly after and contacted via e-mail. The winner will have 48 hours to respond otherwise I will have to choose a new winner.

"The Boxcar Children" DVD Review and GIVEAWAY! (8/27)

*Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

About The Boxcar Children DVD:
Four orphaned and homeless siblings happen upon an abandoned boxcar, which with a little creativity and hard work, they gradually furnish with all the comforts of home. Fearful that they will be sent to live with the reputedly cruel grandfather they have never met, the children keep their new home a secret - until a serious illness forces them to reveal themselves in order to save young Violet.

About the Cast:
Featuring an all-star cast of voice actors, including Academy Award Nominee Martin Sheen (Apocalypse Now), J.K. Simmons (Spiderman), Zach Gordon (Diary of a Wimpy Kid), Joey King (Fargo), Mackenzie Foy (Twilight series), and Jadon Sand (LEGO: The Movie), this is the very first full-length, animated feature adaptation of Gertrude Chandler Warner's best-selling classic!

Collector's Edition Special Features:
* THE BOXCAR CHILDREN E-BOOK PREVIEW
* THE BOXCAR CHILDREN GUIDE TO ADVENTURE E-BOOK PREVIEW
* PRINTABLE TOWN MAP
* OFFICIAL SOUNDTRACK
* ABOUT THE AUTHOR/MUSEUM FEATURETTE
* DOWNLOADABLE ACTIVITY KIT
* STILLS GALLERY

Dove Approved - all ages!  

To learn more about The Boxcar Children DVD, check out the following sites:
    https://www.facebook.com/BoxcarChildren
    https://twitter.com/boxcarchildren

My Review:
When I was offered to review this movie, I immediately made sure that the kids and I picked up at least one of The Boxcar Children series books from the library.  I hoped to get the original, but they didn't have it, so we checked out "The Dinosaur Mystery" to read together.  (Morgan got one to read on her own and liked it so much that she's read several others now too.)  We've been spending much of the summer reading books, many classics, then watching the movies to go along with them and I knew this would be another book-to-movie opportunity for us. :-)

I have to say that the kids and I completely enjoyed The Boxcar Children DVD...probably more than the book/s we read!  (I will have to search out the original book now to read and compare!)  I really appreciated that the kids in the movie were hardworking and respectful and knew not only how to get along on their own, but also how to make a wonderful life for themselves in a boxcar!  I don't know that an animated film has ever felt so nice to watch...it was just so wonderfully wholesome and good!!

I HIGHLY recommend seeing this movie with your family...or even without your family, because I honestly think adults will like it just as much, or more, than the kids! :-)

Buy It!
The Boxcar Children is coming to DVD on August 19th! VOD also available!
Preorder at Walmart: http://www.walmart.com/ip/38107477 for $12.77.

GIVEAWAY:

Congratulations to comment #15, My Flower!

One of my readers is going to win their own copy of The Boxcar Children!

To enter to win, please leave a comment below. Please be sure to leave your e-mail address, so that I can contact you if you're the winner!

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Extra Entries:
(1 extra entry per method. Leave a comment for each.)
*Subscribe to my blog in the upper left hand corner.
*Follow me through Google Friend Connect
*Follow me on twitter.
*Tweet this giveaway and leave the URL in your comment
*Follow me on Pinterest

*Pin an image from this post to one of your board.
*Leave a comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which post.

Open to U.S. residents 18 years and older. Giveaway will end Sunday, August 27th, 2014 at 11:59 EST. Winner will be chosen shortly after and contacted via e-mail. (Winner must not have won within the last month in order to share the prizes with more readers.) The winner will have 48 hours to respond otherwise I will have to choose a new winner.

"The Perfect Summer" DVD Review

*Disclosure: I was provided a copy of the following DVD in exchange for my honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.

 

About The Perfect Summer (from the website):

In The Perfect Summer, fatherless teenager Jake (Adam Horner) is happy living in Chicago, until his mother (Sydney Penny) decides to uproot them to a small surfing town where her estranged father (Eric Roberts), Jake's grandfather, lives. The transition isn't easy for anyone and it seems everywhere he goes, Jake manages to make enemies, including the town bully, Tyler (JD Banks), who doesn't like the new interloper or his interest in young surfing prodigy, Kayla (Katie Garfield). Stuck in the beach town with no friends and no knowledge of surfing, Jake has nowhere to turn until Cody (Jason Castro), the local surf shop owner, reveals that Jake's grandfather is a surf legend. Tired of feeling like an outcast, Jake asks Lou to teach him about surfing. Jake learns to face his fears, push through inhibitions and realizes that winning the respect of his new peers - and Katie's heart - might mean facing the biggest challenge of his life.

 



 

My Review:
The Perfect Summer was a great movie to watch as a family.  It had a few intense scenes that I wouldn't recommend for children under 6 but, I know at my kids ages, they have learned about bullies in school.  This movie just reinforced the importance of telling someone if you're being bullied (and how bad it would be to be the bully.)

I like that The Perfect Summer shows the importance of working hard and not giving up as well.  I think that's a very important message to share with kids and many of us adults might need a little reminder too. :-)

Buy It!
The Perfect Summer can be purchased through the movie website, www.perfectsummermovie.com, for $15.99.

"Teachable Moments" Book Review & Giveaway! (8/24)

*Disclosure:  I was provided a copy of the following book in exchange for my honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way.

About "Teachable Moments" Using Everyday Encounters with Media and Culture to Instill Conscience, Character, and Faith:
Never have Christian families been so challenged by the world around them to instill and instruct their children in the tenets of their faith. Yet within this pervasive secular culture, Christian families encounter “teachable moments,” those unplanned but unmatched opportunities to put their faith into action and live out the values and virtues embodied in Jesus Christ.

Nationally syndicated columnist and media advisor on all things parenting, Marybeth Hicks outlines the overarching issues and objectives in using daily encounters with the culture to impart the values and virtues of Christianity. Through entertaining and instructive questions and answers, she provides concrete examples of teachable moments that will ring true for every family.

My Review:
I can definitely see Teachable Moments being very useful in the years to come.  My kids are currently in elementary school and many of the issues that the author deals with are for middle school and high school age kids.  The chapters discuss teachable moments with family, media, friendship, school, sports and the real world plus much more.  Each chapter gives 10 great examples of moments that could arise and wonderful ways to talk to the kids about the situation as Christian parents.

I appreciate the author's views and as I read agreed with everything she was saying.  I plan to hold onto Teachable Moments as a reference, because I know that as teachable moments arise as the kids grow I will be rereading it several times for advice!

I highly recommend picking up a copy of Teachable Moments!  (You can also try to win a copy below!!)

Buy It!
Teachable Moments will be available for purchase on August 12th for $24.00 at Christian bookstores.

GIVEAWAY:

Congratulations to comment #1, Rosey!

One of my readers is going to win their own copy of Teachable Moments!

To enter to win, please leave a comment below. Please be sure to leave your e-mail address, so that I can contact you if you're the winner!

Extra Entries:
(1 extra entry per method. Leave a comment for each.)
*Subscribe to my blog in the upper left hand corner.
*Follow me through Google Friend Connect
*Follow me on twitter.
*Tweet this giveaway and leave the URL in your comment*Follow me on Pinterest

*Pin an image from this post to one of your board.
*Leave a comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which post.Open to U.S. residents 18 years and older. Giveaway will end Sunday, August 24th, 2014 at 11:59 EST. Winner will be chosen shortly after and contacted via e-mail. (Winner must not have won within the last month in order to share the prizes with more readers.) The winner will have 48 hours to respond otherwise I will have to choose a new winner.