News & Reviews Archives - Page 15 of 32

Finding Dory swims home today on DVD and Blu-ray

While at Disney Social Media Moms this spring, we got the chance to preview the first part of Disney•Pixar's Finding Dory before it hit theaters. It was about 30 seconds into the showing when I knew that Finding Dory wasn't going to disappoint and it was definitely going to become a favorite Disney film.

When we finally got the opportunity to see the whole film this summer, I realized just how right I was. The story begins where Finding Nemo left off and shows how our favorite forgetful blue tang has adjusted since Nemo returned home.

As we learn how Nemo, Marlin, and Dory have adjusted since their journey across the ocean, we’re reminded that we don’t know anything of Dory’s past and where she came from. Returning director Andrew Stanton describes why he decided to revisit Dory’s past by saying, “I realized that I was worried about Dory. The idea of her short-term memory loss and how it affected her was unresolved. What if she got lost again?” His response to this question is the touching tale of friendship and family that’s truly unforgettable … perhaps even for Dory.

One of a kind Jeep Ride Experience at the Seattle International Auto Show

This post is sponsored by FCA US; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I don’t remember exactly when my 6 year old son became obsessed with cars, and specifically Jeep, but it was somewhere in toddlerhood. Since that time he has reminded me every few weeks that he wants a Jeep when he gets older and then rattles off his preferred specs. I’ve been dying to get him in a newer Jeep for years now, and the perfect opportunity finally presented itself this week thanks to the Seattle International Auto Show.

Unique gifts for your Star Wars fan from the What On Earth Catalog

Do you have a Star Wars fan on your list this holiday season? Beyond the basics, like the movies, lightsabers, and a few collectibles, what else is there to wrap up? This year, I looked to The What on Earth Catalog to find the perfect Star Wars gift that is not only super cool, but also practical.

Introducing our newest, and already most beloved, kitchen gadget: The Star Wars Rogue One Darth Vader Lightsaber Handheld Immersion Blender. The Star Wars Darth Vader Lightsaber Immersion Blender is a sturdy saber made from red stainless steel that turns blending into a battle between good and evil. The realistic ABS handle will surely impress and the adjustable speeds can make short work of any blending job. Prepare to be the Sith Lord of your kitchen!

Where we were: Boston, Massachusetts

This winter, I got invited on a luxurious-sounding press trip to a winery in California, alone with my husband where we could relax and unwind from our hectic life. And, I almost went.

But, instead we packed up the kiddos and their million pounds of gear and hopped on a cross country flight to Boston. Once in Boston, we did without a fancy hotel and we crashed in the living room of a cousin who clearly didn’t know what he was getting into offering 5 people a place to stay and disrupt his life. Once we fully shook up their house and their lives, we then went all day long with four kids on very few hours of sleep trying to cram in all the sights, sounds, and history of the city together. And, honestly, it was the perfect choice for us.

You see, we’re kind of warrior travelers. We do overnight flights with infants, long international jaunts with layovers, and we do packed days and short nights. It’s just the way we travel, and it’s now how our kids are used to seeing the world.

Strange Magic: Marvel’s Doctor Strange opens today

Just when you think there are no original superheroes left, Marvel does it again by releasing what is arguably the coolest movie of the year and one that Marvel fans have been waiting years for: Doctor Strange.

The film introduces us to Dr. Stephen Strange {Benedict Cumberbatch}, an arrogant, world-famous neurosurgeon who is at the top of his game. But, when he experiences a life-changing accident that robs him of the use of his hands, he finds himself in the role of the patient, and it doesn’t go well.

After traditional medicine fails him, he is forced to look elsewhere and hears rumors about a man who was healed from a horrible spinal injury using Eastern Medicine. His journey to find healing takes him to a mysterious enclave known as Kamar-Taj where he learns that there is more to the center than meets the eye.

Any guesses what our newest DIY project is?

This fall I've been hard at work collecting fans, switches, PVC pipes, and all sorts of other parts to make a little DIY project that my son is going to flip for this Halloween. Any guesses as to what I'm building? Don't worry, I'll post here once it's finished and share the step by step … Read more

The new Storks movie was worth the wait

We went to the movie theater with the kiddos this summer and I missed the previews while I was getting my little one set to sit still for 2 hours. Normally, I get excited about missing previews because who wants to sit for an extra 10-15 minutes watching commercials? But, this time my kids were uncharacteristically upset that I hadn’t seen a specific movie preview and insisted on acting it out and reliving it over and over again. That movie was STORKS, and it dominated their thoughts all summer, especially these last few weeks when they would see posters, banners, and commercials for the new movie. They would yell, “That’s it mama! That’s the movie we wanna see – the one with the baby!” If your kids haven’t been harassing you about the movie, here’s what you need to know:

How to throw an awesome science party for kids

I’ve never been great at birthday parties. Usually, I slap together an event with a loose theme and some character plates chosen by the kids and then order a few pizzas. I was prepared to do exactly that this summer when I was asked by my science-loving kiddo to throw a “science birthday party” with a very vague description of what that actually was. So, I got to searching “science birthday party” online. And, you know what I found? There are almost no science themed birthday plates or accessories that make sense for a young child. Luckily, my family loves a challenge, so they convinced me it would be a great idea to throw together a science themed party with absolutely no party store help. No “science” plates, no themed tablecloth, no activity kit to order. My goal was to throw such an amazing party that it would hopefully get me off the hook for throwing any of my kids a party for the next 5-10 years. I’ll let you know how that goes, but in the meantime I’m going to show you my take on a science party and share some printables I made up.

Fall fashion with prAna {plus 15% off discount code}

In my quest for cozy fall clothing that is just as fashionable as it is comfortable, I once again turned to one of my favorite brands, prAna. My goal when selecting fall pieces is that they are versatile enough to go from work to play and that they can go seamlessly into winter. In terms of diverse clothing lines, it really doesn't get any better than prAna.

If you aren’t already familiar with the brand, prAna clothing is different than the standard outdoorsy clothing in that most of their line would be as at home in the mountains as it would be while traveling, exploring a town near you, or simply hanging out on a cozy evening at home. As a Northwest native, I see more than my fair share of outdoorsy clothing each year, but rarely do I find a company like prAna that pulls together mountain retreat attire, travel comfort and sportswear without ever coming across as too casual for everyday wear. Instead of the standard washed out cotton clothing typically marketed to women in outdoor shops, their clothing is truly stylish as well as still being functional and comfortable. In fact, the prAna website and catalogue looks nothing like an outdoorsy catalogue at all, but rather just looks like a popular women’s clothing catalogue that just happens to showcase a wide range of products from a huge variety of styles, one of them being outdoor-friendly designs.

Marriott Hotels partners with TED to inspire new perspectives

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about curiosity. With an into-anything-and-everything toddler, an active little boy, and an 8 year old who thinks she has the whole world figured out, I unfortunately spend a huge amount of my time discouraging their natural curiosity. But, even while having serious discussions with them about why moving a 10+ lb. dollhouse up bunkbed ladders with jump ropes by yourself is a bad idea, suggesting that they not dig up my garden just to see what’s below, or even by answering their 300th question of the hour, I do love that they are so busy being curious about everything, and I hope that never changes. It’s this curiosity that will keep them wanting to “science” the things that they find in our backyard and beyond. It’s this curiosity that will keep them seeking answers to the questions that seem unanswerable and always asking “what if…?” It’s this curiosity that will encourage them to read so they can learn about worlds that are near, far, and make believe. And, it’s this curiosity that will fuel their love of travel and challenge them to visit as much of the world as they possibly can.

Since travel and curiosity go together hand-in-hand, it only makes sense that Marriott Hotels is exploring the theme of curiosity in their recent partnership with TED, the non-profit devoted to ideas worth spreading. If you love listening to and watching TED Talks as much as I do, you’re probably as excited as I am. This relationship will be a whole new way to experience TED – with creatively curated TED Talks, blogs, and original quotes available to hotel guests worldwide.