I am so excited to announce that Disney/Pixar will be releasing Finding Nemo in 3D this September! I know that this is still several months away but I was so excited, I had to share the news with all of my readers. Disney has a huge lineup of movies that they are re-releasing in 3D in the upcoming months but Finding Nemo is probably the one I am most excited about. This is one of those movies that you can watch over and over again and it never gets old.
When we visited Disney World this past September the Finding Nemo ride and attraction was one of our families favorites. All of the kids couldn’t get enough of sticking their heads through the giant shark.
Below is the movie trailer that was just released be sure to check it out.
Water is the essence of our existence and something most of us take for granted everyday. We use water for cooking, cleaning, bathing, and most importantly to keep our bodies functioning and hydrated. Without water a person would ultimately die in only a matter of days. I never really worried about our water until a few years ago when I received a letter in the mail from our town’s water department. The letter came basically telling us that they had to inform the residents of a contamination found in the water supply. It went on to say that it was nothing to worry about but it was law that they had to inform everyone that it had been found. Now do you want to hear the scary part? Not only did we receive this notice once but we actually received it two more times over the course of a year. It’s been several years since this occurred but it’s still in the back of my mind when my family drinks a glass of water.
To help put our minds at ease about 4 years ago we purchased a snazzy water cooler that we can put large gallons of water on top. This was fine for about the first few months and then it not only became incredibly expensive to purchase new bottles but it was a hassle to have to run to the store when we ran out. After searching around for alternatives I found BigBerkeyWaterFilters.com and my Big Berkey obsession began. If you have never heard of the Big Berkey it’s basically the creme de le creme of Water Filters. Berkey water filters are made by an American company and have been in business for many years serving customers all over the world. These gravity water filters have such a great reputation that they are trusted and used by relief organizations such as UNICEF, The Red Cross, Peace Corps and they are used by the Royal Family in England.
We received the Royal Berkey to review. Right off the bat I was impressed with how great this looked in my kitchen. It goes with all of my stainless steel and black appliances. Set up was incredibly easy taking my husband a few minutes to get it up and going. No tools, electricity, water pressure or plumbing are required to make the system run. It is built to be used even in emergencies when these things fail or are not working.
The instructions are included in the box and give you step by step instructions on how to set your Berkey up, placing the filters in the container and how to make sure your water is being filtered correctly.
The Berkey Water Filters are much more advanced than other filters because they remove harmful pathogenic bacteria, cysts, parasites, and unhealthy chemical contaminants such as lead, mercury and Chlorine to levels higher than 99.99%. The great thing is while they take away all of these unwanted things the filter leaves the essential minerals that your body needs. The Berkey Water systems are capable of purifying both treated water from your home and also untreated water from lakes and streams. They also reduce the amount of fluoride and arsenic via the “PF” line. Pretty impressive!
The inside of the drum is pretty basic. It comes in three different pieces which are the top, bottom and lid. When put together the system stands at only 15.25″ in height. The system is extremely light and can easily be moved from room to room or taken with you when you travel, camp, etc. At it’s capacity the Royal Berkey can hold up to 3.25 gallons of water. The system we received comes with 2 filters but you can purchase up to 4. The two filters can purify 4 gallons of water per hour and each filter will last you up to 3000 gallons. So if you were using up to 10 gallons per week the two filters would last you 600 weeks which is more than 11.5 years of clean water.
The Royal Berkey has a handy spout at the bottom making it very easy to dispense water even for my 3 year old. She is able to place her cup under the spout and fill her cup up. There are so many aspects to the Royal Berkey that I love but the most important is that it gives me peace of mind that my family are all drinking water that is free from harmful contaminants. Investing in a quality water filter will give you peace of mind not only in normal circumstances but also in emergencies when clean water isn’t available.
For more information of the Royal Berkey and other fantastic Berkey products make sure you check out BigBerkeyWaterFilters.com to view their huge selection of Water filter systems and Food Storage.
Win It:
One lucky reader is going to win the Travel Berkey Water Filter System! This is a 1-3 Person sized system that holds 1.5 gallons and is valued at $228.
Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are based on my own experience and may differ from others.
It’s Wednesday! We are officially half way through the week. Make sure you check out some of the amazing giveaways below from around the blogging world. If you have a giveaway please feel free to link to link them up below. I only ask that you link directly to the giveaway and not your homepage. Also I would love it if you would help me spread the word of the linky by posting about it on facebook or Twitter. This is not required just greatly appreciated.
While your here make sure you check out some of my current giveaways:
It seems like every time I turn on the news, there is a new story about someone sexually assaulting a child. It literally breaks my heart to hear these stories because I relate them all to my two young children. It’s sad to admit it, but the world is a totally different place now than it was when I was a kid growing up. We were able to ride our bikes and roam the neighborhood without that fear of a predator lurking in the bushes. I’m not saying that they didn’t exist because as we all know child predators are nothing new but it seems like this epidemic is worse now than ever. These sick people are braver and willing to do more, and take more risks so that they can prey on an innocent child.
Recently I was disgusted to see that here in my home state an elementary 3rd grade teacher was arrested for taking lude photos of the little girls in her class and at a Christmas party she held at her home just for the students. These little girls ranged from age 7 to 9. Not only did she take photos and videos of the little girls dressed in lingerie and sexual poses but she set up a chat area in the back of the classroom so that the girls could chat with “Uncle G” which was the husband of the teacher. Below is a picture of the teacher. Hard to believe..right?!
Does this look like a Sexual Predator to you? It is!
These kids were violated in school during class for god knows how long. Stories like this make me so upset and as I parent I want to know my kids are safe at all times, especially at school.
Here are some tips on how you can talk to your kids about Sexual Predators:
1. Be Open and Honest. Your kids need to know they can talk to you about anything. Many times kids will not tell an adult that they are being abused because of the fear they will get in trouble. Reassure them that they will never get in trouble and you will always be there for them.
2. Don’t scare your kids. You want to be honest but not to the point that your kids are afraid to go outside and play.
3. Explain to your children that no matter what if someone looks, touches, says or does anything that makes them feel uncomfortable that they need to let someone know especially you.
4. Avoid making the situation awkward by making it into a game about how to be safe. For example: If the house is on fire what do you do? If someone tickles you and tells you not to tell your parents what do you do or say?
5. You don’t have to be graphic to get your point across. It’s my believe that kids need to stay innocent for as long as possible so just give them the basics.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject. Have you had something that this happen in your hometown and how do or did you talk to your kids about Predators. If your are interested in learning more about child predators you can click here for essays.
Disclosure:
This post is sponsored however all opinions expressed are 100% honest and my own.
One of our favorite things to do as a family is watch movies together. Whether we go to a movie theater or watch them on DVD from the comfort of our home it’s all the same to us. The problem that we have run across lately is that some of the movies that my husband and I want to watch are not exactly kid friendly so we have watched alot of animated movies here lately. Don’t get me wrong I am a fan of animated movies but I do like to mix things up every now and then. About a week ago we were sent Real Steel starring Hugh Jackman on Blu-ray/DVD to watch together. We had all be eagerly waiting for the release of this film and wasted no time having our movie night. Real Steel is basically Rocky meets Robots. It’s a feel good, family friendly movie that has lot’s of action, great music, humor and you might just shed a few tears.
Enter the not-so-distant future where boxing has gone high tech-2000 pound, 8-foot tall steel robots have taken over the ring. Starring Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed up fighter turned small time promoter, Real Steel is a riveting, white-knuckle action ride that will leave you cheering. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the thrill-packed arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback. Visually stunning and complete with knockout bonus material, Real Steel is a pulse-pounding, inspirational adventure filled with heart and soul.
The beginning of the movie caught me off guard as I was expecting a totally different story line, but as the movie went on it all fit together perfectly making this one of my favorite movies of the year. Hugh Jackman is incredible and even though he starts off as a not so nice guy you can’t help but fall in love with his character and cheer him on throughout the film. The robots are all INCREDIBLE! Even the ones that are what they refer to as “scrap metal” they look so cool. The music throughout the movie gets your adrenaline pumping and I found myself wishing we had robots we could watch box. Real Steel is rated PG-13 and there are a few curse words and violence between the robots but other than that it is a wonderful family film. My son (who is 7) absolutely loved the entire film and thought Twin Cities was the coolest robot ever. Real Steal is available on Blu-ray and DVD in stores on online today, make sure you check this film out as you won’t be disappointed. For a limited time, Dreamworks is offering $5 OFF the purchase of the Real Steel 3-disc Combo Pack. Those interested should visit http://www.steelgetsreal.com/, and click on the offer in the upper right corner of the page. Offer ends 1/29/12.
Disclosure:
I received a free copy of the above DVD in return for my honest review. All opinions expressed are based on my own opinion.
Happy Monday! Here is a peek at what we are having this week. I am really trying to eat more healthy, homemade foods and I have been looking for new recipes over the past few weeks. Some of the recipes are below and I am excited to try them out. I would love to hear what you are having this week and would love it if you would link up your menu plans or favorite recipes below.
Birthday’s at our house are a pretty big deal. I usually start preparing for my kids birthday parties at least a month in advance to make sure that I get all of the party supplies that I need at an affordable price. My daughter Aubrey’s 4th birthday is in a little under two months and she has already started to plan the type of party that she wants. Last year we went to Disney World and she fell in love with Lilo and Stitch so she has decided that she wants to have a Stitch party. Discount Party Supplies carries a huge selection of Disney Character Party supplies including The Lion King, Disney Princess, Mickey and Minnie Mouse and much more.
I was so impressed with the selection of party supplies available on their site. They carry not only birthday supplies for all ages but they also have supplies for holidays, weddings, graduation and more. Since Lilo and Stitch “live” in Hawaii we decided to have a Hawaiian type party. Discount Party Supplies carried several different selections for this type of party but we ultimately decided to go with the Aloha Birthday Standard Party Pack.
Aloha Birthday Standard Party Pack includes:*
1 x Aloha Birthday Dinner Plates (8 pack) 1 x Aloha Birthday Lunch Napkins (16 pack) 1 x Aloha Birthday 9-oz Cups (8 pack) 1 x Aloha Birthday Invitations (8 pack) 1 x Orange Plastic Cutlery (Assorted, 24 Count) 1 x Orange Crepe Streamers, 81 (ft), (Each) 1 x Lime Crepe Streamers, 81 (ft), (Each) 1 x Lime Green Balloons (15 pack) 1 x Orange Balloons (15 pack) 1 x Lime Tablecover, 54″ x 108″ 1 x Spiral Birthday Candles (24 Pack)
We ordered the supplies and literally 3 days later they arrived on my doorstep. I was so impressed with how fast the delivery time was and how great everything looked. Aubrey was ecstatic when her party supplies arrived and has asked me everyday since they came if today is her birthday.
Discount Party Supplies has just about everything you need to throw the perfect party for your loved one. Whether your looking to have a Black Belt Karate Party for your little ninja or a Hello Kitty party they have got it all. For your next party be sure you check out DiscountPartySupplies.com for affordable party supplies.
Buy It:
You can purchase the Aloha Standard Party Pack for $18.99
Disclosure:
I was provided with a complimentary Aloha Party Pack in return for my honest review. All opinions expressed are 100% honest and my own.
Being a mom can certainly have it’s rewards but it also has it’s many different challenges. As my kids get older it’s important to me that I teach them responsibility in and out of the home. Over the past year I have started to show my kids ways that they can be responsible by giving them different chores around the house, so far this has worked out great but I needed something that was consistent and easy for them to use. Recently I came across Goal for it! which is the perfect solution for parents wanting to make a free chore chart for their kids.
Making the chart is completely free and very easy to do. The first step is to name your child’s chart and add their age, sex and whether you would like email reminders.
Next you customize the chart with a theme. There are themes for both boys and girls.
For Jeremy we chose to go with the Camo background.
The third and final step is to add chores and responsibilities that you would like for your child to have. These responsibilities can be as easy as getting up on time or feeding and watering the animals.
It took me about 3 minutes from start to finish to create Jeremy’s chore chart and print it out. We have it hanging on the fridge and it helps for him to be able to see what things need to be done each day. At the end of the week my kids get a special treat for completing all of their chores and responsibilities. In addition to the Chore Charts, you can also find behavior charts, daily goal charts or tracker, to do lists and more. The best part is it is completely free! Whether your a parent of a young child or teenager or your looking for an easy and fun way to make a goal chart or to do list Goal For It! is a fantastic site and resource for everyone.
Disclosure: I was compensated for this post however all opinions expressed are my own.
It’s easy to get caught up in diet fads that claim to help you take off that unwanted weight with little to no effort but in reality it takes much more than that to lose weight. You have to be ready and actually make changes to your life by eating the right foods and being active. I know first hand how hard that can be especially when you are a working woman who has a family to take care of. One of my go to meals whether I am dieting or not is Progresso Soups, they have over 40 delicious varieties that are about 100 calories or less per serving.
This year Progresso Souper You contest will provide three lucky readers the chance to win a ultimate makeover experience in Hollywood! The winners will be provided with round-trip airfare for two to LA, a head to toe makeover, shopping spree with $1,000 gift card, $1,000 Spending Money and 2 tickets to the season finale of NBC’s The Biggest Loser.
Entering the contest is “Souper” easy! All you have to do is visit http://www.souperyou.com/ and submit a photo of yourself along with a short essay telling why you love Progresso Soups and why you think you deserve a makeover. Entries must be received before February 22nd and the top 10 finalists will be announced on March 12th. Below is a video from the 2011 Souper You Contest Winners showing their makeovers and shopping spree, I am definitely entering the contest after watching it.
If you would like a coupon good towards Progresso Soup visit http://bit.ly/ProgressoCoup for a coupon good towards $1.25 off your next purchase of 4 cans of Progresso Soup.
Win It:
One lucky reader is going to win 2 VIP Coupons good towards Progresso Soup and (1) Biggest Loser Workout DVD.
To Enter: Follow the instructions below using #Rafflecopter
