Photo-A-Day #2496

If you are attending Toy Fair next week you should stop by the Peaceable Kingdom Booth to see their newest games including the one that we got to play called Feed The Woozle. Feed the Woozle is a cooperative board game that also helps children develop gross motor skills as well as basic counting. The game is fun to play and entertaining in the silly, slightly gross snacks that the Woozle likes to eat. Eva was laughing at those snacks and having fun feednig the Woozle over and over.

Eva and I played through each level of the game. She’s more advanced than level one, not quite ready for level three but level two is just right for her. I’d like to get her playing this with friends and see how much fun they have together. This is a definitely a fun cooperative game that kids will have fun playing. Level two incorporates gross body movement through fun things like spinning around, doing a hula and even going crazy. However,t he kids need to be aware that they are holding a spoonful of Woozle snacks that need to be fed to the Woozle. So, they have to take care not to drop the snacks.

Here is the official statement from the Peaceable Kingdom’s Toy Fair Press Release.

Feed The Woozle • Ages 3-6 • $20
Woozle is hungry and his mouth is wide open and ready to catch some silly snacks like chocolate covered flies or hairy pickles. Can you feed him 12 silly snacks without dropping them from the spoon? Two to 5 players start the game with a roll of the die to learn how many snacks to put in his big open mouth. With a spin of the colorful spinner they then determine which goofy gross motor movement they will do while walking across the room to feed him. Maybe it’s a Bunny Hop, maybe walk backwards! Be careful, kids, and don’t drop those snacks. If everyone together can feed the Woozle 12 snacks, everyone wins! And giggles are guaranteed.

Level 1 introduces basic counting.
Level 2 adds a gross motor movement a child must perform while making his way to the Woozle.
In Level 3, players rely on guidance from teammates to find the Woozle because they must close their eyes!

Disclosure: We received a copy of Feed the Woozle to review and play with. Our opinions are 100% our own.

I buy a ton of stuff from Amazon.com. If you do please buy through our links and help support BenSpark.com. Thank you.

Copyright (c) 2010 Blog Consultant, Photo-A-Day Photographer & Daddy Blogger - BenSpark.com - Everyday Pictures... Every... Day

Review: Peaceable Kingdom’s Feed the Woozle

Today Allison, Eva and I watched Lady and The Tramp on Blu-ray. We have watched the movie before as a family. that was when Eva was a three year old. She didn’t quite remember it but enjoyed watching it today. This was the first time that we tried a Blu-ray and a Second Screen app on the iPad. I wasn’t able to get it to work very well because we were chomping away on popcorn so the audio sync didn’t well and I couldn’t get BD Live to work either. However, once we were done with the movie I saw on the Bonus Features the option to sync with Second Screen. I wish I explored that first. But now I at least know how to do it for future movies.

We weren’t totally without use of Second Screen. You can use Second Screen manually and it was pretty fun playing with that app. There were options to play with flip books, color in characters and learn more about how the movie was made.

The movie is an impressive one especially when you realize that the characters were hand drawn. I enjoyed learning about how the animators studied dogs for the movie and how they developed the voices and character designs. The movie is truly a Disney classic that we are happy to have in our collection. You can get it for your own collection tomorrow February 7, 2012.

I have a few clips from the movie as well as the official Press Release below.

LADY AND THE TRAMP DIAMOND EDITION – BEHIND THE SCENES PHOTOS WITH PEGGY LEE, WALT DISNEY, ANIMATORS AND PRODUCTION TEAM

LADY AND THE TRAMP DIAMOND EDITION – FILM CLIPS

“He’s a Tramp”

“Siamese Cat Song”

“Bella Notte”

“One of the great classics…more glorious than ever in dazzling Disney Blu-ray High Definition!”

LADY AND THE TRAMP: DIAMOND EDITION

Synopsis: A classic love story unfolds in the best Disney tradition as a lovely young pedigreed cocker spaniel named Lady, who lives a pampered life, finds herself falling romantically for Tramp, an amorous street-smart pooch without prospects. Although they have fun together on several dates, including a sentimental spaghetti dinner by moonlight at Tony’s restaurant, their relationship is strained not only by Lady’s loyalty to her human family and their newborn baby, but by Tramp’s devil-may-care attitude that eventually gets Lady in trouble and tossed into the dog pound. However, good-hearted Tramp redeems himself by saving the baby from potential harm and thus wins Lady’s love and the affection of her human family.

Share this timeless Disney Classic with your family as Walt Disney’s beloved classic, Lady and the Tramp, finally releases from the Disney Vault for the first time ever on Blu-ray. This heartwarming tale now charms a new generation of families and fans with its exquisite animation and unforgettable songs in one of the greatest love stories of all time. Featuring high definition sound and immersive bonus features your family can enjoy together, Lady and the Tramp Diamond Edition is a must own addition to your Disney collection.

Voice Talent: Barbara Luddy (Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians) as Lady
Larry Roberts (Theatre background with Circle Theatre in Los Angeles) as Tramp
Peggy Lee (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, American Beauty) as Darling, Si, Am & Peg
Bill Thompson (Peter Pan, Alice In Wonderland) as Jock, Joe, Bulldog, Dachsie & the Policeman
Bill Baucom (TV’s “The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp,” Judge Roy Bean) as Trusty
Stan Freberg (Stuart Little, Looney Tunes: Back In Action) as Beaver
Lee Millar (TV’s “I Love Lucy,” The George and Gracie Allen Show) as Jim Dear & the Dogcatcher

Producer: Walt Disney

Directors: Clyde Geronimi (Alice In Wonderland, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty)
Wilfred Jackson (Snow White, Pinocchio, Dumbo)
Hamilton Luske (Alice In Wonderland, Cinderella, Pinocchio)

Blu-ray Bonus: Disney Second Screen: Inside Walt’s Story Meetings*
Audio Commentary: Inside Walt’s Story Meetings
Diane Disney Miller: Remembering Dad
Three Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes
Never Recorded Song: “I’m Free as the Breeze”
Classic DVD Bonus:

• Lady’s Pedigree: The Making of Lady and the Tramp
• Finding Lady: The Art of the Storyboard
• Original 1943 Storyboard Version of the Film
• PuppyPedia: Going to the Dogs
• “The Siamese Cat Song,” Finding a Voice for the Cat
• “Bella Notte” Music Video
• Trailers
• Excerpts from “Disneyland” TV Shows

DVD Bonus: Diane Disney Miller: Remembering Dad
PuppyPedia: Going to the Dogs

Digital Bonus: Diane Disney Miller: Remembering Dad
Three Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes
PuppyPedia: Going to the Dogs

Street Dates: Blu-ray, High Definition & Standard Definition Digital = February 7, 2012
(Direct Prebook: 12/13/11; Distributor Prebook: 12/27/11)

Rated: G (bonus materials not rated)

Feature Run Time: Approximately 76 minutes

Suggested Retail Prices 3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) = $44.99 U.S./$51.99 Canada
and Product 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD) = $39.99 U.S./$46.99 Canada
Configurations: High Definition Digital = $39.99 U.S./$46.99 Canada
Standard Digital = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada

Aspect Ratio: 2.55:1

Sound: Blu-ray Feature Film – 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
DVD Feature Film – 5.1 Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix

Languages: English, French and Spanish
Subtitles: English SDH, French and Spanish
*This feature may not be available in all territories.
© 2011 Disney

Disclosure: We received a copy of the movie to review. Opinions of the movie are 100% my own.

I buy a ton of stuff from Amazon.com. If you do please buy through our links and help support BenSpark.com. Thank you.

Copyright (c) 2010 Blog Consultant, Photo-A-Day Photographer & Daddy Blogger - BenSpark.com - Everyday Pictures... Every... Day

Review: Lady and the Tramp DVD & Blu-ray

Photo-A-Day #2494

Well, Super Bowl Sunday has come and gone (It is nearing midnight for me) and the New England Patriots lost. Oh man that was a close one. I guess since I was listening to my cubemate watch the game online and getting updates on my phone from my wife. I spent my time fielding calls and watching the commercials. I guess that I should not have bought that Scratch Ticket yesterday, for more reasons than one. But, even though we were at work we still had decent snacks and much of that was because of Bob Evans.

I received a Tailgating pack from Bob Evans that included a portable Slow Cooker, Some Football shaped bowls and a Bob Evans roll of Sausage and Hot Sausage. I decided to make the Bob Evans Football Party Dip and bring it in to work. I made a slight couple of changes to the recipe. I was not sent any Bob Evans Wildfire Barbecue Sauce so I substituted with a couple of other sauces. I didn’t feel like chopping up tomatoes so I bought Ro-Tel and put in minced garlic instead of garlic powder and minced onion instead of chopped onions.

It was very easy to make and the little portable slow cooker was the perfect size for this dip. I’ve never used a slow cooker with a 12 volt plug for the car before. I think this is pretty much for Truckers to have home cooked meals on the road. To me Bob Evans is definitely Road Food. When I used to travel I’d stop at Bob Evans often for breakfast and occasionally for dinner, great comfort food. I’ll have to try and make the Bob Evans 7 Layer Taco Dip as well.

Ready for Transport Good buddy!

So I made the dip in a large frying pan, put it into the slow cooker and kept it warm the whole ride to work. I wasn’t sure how everyone at work would receive this. We have delicate palettes and some picky eaters but the dip was universally received well. It was so well received that by the time I took photos of the spread at work the dip was pretty well devoured.

Disclosure: I was provided the sausage, slow cooker and football bowls for try and review. Opinions are 100% my own and those observed of the people who enjoyed the Football dip.

I buy a ton of stuff from Amazon.com. If you do please buy through our links and help support BenSpark.com. Thank you.

Copyright (c) 2010 Blog Consultant, Photo-A-Day Photographer & Daddy Blogger - BenSpark.com - Everyday Pictures... Every... Day

At Least I Had Good Snacks

Last Thursday night I went to a party at my fellow Isis Fellow, Annie Stow’s, of Stowed Stuff, house. I was there for a Hatchedit.com party. Hatchetit.com is an online calendar program but much more than that. It is a way for you to create your own personal social network with real friends and real family. You know, the people that you actually know and hang out with. The people who come to your kids soccer games or take your kids to school.

The service was created by moms who were looking for the perfect online calendar, contact list and more that they could share with their family. Each member of the family has a different color and they can add in the classes, appointments, vacations and more. It works very well for family communication and planning trips, coordinating rides and such.

Personally it is not a service for me. I use Google Calendar, we have it synced with our iPhones and iPad and now the iMac. But also, we aren’t that scheduled at this time. Eva and Andrew don’t have a lot of weekly activities that we need to coordinate and I’m home most of the week and Allison is home all week and weekend so we don’t really need this sort of service at this time. Maybe when we get busier but for now our coordinating on the Google Calendar works for us. But if you have a busy family and are looking for a better way to coordinate schedules check out Hatchetit.com, just because I am not using it does not mean that it does not have value. I can see tremendous value in it for the right family. That family could be yours. The service is free and there is an Android app with an iPhone app on the way.

I buy a ton of stuff from Amazon.com. If you do please buy through our links and help support BenSpark.com. Thank you.

Copyright (c) 2010 Blog Consultant, Photo-A-Day Photographer & Daddy Blogger - BenSpark.com - Everyday Pictures... Every... Day

An Organized Life with Hatchedit.com

Today Eva and I watched a few episodes from the soon to be released Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: I Heart Minnie DVD. This DVD has five Minnie-centric episodes including a never before seen episode called Minnie & Daisy’s Flower Shower. That was the first episode that we decided to watch. This episode focused on Minnie and Daisy preparing for a Flower Show. They had to make the clouds rain so that their flowers could grow. They also made the clouds into shapes. Don’t try to understand why the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is doing the things they do but focus on what skills they reinforce for children like counting, color and shape recognition and more skills like that. Don’t look to it for problem solving skills though because there is no way Toodles is gonna show up with the right mousekatool in the real world. But I do think that sequencing, shape recognition, counting and those skills are done right for the kids.

The DVD that I got to review contained a digital copy. You know I love digital copies because I can load them onto the iPad and Eva can enjoy the show on her own anytime. Not that we let her have too much TV but the option is there, especially for long car rides and things like that. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is a show that we enjoy together and this is a great DVD for her collection.

The DVD also has a reversible cover that you can take out and it has games and activities for your child plus the option for them to color their own version of the DVD cover.

I have a couple of clips from the DVD as well as the official Press release below. The DVD comes out this Tuesday February 7, 2012.

“Daisy’s Dance”

“Minnie’s Birthday”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Don’t Let The Party Start Without You!

Follow along and Celebrate Minnie’s Birthday
MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE: I HEART MINNIE
Available On DVD with Digital Copy, February 7, 2012

The Digital Copy Allows Parents To Easily, Quickly Download The Episodes Onto A Computer Or Secondary Handheld Device For On-The-Go Access

Burbank, Calif., November 4, 2011 – This coming Valentine and Easter Seasons, The Walt Disney Studios invites everyone to get the party started as the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse gang – Daisy, Mickey, Donald & Goofy – celebrate MinnieMouse’s birthday. Releasing for the first time on DVD and Digital Copy, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: I HEART Minnie will be made available for purchase nationwide on February 7, 2012.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: I HEART Minnie has been packaged to include five, fun-filled episodes – each underlining the themes of friendship, teamwork, sharing and problem solving – and an all new bonus feature “You’re Invited to Minnie’s Birthday Party,” as well as two complimentary Best Friend necklaces to keep as mementos and/or to share with a very special someone this Valentine’s Day.

The five classic episodes include:
· Minnie & Daisy’s Flower Shower (All-New, Never-Before-Seen) – The botanical highlight of the year is in trouble, unless Minnie and Daisy can get their flowers to bloom! Together, they board the glove balloon to help coax the clouds to sprinkle much needed rain.

· Daisy’s Dance -Clap your hands and tap your feet! Join Daisy, as she gets ready for one of the most important events of her life––performing in the big talent show!

· Daisy’s Pet Project – The Pet Parade is almost here and Daisy needs to find the perfect animal for which she can love and care. But it’s not as easy as she thinks and soon she has three new friends: an elephant named Bubbles, a giraffe called Longfellow and a bunny called Captain Jumps-a-lot!

· Minnie’s Rainbow – After a brightly colored rainbow appears over the clubhouse, Minnie searches for the pot of gold that’s supposed to be at its end. Along the way, she meets a leprechaun and discovers that not all treasure turns out to be as she expected!

· Minnie’s Birthday – Today is Minnie’s birthday, but the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse friends need to set up her birthday party.

Voice Talent:
· MICKEY MOUSE – Wayne Allwine (TV’s “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” & “House of Mouse”)

· MINNIE MOUSE – Russi Taylor (TV’s “Jake and the Never Land Pirates,” & “The Simpsons”)

· DAISY DUCK – Tress MacNeille (TV’s “Futurama,” & “The Simpsons”)

· DONALD DUCK – Tony Anselmo (Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Fantasia/2000)

· GOOFY – Bill Farmer (Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc.)

· PLUTO – he doesn’t speak

About The Walt Disney Studios:
For more than 85 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company (DIS: NYSE) was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under four banners: Walt Disney Pictures,which incudes Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios, Disneynature, Touchstone Pictures and Marvel. Original music and motion picture soundtracks are produced under Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records, while Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Broadway theatrical productions, Disney on Ice and Disney LIVE!. For more information, please visit www.disney.com.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this DVD to review. Opinions of it are 100% my own.

I buy a ton of stuff from Amazon.com. If you do please buy through our links and help support BenSpark.com. Thank you.

Copyright (c) 2010 Blog Consultant, Photo-A-Day Photographer & Daddy Blogger - BenSpark.com - Everyday Pictures... Every... Day

Review: MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE: I Heart MINNIE