Scrutiny by the Masses

Wall-E Is Wonderful, Indeed

This is a paid ad for Blogher Reviews and Disney DVDs. 

Pixar has put out some of my family's most favorite movies. Toys Story (One AND Two), A Bugs Life,  and my son's beloved Cars, to touch lightly on just a few.  That's why, when Wall-E came out, we ran to see it.  And we were delighted, and completely overwhelmed and thrilled and touched at the same time.

Wall-E is the story a robot, the last remaining "person" after the end of civilization as we know it.  He has carefully collected kitschy bits that remind him of the best of society - nuts, bolts, and a copy of Hello, Dolly, among other things.  (I loved Louis Armstrong and could listen to his voice for HOURS.)  Wall-E, a clunky, nerdy trash collector,  meets and falls in love with Eve, a glamorous, almost high society model.  They are definitely two complete opposites. 

The soundtrack was beautiful, and the colors and animation of the film were striking and touching.  What really hit home for our family was the fact, however loosely tied, that all of humanity was ruined by the conglomeration known as BnL - a not so shady comparison to the insidious Wal-Mart.  We've been trying to avoid the Wal-Mart lately, too much STUFF in our house and it seems that every time we go, we end up with more and more.  Stuff that we didn't know we needed, and yet, as soon as we saw it, we simply "Must have it". The theme of "So much stuff in the world that society can't function" really resonated with us.

Beyond all of that - and really, what could be better than that? - Wall-E is a beautiful, touching love story.  By the end of the film, I was rooting for the clunky robot with binoculars to win over the sleek Eve, in a way that I rarely do for a flesh and blood character.  It was a lovely, lovely film and I was delighted to watch it, delighted to own it, and will be giving it to many families on our Christmas list.  It's a perfect feel-good movie for the entire family.  Available on DVD and Blu-Ray, I think it was one of the best films I have ever seen.

Go here and leave a comment to be entered to win a Wall-E Dvd!

Games.com Is Great Fun, Indeed

25 Loads of laundry?  Check.  Two kids in Muay Thai three days a week?  Check.  Three kids on soccer teams in three different city divisions, practicing and playing at three separate locations?  Check.  An exercise habit that bears more than a striking resemblance to an addiction?  Check.  Grocery shopping, dry cleaning, bill paying, 25 hours a week work outside the home, three blogs, a book to write, friendships to cultivate, and, oh, yeah, something resembling a LIFE somewhere in there?

Check.

And my husband wonders why I need a break some times.  Geez.  I feel like I need a nap just from listing all of that. When I heard that AOL had a new gaming portal, I was instantly intrigued.  I remember how much FUN I had in Vegas, playing poker, roulette and Texas Hold 'Em, along with my own personal albatross, THE SLOTS.  Oh, slot machine, how I adore and despise you at the same time.  Your request that I just drop one teeny quarter ending up costing me over $100 in Vegas in April.

Step away from the machine.  STEP AWAY. 

Ahem.

I was interested in the selection of virtual card games, but, never having been lucky at Solitaire - who loses to them self EVERY single TIME? - Gin Rummy, or Spades, I narrowed my focus and zeroed in on the Casino games- The Slot Machine and Video Poker.  Apparently, I just don't have the luck of the Irish, despite my fair skin and the reddish tint to my hair, because no matter what I did, I didn't win.  Sure, every once in a while, the slots would align just exactly right and I'd win 10 or 15 coins - AFTER I'd lost 55.  Both games were addictive, fast paced and fun - and best of all, virtual, which meant that I didn't have to explain to my husband where the grocery money had gotten to this week.

The most fun of the evening occurred when my kids and I played Bingo.  We love us some Bingo, and happily, this version was every bit as much fun as hands on.  The old guy who called the numbers in the corner was a hoot - he appeared to suck his teeth and in fact, really resembled a man who works at the Bingo at our church.  It became a fast paced challenge to see who was more lucky - and, let's just say, it wasn't me.

With live chats, game rooms, double winning stamps and over 530 online games to choose from, you could - and I did - spend hours at Games.com. I'd highly recommend this site if you need to decompress and have a few hours to kill.

This is a paid review courtesy of Games.com and Blogher.Check out a roundup of all the reviews - we've got some great gamblers out there!

A Great Holiday Idea, Thanks to Nintendo!

My little girls love babies in any form.  Real babies, dollies, babies on the computer - any form of baby rocks their world.  I was asked to review this new Nintendo DS game, and I can already tell you it's going to be a "must have" for our family. I played the virtual sample, and it was easy and fun.  Babies and the beloved DS - what could be better?

As you are aware, the choices children make during their play time can have significant developmental benefits. Pretend play with dolls is known to improve a variety of early skills including language, communication, problem solving, social and motor skills.

Next month, SouthPeak Games will introduce the 21st century baby doll with the new My Baby Girl and My Baby Boy series for Nintendo DS. The new baby doll is designed to allow children to nurture, engage and raise their baby at their own pace with their own sensitivities, instincts and style. How they raise and relate to their baby will be their very own personal experience.

Players begin by choosing a name, ethnicity and eye-color for their baby. From baby's first smile, to her first steps players learn how to help their baby grow physically and emotionally. Along the way, players get help from a pediatrician who offers advice on caring for the baby. From how to change a diaper to how to hold a bottle, children learn all the ways they can keep their baby healthy and grow. As the baby meets certain developmental milestones, new age appropriate activities get unlocked.

My Baby Girl and My Baby Boy are suitable for children ages three years and older and will be available starting November 10, 2008.My Baby is more like a "life sim" in which each player engages with "their baby" at their own pace and nurturing style. 

Spot Shot by WD - 40

When the lovely ladies at Mom Central asked if I'd be interested in reviewing Spot Shot, , I think I must have blown them away with my enthusiasm.  Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!  With six kids, and thankfully NO pets, we have every single stain known to humankind just about any given day. 

We decided to put this carpet cleaner to the test in the bedroom that my two youngest daughters share.  We reconfigured their twin beds to create a bunk, and uncovered a vast multitude of sins of uncertain origin - probably,  knowing my girls, candy of some magnitude.  We are BIG time carpet shampoo users - on any given day, one or the other of us is scrubbing. Mostly, uh, not me.

My hubby sprayed the solution on the spots, scrubbed it in with a scrub brush for a minute,and voila!  The stains were gone.  Instantly, with very little elbow grease. 

This is a product I can highly recommend, and plan to purchase in the very near future.  Soccer cleats leave a LOT of dirt on the carpet.