The Cat is competitive. He loves to test his knowledge, especially when he gets the answer correct.

When Brighter Mind Media's Brain Quest DVD game arrived free-for-review via the Parent Bloggers Network, the Cat was intrigued.

“500 questions? That is the best!” he exclaimed...

Read the original review, posted to Kari's Couch

Via the Parent Bloggers Network, I received a free DVD with an introduction and two episodes of PBS Kids’ new series Word World. I am already a fan of Between the Lions, which is a pro-reading show for a slightly older set, so seeing a reading show targeted at the younger tykes (ages 3-5) intrigued me...

Read the original review, posted to Kari's Couch

The Cat and Spliggle have been interested in space for a long time, and not just because of Buzz Lightyear. One of their favorite videos as young toddlers (and even older) was Baby Galileo. Even adult shows capture their attention.

In preschool, the Cat enjoyed the unit on planets and asked plenty of questions. In Kindergarten, the Cat brought a star chart to share with the class. His teacher taught the class fun songs about space, which he sang at home frequently. He owns a glow-in-the-dark constellation shirt which he loves.

The Parent Bloggers Network provided the opportunity for my family to review the Zula Patrol, a television show aimed at children to increase their curiosity for science.

I put the DVD in our van for the first time during a roadtrip. I don’t recall the kids asking, “Are we there yet?” but I do remember hearing, “Could you press play again, Mommy?” They loved going “way up where the planets do the hula - spin and shout, ‘til you find yourself on Zula”

Gimme a “Wilbur Wiggle:” it must be time to read a book!

I definitely agree that instilling interest in books early in a child’s life is critical. Of course, the irony is that there are several television shows on the air to promote this. While it is imperative that parents, caregivers, siblings, and so forth take the time to read one-one-one with their children, television shows can become “friends” that can teach children through storytelling. A parent telling a child to share doesn’t necessarily get the same response as a cheerful puppet peer.

To this end, I was happy to review the Discovery Kids Channel’s “Wilbur” through the Parent Bloggers Network. The show revolves around a calf named Wilbur who teaches his friends through reading books. His catch-phrase is “Books are Moo-velous” Wilbur is performed in shadowmation.

At the start of each episode, Wilbur’s puppet barnyard friends have a dilemma. Wilbur gets a little tickle, starts to wiggle, and exclaims “Moo! Moo! Moo! What should we do?” His friends respond, “Moo! Moo! Moo! Read a book with you!”

The familiar orange-pink swirled envelope came in the mail last week. This time, enclosed within was a DVD offering a free trial of NoodleNet, a safe way for kids to browse the internet. Sometimes it will be a fabric softener sample, or a DVD of a new television show, such as when "Meerkat Manor" came out.

I still have fond memories of the show "Cover Shot," for which I voted on a "final shot" as one of the original VocalPoint members. I was in "the Club" so early in the game that I actually voted on the design of the envelopes in which VocalPoint sends their product samples, coupons, and announcements!

Why did I become a member?

When we receive a new DVD, it usually ends up in the minivan's player first, rather than the DVD player in our family room. This is somewhat out of habit, as we used to commute quite a long while in the van, plus our "regular" DVD player was out of commission for awhile. Still, the kids usually spend "at home" time doing other activities while "van-time" is frequently "movie-time."

I received "The Wheels on the Bus: Mango's Big Dog Parade" free-for-review via the Parent Bloggers Network. I didn't notice the little subtitle "The Early Socialization Series: Taking Turns & Getting Along," so I didn't realize this would be an educational video. Honestly, I thought it would be just the song "The Wheels on the Bus," which would have kept me and my kids happy!

But, it turned out to be much, much more.

Some time ago, Husband found the show Pingu, and the Cat thought the titular character's funny-speak was funny, indeed. For awhile, the Cat would exclaim, "Nert-nert!", an imitation of Pingu, when he was excited or otherwise interested in attracting attention. Pingu's antics have kept the Cat' laughing with glee. Although he's had other favorite shows, only Pingu has endured.

Of course I jumped at the chance to receive Pingu's first DVD, On Thin Ice, free-for-review from the Parent Bloggers Network.

The DVD contains eight episodes and runs about an hour. Having all those back-to-back episodes is amazing since on television the seven-minute blocks are typically between other shows rather than next to each other. And so the fun is over quickly and the show must be replayed (and replayed, and replayed.) The Cat and Splig are great with the TiVo remote, so I don't bear the brunt of the "again, again!" that some parents may have with such short episodes, but I remember it wasn't long ago that I had to restart favorite shows.

With an hour's worth of Pingu, life is good in the Karianna Household.

Bob the Builder underwear in sizes 2T-6 sit in my boys' dressers. The Let's Count! with Bob the Builder board book has been lovingly read by both boys (and decorated by Mr. Splig.)

For awhile we had Bob the Builder in our Season Pass for the TiVo, but the Cat only watched one episode over and over and over again, which was the one in which Mrs Barbara Bentley creates a train room for her husband, the building inspector Mr. Bernard Bentley. The Cat loved the electric trains depicted (and of course Bob's cat Pilchard,) but I was a bit annoyed with Mrs. Bentley's submissive comments like, "Oh, I don't know, Bernard doesn't let me touch the trains..." But as Bob's business partner is Wendy, a woman, I guess I cannot delve into a whole gender-issue thing here. Besides, that isn't the point of this post...

Everyone seems to know about Bob. When the Cat was a toddler, my teenager cousins asked him if he was into Bob. "Can we fix it?" they asked, and answered with a smile, "Yes, we can!"

Spliggle may have watched a couple episodes, but he became addicted to other shows instead.

Both boys haven't been into Bob recently.

I wondered if that would change upon review of Bob the Builder: On-Site - Roads and Bridges, received via the Parent Bloggers Network.

Because those are nimbus clouds

The Cat has been educating me about clouds ever since the Parent Bloggers Network gave me The Zula Patrol Explore Weather. The DVD contains four episodes, but "Treasure in the Clouds," stuck as the Cat's favorite.

Every morning and afternoon, the Cat quizzes me about what is in the sky. He tells me what he thinks, and then asks if he is correct. Ummmmm. I am not sure. I trust that he is right, because he quotes what he has learned from those peppy Zula Patrol folk. Fortunately, we've had a myriad of weather the last few weeks, so we've had different types of clouds available for firsthand study.

The Explore Weather DVD was not the first my boys had seen of The Zula Patrol. I reviewed the Zula DVD about volcanoes and rocks back in September. The boys absolutely adored learning about science, and as I mentioned in my 2007 recap, they - particularly volcano-loving Spliggle - continue to ask for the Zula DVD.

The wonderful folks at TBS sent me several DVDs worth of preview shows along with a comfy pair of pajamas (my first pajamagram!) I am glad to announce that one of these shows, The Bill Engvall Show, premieres new episodes tomorrow night.

Truthfully it has been awhile since I’ve watched an “old-fashioned” style sitcom with the laugh track . Those types of show were the staples of my viewing back when I was younger. The Bill Engvall Show is an updated version of these shows I used to watch religiously.

It was fun to watch the sitcom family in action: patient wife, goofy husband, the three kids with the requisite know-it-all, dunce and beauty, plus an annoying-with-a-soft-spot neighbor, naturally. Of course they have a family dog - who ends up being the subject of one of the episodes I previewed. The jokes were sometimes predictable, as is the formula for such shows, but I found myself chuckling along nonetheless. The plot lines are definitely lighter and more entertaining in a “kick-back-after-a-long-day” sort of way than some of the heavier “drama-dy type” shows I typically watch.

It has been awhile since we've sat down to watch a DVD. Sure, the kids have their old TiVo'ed favorites on the television, but I haven't introduced any new shows to them other than those they have found on their own (curses that the Cat discovered Sponge-Bob!) We've been busy with end-of-school things and grandparent-visits and other away-from-the-TV things.

Last week when we drove to Santa Cruz I finally had the opportunity to stick in a new DVD. With the kids captive in the back seat, it was a perfect chance to introduce them to something new. In this case, it was the Raggs Kids' Club Band. Although Raggs has been a live-action show for awhile, it didn't launch as a TV show in the US until recently. (It is from Australia.) The distribution of the show increased in February 2008 and it is shown on PBS. The Raggs Live Dance Party is also on tour, a safe-bet for a fun afternoon, although unfortunately they aren't coming my way. Their 2001 Raggs Kids Club Band "Pawsuuup!" Tour DVD, apparently won several awards according to Wikipedia.

At the moment, the Raggs website is going through a revision; I've found a few funny mistakes that will no doubt be corrected prior to the official re-launch this September. But the show itself is polished.

I recognize the characters and know I've seen pieces of the show here and there, but until recently it wasn't a show for which we've seen full episodes.

The kids enjoyed the stuffed animals that the Raggs-folks sent us along with the DVD and Dance Party CD. (Thanks Lindsey!) They played with the animals in the "way-back" of the van while they watched the DVD, occasionally telling their grandparents in the row ahead of them "Bend to the side, please!" At the next stop, the kids asked to switch places with their grandparents. Suddenly the appeal of the "way-back" was trumped by their desire to see Raggs clearly.

I ended up having to replay the DVD several times, and now What's The Dealio has been stuck in my head for days. The target-audience for the show is 3-6, but the Cat - who is 7 - really enjoyed it. Although he is called "the Cat," he has a real thing for dogs as well, so a troupe of singing dogs is right up his alley.

The show includes clubhouse-scenes (where a problem-solving topic is introduced) as well as concert scenes (in front of an actual audience) and clips of real kids: both q&a and action-shots set to music.

Initially I was a bit surprised by the format since the topic jumps around a bit. For example, in the episode "Who Am I?" Razzles' friends try to pick out an appropriate birthday present for her. The characters chose things that were special to them, but B. Maxx explained to each that while their selections were very nice, they weren't appropriate for who Razzles is. This is a very important social-skills lesson, one that the Cat still has to learn, so I smiled when I saw this topic unfold. But then after B. Maxx explains that they must discover who Razzles is, the show jumps to the live-action song (which has no direct connection to the problem that needs to be solved.) I understand the idea of keeping the youngsters' attention, but will they remember the first segment after the song?

Fortunately, the characters reiterate the problem, and do so again after a live-action-kids segment. As it turns out, the various segments end up being fun because there are so many things that will appeal to different kids. The real kids' answers are wacky and are bound to resonate with viewers. Spliggle, for example, is in agreement with one little boy "Sam," who declares that he is going to be a pirate when he grows up. "Aaaarrrr!" says Splig. Dumpster the cat, who provides questions to the real kids, is hilarious with his comments.

The varied interests and talents of each member of the Raggs Kids Club Band emphasizes that each kid is similarly free to have different interests than another kid, and that their talents will differ, too.

Raggs is definitely a fun show, and I imagine the in-person concert would be high-energy. If they will be in your area, check it out; otherwise, check your local PBS listings to see Raggs on television!

PS: Shortly after returning home, the boys caught an episode of Raggs on television. They have since asked to add it to their TiVoed shows.

Although my boys tend to have their "regularly watched" shows, from time to time another show creeps into the lineup. Typically, it is because a favorite show ends up having a preview for another; or because the TiVo'ed show ends, revealing whatever happens to be on the television live. During one such happenchance, the boys landed on Jane and the Dragon. Since then, both boys enjoy watching it when it is on, and we've TiVo'ed some of the episodes.

The boys are drawn to the dragon. I am drawn to the idea that Jane, instead of being a lady-in-waiting, decides to be a knight's apprentice. She scowls at wearing party dresses, much preferring to spar with the other apprentices or fly around on Dragon's back as she solves the problem of the day (usually getting into trouble before undoing a mistake.) I am also intrigued by the very realistic, yet fanciful CGI animation. Jane isn't some glamorous gal: her frizzy hair and gangly legs aren't the typical "ideal" of young women, but her adventurous spirit is certainly to be prized.

I was delighted to learn that Jane and the Dragon: A Dragon's Tale is now available on DVD, starting today. This DVD has five episodes, plus some enchanting extras, such as information about the art of Jane and the Dragon, character profiles, and a printable coloring page. The art section is fabulous, explaining how the initial challenge of bringing Jane's hair to life resulted in all the characters having realistic and unique hairstyles. Similarly, the costumes flow and respond to the character's actions just as real garments would.

Apparently, the Jane and the Dragon story is originally a book by Martin Baynton. The series includes other titles, such as Jane and the Magician and Three's a Crowd. Now that the kids have enjoyed watching the DVD, perhaps I can convince the Cat to read some of the books himself for "free reading" time when school starts. In the "Art of Jane" section of the DVD I learned that the amazing animation was patterned after Baynton's beautiful illustrations. I have not seen one of the books up close to compare, but plan to purchase some for the Cat. Baynton himself is listed as one of the executive producers of the DVD.

We were lucky enough to receive an advance copy of Jane and the Dragon: A Dragon's Tale. The boys enjoyed the episodes, and as mentioned before, I really enjoyed the extras. The art is spectacular and makes the program very enjoyable to watch. Our one criticism about the DVD was that even if we select "play all episodes," they cycle through in such a way that the opening theme plays before each episode. It would have been nice to have gotten the theme at the start, but then had all five episodes play in succession with only a single title slide announcing the next episode. The upside of hearing the theme song several times was that I was able to listen to the lyrics - which contain the back-story.

The boys sat still for the entire two hours worth of the show. Ordinarily I wouldn't have them watch so much in one sitting, but I just recently received the DVD and wanted a chance to review it for today's release. Also, the show itself is high quality, so I didn't feel guilty about having them watch it.

During the episode entitled "Tooth Fairy," I held my breath a little bit because my boys are both "believers." The Cat is skeptical, so he listened as Jane explained there was no such thing as a Tooth Fairy, but I think he was sufficiently confused by the twist-ending that he didn't ask me about it. Earlier in the summer, he asked about "magic" versus what is "real," but the jolly old red-suited guy, the egg-hiding rabbit, and the giver of goods in exchange for teeth didn't come into suspicion during that discussion. The Cat is about to be in second grade, and that was when "all was revealed" for me (around the same time that I asked what the "F" word really meant, since a classmate had been sent to the office for writing it on the chalkboard,) so it wouldn't surprise me if we have "the talk" soon - I just hope he doesn't ruin it for his younger brother!

Jane and the Dragon: A Dragon's Tale is a quality production, and I am thankful to the Shout Factory for giving me my copy. The boys are happy, and I'm definitely impressed with the production aspect and eager to learn more about the books upon which this series is based.

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The DVD is in both regular and widescreen formats, with both English and Spanish audio.

Alright, so I had already received a competitor's product for review, but when the Parent Bloggers Network asked if I'd be interested in reviewing the V. Smile Cyber Pocket from VTech, I instantly said "Yes!" After all, both my boys have non-educational "just for fun" handheld video game consoles, but until the V.Smile showed up on our doorstep, we only had one educational hand-held video game.

Yes, boo-hoo!, but don't you want both kids learning in the backseat of the van?

Yup, I thought so. Two educational handheld games it is!

The Cyber Pocket has a different "look" than what the kids are used to: this looks like a mini-laptop computer, with a little flip-up screen. Of course both boys were very interested, especially when they saw the game that came with it is called "Zayzoo: An Earth Adventure" and sports a photo of a cute alien.

Zayzoo includes several different components including singing songs (great for the preschool set) or practicing filling in missing letters of common words (excellent to reinforce those early reading skills.) The Cyber Pocket system itself is recommended for kids age five and older. It is therefore not a surprise that four-year-old Splig found some of the games too challenging; however, he still loved them. The Cat is seven, and enjoyed playing "Math Mining," "Alien Beat," and "Language Learner" the most, but has yet to explore several of the games available.

When we first turned on the system, it took some time to figure out what to do. The stylus on the lower screen corresponds to the cursor on the LCD upper screen. This is rather tricky to co-ordinate, so I was relieved that finger-joystick controls were available instead. There are both right-joystick and left-joystick positions for the console. This is the first time in a video-game situation where I've seen particular attention to whether a person might favor right or left hand.

Still, I wish the stylus were easier to use. Although the "write on one surface, see the result on another" might help hand-eye coordination in the youngsters, for this nearly-35-year old it was too tricky. I like to write directly on the screen. One advantage of not writing directly on the LCD screen, though, is that the screen life will be much longer. Many of these "write on the media" products have the potential of getting scratched and worn over time.

When the Cat tried out the system, he was frustrated by trying to use the stylus to play the game. He didn't have any trouble working the navigational screens, but when he had to actually control the character, the finger joystick made much more sense. Still, the game prompts, "Use the pen to move Zayzoo!"

I don't know whether the stylus is used exclusively in some games. If so, this would require an initial adjustment period.

What I was most intrigued by, though, was how many skills this single game covers: spelling, synonyms, antonyms, 3D puzzle building, logic, arithmetic, vocabulary, sentence structure, reading comprehension, beat and rhythm, and more. With such a wide variety of skills emphasized, kids can be both confident in the skills they've already mastered (earning lots of coins!) and challenged by those things that they are still working on, but having fun in the process.

One especially fun feature of the Cyber Pocket is that it can be plugged into the television screen via the included cable. Sure, there are plenty of TV screen video-game consoles out there, but none that you can then take with you in the van on a road trip. While at home, the kids can choose to play the Cyber Pocket with a large screen; but then on the road, in a comfy arm chair, or in their rooms, they can relish in the portability of the system. I like that there is a headphone jack so I don't necessarily have to listen to their games. I must listen to their laughter and squeals of delight, though.

The Cyber Pocket comes with a "V.Link," a little device that is a USB-port on one end and a connector to the VTech on the other end. A smiling glittery piece of toast serves as the slider between the "connect to VTech" and "expose USB port" configurations. Okay, he isn't a piece of toast, but the smiling computer screen logo looks very much like that tasty breakfast staple.

Kids can connect the V.Link to their console to download their scores; they then connect to the computer to record those scores. In the case of "Zayzoo: An Earth Adventure," kids can earn gold coins during console play that can be used on the V.Smile website to unlock special bonus games. The Cat hasn't earned enough coins to unlock anything yet, but I am certain he'll enthusiastically try, then reveal in the accomplishment.

Both boys love this system. Although we are just getting to know it, I have a feeling it will be used quite frequently at our house.

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Up Tuesday: A side-by-side comparison of Leapfrog's Leapster2 and VTech's VSmile Cyber Pocket, a Smackdown! if you will. Stay tuned...

We have had the good fortune of receiving both a Leapster2 from LeapFrog (check out their new Leapfrog online community!) and a V.Smile CyberPocket from VTech, via the Parent Bloggers Network. I've written reviews on both, but below is a summary of some of the features both unique to each and shared between these two educational hand-held learning systems. Some of the information in the below table is objective, while other information is our impression of the systems.

Who wins the Smackdown? Well that depends on your needs. My kids love both gaming systems and both make learning FUN! Since they both cost the same, emphasize similar skills, report on those skills online, and have a variety of different games available, there is no clear winner. It is up to YOU to decide which features you prefer. For example, the Leapster2 is lighter with better stylus control than the CyberPocket, whereas the CyberPocket has the the ability to plug into the T.V. for big screen play, but the Leapster cannot. Of course my chart above is not comprehensive; there may be a feature I didn't cover that is particularly poignant for you - but the above is what my kids and I discovered as we tried out these cool gadgets.

For more information:
- VTechKids: V.Smile Cyber Pocket
- Leap Frog: Leapster2

My kids learned about Wall-E through the magic of the internet. My eldest found the preview online and watched it a zillion times before the movie ever came out in the theater. My youngest received a Wall-E toy for his birthday. He was smitten even before the movie came out.

Both boys were excited and well-behaved when we took them to see the film. They sat still the entire time: quite a feat for very active boys! Afterwards they cuddled up to the plastic robot imitating his voice and my youngest cheerfully wore Wall-E pajamas to bed.

During the outside take, my video ran out of batteries, so although you can hear my youngest’s description of Wall-E, both sons’ more poignant thoughts are missed. During the inside take, both voices are difficult to hear: My youngest explains how Wall-E makes boxes out of trash. My eldest explains this is to get rid of waste. When asked what they liked best about Wall-E, my youngest simply answers in the affirmative “good,” then when further questioned, says “’cause I love him.”

The boys are ecstatic that Wall-E will be out on DVD this holiday season. I’m pretty excited, too, since I know several family members for whom this movie would be much appreciated.

Sure, the kids love the robot. Anything that beeps and is personified is instantly a hit. But what isn’t typical about Wall-E is that the first big chunk of the movie is without English dialogue. My kids were captivated. Wall-E’s actions: from gathering garbage to sorting his treasure, induced giggles and sustained attention. They didn’t shift in their seat or look away, because they knew they’d miss something. How often do stories unfolding on screen actually enhance attention?

With Eve’s arrival, the kids became wide-eyed. What could possibly happen? Eve, although technically not “female” still plays the female role here. In this case, the robot portrays an exceptionally strong, sophisticated and deadly female. I’m all for shows that reinforce powerful women, even if Eve isn’t really a woman.

As the plot unfolds, the animation delights. The kids squealed with excitement. My oldest held his ice-cream bar instead of eating it. It melted into a puddle, thankfully in the wrapper since he had been so enraptured by the movie that he didn’t open the bar in the first place. It is a strong endorsement that Wall-E was more important to my son than ice-cream.

Husband and I exchanged glances as we understood the underlying message of the film. We nodded as we saw what could indeed become a realistic future for us should we continue on the overindulgent convenience-laden, planet-sucking path that we’re on. But Wall-E delivers this message in a humorous way. Both boys chuckled as the obese humans tried to walk for the first time. I chuckled at various parts that should have also elicited a groan. (Yes, I’m on a diet, people, although Husband is not on a “let’s pick up the trash around [his] messy desk” project. But he is responsible environmentally in other ways, such as driving his beloved Prius.)

The wastefulness and reliance on modern conveniences related morals weren’t the only ones though. Good thing, for they probably were lost on my boys, at least for the time being. Certainly the relationship between Wall-E and Eve was something the boys could appreciate: friendship (or more) with basic phrases, but mainly actions and gestures.

Wall-E is a movie that parents can enjoy for the “deeper meaning” and cultural references. Kids enjoy the animation, the interaction amongst characters, and the action. There is always an anticipatory feeling of “what will happen next?” yet it is the type of show that isn’t stale or “ruined” after the first showing. The kids will want to watch it again and again, and the adults probably won’t mind, since there is enough going on that they can pick out new bits the second (and subsequent) time around. Of course, any movie worth getting on DVD must have this quality: if the disc is available, it will be played, so it better be a repetition-friendly movie.

We look forward to having Wall-E at our home for the holidays. I hope he can make his way to your home as well.

-Buy Now on DVD
-Buy Now on Blu Ray

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This is a Paid Review: Disney Pixar and BlogHer have asked me for my thoughts on why Wall-E is a good choice for the whole family – thank you for letting me convince you. (Check out BlogHer's Wall-E Giveaway!)

Although December brings with it lots of hectic holiday chaos, our family has been fortunate to have some pockets of time together to do fun things. Thanks to Mom Central, the four of us sat down to watch "Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa" at our local theater. Then fresh off the movie enthusiasm with catchy tunes in our heads, we unwrapped the "Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa" Wii game.

My kids love Wii, and they especially love playing games that relate to things they've experienced in other media, such as with seeing the sequel to Madagascar before actually playing the game. The game itself has different modes: the story mode relates to the movie itself, whereas the "Africa Arcade" provides various quick games that are fun on their own or as part of a multiplayer tournament. Players can collect "monkeys" which they then use at the "Duty Free Shop" to purchase items.

My sons (aged 7 and 4) initially went through the story mode, but then decided they enjoyed the ability to pick and choose mini-games through the "Africa Arcade." My eldest son has probably played the soccer game at least fifty times. Both boys choose Marty the zebra. Watching zebras play soccer is quite a funny sight!

The movie is entertaining, certainly, but it also provides a great springboard to talk about environmental conservation. Since the game parallels the movie, it too can be a good starting point for discussion. The first scene of the movie shows hunters all too eager to lure animals off the protection of their reserve. The first movie depicts zoo animals escaping from New York to Madagascar. In the sequel, the animals leave Madagascar, crash land in Africa, and discover animals from their own species.

Initially they are awed to see the beautiful savannah, but soon the characters discover that a human-made dam cuts off water supply to the reservation. Of course the friends save the day by blowing up the dam, but in "real life," such simple solutions to man-created problems are not so easily accomplished.

Fortunately, the movie and game are entertaining, even if at the core they deal with serious subject matter. My boys laugh at the funny parts, love playing the game, but they are both aware of environmental issues. My eldest loves to scold me at the gas pump (my husband drives a Prius, so he applauds him.) My youngest likes to tell me to turn off lights when we aren't in the room anymore.

And both of them love to play soccer with zebras.

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Learn more about the "Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa" video game

Purchase Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa for the Nintendo DS at Amazon

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Read on for some kid-friendly tips from Conservation International:

Over the summer, Turner Classic Movies aired fabulous family-friendly movies every Sunday night, such as Meet Me in St. Louis, The Music Box, and National Velvet. I was lucky enough to receive - from TCM - The Best Old Movies for Families: A Guide to Watching Together , a wonderful book filled with suggestions for those great movies that many of us have forgotten, but that are still relevant and appropriate for kids. The book gives age recommendations, plot summary, modern-day tie-in, and a discussion of why it is a great choice for family fun.

Well, the fun didn't end in the summer, that is for sure. Today, December 7th, TCM Presents The Family Classics. The festivities will include Sunday movie showcases featuring more than 25 Disney live-action classics, plus an all-new original documentary entitled The Age of Beliving: The Disney Live-Action Classics, narrated by Tony® winner and three-time Oscar® nominee Angela Lansbury.

Today's line-up includes some of my favorites like Swiss Family Robinson and the original Parent Trap - show your kids the original so they aren't thinking about Lindsey Lohan's drinking and other current behaviors while they watch what is supposed to be a wholesome show. I remember fondly filling up my parents' VCR with all the Hayley Mills movies I could. Now I can fill up my TiVo with the same!

Tonight at 10:15pm Eastern (7:15pm Pacific) is Pollyanna. You know I'm going to watch that one. After all, I can't sing America the Beautiful without hearing Mills' cherubic warble and picturing her hot-dog-style in that fabric as a piece of the American flag. (But hey, isn't Mills British?)

Every Sunday starting today through December 28th, TCM will air Disney live-action classics from noon until after midnight. Please visit tcm.com for the complete schedule, as well as for their gift-giving guide for movie buffs of all ages. I won't blame you if you shed a nostalgic tear as I did reading through the list of my past-favorites like Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Escape to Witch Mountain, and Freaky Friday [the original, of course.]

The Age of Beliving: The Disney Live-Action Classics, narrated by Tony® winner and three-time Oscar® nominee Angela Lansbury will premiere next Sunday, on December 14th at 7pm Eastern (4pm Pacific.) This special will follow the studio's history as it ventured beyond its animation legacy to develop non-animated family fare. I am eager to see it!

If you fear that your kids are bored with the recent releases, perhaps it is time to take a look backward to remember all those fabulous movies that we loved as kids. Check out tcm.com and your local listings. Or just set your TiVo to record from noon 'til a little past midnight on every Sunday in December.

Pass the popcorn!

Last week, I was pleased to announce that Turner Classic Movies launched their The Family Classics series. As a reminder, every Sunday through December 28th, TCM will air Disney live-action classics from noon until after midnight.

The Age of Believing: The Disney Live-Action Classics, narrated by Tony® winner and three-time Oscar® nominee Angela Lansbury, debuts at 7pm Eastern (4pm Pacific) tonight. This special will follow the studio's history as it ventured beyond its animation legacy to develop non-animated family fare.

While I received a press screener for this special, it did not arrive until late last night; as such, I must be honest and report that I haven't yet had the opportunity to view it. I am very much looking forward to sitting down for this trip down memory lane. Many of the movies on the The Family Classics series bring back terrific memories, so to get some "insider" information about the evolution and production of these movies is a real treat.

Tonight after the special, The Apple Dumpling Gang and The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again both air. Next week, look out for favorite titles like Escape to Witch Mountain and Freaky Friday. (Please visit tcm.com for the complete schedule.) In case you miss it tonight, The Age of Believing: The Disney Live-Action Classics will play again at 11:45pm Eastern (8:45pm Pacific) next Sunday, December 21st.

Husband and I typically end up with multiples of the same gift, like the year we both got each other America. Typically the duplicates end up because Husband will talk about how much he wants something, so I'll buy it for him. But days before Christmas, he'll go out and purchase whatever is already wrapped under the tree.

So I stopped listening to his first choice, figuring he'd get it for himself. I focused more on the "lower down" priority items.

Last year he kept talking about a slingbox. But I thought I knew better. I wasn't going to purchase something he'd no doubt buy on his own during Thanksgiving sales or Pre-Christmas sales or Friday Fry's sales.

The day before Christmas, Husband mentioned how excited he was that he'd be getting a slingbox for Christmas. He assumed that is what I had already bought. He was ecstatic.

Except I hadn't bought one, of course.

Not wanting to disappoint him, I quickly went online to Best Buy and did an in-store pickup order. While the store itself had long lines and packed aisles, the in-store pickup line was small. We were out of the store - coveted present in hand - in less time that it took us to find parking.

And so, my first tip to those of you who have waited too long to shop for Christmas (or the latter half of Hanukkah) is to see which big stores have in-store pickup. It is easy to browse online for that perfect gift, and typically is pretty easy to pick it up since most stores have separate lines for their online sales.

(The one exception I found to this was when I bought a camera at Circuit City - the closest store was sold out, so I purchased it at a store a half hour away. Guess what happened? That store didn't have it when I arrived, but discovered that my local store did! In the end I got my camera, but that particular excursion took a lot of driving and involved confusion.)

Another idea is the dreaded overnight shipping - yet for stores like zappos.com that already ship overnight, you're golden. Still, most overnight shipping options are pretty pricey, so you might want to brave the malls.

Or, you could buy something that is electronically fulfilled, such as an iTunes gift certificate or an Amazon.com gift certificate delivered via email.

Plenty of websites offer extended content for a fee. No, I am not suggesting purchasing "adult materials" for your preteen cousin. Rather, for kids there are sites like Club Penguin, a favorite of my boys. While the basic experience is plenty of fun, being a member allows the little penguins to accumulate coins to purchase pet puffles, buy snazzy new outfits, and deck out their igloo like budding interior designers would. In the Cat's case, that means purchasing as many toy trains as possible to create a "rug."

For older folks, there is Happy Neuron. I learned about this brain fitness website shortly after I had realized that I wasn't very good at the Brain Age DS game. (And don't even talk to me about Big Brain Academy.) "Mommy brain" is no myth: my brain is so filled with details of appointments, tasks, and managing other folks' lives that I don't have time to read or do puzzles to expand the other parts of my brain.

As we age, our brain "sags" just like our bodies do. Those who keep mentally fit by exercising their brain end up faring much better than those who don't. Plus, it is fun (until the computer tells you that you are mentally weak, that is!)

Happy Neuron is offering a 20%-off holiday special on a year's membership to the website. Members have access to 35 games (plus 5 beta Wii games.) The games fit in five categories: visual-spacial, attention, executive function, memory, and language. Each game has several difficulty levels, plus the program itself will recommend games based on the user's weaknesses.

I tried using the "coach" function whereby the computer is supposed to take me through an optimum combination of games based on my preferences, time available to "work out," and my past performance. Unfortunately, this feature didn't work for me (I was given a login free for the purposes of review, but perhaps this is a feature only available to full members, not reviewers.) And so, I tried out the five free games.

Does it surprise you that on the "split words" game that I was able to do the one about football but did horrifically on the "agriculture" one? (I can still hear my grandmother's tsk-tsk from many years ago when she learned I couldn't tell the difference between different types of cows. Sorry, I don't know anything about farming.) I thought I would do fantastically on "Catch the Ladybug" because after college I was a research assistant in a visual psychophysics lab. We did lots of "search" experiments, and since I had to program and test such things, I became very good at visual search. But my downfall in this Happy Neuron game was my trackball skills. I saw the ladybug immediately, but had a hard time rolling my way over. Perhaps a traditional mouse would be better in this instance.

There are other games that rely on time where an individual's ability to move the mouse becomes a limiting factor. This concerns me for the grandparent-set who might otherwise benefit from these mind-enhancing games. For these folks, those games without a time limit (but which will still record time) would be more accurate: as their time decreases with practice, the improvement can be attributed more to mental performance and less to mousing-ability. But for games that stop if the user fails to provide the answer, the individual wouldn't be able to practice the actual task unless the time required could be increased.

I love that there are a variety of games to "train" the user so the "workouts" are not boring. The site has a section on brain fitness science, plus has recommendations for other (sometimes offline) products. In addition to the aforementioned Wii games in beta, there is also a "Happy Neuron Junior" program in development. The Cat loves various games, particularly online. Although some of the games I've played through Happy Neuron are perfectly appropriate for him, I imagine the "junior" version will have aspects (such as in the "language" category) that will better fit his grade level.

Consider Happy Neuron for that otherwise difficult-to-buy-for adult. Grandmothers have enough perfume, bath oil, and lotion. And does Granddad really need another tie? Young(er) adults would like these games, too, so don't think your recipient needs to have grey hair. (I think my parents are sharper than I am at this point, anyway.)

Or maybe spend some time on the site yourself; it certainly wouldn't hurt! After all, the present I am getting for Husband is one that I hope to get myself at some point. This is one year where I'm actually hoping for a duplicate (but not expecting it.)

I am a HUGE Oscar fan. From attending little Oscar parties (evidence at right) to attempting to live-blog the event two years ago, I jump head-first into the glitz and glamour. I remember being rather angry at my dad when I was younger since he had gone off to a business trip in Los Angeles the day of the Academy Awards Show, and how dare he not get autographs for me?

Well, Turner Classic Movies shares my enthusiasm for fine film. The entire month of February - plus some bonus days in March - TCM presents 31 Days of Oscar. Every film included in the festival has received one or more Academy Awards and/or nominations.

Show of hands, folks: how many of you haven't seen some of the most decorated films out there? Sure, you nod your head when they are mentioned, Of course, that won seven Oscars! but the little voice inside your head admits that you haven't actually seen it. Well, now is your chance!

This year, the theme is "TCM University." Each day includes films grouped into a school category. For example, this Thursday is from the "Biology Department" - featuring films in "Evolutionary Biology" such as One Million B.C., The Time Machine, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Let me be honest: I had only heard of that third one. Or perhaps "Genetics" is more your speed: The Corsican Brothers and The Man in the Iron Mask are included here. Of course Carnal Knowledge is included in the "Reproductive Biology" time-slot, as is Fanny.

If Biology isn't your thing, try out "Business" on February 9th, "Theology" on February 13th, and "Art" on February 15th. There is bound to be a category of movies that appeals to you - and if you're as Oscar-hungry as I am, you'll enjoy any category.

Frankly, I like the online university part of the website almost more than the opportunity to see the films: sign the yearbook, try to get a degree in 31 days, attempt to make the Dean's List -- go on, you can do it!

At the least, check out the class schedule - you may surprise yourself with your resulting Oscar Education.

More about Turner Classic Movies:
* The Best Old Movies for Families: A Guide to Watching Together (from the Summer Festival of the same title)
* Turner Classic Movies Presents: The Family Classics
* Do You Believe? The Age of Believing is on TCM Tonight

I was really excited to meet Tim Gunn. Although I didn't win the "Style Consultation with Tim Gunn" contest with my BlogHer Fashion Haiku + Collage, meeting the man even for a few minutes was a thrill. As I stood in line with the hundreds of other fans, I thought about how I was the first to meet Carson Kressley, and yet how I essentially ran away after he signed my little How to Look Good in Photos postcard because I didn't know we were allowed to pose with him. The Tim Gunn extravaganza was much more organized: although we weren't allowed to snap photos with our own camera, a professional was on hand to make it work. (Photo shown at left courtesy of Tide Bounce Laundry Lounge)

What struck me about Tim Gunn was his calm demeanor. He spent time with each fan, chatting and signing autographs, posing for the photo, and really making each person feel special. I appreciated the way he treated us fans, and came away with quite a lot more respect for him (and I already had oodles.) It is so wonderful to experience celebrities who don't have a huge head.

I went off to BowlHer still high off the Tim Gunn experience. I put on my special outfit and prepared to walk the red carpet.

I didn't trip, though I probably made some funny faces. I was surprised that Mom TV was on hand, so flubbed a bit during my interview, particularly as I had been used to the "talk it all out and we'll edit it later" style of the Ford event, whereas it turns out this was LIVE TV. Ooops!

The venue itself was a blast. I loved the ambiance and loved just sinking into the sofas while the bartender brought me Bud Light in the shape of bowling pins.

I loved my outfit because I could flounce around. The boas the hostesses gave out was an extra-special touch. (Photo shown at right courtesy of goportraits)

The shoes, while high, were surprisingly comfortable. I wasn't going to bowl in them, but my aim for the party was to enjoy myself by socializing and checking out folks like American Idol's Brooke White.

When the Design Challenge winners were announced, it was no surprise that Casey from Moosh in Indy won - her outfit was fabulous. But I ended up being the second winner!

Casey had the glamour down pat - but I had the quirky creativity.

Much to my shock and absolute excitement, I am off to New York City in a little over a month for a "private" party for Lifetime's Project Runway, put on by Marie Claire.

Thank you, thank you to all the folks involved in creating the BowlHer experience. The hostesses' shirts were amazing, the venue was perfect, the decor beautiful. The people were fun and the entertainment was fantastic. I am beyond excited that I have the opportunity to go to New York - and actually meet Tim Gunn a second time.

Of course, what the HECK am I going to wear?

(perhaps I should ask my son?)

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Tim Gunn, Tide, BowlHer, the associated sponsors/producers of BowlHer, Lifetime, Project Runway, Marie Claire or any other individual or group relating to these events or design contest did not require me to write this post, nor was I compensated for writing this post. I chose to write this particular entry on my reviews blog because I mentioned specific brands and events, which conflicts with the advertising requirements on my main blog. As yet I am uncertain as to the requirements or restrictions regarding blogging about the actual New York City trip as it occurs. Of course I would love to share the details with my readers, but there may be limits to what we can reveal should we get an inkling of the finishing order of the Project Runway contestants or other related information. These words are my own. Future posts about this event will be my own, not edited by Project Runway, Marie Claire, or Lifetime, unless specifically noted.

Last Sunday was my son's end-of-year soccer party. I was the "team photographer" and had lovingly created Blurb books of each player. I really wanted to see the families' reactions to my books, as well as to enjoy a slide show of the team. Plus, I welcomed a chance to socialize instead of just scurrying away post-game to another commitment.

But Jill Asher told me that the Silicon Valley Moms Holiday Party - sponsored by Chevy - was a not-to-miss event. Fellow SV Moms told me it would be worth it to skip the soccer party.

And oh yes, it was worth it.

Now, I'd like to think I'm not a completely greedy person, but let's just say my calm approach to the event turned into a surprised excitement along with that ooooh, I wonder if I can get me some of that.

And there was a lot of that to be had:

Both my boys have gone completely "bonkers for Berk" so to speak. How to Train Your Dragon has replaced Star Wars as being "the" thing to talk about, play with, and wear. My sons have begged to go to the "M-Place" to get Happy Meals so they can hopefully get a plastic dragon that they don't already have. Of course, said dragons lose their wings pretty quickly because they are Happy Meal toys, so I think I've injured my fingers from all the re-attaching I've done of late.

Ahem.

But the important thing is that my kids are smitten with Astrid, Hiccup, and the rest of the gang. They haven't seen the How to Train Your Dragon movie yet, but I anticipate it will be one of the things we do as spring break wraps up. What they have done, though, is play the How to Train Your Dragon Wii Game and the How to Train Your Dragon Nintendo DS Game.

Today is the last day of April, and thus the last day of "Autism Awareness Month." Honestly, I don't know what to think of autism "awareness" since it doesn't really make people "aware" so much as it frequently spreads unhelpful stereotypes.

Each child is different, regardless of whether he or she has a "diagnosis" and as such, their strengths and weaknesses differ.

I'm tired of the tragic stories of autism: those that focus on hardship, despair, and lost dreams. Although there are definitely aspects of a spectrum diagnosis that fall into those categories, it is much more useful to acknowledge these children's (and adult's) strengths.

Fortunately, I've had the opportunity to review two different stories about children on the spectrum, both of which acknowledge challenges, but also celebrate their subjects for who they are as people beyond the diagnosis. Both the book Cowboy and Wills and the independent lens film The Horse Boy have animals in their title. ("Cowboy" is the name of Wills' golden retriever.) This is no coincidence.

A couple weeks ago, Cool Mom Picks launched their annual holiday gift guide. I've already purchased several items from that particular list of excellence. And then on Friday, Cool Mom Tech launched its tech-oriented holiday gift guide - whoo! As full disclosure, I was part of this project, but had to laugh when I discovered that many of the items on there are already wrapped under my tree. Er, well, they would be if we had our tree up yet.

Go check it out - there are many items on there that you simply wouldn't have considered, but that will be just perfect for that special someone on your holiday gift list. (And yeah, that "special someone" might be you.)

Now that the advertising rules have changed for my main blog, The Karianna Spectrum, I've started posting some brand-specific shout-outs on there. This blog will still be in use from time to time depending on the nature of the announcement or review. But, in case you missed it over on The Spectrum:

- I was excited about the launch of Jesse Garza and Joe Lupo's VT Luxe Collection for QVC. Affordable style is always in fashion!

- My youngest son loved Design Squad Nation's Ingenuity Day, plus he really loves the Super WHY! app (there is also a Super Why PAINT! app out now, too!)

- I learned that one of my college Christian Fellowship leaders has a new venture, The Providence Granola Project. In addition to creating yummy granola, the organization is providing valuable job skills training for refugees.

- With Mother's Day fast approaching, I recommended that readers consider sending a free e-card to their mom (or other mom-like individual) to honor them through Macy's "Thank a Mom" Movement benefiting 5 different charities (you choose which one you wish to support!)

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Disclaimers are posted on the original entries explaining when and what type of compensation was given for some of these promotions.

No, I don't mean your DVR.

Sometimes it is tricky to find kid-friendly shows without the non-kid-friendly intrusions. Even kids' movies these days have previews that aren't exactly compatible with the movie's target audience. Plenty of public television stations and cable channels aimed at families and kids still have advertisements, many of which aren't age-appropriate.

Recently my family has done a lot of Netflix streaming, but with their new price plans, many families have decided to back away. Plus, families with young children don't particularly want their kids to accidentally browse over to adult fare.

One possible alternative for kid-friendly, educational television is Ameba commercial-free children's media.

I first learned of Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure at the Big Toy Book's Sweet Suite Event. Shortly after I returned from San Diego I posted about how Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure is likely going to be the "must-have" holiday gift this winter season for elementary-school-aged boys (and probably middle-school boys, and plenty of girls, and even middle-aged women such as myself.) I then followed up with a wii walkthrough for folks who wanted a bit more information.

Well, I just got a character bio sheet that I wanted to share with you folks. Completely coincidentally, when the email with this bio sheet came in, my eldest son was asking me, "When is Skylanders coming out again?" and "How many characters are there gonna be?"

It is sad to say, but when a package arrived on our doorstep that night, my son cried because it wasn't the game. Logically, he knows it doesn't come out until October 16th, but he made a wish that it would come earlier. He just hopes that somehow the game will magically be released sooner so that he and his younger brother can partake in the adventure.