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Disney On Ice: 100 Years of Magic Review

November 2, 2012 by The Mom Jen 2 Comments

Disney never fails to impress my family. We had the chance to watch the 100 Years of Magic Disney on Ice show last week and it was spectacular with some of our most beloved Disney characters and those from my husband and my past! We loved seeing of course Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy, but also Donald Duck is one of my husband’s favorites and Jiminy Cricket is one of mine!

The stage was set with the iconic castle and we all were just so giddy. Disney does that to you!

It was fun to talk about Pinocchio with my girls, they have heard of him and know the story vaguely but played out on ice was even better! Toy Story always comes through and the army men are so cool!

Many Disney Princesses were showcased, we enjoyed seeing Belle with the castle lit in a neat way.

One of the most spectacular performances of the night was “It’s a Small World!”

At the end the whole ensemble comes out for bows and the kids can get close enough to give high fives at the ice. The show is amazing and is a must for any Disney loving family!

Disney on Ice is in Sacramento this weekend at the Power Balance Pavilion:

Friday, Nov 2 – 7:00PM
Saturday, Nov 3 – 12:00PM & 3:30PM & 7:00PM
Sunday, Nov 4 – 12:00PM & 4:00PM

Get information, buy tickets and find future Disney On Ice events at TicketMaster.com.

Tickets were provided, all opinions our own!

Step2 Create & Play Kitchen

November 2, 2012 by The Mom Jen 5 Comments

I’ve always wanted to do a research study regarding exposure to certain domestic toys as a child and how it reflects your future as a homemaker! Honestly because I think I missed something when I was young. I didn’t play with dolls much, I didn’t have an Easy Bake oven, nor did I have a play kitchen. Maybe as a result, I’m not that great at cooking, washing the dishes, or going to the grocery store less than 4 times a week! Sigh.

Joking aside (I think), Step2 has an amazing assortment of toys for children including the Create & Play Kitchen. With it’s sturdy, durable, and long-lasting plastic material, we had all the gadgets out and assembled in 20 minutes or less thanks to dad and his need for only one screwdriver.My six year old couldn’t wait and has been playing with the kitchen for weeks! She loves the burner that bubbles and makes sizzling noises when a pan is on it, it just makes things so real. She’s using terms like, “I’m going to zap that in the microwave” and “just toss it in the sink” just like mom says, it’s quite hilarious! The stickers just really amp up the toy, and you see pizza in our real oven all the time, what a coincidence.

Now, your pet is represented with it’s own little nook for food and water at the bottom of the toy, it’s perfect for my little girl’s stuffed pets. Bonus, there are containers on the shelves to store the food and it’s not all over the house! Also, the oven and refrigerator have become secret hiding places for such things as the television remote and big brother’s iPod. It’s the first place we look now for lost items!

The kitchen also comes with a cordless phone, coffee pot (mom loves this), and whiteboard area to put menus or grocery lists! It’s really adorable and doesn’t take up that much room, also it’s fairly light and I can move it from room to room and even in the backyard on a nice day!

The Step2 Create & Play Kitchen is on sale for $74.99 (a $15 savings) if you buy at Target online now, http://www.target.com/p/step-2-create-play-kitchen-pink/-/A-14171590. It’s hours of fun, imaginative play and a long-lasting toy that can be passed down to siblings and cousins alike!

I’m a Step2 Test Drive Mom, products are sent for honest review. All opinions are ours!

Ballerina Bee Costume from Party City

October 29, 2012 by The Mom Jen 2 Comments

Party City is North America’s one-stop shop for Halloween, 2012. According to the National Retail Federation, the average person spends $72 on Halloween planning. For a family of four, that can be a very hefty price tag. Beat the spending blues at Party City with costumes of superior value that stand out from their mass-marketed versions. The Costume USA ensembles provide additional accessories, more materials, and more intricate design without adding more to the price tag.

Disney Darlings: Beloved Disney Princesses are still winning our hearts and topping the charts of favorite costumes for little trick-or-treaters and moms alike. Sprinkled with glitter, and infused with details such as character cameos, jeweled flowers and sweet ruffles, one can feel like royalty without paying for the crown jewels.

Blast from the Past: Wind back the clock to the roaring twenties, ancient Greece, or brave barbarian times. With great details such as black fringe for a speakeasy look, sheer shoulder draping made for a goddess and faux fur layering to resemble patchwork animal skin — these attires capture the essence of each era. Accessories like feather headbands and black gloves, embossed laurel wreath headbands, gold armbands, and furry leg warmers tie the look together while still maintaining a price tag of under $40.

Haunting Classics: Vamp it up, get batty or join the crew on a buccaneer voyage — whatever the fantasy, allow it to come true this Halloween. Classic costumes are timeless but with carefully crafted details from frilly skirts, to boot covers and detachable sashes, they are versatile and adaptable allowing one to add their own twist to the fairytale. From $5 to under $30, the options are affordable and the costume choices, practically endless.

For under $30 my little one is decked out and ready to….well…she won’t be spooking anyone, but she will get some oohs and awws for her Ballerina Bee Costume. I love all the attention to detail on the costume. The tutu is soft and not scratchy and has the black trim to finish it off on the bottom. Sequins, flowers, and jewels adorn the wand, wings, and bodice of the leotard. I worried that the pipe cleaner head band would not hold up. It’s literally two cleaners with fluff tied and glued on a headband. But, to my happiness, my daughter wore the costume to a birthday party and everything is in tact and still holding strong!

The wings are sewn strong and have a neat pattern on them, so many lovely additions to this very affordable costume. The only thing that this ballerina needed was black tights ($4 at Target) and her ballet slippers and she is set for this week’s trick-or-treating at her school party and into the evening! ($33.99 total)We were sent product for honest review. All opinions are our own!

Disney’s Secret of the Wings in Stores Now + Lots of Fun Family Activities!

October 25, 2012 by The Mom Jen 1 Comment

The Walt Disney Studios unveils an all-new, original full-length CG-animated feature film, “Secret of the Wings,” starring Tinker Bell, one of Disney’s most beloved and iconic characters, along with her fairy friends (Fawn, Iridessa, Rosetta, Silvermist and Vidia) and introducing a sparkling new winter fairy, Periwinkle. Debuted on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and Digital on October 23, 2012, the film marks the first time ever Tinker Bell will fly on Disney Blu-ray 3D.

For Tinker Bell and the other warm season fairies, the Winter Woods remains a mysterious and forbidden place. “Secret of the Wings” takes audiences on an amazing journey of discovery with Tink, into this forbidden world where she discovers a magical secret that changes her life forever.

“Secret of the Wings” is Disney’s highly-anticipated all-new movie in the Tinker Bell Disney Fairies film franchise. These beautifully-animated films have ranked at the top of the home entertainment charts every year they have been released. In addition to the all-new feature film, the spectacular animated release includes a host of exciting bonus features that extend the viewing experience, taking audiences deeper into the magical world of Disney Fairies.

To celebrate the upcoming release of “Secret of the Wings,” Disney has launched a new destination in Facebook for parents to stay updated on Disney Fairies news as well as receive the best new content and activities that they can share with their children. Audiences can become a fan now at: https://www.facebook.com/DisneyFairies.

For the latest information on “Secret of the Wings,” fans are also encouraged to log-on to www.Disney.com/SecretofTheWings to view film clips, etc…

Take the quiz below to learn more about the fairies and find out which one you’re most like.

Want more? Check out instructions on how to make a Tinker Bell lantern out of a pumpkin and easy homemade fairy wings as well as a recipe for the yummiest fairy friendly party cakes!

Words of a 6 year old: Mom this movie is so cute! I want to watch it again! I have a sister so this movie is special and I wonder if I have a sister out there I don’t know about like Tinkerbell [she doesn’t, ha]. My favorite part of the movie was when Tink’s wings were healed, I love when they sparkle and I’m so happy when they go through all the seasons, the art is pretty in the movie. Did you know that Demi Lovato sings in the movie, I love that song [Gift of a Friend].

Such a sweet tale of friendship, two thumbs up from a six year old Disney fan!

Movie was sent for honest review.

Windows Phone for Your Teen? HTC Radar 4G Review

October 15, 2012 by The Mom Jen 2 Comments

Do your kids have a smartphone? Mine have smart technology but we haven’t ventured into smartphones yet and we’re keeping our options open. Kids should have something that is reliable, affordable, and should reflect their personality and interests, right? We had the chance to try out a Windows Phone, an HTC Radar4G, a phone with Live Tiles that kids can design on their home screen to reflect the things that matter most to them. Here are some of the included functions:

Office Mobile: Microsoft Word and Excel on your phone makes homework on the go helpful for students.

Groups: Keep in touch with family and friends by creating a group. Pin a tile to your home screen and get photos, updates, Facebook messages, tweets, and texts all in one place.

XBox Live: Games on the go! Angry Birds and Kinect games if you do have XBox.

Her Take: My oldest (almost 14) does not have a smart phone (yet) and she tried the HTC Radar Windows phone for a month and here’s what she said:

Starting high school this year, I think that the built-in GPA calculator and student planner is super helpful. I really pay attention to my assignments and grades, those are important to me, and if I just have one more place to keep all my important school info, that’s cool that my phone could have it. I did edit one paper I was writing in Microsoft Word just to try it and that option was really cool, I didn’t need to have a laptop with me. To save changes via phone and they’ll be updated on our PC whenI get home, that is efficient!

The app store was easy to navigate and I really like how you can try out some apps before you buy them! I am sad that it doesn’t have Instagram yet, that’s something I love about my iPod Touch. Navigation and Local Scout was really helpful to me and my family, love that built-in feature and I feel good about helping out when my parents are driving as we don’t have navigation in our car. I can do it from the phone.

The design is slim and fits in my hand well, also in my pockets in my jeans even though my mom doesn’t think that’s the safest, but I don’t carry a purse. The home screen is customizable to all the things you use most, I’m used to that and you can even can change the color schemes, that’s neat. You can move the Live Tiles around easily and pin them into the spot you need. I love that all my updates from Facebook and my texts are in one spot to find and it shows my friends faces. I was really impressed by the music sound, with both earphones and without the sound is really clear and even and true to the music. The best part is the 5 Megapixel camera.

I love all the pictures I took and the color is so crisp and vibrant. I usually have to enhance the photos from my iPod 4, I wasn’t doing this with the Windows Phone photos. There are a lot of free effects built into the camera so that was fun to play with.

I was surprised that being 4G, the speed was really slow on everything I was doing. I’m not sure if it was our particular location that didn’t support it, but my mom’s 3G phone is so much faster.

Overall, it was a great experience. There is no T-Mobile nearby so it isn’t a choice for us that makes sense, but I know if you do have T-Mobile, this phone is really cool.

Mom’s Perspective: The price point is right on. I think that the camera is fabulous and my daughter really enjoyed trying it out. I didn’t find her on it more than usual since her regular phone is not of the “smart” variety. Often parents would rather not offer this option to their young kids, but with all the great apps I feel it to be beneficial just as much as a possible distraction. It’s all about setting limits. I would feel secure that she could take care of it and it has all the features she needs minus a few perks she enjoys on her iPod.

They are marketing this phone for students and T-Mobile wants you to have it for free with a 2-year plan!

We were sent the phone with one month’s free calling/texting/data for honest review.