Steve Carell in Despicable Me!! { GIVEAWAYS! }

Here is a new release for you guys today! AND, read below...there is a big giveaway too! Ends Friday so don't delay in getting registered!

The ultimate entertainment for the entire family, Despicable Me is packed with never-before-seen bonus features including games, behind-the-scenes featurettes and filmmaker commentaries that will keep the entire family enchanted for hours. The perfect gift for the holidays arrives in the hilarious and heartfelt animated box office sensation, Despicable Me... For a limited time only the fun continues with a trio of all-new, hilarious adventures starring the film’s endearingly mischievous Minions, available only on the Blu-ray™ and Blu-ray 3D Combo Packs and the DVD Double Pack. All three products include a digital copy of the movie to watch anytime, anywhere. A single disc DVD will also be available.

Have you heard of this movie before, or not? I saw previews but I just wasn't familiar with it. It is a VERY funny, with dry humor that both my husband and I can watch with the girls and we are all entertained. AND..not to mention that Steve Carell is the voice of Gru...and he is seriously one of our favorite actors! Here is a synopsis of the movie:

In a happy suburban neighborhood surrounded by white picket fences with flowering rose bushes, sits a black house with a dead lawn. Unbeknownst to the neighbors, hidden deep beneath this home is a vast secret hideout. Surrounded by an army of tireless, little yellow Minions, we discover Gru (Steve Carell), planning the biggest heist in the history of the world. He is going to steal the moon. Yes, the moon! Gru delights in all things wicked. Armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays and battle-ready vehicles for land and air, he vanquishes all who stand in his way. Until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen: a potential Dad. One of the world’s greatest super-villains has just met his greatest challenge: three little girls named Margo, Edith and Agnes.

If you were watching the Macy's Day Parade, you probably saw those fiesty little minions running around too! Here is the trailer to Despicable Me in case you haven't seen that yet:

Click HERE if you want to see more trailer, information on the show!

GET YOUR OWN! Despicable Me was released on Blu-ray & DVD TODAY! You can get your own copy where you currently buy your DVD's or you can find a copy HERE and have it shipped right to you!

{ ** GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED!!! ** }

WIN YOUR OWN! One person will win a Grand Prize and 4 additional people will win runner up prizes as well. Here is what is up for grabs:

DESPICABLE ME Single Disc DVD
DESPICABLE ME Blu-ray and DVD Beannie (one size fits most)
DESPICABLE ME Blu-ray and DVD Stickers
DESPICABLE ME Blu-ray and DVD Activity Sheets

To enter, let us know who you would love to win one of these for! Extra Entries (leave a separate comment for each):

• "Like" SIMPLE on Facebook
• Follow our tweets @simplereviews
• Tweet this giveaway (daily tweets allowed): Enter to win a Despicable Me Prize DVD or other prize at @simplereviews: http://tinyurl.com/25g9uja #giveaway
  

Winner will be randomly selected and announced December 17, 2010. Good Luck!

*I was provided with a copy of Despicable Me free of charge in order to give my unbiased opinion and to conduct this review. What was written above is my opinion!*

DidiPop Goes To Hawaii

It is cold and snowy here in Michigan and I can think of nothing better than a trip to Maui.  All this cold makes me want warm sand, umbrella drinks, fresh pineapple and Hawaiian music.  Ahhh... relaxation. :)

Unfortunately Fortunately, I will not be taking my two small children on a 20 hour plane ride to Hawaii anytime soon and there will be no warm sand or umbrella drinks in our near future.  Thankfully, we can enjoy the sounds of Hawaiian music with DidiPop Goes to Hawaii and have our own virtual vacation in the car or at home.

The songs on the album were inspired by Deborah Poppink's (aka DidiPop) actual visits to Hawaii with her family.  The songs are kid friendly, and very catchy.  Every time "Wowie Gazowie" plays, I can't help but sing along and Michaela is learning how to say humuhumunukunukuapua'a from listening to "The Hawaiian Alphabet Song."

Check out the "Mango" video of an actual mango picker on Maui and get a peek into the recording session for DidiPop Goes to Hawaii:

GET YOUR OWN:  DidiPop Goes to Hawaii releases on December 14 and can be ordered with free shipping through 1-1-11 from her website!!!  Just visit the DidiPop shop to order your copy today!

WIN YOUR OWN!!! One lucky SIMPLE reader is going to win a copy of DidiPop Goes to Hawaii!  To enter please visit the DidiPop website and come back to tell us which DidiPop Goes to Hawaii song makes you feel most like you're going on a Hawaiian vacation.

Extra Entries: (leave a separate comment for each)

• Follow DidiPop on Facebook
• Tweet this giveaway: Enter to win a DidiPop Goes to Hawaii CD from @didipop over at @simplereviews: http://tiny.cc/nqi6r#giveaway 

WINNER will be randomly selected and announced on December 18, 2010.  Good luck!!!

*I was provided with the DidiPop Goes to Hawaii, CD free of charge to conduct this review. The opinions provided are my own.
 

Monkey Around with Monkey Music!

"The DVD inspires kids to “get up off the sofa,” dance, and sing along to an array of fun, rockin’, energizing tunes that encourage movement and imagination. From jumping high, to exploring New York’s Chinatown, to flying around the country, Meredith LeVande’s upbeat, educational music comes to life through a highly creative blending of live action videos and colorful animation."

Oh, do we love music over here! When I was first introduced to the DVD, I clicked on some of the teaser links. Lili was asking if we could watch it over and over. Just today she put this DVD in again. It is a very fun set full of very entertaining music. Lili gets up and dances all around. She was singing today, "Let's go Down, Let's Go Down to China Town!". If you want to see what she is singing about, you can check it out here:

"Meredith...devoted herself to performing for children in intimate settings, becoming a favorite among NYC area families and creating a repertoire that has grown organically from one-on-one interactions with children of virtually every culture imaginable. Meredith heads up a project with the marvelously mischievous moniker Monkey Monkey Music, with a focus on “putting the child back into children’s music.”

GET YOUR OWN! You can get your own copy of Monkey Monkey Music: The Videos with Meredith Levande HERE! Or you can check it out on Amazon.

*I was provided with a copy of Monkey Monkey Music: The Videos with Meredith LeVande free of charge in order to give my unbiased opinion and to conduct this review. What was written above is my opinion!*

Fantasia Forever!

When I put the new Fantasia DVD in the DVD Player, I was instantly brought back to my childhood. I distinctively remember when the first Fantasia was released. I was standing in the grocery store with my mom pleading for it. She eventually caved and it was ours. My sister and I watched it together, great memories. Approximately 15 years later. I am excited for my girls to have the opportunity to create similar memories with this movie.

“FANTASIA is an extravaganza of sight and sound — brilliantly presented with an all-new digital restoration! Now you can experience Walt Disney’s animated musical masterpiece, FANTASIA, and the triumphant classic it inspired, FANTASIA 2000, together in this special 2-Movie Collection. Fully immerse yourself in the wonders of this innovative blending of music and animated imagery. Audiences of all ages will thrill to the soaring soundtrack and be delighted by the spectacular animation, including Mickey Mouse in his most famous role in "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice."

Here is a trailer for your viewing if you would like:

Also, here are some fun activities that you can download and print out for your little ones. If you are anything like me, I am always looking for a little change with our daily activities. Here is a quick fix for that for you too!

GET YOUR OWN! Fantasia / Fantasia 2000 is Available on Blu-ray & DVD Now! You can get your own copy where you currently buy your DVD's or you can find a copy HERE and have it shipped right to you! Don't forget to check out the special promotion shown below...just click on it if you have a Disney Rewards account! EXPIRES DECEMBER 7th! Just in time for a great stocking stuffer :)

*I was provided with a copy of Fantasia / Fantasia 2000 (Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) free of charge in order to give my unbiased opinion and to conduct this review. What was written above is my opinion!*

Mind of My Own with Frances England

I will freely admit that I enjoy listening to children's music with my kids.  There is nothing quite like hearing their little voices singing along with a favorite song, or watching them dance with complete abandon because of some silliness they are hearing in the lyrics.

Sometimes though I want something that isn't quite so much the screeching of "Wheels On The Bus" and more like the music I enjoy when there are no kids around.  That's why I like Frances England's Mind of My Own.  She has managed to combine a relaxing folksy sound with kid-approved lyrics.

Every time her song "Jacques Cousteau" comes on I find myself singing along and my daughter loves the title song "Mind of My Own".  After listening to her Family Tree and Fascinating Creatures albums online we have officially become Frances England fans. 
 
GET YOUR OWN: Head on over to Frances England's website to take a listen and purchase the physical CD or download from iTunes.

WIN YOUR OWN! One lucky SIMPLE reader will get their own copy of Frances England's Mind of My Own. To enter just tell us what kid (big or little) in your life that you think would get the most enjoyment from this CD.

Extra Entries: (leave a separate comment for each)

• Follow Frances England on Facebook
• Tweet this giveaway: Enter to win a Mind of My Own CD from @francesengland over at @simplereviews: http://tiny.cc/bsttt#giveaway

WINNER will be randomly selected and announced on December 11, 2010.

*I was provided with the Frances England, Mind of My Own  free of charge to conduct this review.*
 

Disney's Newest Release - The Sorcerer's Apprentice!

If you have been reading SIMPLE for any amount of time now, you know that we love Disney. They recently released The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Here is a non-exclusive clip from the DVD:

This is not one that we will be watching with our girls for quite some time - afterall they are only 1 and 4. It isn't a young kid friendly movie in my opinion. There are some "scary" parts. It was nice to get a movie night in with my hubby! I love Nicholas Cage and he did a fabulous job in this movie...just like all the others he has done!
Here is a little more about it if you haven't seen it yet:
A fun, modern-day adventure follows Dave (JAY BARUCHEL), just an average college student, or so it appears, until the sorcerer Balthazar Blake (NICOLAS CAGE) recruits him as his reluctant protégé and gives him a crash course in the art and science of magic. As he prepares for a battle against the forces of darkness in modern-day Manhattan, Dave finds it is going to take all of the courage he can muster to survive his training, save the city and get the girl as he becomes THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE.

GET YOUR OWN! The Sorcerer's Apprentice is available on Blu-ray & DVD Now! You can get your own copy where you currently buy your DVD's or you can find a copy HERE for convenience.

Don't forget to check out the special promotion shown below...just click on it if you have a Disney Rewards account! EXPIRES DECEMBER 7th! Just in time for a great stocking stuffer :)

*I was provided with a copy of The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Two-Disc Blu-ray / DVD Combo) free of charge in order to give my unbiased opinion and to conduct this review. What was written above is my opinion!*