Secretariat - Best Movie Release in a While!

Words can't express how GREAT a movie this is! It is just fabulous!

We LOVE movies that show someone overcoming an obstacle, my husband and I are big rooters for the underdog and this movie is yet another fabulous example of just that. The fact that it is a true story added even more emotion to the whole movie experience.

Disney presents an astonishing true story bursting with hope, heart and courage. Diane Lane and John Malkovich lead a celebrated cast in this inspirational motion picture from the producers of Miracle, Invincible and The Rookie.

So...after reading that, if you have seen any of the movies that are listed above (Miracle, Invincible and The Rookie), you will know the immense emotion contained in these movies.

Behind every legend lies an impossible dream. Witness the spectacular journey of an incredible horse named Secretariat and the moving story of his unlikely owner, a housewife who risked everything to make him a champion. Out of the gate with never-before-seen bonus features, Secretariat is hours of pulse-pounding entertainment for the whole family! Rated G.

I would not hesitate to have Lili watch this with us, there is not ONE scene that I feel she should not see. It is just an excellent movie.

This is a perfect, safe movie to add to any family movie library. I personally think we all need a copy! So much can be learned from the lessons shown in this movie. From not giving up on your dream, to pushing through all the adversity one may get when chasing the dream.

GET YOUR OWN! You can pick up a copy TODAY of Secretariat on Blu-ray & DVD! 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 above. This coupon will get you $8 off your DVD purchase. Just click on the picture if you have a Disney Rewards account, or click HERE and you will be directed. The coupon above EXPIRES January 31st, 2011.

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

Light up your hearts with Luminate!

They had me from the opening track!

"We are, we are, innocent! You make us, innocent!"

Tyler, Texas-based pop/rock band Luminate releases its first full-length national debut, Come Home, TODAY. Already receiving widespread acclaim, the band may best be described as passionate, stirring and worshipful as Luminate’s songs express hope and encourage listeners to seek the redemptive purpose of God in their lives.

As I was writing the review, my husband says in the background... "I love this song!" You may have heard this song already too on your radio. This music is just fantastic! I seriously think every track is great. I don't skip any and rock right on through the whole album! :) Here is a little on the making of "Come Home" (the song is playing in the background):

“We were writing the song ‘Come Home’ about a relationship I was in,” says Luminate frontman Sam Hancock, “but the further we went with the song, the more I realized the song was not about her, but about me! I was the one that needed to ‘come home.’ I realized I was avoiding my destiny and the call on my life. I lost the original vision and was pursuing fame. A little bit of recognition and I started building my own empire under the guise that God was using me, when in actuality my light was growing dim. It was then I realized that I had to exchange my broken empire for my part in the Kingdom of God, the kingdom that will never fail.”

The album continues with a set of worshipful, emotion-filled songs that draw from personal journeys of overcoming fear (“Hope Is Rising”), fighting apathy (“Innocent”) and finding hope, peace and purpose in Christ (“New Beginnings”).

GET YOUR OWN!! You can purchase your own copy of this album HERE (entire album or individual songs), or you can find the whole album on Amazon.

WIN YOUR OWN!! TWO lucky SIMPLE readers will each win a copy of their own of the Luminate Album! To enter, click on THIS LINK, come back here and tell me which song you are most excited to hear! (this entry required)

Extra Entries (leave a separate comment for each):

• "Like" Luminate on Facebook (while you are there "like" us too!)
  
• Follow @LuminateBand on Twitter (our name is @simplereviews)
  
• Tweet this giveaway (daily tweets allowed): Enter to win 1 of 2 copies of the newest release from @LuminateBand over at @simplereviews: http://tinyurl.com/4cjh4ow #giveaway Pls RT
  

Winner will be randomly selected and announced February 4, 2011. Good Luck!

*I was provided with the Luminate Album featured above free of charge. The opinions expressed in this review are mine.*

Happy Together!

The newest release from VeggieTales is HERE! It was released on January 22, 2011.

Join Bob, Larry and all your VeggieTales pals for Happy Together - featuring lessons in forgiveness, courage and friendship. Following the success of the highly popular VeggieTales compilations, God Made You Special and Silly Little Thing Called Love, the 80+ minute DVD features three best selling Veggie-Tales Classic stories about:

*Friendship (Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler)
*Faith (Esther: The Girls Who Became Queen)
*Family (The Grapes of Wrath)
*In addition, there is new content with funny and touching thoughts on the meaning of true happiness voiced by real "Veggie Kids", sharing their perspective as only kids can!
*Last, Three "Happy Songs" from the popular Silly Song series - adding more happy moments to this DVD!Here is a trailer for this great DVD - a favorite over here lately and soon to be at your house as well:

Lili is at such an impressionable age right now, it's really nice to have a nice "go-to" DVD that I KNOW will teach her correct principles for living life.

GET YOUR OWN!! Over at Big Idea you will find SO many things from VeggieTales! They have 3 specials going on now...click HERE and you will be sent to their page to see these specials! You can get the DVD featured above, Happy Together, in one of these deals! Use Coupon Code SHIPHAPPY at checkout to receive FREE SHIPPING on your entire order with purchase of 'Happy Together'! (Valid for shipping addresses in the 48 contiguous United States only.)

Also, you can get FREE USPS Standard shipping for orders over $40! Valid within the continental US. Excludes over-sized packages including rugs. Enter coupon code SHIP2011 at checkout!

WIN YOUR OWN!! TWO lucky SIMPLE readers will each win a Happy Together DVD of your own! To enter, tell me who you want to win this DVD for! (this entry required)

Extra Entries (leave a separate comment for each):

• "Like" VeggieTales on Facebook (while you are there "like" us too!)
  
• Follow @veggietales on Twitter (our name is @simplereviews)
  
• Tweet this giveaway (daily tweets allowed): Enter to win the newest DVD release from @veggietales, "Happy Together" over at @simplereviews: http://tinyurl.com/6anmf5v #giveaway Pls RT
  

Winner will be randomly selected and announced February 4, 2011. Good Luck!

*I was provided with the Happy Together DVD mentioned in this review free of charge. The opinions expressed in this review are mine.*

Yeah, We Like Waffles!

I don't think it is any secret that we really like music around here.  I am constantly looking for fun new CDs for my girls and Parry Gripp's, Do You Like Waffles? is definitely that.

At just over 17 minutes long, Do You Like Waffles? is made up of 24 very short, very catchy,  food-themed tracks.  "The Ballad of Melvin The Magical Hotdog" is the epic story of Melvin The Magical Hotdog and is the longest track on the CD at barely over 1 minute.

I have caught myself singing the title track "Do You Like Waffles?" every time I make waffles lately (and that's pretty often since we just got a new waffle maker).  My three year old made me play "Midnight Snack" over and over until she had it memorized. 

Every time the first song on this CD starts, my three year old starts dancing around and asks "Mom!  Wanna have a dance party?!?"  Of course! :) 

I think this CD is a keeper and if you want a fun, silly CD to enjoy with your kids at home or in the car I highly recommend Parry Gripp's, Do You Like Waffles?

GET YOUR OWN!!! For $10 you can pick up Parry Gripp's, Do You Like Waffles? CD from Oglio Records' online store, iTunes,  and Amazon.  For some extra fun, visit Parry Gripp's webpage to get the "Parry Gripp Song of The Week"!

*I was provided with the Do You Like Waffles? CD free of charge to conduct this review. The opinions provided are my own.

Max & Ruby BunnyTales!

Jump for joy! Max and Ruby are back with a new DVD adventure Max & Ruby: BunnyTales! As usual Max is up to his usual antics but Ruby is there to help maintain order and follow the rules.

We love Max & Ruby! It's one of the favorite shows in our house. We have a couple of the shows DVR'd so we have some on hand all the time.

Nickelodeon’s Max & Ruby is a half-hour animated comedy series based on the children's books by Rosemary Wells. Each episode centers on Max, a determined three-year-old bunny, and his big sister, Ruby, a smart, goal-oriented seven-year-old. The show offers an empowering message for children by showing Max and Ruby playing together and resolving their differences in ways that are respectful and supportive.

On January 11, 2011 Nickelodeon is releasing their newest Max & Ruby DVD. There are a TON of episodes on this DVD. Your little one will love it!

Max and Ruby are putting their spin on some of their favorite fairy tales, including "The Princess and the Pea" and "The Emperor's New Clothes." Here is just one sampling from the DVD. There are four episodes and within each of the episodes there are three "mini" episodes. Take a peek:

The Princess and The Marbles / Emperor Max's New Suit / Max and the Tree Little Bunnies

The Princess and The Marbles
When Max and his marbles interrupt Ruby’s play, she tells Max he needs to be more sensitive to what other bunnies might want. She uses the bunnytale of the “Princess & the Marbles” to help him understand.

Emperor Max's New Suit
Ruby wants Max to try on a new suit in the department store. When Max says “No new suit,”Ruby tells him the bunnytale about Emperor Max’s New Suit to explain why he shouldn’t be so picky about his new clothes.

Max and the Tree Little Bunnies
When Max’s blimp threatens to blow Ruby, Louise and Valerie’s paper dollhouses away, it’s time to tell the bunnytale of the Max & Three Little Bunnies.

GET YOUR OWN! You can get your own tomorrow in stores! It is being released on January 11, 2011. 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!

*I was provided with a copy of Max & Ruby: BunnyTales free of charge in order to give my unbiased opinion and to conduct this review. What was written above is my opinion!*

Going to the Doctor is fun with Yo Gabba Gabba!

Isn't it crazy how many kids are afraid of going to the doctor? I think there are many reasons for this, but what can you do? For most people, going to the doctor is part of the process in getting better. This DVD may help alleviate a little tension your kids may be having about going to the doctor.

Is that a sniffle? Have a dose of fun medicine and get ready to dance and sing with the all-new DVD release Yo Gabba Gabba: Let’s Visit the Doctor! Nickelodeon is releasing tomorrow their newest edition to the Yo Gabba Gabba line, Let's Visit the Doctor! If your kids like the Yo Gabba Gabba television show on Nickelodeon, they will love this! It's just like the show, but longer! Perfect for those days when you have to get some things done and need your kids entertained.

Here is a little more about the episodes on this DVD:

Join Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee and Plex for four fun episodes that deal with all-too-common illnesses.

Doctor
Toodee gets sick and needs to rest. The doctor visits and everyone helps Toodee feel better.

Teeth
Muno has a loose tooth and wiggles it until it comes out, then writes a note and the Tooth Fairy brings him a toothbrush. With only one tooth Muno looks strange, but in the end it starts to grow back.

Clean
Everyone learns good clean manners when they play with toys and have to clean them up. Afterwards, they learn to wash their hands and brush their teeth. At the end, they all sing a fun bath time song playing with bath toys.

Car
It’s time to go for a ride in a car! “Keep Trying” familiarizes them with the seat belt and encourages them to buckle up. “Danger” keeps the characters from playing in the road and “Car Ride” teaches them all about the thrill of traveling.

GET YOUR OWN! You can get your own tomorrow in stores! It is being released on January 11, 2011. 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!

*I was provided with a copy of You Gabba Gabba: Let's Visit the Doctor! free of charge in order to give my unbiased opinion and to conduct this review. What was written above is my opinion!*

Stay tuned...review coming soon!

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2: Extra Long Sneak Peek! This releases on February 1, 2011. If you loved Beverly Hills Chihuahua 1, you will love this one too. Looks super cute. A more extensive review will come in the next few weeks!