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Reviews: Buzzed got Fresh Brewed!

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Dads are parents, too! Fathering your school-age child

Okay, I admit it.  I signed up with Parent Bloggers to review the book Fathering Your School Age Child:  A Dad's Guide to the Wonder Years 3 to 9 so that my husband would read it and then he could take over the review for a day.  But then something strange happened.  I read it.  And like it.  And by the very virtue of my reading a book, he pretty much read it, too.  Why?  Conversations like this:

Did you know you should weigh your child's backpack once in a while?

Why?

To make sure it is under the 10-15% of your child's weight.  Duh!

It does not say that.  Let me see that!

And then he was off reading and then telling me about what he read.  Of course, that is just an example.  But the whole book has practical advice for Dads. And no just Dads, but for any parent.  PRACTICAL.  Imagine that.

From playing, to volunteering.  From teaching your child to being your child's advocate.  It covers just about everything you can think about.  From the Mr.Dad.com website:

When is it the best time to encourage a child's independence? What's the difference between daycare vs. preschool? What are the unique ways fathers impact their youngster's life? The answers to these questions and hundreds more are found in the pages of this easy-to-follow, informative volume. With wisdom, compassion, and humor, author Armin Brott devotes a chapter to each school year from pre-kindergarten through the fourth grade. In each chapter he outlines the physical, intellectual, emotional, and social changes the child is going though, and examines the emotional and psychological development the father may be experiencing. He also discusses issues that develop between dad and mom as well as matters that involve the whole family. In addition, each chapter contains a section called "You and Your Child," in which activities and issues appropriate to the given age are discussed.

At the end of the book there is a plethora or resources.  Good resources.  Relevant resources.  Resources that would make a resource junky like myself weep. 

One of my favorite parts to discuss with my husband was the quick reference "Talking the Talk."  It is about Internet lingo and net-speak.

What does A3 mean?

What?

A3.  Tell me what it means.

I don't know.

Bad!  You need to know.  It means anytime, anywhere, anyplace!  Seriously!
What about IPN?

Something about urinating?

Ha ha.  Seriously.  IPN?  What do you do if you see that?

*blank stare*

It means "I'm posting naked!"  Naked.  We better NEVER see IPN.  Ever.  Read this.

That is when he grabbed the book and started reading more to me.  This is a great book that is relevant.  Honestly, it is not just for Dads, but awesome for Fathers.  A book that really does show the practical ways to interact, become involved and learn more about what is going on with your child. 

The author, Armin Brott has also written books for Expectant Fathers, New Fathers, Toddlers and Fatherhood for Life.  He is a wonderful author with resources I recommend all Fathers read.  Easily laid out with handy reference guides and resources with all of his books.

Go check out his site and find out more.  He has a lot more information on his site, too.  Including a podcast and newsletter.

Wild Hogs- Wild Ride

Today Wild Hogs is released on DVD.  Go get it.  Seriously, you can come back here and read this later.  Because no matter what I have to say about the movie will never be as funny as the movie itself.

With a star-studded cast of men that I adore, I knew it would be a hit.  Hilarious men equals hilarious movie. (At least in this case.)  Starring John Travolta (Woody- the man whose life is crumbling as he remains in denial), Tim Allen (Doug- the stuck in a rut dentist), Martin Lawrence (Bobby- the author wanna-be with an over-bearing wife), and William H. Macy (Dudley- the computer programmer who is all geek).   Putting these men together in one movie was brilliant casting. It works. Logically, it may not make sense to see these four men as friends, but the way they play off of each other really does work for them. Think a semi-middle aged version of a National Lampoon's movie.  You are going to go for some cheap laughs, but cheap or not, you do laugh. 

The premise of the story involves four men who collectively are going through a mid-life crisis of some sort and decide to take to the open road from Cincinnati to the Pacific Ocean.  Just the guys, their motorcycles and the open road.  (Even had a funny no cell phones--smash them moment.)

They don their leathers, fire up their hogs and throw caution and their cell phones to the wind as they hit the open highway. A lot can happen on the road to nowhere, including a run-in with the bad-to-the-bone Del Fuegos, a real biker gang who don’t take kindly to the wannabes.

Ray Liotta is brilliantly cast as the "leader" of a real motorcycle gang, The Del Fuegos.  A rough, tough, trouble making gang that can only lead to disaster when they encounter The Wild Hogs.  (John Travolta's best scenes are when it involves the Del Fuegos.  From looks he gives, to body language to the lines he delivers.) 

Now, being from Cow-Tipping country, I loved the Slap the Bull scene.  No, really.  They slap the bull.  On the butt.  But what happens when you slap a bull on the butt the second time?  Watch it for yourself.  (This will open a window that has the clip.)  For more clips, go here and see a few more. 

I really enjoyed this movie and know that I will watch it more than once.  There is just no way to catch all of the lines in this movie the first time around.  To me, that is a bonus.  The desire to watch a movie again and again.

The disc is packed full of bonus features as well.

Bonus Features 

• Bikes, Brawls and Burning Bars: The Making of Wild Hogs
Director Walt Becker leads viewers through the process of putting together the A-list cast and describes
the difficulty of shooting a road movie involving over 100 motorcycles!  Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin
Lawrence and William H. Macy talk about working together to form the least-threatening biker gang in
history.  Also, see interviews with the stunt and special effects crews.

• Alternate Ending
The Highway Patrolman (John C. McGinley) has one last run-in with the guys in the original ending to
the film.

• Deleted Scenes
“Molar Abscess” features John Travolta’s sister, and “Chili Pepper,” a feature which shows a hilarious
run-in with the Del Fuegos at the Chili Cook-off.   

• Audio Commentary 
Feature-length commentary by director Walt Becker and writer Brad Copeland.

• How to Get Your Wife to Let You Buy a Motorcycle *
A funny featurette about the virtues of motorcycle ownership.

• Outtakes 

• Easter Egg

This is one of those movies you want your friends to see so that you can throw out those great one-liners that only people who have seen the movie will understand.  Or maybe that is just how I love to react to movies.  In either case, you will want to share this one with your friends!

For more information, go to the Wild Hogs official website.  There are a lot of great gems to enjoy there.

Becoming Jane (A movie review that is spoiler-free)

When given a chance to see a movie that does not involve talking animals or animated anything, I jump at it.  I was thrilled to be able to go see Becoming Jane all by myself.  As in alone. 

Now, one thing that is stressed over and over about the movie is that it is a fictional account based on Jane Austen's life.  Honestly, I just don't know enough about Jane Austen's life to know fact from fiction, so that detail did not bother me one bit or take away any part of the enjoyment factor.  If you are a die-hard Austen fan with extensive knowledge of her life, just know going in this is a fictional account.

I was eager to see the star, Anne Hathaway,  in this type of role. (Seeing as I was used to her in movies like Princess Diaries and Ella Enchanted.) Let me first say, I thought her accent was impeccable. Not that I am awesome at picking out what is spot on, but I can get quite irritated with a bad accent. (Enough so that I will leave a movie over it.  It was completely  not an issue with Anne.  I became absolutely immersed in her character to remember she was an American.)  Anne played this character as if she were born to bring the beloved Jane Austen to life for us--fictionalized or not.  She nailed this role unlike any I have seen in a while.  She had spunk and sass and made her bring her character to life in such a way that you really wanted to know her as a personal friend. Her classic beauty and ability to act was such that you become completely immersed in her character.  For me, that is what made the movie more like the experience of climbing into a book with one of Jane Austen's own fictional characters and living life with them. 

The official movie teaser states:

“Becoming Jane,” is the story of the great, untold romance that inspired a young Jane Austen, played by Anne Hathaway.  Willful and spirited, Jane is not ready to be tied down to anything but her writing. That is until she meets Tom Lefroy (James McAvoy), a charming rogue from London who spends more time drinking and socializing than on his law studies.

What is not to love with a description like that?  This movie was ultimately a love story.  But even more than the romance it teases and promises you, there was a real love in this movie. A love story for the ages from ages ago.  (Though, I now know that the actual relationship with Tom Lefroy (played in the movie by James McAvoy was less a love affair than a flirtation in real life.)  In the movie, it just worked so beautifully as a full blown love affair of the heart.  This story  and the relationship between the characters has been suggested as the the inspiration behind the classical banter between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.

I have to admit one of my favorite scenes in the movie was the dialog regarding Jane and her writing.  (Thank you IMDB for pulling it out as a memorable quote as well.)

Mrs. Austen:  JANE!
 Lady Gresham:  What is she doing?
 Mr. Wisley:  Writing.
 Lady Gresham:  Can anything be done about it?

A romance with humor.  Best combination ever.  Combine that with the amazing period costumes and settings, and I was sucked in and became the total romance sap that I am!  Confession time:  I love period pieces and always forgot how much until I see one done as well as Become Jane was done.  A wonderful piece of work for the eyes, the ears and the heart.  I highly recommend seeing this movie.  Grab a box of Kleenex and a good girlfriend and go see it.  And remember regardless of whether or not this is a fictional account or not, it is a beautiful love story that is a must see.   

I plan on seeing it again.  Want to join me?

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For more MotherTalk reviews on Becoming Jane, visit www.mother-talk.com.

 

Hannah Montana - Pop Star Profile

Hannah Montana-Pop Star Profile was released on DVD by Walt Disney Home Entertainment and has become a staple on our TV since the day we received it!

How does a super popular and talented singer and actress celebrate and promote a new DVD release?  Well, obviously she does a free concert to entertain, celebrate and promote.  And there are pictures.  (We love pictures!) Want to see them?  Go here and enjoy the fun that you missed!  But do not despair.  This DVD is full of the fun that you can miss over and over and NOT miss any fun!

Here in our home we are big fans of  Hannah Montana. Huge!  I am pretty sure that we have not missed an episode yet.  In fact, when the familiar theme song is heard, activities around the house stop so that my daughter and I can drop everything to lip synch with the Hannah Montana theme song.  Fun times. Seriously.

(Side note:  Did you know that her real name is not "Miley" but rather her nickname as a child was "Smiley" and thus morphed into "Miley"?  You are welcome for that little tidbit.  Share it with your friends and family.)

Back to the DVD, this four-episode story arc is the latest collection to release on DVD from the incredibly popular Disney Channel original series.  It follows the "budding relationship" between Hannah/Miley and Jake Ryan  (Cody Linley), the popular celebrity that she has butt heads with since their initial meeting.

It also has bonus features: You get a chance to meet Miley Cyrus's real-life family in meet "The Real Miley Cyrus" (Yes, she is the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus!) and you get to experience Hannah live in  a concert performance of one of Hannah’s new songs, "Nobody’s Perfect"! (Always a bonus!)

If you want to see a clip of some of this great DVD, go here and get a sneak peek of what you want to own for youself. If you have Hannah Montana fans in your family, this is a must have DVD. 

So, go out today and get your own copy because I watch mine too often to share.

High School Musical: The Concert Extreme Access Pass DVD

When High School Musical came out, I crossed my arms and declared, "It is not Grease!" but watched it with my kids anyway.  And, yes, I loved it!  All gazillion times I watched it.  When they came out with High School Musical, The Concert - Extreme Access Pass I could not wait to see it.  Honestly.

I knew all the songs by heart at this point and thought a concert would be a blast.

The cast of High School Musical embarked on a North American tour in 2006-2007 to promote High School Musical and High School Musical 2 (coming to a TV set near you August 17, 2007!  (Cannot wait!) (THe concert was sadly minus Zac Efron--which was a huge disappointment to my daughter, but he had movie business to take care of, so we forgave him.  His replacement was incredible.)

It was in every sense a a concert and not a stage version of the movie.  It was energetic, fun and full of the songs that we have come to know and love!  And, yes, my daughter and I did dance and sing along with the cast. 

High School Musical: The Concert Extreme Access Pass DVD features the very talented stars of High School Musical:   The ever energetic, Corbin Bleu (“Chad”). The gorgeous Monique Coleman (“Taylor”). The very enthusiastic Lucas Grabeel (“Ryan”). The knock out beauty Vanessa Hudgens (“Gabriella”). And always fun and funny Ashley Tisdale (“Sharpay”) joined by the Emmy Award-nominated singer/songwriter Drew Seeley, who co-wrote the hit "Get'cha Head in the Game".  (And who does not love that song?  I sing it to my kids whenever they get "spacey" or are not paying attention.

This is one of those videos that you will watch over and over.  I can attest to this because I do believe I am nearing triple digits on this video.

Out in stores now, I highly recommend if you have kids, love fun and entertaining music and enjoyed High School Musical, it is a must for your DVD collection!

Dream Weaver

<Recently my sister told me of her newly instated rule where her older son has a set time of 30 minutes of daily reading.  My first question of course was, "Does video game reading count?"  Obviously the answer was "Not so much."   It got me thinking of my own kids.  Two of them are older and I realized that summer does not mean a complete halt to anything that has to do with reading, writing or arithmetic.  (Though I am very lenient on the arithmetic except when it comes to making them add up how much money it will cost to actually buy the games/toys/electronics they want. They hate that math!)   So, when The Parent Bloggers Network offered up the chance to have a book geared towards my middle son sent out way, I jumped at that one.

My son loved reading Eragon and was plowing through the second one when The Dark Dreamweaver, the first in the Remin Chronicles,  arrived.  Just in time for vacation where I knew he would need and want down time.  At first, my son was hesitant to start a new series or book.  Until, I told him we could read it together. Any one on one time is a bonus for any of my children.  So, we jumped right in.

From the Dreamweaver website:

The Remin Chronicles are filled with adventure, endearing characters both human and nonhuman, magic and wizardry, subplots that teach a bit of environmental science, key roles for children, and of course, an epic struggle between the forces of good and the forces of evil. The young heroes triumph using their wits and imagination, and there is very little fighting.

I will confess to not being eager to jump in...simple because I am not a huge fan of sciece fiction.  (I was dragged into a few by my son and was never disappointed.)  Zarek and I jumped right in.

We found this book to be both imaginative and  creative.  The book is filled with a strong main character who is filled both determination and strength that is a great model for the tween set.    The book is filled with suspense and enough magic and wizardry to make any tween forget he is actually reading during the summer time!

But what is it about?

Eleven-year-old David is suffering from nightmares. Over and over again, he dreams about a strange, bear-like man with black eyes. He's not the only one; an epidemic of nightmares seems to have infected the Earth. David takes matters into his own hands and embarks on an adventure to Remin, a land powered by dreams. Aided by a caterpillar wizard, a jellyfish-man, two wise-cracking water serpents, and several other unusual characters, he sets out to find and confront the evil wizard who is causing the nightmares. The challenges that he encounters will require all of his intelligence, his courage, and most of all, his imagination.

It got my attention from that description.  And off we go into a world of wizards, magic and an adventure into the land of Remin.

Nick Ruth writes with a fast pace that keeps the interest of even the most active reader.  The book is action packed and filled with adventures that are not frightening but are in fact fascinating enough to get the imagination of your own child revved up. The imagery is  wonderfully vivid!  One of the features I enjoyed most was how good and evil confront each other in dreams. Each page taking you on a new adventure with the main character and never feeling the fear or gloom that many science fiction writers tend to include to keep a reader interested.  This book did not need that.

David a believable character most kids can identify with.  A "normal" kid who is forced to dig deep and find his inner strength, imagination, determination and strong will.  I am pretty sure that David is a kid that any one of us would have hung out with at that age.

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For more information on The Remin Chronicle be sure to visit the official website.  To order your own copy of The Dark Dreamweaver, click here.  Want to see what other readers thought, be sure to go over to The Parent Bloggers Network and read other reviews.  In fact, The Parent Blogger Network is giving away copies of both The Dark Dreamweaver and The Breezes of Inspire via a random drawing. All you have to do is comment on this post to be entered in the drawing. Free books for summer reading is good thing!

The 24- Hour Pharmacist

If you know my history, you know that when the fine people behind the Parent Bloggers Network asked me to review The 24 Hour Pharmacist, I was all over that bad boy.  Come to find out it really isn't a 24-hour free-for-all pharmacy, but an awesome replacement!

Seeing as I once thought a pill could cure all ills, I am now living in a world where I am more careful, more responsible, and definitely up for anything that is a natural remedy for what ails you.  Enter the wonderful Suzy Cohen and her book The 24 Hour Pharmacist.  And it is so well written!  No, really!  I laughed.  I laughed while reading a book about HEALTH issues. About someone saying pills are not the answer.  (I usually only meet them in meetings.)  But Suzy wrote with humor and fun!  Not so common when talking health and such.  Take the way she breaks down the book into these sections:  Above the Waist, Above the Neck, Below the Waist, and Everything In Between.  Not to mention, Think Outside the Pill. 

She had me at her chapter on Overcoming Fatigue.  (Sadly, the answer was not more coffee, but she did have answers! That made sense!)  She kept me at A Nation of Insomniacs.  I think I proposed at Surge Protection for your Hot Flashes.    All of these chapters have not only natural solutions, but practical advice that anyone can  take.

This book is truly a one of a kind resource when it comes to health and wellness.  With humor, candor and a an unflinchingly upfront approach to health, Suzy Cohen gives us a book that is better than any Google search could ever give you,  (And with more wit!)

This is one book that every home should have.  Really.  Don't believe me?  Buy it for yourself and you will thank me.  I will send you my address so you can send me your letters of adoration.

Leave a comment on the campaign launch post or mid-campaign post at PBN - you'll be entered to win a $50 CVS gift card and a copy of the book.  At which time you will write in the margins, I love Jenn for giving me the chance to love this book as much as she does!

Up your nose with a Nozin hose

When the good people over at the  Parent Bloggers Network asked me to review Nozin, my first thought was  Why not?  I get sick too often from my germ infested school-bound kids. Okay, in reality, my first thought was I have stick stick a what up my where?  Relax.  It was just a swab in my nostril.

Nozin is a nasal sanitizer that helps reduce the risk of infection.  You know how you get into crowded rooms and that fool person beside you sneezes and you can practically see the germs racing their way towards  you?  Well, with a a swab of Nozin in your nose, you can fee more protected against those germs.

From the package:

"Nozin is proven to be safe and effective.  Apply before entering crowded areas:  Planes, - Trains- Theaters- Work- School.  Works up to 8 hours. Kills 99.9% of most common disease-causing germs."

Seeing as I was about to go on vacation, I gave it a try.  Just a little flick of the swab until it appeared cloudy, bend it until a snap was heard, a tiny squeeze of the solution to saturate the tip and then swap that bad boy around the rims of my nostrils.  I was afraid of these things smelling medicinal and icky, but surprisingly, they had a nice orange-like scent. I was very thankful seeing as I have super human powers of smell.  I gag at strong smells easily!  It's kind of a clean smell.

Not hard.  Nothing to lose.  Then I went on vacation to stay in a house with 18 other people.

I did not get sick.

Was it Nozin?  Was it because no one else was sick?  I have no idea.  The point is, I can tell you for sure that I did not get sick while using Nozin.  It is worth a shot.  If you don't trust me, go to their site and get the travel pack and give it a try.  If you think it is working, get more and keep those noses healthy! 

The best thing about Nozin?  "It is not an antibiotic so germs will not build resistance.  NOZIN is non habit-forming and there were no important adverse events in the small numbers of subjects with limited exposure to the treatments in our study."

It worth a shot.  I mean, if you are going to be playing with your nose, you might as well have a purpose behind it.  Nozin it, baby.

Garage Sale America

When I was first asked to post  review for the book  Garage Sale America by Bruce Littlefield, I balked.  Garage sales?  I shudder at the thought.  However, I shudder at the thought of having a garage sale.  It wasn't until I got my hands this book that I began to see the fun and great deals that can be had with garage sales.

Garage Sale America opened my eyes!  Oh, the hidden gems one can find at a garage sale.  Just looking at the many (over a hundred) color photos of the fantastic finds that you can obtain made me salivate.  Yes, I am admittedly a pack-rat.  As I flipped through the amazing finds that Bruce Littlefield showcases, I begin to wonder what I may have in my house that is either worth something.  Surely there is something.

However, as I read through this book my mind shifted from what do I have to what can I get?  I am currently in the process of redecorating and remodeling my house.  V-E-R-Y slowly, I might add.  Suddenly, I am seeing adorable little gems that would make so much sense if I had them as accent pieces or decorative flair.  (We must have our 27 items of flair in our room.)

"Bruce has been hailed as a 'design and lifestyle guru' by Publisher's Weekly."

So seriously, a guru showing me the way to a better gain at a garage sale.  Bring it!

Now, for those who are a bit garage sale shy, he offers insight into how to get the best bargains, how to find the best unique buys and of course the best ways to set up your own garage sale.

After reading Garage Sale America, I am not as hesitant to go to a garage sale anymore.  I know I could find the NEXT BIG THING.  Or at least something really cool to go with my last big thing.  In fact, with Bruce's advice, I just may brave out into the big bad world of having my own garage sale.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves garage sale shopping.  I think you will really enjoy it.  If you dread the garage sale world like I have, I recommend you take a look.  Maybe it will change your mind.

It did mine.