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New Maytag Washer & Dryer on the way!

May 23, 2013 By Leave a Comment

maytag manRecently, I received an invite to a Maytag event at H.H. Gregg where a group of local Philly bloggers gathered to learn about the new products lines.

Apparently, May is Maytag month and so Melissa and I had to get our picture with Clay the Maytag Man!

If you know me, you know I love a fun celebrity moment!

At first, we were shown the washers and dryers, starting with the front loading high efficiency Bravos XL series before viewing the top loading washer & dryer set. The Maytag spokesperson also shared with us information on their exclusive line of Affresh
appliance cleaning supplies, of which we received a lovely selection on our way out the door.

IMAG1303

I was specifically impressed with their washer cleaner which I planned on using on my washer and dryer at home UNTIL my name was picked from a pot by the Maytag man for winning a NEW WASHER AND DRYER, the same Bravos top loading set that I saw earlier!! Woohoo.

For the last 8 years, we’ve lived a nightmare with our front loading Bosch washer and dryer. Perhaps they were new on the market. Perhaps we just got lemons, but the experience was not a good one and I am thrilled to pieces to be replacing them!

Meet my new washer and dryer:

maytag pair

I may actually get fully dry clothes now and a washer that doesn’t shake wildly and need its digital panel replaced 3 times in 8 years.

More on this when it arrives! The set will also be featured on my husband’s Handyguys Podcast.

{Disclosure: We received a lovely lunch at H.H. Gregg along with our bag of goodies at the event. All thoughts and opinions are my own.}

 

 

Exclusive Interview with Chris Wedge, Director of 20th Century Fox’ EPIC

May 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment

epic film directorLast week, I was invited to join a live roundtable discussion with Director Chris Wedge whose animated film EPIC will be hitting theaters nationwide this coming week. EPIC features incredibly talented actors and musicians – including Colin Farrell, Amanda Seyfried, Beyonce, Aziz Ansari , Pitbull, Steven Tyler, and others!

Wedge and his team at Blue Sky Studios are most recently known for creating the animated motion picture franchise, Ice Age, and Rio. Wedge himself is the voice of SCRAT, the character in the Ice Age films who can never seem to capture that acorn.

The idea for EPIC started when Wedge joined author William Joyce at an art exhibition of 100-year-old paintings that depicted intricate realms existing in the woods.

“The paintings had magical notions of tiny civilizations living in the trees and bushes,” Wedge recalls.  “They looked like magnificent worlds, and I thought there had to be a movie here.”

I asked Wedge what he felt the movie was about from a director’s perspective, he said, “I spent a long time saying that in the movie and I think the movie should stand on its own.”

And, in an instant, I thought the interview might be over right there and then since I missed the movie earlier in the week but I pressed the point and got the intuitive answer I was looking for:

“If I were to describe it from outside, it’s a glimpse of a world that is super-imposed on our own. You know, my inspiration to do this thing was to take you to a place you couldn’t go any other way but animation and to convince you that it is there.

“So,  . .  like I said, super-imposed on the forest is a civilization and a struggle between forces of life and decaying, fighting for the life of the forest and the leafmen and tiny samari warriors that ride on hummingbirds and the bad guys ride on bats.

“That’s the tableset. Then, you meet all the characters involved in the story. You meet the stoic leader of the leafmen who lives by the leafmen motto:

‘Many leaves one tree. We are all separate but connected.’

“And, then  . . . . [we meet] a queen of the forest, a life we must all protect. That’s where magic comes into the movie. And, then we meet the bad guys and there’s fun characters you are going to meet along the way. You are going to spend plenty of time there.

“But we also meet some human characters. There’s one person in this world, a nutty professor-type, a middle-aged man who believes that the leafmen are out there. He’s just never been able to prove it. . . . And, then [there’s] his teenage daughter who thinks he’s out of his mind. . . . She’s actually been away for ten years since her mom left this crazy man . . . and she’s back to see if there’s a relationship to salvage with him. . . . And, that’s where a lot of the emotional heart of the movie is, in understanding her father.

“It’s the other way we examine this ‘many leaves one tree’ thing that we feel all separate from each other but we really are all connected if we just look a little deeper. And, so she discovers truths about her father that . . . . I will stop talking about because I want you to go see the movie.”

I also asked Chris about his advice for budding animators, like my daughter who has been doing stop-animation with various creatures around our house. His very simple and basic, sage advice was to just keep going, doing it and learning.

Other writers had other great questions at the roundtable which I am sure you will find if you search the web and I have another 19 minutes of the roundtable if you want to hear more but in the meantime, Thank you, Chris Wedge,  for coming to Philadelphia!

Here is the trailer:

EPIC Release Date: May 24, 2013

Product Reviews: Wummelbox Craft Kits for Kids

May 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

{Disclosure: I received a Wummelbox Craft kit for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.}

When I stopped working full-time, I couldn’t sit still for long and offered to teach craft classes at our local YMCA which was totally awesome until I got another offer I couldn’t refuse – a chance to teach college students and I had to admit that there were some elements in common between the experiences.

I quit the craft classes when I took on teaching “Writing for the Media” and “Communication Theory” at a local private college. The enthusiasm from pre-schoolers definitely had its benefits but what both college students and small children had in common was the need to keep people busy, no matter their height.

In my craft classes, I had to keep kids busy for a mere half an hour. In college, it was three hours. For both, I needed a plan of action that I knew would engage my audience.

What I found in the Wummelbox craft kit was a well thought-out plan of action with educational materials written in a clear kid-friendly way that supports the enclosed craft materials.
Wummelbox instructions

Here you see the nutrition box with lots of goodies included. We received the well-illustrated instructions below (obviously geared towards kids AND parents and possibly kids without parents for the right age). This booklet explains how to sew the fruit and create a cash register to create a little grocery store in our home. I love crafts that can be used over and over and this one fits the bill!

Wummelbox grocery store

Cash registers are great budgeting and entrepreneurship tools for teach kids valuable lessons about business ownership (without it sounding as boring as all that!) Sewing the fruit is great for manual dexterity.

wummelbox

 

Here are all the quality items we received to create the crafts.

wummelbox craft kits

 And, here is a little more about about Wummelbox itself:

  • Straight from Germany
  • Created with the highest safety standards in mind.
  • When possible, recycled or recyclable Earth-friendly materials are used.
  • 3-4 very cool items that can be used over and over.
  • Educational!

Each box retails for $35.95. A 12-month subscription brings the price down to $19.95 per month with free shipping.

Connect with Wummelbox on Facebook to read more about upcoming promotions.

Wrapping Up Disney Social Media Moms 2013

May 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

(Disclosure: I received a number of items for review during my recent trip to Disney World for the 2013 Disney Social Media Moms Conference. Several items are mentioned below in this conference wrap-up. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
Disney with Teens

My favorite Disney princesses, my daughters Lindsey and Laura

Last Saturday, I found myself sitting in a pearly clamshell riding through Epcot’s relaxing ride The Seas with Nemo and Friends and repeating the catchy words to myself:

“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming. . . .”

. . . which is exactly how I felt after three days of eeking every magical ounce out of our trip to Disney World in sunny Orlando, Florida for the Disney Social Media Moms Conference 2013, an inspiring blogger’s conference for moms and dads from across the country.

During our conference, we learned about a number of new initiatives coming up which follow the age-old Disney moniker of growing and changing and improving as long as there is imagination in the world. Walt Disney had a dream that he infused into those who came after him. Walt studied the many problems of children to make sure he could make them happy, which he did over and over with his magical creations and humor that attracted adults and children alike — and still do!

Earlier that Saturday, as we made our way through Animal Kingdom and then Epcot, it seemed that the fairy godmother herself was watching over us as rain poured the moment right after we entered Epcot’s epic and exhilarating ride Soaring and stopped the moment we walked out, holding off again until after we had entered our evening event, a delightful dinner in Fantasia Gardens. The rain let up long enough for our girls to enjoy a round of mini-golf in an event sponsored by Disney healthy eating initiative “Try-It.”

But, that was only after I suspected Tinker Bell’s mischievous touch on Kali River Rapids, a rip-roaring river rapids ride that left several of us soaked and laughing from a sudden gasping splash.

But, our magical journey actually began Thursday at the most unmagical hour of 3:30 am when we arose and finished the last touches of our packing and boarded a plane for Orlando, leaving at precisely 6:50 am. Leaving early allowed us to enjoy some time on  the delightful rides, old and new, in Magic Kingdom before the first delish dinner and evening under the stars at Epcot.

Oops, almost forgot about our afternoon story time with Pooh, our first character photo shoot. My teens didn’t sit still for a story (being teens and all) but they loved getting their pictures taken with the classic characters.

lindsey and pooh

Teens still love Pooh!

On Friday, I sat in a room with some of my very favorite bloggers from around the country and listened to delightful and inspiring speakers while my family enjoyed a day at Hollywood Studios, hitting their favorite wild rides several times: Tower of Terror and Rockin Roller Coaster.

Mary Ellen Hooper

Mary Ellen Hooper, speaker from last year and my humorous tablemate for the day.

I would be remiss to skip the wise tidbits tweeted, Instagramed, Facebooked and now blogged from my day of professional networking and learning.

Disney Social Media Moms

With two of my favorite social media mavens: Maria Bailey & Debbie Bookstaber

Here are 10 highlights from the day and really, the weekend:

1. FAME: Yes, I am now sold on Lady Gaga’s innovative black Fame
perfume thanks to book author Jackie Huba.

2. JUST KEEP RUNNING: Some crazy people ran in the runDisney Fun Run early Friday morning; I did not and I am happy to admit I slept peacefully and leisurely that morning.

3. FACT: Walt Disney really had fun in life.

4. NEW INNOVATIONS: Disney World is coming out with customizable plastic or perhaps rubber bracelets to let you do everything you can do with a key card and park pass now.

5. CELEBRITY SITING: Ashley Eckstein is my new hero. Go sci-fi clothing for girls!

@HerUniverse Amy Eckstein

Amy Eckstein of Clone Wars and @HerUniverse Sci-Fi Clothes for Girl

6. SPECIAL EVENTS: Merida of Brave is NOW a full fledged Disney princess and we got to be there for the official ceremony!

Merida Disney Princess

The crowning of Merida of Brave.

7. GARY: Gary Buchanan, social media managing editor, likes swimming in cranberry bogs, among other crazy things.

8. SPEAKERS: Marc Mero is the happiest person alive and wants the same for all of us. Read his book. It’s all in there, the answers you need for life.

Champion of Choices Marc Mero

http://www.championofchoices.org/

9. BUDGETING: Next time, I am not attaching a credit card to my daughters’  keycards. Yikesas.

10. SWAG: Love the H20+ shampoo line in the bathrooms and in the samples given to us.

And now to skip to Sunday..,  ahhh, yes, one very Magical Mother’s Day where we enjoyed delish treats, delightful singing and a video montage from children in the crowd.

I even won spa lotions and a Vera Bradley bag. Oh. Lala. I had already checked my luggage so I gave the lotions to two very nice women and packed in the Vera Bradley bag for home!

Disney Social Media Moms Swag

Mother’s Day Win from Disney!

And, here we are . . . waiting curbside for the long-term parking bus with the orange American Tourister bag given as a conference gift that my daughter claimed and raved over; especially with so many Colora bags showing up curbside coming and going from the conference. Very nice.

Disney Social Media Moms Luggage

And, then it was time to go home. . .

And, there was even more I didn’t have time to mention and it was all quite wonderful, a very happy ending for all.

 

Video of Chevy Test Track & Corvette Test Drive with GoPro Hero3

May 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

I am still working on my wrap-up from last weekend’s trip to Disney but here is the video I created with our new GoPro HERO3: Black Edition
video cam when I was in Disney with Traveling Moms last month.

I highlight the camera in addition to what I saw because it takes such a unique shot of life (not because I am getting compensated in any way) and because I agreed to be Media Traveling Mom on the Traveling Moms website and I want to highlight different ways to capture the stories of life and I am testing out the best way to do that.

In this video, you will see footage of both the renovated Chevrolet Test Track and the Corvette Test Drive. Edited was done by my budding videographer, my daughter.


{Disclosure: Chevrolet offered partial compensation for this trip. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

 

 

Disney Social Media Moms 2013 is almost here!

May 7, 2013 By 1 Comment

Last year, I attended the 2012 Disney Social Media Moms Conference with my dear friend Jo-Lynne (who I will miss this year since she can’t make it – boohoo) and won the VIP Disney tour!

This year, I don’t anticipate winning the big prize but I am bringing back my husband and girls with me which I am super thrilled about since it is such an amazing conference with a ton of special events and fun times planned. My girls first went to Disney World when they were 7 & 8 and now that they are almost 15 & 16, I am hoping they can enjoy the Disney World experience in a whole new way, especially since we are staying at the very awesome Contemporary, just a quick skip and jump from Magic Kingdom.

Our first pre-conference gift included a lovely orange Colora bag from American Tourister which I “Instagramed” right away (my favorite  new photo toy now that I have the Android app to play with).

Disney Luggage

 

We also received a fun box of creative props in a storybox to be used with the iTunes Story App by Spoonful.com. I don’t have an iPhone but I look forward to loading the app on my iPad and trying it out. My teen story teller who has been creating her own videos recently was already thinking up ideas for each of the themes: A Day at the Races; Movie Night; Best Space Ship Pillow Fort Ever and Costume Party (which my daughter is actually planning for her 16th birthday – a masquerade party!)

While I am sitting in my meetings, I am hoping my husband and girls can go try out the very awesome Everest Expedition over in Animal Kingdom but I am sure they will also be headed over to relive Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster over at Hollywood Studios. Whatever they do, I know the time is going to WAY too fast but we are excited. Too fun!

My eldest teen daughter only had the one complaint and that was that the conference is the weekend BEFORE her AP exam and not afterward so we may be carrying textbooks with us on the plane but the thought & offer of staying home with grandparents simply didn’t sit well either. We will survive – Disney style!

You can also view recent Disney Videos (Chevy Test Track & test drive and Disney with Moms – and NO KIDS) from my trip down to Disney in April with Traveling Moms.

(Disclosure: This is not a paid post but I did receive the above mentioned items for review in advance of the conference. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)