Rise of the Planet of the Apes Movie Review

Have you had a chance to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes? After the previews I waited,not so patiently, for months for this movie to come out so I could see it.I predicted it as the best movie last year and I have to say I wasn't disappointed.I didn't see every movie released,but of the ones I did,this was the best.Everything about it wasn't perfect,but then again,no movie is.There were a couple of times when I thought it could have went a little differently or addressed something a little more,but all in all it was a great movie.

What would happen if the animals we experiment on decided to rise up against us? How much do we underestimate the intelligence of the apes and other animals in captivity?

Caesar has been raised in a private home since he was rescued from the facility where he was born.He was the only survivor from the Alzheimer's research experiments after a his mother felt threatened and attacked the workers.The mother is shot and the others ordered killed.Not wanting the baby ape to die,Will (James Franco) had been raising him at home with his father,who suffered from Alzheimer's himself.When an accident happens,Caesar is forced to move to the facility where he is treated like the other experiment animals.Caesars intelligence cause him to question who he is and where he comes from and resent being treated as an animal.Chaos erupts when Caesar has had enough and strikes back by releasing the drug that makes him smarter into the facility,enhancing the intelligence of the other apes.

 Caesar is an amazing animal who leads the others on a journey of  freedom when they break out of the cages that hold them.All they wanted was to be free and away from the cages,tests and experiments they had to endure.

I loved this movie.I enjoyed watching Caesar grow and learn and was thrilled when he actually spoke.I highly recommend this movie.

Perfect Valentines Day Cards from Tiny Prints

Valentines Day is fast approaching and with it comes the need for the perfect cards to give.Whether you are looking for a card for that special someone,or a bunch of cards to hand out to friends at school,you are sure to find exactly what you are looking for with Tiny Prints Valentines Day Greeting Cards.

My boys are excited for their school Valentines Day parties already this year.They love getting treats,playing with friends and designing the perfect boxes for their Valentine Cards.The cards are,of course,the most important part of the holiday.They love having something different than everyone else and are thrilled when they can design their own personalized cards just the way they want them.With the easy to browse selection and simple card design process,they can even do it all by themselves with no hassle or stress.

With the vast selection available at Tiny Prints,each of them can create their own memorable card to hand out to their friends.My oldest thinks this Great White card is the coolest one ever...

 while my daughter prefers something a little more girly for her Valentines,like this Peace and Love version.

I no longer have the need for mass quantities of cards on Valentines Day,but I do need the perfect card for the husband.I was able to narrow my choices down to a few favorites including the Fairytale Love and the Under Where cards.

I still haven't made my final decision,but with the super fast printing and shipping at Tiny Prints,I know I will get it in time if I hurry and decide.Because these cards come complete with envelopes,they will arrive ready to go and you can even choose to add a gift card redeemable at a variety of retailers for the perfect Valentines present for anyone on the list.


You can follow Tiny Prints on Pinterest,Facebook or Twitter to stay up to date on new products and happenings.

*I will receive a code to make my own Valentines Day cards as part of the Tiny Prints Valentines Day campaign.All opinions are my own from experience and no other forms of compensation were received.

I Love Ocean Spray Fruit Snacks with Giveaway 2/2

Have you tried Ocean Spray fruit snacks? I buy fruit snacks for the kids,but I had never tried these before.When I was offered a chance to try them as a member of My blog Spark,I figured,why not,it is something we use and buy weekly anyway.

I will be the first to admit,I don't normally like fruit snacks.My children ask for them all the time,and don't seem to care one way or the other which kind they get.I have always found them to be too gummy for me.I don't like gummy candy anyway,so I don't even bother trying them most of the time.I knew the kids would be glad to test them,so when the package arrived,I open a box of each flavor and let them have some for an after school snack.I noticed they wanted to try the Berries and Cherries first,so after they finished them,I asked what they thought.The boys were quick to say they wanted more,while the princess wanted to try the other kind.I let them try both,just to get an opinion and they were just as pleased with the Assorted Fruit.

Everyone loved these so much,and the kids harassed me to give them more so often,that I just had to try them myself.Expecting to eat one or two and not finish them,I tried them while my daughter ate lunch.I went for the assorted version and was impressed with the flavor right away.I tried a couple more before I realized that not only did they taste good,they weren't gummy at all! These are the softest,chewiest fruit snacks I have ever tried.Made with real fruit juice and containing 100% of your daily Vitamin C,you can't go wrong with these gluten free snacks that even contain double box tops all year round!


Truth be told,by the time it was all said and done,I think I ate at least a box of these myself.I guess they knew what they were doing when they sent me 6 of them to try! Now they are going to do the same for 4 of my loyal readers. Enter on the form below for your chance to receive the same prize pack I did..3 boxes of each of the 2 flavors.Each box contains 10 packs..so 4 of you will get 60 yummy single serve packs of these to enjoy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway







***All opinions on my blog are my own and may not be the same as anyone else..that's why they are mine.I receive sample items in order to write a fair and honest review.Giveaway items are provided by the sponsor and they are responsible for shipping all prizes.Opportunity,information and prize provided to me as a member of My Blog Spark***

Diamond Candles Looking for Review/Giveaway Hosts

If you don't know about Diamond Candles,you are missing out on one of the things on my Valentines Wish List.These super cute candles contain a hidden ring inside every jar.Burn your candle for a great scent.then see what ring you get inside.I am so excited to tell you they are currently looking for bloggers to host reviews and giveaways of one of their amazing variety of scented candles.Go now to sign up for your chance to try these..I did!

Good luck!!

The things they teach our kids at school...

My oldest son is 10.Right before Christmas break,he came home with a paper for me to sign so he could watch the sex education video at school.Now,anyone who knows me knows I am a little overprotective with my kids.I was a little unsure if I wanted him to watch this or not,but then I remembered the kids when I was in school doing the same thing.What I remembered most was the boys being grossed out by the whole period thing and the girls being scared to death of getting pregnant.

Going by my previous experience,I signed the note so he could participate...epic fail on my part.I was expecting him to come home saying how he never wants to see that again and how gross it was and so on.When he came on the door that day,you can imagine how disturbed I was when he began to tell me all about his video.The class began with them coming up with all the names that people call a mans genitals.I have no problem with the word penis,my boys know what it is and what it does and that has never been an issue.I do,however,have a problem with my 10 year old son telling me some of the other names mentioned,like balls,d*ck,boner and many more words I don't believe he even knew existed until that day.I was none too happy to hear they had this as a discussion topic and it went on for a few minutes with them all laughing and carrying on about the words they heard.

Needless to say that was enough for me,but it wasn't over yet.He then proceeded to tell me how he had learned about boners and wet dreams! Now I am not going to say that the issue of an erection has never come up before.I have 2 healthy boys and I am not stupid enough to believe that they haven't started to explore that area and what happens there.I am a firm believer in telling them to keep it private,but I refuse to make them believe it is dirty or wrong to explore themselves.However,I did not want the issue of a wet dream to be brought up to my 10 year old child.We were not informed about what would be in the movie,and had I been he would not have watched it.I have to accept part of the responsibility for being too trusting with the school,but trust me that will NOT happen again.My youngest will not be watching this video next year,because he skipped a grade he would be only 9 when he saw it.There is just no way that is going to happen.

Have your kids viewed this movie yet? Do you plan to let them? Just as a suggestion,maybe check with the school and see what exactly your child will be viewing before you make your decision!

Using Goal For It to Tame the Chaos

Trying to keep everything done in my house is a little like working at the circus.Between the kids,husband,bunny and myself,the work never seems to end.My children are famous for leaving their clothes on the floor and their books and toys everywhere else.I end up telling them every day to pick up this or put away that,and I know they have enough common sense to do it on their own.

When I saw the opportunity to tell you about the fun way to keep track of chores and goals with Goal for It,I knew it was something I wanted to try.I started by creating my free account and then starting a Chore Chart for each of the kids.

You select the name,age and gender of the child you are making the chart for and then select a design from categories like wheels,cute critters and storybook,action,adventure and aliens and more.Next you add the chores you want to be done,the number of days and the amount of "moolah" earned for each chore.The "moolah" is cash that can be turned in for rewards that you choose.I used mine to allot time for video games and computer use,which are the first things to go when they don't do their chores now.

The process is very simple and I was able to create the charts in minutes.I set my email reminder to once a week,just in case I forget to update,and am good to go.Whenever I come back to add the completed chores,all I have to do is click the easy to use button,select a reward sticker,and go on to the next one.I can keep track of all their chores,all the time,in just minutes a week and the results and rewards are clear to us all.

To help with the rest of your charting needs,Goal For It offers,behavior charts,to do lists and more! You can keep track of charts and lists for everyone in your house in one easy place.The gender and age based charts allow for a personalized experience and the individual rewards can vary from one child to another as appropriate.

I really liked my experience so far,and the kids seem to like that they can earn more gaming and Internet time instead of the set amount they had before.Of course,I set the rewards so they can earn more,but still not too much.I plan to add more reward options in just a minute and update a few chores too.


***All opinions on my blog are my own and may not be the same as anyone else..that's why they are mine.This is a compensated post as a member of Mom Select,however I am using the product and the mentioned opinions are based on my actual experience.***

Oscillococcinum For Flu Symptom Relief

One of the biggest reasons I hate the winter season is sickness.I hate to be sick,and it's even worse when the kids are sick too.I can't lay around and sleep,I have to get them up,make breakfast,get them ready for school and out the door before 8am.By then the husband is strolling in from work and saying how hungry he is while I am trying to take a quick nap before Reagan gets up to start her homeschooling lessons.Of course this ends with me getting breakfast for the three of us before he goes to bed and we start our day.Doing this all with a headache,cough and runny nose is more than I want to deal with some days and I just turn off the alarm and take the day off.I can't do this every time,or the kids would miss way too much school,so having something that helps is a huge plus.

I haven't been sick recently,but my husband started feeling bad one night and I told him to try the homeopathic Oscillococcinum I was just sent for review.I know that's a long one,but they call it Oscillo and so will I in this post.Created by Boiron,this is said to have no side effects,no drug interactions and works naturally with your body.Designed to treat body aches,headaches,fever,chills and fatigue,simply pop open the tube,pour the pellets in your mouth and let them dissolve.Each package contains 6 tubes for quick and easy dosage.These are intended for adults and children over two,so you can use them for almost anyone in the family.

He agreed to try it and took a total of 3 doses in about a day and a half.It says every six hours but he would forget and ended up taking them about every 12 instead.By the end of the second day he was feeling better and didn't need anything else.I was surprised by this,usually it takes a few days to get rid of the flu or those annoying viruses the kids bring home from school.We  haven't had to use Oscillo again,but I plan to try it the next time someone gets a headache,fever,or a case of the ick to try and stop it before it gets started.

***All opinions on my blog are my own and may not be the same as anyone else..that's why they are mine.I was sent a sample item in order to write a fair and honest review.No other compensation was received***

Staying Warm With Stoner Couture

I hate winter.I hate rain and ice,I don't want a white Christmas,I don't like the cold.When I am forced to have to go out in it,I still want to look good and be comfortable.I have the worst time finding something I like,at a price I can afford and in a color I want that fits my "style".

This year I got a little help with this from Stoner Couture.I actually found this company through another blog and contacted them about a review.I was excited when they agreed because I really wanted to get this ..

The Ladies Long Sleeve Sophia Sweater Wrap is so soft and comfortable.The length is perfect for wearing with a cami or tee and the poly cotton blend moves with you instead of bunching or clinging.This looks amazing with black slacks,a light grey cami and a cute pair of boots,or thrown over a short dress with a sharp set of heels.

Even though I really wanted this wrap,because I contacted them for a review,I didn't want to be too pushy.When my new favorite blog sponsor asked me what I wanted,I told him a few of my choice pieces,but told him to send me whatever he wanted and I would be happy.Now came the hard part..waiting on my surprise box!

When this package arrived,I was amazed at everything he sent me.The box contained,not only my favorite wrap,but a selection of other items to keep me warm this winter too,like the black zippered hoodie with an orange leaf logo on the back.I am not normally a person who chooses orange,but it works against the black.I am a fan of hoodies for the ease,comfort and variety,but this has to be the softest one I have ever had.I asked for a larger size,because, as a large chested woman,I always have issues with my tops fitting everywhere else but pulling or stretching at the bust.I didn't need to worry though.Their sizes are generous and even though I asked for a larger size then I actually ended up needing,I have still worn it tons of times,it is so comfortable!! I throw it on to run to the store,grab the mail,get the kids to and from school,clean the car and more.I can slide up the sleeves if needed and toss my wallet,keys and phone in the pockets for hands free needs.

I was sent a Stoner Beanie in black that my husband snagged right out of the box.He loved the fit and warmth of the beanie and uses it every night for work.He has even had to turn down offers to buy it from a few of the guys he works with.

I was sent 2 of the flexfit hats in the greatest combo of bright green on black and an SC Logo Hoodie that my brother n law begged me for.He is a big guy,so I wanted to see how it held up to him.The hoodie was a 2X and fit perfectly.He didn't care for the white color because he was afraid of getting it dirty,but he has been sporting it often anyway according to my sister.

I have had no tears,fading,frays or other issues even after multiple washes,and the softness hasn't changed a bit in any of the items.The zippers are nice,not a cheap plastic thing and the stitching is perfect.I have no complaints and have not heard any from anyone I shared the review items with.The deilvery was fast,the items come nicely packaged and browsing the site is a snap.You can find a variety of other items from Stoner Couture,including their private label, body care and nutrition selections too.


**All opinions on my blog are my own and may not be the same as anyone else..that's why they are mine.I receive the mentioned sample items in order to write a fair and honest review.NO other form of compensation was received.***