Believer in Balance

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

UP Is Everything They Say and More!

I've always been a big fan of Disney-Pixar movies, like Monsters Inc. and Finding Nemo. So when they asked me to review their latest movie, UP, released today on Blu-Ray and DVD, I jumped at the chance! And even with all the hype the movie got as the #1 Animated Movie of the Year, it did not disappoint! UP is everything they say it is and more. It's heartwarming, hilarious and stunning to watch.



But that's not all. The Blu-Ray - DVD set adds to the experience because it has great bonus features you wouldn't have seen in the theater, including The Many Endings of Muntz which shares the alternate endings the creators considered and the Global Guardian Badge Game where kids can have fun learning geography in this digital game of naming the countries, states and their capitals.

So if you're looking for a fun family movie to watch this weekend or a great Christmas gift idea, look UP!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Free Coloring Pages to Print

If you're looking to save money on coloring books, here are some great free coloring pages to print!

Coloring Pages of Disney Characters
Winnie the Pooh Coloring Pages
Tinkerbell Coloring Pages
Zoo Animal Coloring Pages
Disney princess coloring pages
Rainforest Coloring Pages
Jungle Animal Printables

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Free Pumpkin Carving Stencils

With Halloween right around the corner, I thought it would be helpful to share some free pumpkin carving stencils. With the rising cost of costumes and candy, we need to save money where we can!



Free Pumpkin Carving Stencils

Playsational has some great free pumpkin carving stencils. Here are some good ones.

Disney Pumpkin Carving Patterns

Free Pumpkin Carving Stencils

Scary Pumpkin Stencils

I hope you all are enjoying getting ready for Halloween as much as we are!

Sunday, September 6, 2009

A Great Resource for Moms

As a certified School Counselor and mother of four, I'm always on the lookout for great resources to help kids succeed in school. However, sometimes I get overwhelmed by the millions of websites to choose from! That's why I often rely on professionals and other parents I trust to recommend resources they like. So to return the favor, here is a resource for parents that I'm recommending. It's called MSN Mom's Homeroom and is sponsored by Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats. This site features four Moms from diverse backgrounds: a teacher, a psychiatrist, a former marketing coordinator, and an obstetrician/gynecologist who participate in online discussions and post unscripted videos of their views on helping kids succeed academically.

On MSN Mom's Homeroom, Moms can also connect with other moms and find articles on the following topics:

* Tips on reading comprehension
* Ways to work with your child's sports coach
* Articles on the meaning and importance of community service
* Memory tricks to help kids in school

I particularly like the quizzes section on this website because it's a fun way to get good information. So I took the "What's Your Self-Esteem IQ?" quiz and the "How to Raise a Confident Kid" quiz. As the mom of four girls, I want to make sure they grow up to be strong, confident women!

So as our children go back to school, take a moment to check out MSN Mom's Homeroom so you're ready to handle the variety of issues that come up with school age children. Trust me, it's not a matter of "if" issues will come up, but "when!"

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.