Jumpin-Beans

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Just last week, we were invited to go check out Big Hero 6 for an advance screening.  Of course, Broxton was thrilled to see it and it was the night there wasn't school the next day, so we went for it!  As I have stated before, I don't really pay much attention to the synopsis on many movies, I just go based on the actors in the movie... if it is a Disney movie, I am almost always going to say yes!   We got there and the place was packed!  For advance screenings, it is always a hit or miss on the crowd, but this night was packed way before the show started!   Broxton was excited to see it and of course we were lucky enough to see it in 3D.  That was an added plus!   The movie was a good one, true to

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. The older kids get, the more expensive their wish list gets... At least that is how it seems in our house.  Not only as far as their wish list, but just in general... Clothes cost more.  Food Costs more.  Events cost more.  See what I mean?  I got to thinking about how my life with Broxton is all about "making memories."  I was thinking about how gift giving at Christmas shouldn't be all about the physical gifts that are under the tree, but more about the memories.  *NO WORRIES, we will still have presents...  Just go with me here a minute.   I saw somewhere on line about "thinking outside the box when it comes to gifts for kids...   Some had great ideas as to money towards sports they want t

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. There is no denying that we love Frozen in this house... I love the story (and music) and Broxton loves Olaf.  It works out great for us and we need to actually watch the movie again soon, I am missing singing along! We have been lucky to have had the chance to read several of the Disney Line of Frozen Books and they just keep releasing them!  I love it though, what better way to get a child interested in reading than to write about something they enjoy????   One of the latest books from Disney Frozen?   Elsa's Gift  . This is a great book!   In this book, Arendelle is celebrating winter --- but it is because that is the season, not because of Queen Elsa.  (Meaning, this takes place AFTER the movie!)   We s

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. With the holidays sneaking up on us, you might be trying to come up with THE PERFECT GIFT for the ones you love... Sometimes we put too much thought into it when it is really staring us in the face the whole time. I was excited to get a new book to review that does just that...   Love Monster and the Perfect Present by Rachel Bright .  In this new book, The Love Monster lives in Cutesville and a big day is coming up... It is a SPECIAL DAY like no other... Do you know what day that is?  It is PRESENT DAY!   It is THE day to give the BEST gift ever to the one you love... The only problem is that The Love Monster can not think of the best gift... This book is super cute and I love the ending.. I can't tell you w

*** This is not a sponsored post... Just pretty exciting news! Got this email and wanted to share! PHOTO CAPTION: Director John Lasseter works with members of his story team on Disney•Pixar's "Toy Story 4," a new chapter in the lives of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the "Toy Story" gang. The film is slated for release on  June 16, 2017 . (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar) TO INFINITY AND BEYOND! Nearly two decades after Pixar Animation Studios created the world’s first computer-animated feature film with “Toy Story,” it revealed plans for Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,” an adventure that returns audiences to the world of the studio’s signature characters. John Lasseter, director of the original “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2,” will direct the film, which opens a new chapter in the lives of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the “Toy Story” gang. The story was dreamt up by Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter and Lee Unkrich, the storytellers who have been the dri

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Broxton is at the age where he loves music now... He is always singing and dancing at home and it makes me happy.  I know part of it is because he is getting older, but the other part is because his teacher last year used to have "Dance Party Friday" where they would get to listen to a song or two and dance around the classroom. I loved it and he looked forward to it each week!  If you are looking to have a Christmas party this year (or any kind of party where there will be music, look at the Kidz Bop CD's.  They are songs sung BY kids... and are all clean... so no worries on profanity!)   KIDZ BOP Christmas Wish List TRACKLIST Santa Claus Is Coming To Town All I Want For Christmas Is You Jing

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Check out this great email I received this morning!   For one day only,   Wednesday November 5 th , select K’NEX building sets will be the AMAZON.com Deal of the Day and will be on sale for   50% off or more ! This includes select Lincoln Logs, TINKERTOY, Nintendo, Plants vs. Zombies, TITANFALL, and Family Guy building sets in addition to our fantastic K’NEX and K’NEX Education sets! Be sure to get yours before they are all gone!   Click here on November 5 th   to access the deal of the day:   http://www.amazon.com/gp/ goldbox/ref=nav_cs_gb

I thought it would be nice to post a few pictures from what has been going on around here lately...  Between volunteering at the school and then home life, it is busy busy, but I would not trade it for the world!  I was looking back at some of the photo's of the last few months and this cracked me up... I am not sure if I ever admitted my secret... so I am going to tell you now... You have to promise not to tell anyone, it will be just between us, okay? The secret? My husband has a secret hidden talent... He LOVES carving pumpkins and he is really good at it!   So, once it gets close to halloween, we go get a pumpkin...  He looks and looks and finds the perfect one for what he has in mind... Then, we get home and he gets to working... Same thing each year, Broxton wants to help.. but he is for real serious about this.... So... This year, I went back to the store and bought pumpkins for Broxton and the big brother...  B watching daddy carve the pumpkin. R and dadd

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Every day at Broxton's school they have snack time in the morning.  I am not sure the time, but I know they get to school way to early for me... and then at some point they have snack... The thing is, I bought him all sorts of snacks for school, but then we got a note sent home saying that they were going to ask all parents to send in snacks for the whole class.  That was fine with me, especially since the teacher listed what was best NOT to send in. While I may worry what some parents might send their kids, I knew with it being for the whole class,  I was safe!  What made it more exciting was when I received a box of goodies at home...  I was getting Funny Face Cranberries to send in for the class.  I knew i

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Coughing.  Sneezing. Snot.   Yep, we have all been there and with the weather changing on us... That means more is headed our way.  At least with us... and I believe it will be more so now that he is in school.  It seems like every day I go to his school there are kids everywhere just coughing and hacking up... Everywhere...  I do have tissues handy, but the cool thing is when I have Boogie Wipes . They are "special" tissues that are perfect for Broxton. When they are around, I admit that I use them too... It is just something about a nice SOFT, moist tissue to clean my nose.. Especially when it is raw from being wiped 7 million times!   Another great thing? They help to clean up their face if they have

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I am all about books that will help with discussing bullying.  I try and talk to Broxton about bullying, but sometimes it is easier to explain and talk about it with a book to read and look at.  That was the case in the book we were recently sent for review. The Bully and the Shrimp was a great book.  It is more than just name calling. In this book, we meet Connor and Noah. Noah recently moved to a new school -- so he knows no one.  He has to make new friends and doesn't have any of his familiar surroundings to help him deal with things.  The only thing he does have is his trusty journal that he draws in. On the FIRST day of school for him at the new school Noah meets a kid that he tries to be nice to... but c

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Does anyone else have a hard time in sending lunch to school each day?  Broxton is so up in the air on his likes and dislikes, each day it seems to change!  The one thing he luckily still enjoys?  Fruit.  When he was just a little one, he would enjoy sharing a fruit cup with my dad at lunch whenever we were back home... Then, it carried over into school years!  (My dad will still surprise him and buy a pack or two of fruit cups for him to bring home if we go visit and he happens to go grocery shopping before we leave.)  We love them and when Dole announced they were releasing new fruit cups that were NO SUGAR ADDED, that just sweetened the deal!  (Pun intended!) Recently introduced by the #1 brand in single

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Know what is going under our tree this year?  Just the newest Paw Patrol DVD for Broxton.  I tell you what, his "likes and dislikes" change more than a teenage girl some days!  He used to be totally obsessed with this show and then decided he was to grown to watch it. (Welcome to Kindergarten, the things you can like change DRASTICALLY.)  We had a big talk about liking what he wants to like and not changing his opinion for anyone.  If they are going to be his friend, it will be for who HE IS -- not who HE CHANGES to be.   So - Paw Patrol was put on the back burner for a bit... but then out of nowhere, he tells me he really wants to watch Paw Patrol... You know, since "You have not let me watch it

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Beethoven, no... I am not talking music... I am talking about that lovable, slobbering St. Bernard...   Well, he is out with a new movie and I was excited to get it to watch with Broxton.  Through the years, I have seen my fair share of Beethoven, since my kid brother LOVED watching it and of course I had to share it with Broxton. Truth be told, I think we have the original Beethoven on VHS somewhere...   When I say "Love" it is not an understatement.  The last Beethoven to come out is called Beethoven's Treasure Tail.  It follows Beethoven now that he is a famous dog.  As with other Beethoven movies, we had quite a good bit of laughter watching all that goes on each day!   Synopsis: Get ready to