This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Charter. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you have cable TV you will notice all this On Demand stuff, well, it’s not just movies anymore! On Demand home page has started posting free shows to watch! Now your kids can watch shows like Arthur, Barney, Sid the Science Kid, Suite Life on Deck, Wizard’s Of Waverly Place and a whole lot more! The free shows range from channels like Nick, PBS Kids, PBS Kids Go, Disney, ABC and much more! So when running to ballet, soccer, or art practice you can reassure your kids that they won’t miss their favorite show. They can watch it On Demand when they get home.

On demand not only has kid’s shows but they have new shows like The Good Wife, Two and A Half Men, and America’s Got Talent on On Demand! How cool is that? So if you are running late you won’t miss your favorite shows either!

When two of my children went for an extended visit to their grandmother’s house during the winter my teenage daughter discovered that On Demand was free and found out that her little sister could watch Arthur and grandma could watch The Good Wife without missing it when they went shopping! They thought it was pretty neat.

On Demand also features music videos as well as TV shows and movies! So my daughter had fun listening to Selena Gomez’s Naturally” as well.

Many of these TV networks are placing their shows On Demand the day after they air so no more rushing around for you! You can watch it at your leisure!

About On Demand

On Demand is one of the most popular features of Charter TV in Digital – for good reason. It’s not just a movie service; but a home for thousands of shows and programs just waiting for you to discover.

You will ‘Like’ their Facebook page as well.

Fashionable Media Review Policy: The featured product for this review was provided to me, at no cost, 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.

You will have to excuse my thoughts of the Kidz Bop 18 Summer Soundtrack and focus on my children’s thoughts! I thought it was ok. I am not crazy about it and it isn’t something that I particularly like to work to. Then again, most of the time I am usually writing and need to concentrate sooo….that explains my side of things.

My children actually loved it. They were thoroughly entertained by the music! This is definitely kids stuff. My middle son (6) bi-bopped and pretended to play drums to it and asked to play it again and again! His two year old brother was following him mimicking him. As upbeat music will do, some of the children went a little bonkers dancing to it!

My teenage daughter preferred Justin Bieber’s original song, “Baby” and Selena Gomez’s “Naturally” to the Kidz Bop 18 but she thought the other songs were good. It just shows that she is growing up in her preferences though.

About Kidz 18

The songs are sung by kids. Kidz Bop 18 is a CD that has 16 popular tunes that are on the music charts or were recently, including:

Justin Bieber’s “Baby”
Selena Gomez’s “Naturally”
Beyonce’s single “Ladies”
Lady Gaga’s “Telephone”
Tiao Cruz’s “Break Your Heart

We will be offering a giveaway of two of these soundtracks in a week or two, so keep that in mind, especially for upcoming birthdays etc.

Looking for some cool new shoes for when your kids are back in school? Stride Rite has just announced their new kids footwear…

Stride Rite, a leader in premium children’s footwear has just launched The Last Airbender by stride rite collection, based on the exciting, upcoming feature film The Last Airbender by M. Night Shyamalan releasing today, Friday, July 2nd nationwide. If you haven’t seen the trailer, take a peek here:

http://www.thelastairbendermovie.com/

The movie looks a bit too creepy for my liking, but everyone has different tastes. The shoes the movie features on the other hand are pretty cool looking!

The collection includes three sneakers and one moccasin boot based on the movie’s main characters – Aang, Zuko and Katara. The collection picks up features from the movie’s elements “earth, wind, fire, air” and includes glow-in-the dark pieces as well. They’re really fun!

Shoes are available NOW, price from $48-$58 and are available in sizes Toddler 8.5 to Youth 5 on striderite.com.

Fashionable Media Review Policy: The featured product for this review was provided to me, at no cost, 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 hesitated to watch the Drop Dead Diva DVD series just because we haven’t watch much TV in the past few years. We usually watch movies and old TV shows on videos, however the storyline of Drop Dead Diva intrigued me. First, I will say that it isn’t really family-friendly and has some language in it that I personally do not agree with, as well as some other issues that I won’t go into. But, I will say that this show deals with many subjects that I think most of us can relate to. I cried when I watched the episodes, as it dealt with grief and some serious issues, but I also laughed at the characters antics and as they bonded, butted heads and in general entertained me.

Season one opens with the story of how two characters Deb and Jane both die. Sad I know, yet the producers even managed to make that humorous, if you can believe it! Then due to a series of events one being Deb arriving in “heaven” where she doesn’t want to be because she is too young and wanted to go back to earth, Deb gets one over on her “angel” and zaps her soul back to earth to inhabit a recently vacated body, who just happens to be Jane. Jane (played by Brooke Elliot), the main character in Drop Dead Diva, is a successful lawyer at a busy law firm. Deb was a fashion model to a “t”. The differences between Jane and Deb are quite stunning and obvious, as this series deals with Deb adjusting to life in the body of a smart, witty lawyer in a plus size body. Deb still has her memories, but the brain and body of Jane. How’s that for a storyline? You can only imagine, right?!

I would have to say that Drop Dead Diva is definitely a show for geared towards the female audience for the most part, especially since the main character is a female. But I remember years ago when Alley McBeal was airing that it garnered a male audience too. So who am I to say who will get the most entertainment out of this show?

Drop Dead Diva had its first season last year, which ended in an unexpected cliffhanger. Season one will be available on DVD on June 1st, as well as the Drop Dead Diva CD. The first show of Season two premieres on June 6th, which is just a week away! It will be airing on Lifetime. I know I am looking forward to the first episode to find out what happens to Jane after the Season one finale threw me for a loop. I just don’t know if I will be able to watch it when it airs!

I am hoping to catch an extra “feature” being offered to bloggers next week and will hopefully post about it then too, so stay tuned!

Oh and I just found out that you can watch full episodes of Drop Diva online! So check out Season one before Season two airs! Just got to http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/drop-dead-diva/video

Fashionable Media Review Policy: The featured product for this review was provided to me, at no cost, 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.

Horse Boy is a documentary about two parents and their son, Rowan, who has autism. Rupert Isaacson, Rowan’s father, is a human rights worker, author and former professional horse trainer, and his mother Kristin Neff, is a psychology professor. They sought all the normal medical care, but these therapies had little affect on Rowan’s behavior. In their struggle to make sense of their son’s disorder, they discover an interesting connection between Rowan and horses.

It was this connection with a neighbor’s horse, which Rowan’s father could certainly relate to as a former horse trainer, that made Mr. Isaacson wonder if he could combine horses with healing. He delved into researching the origins of horses and where they were first domesticated. His research led him to Mongolia, where shamanism is their religion. Shamanism is known for its healing. This led Rowan’s parents to decide to make a trip to Mongolia in search of healing Rowan’s autism.

The movie follows the Isaacson’s in their journey to Mongolia. Some of it is very raw footage (bathroom trips, purification “bath”), but it is a documentary about a family’s personal journey. They do cover up body parts with a blurry spot. I just felt I had to disclose this as I would want to know if someone were recommending it to me for the first time. However, you will have to watch the movie to find out if their trip overseas leads them to discovery or disappointment!

Watch Horse Boy on PBS!

On Tuesday, May 11, the PBS series INDEPENDENT LENS presents The Horse Boy, Michel Orion Scott’s remarkable new documentary about Rupert Isaacson and Kristina Neff’s unorthodox journey with their autistic son and the miracle they find through horses — first on their Texas farm and then in the outer reaches of Mongolia. Rupert Isaacson, who has also written a book about the experience and now runs a learning center, The Horse Boy Foundation.

Resources:

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/horse-boy/

http://www.horseboymovie.com

Fashionable Media Review Policy: The featured product for this review was provided to me, at no cost, 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.

After reviewing the movie, Home Beyond the Sun, Pureflix Entertainment surprised me by sending me The Book of Ruth DVD. Not just one copy but four copies, so next Monday our new giveaway will be an opportunity for three of you to win a copy of The Book of Ruth! This was very generous of Pureflix and I hope many of you will enter the giveaway.

It was interesting that this was the next movie to review because last month our family watched another version of Ruth and were slightly disappointed in the discrepancies throughout it. Pureflix’s version was pretty much right on in their depiction of the story and characters. They did not take liberties like the other version did. We liked that.

We really enjoyed The Book of Ruth. Due to time contraints we did not preview this one beforehand but there really wasn’t any need to. It is a very family-friendly movie. We loved that the characters were portrayed like their real characters, showing their sorrow, as well as their joy and servitude towards one another. If more people would think of others before themselves, the world would be a much better place.

This film showed the wonderful relationship between Ruth and her mother-in-law. So often in the real world, mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws get a bad rap from one another, but this movie showed how a daughter through marriage can be a devoted and loving daughter – by choice.

Unlike, Home Beyond the Sun, The Book of Ruth the characters seemed more authentic, as were the scenes in the movie. Very well done, in our opinion.

We have been very pleased with the films we have viewed from Pureflix and highly recommend them to families seeking family-friendly entertainment without the use of sensored equipment like Clearplay for bad language etc.

For more family-friendly entertainment, please visit www.PureFlix.com

About PureFlix Entertainment

PureFlix Entertainment produces, distributes, acquires and markets Christian and family-friendly films. PureFlix unites some of the most respected and successful members of the Christian Film community with the objective of positioning itself as the industry leader for the production and distribution of high quality, inspiring movies and television programs, while doing so with integrity. Mission Statement: Transforming the human spirit through values based entertainment. For more information, please visit www.pureflixentertainment.com where they also have trailers to many of their movies.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the product above for free in the hope that I would mention it on this blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: ‘Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.’ ”

I always look forward to the spring and summer, while I enjoy different attributes and activities of fall and winter, spring and summer are my favorite seasons. I love being outside in the sunshine and finding different activities for my family and I to do together. In this post, I want to focus on family-friendly activities that don’t break your wallet.

The Zoo – Most city zoos offer free days throughout the year. Check with your local zoo to see if there are any free days coming up and take advantage of them. Usually parking fees and any extra promotional activities or displays like a petting zoo or, pony rides etc. fees will still apply.

Museums – Museums are another fun, educational outing that benefits the whole family. They too offer multiple free admission days throughout the year. Parking fees etc. may still apply.

Photo Courtesy of Theresa Gould

Aquariums – Here in Chicago the Shedd Aquarium is offering a whole week of free admission days in June. There was another Museum or Art Institute offering the same type of thing in June too, but I am away from my desk calendar at the moment.

State Parks – State Parks offer families the free opportunity to enjoy nature, fresh air and exercise. Some State Parks may have a bad reputation, so be sure you know if your State Park is reputable or not.

Botanical Gardens – We love the Chicago Botanical Gardens. Not only is a trip there beautiful and refreshing, but children learn so much. They also learn to appreciate gardening and where our food comes from. Something we all should be concerned and interested in. Here in Chicago, the Botanical Gardens does not have an admission fee, just a $20.00 parking fee, but our whole family in our 15 passenger van get in for that price.

Local Parks and Playgrounds – I find that if we save our local parks and playgrounds for a special treats, our children enjoy them a lot more than if it is an every day occurrence.

Planning a picnic lunch or taking a bagged lunch saves money as well on family outings, which the children seem to appreciate and remember so much more than eating out.

Hope you find some neat deals in your area so your family can enjoy fun springtime activities and make lots of wonderful memories. Now, I am off signing off because our family is on our way to one of the above activities today!

Just had to share a great new deal at Kroger this month! Shoppers can get coupons for free movies, music downloads and ringtones when they shop at Kroger-affiliated supermarkets. The coupons are available at more than 2,500 Kroger, Jay-C, Ruler, Dillon, Baker’s, King Soopers, City Market, Fry’s Foods, Fred Meyer, Ralph’s, Food 4 Less, Quality Foods and Smith’s stores.

You get a coupon automatically at the checkout when you buy 10 items from 20 participating brands, with dozens of qualifying items for each brand.

Each coupon is good for one free movie ticket, 15 music downloads, or 15 ringtones. That’s about a $10 to $15 value. If you buy 20 items, you can get 2 movie tickets, or 15 song, and so on. The coupons are redeemed online, at a special web address printed on the coupons.

For complete information on participating brands, shopping list etc. visit:

http://www.kroger.com/in_store/Pages/digital_choice.aspx

Fashionable Media Review Policy: The featured product for this review was provided to me, at no cost, 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.

We had the privilege of watching a new movie put out by PureFlix over the weekend. It was called, Home Beyond the Sun, which was inspired by a true story and explored the social and political realities of China today. This movie was available in stores on March 30th.

Our family really enjoyed Home Beyond the Sun. In a couple of parts the little ones got a little scared, but we had previewed it before we watched with them so we knew what scenes were coming up to explain to them what was happening etc.

Movies like this truly show us how thankful we should be for the freedoms we enjoy here in the United States. They also show how little girls are devalued and treated under some officials, but not all of them, as this movie reveals.

The quality of the movie was ok. It wasn’t a Hollywood movie with billions of dollars in their production budget, but it was still well made and the actors/storyline moved me to tears.

If you are looking for a family-friendly movie with a touching story of the fight for freedom, the search for truth and a journey of faith, then I highly recommend, Home Beyond the Sun.

About PureFlix Entertainment

PureFlix Entertainment produces, distributes, acquires and markets Christian and family-friendly films. PureFlix unites some of the most respected and successful members of the Christian Film community with the objective of positioning itself as the industry leader for the production and distribution of high quality, inspiring movies and television programs, while doing so with integrity. Mission Statement: Transforming the human spirit through values based entertainment. For more information, please visit www.pureflixentertainment.com where they also have trailers to many of their movies.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the product above for free in the hope that I would mention it on this blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: ‘Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.’ ”

This Friday, Disney has a new movie premiering called, Alice in Wonderland in movie theaters across the country. I think younger children would find this movie a bit scary, but older ones will probably be thrilled by it, literally. It seems more riveting than I remember the old Alice in Wonderland being.

Here’s what one website reported for early reviews:

Critics for the Manhattan dailies won’t get to see “Alice in Wonderland” until Monday night, but there are already reviews online out of London, where Tim Burton’s re-imagining with Mia Wasikowska as Alice and Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter had its world premiere last night. Both The Times of London and The Independent give it 4 out of 5 stars, but stop well short of flat-out raves you might expect from that rating. Kate Muir in The Times calls it “spectacular” and “a 3-D epic for the next generation,” but notes that “traditionalists may quibble with Burton’s gothic ride through the Alice books” and her enthusiasm seems carefully qualified. Geoffrey McNab’s notice in The Independent is more pointed — “a wildly inventive film straightjacketed in conventional narrative..that grows increasingly one-dimensional and simple-minded.” Ouch.

Thought I would share the trailer in case you haven’t seen it yet:

Just in time for the movie premiere, eDressMe.com, a top online retailer of dresses for all occasions, will be selling the Sue Wong “Alice in Wonderland” collection of dresses, using antique lace and colors inspired by the movie’s characters: Alice, the Red Queen, the White Queen, the White Rabbit and the talking flower garden.

Pictured below are some of the dresses from the Sue Wong collection for Walt Disney Signature. The styles include baby-doll, empire waist and column dresses. These exquisite dresses are not cheap, the collection retails for $329 to $609 and are available at www.eDressMe.com

Resources:

http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/movies/mixed_early_reviews_for_alice_in_WiR6CkwV6S92vObswEmBJL