Triangles and Vampires

Vampire Diaries Season 2I’ve talked about the show Vampire Diaries before so now that the 2nd season is being released on DVD I figured it would be the perfect time to talk about it again, right? :)

If you caught up on Vampire Diaries when the 1st season came out then you should really get season two for your collection as well.

I’ll admit that the love triangle between Stefan, Elena, and Damon is what kept me coming back week after week to watch the show. However in season 2 that triangle becomes a bit of a square when Elena’s doppelganger, Katherine, (or is it the other way around) decides to stay in town. The dynamic between Katherine, Damon and Elena kept me glued to the TV. For starters I was always sorta hoping that Damon and Elena would get together because I like to root for the underdog, plus Damon is the bad boy and well, who doesn’t love a bad boy. Of course if you’re like me you’ll be going against Katherine because no one ever seems to root for the bad girl. I wonder why that is?

When season 3 starts this Fall I’m really hoping for a triangle to include Elena, Damon and a mysterious third party yet to be introduced. I like Stefan and all but I can only handle the goodie good for so long.

Make sure you don’t miss and pre-order your copy of The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Second Season on DVD/Blu-Ray today: http://bit.ly/mkiZtx !

*Disclosure: I have been hired by Warner Bros. WB Word division to promote The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Second Season on DVD/Blu Ray.*

Mystic Falls: Enchanting and Scary!

Stefan and Damon

I think what I like the most about the show Vampire Diaries, ok so what I like most in addition to the fact that there are two super cute boys on there, is it’s a nice mixture of drama and horror.

Vampire Diaries Friday Night BitesDuring the first season there were several times when I jumped or had to cover my mouth to keep from screaming out and waking up the kids and/or the hubs. Probably the scene that sticks out most in my mind was in “Friday Night Bites”. This is the episode where Stefan joins the football team even though he really shouldn’t because one of the things that come with being a vampire is superior athleticism. Anyway, all kinds of people are being attacked and killed in town, including the football coach! Most of the townspeople chalk it up to some kind of while animal but the people in the know, like the sheriff and mayor know that their are vampires back in town.

Every time someone got attacked I was covering my eyes. Yes I’m a sucker for cheap scares.

So in addition to drama and horror I also love comedy. On The Complete First Season Blu-ray/DVD set they have a gag reel as part of the 8 hours of bonus features available. There’s nothing better than watching actors try to finish a suspenseful scene and end up cracking up because they are trying to be so serious.

The Complete First Season of Vampire Diaries will be available on August 31st but you can pre-order it online!

*Disclosure: I have been hired by Warner Bros WBWord division to raise awareness for The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season – which arrives on Blu-ray/DVD on August 31. Pre-order your copy, and receive free digital extras at http://bit.ly/9LSaVp !*

Super Hero Squad DVD Review/Giveaway {ENDED}

My kids have now reached an age where they don’t take naps.

Admittedly there are days when my daughter ends up falling asleep on the couch or floor in the early afternoon, but typically those days are few and far between.

Instead we have deemed 1:30pm movie time. Each day converge upon our living room couches and settle in for some much needed quiet/rest time. In order to quell any fighting that may occur, the kids alternate picking a movie. They know whose turn it is and most times remind me.

We’re always looking for great movies to add to our repertoire because let’s face it. The kids are always picking the same 4-5 movies and after a while I get really sick of watching them.

Recently my son received The Super Hero Squad Show Volume 1. Typically I try to stay away from a multiple show DVD, but my son was so excited to get it I told him we could watch it during movie time. I was worried that I would end up spending the whole time keeping her occupied.

I was pleasantly surprised when the show started and not were both my kids mesmerized but so was I! The Super Hero Squad or Squaddies, as they call themselves in the show, is made up of our favorite Super Heroes including: Captain America, The Hulk, Silver Surfer, Wolverine, Iron Man and many more. The show has a really great message as well. All about teamwork and appreciating each others talents.

You can also find The Super Hero Squad Show on Cartoon Network. We’ve already programmed it into our DVR so we’re sure not to miss any episodes.

The Super Hero Squad Show Volume 1 was released July 13th and you can purchase it on Amazon.com, Target.com, and Walmart.

And you know me… you can win a copy of The Super Hero Squad Show Vol. 1 right here!

RULES FOR ENTRY:
Leave a comment telling me who your favorite super hero is.

EXTRA ENTRIES (leave a separate comment for each):
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If you already Like Mad Hatter Mom on Facebook that’s an entry.
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GIVEAWAY ENDS AUGUST 2ND

*Disclosure: Shout! Factory supplied us with our own copy and a copy to giveaway.*

Wow! Wow! (ENDED)

Like many moms, Nick Jr is a reprieve when I need even just 30 minutes of down time.

Now before I get comment about letting the TV babysit for me, just know that this is what help me. For me the TV is just another tool in my belt when getting through the day.

WubbzyAnyway, the kids have a short list of shows that they request when Mommy is about to pull her hair out. At the top of this list is a cute, bendy tailed, little guy from Wuzzleburg. Along with his friends Widget, Walden and Daizy, Wubbzy hold the attention of my kiddos while still teaching them about honesty, teamwork and more.

Wubbzy DVDWell, on May 4th the latest Wubbzy adventure hit stores on DVD. “Escape from Dino Island” follows the four friends as they board Widget’s Wavy Wheeler 3000 and set off on a journey that takes them to the mysterious Dino Island. On the way they discover the Wazumboo Jungle and tame a Doodleberry patch that has gone a bit wild. This collection of espisodes had my kids dancing and singing right along with them.

There are a couple of really cool promotions in honor of the DVD release. From June through December 2010 if you purchase one box of Minute Rice and any Wubbzy DVD you can get a Wubbzy toy FREE if you pay a small shipping/handling fee. Also from May through September; when you buy a Wubbzy DVD and any package of Joy Cone Company ice cream cones, you can get two Wubbzy Scholastic books for just $2 s/h!

And now something for you! You can win your own copy of “Wow Wow Wubzzy’s Escape from Dino Island” from little old me!

RULES FOR ENTRY:
Leave a comment telling me what you do to get some down time.

EXTRA ENTRIES (leave a separate comment for each):
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GIVEAWAY ENDS JUNE 4TH

Get Lost in Paris with Madeline (ENDED)

Did you know that Madeline has been around for over 70 years?!?

I remember reading the Madeline books and watching the cartoons on TV when I was little. “In an old house in Paris, covered with vines, lived 12 little girls in 2 straight lines; the smallest one was Madeline.” Miss Clavel at the front of the line and the little girls in their yellow dresses and hats.

Oh, yes I remember it fondly.

Well, Madeline is back!

Madeline Lost in Paris MovieIn her first animated feature, “Lost in Paris” which was release on April 13th, the most loved little red head again proves that being small on the outside doesn’t mean you are small on the inside. With more courage in the bow in her hair than most grown men have period.

Lost in Paris follows Madeline as she deals with the excitement of meeting a long lost Uncle from Vienna and the sadness of leaving the boarding school. The story twists when Madeline discovers the true story about her long lost uncle and she must use all over her cleverness to escape the plot that threatens to take her away from the only family she has ever known.

I just love that so many of the my childhood loves are coming back and I can share them with my kids.

When we got this movie in the mail I planned to have it be our feature during movie time. Sadly, my boy being a boy, saw that it was about a little girl and decided that he was going to pass. My daughter on the other hand was ecstatic so I decided to let her have her own movie time.

Madeline MovieArmed with her woobie, bunny, and my laptop she snuggled on my bed and was quiet for 90 minutes while being completely enthralled in the movie. It warmed my heart so much!

The movie features the voices of Christopher Plummer, Jason Alexander and Lauren Bacall. It retails for $14.99.

But you can win your own copy here thanks to Shout! Factory.

RULES FOR ENTRY:
Leave a comment telling me something from your childhood that you want to expose your children to. If you don’t have kids tell me one thing you treasure most from your childhood.

EXTRA ENTRIES (leave a separate comment for it):
Subscribe to Mad Hatter Mom via RSS or Email
Follow Mad Hatter Mom on Google Friend Connect
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GIVEAWAY ENDS JUNE 2ND!

*Disclosure: I was provided a copy of the DVD by Shout! Factory in order to conduct my review. My opinions are 100% mine and not influenced.*

I know, but do my kids? Do yours?

Ask my kids what their favorite vegetable is and they will tell you “Bob and Larry.”

We’ve grown up on watching Veggie Tales, and although they learn stories from the bible, they don’t really understand what the bible is or what it’s for. And I didn’t know where to start explaining.

Well, now with the help of Phil Vischer, (father of Bob and Larry,) this is a conversation I can open up with my kids.“What’s in the Bible” is a new DVD series that focuses on, you guessed it, teaching kids about the bible.

Thanks to Tyndale my family and I were able to check out the first 2 episodes of “What’s in the Bible.”

Being so used to Veggie Tales I will admit that I was a little disappointed when the show started and I saw that the characters were puppets and not similar to the animated characters my kids and I have grown to love. But as I got further into the show I didn’t notice it anymore. My mind was focused on the great information that they were giving.

The first episode explains in great depth what the bible is. How the bible is a book made up of many books. :) We also get to meet the wonderful cast of characters, and characters is the right word! In addition to Phil Vischer himself, our guide is Man of News Buck Denver. With the help of brothers Clive and Ian (who has a love for ponies,) Sunday School Lady, Chuckwagon and more, Buck answers many questions that even myself as an adult have.

After that, most episodes explain a book of the bible.

In true Phil Vischer fashion, “What’s in the Bible” features toe tapping and clever tunes that will have your kids bobbing their heads and singing along.

To get an even more in depth look at “What’s in the Bible” check out the trailer below!

So, what was the final verdict in our house? My kids loved it!

My son loved the character Ian, and cracked up laughing a countless number of times. My daughter adored all the music and would try to sing along with it, even the songs she hadn’t heard yet.

If you are looking for something to help you explain the bible to you kids than I highly encourage you to check out this series. It’s available in Christian book stores this month or you can order it from the “What’s in the Bible” website.

And one of you lucky readers will win a certificate entitling you to receive both the 1st and 2nd episode of the show!

Rules for entry:

  • Become a fan of What’s in the Bible on Facebook.

For additional entries (leave separate comment for each):

  • Follow What’s in the Bible on Twitter.
  • Become a fan of Mad Hatter Mom
  • Vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs by clicking the button in the sidebar.
  • Subscribe to Mad Hatter Mom via RSS or Email
  • Tweet about this giveaway! (1 entry per day)

I entered to win a @WhatsInTheBible 2 DVD set from @MadHatterMom .. You should enter too! http://bit.ly/cMZWpj

All entries need to be received by Saturday, March 27th at Midnight PST

GOOD LUCK!

*Contest is open to US and Canada. 18 years of age or older. One entry per method per household.*