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The Muppets D23 Panel: Inside Details & Photos

Disclosure: Mama Smith was provided with an all expenses paid trip to cover this event. All opinions expressed are 100% her own.

the muppets

My husband and I are both huge fans of The Muppets – I mean, who isn’t? We have all of the movies and our girls have been watching them since they were born. When we heard the news that a NEW Muppets show was coming to ABC,  we both may have freaked out a little bit. My freak out definitely involved dancing around the living room. Then, when I went to the D23 Expo last month, I was lucky enough to attend The Muppets panel. It was the first panel the weekend and really set the bar high. It was hilarious! I was so excited to see all the familiar voices up there on stage – and to have some of my favorite Muppets make an appearance was an experience that I will never forget.

The Muppets Panel

Not only did we hear more about Fozzie Bear’s new girlfriend, what type of species Gonzo is attracted to (spoiler alert, it is pretty much any species), and Kermit & Miss Piggy’s breakup – we also got to see the voices of the Muppets spend some quality time with their fans. Several lucky fans were able to come up on stage and try their hand at muppeteering. They danced to songs like Single Ladies and got tips from the best in the business. I laughed, I cried, and I got goosebumps. It was one of the best panels of the weekend in my opinion – and made me so much more excited for the TV Show than I already was, which I did not think was possible.

The Muppets Panel

I have been blessed this week with the chance to watch not only the first episode of The Muppets, but also the second. This was some of the best “research” I have ever had to do. I have already watched the episodes through twice. They are funnier than I could have even imagined. Usually pilots are “ehhh” and then they get better – but this pilot is great! In this series you go behind the scenes of a new show Up Late with Miss Piggy, which Kermit produces. If you saw the press release, then you know Miss Piggy and Kermit have split, which makes this work environment…difficult. Fozzie is the on-air sidekick and Gonzo and Rizzo are a couple of the writers – and we all know who is in charge of craft services, why Swedish Chef of course! This show is kind of like the original Muppets Show meets The Office. They still have the back stage stuff that we all love and of course our favorite characters all make an appearance. The characters are interviewed on camera for behind the scenes stuff often which is why it reminds me of The Office. There are celebrity guest stars – Elizabeth Banks, Tom Bergeron, (& more) in the first episode and Josh Grobin (& more) in the second. And just wait until you meet Kermit’s new girl! Even if you did not love the original Muppets (shame on you) or *gasp* don’t know much about them – you should tune in tonight. You will not be disappointed!

https://instagram.com/p/7yDWCRih3L/

 

Be sure to tune in to ABC tonight – September 22 –  at 8pm to see this show for yourself!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfJkusicBa4

“The Muppets” is co-created and executive-produced by Bill Prady (“The Big Bang Theory”) and Bob Kushell (“3rd Rock From the Sun”). Randall Einhorn (“The Office”), Bill Barretta (“Muppets Most Wanted”), Debbie McClellan (The Muppets Studio) and Kyle Laughlin (The Muppets Studio) are also executive producers. “The Muppets” is produced by ABC Studios and The Muppets Studio.

Connect with The Muppets on Social Media:

Website: http://abc.go.com/shows/the-muppets/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMuppetsABC
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMuppetsABC
Instagram: https://instagram.com/themuppetsabc
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/themuppetsabc/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/109481408710240260011/about
tumblr: http://themuppetsabc.tumblr.com/
Vine: https://vine.co/u/1208181525854687232

TheMuppetsABC

Follow the cast to live tweet and more:

Kermit the Frog: @KermitTheFrog
Miss Piggy: @MissPiggy
Fozzie Bear: @FozzieBear
Gonzo: @GonzotheGreat
Rizzo: @Rizzo
Electric Mayhem: @ElectricMayhem
Pepe the King Prawn: @SpicyPrawn
Bill Prady: @billprady
Bob Kushell: @bobkushell

FanGirl Friday: Frozen Free Fall: Snowball Fight

Frozen Free Fall: Snowball Fight

We all know what a big gamer I am – and also what a big Disney fan I am. I am so thrilled that my 4 year old is starting to get the hang of the PlayStation. We have been joining forces on Disney Infinity lately and having a blast together. She also loves to play matching and challenge games by herself so when I heard about Frozen Free Fall: Snowball Fight – I knew it was a must download for our console! The fact that it has a two player mode had me itching to team up with my daughter and play. I love these types of games and so does she, and with 195 FREE levels, what is there to complain about?

Frozen Free Fall: Snowball Fight

Disney Interactive is bringing the fun of one of Disney’s most popular mobile titles, Frozen Free Fall With the launch of Frozen Free Fall: Snowball Fight. This new title for console and PC delivers the fun match-3 style puzzles fans love plus an exciting multi-player mode that is perfect for competitions with family and friends. Frozen Free Fall has been downloaded more than 100 million times, and combined players have spent more than 62 billion minutes playing the game, which is more than all the time fans have spent watching Frozen in theatres! By re-imagining the title for new platforms, Disney Interactive is bringing the gameplay fans love to a whole new audience. Disney Interactive is committed to creating new experiences for family gamers and will continue to explore new distribution methods and monetization models – and I for one, cannot wait!

Frozen Free Fall: Snowball Fight

The only free-to-play match-3 style game available on console, Frozen Free Fall: Snowball Fight lets players match colorful ice crystals and unleash power-ups to progress through challenging levels and unlock new characters including Marshmallow and more! Multi-player mode also lets fans compete with friends and family to see who is the ultimate Snowball Fight champion.

https://youtu.be/QTRF3yeTRRg

Frozen Free Fall: Snowball Fight is available for digital download on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Steam.

FanGirl Friday

Hotel Transylvania 2 in Theaters

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Disclosure: Mama Smith’s Review Blog received this item in exchange for her honest review. All opinions expressed are 100% hers.

Hotel Transylvania 2

My young daughters are obsessed with Hotel Transylvania (purchase here for less than $10!). I could probably tell you every single word of the movie. We have been watching it at least once a week since they discovered it over a year and a half ago. When we went to see a movie in the theater recently, my four year old saw the sign for Hotel Transylvania 2 and ran right over to it. She started yelling “Mommy! There is going to be a number 2 Dracula one! With a baby now! Can we see it today?”. I had to explain to her that it would be coming out soon, but that we could not see it yet. She was a little sad but it has given her something to look forward to. We plan to take the girls opening weekend and I cannot wait. The first one is a movie that the whole family enjoys. My husband and I love the voice actors and the story line is really cute and captivating as well. I am sure Hotel Transylvania 2 will be just as good, if not better!

Hotel Transylvania 2
Dennis (Asher Blinkoff) and Dracula (Adam Sandler).

When I take my girls to the movies or we watch a movie at home, we always talk about it. I try to get them discussing the plot and the morals of the story. I think it is really good to start their comprehension skills early. So download the Family Discussion Packet and have some conversation starters for when you take your kids to see Hotel Transylvania 2. I know I will be using it!

Hotel Transylvania 2 Conversation Starters

Download full Conversation Guide here —–>  Hotel Transylvania 2 Family Guide

Hotel Transylvania 2

Synopsis:
Drac’s pack is back for an all-new monster comedy adventure in Sony Pictures Animation’s Hotel Transylvania 2! Everything seems to be changing for the better at Hotel Transylvania… Dracula’s rigid monster-only hotel policy has finally relaxed, opening up its doors to human guests. But behind closed coffins, Drac is worried that his adorable half-human, half-vampire grandson, Dennis, isn’t showing signs of being a vampire. So while Mavis is busy visiting her human in-laws with Johnny – and in for a major cultural shock of her own – “Vampa” Drac enlists his friends Frank, Murray, Wayne and Griffin to put Dennis through a “monster-in-training” boot camp. But little do they know that Drac’s grumpy and very old, old, old school dad Vlad is about to pay a family visit to the hotel. And when Vlad finds out that his great-grandson is not a pure blood – and humans are now welcome at Hotel Transylvania – things are going to get batty!

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 has been rated PG by the MPAA for the following reasons: SOME SCARY IMAGES, ACTION AND RUDE HUMOR.

Staring: Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, Fran Drescher, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon, David Spade
Directed by: Genndy Tartakovsky

Connect with Hotel Transylvania 2 on Social Media:
Website: http://www.hoteltransylvania2.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HotelT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HotelT
Instagram: https://instagram.com/hotelt/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hotelt/
Hashtag: #HotelT2

Hotel Transylvania 2 Giveaway

Giveaway Alert

Enter to win a Hotel Transylvania 2 Swag Bag including  a cape, stationary set, vampire fangs, blobby putty, and activity book using the Gleam form below. Be sure to check out my other giveaways while you are here and GOOD LUCK!

Hotel Transylvania 2 Swag Bag

Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Void where prohibited by law. One person entering per household please. Mama Smith’s is not responsible for shipment of prize.

Disney’s The Jungle Book Trailer Released

The Jungle Book

If you follow me on social media than you probably already saw that I shared Disney’s The Jungle Book trailer. It was released today and has made me even more excited for this film (which I did not think possible!). Ever since seeing some footage at the D23 Expo (read about The Jungle Book and other Live Action Film announcements here) I have been dying for you guys to see some of it. The trailer that was just released is incredible and I think it goes to show just how amazing this movie is going to be. I cannot wait to take my young daughters! We all just watched the trailer together (over and over and over) and they keep asking when they will be able to see it. It is going to be a must see movie for any family – I promise! I dare you to watch the trailer below and tell me that you aren’t even the least bit excited about it, I know you will be!

The Jungle Book

About The Jungle Book:
Directed by Jon Favreau (“Iron Man”), based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories and inspired by Disney’s classic animated film, “The Jungle Book” is an all-new live-action epic adventure about Mowgli (newcomer Neel Sethi), a man-cub who’s been raised by a family of wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (voice of Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat. Urged to abandon the only home he’s ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery, guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera (voice of Ben Kingsley), and the free-spirited bear Baloo (voice of Bill Murray). Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don’t exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa (voice of Scarlett Johansson), a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie (voice of Christopher Walken), who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire.

The Jungle Book

The all-star cast also includes Lupita Nyong’o as the voice of the fiercely protective mother wolf Raksha, and Giancarlo Esposito as the voice of wolf pack’s alpha male Akela. “The Jungle Book” seamlessly blends live-action with photorealistic CGI animals and environments, using up-to-the-minute technology and storytelling techniques to immerse audiences in an enchanting and lush world. The wild adventure swings into theaters in 3D on April 15, 2016.

THE JUNGLE BOOK opens in theatres everywhere on April 15th, 2016!

https://youtu.be/HcgJRQWxKnw

Like THE JUNGLE BOOK on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DisneyJungleBook
Follow THE JUNGLE BOOK on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheJungleBook
Follow THE JUNGLE BOOK on Instagram: https://instagram.com/disneythejunglebook
Follow THE JUNGLE BOOK on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/disneystudios/the-jungle-book/
Follow THE JUNGLE BOOK on Google+: https://plus.google.com/112416455929607370682/posts
Visit Walt Disney Pictures on Tumblr: http://disneystudios.tumblr.com/
Follow Walt Disney Pictures on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DisneyMovieTrailers
Visit the official THE JUNGLE BOOK website here: http://movies.disney.com/the-jungle-book-2016

Purchase Cinderella Today & Get a Coach Charm Necklace from DMR

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Disclosure: Mama Smith was provided with an all expenses paid trip to cover this event. All opinions expressed are 100% her own.

Cinderella LA

I am a little embarrassed to say that last week was the first time I saw the new Cinderella live action movie. I had planned on seeing it in the theater and life got in the way as it sometimes does. So I was thrilled to be able to receive the Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Copy a little bit early. My youngest had started “school” two days a week and my oldest (4 years old) had not started yet. I decided that we would spend some mommy-daughter time together and would sit down to watch Cinderella. She is iffy when it comes to “real people” movies. Sometimes she will sit through them but most of the time, she will not. With Cinderella, she did not take her eyes off the screen – she loved every second of it. And when it ended, she asked if we could watch it again. I think this movie was done extremely well and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We have already watched it a few times – and I am not ashamed to admit I continue to shed tears. We have already watched it several times – and checked out all of the special features included on it. One of our favorites is the alternate opening which you can see below – and of course Frozen Fever!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8OfhuZqW98&feature=youtu.be

Synopsis:
The story of “Cinderella” follows the fortunes of young Ella whose merchant father remarries following the tragic death of her mother. Keen to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new stepmother Lady Tremaine and her daughters Anastasia and Drisella into the family home. But, when Ella’s father suddenly and unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family. Finally relegated to nothing more than a servant girl covered in ashes, and spitefully renamed Cinderella, Ella could easily begin to lose hope. Yet, despite the cruelty inflicted upon her, Ella is determined to honor her mother’s dying words and to “have courage and be kind.” She will not give in to despair nor despise those who abuse her. And then there is the dashing stranger she meets in the woods. Unaware that he is really a prince, not merely an employee at the Palace, Ella finally feels she has met a kindred soul. It appears as if her fortunes may be about to change when the Palace sends out an open invitation for all maidens to attend a ball, raising Ella’s hopes of once again encountering the charming “Kit.” Alas, her stepmother forbids her to attend and callously rips apart her dress. But, as in all good fairy tales, help is at hand as a kindly beggar woman steps forward and, armed with a pumpkin and a few mice, changes Cinderella’s life forever.

Cinderella Coach Necklace
Photo Credit: AsTheBunnyHops.com

You can purchase this beautiful coach charm necklace from Disney Movie Rewards for only $8.99 when you buy Cinderella (LA) on BD, DVD or Digital HD on Disney Movies Anywhere, plus S&P ($2.95). I love Disney Movie Rewards and have gotten a lot of fun collectibles using my points for purchasing Disney movies. I mean, I was going to buy them anyways, might as well get something as a bonus, right? This offer is valid 9/15/15 through 12/22/15. Actual coach charm size – ¾”h x 7/8”w. Actual necklace size – 19” and works with other charms. I absolutely love my necklace – I wear it all the time. This would even make a great holiday gift for any Disney and/or Cinderella fan.

Cinderella Kindness

Inspired by the spirit of Cinderella, Disney has launched an online initiative that invites fans everywhere to pledge their commitment to be courageous and kind in the hopes of achieving “A Million Words of Kindness” in time for World Kindness Day on November 13th, 2015. Don’t forget to read my Kindness Post and go to CinderellaKindness.com and leave your kind words.

CINDERELLA comes out on Digital HD and Blu-ray on TODAY (September 15th, 2015) – purchase your copy here.

http://youtu.be/erecP_j6aKE

Visit the official CINDERELLA Website: http://disney.com/Cinderella
Like CINDERELLA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cinderella
Follow CINDERELLA on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CinderellaMovie
Follow CINDERELLA on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/DisneyCinderella 
Follow CINDERELLA on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/disneystudios/cinderella
Follow CINDERELLA on Google +: https://plus.google.com/+disneycinderella

The Good Dinosaur Free Printable Coloring Pages & Activity Sheets

The Good Dinosaur

My daughters and I cannot wait to see The Good Dinosaur in theaters in November. I got to see some sneak peak footage at the D23 Expo last month and it is going to be incredible. In true Disney fashion, it will bring the feels and is a tear jerker. I have been dying for some good (no pun intended) coloring sheets for my girls. I have already introduced them to Arlo and Spot and they keep asking for Good Dino things. I have tried to draw them some coloring pages and they have turned out – less than stellar. They were thrilled to see I had some much better ones for them today. Download them below for your little ones to color! There is also a fun memory card game and hexaflexagon project you can print as well.

Spot & Arlo 2

Ramsey

Butch

arlo & spot Nash

Download Coloring Pages Here ——-> Coloring Pages

Hexaflexagon

Download Hexaflexagon Here ——-> Hexaflexagon

Memory Game

Download Memory Game Here ——-> Memory Game

THE GOOD DINOSAUR opens in theatres everywhere on November 25th!

Like THE GOOD DINOSAUR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PixarTheGoodDinosaur
Follow THE GOOD DINOSAUR on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegooddinosaur
Follow THE GOOD DINOSAUR on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thegooddinosaur/
Follow THE GOOD DINOSAUR on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/disneystudios/the-good-dinosaur/
Visit Disney/Pixar on Tumblr: http://disneypixar.tumblr.com
Follow Disney/Pixar on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DisneyPixar
Visit the official THE GOOD DINOSAUR website here: http://movies.disney.com/the-good-dinosaur

TMNT T-Machines from Playmates Toys

Disclosure: Mama Smith’s Review Blog received this item in exchange for her honest review. All opinions expressed are 100% hers.

TMNT Giveaway

My daughters LOVE the Ninja Turtles – or as they call them “enja turtles”. Starting a couple months ago we would catch an episode here and there and they would want to watch the whole thing. But ever since they got the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Imagicard game for their LeapPad, they ask to put it on constantly. They now know all of the turtles’ names, their weapons of choice, and even that Leo is the leader “but Raph really wants to be” – and of course the fact that they all love pizza! For the few weeks we have been playing TMNT and I get to be Raphael always – which is fine with me because he was always my favorite growing up. That is something I really like about them being so into TMNT – it is something I was really into when I was growing up – except the toys seem way cooler now!

TMNT T-Machines

These Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles T-Machine Vehicles & Playsets from Playmates Toys are really awesome! There are regular vehicles ($3.99 each), vehicles with sound ($7.99 each), and playsets ($14.99 each) – all totally reasonable in price. They are based on the show that is currently airing on Nickelodeon and the vehicles are designed to capture the personality of the characters that are driving them. The vehicles have a die-cast chassis making them extremely durable. These are toys that can easily be passed on to my girls kids – I just know they will last that long. These are 1/50 scale vehicles and they are compatible with the leading competitors track systems. The collection includes: Raphael in Shellraiser, Fishface in Shellcrusher, Shredder in Shreddermobile, Leonardo in AT-3, Leonardo in Stealth Bike, Michelangelo in Hot Rod, Splinter in Rat Attack, Donatello in Service Truck, Raphael in Monster Truck, Tiger Claw in Safari Truck and Donatello in Patrol Buggy, Michelangelo in Patrol Buggy, Casey in Ice Machine, Raphael in Armored Truck, Rat King in Hearse, Turflytle in Buggy, Donnie in Speed Demon, Karai Snake in Sports Car, Raph in Military Truck, Leo in Sports Car, Mikey in Party Wagon and Slash in Demolition Car. Shop those here.

TMNT Talking

As for the vehicles with sound they are very similar, except you press the button on the engine block and the vehicle roars to life. Each one plays 10 to 15 different turtle phrases and vehicle sound effects. My daughters love these! Hear the engines roar, the tires squeal, and the Ninja Turtles scream out battle cries with these die-case vehicles. This collection includes: Extreme Speed Demon with Talking Raphael, Extreme Party Wagon with Talking Leonardo, Extreme Monster Truck with Talking Michelangelo and Extreme Service Truck with Talking Donnie. Shop those here.

TMNT T-Machines   TMNT T-Machines   TMNT T-Machines

And if you thought it couldn’t get any better, it does. There are also TMNT Playsets from Playmates Toys! You can build your own city with these sets. The playsets include the T-Machine Garage & Lair Playset and the Sewer Gas Station Playset. One really cool feature about these is that they can connect to create a bigger playing environment! We have the Sewer Gas Station Playset and it was really easy to put together. It only took me a couple of minutes. There is an elevator and a ramp that will drop down when you press a button – the girls have already spent hours playing with it. They are compatible with all T-Machines vehicles and each set come with an exclusive T-Rawket vehicle (Garage & Lair comes with exclusive Raphael in T-Rawket vehicle and Sewer Gas Station comes with exclusive Mikey in T-Rawket vehicle). These would make great holiday gifts for any TMNT fan and I forsee us completing our set!

TMNT T-Machines

Connect with Playmates Toys on Social Media:

Playmates Toys website:  http://www.playmatestoys.com
Playmates Toys Twitter:  https://twitter.com/playmatestoys
Playmates Toys TMNT Instagram: https://instagram.com/tmntplay
Playmates Toys Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/playmatestoys/
Playmates Toys TMNT YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TMNTToys
TMNT Play Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TMNTPlay

 

Giveaway Alert

Enter to win two T-Machines Single Pack Vehicles, two T-Machines Vehicles with Sound, and one T-Machines Playset using the Gleam form below! Be sure to check out my other giveaways while you are here and GOOD LUCK!

TMNT T-Machines Set

Gifts for Kids

#TwoBlogsFunGuides

NERF First Order Stormtrooper Blaster Unboxing

force friday

As most of you know, I am a huge Star Wars fan! I mean, my husband and I went to Star Wars Weekend for our honeymoon and had a blast! We love the series and are counting down the days for Episode VIII! Unless you live under a rock, you should know that this week marked Force Friday. On this amazing day a wave of Star Wars toys were released. And they were announced to the public in probably the coolest way I have ever seen – in unboxing videos on YouTube that were live streaming! Hot off the heels of this 18+ hour global live unboxing event on YouTube where highlights of the new product range were officially unveiled, the celebration continued as more than 3,000 retail locations in the U.S. opened their doors at midnight for fans to be among the first to discover new Star Wars products. Check out my favorite one – filmed in Mexico City, the Star Wars First Order Stormtrooper Deluxe NERF Blaster from Hasbro – it looks incredible!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY9d3awTJUE&list=PL148kCvXk8pAirxa-tYnAQ6soqS1rLYkw&index=11

After watching this video I was beyond excited for this toy! Both of my girls love NERF guns and pretty much anything from Hasbro so I knew this would be a great way to get them started on Star Wars. They are still a little young to watch “real people” movies as they call them, but we plan to start our 4 year old watching them soon. Now, I don’t understand a word they are saying but just seeing the toy itself, I can tell it is going to be a blast to play with! I love that is has a sight with it – how cool is that? This is truly going to be a NERF toy that I want for myself – watch out kids, you have been warned!

That wasn’t the only unboxing video – #ForceFriday started in Sydney and ending at Lucasfilm headquarters in San Francisco, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media hosted an epic global live event to unveil key Star Wars: The Force Awakens productsFans who tuned in to the Star Wars YouTube page were able to see many toys unboxed by top digital stars from the Maker Studios network. Along with a few fellow Star Wars fanatic bloggers, we reviewed these videos and toys. Click through the list below to check them all out – and may the force be with you!

force friday

[Tweet “Check out what these #StarWars fanatics thought of the #ForceFriday #unboxing videos!”]

Additionally, fans tuning in to watch ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ on ABC were treated to a fun product reveal with Jimmy and his security guard sidekick Guillermo, showcasing Star Wars: The Force Awakens Voice Changing Masks exclusive to Disney Store. Beyond lightsabers, construction sets, figures and collectibles, fans can find products across a wide variety of categories, including apparel for all members of the family, home décor, lifestyle accessories, books and more. New Star Wars products can be found around the world at mass and specialty retailers, such as Amazon.com, Kohl’s, Target, Toys “R” Us and Walmart, as well as Disney Store and disneystore.com.

Highlights from the merchandise line found in the U.S. include:

  • A large collection of exclusive merchandise from Disney Store including role play items, talking action figures and figure play sets, along with themed apparel, tech accessories, mugs, journals and more
  • J. Crew apparel for men, women and kids featuring the fan-favorite “Chewie, we’re home” scene of Chewbacca and Han Solo from the Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser trailer
  • Star Wars collection of Rock & Republic® misses apparel and Mighty Fine juniors apparel offers female fans graphic tees, leggings, sweatshirts, hoodies and dresses available at Kohl’s
  • The ultimate Millennium Falcon children’s bed from Pottery Barn Kids, looking like something seen from a galaxy far, far away
  • A villainous take on home merchandise featuring new characters from the Dark Side, such as First Order Stormtroopers and Kylo Ren available at JCPenney

To preserve the integrity of key movie moments, an additional wave of products will be released closer to the film’s debut, when fans will be able to find additional items featuring the newest characters, including Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren, Captain Phasma, BB-8 and more. On December 18, a Play Set based on Star Wars: The Force Awakens will become available for Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition, the latest installment of the best-selling “toys-to-life” video game from Disney Interactive.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS arrives in theaters everywhere on December 18th!
Like STAR WARS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarWars
Follow STAR WARS on Twitter: https://twitter.com/starwars
Follow STAR WARS on Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwars/
Follow STAR WARS on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/starwars
Visit the official STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS website: http://www.starwars.com/the-force-awakens/

Top Kid Friendly Things to Do at The Great New York State Fair

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Disclosure: Mama Smith received tickets to this event from The Great New York State Fair in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are 100% her own.

NYS Fair

I love taking my daughters to The Great New York State Fair every year – it is something we really enjoy as a family. I had heard some people mention that if you have real little ones, there was not much to do there. That could not be further from the truth. There is so much to do with kids. We have a 4 and a 2.5 year old and always have a great day at the fair! When you first walk in (any entrance) to the fair, you will see Lost Kid Tags where you can write your name, child’s name, and your phone number so that if you do get separated from your child, you can easily be reunited. This is just one of the many things that shows how kid friendly the fair is. We spent two days at the fair this year (so far) and I thought I would put together a list of must sees for those of you with young kids.

Butterfly Garden   Butterfly Garden   Butterfly Garden

Butterfly Garden   Butterfly Garden   Butterfly Garden

Butterfly Garden
This year was our first time seeing the Butterfly Garden area. I don’t know how we ever missed it, but this is something we will be visiting every year as long as it is there. It was the first thing we did this visit, and the highlight of the day! Both of my girls kept talking about how much fun it was having butterflies land on their heads, clothes, and arms. This only costs $1 each and everyone is provided with a Q-tip. There are bowls inside the exhibit where you can dip the Q-tip in to get some nectar. You can pick up the butterflies with these and watch them eat the nectar. Before you leave, you are searched to make sure there are no stowaways hiding on you. This is an extremely cool experience and I recommend it to every single person who attends the fair. There is nothing like it!

K-9 Police Dogs
One place that we always stop by is the police area. You can watch officers repel down towers, take a look at some actual vehicles they use, and even meet their K-9 pals! This was a huge hit with my daughters because – puppies! It was interesting to learn about the different jobs that these dogs do such as finding missing persons and sniffing for explosives. The dogs that they bring out are all super friendly and the kids can pet them all they want.

Rides and Games   Rides and Games   Rides and Games
Rides and Games

Rides & Games
It is a fair so of course there are rides and games. But a lot of the games are hard for young ones and the rides are too big, so be sure to visit Kiddie Land so that they can go on smaller versions of some of the most popular fair rides. There is a train and even a falling tower they can ride! Some of the games include water racing and also fishing for sharks. In this area everyone wins so your child is guaranteed to walk away with a new stuffed animal or toy.

Petting Zoo   Petting Zoo   Petting Zoo

Petting Zoo   Petting Zoo   Petting Zoo

Petting Zoo
Somewhere that every kid is sure to have fun at is the Petting Zoo. Our first year at the fair this was a little hard to find because it is way in the back of the fair. This is a must see! There are cups of carrots and animal feed that you can purchase, and the price is really fair. If you purchase the Fair Best Buy book (only $5 and I really recommend it) there is even a coupon to save $2 when you buy one of each. They have tons of animals that go beyond the normal goats and alpacas that you see at most petting zoos. This year we got to feed (and pet!!) a camel, a kangaroo, and a yak! Is that cool or what? If you (or your child) is an animal lover, this is should be at the top of your to do list for the fair!

NYS Fair

If you don’t have young kids – or want a day away from them – there are plenty of other things to do at The Great New York State Fair. From the food, to rides, to vendors, to concerts, to lots of wine and beer – you are guaranteed a fun day at no matter your age! And don’t forget, this coming Monday (Labor Day – September 7) is dollar day, where entry is only a dollar! Nick Jonas will be performing at Chevy Court and it is something you will not want to miss!

Click here to read about the top foods at the New York State Fair.

Connect with The Great New York State Fair on social media:

Website: www.nysfair.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/nysfair
Twitter: http://twitter.com/NYSFair

Meet The Moodsters

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Disclosure: Mama Smith’s Review Blog received this item in exchange for her honest review. All opinions expressed are 100% hers.

Moodsters

Moodsters characters

As most of you know, I have two young girls. They are 2.5 and 4 years old and they are at an age where it is very hard for them to manage their emotions. I spend a lot of time calming them down when they at extremes (angry, sad, and even happy) and asking them to take deep breathes and tell me just how they are feeling. I was so excited to discover The Moodsters because I knew right away they would be a valuable emotional intelligence (“EQ”) tool in helping them understand their emotions. I feel so lucky to have been asked to join a team of bloggers to become brand ambassadors for The Moodsters. These guys are awesome and I promise you they will help a lot of kids – and parents as well!

I recently got to chat on the phone with the creator of The Moodsters, Denise Daniels, who is a child development and parenting expert and has authored several books. When asked what drew her to work with children (she was a pediatric nurse, counselor, did grief therapy, and now The Moodsters) she answered “I’m kind of like a child that’s never grown up. I’ve always loved the honesty of children, and I love watching children play—we learn so much by observing our children and sitting back and listening.” On the subject of children’s emotions, she went on to say that several years ago she founded a nonprofit organization titled The National Childhood Grief Institute. There was a major need for this and there were no EQ tools to be found anywhere. She created her own “feelings thermometer” using cardboard and fake mercury so that kids could easily express how they were feeling. This is the same idea as a pain scale.

Denise Daniels

While developing The Moodsters, a lot of research was done. Not only did Pfizer Pediatrics run a study to discover that the kids who used this thermometer required shorter hospitalizations and less pain medication – the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence researched which emotions should be featured in The Moodsters. The five emotions that they settled on were happy, sad, afraid, angry, and loving. These are the main emotions that children experience. Putting them in to character forms help them relate and understand why they are feeling certain ways and how to express that in a healthy way.

moodsters characters

About The Moodsters
The Moodsters are five little detectives (Snorf (sad), Lolly (loving), Quigly (afraid), Razzy (angry), or Coz (happy)) who solve feelings emergencies. They have two human friends, Zach and Zoey, and they collect evidence and solve top-secret cases to help their human friends understand their emotions. The curriculum is based on the RULER method, which stands for helping kids to Recognize, Understand, Label, Express, and Regulate their emotions. That is their platform, and they evolved from that to the toys, which were developed with Kids Preferred, one of world’s leading toy companies. They’ll be in Target stores starting September 9 and I for one cannot wait! In every storybook, the first couple of pages are “Guidelines for Grownups” that help explain how you need to read the book with your child. Denise explains “You can’t educate one and not the other.” meaning parents and children.

Moodsters Meter    Moodsters Meter

Moodster Meter
Every parent has a thermometer for taking a child’s temperature—now every house should have a Moodster Meter for taking a child’s emotional temperature! Young children don’t always have the vocabulary to describe their emotions, so the Moodster Meter provides a safe, fun, interactive way for kids to show how they’re feeling inside. They just push the Power Up button to align with the character and emotion that represents what they feel: Snorf (sad), Lolly (loving), Quigly (afraid), Razzy (angry), or Coz (happy). By putting the tools for expression right in their hands, the Moodster Meter makes it so much easier for young kids to talk about what’s going on inside. The Moodster Meter comes with a full-color, 32-page storybook, Meet the Moodsters. My girls love their Moodster Meter! We use it every day to discuss our emotions and how we are feeling. They love when Razzy huffs and puffs so they select angry event when they are not angry just to hear him do that. The Moodster Meter will be available at Target and Target.com on September 9 for just $19.99.

[Tweet “Enter to #win a Moodster Meter to celebrate @TheMoodsters coming to @Target! #giveaway #TheMoodsters”]

Moodsters Meter

Connect with The Moodsters on Social Media:

Website: http://themoodsters.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMoodsters
Twitter: https://twitter.com/themoodsters

Giveaway Alert

Enter to win a Moodster Meter using the Gleam form below. Be sure to check out my other giveaways while you are here and GOOD LUCK!

The Moodster Meter