Family Movie Nights: Tinkerbell and The Neverbeast DVD

Disclosure: We were provided with a promotional copy of Disney’s Tinker Bell and the Legend of the Neverbeast for review. All opinions are mine alone.

Family movie nights are big in our home. They are a great way to unwind from crazy, busy long weeks. All 5 of us pile ourselves onto the couch and just hang out and watch a movie. Every week someone gets to pick a new movie. This week it was Amberly's turn and she picked Tinkerbell and the Legend of the NeverBeast.

The boys were a little iffy at first. There weren't really into watching a Tinkerbell movie but that quickly changed when the NeverBeast shows up. They were instantly enthralled and watched the whole movie and then asked to watch it again (which we did!)

SYNOPSIS:

Return to Pixie Hollow for a heartwarming adventure, Disney's Tinkerbell and the Legend of the NeverBeast. An ancient myth of a massive creature sparks the curiosity of Tinkerbell and her goof friend Fawn, an animal fairy who's not afraid to break the rules to help an animal in need! But this creature is nor welcome in Pixie Hollow-and the scout fairies are determined to capture the mysterious beast, who they fear will destroy their home. fawn must convince her fairy friends to risk everything to rescue the NeverBeast. 

OFFICIAL TRAILER:

Tinkerbell and the Legend of the NeverBeast is available now on Amazon and Disneystore.com. 

2015 Family Friendly Movie Releases

This is one of my favorite posts of the year. Being the BIG movie buffs that we are, we are SUPER excited for all the amazing movies being released in 2015! There are so many family friendly movies being released and I have already jotted them all down in my planner. We are not missing any of these films!!

So let's get started: (Remember release dates can change, this information is current as of today, 1/22/15)

PADDINGTON

01/16/2015

A young Peruvian bear travels to London in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone at Paddington Station, he meets the kindly Brown family, who offer him a temporary haven.

I know this has already released but I just added it here so you can remember to go see it. We saw it and it is very adorable. 

STRANGE MAGIC

01/23/2015

Goblins, elves, fairies and imps, and their misadventures sparked by the battle over a powerful potion.

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER

02/06/2015

SpongeBob goes on a quest to discover a stolen recipe that takes him to our dimension, our world, where he tangles with a pirate.

CINDERELLA

03/13/2015

This movie is the live-action of the classic Cinderella. I am really looking forward to this movie, especially since Cate Blanchett plays the evil stepmother!! 

HOME

03/27/2015

When Earth is taken over by the overly confident Boov, an alien race in search of a new place to call home, all humans are promptly relocated while all Boov get busy reorganizing the planet. But when one resourceful girl, Tip, manages to avoid capture, she finds herself the accidental accomplice of a banished Boov named Oh. The two fugitives realize there's a lot more at stake than intergalactic relations as they embark on the road trip of a lifetime.

MONKEY KINGDOM

04/17/2015

Life is an adventure for Maya, the clever and resourceful blonde-bobbed monkey in “Monkey Kingdom,” Disneynature’s new feature film set among ancient ruins in the storied jungles of South Asia. Maya’s world is forever changed when she welcomes her son, Kip, into her complicated extended family. Like all families, Maya’s has more than its share of colorful personalities—and she’s determined to give her son a leg up on the social ladder. When their longtime home at Castle Rock is taken over by powerful neighboring monkeys, Maya's whole family is forced to relocate, where she uses her street smarts and ingenuity to lead them to untapped resources amidst strange new creatures and unsettling surroundings. Ultimately, they will all have to work together to reclaim Castle Rock, where Maya can hopefully realize her dreams for her son’s future. 

I have to say the Disney Nature movies are always incredible. I have seen them all and they really are a treat to watch as a family!!

AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON

05/01/2015

Calling all my super-hero loving families: The Avengers are back!!! I know this doesn't have a G or PG rating but we watch as a family and really enjoy the Avengers movies!!

When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and it is up to the Avengers to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plans.

TOMORROWLAND

05/22/2015

From Disney comes two-time Oscar® winner Brad Bird’s riveting, mystery adventure “Tomorrowland,” starring Academy Award® winner George Clooney. Bound by a shared destiny, former boy-genius Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, and Casey (Britt Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as “Tomorrowland.” What they must do there changes the world—and them—forever.

INSIDE OUT

06/19/2015

Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it's no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions – Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley’s mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley's main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school.

MINIONS

07/10/2015

Minions Stuart, Kevin and Bob are recruited by Scarlet Overkill, a super-villain who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world.

ANT-MAN

07/17/2015

Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

PAN

07/24/2015

This movie is the live-action of Peter Pan. I am really looking forward to seeing Hugh Jackman as Captain Hook!!

The story of an orphan who is spirited away to the magical Neverland. There, he finds both fun and dangers, and ultimately discovers his destiny -- to become the hero who will be forever known as Peter Pan.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2

09/25/2015

When the old-old-old-fashioned vampire Vlad arrives at the hotel for an impromptu family get-together, Hotel Transylvania is in for a collision of supernatural old-school and modern day cool.

THE PEANUTS MOVIE

11/06/2015

Snoopy embarks upon his greatest mission as he and his team take to the skies to pursue their arch-nemesis, while his best pal Charlie Brown begins his own epic quest back home.

THE GOOD DINOSAUR

11/25/2015

Arlo, a 70-foot-tall teenage Apatosaurus, befriends a young human boy named Spot.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

12/18/2015

Not much needs to be explained for this epicness!! 

2015 is going to be a great year at the movies!!! Now tell me, which movies are you and your family looking forward to seeing?

Best of 2014 and a BIG THANK YOU!!

I am thrilled to be writing this post. I have always read other blogger's best of posts and hoped to do one of my own (I didn't do one last year as I didn't have many posts). My blog rocked this year and helped me realize how much I love blogging. I wouldn't mind if this turned into a full-time thing either, spend more time with my family and do what I love. That's definitely a future goal/resolution of mine! I've already started brainstorming some ideas for 2015 and I'm really super excited for a new year!

Having a blog to document your life is incredible. I had such a great time looking back at all the things my family and I did that I didn't even remember. It was fun sharing our family life, celebrations and recipes with you and there's more to come. I did an analytics search to find my most viewed posts and here are my Top 5:

A Gameband for Ivanna

Any and all posts about Ivanna were well-received this year. I wasn't sure about sharing her life on my blog since she isn't my biological child but she was OK with it. I love her to death and in my mind she is my child so you will definitely continue to hear more about Ivanna in 2015!

Adrian's Big Hero 6 Party

You guys loved this post! I can see why too. The movie was a hit in the theatres, every child wanted a Baymax of their very own and not many people have DIY'd a Big Hero 6 party. This party almost didn't happen thanks to an unruly 8 year old but in the end, I'm glad I pulled it together. 

2014: A Big Year for Disney Movies

This post was one of my favorites this year just because I love Disney movies. It was so fun to look online, gather all the movie info and then wait in anticipation for the movie's release! 2015 version is coming up in January so stay tuned!!

Sausage & Pepperoni Baked Ziti

I was so excited to share this recipe on my blog. This is a family favorite, we have it at least once a month. Adrian is always asking me to make it for him. It's a perfect combination of pizza and pasta that I am sure your whole family will love!!

Blended Families: 101

After a couple years working at this blended family stuff, I thought I would share some tips & tricks! You guys loved this post and I am already working on Part 2 of tips and tricks centered around holidays!! Our blended family rocks!!

I also want to take a minute and thank each and every one of you that reads and comments on my posts. Sometimes, I wonder if anyone reads what I write and then bam, a comment pops up. I do read them all and a goal of mine in 2015 is to respond to each and every one. I want to build a better relationship with each of you because I love blogging. I love sharing our lives with you and getting to experience amazing opportunities I would have never experienced. I love working with blogger networks and trying out new products. Bloggingbecame a huge part of my life in 2014 and it will be even BIGGER in 2015. I have so much planned but don't worry, this blog will ultimately always be about family and my second chance!!!

Happy New Year to you and yours!!

Disney's A Christmas Carol: A Christmas Favorite!

I love watching Christmas movies with my family. I love snuggling up on the couch and watching movies that I grew up and sharing memories with my kids. A big part of our holiday traditions is to watch as many movies as we can from the ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas programming.  One of our favorites to watch together is Disney's A Christmas Carol!

Disney's A Chritsmas Carol tells the story of Charles Dickens' beloved tale-A Christmas Carol and stars Jim Carrey. Scrooge hates Christmas and everything that comes with it and no one is sure why. During the movie, three ghosts appear to him and take him on an eye-opening journey to learn the true meaning of Christmas! Then he needs to act on what he has learned before it's too late and ruins another Christmas! 

Jim Carrey really makes this movie as Scrooge. He is mean and spiteful and just perfect. This movie also has all the magic and wonder you can expect from a Disney movie. It really is a great family-friendly movie!

I found the trailer so you can catch a snip of how magical this movie is:

ABC's 25 Days of Christmas is playing Disney's A Christmas Carol all throughout December. See schedule of movies below:

Have you seen Disney's A Christmas Carol with your family? Which Christmas movie are you looking forward to seeing this holiday season?

REVIEW: Sofia the First: Holiday in Enchancia

Everyone's favorite princess is back with a holiday special with a special appearance by Sleeping Beauty! This special is everything a children's holiday movie should be! It's filled with wonder and magic!

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: Deck the halls and ring in the season! It may be the coldest day of winter, but it's also the warmest, merriest adventure ever for SOFIA THE FIRST. Welcome to the most magical time of the year! This is Sofia's first Winter Holiday in the castle with her new family, but when King Roland goes missing in a raging snowstorm, Sofia leads her mother, Amber and James on a brave expedition aboard a flying sleigh to find him. As the blizzard whirls around them, their hopes are nearly dashed -- until Princess Aurora appears and reminds Sofia that her animal friends might hold the key to finding her dad and reuniting her family. Sparkling with festive fun -- plus four additional song-filled episodes -- HOLIDAY IN ENCHANCIA celebrates the greatest gift of all: spending special days with the people you love!

Sofia the First: Holiday in Enchancia will be released Tuesday, November 4th! This is the perfect stocking stuffer for your little princess!!

REVIEW: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie #TMNTMovie

Plot Summary:

Darkness has settled over New York City as Shredder and his evil Foot Clan have an iron grip on everything from the police to the politicians. The future is grim until four unlikely outcast brothers rise from the sewers and discover their destiny as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The Turtles must work with fearless reporter April O'Neil and her cameraman Vern Fenwick to save the city and unravel Shredder's diabolical plan.

Our Review:

If you are a TMNT fan, go watch this movie. The trailers that have been released do not do the movie justice. This movie is action packed and most of all fun to watch!! Believe me, you do not want to mess with these revamped turtles!! I will mention though, this is not a movie for young children. Yes, I know there are younger TMNT fans, but they are better off sticking to the cartoon show. Adrian (age 7) saw it and loved it but didn't understand alot of it. I personally wouldn't take a child under the age of 7 to watch this movie.  

Our TMNT Story:
I have a soft spot in my heart for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle series. I remember, as a child, my brother's obsession with the turtles. The original TMNT movie came out in 1990 when my brother was 7, the same age Adrian is now. My brother is now 30 and he takes time out of his day to sit with Adrian, either on Sunday mornings or during the week, to watch the TMNT series. It is their "thing!" It brings me such joy to see them together, discussing the characters and plot lines and then playing with the toys. I know this time spent with my brother will be special memories for Adrian to have forever.

Official Trailer:



So tell me, are your kids driving you crazy to see this movie? Are you a TMNT fan?

REVIEW: Planes: Fire & Rescue

We had the privilege to get to attend the advance screening of the new Planes: Fire & Rescue movie this week. I was very excited to watch this movie since I really loved the first one. This movie was very different from the first though. This one is more focused on Dusty Crophopper learning selflessness. It's not all about him this time. My favorite part of this movie is that it is focused on real superheroes: our firefighters. There aren't many movies that highlight the firefighter profession, especially towards children. This movie does an excellent job at helping children understand how much firefighters do and how they sacrifice themselves for others. Also, there's a new cast of lovable characters that your children will enjoy meeting. 

Official Synopsis:

When Dusty learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he joins forces with fire and rescue helicopter Blade Ranger and his team, The Smokejumpers, to battle a massive wildfire.

I really recommend this movie for all families. It is a great movie to watch together as a family!!

Planes: Fire & Rescue hits theaters July 18th!

More info here: http://movies.disney.com/planes-fire-and-rescue

REVIEW: How To Train Your Dragon 2 and FREE Printables

We were honored and humbled to be invited to attend a screening of How To Train Your Dragon 2 last week. How To Train Your Dragon has been one of Adrian's favorites for years and he was looking forward to watching the sequel since he saw the first preview months ago. 

Official Synopsis: 

It's been five years since Hiccup and Toothless successfully united dragons and vikings on the island of Berk. While Astrid, Snotlout and the rest of the gang are challenging each other to dragon races (the island's new favorite contact sport), the now inseparable pair journey through the skies, charting unmapped territories and exploring new worlds. When one of their adventures leads to the discovery of a secret ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace. Now, Hiccup and Toothless must unite to stand up for what they believe while recognizing that only together do they have the power to change the future of both men and dragons.

Our Thoughts:

This is the ultimate story of a boy and his pet!! This is probably one of the best sequels ever. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. Hiccup and Toothless are an incredible team and I loved how this film continued on the training aspect of the first film. There are more dragons, more adventures, more love and definitely more fun!!! One thing I do recommend is having your kids watch the first film (if they haven't seen it) before going out to watch this one. In my opinion, they need to watch the meeting of Hiccup and Toothless first. I guarantee they will love both movies!!

For Fun: Make sure to go to the official website for the movie: http://www.howtotrainyourdragon.com/ and check out all the cool games and printables available! 

Having a How to Train Your Dragon party? Dreamworks even has free party printables for you to download! 

http://www.howtotrainyourdragon.com/play/downloads/printables

How To Train Your Dragon 2 hits theaters Friday, June 13th!!

Did your kids love the first movie? Are they excited to go see the sequel?