Tutorial: How to draw an owl

As you can imagine, from my blog header, I'm a fan of owls; all birds, really.

Well, my little brother, who is very artistically talented, has been doing a "How to" series on drawing different things. I requested an owl! He was going to do one of my snowy owl photographs, but I asked if he could do a barn owl. I really love the disk shape to their face, so I thought it'd be really neat to learn to draw.

I'd love to see YOUR barn owl drawings- if you'd like to share yours please post it as a photo comment on this Facebook post!

The Good Dinosaur- The Good, The Sad, and the Scary.

I received a copy of THE GOOD DINOSAUR for review purposes. No other compensation was received, and all opinions are my own.

If you haven't heard yet, Disney Pixar's  The Good Dinosaur is available now! We just watched the movie, and I have to say- I love it. Here's my review (WARNING- Spoilers).

This story is a fabulous story about friendship and courage. Arlo (the dino) is the "runt" of the family, and scared of everything. He struggles to find his place and his worth in the family. The story takes a turn when a family member dies ( why are these always SO sad?!) and when Arlo feels like he is to blame for the tragedy.

After another accident happens Arlo finds himself a long way from home, but with an unusual companion- a foe turned friend. Together they must find their way home, and Arlo has to find his courage to face the unknown along the way.

Okay, so I want to share with you one thing that I think parents should be aware of... if you really don't want specific spoilers, stop reading now.

There is a point in the movie when some dinosaurs seem like they are friends, but they are really the bad guys.... and it's pretty scary, especially for the younger or more sensitive kids. You see a little "critter" be "saved" and then promptly eaten unexpectedly, and it's harsh. These dinosaurs also attack later in the movie and it's a bit frightening then, too.  Aside from the frightening parts, there is also many sad parts that will make your eyes swell with tears. The movie is a good movie, but I do wish they hadn't disguised the bad guys as helpers at first.

The ending will warm your heart and overall it's a very powerful movie about facing fears and being a good friend.

Here's a clip from the movie, check it out and check out your local retailer or find The Good Dinosaur on Amazon.

You can also find the new short, Sanjay's Super Team.  These shorts have become almost as anticipated as the movies for our family. I enjoyed this one, and I loved how it helped open my kids to another culture, making them curious. 
Included in the bonus materials, you can also find "True Lies about Dinosaurs". I loved this bonus material because it tells kids about how this movie is make believe, it's not factual, and that the dinosaurs likely wouldn't have actually seen one another since they live at different times. The other bonus materials include deleted scenes and Recylosaurus: a fun short about how people made large dinosaurs out of only recycled items.
 

Rockin Glasses and a Rockin Price!

I received these glasses in exchange for this review.

I was recently approached by someone from Firmoo asking if I would try out their glasses for them and tell you all about my experience. Since most of the people in my family wear glasses, I couldn't pass up the chance to try a new pair!

We got a pair of glasses for our son, Gavin.

They look great on him, and I'm pretty impressed with the quality.

For $33 they are seriously impressive.

To order, all you need is the glasses prescription and the pupil distance. Just plug in the numbers and you're good to go!

The order took about 2 weeks to receive. Not too bad considering that's about the same turn around time for my local eye doctor's office.

I absolutely loved the extras that came with the glasses. We received a very nice glasses case, a little glasses tool (screwdriver), a pouch and a cleaning cloth! All of these are great to have if you wear glasses.

The glasses themselves seem very high quality. The memory plastic flexes and is perfect for Gavin (who is not so kind to glasses- he goes through a couple pair a year). I do wish there were spring hinges in these, but with the frames being so flexible they may not be necessary. I think these will at least last him through the school year, though.

Check out Firmoo next time you need glasses, you could save yourself some significant money by trying their inexpensive but high quality glasses.

A new twist on the mason jar....

Since I live in Michigan, I love to promote products made in Michigan and I was recently approached by Matt, the owner of LioProducts, to check out a cool product... something that I would have never guessed could have been made.

So, Mason Jars are quite popular. You can find a bazillion different ways to use them on Pinterest.... but would you have guessed they can be made into speakers?

Yep, you read that right. Mason. Jar. Speakers.

Wait, wait... I'll show you...

Image from Etsy

Yes, those are speakers! They really work... and really rock! 

So, anyhow, I said of course I'd review! This looks like a fab product and again.... made in Michigan!

I received the speaker super quick and I was impressed with the packing. I was pretty confused by the large box (I stood there wondering what on earth I had ordered...only to remember I hadn't.) but when I opened it I totally had the aha moment. Yes, that's the mail carrier in me... I get impressed by proper packing. 

This speaker is heavy. Well, the speaker isn't overly heavy, but that is one heck of a power hook up!

 The plug-in is majorly heavy duty and the Mason Jar is a real glass quart size mason jar so it's a substantial piece as well. I really enjoy the decorative look, especially with mason jars being so popular right now.

The speaker itself works well. I have no complaints on the speaker. There isn't an independent volume control, it's all device driven, but when connected to my phone it packs plenty of punch, easily filling a room. (My co-workers were impressed).  

The top is covered with mesh, and the ring is secured (I'm assuming glued).

The power cord and jack connect to the side of the jar, and you are good to go, ready to rock, done to dance!

Definitely take a moment to check out this great decorative- but still USEFUL- speaker from Matt over at Etsy!

Baby Amaze! #Giveaway #Sponsored #BabyAmaze #VTechToys

I was provided with a sample to review by VTech, all opinions are 100% my own.

Do you remember your first baby doll? Mine was handmade... my Great Grandma made dolls. Here's a clown doll I received as a gift for my second birthday!

 I remember dolls that peed were all the fab when I was a kid, and dolls you could adopt. Baby dolls have come a long way since we were younger!

Baby Amaze is a new line that uses technology to teach nurturing concepts and developmental milestones for toddlers whose parents want more from their role-play dolls.  Your little one can talk to the VTech Baby Amaze Learn to Talk & Read Baby Doll and hear her repeat what they say or read from the three included vocabulary books featuring more than 70 words about animals, food and household objects.

The more your little one talks to the baby doll, the more words and phrases the baby doll will learn and repeat!

Annabelle is loving her Baby Amaze! 

She loves being motherly, and she is enjoying teaching her baby to read, and sing. She even gets surprised by the things Baby says, and it's adorable to see her reactions. Annabelle even employs her brothers as babysitters for her doll.

Annabelle hasn't gotten the "teaching the baby to talk" feature, but she really enjoys reading to her doll, and singing with her doll. I know she's going to enjoy the doll for quite some time, and I'm excited to see her motherly instincts grow as she nurtures this little friend.

The Baby Amaze range of products is available only at Toys“R”Us stores nationwide and online at Toysrus.com.

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