No Tivo? Try Fancast!

Before my husband and I had children, we didn’t even think about whether or not we would be home or available to watch Ugly Betty or So You Think You Can Dance.  These days, we’re fortunate if we get to watch episodes in the same season!  Just when the good shows are starting, we’re bathing our little boy, reading books, and tucking him in for bed.  After that we head downstairs to clean up from dinner.  By that time, we’re exhausted!

Fortunately, you can stay current with a new site called Fancast.  Here is a little more information from the site:

Fancast gives fans instant access to an extensive video collection of television shows, movies, trailers and clips, so they can tune-in, catch-up and critique their favorite television programming. Fancast also offers comprehensive editorial and blog coverage with in-depth recaps and analysis on what’s hot and happening everyday in the world of television and entertainment.

To be honest, I was quite impressed with their selection of full length television episodes and movies.  I also like the fact that the site is free (just like television).  I will say that if you have a DVR, you probably record your favorite shows (as we do).  But sometimes there is more than one show on at the same time and we aren’t able to record both so this is a really nice fallback.  

Another great thing about the site…minimal or no commercials…so a one hour show is really only about 45 minutes.  Plus, I can watch it when my husband wants to watch The Office or Iron Chef!  

You won’t find EVERY show on the site, but you will find many.  They’re offered in chronological order and you can even catch up on past seasons.  I know there was a time when my son was first born that I watched little to no television for weeks.  

So if you’ve missed the latest Glee or Dancing With the Stars episode, check out Fancast!  

Profuse thanks to One2One who provided the information for this post.

Snow White Is Back! *Giveaway*

This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is Melanie B.  A HUGE congrats!

My husband may not appreciate what I’m about to write…but he is a HUGE fan and collector of Disney movies.  I remember when we first met and he told me and then showed me his collection how surprised and impressed I was.  He hasn’t quite reached the D23 category but he’s close!

For the first time in seven years, Disney released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in high-definition Blu-ray today. And did you know it hasn’t been available in any form since 2001?  I didn’t! I just adore this classic story of a beautiful princess, her ugly stepmother, a talking mirror, singing Dwarfs and a handsome prince!  It’s been hailed as “the most acclaimed animated movie ever made” and I have to say I agree (although I have many close runner-ups in the animated category).  The movie debuted in 1937 (seriously?) but is as timeless as Disney.  It was also the first full-length animated film every made!

Some of the highlights of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Diamond Edition include a series of DVD bonus features including a sneak peak at Disney’s brand new The Princess and the Frog,” a beautiful video by Tiffany Thornton singing Someday My Prince Will Come, and a lively “Heigh-Ho” Karaoke Sing-Along (and that isn’t even half of what you’ll find in the “bonus” section).

We don’t have a Blu-ray player (yet) so we weren’t able to view the bonus features, however, they sound incredible, including Family Play games and activities, Backstage Disney, and some very cool-sounding Blu-ray features like DisneyView’s expanded viewing experience, and 7.1 Digital Theater System Hi-Def Surround Sound.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Diamond Edition is available in two forms:  Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack ($39.99) and the 2-Disc DVD set ($29.99).  You can view a trailer of the movie here.

Win It! One of you will win Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Diamond Edition Combo Pack +  Seven Dwarfs Plush Toy set (RV $85).  Simply leave me a comment with your favorite part of the movie!  Comments will close on October 20, 2009 at 10 PM PST.  One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

Profuse thanks to One2One who provided the DVD for review!

Smooshies Giveaway!

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is Janet. Congrats!  And I LOVED all the names you suggested.  Thank you!  My son still likes to call him “Ugly”

I have to start by saying my husband can be a clown sometimes.  He likes to joke a ton and it’s one of the many things I love about him.  Last week, we received a fun little package from One2One. It contained a Smooshie and an extra set of parts.  Perhaps I should start by explaining what a Smooshie is. It’s an adorably soft plush toy with interchangeable arms, legs, etc.  So I opened up the package and asked my husband what he thought.  He looked at it and looked at me and said that it was ugly in a cute way.  You know how blunt men can be.  Well, my son heard this…and thought that the Smooshie was named Ugly.  So, now all he wants to do is play with “Ugly.”  Sigh…  Can we rename him?  Please?

We received the Small Hourglass Smooshie Kit to review.  It’s actually a lot of fun.  My son loves when we interchange the various arms and legs on him (is it a him?).  He puts arms where legs should go and vice versa.   Because Smooshies use Velcro to attach, it’s relatively easy for my son to take the pieces on and off. Not only is it a nice way to teach my son colors, it starts the process of encouraging creativity.  As a believer in open-ended toys, I think this toy makes a wonderful addition to his collection.  Honestly…he has a number of stuffed animals that he doesn’t play with.  The only stuffed animal he has any attachment to is his “night night bear”(let’s hope we never lose it).  He actually plays with his Smooshie.

Smooshies have won a number of toy awards and are hailed by parents as fun and educational.  I echo the sentiment!  Smooshies kits are available for purchase at select Michaels and JoAnn stores for $9.99 (very affordable).

Win It! One of you will win a Smooshie Kit!  Simply head on over to the site and take a look around.  Come back here and leave me a comment with your favorite (besides the one I reviewed please).  Comments will close on July 28, 2009 at 10 PM PST.  One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Seal Soul Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is M. E.  Congratulations!

Remember my review on Seal’s latest CD entitled Soul? Well…thanks to One2One I have a signed copy of Soul to give away to one luck reader! Seal recently appeared on PBS Soundstage but the concert will re-air throughout the month. If you’d like to check out what you missed, head on over to the site for airing dates.

Here is a summary of the concert that recently aired:

In a stunning performance, Seal evokes an era when music vividly captured emotion and romance. Joined by Foster, as well as a choir and string section, Seal takes on Ann Pebbles’ “I Can’t Stand the Rain,” Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes’ “If You Don’t Know Me By Now.”

Win It! Head on over to the site and listen to excerpts from Seal’s latest CD, Soul. Come back here and leave me a comment with your favorite. Comments will close on March 8, 2009 at 10 pm PST.  One comment per person, please. US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Place my button on your site. If you have difficulty, please let me know.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

Yanni Voices (and a Giveaway)

This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is Ken Robinson.  Congratulations!

I haven’t posted a recap of BlissDom (but it’s coming!). I’ll start by telling you that we were treated to a very special screening of Yanni Voices AND I got a picture with two of the singers, Ender Thomas and Nathan Pacheco.  On March 2, PBS will premiere a special concert series where you’ll get a chance to hear and see Yanni Voices on television.

If you’ve never heard of Yanni or you’ve never listened to the music, I highly recommend checking it out. It’s truly unlike anything you’ll ever listen to.  The music is an eclectic mix of instrumental compositions and vocals with an underlying romantic feeling.

Here is a little more about Yanni Voices, from the site:

Yanni, in collaboration with legendary producer Ric Wake, has discovered and developed four of the most extraordinary young voices in music today. Two years in the making, Yanni returns to the global stage with a dazzling new tour. For the first time ever, Yanni re-interprets his classic compositions and debuts new music introducing show-stopping vocalists Nathan Pacheco, Chloe, Ender Thomas and Leslie Mills.

If you’re fortunate to live in one of these cities, you may be able to catch them on tour!

Win It!  One of you will win a Yanni Voices CD/DVD Preview set and a box of Godiva Chocolate Truffles courtesy of One2One!  Simply head over to the site and listen to a preview of Yanni Voices.  Come back here and leave me a comment with your favorite!  Comments will close on March 1, 2009 at 10 pm PST.  One comment per person, please. US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Place my button on your site. If you have difficulty, please let me know.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

Be sure to check out the Potty Party…going on right now!

Celine Dion

I grew up listening to Celine Dion and still find her to be one of the greatest musical talents of all time.  If you’re a fan or enjoy great live entertainment, check out Celine’s Taking Chances World Tour.  Her North American tour dates have been extended into February ’09  so take a look and see if she’s coming to your town.  Celine’s concert tickets may just be the perfect gift for a friend, family member or yourself.  See what the show is like here.

Music Review & Giveaway: Linda Eder

*This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is adrienne Gordon.  Congrats! *

I just love music and I often go through phases where I’ll keep a CD I like in for weeks and weeks at a time!  It drives my husband nuts because he likes variety!  I like variety but when it’s good…it’s good!  Right now I’m rockin’ out to Linda Eder’s latest CD entitled The Other Side of Me. 

When I first started listening to her, my immediate impression was that she was a country singer.  I love country music, by the way.  As I continued listening I realized that she is actually more diverse than that and incorporates a variety of styles into her music, Pop and Country the most noticeable.  Linda Eder has a versatile style and her repertoire includes Broadway and Jazz (although not in this CD).

Linda Eder has been hailed as one of the greatest voices of our time and her nationwide concert tours include four sold out shows at Carnegie Hall.  These concerts have also received televised coverage on Bravo and PBS.  The Other Side of Me is her eleventh album and is available for purchase now!  Her tour is wrapping up but if you’re interested in checking out one of her concerts (she would be amazing to see), visit her site.  She even has a blog!  : )

Win It!  One lucky reader will win an autographed copy of The Other Side of Me and an autographed T-shirt OR hat.  Head on over to the site and listen to some of her songs.  Come back here and leave me a comment with your favorite!  Comments will close on December 15, 2008 at 10 pm PST.  The winner will be chosen on December 16, 2008.  One comment per person, please. US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter.

Blog about this giveaway.  It doesn’t have to be a separate post.  Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Place my button on your site.  If you have difficulty, please let me know.

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Profuse thanks to One2One  for this review opportunity!

Holiday Review & Giveaway: Il Divo

*This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by!  The winner is Valerie Mitchell.  Congratulations!  *

Where did November go?  It seems like only yesterday we were taking my son trick-or-treating!  Lights are up, pumpkin patches have been replaced with tree lots, and carolers are belting Christmas classics while shoppers peruse the latest sales.  The holidays are here!  And it seems like every station I turn to is boasting traditional Christmas songs.  I have to admit that while I like Christmas music during the celebrated week, I don’t enjoy listening to it for the entire month preceding the holiday.    I prefer modern variations and new, uptempo, holiday-inspired songs.  

If you’ve never heard of the hugely popular operative quartet Il Divo, then you’re definitely going to want to check them out.  They have an amazingly unique sound, rich in culture and romance.  Simon Cowell (the creator of American Idol) brought the group together in 2004.  Since then they have enjoyed much success including two sold out world tours where they performed to over 1.5 million people in thirty countries.  What is so captivating about this group is their ability to merge language, culture, and music genre to create a POPera of sorts.  

Recently I had the opportunity to review their latest release entitled The Promise and The Christmas Collection.  Their voices are amazing, the lyrics are inspirational, and they sing in English, Italian, and Spanish!  Check out the music video Amazing Grace, which is a featured song on their latest release:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMVxzEueJ6A&hl=en&fs=1]

Both CDs are available for purchase now on Amazon.com.  

Win It!  One reader will win a copy of both The Promise and The Christmas Collection.  Head on over to their site and listen to some of their music (you’ll love it!).  Then come back and leave me a comment with the name of your favorite song.  Comments will close on December 14, 2008 at 10 pm PST.  The winner will be chosen on December 15, 2008.  One comment per person, please. US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter.

Blog about this giveaway.  It doesn’t have to be a separate post.  Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Place my button on your site.  If you have difficulty, please let me know.

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Profuse thanks to One2One  for this review opportunity!

A Soulful Giveaway!

Update

This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is Amber.  Congratulations!

We have just ventured off to the desert for a quick mini getaway and the drive seemed like the perfect time to pop in Seal’s new CD entitled Soul.  As soon as the soulful melody of A Change Is Gonna Come started playing, I knew this was going to be a favorite of mine.  I grew up with a father who played nothing but the “oldies” and soul is still one of his favorite music genres.  Waves of nostalgia swept over me as I remembered all of those car rides to school, made more pleasant by “good music.”  An album is a hit with me if it can evoke emotion and change my mood.

Seal has a way of taking classics like Here I Am (Come and Take Me) and It’s Alright and giving them a hint of modern edge while retaining the songs’ personality and originality.  Soul collaborated with legendary producer David Foster to create an album that bridges the old with the new in a reverent way.

Check out the videos recently posted on YouTube:  

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XjLafQUyUY&hl=en&fs=1]

 

Win It!  One very lucky reader will win a copy of Seal’s new CD, Soul AND an iPod Retro Mini Speaker if I can part with it! Simply leave me a comment wilth the name of your favorite Seal song and something delightful you found on Delight.com.  Comments will close on December 1, 2008 at 10 pm PST.  The winner will be chosen on December 2, 2008.  One comment per person, please. US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter.

Blog about this giveaway.  It doesn’t have to be a separate post.  Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Place my button on your site.  If you have difficulty, please let me know.

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Profuse thanks to One2One and Delight.com for this review opportunity!

If you’re not familiar with One2One check them out. They have cool opportunities for women.  And right now, if you spread the word about Seal’s new CD, you’ll be entered to win cool prizes like a SpaFinder gift card or a CD.  

To enter, embed the widget on your blog or any social media site. You get one additional entry for each location the widget is placed. All entrants must email the url of the location they put the widget to Arianne Segerman to be entered.  Contest ends Dec 1st.

If you’re not familiar with Delight.com, do check out the site!  This unique boutique stocks the perfect gift for everyone on your list.  You’ll find eco-friendly tote bags, gadgets for guys, kitchen gear that is smart and saves time, travel essentials, one-of-a-kind baby gifts, stocking stuffers for holiday gift shopping and unique jewelry and decor accessories with most under $50.