It’s been a pretty hectic month for both the hubby and I, and believe it or not, this weekend was the first time we spent it together as a family! After a relaxing two days in San Diego (more on that soon), we celebrated my son’s 4th birthday (more on why we waited so long also coming soon) and then ended the day with dinner, popcorn, and a family-friendly movie. During the week, we don’t typically have time for family movie night since we’re consumed with schedules and early bedtimes. The weekends, particularly Saturday nights, are perfect since we can flex on bedtimes. While all four of us do enjoy going to see a movie in a theater, it can get expensive and it truly is hit or miss as to whether or not my daughter will sit through the entire film without squirming.
You may remember that earlier this year, Relativity Media released Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer, a film based on the popular children’s book series about a third grade girl with a variety of moods. Despite our best intentions, we never did make it to the theater to see the film. And since we all wanted to see the movie, we decided to rent it at Blockbuster Express.
I have rented many a movie at Blockbuster over the years, but never at a Blockbuster Express. I did a little research on their website and found that a location exists just a few minutes from our home, inside our local Vons grocery store (how I never noticed it is beyond me). After I confirmed the movie was in stock at that location, I went online in search of a coupon (since I LOVE to use coupons). On the Blockbuster Express website, I noticed the Facebook icon, so I went over and “liked” the page. I received a coupon code for a one night $1 DVD rental, however, it didn’t work : ( . So I went and did a little more research and found a $1 off coupon at Coupon Dad. A one night rental costs $2.99 at Blockbuster Express, but with my $1 off coupon, it was going to cost me just $1.99.
Once I arrived at my local Blockbuster Express, renting the film was easy. Just a few clicks on the screen and I was on my way to shop for the few items I needed for dinner (and yes, the $1 off coupon worked!). It’s very convenient that the rental kiosk is right inside the grocery store and makes that last minute movie rental super easy.
As far as dinner, I decided to cook something healthy and delicious: Lemon Pepper Salmon with Wild Rice and Sauteed Asparagus. Here is what you’ll need to recreate this meal:
Lemon Pepper Salmon
4 Fresh Fillets of Salmon
1 Lemon
Cracked Pepper
Salt
Olive Oil
Season salmon fillets with lemon, pepper, and salt, drizzle with Olive Oil.
Bake at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes.
Wild Rice
In a rice cooker, combine 1 cup of wild rice with 2 cups of chicken broth and cook per instructions.
Asparagus
Saute 1 pound of Asparagus with salt, pepper, and fresh sliced garlic until tender
We ate dinner before starting the film because we believe in the importance of having meals at the table together. We then decided to watch the film, after making popcorn, or course. Tip: Make your own popcorn at home! All you need is a handful of loose popcorn kernels and some sunflower oil (sometimes we’ll also add a little vegan butter). Use a pot, cover, and cook on medium heat, shaking periodically until kernels are popped. When the popping has slowed down significantly, remove from heat immediately to avoid burning. Salt as desired. This is a much healthier (and in my opinion more flavorful) way to make popcorn.
The movie itself was adorable and funny with an engaging story. Judy Moody has great plans for her summer. Unfortunately, her best friends and her parents have different plans, none of which involve her. As you can imagine, she’s quite bummed out about having to spend the summer with her younger brother Stink and her Aunt Opal. But rather than letting this get the best of her, she decides to get creative and aspires to have the most thrilling summer of her life. She creates a list of “Thrill Points” for each summer activity that her and her friends engage in. It’s up to her, her brother Stink, and Aunt Opal (who turns out to be way cooler than anyone would have expected) to have the best summer ever! My son really enjoyed the film, particularly because of the Bigfoot component (for some reason he is fascinated by Bigfoot). The film is ideally suited for school-aged children and definitely inspires creativity and imagination. It also teaches important lessons about making the best of situations, even when they don’t go your way. Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer is filled with adventure, laughter, and inspiration.
You can find out whether or not your local Blockbuster Express currently has Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer available for rental here. If for some reason it is not available, Blockbuster Express will text you a promo code for a $1 discount on your next movie rental. Simply text JUDY to 39777 (rates may apply, depending on your service provider).
You can check out Blockbuster Express on Facebook and Twitter.
You can view my shopping experience on Google + here.
This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias.
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Looks like a great family night. My daughter wants to see this. I think we will be making time soon!