Bridesmaids on DVD

Out September 20, 2011 on Blu-ray and DVD is Bridesmaids'> Bridesmaids($29.98) the hit film starring Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph. If you haven't seen it then rush out and buy a copy asap! I have seen it twice now and I knew after the first viewing it was going to be a movie I keep in rotation. Refreshingly funny (yes, really!) it is a great way to spend a night in with your friends.

Hot pink cupcakes with Bridesmaids 'B' made for the party!

That is just what I did too. Last night I hosted a Bridesmaids DVD launch party with a few of my close friends. We drank wine (Cupcake winery Red Velvet was one we selected), including Bridesmaids Party Punch (recipe below), ate cupcakes (a must as star Kristen Wiig is a baker in the film), popcorn, and other assorted salty and sweet treats.

Snacks for the show!

Waiting for the movie to begin.  Sam seems to be talking about her own engagement ring.

We started the flick late as we wanted everyone to be there. Hot pink, silver and black balloons were placed in bunches around my den while black and pink streamers hung from the ceiling overhead. The movie had not been playing two minutes when the laughter began.  Unrated or not this film is seriously funny.  It goes beyond female friendships and girliness. It isn't that classic caper chick flick either.  The bad bridesmaid dress scene is replaced with something far funnier.  We laughed so hard we cried many times over.  Everyone agreed it was one of the better films they had seen this year.

The party and snacking continued even after this 2 hour plus film ended.  We got caught up on each others lives and one person commented that movie night in our own homes is so much more fun than being in the actual theater.  I agree!  We always like to talk after a film and this was a great way to just sit back, continue eating and drinking and not have to worry about driving, a place closing down or getting too loud. 

Bridesmaids is out on DVD this week.  Get it now.  Watch today.  Alone or with a group of friends.  You will be glad you did. 


Bridesmaids Party Punch "Featured Cocktail"
Ingredients- 1 bottle Yellowtail Shiraz, 1 lemon cut into wedges, 1 lime cut into wedges, 1 orange cut into wedges, 1 apple sliced, 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 shot of brandy or Triple Sec, 2 cups Ginger Ale or club soda.

Pour all the ingredients in a pitcher and stir. Let it sit in the refrigerator for best results. Pour over ice and serve.

MPR Rating: Five Stars.
Disclaimer: MPR was not paid for this post. Products received are for review and test purposes only. Party supplies received courtesy of the Bridesmaids distributor. Opinions are MPR's only.

Party Planning for BRIDESMAIDS DVD Party

Tomorrow night my house will be covered in balloons, streamers and a bunch of my girlfriends. We will pile on the couch, eat some snacks and do a bit of drinking while watching the DVD, "Bridesmaids". In order to get us in a festive mood I have found the following fun, affordable wines to help make my party a hit.

Getting into the theme of things I will be serving cupcakes (Kristen Wiig's character is a baker in the film) and what goes better with cupcakes than Cupcake's Red Velvet wine!

Not feeling the red? How about a bit of bubbly? Barefoot's Pinto Grigio Sparkling Wine adds fizz and fun on a shoestring budget. At $10 a bottle it can't be beat in flavor or price.

I didn't to overextend myself this time, so I decided to go ahead and make my own pink, pearly cupcakes. I'll let you know how they turn out!

Elmo's Travel Songs & Games DVD

New this week from the world of Sesame Street is Elmo's Travel Songs & Games. The DVD ($14.98) is great for little ones when you travel as it features popular Sesame Street characters Elmo, Abby and Elmo's dad Louie on a road trip. Elmo feels like it is taking a very long, long time to get their destination making it the perfect opportunity for Elmo's dad to show them there are lots of fun games to play, stories to tell and songs they can sing to pass the time.

The DVD is full of activities that will engage your child when you are traveling including the new songs "Go Before You Go" and "Are We There Yet?", along with clips about buckling up and different types of transportation. It's a great find! It will be a staple in your travel bag from here on out.

*Image from valsviews.com

Friday Giveaway- Shaun the Sheep- The Big Chase DVD

Shaun the Sheep and his friends are all about races, bikes, boats and chases! Now you can own the latest Shaun the Sheep DVD- The Big Chase ($14.98).

I am giving away one DVD this week. Enter to win by leaving a comment and your email address. Winner will be chosen at random on April 29, 2011.

Good Luck!

Congratulations to Katie!!! She won the DVD.

Friday Giveaway- Thomas the Train DVD and more!

I'm giving away the HIT Entertainment 4 DVD Action Pack set ($19.99).  Included in the set is Thomas & Friends: Steamies & Diesels, Thomas & Friends: Track Stars, Bob the Builder: Heavy Duty Diggers and Fireman Sam: Help is Here! 

Simply comment to enter to win. I will choose a winner at random on Friday, March 11, 2011.  Remember to leave me an email address so I can contact you, otherwise your entry is invalid.  US Residents only. 

Rock 'N' Learn Educational DVD

For over 23 years Rock 'N' Learn has been creating great musical and educational videos and DVDs for kids.  Their latest creation is Phonics volume I & II ($19.99 each).  Here's a little bit about the two volumes (Volume I deals with short vowel sounds, consonants and phonic awareness while Volume II sets the scene for long vowels, syllables, rule breakers and combining consonants.)

"Rock ‘N Learn Phonics DVD and audio CD programs provide an easy and fun way to learn the phonics skills that lead to reading and spelling success. Catchy songs and rhymes help students remember basic phonics rules, vowels, consonants, blends, digraphs, silent e, and much more. Delayed answers and the on-screen mouth (Phonics videos) allow learners to check their progress and use these programs independently. Our new Phonics Volume 1 and Phonics Volume 2 DVDs have been improved in two ways: much better animation and a lot more content to help students become confident readers. Students practice reading sentences and stories to apply the rules they have learned. These phonics video programs now have fun characters, sentence practice, read-along stories, and exercises to boost fluency."

As soon as I popped in the first DVD, Phonics Volume I, my four year-old daughter came running over to see what the music was all about.  She is in her last year of preschool and even though the year has just begun I want to start getting her ready for kindergarten.  This DVD brings phonics to life for her.  Learning phonics is the backbone to reading and spelling.  I remember it was also my favorite class when I was in school.  The animation is bright, lively and fun. The music grabs a kids attention and holds on to it as it continuously changes and flows from one sound structure to the next.  Geared for ages six and up and 70 minutes long it was advanced for my child but she enjoyed watching it and held onto some of the information quickly.  It is a start and one that we will keep practicing in addition to the workbooks we already have on hand Rock 'N' Learn Phonics gives us a balanced start that I highly recommend.



Rock 'N' Learn Phonics Volume I & II and other R'n'L DVDs are available online and at Barnes & Noble's nationwide.  Math skills, science, language and more are also available in this fine collection.

Fun Find- Runaway Ralph & Whole Wide World DVD

Scholastic Storybook Treasures presents 'He's Got the Whole World in His Hands...and More Stories to Celebrate the Environment' ($14.95).  Earth Day may have come and gone but this helpful guide for parents and kids gives tips on being green.  Geared for ages 5 and up it is visually rich and provides many great songs and stories like, 'Come on, Rain!' and 'Owl Moon' that kids will adore. 

Remember Beverly Cleary's classic tale of the Ralph the mouse in 'The Mouse and the Motorcylce'?  I do. It was a favorite of mine as a child.  Ralph still lives at the Mountain View Inn and he still loves adventure and helping out others in the story of 'Runaway Ralph' on DVD ($14.95).   

Fun Holiday Finds- Winter's Tail Nintendo DS & Gotta Catch Santa DVD

Rated E for Everyone is Winter's Tail ($29.99) the new Nintendo DS game.  This interactive game based on real-life events is educational fun that the whole family can enjoy.  The story based on Winter, a real life dolphin, is heartwarming and true.  And now it is a one of a kind game.

It features-

An Interactive Story - Based on Real Life Events

Play Mini-Games that reinforce the meaning of each chapter

Fun Fish Facts

Interact with Whale Words - pronunciation and definitions

Customize with the Storybook Editor, Paint and Color Mode and more

Gotta Catch Santa ($15.99) is one of those fun family DVD's that
children of varying ages will enjoy.  Your children will love watching the story of Trevor and his skeptical friend Veronica as they try to find Santa (voiced by William Shatner) and save Christmas from the clutches of the meddling monster, LeFreeze.  The CGI-animation is quite good and while we found this movie entertaining I think it was a bit above my preschooler's head.  It would go best with a family who has elementary age children.  It is sure to be a big hit with them. 

Pulse Yoga Giveaway!

Want more tone? Want to strengthen and increase muscle definition without using machines in the gym? If so, then enter to win the Pulse Yoga DVD ($14.99)!

Using free weights and micro movements that primarily target areas like the gluteus muscles, abdominals, upper arms and lower back these micro movements with yoga postures are effective with results that are noticeable immediately.

Enter to win by commenting and a winner will be chosen at random on October 25, 2009.

Good Luck! Congratulations to Socmama on winning this DVD! Enjoy!

Michael Buble Meets Madison Square Garden

Six years, 40 countries, and a trip down memory lane that all leads to one night. Michael Buble Meets Madison Square Garden is a combination CD/DVD ($24.98) full of songs, bonus material and more. The more portion is a great backstage look at Michael, his crew and everything that goes into the making of this one big night, his December 5, 2008 concert at the Garden. There are 10 songs in this package and the whole thing is full of Buble's swagger, charm and infectious appeal.

I'm giving away FIVE copies to FIVE lucky MPR readers! All you have to do is check out my blog, The Mummy Chronicles, follow it and then comment here afterwards. I'll pick five winners at random on Friday, September 11. Good Luck!

MPR Rating: Four Stars.

Fun Find- Kidwinks Farm DVD

Designed to increase your child's awareness to words and language, Kidwinks Farm DVD ($14.95) is a wonderful speech therapy DVD for young children. It will stimulate their minds and speaking ability. Kidwinks works by repeating words and phrases and using your child's imagination and rhymes.

Kidwinks Farm is Volume II in a three disc series ($39.95). This 20 minute DVD uses the help of animated friends Katy and Bobby to help name the parts of the body, animals, the sounds they make and so much more. This is a great DVD for children who use English as a second language. The graphics and visual effects are fun and interactive. Created by a speech pathologist, music therapist and art therapist Kidwinks assists kids in their everyday language using music, fun and simple movements.

Whistlefritz- Spanish Immersion DVD for Kids

Geared for children ages 2-7, Whistlefritz ($19.99) is a language immersion DVD that will enchant your children as it teaches them Spanish. Your child will love teacher Maria and the Whistlefritz kids as they search for the mischievous scamp of a mouse Fritzi. Through the use of live action, animation, puppets, and music children can explore their world, which includes the inside of a house and outdoors on the playground.

Whistlefritz takes everyday objects and teaches children the words in Spanish in a fun and concise manner. The character Fritzi is loads of fun and one that my daughter gravitated towards immediately. After viewing this DVD once she wanted to watch it again right away. This went on for a few weeks and it continues to be a DVD of choice. Each time she watches it she picks up a few more Spanish words. To be honest, my husband liked Whistlefritz better than I did. I found it a bit advanced for my three year-old and while she retained some of the information and enjoyed watching it I think more than thirty minutes a day is needed to be considered an immersion program for any language.

The Whistlefritz DVD does have a handy translation guide for parents and first time Spanish speakers which lists all the words in order of appearance on the DVD. It can be purchased at the Whistlefritz website.

MPR Rating: Three Stars.

Bob the Builder DVD Lunch Box Set Giveaway!

Great for the new school season I'm giving away a Bob the Builder Lunch Box Gift Set-Includes one zippered lunch box with three DVDs ($19.98). This is perfect for a preschooler because the lunchbox is insulated and soft-sided. The DVDs (135 minutes) include the following titles: The Big Game, Celebrate with Bob and Can We Fix it?

Enter to win by following my blog, The Mummy Chronicles and then leaving a comment here. I will choose one winner at random on Friday, July 10. Don't forget to include your email address so I can contact you! Good luck!

Friday Giveaway! Bob the Builder DVD with truck!

From HiT entertainment comes the latest installment of Bob the Builder and friends. Bob the Builder: Truck Teamwork ($14.98 value) is going to go to one lucky reader!

Join Bob the Builder and his ultimate team of trucks for 5 exciting adventures! The projects are piling up, and the team needs to complete everything from a major build to an exercise park, and an ice cream parlor. But when competition causes the projects to stack up and back up, the team must learn that no job can be complete without the right amount of cooperation. Watch Bob and the Can-Do Crew as they show that by working together they can always get the job done!

Just comment and I'll choose a winner at random on Monday. You only have the weekend to enter!

Fun Find- Bedtime for Frances

Do you remember Frances? I sure do. As a kid I loved the Frances series of books and I couldn't wait to begin reading them to my daughter. Hit Entertainment has created Frances: Bedtime for Frances book and DVD set ($14.98).

The DVD runs 46 minutes and is done in CGI by the Jim Henson group. The classic tale of Frances, an inquisitive little badger, has three episodes on it that will entertain your preschool age child many times over. Having the DVD accompanied with the book, Bedtime for Frances, is an excellent idea. I think it would make a wonderful gift for a small child. My daughter loves hearing this story over and over again and each time I read it I remember why I loved it so much as well.

Fun Find- The Man Who Walked Between the Towers DVD

Narrated by Jake Gyllenhaal , The Man Who Walked Between the Towers ($14.95) is the beautifully told story of Philippe Petit and his 1974 daring high wire walk between the two World Trade Center Towers.

This Scholastic Storybook Treasure DVD has two extra bonus stories that will delight your children just as much as Petit's amazing feat. Snowflake Bentley and Miss Rumphius are gorgeous to watch and show your children the wonder of snowflake and the valuable lesson of how to make the world a more beautiful place.

This DVD can be found online at Amazon and is a great one to add to your family collection. It's entertaining, educational and wonderfully done.

Storybook Treasures DVD Giveaway!

Scholastic Storybook Treasures is releasing (March 31) a wonderful DVD series ($49.95) called, '50 Children's Storybook Classics- Preschool Stories' This 7 hour, 30 minute DVD collection features such classic stories as Harold and the Purple Crayon, Snowy Day, Is Your Mama a Llama and Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel plus so many more!

Enter to win this DVD set today! I will pick a winner at random on Friday, March 27 (12 noon EST) and all you have to do is comment here with your favorite TMC post from this month. Don't forget your email address so I can contact you if you win.

Kid DVD's for Valentine's Day!

At a loss on what to give your little sweetie this year? Why not pick up one of these new DVD's- it's cheap, great for car rides and at home and guaranteed to make them happy and possibly even a hug or two.

Strawberry Shortcake Happily Ever After ($14.98) - includes two stories, 'A Princess Named Rap' and 'Sleeping Beauty' plus free Valentine's Day cards. Sure to enchant your little princess!

How'd They Build That? Concrete Truck and School Bus version (both $8.98 each). In HD and with 3D computer generated models you can see firsthand how some of the heaviest vehicles on the road are built!

Fun Find- Adventures from the Book of Virtues- A Christmas Carol for Annie

This animated DVD ($14.98) is a great way to teach kids about the true meaning of Christmas. The story revolves around the main character, a girl named Annie, who in an attempt at being elected president of her school's drama club loses her way and the meaning behind the Christmas holiday.

Geared for children of all ages and based on the Zach and Annie characters from the PBS series this is a great DVD for everyone in the whole family. It is perfect for viewing this time of year and teaches valuable lessons.

Running 75 minutes this movie is in English and dubbed in Spanish. You can buy it here.

Fun Find- Animalia DVD

Animalia, the acclaimed children's book and PBS series is now available on DVD ($16.98) and Blu-Ray Disc ($29.98). Geared for ages 6-9 years includes four episodes and is stunning to watch.

Based on the alphabet book by Graeme Base the animals represent each letter of the alphabet (Think A is for Alligator). With characters like Alex and Zoe your child will be swept away on thrilling adventures with them all around the world. By joining together with their animal friends the two kids solve mysteries and help bring harmony back to the animal kingdom.

Animalia is gorgeous to watch and your kids will love it. Look for four new Animalia books from Penguin Putnam and the interactive website here.