Personally, I like looking through O Magazine but this was overloaded with information. The content was good and definitely interesting, but I can’t take a 366 page magazine. It was overwhelming. For long-time Oprah fans, this may be just what they wanted. I’m a sideline watcher of her show and not a follower. Certain topics interest me, but many don’t. This would make a great gift for someone who is a loyal fan.

by Emily

As much as I adore Oprah and all the glory she brings with her media empire, I have to scratch my head to figure out what the latest Big Book Of Happiness is all about. If you already watch Oprah on her syndicated daily show and subscribe to her monthly magazine you will find this book repetitive. How many times can you read about the same people and their motivational stories?

I initially thought this was a coffee table book with beautiful photography images showcasing all things Happy, but I was wrong. This big book is not really meant for just skimming the pictures, and it is more of a bound version of the magazine, minus the commercial advertising. I am sure this will be a best seller for those who worship Oprah, but I am not recommending this for anyone else.

by Helene

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My daughter, Sophie, is too young to tell me why she likes it, but I suspect it’s the fun, upbeat music from the band that Raggs leads. (I must tell you that mfavorite is Pido, the drummer.) She already is learning the words to the songs and she dances like a mad woman when they sing.

I don’t know how else to express this more clearly, but go check out Raggs and his crew to see what all the fuss is about. I promise you will be glad you did.

Written by Andi, who teaches local high school students about abstaining from sex. She has also had two kids in 16 months. Andi’s husband thinks she needs to practice what she preaches. You can read about her adventures (or misadventures) in motherhood at her personal blog, Parenting 101.

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Cartoons and children’s shows have come a long way since the days when I vegetated in front of the TV as a child. Throughout the entire DVD you could hear my sons shouting out answers to the questions and see them dancing along with the characters. Okay, not just my sons; but how could I do an honest review if I didn’t join in the whole experience?

Mickey’s Storybook is a compilation of four episodes that are based, sometimes loosely, on popular fairy tales. The episodes are (1) Minnie’s Mystery; (2) Donald the Frog Prince; (3) Minnie Red Riding Hood; and (4) Sleeping Minnie.

The bottom line is that if you don’t like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, don’t buy this DVD. If you are a fan, you won’t be disappointed.

Written by Christine, who is mom to two wild-and-crazy little guys and wife to one pretty spectacular dude. When she isn’t reading the same books over and over and over, playing cars, having a snack or blowing bubbles, she is trying to make her house and the products her family uses a little more people- and Earth-friendly.

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The Camelbak water bottle comes in many different colors and two different sizes, and I cannot go anywhere without mine. I even have two to make sure that one is always clean. I drink lots of water every day and I was going through plastic water bottles left and right. In order to help the environment and our budget I decided to use a plastic bottle all the time.

The Camelbak water bottles have a nice slender shape and fits in most travel cup holders. I am also able to clip it into a hook on my diaper bag, so I can always have it with me even if the diaper bag is full. They are BPA free and completely safe to put in the dishwasher. I also like knowing how much water I’m drinking and the measurement is on the side in ml or oz. This is a must have for me!

by Louise

I remember watching Care Bears when I was child and loving it. However I’ve noticed the new Care Bears aren’t exactly the same. I was very pleased after reviewing the Care Bears Care-A-Lot Collection though. It was just as I remembered and my kids love it. My son has been talking non-stop about the flying cars and the worm that eats clouds!

The Collection features 22 Care Bear episodes and what’s great is that you can stop it after just one episode if you don’t want your kids to be clued to the television for too long, but start it at the next episode when you’re ready to watch again. Twenty two little adventures instead of one long movie! Within the collection you get two great dvd’s; the enchanting adventures which includes 14 episodes and the heartwarming adventures with 8 episodes. I don’t let my son just watch any program, but I’m confident that Care Bears sends a good message with just as much entertainment as a lot of programs you find today. Definitely a great must have for our collection to watch!

by Andrea

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Jeff is a very personable host who draws you into to his world almost instantly. He has, in fact, won an Emmy for his performance for Outstanding Performance in a Children’s Series. My children enjoy watching Jeff as he gets into and out of situations that most of us only dream about as children and realize we want nothing to do with as adults. His vast knowledge of the creatures he just stumbles upon as he is on his adventures is very impressive and you find yourself learning about many different insects, reptiles and mammals in every episode.

This DVD included adventures with giant manatees, a 14 foot alligator, venomous snakes, great white sharks, humongous coconut crabs and even a real Tasmanian Devil. His travels encompassed Guyana, Costa Rica, Zanzibar, Tanzania, India, Nepal, Morocco, Spain and other exotic places. Your child will be exposed to and learn about these places just from relaxing in the TV room.

Jeff is constantly relaying the message that if everyone does their part our planet will be conserved for future generations. Through education and awareness Jeff Corwin is certainly doing his part and him showing us these beautiful places and creatures makes us want to do ours.

I knew my kids really enjoyed the DVD because they asked for it to be paused for their bathroom breaks. In our family, that’s the highest compliment to a video.

Written by Perri, a homeschooling mom of 6 kids - 2 that are grown and out of the house and 4 younger ones who help wreck and clean the house. Perri also has two precious grandchildren. She spends a lot of time doing ministries with her church, volunteering in the community and baking a mean cheesecake. She blogs about her family’s life at My Life in Bits & Pieces.

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I’ve always enjoyed watching Trading Spaces and had wished they would show more of the bloopers and behind-the-scenes footage on TV. Now they are offering a DVD called, “The Specials” that follows designers, carpenters and neighbors as they transform amazing places in four special episodes. You all know the rules, two sets of homeowners trade homes and team up with an interior designer and carpenter to redesign their neighbor’s house with a limited budget and time. Your hosts include Paige Davis and Joe Farrell.

This DVD gives you an inside look at how gullible designers are and how much work the carpenters actually do. They travel to Scotland to revamp a castle and to a farm in Oklahoma doing what Trading Spaces does best. Providing entertainment to those who know how hard home improvement is to do! My favorite highlights include several pranks by homeowners. Skip the Saturday afternoon marathon and watch these episodes whenever you want!

by Emily

Last weekend my children and I, along with one of their friends, sat down and made a lazy day of watching TV. We recently received the three DVD pack of Flight 29 Down: Season Two. I have never heard of this show, even though my children always seem to be watching television. This series was created by Discovery Kids and has aired on their channel for the past few years.

My girls and I thoroughly enjoyed our day of watching videos, because there were no commercials to contend with. The story line was rather good for a children’s show and Flight 29 Down is very reminiscent of the shows “Lost” or “Survivor.” The cast consists of Nathan (Corbin Bleu from High School Musical), Lex (Allen Alvarado), Daley (Halle Hirsh) and several others. These kids are stranded on a deserted island after their plane crashes while flying through a storm.

The characters learn they need to depend on each other to keep themselves safe and healthy. They also learn that without each other for support, really bad things can happen. We were a bit disappointed, because we wanted there to be more episodes to watch. It would have been nice to have Season One as we didn’t get to see those episodes. Even though we started with Season Two, it was fairly easy to follow and there were plenty of flash backs. Once you watch the first DVD, you will understand why we couldn’t stop watching until the end.

by Laura

I have never heard of Pat the Bunny. My mom told me I am not deprived and that I used to have a Pat the Bunny book, but I don’t remember it. I guess I’ve just lived under a motherhood rock. I recently discovered the Pat the Bunny: Playdates DVD and shared it with my daughter. It is rated for ages 12-36 months and my daughter is 18 months, so we popped it in to take a look.

This music in this movie drove me batty. The theme song was especially annoying. That’s the only bad thing I have to say about it though. I liked that the activities for the kids were very interactive and educational. It was geared very well to toddlers and what they are learning right now. But it’s not all about me, it’s about her, and she watched it with rapt attention, staring at that bunny like he held all the secrets to the universe. She didn’t even sit down, she just stood there like a zombie in her Pat the Bunny induced stupor. So now Pat the Bunny is a staple at our house. I would suggest it become a staple at yours as well.

by Andi

Props & Pans is giving away one copy of each of the DVD’s we reviewed above. To win you must leave a comment telling us which DVD you would choose and why. Entries will be open until Friday, March 21st. You do not need a blog to enter, just leave us your e-mail address so that we may contact you. As always, it is Props & Pans policy NOT to distribute any information you give us (including your e-mail). Thanks for entering!

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I read through all the instructions and watched the great video on their website. The girl online made it look so easy, but then again there were no small people in her area as she was trying to apply the cover. Maybe I was too distracted while applying mine. I found that I used too much application solution and since I didn’t have a handy-dandy cleaning cloth like the one the girl on the video, I had a harder time getting the protection pieces to stick. Eventually, it worked and I have to say once it is firmly on it does stick.

There is another video on how to remove BodyGuardz that looks easy, but I haven’t tried it yet. As I said, I think the concept is great, but I’m not sure I would be spending my money on their protection system. For about the same price I can get a more substantial cover that will protect my iPod in the event of drops as well as scratches. If you do not share your iPod with anyone under 3 feet tall, then BodyGuardz just might be the product for you.

by Mary

My first encounter with BodyGuardz was frustrating. I searched through their website trying to figure out which models they offered covers for to see if I owned any items that would work. I was really hoping I could find a match with my new cell phone, but no such luck. There were way too many options for iPod’s, so I selected a protective cover for my Sony Cybershot camera.

BodyGuardz is a clear film that covers the body of your device, providing scratch protection. They sell many kits for different devices we use in everyday life and are optically clear. You can find covers for everything from Apple MacBooks to gaming devices.

When the box arrived I was a little bit shocked to find a complicated application process awaiting me. Maybe I didn’t do my research when searching their site, but I expected their product to be a full cover that fit over your camera. Instead my cover was in pieces. Eight to be exact. All needing to be applied with the included application solution and this made me a little nervous.

I watched the online instructional video, read through the instructions several times, had my husband look over the included materials and made a decision. I was not going to apply the protective cover to my $200 camera. All the pieces were small and when I laid them out it didn’t look like they would match up well corner to corner, let alone look good. Plus, the idea of applying a water based solution (made with baby shampoo) to attach the multiple pieces didn’t seem worth it to me. Yes, I believe it would protect my camera from scratches on the outside, but the requirements to put this cover together needed to give me protection from dropping it to be worthwhile.

by Emily

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I’m no gourmet cook. Just ask any of my family members. Recently, I found an item that helps me fake that skill though. Ever heard of flavor boosters? They are tubes created by Amore Gourmet of different flavored pastes you can use to cook with. Maybe you have a dish that needs a kick of garlic or a squeeze of hot pepper. They store in your refrigerator once open and are priced around $2.49 - $5.89 per tube, which is low enough to keep several on hand at a time.

Besides the great taste of the tubes I’ve tried, they also take up less space. Your garbage (or recycle bin) may never see a half-used can of tomato paste again, plus the tubes take up minimal storage space in your fridge. They’d be great to keep on hand to make a fancy pasta dish or just to give something a little hint of fresh seasoning.

by Emily

We purchased our first TiVo HD Digital Video Recorder in preparation for our new addition. Not only were we able to pause the TV when our son screamed in his sleep about 50 times a night, but we were also able to record our favorite shows. The first ones he loved were, The Wiggles, Signing Time! and Thomas the Train, which we also recorded.

As a new mom I hibernated for a long time, unable to leave him because of his separation anxiety and I eventually became addicted to some of my now favorite Prime Time shows. The good thing is that I can watch an hour drama in less than 40 minutes by fast forwarding through the commercials I don’t want to watch, and catch up on my favorites any time of day. This includes when I am folding laundry in my pajamas at two o’clock on a Monday afternoon. What convenience!

by Marcie

On an impulse I grabbed some Model Magic Fusion, created by Crayola, for my children while bleeding cash at Target. The plan was to toss them the three colored tubs of dough on a car trip in hopes of occupying at least fifteen minutes of their time.

The results blew me over. The children played with Model Magic Fusion for hours! No exaggeration, they made sunglasses, beards, eggs, animals and all the Scooby-Doo characters out of Model Magic Fusion.

What is most wonderful is that Model Magic Fusion does not dry out like Play-doh, nor does it crumble and stick into the carpet. The downside is that it does not smell good enough to eat. Maybe that is a good thing though?

by Bitsy

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This time I think we found a winner in the Polaroid i735.

First of all, it’s made of a durable plastic, and it’s very light and easy to carry around. It also comes with a transparent white case to help protect the body from accidental drops. The 2.5” LCD screen is big enough to view your photos in color and the 7.0 megapixels deliver high quality photos.

Secondly, one of things I like best is that it runs on 2 AA batteries. This comes in very handy when the power suddenly dies. We know how kids can get impatient at times and being able to just pop in a fresh pair of AAs can make life a little easier. I’m definitely all for that!

Third, the best endorsement for this camera is that my 5 year old loves it! It’s very kid friendly and after a brief explanation on how to use it, she was off and taking photos like a pro. She likes that it looks like my digital camera because it makes her feel like a big girl.

There are lots of other useful features so make sure you stop by their site to see if this camera is right for your family.

Written by Kailani, a full-time Mommy, part-time Flight Attendant, and occasional wife living a chaotic life in Hawaii. You can also find her at An Island Life, An Island Review, and 5 Minutes Around The Blogosphere.

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I assumed the majority of this film would concentrate on the young boy, Angus, finding the egg and keeping the water horse from his family as it out grew their house. But instead the story focuses a majority of the two hours on relationships of the characters. From the previews I would have considered this movie a mixture of comedy and drama, but I’m sure it was more or less a drama.

It centers around Scotland and the 1940’s. I was genuinely impressed with the authentic setting and replication of the era. I never fully understood the mystery of the Loch Ness Monster, so this was an enjoyable explanation.

Angus lost his father, but hasn’t accepted that he isn’t returning. He becomes very attached to the water horse, which he named Crusoe, and struggles to give it freedom. Kids will relate to the story of wanting a pet to call their own.

A new handyman that closely resembles his father was confusing to my son, because of the close resemblance in appearance. For a young child the movie drug out a little too long and at times seemed to lose it’s direction (and his attention). The story line changes to getting the water horse out of the loch (over a net) and into the open sea, which reminded me a lot of Free Willy.

In the end good prevails of course, and it does have some humorous moments. For a five year old it had a few violent scenes and unexpected scares. Overall, it is a family-friendly movie with a good mixture of fantasy included.

Written by Emily, who is a married working mother of a very energetic 5 year old son. They reside in Southern Indiana (a little too close to the Kentucky border). Someday she’d like to visit Intercourse, PA and have her picture taken with the welcome sign. She writes at her personal blog, Fenicle and loves free samples and trying new things!

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