Oh, Dwayne Johnson.  WWE/WWF personality turned actor turned family film star.  Ok, let’s just say it…DIMPLES!

I’m glad we got that out of the way.  Now, let’s talk about one of his latest films — Tooth Fairy.

I’ll be honest, I was a bit skeptical about this film.  I mean, really, Dwayne Johnson in a pink tutu?  Is that right?  Well, I got over those preconceived notions real quick!

Tooth Fairy is a very fun film!  Humor – check.  Adventure – check. Morals and great lessons – oh, check!

The premise of the film is a hockey player, known for knocking out a tooth or two on the ice, who, after telling his girlfriend’s daughter that the tooth fairy doesn’t exist, is sentenced to “tooth-fairy duty”.  During his time as a tooth fairy, Derek (Dwayne Johnson) learns some important lessons about what is important in life, friendship, family, and himself.

One of my favorite parts about Tooth Fairy was the idea that sometimes we screw up as parents.  Sometimes we say the wrong thing at the wrong time.  We speak with without thinking.  We say things out of frustration or anger. It’s unfortunate when we say those things.  The key is what we say or do after we realize what we’ve done.  Do you just let time pass and dismiss what you did or do you own it?  Do you try to fix it?  Do you admit you were wrong?  Do you admit you were wrong to your kids?

That and the fact that Tooth Fairy takes place in Michigan (Lansing, to be specific)!  Yay Michigan!!!  Oh, and Julie Andrews!  How can you not love a film with Julie Andrews?

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with Tooth Fairy!  What I thought was going to be a dorky movie turned out to be a really great family movie with some great lessons for both kids/teens and parents!

Tooth Fairy is currently on dvd and Blu-ray and even includes some great special features. My daughters loved “moving” with the Tooth Fairy Training Center and thought the Fairyoke was absolutely hilarious!

Stacey says…With a PG rating Tooth Fairy is a great family film and is a must see!

The GIVEAWAY

I have 2 copies of Tooth Fairy on dvd to giveaway, courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment!

To Enter:

Simply leave me a comment below telling do your kids believe in the tooth fairy? If so, how much do you does the tooth fairy pay?

The Details:

The TWO (2) winners will be randomly selected from the comments posted by Friday, June 11.  All entries will be verified and must include an email address where I can contact you if you should win.  This giveaway is open to US residents only. You can read more about Giveaway Policies here.

*Disclaimer: I did receive a screener dvd of this film so I could accurately review the cards.  However, receiving the dvd in no way affects my opinions stated here.

It’s confession time….I absolutely love “Sex and the City”.  Love it.  I watched it through college and after.  I even subjected my husband to watching an episode or two.  There was just something about Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda.  Their unorthodox friendship.  Their swanky life in New York.  The boyfriends.  The breakups.  The shoes!

It drew me in.  Like any good tv series, I became invested in the characters and the storyline.  And I was disappointed when the series came to a close.  But wait…a movie!

Yes, I watched Sex and the City (the movie) and loved it.  Now the ladies have reconvened (totally didn’t expect that to happen) for a second Sex and the City movie (appropriately titled Sex and the City 2), hitting theaters tonight, May 27.  Since I’m confessing things here I’ll be honest, I’m a little skeptical of this one.  The first film ended so perfectly and gave such closure that I’m just not sure what to expect with the latest film.  But I will watch it, have no doubt.  After all, Aidan!

One of the biggest things that I’m looking forward to in Sex and the City 2 is the music.  I absolutely believe that music in a film is what sets the tone for the film.  The perfect song at precisely the right moment or scene can engage (or disengage) an audience.  Many times I’ve walked away from a film disappointed to a certain extent because of poor choice in music (i.e. New Moon).  And other times I’ve walked away from a film wanting to run out and buy the soundtrack immediately.

This week I had the chance to get a sneak preview of the soundtrack for Sex and the City 2 and I must say, the soundtrack does not disappoint!

The soundtrack includes a wide array of music from Dido to Liza Minneli.  Some oldies (“Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”) to some new releases (“Love Is Your Color”, a duet by Jennifer Hudson and Leona Lewis).  Even a performance of “I Am Woman” by the SATC ladies themselves — Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon.

I guess I’m just hoping that the film itself lives up to the amazing soundtrack.  Regardless of how the ladies do at the box office, I’ll be adding the Sex and the City 2 soundtrack to my iPod’s summer playlist!

You can check out the soundtrack yourself at www.SexAndTheCityMovie.com and purchase it pretty much everywhere.  Sex and the City 2 opens in theaters everywhere May 27.

So, I’m curious….were you a “Sex and the City” watcher?  Or did you see one or both of the movies? If you answered yes to either of those, I’m wondering which character you identify with.  Do you see yourself as a Carrie? A Samantha? Miranda? Charlotte?  I’m a Charlotte, for so many reasons.  I always wanted to be a Carrie, but I’m a Charlotte. How about you?

*Disclaimer: This review is being brought to you by One2One Network, who sent me a complimentary copy of the “Sex and the City 2″ soundtrack so that I could review it for you here.

For more Wordless Wednesday, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

I unexpectedly took a little break from writing this past week as I devoted all available time to the final prep for Gleek Retreat.  Now that Gleek Retreat is behind me, I’m struggling at where to begin.  It’s that same feeling like when you’ve been gone on vacation and, when you finally get home from that vacation, you’re not quite sure where to start first. The cleaning?  The unpacking? The piles of mail?

I have a ton of stuff I want to share with you all about Gleek Retreat — the behind the scenes of planning a conference, my thoughts on Gleek Retreat, some of the amazing information and connections that came out of Gleek Retreat — but I don’t want to overwhelm you with all that info.  Especially since there are quite a few readers here that are probably thinking, “that’s great Stacey, glad Gleek Retreat went well, but let’s move on shall we?”

The other reason that I’m struggling with where to begin is that I’m just struggling with this blog.  I’ve been wondering for quite some time now, Where is this blog going? What is my focus? I’ve always said that I’m “niche-less” blogger but lately I’ve been feeling like I’m more of an “unfocused” blogger.  I’m all over the place.  I think it’s time to just take a deep breath and find some focus.  Not exactly sure what that focus will look like though.

So, it looks like we might be on a journey these next few weeks or months to discover what it is that I want this blog to be.  I hope you’ll join me and bear with me as I try to figure it all out.  Oh, and bear with me this week as I share (a lot) about Gleek Retreat.  It has kind of been a big deal these past few months.

I’m so excited to share with you these two great films!  Both feature amazing women, both the characters and the actresses portraying them!

Amelia

I always knew the story of Amelia Earhart, well at least the gist of it. But I really never new the story behind the woman, behind the pilot, behind the history-maker.  The film, Amelia, is an amazing account of not only Earhart’s determined journey to fly solo across the Atlantic but as she paved the way for women in aviation.

What I really enjoyed about Amelia was the human side the director portrayed of Earhart.  Yes, she was a determined pilot, but she was also a woman.  She was a woman with baggage from her past. A woman who wasn’t sure what she wanted more — love or flying.  A woman who was tempted.  A woman who made mistakes.  She was human.  As fearless as she was, she was human.

And the casting was perfect!  I could not have imagined a better actor to play Amelia Earhart than Hillary Swank!  The costuming, the makeup, her facial expressions…I could not believe how much Swank looked like her!  When compared to the actual photos of Earhart, Hillary Swank had an uncanny resemblance to her! And Richard Gere and Ewan McGregor aren’t bad either!

Amelia is rated PG and is currently available on Blu-ray and DVD from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.  I would definitely recommend Amelia if you are looking for a great love story, an adventure, or an amazing look into the life of an American icon!

Flicka 2

I have been waiting for three months to not only see this film but to tell you about it!  When I was at the Mom 2.0 Summit this past February in Houston we had the privilege of seeing a sneak peak with some extended scenes of Flicka 2 and a fun Q & A with Director Michael Damian and Executive Producer Janeen Damian.  I also had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Michael and Janeen while at the conference (more on that later).

Flicka 2, contrary to what the film title might imply, is not exactly a sequel to Flicka.  If you have seen Flicka then you will appreciate the thread that runs through them both.  However, if you have not seen the first film (like me), you will still love this film.  It is definitely a story line that can stand on it’s own!

The film follows Carrie, a teenage girl who, after her city life has been turned upside down, finds herself living in the plains of Wyoming with a father she barely knows.  Amidst the lack of internet, “fresh” aromas, gassy basset hound, and horse poop, Carrie finds herself letting down the fences she had spent years building around her heart, all thanks to a horse named Flicka.  The characters will have you crying, laughing (thanks in part to Clint Black), and rooting for Carrie and Flicka!

When I sat down with Michael and Janeen Damien in February, one of the questions I asked them was, “how does Flicka 2 differ from the first film?”  The powerhouse duo told me that, while this film too had a strong theme of family, it would also feature more action (complete with horse stampedes), a romance, and some great comedy!  Patrick Warburton (as Hank) and Tammin Sursok (as Carrie) embody that awkward father/teenage daughter relationship, while Reilly Dolman will melt your heart!  And Clint Black?  So cute.  And so funny!

To celebrate the DVD release of  Flicka 2 exclusively at Walmart and Sam’s Club, and the donation of over $512 million from the Walmart Foundation to The Children’s Miracle Network and the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, country star and actor Clint Black joined Flicka, director Michael Damian (second from right), and actors Emily Tennant (far left) and Reilly Dolman (far right) at the red carpet premiere celebration at the Belcourt Theatre in Nashville, Tenn., on Tuesday April 27, 2010. (image courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox)

Flicka 2 is a great family film!  It will appeal to teens and preteens, parents, animal lovers, guys, girls…everyone! Flicka 2 is rated PG and is available on DVD from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.  And this is definitely a film you will want to rent or own for family movie night!

The GIVEAWAY

I have 2 dvds of each film — 2 Amelia dvds and 2 Flicka 2 dvds – to giveaway!  That means four winners!

To Enter:

Simply leave me a comment below telling which film you’d like to win!

Extra Entries:

1 entry - Subscribe to Stacey Says… via RSS.

1 entry - Subscribe to the Stacey Says… email newsletter (sign up on the sidebar)
(make sure you confirm your subscription by clicking on the link sent to you in your email)

1 entry - Follow me (@Stacey_Says) on Twitter and tweet about this contest (you can do this every day and receive one entry each day!).

5 entries - Blog about this contest and leave me a link to your post.

5 entries - Not a blogger? Send an email to 5 of your friends with a link to this contest. Make sure you CC me (staceysays -at- me.com) on that email and then leave a comment here saying that you did so.

The Details:

The FOUR (4) winners will be randomly selected from the comments posted by Friday, May 28. It is not guaranteed which dvd you will receive if you win. All entries will be verified and must include an email address where I can contact you if you should win.  This giveaway is open to US residents only. You can read more about Giveaway Policies here.

*Disclaimer: I did receive screener dvds of these films so I could accurately review the cards.  However, receiving the dvds in no way affects my opinions stated here.

Ah yes, potty training.  Every parent has to go through it but how we go through it completely independent upon the parent, the child, and the circumstances at that particular time.  It amazes me how different it was to potty train my oldest in comparison to my youngest.  So, I’m wondering….what are your potty training tips and tricks?

Mommy Confessions: Potty Training from Stacey Lynn on Vimeo.
You can view this on YouTube as well.

On a side note, I love the looks Zoe gives while I’m recording this video.  I know you can only see her eyes and the top of her head, but her expressions crack me up!  Ok, now give me your Potty Training secrets!!!

One of my absolute most favorite smells in the whole wide world — more than fresh cut grass or brownies and cookies baking in the oven — is the smell of my kids when they get out of the bath.  That brief instant before they get lathered up with lotion.  Before they put on their pajamas covered in the scent of fabric softner.

After the day’s worth of pb&j and graham crackers have been washed away.  After the layers of dirt, markers, and kid sweat have gone down the drain.

When their skin is soft and clean.  Their hair is slicked back, starting to dry.

I could smell that smell all day.

And on this very rainy, dreary day, all I want is to give them a bath and then snuggle up on the couch, breathing that smell in!

(taken August 2009)

My iPhone serves so many purposes in my life…it’s almost scary!  Phone. Calendar. Texting. Twitter. Approving comments for the blog. Note taking. Music. Oh, the list could go on!  But one of the biggest ways that my iPhone serves in my daily life is Kid Entertainment!

My kids knew exactly how to work my iPhone within minutes of putting it in their hands (again, scary) and, thus, have two screens on my phone full of their games!  It keeps both of them entertained (both the 4 year old and the 2 year old) when they are stuck in the car, waiting at the doctor’s office, waiting for sister during gymnastics class, or while they are lying on the couch not feeling so well.  So, I thought I would share a few of their favorite apps!

Top 5 Favorite Kids Apps for iPhone:

1. Tickle Tap Apps – There is actually a few apps under the Tickle Tap Apps.  We have Color Collector, Sound Shaker, and Sort Slider.  The fun thing about these apps is that they really utilize the capabilities of the iPhone.  For example, the Sort Slider uses the accelerometer to allow your child to match pictures and shapes and the Color Collector utilizes the built-in camera so your child can find objects around them that match a color! ($0.99 – $1.99)

2.  SUPER WHY! – Taken from the popular PBS show “Super Why”, this app features your child’s favorite “Super Why” characters — Princess Presto, Wonder Red, Alpha Pig, and, of course, Super Why.  The activities in the game include spelling, tracing letters, rhyming, searching for letters, and word selection.  The game is great for kids in preschool and kindergarden and your kids are going to love learning with the Super Why gang! ($2.99)

3. Old MacDonald – This is a great rendition of the classic “Old MacDonald” by Duck Duck Moose.  Each page features a different animal and they aren’t just any animals.  A cow philosopher, a Pig-casso, and a sheep that you can sheer!  The best part about this app is that you can change the language of the song (play it in English, Spanish, French, etc) or you can record your child singing each verse and play that music!  You can see my review of the app over here.  ($1.99)

4. Hippo Hooray – Another great set of educational games!  This time you’re child can learn everything from colors to shapes to letters to numbers.  My 2 year old loves these apps because they are colorful, ones that she can easily navigate, and they do fun things like shoot off fireworks and throw a party after she gets a few answers correct.  I have a more extensive review over here. ($0.99)

5. Monkey Preschool Lunchbox – This was one of the first apps I downloaded for my daughter and it is still going strong!  Both of my girls love this educational game, although it’s geared more towards the preschooler.  The game helps teach recognition of color, letters, and sizes through matching games and puzzles.  The best part is that it is done all with fruit, so my girls are getting even more exposure to healthy food!  Seriously, they think kiwi is now the coolest fruit because the monkey likes them, too.  I know.  ($0.99)

I could probably list five more of my favorite kids apps because I have two screens on my iPhone with kids apps.  It is such a great way to keep my girls entertained while still teaching them.  My favorite part about kids apps is that there are so many great free apps out there!  Even the apps that you buy generally cost around just $0.99 and many of the more expensive games have a “lite” version that is free so you…err, your kid can try them out before you buy the full version.

You can find even more great recommendations on iPhone apps for kids at www.BestKidsApps.com.  While you’re there, you can enter for a chance to win an iPad!  Yay!!!

But I would also love to hear about some apps that your kids love!  Which apps keep your kids busy? And, while you’re at it, which apps are your favorite?  I’ll be doing a post about fun non-kid apps soon, too!

Between Memorial Day and Labor Day we will be celebrating 22 birthdays, weddings, and graduations.  That doesn’t include our anniversary and Father’s Day.  That all adds up to a lot of greeting cards!

Now, I’d love to say that I hand make all those cards but I don’t.  I’m just not that crafty, nor do I have the time to devote to it.  Plus, I actually really like shopping for cards.  The messages that seem to say exactly what I want them to say and the creativity. Oh, the creativity!  It amazes me how cards have gone from simple folded pieces of paper to having all sorts of embellishments to incorporating audio.  The latest addition?  Cards that come to life!

Hallmark’s newest line of greeting cards “come to life” through the use of a webcam and augmented reality technology.  All that to say, the use of the webcam and the built-in technology in the card makes the characters featured on the cards appear in 3D on your computer screen.

To enter the 3D world of your card, simply visit www.hallmark.com/extra to download the plug-in, then hold the card up to your webcam.  Within seconds, the characters will appear on your computer screen, singing, dancing, or whatever craziness they have planned!  The best part is that, as long as you have your card in hand, you can play the animation of your card as many times as you like…or until you hide the card from your kids (as in my case).  The point is that there is no limit!  Here’s a little example of how they work:

The Hallmark Webcam Greetings are available in Mother’s Day greetings (see, you still have time pick one up before heading over to mom’s house), cards for Grads, Kids, humor, and (coming soon) Father’s Day.  You can pick up a Webcam Greeting at most stores where Hallmark cards are sold and, this is really great, the Webcam Greetings cost about the same as traditional Hallmark cards — $2.99 for standard Webcam Greetings and $5.99 for Webcam Greetings with built-in sound clips!

Ok, now here is your warning:  Your kids are going to love these cards!  I mean love them!!!  My girls cannot get enough of these cards.  Honestly, I think they are pretty fun, too!

The GIVEAWAY

I have 2 packs of Hallmark Webcam Greetings to giveaway! That means two winners, each receiving a set of these amazing cards.

To Enter:

Mandatory Entry - Simply leave a comment below telling me who’s the next person you need to buy a greeting card for?

1 entry - Subscribe to Stacey Says… via RSS.

1 entry - Subscribe to the Stacey Says… email newsletter (sign up on the sidebar)
(make sure you confirm your subscription by clicking on the link sent to you in your email)

1 entry - Follow me (@Stacey_Says) on Twitter and tweet about this contest (you can do this every day and receive one entry each day!).

5 entries - Blog about this contest and leave me a link to your post.

5 entries - Not a blogger? Send an email to 5 of your friends with a link to this contest. Make sure you CC me (staceysays -at- me.com) on that email and then leave a comment here saying that you did so.

The Details:

The TWO (2) winners will be randomly selected from the comments posted by Friday, May 28. All entries will be verified and must include an email address where I can contact you if you should win.  You can read more about Giveaway Policies here.

*Disclaimer: I did receive a pack of Hallmark Web Greetings so I could accurately review the cards.  However, receiving the complimentary cards in no way affects my opinions stated here.

The other night I was click-click-clicking away on my laptop, as I usually do once the kids are in bed, and my husband said to me, “You do A LOT of email.”  Huh, I guess I do.  I was kind of taken back by his comment because I never really thought that I did A LOT of emailing but, the more that I think about it, I would have to agree with him.  I love me some email!

The truth is that, whether good or bad, I would gladly choose writing an email over calling someone most days.  If I want to just “check-in” with someone and chat casually, then hand me the phone and dial those numbers!  I actually love chatting on the phone with friends, when I have the time.  When I have no other distractions.  But, when I have limited time (which is most days), when I have a thousand other things that I need to get done, I will avoid the phone call at all costs.

It’s not that I don’t love talking to you, it’s just that I need to squeeze in as much correspondence as I can in as little time as possible.  It’s business.  It’s me being efficient.  It’s nothing personal.  And that, my friends, is the problem.

I get so wrapped up in emails that I often forget that not everyone appreciates an email.  They actually like to spend time casually chatting on the phone.  Huh, go figure.  They want to hear my voice, although often hoarse and distracted, to feel that personal connection with me.  Ok, I get it.

The other problem, I’ve forgotten how to talk “business” on the phone.  Really.  I love that I can collect my thoughts in an email.  I can re-read it to make sure what I’m saying sounds right.  I can choose my words wisely without those awkward phone pauses.  I’m not tripping over my thoughts and I’m not getting distracted (I have a really big problem with multitasking).  I can do all of this at midnight while you are sleeping or when I have five minutes as I wait at a train crossing.  I can start the email, go rock my sick child, and then come back to finish that email.  I can’t do that stuff when I’m on the phone with some PR rep.  At least I don’t think they would appreciate it if I did.

So email, while such an amazing tool in my life, has started to cause these noticeable not-s0-positive side effects.  And I’ve especially noticed them lately as I’m finding myself on the phone with potential sponsors for Gleek Retreat.  Fumbling over my words, pausing as I collect my thoughts to answer the question they just asked me.  It’s so frustrating.  The minute I hang up the phone I think to myself, “Ahhh, if only I could have responded to all of that through an email.  I would have sounded awesome!”  But the point is that I wouldn’t have “sounded”.  Those sponsors are looking for a personal connection to this thing called Gleek Retreat and my voice is that personal connection.

Email may have made me mute but Gleek Retreat is definitely making me find my voice again.

What are your thoughts on email?  Are you a big email corresponder or do you crave that phone connection?