Coming Attraction: 'Littlest Pet Shop' Premieres on The Hub + 'My Little Pony'

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'Littlest Pet Shop' on The Hub

The Hub has an exciting Saturday planned -- for those kids, including my own little girl, who are crazy about a certain group of ponies, as well as a new herd of colorful, talking creatures.

In addition to airing the season premiere of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic (Saturday at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT), The Hub will premiere a new series, Littlest Pet Shop (Saturday at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT).

CC and I caught a sneak peek of Littlest Pet Shop, and it looks like a clever and colorful Saturday morning addition. The show centers on Blythe Baxter, a little girl who has moved to the Manhattan-esque big city with her pilot dad (sans mom, but that goes unexplained). Blythe is precocious and very sure of herself -- a positive trait I love for my daughter to see.

In fact, when she bumps into a couple of "mean girls," she stands up for herself from the get-go. Talk about a great example for little girls.

Blythe and her father move into an apartment above the Littlest Pet Shop, which is in danger of closing. In the opening two episodes, this fashion-forward little girl discovers that she can talk to the little critters -- which include a monkey, dog, gecko, hedgehog (not a porcupine!) and a skunk -- and that they need her help.

But can Blythe help save the pet shop?

The show is gorgeously animated, with candy-colored animals, cityscapes and fashion. It definitely pops off the screen. What's also interesting is the pairing of Littlest Pet Shop alongside My Little Pony. Both shows seem to have the same smart-girl sensibilities. That is, they're headlined by clever girls who aren't afraid to show off their smarts -- or their (often dry) senses of humor. They're also confident enough to put friends in their place, should they go off track.

CC enjoyed the episodes -- and especially loved when Littlest Pet Shop dog Zoe burst out into song. Look forward to checking out more!

Free Screening: 'Dino Time'

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Just in case you missed catching a movie with the kiddos over the long weekend, here's your chance to snag a sneak peek of Dino Time, from Clarius Entertainment, for free!

While the animated kids' film doesn't hit theaters until Dec. 7, you can take the kiddos to an advanced screening tomorrow night in Burbank. (See info below.)

Featuring voice talent from Jane Lynch (she's everywhere these days!), Melanie Griffith, Rob Schneider and Stephen and William Baldwin, Dino Time is about three kids -- Ernie, Julia and Max -- who accidentally turn on a time machine in Max's dad's workshop and head back in time 65 million years. The kids are adopted by a friendly dinosaur family, which tries to protect them from the grumpier dinos, while the kids' parents try to find a way back for them.

Here's where and how you and the kids can see the film: Go to www.gofobo.com/rsvp to download free tickets with the code LAMOMS41RL

DINO TIMETuesday, November 136:30pmAMC Burbank 16125 East Palm AvenueBurbank, CA 91502

Let me know what you think!

A Birthday Visit from Princess Leia

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Princess Leia reads to CC and friends.

CC got a glimpse of a galaxy far, far away when she celebrated her 6th birthday at a party in the park with friends ... and Princess Leia.

We were so lucky to have mildly cloudy weather this weekend -- and pretty bold to have an outdoor party in an often-rainy December. But the rain took a break long enough for CC and her pals to chase each other with inflatable light sabers and take in some stories and crafts from a certain galactic princess.

I have to give a shout-out to Wishing Well Entertainment and Parties, which found an awesome Leia on relatively short notice. Not only did she look the part, but she also enthralled the little Jedis with books, songs, crafts, balloons and face painting. The kids loved her!

CC had a great time, which was the most important thing -- especially since she's had so many changes this year. First kindergarten at a new school, then a baby brother. She deserved a really special celebration.

Of course, I learned that maternity leave actually had drained a few of the ol' brain cells when I realized we had no forks for the awesome Star Wars cake that Ian ordered from Porto's. (eek.) The kids, of course, were OK with that deal. The adults, not so much.

Ah well. At least Princess Leia saved the day.

Happy Birthday, CC! You're 6!

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Happy Birthday, my little bear! I can't believe it's been six years since I first laid eyes on you.

I want you to know that you are a true joy and a shining light in your daddy's and my eyes. You're growing up to be such a kind, thoughtful and brilliant little girl.

You've gone through so many changes this year, and you've handled them all with such grace -- as you have with other changes in your little life.

I'm proud of you and love you more than you will ever know.

'Ice Age: Continental Drift' DVD Review

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Our toothy prehistoric heroes are back for a fourth installment in Ice Age: Continental Drift, and the Blu-ray/DVD ($39.99) is hitting store shelves on December 11.

CC and I had the chance to dive into the icy adventure on DVD, courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, and this incarnation of the popular Blue Sky Studios film franchise has families breaking apart -- along with the ice -- and learning what it takes to adjust to a few growing pains.

Manny (voiced by Ray Romano), Diego (Denis Leary) and Sid (John Leguizamo) hit the high seas when the continent starts to break apart, but not before Manny gets a dose of teenage embarrassment and frustration, courtesy of his daughter, Peaches (Keke Palmer), who's trying to impress a cute boy, er, woolly mammoth (Drake).

The trio of friends encounter a rag-tag group of pirates, led by a ruthless gorilla (Peter Dinklage) with a toothy grin that could use a few Crest White Strips. Using their wits to outsmart these marauders, Manny, Diego and Sid must find a way to reunite the herd -- all while dealing with Sid's seemingly senile grandmother (Wanda Sykes).

CC enjoyed the icy adventure, and for me it's always fun to check out the voice cast. (I especially love John Leguizamo's Sid!) That, and Scrat. That poor prehistoric squirrel can't ever seem to get that acorn -- and the clever ways he always misses it is a fun trademark of the series.

The movie itself is light and a fun weekend distraction. Older kids should be able to empathize with the challenges of being a teenager and dealing with an especially protective parent. Younger kids will love the colorful animation and the silly crew of animals.


For those of you in Los Angeles, the Beverly Center is hosting an Ice Age Ice Palace display through the holidays. The 30-foot dome will offer footage from the movie, as well as falling snow and a light show.

Enjoy!

Crafty Holiday Gift Idea for Kids: Kiwi Crate

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What could possibly be more fun for a child than opening up all their presents on Christmas morning?  How about the chance to open up additional gifts as they arrive on their doorstop once a month?  Subscription boxes are a fun way to treat that deserving person on your holiday list to monthly fun.

Various themed subscription boxes are all the buzz this holiday season and I will be sharing a few of my favorites I have personally checked out in upcoming posts.

To begin the Kiwi Crate is designed for the 3-7 age child that enjoys doing crafts, science, and art activities along with an adult.  Sibling add-on kits are also available, so no one misses out on the fun.


I received the December Kiwi Crate (with a sibling add-on) for my twins to help me review and it had an Antarctic Adventure theme.  Included were special booklets with complete instructions on each activity as well as all the supplies needed to create and enjoy them.

The first booklet was entitled "my penguin bowling" and the activity involves first decking out your cardboard penguin bowling pins with fun face stickers and drawing utensils.  From there you can  assemble the pins for play and use the provided balls.

The second booklet was called "my aurora postcards" and it allows for kids to channel their inner artist to create postcards of auroras in the horizon.  Supplies for this activity included oil pastel crayons and watercolors.

The fun continued with the "explore more" booklet suggesting some ice themed activities that tie into the final object in our box, an adorable fish shaped ice cube tray.

For gift subscriptions givers can choose from 3, 6, or 12 months. Shipping is free and if you order today you can take advantage of their Cyber Monday sale - 40% off the FIRST month of Kiwi Crate 
http://www.kiwicrate.com
Also, they are giving away $1000 in prizes from PBK, Target, Kiwi Crate, and JCREW/Crewcuts in their "Here Come the Holidays Sweepstakes":  http://bit.ly/UP70tR

BYO-Wifi: NetZero 4G HotSpot (Review & Giveaway)

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Packing up for a fancy resort or visiting grandma for the holidays? Don't forget to bring your wifi.

I don't know about your family, but my family doesn't do the whole "there is no wifi" here thing well for long. Hubby HAS to read The Daily on his iPad each morning, the teenagers have statuses they NEED to check and hulu programs they MUST watch, and the my twin 4 year olds have a few apps like ABC Food that require a connection for full game play. And ok I admit I REALLY need my wifi too, one can't run a popular mommy blog without keeping a good eye on it right?

So how can a modern family of 7 such as mine stay connected when not at home? Well starting last week we were able to with the help of our new NetZero 4G HotSpot. It allows us to connect up to 8 of our devices like our laptops, ipads, and Galaxy Tabs via Wi-Fi to a 4G connection.

Since receiving it for review, I've found the NetZero 4G HotSpot device to be super easy to use. I simply plugged it in and it sought out a signal making it ready to go. Connecting to it from our devices was equally uncomplicated. In mere minutes I had 3 of my devices sharing it and the connection seemed surprisingly good in my area (Southwest Chicago Suburbs). NetZero currently offers coverage in over 80 cities and you can check the NetZero website to verify the areas you frequent have coverage.

It's small size has made it easy for me to just toss it in my purse and bring along to places like my daughter's dance studio, the school's gym, and even the grandparent's house. And now for the extra fun part, here's a giveaway for my readers ...




Prize:
One lucky winner will receive $300 in NetZero products and services. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclaimer: I am part of the Mom It Forward blogger network. Mom It Forward andNetZero partnered in support of this campaign. NetZero compensated me forparticipation in this campaign. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.