Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast - Movie Review

 "...deep down in the darkness, something awakes." 

Tinkerbell and the Legend of the Neverbeast

   So, I first heard of Tinkerbell and the Legend of the Neverbeast from a host of blog friends going to a press conference for the film. With an amazing list of voice talent including Ginnifer Goodwin, Mae Whitman, Rosario Dawson, Lucy Liu, Pamela Adlon, and Raven-Symoné, I had high hopes for our family's viewing. The official plot summary is: "Fun and talented animal fairy Fawn believes you can't judge a book by its cover, or an animal by its fangs, so she befriends a huge and mysterious creature known as the NeverBeast. While Tinkerbell and her friends aren't so sure about this scary addition to Pixie Hollow, the elite Scout Fairies set out to capture the monster before he destroys their home. Fawn must trust her heart and take a leap of faith if she hopes to rally the girls to save the NeverBeast." (Written by DisneyToon Studios).

   The thing you notice in the first 10 minutes is that the story is more about Fawn, and her adventures with the Neverbeast. Tinkerbell is a supporting character, and that scared me for a minute. That melted away as our family got caught up in just what the Neverbeast was up to. While the Neverbeast himself was the highlight of the movie, I thought the Scout Fairies were pretty darn cool. Brave and dedicated, skilled and professional, this troop makes you want to sign up for the cause of protecting Pixie Hollow! The Scouts gave my daughter another example of girls that can kick butt, and I'm veryokay with that.

   (Mild Spoiler) In the end, we say goodbye to the Never beast. While I won't give away any major details, I will confirm that Disney does what it does best, which is give you a great ending that lures out the tears. By the time the incredibly sad and touching music plays over the slow rolling credits, my 9YO daughter was in tears, not wanting to say goodbye, not wanting it to end, and not wanting to ever watch that ending again. (*UPDATE* - Upon the second viewing, when the end scene came, she ran out of the room and sat at the bottom of the stairs in order to not go through the emotional gauntlet like before) We all loved the movie, and have had SEVERAL viewings since. It's fun, powerful, cute, lovable, and everything you'd expect from a great Disney flick. While I thought featuring one of the sidekick fairies would detract from the "Tinkerbell" theme, I was pleasantly surprised, and so were the kids. So check it out! It's worth the ride.

J.

Ultimate Spider-Man: Web Warriors - Toy Review

"Remember, with great power. comes great responsibility." - Uncle Ben, Spider-Man

   Spider-Man is one of those superheroes that is fun, adventurous, and if you're not looking, can teach you to be a better human being. The lessons learned in my youth about an average boy given immense power who chooses to use it for good made in impact on me. As an iconic hero of the Marvel world, Hasbro has teamed up to offer some downright awesome toys. Upon the reveal, BOTH my 5YO boy and 9YO girl were all over the gear listed below. Here's The Cheeky Review:

Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man: Web Warriors Web Slingers RACER
(Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $14.99) 
Can the enemies of justice keep up with the Web Warriors? Not when they’re at the wheel of their web-launching vehicles! You can launch two webs from its vehicle racer. Choose from characters from the hit animated series Marvel’s ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN: WEB WARRIORS like SPIDER-MAN with ATV, AGENT VENOM with Motorcycle and more! Each figure vehicle sold separately. *The Quad is a sweet vehicle. Agent Venom is a cool take on the character. You kind of get a two for one. After we got done with target practice, we rolled the quad with Agent Venom across the tile floor. Both were a good time.

Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man: Web Warriors Web Slingers BLASTERS
(Ages 5 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $14.99) 
Send webs flying into action! Load a web onto your Web Slingers blaster, then pull back and launch it at the included target! Hone your web-slinging abilities and help the Web Warriors defeat their enemies. The Spider-Man Web Slingers Blaster lets you get in the action with your own Spider-Man gear! Choose from characters from the hit animated series Marvel’s ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN: WEB WARRIORS like SPIDER-MAN , IRON SPIDER and SPIDER-MAN 2099.Each sold separately. Requires 2 AAA batteries. Demo batteries included. * While it took time to learn how to aim, this item was played with last, so we had three targets in total to aim at. I could see the excitement in my 5YO's eyes as he was envisioning himself as the webbed hero. The Cheeky Daddy was having a hard time not taking it over for himself!!!

Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man: Web Warriors Web Slingers TRICKSHOT SHOWDOWN Playset
(Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $24.99/Available: Spring 2015)
Now kids can join the Web Warriors in web-launching action with the Trickshot Showdown playset! This web-blasting arena includes a 6-inch scale Spider-Man figure, 2 stretchy webs, and 5 targets to blast! The Spider-Man figure can attach to the spinning crane and go crashing through the doors to attack the villains. Targets include a spinning Venom and collapsing Green Goblin. * While the wearable and individual action figures are a load of fun, a decent sized playset seems to unleash the imagination the best. It helps to put the child (and parent?) into the world. We had fun shooting at the 6 or so targets and did some fun hero role playing. Thumbs up for this one.

   Each of the toys listed above were fun to get into. The Web Slinger function of the rubber "ammunition" does take a bit of time to get good at, but was a good time with my 5YO boy. There was a fair amount of smack talk verses the bad guys we were up against! Good times ahead,.....my Spider-Sense is tingling!!!

J.

FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Hasbro, practically another member of the Cheeky family with how long they've been in our home. Toys were provided for review. All opinions are that of The Cheeky Daddy, Jason Swann.

Chef - Movie Review Of Inspiration

"I may not do everything great in my life, but I'm good at this. I manage to touch people's lives with what I do and I want to share this with you." - Carl Casper, Chef

  

The Wife and I sat down to relax with Chef, written/directed/starring Jon Favreau. It ended with us staying up WAY to late, planning our next several projects. The movie was that inspiring. While you can certainly get the professional synopsis via IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes, here's my take. 

Jon Favreau is a great writer/director/actor. The ensemble chosen for the film gels together VERY nicely. What I mean is that I got lost in the characters instead of realizing, "Hey, Robert Downey Jr. is playing a great pretentious ex-husband!" Each actor brought their own "flavor" to Chef (pun STRONGLY intended), without taking over any scene. The music throughout the film had me grooving in my seat, and the food shots made me hungry even though it was close to bedtime. The father/son portion of the story was relevant to me as I navigate my relationship with my own children of 9 and 5 as of this post, and added another cute layer to the plot line.  

   With the little craft business The Wife and I are trying to get going (The Cheeky Nest), the film left us inspired to create. We both had so much going on in our minds that it was hard to sleep and I was up way earlier than usual the next morning. We actually ended up watching it two nights in a row. This is a great film and will go in our top 10 favs in The Cheeky House.

J.

P.S. Here's the trailer for Chef.

ANGRY BIRDS GO! TELEPODS PIG ROCK RACEWAY Review

   Construction and destruction. Isn't that the essence of a young boy? Maybe it's just my little ones. I remember building block castles, only to tear them down with the latest giant robotic terror. Things haven't changed my in a generation. Just after a cute block castle is built, there's a mini-monster right near by to wreak havoc. The mayhem is usually accompanied by unique sound effects. This is why I'm so happy today's toymaker has answered the call, and provided our young ones an outlet for all that energy.

   The Cheeky Daddy has partnered with Hasbro, and was able to review the ANGRY BIRDS GO! TELEPODS PIG ROCK RACEWAY (retail price $29.99). This is a game that combines the competitive nature of the racer with the need for destruction of the smash derby enthusiast. We cracked open the box, and followed the easy instructions to get the track set up. Once complete, the set is solid, and holds up nicely,......except this is Angry Birds! We don't play nice here! My older two fell right into the sibling rivalry, and the competition began. The races were close, as the "go" shooting mechanisms responded well to their little hands. The cars are on quality wheels, so each vehicle FLEW down the track. The mechanism toward the end almost seemed like a decoration though, as the cars ended the race so fast, it was kind of redundant to be there. Though, you knew EXACTLY who won, as just before the end of the track, the car in the lead shifts a lever that kicks the other car off the track. OH, the fun the kids had with that.

   The game was fun because we all played together, then just my 'Lil Man played by himself with the two cars. Games and toys can come and go, but the ANGRY BIRDS GO! TELEPODS PIG ROCK RACEWAY is one that's already lasted. When we feel the "need for speed", we break out the track and get our race on. I recommend it as a gift to anyone with kids. Heck, I even raced The Wife a couple of times. It's recommended for ages 5 and up, but our 'Lil Man just turned 4 and is handling it great. What's even more fun, is you can use the cars in the Angry Birds Go app. The kids have fun with the mobile devices as well. That's a bit of a "duh" statement.

   So happy racing and remember what Bob Wiley said to the groundhog in Groundhog Day. "Don't drive angry. DON'T drive angry." Who's he kidding. This is Angry Birds!

J.

FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Hasbro, practically another member of the Cheeky family with how long they've been in our home. We received the ANGRY BIRDS GO! TELEPODS PIG ROCK RACEWAY to review. All opinions are that of The Cheeky Daddy, Jason Swann. 

Hasbro Transformer Construct-Bots Review and Giveaway!

Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye

   As a kid, I was a part of the Transformer movement. With the ongoing popularity of the autonomous robotic organisms, there's no end to the fun you can have with the movies, television programming and of course, the toys. Ahhhh, the toys. My brothers and I had a bin full of the original 80's merchandise, and I cry into my root beer every time I think about my mother getting rid of them once we all got older. I've been fortunate to partner with Hasbro to review some of their product lines that include the recently launched Transformers Construct-Bots. 

   My older two watch and love some of the new cartoons, so when they heard about the new Construct Bots, there was excitement in the air. We opened Ironhide: Transformer Construct-Bot Scout Class (retail price $9.99) and Soundwave: Transformer Construct-Bot Elite Class (retail price $14.99). Each came with a number of pieces, much like a puzzle to put together. The kids loved the construct portion. The toys are recommended for ages 6 and up, but with a little help from his old man, my 'Lil Man at 4 years old had a great time with it. In typical child fashion, we had to backtrack a few times when there was an arm where a leg went. That's just good old fashioned enthusiasm. There was much discussion about who was on which side of the fight, where did the Transformers come from, and so on. The kids were pleasantly surprised at how bit the toys ended up being upon completion. We had fun playing with the characters in robot form, though for the mechanically disinclined, converting them to their auto form is a bit more tricky, even for the old man. 

   In the end, what I liked best about the event was the interaction I had with my older two. I think it is a lesson in anything we gift out children. With the holidays upon us, we can apply this lesson to anything we give our children. Get involved. I think we had some music on quiet in the background, but for the most part, we sat at the table for close to an hour just being together. We talked Transformers, we joked about a number of other things, and had an overall great time. Seeing as both my son AND daughter had a great time with the project, I can recommend these for any child that shows interest in building things and might love the lore of the Transformer. Just be ready for lots of sound effects during the building process. "Rat-at-at.....phew! Ker-bang!!!!"

   On that note, let's do a giveaway!!! This giveaway is for a Transformers Construct-Bots Triple Changer Set. Enter below and good luck!

J. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 The Details: Promotion open to U.S. residents ages 18+, void where prohibited. Winner will be chosen at random on, about, or after December 4, 2013, and will be notified via email to obtain their shipping address. If no response within 24 hours, an alternate winner will be chosen. Shipping address must be a street address - no P.O. Boxes. Prize provided by Hasbro Gaming and delivered by The Cheeky Daddy. Not responsible for lost or misdirected mail. One shall win, one shall fall. Autobots,....roll out. 

FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Hasbro, practically another member of the Cheeky family with how long they've been in our home. All opinions are that of The Cheeky Daddy, Jason Swann. 

@Terro Product Review - Solving The Ant Problem

"The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah."

 

   I miss my days living in the high desert of Salt Lake City, Utah, if only for the reason that they don't have the ant problems that Californian have. I was out of town for business last week and in the middle of an evening call with The Wife, she exclaimed, "Awe crap! Ants!" She battled them for an hour and they left her alone for a few days, until I returned home.

 

   So just yesterday morning I awoke to an small invasion force. They'd found the honey, and were making they're first assault. I answered with an initial water based paper towel defense. Upon realizing they'd found a weakness in our perimeter on multiple fronts, I switched to a more lethal any killer spray. It thinned the ranks of my six legged foe, but where there are a few, there will be thousands to follow. I sent a text to my father-in-law, a legend in the field of combating formicidae on a large scale. His answer was clear. Terro ant products are they way to go.

 

   I hit the local hardware store (Lowe's in my case). I bought two items. First, the Terro Liquid Ant Killer. This can be used in the home, up and away from children and pets. It is 5% borax, but to the ant it tastes like yummy waffle syrup. They eat, take home, and hopefully kill the colony. I placed a few drops on several small squares of cardboard and the ants flocked like pigs to a trough. The solution was not as thick as I thought it might be, so like they say in the commercial for the game Operation, "It takes a very steady hand!" I placed these first line barriers at each corner along the back splash of our counter, and a couple in the back of our cupboards for until the battle is over.

 

   We also chose to pick up a box of Terro Liquid Ant Baits, which acts as a barrier around the outside of the home. These are more of an "all in one" product. A plastic cup, about half the size of a applesauce cup, contains the sweet solution that the ants "love to death". You simply remove the stakes meant for keeping the plastic container in place on the ground, and push down on the plastic cup to break the seal. The fluid deposits into the reservoir. You place it in the desired location and let it do its job.

Reminder: Keep the tray level after you have punctured the container with the fluid inside. I was jostling it around to much afterward breaking the seal and spilled some on myself.

Beyond that, it's not that hard, and is a great way to handle an ant problem all by yourself.

 

   It went against all human nature to just leave the drops to do their job and NOT go after the line of ants myself. I even went online and watched the video by Terro, starring Stew Clark, "America's Ant Expert." He used the phrase "bait, wait, and exterminate." The Wife and I were skeptical, but trusted the experts. We did a top to bottom clean session, wiping down ALL surfaces.. We did not disturb the ants doing their thing, but hit EVERY other surface. We went to bed, feeling the phantom tickles all over our body from ants that weren't there. We both even had dreams about ants.

   I awoke early to go to work the next morning. While the shower water headed up, I headed downstairs and stood mouth agape at 98% of the ants gone. Only the odd one or two at each of the previously bustling locations were still around. The video states that it make take a day or two if the problem is bad, so I concede my case may be not as common. It left me confident that we could handle any ant army thereafter, and VERY happy with the @Terro products we purchased. You can find the company also on Twitter and Facebook.

   I wish all of you luck in your future ant warfare.

 

J.

 

The fine print: Terro products were purchase by The Cheeky Daddy, and all opinions are my own. Some ants were harmed in the making of this post.



Movie Review - Playing For Keeps

 

Lewis: "Are you upset mom's getting married?"

 George: "Yeah, but Matt seems like a nice guy."

 Lewis: "I've decided I'm not going to call him dad."

- Playing For Keeps

 

   Over the weekend, The Wife and I were looking for a movie to watch before bed. We stumbled across Playing For Keeps on Netflix. Stumbled is the right work, as we'd never heard of it before. It's got Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Dennis Quaid, Uma Thurman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, to name a few. I saw that after it's $35m budget, it didn't do so well. Without seeing a trailer we put it on, as it got a good star rating from Netflix viewers.

   Now it should be known, that I love movies. I'm not hard to please, as I'm not looking for a life changing event. I'm just looking for a distraction for 2 hours. I can hear some of my fellow dad's saying "he's a man whore!", and "that's not what it really like!" Uh, who cares. Gerard Butler plays a retired soccer player (football to the rest of the world to us yanks). He's had a kid with Jessica Biel's character and has not been the best father. As he looks for work and reluctantly takes a coaching job for his son's team, there are some relationships that happen to mess things up. Hilarity ensues.

   The Wife and I ended up loving this movie for the message is sent that the interests of a child super cede our own desires. When we decide to bring a child into this world (or make decisions that produce a child), there is responsibility that comes with it. The acting was great and portrayed the story well in my eyes. I'm an emotional guy, and can tear up at a decent Hallmark commercial. This movie was no exception. When I see even an on-screen father, making the decision to be a better dad, I'm moved. I have my own son, and am trying to build my relationship with him every day.

   I played soccer for 10 years growing up, so that theme was not lost on my. Though it was late when the movie ended, I wanted to go kick the ball around with my boy immediately after. I'm not sure I would have ever seen it if it were not on Netflix, but it's worth viewing if anything I've written above interests you. I laughed a bunch of times and LOVED the scene of father and son practicing a little "footie" together in the rain.

   Ole-ole-ole-ole.....

 

J. 

Gillette ProGlide Razor Review - @Gillette

(pic via 9gag.com)

"I see you're shaving. Was the weight of being a man to much for you?" - Overly Manly Man

I once saw a graphic on Reddit.com that looked something like this:

   Yes, that's exactly how things work in my life. The last razor hangs on forever, to the point of "shaving with a rusty razor" (what do you do with a drunken sailor!). That is, until I came home from vacation this past weekend and found a larger box atop my pile of recyclable mail fodder. I saw the phrase "Your greatest shave", and my attention was piqued. Anything that can save my skin from public flogging is certainly welcome. I thought this might be my escape from subjecting my neck to what feels like a cheese grater for a razor. (ouch, just the thought!)

   I'm no stranger to the Gillette product line. I've used various shave gels in the past. They've always done well on my skin. The razors have been purchased over the years also, and have been lost, stolen, graduated from, or grown so much scum on them that they look like an artifact from the Flying Dutchman captained by Davy Jones himself. Nay, this pirate was in need of something more than the pocket friendly 4 pack from whatever store I was at when they were needed. I slid my pocket knife through the seal of my new ProGlide sample and opened the box to the sound of a distant angelic choir. I beheld the greatness therein. "Precision meets sensitivity." We shall see Gillette, we shall see.

   I freed the contents of the box and found another treat. $5 off my next purchase of cartridge refills. Enticement to extend our relationship, should I come out of my first shave in 2 weeks unscathed. I washed my face in the shower and once done, lathered up in preparation of the first stroke down my face. It was like I was in the middle of a quiet meadow! Each stroke felt like a woman with baby soft fingers was gently brushing my cheek with the back of her hand. With four blades and a moisturizing strip, it was a VERY smooth shave. The swiveled neck allowed the razor to curve and hug the corners of my jawline like a Lamborghini taking corners with ease. I finished with no nicks or dings, and stared back at a satisfied customer.

   I highly recommend the Gillette ProGlide, and will be taking of advantage of the $5 coupon for sure. Let's just hope it doesn't take 6 months to do so!

J.

Don't forget to read my post on Men's Bath Products That Work For You.

'Da fine print: @Gillette products were a free sample received via post. All opinions are The Cheeky Daddy's and the smooth shave is for ALL to enjoy. 

Angry Birds Star Wars Toy Review

Not that long ago, in a living room far, far away...

   The reviews are in. Angry Birds Star Wars toys, by Hasbro, are out in stores ready for play time. Any Star Wars nut out there will be thrilled to have any one of these toys in their home, at any age. See, I feel that any of us who still love the stories and lore of the galaxy far, far away would play with these new games from Angry Birds and Hasbro any day. So here's our take on some of the the new releases from The Cheeky House. 


ANGRY BIRDSTM STAR WARS® AT-ATTTM ATTACK BATTLE GAME
(Approximate retail price: $39.99; Ages: 5 & up. Available: Now) 

The various characters that the battle game comes with is half the fun. It takes some time and patience to set up the AT-AT, but I found I end up chatting or goofing with my young ones while we set up. The smile they get when they get a direct hit makes the set up worth it. I'll admit, it feels weird taking iconic characters like Darth Vader and R2-D2 and flinging them at an AT-AT made of plastic Tetris blocks. Seems irreverent or something. Either way, the game is fun, and after about 5 days of every day playing we're not at about every other day for about 15 minutes each. 



ANGRY BIRDSTM STAR WARS® MILLENNIUM FALCONTM BOUNCE GAME (Approximate retail price: $19.99; Ages: 8 & up; Players: 1-2; Available: Now) 

For some strange reason, I feel like I'm training my kids to be good at beer pong later in life. Their skill level is still lacking but the game play together is what makes it fun. I find that small parts are always tough to keep track of in a young home. Though, I do enjoy having anything Star Wars themed in my possession. The Angry Birds Millennium Falcon is on of those, and bouncing a Chewbacca Bird ping-pong ball at it is a load of fun.  

ANGRY BIRDSTM STAR WARS® FOAM FLYERSTM
(Approximate retail price: $9.99 ea.; Ages: 5 & up. Available: Now)

The foam flyer has been a hoot. It's not the center of any specific game, but it's been the hot potato, throw learning tool, stress ball, pre-bedtime chasing bad guy, baby chew toy, and I'm sure a few others. I picture these flying around dorm rooms or high school kid's bedrooms. They're pretty cool to have around the house.  

   Each of these are a fun diversion from the daily grind. They bring a group together, whether it's an adult party, or staying in touch with your kids. They'd make a great gift, as they're first two are just a little different than some of the games out there we're all used to. Thumbs up from The Cheeky Daddy. 

The games above were provided as a sample by a promotional company for review. All opinions are The Cheeky Daddy's. 

Iron Man 3 Toy Review - Mask, Figures, & Assemblers

Captain America- "Big man in a suit of armor. Take that away -- what are you?" 

Tony Stark - "Uh, genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist."

    
   When I heard Hasbro was looking for a few good men to participate in reviewing a few Iron Man 3 toys, there was no question about joining the ranks of the elite parent/kid play team. We played with 10" Arc Strike Iron Patriot Figure (retail $19.99) . The battle sounds/phrases and lights are pretty killer. The flip-up missile launcher is pretty dang cool, as it rests vertically on the Iron Patriot's shoulder until you raise his right arm. Then it is in firing position with more sound effects. My 'Lil Man has already had the Iron Patriot on several missions!

   After our Wee Lass has gone down for the night, we were able to crack open the Assemblers Interchangeable Armor System (retail $9.99ea.) (Starboost Iron Man and Iron Man Mark 42). The small interchangeable pieces, while not baby friendly, are a TON of fun. The two figurines that we played with were enough of a good time that it kept my 'Lil Man and our 'Lil Miss engaged for a long time. After trying several combinations, they stepped into the world of make believe and had a numbers of great battles against each other and then invisible foes. The small parts were at times tough to swap for the 3YO, but our 7YO did great to help out.

   Lastly, we were honored to unveil the Marvel Iron Man 3 ARC FX Mission Mask (retail $24.99). This is clearly the favorite, as you BECAME Iron Man!!! I was battling with the metal man the entire first evening, through dinner AND a shopping trip. The Mission Mask has sound and phrase buttons on the sides that happen to also fire two missiles on each side. I'm on the fence about the missiles as I've loved toys that shoot since I was a kid. I'm also now a father that worries about "shooting your eye out", loosing parts under the couch, and our baby ingesting those lost items. We had fun turning the lights out and using the targeting laser. The glow around the eye piece was pretty eerie and cool. We put it up where we can see it when not in use, just 'cuz it's fun to look at. This one's worth having in the house for make believe. It may prove to be a source of contention between my 'Lil Man and I. It's that cool.

   As I wonder what to buy my children that will actually be played with, and NOT become bin fodder in the play room, I'm thrilled to report that these three toys deliver. The action figures stimulate the imagination and play. The mask takes that to a whole new level.

Iron Man 3 toys were received as a sample by a promotional company on behalf of Hasbro. All opinions are my own. Iron Man 3 is in theater's May 3, 2013. Don't miss it!



Choosing Green Products

"It's not easy being green." - Kermit the Frog

   I was at a local baby store, when I passed a large kiosk that looked like the picture I took above. It was ALL kinds of green. While the color evokes a feeling of "I could probably eat that natural product!", I realized how far we'd come as a family with our use of "green" products. The Wife is a research junky, so it only makes sense that we've reviewed dozens of products that we use on a regular basis to find the ones that are truly more "green". We do it mainly for our children's sensitive skin, but also to not be breathing toxic fumes through pregnancies or in daily life. 

   Discussing green products as a whole, it's important to remember that we don't live in Utopia. There are those such as ECOS, Method, Clorox Green Works, and SC Johnson's Nature's Source that Stephen Ashkin, executive director of the Green Cleaning Network, says that are trying to put "real muscle" behind their claims. Others use 1 less toxic ingredient and claim their product is "healthier". The article mentions ways to DIY here, to control the ingredients that are in your cleaners. It's also mentions that while shopping, look for these things.

   For our part, we've chosen the following regularly used products for our household:

Seventh Generation Disinfecting Spray Cleaners - By Clean Well, a multi-surface cleaner that's for general purpose in our house.
Green Works Natural Glass Cleaner - By Clorox, this is just one of the their many naturally derived cleaning products to choose from.
Method Multi -Surface - By Method, it's just what it says. We use this for a lot of our surfaces around the house.
Method Antibac Kitchen Cleaner - By Method, we use this around the kitchen, more for the orange scent.

Hope this helps, and happy green cleaning.

J.

Disney/Pixar's Brave Review

"If you had your chance to change your fate, would you?"   - Merida

     My family went to see Disney/Pixar's new animated film "Brave" on Saturday. To add to the hype, we went to Disneyland the day before. At the park, we stood in line to meet Merida, which was the coolest for our 'Lil Miss. She got to meet the Scottish princess and then shoot a bow and arrow. The next day the anticipation was great. I had been waiting for this movie to premier since I heard it was a concept. It's been on my mind for the past year. My patience paid off on Saturday with the viewing a long time in the making. I personally enjoyed the story, followed by the beautiful music and even more breath-taking scenery. I loved the mother/daughter relationship that is explored and thought the comedy was well timed. The commentary that the story is not original did not detract from my experience, nor that of my two little 'uns.

     I couldn't say it any better than the Upcoming Pixar Blog. I couldn't say it any better than they did. I've noticed that the marketing for the film has been great, with plenty of merchendise to grab. I'll be picking up a doll and some story books for sure. I give it five out of five stars, as I wasn't left wanting for anything. I downloaded the soundtrack the next day, if that says anything. Enjoy!

J.