Busy Mom Reviews

The V-bot is a remote control robot that can transform into a car, and, it's also an mp3 player speaker.

I received one for review, and, this thing is fun!

It's huge, and, is great to watch. The kids figured the controls out very easily, and, it's been a big hit. It goes from RC care mode to robot mode and has lots of action either way. It's kind of like a great big transformer.

It's got some serious packaging (be patient, or, release it before a young recipient gets it), and, requires a bit of set-up, but, it's lots of fun. It requires 6 - C & 1 - 9V batteries, so, don't forget those for Christmas morning, and, it's wise to have plenty on hand!

The best part is that it dances to your mp3 player's music, it's hilarious. See for yourself:

V-Bot is one of the hottest toys around this Christmas, and, it retails for about $129.00 US,

Introducing "The Craziest Thing I've Ever Shopped For Online" Contest.

Have you ever shopped for something unusual online?

Got a craving for a Krystal, but, you live too far away? Go ahead, admit you looked to see if you could order them online.

Bought earrings online for your dog? Tell us about it, we can keep a secret.

Tell us the oddest thing you've shopped for or bought online and get a chance to win one of 5 iPod Nanos!

During this busy holiday season, online shopping can save your sanity when you don't have to fight the crowds and the traffic in the malls.

Did you know if you do your online shopping at the American Airlines AAdvantage eShoppping^SM Mall you can earn miles for every dollar spent for your purchases?

Also, the American Airlines AAdvantage® program and MasterCard® have teamed up to offer online shoppers double AAdvantage® miles this holiday season for purchases made at any of the 25 featured retailers such as CircuitCity.com, Staples.com, and macys.com at the AAdvantage eShopping^SM mall site through Dec. 31, 2007.

To get you started (or finished) on your holiday eShopping, along with the AAdvantage eShopping^SM Mall, I'm giving you a chance to win one of 5 iPod Nanos!!

Leave a comment, or write on your blog and leave a comment with a link to your entry telling us the most unusual thing you've shopped for online, and, if your story is judged one of the 5 craziest/most unusual, you win!

The deadline for entries is 11pm (CST) Monday, December 10th, 2007

Rules:

1. One entry per household/name/e-mail.
2. All submissions/comments must be received by 11pm (CST) on Monday, December 10th, 2007.
3. Five winners will be chosen among qualified entries by my select panel of judges.
4. Tell all your friends, and, a link back to this entry is appreciated on your blog, or, in your e-mails.
5. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, December 12, 2007.

OK, write about your e-shopping and win with me and American Airlines AAdvantage eShoppping^SM Mall

(Disclosure: I get nuthin' for this entry but the opportunity to give you fine people the chance to win an iPod nano)

Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End is out on DVD today, December 4, 2007.

Just when he’s needed most, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), that witty and wily charmer of a pirate, is trapped on a sea of sand in Davy Jones’ Locker.

In an increasingly shaky alliance, Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) and Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) begin a desperate quest to find and rescue him. Captain Jack’s the last of the nine Pirate Lords of the Brethren Court who must come together united in one last stand to preserve the freedom-loving pirates’ way of life.

From exotic Singapore, to World’s End and beyond, from Shipwreck Island , to a titanic battle, this adventure’s filled with over-the-edge action, irreverent humor and seafaring myth and magic. Everything has led to this twisting, turning, wild swashbuckling ride in this final chapter of the Pirates Of The Caribbean trilogy.

Bonus features include bloopers, documentaries, behind the scenes and more.

Get your copy of Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End today, it's a great holiday gift!

(Looking for the iPod contest? It's here, but, hurry, it ends December 10, 2007)

(Looking for the iPod contest? It's here, but, hurry, it ends December 10, 2007)

I love those little movies that come on before the Pixar films, you know, the ones like the birds on the wire?

I was excited to see that Pixar now has them all on a DVD that came out on November 6, 2007.

Pixar Short Films Collection - Vol. 1 includes 13 movies, three of which are Academy Award® winners and five additional nominees .

The list:
1. "THE ADVENTURES OF ANDRE AND WALLY B." (1984, Lucasfilm). After blue humanoid André is awakened in a forest by a pesky bee, he tries to escape. But the bee (named Wally B.) chases after him, and both characters run off screen. Finally, Wally reappears with a bent stinger.

2. "LUXO JR." (1986). When a large desklamp watches a smaller, younger desklamp play with a ball, he can't quite manage to do it himself.

3. "RED'S DREAM" (1987). Propped up in the corner of a bicycle store, Red the unicycle dreams about a better place.

4. "TIN TOY" (1988). When a wind-up one-man-band toy sees just how destructive a baby can be, he does everything he can to flee -- until the baby gets hurt.

5. "KNICK KNACK" (1989). A snowglobe snowman wants to join a party of other travel souvenirs in a hot party, but his glass dome gets in his way.

6. "GERI'S GAME" (1997). A man plays a game of chess against himself, 'becoming' each player by moving to the other side of the chessboard and taking his glasses on and off.

7. "FOR THE BIRDS" (2001). A group of small birds perched together on a telephone wire reject a larger, awkward-looking bird, and pay the price for it.

8. "MIKE'S NEW CAR" (2002). When Mike (from "Monsters Inc.") shows Sulley his new six-wheel drive car, everything that can go wrong does.

9. "BOUNDIN'" (2003). A shearing leaves a dancing sheep humiliated until a jackalope passes by and demonstrates that it's what's inside that counts.

10. "JACK-JACK ATTACK" (2005). Baby Jack-Jack is thought not to possess the superpowers of his siblings or parents (Mr. and Mrs. Parr of "The Incredibles") until an outsider is hired to watch him.

11. "ONE MAN BAND" (2006). Two one-man bands vie to win the attention of a young peasant girl.

12. "MATER AND THE GHOSTLIGHT" (2006). A mysterious blue light haunts the "Cars" town of Radiator Springs and its residents.

13. "LIFTED" (2007). A bumbling young alien student tests the patience of his instructor as he attempts to abduct an innocent farmer.

Pixar's Short Films Collection - Vol. 1 would make a great holiday gift or stocking stuffer, get yours today!

The Match & Win Dreamhouse Game sponsored by Goya, Tyson and Reynolds Wrap offers you the chance to win a $500, 000 dream home and more than 3, 000 other fabulous prizes.

Find official game pieces on participating products from Goya, Tyson and/or Reynolds. Game pieces on participating products show either the left or right half of a prize. If you collect both halves of a prize, you win.

Official rules here and the contest runs through October 1st, 2008.

Good luck!

It's the party time of year, and, cookie swaps are a popular way to get together with friends.

Reynolds Parchment paper and Robin Olsen, celebrated cookie exchange hostess share cookie swap party tips.

Get printable recipe cards, invitations and more from Reynolds and Robin Olsen.

Get a free sample of Reynolds parchment paper, the secret to better baking.

I got a sample myself, and, my daughter has appropriated it, and, her cookies taste great, and, were perfectly done, so, I am to assume it works!

Save me some cookies!

Wow.

You guys are hilarious, and, you've got some crazy online shopping stories, and, seems that you've got a thing for retail animal parts, too.

Anyway, thank you, everyone, for participating in the Win an iPod Nano with AAdvantage eShoppingSM and Busy Mom contest.

I hope you've enjoyed the entries as much as I have, they were apparently VERY hard to narrow down to five.

Without further adieu, the esteemed judges: my friend outside the computer, NewsKathy (real live writer, sometime reader and no-time commenter), Busy Dad (real husband, no time reader until this contest) and Brittney G (blogger extraordinaire, and, blogs for a living, too) have selected the following entries to win an iPod Nano from AAdvantage eShoppingSM:

1. Remote Control Squirrel - Holy Schmidt!

2. Wolf urine - mazdalena

3. Bull Scrotum (hello, Googlers, how are ya?) purse - reeva

4. 5 pounds of Limberger cheese story - Mamacita G.

5. Replacement baby tooth - Bebemiqui

If your name is above, please send me your mailing address (busymomATgmail.com), so we can get your prizes on the road to you!

Congratulations, and, a huge THANK YOU to everyone for playing.

Mr. Bean's Holiday came out on DVD November 27th, 2007.

Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson) can't believe his luck when he wins a camcorder and an all-expense-paid vacation to the French Riviera. But during his train journey to the south of France, he falls face first into a series of mishaps and fortunate coincidences, all of which are caught on camera and far-fetched enough to ensure his own makeshift entry into the Cannes Film Festival!

Wrongly thought to be both kidnapper and acclaimed filmmaker, he has some serious explaining to do after wreaking havoc across the French countryside and arriving at his vacation spot with a Romanian filmmaker's precocious son and an aspiring actress in tow. Will Bean be arrested by the gendarmes or end up winning the Palme d'Or?

It's based on a British television series, that, from what I understand wasn't aimed at kids. It's rated G, but, know there's a little bit of language, but, nothing outrageous.

It's funny, and, OK for the whole family, but, I think very young children might not "get it".

The DVD also has bonus features, and, hilarious deleted scenes.

Mr. Bean's Holiday would make a great holiday gift or stocking stuffer, get yours today!I

The Land Before Time: The Wisdom of Friends came out on DVD November, 27, 2007.

It's another in the series of the Land Before Time Adventures which I love, love, love.

The fun begins when Littlefoot and his friends try to guide two goofy and seemingly inept yellow-bellied dinos, Loofah and Doofah (voiced by Cuba Gooding Jr. and Sandra Oh), back to their herd.

Along the way, Littlefoot realizes that their comically strange survival techniques demonstrate a different kind of 'wisdom’.

The DVD includes several cute bonus features:

· Yellow Bellies on the Loose! Collect enough berries so the Yellow Bellies will stay in a group. The Yellow Bellies are out of control. They just can’t seem to follow Littlefoot’s ‘wisdom’ to stay in a group. The only things that seem to gain their attention are their love of berries.

· Yellow Belly Challenge: Help the Yellow Bellies find their way home in this fun interactive game! Loofah, Doofah and Foobie are eager to know what the right wisdom is for each of their dilemmas to help guide them home. Help steer the Yellow Bellies in the right direction all the way back to Berry Valley .

· "The Hidden Canyon " – An exclusive episode from the hit “Land Before Time” TV series

· Sing-a-longs including the “Yellow Belly Bounce,” “How Do You Know”

· Printable Coloring Pages

Be sure to check out The Land Before Time: The Wisdom of Friends for the young movie viewer in your life for the holidays.