WholesaleCostumeClub

Halloween is such a fun time for kids. I think a big part of that is deciding what to dress up as. My son has been over the years: a mouse, giraffe, royal knight, Snoopy, Captain America, and this year...Wolverine. It's fun to watch the changes in what he chooses. Lately he's been really into superheroes, so this made sense to me. Although I didn't realize he was really into Wolverine that much, and I suspect he mostly chose him for the "claws".

The product: This year we got to choose a costume from the website WholesaleCostumeClub. They have a big selection of boys and kids Halloween costumes. Some things we looked at were Superheros, Star Wars, cartoon characters, and so much more. It was hard to narrow it down. But Zachariah finally settled on Wolverine. It came with the full bodysuit (including padded "muscles"), mask, belt clip (velcro) and the "claw" hand covers. That last one might have been the best part for Zachariah. He only wished they were retractable. Ha!

What we thought: We got this costume in size medium for boys. It is supposed to fit most kids size 7-8. In clothes, Zachariah is wearing boys' sizes 6-7. This costume fit perfectly. I would recommend going up 1 size from their clothing. I don't think it will fit him next year.

The costume is pretty sturdy and easy to put on. Zachariah slips into and out of it easily. The mask didn't want to stay put, so most of the time he can't see out of both eyes at once. He could push it up a bit and not use the eye holes though.

We have noticed that after putting this on and off so many times some of the threads are coming loose. This happens at the shoulder seems and where the velcro is sewed into the costume and mask. It wasn't major or really noticeable, but if this is getting used for playtime a lot it might start to unravel.

Overall we like the costume, and Zachariah is happy to have something fun for Halloween events and trick-or-treating.

Where to buy: You can find this costume and others from www.wholesalecostumeclub.com.



*Disclaimer: I received this product for review. All opinions are my own.*

Tom and Jerry: Around the World DVD

Old cartoons with a modern makeover. Do you like it or not? I generally prefer the old classics to the newer versions, but the new ones aren't too bad. At least I know it's something fun that my son can watch. The new  Tom and Jerry cartoons are one of our favorites. We can both watch it and enjoy it together.

The product: Tom & Jerry sure have been around a while. Not only do I remember the old cartoons, but Matt's dad gave Zachariah an old Tom & Jerry book that he had from his childhood. We love it. It's fun to have a multi-generational connection to a great cartoon. And here is one of the latest DVDs from Tom & Jerry...that silly cat and mouse are still at it.

IT’S INTERNATIONAL CAT AND MOUSE MAYHEM

WITH WARNER HOME VIDEO’S DVD RELEASE OF

TOM & JERRY: AROUND THE WORLD

LANDING IN STORES

MAY 8, 2012

Release is Available on DVD with UltraViolet™ Digital Copy

DVD Will Feature 22 Rip-Roaring Cartoons for Over Two-Hours of

Tom & Jerry Fun!

BURBANK, CA (February 15, 2012) – Get set for an unforgettable journey with everyone’s favorite cat and mouse duo in Tom & Jerry: Around the World, available from Warner Home Video (WHV) May 8, 2012.  This hilarious, new animated title features 22 action-packed cartoons featuring the tussling twosome in some of their best adventures from around the globe.  Naples, Spain, Australia, New York andHollywood are some of the memorable destinations that await viewers on this exciting trip. Tom & Jerry: Around the World will retail for $19.97 SRP.

Pack your suitcases and renew those passports! Tom & Jerry: Around the World is your first-class ticket to an entertaining, globe-trekking adventure. An exciting voyage with the popular cat and mouse duo awaits in this 22-cartoon collection consisting of classic theatrical shorts and episodes from Tom & Jerry Tales.

It’s bon voyage for Tom and Jerry as they duke it out as competing street performers in the Big Apple in Way-Off Broadway. Tomchases Jerry through the streets of Naples in Neapolitan Mouse. In Flamenco Fiasco, the dueling duo finds itself in Spain whereTom shows off his fancy footwork as he engages in a very competitive Flamenco dance competition. It’s a trip Down Under inKangadoofus where Jerry takes refuge with a kangaroo mother and her joeys in an effort to ditch Tom.  In Freaky Tiki, it’s “Aloha” for Tom and Jerry as they relax on a Hawaiian beach and find themselves entering an active volcano where they encounter Pele, the goddess of flames. Next it’s off to Tinseltown where Tom conducts a symphony orchestra in Tom & Jerry in the Hollywood Bowl. These and several other captivating adventures are featured on this must-own release.

“It’s a lot of fun to see these two iconic characters out of their typical environment and in new and exciting settings. What is equally exciting is that you get over two hours of international high-jinks and an Ultraviolet digital copy of the whole release” said Mary Ellen Thomas, WHV Executive Marketing Director of Non-Theatrical Franchise. She added, “Tom and Jerry fans of all ages will want to add this title to their DVD libraries. It’s a collection that’s not to be missed.”

Originally created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, Tom and Jerry centers on the never-ending rivalry between Tom the cat and Jerrythe mouse. The plots of each short usually center on Tom’s attempts to capture Jerry. Jerry however, is clever and quick on his feet soTom hardly ever manages to catch him. The original series is notable for having won the Academy Award® for Best Short Subject: Cartoon seven times.***

Featured Shorts:

• Way-Off Broadway
• Martian Mice
• Medieval Menace
• Abracadumb
• The Million Dollar Cat
• Din-O-sores
• Invasion of the Body Slammers
• I Dream of Meanie
• Neapolitan Mouse
• Kitty Hawked
• Flamenco Fiasco
• You’re Lion
• Kangadoofus
• Monkey Chow
• Freaky Tiki
• Monster Con
• Royal Cat Nap
• Spaced Out Cat
• The Two Mouseketeers
• Tom and Jerry in the Hollywood Bowl
• Johann Mouse
• Treasure Map Scrap

“Academy Award®” and “Oscar®” are the registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts andSciences

***Academy Award® Winners

·         The Yankee Doodle Mouse – 1943 Best Short Subject: Cartoons

·         Mouse Trouble – 1944 Best Short Subject: Cartoons

·         Quiet Please! – 1945 Best Short Subject: Cartoons

·         The Cat Concerto – 1946 Best Short Subject: Cartoons

·         Little Orphan – 1948 Best Short Subject: Cartoons

·         The Two Mouseketeers – 1951 Best Short Subject: Cartoons

·         Johann Mouse – 1952 Best Short Subject: Cartoons

The Credits

About Warner Bros. Animation

Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) is one of the leading producers of animation in the entertainment industry, with an innovativeand talent-rich roster boasting some of the most accomplished writers, producers and artists working today. The studio is on the cutting edge of animation technology, and has both CG and traditionally animated projects in current production anddevelopment. In 2010, WBA unveiled three new CG cartoon shorts that feature iconic Looney Tunes characters Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, rendered in stereoscopic 3D. The films have been released theatrically, attached to Warner Bros. Pictures releases. For television, WBA currently produces The Looney Tunes Show, Young Justice, Batman: The Braveand the Bold, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated and MAD for Cartoon Network, and will soon launch Green Lantern: The Animated Series, ThunderCats and more. WBA also creates the highly successful series of DC Universe original animated movies for DVD. Producing for multiple platforms including TV, digital and home entertainment both domestically andinternationally, WBA is highly respected for its creative and technical excellence, as well as for maintaining the Studio's rich cartoon heritage. It is also the home of the iconic animated characters from the DC Comics, Hanna-Barbera, MGM andLooney Tunes libraries. One of the most-honored animation studios in history, WBA has been honored with six Academy Awards®, 35 Emmy® Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents' Choice Award, the HUMANITAS Prize, two Prism Awards and 20 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment's home video, digital distribution, interactive entertainment/videogames, direct-to-DVD production, technical operations and anti-piracy businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. WBHEG is responsible for the global distribution of content through DVD, electronic sell-through and VOD, and delivery of theatrical content to wireless and online channels, and is also a significant worldwide publisher for both internal and third party videogame titles.

What I thought: This is a fun DVD that I'm happy to let my son watch. Once in a while it's something that we can sit and watch together. I don't worry about the quality of show, because I know it's a great cartoon. We really enjoyed this one.

Where to buy: You can find the Tom and Jerry: Around the World DVD in stores and online now.



*Disclaimer: I received this product for review. All opinions are my own.*

Benziger Family Winery

I have not been to a winery before. When I think of a winery, I picture beautiful vineyards with rows and rows of big grapes growing. I see rolling hills where you can see grapes for miles each direction. I'm sure this is what I picture in my head because of romantic movies and shows like The Bachelor. It seems like a nice romantic way to spend a day with your significant other. While I know there are wineries in Ohio, I don't think they are quite as picturesque as this.

The Benziger Family Winery is very beautiful. It's just as I would image such a winery, from their pictures on their website. But the Benziger Family Winery not only prides itself in its wine, they are also proud of the way that they approach farming and growing their grapes for the best final product. They produce Sonoma biodynamic wine. Instead of chemicals to help keep the plants healthy and producing well, they rely on organic farming techniques. It's interesting to read on their site about their biodynamic ways to harvest and produce. They use flowers to attract bees that they need for the plants as one interesting way.

Knowing where the grapes come from and how they are cared for, gives you as a consumer more confidence in the final product that you are receiving. Not only do you know they take great care of their product, but you know it's a better product because of that. This is what the Benziger Family Winery is all about.