Today Show January 1994...What is the Internet?!

This is just too good not to share!  Thanks to Darryle Pollack for sharing it with me!

GlassesUSA.com Provides 100% Satisfaction & Virtual Try-It Feature for Wary Online Shoppers

Despite my tech savviness and preference for online shopping, I remain cautious about buying glasses online and look forward to working with GlassesUSA.com to share my experience of buying designer frames online with you next month.

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to order and review a pair of designer eyeglasses online from a GlassesUSA.com competitor but was disappointed.  I entered the measurements of my current glasses to select frames that I thought would be the same size as my current ones.  Unfortunately the pair I received was way too big.  They were too wide for my face, didn't fit around my ears although the prescription was perfect, and now sit in a drawer as my backup glasses.  Sigh.

Kim Frames

I'm ready to give the online ordering process another chance because glasses can be quite pricey.  During my last trip to my eye doctor I fell in love with frames that unfortunately ranged in price from $200-400. Crazy, right? 

GlassesUSA.com not only offers low prices on prescription eyeglasses online but has a 100% satisfaction guarantee and 110% price guarantee for wary online shoppers such as myself.

I've started to look around the site, select glasses, and uploaded a photo to see how my new eyeglasses might look on me using the Try-It! virtual mirror option. The virtual mirror option lets me to try before I buy by allowing me to see how my frames will look on me once they arrive.  I tried on the above Kim frames ($49) using the Try-It! feature.

They might look better if my head was straight in the photo!

If you can't decide what might look best, use the Try-It virtual mirror to send your favorites to friends and family so they can see your choices! Another great example of social shopping!

While my first experience of online shopping for glasses wasn't so great, I'm hoping that I'll have a better experience with GlassesUSA.com!  I'll be reviewing my new frames from GlassesUSA.com in a follow up review next month!

If you're in the market to buy glasses, save 10% with the code: Mommy10 or take advantage of the February specials which include:

• $10 off any order of $100 or more with the code: 10FS
• $15 off any order of $150 or more with the code: 15FS

**These specials include free shipping to the United States.

I received compensation from GlassesUSA.com for reviewing their site but all opinions are my own.  GlassesUSA.com is also providing me with a free pair of glasses in exchange for my review.

Cram for Sunday's Oscars Using TiVo Collections

The one piece of technology that I use daily besides my laptop and smartphone is our Tivo.  We use it to record our favorite shows to have them at our disposal at all times, fast forward through commercials because I've gotten too impatient to wait (unless watching the Super Bowl), and find that it's an indispensable tool for watching any awards show.  

It's definitely a crucial tool in watching each year's Oscars.  While you may be thinking that its best use is to fast forward through the boring parts of the Academy Awards, it can also used to help you relive favorite moments of nominated movies or catch up on nominated films before Sunday night.  

TiVo has introduced an exclusive “Award Winning Films” feature for its users as part of its TiVo Collections. This collection delivers Oscar award-winning films organized by decade as well as this year’s nominated films available through their cable lineup or on demand from Web partners like Amazon Video On Demand (VOD), Netflix or BLOCKBUSTER.

This feature is great especially if you're like us and are kind of behind on watching the movies up for awards before Sunday's Academy Awards. Amazon VOD has nominated movies including Inception, The Kids Are All Right, The Social Network, Toy Story 3 and Winter’s Bone, available to download to your broadband-connected TiVo. 

If you're up to date on your Oscar nominated films and have filled out your picks, TiVo can also be used to:

• Plan an Oscar Flashback Weekend Marathon – Catch up on past winners with the ability to view Oscar winning films by past decades.  Whether you want Rain Man from 1988 or Forrest Gump from 1994, you can find and watch with just a few clicks of the peanut remote. 

 

• Browse For Your Favorite Stars – It’s not just about the films, but about actors and the performance.  Users can browse for award-winning actors and actresses, and even directors, to watch them as other characters and roles.

By the way, did you know that there's a TiVo iPad App for use with TiVo Premier and Premier XL boxes?  From the description, it sounds very cool!  

No compensation was received for this post.  Our TiVo was personally paid for.

Similac Baby Journal Provides Convenience in Recording Baby Info for Sleep Deprived Parents

Seven years ago as a sleep deprived first year mom I would have loved the convenience of the free Similac Baby Journal App to keep track of feedings, jot notes about Little Miss Techie as she grew, and chart her growth.   

The Similac Baby Journal App is designed to be used for bottle and breast fed babies and can be used to enter information for multiple children.  It's a portable solution that keeps track of information through its intuitive design and provides easy-to-read charts that displays patterns at-a-glance.  

With the Similac Baby Journal App, parents can monitor:

• Feeding- Whether bottle or breast feeding, the app allows you to record detailed information about each feeding.  Keep track of how long the baby fed, the amount, and there's the option to add a more detailed journal entry.  Breast feeding moms can ensure they are switching sides and time the duration of the feeding with the touch of a button.  The app allows parents to view trends and suggests a feeding schedule based on the patterns.  This method sure beats the little spiral bound notebook that I used to keep on the counter that was way too easy to forget during those middle of the night feedings!

• Diaper changes- While monitoring diaper changes seems like TMI now with a 4 1/2 and 7 year old, I do remember calling the pediatrician when the kids were babies and being to tell them all about their stools.  The app features a diaper icon that lets you keep track of #1, #2, or both.  If #2, you can enter in the consistency and even the color.  All information you need to record is located with the touch of a button on a single screen for easy entering.  I can see how this would be really helpful information to take to sick visits but am kinda happy that we're beyond this stage!

• Growth- Whether for you or your relatives, it's always nice to know that your little one is developing nicely.  I love the slide bars on the screen to record weight, length, and even head circumference.

• Sleeping- Pressing a button on the app when your baby falls asleep activates a timer on your phone for keeping track of sleep patterns for night and day.  

Other convenient features include the ability to:

• Email journal entries directly to your pediatrician by pressing a single button on the app.  
• Connect with a live Similac Feeding Expert through your phone who can help answer questions.
• Read developmental information via your phone.

The Similac Baby Journal App is available for free through iTunes for iPhone and iPod Touch.

I was compensated by Collective Bias for my time reviewing the app but all opinions are my own.  Images courtesy of Similac.

BradsDeals.com Helps Savvy Shoppers Save Money On and Offline

Savvy shoppers always know the best way to save money on their online purchases and I've recently found BradsDeals.com, a site that aggregates the best deals on top name brands, top online coupons and coupon codes for favorite stores, and also provides a coupon search for printable coupons.  I have a rule that I'll never make an online purchase without searching for a coupon code for a discount or free shipping and love how easy it is to find deals through BradsDeals.com.

Founded by Brad Wilson, a published coupon and deal expert, this easy to navigate site prominently features Today's Hot Deals at the top of the screen.  Today's deals included computers, jewelry, Merrell shoes, North Face apparel, and more.  The hot deals on computers included Acer 16" i5 4GB 640 GB laptop for $579 through Microsoft or an HP Envy 14 i& 4 GB for $1000 shipped.  

Below the Hot Deals are Handpicked Deals.  This vertical column occupies the main part of the site and tempts me with another pair of Miraclebody Katie Jeans (regularly $110 and featured for $90 including shipping), a Carbon Fiber iPhone 4 Skin for $3 shipped, a super cute cupcake stand from Crate & Barrel for $15 including shipping, and $28 for a glam Marc by Marc Jacobs Artie Scarf that regularly sells for $58.  

If you are looking for a point and shoot camera for their kids, this Kodak 12 MP camera for $45 shipped ($79.99 value) is a great value.  Amazon sells the  VTech Kidizoom for $34.96 and the Fisher-Price Kid-Tough Digital Camera for $44.99 but the Kodak one is a better investment because not only will it look more like mom and dad's but it will grow with them and give them more functionality for the price.  

BradsDeals.com also makes it easy to find coupons for favorite stores such as:

• Overstock
• Children's Place
• AT&T Uverse
• NutriSystem
• Sittercity
• Macy's
• Delia's   
• Home Depot   
• Bath and Body Works
• Eddie Bauer 

Also scroll about halfway down the page to find Top Printable Coupons. Located on the right side of the screen, printable coupons I found were good for savings such as 30% off one item at Old Navy, 10% off a Lowe's, Home Depot, or Barnes & Noble purchase, and more.

If you're a savvy shopper, be sure to take a look at BradsDeals.com and let me know what you think!

Electronics Deals

Electronics Deals powered by Brad's Deals

I received an Amazon gift card in exchange for the time spent reviewing the site but all opinions are my own.  Affiliate links are contained in this post.

Educating About All Things Presidential for Presidents' Day- Part II (w. giveaway)

On President's Day we celebrate the birthday of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Sometimes it's easy to forget that long weekends commemorate important individuals and their contributions to America's history.  Here are some ways you can supplement your child's understanding of our many past presidents in an age appropriate way.

Educational videos- Learn about Abraham Lincoln or George Washington with Tim and Moby of BrainPop.com.  This educational site has fantastic videos that are favorites of classroom teachers, homeschooling parents, and moms like me because of the way they present factual information in an interesting, yet informative, way.  Many of BrainPop's videos are free but in order to see all that they offer, you have to sign up for a free trial or subscribe ($80/year).  Before you personally subscribe, check with your child's school to see if they have BrainPop.  If they do, they may have home use privileges that would allow you to access the site at home for free.

• Another great video is Scholastic Storybook Treasure's So You Want to Be President which is great for ages 3-8. Read my full review in my past post, Educating About All Things Presidential for Presidents' Day.

Take a virtual field trip and learn through interactive websites that bring the experiences to you!  Here are some of my favorites:

• John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum- Located just south of Boston offers online visitors the opportunity to learn about what a day in the life of President John F. Kennedy was like by paging through his White House Diary that includes "digital scans of his actual Appointment Diary for any given day as well as video, audio, and photos of the day's events."  Click through to We Choose the Moon to follow the historic moon landing, photos, and footage that was the result of President Kennedy challenging Congress to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade.  This site recreates the historical Apollo 11 lunar landing on July 20, 1969.  Or visit at your leisure through a virtual museum tour. 

• Thomas Jefferson's Monticello- While you may not be able to travel to Charlottesville to visit Monticello in person, the interactive Monticello Explorer provides a 3D tour of the house and more information can be found in my full review, Virtual Field Trip: Monticello.  Also be sure to check out The Monticello Classroom!

• Other presidential libraries that have virtual tours include:
• Herbert Hoover
• Dwight D. Eisenhower
• Ronald Reagan Video Tour hosted by Gary Sinise

Read some books!  Hit the library or build your at-home library with historical fiction, fiction, and nonfiction reads with the following great books:

• What to Do About Alice by Barbara Kelly for ages 4-8, $11.55
• Meet the Obamas by Andrea Davis Pinkney for ages 6-8, $3.99
• A. Lincoln and Me by Louise Borden for ages 3-5, $6.99
• First Kids by Noah McCullough for ages 9-12, $7.99
• The Slightly Odd United States of America by Klutz for ages 8+, $10.57
• The White House: An Illustrated History by Catherine O'Neil Grace for ages 8+
• Scholastic Encyclopedia of the Presidents and Their Times by Davide Rubel, $12.50

The Scholastic Store is currently offering free shipping and 20% off all purchases from their online store with the code PDS20.  Ends 2/22

Test your knowledge about the presidents by taking this fun Brain Quest Challenge quiz.

Send president themed eCard free from BrainQuest!  Gloat about your score using the "It's O.K. to be presidential smart" eCard!  Besides the 3 president themed eCards, BrainQuest also has 5 more for all occasions.

GIVEAWAY: Feeling like you should brush up on your presidential knowledge?  Workman Publishing wants to give you a set of Brain Quest Presidents ($10.95)!   This fan deck provides fun facts about all of the presidents in a portable format.  Geared towards ages 9-12, the reading level is perfect for younger fluent readers such as Little Miss Techie who loves soaking up facts by reading nonfiction text.

TO ENTER: Leave a comment about which of the presidents is your favorite and why!  Winner will be selected in approximately 1 week from comments that include an email or Twitter handle.

Thanks to Workman Publishing for the BrainQuest Presidents to review and giveaway and to Scholastic for providing some of the books and videos mentioned in this post for review purposes.  Monticello provided guest passes for me and my family to visit the new visitors center in 2009.  BrainPop was always paid for by schools that I've taught in.  No additional compensation was received and all opinions are my own.  Affiliate links are included in this post.

Wordless Wednesday: It Came in the Mail

A burgundy LG Optimus T arrived at my door yesterday courtesy of T-Mobile!  I'm looking forward to trying it out and sharing my review with you!  

T-Mobile lent me this phone for review purposes.

DC Readers: Laurie Berkner Band Coming to Lisner in March (w. giveaway)

Captain Computer and Little Miss Techie have been listening to Laurie Berkner for years and are thrilled that she's making a stop at GW's Lisner Auditorium on Sunday, March 6 for a Live Birthday Concert! 

The one day tour stop will include two performances on March 6 with one at 11 am and another at 3 pm.

Here's some information about the Live Birthday Concert from Laurie Berkner's site:

Children's music superstars and Nick Jr. channel favorites Laurie Berkner, Susie Lampert (keyboards), Adam Bernstein (bass), and Bob Golden (drums/percussion) will perform a live "Birthday Party" concert on Sunday, March 6 at 11AM and again at 3pm. The band will play old and new hits, including songs from 2008's critically acclaimed CD Rocketship Run.

What do you bring to a Birthday Party concert?

• Wear your favorite party hat. 
• Picture of a birthday cake that can be downloaded from the website and colored in 
• An animal for your head because animals have birthdays too.

Show information for The Laurie Berkner Band

• Sunday, March 6 at GW Lisner Auditorium
• Performances at 11am and 3 pm.  Doors open half and hour prior to the performance start time
• Tickets are $25 and $35 each and are available online.

We'll be at the concert singing along to favorites like Under a Shady Tree, The Valley of Vegetables, Bottle Caps, and The Toy Museum and thanks to I.M.P. Concerts, you could be joining us! 

GIVEAWAY:  I.M.P. has generously provided 4 tickets as a giveaway to attend the 11 am show on March 6.

• To enter, leave a comment about the Laurie Berkner Band song you'd most like to hear at the Live Birthday Concert.

• Tweet this daily: I want to go to see @LaurieBerkner in DC w/ @TechSavvyMama on 3/6! Show & ticket #giveaway info here: http://bit.ly/guiV3n

• I.M.P Concerts promotes shows at the 9:30 Club, Merriweather Post, Strathmore, DAR Constitution Hall, and more! Leave a comment about an upcoming show you want to see. You can leave one comment per venue so list all the shows you'd like to see!

Good luck and remember that if you don't want to take a chance on missing out before tickets are sold out, you can buy them online!


Fine print: All entries must be received by Sunday, February 27.  Winner will be selected from all eligible entries using Random.org.  Ticket winner must be able to attend the March 6 performance at 11 am.  No alternate dates and times are being offered for this giveaway.  Tickets will be held at will call and ID must be presented upon pickup. 


I received tickets for my family to attend the performance in exchange for this post.  No additional compensation was received.

Scene It? Romance HD iPad and iPhone Apps (w. 3 giveaways)

Will this be a scene that's a part of your Valentine's Day evening?  If so, enter my giveaway and win a code for you iPad!

She could see him in the darkness, lit only by the soft glow of the iPad, yet somehow, he seemed so far away.  She watched, as he gently caressed the device, deftly answering trivia questions and scoring points in Scene It? Romance, a new app dedicated to all the movies she loved, those that he had once carelessly defined as “chick flicks” during one of their heated arguments. 

The Scene It? Romance app has arrived just in time for you and your sweetie to brush up on your romantic movie trivia for Valentine’s Day! Screenlife, creators of Scene It?, the number-one entertainment trivia game worldwide, have set hearts racing all over the world! Scene It? Romance features new and enhanced puzzles and mini-games like “Love Triangle” and a “Love Meter” test, and boasts trivia from the most celebrated love stories and romantic comedies in the history of cinema.  Game features include:

• 30 distinct quiz sets with 16 puzzle types that provide hours of challenging trivia, puzzles and mini-games
• Dozens of video clips, images and audio clips
• An engaging, fast-paced single-player mode
• Head to Head Multiplayer via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth (uses multiple devices)
• Group Play Multiplayer (uses a single device)

The Scene It? Romance App allows fans to enjoy hours of trivia in the single-player mode, or play with your sweetie using “Lover’s Quarrel”, one of the multiplayer modes in the app. Players can also post their scores to Facebook and challenge their friends to find out who knows the most about classic boy-meets-girl tales.

For additional information visit these links:

• Scene It? Romance iPhone App
• Scene It? Romance HD iPad App

GIVEAWAY: I have 3 Scene It? Romance HD iPad Apps to give away!  Just leave your email or Twitter handle below and I'll draw the winners later this afternoon!

*I received a code for review purposes but due to the timing, haven't had a chance to play the game yet.  No additional compensation was received for sharing this information or hosting this giveaway.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Share the Love, Feel the Love and Win a Sony VAIO YB from AMD (w. giveaway)

In celebration of Valentine's Day, AMD is showing some love to an inspiring mom or dad by giving them the brand new, high-performance yet ultra-portable Sony VAIO YB notebook PC as part of a “Share the Love, Feel the Love” giveaway.

The VISION Basic Sony VAIO YB uses AMD Vision technology and features include: 

• 11.6-inch widescreen (1366×768) LED-backlit display
• Up to 6 hours of battery life
• 2GB DDR3 RAM (up to 4 GB) with 320GB of HDD storage
• Built-in Motion Eye webcam for easy Skyping with your Valentine across town or on the other coast
• Stereo Bluetooth for streaming CD-quality music to compatible devices
• HDMI output  and Direct X 11 compatibility for playing the latest 3D video games or watching new HD movies
• Weighs just over 3 lbs
• Comes in pink and silver

This notebook is so new that I haven't even had a chance to get my hands on one yet!  I look forward to putting it through the Tech Savvy Mama test very soon!

With AMD VISION Technology, the various VISION categories assist consumers in navigating the confusing world of PCs to simplify the buying process.  AMD Vision is a combination of cutting edge processing and video power that allows you to experience vivid web and video content, sharp photos, and incredibly clear music.  

The four levels of Vision- Basic, Premium, Ultimate, and Black- correspond with various user needs, allowing consumers to quickly and easily make educated buying decisions based on how they will use the computer.  A Vision Basic computer, like the Sony VAIO YB, is ideal for people that want a great PC for watching DVD movies, checking out photos, playing causal games, browsing dynamic websites (and, of course, checking on emails), and listening to music. For more information, read my post AMD Simplifies PC Buying with Vision Technology to Meet Your Lifestyle.

GIVEAWAY:  AMD wants to help a Tech Savvy Mama reader organize their life with the new Sony VAIO YB that will enable you to do more and faster – even on the go!  The lucky winner will get their choice of silver or pink!

TO ENTER:  Share how the new notebook will help you accomplish a goal that you are passionate about by creating a video, writing a blog post, or leaving a comment on my Tech Savvy Mama Facebook Fan Page.  Perhaps you need to better organize digital memories of your kids, want to start a blog to share your knowledge with an audience, or need the connectivity to stay in touch with a loved one using social media.  Be creative!  The entry that captures my heart will win!

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:  Make sure you are a fan of the Tech Savvy Mama Facebook page and then share your story any 1 of the following 3 ways:  You do not need to do all 3! 

• Upload your video to my Facebook page.  Uploaded videos need to be 2 minutes or less in length.

• Share the link to your blog post through my Facebook page.  Blog posts must link back to this post and include the following disclosure: "I am sharing this story as an entry to win a Sony VAIO YB notebook as part of the AMD “Share the Love, Feel the Love” giveaway on TechSavvyMama.com"

• Leave a comment on my Facebook wall.  Comments should be less than 100 words.

For extra entries, complete any 1 of the 3 tasks above and then do any of the following:

• Tweet this daily and leave the link in your comment: I entered to win a #SonyVAIO YB from @TechSavvyMama & @AMD_Unprocessed! Enter here: http://bit.ly/eSzCUq

• Update your Facebook status to read: “I entered to win a Sony VIAO from TechSavvyMama.com & AMD!” and leave a comment below.

• Become a fan of the Tech Savvy Mama Facebook page and leave a comment

• Subscribe to Tech Savvy Mama via email and comment below.

• Follow me on Networked Blogs and tell me you've done so in a comment.

• Like AMD on Facebook and leave a comment below.

• Follow @AMDNotebook on Twitter and tell me in your comment.

Fine print:  Winner will be selected on Friday, February 18 and will be contacted via Facebook.  Winner must provide a US mailing address and phone number for shipping purposes within 24 hours or an alternate winner will be selected.  AMD and Leticia-TechSavvyMama.com are not responsible for items lost or damaged during shipping or shipping delays.  

In accordance with the FTC Guidelines and WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am an AMD Mom.  As an AMD Mom, I receive products for review purposes, host giveaways, and am provided with a conference stipend.  No compensation was received for this post and it wasn't a requirement to host this giveaway. All opinions are my own. Graphics provided courtesy of AMD and Sony.

T-Mobile Feels Valentine Love with Offer for Free Smartphones 2/11-12

Beginning today, T-Mobile is offering their phones for free at T-Mobile retail stores through Saturday.  This offer includes it's 4G smartphones.

Here are details about the offer from T-Mobile:

With affordable unlimited calling, texting and data plans, T-Mobile is giving our most connected customers options that take advantage of the latest devices. With the Valentine’s promotion, consumers can choose from a selection of 30 devices, no phones excluded, including a variety of brands such as HTC, Garmin, Motorola, Nokia and Samsung. All phones will be available while supplies last, so customers are encouraged to arrive early to stores to secure the latest and most popular new devices, including:

• myTouch 4G
• HTC HD7
• G2 with Google
• Samsung Vibrant

The promotion marks the latest effort by the company to make it easier and more affordable for people to join the data revolution and step up to 4G, enabling them to stay connected with their loved ones not only through voice calls, but also photos, texts, video conferencing, social media updates and more.

“Smartphones offer people incredible flexibility to stay connected and express their love,” said John Clelland, senior vice president of marketing, T-Mobile USA. “T-Mobile’s Valentine’s promotion makes it easier for anyone to get their favorite smartphone and keep connected on America’s largest 4G network.”  

For additional promotion details and a list of participating stores, visit T-Mobile online.

*Limited-time offer on 2/11/2011 and 2/12/2011; subject to change. Taxes and fees additional. While supplies last; no rain checks. Participating locations only. Qualifying post-paid plan on new two-year agreement required. One device per line. Mail-in rebate card and restrictions may apply. Store hours may vary. See store for details.

Information and images courtesy of T-Mobile.  No compensation was received for sharing this promotion but I do work with T-Mobile to write freelance pieces for their 100% You Magazine for T-Mobile customers and they provide me with equipment such as the Dell Mini with T-Mobile 4G WebConnect.

Common Sense Media: Trusted Source for Honest Movie Reviews (w. Gnomeo & Juliet giveaway)

Touchstone Pictures' Gnomeo & Juliet opens tomorrow and while we weren't privy to a preview, I've been anticipating the review on Common Sense Media to determine the movie's appropriateness for our family. The movie's preview made our entire family laugh but the brief clip and description are never enough information which is why Common Sense is my trusted source for honest movie reviews.  
What's Gnomeo & Juliet about?  Here's a synopsis from Touchstone Pictures:

Two garden gnomes, Gnomeo (voice of James McAvoy) and Juliet (voice of Emily Blunt), try to avoid tragedy and find a happy ending to their star-crossed love affair when they are caught up in a feud between neighbors.

Rated G, this 84 minute movie is also described as a "comical, off-the-wall makeover on Shakespeare’s classic tale of Romeo & Juliet set to the music of Elton John." 


Perhaps the above clip and description provide you with enough information but I'm look forward to reading the review of Gnomeo & Juliet on Common Sense Media when it comes out tomorrow. This morning I clicked over to the site and saw that my friend Sandie, a professional movie reviewer, fellow blogger, and mom, is writing the review.  I know I can always count on her reviews to help me figure out what movies are best for our family but  trust the other Common Sense reviewers too.  


Movies are color coded with stop light colors and rated either on, iffy, or off.  If a movie is rated on, Common Sense  will feature a green button that is prominently labeled with an age that the movie is best for.  This rating will come up in search of the site so you can see at-a-glance if a title is good for your kids.  


Dive into the full review to read a detailed paragraph about the movie and see suggested discussion topics from the movie's themes.  Each movie also features a rating system that includes the good stuff like educational value, messages, role models.  Ratings under the "what to watch out for" are also helpful since they include categories for violence & scariness, sexy stuff, language, consumerism, and drinking, drugs & smoking.   appreciate the star rating that provides a helpful overview of films at a glance.

GIVEAWAY: In honor of the opening of Gnomeo & Juliet, I have two sets of gnomed themed prize packs to give away that include the following:

• Gnomeo & Juliet t-shirt in youth sizes of S, M, L, XL and colors of red or blue (you may not get your size and color preference depending on availability)
• Gnomeo & Juliet one-size fits all beanies in colors of red or blue
• Gnomeo & Juliet mini-notebooks shaped like a Gnome hat (front cover is red, back cover is blue)

TO ENTER: Read a review any movie you've seen or want to see on Common Sense Media.  Leave a comment with the name of the movie and whether the review helped you decide to see the movie or if the movie is one you've previously seen, what did you think about the review? Comments must include an email address or Twitter handle. Winner will be selected from eligible entries next Thursday.


And now to rock it out with little Elton John and Nelly Furtado....



No compensation or products were received for this post or hosting this giveaway.  I thought this was the perfect time to raise awareness about Common Sense Media through my mention of Gnomeo & Juliet.