Sunshiney Daze

Friday, May 30, 2014

Magnificent Maleficent

Sleeping Beauty was/is one of my favorite Disney Princesses. Maleficent is the Disney villain that scared the bejeebies out of me as a child. Heck, she dressed in black, had a scary crow and could turn into a dragon... who wouldn't be scared! So, when I heard Disney was coming out with the movie Maleficent, I was excited and yes, a little nervous to see it. Okay, mostly excited!

What is Maleficent about? From Disney:

"Maleficent" explores the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the classic “Sleeping Beauty" and the elements of her betrayal that ultimately turn her pure heart to stone. Driven by revenge and a fierce desire to protect the moors over which she presides, Maleficent cruelly places an irrevocable curse upon the human king’s newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Aurora is caught in the middle of the seething conflict between the forest kingdom she has grown to love and the human kingdom that holds her legacy. Maleficent realizes that Aurora may hold the key to peace in the land and is forced to take drastic actions that will change both worlds forever.

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So, the day arrived for me to see this movie! I actually did a bit of a happy dance when I arrived! My daughter and I got our cool Maleficent horns, some yummy movie snacks and then settled in ready to be dazzled and amazed. And yes, we were dazzled and amazed!

I loved this movie from the opening scene, all the way to the end! I was so intrigued by Maleficent as a child, then when she was betrayed.... oh my gosh! I can't tell you much without spoiling the movie, and you all deserve to be just as delighted with all the twists and turns as I was! The movie is visually stunning, Angelina Jolie was amazing, and now I want my own crow!

Maleficent opens Nationwide today, May 30th. My daughter saw the movie with me, and then again at a midnight screening. Yes, she loved it that much! So does her momma! Go see it, I think you'll love it!

Disclosure: I had the opportunity to see this movie for the purpose of a review. The opinions are all my own and free of charge!

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Friday, May 23, 2014

Purex Crystals Dryer Sheets -Aaaah!

If you've read previous posts, you know I'm a little enthusiastic about Purex Crystals! I love them, and I'm not afraid to share that with anyone who will listen. Just yesterday in the laundry soap aisle of the grocery store, I regaled a total stranger about how wonderful they are. She actually put some in her cart to buy!

Well, now Purex has extended the Purex Crystals family with Purex Crystals Dryer Sheets (how many times can I say "Purex" in one sentence? Four, I guess!) Ü Now I can use the dryer sheets to reduce static cling AND leave my laundry smelling Purex fresh for 30 days! Oh yeah!

One of the added benefits is I can now extend that wonderful smell all over my home. I have a laundry sheet in the bottom of the kid's hamper, and in my bathroom closet, and at the bottom of my son's closet (affectionately named the nuclear blast zone).

We've recently had two new additions to our happy family. Yep, two new puppies! While they are cute little bundles of endless energy, they are also little bundles of endless dog hair... blegh! Did you know that Purex Crystals Dryer Sheets repels pet hair and lint? I'm one happy momma!

Thanks Purex! Now all of my home is Crystals fresh!

So, do three of you lucky readers want to win a free product coupon for Purex Crystals Dryer Sheets? I thought so! Just enter on the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received this product and coupons for the purpose of a review and giveaway. The opinions expressed are all my own and free of charge!

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Friday, May 16, 2014

Million Dollar Arm

I love feel-good movies! I leave the theater feeling... well... good! There's enough drama, and trauma and every day hardship, that we all need a time and place to be reminded to be happy, that good things happen.

Disney's Million Dollar Arm does just that! I left the theater grinning ear to ear and feeling happy (hmmm.... a certain Pharrell songs seems to be running through my mind right now. But I digress...)

So what is the movie about, you ask? Here, let me tell you...

Based on a true story, sports agent JB Bernstein (Jon Hamm) finds that business has changed and things aren’t going well for his career. In a last ditch effort to save his livelihood he concocts a scheme to find baseball’s next great pitching ace. Hoping to find a young cricket pitcher he can turn into a major league baseball star, JB travels to India to produce a reality show competition called “The Million Dollar Arm.” With the help of cantankerous but eagle-eyed retired baseball scout Ray Poitevint (Alan Arkin), he discovers Dinesh (played by Madhur Mittal from “Slumdog Millionaire”) and Rinku (played by Suraj Sharma from “Life of Pi”), two 18-year-old boys who have no idea about playing baseball, yet have a knack for throwing a fastball. Hoping to sign them to major league contracts and make a quick buck, JB brings the boys home to America to train. While the Americans are definitely out of their element in India, the boys, who have never left their rural villages, are equally challenged when they come to the States. As the boys learn the finer points of baseball, JB, with the help of his charming friend Brenda (Lake Bell), learns valuable life lessons about teamwork, commitment and what it means to be a family.

I really did enjoy this movie! I loved the part of the movie where JB goes to India to find the next big pitching star. The scenery was stunning and it was such a contrast between how the boys lived in India, and the culture shock of the US. I liked how JB (Jon Hamm) also experienced culture shock in India.

Million Dollar Arm is charming, and funny, and touching, and just plain enjoyable! I had some true belly-laugh moments in this movie. And yes, I left the theater feeling.. well... good!

I definitely recommend Million Dollar Arm! It opens in theaters nationwide, Friday, May 16th.

Disclosure: I was given the opportunity to watch this movie for the purpose of a review. The opinions are all my own and free of charge!

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Monday, April 21, 2014

French's Equals Fast And Yummy!

I'm busy, aren't we all! I swear I'm going to try and simplify my life, but somehow seem to get even busier. I'm a mom, a wife, a blogger, a piano teacher, a director (community theater), a volunteer, and those are just the things I can remember! Ü

I am always on the lookout for something to streamline areas of my life, yet I don't want quality to suffer. Don't we all? Well, French's has a product called Crunch Time Entrees that does just that! Really!

French's Crunch Time Entrees are restaurant-style meals in minutes in four delicious flavors: General Tso's, Buffalo (made with Frank's RedHot), Sweet and Sour, and Chipotle BBQ. Is your mouth watering? It should, these are really good!

They are super easy to make! Add your favorite meat, such as chicken, pork, beef, or seafood. Coat it in the delicious crunchy coating, then bake. When it's done baking add the amazing sauce that comes with it. That's it.... that's all. So easy, so yummy!

We tried the Buffalo and the Sweet and Sour Chicken. Both were so delicious, I can't pick a favorite. This is the Sweet and Sour Chicken. My mouth is watering just thinking about how yummy it was!

This is so easy my kids can make dinner, and so reasonable at a suggested retail price of $3.49 each, that it's one of our new staples!

Thanks French's! In less than thirty minutes I can pull off a great dinner, streamlined without the quality suffering!

Would you like to try French's Crunch Time Entrees? Just enter below on the rafflecopter form and one of you lucky readers can do just that! One reader will receive two flavors of French's Crunch Time Entrees! Woo Hoo!

Go try these, you'll be glad you did!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received the product for the purpose of a review. The opinions are all my own and free of charge!

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Saturday, April 19, 2014

Purex - Fabulously Fresh!

I'm all about scent! I start my day off with a shower and lovely smelling body wash! I love scented candles and room sprays. So it stands to reason that I'm nuts about my laundry smelling wonderful.

Enter Purex Crystals! I've used these things for awhile now and love them. What are they? They are little crystals that you add to your washing machine right at the start of your load. They keep my clothes smelling amazing for weeks, not days! Purex Crystals are safe for all loads including children's sleepwear and athletic wear. I love Purex Crystals!

Now they've come out with a new fragrance. Purex Crystals Limited Edition Fabulously Fresh! Oh, this smells heavenly! I love this scent. It's not too flowery, not too heavy, just the right amount of fresh! I love this on my towels. I actually bury my face in the towel just to experience this scent.

A big thumbs up for Purex! But, please don't just make this a limited edition! Please add it to your regular lineup!

You know I'm all about giveaways! Well, three of you lucky readers can each win a free product coupon for your own Purex Crystals Limited Edition Fabulously Fresh! Woo hoo! Just enter using the Rafflecopter form below! Good luck!

Speaking of giveaways, how about a great sweepstakes from Purex. To celebrate the release of the New Purex Crystals Limited Edition Fabulously Fresh, Purex is hosting a sweepstakes where one grand prize winner will receive $1000 and a year's supply of Purex Crystals Fabulously Fresh! 100 lucky 2nd place winners will receive a coupon for a free Purex Crystals. You can enter here!

Thanks Purex! Great smells, great products, great sweepstakes! You've won my heart!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: I received this product for the purpose of a review. The opinions are all my own and free of charge!

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Monday, April 14, 2014

Teachers Change Lives

I've been lucky to have had some really great teachers throughout my education. Teachers that cared about not only teaching me the required subjects, but teaching me how to be a better person, teachers that cared about me.

Let me tell you about my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Lowers. She was strict! Very strict! You did not get away with very much in her class. We learned our History, and English, and Science, and Math, and Social Studies (a personal favorite). But she also taught us to sing. We learned how to sing "Down By The Old Mill Stream".. we thought the song was pretty "old" but it was better than doing Math! She sounds like a pretty standard teacher, doesn't she?

She wasn't, she went the extra mile with me. She taught me to care for others, to see a need and quietly help fill it. I remember so vividly, she asked me to stay after school one day. Mrs. Lowers explained to me that there was another child that didn't have very many clothes, she only had one outfit to wear to school. She asked if I wanted to help, but we had to keep it a secret. I was very excited! I saved my money, and my Mom took me shopping and we bought some new school clothes for this girl. I remember picking out the outfits that I loved and thought how excited she would be to wear them! We wrapped them very carefully and then delivered all the packages to Mrs. Lowers. I never knew who they went to, and she never knew where they came from. I just knew how warm and happy I felt inside! She opened my eyes to the fact that others may be in need. She taught me that it takes so little to make a big difference in someone else's life.

This is a life lesson I've never forgotten. I try to see the need and then quietly fill it. Now that I have children, I try to teach them the same thing. Every time we do a quiet little act of service, my heart swells with gratitude for a teacher that cared... a teacher that changed my life.

There are so many wonderful teachers out there. They teach with little pay, many times paying for classroom supplies out of their own pocket. In addition to their hours in the classroom, they spend hours at home correcting papers, planning lessons, and truly worrying and caring about their students.

Let me tell you about Mary Kurt-Mason:

Have you had a teacher that changed your life? Do you want to make a difference in someone else's life? How about Adopting a Classroom? Adopt a Classroom is a non-profit organization that connects donors with teachers in need. Home Depot has partnered with Adopt A Classroom to raise awareness about teachers and all they do for their kids! You can go here to register your classroom if you're a teacher, or if you'd like to donate to one of these amazing teachers! #TeachersChange Lives and so can you. That's what Mrs. Lowers taught me.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Friday, April 4, 2014

Captain America - The Winter Soldier

If I have to describe the new Captain America - The Winter Soldier movie in just one word, I'd say Wowza! (Is that a word?!)

What is it about?

After the cataclysmic events in New York with The Avengers, Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” finds Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow, Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon. However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier.

What did I think?

Oh, my gosh! I loved this movie! It was a thrill-a-minute ride! Action, action, action.... and oh, the scenery! And I'm not talking about the trees! I loved the plot twists, I loved re-visiting old villians and meeting new ones! I was especially pleased that this storyline was wrapped up during this movie, but tantalizing clues were dropped about the next installment! The audience actually gasped when one clue was shown! (Helpful hint... stay through the credits!) Oh... have I mentioned the Falcon? What a great addition, and oh, those wings!

Thumbs up on Captain America - The Winter Soldier! It opens Nationwide on April 4th. I'll definitely be seeing this one again!

Disclosure: I was given the opportunity to see this movie for the purpose of a review. The opinions are all my own and free of charge!

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Blog Archive

Friday, May 30, 2014

Magnificent Maleficent

Friday, May 23, 2014

Purex Crystals Dryer Sheets -Aaaah!

Friday, May 16, 2014

Million Dollar Arm

Monday, April 21, 2014

French's Equals Fast And Yummy!

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Purex - Fabulously Fresh!

Monday, April 14, 2014

Teachers Change Lives

Friday, April 4, 2014

Captain America - The Winter Soldier

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