Schmoozins

This big screen National Geographic (also produced the much more powerful March of the Penguins) picture is a joint project with Paramount Classics (producers of An Inconvenient Truth).

Arctic Tale are two side-by-side stories of a walrus named Seela and Nanu, a polar bear as they go from birth to parenthood. Narrated by Queen Latifah, the story shows breathtaking scenery, amazing animal interactions and includes heavy-handed attempts to highlight how climate change is affecting the survival of animals in the arctic.

The movie really wasn’t as tight as the extremely moving and captivating March of the Penguins and it also didn’t provide the intriguing insight / factual data into the animals as the penguin movie did.

The whole family watched it and my kids (5 and 6) were able to learn more about these Arctic creatures that already fascinated them. But I must admit, both had a little trouble staying focused on this slow-paced picture.

The ending included clips of young children providing “go green” tips, which actually caught the interest of my kids, but I was disappointed because of the illogical conclusions that were drawn by the tips. For example (I’m paraphrasing): “If your parents by a hybrid car, polar bears can get around more easily.”

Overall, it was a movie that I’m glad we took the time to watch, but I think I expected just a little bit more.

Learn more and read other reviews: Arctic Tale

It’s Spring and it’s time to get back into the garden. You may have some ideas for landscaping, but want to make sure you can get it all done on a budget. Here are some suggestions to help make your ideas a reality.

If you know exactly how you want your backyard to look; begin by designing it on paper. If you can, talk to a professional landscaper or someone who experiences and check to ensure you have everything in it‘s proper place.

Decide on any flowers, herbs, vegetables and seedlings and set a budget for yourself. For help, visit your local gardening store and get the appropriate advice, depending on your sun/shade availability and so forth. Talk to them about your soil requirements as well.

If you hate weeding (who actually likes it?), you might also consider plastic sheeting garden mulch covered in bark mulch. You simply place the black sheet (roll is shown to the right) flat over the whole surface area of the garden and cover it with bark mulch. It makes for an attractive-looking garden and helps prevent the growth of weeds. This will add to the expense of your landscaping, but will reduce your workload for a long time to come.

If this is the first time working on landscaping, you will also need to decide if you will border your flowerbed and garden with rocks or railroad ties; and perhaps you may want to include bird feeders, mini windmills or other decorative elements. Be sure to include these in your budget.

Being a great mom doesn’t mean being a super mom. Every mom needs and deserves a break now and then. She needs time on her own to unwind, have fun and explore her own interests. In fact, moms are just like every other human being on the planet.

If you find it hard to get the break you deserve, here is a free guide that might help. It includes 15 practical solutions to fitting a little me time into your day. It doesn’t matter how busy you are, you can always find more time for you.

Click here to download your free printable guide (PDF Format)*

This Guide is Brought to You By:

This guide is generously provided by Journey to Joy, your guide to a more fulfilling life as a mom.

*You will need Adobe Acrobat Viewer to read this file. You can download it for free here.

When buying something as potentially expensive as a computer, every penny saved on the purchase matters. Here are some quick tips for frugal computer buys.

1. Shop around. Make sure to compare computer companies’ prices to each other. For references, compare the price of the machine and the features it has. Once you get an idea of price differences between computer companies and eliminate companies that are too expensive, go to all your local retailers and see what the price differences are. Do not forget about online, where great deals may be found. By looking everywhere you’re sure not to miss the best bang for your buck!

2. Get your extra, extra? Be sure to look at the features the computer is offering. The price usually coincides with how many extra features are on the machine. Go through these features carefully. Do you need all of those extras that jack up the price? You can buy some models that just carry the necessities such as Word and the internet. Think about what the computer will be used for, because most families only need these basic options. By eliminating all the extras it eliminates that inflated cost. Consider buying a basic computer and installing only the software that you need. Many virus software products are given for free at school or work. So why pay?

3. Consider a used or refurbished computer. If you’re not a junkie for the hippest technology, a used computer could help you save. Most used computers will still last 3-5 years and take hundreds off the price. Some computer companies such as Dell now offer refurbished computers. They take used machines and update them to run like new. Just be careful, refurbished can get expensive. So don’t forget to compare.

4. Keep a look out. Do not rush into such a large purchase. Keep your eyes open for either stores that are having promotions or computer companies that have limited deals. Many times companies will promote their product by discounted prices. Do not let a steal slip by you!

4. Check into school or work discounts. Many schools, colleges and workplaces offer discounts on computer buys. Many establishments have agreements with certain computer companies. For example, New York State workers get a percentage off computers purchased from Dell. Schools that mandate computers usually have a program to help students get a better bargain.

5. Avoid financing your computer. Compared to other loans, interests rates for loans used for computers are extremely high. All the money saved in other aspects will be pointless if you’re spending that savings on interest. Instead, save for the purchase or get a cheaper computer that won’t put you in the hole.

6. Don’t be afraid to ask. If you just ask, some stores will allow you to buy the demo computers at discounted prices due to some use. What’s a minor scratch or ding if the computer still works well? We all know looks can be deceiving.

This is a fairly simple soup to put together and tastes delicious. Serve with your favorite crackers or some garlic bread. You can use dried kidney beans or canned – it’s your choice. Make your own fresh broth or simply used the packaged kind to save time.

(For more help with your meal-planning click here)

The Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cup vegetable broth (homemade or canned)
• 1 can (15oz) navy beans (or equal amount cooked pre-soaked beans)
• 1 can (15oz) sweetened tomatoes (or equal amount fresh, simmered, or freshly chopped)
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 2 – 3 scallions
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
• 1 tbsp basil
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• Salt (optional)

The Process:

Sauté scallions and herbs. Combine tomatoes with sauted scallions and herbs and simmer approximately10 min. Add pre-cooked beans, rice and broth. Simmer 30 minutes. Broth may need to be added as soup cooks. Be sure to add broth while soup is hot.

Get More Menu-Planning Ideas: Sign up for your menu planning report.

Into the Wild is based on the true story of Christopher McCandless, a college graduate who donates his law school fund to a charity in order to pursue a journey void of materialism. His desire to pursue this journey, with the ultimate goal of reaching and spending time in Alaska, is fueled by his need to get away from an abusive father and dysfunctional family immersed in materialism.

Main Players

The movie is directed by Sean Penn and includes performances by Emile Hirsch (as McCandless a.k.a Alex Supertramp), William Hurt (as his father) and Marcia Gay Harden (as his mother).

The Disjointed Story

The story follows McCandless on his journey, jumping back and forth between a chronological timeline and frequent revisits to Alaska where the story ends. McCandless takes up odd jobs to raise funds as he makes his way through the Grand Canyon, Mexico, LA and northward. He meets a few characters along the way and although some are interesting, there is never enough time to give the characters any real depth. The exception being Jan Burres (played by Catherine Keener), a hippie who takes to McCandless as he reminds her of her own son who simply disappeared from her life.

My Review Goes Against the Grain

This movie has received very good reviews – from critics and real movie goers alike – but I found the story to be disjointed and very painfully dull. Emile Hirsch’s performance was, as always stellar, but he just wasn’t given much to work in this screenplay that seriously lacked any depth. Or perhaps, it’s the viewer that lack depth, but I don’t think so.

Of course, my opinion of the movie is likely tainted by my inability to see McCandless as having any sort of heroism or real purpose in his rebellion. He was a selfish young adult who was completely unprepared for what the journey had to offer. He was not only unprepared for the harshness of living off the land, but also clearly suffered from the effects of isolation. He ran away from people, but clearly needed them.

Although, I’ve never read the book, but this is just one of the movies that is likely better in print.

• Learn more about the movie & read reviews.
• Learn more about the book and read reviews.

Today is the long anticipated release of Madonna’s Hard Candy CD. With collaborations with Justin Timberlake, Timbaland and The Neptunes, this album is sure to venture into some new musical ground for this longtime songstress.

Madonna has always been famous for “reinventing herself” throughout the years with her many different looks and styles. Even her music has gone through a number of transformations, but I gotta ask myself if she’s run out of ideas when it comes to the look. She’s back to the scantily clad in her underwear days and although she has a FANTASTIC figure, I think her time is past on this stuff. Although, she doesn’t look her full 49 years, some might feel they’re looking at their grandma who has started venturing into plastic surgery on the cover.

Learn more about this CD and listen to sample tracks by clicking here.

After a long winter, your kids are just itching to get out of the house. Spring has sprung and they’re ready to roll.

Stuff to Do at Home

Let them run around the backyard for awhile, or they may want to engage in some activities to release all of their pent up energy. Invite some of their friends over and get out the soccer and basketball nets.

Get the kids gardening – they love to get their hands in dirt! Have them rake some leaves and put them into a pile for compost. If they want to stomp on the leaves, let them. This will tear and chop the leaves which will allow for quicker decomposition.

Getting Out and About

Try a visit to the local park and if you’ve got some wind, take along some kites too.

Take the kids to the zoo, or to a petting farm. Or you can take the bikes out of the garage and go biking riding. Bring along a baseball, bat and mitts and play a quick game. Pack a picnic lunch and really enjoy yourselves. Not only are these activities great for your kids, but you’ve probably been itching to get out and about yourself.

Above all, just have fun. If you’re looking for more ideas for keeping the kids happy, healthy and active, pick up your healthy kids guide.

Shopping on the Internet is the ultimate in modern conveniences, but you need to be aware and stay safe when doing so. Here are some tips for keeping your online shopping experience a safe one.

• If you have never heard of a company and they do not have a phone number or address listed stay away. You can also search Google for “[company name] reviews” or “[company name] feedback” and see what you find. Just replace [company name] with the actual company name.

• Ensure that whenever you buy a product, you keep all your receipts. Print out your transaction details on the screen and save the emails the company gives you.

• Some card companies are offering temporary credit card numbers – check into this type of service as it changes card numbers each time a purchase is made.

• Look for symbols like the VeriSign logo or BBB logo for extra assurance. Ensure the lock on the bottom right corner of the website when you are entering your personal details. This ensures the company is working in cooperation with well-known companies, and is using a method to conceal your information.

• For extra assurance, particularly from companies you haven’t heard of before, you might look for those who take PayPal as a payment option. PayPal is a third-party payment process owned by eBay and makes it possible for you to pay without giving the individual merchants your payment information.

• Shopping online and using your credit card unfortunately leaves you open to hackers. Make sure you have virus protection software installed in your computer, as well as a firewall.

• If you’re unsure about a product purchase, check the company’s return policy and do some research to see if they honor that policy.

• Change your passwords monthly.

If you are careful, you can shop almost anywhere online as long as you keep these tips for keeping your online shopping experience a safe one in mind.

This sweet dressing goes well with all types of green salads and is especially delicious on chicken burgers and chicken strips. For best taste – chill before serving.
The Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons prepared mustard
• 3 Tablespoons onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups sesame oil (not toasted)

The Process:

Place honey, salt, vinegar, mustard, onions, and water in blender and blend. Add sesame oil in slowly while mixing.