Harry Connick Jr., Your Songs CD Review

Last month singer, actor, composer, pianist, and let's not forget husband and father of three girls, Harry Connick Jr. released his latest album, Your Songs. Its fourteen tracks feature classic songs made well known by some of the most iconic performers, with each one treated to his smooth full rich vocals. Accompanied by a jazz big band and string orchestra, the songs have a timeless quality that's all Harry.

The album tracks are as follows, (Originally performed by):

All The Way (Frank Sinatra)
Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)
Can’t Help Falling In Love With You (Elvis Presley)
And I Love Her (The Beatles)
(They Long To Be) Close To You (The Carpenters)
Besame Mucho
The Way You Look Tonight
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Roberta Flack)
Your Song (Elton John)
Some Enchanted Evening
And I Love You So (Don McLean)
Who Can I Turn To? (Tony Bennett)
Smile (Charlie Chaplin)
Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole)
I've been a fan of Harry Connick Jr. since I first heard his rendition of It Had to Be You. It continues to be one of my favorites songs, and with this album another iconic standard remade by him has got me in the mood for romance. You can see his recent performance of All the Way on the Today Show, to get a hint of all the great music included on this CD. But my favorite track is (They Long to Be) Close To You, it's one of my favorite Carpenters hits and I hope I'm not being too disloyal by saying I like Harry's version even more! I just love the trumpet in it.

Your Songs is a great album to relax and destress too, it's great to listen to after a busy day in a bubble bath! Or put it on when the kids have gone to bed, light a few candles and dance with your husband. Also great for when the kids are around, ER loves to slow dance with Daddy to it. Plus it introduces her to classic hits and songs all in one place. It's a great soundtrack for girls night in too! I can't think of anyone who wouldn't like to relax with a few appetizers, good friends, and Harry in the stereo!

Harry has had several multi-platinum and gold albums, 25 million albums sold worldwide, Grammy, Tony and Emmy Awards, and Oscar and Golden Globe nominations and Your Songs is definitely going to add to his list of achievements. One thing I really like about Harry, is how he's used his sucess to give back. Like when he joined with Brandford Marsalis and the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity to create Musicians’ Village, a community in the Upper Ninth Ward, to help his native New Orleans after the devestation caused by Katrina along the Gulf Coast.

Check out Harry Connick Jr.'s Your Songs, by this talented performer today. It's available for purchase now!

Disclaimer: Thank you to One2One Network for this review opportunity and for providing the reviewers copy of the CD.

Zhu Zhu Pets Review

I recently had an opportunity to host and in home Zhu Zhu Pets In Home Party and introduce a fun new toy to ER's friends. She really likes her white hamster named Chunk and the complete Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster "habitrail" we were sent. It even includes a kitchen, hamster wheel, and Chunk's own little garage and car.

These fun, interactive hamsters talk, move and even navigate their way around their own habitats. And the best thing about these pets? No mess and no fuss…just hours of interactive play!

Each hamster in a family of four has its own name and a unique personality. Chunk, Pipsqueak, Squiggles and Num Nums will delight children of all ages with their cute squeaks, squeals and zany moves. Watch the action as these adorable hamsters play, explore, run and slide. Chunk catches a wave on his own surfboard while Pipsqueak takes the car out for a spin and Squiggles races down a slide. A dozen add-on sets let your child create and explore a new Zhu Zhu Pets™ world every time they play!

We really liked how they enable ER to have a new little pet that moves and makes noise, without any of the hassle of another addition to the live pets we already have. Plus Chunk is small enough for her to carry him around with her in her back pack when we go out to run errands. She likes to bring him along.

The add on playset kits to the habitrail are fun, with the hamster wheel and tunnel and spiral slide and ramp being our favorites. It's fun to see Chunk making the wheel turn and turn and very cool to see him spin around the spiral ramp and then shoot out across the floor.

Out of all the kits, the only accessory my husband I weren't that impressed with was the sleeping nook. We thought it was pretty unexciting and we found that the hamsters have trouble getting out of it. However, since the sleeping nook come with the fun skateboard and surfboard that attach to the bottom of each hamster, it is still worth getting.

My daughter loves for Chunk to ride his surfboard, AND more importantly she LOVES the sleeping nook. So it doesn't really matter what Brad and I think, cause it makes her happy and after all it is a toy for her! I shared before ER likes to sleep in a blanket made tent. Well she likes that Chunk has his own little tent too, and since most of the time she picks him up when he "wakes up" in his nook the fact he can't always back out of it doesn't really matter for us.

I think these are a great toy for kids who have allergies, want a pet but are too young for the responsibility, or who live somewhere that do not allow pets. Since the Zhu Zhu Pets are interactive and make noise, move about, are cuddly they give kids an experience like having a pet. Plus parents can use them as tool to teach about responsibility, care for animals, and nurturing. I know my daughter has begun to engage in more sophisticated pretend play with hers. She talks about needing to care for him all the time, plus she can practice petting gentle with Chunk safely, as he doesn't bite back:) Something she needs to work with so our real pets, our two cats, will let her nearer to them!

Now my daughter is anxious to add the pink Jilly hamster to her family, and the pet bed and carrier are also on her Christmas wish list! The hamsters retail for around $10 each, with the hamster fun house with kitchen and bedroom being about $20, and the rest of the kits $11-$16 so they aren't expensive for the hours of fun your kids will have with them.

Disclaimer: I received the in home party kit and supplies in return for hosting an party and providing feedback. A blog post was not required but since my daughter and her friends enjoy their Zhu Zhu Pets so much I wanted to share them here too. Thank you also to MomSelect for this opportunity!

A Magical Evening at Disney on Ice

Last night was probably the most exciting night of ER's life! We had a GREAT time at Disney on Ice and I can't rave about the show more! If you live in the Detroit Metro Area it's not too late to get your tickets! There is even special ticket pricing available!

The tickets can be purchased from Ticket Master and by entering the MOM code in the “MC promotion” box when purchasing tickets. The ‘MOM' code enables you to get four tickets for $44 for weekday shows Monday-Friday and $4 off all tickets for weekend shows. Any additional tickets beyond the 4-pack for shows during the week are still priced at $11.

(Offer not valid on Rinkside or VIP seating. Cannot be combined with other offers. Service Charges, facility & handling fees will apply.)

Remaining Show Dates:
Thursday, Oct. 1: 7:30 PM
Friday, Oct. 2: 11:00 AM, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Oct. 3: 11:30 AM, 3:30 PM, 7:30 PM
Sunday, Oct. 4: 1:00 PM, 5:00 PM

Here's another great offer I found on the Disney on Ice for Metro Detroit Facebook Page, good for one $15 ticket at select shows. You can find up to date offers and news on their Facebook page and get ready for The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey visit to the Detroit Metro Area by joining their Facebook page too!
As a FELD Family Activator, we were invited to a special preshow event. We got to meet Mickey and Minnie, eat dinner, and got a goodie bag filled with all sorts of fun souvenirs: the hat, Mickey Mouse doll, and coloring books really made ER's little face light up. I am glad we got to meet the characters in a relaxed setting. This is the first time ER has ever let dressed up characters near her. I had to hold her, but at the end she did give Mickey a shy little wave. While we sat at our table afterward, she kept watching the other kids having their turn and saying how much fun it was to meet them.
Then it was into the Palace of Auburn Hills to find our seats! We had to walk nearly around the whole arena, which was a lot of fun for ER. She loved seeing all the display stands and all the other kids dressed up in their Disney outfits. We saw lots of little princesses, they were all so cute!The last time we took ER to a play or any kind of performance she was very scared, and spent most of the show huddled behind the seats peeking between them. She's a bit older now, and this time she was too excited to be scared. She hopped right up onto her seat and pointed to the castle on the ice.
We had good seats and a great view. ER could see all the characters really well, the sets, lighting, costumes, and music were all first rate and we could enjoy them very nicely from our seats. My vision isn't the best, and I had no trouble seeing everything! I liked being a little elevated, we could see everything from a great vantage point.

It wouldn't be a super fun outing without a little treat, right? We got a great little combo of cotton candy and mouse ears for $10. The portion was large enough to share between the three of us and have some left over. Plus the mouse ears come with a two year warranty, so if they break we can get a new set. We spent $6 for cotton candy at the fair this summer, so we thought it was pretty reasonable way to get a snack and memento of the night.

Before we knew it, it was time for the big show to start! ER was really thrilled to see Mickey Mouse and his friends take the ice right away. She kept whispering in my ear, "I just met him, he's so nice!"

Several of the original Disney characters came out right at the beginning, all my favorites from childhood.

It seemed like almost every major character and movie was represented. ER was especially excited to see Dorie and Nemo from one of her very favorite Disney movies right away.

I liked how we got to see Minnie and Mickey throughout the whole show. The would introduce the various acts and have a little dialogue that moved the show along.

Right away the Disney Princesses showed up, which was fabulous in ER's opinion. They did an extended storyline about Beauty and the Beast.

Then all the Princesses and their Princes came out for a little mini act, until all of them were on the ice. Since Disney Princesses are such a big deal for many little girls I am glad they got all of them out on the ice. No matter who your little one dreams of being, she was there. In our case, Cinderella showed up and ER was in heaven! She kept saying, "She's so beautiful Mommy, I love her."

Buzz Lightyear and Woody, Pinocchio, Mulan, Lion King, and even It's a Small World come to life all thrilled us. I thought that the stories and characters chosen to be a part of the show translated really well to the ice. If I had to pick a miss, it would be The Incredibles act. Not because the skaters were any less impressive, but because they are so incredible, it's hard to show their special talents on the ice. I thought maybe Monster's Inc. would be a better Disney Pixar movie to feature.

The show went by quickly, the first half was forty five minutes. There was a short intermission, but ER was so riveted by the show we couldn't get her to even leave her seat for the bathroom. Good thing I put her in a pull up! She's only three, so I think it's quite something that Disney On Ice kept her attention so well for the entire time: first half, intermission, and second half. She loved it and the show was so well done, it also was great for my husband and I. We both really enjoyed the performance as much as she did!

I think it's a great value for how much your children will be enthralled. A weekday ticket, through the special pricing I shared above is only sightly more than an evening movie ticket. But it gives way more entertainment value for the money.

ER already loves everything Disney and this was a great way to take her out for a special night, that has her seeing her favorite characters without having to make a trip down to FL. With so many of us on a budget right now, for a lot of family's a trip to Disneyland isn't possible right now. Disney on Ice, makes it possible to still have a magical evening with the kids that they'll be talking about for a long time. Plus with ER being so young, I thought this was a much more manageable way to introduce her to Disney. Now we know she'd love a trip to Disneyland and not be terrified of the dressed up characters.

Since this post was already pretty long, I decided to create a photoshow of some more of our favorite pictures from the night. With it being so dark in the theater, it was challenging to take good pictures. But ER has already watched this over and over. My efforts to capture some of the show is enough to bring the memories back right away for her.

Disclaimer: I am a FELD Family Activator and received my tickets for opening night and the preshow reception as part of MomCentral's blog campaign with FELD entertainment. Thank you to them both for this opportunity!