Endless Love Movie Review and Blu-Ray Combo Pack Giveaway

Disclosure:  We received a copy of the Blu-ray combo pack to facilitate our honest review.  All opinions stated are those of the Shelly's Bits & Pieces Family.  Sponsor provided movie information and is responsible for prize fulfillment!

Kat and I love a good movie, and a good love story is always at the top of the list.  Recently we had the chance to watch Endless Love.  Chefy was not sure if he wanted to watch it, but Kat, Bae and I talked him into it!  He was glad we did!

Endless Love gets you feeling for the main characters right from the beginning of the movie.  I was so upset when Jade gets dissed by her classmates.  Kat and Bae just shook their heads and told me that some of their classmates were that cold too!  When Mace and David were mistreated at the club where they were valets, we all were upset.  Endless Love truly had us caring about what was going on and kept us wanting to see what would happen next!  I do not want to give too much away about the movie, but I really liked how it ended!  Haven't seen it yet?  Read a little about the movie below!

When beautiful Jade (Wilde) meets charismatic David (Pettyfer), her sheltered world of privilege is turned upside down as the pair's instant desire sparks a reckless summer love affair. While Jade leaves behind her inhibitions and innocence as she falls for David, he works to prove himself worthy of her love. But when David's mysterious past and Jade's overprotective father threaten to tear them apart, their romance will be put to the ultimate test.

After watching Endless Love with 2 teenage girls, I became aware that situations shown in the movie are accurate!  Things have changed since I was a teenager in love, but I still remember how it felt!  All of us have our own teenage love stories!  Some are a lot worse than others, but they were all important to us, and made us who we are today.

Want to win a Blu-Ray combo pack of Endless Love and a bottle of Nubar Lacquer?  Simply enter on the Rafflecopter form below!  US and Canadian residents can enter!!

The Lego Movie Giveaway And Awesome Blog App!

Disclosure:  This is a non-compensated post.  Warner Bros. Home Entertainment supplied the information on the DVD and they are responsible for prize fulfillment!  Each household is only eligible to win The Lego Movie Blu-Ray via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

The LEGO® Movie, the first-ever, full-length theatrical LEGO® adventure, directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller is an original 3D computer animated story that follows Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared.

Chris Pratt (Moneyball) stars as the voice of Emmet. Will Ferrell (The Campaign) stars as the voice of his primary adversary, President Business, an erudite, anal-retentive CEO who has a hard time balancing world domination with micro-managing his own life; while Liam Neeson (Taken) voices the president's powerful henchman, known as Bad Cop, who will stop at nothing to catch Emmet.
Starring as Emmet's fellow travelers are Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby), as Vitruvius, an old mystic; Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games, Emmy nominee for 30 Rock), as tough-as-nails Lucy, who mistakes Emmet for the savior of the world and guides him on his quest; Will Arnett (Emmy nominee, 30 Rock), as the mysterious Batman, a LEGO minifigure with whom Lucy shares a history; Nick Offerman (NBC's Parks and Recreation) as a craggy, swaggering pirate, obsessed with revenge on President Business; and Alison Brie (Community) as a sweet, loveable member of the team, with a powerful secret.

Would you like to win a copy of your own?  Simply enter on the rafflecopter form below and you could be the winner!

Marvel's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY - Character Posters

Disclosure:  This is a non-compensated post.  Just wanted to share!

From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team—the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel's “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits—Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand—with the galaxy's fate in the balance.

Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” which first appeared in comic books in Marvel Super-Heroes, Issue #18 (Jan. 1969), stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, featuring Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, with John C. Reilly, Glenn Close as Nova Prime and Benicio Del Toro as The Collector.

James Gunn is the director of the film with Kevin Feige, p.g.a., producing. Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Victoria Alonso, Jeremy Latcham, Nik Korda and Stan Lee serve as executive producers. Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” is written by James Gunn and Nicole Perlman and releases in U.S. theaters on August 1, 2014

Bet On Your Baby - Luvs Diaper's Giveaway #BetOnYourBaby

Disclosure:  No monetary compensation was received to host this giveaway. Contest and prize is being provided by Partnershub.  All opinions stated are my own!  Each household is only eligible to win One (1) Pack of Three Luv's Coupons via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

All parents think they know their baby well, but are they willing to bet on it? Find out when actress/comedienne and working mom Melissa Peterman, star of ABC Family's Baby Daddy hosts this adorable, hilarious and surprisingly suspenseful game show. Parents try to predict their toddler's next move in an effort to win money for their child's future education.

Airs Saturdays at 8pm ET/7pm CT on ABC starting May 31st.

Have you ever watched Bet on Your Baby?  Prior to this giveaway opportunity, I had never heard of the show.  But, I checked it out, and found out that Bet On Your Baby is adorable!  We have enjoyed watching it and have been discussing how well Kat would have done on the show.  She always loved being the center of attention, so I am sure she would have been great! How well do you think your little ones would do in the Baby Dome?



You can follow and “Like” BOYB on Social Media! 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/betonyourbaby 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BetOnYourBaby
Instagram: https://instagram.com/abcbetonyourbaby

Now that we have talked about Bet on Your Baby, would you like to win coupons for 3 FREE packs of Luvs Diapers?  Simply enter on the Rafflecopter form below!

It's Getting Hot in Here!

Spring and Summer in NC can be incredibly HOT!  It is even worse when the air conditioning in your house is not working!  Our AC went out back in April when we had the first real blast of heat.  When I turned it on, the air that came out was not cool....as a matter of fact, it made the house warmer.  We called a repairman and he told us we need a new unit.  We just paid $1700 to repair the unit in January because we had no heat.  Now, we have no money to fix the AC.  Every day I sit here in the heat, in front of the fan.  I am not able to do too much because it is just too hot.

Cooling off at the Lake with Kat and Bae

We have decided not to renew our lease here because the house has too many problems and the landlord is not in the position to be able to fix them.  So, for the last 2 months, we have been looking for something to rent.  We had originally planned to remain here until Kat graduated from high school in 2016, but there is just no way.  We do not want to buy anything because we do not plan to stay in this area after Kat graduates.  She is going off to college and she told us that she wanted us to move somewhere with a cooler climate to help with my health problems.  Which leads me back to the hunt for a rental house.

We have looked at a LOT of houses.  The main problem we have had is that we want (need) a three bedroom house with at least 2 baths.  We always have a very busy house, and anything smaller just won't work.  We need to make sure the house is in our school district, and it MUST accept our fur babies.

We are going to check out a house tonight (Tuesday) and we think this one is going to work out.  Prayers are greatly appreciated!  In the mean time, I am trying to get things packed while staying cool.  Wish me luck!  What are your plans for this summer?  Anyone else moving?  Do Tell!

Nature's Bounty Optimal Solutions Hair, Skin & Nails Gummies Review & Giveaway

Disclosure:  I received this product for free from Smiley360 in exchange for my honest review. No monetary compensation was received.

For the last month, my daughter and I have been taking Nature's Bounty Optimal Solutions Hair, Skin & Nails Gummies dietary supplements.  We were offered this review by Smiley360, and we were both very interested in giving it a try.  I take medicine every day for my health issues, so adding something to my routine was not hard to do.  Kat, on the other hand, only takes medication when she is sick, so I knew it would be hard for her to remember.  We decided to do this together, so we ate our gummies before dinner every night.

The Nature's Bounty Optimal Solutions Hair, Skin & Nails Gummies have a yummy strawberry flavor, and the scent is out of this world!  I could sit and smell them all day!  The gummies have no artificial flavors, no, soy, no wheat, no yeast, no fish, and are milk free, lactose free, gluten free and sodium free.  The main vitamins in these gummies are Biotin, Vitamin C and Vitamin E.   The only thing I was not too thrilled about was that they are made with corn syrup.

I can honestly say that I feel like the Nature's Bounty Optimal Solutions Hair, Skin & Nails Gummies have done what they were made to do.  My hair seemed shinier and less brittle, my skin has seemed healthier, and not as dry, and my nails are stronger and healthier.  Kat's hair looks great, and I think this dietary supplement has helped.  I know that my nails have grown faster these last 30 days, and they are no longer splitting.  This is the first time in YEARS that they have been this nice looking!  We are happy with the overall results, and plan to continue using the Nature's Bounty Optimal Solutions Hair, Skin & Nails Gummies.

Would you like to try it for yourself?  One lucky Shelly's Bits and Pieces reader will win a bottle to try for themselves.  Simply enter on the rafflecopter form below!

Remembering Grandma While Using Tuttorosso Tomatoes

Disclosure:  We received a Tuttorosso Tomatoes gift pack to facilitate our honest review.  All opinions are those of the Shelly's Bits & Pieces family.

My brother and I spent our summers with our Great-Grandma Bessie while our parents worked.  She prepared wonderful meals for us and she also taught us how to cook things from scratch.  Thanks to all the things I learned from Grandma Bessie, I consider myself to be a rather accomplished home cook.  Grandma stressed the importance of using quality ingredients in everything.  She canned most of the vegetables that she used in her recipes to ensure the quality of her food.  Years later, when I cook, I make sure I use quality ingredients as well.  When I am in need of tomatoes, I always reach for Tuttorosso tomatoes.

One of my favorite recipes to make is Lasagna.  I use the Tuttorosso tomatoes that have basil in them because it just adds that special something to the flavor.  When Kat cooks lasagna, she uses the recipe from Tuttorosso.  Here is the recipe she uses:

Recipe Overview:
Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
3/4 pound pork sausage
3 (8 ounce) cans Tuttorosso® Tomato Sauce
2 (6 ounce) cans Tuttorosso® Tomato Paste
1 (28 ounce) can Tuttorosso® Diced Tomatoes In Rich Tomato Juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 eggs , beaten
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 (15 ounce) carton low fat ricotta cheese
9 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat over to 375F.  In a large skillet, cook beef and sausage over medium heat until browned; drain well.  Add TUTTOTOSSO® TOMATO SAUCE, TUTTOROSSO® TOMATO PASTE, TUTTOROSSO® DICED TOMATOES in rich tomato juice, garlic, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a large bowl combine eggs and parsley.  Stir in ricotta cheese and Parmesan cheese.
Spread 1 cup of meat sauce in an ungreased 9 X 13 inch baking dish.  Layer with three noodles, ½ half of ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1 cup sauce.  Repeat layers and top with last 3 noodles and the remaining sauce.  Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
Cover and bake for 50 minutes.  Uncover and bake 20 minutes longer.  Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

The lasagna is delicious, and every time we prepare it, using Tuttorosso tomatoes, we think about how proud Grandma would be.  We show our love through our cooking, and like Grandma, we use only quality ingredients!

Wet Brush Review and Giveaway

Disclosure:  I participated in this event on behalf of Wendy's Bloggers for The Wet Brush. I received Wet Brush products to facilitate our honest review. 

For the last month, my daughter and I have been trying out the Wet Brush.  The Wet Brush is a healthy detangling hairbrush with “IntelliFlex bristles”!  It is the best selling hairbrush in the U.S.!  The bristles are flexibile and enable protective and pain-free detangling. They are gentle on the scalp, yet firm enough to comb through knots.  The tips of the bristles will even massage the scalp to circulate blood flow! The Wet Brush is available in most beauty stores and salons in the U.S. and more than 45 countries.

The first thing we loved about the Wet Brush was that the set consists of four brushes, the paddle, the classic, the squirt and the pop!  My favorite is the squirt, because it is small enough to toss in my purse!  It does a great job, even when I have been riding around with the windows down.  I love that it does not pull my hair.  When we first received the brushes, I tried the classic after a shower.  It glided through my hair smoothly and it never caused me any pain as it detangled.  I was so shocked at how easily the Wet Brush worked, I grabbed one of our old brushes to make sure the tangles were gone.  THEY WERE GONE!!

Kat chose the purple brushes as her own.  She is a huge fan of the classic brush.  She likes a larger brushing area and the classic is ideal.  The first day she used it, she reacted the same way I did.  She was shocked to find that the Wet Brush removed her tangles without pulling her hair.  She has liked it so much, she has been telling all of her friends.  I even gave up my yellow classic brush so Kat could give it to one of her closest friends.  We share the paddle brush, and the Pop brush is now in our beach bag!

Kat and I have tossed all of our other regular brushes and replaced them with the Wet Brush.  No more sore scalp.  The Wet Brush detangles without pain!  No pain = my gain!

You can learn more about the Wet Brush by following them at the following:

www.thewetbrush.com

https://www.facebook.com/thewetbrush

https://twitter.com/TheWetBrush 

http://instagram.com/thewetbrush 

FREE SHIPPING OFFER! Want to buy a Wet Brush or two, three or more? Get free shipping on your Wet Brush order now through June 22, 2014 . Enter code: wbship0

Would you like to try out the Wet Brush for yourself?  Simply enter on the rafflecopter form below.  One lucky Shelly's Bits and Pieces reader will win a Wet Brush Gift Set which includes:  2 Wet Brush Classics, 2 Wet Brush Squirts, 2 Wet Brush Pops and 1 Paddle brush.  

Chuggington: Explorer Koko DVD Review and Giveaway

Disclosure:  We received a free copy of the DVD to facilitate our honest review.  All opinions are those of the Shelly's Bits and Pieces family.  Sponsor is responsible for giveaway prize fulfillment!

Our little Trainees were very excited when this DVD arrived!  Finally they had a new Chugginton adventure to watch over and over!  The DVD has six fun episodes to keep your kids watching!  The episodes are:
·         “Explorer Koko”
·         “Runaway Koko”
·         “Fearless Wilson”
·         “Koko’s Game”
·         “Hodge’s Secret”
·         “Inspector Emery”
I love that the DVD is about an hour long and each individual episode is the perfect length so your kids don't get bored!

Synopsis:
In “Explorer Koko” ($14.98), everyone’s best friend Koko is chosen to carry the King of Buffertonia and his dignitaries on a special tour of Chuggington. The new release also follows Koko as she gets hooked on a computer game trying to beat Hodge’s high score and finds herself in a heap of trouble when her net shooter fails on the tracks! In these six fast-paced and fun-filled episodes, Brewster, Wilson and Koko discover the importance of teamwork, leadership and more. The new DVD also comes complete with Chugger Spotlights, a bonus Badge Quest Episode and adorable coloring sheets!

The Birdcage - Coming to Blu-Ray on June 3rd

Disclosure:  No compensation was received for this post.  Birdcage is one of my favorite movies and I just wanted to share!

Anytime I need a good laugh, I know I can pop The Birdcage in the DVD player and my mood will improve!  I recently found out that the Birdcage is coming out on Blu-Ray on June 3rd and I am so excited.  My regular DVD copy is almost worn out!  Time for an upgrade!

Robin Williams and Nathan Lane are so wonderful together in this awesome comedy.  If you have not seen the movie, you need to check it out.  My family wholeheartedly recommends it!!

The Birdcage

Robin Williams and Nathan Lane team up with a top-notch cast in this hilarious comedy. Williams delivers an uproarious performance as Armand, a gay cabaret owner whose son announces he’s marrying the daughter of a right-wing politician (Gene Hackman). It’s an outrageously funny culture clash as Armand and his drag-queen partner Albert (Lane) try to transform themselves into straight shooters at a dinner party and pull the chiffon over the eyes of the uptight senator and his wife (Dianne Wiest).

WordGirl Appreciation Week

Disclosure:  No compensation of any kind was received!  Just wanted to share!

Two, four, six, eight, who do kids and families nationwide appreciate? WordGirl! So it’s only fitting that the extra-special WordGirl Word of the Month for May is…“Appreciate”! Better yet, this month marks the lead up to a whole week of new action- and vocabulary-packed episodes set to premiere in early June!

From June 2-6, it’s “WordGirl Appreciation Week” on PBS KIDS (check local listings), featuring five all-new episodes of the three-time Emmy Award-winning show for the school-age set from Scholastic Media! Young viewers will join WordGirl, Captain Huggy Face and friends on exciting adventures around town as they fight crime and protect the innocent – correcting poor grammar wherever they spot it and introducing key vocabulary words all along the way.

Inspired by May’s Word of the Month and the upcoming week of new WordGirl episodes in June, below are some tips to help you teach your kids how to show their appreciation.

Manners matter! – Even a small gesture of gratefulness can really make a person’s day, whether it’s saying “thanks” or giving a heartfelt compliment. Have your child send a “thank you” note to show their appreciation for someone special. “Thank you” cards don’t just have to be for receiving gifts!

Adopt an attitude of gratitude! – Encourage your child to take the time to recognize what they appreciate by making a list of all the things and people they’re thankful for. Have them try adding something new to the list each week. Then, kick the gratitude up a notch by encouraging them to do a good deed every day such as walking a neighbor’s dog, offering up their seat on the bus or train or simply holding the door open for someone.

Commit to giving back! – Make giving back to your community a frequent habit for your family. Volunteering is a great way to show you care, as is giving to a local charity. Engage your child in gathering up their old clothes, books and toys to donate. It will go a long way toward assisting others, while also helping your child learn to appreciate all that they have!

Hand over responsibility! – Show your child what it feels like to be in someone else’s shoes for a while. Try roleplaying and let your child be the “mom” or “dad” for the day, assisting with some of your responsibilities. It’s a great way to help them develop a deeper appreciation for all that moms and dads do for the family each day!

And don’t forget to tune-in to “WordGirl Appreciation Week” together, June 2-6 on PBS KIDS!
For more on WordGirl:
Visit: pbskids.org/WordGirl/
Like: facebook.com/WordGirl
Follow: twitter.com/WordGirl_PBS

Season Premiere Giveaway: The American Bible Challenge

Disclosure:  This post is sponsored by Game Show Network & The American Bible Challenge.  All opinions stated are those of the Shelly's Bits and Pieces Family.  



The American Bible Challenge is back for a 3rd season.  It can be seen on Thursdays at 8pm/7C on Game Show Network!  We are so excited that the American Bible Challenge has returned.  We really enjoy watching the show and trying our best to answer the questions every week.  We never do as well as the players on the show, but we have fun trying.  My daddy was a preacher and I know he would have loved watching with us.  I learn something new every episode!  

ABOUT The American Bible Challenge

5 Things you didn’t know about The American Bible Challenge:

1. All the money won in every single episode is donated to charities 
2. All of the questions come from the old and new testament 
3. Your bible knowledge will be tested in physical challenges as well 
4. The American Bible Challenge is the highest rated TV program in Game Show Network history 
5. It is nominated for two daytime emmy awards: Outstanding Game Show, and Outstanding Game Show Host Jeff Foxworthy

THE AMERICAN BIBLE CHALLENGE is a spirited game show that celebrates the Bible and its place in American culture. Bible enthusiasts from all across the country compete in a variety of challenges that put their knowledge of the Good Book to the test. The show’s prizing further reflects the celebration of faith, as teams earn money for the charity of their choice.

The American Bible Challenge returns for a two hour block May 22nd at 8/7c on Game Show Network. Don’t for get to tune in June 5th for the first episode of It Takes a Church premiering right after The American Bible Challenge.

Keep up with The American Bible Challenge on Twitter & Facebook

To celebrate the return of the American Bible Challenge, the Game Show Network and the American Bible Challenge TV show have offered a gift pack to give away.  One lucky Shelly's Bits & Pieces reader will win an American Bible Challenge T-shirt and a poster.  Want a chance to win?  Simply enter on the rafflecopter form below and you could win!