Geek Parenting

John Landis' Autograph!

ARC — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:05:00 GMT

One of my many geeky hobbies as a teen was writing celebs for autographs. I gathered quite a collection over the years, but some unfortunate things happened between moves and I lost them all when I started college. I was disheartened, but my husband encouraged me to start over.

So, once a week, we've been writing various Hollywood types we appreciate for autographs. As was the case when I was 15 years old, John Landis was the first to respond. He's good people, if you ask me.

Wubbzy's Christmas Adventure Winners

ARC — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:28:00 GMT

I hope everyone is starting their Thanksgiving holiday early! We have several winners for the Wubbzy's Christmas Adventure giveaway.

Grand Prize -- Tatum V.
Runner Up -- Dave
Runner Up -- Lisa G.

The Grand Prize winner will receive both the Wubbzy’s Christmas Adventure DVD and “It’s Wubbzy” Book. The two runner-ups will receive a Wubbzy’s Christmas Adventure DVD. I will contact all of the winners via email.

Congrats and enjoy your Turkey Day! I have some more giveaways coming up soon...

Wubbzy's Christmas Adventure Giveaway!

ARC — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:57:00 GMT

It's time for a new giveaway and, yes, we have another adorable Wubbzy product. Wubbzy's Christmas Adventure is a collection of six holiday episodes, including: "Snow Day," "O' Figgity Fig Tree," "The Snow Shoo Shoo," "Dash for Dolly," "Great and Grumpy Holiday," and "The Super Special Gift."

My kids love Wow! Wow! Wubbzy and this DVD has been getting them into the holiday spirit. Get ready for lots of snow, music and upbeat Christmas messages. There are many episodes on this DVD to keep your geeklings occupied for an afternoon. I actually got some cleaning done while mine watched. Wow! Wow!

How to Enter: Leave a comment on this blog post and you will be automatically entered to win. (Be sure to leave an accurate email address in the appropriate field. It won't be published!)

Deadline: Friday, November 20

Prizes: There will be three (3) winners in total.

One (1) Grand Prize winner receives: Wubbzy’s Christmas Adventure DVD and “It’s Wubbzy” Book!

Two (2) additional winners will win a Wubbzy's Christmas Adventure DVD

Note: The Wubbzy’s Christmas Adventure DVD giveaway is open to participants with a United States mailing address only (international readers can enter if they have a friend in the States who can accept their prizes by mail.)

Happy Halloween!

ARC — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 06:35:00 GMT

Today is my favorite holiday. So much fun! I love it so much I chose October 31 as my wedding date five years ago. Happy anniversary, Brian. I love you! Hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween. Oh, and don't forget to watch this with your geeklings this year. It should be a tradition!

Wow Wow Wubbzy “Wubb Idol” Prize Pack Giveaway!

ARC — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:08:00 GMT

Wow wow, everybody! It's time for another givety-giveaway with a Wubbzy theme. Today, October 13, "Wubb Idol" hit store shelves. This 93-minute DVD features the hit episode of Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! that stars Beyonce Knowles.

In celebration of the release, we are offering you a special prize pack giveaway. This will feature the "Wubb Idol” DVD, two “Wubb Idol”-themed books from Scholastic and the new Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! Sing-A-Song CD that features the original song composed and performed by Ms. Knowles!

In “Wubb Idol”, Wubbzy, his best friends, Walden, Widget and Daizy, can’t wait for the most popular girl group, The Wubb Girlz, to pay a visit to host the “Wuzzleburg Idol” talent show! Everyone in town hopes to win the contest. If Wubbzy can wow the judges, he’ll get the chance to go on to Wuzzlewood and perform with Sparkle, Shimmer, and Shine at their big concert and maybe even become a movie star!

How to Enter: Leave a comment on this blog post and you will be automatically entered to win. (Be sure to leave an accurate email address in the appropriate field. It won't be published!)

Deadline: Wednesday, October 28

Prize: "Wubb Idol” DVD, two “Wubb Idol”-themed books from Scholastic and the new Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! Sing-A-Song CD

Clever Cuties, Wubbzy Goes Boo Giveaway Winners

ARC — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Sorry for the late announcement, folks! The following people won our most recent giveaways. Everyone has been contacted via email and will receive their respective gifts ASAP. I'm posting more soon, so stay tuned!

Clever Cuties "My Parents Are Geeks" Giveaway

Thanks again to CleverCuties.com for sponsoring another t-shirt giveaway. The following three winners will receive a shirt that proudly declares: "My Parents Are Geeks." Clever Cuties sells a ton of geeky shirts with various designs. So, whether you're a literature buff or a mathlete, there is something there for geeks of all sizes.

Lisa F
Rod Williams
Stephanie Mac

Wubbzy Goes Boo Giveaway

Wubbzy Goes Boo is the perfect DVD for your geeklings this time of year, so if you didn't win a copy, then I highly recommend you grab one in stores. We recently did and the kids love it! The following lucky winners should receive a copy in time for Halloween.

Michael Ramirez (Grand Prize)
Traci
Stephanie Grant
Justin

Charlie and Lola: "What Can I Wear For Halloween?" DVD Giveaway!

ARC — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:29:00 GMT

I'm so excited to offer Charlie and Lola: Volume 9 as a giveaway here on Geek Parenting! My geeklings are obsessed with this adorable cartoon from the UK. Even my husband and I find it irresistible and we love the life lessons it shares.

If you aren't familiar with the show, it focuses on brother Charlie and sister Lola. Charlie, being the older of the two, helps to guide his quirky and precocious sister through life. Like Peanuts cartoons, you never see the characters' parents and all the voices are provided by real children. (Adorable little British children, I might add!)

Each episode begins with Charlie telling us, "I have a little sister named Lola. She is small and very funny." Indeed, she is very funny. She's also a handful, yet Charlie never seems to lose his temper with her. This show demonstrates such a sweet relationship between two siblings and we often catch our own Jason and Lola hugging while they watch it!

The latest Charlie and Lola DVD is titled "What Can I Wear For Halloween?" We have our own copy and it has been enjoyed many, many times in recent days. It includes nine adorable episodes, including the double-length special about autumn. It's the perfect time of year to settle in with this DVD.

Now, on to our giveaway! I have but one (1) copy to give away to a very lucky winner. Below are the rules for entry. Good luck!

How to Enter: Leave a comment on this blog post and you will be automatically entered to win. (Be sure to leave an accurate email address in the appropriate field. It won't be published!)

Deadline: Tuesday, October 19

Prize: Charlie and Lola Volume 9: What Can I Wear For Halloween? There will be one (1) winner in total.

Mad Style by True Jackson

ARC — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:44:00 GMT

Okay, forgive me while I put the geekiness aside for a sec, because I know a lot of you are still doing some back-to-school shopping. Keke Palmer has a new line of clothes available exclusively at WalMart that is super cute and affordable.

Palmer is the star of Nickelodeon's True Jackson, VP. She's also one of the few teen stars who aren't surrounded by constant scandal, so this geekmom definitely approves!

I have confessed my love of tween shows to you in the past. (What can I say? Sometimes the TV is still on Nickelodeon after SpongeBob is over!) Not familiar with True Jackson, VP? Palmer stars as True, a teenager who is hired as an executive for a youth apparel fashion line. Naturally, Nickelodeon has decided to release some real clothes to tie in with the show.

The clothes are actually super cute -- I would have worn these when I was younger! They're both funky and age-appropriate, making it a win-win for girls and their parents. Not only that, the prices are low, so I think this is a great brand to put on your radar if you're shopping for a young girl. Check these out at Walmart! You can view the rest of the line here.

Charlie's Playhouse: Science Can Be Fun!

ARC — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:08:00 GMT

I recently acquired a terrific playmat for my geeklings from a new toy company called Charlie's Playhouse. This company was founded by Dr. Kate Miller, a mother and scientist who saw a lack of educational toys focusing on evolution. Kids love learning about dinosaurs, after all, so why not go back even further?

Charlie's Playhouse offers numerous toys and t-shirts that teach children about evolution in a fun way. My little ones have been really enjoying the Giant Timeline playmat. It measures 18 feet long and covers 600 million years of history! The playmat is so fun and versatile, as it can be propped up like a fort or even trampled on by your active geeklings.

Mine have been going nuts with it:

I swell with pride when my four-year-old son sounds out "Hallucigenia" and "Trilobite." Charlie's Playhouse offers a number of other products, including flash cards of ancient creatures and t-shirts for the whole family that offer messages like, "Product Of Natural Selection." I can't think of a better back-to-school garment for your geekling's next science fair!

Wubbzy Goes Boo DVD Giveaway!

ARC — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Any Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! fans out there? We love this show, with its unique artwork and funky Devo-esque music. In fact, we now refer to soccer in this house as "kickety kick ball," which is a Wubbzyism.

Just in time for Halloween, we are starting a Wubbzy Goes Boo Halloween DVD giveaway! There will be four winners in total and the grand prize winner will get several other DVDs in addition to Wubbzy Goes Boo!

Note: The Wubbzy Goes Boo DVD giveaway is open to participants with a United States mailing address only (international readers can enter if they have a friend in the States who can accept their prizes by mail.)

How to Enter: Leave a comment on this blog post and you will be automatically entered to win. (Be sure to leave an accurate email address in the appropriate field. It won't be published!)

Deadline: Monday, October 12

Prizes: There will be four (4) winners in total.

One (1) Grand Prize winner receives:

A Wow Wow Wubbzy DVD Prize Pack (4 titles including Wubbzy Goes Boo)

Three (3) First Prize winners will win a Wubbzy Goes Boo DVD

About Wubbzy Goes Boo:

Wubbzy and his friends are back in an all-new DVD collection just in time for the fall season! Watch as Wubbzy, Widget and Walden clean up a crazy mess with Moo Moo's magic wand, pick the perfect pumpkin and create the spookiest Halloween costume of all. There's singing, dancing, trick or treating and kickity-kick ball too, plus plenty of positive values like creativity, patience and responsibility. It's all here in the Emmy winning Nick Jr./Noggin hit that's so much fun it's scary!

BONUS:

Click here, here and here to access some free Wubbzy Halloween coloring pages!

I Love Dr. Sears' Balboa Baby Sling!

ARC — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:22:00 GMT

The Balboa Baby reviews over on Test Freaks have just made me a sling/wrap convert very late in the game. Lois is a toddler now, but still small enough to fit in a sling. She's also my clingiest kid and probably would have nursed until kindergarten if I had let her! Thankfully, a recent backbreaking trip to the park convinced me to give Dr. Sears' Balboa Baby Sling a try. Perfect!

I just had to pass this along, as I'm one of the few attachment parents I know who couldn't get into the Maya Wrap. I know a lot of you love it, but I tried several different positions and Lois always wailed. Now, if only we can convince these sling/wrap companies to make geeky patterns!

A colorful Space Invaders pattern would be apt, don't you think?

My Parents Are Geeks T-Shirt Giveaway!

ARC — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:33:00 GMT

Hey, geek parents! CleverCuties.com has been kind enough to sponsor another t-shirt giveaway. This time, we are giving away three (3) children's shirts that read, "My Parents Are Geeks." I'm sure many of us would proudly adorn our geeklings with this bold statement.

How to Enter: Leave a comment on this blog post and you will be automatically entered to win. (Be sure to leave an accurate email address in the appropriate field. It won't be published!)

Deadline: Tuesday, October 6

Prizes: There will be three (3) winners in total.

Harry Potter Prize Pack Giveaway Winners

ARC — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:24:00 GMT

Thank you to everyone who entered our Harry Potter Back-To-School Prize Pack Giveaway! Scholastic has all of the books available, for those of you who want the complete paperback collection. The following five winners will receive the first three books in the series:

Chris
Doug Warren
Wendy
Summer
Stephanie Mac Isaac

I will contact each winner by email now. Stay tuned for more geeky giveaways!

Max Spaniel: Dinosaur Hunt Book Winners

ARC — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:22:00 GMT

Okay, it's time to announce the winners in the Max Spaniel: Dinosaur Hunt book giveaway! The following grand prize winner will receive an autographed copy, as well as a giant magnifying glass:

Robert Fisher

Four additional winners will each receive a copy of the book:

Grad School Mommy
dag888888
Joe Mc
Kelly

Each winner will be contacted privately through email. If you didn’t win, I highly recommend you get this book. Jason, my four-year-old, has read it many times. The illustration is great and it’s just a cute, imaginative story. I find it’s a great book to read before you go outside to play! Max Spaniel is available here from Amazon.

Description:
Max is no ordinary dog. He is a great hunter! His prize of choice? Dinosaurs! But Max simply can’t hunt dinosaurs inside. For that, he must go on a true adventure to the unexplored wild of the backyard. As this zany canine prowls the yard, he encounters bicycles, toys, a rake, and a gardening hose. But to Max, the intrepid dinosaur hunter, these items are no mere playthings and grooming implements–they are dinosaur bones! Piece by piece, the bloodhound puts together a towering display of dinosaurian strength that he is sure will strike fear into the hearts of any trespassers!

Tween DVD Roundup

ARC — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:59:00 GMT

Although my kids are way too young for tween shows, I still find myself keeping the television on Nickelodeon after the preschool shows are over. Brian is constantly teasing me about my love of the Drake & Josh theme song, but it’s a solid little pop song, okay?! (Did you know Drake wrote it himself? He’s so dreamy!)

iCarly: Season 2, Volume 1

My little niece is all about Hannah Montana these days, but I’m on Team Carly, as in iCarly. This is a cute sitcom on Nick about a girl who makes a popular Internet show with her friends. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking and -yes- it has a catchy theme song, too! Okay, you weren’t thinking that, but I love this song as much as the Drake & Josh theme. (Brian just caught me watching the music video on YouTube and gave me a hard time.)

Season 2, Volume 1 of iCarly is now out on DVD. Of all the big tween shows right now, this is the one I can watch repeatedly without going insane. Miranda Cosgrove is adorable and I actually think it’s a pretty tightly written show for kids. Carly’s older brother, Spencer, is hilarious and all of the kids gel together nicely. You should check out the series if you haven’t already. This new DVD set contains 12 episodes and a ton of extras. Highly recommended!

Oh, and what’s this? The iCarly music video, featuring the dreamy Drake Bell? You know you wanna watch!

Total Drama Island: The Complete First Season

Okay, now it’s time to turn the tables on my husband. He is the one who started watching Total Drama Island (or “TDI,” as the kids are calling it). This show aired last year on Cartoon Network and was the first animated “reality” game show. Although it’s a cartoon aimed at tweens and teens, but I was surprised to discover it was a very clever satire.

In the show, 22 teens go to live in Camp Wawanakwa - an island located somewhere in Ontario. There, the teens participate in a reality show that is part Survivor, part The Real World. This show is hilarious and although we only watched it sporadically at first, Brian and I actually became obsessed with who would “win” the show. I recommend you pick up the first full season on DVD, which includes a feisty “reunion special,” naturally.

Family Movie Games Roundup

ARC — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 05:16:00 GMT

Looking for some video games to play together as a family? I’ve been play testing two this week that you might be interested in.

Night at the Museum: Battle For the Smithsonian

Console: Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PC

This is based on the hit sequel starring Ben Stiller, which I have yet to watch. The movie made roughly a gazillion dollars, however, so I’m sure many of you have seen it.

For a movie-based game, I was really impressed with this. It’s aimed at kids about 10 years of age, but I loved doing the puzzles in between action sequences. I also loved that Ben Stiller’s avatar seems to be making a Zoolander face.

Don’t expect groundbreaking, realistic graphics with this game. It’s for young children and has been given an appropriately cartoonish look. The gameplay is very easy to learn and there are some cute moments when you learn special skills. One caveat: it’s a very short game, as in you might finish it in one evening. For kids, though, this probably isn’t a drawback. As for violence and such, there are some arrows and guns used by villains, but no blood. I wouldn’t hesitate letting my kids watch / play the game.

Shorts

Console: Nintendo DS

This is another movie tie-in, based on the Robert Rodriguez movie that was just released. Available only on Nintendo DS, this is another puzzle-laden game, which is a good thing for me. The plot is similar to the movie – you deal with the ensuing chaos of a magical rainbow rock that grants wishes (natch).

As you would expect, it’s a harmless and magical game, which makes it appropriate for all of your geeklings.

With 26 levels, this game runs longer than Battle for the Smithsonian. If your kids liked the movie or Rodriguez’s Spy Kids franchise, they will probably love this game. I can see kids wanting to play this one multiple times, so it’s definitely worth the price. There is some mildly crude humor, such as snot monsters, so it’s been rated 10+. However, I didn’t see anything here that a younger kid couldn’t safely watch.

Realistic Cosplaying With Aeromax!

ARC — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:08:00 GMT

Halloween is just around the corner, but then every day is Halloween in our house. My kids love dressing up and we love encouraging it, so I wanted to give you all a heads up about a company we just found. We procured a NASA flight suit costume for the kids and I was shocked at how well made it was!

Check these pics out. My kids were fighting over this thing:

The jumpsuit is an exact copy of an adult jumpsuit, so the material is thick and sturdy. All of the patches are embroidered, too! What really blew me away was that I got it in Jason’s size, yet Lois (18 months younger) could wear it perfectly because of all the Velcro straps that help resize the waist and arms.

Aeromax is the company that made the suit. They specialize in realistic dress-up clothes and accessories. The costumes are more like tiny replicas than the cheap costume-in-a-bag stuff you find in most stores.They have everything from medical scrubs to S.W.A.T. gear.

Next costume for our geeklings? Jockeys. Definitely the jockeys. Then we can recreate this skit in the yard:

Clever Cuties T-Shirt Giveaway Winners

ARC — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:19:00 GMT

Okay, we have three winners for the Clever Cuties t-shirt giveaway. The following parents will have some smart-dressed geeklings with these awesome shirts:

Barbara (How cute! I know the perfect kid to wear it.)
Stephen (Sweet. My wife would give me such a hard time for putting this on our kids.)
Guy (Looks like fun!)

I will contact each winner by email. Thank you to everyone who entered and be sure to check out the other great designs from Clever Cuties.

Harry Potter Back-To-School Prize Pack Giveaway!

ARC — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:26:00 GMT

Ready for another awesome giveaway? It’s time for your geeklings to go back to school, so get their little noses in a book!

Share the Magic of Reading with Harry Potter! It’s been 10 years since Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone was first published and a whole new generation of children await the magic of Hogwarts, and Quidditch, of Sorting Hats and Spells.

Introduce your “back-to-schooler” to the first three books in this remarkable series and get them started on the reading adventure of a lifetime just in time for school!

Thanks to Scholastic, five (5) random winners will receive the following three books in paperback: ·

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Book ·
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Book ·
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Book

How to Enter: Leave a comment on this blog post and you will be automatically entered to win. (Be sure to leave an accurate email address in the appropriate field. It won't be published!)

Deadline: Monday, September 14

Prizes: There will be five (5) winners in total.

DVD Reviews: ‘Pete’s Dragon’ and ‘Race to Witch Mountain’

ARC — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:39:00 GMT

We recently enjoyed two new DVD releases; one is a classic, while the other is a reboot of a classic.

Pete’s Dragon (High-Flying Edition)

Do you remember “Pete’s Dragon?” It was released in 1977 and was one of those lesser-known Disney movies that I always seemed to prefer over the big titles. Like “Bedknobs and Broomsticks,” it mixed animation with live action. I was really excited to see it was getting a special edition DVD treatment.

My kids and I watched this over the weekend and they loved it! They are still a bit young and fidgety to sit through a full-length film, especially ones with live action. The dragon was enough to keep my son’s attention throughout, while both kids loved the songs. There are a ton of extras on this DVD, so if you own an earlier copy and are a fan, you may want to check out this edition.

There are tons of featurettes and alternate versions of songs, as well as previews of future Disney releases. This is a classic that I hold near and dear. Highly recommended!

Race to Witch Mountain (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

“Race to Witch Mountain” is a modern reboot of “Escape to Witch Mountain,” which you probably watched plenty of times as a child. It’s not a straight remake, so you should go into this one with an open mind. Honestly, I seem to like Dwayne Johnson more with each movie. (I can’t believe this guy used to be The Rock!)

We skipped over this in theaters, but I finally relented last weekend and watched the DVD with my kids and my sister’s family. While I wasn’t blown away by the special effects and I definitely prefer the original, all of the kids in tow were enthralled. I did love the sci-fi convention scene, so keep an eye out for that, geek parents.

Also, I should note that I have the Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy edition, which is a brilliant way to package movies. Expensive, but worth it if you use more than one format in your travels.