Real Moms Real Views

Everyday Tunes! {DidiPop: Everyday Adventures CD Review & Giveaway}

Daily routines can become very monotonous; feeding the dog, driving the kids to school, making lunch; the same things over and over, day in and day out. DidiPop reminds us just how special and magical these everyday things can really be in her new CD, Everyday Adventures, to be released 11-1-11!

Routine becomes magic as DidiPop sings her way into children’s hearts. “Everyday Adventures”, her new CD co-produced in Nashville with Brad Jones, bubbles with rhythmic delight!

The lyrics deliver the empowering message that life can be a wonderland of fun, love and laughter. the song, “Yellow Car”, inspires kids to count cars, make wishes and have fun driving with the family. “The Cool Alphabet Song” plays with sound as it both teaches and tickles imagination. Later, in “Neferdidi”, a dancing genie whisks children’s to Paris.

Among the lessons children learn through this CD are: Counting, the alphabet, French Vocabulary, how to feed pets, table etiquette, days of the week and months of the year. “Everyday Adventures” is a musical adventure for the whole family!

The kids and I were all excited to get DidiPop’s new CD, “Everyday Adventures”! We enjoyed her first CD so much and were most definitely ready for another fun filled, toe tappin’ album! And oops, she did it again! Delivering 16 catchy & playful songs; we have spent a lot of time in the car singing and dancing…or wiggling? Not sure if you can really dance in the car! We have been listening to Everyday Adventures on all of our little car trips for the past few weeks and truth be told, I enjoy the CD as much as the kids and even get excited when I know my favorites are coming up {or secretly skip to them! Ha!} We all have our favorites; Ava loves the song Yellow Car, which has created a new fun game for us to sing about and play in the car. I think it’s safe to say Hollis’ favorite is Feed the Pet; a sweet little song about feeding and taking care of your pets; you know, dogs, cats, fish, & dinosaurs! Ha! My personal favorite is the very last song, Dream, a sweet lullaby that I  catch myself singing throughout the day and to the kids at bedtime. I love how so many of DidiPop’s songs are eventually woven into our daily routines and activities becoming a little soundtrack to our days.

DidiPop is a sound, a feeling and a way of looking at life. Original family music creator Deborah Poppink believes that children need age appropriate songs that not only entertain but reveal the magic in everyday adventures. She wants families to use the songs as jumping off points for conversations, singalongs and even more creativity. The music is sophisticated, smart, sassy, funny and real. Deborah believes that love, health and creativity are the building blocks to a happy life and home. DidiPop hopes to inspire ideas in children with the motto, “Any Dream is Possible” and to foster an open and empowering parenting energy among care-givers. Her goal is to take families on a musical journey and give them the world.

Today, DidiPop is giving away one copy of the new “Everyday Adventures” CD!

Want to enter to win? Here’s how!

1st entry {mandatory}: Visit the DidiPop Website and take a look around. Come back and share with us why you would love to add this CD to your child’s collection!

2 entries: “like” RMRV on Facebook.

2 entires: “like” DidiPop on Facebook.

2 entries: Follow RMRV on Twitter.

2 entries: Follow DidiPop on Twitter.

1 entry per day: Tweet out the following:

enter to win your own Everyday Adventures CD from @didipop at @agiveawaydaily!

5 entries: Blog about this giveaway!

5 entries: Make a purchase from Didi Pop.

Didi Pop and Everyday Adventures is Real Mom {& kid} Approved!

{You have until November 11th @ 11:59 PM EDT to enter the giveaway. All giveaways are open to USA only. This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure here.}

 

Amanda is a southern gal that loves coffee shop chit chat with dear friends, daydreaming, and an obsession with with polka dots, scarves, funky jewelry, children’s books, and anything vintage. She has two of the sweetest children that fill her heart and days with happiness.
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This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure & giveaway rules here.

Sing a Silly Song {Slugs & Bugs & Lullabies CD}

My kids LOVE music.  We have music playing all the time.  It plays on the way to school, in the kitchen, and in the van.  It always make me laugh when my little kiddos can sing right along with the music.  It isn’t so funny when they are singing about shakin their booty, who you are going home with, or who’s boyfriend you are getting with.  As parents, we have had to pay better attention to what we are listening to and who is around when we are listening to it.  Yes, that means that I listen to a lot of kids music, but that is okay.  Here is a perfect CD to add to the kids music collection!  It is called Bugs & Slugs and Lullabies.  They are all original songs, so they take a little practice if you are going to sing with them.

“You could say our mission is to write great, fun songs that celebrate the truth, beauty, freedom, and love of silliness that is so characteristic of children. But you could also say that we aim to write great, fun songs that help parents to remember how to be kids.

Slugs & Bugs is for kids and parents.  Our children need to learn that life with Jesus is a life of joy and celebration, and we parents need to remember that very same thing.  Slugs & Bugs aims to provide a context for parents and kids to learn and remember together the joy of life in Christ, while also having a super-great time with silly songs about grizzly bears that don’t wear underwear.

The Slugs & Bugs worldview rejects the compartmentalization of life into sacred and secular and declares with great (and silly) gusto that Christ is the head of all things.  He is the head of kite flying and river floating, ice fishing and sky diving, nap taking and diaper changing.

Our small hope is that kids will love the music and parents will too.  Our grand hope is that Slugs & Bugs kids would one day grow up and find it natural to remember Jesus in their homework, in their work, in their friendships and even in the parenting of our grandkids.”

These are wonderful songs with wonderful meaning.  My kids loved the CD nd it is for sure Real Mom Approved.  Be sure to go to their website for a little sampling of thier fun songs!

This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure here

Erin

Erin is a mommy to 4 fab kiddos! She serves as their maid, cook, and taxi driver. She has been married to the “man of her dreams” for 11 years now. They love spending every free minute together enjoying activities such as camping, swimming, playing games and having movie night.
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This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure & giveaway rules here.

Bieber Fever! {Justin Bieber Never Say Never DVD Review}

 

My daughter Sydney has it, and I caught it………The Bieber Fever! Beware you just might get it next!  The day Mr. Bieber arrived on our doorstep, well…. the Justin Bieber Never Say Never Director’s Fan Cut Special Edition DVD (Sydney wishes “for real“!), screams errupted.

As my older daughter rolled her eyes (…too cool to admit she likes him too:)), Sydney was tearing into the DVD’s keepsake box.  To her surprise there was a heart shape necklace inside for her wearing pleasure, available only to those with this collector’s edition.  {She wore it every day for the rest of the week!}  Of course, we played the DVD right away.  My little ladies sat on the sofa learning all about J.B…..where he grew up, his family & friends, where he got his start singing, and his daily life as a famed heartthrob.  They danced and sang to “Baby” like they were rockstars.  Sydney said that she wanted to go to his concert so she could be “One Less Lonely Girl”….. the DVD shows one lucky gal being chosen from the audience to go on stage so Justin can sing to her……one less lonely, but one very lucky gal!  As a parent, it was nice to see a down to earth side of Justin Bieber and how much he adores his fans.  If you have daughters (maybe even sons), I highly recommend picking up a copy of Justin Bieber Never Say Never.  They will love the extra hour of behind-the-scenes footage the Collector’s Edition DVD provides, while enjoying the catchy, upbeat music.

The JUSTIN BIEBER: Never Say Never Director’s Fan Cut two-disc DVD comes in a stunning collectible keepsake box presented in Justin’s signature purple and includes an exclusive, limited edition Justin Bieber: Never Say Never necklace.  The DVD also boasts a wealth of never-before-seen bonus material including intimate footage of Justin throughout the day before his Madison Square Garden performance, more footage of “less lonely girls”, a peek into daily life on tour, a behind-the-scenes look at the work that went into creating the My World Tour, footage of the sound check parties held prior to each concert, a closer look at a special trio of fans, a discussion with director Jon M. Chu and more.

Here are all the features:

Disc One:
o    JUSTIN BIEBER: Never Say Never Director’s Fan Cut

Disc Two:
o    Evolution Of A Tour:  A behind-the-scenes look at the tremendous effort that went into mounting Justin Bieber’s My World Tour including footage of the rehearsals, dance training and more.

o    Day Of The Concert:  Follow Justin as he prepares for the biggest concert of his career.

o    More Less Lonely Girls:  Justin sings to lucky fans across the country.

o    Life On The Road:  Hang out with Justin in this unique peek at what his life is like on a daily basis.

o    Sound Check Parties:  An all-access look at the exclusive pre-show parties.

o    The Dougie:  A montage of Justin and Team Bieber doing their best Dougie-dances.

o    The Rocket Ship Girls:  A closer look at some of Justin’s biggest fans.

o    Can You Sing “Baby”?:  Justin performs “Baby” for his golden ticket-winning fans.

o    White Chocolate Interview:  Justin hangs out with his friends.

o    The Director:  Jon M. Chu discusses his process in bringing Justin’s life to the big screen.

o    Digital Copy

Pick up Justin Bieber NEVER SAY NEVER Director’s Cut Ultimate Collectors Edition Exclusively at Target today!

This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure here.

christina_rmrmvsiggy


 

Christina

Christina married her college sweetheart & best friend 12 years ago & they are proud parents to two lovely ladies, one who is an official “tween” & the other not far behind. She owns an event floral business & is very creative. She loves dressing up, crafting, and planning parties.
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This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure & giveaway rules here.

Where Music Begins! {The Tuneables Review}

Where Music Begins… Teaching the building blocks of music to children.

The Tuneables is a revolutionary new program designed to teach the key fundamentals of music to young children. This fun and engaging program is tailored to support age-appropriate music development in preschool children and is sponsored by the Music Intelligence Project. Through the imaginative world of Tuneville, fun characters encourage children to participate in songs and activities that provide rhythm, tonal, and voice development in a carefully sequenced approach.

This foundation focuses on four elements:

  • Tonal & Rhythm Patterns in Music
  • The Singing Voice
  • A Basic Repertoire of Music
  • Listening Skills

tuneables

  After reading about The Tuneables online, I couldn’t wait to get our I Love Music 2 disc set. I know I have shared before how my children love music; they are always singing {real & made up songs}, dancing, and if any type of music comes on, it immediately grabs their attention. From the first scene in this adorable DVD, Ava was hooked! When the music started she started tapping her knees, head, and toes and trying to sing along with the songs. It was so sweet watching her keep the beat during the rhythm section and even cuter listening to her sing during the singing voice section! As soon as it was over she asked to watch it again, It was a hit! A few of the songs from the DVD have turned into games around our house.  ”Where is Ava” for example. Ava {and Hollis} will hide. Then I sing “Where is Ava”. Then she will pop out of her hiding place and sing back “Here I am.” Both of the kids love to play this new little game and sing back and forth to each other! The Tuneables is a wonderful way of exposing your children to the fundamentals of music! Through darling characters, a bright and colorful city, and fun songs and movements, my children were both drawn into Tuneville and participated throughout the whole DVD; learning and having fun all at the same time! The Music Box CD has become a must listen on the way to and from school! It is great reinforcement for all of the skills taught in the “I Love Music” DVD,  and includes a few songs from the DVD as well as several well known children’s songs. My kids are always asking me to play “I Love Music” in the car, and I am happy to play it and find myself singing along with them!

THE TUNEABLES:

“I Love Music!” is a 30-minute, animated, interactive DVD which is the first in a series designed to teach children ages 3-8 music fundamentals. Through the imaginative world of Tuneville, fun characters encourage children to participate in songs and activities that provide rhythm, tonal, and voice development in a carefully sequenced approach.


THE MUSIC BOX:

“I Love Music!” is a compilation of original songs, classic children’s music and important music masterworks. It is designed to encourage the exposure and reinforcement of key principles in early music learning for children ages 3-6. This CD also serves as a wonderful companion to THE TUNEABLES DVD, “I Love Music!”, which reinforces the curriculum with additional new songs and expanded versions of several songs found in the DVD.

The Tuneables “I Love Music” 2 disc set can be found online and would make a great addition to your child’s DVD and CD collection!

“Like” the Tuneables on Facebook to keep up with news and product information!!

The Music Intelligence Project sponsors the development of The Tuneables. MIP is designed to promote the best approaches to music education for children. Curriculum
guidelines are based on research and proven practical experience

This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure here. amandasiggy5

Amanda is a southern gal that loves coffee shop chit chat with dear friends, daydreaming, and an obsession with with polka dots, scarves, funky jewelry, children’s books, and anything vintage. She has two of the sweetest children that fill her heart and days with happiness.
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This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure & giveaway rules here.

Rock it out! {Voice Rockrz Microphone Giveaway}

First Act FI906 Voice Rockrz Mic

Confession: When I was growing up I used to dream of being a rock star! I love to sing, but have always had a bad case of stage fright. I used sing into my hairbrush and dance around my bedroom, pretending I was on tour with New Kids on the Block or Ace of Base; they were opening for me, of course! I can only imagine how much fun this would have been had I been belting it out into a Voice Rockrz Microphone!

Tap into the magic! Much more than a microphone, the Voice Rockrz Mic transforms performances, propelling any show from the living room to the stage. The interactive microphone ‘magically’ changes a child’s voice as they perform with just a tap of the included accessories – a ring and bracelet – to the Mic target zone. Kids can sound like stars and elevate their performances to new heights with the Mic’s incredible voice effects. Tap the ring to the Mic to activate the Hi-Note voice effect; tap the bracelet to the Mic to change up the show with the Echo-Tastic voice effect; or tap the ring and bracelet in succession to uncover the Robot-Riffic voice effect. A rock extravaganza wouldn’t be complete without concert sound effects like audience applause or a crescendo-ing drumroll. Kids can cycle through these sounds with the simple press of the FX button on the Voice Rockrz Mic. By plugging in any MP3 player into the 1/8th” jack (MP3 player not included), they can rock on by singing along to their favorite songs using the magical Voice Rockrz voice effects. Available in pink with flower ring and cute skull bracelet and blue with skull ring and zipper bracelet.

voicerockrzTurns out, my children are just like me…only, with absolutely no stage fright! They love to sing; songs they’ve learned or songs they’ve made up, they just love singing! Ava is always making up cute little songs about all sorts of silly things. I knew she would get a kick out of the Voice Rockrz Mic set! Really take her singing to the next level!

Voice Rockrz is the new microphone and accessory set that will make your child feel like a true superstar!! Ava had her first day of preschool today and as a special gift after school she got the pink Voice Rockrz Mic set! Ava was beyond excited when she saw her Voice Rockrz Mic set! With the bright colors and trendy design, she was in singer/songwriter heaven! She immediately got to singing and dancing around the living room; basically entertaining us for a few hours! The Voice Rockrz Microphone has a built-in speaker for instant amplification, which really let’s her get loud! She loves it! The set comes complete with an awesome pink {or blue} microphone with several different voice and sound features, and two cute accessories; a flower ring and skull bracelet. Along with being oh-so fashionable, the accessories also have their own special feature; when they are pressed against the microphone they activate different voice effects! My girl loves to hear herself on the microphone and she thinks the voice effects are especially entertaining. She really loves when she sounds teeny tiny and when the crowd cheers for her! The mp3 input jack was just a genius little addition. It allows you to plug your mp3 player into the mic and sing along! I can see our family having many amusing sing along nights around the house together!

You can find Voice Rockrz at your local retailer or online!

Today, First Act is giving away one Voice Rockrz Mic set!

Want to enter to win? Here’s how!

1) Visit Voice Rockrz and take a look around! Come back and tell us your favorite feature of the Voice Rockrz Mic!

Once the mandatory entries are completed you can gain additional entries from the following:

2 entries-”Like” RMRV on facebook

2 entries-’Like’ Voice Rockrz on Facebook.

2 entries-Follow Voice Rockrz on Twitter.

1 entry per day-Tweet the following and leave us your tweet link:

#WIN a Voice Rockrz Mic Set from @voicerockrz @agiveawaydaily

5 entries- Blog about this giveaway and leave us the link.

5 Entries-Subscribe to RMRV emails or RSS feed.

You have until September 9th @ 11:59 PM EDT to enter the giveaway. All giveaways are open to USA only.

amandasiggy5

This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure here.

Amanda is a southern gal that loves coffee shop chit chat with dear friends, daydreaming, and an obsession with with polka dots, scarves, funky jewelry, children’s books, and anything vintage. She has two of the sweetest children that fill her heart and days with happiness.
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This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure & giveaway rules here.

Play Time with Dora! {Dora the Explorer Review}

 

Oh, Dora…how we love you! The most adventurous show on Nick Jr. and Ava has been totally smitten since the first time she saw it! We love everything Dora the Explorer, DVD’s, toys, music…anything! We recently received two fun Dora the Explorer items from Nickelodeon and my little ones were oh-so happy about it!

The kid have had so much fun with the Mega Bloks Dora’s Carousel Adventure Set. It includes a carousel, carousel horse, Clown Boots cut out, the map, a few flowers, and of course, sweet little adventurous Dora figurine. We have really been working on “sharing” around our house lately, and this toy has helped with those lessons. The kids both love playing with it and they both want it all to themselves. They are quickly learning that sharing is best for everyone and this fun set comes with plenty of pieces, so it makes the sharing a little bit easier! Of course, Dora travels with us many places. She has found a place among Ava’s favorites and when we head out the door, she is in the purse and tags along for the ride! so cute! This set is so colorful and just too much fun!

We Did It! Dora's Greatest HitsWe also received a copy of We Did It! Dora’s Greatest Hits. Now, you know this CD has been played over and over again in the car and danced to repeatedly at the house! It is packed full of 15 of Dora’s Greatest Hits and each one is catchy and fun. If you watch the show, you will recognize many of the songs and your kids will be singing along the first time through. You should have seen Ava’s eyes light up the first time I played the CD. Best Mom Ever. Yep, that’s me!

Songs on the CD include:

Dora the Explorer Theme

Backpack, Backpack

We Did It!

ABC {The Alphabet Song}

I’m the Map!

Travel Song Medley

Feliz Cumpleanos

Dora the Explorer Party Mix

Gotta Travel Song

The Greedy King Share Song

Clean Up Song

We’re Going Home Song

& even Bonus Tracks from Dora’s Explorer Girls Special:

Todos Juntos {featuring Shakira}

Dora’s Explorer Girl’s Anthem

Over the City

You can pick these great Dora the Explorer toys online or at your local retailer.

Make sure to check your local listings and catch Dora the Explorer daily at Nick Jr.

Opinions expressed in this post are strictly our own. We were not paid for this post. Thank you Nickelodeon for providing the products for this review.amandasiggy5

 

 

 

Amanda is a southern gal that loves coffee shop chit chat with dear friends, daydreaming, and an obsession with with polka dots, scarves, funky jewelry, children’s books, and anything vintage. She has two of the sweetest children that fill her heart and days with happiness.
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This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure & giveaway rules here.

Rhyme Time! {Mother Goose Club Review}

THE GIFT OF MOTHER GOOSE: HELPING CHILDREN READ
Nursery rhymes help children learn to read. Research has shown that familiarity with Mother Goose and other nursery rhymes helps children develop pre-reading skills, including the ability to detect rhymes. Children who can recognize rhyming words, cat and hat for example, learn to read more quickly and more successfully than their peers. This relationship holds true regardless of a child’s socio-economic background or the education level of the parents.

 

Mother Goose Club is a series of 1-minute educational programs for preschoolers promoting early literacy. The live-action series features six colorful characters from the Mother Goose world: Teddy Bear, Jack B. Nimble, Little Bo Peep, Baa Baa Sheep, Mary Quite Contrary, and Eep Mouse, who invite viewers to sing and dance along to favorite nursery rhymes.

Early childhood research has shown that familiarity with nursery rhymes helps young children learn to read. When preschoolers read, recite, sing or clap along to rhymes, they develop a feel for the sounds and structures of language, the first step in becoming successful readers. Mother Goose rhymes also introduce children to characters, drama, simple story structure and a host of new vocabulary words, all building blocks for early literacy. Perhaps most importantly, children are delighted by the singing, clapping, and finger play in nursery rhymes, and learn to associate words and verse with joy, laying the foundation for a lasting enthusiasm for reading.

Mother Goose Club was produced locally in Nashville, Tennessee by former PBS producer, educator and mother of 3, Sona Jho(www.sockeyemedia.com). The programs began airing on Nashville Public Television in June of 2009, and the Mother Goose Club DVD will be available in April of 2011.

Featured on PBS stations, the Mother Goose Club is a series of 1-minute educational programs for preschools promoting early literacy. This live-action and colorful program, invites your little one to sing and dance along to their favorite nursery rhymes.


As an early childhood educator, I know how important exposure to nursery rhymes and books are to very young children. A simple nursery rhyme teaches a child so much! I couldn’t wait to get they Rhyme Singing Time with Mother Goose Club DVD, along with CD’s and a coloring book for the kids! We are always reading books and nursery rhymes so I knew they would be totally into the DVD and CD’s. They both LOVE the DVD. It is full of songs and nursery rhymes focusing on teaching children phonetic awareness {rhyming, vocabulary, music, & even math!}. I have to say, The Itsy Bitsy Spider is a favorite at our house and the kids love singing along and doing the hand motions with the cast of The Mother Goose Club! This DVD has made teaching children these essential reading skills fun and interactive. We have also listened to the CD’s in the car while out and about and the kids are always asking for more. This set is definitely a fun teaching tool for parents to use to expose their children to reading and phonics early on! I am so happy to have it for my children and ecstatic at how much they love it! The Mother Goose Club website is also full of awesome activities for children, from videos and songs to printables, you can find so many materials to use to get your children learning!

Right now, save $5.00 on the Mother Goose Club Super Pack – A great Mid Summer Special!! {Use the promo code – summer}

Check out Mother goose Club on Facebook and Twitter!

We were not paid for this post. Thank you Mother Goose Club for providing the products for this review and giveaway. amandasiggy5

 

Amanda is a southern gal that loves coffee shop chit chat with dear friends, daydreaming, and an obsession with with polka dots, scarves, funky jewelry, children’s books, and anything vintage. She has two of the sweetest children that fill her heart and days with happiness.
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This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure & giveaway rules here.

Grab your dancin’ shoes!! {Hope Harris, Cousins Jamboree CD Giveaway}

Cousins Jamboree

As you all know by now, my family has a passion for music. We love to listen to it, dance to it, create it, and enjoy it. Finding a children’s CD that is energetic, fun, catchy and entertaining for the kids and for myself can sometimes be a challenge. Every once in a while one will come along and I am so thankful when it does! Recently we were sent a copy of Hope Harris’ Cousins Jamboree CD. Immediately when looking at the cover art on the CD, you know you are in for a fun treat. It is bright, cheerful, and artistic. Cousins Jamboree has quickly become a favorite of the kids on car rides, as well as around the house. As soon as Hollis hears the music starting he is a dancing maniac! I even enjoy it, too! My favorite track has to be Seatbelt Buckled, but Ava loves 5 Little Monkeys…it’s always been a favorite of hers! I love that Hope Harris included it on her disc! Cousins Jamboree is packed full of 16 wonderful, energetic songs that keep us all singing and grooving along.

Originally from Lynchburg, Virginia, Hope has appeared on stages big and small from the St. James on Broadway to the Bluebird Café in Nashville where she sang with legendary songwriter, Don Schlitz. And these days, more often than not, you will find her surrounded by children whipping up her own brand of contagious theatrical, musical fun. According to Hope, it was less her training as an actress and her experience teaching music at the Sunshine Kids Club in New York City than it was her self-imposed training in the backyard” that lay the groundwork for her energetic, interactive concerts. “As a child, I created and directed elaborate variety shows starring my baby brother, my little cousins, family pets, stuffed animals and lawn furniture. They were all a unique distillation of ‘The Carol Burnett Show’, ‘Sonny and Cher’, ‘That Girl’ and ‘Peter Pan’…I destroyed many a nightgown ‘in flight’ off the porch!”

Inspired by the birth of her two sons, she has created her latest release, Cousins Jamboree! In creating Cousins Jamboree, Hope’s wish has been to create a down-home, good-times celebration showcasing country, swing, jazz, blues, ‘50s rock & roll, folk, and show-tune sounds — a montage of American music — while at the same time reminding children that being kind to one another, looking out for friends, and behaving with good manners is a happy way to live. With a 2011 Parents’ Choice® Silver Honor Award for her new CD Cousins Jamboree proudly in hand, independent children’s musician Hope Harris is all set to share her music with the world! Rocking songs, whimsical songs, heartfelt songs, and soon-to-be sing-along-songs combine on this 16-track album of Hope Harris originals and arrangements, each one set with imagination, style, and country warmth.


Coming next from Hope Harris, in fall 2011, will be Picasso, That’s Who, an album honoring great artists through the centuries.  Looking ahead to spring 2012, Hope plans to release an Earth-friendly CD titled Lemonade Stand.

“Hope Harris combines country and swing with a little touch of show music … Harris has a clear and friendly voice that reminds one of Kate Taylor and Patsy Cline.”
– Lahri Bond, 2010 Parents’ Choice
® Silver Honor Award review of

Cousins Jamboree
“Cousins Jamboree – with a whopping 16 songs – serves up all the energy of a live performance and then some.  With rich arrangements and whimsical lyrics, the charm of this folksy artist shines through on every track.”
Richmond Family Magazine

 

Cousins Jamboree Track list:

Howdy Hello

Cousins Jamboree

Five Little Monkeys

Hang on Friend

Gelbart Dufrain

Down in the Valley

I Love Apples

I Can Do It

Eddie the Otter

Good Manners

I Am An Alien

Seatbelt Buckled

Babysitter

A Little Bit Afraid

Bright Moon, Bright Sun

Holcomb Rock Road

Cousins Jamboree, previously released locally in Richmond, Virginia, is available online at www.hopeharris.com, amazon, and cdbaby.com, as well as at Franklin Goose in Richmond, Virginia.

Today, one winner will receive a copy of Hope Harris, Cousins Jamboree CD!

Want to enter to win? Here’s how!

1st entry {mandatory} Visit Hope Harris’ website and take a look around! Come back and tell us who you would love to win this CD for!

2 entries: “Like” Hope Harris on Facebook.

2 entries: Post about this giveaway on your Facebook wall! Leave us a link to your status update!

2 entries: Follow RMRV on Twitter!

1 entry per day-Tweet the following:

Win a copy of Hope Harris’ CD, Cousins Jamboree at @agiveawaydaily

3 entries: Subscribe to RMRV e-mails!

5 entries: Purchase a copy of Cousins Jamboree!

You have until May 26th@ 11:59 AM EDT to enter the giveaway. All giveaways are open to USA only. Opinions expressed in this post are strictly our own. We were not paid for this post. Thank you Waldmania Public Relations & Hope Harris for providing the products for this review and giveaway. amandasiggy5

Amanda is a southern gal that loves coffee shop chit chat with dear friends, daydreaming, and an obsession with with polka dots, scarves, funky jewelry, children’s books, and anything vintage. She has two of the sweetest children that fill her heart and days with happiness.
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This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure & giveaway rules here.

All I Want! {David Weinstone and The Music for Aardvarks Band Review}

MFA BAND 5 photo credit Beth Lien 72 dpi

We love finding new music to listen to and dance and sing along with around the house and in the car. We were thrilled to receive “All I Want” the new CD from David Weinstone and The Music for Aardvarks band! After listening to their CD, they definitely have major fans in our family! We can’t get enough of their music and their CD is all we want!

New ‘MUSIC FOR AARDVARKS & OTHER MAMMALS’ CD Will be released in March!

“You will listen to David’s music … even when your kids are not around. And unlike some other children’s selections, it will not make you angry.” – Jon Stewart  

“In the insular world of children’s music, say industry
insiders, [Weinstone’s] grass-roots popularity is unheard of.” –Time magazine
“What’s the great appeal? You won’t find songs about rainbows or unicorns here, more like bagels and belly buttons. Weinstone is all about telling it like it is, with an urban edge and themes universal to all children. Just try to get his lyrics out of your head. It won’t be possible.” – Entertainment Weekly

“Music for children can be an endurance test for everybody involved, but even adults say David Weinstone’s Music for Aardvarks and Other Mammals is one of the exceptions.” – The New York Times

Brooklyn-based, multi-faceted independent children’s recording artist David Weinstone, whose music videos are seen daily on the Nick Jr. channel, announces the March 8th release of his newest Music for Aardvarks and Other Mammals CD, All I Want! The highly anticipated disc is the first full-length album of new songs in three years from one of the most influential children’s songwriters of our time.
Comprised entirely of new songs, All I Want! is David Weinstone’s sixteenth Music for Aardvarks recording. In this album, Weinstone continues to push the envelope both musically and lyrically, soaring through an exhilarating range of styles and executing them with superb musical literacy and a richness of instrumentation.  Weinstone brings authentic childhood experiences to life with a sophistication and intelligence rarely seen in the kids’ music genre, updating and incorporating the best of the past to create music for today’s children that is grounded in tradition, yet culturally hip.
All I Want! is a fascinating CD that brings together an outrageous number of pop/folk/rock/blues styles to communicate a singular message:  “All I want is me and you!”  David Weinstone says, “In a world where children are bombarded with external stimuli from screens of all sizes and classes of all manner at an increasingly younger age (baby yoga meditation class! — Is that even possible?), and parents are busier than ever just trying to make ends meet, the core needs of our children remain the same. What kids need and really want from parents is simple:  time and attention.” 

All I Want! cover 72dpi  Wow! We are loving our All I Want CD! It is packed full of catchy tunes, fun beats, and just all around wonderful music that our whole family loves! I couldn’t believe it when we first listened to the CD, how great all  the songs were and so easy to learn. Ava and I were singing along while we were driving around! It is definitely her most requested CD, and I am so thankful because I enjoy it, too! I find myself listening to it even when the kids are not with me, and I don’t even mind! I try to pick a favorite song, but so many come to mind! I love Mighty Milo, but then Better Keep Your Eye on Me reminds me soooooo much of Ava and Hollis that it is a favorite, as well. They are always getting into something! It is so rare to find so many wonderful songs on one CD and you will enjoy them all!  

David Weinstone’s discs are available online at  amazon, cdbaby.com, all major digital download sites and retail stores nationwide.

We were not paid for this post. Thank you David Weinstone & Waldmania for providing the products for this review. amandasiggy5

 

Amanda is a southern gal that loves coffee shop chit chat with dear friends, daydreaming, and an obsession with with polka dots, scarves, funky jewelry, children’s books, and anything vintage. She has two of the sweetest children that fill her heart and days with happiness.
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This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure & giveaway rules here.

A Farmer’s Daughter {Crystal Bowersox Autographed Guitar Giveaway}

One of my favorite shows to watch is American Idol.  I love watching someone with talent show the world how awesome they are.  During the show they grow so much and America falls in love with them.  I also love learning about the singer’s life and see how putting themselves on the line for one audition can make such a huge difference for not only them, but their family.

This last season we met Crystal Bowersox.  Crystal, 25, is a singer-songwriter from Ohio.  Before American Idol she was singing in local bars, train stations, and open mic nights.  She even traveled internationally on a independent small cafe tour!  Then American Idol took the dread-locked, folk singer to new heights.

Crystal was the runner-up on Season 9.  Being the runner-up didn’t hold her back.  In fact, most American Idol runner-ups aren’t held back…think about Clay Aiken, Katherine McPhee, David Archuleta, and Adam Lambert.  Now we can add Crystal Bowersox to that list.

Crystal’s CD “Farmer’s Daughter” hits stores TODAY!!  I received a sneak peek at this CD and it is REALLY good!  The album features 8 songs written by Crystal, including “Holy Toledo”, the original song she performed on American Idol.  It also includes “two co-writes, an additional track written by Kara DioGuardi and Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger, an amazing Buffalo Springfield Cover, and the very special “Mason”, written by Crystal and her husband Brian.”

Once I learn all the words to all the songs I am really going to be rockin’ out to this CD.  One of the best parts is that each song sounds different…something newer artists struggle with, I feel.  Not Crystal, she shows her diversity on this CD, “Farmer’s Daughter.”

Track List:

1. Ridin With The Radio
2. For What It’s Worth
3. Farmer’s Daughter
4. Holy Toledo
5. Lonely
6. Hold On
7. On The Run
8. Kiss Ya
9. Speak Now
10. Mine All Mine
11. Mason
12. Arlene

My favorites are Holy Toledo, Hold on, Speak Now, and Mason.  This is definitely going to be a singing in the car staple!  Just a heads up: This CD does have a few swear words on it.  Crystal offers an explicit and edited version of the CD though so everyone is happy :)

Now listen to this!  Drum roll please………….

Crystal Bowersox is going to give one VERY VERY lucky reader…

AN AUTOGRAPHED GUITAR AND HER NEW CD!!!

I KNOW! I KNOW!  Aren’t we lucky!!  Okay…here is how to enter:

1st entry–MANDATORY–Sign up to receive Crystal’s Newsletter

5 entries–Follow us by Google Friends Connect.

1 entry–Name one of the two television shows that Crystal will be one before the end of the year.

1 entry–“Like” Crystal Bowersox on Facebook

1 entry per day–Follow AGE and Crystal Bowersox on Twitter and tweet the following:

#WIN a guitar signed by Crystal Bowersox #GIVEAWAY @agiveawaydaily @crystalbowersox http://goo.gl/fb/FmREW

1 entry per way–Sign up to receive Real Moms Real Views newsletter or follow in a RSS reader.

3 entries–Blog about this giveaway and link back to this page.  Leave us the link so we can see your great work!

5 entries–Buy “Farmer’s Daughter” (either MP3 download or CD $9.99-$12.99)

{You have until December 28th @ 11:59 PM EDT to enter this giveaway. Giveaway is open to the USA only. I was not compensated for this review.  I received a copy of “Farmer’s Daughter” for review.  Tha All opinions are 100% min.  Thank you Crystal for providing the guitar for this giveaway!}

Crissa graduated from Brigham Young University in 2005 with a BA in Home and Family Living….the mom degree! Shortly after she found her dream guy and was married. They are now expecting their first baby in 2012. She loves shopping, baking, getting pampered, blogging, chocolate, and traveling.
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This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure & giveaway rules here.

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This site receives free products and other forms of compensation for posting. See the Real Moms Real Views disclosure here.