This is one holiday movie that I think all families should sit down and watch together. I watched it with my girls and at the end of the movie we talked about how we felt. This movie really helps put life in perspective for every one. Life is already so short. Any thing could happen to change the path we are on. We always need to appreciate the small things and understand, what may seem like something so important right now, may not be as important as we though. Enjoy what you have, be grateful for the time you have and always tell the people in your life that you love them.

Synopsis:

The Heart of Christmas tells the story of Austin and Julie Locke, who are devastated to learn that their young son, Dax, has been diagnosed with cancer.  With courage, determination and faith, they decide to give Dax one last Christmas – even if it has to be in October.  When the community sees the holiday decorations and learns the heartbreaking truth, what happens next is a miraculous outpouring of care and support.  The Heart of Christmas will touch your heart and bring home the spirit of the holidays.

The GMC World Premiere Movie “The Heart of Christmas” is on December 4th at 7PM EST. (Dish Network channel 188 and Direct TV channel 338 and local cableIf you do not have the GMC channel you can by the DVD here from Walmart or buy the digital download here.

Join THE Locke

This Christmas, join Locke Family, Matthew West and gmc as they launch their campaign to fully fund St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for an entire day in Dax Locke’s memory.

It takes $1.7 million a day to operate St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. We are already at $500k and we are looking for 1.2 million people to give a DOLLAR FOR DAX. With your gift of $1, you are joining in the fight against pediatric cancer. With your gift of $1, you are helping to make the Locke family’s dream become a reality. With your gift of $1, you are literally a part of saving a child’s life and continuing the legacy of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

With your help we CAN reach this goal! Please consider giving and helping to get the word out about the DOLLAR FOR DAX CAMPAIGN! Donate here.

Disclosure / Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was obtained for this post. I received a complimentary DVD to facilitate this review. The opinions expressed here are mine and may differ from yours.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has just announced their Black Friday deals!  

Fox Connect has a brand new look and is iPad friendly for a more streamlined shopping experience.  You can easily navigate http://www.foxconnect.com/ to find your favorite movies and TV shows and enjoy free shipping for orders over $25.

You’ll find exclusive deals as well as slashed prices on new releases like Prometheus and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

More sale highlights:

·Deep discounts on over 100 Blu-rays!

o   X-Men First Class
o   Wall Street 2
o   Limitless
o   Alien
o   Taken
o   Fight Club
o   A-Team
o   West Side Story
o   Boondock Saints
o   I, Robot
o   X-Men
o   Moulin Rouge
o   Romeo + Juliet
o   Usual Suspects

·Cutting prices on more than 100 DVDs!

o   Rio
o   Knight and Day
o   Alvin and the Chipmunks
o   Love and Other Drugs
o   Mr. and Mrs. Smith
o   Man on Fire
o   Walk the line
o   Devil Wears Prada
o   Office Space
o   Horton Hears a Who!
o   Wide selection of Strawberry Shortcake titles

·More deals on the hottest TV shows on air!

o   Modern Family
o   Glee
o   Burn Notice
o   The Simpsons
o   It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
o   The League
o   Louie
o   Wilfred
o   How I Met Your Mother
o   Family Guy

To easily navigate sales items you can also click here: http://www.foxconnect.com/movies.html?dir=asc&order=price

Today I went to the Grand Re-Opening of one of the 3 Best Buy San Antonio locations that were celebrating their Grand Re-Opening! San Antonio-area residents were invited to attend Best Buy’s grand re-opening celebrations in three locations including: San Antonio, Alamo Ranch and Legacy. The stores each have new features and designs which allow for a more interactive and accessible shopping experience.

The location I went to was store 201.

SAN ANTONIO (Store 201)
125 NW Loop 410 Ste 201
San Antonio, TX 78216
Phone: 888-229-3770
http://stores.bestbuy.com/201
Store hours are 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Saturday; 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Sunday

Wow! This was an experience. I was able to talk to the store manager George about all the changes to the Best Buy store.

The first thing I noticed was how BIG this store was. I have been to my share of Best Buy locations but it was wide open and spacious. Easy to navigate. Even though this was the grand opening you were not bumping into people. There was plenty of room to feel comfortable to look around with out having to deal with other people in your personal space. Note:  Enough space for a stroller for sure!

In the very middle of the store there is the Solution Center. This is brand new. And I personally think this was a great idea. At the Solution Center, you ask and associate questions. For example, you have a phone and you want to set up your email on it but just can’t figure out how. Take it to the Solution Center and they will help! They will help you up to 15 minutes for FREE! This is great. To top it off, the product in question does not have to have been bought at Best Buy to get help here at the Solution Center.

Did you know you can order your items for Best Buy online and pick up in store? Well, now you do not have to go to the general Customer Service desk. This is great. This will really streamline the process. Also, they have cut back on the number of cashiers in the front. This is because they are planning on having checkout locations in each department as well. So, now you can pick a cellphone out and pay for it in the same department, no more lines! That sounds great to me.

As I said above, Customer Service has it’s own area now, separate from In Store Pickup. Customer service is located just next to Geek Squad.

Now in the Geek Squad area you will set with an associate, they will plug your device to their computer system and diagnose the issue right there with you. Then you both can walk through what needs to be done to solve the issue.

This store has a bonus, some Best Buy locations have a partnership with Pacific Kitchens. OMG! You will not believe the products they have in there. Some of the most beautiful kitchen appliances I have ever seen. Very high end to low end as well 🙂 So there is something for every one!

Here is a little more about Best Buy’s new store concept

Best Buy’s new store concept offers a new way to shop for technology, allowing consumers to touch, feel, compare and play with technology. Located at the center of the store, Geek Squad Solution Central is the hub for getting a hands-on grasp on the technology that answers individual lifestyle and entertainment needs, including tablets, computing, gaming and digital imaging — across all brands and operating systems.

The store includes a state-of-the art Magnolia Design Center staffed with Magnolia System Designer experts to help customers experience the latest in home technology solutions and services. In addition, Best Buy is proud to welcome Pacific Kitchen and Home, offering the world’s finest appliance brands. The massive selection features products ranging from entry-level to ultra-luxury cook-tops, ranges, dishwashers, microwaves, refrigerators and more – with world-class expertise and service to back them up. Additional store offerings include Best Buy Mobile, electronics recycling, trade-in services, and car and GPS installation services.

For more information about the new Best Buy store formats, click here.

If you were not able to attend the Grand Re-Openings, go a head and check out these stores and see all the amazing changes for your self!

SAN ANTONIO (Store 201)
125 NW Loop 410 Ste 201
San Antonio, TX 78216
Phone: 888-229-3770
http://stores.bestbuy.com/201
Store hours are 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Saturday; 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Sunday

ALAMO RANCH (Store 1459)
5419 W Loop 1604 N
San Antonio, TX 78253
Phone: 888-229-3770
http://stores.bestbuy.com/1459
Store hours are 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Saturday; 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Sunday

LEGACY (Store 1082)
2003 N Loop 1604 E
San Antonio, TX 78232
Phone: 888-229-3770
http://stores.bestbuy.com/1082

Store hours are 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Saturday; 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Sunday

Giveaway!

Yes, there is a giveaway.

Best Buy has generously provided me 5 $25 gift cards to give away to Central Texas Mom readers! How amazing is that?? Enter below to win one of the $25 gift cards.

Disclosure / Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was obtained for this post. I received a complimentary gift card to facilitate this review as well as gift cards to giveaway. The opinions expressed here are mine and may differ from yours.

First of all, I want to say I am sorry for not posting as much as normal in these past few months. As you all know at the end of September we had a huge trip to Las Vegas thank you to Miller Lite 🙂 With that and the kids starting school on top of my day job etc, my posting did become lighter and lighter.

Last week I posted on Facebook that I had exciting personal news. I was waiting to go to my first doctor appointment before I said anything publicly. Yesterday I went to the doctor and it is official, so I am happy to share with all of you that we are expecting! 🙂 We are very happy! And the girls are looking forward to having this addition to our family. I am due early next summer.

With pregnancy, at least for me, comes exhaustion, morning sickness and all that good stuff. So, even though I will not always be posting 20x a day, I am still here 🙂 I do have a lot of amazing reviews to share with you all as well as some SUPER AMAZING giveaways just in time for Christmas! So, please stick around.

Last year our youngest daughter started first grade. With bright eyes and anticipation for what adventures she was hoping to have. Up until that point she loved school. We thought every thing was going great. With lack of communication from her teacher telling us any thing other than that.

That is why it came as a shock when the teacher started putting notes on our daughter’s calendar. **Will not sit still ** does not listen ** left the room ** wandering the halls… We were dumbstruck as to where all this was coming from. In addition to that, our daughter was reading at a Kindergarten level with little signs of improvement.

Long story short, we had to find a way to be able to help our daughter with her learning struggles. That is why I was really excited when Reading Horizons contacted me. They sent me the Intensive Phonics Instructor Materials. 

Wow, what an amazing setup they have! Don’t worry; you do not have to be a teacher to understand this. It is all very detailed information to help you help your child. The Discover Intensive Phonics method is a revolutionary, direct and systematic approach to teaching phonics that enables students to improve reading skills and increase reading grade levels quickly. It has been used in homes and schools across the country for over three decades. Utilizing a multisensory, Orton-Gillingham approach, this scientifically based reading program incorporates the tried and true teaching methods of teaching the 42 sounds of the alphabet, five phonetic skills and two decoding skills. These three combine to dramatically increase one’s ability to read English.

One thing that surprised me was my daughter did not reject the idea of doing “school work” at home. In fact, she loved it. This program was fun and engaging! She looked forward to our lessons after school every day. And after a while I started noticing improvement. We are working our way to being where she should be in reading. With the Intensive Phonics Instructor Materials it made it an enjoyable process for both her and I.

About Reading Horizons

The Company:

The roots of the Reading Horizons product, Discover Intensive Phonics for Yourself, are grounded in an intensive, explicit, systematic phonics program crafted in the early 1970s by education professional Charlotte Lockhart. Ms. Lockhart, a former elementary instructor and principal, created the original Discover Intensive Phonics for Yourself curriculum in response to students’ poor reading performance in her school’s reading programs. By tutoring students in her office daily while employing Orton-Gillingham-based techniques that incorporated multi-sensory, high-kinesthetic / verbal / visual learning cues, Lockhart was able to teach her students quickly how sound and letter relationships create words. Young students learned to read and spell and their lives were changed.

How It Works:

The Discover Intensive Phonics method is a revolutionary, direct and systematic approach to teaching phonics that enables students to improve reading skills and increase reading grade levels quickly. It has been used in homes and schools across the country for over three decades. Utilizing a multisensory, Orton-Gillingham approach, this scientifically based reading program incorporates the tried and true teaching methods of teaching the 42 sounds of the alphabet, five phonetic skills and two decoding skills. These three combine to dramatically increase one’s ability to read English.

42 Sounds of the Alphabet in 5 Letter Sets:

Five Phonetic Skills:

Two Decoding Skills:

Reading Horizons Website
Reading Horizons on Facebook
Reading Horizons on Twitter
Reading Horizons on Pintrest
Reading Horizons on Youtube 
Reading Horizons Newsletter

Disclosure / Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was obtained for this post. I received a complimentary product to facilitate this review. The opinions expressed here are mine and may differ from yours.

We had a BLAST with our friends and family during our R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour Series Grampires Party! We LOVE The Haunting Hour series so we jumped at the opportunity to have a launch party for the start of the 3rd season.

Along with the screener of Part 1 and Part 2 of Grampires, the first show of the season we were also sent a box full of cool things to share with our party goers.  Tee-shirts, bumper stickers, vampire teeth and hub slap bracelets! Every one had a lot of fun with these!

Sysops:

When a brother and sister visit their grandpa at his retirement community, they soon discover why its residents only come out at night. Then, a grandpa must protect and save his grandchildren from the bloodthirsty residents of his retirement community.

Staring Christopher Lloyd, man it sure was strange to see him as a grandpa in a retirement community lol. We loved the show and had a blast at the party. 

To see R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour Series, check your local listings for HUB.

Disclosure / Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was obtained for this post. I received a complimentary product to facilitate this review from MommyParties and MomSelect sponsored by hub. The opinions expressed here are mine and may differ from yours.

A one-time popular annual event celebrating 19th-Century life on the rugged Texas plains, Frontier Day is again a part of Abilene State Park and scheduled for the afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 3. >From noon to 4 p.m., park visitors can enjoy booths, activities, displays, re-enactors and demonstrations that highlight the daily routines and challenges experienced by settlers and soldiers who called this area home during the 1800s. Activities and programs scheduled for the day include a vintage baseball game, an authentic chuck wagon, a buffalo hunter, archery, Old-West re-enactors, 1870s military soldier demonstrations, animals from the official Texas State Longhorn herd, the Game Warden Operation Game Thief trailer, dulcimer music, flint knapping and more. The park friends group will also have snacks and drinks available for sale

“They used to have a Frontier Day event at Abilene, and we decided to bring it back,” said Dawn Capps, park ranger and peace officer at Abilene State Park. “It’s important to show people what life would have been like so many years ago, and how people would have survived on the frontier. Things are, of course, dramatically different today, but we want to make sure that these stories and traditions don’t get lost. And Abilene is a perfect place to host this event; the area in and around the park was a strategic and leading edge to the frontier, because of the buffalo passageway, water and trees that have always been here.”

This Saturday’s festivities also mark the 20th Anniversary of the Buffalo Soldiers program at Texas Parks and Wildlife, a division of park staff that specializes in preserving and promoting the history, heritage and culture of the famed Black Soldier units of the 9th and 10th Cavalry and 24th and 25th Infantry regiments of the U.S. Army. The Buffalo Soldiers, who will have an encampment at Frontier Day, historically served at various frontier outposts across Texas during the Indian Wars campaign from 1866-1892. Through education programs and curriculum, outreach events and re-enactments, the Buffalo Soldiers unit of TPWD staff and volunteers travels the state as a living history exhibit, and is making its first return trip to Abilene since the program began two decades ago. Park entrance fees will be discounted to $3 per person for Frontier Day for adults, and kids ages 12 and younger are free. For more information about Frontier Day, contact Abilene State Park at (325) 572-3204, or visit www.texasstateparks.org. 

Numerous frontier exhibits like this authentic chuck wagon will be on display during Frontier Day at Abilene State Park this Saturday. Park entrance fees have been reduced for adults, and kids ages 12 and younger are free. (TPWD Photo by Bryan Frazier)

Halloween is my family’s favorite holiday. First you can dress up like who ever you want and it is socially acceptable. Second, really great shows on tv. Third you get free candy. I know I sound like a 7-year-old lol but I love free candy too.

My youngest really wanted to be Draculaura from Monster High. It’s a really cute costume! When it arrived in the mail she could not wait to try it on.

It comes with a top that buttons in the back, skirt, fishnet leggings & shoe covers.

Draculaura – Kids Costume

You always knew high school could be a scary place – but just wait until the bell rings at Monster High! If your little girl likes the popular doll line, she’ll love this Draculaura Monster High Girl’s Costume. It features a ruffled white A-line miniskirt with attached half length black stockings, as well as a shirt made up of a satin pink vest, an attached white lace collar, and black sheer sleeves with white lace cuffs. Go even battier at our accessories page by adding the pink and black Draculaura wig, and other freaky finishing touches like boots, jewelry, fangs, makeup, and more. Despite her family’s monstrous reputation, Draculaura is really quite sweet, and is the only vegan vampire we know – she can’t even bring herself to say the word “blood,” let alone drink it! Your little girl will have a blast in this Monster High Girl’s Draculaura Costume! More info

My little one can’t wait to go trick-or-treating in her Draculaura Monster High costume this Halloween!

Note, The costume does not come with the wig, boots or jewelry so you will have to purchase all that separately. Also, please look at the size chart carefully. The costume I selected for my little one is a tad small on her. It’s my fault for picking the wrong size.

Disclosure / Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was obtained for this post. I received a complimentary product to facilitate this review. The opinions expressed here are mine and may differ from yours.

 As a family, we are so busy. Dentist appointments, Doctor appointments, parent teacher meetings, birthday parties, PTA, game night, concerts etc And if your home is any thing like mine, I am the only one that keeps track of every thing. At some point you are going to forget something. Frankly some times my kids are luck that I get the to school fully dressed let alone with a packed lunch!

When I was introduced to More Time For Moms Family Organizer I was a bit suspicious as to how it was really going to HELP me. I have tried calendars before, it just did not work.

More Time For Moms Family Organizer is larger than most calendars. It measures 15″ x 11″, which provides a lot of space to get your daily activities in it. Each date has lines, I love that. It is easy to keep events clean and organized for each day. As an added bonus each calendar comes with 330 stickers that you can use for appointments and reminders.

They say “Helping put your family first”, and that is so true. Since I have started using the More Time Moms Family Organizer I am spending less time looking up dates and calling Doctors. It has been amazing.

I highly recommend every one gets a More Time Moms Family Organizer. One key thing is to put it on a wall or a table in a high traffic area where every one in the family will take time to look at it. For example, every morning every one needs to look at the organizer to make sure you all know what is going on for that day. More organization and communication means less work for mom!

Also, this would be a great Christmas gift for any mom you know. Price $15.99

More information about More Time Moms Family Organizer:

More Time Form Moms Website
More Time Form Moms Facebook
More Time Form Moms Twitter
More Time Form Moms Printrest

Disclosure / Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was obtained for this post. I received a complimentary product to facilitate this review. The opinions expressed here are mine and may differ from yours.

I was one of the few lucky people who were invited to the Press Screening of  “Wuthering Heights” last week at the Violet Crown Cinema in Austin Texas.

I will be honest with you, I did not have time to research “Wuthering Heights” before I attend the screening. I was not one of the many who red the book in High School. That being said, I do love Period Movies! So I was eager to see this one.

Here is the Synopsis: An epic love story that spans childhood well into the young adult years, the film follows Heathcliff, a boy taken in by a benevolent Yorkshire farmer, Earnshaw. Living in Earnshaw’s home, Heathcliff develops a passionate relationship with the farmer’s teenage daughter, Cathy, inspiring the envy and mistrust of his son, Hindley. When Earnshaw passes away, the now-grown characters must finally confront the intense feelings and rivalries that have built up throughout their years together.

First off this movie was beautiful! The landscape was breathtaking and fit with the story very well. A sad, gray lonesome place where not much grows. You really got the feeling of sadness and desperation from the amazing cinematography. You felt dirty just watching these people walking in filth as it rained and they were covered in mud. What a depressing time to live in.

If you are looking for a movie full of sappy dialogue, this is not the show for you. You are led along with non-verbal emotions and visual communication for a large amount of the movie.

You really feel for each character. Whether it be the father who loves his children and is guided by faith to help a homeless child. The young girl that lives a simple life and falls in love. The older brother that is full of hate (you’ll love the end for him if you dislike him as much as I did). Or the poor homeless boy who just wants to love and be loved.

The majority of the actors in this film were first time actors. I think that was brilliant to bring in people who looked and acted the part and not based on their acting history. I was very fond of the young Cathy played by Shannon Beer. She was beautiful in a rough and wild childlike way.

In the end, I may not have loved the story. But I did enjoy the movie.

Release info: October 19^th @ Regal Arbor

Starring: Starring Kaya Scodelario, James Howson, Solomon Glave, Shannon Beer, Steve Evets, and Oliver Milburn

Directed by: Andrea Arnold

Not Yet Rated

Run time: 128 minutes

See when Wuthering Heights is playing in your area here.

Over the years of living in Austin and bringing her kids to ACL, Christie knows very well what every parents needs to survive. She has even found products from a few fellow Austin momtrepreneurs!

Below are Christie’s top picks:

5 Must Have’s for ACL with Kids