Smurfs 2 on the PS3

The Smurfs 2 is an Action-Adventure Platformer game from Ubisoft that follows the thrilling story of the second movie of the Smurfs. Players will take control of their favorite true blue heroes to succeed on their quest to rescue Smurfette from the evil Gargamel, immersing themselves in enchanting and interactive environments along the way. The Smurfs have to use all their skills to save the day.

Key Features:

Experience the Smurfs adventure just like they do in the movie whilst playing through 6 different worlds: Smurf Village, New York City, Spooky Woods, Mountains, Tropics and Paris.

Defeat 6 different boss battles including Gargamel, Azrael and the Naughties.

Play cooperatively with up to 4 players with 9 different playable Smurfs (4 starters and 5 unlockables) with one special ability per character including Freeze Potion, Super Pose, Exploding Gifts, Super Jump and Magical Floating.

Collect over 20 different Smurfs while succeeding in the different levels and take them to your Smurf Village HUB.

We were sent a PS3 copy of Smurfs 2 for the purpose of this review. Smurfette has been Smurfnapped by Gargamel and his new creations, The Naughties.  The friendly forest animals have been turned evil and the Smurfs have to bravely venture out from the Smurf Village using magic portals!  This game has instant appeal and 4 year old Freddy was able to navigate his chosen Smurf through the early levels, collecting berries, finding coins, freeing animals and using the special abilities.  It starts relatively easily and as the characters don't die (they just lose their berries if they have them), youngsters can progress without becoming too frustrated.

There are mini challenges to complete on each level which keeps the game play fun.  You have to complete each stage with a certain number of berries or free a certain number of animals etc. which makes it fun to go in and replay the levels to complete the challenges.  Finding coins helps to unlock the new Smurf characters, each with their own skills.  Different Smurfs will be able to do certain parts of each level, so to complete the game fully, players will have to go in again with their new characters.  It makes the longevity of the game better and gives young players a chance to replay early levels and hone their skills for the higher levels.

The game looks great and the music and dialogue is fun and entertaining.  The characters are very true to their movie counterparts and Freddy enjoyed spotting Papa, Smurfette, Brains, Clumsy, Vanity and the other Smurfs that he recognised from the first movie.

I really liked the 2D style gameplay as the big epic 3D games are just too difficult for myself and Freddy to navigate. It is not a multi-player drop-in/out game which is a shame as it would have made it easier for us to support Freddy when necessary and leave him to play independently at other times.  But saying that it's nice to play a good old co-op game together.

We are all really enjoying this game.  So far it is simple, straightforward and not overly complicated making it great for all ages.  The cut scenes are very sweet, telling the story of the game. They comprise of static pictures with narration in a storytelling mode and Freddy really enjoys them!

Pro-gamers will undoubtedly be able to complete the game very quickly and may find the gameplay too simplistic, but for kids, smurf fans and people like me who just want some light-hearted gaming fun, Smurfs 2 is a nice movie tie-in.

It is available now at Amazon and currently retails for £23.  Also available on XBox 360, DS, Wii and Wii U.

Teen Beach Movie OST

The most eagerly awaited teen movie of the year, Teen Beach Movie, premiered last night on the Disney Channel, much to the delight of my kids.  The all singing, all dancing cast featuring Ross Lynch and Maia Mitchell, burst onto our screens with a sixties sun and surf spectacular, perfect for summer.  Mack (Mitchell) and Brady (Lynch) are two modern day surfers that get trapped in the classic 1960s beach musical Wet Side Story. After accidentally interfering with the plot of the movie, they must find a way to get back to present day!  The surf rock/pop sounds are certain to become the soundtrack of the summer!

The songs have a youthful exuberance with a strong sixties influence. Some songs have a hint of Grease in them, some are reminiscent of Hairspray while others feature the distinctive "oohing" of the Beach Boys, bringing that era to a whole new generation. They are summery, fresh and fun, with some catchy sing-a-long choruses. The retro sounds conjure up images of beaches, surfers, first loves and sunshine in a "summer paradise"!  The kids will love it...especially the song "Surf's Up!"

Track Listing

1 Oxygen

2 Surf Crazy

3 Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’

4 Falling for Ya

5 Meant to Be

6 Like Me

7 Meant to Be (Reprise 1)

8 Can’t Stop Singing

9 Meant to Be (Reprise 2)

10 Surf’s Up

11 Coolest Cats in Town

12 Surf Crazy Finale

13 Instrumental Version Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’

14 Instrumental Version Falling for Ya

15 Instrumental Version Surf’s Up

The film is aimed for children aged 6 - 14, but all my three loved it from 4 year old Freddy to 10 year old Kizzy to 17 year old Ella.  The soundtrack will definitely be played around our house and we will definitely be doing some funky sixties style dance moves as we sing along!

                                      

Featuring 12 songs plus three instrumental bonus tracks, Walt Disney Records "Teen Beach Movie" soundtrack is available now on iTunes and in stores nationwide.

Say Hello to a Playful New Range of Confectionery by Lindt

I read an article yesterday about the lengths that some parents go to to impress teachers at the end of term. Mummies have been buying spa days, Harrod's Hampers and Tiffany necklaces for little Johnny's teachers in a bid to curry favour for their child.  This new trend in the behaviour of competitive school mums goes completely against the fact that most teachers said they would prefer a thoughtful, small gift from their pupils; a token gift given with love. 

This year, Lindt have launched a playful range of chocolates bursting with personality, fun and yummy ingredients!  The range includes the lovely gifting boxes which look fabulous and are filled with Lindt's delicious chocolates. Perfect gifts for giving to a teacher to say thank you.

The boxed collection from Hello is available in a range of options, including the Hello Thank You box (45g), the Hello Heart Tin (45g), the Hello Cube (250g) and the Hello Praline box (100g).

RRP £2.49 - £6.99.

I am a big fan of Lindt chocolates and if someone gave me a gift of their chocolates I would be more than happy to indulge myself.  Teachers will love the ‘Thank You’ gift box with its unique mix of delicate, melt-in-your-mouth chocolates filled with crunchy nougat, tantalising caramel brownie and delicious cookies and creams – all wrapped up in a box which reads “Just wanna say Thank You”.  A simple yet genuine message for your child to show their gratitude to the teacher that has seen them through the academic year.  Combined with a home made card and I'm sure most teachers would be very happy.

Find them in selected Sainsbury's stores from July and nationwide from September.

The complete range includes:

 Hello Bars  (100g) £1.99

Hello Treat Bars (39g) £0.79

Hello Thank You (45g) £2.49

Hello Chocolate Heart (45g) £3.49

    Hello Cube (250g) £6.99

        Hello Praline (100g) £4.49

I'm getting my Blog On at the MOSI #BlogOnMOSI

On Sunday, you will find me at the MOSI in Manchester taking part in the first Blogs Up North conference:  Blog On.  Organised by the unstoppable power of Laura from Tired Mummy of Two, it promises to be a fun opportunity to meet brands, learn stuff in round table discussions, drink wine, meet fellow bloggers and raise money for Clic Sergeant in an amazing raffle!

It's great to have an event held up this end of the country.  I have decided not to do any more London based events unless they are the totally amazing, not to be missed kind.  But getting to Manchester is ideal, with just a quick stint up the M6.  Ian is driving me to the venue then taking the children off to the Trafford Centre with their Merlin Annual Passes so they can visit the new sea Life Centre and the Legoland Discovery Centre.  They will also be joining up with big sister Megan who lives in Manchester, so it promises to be a great day out for everyone!

I have met a lot of bloggers over the last three years of my blogging journey, a few of which will be there on Sunday.  But if anyone doesn't know me, I'm the rather tall one who has a propensity for misbehaving at times.  I'll probably also be wilting away in the corner unless the MOSI has air con.  I'm not good with this heat!!  I'm also not good with names and faces so if I appear rude by not approaching you straight away, it's because I'm trying desperately hard to remember if I know you in real life or just virtually and I don't want to appear like a crazy stalker.  Please come and say hello to me, to avoid that situation.

I hear there is alcohol at Blog On!  I only just came off the wagon after five years being tee total, so that might prove interesting.  I promise not to disgrace myself!

I'm really looking forward to meeting the brands and I must remember to bring my business cards!  I had like 500 of them originally and still have about 497 after giving one to my mum and offloading a couple more on unsuspecting folk.

So who am I?

I am Wendy.  44.  Mum to five great kids.  Joe 24.  Megan 21.  Ella 17.  Kizzy 10.  Freddy 4.  Wife to my high school sweetheart Ian.  Grandma to baby Ted who is 7 months old.  I love blogging...it gives me a raison d'être! I love the opportunities that it has given my family.  I live in the country but crave the city shops and restaurants. I'm vegetarian and am a real foodie.  I love films, music and Disney.  My hair is greying but I refuse to dye it.  Stubborn.

@wendymcd83 on Twitter.

This is Me

See you there!

How Important are Routines for Children

Trying to crack routines, is one of the biggest challenges of parenting.  Getting little ones into a good bedtime routine is the parenting holy grail that the majority of parents strive for, to ensure everyone gets a good night's sleep!  I'm not a stickler for rigid routine and have always kept a degree of flexibility within our family life. We have let Freddy's own natural rhythm dictate the way we parent him to some extent, but it was a great relief when he started sleeping through the night, adopting his own happy bedtime routine.

Routines become much more important as your child gets older and has to become a part of the world outside of their own home, with the routine of being at nursery and school to contend with.  Routines can help children deal with change as they get used to the comfort, familiarity and security of repetitive behaviors.

Personally I like to strike a balance of routine and flexibility in our home, that reflects the day to day changes of family life.  I provide the structure and safety of routine, but also have the freedom to throw it all out of the window to be spontaneous if necessary.  Freddy likes to know what was going on in his life and enjoys the order of his day, but much of his routine is child led.  It works well for us and he is a happy, confident child.

To help parents with achieving routines and to help children cope with change, Nick Jr have launched their Step by Step campaign, headed by TV favourite Dora the Explorer.  We were sent some print outs and some Dora goodies. There are a range of downloadable charts that you can print out and share with your little ones to help establish good routines.  I like that the child is involved with planning the steps and is a part of the process.  For slightly older children, taking ownership of the structure of the day makes everyday routines a far happier affair.  Children will enjoy ticking off all the steps on their bedtime routine chart as they take each step along with Dora!

You can find the printables along with a whole host of ideas to help children enjoy all of life's adventures  at http://www.nickjr.co.uk/shows/dora/stepbystep/ 

To watch a recording of a live WebTV show on children's routines go to http://www.studiotalk.tv/show/how-important-are-routines-for-children

UK's Lowest Price Supermarket School Uniform from Aldi

No sooner than the kids break up for the summer holidays, the prospect of kitting them out for their new school term in September rears its head.  Buying the children everything they need for the new school year can cost a fortune, especially when you have more than one child at school, but help is at hand!

Aldi is taking the sting out of the Back to School bill by unveiling its one-price-fits-all school uniform, offering cash conscious parents an unbeatable bargain ahead of the holidays - the UK’s lowest priced supermarket school uniform saving up to 36% on its competitors.

Top of the class for quality and price, Aldi is ensuring parents are quids in after the school shop by offering them the cheapest supermarket school uniform in the country. Parents can pick up two polo shirts, one round neck sweater and a skirt or trousers all for £4, along with a whole host of other Back to School essentials, in stores nationwide from 25th July 2013 and available while stocks last.

Rigorously tested to ensure its whites stay white, hems don’t drop and knees don’t tear, Aldi’s Specialbuy school uniform range carries a flat price across all sizes (4-11 years), so parents can enjoy unbeatable value underpinned by excellent quality – for a fraction of the usual price tag.

Aldi’s Specialbuy Back to School range is in store nationwide from the 25th July and includes shirts, polo shirts, trousers, skirts and much more.  Stocking up early, means you can relax and enjoy the summer holidays without having to worry about any last minute panic buys and without breaking the bank.

We were sent one of their Back to School padded jackets for Freddy, which will sell at £9.99.  The thick blue and grey, zip-up jacket has elasticated cuffs, velcro fastening front and pockets and high-viz detail to make sure little ones stay safe on the school run.  The fleece lining is really snuggly and warm and I was very impressed with the quality for an item with such a small price tag.  It will be excellent for autumn/winter.

On sale from 25.07.13 and available while stocks last.  

Full Price List (correct at time of publishing)

Boys Padded Jacket £9.99
Boys Trousers £1.50
Boys Ankle Socks x 5 £1.49
Boys Briefs x 5/Boys Boxers x3 £1.69
Boys Knitted V Neck Jumper £1.99
Boys Plain Polo x 2 £1.25
Boys SS Shirt £1.99
Boys Vests x 3 £1.99
Boys/Girls PE Shorts x 2 / Skirt  £3.99
Boys/Girls Round Neck Sweater £1.25
Boys/Girls Round Neck T-Shirt x 2 £1.99
Children’s Plimsolls £1.49
Girls Padded Jacket £9.99
Girls Pinafore £2.99
Girls Pleated Skirt £1.50
Girls Trousers £1.50
Girls Ankle Socks x 5 £1.49
Girls Ballet Kit £9.99
Girls Briefs x 5 £1.69
Girls Knee High Socks x 5 £3.99
Girls Knitted Cardigan £2.99
Girls Plain Polo x 2 £1.25
Girls Scuff Resistant Shoes £6.99
Girls SS Shirt £1.99
Girls Tights x 3 £4.99
Girls Vests x 3 £1.99

SUSO - A Healthier Alternative In Fizzy Drinks

The fizzy drinks market is dominated by canned drinks which are full of chemical sweeteners and flavourings.  Not the healthiest of options for our children, who enjoy drinking carbonated beverages.  Many teenagers are becoming far more aware of their health and according to a survey conducted at Nottingham Trent University, a quarter of students would like access to a healthier option.  Yet they still demand great tasting drinks.  Finding that balance is not always easy.

One brand that is trying to do just this is SUSO- a range of fizzy, fruit-based drinks that contain over 60% juice and act as one of your 5 a day.  They contain no preservatives, sugar or additives making them a healthy choice with all the flavour of real fruit and the added fun of the fizz!

We were sent a Berry Fizz, Orange Fizz and Tropical Fizz can of SUSO to try.  They also come in Apple Fizz and Lemon Fizz flavours.  The 250ml cans are a good size for lunchboxes and are approved by schools.

The drinks were really refreshing and fruity.  The girls both really liked the Tropical Fizz one most of all as it was intensely fruity and naturally sweet.  Ella's least favourite was the orange one as its predominant flavour was that of  sparkling spring water...but this was my favourite! I really like the concept of having such a healthy, fizzy drink.  Served cold it is perfect for summer. 

SUSO have launched their new "Taste Greatness" campaign to promote the brand to teens who 

want all the taste, fizz and appeal that this drink delivers.

Check out their website at www.suso.co.uk