Month: February 2012

Annie Chun’s – Products Worth Reviewing

Imagine you’re at home and your kids are screaming that they are HUNGRY but you don’t have anything quick to serve them. Uh-oh, what’s a mom to do? Well, should you reach into your pantry to give them something greasy and unhealthy or should you give them something that’s convenient to make and delicious and nutritious as well? But what, you may ask? The next time you’re stuck in what to make quickly and conveniently, give Annie Chun’s a try. Annie Chun’s sounds like an action figure or a famous actress, right? If it indeed sounds familiar to you, that’s because Annie Chun’s products come in a delectable array of easy-to-prepare foods.

The folks at Annie Chun’s have been making natural, gourmet, Pan-Asian foods for 20 years and are still coming up with delicious, nutritious, and convenient meal solutions for families throughout the nation. Their products include varieties such as Noodle Bowls, Soup Bowls, Asian Meal Starters, Gourmet Sauces, Frozen Potstickers, and many more. We particularly enjoy their Seaweed Snacks as they are individual slices of yummy, healthy seaweed that’s great to eat as is or crumbled over rice and other dishes. Our house is always packed with Annie Chun’s products and I’ve used their Gourmet Sauces in many of my Asian food recipes. Their Gourmet Sauces include blends such as Kung Pao Sauce, Pad Thai Sauce, Shiitake Soy Ginger Sauce (our favorite!), Teriyaki Sauce and a few others. Their Gourmet Sauces have all the ingredients you’ll need to make a complete dish and all with natural ingredients and no preservatives. Annie Chun’s recently added their Frozen Potstickers and Mini Wontons to their delicious lineup of products so if your hungry kids are bugging you for something delicious and quick, then try Annie Chun’s Frozen Potstickers and Mini Wontons. You can also dip them in one of Annie Chun’s yummy Gourmet Sauces for additional flavor and satisfaction.

Annie Chun’s began with the mindset that eating Asian foods doesn’t necessarily require hours of preperation and cooking. Although Asian foods are usually known to be healthy and delicious, sometimes it can be time consuming to prep the ingredients and cook them. With Annie Chun’s, they’ve made most of the prepping and cooking already so all you have to is heat them up, eat them as is, or stir-fry them with a few simple ingredients such as veggies, tofu, or meat. And most of Annie Chun’s products are great to take along to work, school, or an outdoor picnic, or even served at fancy parties. I keep a couple of bottles of their Gourmet Sauces by my stove and we’ve stashed an assortment of their Seaweed Snacks, Noodle Bowls, Soup Bowls, and Asian Meal Starters in our pantry. Whenever I’m too tired to cook or need a quick inspiration for a healthy and delicious Asian meal, I usually turn to Annie Chun’s for help. After all, who wants to slave in a kitchen all day when I’d rather be spending extra time with my family. With Annie Chun’s products, you can achieve both healthy and delicious foods and not have to spend hours cooking them.

But what we love most about Annie Chun’s is their use of high-quality, natural ingredients that tastes like it’s homemade. When I first discovered Annie Chun’s at my local natural grocery store, the packaging looked interesting with it’s colorful and scrumptious-looking dishes. But what really drew my attention was reading the labels. The ingredients were familiar ingredients like ginger, garlic, soysauce, and sesame oil and there were no added preservatives or MSG. So I picked up a box of their noodle soups and decided to give it a try. I have to say though, my first experience with the noodle soup wasn’t a good one. I microwaved it per the instructions but the noodles turned out too chewy and the soup wasn’t hot enough. But it was still flavorful, so the next time I decided to give another noodle soup bowl a try. The second time however turned out to be successful. The noodles were soft and dense and the soup was piping hot. I realized I must have read the instructions wrong or not fully because the noodle soup bowl was very satisfying and filling. After that, I became hooked on Annie Chun’s products and use them constantly.

I was super delighted when Annie Chun’s wanted me to try some of their most popular items. The products they sent me were their Garlic Scallion Noodle Bowl, Kung Pao Noodle Bowl, Teriyaki Noodle Bowl, Classic Stir Fry Sauce, Shiitake Soy Ginger Sauce, Teriyaki Sauce, Maifun Brown Rice Noodles, and Pad Thai Rice Noodles. It was incredible having to try all of them and with their Gourmet Sauces and Rice Noodles, it was fairly simple to put together a healthy and hearty meal for me and my family. All I had to do was add a few chopped vegetables and shrimp (for my son and husband) and we were completely satisfied with the noodle dish.

If you’re interested in trying Annie Chun’s for yourself, I encourage you to visit their website: www.anniechun.com and sign up for their newsletter. You can get coupons periodically and you can find great recipes as well to give you inspirtation for your next meals: http://www.anniechun.com/recipes. Making Asian foods doesn’t have to be time-consuming – you just have to find the right ingredients and put them all together. And with Annie Chun’s products, they can easily help you achieve a satisfying, healthy, and delicious Asian meal.

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products. 

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

http://www.topmommyblogs.com/blogs/in.php?id=storm

 

 

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House Foods Tofu – Products Worth Reviewing

Since being a vegetarian, tofu has literally become a part of me. I cook with it, I eat it, I even eagerly look forward to trying out new brands and new varieties. One of the brands of tofu makers that we’ve come to enjoy is House Tofu, a division of House Foods: http://www.house-foods.com/ and they make a wide assortment of tofu products to choose from. House Foods can be found pretty much everywhere. You can find them at natural grocery stores and at regular supermarkets. And they carry such a great assortment of products made with soy that you’ve probably tried a few of their products already. House Foods makes varieties of soy products such as organic and regular tofu (in soft, medium, firm, cubed, grilled, and seasoned), Tofu Shirataki which is made into noodles from yam and tofu, So-Yah! which is Shirataki noodles with sauces, traditional shirataki made with just yam flour, Konnyaku which is yam cake, and Age which is fried tofu (yummy!). All of their tofu products are made with natural ingredients and soybeans that have not been genetically modified.

House Foods humbly began in Japan many years ago and when a need and desire for domestic tofu arrised in the US, House Foods opened their first facility in 1981. With the tradition of making their own tofu from selecting the finest non-genetically modified soybeans grown in the US, to grinding them to filtering them to packaging them, all of House Foods soy products are made in their facilities under strict guidelines. Most tofu companies cannot and does not have the ability to make their own tofu products from scratch and it’s good to know that House Foods control all of their processes. They are also very environmentally conscious in that they use solar energy to power their facilities and they implement environmental policies to reduce waste and pollution.

What I’ve come to enjoy most about House Food’s products is the pure taste of their tofu products. I’ve been a soy fan for many years and I can pretty much taste the difference between quality soy products and those made from conventional brands. House Foods tofu tastes like soy or soybeans for that matter. It may sound strange, but if you’ve eaten a lot of soy in your life, then you can probably taste the difference too.  And since House Foods makes such a wonderful assortmenet of products to choose from, you won’t get easily bored with just tofu. But to me, tofu isn’t boring anyway because you can do so many things with tofu. You can grill them, you can stir-fry them, you can put them in soups, you can make them into smoothies, you can even enjoy them straight out of the box by itself (although a little soysauce and sesame oil wouldn’t hurt). But in the case of House Foods, they’ve made it super convenient for tofu lovers and tofu beginners. With their cubed tofu and grilled and seasoned tofu, enjoying tofu has become a lot easier for most people. What you do with their tofu is completely up to you, but you can also find great recipes on their website to help you along: http://www.house-foods.com/Tofu/recipes.aspx. Tofu is so versatile that you’ll probably find many great uses for it. And since soy is such a nutritional powerhouse, eating lots of tofu won’t hurt either.

So why is soy such an important food for good health? According to The Soy Foods Association of North America: http://www.soyfoods.org/, soy contains many beneficial factors in maintaining and achieving a healthy lifestyle. Soy contains isoflavones which is a plant phytoestrogen that helps to lower the risks of certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. Soy contains no or low saturated fat, is high in protein, and has been proven to improve heart health as well. Soy is also one of the best alternatives to meat and vegans and vegetarians rely heavily on soy as a major part of their protein and iron intake. Since iron is found mostly in animal meats, soy would be a great way of adding some much needed iron in a vegetarian’s diet. Soy is also great for those on a gluten-free diet since tofu naturally contains no wheat or gluten, but it’s always safe to check a company’s logo to make sure it’s gluten-free.

As a vegetarian for many years, I’ve come to greatly appreciate the benefits and taste of tofu and its affiliates. Tofu is so versatile that it’s evident in the products that House Foods makes. With their Tofu Shirataki, you can use it to replace regular pasta noodles to make pasta with your favorite sauces or even as a cold noodle dish that’s really popular in Asian cuisine. Their So-Yah! is also a great alternative to regular pasta and sauce since So-Yah! comes as a sauce and noodle deal. So-Yah! currently has flavors such as Creamy Coconut Curry, Red Vindaloo Curry, Hearty Marinara, and Sesame Ginger. My favorite and my son’s as well is their Hearty Marinara as their marinara sauce is sweet and smooth and taste really close to traditional pasta and marinara sauce. But we particularly enjoy House Tofu’s tofu in either silken or firm because with the silken texture, they are great as desserts. You can also replace cream cheese with their silken tofu if you’re avoiding dairy and with their firm tofu, you can make great stir-frys with that.

House Foods was interested in sending me some of their most popular tofu products to try and review and I was especially surprised when I received such a delicious assortment! The products they wanted me to try were their Organic Tofu in Firm, Grilled, and Cubed. Their Tofu Shirataki in Spaghetti and Angel Hair Shape and their So-Yah! in Creamy Coconut Curry, Hearty Marinara, and Sesame Ginger. Since eating tofu and soy is such an important part of my diet, I also introduced soy and tofu to my son at an early age. Now he enjoys tofu on a regular basis and I’m always trying to find new recipes using tofu and soy products. I know a lot of kids who also enjoys tofu since tofu has no after taste and it’s easy to use in any recipe. And with House Foods tofu and soy products, you’re likely to find something that both you and your kids will come to enjoy. You can also visit their Facebook page for great promotions, coupons, and helpful info about tofu and ways of cooking with it: http://www.facebook.com/housefoodsamerica.

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products. 

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

http://www.topmommyblogs.com/blogs/in.php?id=storm

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Rudi’s Organic Bakery – Products Worth Reviewing and Facebook Giveaways

Bread and baked goods are a regular staple in my household as I’m sure it is in most homes around the world. They’re filling, wholesome, and satisfying and they fulfill the basic dietary need. But when I was on the lookout for organic bread and baked goods they were really hard to find, unless I was making them myself. That’s when I discovered Rudi’s Organic Bakery not too long ago. Only thing is, they’ve been around for a very long time so I must have been sleepwalking while I was shopping at my natural grocery stores. Rudi’s Organic Bakery makes a delicious assortment of bread and baked goods and they are absolutely scrumptious! And most importantly, they make gluten-free versions for those who crave bread but can’t find anything that’s delicious and free of wheat gluten.

While we can eat regular bread made with wheat flour, I did try their gluten-free version and it was pretty good. Besides the chewy texture, the bread tasted like their regular versions – full of robust flavor and fulfilling. But we stuck with their regular versions because we’re not used to eating gluten-free bread. I have to say that I’ve tried almost all of their breads and our favorites are their Multigrain Oat, Honey Sweet Whole Wheat, Colorado Cracked Wheat, and Nut & Oat. We also enjoy their bagels which are super yummy with cream cheese and fresh fruit spreads. But Rudi’s makes more than just bread and bagels. They also make buns, rolls, tortillas, sandwich flats, and english muffins. And all of their baked goods are made with organic and natural ingredients without any added high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, or artificial colors and flavors. Because they have a great selection of flavors and varieties to choose from, you can really find something to your liking.

Rudi’s Organic Bakery began over 30 years ago in Boulder, Colorado after a need for finding healthy, delicious, and natural baked goods couldn’t be met. That’s when Rudi’s began their own company making wholesome, nutritious, and baked goods made from scratch. Soon their wholesome and natural baked goods became a hit in their town and their breads became popular throughout the nation. Today, you can find Rudi’s Organic Bakery baked goods at virtually every natural grocery store in the US and sometimes you can find their breads used in promotions with other natural and organic companies. Their baked goods are good for pretty much anyone of any age and they are so flavorful, you can eat them by itself – without any added condiments or toppings. And they are made with whole grains which is an important ingredient to consume for a healthier lifestyle. With Rudi’s baked goods, you get the whole grain and organic goodness, plus no unnecessary additives or preservatives.

Eating whole grains has proven to be effective in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Whole grains contains an assortment of vitamins and minerals and they help with digestion due to its high fiber content. When looking for baked goods such as bread and muffins, look for ones that are made with whole grains instead of enriched grains (although enriched grains have added vitamins in them). But since whole grains contain all the layers of the grain, you’re getting all of the important nutrients that come with them. Besides, I find that eating whole grain breads just taste so much better. Maybe it’s a bit sweeter in nature and a bit more exciting in texture, in my opinion, but if you try it yourself, then you’ll probably agree it tastes much different than regular enriched bread.

Since we’ve been enjoying Rudi’s Organic Bakery baked goods for awhile now, Rudi’s wanted me to try some of their most popular flavors. The products they sent me were Nut & Oat, Multigrain Oat, and 7 Grain with Flax. The Nut & Oat is truly delightful with chopped little pieces of hazelnuts nestled inside each slice of bread. It’s a little bit sweet and soft and the nut texture isn’t overwhelming. The Multigrain Oat contains many nutritious ingredients including organic rolled oats, organic cornmeal, and organic wheat bran. The texture is a bit stronger so you can make a really hearty sandwich if you want. The 7 Grain with Flax is incredibly unique in taste and texture with the sunflower seeds as the main highlight. I love sunflower seeds and this powerful bread also contains flaxseeds, quinoa, and kamut for additional nutritional benefits. We liked all 3 of the flavors that were sent to us, although the Multigrain Oat and Nut & Oat were our favorites. My husband thought the 7 Grain with Flax was a bit tough but that’s mostly because of all the grains inside the bread.

Rudi’s Organic Bakery is currently running several promotions on Facebook where you can enter to win several great prizes! Enter here: http://www.facebook.com/rudisorganicbakery. You can win prizes from Crofters Organic Jams, a Panini Press, a year’s supply of Rudi’s Organic Bakery, and many more. Each week there are different prizes to enter so be sure to visit their Facebook page weekly. And for more info about Rudi’s Organic Bakery please visit their website: http://www.rudisbakery.com/.

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products. 

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

http://www.topmommyblogs.com/blogs/in.php?id=storm

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Stonyfield Farm Frozen Yogurt Ice Cream – Products Worth Reviewing and Facebook Contests

It’s no doubt that when it comes to frozen yogurt, you get a really unique taste and texture similar to ice cream. But what’s especially different about frozen yogurt from Stonyfield Farm is there exceptional taste. The texture, flavor, and experience of Stonyfield’s frozen yogurt is like eating ice cream except without the guilt. And with Stonyfield’s frozen yogurt, you get the added benefits of live active cultures – just like the ones they put in their creamy yogurts. In fact, all of their frozen yogurts and creamy yogurts are made with organic ingredients and no added preservatives, artificial colors or flavors. You just get natural goodness that tastes absolutely delightful!

We all love ice cream one way or the other right? But if you’ve never tried frozen yogurt before, then you’re missing out on some unique frozen desserts. You might be thinking of frozen yogurt that you buy at the yogurt shops and it’s not exactly the same as in texture and flavor. I’m not particularly keen on frozen yogurt at the shops because you have to eat them right away or they’ll melt – just like regular ice cream. With frozen yogurt that you find in the freezer aisle of your grocery store, they’re a bit firmer and they don’t melt as fast while you’re eating them. We love frozen yogurt because they’re not as sweet as most ice cream and they’re usually less in fat but full in flavor. Stonyfield’s frozen yogurt comes in so many flavors that you probably won’t go back to eating plain old ice cream for awhile. Only thing is – their cartons are a bit smaller so you end up eating a lot more and faster of it!

Stonyfield Farm’s frozen yogurt comes in a great assortment of flavors such as nonfat frozen yogurt “gotta have vanilla”, afterdark chocolate, strawberry-licious, low-fat frozen yogurt creme caramel, cookies n’ cream, and mint chocolate chip. They also make frozen yogurt bars and regular ice cream as well. Their frozen treats are made with organic fruits and organic dairy and most of them are not too sweet but just sweet enough to satisfy the sweet tooth. For more info about Stonyfield Farm and their array of scrumptious dairy treats, please visit their website: http://www.stonyfield.com/.

Currently, Stonyfield Farm is offering several contests and giveaways on their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/stonyfieldfarm. You can also join Stonyfield’s Reward program where you enter codes on specially marked packages and you can get a bunch of cool stuff like free coupons, hats, t-shirts, baby bibs, etc. Just check out their website for more info regarding their promotions and you can also get a lot of great information on the importance of eating and buying organic.

If you already know about the great food that Stonyfield Farm offers, then you have to give their frozen yogurts a try. Their frozen yogurts are great eaten as is or topped over fruit pies or drizzled with chocolate syrup. We also like to place them in between two cookies and freeze them a bit – super yummy! Stonyfield Farm’s frozen yogurts are not only delicious, but they contain beneficial live active cultures as well as natural and organic ingredients. And with so many great flavors to choose from, you’ll probably find a few favorites of your own!

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products. 

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

http://www.topmommyblogs.com/blogs/in.php?id=storm

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Earth Day – How will you celebrate Earth this year?

Our planet, Earth is indeed a beautiful planet. If you looked at it through a telescope or from outer space, you’d see the peaceful colors and vibrant life within it. It’s the only planet we can live on for now and until scientists and other experts tell us another planet is habitable, I’m going to try and help save my planet for now. Well, “saving” may be too astronimical of a word but each day I try to remember to do something that will help preserve the planet for my children and their children and so forth. Each year, on April 22, is what we call “Earth Day”. Earth Day is celebrated throughout the world and each nation has their own ways of celebrating Earth and finding ways to help make it better.

We can all make a difference in how we want our world to be. We as individuals can either make things better or make them worse. Basically, there are 3 categories that people may fall in. The first category are those who are constantly finding ways to help the planet, preserve the planet, and make the planet better. They are always recycling, reducing, reusing and never falter in their endeavor to make the world a healthier place. Then there is the second category where most of us may fall in. These folks try to remember to recycle and turn off their lights and electronic equipments when possible. They do what they can to be environmentally  conscious. Then there is the third category where people do not care at all about the planet. They don’t bother with the environment and have no personal reasons to recycle, reduce, and reuse. They don’t know the difference between carbon footprint and their own footprints. Therefore, it’s up to the first and second categories to help make the planet a healthier place for everyone else.

It’s not hard to do something to make the world a healthier place. Even if it’s within your little town or city, any movement you make to help your environment can improve the outcome of our planet. Below I’ve outlined some guidelines in how to reduce your carbon footprint on this planet. According to Green Living of National Geographic, they explain carbon footprint as, ‘Your carbon footprint measures the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted as a result of your daily activities. When you drive to work, run the appliances in your home or sneak off for a weekend getaway, you cause the burning of fossil fuels, which provide the energy needed to power your lifestyle.’

– Walk to work (if it’s within reasonable distance). Walking is actually one of the greatest ways you can to reduce your carbon footprint.

– Walk to the grocery store (if it’s within reasonable distance).

– Take public transportation

– Carpool

– Buy organic. According to the USDA organic farming laws, toxic pesticides, herbicides, germicides and soil may not be used on food grown for consumption. Neither are chemicals, hormones, and antibiotics allowed to be used on livestock. Irrigation, water, pest managment, processing, and many other strict regulations are set forth to maintain proper organic practices within the US. Organic means a safer ecosystem and healthier living.

– Buy locally grown food and products. This also help reduce carbon footprint as less fuel is used to transport such goods. Some locally grown foods do not use toxic pesticides or chemicals but be sure to check with your local farms first.

– Reduce, reuse, recycle. You’ve probably heard this many times. It’s fairly easy to do this if you keep up with it. Reduce by using less materials that may harm the environment. Reuse by reusing what you have on hand. Recycle everything that’s possible.  Check with your local facilities on their own regulations on what is and what is not allowed to be recycled.

– Bring your own reusable bags when shopping. Reusable bags can be easily stored in your purse or in your car. Be sure to buy bags that are made from sustainably grown materials or made from recycled materials to reduce raw ingredients from being used even more.

– Use solar energy where possible. Solar energy requires energy from the sun, which is a free source of energy. You can use solar energy to charge your electronic equipments and your house. Solar panels are quickly becoming popular in homes and you can probably find good companies out there that will save you a lot of money on your energy bills.

– Reduce your overall buying. Buying less, especially products that are harmful to the environment could make you feel better about how you can help the environment.

– Buy from companies who protect the Rain Forest through the Rain Forest Alliance.

There are probably a lot more ideas and ways of conserving energy, reducing your carbon footprint, and helping the environment. Good resources are companies like: http://www.earthday.org/, http://www.epa.gov/, and http://practicallygreen.com/ (which has really great ideas, products, and ways of living “green”). You can probably think up some of your own ways in helping the environment.

This year, we still plan on hosting an “Earth Day” event but just not sure what we plan on doing yet. EarthDay.org is a good place to visit on how you can help with the environment. So no matter what you plan on doing to celebrate Earth this year, any step towards improvement is a positive step. You’ll feel better and happier that you are doing something to make the world a healtier place to live for yourself and your future generations.

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Do You Love The Imagination Movers?

Who loves The Imagination Movers? I’d have to say – “We do!”.  My son and I love The Imagination Movers and have watched them on TV and anywhere else possible since he was old enough to watch TV. And I can safely say, that most people across the world also enjoys watching The Imagination Movers on their Disney show as well as their concerts and their DVDs and whatever venue they happen to appear at. It’s too bad The Movers live all the way in Louisiana and not California otherwise we’d be visiting them all the time. But not as stalkers – that would be too creepy – but more as devoted and loving fans.

The Imagination Movers, aka Dave, Rich, Scott, and Smitty have basically become a household name for us. Every day my son would ask to watch The Imagination Movers on TV or on the laptop. Luckily I saved some of his favorite episodes on our DVR and we can always watch episodes through their own website:  http://www.imaginationmovers.com/ and through Disney’s: http://disney.go.com/disneyjunior/imagination-movers. We particularly enjoy the Warehouse Mouse short films – they are hilarious little episodes of Warehouse Mouse’s trials and tribulations as he tries to achieve something at the end. There are also fun games, party ideas, and coloring pages on Disney’s Imagination Movers page as well interesting tibits about The Movers- basically, you can spend a lot of free time on that site and have a lot of fun and learn something at the same time.

The Imagination Movers are like down-home folks, so to speak. They are truly the epitome of all things kids. In fact, their inspiration to start The Imagination Movers was through their own kids. As a fledgling band of good friends, they sang and played instruments together in New Orleans but soon their popularity grew and Disney decided to pick up their show with the same name, “The Imagination Movers”. After that, their fame grew worldwide and soon they added concert tours throughout the nation and in Canada. Their faces became popular in every child’s mind and you can see little “Movers” around the world even. And if you’ve never seen their concerts in person, you’re missing out on some great fun!

This year, The Imagination Movers “Rock-O-Matic” concert tour begins in March and will tour through May. It’s not too late to get their concert tickets if they’re in your area: http://imaginationmovers.com/events/page/1 and you can even buy their “Mini Movers” package which includes tickets as well as backstage Meet and Greet with the Movers. The kids will get a chance to chat it up with the Movers and snack and take photos. Hopefully we plan on going backstage to meet and greet the Movers and take some great photos with them!

With their concert coming up, new episodes on the Disney Jr. channel, and a brand new CD called, “Rock-O-Matic” out for sale, The Imagination Movers have really stepped up their game to bring your kids more fun, more excitement, and more learning opportunities. Below, I had the unique opportunity to acquire some Q&A from The Imagination Movers about their new album, their work, and their personal lives.

Q – How is ‘Rock-O-Matic’ different from your previous albums?

SCOTT DURBIN – There’s definitely more freedom in Rock-O-Matic. Recently, if the song we wrote was not tied directly to a narrative from the TV show, there was no way it would be heard. A tune like “Dance Kung Fu” which is a truly silly dance song or “Buckle Me In” about car seat safety would never have made it on the TV show but it can and does in our recent CD/DVD release. Honestly, we’ve been together writing songs for nearly ten years now but it’s been awhile since we could just do a song without having to wait for it to be approved or not. Our parameters have been removed.  

RICH COLLINS – We’re still a bunch of dorky dads but we’ve gotten really good at writing pop and rock songs over the last decade, so you can hear a little bit of that swagger in these new tracks. It’s probably our most “rock” record to date but it’s quite diverse stylistically. 

SCOTT “SMITTY” SMITH – ROM is definitely indicative of our musical growth and freedom.  It touches on a wide range of genres and is the culmination of a lot of hard work.

DAVE POCHE – Rock-O-Matic is an interesting combination of our music sensibilities from the earlier days coupled with the production and songwriting skills we have gathered over the years. I think there is a real looseness and energy to it. “Everybody Sing” is a great example of the CD/DVD’s upbeat vibe. We set out to make a video that looks like a bunch of people having fun. Once we started shooting it was clear that this goal would be accomplished. You can really feel the energy that was on the set that day.  It was a very positive, validating shoot. 

Q – How does your family inspire you and your music? How many children do you have and what are their ages? Do your children ever get in on the fun? 
  

SCOTT – Our kids have always been a source of inspiration for our music, stylistically and content-wise. Had it not been for them, this idea would not have been born. They act as our focus group, letting us know what works or doesn’t. And we try to have them participate in all that we do, whether being in our music videos or even guest singing on our songs. We’ve always been about family and our work philosophy reflects that.  

RICH – Five kids ages 12 to 3.  They give me ideas and tell me their opinion. They also set the tone of the whole project.  We sing and write and perform essentially to make them smile

SMITTY – Our families are definitely our inspiration… and our test audience.  None of this could happen without their support and input. 

DAVE – My kids are 9 and 12 now, which is hard to believe. Our kids were the inspiration for this entire project. We had kids around the same time and were exposed to the world of children’s entertainment. We started writings songs for, and about, our kids.  Each milestone represented an opportunity for a new song. And it was great to have an audience at home.  We had a little test market that had no aversion to telling us exactly what they thought.  In the earlier songs, you can hear their voices all over the place.  We put them in front of the mic whenever we needed a little voice, or added a part so that everyone got a chance.  When we filmed the show, our kids would look at the script drafts, visit the set regularly and even made a few cameos. We could not have made it without the contributions, inspiration and support of our families.  They give us the energy that fuels the machine.

Q – What sets the Imagination Movers apart from other children’s groups?

SCOTT – What makes us different? From day one to now, there is so much in children’s programming/music that chooses to pacify our children. We’ve always wanted to change that. We truly want to challenge our kids, treating them as creators instead of consumers. We want to empower them to reach high, think big, work hard and have fun. 

With performing music for kids and families, you know immediately what works and what doesn’t so insincerity simply doesn’t have a place here. You have to be genuine, sincere in your efforts and execution of ideals. We feel we are or at the very least aspire to those lofty goals. Whether its reflected in the composition or lyrics we pen in our songs to playing the music live – you’ve got to demonstrate your true colors. We choose to play our instruments rather than rely on lip-synching or tracks because music is organic and is evidence of the beauty of the creative process.  

RICH – We’re real dads writing songs about real ideas and real feelings and playing real live concerts on real instruments AND most important: we can’t dance. 

SMITTY – We are simply four regular guys who had a good idea and with the help and hard work of a lot of people, got to see this project blossom.  Also, We are having fun doing what we love.   This Project comes from the heart.  It wasn’t created in a lab in Hollywood.  It is “US.”  And….  one of us is a full time firefighter in New Orleans.  Not many kids groups can claim that.

DAVE – Well, for one, we are just regular guys, dads and husbands. 4 goofy dudes who are well aware that they are 4 goofy dudes. Filming the TV show or being on tour has it’s moments, but the vast majority of time we are lugging the kids around town, mowing the lawn, washing dishes, etc.  We also have been, are, and probably always will be a children’s band. We were not an adult band who decided to exploit a niche or got tired of doing something else. And we never try to pander to our audience or talk down to the kids.  Our tone is sincere. We write music that we would enjoy listening to with age appropriate lyrics. The goal is to make songs that are able to be enjoyed by young children, older siblings, parents and grandparents.  We try to cast a wide net, and if our Ticketmaster reviews are any indication, we have done a pretty good job of entertaining everyone.

So there you have it. The Imagination Movers are just a bunch of regular folks who happens to enjoy playing music, sing, dance, and have a lot of fun with what they do. Be sure to catch them at their concert and on the Disney Jr. show (check your local listings), and pick up one or two of their newest album, Rock-O-Matic!

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