The Age of Adaline DVD Review

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Multi-platinum rock band Godsmacks lead singer Sully Erna, has a brand new tradition that is taking on in the rock world: 8:15TequilaTime. The band & fans everywhere are taking a moment at 8:15PM everyday, to raise a toast to the good life (Pura Vida) with Pura Vida Tequila. Looking for a drink to start off your Rockstar UpROAR Festival with? Try the Sully Smash inspired by the ever so talented Sully Erna using Pura Vida Tequila!
SULLY SMASH
INGREDIENTS
1½ oz Pura Vida Añejo
½ oz NARANJA Orange Liqueur
¾ oz Organic Agave Nectar
1½ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake to chill and combine. Strain into a highball glass packed with crushed ice. Garnish with a sprig of mint

How many parties do you attend during the holidays?! I know New Years is especially a big party night…how about adding a little more fun…AwoX has this amazing Wi-Fi StriimLIGHT that will add a special element of fun to your party!
Who is AwoX?
AwoX manufactures electronic modules for consumer electronics, and final products for leading service providers. AwoX connected devices enable operators to serve premium audio and video services in the home.
What is the StriimLIGHT?
AwoX StriimLIGHT mini Color is a small format Bluetooth-enabled speaker LED that fills your space with music and a rainbow of colors. Enjoy streaming wirelessly from your Bluetooth-equipped music player in seconds.
Easy to integrate with its small size and E14 socket – Plays audio right from your Bluetooth music players, including computers and numerous types of smartphones and tablets – Infrared remote control for light on/off, sound volume setup and mute – Bulb: LED, 110-240v, fits standard E26 or E14 socket
– Speaker: 3 Watts, 200Hz-20KHz
I was so excited to check this out! I set it up while everyone was at work & school and then waited till it was dark out…then I turned off all the lights and hit play on my iPad…the music is extremely clear, and the colored lights are super fun. All the boys want one for their rooms now..lol..it has 9 colors to choose from and a automatic “flash” mode where it cycles through the colors…You can control the volume from your device or the remote.
Here’s a short video of it in “action”
I love this light/speaker and can’t wait to show it off this holiday season! Then just maybe, I’ll share it with the boys…
WHERE TO BUY
Follow Them
Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The other day was my hubbies 35th birthday, and I had been promising to pull out my old Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes recipe, so I thought what better time than his b-day! Today I’m going to share this delicious and rich dessert with you!
Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes A delicious cupcake that takes just like your eating a banana cream pie!
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix ( I use Immaculate because its the closest to homemade) + ing on the back
1 Box Vanilla Pudding Mix
1 Box Nilla Waffers
1 Box Instant Banana Pudding Mix
1 1/2 c Cold Milk
1 Banana
Frosting
1 c Soft Butter
1 c Vegetable Shortening
2 lbs Confectioners Sugar
8 oz Whipped Cream
3 tbs Heavy Cream
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 tsp Banana Extract
Preheat oven to 350*. Line 2 muffin tins with 24 paper liners and spray with baking spray.
In large bowl prepare the cake mix according to the instructions. Stir in the box of vanilla pudding mix without the milk..mix until blended.
Place a single cookie in the bottom of each paper liner then pour batter into each filling each 2/3 full and bake for 20-25 min depending on your oven (check with toothpick at 18min)
Cool completely
Once cupcakes have cooled completely, core them using a sharp knife as to not mangle the cupcake. Be careful as to not cut completely through the bottom of the cupcake, the cookie should help with this.
Prepare your filling. In a medium bowl combine milk, banana cream pudding & sliced banana and stir to combine..you want your banana sliced then quartered so they are small bits. fill the cupcakes with the pudding.
Make your frosting. mix together butter, shortening, whipped cream, heavy cream, vanilla, & banana until blended. Next add in your confectioners sugar, and mix until smooth. Place in piping bag and pip generously over the top of the cupcake and pudding filling.
Keep refrigerated if not eating that day.
You can make this without the pudding filling and it still tastes like a banana cream pie, but its not as messy and easier for children to handle.
My Sparkling Life https://mysparklinglife.com/

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While in LA last week for the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales we also celebrated the 75th anniversary of Disney’s Bambi! As part of this celebration we were able to sit down and interview the voices behind young Bambi ( Donald “Donnie” Dunagan ) & young Thumper ( Peter Behn ) moderated by Disney Archivist Becky Cline!!
While Disney’s Bambi was based on the book Bambi, A Life in the Woods by author Felix Salten, it was altered slightly from the book version. The original novel, written for an adult audience, was considered too “grim” and “somber” for the young audience Disney was targeting, and with the work required to adapt the novel, Disney put production on hold while it worked on several other works. Bambi was originally supposed to come out after Snow White (and be the second animated film released) but came out 5 yrs later due to this process. Disney was also forced to slash 12 minutes from the film before final animation, to save costs on production.
The filming studio moved, WW2 happened, and there was even a strike during the process of filming!
Nowadays when a movie releases there are many interviews in both tv & print, but the film scene was quite different 75 years ago when Donnie Dunagan and Peter Behn recorded the voices of Bambi & Thumper. In fact, Donnie & Peter didn’t even meet untill about 10 years ago! Even Donnie’s wife didn’t know he was the voice of Bambi until she discovered a box of his mementos buried in the attic!
Peter’s father was a screenwriter, starting in the 20’s silent film era, & children’s book author. He met Walt sometime in the 30’s which helped Peter launch his career. Peter originally auditioned for the part of Bambi in Disney’s classic film but was told had the wrong voice for the part.
“My voice was right for the rabbit”
Peter never auditioned for Thumper, after his audition for Bambi they knew he had the right voice for Thumper.
When Peter grew up he built houses & worked in real estate.
Q: Did you see the Bambi after you filmed?
A: “No not for some time.”
Q: What was it like to work with Disney himself?
A: “I did meet him but not on a regular basis. But I remember the Disney zoo where they had little deer so animators could watch the anatomy and movement of the deer to draw.”
Q: What was it like to work on a big Disney film as a child?
A: “I remember going into the sound booth with a voice director to read my lines. I would mimic him. The thing I remember most is the recording equipment was in the booth with us and was fascinated. It was so mechanical.”
Q: What do you hope for Bambi’s Legacy?
A: “One of my strongest feelings about the movie is that Disney was so ahead of his time. I think the movie was so far ahead of it’s time to protect the environment. We have to do everything we can to keep the environment from getting worse. I think as time goes on that aspect of the movie will resonate and become more important.”
”We were dirt poor. And I mean, certified dirt poor in the South. And my mother would take me down to the corner about two blocks away where a wonderful man danced on the corner on Saturday. I’m standing there at 3 ½, four years old, people were there laughing about this wonderful man dancing on the corner for nickels and pennies. And I started imitating him. Then they decided to put me in a talent contest and I won the darn thing which was a miracle. I danced to ‘A Tisket a Tasket’ with a paper bag and a stick for a cane.” In the audience was a wonderful man who was a bona fide genuine talent scout in those days. About two weeks later we’re in Los Angeles.”
Donnie started filming Bambi when he was just 5 years old but his acting career began at the age of 3.
He was in 7 movies before the age of 5 1/2 yrs old.
When Donnie grew up he joined the Marine Corps.
Q: What was it like acting so much as a child?
A: “I was a little boy – sometimes I just wanted to be home riding my bike and playing with my puppy.”
Q: Did you see Bambi after you filmed?
A: “I saw it with Peter in theaters at the premiere.”
Q: What was it like seeing Walt Disney?
A: “When I first saw Mr. Disney I thought he’d get a broom and help clean up….he participated in things. Disney was successful bc he had such great leadership and participated in what was going on.”
Q: What did you do after Bambi?
A: ” I went into the US Marine Corps. when I got older. In 1977 I was a battalion commander. I saw that Disney was going to re-release Bambi and I was horrified that my base would find out. I could imagine all of my soldiers saying that their battalion commander was Bambi!”
Q: What do you hope for Bambi’s Legacy?
A: “If I live to be 1000 years old I couldn’t say it better than Peter did. The environmental profile is spoken to children in school now, and they pick up on that right away. I get one of these by children a month from all over the world.”
Photo by: Louise Manning Bishop from MOM START
During this day of celebration we were also able to chat with Paul Felix, a Disney animator who worked on Bambi and was inspired by the original Disney Animator Tyrus Wong.
Q: How has animation changed over the years?
A: “Animation starts with hand drawing, that hasn’t changed much. Things need to be much richer now. The drawings from Bambi to Moana are all the same principles.”
Q: How did you become interested in art?
A: “I drew a lot as a child & always thought my older brother was the artist in the family.”
Q: What are some of the projects you’ve worked on here at Disney?
A: “Mulan, Bolt, Big Hero 6, Inner Workings”
Q: What was your favorite film to work on?
A: Lilo & Stitch. It is more about heart and storytelling than the effects although Big Hero 6 was the first time we could technologically add things to the film & use light.
“Designing Bambi is deceptively tricky! I’m known for designing environments instead of characters. I looked at some of Mark Davis’ drawing of deer for research. My first drawings Bambi looked more like a fox. But everyone has their own unique take.”
Q: Why do you think Bambi is such a popular film?
A: “Bambi is a cycle of life. It shares the beauty, mystery, & reality of the world. It’s zen. What’s more primal than the connection with a mother? Films are an extension of us.”
Make a Portfolio. (life drawing is a good talent)
Don’t limit yourself to just drawing. Try colors.
Learn a sense of art history (eras, mediums, etc)
Bambi, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, joins the Collection on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on May 23, and on Blu-ray, DVD and On-Demand on June 6. The Collection release includes a variety of new bonus material, including recordings of Walt Disney discussing the challenges and triumphs during the production of Bambi; deleted scenes and characters; stories and effects that Bambi had on the studio, other films and artists; and much much more! Additionally, the Digital HD release includes an exclusive, heartfelt feature on the incredible artist, Tyus Wong, who inspired the film’s soft watercolor backgrounds and beautiful palette.
Brand New:
The Bambi Effect – “Bambi” was full of innovations for its time. Let’s take a look at how those past innovations affected future Disney animated titles all the way up to today
Studio Stories: “Bambi” – Recordings of Walt Disney. Listen in on intimate moments where he discussed the challenges, pitfalls and triumphs during the production of “Bambi.”
Deleted Scene: Bambi’s Ice And Snow – Bambi coaxes Thumper and his brothers and sister to come play on the ice during the first snow.
Bambi Fawn Facts – Think you know everything there is to know about Bambi and his forest companions? Well, it’s time to discover some fun real-life facts about the creatures that live in the forest he calls home.
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit: “Africa Before Dark” – Oswald Short
Celebrating Tyrus Wong (Digital Exclusive) – A Heartfelt look at the man who played a key role in the success of “Bambi.” Much like Mary Blair and Eyvind Earle, Tyrus Wong had a unique signature style all to his own. The Soft Water-colored backgrounds and beautiful palettes in “Bambi” were inspired by Tyrus’ concept art paintings.
Classic:
Deleted Scenes – Two Leaves, Bambi Stuck on a Reed, Winter Grass, Twitterpated
The Making of Bambi: A Prince is Born
Trick of the Trade (Excerpt)
Inside The Disney Archives
The Old Mill: Animated Short
Original Theatrical Trailer
The Golden Age
*Digital Bonus Offerings May Very by Retailer
Bambi will be released on Digital HD 5/23 and Blu-ray & DVD 6/6.
Follow Facebook | Disney Animation #Bambi
DISNEY MOVIE REWARDS BONUS: If you have Disney Movie Rewards and purchase Bambi you have the option to buy this special tank top featuring the Paul Felix art inspired by BAMBI here! Ends July 31!

To celebrate the upcoming centennial of NPS in 2016, the National Park Foundation (NPF) launched their Find Your Park campaign to encourage everyone to get up, get out there and #FindYourPark.
I encourage you to share your favorite park with your family and friends on social media with #FindYourPark and get more info at FindYourPark.com. There’s something for everyone!
99 Ways to Find Your Park for NPS’ 99th Birthday
National Park Service’s 99th Birthday also marks fee-free day so you and your family can visit any national park for free!