http://www.viewpoints.com/aboutme/houdini16409 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:46:38 GMT Reviews by houdini16409 http://www.viewpoints.com/Good-Housekeeping-review-70a34 I found a link a few months ago for a free subscription to Good Housekeeping. I had read these magazines at doctor's offices and friends home, so I kind of knew what they were about already about.  I signed up for the free subscription, and have received the first couple of issues.  I would have to say I am quite satisfied. — The thing that I like about this magazine the most is that it is so well-rounded.  There is something for everyone in this magazine.  They have recipes, seasonal articles, health and home articles.  I even have found quite a few coupons in the magazine as well.  I am quite the thrifty shopper so I love the coupons. — The only thing that I do not like about this magazine is that there seems to be quite a bit of advertisements.  I think that there are more pages with advertisements than articles, but the information that they have is good.  The magazine also seems to be well organized, which is something that I... Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:46:38 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Good-Housekeeping-review-70a34 houdini16409 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Family-Fun-Magazine-review-c7090 I have received Family Fun magazine for a couple of years now and I would have to say this is one of the best magazines I have ever received.  I am a mother of two little girls, and I have found so many cool crafts and recipes from them, that I cannot wait for another issue to come.  I especially love this magazine around the holidays, because they have so many creative cooking ideas that light up the girl's faces. — Each subscription I have either received it as a gift, or found a free subscription of it over the internet.  But, if I had to pay for it, I would definately pay for it because I think it is worth every penny.  I get the little postcards in my magazines and the subscription is less than $12.  That is really cheap considering the amount of information I have gotten out of them. — The pages are quite colorful, and while there are advertisments, I do not think that there is more than the usual.  This magazine is geared towards... Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:37:56 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Family-Fun-Magazine-review-c7090 houdini16409 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Forgetting-Sarah-Marshall-review-da1c2 When I heard about Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I thought it would be hilarious. While it had a few funny parts, it just wasn't that great. I was happy that I saw the movie, but I would probably not purchase the DVD.  Let me tell you a little about the movie. — It is about a guy who breaks up with a girl after a long relationship.  He is having quite a hard time getting over her, and his friends recommend that he gets out of town on vacation to get his mind off of her.  What he doesn't know is that when he arrives at his vacation destination, his ex was vacationing there herself with her new significant other. — Everything that he does reminds him of his ex.  Wherever he goes to avoid her, she always ends up showing up.  The hotel he went to was all booked up, but the lady at the reception desk offers him a suite for free.  — If you are into love shows or comedies, this is a show you will want to see.  I didn't think it lived up to... Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:27:33 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Forgetting-Sarah-Marshall-review-da1c2 houdini16409 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/Hasbro-My-Little-Pony-Sing-and-Dance-Pinkie-Pie-review-107e8 My daughter loves My Little Pony and received this Singing Pinkie Pie this year for her birthday. She had seen it in stores for months and really wanted it but I never bought it for her because I thought it was kind of expensive. My mother bought it for her on her birthday and six months later she is still playing with it. —  Pinkie Pie runs on batteries and while she runs a long time on them, if she is used a lot, you will be replacing them often.  I think she is quite loud, which is not good when there is another baby in the home trying to sleep.  Other than those two issues, she is a fun educational toy. — Pinkie Pie is my daughter's new best friend.  They sing songs together, and even can have a conversation together.  She moves her head and shakes her tail.  I definately recommend her to any My Little Pony fan.  The retail price for this toy is $30, but you can find her on sale.  She is much bigger than traditional ponies as... Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:11:05 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Hasbro-My-Little-Pony-Sing-and-Dance-Pinkie-Pie-review-107e8 houdini16409 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/Petfinder--29223-review-81ae2 I stumbled upon Petfinder a little over a year ago and I was quite impressed. It is a great website that shows all the cute available animals for adoption around the United States. Not all of the facilities are on the website, but they are always adding more and expanding.  This is a great website to find an animal in need. — I really like the search function on Petfinder.  You can search by location, age of dog, and even breed of animal.  This is great if you are looking in a certain area, or even for a certain kind of animal.  It will give you the information on how to find out more about the animal, and then you can call to inquire more. —  The nice thing about this website is that they typically tell you quite a bit of information about the animals, as well as they have a lot of nice photos.  I highly reccommend that if you are in the market for an animal, you adopt and find your next pet at Petfinder.com. —... Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:04:10 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Petfinder--29223-review-81ae2 houdini16409 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Sony-Playstation-3-40-GB-Black-Console-review-fa472      My husband has had his Playstation 3 for a little over a year now and we have nothing bad to say about the system, besides the price ticket.  While it may seem a little steep for a video game console, you have to factor in the storage capabilities, and the fact that you can use your PS3 as a blu-ray player. —      The graphics on this system are incredible.  It is actually kind of scary to pop in a game in the PS3 and it feels like real life.  You will want to have the correct HDMI cables to get the better quality, but if you have a newer TV the graphics are awesome. —      The system itself is a little bulky, but I like the black shiny look to it.  My husband laughed at me because I could not figure out how to turn the system on for the first time, as there is no raised buttons on the PS3.  You just hold your finger on top of the ON switch for a couple of seconds, and the machine... Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:21:27 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Sony-Playstation-3-40-GB-Black-Console-review-fa472 houdini16409 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/The-Lion-King-1994-review-3fa81     I would have to say that the Lion King is by far my favorite Disney movie that was ever made.  It is so beautiful and colorful, and it is a movie that is definately fun for the whole family.  Let me tell you a little about the movie itself. —      Simba, who is just a little young cub, is quite a little devil.  He loves to play and get into a lot of trouble, and sometimes he just gets into things he shouldn't.  His uncle Scar, he upset at him because he wanted to be king, but Simba is next in line.  He has to find a way to get rid of his Dad before Simba is old enough to become King. —      When his father does die, Simba is greatly upset.  He goes off on his own in an incredible journey.  My favorite character in the Lion King is Ed, he is the one who is laughing all the time.  I just think he is so cute! —      The music in The lion King is... Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:11:04 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/The-Lion-King-1994-review-3fa81 houdini16409 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/magic-kingdom-orlando-FL-review-172d2    I have been to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida several times in my life and I have to admit I am a kid at heart.  I think that is why I like Magic Kingdom so much.  There are a lot of things to do with the little kids, but there is something there for the whole family.  I cannot wait till my children get a little older so I can take them there. —    While it is one of the bigger parks at Walt Disney World, Magic Kingdom can also be one of the most crowded.  There are so many popular attractions that families tend to flock to the Magic Kingdom and the lines can get somewhat long during peak times.  You will want to allow yourself plenty of time at the Magic Kingdom for this reason. —    My favorite attraction at Magic Kingdom would have to be Space Mountain.  Space Mountain is a roller coaster in the dark, and it is quite the thrill ride.  It might not be the ride you want to go on with younger... Sat, 02 Aug 2008 01:34:06 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/magic-kingdom-orlando-FL-review-172d2 houdini16409 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/nintendo-Disney-Friends-DS-review-988c2    I bought this game for my daughter because she loves anything Disney.  Disney Friends is a video game for the Nintendo DS handheld system, and it is very inexpensive.  I found it at my local Gamestop for $19.99.  That is one thing that I really like about the Nintendo DS games is that they are all usually inexpensive so it doesn't break the bank when you purchase a new one. —     The game itself is quite easy to learn.  My daughter, who is three and a half, loves this game and it took her little time to understand how to play the game.  If you have ever played a game like Nintendogs, this is quite similar.  You need to play with, entertain, and take care of your Disney friends.  The friends that you have to choose from are Stitch, Dory, Simba, and Pooh.  —     Tinkerbell has a store in which you can purchase food and toys for your friends.  You earn coins through your quest in which... Sat, 02 Aug 2008 01:09:08 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/nintendo-Disney-Friends-DS-review-988c2 houdini16409 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Motorola-Moto-Q-Smartphone-review-95174    I have had cellular service with Verizon Wireless for quite some time and every two years I get a free upgrade on my phone.  I have been doing a lot of research on phones and knew that when my upgrade came due that I was going to get the Moto Q, because of all the features it has.  My main reasoning for this phone is I wanted the email capabilities, and a QWERTY keyboard to make responding easier. —     The amount of things this phone can do is incredible.  I really like the navigation in the phone.  I can find the nearest bank, nearest McDonalds, whatever I am looking for.  Probably is not the safest thing to do while driving though, so you always want to remember to pull over if you are going to do that. —   I do have to say that my phone's battery needs to be charged frequently.  I use it quite a bit, so I am thinking of investing money for an extended battery.  This has to be one of the best Smart... Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:54:13 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Motorola-Moto-Q-Smartphone-review-95174 houdini16409 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Walt-Disney-World-Orlando-FL--24548-review-9aa43      If you are looking for the ultimate family vacation, Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida is the place to go.  I have been to Disneyworld several times in my life, and now that my children are getting older, I will return for many years to come.  It's like a whole new world when you go to Disney, and you just have to see it to believe it. —      Disneyworld has so much to see and do it's almost overwhelming.  No matter what you like to see and do, there is something for everyone in the family, kids of all ages.  I cannot wait for my children to be old enough so that I can bring them there. —     Disneyworld has four major theme parks on property and two water parks.  If that is not enough entertainment for you they have a whole area called Downtown Disney in which they have tons of unique shops and entertainment to please everyone.  WHile I have to admit it isn't cheap, this is one... Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:50:45 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Walt-Disney-World-Orlando-FL--24548-review-9aa43 houdini16409 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Sony-PS3-Gran-Turismo-5-Prologue-review-1ddc5     My husband and I are both huge fans of video games, especially any that involve racing cars.  We had played both Gran Turismo 3 and 4 before, so when we found out about Gran Turismo 5 demo disc becoming available, we knew that this would be something that we would have to purchase.  After briefly playing it the first night I knew I was hooked and I cannot wait till the full version becomes available. —    I must say that this is one of the longest demos I have ever played before.  There is quite a bit of things that you can do on this game and it has a lot of variety.  You can unlock over fifty cars just in the demo mode.  I love some of the tracks that you can race on.  The graphics in this game are unbelieveable, it actually feels like you are sitting in the seat of the vehicle you are racing. —     The music in this game are so-so, but I have never really found a catchy tune in any of the Gran... Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:46:25 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Sony-PS3-Gran-Turismo-5-Prologue-review-1ddc5 houdini16409 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Carnival-Games-Nintendo-Wii-for-Nintendo-Wii-review-96a93      When I found out about this game, I knew it would be something that I would enjoy playing so I had to buy it.  The thing I like most about this game is the variety of mini games or carnival games that you can play on it.  There is so many things that you can do in this game that it will keep you playing for quite some time. —     My favorite game to play on carnival games is the horse racing game.  You shoot the balls into the wholes and the higher the number is on the whole the farther that your horse will move.  Whoever finishes the race first wins.  I am not sure why I like this game so much, maybe it has something to do with I am really good at this game and I tend to beat everyone that I play with. —    The games are pretty easy to play once you get the hang of it.  It takes a little bit of coordination, but they show you how to play each game before you even start which is really... Sun, 29 Jun 2008 20:49:24 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Carnival-Games-Nintendo-Wii-for-Nintendo-Wii-review-96a93 houdini16409 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Finding-Nemo-review-6ec23      One of my daughter's favorite all-time movies is Finding Nemo.  He is so adorable that you cannot resist him.  Finding Nemo is a movie about a clownfish who gets losts, and you get to see his journey from start to finish.  It is such a cute film by Disney Pixar and it is the type of movie that the whole family can enjoy! —     My personal favorite character is Dory.  She is a lot of fun and she helps Nemo's father on his journey to find his son.  I think I like her because she has short term memory, and she seems kind of like a ditzy girl.  I think she is one of the main characters who makes the whole show. —      If you are wondering how the movie ends up, yes Nemo is found and it all ends well.  It is pretty typical just because of the nature of the film.  I personally think that this is one movie that you have to own on DVD if you have kids.  They will want to watch... Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:30:17 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Finding-Nemo-review-6ec23 houdini16409 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Girls-Next-Dorr-review-b6e83     A few month's ago I started to watch this show on MTV and I really got hooked on it right away.  This show features Holly, Bridget, and Kendra in their day to day lives at the Playboy mansion.  The three girls are Hugh Hefner's girlfriends, Holly being the main girl of the house.  When I first started to watch the show I thought the girl's were going to be ditzy and annoying, but I was quite impressed at how intelligent they actually are! —      Holly is the most down to earth out of all three of them.  I think the reason why this is, is because she is the oldest out of all three of them.  Bridget is the most like me, a girly girl.  Everything in her room is pink, and it seems like she is obsessed with it, like I am.  She has the cutest puppy ever, name Wednesday. —      Kendra is the tomboy sporty type.  She is very outgoing compared to the other girls, and I think that it... Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:23:59 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Girls-Next-Dorr-review-b6e83 houdini16409 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Shrek-2-review-c3174      This is by far my favorite Shrek movie out of all three in the series.  After the first Shrek movie came out to DVD, I bought it and fell in love with it.  It was so hilarious.  Right about that time was when my oldest daughter really got into watching cartoons and movies.  She instantly fell in love with Princess Fiona and we both got into watching the movie over and over. —      I personally like Shrek 2 better than the first one just because it introduces a new character, Puss in Boots.  He is by far my favorite character in the movie because his little innocent kitty eyes are so adoreable.  This movie is so funny that no matter how many times you watch it, it is still funny. —      This movies starts out where the first one left off.  That is another thing I like about the Shrek movies is that they never really leave any parts out in between movies.  I think that... Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:15:59 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Shrek-2-review-c3174 houdini16409 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Wii-Fit-review-9fc25 I heard about the Wii Fit game from my mother so I decided to make a trip over to see her and give the game a try. I never thought I would have liked it so much! I never thought you could bring exercising into video games to make it a lot of fun. I was so impressed that I spend the next two days hunting it down in stores so that I could get a copy of the game for my home. — Wii Fit has several different activities that you can do to achieve your weight goals. Since it said I am slightly overweight, I should focus on the Aerobics activities so that I can shed the pounds. My husband loves to play the hula hoop game and the rest of us think it's a riot watching him! There is one activity on this game which uses the Wii Balance Board as like a step for step aerobics, that is by far my favorite. — You get a lot of encouragement on Wii Fit. It really does give you the motivation to continue working out as the more you do, the more games and fun activities you unlock. I have... Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:44:36 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Wii-Fit-review-9fc25 houdini16409 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/LeapFrog-Fridge-Phonics-Magnetic-Letter-Set-review-8faf1      Since my oldest daughter is in the preschool age, I am always looking for toys that are educational, so she can have fun while she is still learning.  My sister has this same toy for her two kids, so I thought it looked really cool so I bought it.  I didn't know that my daughter was going to enjoy it that much! —     It doesn't take a lot of space on the fridge, and we do not use the little holder box on the fridge much because she already knows her letters.  Instead, when I am cooking dinner we spend some time with the letters on the fridge and spell out some words.  She absolutely has a blast with it! —     Sometimes people are discouraged because Leapfrog products can be expensive, but they are totally worth it.  You can usually find a lot of them at garage sales, which can save you a lot of money.  I just love them because they are colorful and so educational. —... Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:05:57 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/LeapFrog-Fridge-Phonics-Magnetic-Letter-Set-review-8faf1 houdini16409 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Target-review-bf3c3    We bought our first LCD television last year on Target.com right after Thanksgiving.  I like shopping at Target.com because they have a much better selection than in the stores.  They also have a lot of specials that you will not find in their store locations.  We got a great deal on the television, as well as they were offering free shipping on televisions at the time.  If you do your research and time it right, you will get a great deal. —      I love to do a lot of shopping online, especially at Target.com.  You can find a lot of deals and then you do not have to fight the crowds, expecially around the holiday season.  You can even shop in your pajamas if you want to!  Target.com is a great website in which it is easy to navigate.  —     Shipping is super fast.  We ordered our television over a weekend in the holiday season and we got it within 5 business days.  I was... Sat, 24 May 2008 21:20:55 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Target-review-bf3c3 houdini16409 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/HELIUM-review-e5b88      I found out about Helium about a year ago.  I found a few websites that enabled you to write articles and reviews and get paid for it.  Since I had not done a lot of writing since school, I thought it would be fun so I gave it a try.  I was impressed at how much fun I was having writing about various topics. —      Helium pays out based on the page views you receive on your work.  You can also rate articles, and that just means you like one article better than the other.  The higher you article ranks, the more it will be seen.  It's a really addicting website.  If you are looking to make some significant money online, this is not the place. —     You can participate in the writing contest they have weekly and make more money.  Unless you really know what you are doing though, they can be hard to make anything in just because there is so many writers on there.  But,... Mon, 19 May 2008 13:16:54 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/HELIUM-review-e5b88 houdini16409 4