Star Wars BluRay/DVD Deals & Star Wars: Rebels Trailer

Since Star Wars Day was on Sunday (May 4th), I wasn't surprised to learn that Amazon's Movie Deals of the Week all had a Star Wars connection. My daughter loves the Star Wars movies and the LEGO Star Wars episodes. My husband is also a big fan of the Family Guy Star Wars episodes, although those aren't kid-friendly.

When we watched the LEGO Star Wars: The New Yoda Chronicles episode on Sunday, we were excited to see the trailer for Star Wars Rebels which is coming to Disney XD this fall.

Disclaimer: I am compensated for sales through Amazon and iTunes links. I appreciate your support of my blog by shopping through my links. Please verify price before purchases. Prices can and do change frequently.

Amazon is offering up to 47% off either of the Star Wars Trilogies on BluRay and DVD Combo Pack (Episodes IV-VI or Episodes I-III). We have the six-pack of movies, but these are a great choice if you only need one set or the other. Both are currently priced at $31.99.

My daughter loves the LEGO Star Wars episodes. Amazon is currently offering Star Wars Lego Complete Bundle a 3 pack bundle of:

• LEGO Star Wars: The Padawan Menace BluRay/DVD Combo Pack
• LEGO Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out on DVD
• LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles on DVD

The three-pack is being offered for $23.98. Only Padawan Menace was released on BluRay which is why the other two episodes are only available on DVD. The set is also available as LEGO Star Wars, The Complete Brick Saga So Far with a $19.99 season pass from iTunes that includes the new Yoda Chronicles episode that aired on Disney Channel XD on Saturday. Individual episodes are available at the same link for $2.99.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Series aired 5 seasons on Cartoon Network and a sixth season was recently released on Netflix. Amazon is offering deals on each of the first five seasons, on your choice of BluRay or DVD.

For an older audience, they are also offering the Family Guy Star Wars Episodes. My husband enjoys them, but we don't let our 8 year old watch them as the humor is more adult oriented.

Star Wars Book Recommendations & Star Wars Reads Day

Since yesterday was Star Wars Day (May the 4th Be With You!) and my daughter loves both reading and Star Wars, I wanted to share some of her favorite Star Wars themed books.

Additionally, it is time to mark your calendar for Star Wars Reads Day which happens each October. The 2014 event will be October 11, 2014. We have loved our experiences at our local Star Wars Reads Day.

Disclaimer: I am an Amazon Associate and am compensated for sales through Amazon links. I appreciate your support of my blog by shopping through my links.

This morning I met my daughter with news of Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus the sixth book in the Origami Yoda series which will be released in August. Unfortunately it is the last book in the series. My daughter absolutely loves the Origami Yoda series of books and is constantly reading them. I am very glad that we purchased them instead of ordering them from the library. The first four books (The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, Darth Paper Strikes Back, The Secret of the Fortune Wookie, and The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet) are available in the Origami Yoda Files: Boxed Set. The fifth book, Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue is available individually. There is also Art2-D2's Guide to Folding and Doodling: An Origami Yoda Activity Book an activity book.

Jeffrey Brown's books which portray Vader as a father to a young Luke and Leia have also been a huge hit in this house. Several friends have gone out and purchased their own copies of Darth Vader and Son and Vader's Little Princess. The next book in the series, Goodnight Darth Vader, will be released in July. She has also enjoyed his Star Wars: Jedi Academy book and is excited for the sequel Star Wars: Jedi Academy #2 which also comes out in July.

Star Wars Party: Princess Leia Pizza Roll Buns

When I think of Star Wars food perhaps the most iconic image is Princess Leia's "cinnamon roll" hair buns. I definitely wanted to incorporate them into the menu for my daughter's Star Wars birthday party. However, since we were already having birthday cake and brownies, I needed a lunch option. Instead of a sweet cinnamon roll, we decided to make pizza roll hair buns.

I kept the recipe simple by using a refrigerated Pillsbury Pizza Crust and jarred pizza sauce.

I started by spreading the crust out on a cookie sheet.

I then added sauce and my toppings. When adding the sauce leave 1/4-1/2" sauce-free section at one of the narrow ends to allow you to secure the end of the roll. For our toppings, we chose onions, peppers, and diced pepperoni. You can add whatever toppings you prefer. Diced toppings do work better than strips or large chunks.

Add your cheese and then start at the narrow end and roll your pizza up. Wrap the roll in plastic wrap and place in the freezer.

When you are ready to bake them, preheat the oven to 375F. If the rolls are frozen solid, allow them to warm up for 10-15 minutes before trying to cut them. Slice them in 1/2" thick sections and place on a non-stick mat (I used a Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat) or parchment paper. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the dough is golden and the cheese is melted.

The pictures above are from the test round that I made. For her actual birthday party, we made 4 varieties:

• Cheese
• Cheese & Pepperoni
• Cheese, Pepperoni, Onions, & Peppers
• BBQ Chicken (using BBQ sauce instead of tomato sauce) with onions and peppers

I was really happy with how they turned out. They were a nice way to incorporate the idea of Princess Leia's hair buns into an entree. Beyond the party, my daughter loved them, so I think we will make pizza rolls again even for a non-Star Wars theme party.

Star Wars Light Saber Cake

My daughter wanted a Star Wars birthday party. Even though she likes brownies and not cake, she always wants a decorated cake as well as her brownies. So, I am usually perfectly content to buy a store bought cake since I know that I'll be making her brownies anyway. When we browsed the cakes at our local stores, the Star Wars themed cakes were mostly The Clone Wars themed which she was ver clear that she did not want.

One idea that I had was an R2-D2 cake. My mom had made my brother one in the early 80s. You start with a 13x9 cake and round the corners of one short end to make the dome and use those for feet at the bottom. Frost in white icing and add decorations (mostly blue), to match R2-D2

However, when I searched Pinterest, I found Light Saber Cakes. I was intrigued. Even better, I could combine my daughter's requested brownies into the cake as the handles for the lightsabers.

To start, I baked a 13x9 sheet cake and a 9x9 brownies. I used a box cake mix for the cake and my homemade brownie recipe. When making your brownies, make sure you use a recipe that is sized for a 9x9 pan. I used my 13x9 recipe and it did not bake well in the 9x9 pan. Next time, I would either use a box mix for a 9x9 pan or make a 13x9 pan and not use all of the brownies in the light sabers.

Once your cake and brownies are baked, allow them to cool completely. Select your light saber colors (my daughter chose red, blue, and green). I asked about a purple for Mace Windu, but she wanted the red, blue, and green.

Slide your 13x9 cake into 3 strips that are 13" long and approximately 3" wide each. These will be the blades of your light sabers. Slice the brownies into 3 strips that are 3" wide and 9" long. These will be the hilts of the lightsabers.

You will need to find a long board to hold your cakes (each light saber is ~22" long). I have a panel scrap from our family room built in that is the perfect length. I cover it in wax paper and two layers of foil. You could also use sturdy cardboard as your base.

Prepare your icing. I used homemade buttercream icing following the Domino Sugar recipe (made a batch and a half). However, any white based icing including store-bought would work. I split my icing into 3 equal amounts (light saber blades) and two smaller amounts (black and white). To dye my icing, I purchased the Wilton gel colors in red, green, and black. I used standard food coloring for the blue. The gel coloring will allow you to obtain more vibrant colors without using so much food coloring that you alter the taste and consistency of your icing. (Tip: Use the black very sparingly.)

Frost each cake section (tip: Freeze the cake sections for up to 30 minutes to reduce crumbling of the cut edges as you ice them). I find it easiest to frost one side and the top before placing them in position on the board. For the two that have a non-cut edge, I find it easiest for this to be the last side to frost as it does not crumble as much.

Place the brownies on the board. Use a small amount of icing under the brownie to anchor them in place. When I looked at my daughter's light sabers I noticed they all had different designs on the hilt, so I used a variety of Xs, stripes, etc in black. I also used a little bit of white at the base and to form the button.

Finally, I added "Happy 8th Birthday" in icing writing on the board below the light sabers. Trust me, this is why you want your brownies anchored...I didn't anchor them with icing and they slid into my writing as soon as I moved the cake. Fortunately I moved it right away and still had icing to redo the writing.

The cake was a big hit! The kids who prefer cake got cake, those who preferred brownies got brownies. With 13 kids and some parents, the cake was almost completely gone. It is a good thing that I had both the cake and brownie. Having the cake width already cut in thirds, it was very easy to cut the cake at the party.

LEGO Star Wars Deals - Jabba the Hutt fans - Plus ships!

This morning my husband was browsing Amazon's LEGO selection and found several great deals on LEGO Star Wars Sets. My daughter (and my husband) love both LEGO and Star Wars so he is always keeping his eye out for discounts. He was saying that Toys R Us is offering a 20% discount in store, but that isn't always a great deal because their regular price is higher than the standard list price on many sets. Amazon's list prices typically match the LEGO catalog price and it is rare to see a list price lower than the catalog.

Disclaimer: I am an Amazon Associate and am compensated for sales through Amazon links. I appreciate your support of my blog by shopping through my links. Amazon prices can and do change frequently, so be sure to verify the prices before purchase.

One set my husband and daughter have been eyeing up is Jabba's Palace which retails for $119.99. Amazon has it marked down to $89.81. That is a great discount for LEGO.

 
Two other Jabba the Hutt themed LEGOs are also on big discounts to go along with it. Rancor Pit 75005 is $45.60 marked down from $59.99.

Jabbas Sail Barge is avialable for $95.99 marked down from $119.99. Not as big of a discount but still a decent discount.

 

My husband is also considering the  Tie Fighter  which is $40.97 down from $59.99. He has previously bought her the X-Wing Starfighter  which is $43.70 down from $59.99.

Happy LEGO Star Wars Shopping!

Amazon offers FREE Super Saver Shipping on purchase over $35 (they raised the minimum on FREE Super Saver Shipping to $35 from $25). Fortunately we are Amazon Prime members, so this has a minimal impact on our family. Personally, I love having Amazon Prime. I find that I no longer overbuy in an effort to meet the minimum of Super Saver Shipping. I also was unable to take advantage of many of the Lightning Deals since they did not hit the shipping minimum. We also use the streaming video several times a month. They have a great selection of PBS and Nickelodeon shows for the young kids including Dinosaur Train, Dora the Explorer, Wonder Pets, and many more. You can try Amazon Prime with a 30 day free trial. After that it is $79/year. An affordable way to try Amazon Prime shipping for the holidays is through Amazon Mom. Amazon Mom subscribers receive a 3 month free trial of Amazon Prime, 20% off diaper and wipe Subscribe and Save orders, and 20% off a total of 5 family essential Subscribe & Save orders. Note with the 3 month Amazon Mom trial, you will only receive the Prime Shipping benefits and not the video streaming or free books through the Kindle Owners Lending Library. After your 3 month trial, you can purchase Amazon Prime for $79/year and have full access to all of the Amazon Prime benefits.

Star Wars Reads Day

My daughter is a HUGE Star Wars fan. She could spend hours pouring over Star Wars Books - mostly the encyclopedias but also loves Darth Vader and Son and  Every book she has checked out from the school library this year has been a Star Wars Book. She is also planning to dress as Princess Leia for Halloween.

The Second Annual Star Wars Reads Day is next weekend, Saturday, October 5. We have several participating locations in our area, including our Barnes & Noble which is a premier event with author events. Last year, my daughter and I attended the festivities at our library since it seemed to have more events for children.

Select events around the country (and outside the US as well) can be found in a PDF on the Star Wars Reads website. However, locations can host events without registering, so not all locations will be listed. My library is not on the official list, yet is hosting an event. I suggest checking with your local library or bookstore (especially Barnes and Noble or Books-a-Million).

Check out this video promoting Star Wars Reads Day:




If you can't attend, there are activities (B&W version)  that you can print out on the Star Wars Reads Day website that you can do at home.

Ad:

LEGO Star Wars Yoda Chronicles Episode 2 Airs Tonight

The second episode of LEGO Star Wars Yoda Chronicles, Menace of the Sith, will air on Cartoon Network at 8/7c. If you missed the first episode (The Phantom Clone), it will air prior to Menace of the Sit at 7:30p. Don't forget to set your DVRs.

Here is the promo clip for Menace of the Sith:


My daughter loves LEGO Star Wars, so we will definitely be tuning in. She has loved the two DVDs: The Padawan Menace and Empire Strikes OUt. The special features on the Padawan Menace are definitely worth watching.

This summer she really got into LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga on the Wii.


Ad:

Walt Disney World: Jedi Training Academy

If your child is a Star Wars lover and you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World, you should plan to check out the Jedi Training Academy. Your child (ages 4-12) will receive Jedi training and have a chance to fight a Sith Lord on stage, typically Darth Vader. Best of all, participation is FREE with your admission to Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Darth Vader & Darth Maul arrive

Jedi Training Academy is held on the stage to the left of the Star Tours entrance. There are several sessions through the day. The event is popular, and signup close to park opening is typically required for even the evening shows. Children return 30 minutes before their scheduled show time. They are entertained with Star Wars trivia questions and are given their robes. My daughter answered the second or third question and then stopped raising her hand. At one point there was a question that no one had answered correctly, but that I was pretty sure my daughter knew the answer to. I asked why she wasn't raising her hand and she said she wanted to give the other kids a chance to answer. I finally convinced her that she could raiser her hand if no one else was, or people had the answer wrong.

When it is time for the show, the children are then escorted by staff members to the training stage. I recommend one adult waiting with the child(ren) and the rest of the party obtaining a good viewing/photographing location.

Jedi Trainees are Guided into Position

If your child wishes to participate, I recommend arriving at Disney's Hollywood Studios at park opening and heading straight to the signup location outside the ABC Sound Stage. One parent and the participating children need to be at the signup slot, but do not need to have their park ticket so another adult can take the tickets and secure Toy Story Midway Mania Fast Passes. I was a little worried about being able to secure a slot for my daughter since we were there Easter week which is one of the parks busiest times. Fortunately Disney had responded with an increased frequency of shows (they were almost continuous at mid-day) and increased capacity with both Darth Vader and Darth Maul fighting so they had almost double the number of slots. They filled the Jedi Training Academy shows mostly in order, however they were willing to work with those who had lunch reservations and could not make a certain show time.

The show starts with Jedi teaching the children some basic light saber moves and then they each have a chance to fight. My daughter was originally lined up to fight Darth Maul in front of the stage, but during training they moved her up to the main stage to fight Darth Vader. Below is the video I took of my daughter fighting Darth Vader using my iPhone.

I loved her enthusiasm in attacking Vader and how the Jedi responds:


In case you are wondering, no they don't get to keep their robes or their lightsabers. Lightsabers are available for purchase in the nearby Tattoine Traders store, with the option to create a customized lightsaber. Each child does receive a certificate at the end. Disney PhotoPass photographers also make sure to capture each child, and will provide you with a special card for the photos from that show.

Newly Trained Jedi Celebrate

Even if your child does not want to participate, I recommend watching at least part of the show. This was the first trip that my daughter (age 7) wanted to participate. However, in the past she has has always wanted to watch the show. She is already asking to do Jedi Training Academy again on our next trip.

LEGO Star Wars X-Wing in Times Square

My daughter loves both Star Wars and LEGO, so I know she will love the pictures of the Life Size LEGO X-Wing that was revealed in Times Square today.

The Pre-Reveal Box looks like a LEGO Box
from LEGO Facebook Page

The LEGO X-Wing is the largest LEGO model ever built and has over 5 million bricks and took 32 designers 17,000 hours to put it together.

The X-Wing and Crowds in Times Square
from LEGO Facebook Page

The reveal is part of the promotion for the new Yoda Chronicles television series which premiers on Cartoon Network on Wednesday, May 29 at 8p/7c.

I love that they have a female X-Wing Pilot
from LEGO Facebook Page

LEGO has an album of 41 pictures on their Facebook page.

Gizmodo has a great article about the X-Wing including up-close shots that were taken before the reveal. It also reveals that the model will be in New York for 3 days before it is disassembled and transported to LEGOLAND California for the remainder of the year.

Can't make it to see the life-sized X-Wing? You can own your own smaller version. While you are waiting for the Yoda Chronicles series, check out the LEGO Star Wars movies - my daughter loves them.

Disclaimer: I am an Amazon Associate and am compensated for sales through Amazon links. I appreciate your support of my blog by shopping through my links.

LEGO Star Wars Event at Toys R Us

Saturday is May 4, which Star Wars Fans celebrate as "May the Fourth Be With You". Toys R Us stores are holding a LEGO Star Wars event in honor of the day.

From noon-2p on Saturday, May 4 kids can visit Toys R Us and build an exclusive mini-version of Jek-14's Steath Starfighter which will be featured on The Yoda Chronicles which will be airing on The Cartoon Network beginning on May 29 at 8p.

We will definitely be tuning in for the new series. We are hoping to fit the Toys R Us building event into our weekend plans. If you are planning to attend, I recommend arriving early as supplies may be limited.


In the meantime, you can check out the first episode of LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles on You Tube:
Part 1:
 
Part 2:
 
Disclaimer: Verify that your local Toys R Us store is participating. Information above was taken from the Toys R Us website.  

LEGO Iron Man 3 Movie Poster

I love how LEGO and Marvel have started cross-promoting their movies. My daughter loves both LEGO and Marvel, so she loves the combination of them.

 

The official movie boilerplate:

Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man? 

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce & Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968. 

“Iron Man 3” is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures and DMG Entertainment. Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige is producing and Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Charles Newirth, Victoria Alonso, Stephen Broussard, Alan Fine, Stan Lee and Dan Mintz are executive producers. The film releases May 3, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Now, if they only make LEGO Marvel movies like the LEGO Star Wars episodes. She loves them. By the way, over the weekend we discovered the Star Wars in 2 Minutes (part 1 & 2) which are extras on the Padawan Menace BluRay. Part 1 covers the original trilogy and Part 2 covers the prequel trilogy.


Disclaimer: Images and movie boilerplate provided by Walt Disney Studios. I have not been compensated for sharing this post. I am an Amazon Associate and am compensated for sales through Amazon links. I appreciate your support of my blog by shopping through my links. 

LEGO Star Wars: Empire Strikes Out on DVD

Two favorite subjects in our house are LEGO and Star Wars, so the combination is a huge hit. My daughter is currently obsessed with reading the LEGO Star Wars Character Encyclopedia and she enjoys playing Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Wii.

A couple of months ago my husband spotted Star Wars Lego: The Empire Strikes Out a 30 minute special airing on the Cartoon Network. It had started a few minutes prior and he started recording it. I have searched the guide for the episode on television a number of times and have not found another airing. My daughter loves this episode and has watched it numerous times but is restricted to our bedroom where he recorded the episode.

LEGO Star Wars: Empire Strikes Out follows LEGO Star Wars: The Padawan Menace. Padawan Menace is set during the prequel trilogy. Yoda takes Jedi younglings on a field trip with the help of R2-D2 and C3-PO. Empire Strikes Out focuses on the original trilogy storyline, but with quite a bit of humorous and story-telling license- Luke is chased by fans as a celebrity for blowing up the Death Star and Darth Maul rivals Darth Vader for the Emperor's attention. My daughter loves the humor of Empire Strikes Out. The video run-time is 22 minutes for both Padawan Menace and The Empire Strikes Out. I do wish the episodes were a bit longer.

We already have LEGO Star Wars: The Padawan Menace (with young Han-Solo mini-figure). I have looked for Empire Strikes Out on DVD a few times and it was not yet available. However, this week, I discovered that a release date of March 26, 2013 for Star Wars Lego: The Empire Strikes Out on DVD on has been announced. The episode is not available on BluRay. The list price for the DVD is $14.98, but Amazon is currently offering the DVD for $7.48. The DVD also comes with a LEGO mini-figure (it appears to be Darth Vader). A March 26 release date would make this a great option for an Easter basket.

Other LEGO movies/television available on DVD or BluRay include:

• LEGO Batman: The Movie Dc Superheroes Unite (May 21, 2013 release) - 71 minutes
• LEGO: The Adventures of Clutch Powers - 82 minutes
• LEGO Hero Factory: Savage Planet - 45 minutes
• LEGO Hero Factory: Rise of the Rookies - 88 minutes
• LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu - Season 1
• LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu Season Two - March 5, 2013 release date

Disclaimer: I am an Amazon Associate and am compensated for sales through Amazon links. I appreciate your support of my blog by shopping through my links.

Star Wars Crafts

Build a Droid

This weekend my daughter and I attended Star Wars Reads Day at our local library. During the event they had lots of Star Wars books out for reading and a number of crafts. Many of these activities would be great activities for a Star Wars Birthday Party.

My daughter's favorite activity was "Build a Droid". Kids had the opportunity to use scrap materials to make a droid. She used a toilet paper roll covered with a purple silk ribbon to form the base of her robot. We used scrap cardboard and caps to make feet. The head was created with an upside down condiment cup with more purple ribbons making hair. After adding the hair, she declared her creation to be R2-D2's girlfriend.

This would be a great craft for a Star Wars birthday party. Other materials that they had on hand included egg cartons, cardboard shoe inserts, double sided foam stickers, etc. Our town has a store called The Scrap Box that collects unused/scrap materials from manufacturers and businesses. They offer birthday parties, field trips, and also sell their materials for projects.

Many of the printables that they used at the event can be found in the PDF that is provided on the Star Wars Reads website in both Color and Black & White. The PDF also includes some options for food.

The library also had paper crafts based on the Star Wars LEGO figures. My daughter really enjoyed "putting them together". Except it was me doing the painstaking cutting, slicing for slots, and doing the actual assembly. These would be a better activity for an older audience (4th grade & up maybe) who could actually do the cutting and folding. I could not find the exact craft that we did, but the Star Wars website has quite a few templates that can be printed to create LEGO paper figures and ships.