My Penguin Friend

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Review Wire Media for Roadside Attractions.

Only in Theaters August 16th, 2024

www.mypenguinfriend.com

When I saw the trailer for this months ago I knew I needed to see it. A great family film that most people will enjoy. My daughter's favorite animal is the Penguin so I know she will enjoy this as much if not more than myself. I am lucky to be able to work with this company and spread the word about a great film that will grab the hearts of many. 

I won't lie I cried a few times during this film. It is always amazing how much an animal can move your emotions. It is such a great movie, with great storytelling, and the best part it is based on a true story that I find both amazing and wonderful. My Penguin Friend is the best family movie I have seen this year. 

 

 About My Penguin Friend:

(International star Jean Reno) has turned away from the world in the wake of tragedy. But when he discovers a penguin drifting alone in the ocean, drenched in oil from a spill, his first instinct is to help. To his wife's (Oscar nominee Adriana Barraza) dismay, he rescues the sea creature and takes the flightless bird under his wing. For the first time in years, João starts to feel joy, even if he cannot fathom just how unbreakable a bond is being formed. When the penguin suddenly disappears back into the immense wilds of the ocean, João believes it is impossible that he will ever see his friend again. But thousands of miles away, the penguin is caught in misadventures, determined to use his unique GPS-like powers to find his way back to the place he now considers home. Based on an emotional true story that riveted the world and filmed on the spectacular coasts of Brazil and Argentina, My Penguin Friend is a tale that traverses the magic of the ocean, the beauty of nature, and the transformative power of love.

SHARKFEST Five-Book Giveaway!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here. 

Welcome to the SHARKFEST Five-Book Giveaway! 

Hosted by MarksvilleandMe

Co-hosted by Reviews by Dennis

This giveaway is part of our 2024 Back To School Gift Guide – Stop by to see all the giveaways and great products.

Below is a list of all the bloggers involved in the gift guide.

A Rain of Thought, Beautiful Touches, Contest Corner, Deliciously Savvy, Freebies Deals & Steals, Giveaway Gator, Golden Goose Giveaways, Home Jobs by Mom, Honey Can Do It, MarksvilleandMe, My Silly Little Gang, Pink Ninja Blog, Sweeps Madness, The Stuff of Success, This Frugal Grandmom, This Frugal Family, Versatileer

One winner will receive this 5 Book Collection from National Geographic Kids with an ARV of 65.95.

1,000 Facts About Sharks

Discover 1,000 sensational facts about these fierce and fascinating predators, from great whites to whale sharks, reef sharks, goblin sharks, and more! Each page of this book is brimming with bite-sized facts, incredible shark stats, and unbelievable photos of sharks in the wild. Inside, you’ll glimpse fossils of prehistoric sharks, learn exactly how many pointy teeth are in this apex predator’s mouth, and meet awesome shark relatives, like stingrays. With a fun-fact format that makes learning feel like a breeze, and expert-vetted, up-to-date shark info—plus backmatter about shark anatomy, genealogy, and more—this book is your go-to reference for shark enthusiasts young and old. 

5-Minute Shark Stories 

Dive into amazing true tales about baby sharks, surprising shark friendships, daring shark rescues, swimming with sharks, and more about these fierce and fascinating fish. These 12 fin-tastic true tales about sharks are all the ideal length to be read aloud in five minutes, making them perfect for bedtime, story time, or any time. Illustrated with colorful photographs of one of the planet’s top predators, these awe-inspiring true stories are perfect for a jaw-some reading adventure. Shark-crazy kids and other animal lovers will want to repeatedly dip into this collection of true stories!

 

The Ultimate Book of Sharks 

Get up close to learn the truth behind these fantastic, ferocious fish with famed National Geographic photographer and explorer Brian Skerry. Join this amazing underwater adventure to track the sharks of the world, from the teeniest dogfish to the ever-feared great white. This ultimate book features every species of shark on the planet, with awesome photos, fascinating facts, the latest science, and firsthand stories of real-life encounters with these incredible creatures. Learn how sharks live, how they eat, the challenges they face, and whether or not you are actually on the menu. 

 

Weird But True Sharks 

From bizarre creatures in the ocean today to gigantic prehistoric sharks and even some pop culture shark weirdness, this portable, browsable, supercool book is full of incredible facts, amazing photos, and fun illustrations about everything sharks. It’s the perfect book for shark superfans, trivia buffs, reluctant readers, and animal-loving kids of all kinds.

 

Sharks Sticker Activity Book 

Rule the ocean in this shark-tastic sticker and activity book from National Geographic Kids! This super engaging activity book is packed with mazes, spelling and pattern games, drawing activities, shark facts, and more. Shark-crazy kids are sure to love these pages loaded with fun, learning as they go!

 

 Open To US entrants and must be 18+ to enter

Giveaway Dates ~ 7/7 12:00 AM EST through 7/31 12:00 AM EST

MarksvilleandMe would like to wish all those who enter

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This giveaway/sweepstakes is not endorsed, affiliated, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, or any other Social Media Networking Site. This Giveaway is valid to continental United States residents only, Entrants must be 18+ years of age to enter. This giveaway event will end at 12:00 AM (EST) 7/31/24. The winner will have 48 hours to email their information back to marksvilleandme@gmail.com or a new winner will be drawn, you may want to put this email address as safe as it could go to spam. The giveaway is not valid where prohibited! By entering you are authorizing us to collect the information on the form below, this information is used only to contact the winner! No purchase is necessary, Void where prohibited by law, and the number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Winners are chosen randomly by the RaffleCopter Tools program. The sponsors are each responsible for shipping the above prizes. No blog associated with this contest is responsible for prize fulfillment. If you would like to be a sponsor in a giveaway like this please email Pamela Marks at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. If you take an entry you must stay following for the entire contest or you will be disqualified.

 

Water Wipes

 I first heard of Water Wipes when my grandson was born. It was the only one suggested as he had medical problems.  As a mom, I was skeptical but after having tried these wipes which are saturated with water and less than 1% fruit extract, I can attest to their quality. Not only gentle on the skin, but very strong, which means using less of the product for the job at hand. Water wipes have proved their worth to me. 

The size is big enough to do the job, gentle enough to use on your baby's bum, and can be used for the face and other body parts without worry. The packaging is easy to use and has a tab that closes well to keep the wipes moist and ready at a moment's notice. The scent is unscented which is great for those with scent intolerance. We have found our new go-to wipes for all our bodily needs and are spreading the news about how great they are. Other people said something about the price but realistically they are about the same price as what we were already buying. 

Water wipes can be found on Amazon here.

 Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

Our kitties favorite new toy.

 This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here. 

Recently I was sent a cat toy for our kitties to review and my kitties love it. It is considered a 4 in 1 toy as shown in the picture to the left. I love that you can use it with batteries or plug it in depending on how rambunctious your kitty is playing with it. If you have a cord chewer then I suggest using batteries only.

We have had ours for a while and they are still on the first butterfly. My kitties know the different sounds from their toys and as soon as they hear this one being moved they know they are in for a treat. If you want it so it doesn't rock around and you are using batteries you can remove the bottom half circle and just have it on your floor which would be great for smaller kittens. 

It comes with a USB cord for plugging in and a battery compartment for use with batteries. It comes with a cat nip ball to keep them returning for more which is hidden in the bottom of the unit. It has two balls that the kitties can bat at, a feather-like item that goes in and out of the holes like a peek-a-boo effect, and then a fluttering butterfly. They send you an extra butterfly if one breaks down. 

There are three settings, one just for the butterfly, one just for the peek-a-boo effect, and a setting that alternates between them. 

You can see my kitties playing with it below.

Currently, this is marked down to 11.49 which is a steal but the price is subject to change at any time. Click on the product below or the link here. 

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

One Question a Day for couples.

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here. 

 Our lives from the beginning were all about our children but now we are officially empty nesters. Even after almost 35 years together we still learn something new about each other almost daily. The journal, One Question a Day to Stay Close & Curious, A Couple's Journal for a Lifetime of Love by Gina Senarighi is a great book for new couples at any time during their relationship. Actually, this would be nice to do at the beginning of a marriage and then updated throughout the marriage to see how the responses might differ over time.

Our marriage has always been pretty strong but it took work. We have had our lows, highs, and tons of twists and turns over the years. We only had a short time of being a couple before children started coming along and even though we took time for date nights regularly we always found ourselves talking about our children. Not much has changed but not every living minute is about our children now.

Now we are filling in all of the little details and learning more about each other. For instance, when Easter came around I knew my husband always liked his big solid chocolate Easter Bunny which was always in his basket growing up and I know he loves pretty much anything Reese's but other than that he always got what our children got. I didn't really know his favorite candies. These are conversations we have now.

Yes, most of our lives are still taken up with our children and grandchildren but we are discovering new things about each other every day. This journal takes us to places where we might not have taken the time to talk or write about but now we have a space for them. There are many we have spoken to each other about but have never taken the time to actually write down in words that we could come back and read at a later time or leave for our children to read when we are gone.

 

For me being diagnosed with 3rd Stage Colon Cancer was a big eye-opener. My whole life had revolved around my family which is not a bad thing, but I really never took time for myself other than a bath while reading, and that was OK, but now that I have time there are things I want to still do in my lifetime and that includes staying close to my husband and leaving something behind for our children. Money, we don't have but knowledge that I can do.

If you are interested in this book check it out below.