VELVET ICE CREAM GIVEAWAY

Ice cream is for sharing! That is why Velvet Ice Cream shared with this dad blogger some tasty recipes to make eating the desert extra special and is providing ageekdaddy.com with a prize pack to giveaway. The prize pack includes a Velvet scooper, candy sprinkles, a coupon for a FREE carton of ice cream that can be redeemed at your local grocery store and a t-shirt.

Velvet Ice Cream is a family-owned business that has been in operation since 1914 headquartered within a landmark 1817-build gristmill located at Utica, Ohio. In addition to serving as their corporate office, Ye Olde Mill is home to a historic themed ice cream parlor and restaurant that is a great spot to enjoy a sundae. You don't need to visit Ye Olde Mill though to enjoy the Velvet brand as its variety of ice cream flavors are available at select grocery stores in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana and Michigan.

I love ice cream! A simple scoop of vanilla will make me happy, but enhancing ice cream into bigger and better treats is even better! Here are a couple of Easter themed recipes to take your enjoyment of ice cream up a notch plus a giveaway to help one lucky winner make fantastic deserts like these a reality:

Velvet Strawberry Ice Cream Easter Egg Sandwiches

 Ingredients: 

• Velvet Strawberry Ice Cream 
• 3 cups all-purpose flour 
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
•  1 cup unsalted butter, softened 
• 1 cup sugar
•  1 egg, beaten 
• 1 tablespoon milk 
• Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough 

Directions:

• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 
• Place butter and sugar in a large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. 
• Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. 
• Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours. 
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
• Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. 
• Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges. 
• Take one cookie and place a ½ cup of Velvet Strawberry ice cream on it. Spread ice cream out to the edges of the cookie. 
• Take the second cookie and place on top. 
• Repeat process for as many sandwiches needed, then place in the freezer until ready to serve. 

Chocolate Easter Egg Bowls filled with Velvet Ice Cream

Ingredients:

•  1 cup melted chocolate 
• Velvet Ice Cream (of your choice) 

Directions:

• Brush the melted chocolate into an egg mold so that it coats the edges but leaves the middle hollow creating a bowl-like shape. 
• Once you have it fully coated the mold's edges place it into the fridge. The chocolate eggs will come out easily! *If you would like you can do two coats so the chocolate is thicker. 
• Once it's hardened in the fridge apply a second coat to the mold and harden. 
• Scoop the Velvet Ice Cream flavor of your choice into the hollow egg so that it acts like a bowl.
• Who wouldn't love a bowl made of chocolate that you can eat! Give me a chocolate spoon too!

Giveaway

For a chance to win the Velvet Ice Cream prize pack mentioned above simply complete the rafflecopter entries below before 11:59pm ET on Sunday April 12, 2020. The entries will have you check out the ageekdaddy.com social media outlets. No need to like or follow just stop by and take a look at this dad blogger's content on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Must be a resident of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky or West Virginia and over 18 years old to be eligible for this promotion. Sorry for the geographic limitations but are one lucky randomly selected winner needs to redeem their ice cream coupon included in the prize pack from a grocery store within Velvet's distribution area. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway CLICK HERE for more information about Velvet Ice Cream

DOLITTLE MOVIE

Thanks to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment for providing ageekdaddy.com with a free digital edition of the movie DOLITTLE

If you could speak with animals what would you do with your life? That is the premise of the movie DOLITTLE which has Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) turn in his superhero suit of armor for the unique ability to chat with wildlife. Based upon the Doctor Dolittle children's books by Hugh Lofton this movie directed by Stephen Gaghan is now available to add to your home entertainment video library via 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital.

DOLITTLE is filled with bright, vibrant characters and settings that provide the movie with a children's book ambience. A menagerie of animals are brought to life through computerized special effects and the voices of a stellar cast that includes John Cena (WWE Smackdown), Emma Thompson (Love Actually), Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody), Octavia Spencer (Fruitvale Station), Tom Holland (Spider-Man), Craig Robinson (The Office), and Selena Gomez (Hotel Transylvania). The fantastic imagery of this adventurous tale make DOLITTLE an appealing flick for a family movie night.

Robert Downey Jr.'s character, Doctor John Dolittle had a fabulous life full of grand adventures and fame. Then tragedy struck! The doctor of world renown withdrew into self-imposed exile. As the movie begins no one has seen Dolittle for years.

Dr. John Dolittle now lives in solitude behind the high walls of his lush manor in 19th-century England. His only companionship comes from an array of exotic animals that he speaks to on a daily basis. But when young Queen Victoria becomes gravely ill, the eccentric doctor and his furry friends embark on an epic journey to a mythical island to find the cure.



Will they solve the mystery around Queen Victoria's illness and save the day? You will have to watch the movie to find out! Though being the film equivalent of a children's book you know the movie has a happy ending. DOLITTE is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for action, rude humor, and brief language. While Robert Downey Jr. is a star, the stars of this movie are his animal companions who are sure to delight and entertain young audiences.

DOLITTLE is available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD from Best Buy. Purchases of the movie through affiliate links in this blog post provide ageekdaddy.com with a small commission at no additional expense to you. This dad blogger appreciates your support!


For more information about the film, go to uphe.com/movies/dolittle

CRAZY CART SHIFT

Thanks to RAZOR for sending ageekdaddy.com a CRAZY CART SHIFT to try out.

My son has been pretty bummed out about not being able to play with his friends because of the social distancing requirements put in place combating the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. His spirits really brightened up though when this CRAZY CART SHIFT battery powered go kart was delivered to our doorstep courtesy of RAZOR. These go karts are specifically designed to spin and swerve around to give riders between the ages of 6 and 14 years old a thrill. Once it arrived he couldn't wait to take the CRAZY CART SHIFT out for a spin.

I've been taking my son and daughter over to a nearby elementary school to ride their RAZOR electric scooters that Santa brought them for Christmas and play around with this new CRAZY CART SHIFT we just received. The teachers' parking lot is in a secluded spot behind the building making for a nice place to have fun while staying away from other people during the school coronavirus shutdown. My kids have so much fun they want to go out there everyday whether it is sunny or cloudy outside.

Controlling the go-kart with a combination of steering wheel motions while accelerating and decelerating allows riders to drift which creates a variety of exciting skidding action. The CRAZY CART SHIFT utilizes a simplified drift system which automatically engages allowing riders to keep both hands on the wheel while focusing on steering and throttle control, just like professional drivers racing around a track!

Kids can turn a parking lot into their very own skid pad like the hot rods drift on at Roadkill Nights. Just with a little bit less horsepower. CRAZY CART SHIFT has a maximum speed of 8 mph and is recommended for ages 6 and up. So you don't need a driver's license to take a CRAZY CART SHIFT for a ride. Though the skills learned driving this go-kart could lead to a kid one day being one of the pro drivers who took this dad blogger for a spin at Dodge's Roadkill Nights event that takes place around the annual Woodward Dream Cruise here in Michigan.



A speed control switch hidden under the seat allows parents to select the appropriate maximum speed for a rider: 2.5 mph for young drivers or 8 mph for the full CRAZY CART SHIFT experience. Tweens like my son and daughter can have a blast at the regular setting while it is recommended riders between the age of 6 and 8 stick with the slower speed being locked in with the control switch.

Because the switch is hidden parents don't even need to tell kids their CRAZY CART SHIFT can go faster until they are ready. Because you know any child that realizes their go kart has a faster speed setting is going to constantly beg you to up the speed. Note the 8 mph speed setting is default so if you want to start off with the young driver mode that needs to be manually done when you first take the CRAZY CART SHIFT out of its box. Because my kids are older and have some experience riding Razor electric scooters they just took off from the get go in fast mode.

The CRAZY CART SHIFT is powered by Razor’s patented Power Core™ hub motor technology – a maintenance-free drivetrain system that is both powerful and efficient. Plus it has a durable frame constructed of a new high-impact polymer which makes the go kart both sturdy and lightweight. Your family will get a lot of use out of this toy without having to worry about maintenance and repairs. Plus it has a durable frame constructed of a new high-impact polymer which makes the go kart both sturdy and lightweight.

I was impressed that there is no assembly required when it comes to the CRAZY CART SHIFT. Pulled it out of the box, charged the battery and it was ready to go! For a first use the battery needs to be charged a full 12 hours. After that it takes a couple of hours to get a recharge. You just plug it into a regular wall outlet to power up. In regular mode the CRAZY CART SHIFT will give you 40 minutes of uninterrupted fun per charge and 80 minutes in little kid mode.

Because of the joy CRAZY CART SHIFT has brought to my family as well as that we've had a problem free experience this RAZOR toy absolutely gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval. It provides an easy to use thrilling experience that is sure to delight any kid. With my children out of school due to the pandemic I haven't wanted them sitting around the house playing video games and watching television all day. Problem solved with the CRAZY CART SHIFT! They've been wanting to go outside everyday to play with this Razor toy.



Can't get to an amusement park? Bring a thrill ride home to you with a CRAZY CART SHIFT from RAZOR. For more information go to razor.com

FROZEN 2 FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT

Quarantined with youngsters during the pandemic? Break up the monotony of staying around the house with an extra special family movie night. Just because you can't leave home doesn't mean your family can't make some magical memories spending time together. Putting a little extra effort into planning some activities, snacks and decorations that tie-in to the theme of the movie you will be watching can really make an otherwise ordinary night at home stand out.

Frozen 2 is now available to stream on Disney+ or to add to your home entertainment video collection via Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital. When it comes to the worries of today's troubled times let it go by enjoying a Frozen 2 themed night of family fun.

DECORATIONS

Add some whimsical ambience to your place by ordering some Frozen themed decorations from WHOLESALEPARTYSUPPLIES.COM that can be delivered right to your doorstep. Cardboard cutouts of Elsa, Anna, Olaf and Sven making it seem as if the characters have stopped by to spend an evening with you. Pick up some Frozen costumes to have shipped to you from WHOLESALEHALLOWEENCOSTUMES.COM, which is open all year long, to get into character during your family movie night. Take some pics of your kiddos in costumes in front of a ice castle cutout or get a Frozen photo booth kit with props to goof around with.

Or if you are handy create some diy decorations to sparkle up your home to look like a scene from one of the Frozen movies. If you have some creativity and craft supplies why not make your own decorations to help make your movie watching experience standout. Click here for tips to make your own birch tree forest backdrop for a Frozen 2 family movie night courtesy of my friends over at the Wholesale Party Supplies blog.

ACTIVITIES

Enjoy these activity sheets courtesy of Walt Disney Studios that include bookmarks, coloring pages, puzzles and mazes:



Another fun activity is having a snow ball fight in your living room. Ball up some white socks to creates some faux snow missiles or you can purchase some plush snowballs from different retailers like Oriental Trading Company  that has ones with wacky faces printed on them.

Playing tabletop games is also a nice way to spend some family time together. Dodge falling boulders and escape the Earth Giant's anger with the Spin Master Frozen II Rumbling Rock board game. Or play a more traditional game like the Frozen 2 edition of Monopoly.

SNACKS

Of course you need to have the go to movie snack, popcorn, to munch on. Better Made Old Fashioned Movie Theater Butter Popcorn is great for a family movie night. One of my family's favorite snack food brands! Hand out some melted snow to drink along with your snacks.

Rice Krispies Treats shaped like snow flakes are another tasty treat to add a Frozen atmosphere to your family movie night. Rock Candy is another delicious thing to snack on that can compliment your theme with a look that resembles icy crystals. It is also candy you can make yourself at home. Click here for some instructions on making your own rock candy.

Take a pair of donuts and turn them into Elsa’s snowman, Olaf, with the help of this free Olaf printable.

FROZEN 2

Elsa the Snow Queen has an extraordinary gift -- the power to create ice and snow. But no matter how happy she is to be surrounded by the people of Arendelle, Elsa finds herself strangely unsettled. After hearing a mysterious voice call out to her, Frozen 2 tells the tale of how Elsa travels to the enchanted forests and dark seas beyond her kingdom -- an adventure that soon turns into a journey of self-discovery.

Frozen 2 is available from Best Buy on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. They also have an exclusive SteelBook edition available that includes the movie on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link in this post a geek daddy will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. This dad blogger appreciates your support!

PANDEMIC DANCE PARTY GIVEAWAY

Cooped up in the house with kids? Break up the monotony with a kindie rock dance party! Kindie rock melds themes that are relatable to children under 10 but played in musical styles that adults can appreciate. Have some family fun rocking out the pandemic by showing off your best dance moves and singing along to three of America's most popular kindie rock artists. This music is great because it is both entertaining and educational!

Alastair Moock, José-Luis Orozco, and Danny Weinkauf have donated a copy of their newest albums to ageekdaddy.com to help spread some cheer to a family during these troubled times. One randomly selected winner will receive the albums Be a Pain: An Album for Young (and Old) Leaders, Muévete! Songs for a Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body, and Dinosaurs & Metaphors. The winner can choose to receive either compact discs or digital downloads of the albums from this dad blogger. This prize pack has a $30 value.

Alastair Moock: Be a Pain: An Album for Young (and Old) Leaders

To honor the power of youth to make positive change, Grammy-nominated Boston songwriter Alastair Moock will release a rootsy and inclusive album. Be a Pain is a rallying cry for young (and old) leaders in these turbulent times. It looks to the heroes of our past (Dr. King, Harvey Milk, Billie Jean King, Pete Seeger, Cesar Chavez, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X) and our present (Malala Yousafzai, the Parkland student protestors, climate change marchers) to inspire our kids to move the ball forward. Guests include Sol y Canto, Reggie Harris and Rani Arbo.

Tune into Facebook Live for free performances by Alastair Mock during the pandemic school shutdown.

José-Luis Orozco: Muévete! Songs for a Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body

This album of 18 bilingual tracks (9 in English, 9 in Spanish) promotes fitness for children ages 1 to 7. It is the perfect complement to Orozco's Grammy-nominated Smithsonian Folkways album, ¡Come Bien! Eat Right!, which promotes good eating habits and offers a complete picture of healthy living for young children.

Danny Weinkauf: Dinosaurs & Metaphors

Grammy Award-winning artist and longtime bassist for They Might Be Giants Danny Weinkauf is back with his 5th album for children and families, Dinosaurs and Metaphors. The album takes listeners through the day with plenty of imagination, humor and clever wordplay. I just have to say I am a huge fan of They Might Be Giants and it has been a pleasure to carryover that connection with Danny Weinkauf to his kindie rock music that I've been able to enjoy with my children as they've grown up.



Themes of the 15 original songs in Dinosaurs and Metaphors run the gamut of everyday life, from the joy of a lazy Saturday morning to a celebration of Monday. Kids who are enduring a haircut or the hiccups or even bugs on the toilet will find comedic relief here, and they’ll laugh along at the offbeat language lessons of “Your Love Is a Metaphor” or the idea of “Dinosaurs on Roller skates.” The album finishes with a raucous and affirmative rock anthem, “Superstar.”

For a chance to win this three album prize pack just complete the Rafflecopter entries below before 11:59pm ET on April 19, 2020. Must be a United States resident over 18 years old to participate in this promotion. One winner will be randomly selected from all eligible entries. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

HEALTHY KIDS VIRTUAL RUNNING SERIES

I've partnered with the Healthy Kids Running Series to get my kids outside and exercising during the pandemic shutdown of schools. Beginning April 17, 2020 each week my kids are going to be participating in a virtual race while still maintaining social distancing. Join us in lacing up our sneakers for this VIRTUAL RUNNING SPRING 2020 program.

A virtual race is an event that can be run (or walked) from any location you choose.  Instead of doing the run as a big group though everyone does their route separately and shares how they did online. Kids can run, jog or walk on the grass, on the sidewalk, along a trail, on a treadmill or around a track.

Participants run a designated distance based upon their age each week, at their own pace, then Mom or Dad report the time! Parents upload their kids time after each race into the program's online Results Page. My son and daughter will be running a mile as 5th graders.

Preschoolers run a 50 or 5 yard dash. Kindergarten and First Grade do 1/4 mile. 2nd & 3rd graders run 1/2 mile. 4th Grade and up do a full mile.

This virtual running program lasts for 5 weeks starting April 17. Pick a distance (50 Yard Dash, 75 Yard Dash, 1/4 Mile Run, 1/2 Mile Run, or 1 Mile Run) and run it each week. See how times improve each week. Kids should strive to reach a personal record each week! Practice is encouraged throughout the week but their should only be one official designated effort that is timed for their weekly submission. The Healthy Kids Virtual Running Series is for children from preschool through 8th Grade.

Once the shelter in place orders have been restricted there will be local awards ceremonies where participants receive a t-shirt and finishers medal. Registration is $35 for the virtual running series. Go to healthykidsrunningseries.org to enroll.

When parents head over to the website to sign up they will be asked to enter their zip code. Then a listing of nearby awards ceremony locations will be displayed. Make sure there is one near you so your kids can get their swag.

If you want to know the distances for sure they will also be marked at the location you've registered to participate through so your family can go there to do the activities. Just make sure to maintain social distancing if other people are there while you are. So kids can run around their neighborhood, at a community green space or go to the officially designated event spot near you to participate whenever your family has the time during each week to do the event. Here is where our local event spot is:

Share your running photos while doing events with the Healthy Kids Running virtual community! On Facebook mention  @HealthyKidsRunning​ or @healthykidsrs​ on Instagram using hashtags #GetUpandGo + #HealthyKidsVirtual

The Healthy Kids Running Series is normally held as outdoor group events with participants running together at a designated time and place.  More than 60,000 youth runners in more than 300 communities across the United States have participated in local Healthy Kids Running Series events. 2020's Spring running series though will need to consist of virtual events now and group awards ceremonies later due to the pandemic.  This program engages communities and families by providing an inclusive youth running experience, inspiring kids to believe in themselves and lead active healthy lifestyles. Making lemonade out of sour lemons they are still promoting that  goal though in a different format.

Join a geek daddy in having your kids join in this virtual running series for youth. Sign up before April 17 so you are starting off with everyone else. Get out, keep active, go for a run! Parents head over to healthykidsrunningseries.org for more information and to get the kids in your family signed up.

IMPRACTICAL JOKERS MOVIE

Thanks to Warner Bros Home Entertainment for providing this dad blogger with a complimentary digital copy of IMPRACTICAL JOKERS: THE MOVIE

Looking for some April 1 foolishness? Then you'll be glad to hear that the pranksters of the Impractical Jokers are bringing their gags into homes on April Fools Day with the early release of their movie on digital. No joking!

Only five weeks after its successful theatrical debut, IMPRACTICAL JOKERS: THE MOVIE is now available to view via digital platforms including Apple TV, FandangoNow, Movies Anywhere and Vudu. The film is an extension of the wildly successful Impractical Jokers series by truTV. It has a suggested retail price of $19.99 for the Digital edition ($24.99 in Canada) and is rated PG-13.



IMPRACTICAL JOKERS: THE MOVIE stars James “Murr” Murray, Brian “Q” Quinn, Joe Gatto, and Sal Vulvano, also known as the comedy troupe The Tenderloins, playing themselves in a fictional story of a humiliating high school mishap from the early nineties. Featuring appearances from Paula Abdul, Jaden Smith, and Joey Fatone, the movie combines the fictional narrative with real life footage of over-the-top punishments and callbacks to classic moments from the television series. Once the Impractical Jokers hit the road, they compete in hidden camera challenges for the chance to turn back the clock and find redemption.

Who is ready for a roadtrip with the Impractical Jokers?! During this time when everyone could use a smile and benefit from some time laughing this movie is a great break from reality. My wife and I are big fans of the TV show and are looking forward to watching the movie this weekend.

For more information about the Impractical Jokers go to thetenderloins.com