Our Echo Adventure

When I got home from work the other day my phone started acting up showing these weird images and what looked like maps.  So I stepped out on the front porch to try getting better reception and that is when things really started to get weird...this little creature appeared on my screen and appeared to be trying to communicate with me.     I called out to my 5 year old twins to come out and take a look at this!

The images appearing on my phone seemed to be a map leading towards the neighborhood park down the street from our house.  The kids and I decided to take a stroll over to the park to check things out.  When we arrived the little creature popped back up on the screen and through a series of beeps, clicks and whistles urged us towards the park's playscape.

I encouraged my kids to go investigate.  They cautiously crept up the stairs to the playscape's upper level.  Then I heard a shout out from up top - hey Dad there's something up here!

We found two little creatures hiding in the playscape.  My daughter laughed out "those look like the alien from the movie Echo" and asked if they could take them home.  Yes, we can adopt them I replied.

My kids ran around the park showing their echos how earth children play.  They swung on the swings, slid down the slides, and chased each other in a game of tag.

Then we flew home for dinner where my kids shared with our new adopted family members their favorite meal - spaghetti & meatballs.

Thank you to Fox Home Entertainment for providing my kids with these great Echo plush toys.  Over the last few days these echos have watched my daughter's ballet practice, cheered on my son at his soccer game, enjoyed dinner at a restaurant, observed my carving a toothless Halloween pumpkin, and cuddled up on the couch with my kids to watch a few movies.  Speaking of movies, we received these toys as part of Fox Home Entertainment's promotion of the Blu-ray, DVD, Digital Download release of "Earth to Echo."

EARTH TO ECHO is a tale told through the eyes of Tuck, Munch and Alex, a trio of pals who make an out-of-this world discovery.  The best friends venture out of their neighborhood to find the true meaning of friendship.  After receiving signals on their phones, they meet Echo, a small but amazing energetic alien trying to make his way back to his home planet.  As they race to help their new friend, the boys will discover that little Echo has touched their hearts in unexpected ways and changed their lives forever.

If you would like to create your own echo adventure on your smart phone I downloaded a FREE  app off of iTunes.  Just open the app and point your phone's camera at the DVD's cover artwork and the special effects will automatically appear on your screen.  CLICK HERE to download the "Earth to Echo" augmented reality app.  Through a little creativity, acting and this app, I really was able to prank my kids and provide them with a special treat.

For more information about the movie, visit: www.callhimecho.com

DISCLAIMER:  A Geek Daddy Blog did not receive any financial compensation for this post but is a member of the Fox Home Entertainment Insiders Blogger program which provides this site with free movies for reviews and giveaways, and occasional other perks like these Earth to Echo toys, in exchange for promotional opportunities with our audience.

#adoptecho #echoinsiders 

WEEKEND GIVEAWAY: Earth to Echo Movie Prize Pack

Did you see EARTH TO ECHO, the family adventure movie of the summer, when it was in theaters?!  When a youthful trio of best friends stumble upon a mysterious creature hiding out in their neighborhood they become entangled in an epic journey that goes beyond their wildest imaginations.  This movie is a cross between the movies Goonies & E.T. from my youth tweeked and angled to connect with today's Millennial generation.  This PG rated motion picture was a perfect fit for those who have elementary school aged children and wanted to enjoy a family outing to the movie theater.

Missed it at the theaters or want to see it again?  Don't worry you can now enjoy it in the comfort of your own home as the DVD and Blu-ray are being released on October 21st, 2014 just in time for a Halloween treat for your family. To highlight the October 21st Blu-ray/DVD release of EARTH TO ECHO, our friends at FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT are providing one lucky A GEEK DADDY BLOG reader with a digital download/blu-ray/dvd movie prize pack.

 UPDATE:  Congratulations to David K. from Houston TX who won the Earth to Echo Prize Pack

To enter to win this prize pack:

ENTRY #1:  E-mail thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com your name and mailing address with the subject line EARTH TO ECHO.

ENTRY # 2:  For a second entry follow A GEEK DADDY BLOG on GOOGLE+  and include the account name you using to follow on Google+ in the above noted email.  Your Google+ account info must be included in your ENTRY #1 e-mail  for your second entry to count.

All valid entries will be assigned a number and one random entry will be chosen to receive the Earth to Echo prize pack. You must be a US or Canadian resident to enter over the age of 18.  For a chance to win submit your entries before Sunday, October 19, 2014 @ 11:59pm EST.   A random winner will be selected on Monday, October 20, 2014. A Geek Daddy Blog will be responsible for selecting the winner of this contest, but Fox Home Entertainment is responsible for providing the prize and its delivery to the winner.  By participating in this contest you waive any liability towards A Geek Daddy Blog or its publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion.  Only one entrant per mailing address per A GEEK DADDY BLOG giveaway.  If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.  P.O. Boxes are not allowed as mailing addresses for this contest.

 About Earth to Echo:

EARTH TO ECHO is a tale told through the eyes of Tuck, Munch and Alex, a trio of pals who make an out-of-this world discovery.  The best friends venture out of their neighborhood to find the true meaning of friendship.  After receiving signals on their phones, they meet Echo, a small but amazing energetic alien trying to make his way back to his home planet.  As they race to help their new friend, the boys will discover that little Echo has touched their hearts in unexpected ways and changed their lives forever.

To prepare you for this adventurous, exciting and heart warming film, the FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT INSIDERS - which A GEEK DADDY BLOG is proud to be a part of - have compiled a list of the best way to spend time with your friends outside and away from your cell phones!

1.  PICK UP GAMES: There is nothing like a sports pickup game with all your neighborhood friends.  Between sitting in class all day and coming home to do homework, a quick game, whether it is hockey, baseball, basketball, or soccer, will let you use up some of that energy you've been storing! This is also an awesome way to make new friends.

2. BIKE RIDES:  With your parents permission of course, take a cruise around the neighborhood with your friends!  Also, make sure you wear a helmet.  You can use your imagination and make fun adventures out of your journey!

3.  HIDE N SEEK:  A neighborhood game of HIDE N SEEK is the ultimate outside activity.  With permission from your parents, and of course, using the buddy system when it comes to hiding, Hide N Seek is sure to be an awesome time.

4.  BACKYARD CAMPOUT:  Ask your mom and dad to set up a backyard camp out for you and your friends! Start by setting up a tent and marking your territory with your sleeping bag! You can spend the night telling scary stories and eating S'mores!

5.  CHALK:  The most underrated outside activity has to be chalk!  It is so much fun to create fun pictures and even games with all your friends.  You can play hoscotch, or tic-tac-toe or use your imagination to draw wonderful pictures.

DISCLAIMER:  A Geek Daddy Blog did not receive any compensation beyond a review DVD for the blog and the prize that is being awarded to one of our readers for this contest as part of being a member of the FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT INSIDERS blogger program.  A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this contest as a benefit to our readers. 

 #EchoInsiders

A Summer Family Adventure Movie: EARTH TO ECHO

Looking for a summer movie that your whole family can enjoy together?  I'd suggest you take a look at going to see EARTH TO ECHO which starts it run at movie theaters on July 2nd.  This summer family adventure movie has a story that is a cross between the movies Goonies & E.T. from my youth tweeked and angled to connect with today's Millennial generation.  EARTH TO ECHO is rated PG and stars Teo Halm, Brian "Astro" Bradley, Reese Hartwig, and Ella Linnea Wahlestedt.

UPDATE (7/2/14): Congrats to Michael S. from California who won the prize pack!
WIN AN EARTH TO ECHO PRIZE PACK

To help generate a buzz for EARTH TO ECHO and it's July 2, 2014 theatrical release, we have one EARTH TO ECHO prize pack to provide to a lucky A GEEK DADDY blog reader.  The prize pack includes a $25 VISA gift card to help cover the cost of tickets for your family to go see EARTH TO ECHO, a BikeGlow safety light, and an Earth to Echo frisbee, fan & beach ball.

To enter to win this prize pack:

ENTRY #1:  E-mail thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com your name and mailing address with the subject line EARTH TO ECHO.

ENTRY # 2:  For a second entry follow @Geeky_Dad on Twitter and include your twitter account name in the above noted email.  Your twitter account info must be included in your ENTRY #1 e-mail  for your second entry to count.

All valid entries will be assigned a number and one random entry will be chosen to receive the Earth to Echo prize pack. You must be a US resident to enter over the age of 18.  For a chance to win submit your entries before Tuesday, July 1, 2014 @ 11:59pm EST.  I will select the random winner on Wednesday, July 3rd. A Geek Daddy Blog will be responsible for selecting the winner of this contest, but Big Honcho Media is responsible for providing the prize and its delivery to the winner.  By participating in this contest you waive any liability towards A Geek Daddy Blog or its publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion.  Only one entrant per mailing address per A GEEK DADDY BLOG giveaway.  If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.  P.O. Boxes are not allowed as mailing addresses for this contest.

Now that we've gotten the contest information and rules out of the way, here's a little bit more information about EARTH TO ECHO from the official movie synopsis:

Friendship is the greatest adventure of all.  Tuck, Munch, and Alex are a closely bonded trio of inseparable friends, but their time together is coming to an end.  Their neighborhood is being destroyed by a highway construction project that is forcing their families to move away.  But just two days before they must part ways, the boys find a cryptic signal has infected their phones.  Convinced something bigger is going on and looking for one final adventure together, they set off to trace the messages to their source and discover something beyond their wildest imaginations: hiding in the darkness is a mysterious being, stranded on Earth, and wanted by the government.  This launches the boys on an epic journey full of danger and wonder, one that will test the limits of their friendship and change all their lives forever.

For more information about the movie, visit: callhimecho.com

DISCLAIMER:  In addition to awarding a prize pack to the winner of this contest, Big Honcho Media also provided A GEEK DADDY Blog with a prize pack as part of the blog's participation in this promotion.