Monsters University is a Pixar movie that tells the story of how Mike and Sulley (from Monsters, Inc) first met and became friends. Without divulging too much for those who have not yet seen the movie, I will tell you they do not like each other when they first meet; it’s facing trials together that results in their lifelong friendship.
A great story with a positive message.
Kathryn saw it over the summer with a bunch of friends at a dine-in movie place, and had raved about it. The rest of us hadn’t seen it until we had opportunity to review it on DVD. There aren’t any truly scary parts of the movie: just funny-looking animated monsters roaring and a somewhat creepy dragon-like dean of the university. (If Kathryn hadn’t seen it previously, I’d have previewed it before allowing the little kids to watch.) Although I think much of the plot was over the heads of my youngest two, we all enjoyed – and laughed throughout – Monsters University.
I’m the biggest critic in the house when it comes to movies. When I feel like I could be doing something more worthwhile than sitting and watching a movie, my attention span suddenly shrinks to that of a fruit fly. But this one passed muster. It’s refreshing to have a movie with a positive message like the one in Monsters University. {The Pixar movie UP is one of my favorites ever, and quite possibly the best picture of marriage I’ve ever seen in a movie, animated or not.}
Although things in the movie don’t work out exactly as Sully and Mike had hoped, it is teamwork that brings them together and cements their relationship as lifelong friends. Scout and Jem (age 6 and 4) joined our family via foster-adoption; we’ve talked about how we are working as a team to keep on getting better and better at “being a new family,” because it hasn’t been easy for any of us — but we’ve hung in there the past 7 months and we all doing pretty doggone well!
An example of how things are going now: The other day at dinner, 4-year-old Jem told Ken, “I smile because you are our dad.” {And then I melted.}
Get your own copy of Monsters University!
Monsters University will be out on Digital HD (October 8) and as a Blu-ray Combo Pack (October 29)! You can pre-order your copy today!
BlogHer will be giving away a $50 Visa Gift Card and a Monsters University Blu-ray Combo Pack to one of my readers. To enter, leave a comment answering this question:
“How have you believed in yourself and achieved your Dream?”
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by BlogHer. I was compensated for my time, and received a copy of the DVD for my personal use. All opinions are my own. See disclosure page.
Rules:
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You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
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b) Tweet about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: #SweepstakesEntry; leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion, including disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post; leave URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 10/3/13 – 11/3/13.
Be sure to visit the Monsters University Page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!
Thanks for participating; contest has ended so comments are now closed.
I’m a big fan of authentic conversation and always appreciate hearing what you have to say. Thanks for reading.
75 responses to “Monsters University: Hooray for Teamwork!”
My dream was to be a stay at home mom. 2 years ago we moved our family to Mexico, because, among other reasons, it made it financially possible for me to stay home. It’s an adventurous and challenging way of life and I have to continually believe in myself to overcome its obstacles.
I took my girls to see Monsters University the night before I left for Ethiopia. In case anything bad happend while I was gone, I wanted their last memory of me doing something fun with them. We laughed until our bellies hurt during some of the scenes.
Great giveaway!
Haven’t achieved my dream yet, but I stay positive and don’t let others influence me in a negative way.
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
tweet – https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/385869576204189696
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
I achieved my dream of being a stay-at-home mom and homeschooler. I overcame a ton of negativity and discouragement, and six years later I’m still plugging away at it!
https://twitter.com/leigh_owens/status/385877497638055936
clowens9144 at yahoo dot com
Having faith that things will work out in the end is what helps me strive to achieve my dreams.
tweet–https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/385913769089441792
I believed in myself and achieved my dream to attain my MBA, when I was working full time. It took a lot of time management and organization, but I knew I could reach this goal, and I did.
tweet
https://twitter.com/Kellydpa/status/385918190657601538
I believed in myself and achieved my dream when I graduated from college working full time and caring for my baby at the same time. Being optimistic and working hard really helped me
https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/385936090307108865
I went to college and got a degree in computer science.
I wasn’t sure I would be able to go to business school and hold down a job, but I was able to do it and graduate!
I have achieved many dreams in my lifetime and am pursuing even more. I hope to someday live in a warm spot near the ocean and walk the beach every day.
Tweet
https://twitter.com/clc408/status/386254460155998208
I struggled to believe in myself prior to having children, as odd as it sounds becoming a Mother gave me a new found confidence. I try to be the best version of myself possible so that I can be a role model to my children.
Tweeted
https://twitter.com/mummytotwoboys1/status/386298130222022656
I started writing in a serious way when I turned 50 and have successfully warded off those demons that say “it’s too late to start something new”. Dreams truly do stay alive inside our hearts and with God’s help to fan the flame, we can pursue them.
What a cool giveaway…My dream is ongoing….we’ve decided to homeschool our kids and even though it has had its difficult moments, it is so worthwhile and so fulfilling for me. When kids are grown up and gone, it’ll be time for teaching other kids or maybe even university students.
Tweet
https://twitter.com/poolerworld/status/386328089413681152
I achieved my dream of being a stay-at-home mom! My husband went to school while working full-time to switch careers. Then we moved to a different state and I was able to quit my job and stay home with our daughter. I love it! It meant so much to me to have my mom home when I was growing up, and I wanted the same for my daughter. So now we have it!
I achieved my dream by believing in myself and having the confidence to complete what I set out to do.
https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/386639505806983168
By surrounding myself with positivity and positive people who believe in me.
onefrugalgirl AT gmail DOT com
Tweet: https://twitter.com/OneFrugalGirl/status/387209107855265793
onefrugalgirl AT gmail DOT com
I haven’t reached it yet but believing in myself helps me know I will get there
I believe in myself because I know I am loved and I achieve my dream by expecting the hard way ahead and taking one bite at a time.
-https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/388504016520753152
I believe I can succeed and I put my heart into everything I do. Set a goal and take action for my dream.
https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/389487155963117568
I believed in myself and my hubby when we had twins and I had to quit my job. I knew we could manage and I would be able to be a SAHM, and three years later here we are doing okay. 🙂
I worked really hard and put myself out there. I continue to do this each and every day.
Well, so far, I have graduated college, gotten married, and have had two kids. This has been my dream since I was a little girl!
I always wanted to be a mommy. It was a hard, long struggle but my perserverance paid off. My daughter is smart and beautiful…I’m so proud of her!
I always wanted to be a teacher. Two weeks before I graduated high school life through me a curve and I was diagnosed with Lupus. I wasn’t able to go to college then or later, but as a wife and mom (a dream I didn’t even know I had until it happened) I have fulfilled that dream. I “teach”, though it may be life lessons, without a degree.
zuzu.wilson(at)yahoo(dot)com
Tweet: https://twitter.com/Zuzuz_Petalz/status/392242544639090688
zuzu.wilson(at)yahoo(dot)com
Tweet: https://twitter.com/Zuzuz_Petalz/status/392244352388325376
zuzu.wilson(at)yahoo(dot)com
I believe in my self and achieve my dreams by having positive self talk, and reflecting on all of the things I have been able to accomplish in the past.
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 at gmail dot com
tweet–https://twitter.com/WildOrchid985/status/392312516891516928
Knowing that I had to pay for my graduate degree (and undergraduate), I worked as many as 3 jobs while going to school full time. It was hard, but it was worth it! Thanks kmassman gmail
by hard work and dreaming big
https://twitter.com/purplelover04/status/391674460031315968
I achieved my dreams by setting goals and working hard.
https://twitter.com/BWallace1980/status/393465838168076289
Tweet BWallace1980@hotmail.com
One of my most recent achieved dreams was to have a VBAC for baby #8. After 6 vaginal births our 7th child was born with spina bifida. Literally, his spinal cord was sticking out of his back. Because of the severity of his opening we had to do a C-section to protect his spinal cord from further damage. So when I got pregnant with baby # 8 I did all I could to prepare my body for a VBAC – which we achieved 3 months ago!
Our family has made tremendous financial sacrifices for me to be a stay at home mom to our son. My husband is a teacher and I gave up my job so it’s always a challenge but I can’t imagine raising our son any other way. Everyday, I endure the scorn and negative comments from other mothers who wonder “what do you do all day?” and I just take it in stride and smile knowing that my son is happy, secure, confident, and loved.
I had some weight to lose and with the power of prayer, positive thinking and believing in myself I was able to achieve my goal!
tweeted: https://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/394450565985759232
My dream is to see zero children waiting in foster care for their forever families.
It’s not a dream for just one person. It will take many of us working and praying together to make it happen.
Right now we are fostering now and sharing our foster/adoption story with others. I just completed training to equip, support, and teach prospective foster/adoptive families in our area and hope to be an encouragement to them. I pray daily for these precious children who are stuck in the system and try to spread the word about the need for foster/adoptive families…but no waiting children in foster care is not just a dream for one person.
It will take many of us working and praying together to make it happen!
by believing inn God and never giving up
I became a mom at for the first time at 18 and though I had lost out on my dream of becoming a nurse. It took years but with lots of dedication I finally was able to graduate from nursing school.
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com
I Tweeted: https://twitter.com/lisalmg/status/396806447368896512
I’ve discovered that my dreams have changed as my life has progressed. My goals I had were replaced with more tangible achievements. I still have some goals on my list, but they aren’t going to be difficult to achieve with a little dedication.
Tweet – https://twitter.com/willitara/status/396884846124871680
thru sheer determination and hard work…student loans and the support of my husband!
I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/MsTofuFairy/status/396975770876526592
No matter what the obstacles and there are many, I believe in myself and have picked myself up and keep striving for my dreams
tweet https://twitter.com/hburmeister/status/396993929088106496
I believe in myself and achieve my dreams by understanding that what I have to contribute is of value and by surrounding myself with positive thoughts and, better yet, positive, supportive friends. I also write out inspirational quotes each week and place them around the house as a reminder that I can reach my goals. 🙂
tweeted https://twitter.com/DeeGee13/status/397085100468232192
i have achieved my dreams through hard work and determination
i posted a tweet:
https://twitter.com/bellows22/status/397094516534280192
My parents who believed in me and encouraged me to follow my dreams
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
tweet https://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/397113655827116032
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
My parents taught me to believe in my self and I worked hard to achieve my dream.
https://twitter.com/thomasmurphy40/status/397116924825329664
25 years ago I didn’t think I could sing, but I took singing lessons, joined two choirs and have been singing ever since.
Thanks for the contest.
I try not to give up and to fight for what I want!
https://twitter.com/aes529/status/397149909318508545
https://twitter.com/slehan/status/397150181977628672
when i was a single mom my dream was to be able to finish college which i did with determination and support from family pryfamily5@gmail.com
i tweeted https://twitter.com/pryfamily5/status/397135394317533184 pryfamily5@gmail.com
Ambition and confidence always helps
https://twitter.com/electricstar/status/397215601707741184