Our Netflix Stream Team Family, Shelfies and More

Over the 2 years ChiIL Mama has been blogging with Netflix' Streamteam, they've become like family to us. And like family they've given us the heads up on cool shows to check out, and even sent us fun surprises in the mail.

Disclosure: ChiIL Mama is a proud member of the Netflix Stream Team. We've been compensated for sharing monthly posts with our readers.  As always, all opinions are our own. ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama next month, for more Netflix fun in Chi, IL and beyond!

They really went above and beyond recently when they sent us a treasure chest of sweet dragons swag from Dragons Race To The Edge which got stolen off our urban front porch while we were at a press event and Minions Movie advance screening! Even though all the goodies had been allocated and sent, and the promotion was over, when they heard what happened, they managed to scare up another set for us! Thanks a zillion Stream Team. You rock!

 

(This is one seriously soft blanket for snuggling up and watching Netflix and it's been in demand. The kids and I have ALL been vying for the cool lunch box, and we shared the creatively named dragon themed treats!)

My kids may be out of elementary school but they're not too old to love Dragons Race To The Edge. Heck, I'm not too old to love Dragons Race To The Edge. I may work long and quirky hours, but one of the perks of freelancing from home is I can stop and watch Netflix with my kids! 

Sure, Netflix is a brand, but behind the company are real people with real families. And I for one can say my family is really glad we have Netflix. Now that my 12 & 14 year olds are in honors and AP programs in junior high and high school this fall, the lazy summer days of TV on the weekdays are over. Thankfully every 5 days brings a weekend and a much needed chance to relax, unwind and binge watch our favorite episodes and movies, on OUR schedule! 






Speaking of binge watching...

Our Stream Team Theme for the month is "Shelfies"

No, that's not a typo. Wondering what a shelfie is? We all have them – they’re the shows you’ve been wanting to watch but they’ve been sitting on the virtual shelf because… well, because you’re a parent and who has the time?

While you spent last year running the mom taxi, feeding, cleaning, teaching, scheduling, reminding and loving all those under your care, you probably missed episodes – if not full seasons – of some great shows. Did Olivia kick Fitz to the curb on Scandal? Who’s rocking the break room on Grey’s Anatomy? Just how long is Rick’s beard now on The Walking Dead? With full-blown fall premiere season upon us, now’s the time to hustle the kids off to school or bed, dust off your shelfies and get caught up!

Need some shelfie suggestions? Check out the great library of fall shows you can stream this month on Netflix. Here are ChiIL Mama's favs and a few top picks from Netflixs to get you started.

Thanks to my Streamteam family for sending these fun Orange is the new Black candles my way too. These votives set a great mood for cuddling up on the couch on a chill fall night and binge watching. And it's so much fun to get unexpected packages in the mail!

What We're Watching:
Some of these, like Orange is the new Black, have been on my shelfies list for years! I'm very excited to catch up on seasons 1-3, now that the kids are back in school.

Tweens and teens are such a fun age. They still like to watch cartoons with me (I'm a big push over for animation with decent plot lines) like Phineas and Ferb and Dragons Race to The Edge. And my kids are old enough to watch Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Daredevil, Doctor Who, and Sherlock with me too.

We've also been enjoying Project MC2 which I likely never would have discovered without a tween STEM girl in the house and the heads up from my Streamteam family. Check it out! We'll have more Project MC2 experiments, an unboxing and a great giveaway this month, so check back with ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often!

Top Pixs From Netflix:

Which shows are on your Netflix shelfie list? 

Disclosure: ChiIL Mama is a proud member of the Netflix Stream Team. We've been compensated for sharing monthly posts with our readers.  As always, all opinions are our own. ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama next month, for more Netflix fun in Chi, IL and beyond!

Can't Talk... Binge Watching The New Netflix series, Dragons: Race to the Edge #StreamTeam #NetflixKids #Sponsored

From the creators of 
How to Train Your Dragon 
comes an all-new Netflix 
original series 

that takes Hiccup and Toothless 
to the edge of adventure!

Here at ChiIL Mama, we've loved the How to Train Your Dragon series from the first movies, episodes and live touring production. We adore the feisty Viking kids and Hiccup and Toothless in particular. Their peace loving, friendship fostering ways have changed their village and enraptured a generation of littles and parents alike.

This month our Netflix Stream Team Theme is: To The Edge and Beyond

Disclosure: ChiIL Mama is a proud member of the Netflix Stream Team. We've been compensated for sharing monthly posts with our readers.  As always, all opinions are our own. ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama next month, for more Netflix fun in Chi, IL and beyond!

Here at ChiIL Mama we know that parenting, whether they're tots, tweens, or teens, is the ultimate adventure. While some adventures take you abroad, like our 3 generation vacations to Sweden to check out the runes and remains of real Viking culture, others take place at home, like watching a TV show or movie and enjoying a fantastical world together. 

We adore Hiccup & Toothless so we're super excited for more of their epic adventures with this all new Netflix series, Dragons: Race to the Edge.



Now that my kids are 12 & 14 I treasure our Netflix times together even more, because we get to hang out on the couch together, laugh, and relax. Tweens and teens aren't as willing to cuddle as toddlers, but still need that relaxing family time. When they aren't eye rolling or having a flurking snit about something, they still enjoy watching old and new animated series favs like Dragons: Race to the Edge. They're also old enough that we can enjoy PG13 action flicks and comedies as a family now, too, but I'm glad they're still little kids at heart, 'cause I haven't outgrown Hiccup and Toothless, and it's more fun to watch together than alone. 

This summer, Hiccup and Toothless, from the critically acclaimed How to Train Your Dragon films are embarking on unparalleled adventures in the all-new Netflix original series Dragons: Race to the Edge - and inviting you along for the dragon ride.

Soaring beyond their home on the island of Berk in search of new dragons, Dragons: Race to the Edge introduces some of the most exciting dragons yet, each with its own amazing abilities -- shock waves, cannon balls and fire blasts, just to name a few.

With the magical Dragon Eye, an artifact Hiccup finds aboard an abandoned ship, Hiccup learns there is more outside the confines of Berk, and that a little curiosity and determination can make every day an exciting journey. In Hiccup’s own words, “this changes everything.”

Click here for ChiIL Mama's Netflix Stream Team Post from last month, where we first talk Dragons: Race to the Edge and share Dreamworks TV related crafty fun.

Check out the fun family favs below from our friends at Netflixs.

▪ Penguins of Madagascar: The Movie (7/15) ▪ H2O: Mermaid Adventures: Season 2 (7/15) ▪ Marvel's Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.: Season 2 (7/28) ▪ Turbo FAST (new episodes 7/31)

▪ Sofia the First: S1E12, Two to Tangu ▪ Bo on the Go: S1E11, Bo and the Dragon Queen ▪ The Adventures of Puss in Boots: S1E6, Fountains

▪ How to Train Your Dragon 2 ▪ National Treasure ▪ Planet Earth

Disclosure: Once again, ChiIL Mama is a proud member of the Netflix Stream Team. We've been compensated for sharing monthly posts with our readers.  As always, all opinions are our own. ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama next month, for more Netflix fun in Chi, IL and beyond!

Netflix Families Get Old School With The New Cool #Netflix #StreamTeam #Ad #TBT

Zoinks! Here at ChiIL Mama, we've always loved introducing our kids to the original classics from our own childhoods, when we all had to wait for Saturday morning for the good cartoons! I mean, what beats the classic Scooby Doo episodes?! It's a hoot to rediscover childhood favs anew through the eyes of your own kids.

Here's a little decade skipping #TBT action with the "way back machine" when my whole family rocked Scooby & the gang for our son's themed birthday party, staring the boy as the dog and the dog as a boy! Check out Dugan as Scooby Doo, the dog as Fred, Sage as Velma, and me as Daphne, somewhere around 2005! My husband, Dug, as Shaggy must have been taking this shot.

As much as we like to go all old school in our pop culture training, some of the next gen spin offs and updates are loads of fun too, like Inspector Gadget and Danger Mouse. 



So settle in with your littles for some now and then comparison watching. And when you're done cavorting down animated memory lane, check out some rockin' "New on Netflix" shows like our fam fav here at ChiIL Mama, Dragons: Race to the Edge: Season 1 or get multi culti with Gallina Pintadita (Now streaming in Spanish!)

This month our Netflix Stream Team Theme is: Reboot Your Throwback 

Disclosure: ChiIL Mama is a proud member of the Netflix Stream Team. We've been compensated for sharing monthly posts with our readers.  As always, all opinions are our own. ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama next month, for more Netflix fun in Chi, IL and beyond!

Check out the fun family favs below from our friends at Netflixs.

▪ Inspector Gadget ▪ Danger Mouse  ▪ My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic ▪ Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends ▪ Star Wars: The Clone Wars ▪ Mighty Morphin Power Rangers ▪ The Magic School Bus ▪ The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That ▪ Garfield and Friends ▪ The Super Mario Bros Super Show! ▪ The Smurfs 2 ▪ Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated When you're done exploring the original classics & their contemporary counterparts, check out something new. New on Netflix for Kids and Families

▪ Gallina Pintadita (Now streaming in Spanish!)

▪ Bindi's Boot Camp (6/15)

▪ Some Assembly Required (6/19)

▪ Dragons: Race to the Edge: Season 1 (6/26)

Here at ChiIL Mama we adore Hiccup & Toothless so we're so excited for this all new Netflix series:

Read more below from our friends over at DreamWorksTV, and learn how to get crafty while you watch! Even my tween was digging these. Hiccup and Toothless from the beloved “How to Train Your Dragon” films are back in an all new television series "Dragons: Race to the Edge" available now only on Netflix. In honor of its release, DreamWorksTV gathered the best DIYers on YouTube to create a brand-new dragon-inspired DIY series called “DragonStyle.”

 The premiere episode kicks off with a how-to video on creating a Toothless Phone Case with YouTube creator Lily, otherwise known as Coolricebunnies. You’ll learn all of the best tips and tricks for adding just the right amount of flair to your cell phone:  https://youtu.be/Rv1lbcWK7Ew

Tune in every Sunday to see new DIY experiments, including tips and tricks for painting “dragon style” nails as well as getting an Astrid-inspired look!

For more DreamWorksTV, visit www.YouTube.com/DreamWorksTV.

Disclosure: ChiIL Mama is a proud member of the Netflix Stream Team. We've been compensated for sharing monthly posts with our readers.  As always, all opinions are our own. ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama next month, for more Netflix fun in Chi, IL and beyond!

Netflix: Family Shows That Show All Sorts of Families #StreamTeam #Netflix

What family archetype are you? Are you multi culti, a blended family comedy, a drama, or family of super heroes? Are you an unconventional family headed by a same sex couple or grandparents? Here at ChiIL Mama, we embrace all family types because variety rocks and love comes in many forms, shapes and sizes. 

This month our Netflix Stream Team Theme is: Family Is What You Make It

Disclosure: ChiIL Mama is a proud member of the Netflix Stream Team. We've been compensated for sharing monthly posts with our readers.  As always, all opinions are our own. ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama next month, for more Netflix fun in Chi, IL and beyond!

Here's my family gettin' our geek on at C2E2 Comic Con in Chicago, where we were jazzed to see Netflix' original series, Daredevil has been renewed. 

We adore families that play together! Check out some of these cosplay fams, rockin' the pop culture at C2E2. Some families you choose, and some you are born into. If your family digs movies and TV shows like we do, check out Netflix. They're a big source for family fun on your schedule!

Maybe your family style changes from day to day. Even though we look like a "traditional" old school nuclear family with 2 married parents, an older boy and a younger girl, we're still a uniquely quirky modern family. My family appears geeky when we have press credentials to cover big comic cons like C2E2, Wizard World and Anime Fest. We seem sporty when we're cheering the kids on in gymnastics and ultimate frisbee where my daughter and son both placed 2nd in state respectively. We may look artsy at theatre openings and gallery shows, and urban while exploring our sweet home, Chicago. We're the traveling type when on the road, and we're a rock family when it comes to covering music festivals and shows. 



And of course our family wouldn't be complete without including all the 4 legged "children"--3 guinea pigs and 2 large dogs, not to mention the 3 tanks of fish.





Living in a large, urban metropolis, my kids have a number of classmates and friends with 2 moms. And even growing up in the suburbs of Ohio, I knew a family with a gay father who divorced his wife to be with another man. Which reminds me of Grace and Frankie, a new Netflix original comedy along those lines. Have you caught it yet? Check it out.

Brand NEW-- Grace and Frankie just premiered earlier this month.

• Grace and Frankie, Netflix's new funny and fearless original comedy featuring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston, is a perfect example of how today’s families can shift, rearrange and blend in unexpected ways. When Grace and Frankie’s husbands leave them after 20 years of marriage—to be with each other—the women find themselves facing a change that they never expected, but they shift their perspective to get through it together with the support of their new blended family and, of course, a sense of humor.  show's premiere on May 8.

• What is it about your modern family that you wouldn’t trade for anything in the world? Explore the things that make other families unique by watching one of the titles in our list below -- whether it’s the Gilmore Girls’ dynamic mother-daughter duo or puppet brother in Crash & Bernstein. Then, ask your kids what it is that makes your family special. After all, family is what you make it.

Here are some sweet recommendations for shows with unique family dynamics via our friends at Netflix. 

• 1. Lily's Driftwood Bay
• 2. The Tigger Movie
• 3. Guess How Much I Love You: S1E5 Big Like You
• 4. Angelina Ballerina: Superstar Sisters

• 1. Crash & Bernstein
• 2. Life with Boys
• 3. Spy Kids
• 4. Russell Madness (Available 5/10)

• 1. Raising Hope
• 2. The Fosters
• 3. Gilmore Girls
• 4. Life Unexpected

•  1. All Hail King Julien (new episodes 4/3)
• 2. Littlest Pet Shop: Season 3 (4/21)
• 3. Lalaloopsy: Festival of Sugary Sweets (5/2)
• 4. Puss in Boots (new episodes 5/8)
• 5. H20 Mermaid Adventures (5/22)
• 6. Richie Rich: Season 2 (5/22)
• 7. Mako Mermaids: Season 3 (5/29)

Disclosure: ChiIL Mama is a proud member of the Netflix Stream Team. We've been compensated for sharing monthly posts with our readers.  As always, all opinions are our own. ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama next month, for more Netflix fun in Chi, IL and beyond!

Check out more of our favorite original C2E2 photos below:

Family is what you make it, indeed!