Lemonade Mouth

Most of my loyal readers out there know that I love everything Disney.  The wonderful Magical Mouse Schoolhouse, my friend Jodi Whisenhunt's blog, is no exception.  Jodi is a fabulous writer, mother, teacher, and fellow Disney Fan.  I am so happy to have her back on Between the Lines to share a wonderful review of Disney Channel's new made-for- TV movie, Lemonade Mouth.  Visit the Magical Mouse Schoolhouse and show Jodi some love.  And if you swing by her blog tomorrow, you can join her Tiggerific Blog Hop!

Lemonade Mouth 

   By Jodi Whisenhunt, Magical Mouse Schoolhouse

The Disney Channel debuted a made-for-TV movie April 15th called Lemonade Mouth. Huh? Yeah, I know! That’s what I said when I saw its first ad. But then I watched the show.

You know you’ve got a winner when you impress a 15-year-old, right? Well, my teen, who by the way plays guitar and has had a stint or two in his own garage band, has watched this film about three times now. “It’s awesome!” he said. “If they were a real band, they would so be on my iPod!” His younger siblings agree.

Lemonade Mouth, starring Bridgit Mendler and Adam Hicks, is “the story of how the greatest garage band in history came to be.” Five teens from a wide variety of backgrounds met while serving detention in the school music room. When the teacher stepped out, the kids grew restless, thumping out a drumbeat and tapping out a rhythm, plucking guitars and humming a catchy tune.

The friendships grow as the band comes together. They encourage each other through some struggles, gaining confidence in who they are as individuals and as performers. Each member of the band learns to overcome life’s difficulties, and together they empower their peers with songs that encourage them to “be heard, be strong, be proud,” and to treat everyone with respect, because “we all matter!”

My kids are right. Lemonade Mouth is awesome! It’s a wholesome show with a great message. And if they were a real band, I would so have them on my iPod too!

[By the way, the soundtrack to Lemonade Mouth is available for download at the iTunes store.]

Today’s Takeaway:

Singers and vocalists often sip lemonade or enjoy lemon lozenges prior to performance to refresh their throats and prepare for shows. In fact, the band’s crazy name came about when lead guitarist Stella spit her lemonade all over the school bully who was harassing her. He called her lemonade mouth and the name stuck!

So, you got it! Make some lemonade. Kick it up a notch with berry ice cubes. Here’s a simple recipe from Disney’s FamilyFun.com:

Ingredients

• 1 11.5-oz. can frozen concentrate strawberry or any berry mix juice
• 24 raspberries or 8 strawberries, sliced (optional)
• 2 quarts water
• 1 1/3 cups sugar (or more, to taste)
• 1 1/3 cups fresh lemon juice
• 8 lemon slices
• 8 mint sprigs

Instructions

Pour the juice concentrate and 1 can of water into a pitcher. Mix to combine, then pour the juice into two ice cube trays, adding raspberries or sliced strawberries if you wish. Freeze. Combine the 2 quarts of water and the sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir to combine. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain the lemon juice through a fine sieve into the sugar syrup. Chill. Slit each lemon slice once, from center to rind, then press the slits onto eight glasses. Fill each glass with 3 berry ice cubes and the lemonade. Garnish with a mint sprig. Makes 8 glasses.

SCHOOL SUBJECT: Home Economics
SKILL LEVEL: Middle Grades