Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have a mom who stayed home.  Unfortunately, there was a point in time where both my parents had to work. 

During the day, I would spend a lot of time sitting around watching TV but I liked being able to pitch in around the house.  So each afternoon when all that was on was soaps - literally, we only had 4 channels - I would do laundry and other cleaning tasks so my mom wouldn't have to.

One of my favorite things to do was dust.  It was fun to spray Pledge on the furniture then wipe it off.  I know it sounds silly but I enjoyed crawling under the formal dining table to make it all shiny and beautiful.  I also recall a few ornate end tables and a stand that held our family bible that were the most time consuming to clean.  When I would spray the Pledge, I couldn't just swipe the rag and go.  It only took a second to see the white wherever I missed a spot.  But when I was done, it sure looked nice.

Although the can may have changed all these years later, the quality of the product still holds true.  When Pledge is applied to a piece of furniture, you can have confidence that it won't have dust sticking to it the next day.  It left a beautiful finish when I used it twenty-some years ago... and it still does.  Except now they have added several additional varieties to their product line so you can choose between wipes, cans, sprays and dusters in a variety of scents and specialized applications.

I was excited to be selected by Family Review Network to participate in this blog tour because it's a product I believe in.  My mom used it all those years ago so I was destined (umm dustined) to use it too.  I'm also very proud to have an extra can to give away to one of my readers (thanks to SC Johnson)!

The Prize

One bottle of Pledge Natural Beauty Furniture Polish.

Participants -

...must provide a US mailing address.

...must provide an email in the first comment, email me directly with an email address or have email accessible from their profile. Winner has 72 hours from posting/notification to respond.  If winner cannot be contacted, I will move on to the second random selection.

Sometime on January 8, 2009, a winner will be chosen at random (using random.org) from all comments left. Winner will be posted on PRIZEYWinners.

(1) Check out Pledge and check out their various products.

(2) Come back here and comment on one of their products and one tidbit from the product information provided about it.

(a) Earn an additional entry by adding my button to your sidebar.  Not in a scrolling bar that requires a wait of more than a minute for it to show up.  Come back here and leave a comment stating that you did so. 

(b) Link to Pledge. Come back here and leave an additional comment stating that you did so.

(c) Earn THREE additional entries if you publish a post regarding this contest and link back to it. Come back here and leave THREE comments providing the link to your post.

(d) Leave an extra comment if you subscribe to my feed.

(e) Follow me using the Blogger feature at the top of the next column.  Of course, don't forget to leave a comment.

I appreciate being included in this blog opportunity and sincerely want to thank Family Review Network and SC Johnson. And for the legal mumbo jumbo... "This post was written for Family Review Network as part of a program by SC Johnson, who also supplied the product for review and giveaway."

Stop by Family Review Network for links to participating blogs for this and other group giveaways!

39 comments

When eBay was still in beta, DH and I were registered users.  We would head out to yard sales and buy collections then turn around and piece it out on eBay.  As eBay took hold, we often thought "Sure would be nice to be able to look things up on eBay while we're at the garage sale."  But unless we had a laptop with a cell phone modem, it wasn't even an option.  That's an awful lot of stuff to carry to yard sales.

About the same time, DH was doing a lot of traveling for work.  Trade shows and conventions, mostly.  He would often log on to instant messenger on the shared computers that were set up at the trade show so he could say hi to me.  He also had a PDA that he used sometimes too.  It wasn't anything fancy but it worked for the time.

I'm not afraid to admit that I like gadgets and technology.  It's always fun to have cool stuff before other people.  So imagine my frustration the other day when I saw my brother's brand new cell phone.  It was an HTC Touch Pro and running Windows Mobile.

He let me mess around with it a bit and I was totally green with envy.  It runs Internet Explorer for easy surfing... how useful this would have been back in our eBay days. There are also Mobile versions of Outlook, Excel and Word. All these would have been great tools for DH's business travel.  My brother said that it's not a dulled down version of Outlook, either.  It's integrated with the phone so when his secretary sends him an email to call someone at a specified number, he doesn't have to retype it into his phone.  The phone number is hyperlinked and he's able to just click it and it dials.  Slick.

I'll give my brother credit for being computer savvy, but he said the fact that his cell phone easily syncs with his server is priceless.  He doesn't have to worry about whether he's added a contact in one place or the other - or that he wanted to work on a document while in the field.  If an email comes in to his office Outlook, he knows it is in his mobile Outlook also so he doesn't need to fear having 'forgotten' to transfer relevant data that he may need while he's out. 

He continued to brag that it runs Media Player so he can listen to music or watch a movie making it way more than just a phone.  It even has the ability to open .pdf documents.  He said the only pitfall was the fact that it didn't have an auto orientation feature but that switching orientation is very easy even though manual.  With the built-in camera and GPS, smart phones running Windows Mobile seem pretty awesome! 

Thank you to Mom Central for all the great information about Windows Mobile.  Phones, like the Samsung Omnia, have come a long way over the years and programs like Windows Mobile have made staying in contact and working much easier while on the go.  Anyone who needs immediate internet access, is away from home or office a lot or enjoys listening to music or watching movies could easily justify the purchase of a smart phone running Windows Mobile!

Don't tell my brother how jealous I am that his phone is better than mine.  I'll never hear the end of it.

1 COMMENT

Several months ago, my mother-in-law went to visit a friend in the hospital.  He proudly showed off his new game and how it was helping keep his brain active.  When she came to visit us, she told us all about it and said it sounded interesting.

We set out to find out what the game was and eventually figured out she was referring to the Nintendo DS and the game was Brain Age.  I was intrigued that this gaming system was becoming such a hit with Baby Boomers. 

While researching, we found that the DS isn't just a system for kids.  Many of its games focus on non-traditional gamers.  As an example, The Game Factory created the Zenses games specifically targeted at women.  Zenses: Ocean and Zenses: Rainforest are puzzle games with relaxing ambient sounds and rainforest or ocean graphics to help women escape the stresses of everyday life. 

Once again, here's your chance to participate in an awesome giveaway!

One Zenses Ocean and one Zenses Rainforest - for the DS (approx value $60).

Participants -

...must provide a US mailing address.

...must provide an email in the first comment, email me directly with an email address or have email accessible from their profile. Winner has 72 hours from posting/notification to respond.  If winner cannot be contacted, I will move on to the second random selection.

Sometime on January 8, 2009, a winner will be chosen at random (using random.org) from all comments left. Winner will be posted on PRIZEYWinners.

(1) Check out The Game Factory and check out their variety of games across all gaming systems.

(2) Come back here and comment on which one of their products (from any system) you like best.

a) Earn an additional entry by adding my button to your sidebar.  Not in a scrolling bar that requires a wait of more than a minute for it to show up.  Come back here and leave a comment stating that you did so. 

(b) Link to The Game Factory. Come back here and leave an additional comment stating that you did so.

(c) Earn an additional entry if you publish a post regarding this contest and link back to it. Come back here and leave a comment providing the link to your post.

(d) Leave an extra comment if you subscribe to my feed.

(e) Follow me using the Blogger feature at the top of the next column.  Of course, don't forget to leave a comment.

Thanks to The Game Factory for providing the prize for this giveaway and to the Family Review Network for allowing me to participate in this blog event!

Similar to other Family Review Network promotions for The Game Factory, several blogs are participating in this campaign. Stop by Family Review Network for links to participating blogs for this and other group giveaways!

103 comments

Back in 1993 while I was working at our family business, a fancy new game came out where FOUR people could play simultaneously inside the same game on a networked system.  It was a new concept in gaming - the first time players could interact in the same game.  That game was Doom.

Every evening after work, we would stick around the office, lock up and "Doom-On."  The typical roundup of players included me, DH, both my brothers and a friend from a neighboring business.  We would race to lay claim to one of the four computers that we had set up for this and we would play until we were all tired.

I have to say that the best part was being able to sneak around a corner and frag one of my brothers... usually while they were working on the mission.  I wasn't the best at the game, but one good hit on one of my brothers made the night worthwhile.  Anyone that says that I sound a bit sadistic obviously doesn't have siblings.

When I had a chance to try out EA's Nerf N-Strike for the Wii, it brought back some awesome 15 year old memories.  The Nerf N-Strike game comes with a Nerf gun that fires regular Nerf ammunition in the real world.  Pull out the firing mechanism and replace it with a Wii remote and you're reading to fire virtual Nerf ammunition inside the Wii game.
Before I go any further, I want to direct this to parents who have concerns for shoot 'em up type games.  While Nerf N-Strike is a first person shooter game, it isn't blood and guts.  The guns displayed onscreen look like the same Nerf guns that you can buy in the store.  And the ammunition that flies across the screen looks exactly like the puffy Nerf darts and bullets that go with those guns.  It is a totally kid-friendly first-person shooter game.

In the single player mission mode, the character ventures through a factory and shoots the assigned targets.  Sometimes that means everything in your path, other times only certain targets.  It was very reminiscent of Doom except that you don't have the choice of which direction to go.  You stay in a designated area until it moves you forward into the next chamber or hallway.  Although it may sound boring to not be able to make the directional choices, I found it to be very helpful in concentrating on just the task at hand.  For a young player, stopping to decide which way to go next may mean the difference in whether or not they survive that round.

With the multi-player feature, up to 4 players can participate.  Don't feel like springing for extra Nerf N-Strike Wii Blasters?  That's fine.  The game is operable with a regular Wii remote utilizing the 'B' button as the trigger.  But honestly, holding the gun is half the fun.  In multi-player mode, you can customize up to 10 rounds selecting from head-to-head to alternating turn categories.  The difficulty of the games varies, as well.  When playing against Miss M (age 5), she did awesome on the precision games but not so well on the fast paced games.  She beat me at the Blockade mode that had similarities to Boom Blox, a game she has played before.  When I beat her in the Onslaught mode, she said "Oh, you beat me again. But I like it anyway."  I leaned down and kissed her on the head, told her how great she did then said "I like it too.  It's fun."  Honest.  I wasn't just saying it to make her feel better.  If we didn't have three thousand things to do over the holidays, I think we would still be playing it.

Although the ESRB rating is E 10+, I didn't see any harm in letting either of my pre-6 year old kids play with it.  It's fun for the whole family and a great game to diversify your Wii collection.

Thanks to EA (Electronic Arts) for reminding me how much fun it is to take cheap cyber-shots at loved ones...  And for creating a game that is fun even against young children.

2 comments

It's amazing the things kids learn. Like any parent, I've been harping constantly about "Don't leave the lights on or you'll burn them out." and "Don't forget to turn off the water all the way or it wastes water." I have finally found one that stuck... "Make sure you turn off the toy when you are done or the battery will wear out." It's happened a few times and when I've refused to replace the battery in the ones that use watch batteries, they got the hint.

But I was a little saddened to hear Miss K yell at Miss M not to push the button on her new Hal Moose Build-A-Bear because she didn't want the battery to die. It's my own fault for setting the stage though. She said to me one night that she was going to push the button all night long so his ears would light up all night. I said "You can push it as much as you like but if you push it constantly then the battery will die faster." Miss K responded "Oh..." After hearing her comment to Miss M, I realized I had to undo what I had done. I told her that the lights are adorable and it's fun to turn them on so go ahead and do it whenever she wants.

If you haven't seen the Hal and Holly Holiday Moose Collectifriend collection at Build-A-Bear then you're missing out. They're a fun toy that is inspired by the holiday but is timeless. Both Miss M and Miss K immediately realized that Hal Moose can wear the same clothes as their regular Build-A-Bear so they get to play together all year round. Now we need to go shopping for clothes for both of them!

While you're at the mall doing last-minute Christmas shopping or even after-Christmas shopping, consider picking up a Moose to add to your child's stuffed collection. Now you can buy Holly and Hal Moose together for only $24 and get their storybook for free ($15.99 value, while quantities last). Or you can buy them individually for just $12 each.  To encourage you to get there, I'm giving away a $10 gift card thanks to MomSelect (BSM Media) and Build-A-Bear to spend at a store near you or online at Build-A-Bear or Friends 2B Made.

The Prize

$10 Build-A-Bear Bear Buck$ gift card.

Participants -

...must provide an email in the first comment, email me directly with an email address or have email accessible from their profile. Winner has 72 hours from posting/notification to respond.  If winner cannot be contacted, I will move on to the second random selection. 

Sometime on January 5th, a winner will be chosen at random (using random.org) from all comments left. Winner will be posted PRIZEYWinners.

(1) Check out Build-A-Bear.

(2) Come back here and comment on your favorite Hal or Holly Moose. (Hint, you can search for 'moose'.)

a) Earn an additional entry by adding my button to your sidebar.  Not in a scrolling bar that requires a wait of more than a minute for it to show up.  Come back here and leave a comment stating that you did so. 

(b) Link to the Build-A-Bear website. Come back here and leave an additional comment stating that you did so.

(c) Earn three additional entries if you publish a post regarding this contest and link back to it. Come back here and leave a comment providing the link to your post.

(d) Leave an extra comment if you subscribe to my feed.

(e) Follow me using the Blogger feature at the top of the next column.  Of course, don't forget to leave a comment.

Once again, I want to thank MomSelect for making this giveaway possible and Build-A-Bear for a holiday inspired Moose that will bring joy throughout the year! Good luck on the giveaway!

46 comments

Our wedding ceremony set the tone for how my marriage would be - simple and thrifty with hints of humor in unsuspecting places.  Father Ken, the priest who married us, shared a tidbit of information that DH had shared with him...  Once upon a time, I burned some grilled cheese.  As he told the story, I bowed my head and shook it knowing this was neither the time nor the place to slug my husband.  The congregation laughed and so did we.  And we still do. 

I'm not a total failure as a cook.  I have some killer recipes.  Err.  Scratch that - probably not a good choice of words. I make some awesome recipes - like Rotisserie Chicken Salad  and Stuffed Mushrooms.  I'm also very open to letting my girls get some experience in the kitchen just like my mom did when I was young.  Sometimes they help me bake, other times help chop vegetables or tenderize meat.  They enjoy helping in the kitchen so it made perfect sense that when they saw commercials for the Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker they were all over it.  Then we were given the chance by Jakks Pacific to test one out and they could not wait until they got to use it.

1 COMMENT

There was a fantastic turnout for the giveaway of a Bratz Kidz Slumber Party game for the Wii.  Once again, thanks to The Game Factory for providing the prize for this giveaway and to Family Review Network for coordinating it.

I would love to win one myself, but it just doesn't work that way.  Random.org doesn't play favorites, especially since I don't enter my own contest!  So... congrats to Maggie Sue Designs who said "On my wish list is Bratz Ponyz for my daughter."

Meredith of Maggie Sue Designs needs to contact me per the rules in the original post or I'll have a very happy runner up!

Be sure to subscribe to my feed so you don't miss out on any of my upcoming reviews and giveaways.  Some of the giveaways include: customizable Fruit Roll-ups, a Pillsbury pie package, another $10 Build-A-Bear gift card, Pledge Furniture Polish, a Dove package, Vaseline Clinical Therapy lotion and something from KidsLunchBoxCards.com.

2 comments

Back in the days when I was a new mom, I recall a surprising trip to McDonald's.  I sat and watched as a mom and her toddler enjoyed their lunch together.  You're probably saying to yourself "What's the big deal about that?"  The big deal is that both mother and child were sitting at McDonald's eating a salad.  Not "Mom was eating a salad while her child enjoyed a Happy Meal."  Nope.  They each were eating a salad.



I remember commenting to my mother-in-law, who happened to be with me, that I was astonished that the child wasn't pitching a fit for fries.  All kids eat fries at McDonald's, right?  Maybe there are more options if children have positive experiences with healthy alternatives, as well.



Fast forward a few years as I sit at McDonald's enjoying my own salad, only to have it stolen away by my then 3 year old daughter.  "Excuse me, missy, but that's MY salad."  To which she curls her arms around the salad to protect it from being retrieved by me.  She will gladly eat vegetables and salads (and tons of other foods) without complaint as long as they have ranch dressing on it.  Preferably, Hidden Valley Ranch dressing (which, by the way, has been a favorite of mine since before it came in ready-to-serve bottles). 



I don't know where Miss K picked up on this habit, but I going to encourage it.  For example, this past Spring, we decided to put in a vegetable garden.  You can read about the progression (Phase 1: startup, Phase 2: Wow they are growing and Phase 3: holy cow that's a lot of vegetables) over at SAHM Ramblings, my personal blog. 



As another example, whenever I prepare a vegetable tray for a party, I make sure to add carrot-stuffed cucumbers for the kids. For lack of a better explanation (and lack of a picture), they end up looking like a cucumber tire with a carrot hubcap. To make them: Cut off the ends of a large cucumber then cut it in half so each side is about as tall as an apple. Using an apple corer, hollow out the center of the cucumber then push a large (clean) carrot into the opening. Cut it into slices and when you are done, you'll have a fun veggie for the kids (and the parents).

Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of the few things I do to encourage my kids to eat vegetables, but I'm far from being a role model.  Hidden Valley Ranch, however, is on the hunt for people who do stand out and plan to reward 10 lucky moms in their "Search for Veggie Champions Contest."   In addition to contest details, the Love Your Veggies website offers kid-friendly vegetable recipes, activities, tips for creating a garden and more.  If you are a teacher or active in your school, it's worth finding out more about the school grants program.



While I don't think I have what it takes to make the cut as a champion, I believe this is a great opportunity for moms who are inspirational.  Check out the contest rules and prizes then get to work on your entries!



Thank you to Mom Central for including me in this healthy blog tour.

1 COMMENT

When I was growing up, my paternal grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all converged on one house at Christmas to exchange gifts and eat. My dad was the oldest of eight children (no, they weren't Catholic) and despite living in a few different areas of the state, most managed to get together as a huge group at least a few times a year.



With so many people, making a ham or turkey wasn't going to be enough.  Instead, dinner was comprised of all appetizers.  The women would get together ahead of time and prepare several dishes then individually bring some of their family's favorites.  Miniature pizzas, miniature tostadas, vegetable trays and dip, crackers with summer sausage, meat and cheese trays, chips and salsa and the list goes on.  (Are you hungry yet?)  Among the tried and true recipes was a heated recipe for cocktail meatballs and lil' smokies.  It was served in a sauce and kept warm on the buffet. 



As an adult, this party still takes place annually with only a few minor changes.  One thing hasn't changed, the menu of appetizers... including the miniature meatballs.  I never bothered to ask for the recipe figuring it was just meatballs and a jar of BBQ sauce.

Along came Mom Central and the blog tour for the Ultimate Party Meatballs website.  When I received the invitation, I thought "Hey, those sound familiar." Then it burst my "Master of the Obvious" bubble when I realized that the recipe I thought was just BBQ sauce really wasn't.  It's a bottle of Heinz Chili Sauce, a can of Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce and of course, meatballs.  Just click on the picture to get the recipe.



This recipe is so incredibly easy it's worry-proof.  That makes it perfect for when you are in a hurry, have to work before a potluck party or are just busy with family stuff at home.  The other day, I replaced the cocktail sized meatballs with standard sized meatballs and tossed them in the slow cooker.  I combined the cranberry sauce and chili sauce then dumped it over the meatballs.  Throughout the afternoon, I checked on it and stirred it a little but generally left it alone.  When dinner time rolled around, I served them up with mashed potatoes and a side of fruit.  Who doesn't need an easy dinner recipe at this time of year - even if it's supposed to be an appetizer?  As a bonus, it reheats well for serving as leftovers.



But whoever thought up the Ultimate Party Meatballs website needs to talk to the rest of the staff and find out who lost their focus.  The website isn't just meatballs, it's a whole bunch of other recipes, too.  It should have been called "Ultimate Party Foods" or even "Ridiculously Easy Party Recipes."  At the site, you'll find appetizers like wings, bbq chicken dip and nachos as well as main dishes like enchiladas, chili and pulled pork.  Additional  content - entertaining tips, party theme information, party invitations and even a sweepstakes for a chance to win a $3,000 Ultimate Party! 

ADD A COMMENT

Special thanks to MomSelect (BSM Media) for providing the prize for the Build-A-Bear gift card giveaway. 

Congratulations to Jen (meddlingkidd) who said:
"My Daughter would love the Chilly Cheeks Penguin! Thanks for the chance to win!"

The winner has 72 hours to contact me before I move on to the runner up!

Stay tuned for some great reviews on products like Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker, Disney Kids Scanopedia and Animals, Nerf N Strike and Hasbro Family Games for the Wii and much more!  As well as fun giveaways - including (but not limited to) a Pillsbury Pie Package, Pledge Furniture Polish and customizable Fruit Roll-Ups!

Subscribe to my feed to make sure you don't miss anything!

ADD A COMMENT

Congratulations to the winner of my Polliwalks giveaway.

collyn23 said... "we love the pink camo gators ones soo cute"

Congrats Collyn23! You'll be receiving an email shortly with details on how to claim your prize.

Thanks again to Family Review Network for this opportunity and to Polliwalks for providing the prize for this giveaway.

1 COMMENT

Okay, fine. They don't all look the same.  But I'm 38 and she's 4.  I don't think I even knew what a chinchilla was until I was much older.  Even then I only knew that it was used for making coats. How is it that a 4 year old can identify a chinchilla?   (For those of you who didn't know, it's the second one.)

This is how:

The magical world of Littlest Pet Shop!  We have so many of them that we finally needed to throw them all in a backpack just to keep them from getting lost.  We own a showcase but it's too small to fit them all!  It's where the pets vacation when they aren't in the backpack.


So what's the big deal about them?  They are extremely cute.  Thank goodness I didn't develop a collector's eye for them or we would own even more.  I thought they were adorable before, but they now have a new look - more character in their eyes.  We just received the skunk and I had to laugh when Miss M ran around chasing and spraying Miss K and all the other pets.  I didn't realize she knew that skunks did that!

We also received a package of Virtual Interactive Pets (VIPs).  Check out the Littlest Pet Shop VIPs video so you know exactly what they are. They are cuddly stuffed pets with interactive codes for playing their virtual counterpart online.  I'm sure they were designed to compete with Webkins, but since we don't let the kids use those codes either, I really can't compare.  When we opened these up, Miss M gleefully yelled "These are for online."  I asked her how she knew that and she said "I saw it on TV."  Marketing people sure know their stuff, eh?  Between being busy, being sick and blogging, I haven't been willing to part with my computer for the LPS online world.  Not as much for Miss M's sake, but from what some friends of mine have told me, it's addicting even for adults.  Despite Miss M's pleas of "Can we online them?" I think we are best waiting until Christmas break before we unveil the codes and the website.  Regardless of their online feature, both Miss M and Miss K can regularly be found playing, cuddling and sleeping with their VIPs.

If you're interested in my opinion of the Littlest Pet Shop game for the Wii, you'll have to stay tuned for another post.  It's a whole story by itself.  Honestly, I love the game and can't wait to get that blog post together to share with you!

Littlest Pet Shop is a fun series of products incorporating the original toys, the VIPs, puzzles and other products that I previously mentioned that we own.  But also branching out into other forms of media such as the Littlest Pet Shop Digital Planner.  The variety of products span several ages so you won't have to worry about your child 'outgrowing' Littlest Pet Shop products for years to come. 

Just think... you'll be able to pick a chinchilla out of the crowd in no time... maybe even as quickly as your kid.

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When we lived in LA, we had the opportunity to try foods from a lot of different cultures. I enjoyed that and often would pick something completely different than my norm. Almost every time that I ventured outside my comfort zone, I would ask the waitress "Is it any good?" DH would laugh at me and say something to the effect of "Like she's going to tell you it's bad." Fortunately, waitresses are honest people and sometimes they do recommend that you pick something else from the menu.

Every once in a while, I'll run into a waitress that says "Well, I don't like salmon (or whatever) so I haven't tried that dish." A few times I've heard "I really like salmon (or whatever) but this one just didn't work for me."

Never have I heard "I tried salmon (or whatever) a few times and it's been my experience that they are always bad." I'm certain that I'm not the only person who would find that completely unbelievable and not very credible.

Recently I was in the electronics section of a mass-merchandiser and overheard the associate 'helping' a customer pick out a game. I had to bite my tongue when he said "Don't buy any game that is based on a movie. It's my experience that they are all bad." That is some stinking poor advice. Dude, when was the last time you played a game that was based on a movie? Was it back when the games were written by gamers and the marketing people finagled a deal to brand it? We are way past those days. Games now are more integrated with the movie in more ways than just the title.

Movie related games now have a lot going for them. Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa is a great example of this. Our family had a chance to test out Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa for the Wii thanks to a promotion through Mom Central.

Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa was co-created by the people who made the movie, DreamWorks Animation, and people who know gaming, Activision. As a result, the storyline from the movie carries into the game where players are taken on an adventure to save the African savannah. Throughout the game, cut scenes tie different aspects of the game together. The cut scenes are short cartoons featuring characters like King Jullian and the goofy penguins and, aside from just being filler, are actually fun to watch.

Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa is basically a single person game with head-to-head (tournament style) mini-games as an option. The box states that it is for up to 4 players but that is strictly for the mini-games. If you (or your child) are playing alone, the main game is great but if more than one person wants to play then load up the multiplayer tournament mode (mini-games).

It's not a simple game that you can just rush through. Getting a handle on controlling it took a little time. Miss M had some difficulties steering during the race, but she did awesome on precision games. There is a part of the game where Marty kicks balls at balloons in the air and she was able to target and adjust the power very well. A few of the races took her several attempts to get past - but that's okay because if it were easier she would finish it in a flash.

Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa has a good variety of mini-games to choose from - including simple ones for younger kids such as Musical Chairs and Hot Durian (hot potato) as well as some more intricate ones like the diving event. I played Musical Chairs with the girls and we giggled the whole time. I would slow my character down and make the lion behind me bump into me and the girls would laugh. Simple idea but still fun.

If you haven't gone to see the movie yet then add it to your "To Do" list. It's an animated movie, but it's not just for kids. It's hilarious for the whole family. If you're looking for a fun family game for the PS2, PS3, Wii, XBox 360, DS or even the PC, Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa is a great choice.

On a side note, the game has a storyline that promotes eco-friendly behavior. For tips, information and activities about protecting endangered animals and plants, visit Conservation International. Thanks to Mom Central for the opportunity to enjoy this game with my family.

1 COMMENT

It's that time of year and there are very few people I know who are done with their Christmas shopping.  I hear so many people say "I need ideas for (insert name here)."  Doesn't matter if it is a child, a relative, a friend, a neighbor, a coworker or a teacher.  Finding the perfect gift is always a challenge.  Actually, just finding a gift that they won't hate is sometimes the biggest challenge.

This year Mom Central put together a Holiday Gift Guide to help combat those shopping woes.  What I like about this gift guide is that the products are broken into sections as well as price range.  There are seven different guides - Her, Him, Baby/Toddler, Kids, Tweens, Teens and Pets.  Within each category, ideas are broken into "Under $50" "Under $100" and "Over $100". 

There are a lot of holiday gift guides out there, but the Mom Central guide is very down-to-earth.  So many lists are filled with stuff that tends to get re-gifted or never opened and eventually ends up in the yard sale pile.  The Mom Central list has realistic items - various video games along with things like gift card packages and Netflix subscriptions.  (For someone with an XBox 360, that's an awesome gift, by the way.  Netflix streams movies onto the XBox 360!)  It also has practical items and eco-friendly items.  The list isn't overwhelming - it's easy to navigate and loaded with helpful information.  Aren't sure what exactly an item is?  Mom Central not only links to the manufacturer's website, but they also link to their own review! 

As a bonus to their Gift Guide, Mom Central is having some awesome daily giveaways!  Register with Mom Central to participate!

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Whenever we have friends over, the first thing Miss M wants to do is play video games.  Doesn't matter if it's my friends, her friends or relatives.  Also doesn't matter the person's age.  She just loves video games.  She has several other toys that she enjoys, but when friends show up, she says "We have a new game..." (even when it isn't a new one.) Any opportunity to play and she's there. 

We have quite a variety of games and we've found that ones that are multi-player and contain mini-games are awesome for party settings.  As a result, we often seek out games that will allow her to play against someone. 

In steps The Game Factory with games like Bratz Kidz.

Just like with the Build-A-Bear game I gave away last week, I didn't have a chance to review this game. Thanks to The Game Factory, I do, however, get to give one away. I'm very excited to be able to make someone the proud owner of the Bratz Kidz Slumber Party Wii game. If you have kids ages 6 and up who like to play Wii games with friends or siblings (or really cool parents) then pick up a copy at the store.  Better yet, read on to participate in this giveaway.  If you don't have a Wii (and Santa isn't bringing you one for Christmas), don't fret... this game is available on other platforms, as well.  If your resident Bratz fanatic has a Nintendo DS, you can grab a copy of this or one of the other Bratz DS games at your favorite retailer or online at Amazon. 

As I said, I haven't tried it out.  Here are the key features listed on The Game Factory website:

Bratz Kidz Slumber Party - for the Wii (approx value $39.99).

Participants -

...must provide a US or Canadian mailing address.

...must provide an email in the first comment, email me directly with an email address or have email accessible from their profile. Winner has 72 hours from posting/notification to respond.  If winner cannot be contacted, I will move on to the second random selection.

Sometime on December 17, 2008, a winner will be chosen at random (using random.org) from all comments left. Winner will be posted on PRIZEYWinners.

(1) Check out The Game Factory.

(2) Come back here and comment on which one of their products (from any system) is on your wish list.

(a) Earn an additional entry by adding my button to your sidebar. Come back here and leave a comment stating that you did so. 

(b) Link to The Game Factory. Come back here and leave an additional comment stating that you did so.

(c) Earn an additional THREE entries if you publish a post regarding this contest and link back to it. Come back here and leave THREE comments providing the link to your post.

(d) Leave an extra comment if you subscribe to my feed.

(e) Follow me using the Blogger feature at the top of the next column. Of course, don't forget to leave a comment!

Thanks to The Game Factory for providing the prize for this giveaway and to the Family Review Network for allowing me to participate in this blog event!

Wait!  Guess what!  I'm not the only one giving one away.  The Game Factory has this same promotion running with several other Family Review Network bloggers!  Stop by Family Review Network for links to participating blogs for this and other group giveaways!

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Have you ever been to the store and when you got home you realized you had a coupon for something you just bought?  Yeah, me too.  I hate it.  Makes me feel like I'm throwing money away.  It may only be 35 cents off but I do it so often that it feels like a waste.

Me: "I'm a member of that.  You know, the hotel frequent flier program.  Sure, I'll participate."

MomCentral email: "...earn points through spending that can be used with partnered hotels, airlines and hundreds of online retailers including Old Navy, Target and Barnes & Noble."

Me (scowling):  "Did I just read that correctly?  I can earn credits on my hotel Priority Club by shopping online at not-hotel stuff?"

Priority Club website:  "Earn Priority Club points from the comfort of your home or office!  Priority Club Rewards Shopping is the easy way to earn bonus points on things you buy everyday. Enjoy convenient shopping from your home or office, with your favorite merchants including Target.com, Circuit City, Overstock.com, JCPenney, Apple Store and more."

Me:  "Grrr.  All this time I thought it was just for hotels."



It isn't limited to online shopping though.  You can earn points for many more things - select car rentals, newspaper subscriptions, dining, cruises, wireless service and more.

Sometimes we go through life missing out on several types of discounts and coupons.



Thanks to MomCentral for pointing out that Priority Club Rewards is more than just the hotel rewards program that I originally signed up for so many years ago.  If you plan on shopping online or traveling for the holidays, it's free to sign up at Priority Club.  Start earning points to spend on hotels and travel later on!  Don't leave the coupon on the table at home.

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As I mentioned in my previous review, I had the wonderful opportunity to test out some cleaning supplies for Weiman Products. As much as I hate cleaning, it's much more tolerable when it is easy.

Along with the products that I reviewed before, I also received the Weiman Cook Top Wipes and the Perfect Planet Floor Cleaner.

As the name implies, Weiman Cook Top Wipes are for cleaning... uhhh, the cook top. What the name doesn't imply is that it's great for any glass surface. Actually, other surfaces too. You know when you cook SpaghettiO's in the microwave and it splatters everywhere? Cook Top wipes work. Bacon splatters on the cook top and surrounding area? Yup...Cook Top wipes. Fingerprints on the sliding glass door? Yes, that too. I actually used mine to clean the glass on the same table that I used the Weiman furniture wipes on. (Check out my previous Weiman review for the picture.) I was surprised that the container claims the Cook Top Quick Wipes are safe for even more... "Weiman Cook Top Wipes are excellent for cleaning and leave a streak free shine on other kitchen surfaces such as Formica Brand, Corian Brand, ceramic tile, chrome & granite." And the pictures on the container show mirrors and porcelain sinks, refrigerators and patio furniture alongside gas ranges and microwaves. Essentially, these wipes should just be called "Quick Wipes" because they are pretty versatile!

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It shouldn't surprise any of you to hear that we're a little technologically over-ambitious.  We tend to like the latest gadgets and gizmos, as well as gaming systems.  We're generally frugal but we do save up to get those certain things that are on our want list.  I've mentioned before that we own a Wii, but I don't talk too much about the fact that we also have an XBox 360.

We've owned the 360 since its original release and I knew that it had an online feature.  While it's typical use is for normal games, every once in a while DH would log on for a demo game or download something.  The one thing I do think is cool is the Media Center feature which allows us to run slide shows, watch streaming home movies from our computers and listen to music. 

XBox recently did some upgrades to their system and have implemented some very cool features.  Among other things, their avatar creation puts the Mii creation to shame.  The degree of choices is unbelievable - right down to the type of clothes you want to wear!

However the best part is that XBox has started cross-marketing to provide a more well-balanced system.  Well, this past month I had the opportunity to participate in a HouseParty for the XBox 360/Netflix venture.  It is a partnership that moves us another step closer to being an instant gratification society. (Like we aren't already, right?)

Anyway... Several years ago, we subscribed to Netflix and received movies in the mail.  Once we watched them, we shipped them back and received the next one in our queue.  It was a cool program but we finally got rid of it when we didn't have the time to watch as much.  Netflix has now taken the next step in technological evolution and is streaming their movies on the XBox 360!  If you have an XBox Gold membership as well as a Netflix account, you can log on and watch movies on demand.  No limit to how many, either.  The selection is not as good as their mailing program but I am certain it will improve with time.

As part of our HouseParty, we watched Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.  Later, we had family movie night and caught "James and the Giant Peach" with the kids.  DH and I were also pleased to see the variety of documentaries that you don't typically find on TV, including Spellbound (about the National Spelling Bee) and The King of Kong (about competitive videogaming.)  While the quality of "Dan in Real Life" wasn't very good, we didn't have a problem with any of the other movies we watched.  It was very simple to log onto Netflix and pick out a variety of movies as possible choices.  When we sat down with our remote in hand, we scrolled through until we found the one we wanted to watch.  Easy as pie.

Along with our package of goodies for the HouseParty came the XBox game "Scene-It?".  Included was the game and four special controllers.  We played a few games of it and I realized that even though I have watched a lot of movies, I really am not good at answering trivia questions about them!  This was a very fun game and gave us a lot of laughs.

If you currently own an XBox 360, check out the new Netflix program or snag the Scene It game for the next time you have a party!

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