Two Nintendo DS Games For The Kids (or Husbands Who Act Like Kids)

Please welcome my husband, Aaron, to Mommy's Must Haves. I've got a lot of great holiday gift ideas coming up in the next month, and he's helping to play-test and review some of the things that I don't have time for. In this case, he took these games from me before I had the chance to play them, so in return I let him write the reviews. Enjoy!

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Ok, confession time, I may be a thirty-something dad, but I still like video games. If I’ve got a free moment on the computer, I’ll pull up City of Heroes or, if I don’t have time, Solitaire. And I rarely leave the house without either my Palm Pilot (loaded with Solitaire, Sudoku and Text Twist) or my Gameboy DS in my pocket. So, I was more then thrilled to get my hands on two fun new games for the DS - Kirby Super-Star Ultra and Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia. And I have to say, both games are wonderful for audiences both young and old.

Kirby Super-Star Ultra
I’ve always been amused and intrigued by Kirby, the little pink fluffball, but I’ve never actually played any games starring him before – other than learning to love him in Super Smash Bros, Nintendo’s fighting game. So, it was with some anticipation that I put this cartridge in my DS. “Am I going to be at a disadvantage playing this game, since I don’t know his history?” The answer, I am pleased to say, was “Not at all.”

Kirby Super-Star Ultra is a relatively easy game to learn, with simple but fun controls. The DS’s touch-screen is barely used in most modes, with most of Kirby’s controls being managed via the standard control pad and A-B-X-Y buttons. Where the controls are used, they’re simple enough that you don’t even really need to use the stylus, and can just activate them with a quick flick of the finger. The game includes several adventures for Kirby to go on, each slightly different as they add both difficulty and complexity in terms of Kirby’s controls and abilities. It also includes a mode where you can play through all of Kirby’s adventures as the mysterious Meta-Knight (whose powers are different enough from Kirby to add a very interesting twist to the game), and then there are multiple mini-games that you can play.

One of the best things about Kirby Super-Star Ultra is that it is relatively easy to play through – even the final adventure shouldn’t be a challenge for most gamers, meaning that younger kids will hopefully be able to play through the game without being significantly frustrated. At the same time, there are a fair number of “hidden areas” and extras in the game, and tracking those down with give more experienced gamers plenty to do.

Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia
I’ve been a Pokemon fan going way back. We had the Red, Blue and Yellow Pokemon cartridges for the original GameBoy, ran a Pokemon League for the Pokemon Trading Card Game back in the late 1990s and have played through most of the Pokemon games that have made their way through the various Nintendo handheld consoles since then. However, a notable exception to the games we’d played include the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon and Pokemon Ranger games, so I was incredibly excited to get Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia.

That excitement quickly faded as I started playing. While I liked the idea that I would use the stylus to capture Pokemon, I was unthrilled to realize that most of what I was familiar with from Pokemon was now gone. There were no items to collect and use in battle. Nearly every encounter with a Pokemon was about capturing the creature, instead of doing battle to gain experience for my Pokemon. And the Pokemon I captured would stick around long enough to do one task, and then they shuffled off. This was not the Pokemon game I was familiar with.

And then, I started playing deeper into the game, and I realized something: it wasn’t trying to be. Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia is a different beast entirely, with different goals and different play styles. But disliking it on that basis was like disliking hot butterscotch topping on a sundae because it wasn’t hot fudge. Different, but still yummy. The ability to use Pokemon to do “Field Clears” was oddly elegant, and the “Poke Assists” that the Pokemon could use in battle to help you catch their fellows add a lot to the game. The changes make Pokemon Ranger a more challenging game and make you more involved. It was true of the earlier Pokemon games that the human player was kind of secondary to the creatures in the other Pokemon games – in Pokemon Ranger, your avatar matters. You aren’t defined by the Pokemon you’ve captured, you’re defined by the quests you’ve completed, the power ups you’ve earned, and your ability to use the Capture Styler.

So, is Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia for everyone? No. It is definitely a more challenging game than the earlier games in the Pokemon franchise. Knowledge of Pokemon types and what is strong and weak against what will not be enough to get you through this game. You’ll need to have the manual dexterity to use the stylus – and well. Younger players might find this game frustrating as a result, but for slightly older kids who have been fans of the Pokemon series in the past, Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia might be just the game for them to find under the Christmas tree this year.

Saving Energy (and Money!) This Winter

When I woke up this morning, I wasn't prepared to be so cold. Like typical Ohio weather, last week was beautiful and the week ahead will be freezing cold. I swear Ohio is bipolar.

As I start bringing out the winter clothing, the heavy blankets and firing up the fireplace, I've been thinking a lot about home energy costs for winter. Thanks to the Hurricane Ike wind storm that tore through Ohio earlier this fall, our local electric company wants to raise our rates 45% over the next three years to recover some of the money they had to spend on fixing the power lines. Natural gas is also expected to be higher this winter, too. And while Aaron has a contract job at the moment, it could be over as early as December, meaning we need to save as much money as we can, and home energy is a good place to start.

Home Depot recently e-mailed me some tips on how to save energy at home, and in the process reduce your energy bills. They also asked if I would like to install some new energy-saving gadgets in my home on their dime, too. I had already been thinking about this topic, so of course I agreed.

Our house is only four years old, so I know it has Energy Star appliances, a programmable thermostat and good windows. But just like any house, there are always areas to improve on.

I went shopping at Home Depot with my good friend Lisa from Condo Blues - she's kind of an expert on home improvement stuff and has great ideas on making a home more energy efficient. Together we picked up a hot water heater blanket, some weatherstripping, foil tape, dimmer switches, insulation for the areas behind light switches and electrical outlets, lots of caulk, CFL lightbulbs, and a cover for my air-conditioner.

I knew that CFL bulbs helped save energy, and I've been slowly trying to make the conversion each time a light burns out. I was surprised to learn that they make ones that are "daylight" bright - Lisa pointed out that these are great for the bathroom or wherever you put on makeup!

The hot water heater blanket was something I've wanted for awhile. Our utility room is actually out in the (uninsulated) garage, so I'm sure a lot of energy is lost from the cold air on the tank. I also didn't realize that cold air can come in through your air-conditioner unit, even when off, so hopefully the insulated cover will help reduce that influx of cold air.

Lisa was the one to recommend the insulated "sealers" that go underneath the light-switch and electrical outlet plates. If you have a plate that is on an outside wall, it can let a lot of outside air in. (Try it - take off the cover plate and see how cold it is.)

The dimmer switch was for Cordy's room. She doesn't like having her overhead light off at night, and even if I turn it off after she goes to sleep, she'll wake up and turn it back on again. She already uses only a 40 watt bulb, but that's still a lot of light at night, so with the dimmer I can reduce the amount of light (and energy) while still giving her some light overhead at night.

I'll post an update in two months to see how much energy we're saving with these new items. I'm excited at the thought of cheaper utility bills without having to wear several layers in the house!

Here are a few more tips from Home Depot:

Top 10 ways to save energy – and money - in your home.

1. Install a programmable thermostat. You can save up to $180 a year by installing a programmable thermostat that controls the temperature of your home while you're at work or asleep.

2. Change to CFL light bulbs. Americans could save close to $8 billion in energy costs by replacing each home's five most frequently used light fixtures with CFL bulbs. CFL Bulbs use up to 90 percent less electricity than incandescent bulbs and are now available in dimmable and spot light bulbs.

3. Choose ENERGY STAR appliances. Save money and the environment by replacing standard model appliances with ones that are ENERGY STAR-qualified. ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances use 10-50 percent less energy and water than standard models.

4. Install a storm door. Storm doors can help conserve energy by keeping cold air out during the winter and heat out during the summer.

5. Update your windows. ENERGY STAR-qualified windows can reduce your energy costs by $126-$465 per year when replacing single-pane windows or $27-$111 a year when replacing double-pane, clear glass windows. For a quick fix, add heat control window film to your windows and save up to 50 percent on your cooling costs.

6. Install dimmer switches and motion detectors. Dim the lights by 25 percent and save an average of 15 percent a year on energy costs, and extend the bulb life by four times. By adding motion-sensitive exterior lighting and adding dimmer switches indoors where appropriate, you can control the wattage, saving you on your energy bills.

7. Install a ceiling fan – and learn to correctly rotate it. Ceiling fans aren't just for when it's hot outside. Ceiling fans can save you $10 a year on utility bills, plus the additional air conditioning or heating savings gained when a fan is operated properly. ENERGY STAR-qualified ceiling fans use 50 percent less energy than standard fans and circulate 25 percent more air.

8. Regularly maintain your furnace and water heater. Regular maintenance on your furnace and water heater will increase energy efficiency in your home. By combining proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with appropriate insulation, air sealing, and thermostat settings, you can cut your energy use for heating and cooling, and reduce environmental emissions, from 20 percent to 50 percent. Regular maintenance will help make these investments in your home last longer and be more energy efficient.

9. Seal your home from heat and cold. Allowing air to escape through gaps and cracks is like throwing your money away. By sealing your home with caulk, sealant and weather-stripping, you can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs.

10. Install insulation. According to the Department of Energy, the leading cause of energy waste in the home is inadequate insulation and air leakage. Homeowners typically can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 20 percent by sealing their homes and adding insulation in attics, floors over crawl spaces and accessible basement rim joists.

If you're looking for more information on energy savings projects and products, just visit homedepot.com/energy .

PS - Stay tuned - I have an AWESOME contest coming very soon!

Public Service Announcement - MRSA

Many of you know that I'm a nursing student at the moment. As a result, I have weekly clinicals where I work in a hospital caring for patients. This quarter has been an especially tough one for me, because so far I've had four patients with MRSA - methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. You may not have heard of this bacteria, so let me explain.

Our bodies are covered with Staph bacteria. It's even in our noses, too. Sure, it sounds creepy, but most of the time Staph bacteria is harmless to us. Most of the time our bodies keep it in check, but when given a weakened environment and an entrance, it can overgrow and make us sick. When this happens, we often require antibiotics to clear up the infection.

However, due to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, some bacteria are becoming resistant to many antibiotics, creating these superbugs that are hard to kill. MRSA is one of these antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and it is becoming the new epidemic in healthcare. There are two ways to acquire MRSA, either in the community or in a hospital setting. Hospital MRSA infections are, sadly, often caused by poor handwashing by healthcare workers. Community MRSA infections are most often spread through public places like gyms, schools, daycare centers, and even our households.

A MRSA infection on your skin looks like a pimple, abscess, boil, or spider bite that doesn't go away. They're usually red, warm, swollen and painful. If you think you or a family member has a MRSA infection, see your doctor right away. Special, more powerful antibiotics are required to treat this infection. The treatment is often longer than a standard treatment, and in those who already aren't healthy, the infection can be life-threatening. More than 19,000 Americans die of MRSA each year.

MRSA is spread by contact, so it is important to remember a few basic tips to keep yourself and your family safe. These tips are provided by Stop MRSA Now:

• Scrub up - Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand rub sanitizer.
  
  
• Wipe it down - Use a disinfecting bleach solution to wipe down and disinfect hard surfaces. (1 tablespoon of disinfecting bleach diluted in 1 quart of water)
  
  
• Cover your cuts - Keep any nicks or wounds covered with a clean, dry bandage until healed.
  
  
• Keep to yourself - Do not share personal items, like towels or razors, that come into contact with bare skin.
  
  
• Use a barrier - Keep a towel or clothing between skin and shared equipment.
  

At the hospital, any patient who is suspected of having MRSA is put on contact precautions, meaning that anyone going into their room is required to put on a full gown and gloves, along with washing hands when leaving the room. I follow all of these guidelines carefully, not only to prevent transmission between patients, but also to make sure that I don't put myself or my family at risk.

To learn more about MRSA and how to keep your family safe, visit the Stop MRSA Now website.

Winners!

It's been a busy few days, so I'm just getting around to picking winners for last week's contests. Without further ado:

Once Upon A Potty book winner: Mel

My Baby A-to-Z DVD winner: Amelia Sprout

$25 Kroger winner: Kristen at We Are That Family

$25 Kroger winner from A Mommy Story: Oona

Congrats to the winners and thanks to everyone for entering!

A Baby Book That Won't Make You Worry

When a woman announces she's pregnant for the first time, within weeks she's almost guaranteed to receive some kind of pregnancy and baby advice books from friends or relatives. Most of these books focus on what can go wrong, what you can do wrong, and ways you can screw up your baby for life. It's a little intimidating, to say the least.

Even though my second child is no longer a baby, I was still very excited when Parent Bloggers asked me to review the book Amazing Baby by Desmond Morris. I've never read anything by Morris, but I remember watching his series The Human Sexes on TLC and loving how he explained complex scientific concepts in simple details that helped make sense of how and why people behave the way they do. His social anthropology skills and ability to translate it to the common person are impressive.

Amazing Baby takes a look at the incredible biological process of infancy, from gestation to two years old. All topics of infancy are covered, including physical development, bonding and attachment, emotional development, learning, play, and eating.

There are no scary "what if's" in this book, save one simple one on the last page: a child who is given a loving, stimulating environment has a much better chance of growing up to be a happy, well-adjusted adult. And if you had read the book up to that point, you'd discover that it's really pretty hard to mess that up.

Babies are designed to adapt to life. For as fragile as they seem, their DNA has the foundations to accomplish most of what needs to be done to grow and adjust. They have survival skills that could rival many survivalists. For example, did you know that babies are born knowing how to swim? It's an instinct they lose as they get older, but if you placed a very young baby in water face-down, he would automatically know to hold his breath and would try to propel himself forward by coordinated movements of his arms and legs without panic, eyes open to take in his surroundings. (Obviously, I'm not recommending you try this at home. It's not like the baby can pull himself out of the water or anything, and while I believe in the concept, I'd worry too much to try it.) Babies also can recognize their mother's scent within hours after birth, and their mother's touch can soothe them in many situations.

The book is beautifully laid out, with full page photographs of babies filling every other page. Some pages have a thin overlay page over a picture, with the overlay showing drawings of the inside the baby's body, and the photo underneath providing the outline of the body to place it in context. I really loved these - there were ones showing the muscles of a baby, the parts of the brain and eye, the bones, and the lymphatic system. This book would serve as a beautiful coffee table book to look through even long after your baby's first two years.

Because I'm a nursing student, I've read much of the information in this book before. But even knowing much of it, I was still fascinated to read Morris' conclusions of how perfectly designed a human baby is. His descriptions are vivid and easy to understand, and all of the data he relays is interesting as well as informative. After skimming the entire book once, I've already found myself drifting back through parts of it again, just to read more in-depth while remembering my own daughters passing through those stages of development.

Amazing Baby is the perfect name for this book, and Desmond Morris does a fine job of proving just how amazing the human baby really is. This would be the perfect gift for a first time mother, because it doesn't focus on everything she has to do to make her baby "perfect" (which does nothing but cause more stress), but instead gives her a sneak peak of what to expect from her baby in a non-frightening method. Had I read this while pregnant with my first child, I would have been even more excited to meet her and less nervous about screwing her up from the start.

The book has a retail price of $40, but I checked Amazon and they're currently selling it for $26.40.

Get Ready For Winter With Lands' End

With this week's arctic blast chilling me to the bone, I've been forced to dig out all of my sweaters, long-sleeve shirts and thick socks. As I pulled out my winter coat, I realized that I no longer have an "everyday" winter coat. My only coat is a long black wool coat - somewhat formal for playing in the snow or taking a walk. So when Lands' End offered to let me try their women's Weatherly Jacket, I quickly agreed.

Cordy has worn a Lands' End winter jacket for the past two years, and I love that it keeps her warm in the coldest of conditions. The Weatherly jacket also promises to keep you warm in temperatures as low as -10 degrees F when worn over layers.

The first thing I noticed is how lightweight this jacket is. Using PolarThin insulation, the jacket isn't puffy like others, and feels very smooth when putting it on. You can adjust the waist tabs in the back to create the perfect fit, and the cuffs have adjustable velcro straps to keep the cold from rushing in your sleeves. A pull cord at the bottom adjusts the hem.

What I love: First, I love all of the pockets on this jacket. There are two storage pockets on the front, with two smaller, fleece-lined pockets that serve as hand-warmers. Inside, there is another pocket plus a smaller pocket to hold your mp3 player. I also love the tall sherpa fleece collar. The outer fabric of the jacket has a coating that allows water to bead up and roll off - very useful during last Friday's downpour.

I have very few complaints about this jacket. I would prefer to see it slightly longer for those of us who are long-waisted. A hood might be nice, too, although this does give me the chance to show off some fun winter hats.

Overall, I'm a big fan of the Weatherly jacket. It's warm, it's lightweight, and I don't feel like the kid in A Christmas Story who can't put his arms down in his bulky snowgear. It comes in a rainbow of colors, too - I chose garnet red, since I do live in Buckeye-country. Pair it with the Lands' End women's Chalet shoes and you'll look stylish at the sledding hill this year!

Don't Forget To Backup Your Data

Last week, Aaron's computer was attacked by a root kit virus. I don't know if you've heard of them, but they are mean little computer viruses that infest the deepest levels of your system. Often the only way to get rid of them is to completely erase your hard drive and start over, and after trying several options, Aaron had to erase everything. Thankfully, he had a backup of some of his data, but he still lost several programs and files.

I know the importance of backing up our data, and we have an external drive that we share to back up our files. But I never know which files to back up, aside from the obvious photos and iTunes songs. I also can never remember when I last backed up files, so I can't be sure it's all on the drive.

And then I received an e-mail about the Clickfree HD 801, and after reading the description I asked to try it out. This portable backup device requires practically no effort - just plug it in and sit back as it creates a backup of all of your files automatically. There is no software to install, and no settings to fuss with. (Unless you really want to.)

I was doubtful of the claims of this drive being truly "clickfree", so I connected the USB cable and waited to see what happened. The drive automatically started up, scanned my system, and began backing up files. I didn't have to do a thing.

It did take a very long time, but I have a lot of files to backup. Two weeks later, I plugged it in again, and it quickly scanned my system for new or changed files, updated them to it's hard drive and was finished within minutes. It's also small and easy to stash in a drawer between uses.

I have to say I love my Clickfree backup device! This is honestly the easiest electronic device I have ever owned, and it serves a very important purpose. As long as I can remember to update it every week or two (which, as I said, is very easy), I know my files will be safe in case of computer viruses or a massive hard drive failure.

The Clickfree HD 801 holds up to 160 GB of data - enough for two computers for some families - and can be purchased at Amazon.com.

Kroger Brings The Savings To You

In these tough economic times, I've been looking for savings everywhere I can. And lately I've been having great luck with our local Kroger for saving money on my groceries and more.

Every week I scan our local Kroger ad to look for the weekly deals and plan our meals accordingly. I love the Kroger Fuel Rewards program, which give you a minimum of $0.10 off of gas at any Kroger-owned gas station when you spend at least $100 at Kroger in a month. (I spend about four times that much, so the gas savings really add up!)

I've also taken advantage of the Kroger Pharmacy's $4 prescriptions twice in the past two months, since we're currently without insurance.

And I've recently started taking advantage of the Kroger.com website to help me save even more. While I'd like to be an avid coupon-cutter, the truth is I'm not so good at remembering to do it. And when I do remember, I often forget to bring the coupons I need with me to the grocery. Kroger.com provides downloadable coupons to print, and if you don't want to worry about carrying coupons, they also have partnerships with P&G's eSaver and Shortcuts, both of which let you pick the coupons you want and have them automatically added to your Kroger Plus card. When you go to the grocery, the coupon discounts are automatically added to any of the selected products you buy when you scan your card. For someone who is forgetful of little paper coupons, this is a HUGE service to me!

Win a $25 Kroger gift card!

Want to win a $25 Kroger gift card? Leave a comment on this post between now and Friday October 31 at 11:59 pm Eastern time. Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you if you win. One winner will be chosen at random (Via Random.org) after Friday.

Kroger gift cards can be used at any Kroger Co. store, including Fred Meyer, Ralph's, and Food 4 Less.

Also, be sure to enter for a different $25 Kroger card over on my other blog as well!

(This contest is part of the Bloggy Giveaways carnival.)

Got Allergies? You Might Want To Try This Spray!

Around here, we're an allergy-type family. I have general hayfever, Aaron is extremely allergic to ragweed and slightly allergic to pets, Cordy has sensitive skin and food allergies, and Mira...well, she hasn't shown any allergies yet, lucky thing. Even one of our cats is allergic to dust, mites, dogs, and several foods.

I decided to try out a sample of the new Clorox Anywhere Anti-Allergen Fabric Spray to see if it could help keep the allergens under control. It boasts that just by spraying it on common items we all use - the couch, fabric chairs, our bedding, etc. - it can break up many of the allergens that lead to our sneezing, watery eyes, or itchy skin. The bottle specifically mentions cat and dog dander and dust mite matter, and it claims to be completely safe for kids and pets. I wondered about this last claim, since my family is fairly sensitive to any chemical products.

It's really easy to use - just spray a fine mist on any fabric surface and give it a little time to dry. As it dries, it breaks down any allergens on the fabric, making it safer for you to lay your head down on the pillow or relax on the couch. I especially like that it has no strong odor, or any odor at all, unless you put your nose directly down to the fabric right after spraying it. The very light scent is fresh and clean. It's even safe to use on stuffed animals.

I misted down most of the furniture in our living room and all of our beds. It dried in under five minutes, and left no odor behind. This isn't our peak allergy season right now, but I can say that there haven't been any serious allergy attacks in the past week or two. The cat even seems to be doing well - dust mites really bother him, and I can't wash all of the areas he lays on constantly, so the spray is helping him. And no one has had any kind of reaction to the spray, either.

More long term testing is needed in this house, I think, but so far I think the Clorox Anywhere Anti-Allergen Fabric Spray has potential to be a very useful tool in my cleaning. The lack of any strong odor and the fact that it is safe to use around kids and pets is a big plus for me, too.

What's Better Than Dancing Puppets?*

*Mira would tell you that NOTHING is better than dancing puppets.

Most of you already know that I'm a bad parent who lets her children watch TV. Mira, suffering from second child syndrome, is very familiar with all of the offerings of the TV at only 16 months. Once Cordy was in school, we tried showing her only videos made for her age group, like Baby Einstein, but she had already sampled the older kids shows and while she loves puppets, those puppets moved too slow for her.

When I received the My Baby A to Z - Come Explore Shapes With Me DVD from Parent Bloggers, I worried it would be just as slow and she would have no interest in it. The puppets on the cover looked cute, though, and everything deserves a chance, so we put it in one morning when Cordy was at school to try it out. Cordy is a little smarty pants who already knows all of her shapes, so I decided Mira would be the only test subject.

Mira's attention was immediately captured with the dancing puppets on the title screen. As it started playing, she climbed onto my lap and continued to stare at the screen. The DVD features two puppets who serve as hosts as they explore different kinds of shapes with the audience. It's not too fast or slow paced, but just right to keep toddlers engaged and following along. There are plenty of opportunities to interact with the video, too: the puppets go out into the world and explore to find shapes, asking the children to find the shape, and sometimes asking the children to move their bodies to mimic certain shapes, like the roundness of a circle or the angular nature of a triangle.

Other puppets also join in to help demonstrate the shapes, as well as occasional clips of computerized stick figures creating shapes and playing with them. Mira loved all of the puppets, but she was especially fond of the two primary ones.

My favorite part has to be the occasional moments when the puppets announce "It's time to move!" and then groove to the music. It's a reminder for kids to get up and move instead of sitting passively watching TV. All I can think when they say this is "STOP...Hammer Time!" and I'll confess I'm saying that every time to get Mira to dance along. I love the random dance party segments, and think more videos for children could benefit from move 'n groove time.

Cordy, who is 4 years old, did see the DVD a few times, and she thought the puppets were cute. But as expected, she already knew all the shapes and was pointing them out before the puppets. Like I said - smarty pants. They recommend the DVD for ages 2-5, but a 4 or 5 year old might be beyond the subject matter.

Mira is just at the age where she can learn the subject matter, so this video is perfect for her. She's just beginning to notice different shapes, and My Baby A to Z - Come Explore Shapes With Me helps reinforce what I'm already teaching her. I'd recommend this DVD to anyone with children as young as 15 months. And for adults, I can report that I've seen this several times, and I'm not sick of it yet - a very important measure of a DVD for children.

Win a copy! I've got an extra copy of My Baby A to Z - Come Explore Shapes With Me to give away to one reader. To enter, leave a comment below by the end of the day on October 27, telling me your favorite puppet or muppet from your childhood. (Mine has to be Animal from the Muppets.) One winner will be chosen at random on October 28. Make sure I have a way to contact you if you win. And if you want more chances to win, check out Parent Bloggers - they're giving away 20 more as well!

Revisiting The Potty Struggle

It's been a full two years since we first tried to introduce the idea of using a potty to Cordy. We've tried nearly every technique to get her to use the potty, and while she will use it and stay dry at school now, she still resists at home and won't do it at all on the weekend.

I was offered the chance to review the old favorite Once Upon A Potty from Parent Bloggers, and decided that it was worth a try. The book has been around for years, and I think nearly everyone has heard of it, but we still didn't have it.

The book is actually two books - one designed for a boy, and one designed for a girl. The girl book follows the story of Prudence, as told by her mother. It tells of how Prudence has always used diapers since she was a baby, but now she's been given a potty to use and at first is very confused. But with a lot of patience and a lot of sitting, she eventually figures it out.

I really like that the book begins with a very brief and age-appropriate anatomy lesson of where each bodily excrement comes from. It was also nice to see that Prudence was allowed to play with the potty at first while she tried to figure out what it was, even wearing it as a hat in one picture. The images are simple but clear and get the point across easily.

Cordy enjoyed reading the book, listening all the way through and then asking to read it again over and over. She especially loved the part where Prudence sat and sat and sat...she giggled and repeated it with me as we read an entire page of "sat and sat..." And she showed a lot of understanding about where everything comes from.

She didn't recognize the potty in the picture at first, insisting that it wasn't a potty and it didn't look anything like her potty. The potty in the story is a little old-fashioned looking - it looks more like a Victorian chamber pot than the plastic potty you might find in a store. I also changed the words a little when reading it to her - the book refers to Wee-Wee and Poo-Poo, but I preferred to call them pee and poop, since those are the words we use.

Has the book helped at all with her potty training? While I'd love to report she's completely potty trained, that still isn't the case. But it has shown her that sometimes she has to sit for a while before anything happens, and she'll now give it a minute or two before declaring she's done and asking to leave the bathroom. And more importantly, her little sister Mira has been following along as well, and now follows me into the bathroom to sit on the potty (fully-clothed, but still) every chance she gets. I think Mira might be potty trained faster than Cordy.

The book also comes with a CD, including the Joshua and Prudence Theme song, The Potty Song, and a read-along of the book. The songs are very jazzy in nature - not bad at all, but Cordy also wasn't very interested. She did like the read-along, though.

There's a reason Once Upon A Potty is one of the most read potty books over the years - it's clear in message, it explains the process without pressure, and it helps make the idea of the potty less frightening.

Want to win one? If you have a boy, or know someone with a boy of potty training age, leave a comment below to win the boy version of this book and CD. One winner will be selected at random after Friday, October 24.

Trying to Green Up My House

You may have noticed the new little icon in my left sidebar. I'm currently participating in the Green Works 30 Days to Natural experiment. In the past few years I've been wanting to make better choices for our family that helped us live healthier and protected the environment.

For this challenge, I'm trying out the Clorox Green Works line of cleaners, all made with biodegradable ingredients and free of phosphorus, bleach, and other toxic chemicals. None of the products are tested on animals, also. I'm replacing the remaining harsh cleaners we had with Green Works products to see if they clean just as well as the old products. I've already been using them, and so far I can tell you that I'm liking what I'm seeing. (And smelling!) Reviews will be coming soon.

The 30 Days to Natural website encourages you to sign up for an account, and in return provides you with a wealth of tips to live in a healthier, more environmentally-friendly way. You can have daily tips e-mailed to you or sent to your cell phone. And you can watch videos from three moms who are vlogging their 30 day transformation to a greener household.

It's been fun so far, and several of the daily tips have been useful and reminded me that it doesn't take a lot of effort to make eco-friendly choices.

Win A Lands' End Fleece Pullover!

*Contest has ended. Congrats to the lucky winner, Firemom!

Cold weather will be here in a matter of weeks, so if you haven't started pulling out your winter gear, you might want to think about it. I'm going to have to buy some new winter gear this year because I've lost some weight since last winter's postpartum blahs.

If you're looking for some new winter gear, too, why not start with winning a pullover? I'm giving away a Lands' End Women's ThermaCheck 100 Half-Zip Pullover to one lucky reader this week. These pullovers are made from a special fleece that is not only very soft, but the only permanent antistatic fleece out there. That's right - no shocking someone just by walking across the room, and no looking like a lint trap after a week or two. It's also incredibly lightweight, making it perfect for layering in the winter.

To enter the contest, visit Lands' End and decide what color you like best, then leave a comment on this post telling me which color is your favorite no later than Monday, October 20 at 11:59pm EST. One winner will be chosen at random (random.org) after Oct. 20.

And if you're in the mood to shop, be sure to take advantage of free basic UPS shipping at Lands' End now through October 20. (My advice? Check out their shoes. The Chalet Shoes look so cozy, and they're on sale, too.)

Free Shipping Code: OUTERWEAR
PIN: 1013

Good luck!

Lands' End Contest & Free Shipping Code!

Did you ever wish you could get all your family together - you, the kids, maybe the grandparents, too - and all go on vacation together? (OK, I also wish I could go on vacation without all of them, too, but that's beside the point.) With the economy tanking right now, vacation money is hard to come by, but you could always try to win your vacation.

Lands' End's Great Get Togethers contest is running through noon, October 30, 2008 for an all-expense paid vacation to The Resort at Paws Up in Montana.

The grand prize is 7 nights of fun at the resort for up to 12 members of your family. This includes not only the resort stay, but also airfare, meals, four half-day wilderness adventures, and a set of Lands' End Windfall outerwear for each family member. I've never been snowmobiling, but I'd be willing to learn for a vacation like that!

Second and third place winners get a Lands' End clothing package, also for up to 12 family members.

To enter, visit Lands' End and fill out the Great Get Togethers contest entry form, including a 300 word essay about your most memorable family get together. Winners will be chosen after October 31, 2008.

And if you're starting your winter outerwear shopping like me, you should take a look at Lands' End this week for some great sales and free shipping. Using the code below at checkout, get free standard UPS shipping on any order from now until October 20!

Code: OUTERWEAR
PIN: 1013

A Review For The Bedroom

Let's begin by asking all members of my immediate (and not so immediate) family to please click away at this point. Trust me, you don't want to read a review that discusses my sex life. Those who also really don't want to read about sex might want to click away to a happier place for you, too.

OK, just the rest of us now? Good.

We may not talk about it as much as we did when we were wild and childless, but moms do have sex, too. While the public would prefer to place moms in the holy Madonna category of women, the truth is that we're just as sexual as our childless friends. Well, maybe we're more tired and as a result we don't have sex as much as we did, but when we do we want it to be good. I'm not saying that things are boring between my husband and I, but we're both open to trying new things to keep it from ever becoming boring.

I was invited by a fellow mom blogger to try out a product from Eden Fantasys, and encouraged to not let modesty hold me back. So I decided to go for it, asked my husband to help me pick something, and selected the Abelio vibrator.

The first thing I was impressed with was how discreet the packaging was when it arrived. A plain box, with no identifiable information about where it was from. I actually had no idea what the package was until I opened it.

The Abelio is a great looking vibrator. If I have a toy that will be used solo as well as with my husband, I want it to not look so realistic, if you know what I mean. This vibe looks so nice you could have it standing on the table in broad daylight and mistake it for some modern art piece. There is no large dial at the bottom, either - to turn it on, push the base and hold for a couple of seconds. To switch between different vibrations, just tap the base again.

Pros: It has several settings, ensuring you'll find just the right one for you. It's also made of medical grade, velvety-soft silicone, making it one of the safest toys available (no PVC, or jelly-like material that can harbor bacteria and be hard to clean). It's not waterproof, but it is water resistant so it can be used in the shower. Vibrations are strong but not numbing or jarring. It also makes a quiet humming noise, enough to hear in the room but not behind a door.

Cons: While it can be used internally or externally, I found only a couple of the different vibration settings were strong enough for external use. It's also really easy to tap the base when using it, which switches the setting it's on.

Overall, the Abelio is a really nice toy to add a little spice to our sex life, and we're very happy with it. I'm also pleased with Eden Fantasys. The site is easy to navigate, there are reviews of many of the products to help you decide, and if you're still having trouble, there is a forum where you can ask questions without fear of sounding weird. If we should look into any new bedroom toys in the future (likely), I think this will likely be the first place we look.

Cordy & Daddy's Egg-cellent Cooking Adventure

Did you know that Oct. 10 is World Egg Day? I didn't either, until Parent Bloggers asked me if I would like to help celebrate by making a recipe that features eggs and preferably has a world theme to it. The Egg Board is trying to get the message out about World Egg Day by featuring egg recipes from around the world.

This of course, was a challenge for me. First, I'm a lousy cook. Second, I'm the only one in my family who eats eggs. Cordy and Mira have both tried eggs and turned their noses up at them. I had to find something that used eggs but didn't look like eggs, and it had to be simple enough that Cordy could help and I wouldn't burn the house down.

So what did we make? French toast! OK, so it's not exactly international, but hey, we even printed out a French flag for inspiration. That counts for something, right?

The one problem with the traditional french toast recipe is that it contains cinnamon, which Cordy is allergic to. So we used Jenna's cinnamon-free french toast recipe for this experiment.

Here are the ingredients:

Wine in the background not an ingredient, yet as many parents know, always necessary...

2 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 2 tbsp brown sugar, slices of bread, and a generous sprinkling of nutmeg

Step 1: Put eggs and milk into a bowl and beat. Or stir, if you want it to take forever. Cordy preferred to stir, so we had to help her.

She loved stirring. (And see the French flag on the stove?)

Step 2: Add vanilla, brown sugar and nutmeg and stir. This can take less than a minute, or a full 5 minutes if you have a child who loves to stir.

Stir the vanilla in...

Add in brown sugar (Mira's only task in this process)...

Stir some more...

Add in nutmeg, and then - you guessed it - stir some more!

Step 3: Now comes the fun part. Heat up your griddle, or in our case, use a frying pan with the burner set at medium high heat and a spoonful of butter added. Dip the bread, covering both sides in the mixture quickly, and place in the frying pan or griddle until both sides are lightly brown.

If your child is in charge of dipping, keep a close eye on her to keep her from dipping it too early. One piece of french toast turned out a little squishy due to being drowned in the mixture when left in for over a minute.

Dipping is tough when you have sensory integration disorder, but she was very brave. She even got her fingers into the mixture a few times and didn't get upset.

Aaron does the cooking to ensure this remains a safe experiment

Here's our dipping process in action:



Step 4: Add powdered sugar and syrup.


Step 5: Eat! Yum!

And now the moment of truth: will she eat it?

Thumbs up!

We had a lot of fun making french toast, and Cordy got to try a new breakfast food that has a lot more protein than a waffle, thanks to the eggs and milk. And now that they've had eggs in this form, maybe we can move up to scrambled eggs soon.

If you like eggs, go find a new egg recipe to make for your family for World Egg Day on October 10. The Egg Board has several recipes available that look delicious. Who knows, you might just find a new meal for your picky child, too.

Party Supplies and A Chat With Elmo

Right before Cordy's birthday party, I was contacted by the Solo Cup Company, asking if we would like to try out their new line of Sesame Street cups, bowls and plates. Specifically, I was asked if I had an upcoming party that needed supplies. I replied that Cordy was having a birthday party that weekend, and we didn't have any supplies yet. Candace then overnighted me a box of cups and bowls to use for the party.

The kids loved the cups and bowls! We used the bowls to serve ice cream and cake, meaning less was scooped off plates onto the floor or small laps. I liked that they were strong bowls and the cups held up all day long, despite several refills with ice. The cups also came with tops and straws to minimize spills. At the end of the party, we had a large bag for people to throw all of the paper products into for recycling, making clean-up a piece of...well...cake. The Sesame Street paper bowls and cups were perfect for the party.

Also, right now Solo is putting a toll-free number on each package of Sesame Street party products. Dialing that number will put your child in contact with Elmo, which if your kid likes Elmo will make you officially Coolest Mom of the Year. Sure, it's a recorded message, but will your child care? Probably not. The Solo Sesame Street website also has activities to print off, including recipes and coloring pages.

We Start Our Gamers Young Here

Cordy loves watching TV, but for the most part it is a passive activity. She's never been one to talk back to the TV, even if the characters on Blue's Clues were prompting her for an answer. TV is for watching, and nothing else.

My husband, however, loves to play video games. At first Cordy protested, but when he bought Lego Indiana Jones, she became interested. She loved to watch him play "Cowboys in the Jungle" (her name for it), but the game is far too complex for her to play along with. And there's no way we'll let her near our Wii - too many stories of preschoolers throwing Wiimotes through TVs.

At BlogHer this year, I had the chance to see the new V-Motion Active Learning System from VTech, and I fell in love with it. When PBN then told me they were looking for reviewers, I practically climbed into their laps and begged. I've been wanting to try a game system for Cordy, but wasn't sure if she would ever like it. I didn't want to spend $40+ for something that may be completely ignored by my fickle child.

The V-Motion is the newest game system from VTech. It's designed for children 3-7 years old, with games that are simple, fun, and designed to teach children while they play. The controller is far more simple than a Playstation controller: one big button and a joystick control most of the action, with four smaller colored buttons that are used less often. What's unique about this system is the gyroscope in the wireless controller that lets you direct the action simply by moving the controller side to side or back and forth or up and down. It's like a Wii for the preschool set.

While I was totally sold on the idea, I wondered if the actual play would live up to the hype. I set it up quickly by plugging it into the TV, and popped in the Action Mania Smartridge that came with the system. The game is a series of different games, like driving a car, sledding down a hill, playing tennis, and backyard games such as sorting different colored balls. (It reminds me a lot of Wii Sports.) Your child has the choice of using the joystick and button combo to play the game, or using the motion sensor to play.

At first Cordy didn't understand how to use the controller. She kept pushing the joystick to one side, or turning the controller sideways and not moving it. I stepped in and tried to show her, which just made her mad. At the end of our first attempt, I was the one racing the car while Cordy stomped away, asking to watch Super Why again.

But later she was asking to try the game again, and she did a little better with it. I wondered if maybe she wasn't that interested in the game itself (she's more likely to play something if it features a character she recognizes), so I bought her an early birthday gift of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse game for the V-Motion. We ended up doing the entire adventure game together, and this time we made it all the way to the end without anyone stomping off in frustration. (Actually, there is nothing quite as funny as watching your kid dance around and twist her entire body to turn the controller right and left. Hil-arious!) I had to help her with some parts of it, but she really had a lot of fun, and cried when I told her it was time to stop.

She loves her game system now, and asks to play it every day. I still have to be right with her, helping her through each challenge, but she is only three years old, which is the bottom of the age range for this system. I think as she gets older she'll be able to play the games without my help. And actually, I think it's been good for both of us to work together as she learns the fine motor skills needed to use the controller. Playing games with the V-Motion is not too different from some of the therapy exercises she does with her OT.

I only have two complaints with the V-Motion. First, the AC power cord is not included, and has to be purchased separately for an additional $10 if you don't want to run through your entire supply of batteries to keep it powered up. And second, while I like that each game gives you a choice of using the joystick or the motion sensor, I wish it didn't ask right before each new mini-game or puzzle. It was hard for Cordy to know how to select the right one, and often she'd be trying to turn the controller side to side when the joystick mode had been selected. Choosing your option once when the game begins and sticking with it would be enough, I think.

As for features that I like: I think the controller is awesome. It's wireless and the motion sensor is very sensitive and accurate. The system also supports game cartridges (Smartridges) from all the regular V-Smile games, giving you more options to choose from. (Note that only games designed for the V-Motion can use the motion sensor function.) The games are fun, age appropriate, and teach colors, shapes, numbers, letters and more. Also included is the V.Link device. I haven't used it yet, but it's essentially a flash drive you plug into the game system that tracks your child's progress on games. You can then plug it into your computer to play games online at VTech and your child can compare scores against others who have been online.

Overall, I'm giving the V-Motion Active Learning System by VTech a big thumbs up. We've been toying with the idea of getting an early learning game system for over a year now, and I think this is the perfect system for Cordy. We've bought one game so far, and I know it won't be the last, either. There are a wide range of characters in the games, including Disney characters, Thomas the Tank Engine, and Dora. Each game incorporates learning with game play, so that I don't feel like game time is mindless fun time. And anything that can give Noggin a run for entertaining and educating my daughter at the same time is welcome in my home.

Find more reviews of the V-Motion at the Parent Bloggers Network blog.

Help For Everyday Toddler Battles

I go through battles with my three year old on a daily basis. It used to be far worse, when I didn't understand where this rebellion over every minor detail came from. I mean, does it really matter that much if I hand over her snack before her juice?

The hardest part of the day for us is morning, when Cordy wants nothing to do with getting ready for school. Despite loving school, every day begins with, "I don't want to go to school!" She drags through each task of the morning, unwilling to move at anything faster than a slug's pace.

It's because of this that the books Ready for the Day and Ready for Bed are now regular reads at our house. These books from the ParentSmart/KidHappy series feature tales of getting through these two difficult transitions at the beginning and end of the day. They're like a lesson for both me and Cordy in parent/child relationships.

Ready for the Day tells the story of a little girl who at first is resistant to getting ready for school. But her dad uses several different techniques to encourage her to get ready, and as a reward they have time to play before going to school. Dad gives her choices when getting ready, like asking which of two outfits she wants to wear. He also expresses understanding of how she feels, and points out when she uses her manners or otherwise behaves appropriately.

I can vouch for the technique of providing choices. Once I learned how to do this, it cut our battles down by half. Given a choice between two things or activities, Cordy feels in control and it often disarms her stubbornness. I just have to be careful not to give her too many choices, or she feels overwhelmed.

In Ready for Bed, a mother and her son go through all of the bedtime activities. The boy is grumpy and doesn't want to comply, but his mom makes it fun by doing many of the same techniques in the other book. She offers him a choice of which PJs he wants to wear, sympathizes when he doesn't want to get out of the bath, and encourages him when he remembers his manners. Bedtime ends up being fun, without tantrums and resistance.

The illustrations in these two books are beautiful and lively. The action is drawn well and the characters' feelings can easily be determined by looking at their faces. I'm also glad to see diversity in these books, both in ethnicity and including a dad in one book. I haven't seen many picture books that feature a dad in a primary care role.

Cordy really enjoys both books, too. She celebrates each accomplishment along with the young characters, and when a choice comes up in the story, she tries to make the choice as well. I think that seeing the positive interactions modeled by the parent and child in each book has made her think more about her own actions. The dialogue does seem a little forced at times, but otherwise it flows naturally and could be words spoken by a parent and child. It's been a good refresher for me, too - I'm consciously trying to offer more choices and encourage her when she does good things, rather than focus on the negative.

These books also provide a script for how early morning and bedtime should run, and can provide a sense of security for a child. I often remind Cordy of the little girl in the story, asking her, "What did she do next to get ready for school?" It's helping her remember which tasks need to be accomplished each morning.

Thanks to Parent Bloggers Network for this review - you can read more reviews of Ready for the Day and Ready for Bed at their blog!

Ju-Ju-Be Winner!

Thanks to all who entered the Ju-Ju-Be diaper bag giveaway!

Random.org determined that the winner is:



Wisconsin Mommy!

Stay tuned, more giveaways will be coming soon!