Gift Guide

Elmo and Friends- The Letter Quest and Other Magical Tales

December 9, 2010 By Virginia

We’ve added another Elmo movie to our DVD shelf.

In Elmo and Friends: The Letter Quest and Other Magical Tales, the residents of Sesame Street have many great stories of magic and whimsy to share all while discovering that learning is the greatest magic of all. In one story, join Sir Elmo, Sir Telly and Sir Abby as knights who are on a quest to discover all about the letter “Y.” This fun-filled, 48-minute DVD continues when the Shoe Fairy (Neil Patrick Harris) magically appears and shows Abby and Telly that one shoe does not fit all; there are shoes for everyone and everything. Also, join Cookie Monster as he discovers the ironic perils of having the “cookie touch!” Through these enjoyable stories, this DVD addresses the whole child curriculum, touching on different educational goals, including literacy, math, and social-emotional development.

Of course, Mister loves all the parts with Elmo in them. Sister is really taking a liking to Abby Cadabby and just about squeals anytime she comes on screen. My favorite part is when Cookie Monster has the “cookie touch.” Reminiscent of Midas and his touch of gold, Cookie Monster learns that it is no fun at all when everything he touches turns into a cookie.

We give Elmo and Friends: The Letter Quest and Other Magical Tales two thumbs up!

You can purchase Elmo and Friends: The Letter Quest and Other Magical Tales at most local retailers, on sesamestreet.org, and on Amazon.com.

I received the aforementioned complimentary product(s) to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions express are 100% my own and are based on my own experience. Your experience may differ.

Filed Under: Reviews, Shopping Guides Tagged With: Elmo, Gift Guide, Movie Corner, Reviews

Whac-A-Mole Preschool Card Game

December 9, 2010 By Virginia

Did you ever play Whac-A-Mole as a child? How about the card game “war?” Now, combine the two, and you get the fun Whac-A-Mole Card Game. Play begins with the cards being dealt equally among players in face-down piles. Turn by turn, each player reveals the card on the top of their pile. When there’s a match, the first player to slap the Whac Card earns all the cards played during that round. Watch out for the Wild Card. When it’s played anyone can hit the Whac card and win all the cards.

Whac-A-Mole Card Game

Whac-A-Mole Card Game Features

Based on the classic Whac-A-Mole game with a new twist
To win this game, you’ll need to collect all the cards
Slap the Whac Card earns all the cards played
Watch out for the Wild Card
When it’s played anyone can hit the Whac card and win all the cards

Since my kiddos are still in the “I bend every card I get my hands on” and we are trying to dissuade hitting, this game is a little mature for them (Mister did just turn 3). It states “preschool” on the packaging, but it is age rated 5+ and can be played by 2-4 players.

Shop for the Whac-A-Mole Card Game and other Mattel products from the Mattel Shop or on Amazon.com

Filed Under: Reviews, Shopping Guides Tagged With: games, Gift Guide, Review

Frightening McMean from Mattel

December 8, 2010 By Virginia

What boy wouldn’t love Lightning McQueen turned into a fearsome monster truck?

When Mater needs a helping hand in “Monster Truck Mater,” he tag teams with his wrestling partner. That’s Lightning McQueen, of course, but in Mater’s tall tale, he becomes “Frightening McMean,” the fearsome monster truck!

Tap the hood to hear him say phrases from the Toon
Monster-sized tires for kid-powered action
Tag-team partner of Mater’s “Tormentor” monster struck
Inspired by the Pixar short film

Battery Required: Yes | Batteries Included: Yes
Battery Quantity: 3 | Battery Type: AG13 Button Cell | Battery Included Quantity: 3
Non Replaceable: No
Assembly Required: No
Age Grade: 4 & up
Country of Origin: Imported

This truck is awesome! He is big and bad, and has a lot of cool sayings, including…

“Whoa, you are not in my weight class,” and “Here’s an oil pan slam!” If your little tike likes the movie Cars, he will love this truck! The wheels are big and tough, and it has saying straight from the cartoon. The cool thing is we live close to a real Big Foot monster truck, so now Mister has his own monster truck!

The body of the truck is plastic, and the graphic decal stickers are already in place for you.

Try as I might, I cannot find the on/off button on this one, which means it may occasionally be hidden out on mission. It does come with two of the wheels off, so you do have to assemble it by putting them on. It is super easy to do, but I kept somehow pushing the talking mechanism when I was putting them on. If your child is long on energy and short on patience like mine, I would recommend putting this one together THEN wrapping it. But, since there isn’t an off switch, be sure to put it where little fingers can’t find it, because they may accidentally activate him if they pick him up to examine the package.

You can purchase Car Toons Frightening McQueen from the Mattel Shop or on Amazon.com.

Filed Under: Reviews, Shopping Guides, Toys Tagged With: Gift Guide, Reviews, Toys

Aurora Gifts for Christmas- Review plus Giveaway

December 6, 2010 By Virginia

***Giveaway closed–winner notified by email***

I don’t know about your kiddos, but mine have a thing for stuffed animals. Aurora Gifts has some of the cutest stuffed toys around!

Take the Dreamy Eyes for example…

That giraffe is so cute, I want one!

They also have awesome stuffed monkeys called Cheeky Charlie and Carmen.

Aurora – Cheeky Charlie™ & Carmen™

Retailers know Aurora’s go-to monkeys with personality, lovable smiles and signature banana in the tail, Cheeky Charlie™& Carmen™, fly off store shelves. Three newer styles in the line include Cheeky Charlie “Rock Star” which features Charlie with a Mohawk, sporting a guitar and t-shirt (14.5 inches). Cheeky Charlie Surfer (14.5 inches) in a visor and board shorts is ready to hit the beach with his surfboard. Cheeky Charlie Zoo Keeper (14.5 inches), Wrangler Cheeky Charlie (pictured, 14.5 inches) and Carmen “BFF” (pictured, 14.5 inches) are some other top items in the line. Each monkey’s Velcro hands make “hanging out” easy! Ages three and up. All “14.5 inch” Cheeky Charlie & Carmen styles retail with a suggested price of $17.

We received Wrangler Cheeky Charlie and BFF Carmen for review.

I absolutely adore Charlie! Carmen is cute, but those chaps on Charlie are what CUTE is made of! Both monkeys are well made (as are all Aurora toys, in my experience). They have the Velcro hands, so they can hug each other or hang around.

I think my favorite Aurora Gifts toy to date has to be the Fancy Pals Pet Carriers. They are adorable little purses with stuffed animal friends inside.

Aurora – Fancy Pals™ – The Original Toy Pet Carriers

One of Aurora’s best selling lines, Fancy Pals, features the original Pet Carriers — a purse and plush animal in one. The plush animals are interchangeable – kids have fun mixing and trading the animals to other carriers. Three new styles include “Sweet…Sweet…Sweet,” a pink poodle in a heart shaped bag with the word “sweet” embroidered on the side; “I Heart U,” a purple kitten and fancy pink bag embroidered with “I © U”; and “Love” (pictured) featuring an adorable black and white puppy in a flashy pink bag embroidered with shiny hearts and the word “love” (carriers vary from six to eight inches in size, depending on style; MSRP: $12)

This one is a pink purse with the word “Sweet” and an embroidered heart on it. A cute poodle fits inside.

So, when Sister wants to use it as a pet carrier, she can, but if she just wants to wag it around as a purse, she can do that, too!

Buy it… You can shop Aurora online at http://shop.auroragift.com or on Amazon.com

Win it… Aurora Gifts would like to offer one lucky Lady V dZine reader their own Fancy Pals pet!

Mandatory entry… Visit the Aurora Shop and comment back with what your favorite Aurora toy is.

***Please note- this must be done before any bonus entries will count***

Bonus entries–

+1- Follow me on Google Friend Connect—right side bar, comment with your user name.
+1- Like Lady V dZine on Facebook and comment back here with your screen name.
+3- Subscribe to Lady V dZine by RSS or email and comment back with the e-mail you signed up with (one each)
+1- Follow Lady V dZine on Twitter AND tweet this contest using @ladyvdzine and linking back to this post- comment with your tweet status (may be done up to 4x/day, at least 30 minutes apart)
- May use “#win Fancy Pal toy http://goo.gl/IEL5b via @ladyvdzine (12/20) @2010HolidayGiftGuide #Christmas #giveaway #toy #fb”
+1- Like Aurora on Facebook and comment back with your screen name.
+1- Share this giveaway on your Facebook page and comment back with a link to the share (may be done 1x/day).
+1- For each current giveaway that you enter- comment with name of giveaway
+1- For each non-giveaway post that you submit to StumbleUpon *may use the button in the top/bottom of each post to submit- comment back with your Stumble Upon profile and name of the post you submitted.
+1- For each non-giveaway post that you leave a RELEVANT comment on- must leave a comment on THIS post with the post title or link where you commented.
+5- Blog this contest linking to this post- leave 5 comments here with a link to your post

The fine print…

By entering this giveaway you are stating that you have read my Contest Rules statements and agree to them.

Contest open to US addresses.. Contest ends at 11:59 a.m. CST on 12/20/2010. Winner will be selected randomly. Winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond with mailing address and phone number for shipping purposes. Failure to respond within 48 hours will result in prize forfeiture and a new winner will be chosen. Prize will be forfeited and donated to charity if not claimed by primary or alternate winners.

I received the aforementioned complimentary product(s) to facilitate my previous review. No other compensation was received. All opinions expressed are 100% my own and are based on my own experience. Your experience may differ.

Filed Under: Reviews, Shopping Guides, Toys Tagged With: Gift Guide, Giveaways, Review, Toys

Bed and Breakfast Guide Review and Giveaway

December 5, 2010 By Virginia

***Giveaway closed–winners notified by email.***

Do you remember my Fantastic Father’s Day Find of the I LOVE INNS guide to “Bed & Breakfast and Country Inns?” Bed & Breakfasts and Country Inns

I really like this guide, because each copy contains a certificate, valid at any bed and breakfast listed in the guide, that can be redeemed for a free-night’s stay with purchase of the first night* – an offer that can help save hundreds of dollars on your next trip.

Hubs and I are finally going to go to the Beall Mansion in Alton, Illinois, for our anniversary. Because of his travel schedule for work, we can only get away for a weekend. So, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to stay close to home and will be using my certificate from the Bed & Breakfasts and Country Inns 22nd Edition to save on our weekend!

Circa 1903. An eclectic blend of Neoclassic, Georgian and Greek Revival styles, the mansion was designed as a wedding gift by world renown architect, Lucas Pfeiffenberger. Original woodwork, eleven and a half-foot ceilings, leaded-glass windows, pocket doors, crystal chandeliers and imported marble and bronze statuary reflect the era’s opulence. Elegantly appointed guest bedrooms are unique in size and decor. Each includes a private bath with shower and clawfoot tub or whirlpool for two, imported marble floor and chandelier. Voted “Illinois Best Bed & Breakfast” by Illinois Magazine’s Readers Poll.
Read more: http://www.iloveinns.com/beall-mansion-an-elegant-id6144.html#ixzz0pZh2jfLW

Here’s how to start planning adventures and meet your travel goals.

Purchase your copy of Bed & Breakfast and Country Inns today.
Choose from the more than 1,400 B&Bs and Country Inns who participate in the program.
Go to iLoveInns.com/freenight and search additional properties added since publication.
Make travel goals – you could save hundreds of dollars at many of the participating inns.
Set your dates and insert a calendar into your new book!

So many of you have shared your wonderful B&B experiences with us. There is nothing so rewarding to us at American Historic Inns than to hear how much joy our books make possible! And to give you a free night worth an average of $142 — really makes us feel good!

* Check with individual inns for blackout dates and other restrictions.

Buy it… Purchase your own copy of the I LOVE INNS guide to “Bed & Breakfast and Country Inns” on iloveinns.com or Amazon.com. If purchasing from Amazon.com, triple check that you are purchasing the 22nd edition. The certificate in the 22nd edition is valid through December 31, 2011. If you purchase an earlier edition, the certificate will be expired!

Win It: Five lucky Lady V dZine readers will receive their own copies of Bed & Breakfasts WITH a Free Night from I LOVE INNS.

Mandatory Entry: Simply visit iloveinns.com and drool over their incredible list of Bed and Breakfasts. Then come back here and leave the name (or link) to one of their inns where you would like to spend a long weekend.

***Please note- this must be done before any bonus entries will count***

Bonus entries–

+1- Follow me on Google Friend Connect—right side bar, comment with your user name.
+1- Like Lady V dZine on Facebook and comment back here with your screen name.
+3- Subscribe to Lady V dZine by RSS or email and comment back with the e-mail you signed up with (one each)
+1- Follow Lady V dZine on Twitter AND tweet this contest using @ladyvdzine and linking back to this post- comment with your tweet status (may be done up to 4x/day, at least 30 minutes apart)
- May use “#win B&B Guide with cert for free night from @iLoveInns http://goo.gl/sJ6HC via @ladyvdzine (12/20) #Christmas #giveaway #vacation #fb”
+1- Like iLoveinns on Facebook and comment back with your screen name.
+1- Follow iLoveinns on Twitter and comment back with your screen name.
+1- Write a Review at I LOVE INNS for one of the places you’ve already stayed. Then come back here and tell me about it (leave the name of the Inn so I can check it out!)
+1- If you have an iPhone, download the free B&B application InnTouch, then come back and tell me what you like about it.
+1- Share this giveaway on your Facebook page and comment back with a link to the share (may be done 1x/day).
+1- For each current giveaway that you enter- comment with name of giveaway
+1- For each non-giveaway post that you submit to StumbleUpon *may use the button in the top/bottom of each post to submit- comment back with your Stumble Upon profile and name of the post you submitted.
+1- For each non-giveaway post that you leave a RELEVANT comment on- must leave a comment on THIS post with the post title or link where you commented.
+5- Blog this contest linking to this post- leave 5 comments here with a link to your post

The fine print…

By entering this giveaway you are stating that you have read my Contest Rules statements and agree to them.

I received the aforementioned complimentary product(s) to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. All opinions expressed are 100% my own and are based on my own experience. Your experience may differ.

Filed Under: Books, Shopping Guides, Vacation Tagged With: Book, Gift Guide, Review