Pretty excited about taking the girls to see the new Dare to Dream Disney on Ice show tomorrow night.  I’ve been noticing the commercials advertising it and the other night, my 6 year old came up to me and asked if we could go see it.  I didn’t see shows like this when I was a kid, so it kind of makes me feel all warm and squishy inside to be able to experience something like this with my girls.  Eric is coming too.  Oh, he’ll love it and he knows it.  I also heard that Meg Ryan’s mom is going to be there.  Pretty stoked to see her, too.

I’ll tell you all about the show after we see it tomorrow night!

Here is a special discount if you want to take your kids to see the show, too:

Get 4 Tickets for $44 on Weekday Shows OR Save $4 on Weekend Shows.

Weekday shows include any performance Monday through Thursday. Weekend shows include any performance Friday through Sunday.

Redeem the offer with code MOM through Ticketmaster.com, Box Office, or call 1-800-745-3000

Fine Print:

Offer not valid on Front Row or VIP seating. No double discounts. Service Charges, Handling and Facility Fees may apply.

www.disneyonice.com

The fine folks at Feld Entertainment are giving me complimentary tickets to enjoy this show, which is absolutely what I plan to do.

I recently attended the Activision Games for Girls Summit that was held in the Chicagoland area.  I’m glad I did because I learned about many products that are sure to be big hits with the grade schoolers and tweens this holiday season.

Here is a preview of the hot game titles for girls that were showcased at the summit:

Lalaloopsy for Nintendo DS

Reunite all the familiar Lalaloopsy dolls with their lost pets to build incredible friendships and unlock exciting crafting activities.

Zoobles for Nintendo DS

Care for and nurture these lovable companions while exploring 6 distinct lands in Zooble Isle, each featuring a diverse range of characters.

ZhuZhu Babies for Nintendo DS

Travel around the world and visit exotic cities with the ZhuZhu Babies to help find Razz and bring him home safe and sound.

Squinkies 2 for Nintendo DS

Learn to navigate the mall in a quest to invite the other lovable Squinkies to a fantastic Squinkies party. Collect magic coins along the way and unlock secret characters.

Moshi Monsters: Moshling Zoo for Nintendo DS

Explore the Wooly Wilderness in search for rare Moshlings to add to your Moshling zoo.

Last but not least, one toy/game that I know my kids are highly looking forward to playing with is Wappy the dog and Nintendo DS game.

Wappy Dog and game for Nintendo DS

Connect Wappy, the robotic pet toy with the virtual world.  Care for and raise Wappy, the interactive puppy to adulthood through an immersive experience communicated through the Nintendo DS.

Any of these games would make great gifts for tweens grade school age children.  Christmas is just a few days away!  Are any of these games something you would consider putting under your tree?

We think Billy Kelly is most hilarious. Not only is he hilariously witty, he’s also a do-gooder and we like do-gooders.

Check out BK’s newest EP, Dear Santa Claus and you guessed it…it’s an EP full of Christmas songs!

Here is a video for the song Glebells Jing! off of the EP:

Big deal, right? Well…YEAH! It IS a big deal, especially when you’re purchasing it for a good cause (I just bought my copy). Check it:

All proceeds from the sale of this 5-song EP will be donated to Camp Victory, a wonderful non-profit camp for wonderful kids who are chronically ill or physically challenged.

The EP consists of these five cheery, holidayish songs

1. That’s How You Know It’s Christmas
2. A Doozy of a Christmas Eve
3. Dear Santa Claus
4. Glebells Jing!
5. Let’s Make Christmas Last

Dear Santa Claus is available on iTunes and Amazon. All the ohwayoh!

If you like to fill Christmas stockings with things like candy and small gifts, then here are a couple of fun ideas for you.

First, the little guys pictured above are Xia-Xia Pets (pronounced shah-shah).  They are hermit crabs and suddenly, they’re all the rage. Hey, when I was younger, I liked little toys that walked around, too, so I can see why they’re in such high demand. And, my goodness, just look at them! They’re adorable! Perfect stocking stuffer size. There are also accessories available…fashionable little shells with two tiny surprises included:

There are several playsets for Xia-Xia.  I’m featuring the Confetti Cottage here because I was sent one for review.

It’s a home/carrier for Xia-Xia.  Lovely.  I like having a place to store the tiny toys that my kids adore so much.

The other two habitat playsets are the Copacabana and Rio de Trio Village playsets.

The next item I was sent to feature are called Bizu Beads.  Looks like they are pretty happenin’ accessories.  They are beads, in the shape of animals that go from bracelet, to tiny animal toy, back to bracelet.  I know my six year old will absolutely dig these.

Here is a video of Chris Byrne, The Toy Guy, reviewing the Bizu Style Studio:

Time Out Play Magazine and I would like to help out someone in the stocking stuffer department. We have the following products up for grabs:

• One 2-pack of Bizu Rock Beads (pictured above) (MSRP $6)
• One Xia-Xia (MSRP $11)
• One Xia-Xia Shell (MSRP $6)
• and the Confetti Cottage for the Xia-Xia (also pictured above) (MSRP $13)

Note: Confetti Cottage will not fit into a stocking. Total prize value is around $36

How to enter:

Leave your entry comment on this post. For your entry comment, visit the Xia-Xia Pets website and take a look at the different Xia-Xia’s and Shells. Come back here and let us know which one(s) are your favorites. (PS: Your must list a choice or two for your entry to count – so please do visit the product’s site.)

Giveaway is open to individuals within the continental US. Deadline to enter is Monday, December 12th at midnight, PST. A winner will be chosen at random from the comment section of this post and notified via email (Be sure to double-check your email address when you leave your comment).

Other giveaways happening right now:

• Fossil Fighters Champions for Nintendo DS
• Bratz Masquerade Doll
• Tonka Roadway Rigs Road Crew truck
• Set of holiday DVDs

OH YEAH!  Toys for boys!  Hey, just because I don’t have boys of my own doesn’t mean I don’t like them.  You’re talking to a girl who grew up with seven older brothers and no sisters!  I have played with my fair share of Tonka trucks and Star Wars action figures.  And G.I. Joe? Pccchhh!  Who else do you think took Barbie out on dates?  It wasn’t always Ken, I can tell you that much!

Anyway, I love Tonka trucks, so I’m thrilled to be able to offer a Tonka – Road Crew – Roadway Rig (MSRP $20) for grabs courtesy of Time to Play Magazine and Chris Byrne, The Toy Guy.

Check out Chris’ review of the Roadway Rigs:

How to enter:

Leave your entry comment on this post. In your entry comment, let us know if you played with Tonka trucks when you were little!

This giveaway is open to individuals within the continental US. Deadline to enter is Monday, December 12th at midnight, PST. A winner will be chosen at random from the comment section of this post and notified via email (Be sure to double-check your email address when you leave your comment).

Rudolph Camera ($)

Just like the Grinch camera. More photo fun! Turn people into rudolph, misfit toys, and even have your picture taken with the scary Bumble!

Christmas Fun – All In One, Holiday Spirit, Interactive Songs and Games for Children (entertainment) (free)

The title of the app says it all.  What it doesn’t say is that it’s just a sneak peek at the full, “paid” version.  Fun for the toddlers.  I’m not going to lie, it’s definitely cheesy.

Christmas Tale (book) (free)

Cute interactive storybook app for kids.  It comes from the same company who created the Christmas Shareable app in Part 1.  I must say, this one is way less cheesy and worth checking out if you have kids.

A Christmas Santa (game) (free)

This game is hands-down my absolute favorite Christmas app.  Besides the fact that the Santa in this game looks like he came straight outta South Park, the game is great, mindless fun.  All you have to do is launch Santa and help him fly as far as he can through the air.  My kids think it’s hilarious when Santa drops smack into the snowy bank below him.  You need this app.

Starbucks Cup Magic (interactive/entertainment) (free)

If you hit up Starbucks this holiday season, you can use this app to bring your cup to life.  Sort of.  I guess it’s neat or whatever.

Shop Advisor (informational) (free)

Shopping advice, bar code scanning, gift ideas, etc.  While I don’t rely heavily on just one deal-finding app, this one is nice to have and refer to when you’re in the gift-giving spirit.

An Origami Christmas Tree Learning Experience (informational) (free)

Learn how to make an Origami Christmas Tree.  Please note: you’ll actually need real paper to be able to make the tree.  Or, if you’re really that lazy, you can just tap through and watch as the friendly iPhone app robot makes one for you.

iSnowflake Lite (interactive) (free)

The app itself is kind of wonky.  I had placed my “cuts” and the app crashed on me…twice before I could finish.  Just like making paper snowflakes, old school-style.  However, I would recommend just making them old school style instead of dealing with them vanishing before you can finish them.  So frustrating.  Plus, you can’t hang these ones up all over the house.  Here’s one I made:

Letters for Santa (book) ($)

This is an iPad only app that I received a promotional code for.  I haven’t been able to check it out because I don’t have an iPad.  Looks cute from iTunes.  If anyone checks it out, let me know how you like it.

Angry Santa! (game) (free)

Pissed off at someone?  Relieve stress as you help Santa flick Elves across the forest.  Enjoy a nice holiday tune while doing it.  Yeah, that’s about it for this one.

Hope after reading my posts you found something new and entertaining for your iPhone or iPad!

*Check out Christmas iPhone Apps – Part 1 for the rest of the Christmas apps.

(Click on any of the app icons to be taken directly to that app in iTunes)

Toca Hair Salon – Christmas Gift (interactive app) (free)

This one can be fun for the kids or maybe for you, if you ever wanted to try your hand at being a beautician.  See how awesome I made Santa Claus look?  I’m sure he’ll be back for more…

moreNoel (camera) (free)

This is a very simple camera app with just a few features to spruce up your holiday pictures.  I use it sometimes to make my pictures look “dream-like”, such as this one:

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (story app) ($)

If you have kids around, this is a great story app to have.  It’ll give them something to do in the car on the way to Grandma’s house. You can pair it with the Grinch Camera App:

Dr. Seuss Camera – The Grinch Edition (camera) ($)

Pure entertainment.  Take pictures of unsuspecting party-goers.  You can do things like this:

Cut the Rope: Holiday Gift (game) (free)

Cut the Rope is a cute, challenging game.  The goal is to feed Om Nom (the green, booger-like thing) candy.  Takes some strategic thinking.

Christmas Wallpapers & Backgrounds with Xmas Glow Effects (entertainment) (free)

So, if you’re into this sort of thing, you’ll like the option of picking from a seemingly endless amount of backgrounds for your iPhone or iPad.

Christmas Shareable Book – Wacky Version – The Coolest Interactive Story Greeting Book (entertainment) (free)

This app is ridiculous.  It’s the epitome of cheesy apps.  I think you can send greetings to people from it but I don’t really know.  I didn’t get that far.

Cityville Holiday Town (entertainment) (free)

If you like those interactive community-building ‘Ville games, this app is for you.  My six year old really digs it.

Jingle All The Way (interactive/book) (free)

Very cute, quality app from Hallmark.  Fun for the kids.  It has a story and other interactive features.

123 Sticker: Free Musical Sticker Book (Christmas Edition) (interactive) (free)

Another one for the kids.  It’s a sticker book.  You can take the “stickers” and decorate the scenes.  The app comes with six scenes, two of them are winter-related.  You only get the Christmas tree scene for free, pay for the rest.  Eh…

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (book) ($)

A classic.  This interactive book is narrated and if you tap on the characters, you will hear the original voices from the claymation tv special.

*Click here for Christmas iPhone Apps Part 2!

Alright, this one is for all of the young, aspiring archaeologists out there.  Fossil Fighters Champions for Nintendo DS is quite an adventure.  Kids find and clean dinosaur bones and use the fossils to create and bring to life “vivosaurs” to send to battle.  The more clean the dinosaur bones, the stronger the vivosaur.  The goal is to have a few tough vivosaurs to enter into competition.  From what I have seen, the vivosaurs look pretty rad and the battles are epic.

Fossil Fighters Champions also works with DS Download Play, so three other friends can link up wirelessly with their DS’.  Imagine becoming an archaeologist with your friends.  Awesome.  The game is also compatible with Nintendo 3DS.

I’m giving away a copy of Fossil Fighters Champions (MSRP $30).  How to enter:

Leave your entry comment on this post.  For your entry comment, visit the Fossil Fighters Champions website and take a look at all of the different vivosaurs in the Fossil Museum.  Come back and let us know which one(s) are your favorites.  (PS: Your comment must list an actual vivosaur name from the museum for your entry to count – so please do visit the site.)

Giveaway is open to individuals within the continental US.  Deadline to enter is Monday, December 12th at midnight, PST.  A winner will be chosen at random from the comment section of this post and notified via email (Be sure to double-check your email address when you leave your comment).

I’m giving everyone a second opportunity to enter this giveaway.  Tweet this post.  You can find the option to share this post via Twitter at the bottom of the post (Just click the green “Tweet” or “Retweet” button and a new window will pop up allowing you to customize your Tweet).  Come back and leave your second entry comment on this post, letting me know you’ve Tweeted and what your Twitter username is.

*Click here to enter the Bratz Masquerade doll giveaway.

*Click here to enter the Tonka Truck giveaway.

Pictured above are: Kirana (the vampire), Brielle (tea party princess), Finora (the witch), and Lian (the fairy).  They are the Bratz Masquerade dolls.  I have yet to really get to know any of them, as my oldest daughter is just 6, and we’re just now getting into the “bigger” kid toys and games.  These Bratz dolls are great for kids 6 and up.

One reason I am drawn to this particular set of dolls is that there is more to them than just imaginary play.  A little more bang for your buck, if you will.  Each doll comes with a kid-sized mask, that becomes magically interactive when they visit the Bratz website.  I can’t wait to post a video of ours!  Seriously.  I can’t wait.  I love the cool things you can do with technology now.

The accessories you see pictured above, with Lian, are what is included with each of the Masquerade dolls.  A mask and hair brush for the doll, a mask and make-up for the child.

So, this is fun...  I’m giving away one of the Bratz Masquerade dolls (MSRP $21.99)!

The winner will have their choice of one of these dolls: Kirana (the vampire), Finora (the witch), Odelia (the Egyptian Mummy), Geneva (the Sea Goddess), or Lian (the fairy), based on product availability.

You can view the entire line of Bratz Masquerade dolls by clicking here. (Please note: not all of the Masquerade dolls are available as prize choices.)

How to enter:

Leave your entry comment on this post.  In your comment, list your first and second Bratz Masquerade doll choice (as listed above). Giveaway is open to those within the continental US.  Deadline to enter is Monday, December 12th at midnight, PST.  A winner will be chosen at random from the comment section of this post and notified via email (Be sure to double-check your email address when you leave your comment).

I leave you with a video review of the Bratz Masquerade dolls from Chris Byrne, The Toy Guy.