Back when I was a kid in the ’80s, the Smurfs were all the rage.  If you would have told me that in the year 2011 I would be virtually dancing with them, I probably would have giggled and said, “No way, cool!”.  It’s the year 2011, I’m now a 30-something and what am I doing?  Virtually dancing with the Smurfs.  Kinda funny how that works.  The cartoon characters I loved when I was a small child are now dancing across my television screen and my two young daughters are dancing right along with them.

Above: My daughters, Hailey and Teagan, dancing with Smurfette

Can I just tell you that when I danced along to some of the tracks on The Smurfs Dance Party, I was getting a serious workout? Awesome! I’m making this a daily thing. It’s fun and energizing. I love the video games of today where your entire body gets a workout, not just your thumbs!

Ubisoft is a world-wide leading developer/distributor/publisher of video games and just judging from The Smurfs Dance Party, I can see why. This is our first experience with one of the interactive dancing games for Wii and overall, I’m very impressed.

Pictured above: My daughter, Hailey, dancing along with Smurfette

I recommend checking out The Smurfs Dance Party if you were ever a fan of the little blue people as a youth.  I can pretty much guarantee your kids will love moving and grooving with them!

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft.  I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.

My mother-in-law and I recently took the girls to see Dot & Ziggy at the Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago.  In a nutshell, the production was a huge hit with both the youngsters and their parents/caregivers.

I was nervous at first, because my toddler is very busy and I expected at least one or two melt-downs.  However, I was prepared.  Like always, I packed a bag full of snacks and drinks.  I had read that this particular play is geared toward the younger crowd (between 6 mos. and 4 years) but I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant.  So, I put my doubts for a successful outing into the back of my mind and hoped for the best.

I couldn’t have been more entertained by the performances of Don Darryl Rivera (Ziggy the skunk) and Roni Geva (Dot the ladybug).  They magically held the attention of the children in the audience.  (Ages ranged from newborn to at least 5 years old.)  We watched in delight as the two characters, Ziggy and Dot, romped around the room discussing their similarities or lack-thereof, as a friendly spider helped them find ways to share and cooperate.

For me, the truest test was if this interactive play could captivate my 22 month old for any length of time.

Not only did they keep her entertained, she practically joined them “on stage”!  I sat on one of the colorful, fabric triangles that separated the stage from the audience and watched as my toddler followed the actors around during their performance.  I was half ready to spring up and grab her (out of habit) and half mesmerized at how they almost seamlessly incorporated her into the show…without actually incorporating her into the show.  Pretty impressive, I must say!  Most of all, they were mindful of their movements around the audience of smaller humans.

The show runs about 45 minutes and all throughout, the lines of the characters are simple enough for toddlers to understand and the actors convey them in such a way that truly captures the attention of the busiest of children.

Dot & Ziggy is a must-see for parents and kids, preschool-age and younger.  My 5 year old had a blast watching her little sister enjoying herself so much and she even participated in the various performer/audience interactions during the show.  I was thrilled to have experienced this play with my kids (and my mother-in-law!).

If you are around the Chicago area between now and June 26th, I highly recommend checking out Dot & Ziggy with your toddler/preschooler.

Dot & Ziggy is presented by the Chicago Children’s Theater and runs May 9 through June 26, 2011 at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago.  For the complete schedule of family-friendly weekday and weekend matinee show times, to purchase tickets and for more information, call 773.871.3000 or visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org

*We were given complimentary tickets to this play, however, all of my thoughts and opinions about the performance I attended are my very own.  We just loved the play and will without a doubt check out more from the Chicago Children’s Theater.

If you are a puzzle/word game addict like I am, you’ll definitely need to get your hands on a SCRUBLE Cube.

The SCRUBLE Cube is like a cool twist (pun intended) on some classic games.  It has similarities to Scrabble with the look and feel of Rubik’s Cube – with its own new set of rules.  There are a few different ways to play the game, one being creating words across one, two or three sides of the cube to score points.  There are several ways to earn bonus points, which also adds to the challenge.

What I like about this game is its portability.  You can throw the 4x4x4 cube into your purse and feed your brain on the train on your way to work.  Spice up a playgroup, bring SCRUBLE Cube along and challenge the other mom’s to create words other than, “No”, “Settle”, or “Down” (three of my most overused words).  It can be done!

Anyway, great game.  Big fun.  Excellent pastime.  Check it out!

Sunset over Manitowish Lake, Manitowish Waters, WI

It’s already the end of July.  This is right about the time during summer when I feel like we’re over the hump and heading quickly toward Fall.  I can sense it in the air.  I’ve been living it up for the majority of the summer and now that I’ve survived seven flights since May (four of those with kids) and 25+ hours in the car traveling to and from neighboring states, I’m ready to relax.  I’m ready to stop living out of suitcases for a while and get some cleaning and organization done in my house (and my head).

There really is so much to talk about; from how I managed to do all of this traveling with kids and stay sane to the awesome products I’ve come to know and love that were so helpful to me on my travels.  I feel like I’ve got some good experience under my belt now after spending some time in the Caribbean, Disney World and in the north woods with a one year old and a four year old.  Even though it was quite hectic at times, I was able to ensure we also had a very enjoyable time on our adventures.

In the coming weeks, I plan on showcasing more of the products that we got some good use out of and revisiting some of the products from companies I’ve already talked about, like SecuraTrac, Little Honey, and butt-ums up baby to name a few.  I’m also looking forward to sharing my ideas on summer travel with the family.

So, what have you done this summer?  Have you stayed close to home or adventured out into unknown lands?  I’d love to hear some of your do’s and don’ ts for traveling with kids.

Hope you’re all having a fabulous summer so far!

So, as if someone could hear my thoughts, I was introduced to a company that can help ease my worries and potentially stop a parent’s worst nightmare from happening.  I’m thrilled to tell you all about SecuraTrac.

It’s almost summer and if you have children, chances are you’re planning on being outside. You probably have vacations booked, outings to amusement parks, camping trips and BBQ’s to attend.  If you long for peace of mind, like I do, then listen up.  SecuraTrac is a company that has an interest in bringing families closer together.  Their product, the SecuraPal, is a GPS tracking device that goes with your child, pet or any loved one (even your luggage), so you can track their location via text messages and a secure website.

Have a listen to my conversation with Chris Holbert, SecuraTrac’s founder, so you can learn first-hand about this innovative product:

Discussion about SecuraTrac with Chris Holbert

We’re going to put the SecuraTrac system to use on a very special upcoming trip.  I can’t wait to give you the play by play!

Right now, SecuraTrac is running a Mother’s Day special (offer good until May 10, 2010).  You can purchase the SecuraPal unit for $99 with 12 mos. of service ($24.99/mo).  You can set up unlimited “fences” and contacts (who would receive the SOS and location alerts).  You can’t really beat the price for this kind of peace of mind.  Hopefully you listened to our conversation, so you have an idea of all of the different ways you can put this product to valuable use.

Look forward to more posts about SecuraTrac because at this point, I think it’s the bees knees and I’m out to prove it.

As a child, I recall waking up to the delectable smells of a turkey in the oven, stuffing in the crock pot and my mom’s homemade apple and pumpkin pies.  I still think that Thanksgiving Day at my house, where I grew up in PA was the best.  I miss waking up to those scrumptious smells and coming down the stairs to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on t.v.  The sound of my brothers cheering on their favorite football teams and my nieces and nephews running around the house.  When the evening rolled around, some would be napping and some would be heading out to the kitchen for leftovers.

I have lived away from home for almost 12 years now and have experienced many other Thanksgiving celebrations.  Eric and I have hosted Thanksgiving at our house (I could never do as good a job as my mom preparing this feast).  We also dined out one particular Thanksgiving.  Not in “A Christmas Story” style – there were no “Fa ra ra ra ra’s” or anything like that.

No matter where I spend my Thanksgiving holiday, I will always remember why it’s such a special day.  It’s a day that families come together, near and far.  Doesn’t matter if I can make a mean turkey gravy like my mom can or not.  What matters is that I’m spending it with people that I care about and I am thankful for that.

Our goal, as parents, is to make sure that our kids are cared for and taught to be thankful for the little things.  We want them to grow up with a sense of family and with the importance of spending time together.

I can only hope that one day our kids will wake up on Thanksgiving morning, just like I did, to the same delicious smells coming from the kitchen.  I’m getting hungry right now just thinking about it.

We recently took a jaunt up north to the Wisconsin Dells (JUST before the flooding!) to visit the Great Wolf Lodge that is located just off of I-90/94.

We did the the touristy thing when we arrived and took a drive around the area, as this was our first time visiting the Dells. Our main reason for visiting was to spend a night at the Great Wolf Lodge resort and check out the amenities.

After we finished our cruise up and down the main strip and stopping to enjoy some appetizers and a micro-brew at the Moose Jaw Pizza & Brewing Co., we made our way over to the Great Wolf Lodge.

The Grand Lobby of the Great Wolf Lodge resort is very attractive with its rustic, log cabin-like features and colorful, interactive Great Clock Tower. We stayed in the Royal Bear Suite (Rates anywhere between $319-$369/night). This rate includes waterpark passes and admission, as well as your other basic room amenities. The suite had an extra private bedroom area with a king size bed, as well as a queen size bed in the main area. There was also a little kitchenette and a “living” area with a sofa, which Hailey curled right up on to watch some toons. There is plenty of room in this suite, that’s for sure.

After settling in, we jumped into our bathing suits and made our way down to the indoor waterparks. Right away when we entered, we were able to pick out a small life jacket for Hailey. They seemed to have plenty available for the tots and the bigger kids.

I was pretty pleased with the layout of the waterparks. It was very manageable and Hailey was really enjoying herself – that was the most important part. We found out quickly that she’s a little fish…a fearless little fish. There were several areas for the little ones and that’s mainly what we focused on this time around. Eric and I did manage to take turns on the adult water slides. It was so cool. I screamed on my way down the slide and felt like a big dork afterwards. : )

After prying our child away from all of the glorious water, we cleaned up and headed to The Loose Moose Bar and Grill in the Grand Lobby. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy the northwoods-themed ambiance because Hailey decided she was not interested in dining out. So, we ordered our dinner “to go” and retired to our suite. The food was good (we ordered a pizza) and it was nice and relaxing to just finish dinner in our room.

I drifted off to sleep shortly after but was awoken by Hailey and Eric around 8 p.m. to join them for “The Rhythm of Nature” show at the Great Clock Tower. It was fun to watch Hailey become mesmerized when the animals “came to life”. After the show, Wiley the wolf made an appearance and we all gathered around for story-time. She even gave the big furball a hug before heading back up to our room.

The day was full and we were welcoming sleep, so we tucked ourselves in for the night. Some say the beds at Great Wolf are too firm but my uber-picky husband said that he “thought they were nice”. That’s like being nominated for an Oscar, believe me. I was pretty happy too because I chose to relocate to my very own bed in the middle of the night. : )

We had breakfast at Camp Critter Buffet and it didn’t take long to fill up on oodles of buffet food. I’m not a buffet kind of person but the food wasn’t half bad. I mean, it was no breakfast buffet at the Bellagio but I can think of worse. Hey, it’s quick, the food is fresh and readily available and when I have a fit-throwing toddler on my hands, I can’t complain!

After breakfast, we strolled over to Wiley’s Woods, which is part of the resort but also open to the public. We did not end up going into the (video game) play area because we didn’t have socks and didn’t really want to purchase any, although that would have been quite easy with a vending machine full of socks available at the entrance. Instead, we opted to go over to the Northern Lights Game Parlor. Anything with lights and noise will attract a toddler, so she was happy as a clam. We purchased some tokens and let her have at it.

Another great entertainment option for the pint-size ones is the Little Tikes Great Wolf Lodge Cabin and the Cub Club activity room. I love those little extra somethings for the kiddos! We were too busy doing other fun things and didn’t get a chance to hang at the Cub Club, however, Hailey was able to chill in the cabin for a few.

So, we really had a nice little get-away at the Great Wolf Lodge! I would definitely recommend planning a stay there with your family. When you’re planning your trip, remember to check out their website for great deals. For instance, right now they have a deal on their premium suites or stay for two nights with the third night free. Obviously, these deals are only available for a limited time – so you must check out GreatWolf.com for current deals.

A well-known dairy company called “Horizon Organic” will explain to you first hand how important consuming organic products is. Their products are free of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics, which means they are healthier for you and your family.

Horizon’s products are certified organic and I can tell you from my own experience, they taste great. I don’t know if it’s the fact that they are produced with care and concern for the consumer’s health but there is something about the taste that makes me come back for more. I’m confident with giving my toddler Horizon products because I know they care more about quality than quantity, therefore better products are produced.

We have three coupons for a FREE Horizon Organic product (up to a $4.99 value) for three winners. The coupons expire 7/31/08. To enter, leave a comment on this post with your contact information. Feel free to let us know if you’ve ever tried Horizon products before. Winner will chosen at random (not based on feedback) tomorrow, Wednesday, 3/19/08 at 10PM CST. Click HERE for a list of retailers that carry Horizon products. That is how you will know if you are near one to be able to use the coupon if you win. Unfortunately, these coupons can not be used online.

Good luck!

PS: If you have a chance, check out Horizon’s website for recipes and health tips, as well as games and coloring pages for the little ones!

Cookie baking season is upon us. If you’re short on time like I am or expecting last minute holiday guests (or you just ran out of eggs), it may not be feasible to make your cookies from scratch. An excellent, natural alternative is Wholly Wholesome.

Their Bake-at-Home line of cookies are delectable. My family and I had the opportunity to try the different variations of the ready-to-bake cookies and I was highly impressed with the chewy texture and how homemade-like they tasted. I also love the option of only baking a few cookies at a time, otherwise the chances of having any left over for hubby when he gets home from work are slim to none.  Baking a few at a time is very simple with the pre-cut feature.  Take out what you need and put the rest back in the freezer.

The base ingredients in a Wholly Wholesome Bake-at-Home cookie are: natural unsalted butter, organic evaporated cane juice, whole eggs, pure vanilla extract, unbleached/unbromated wheat flour and real molasses. Wholly Wholesome also makes consumers aware that their cookie doughs are made in a facility that uses peanuts and tree nuts, which may affect consumers with allergies.

Perfect for this time of year are their Holiday Cut Out Cookies. They come in pre-cut shapes of bells, stars and trees. Ready-to-bake and decorate. A fun little project for some snowy afternoon.

You will not only find incredible cookies at Wholly Wholesome but pies, cheesecakes, tea breads, pocket breads and so on.

Wholly Wholesome products are available at select Whole Foods Markets, as well as various other natural food markets around the U.S. and Canada.

Earlier this summer, I was browsing around the grocery store when I came across a product that I hadn’t seen before.  Del Monte Fruit Chillers. Looked interesting and good. I picked up a couple of packs and stuck them in my freezer. When I tried them, I realized I was hooked.

Fruit Chillers are frozen fruit sorbets in a snack-size pack. A perfect healthy treat. I’m an ice cream fanatic, just ask my husband. This has “almost” cured me of my addiction. I don’t feel guilty after eating these fat-free fruit treats. I don’t feel guilty giving them to my toddler either and she LOVES them just as much as I do.

They come in three delish flavors: Arctic Strawberry, Polar Raspberry (my fav) and Glacial Mango. Each cup has 3/4 servings of fruit.