As a blogger, I am sometimes lucky enough to be able to try out some of the newest, coolest things on the market. I know, I am SO lucky! When those products happen to be games or toys, my kids think I have the coolest job on earth. Over the last few months I've tried out a few new Wii games, and the kids have been thrilled. Here are the games we're loving at our house right now.

Skylanders Spyro's Adventure

Image from Skylanders website

This game is just so cool. Every time the commercial comes on TV, my three-year old just goes nuts, saying, "It's Spyro Skylanders! We have that!" The reason he's so gaga over this game is that it is so different than any other game on the market. Skylanders Spyro's Adventure is an interactive game. It comes with a "portal of power" and figures that kids can use to customize their game. The player can choose which character to play as simply by sitting that particular guy on the portal. Each character has different strengths and abilities, so players will need to be strategic in their choice of character to play. Isn't that awesome? My kids just love this game.

* product provided

Just Dance 3

This game is just FUN! I bought the kids Just Dance 2 at the beginning of the year, and I have to say that I enjoy it just as much as they do. But Just Dance 3 is one that they seem to like even more. This one seems to have newer, more modern tracks that the kids really like. They hate it when I pick an '80's song to dance to. They call my music "ancient tribal music." Nice, huh? Some of their favorite songs to move to are:

• Black Eyed Peas - Pump It
• Cee Lo Green - Forget You
• Jessie J Featuring B.O.B. - Price Tag
• Katy Perry - Teenage Dream
• LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem
• Taio Cruz - Dynamite

But don't worry, parents, they are still tons of songs for us old folks, too. There is a total of 51 songs! You definitely get your money's worth for this game. Just Dance 3 offers the traditional dance mode, as well as the Just Sweat feature, which I like. There are new features for the Just Sweat mode. that allow you to monitor your progress on the dashboard and choose your program. There's also a new 4 player dance crew mode where each person can have a chance to shine. If you don't want to choose each song individually, it's easy to just choose one of 13 available playlists and go from there. You can even get competitive by racking up stars to unlock up to 30 special song modes. I love the convenience. It's fun! Did I mention that? If you want to get Just Dance, you can head to retailers such as Toys R Us or order online from Amazon.

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.

ABBA You Can Dance

This game is hysterical for the kids. For those of us who are old enough to remember when ABBA songs were cool, it's so much fun. If you love disco and ABBA, you'll love this game. Even if ABBA isn't your thing, you'll have fun. Trust me, even my cynical children had fun dancing to songs like Dancing Queen, Take a Chance on Me and Mama Mia. What I really like about this game is that the dance moves are fairly easy to follow. In case you don't know me, I'm not exactly graceful, and I really don't have much rhythm. But even I can do this game. It's rather aptly titled You Can Dance, I'd say!

What is most cool for a former choir geek such as myself is that there's a karaoke mode. That's right, not only can you dance - you can sing, too! Up to two friends can join in the song. I believe you will need microphones meant to plug into the Wii, and these don't come with the game. We just happen to have one from our Glee karaoke game. See, I told you I'm a choir geek at heart. If you are a true ABBA fan or are just nostalgic, you'll love this game because it uses actual footage from concerts, videos and photos. Takes you back.

Truthfully, I'm kind of cheating on this review. I was supposed to have an ABBA dance party in my home with my friends. I tried, I really did. My pals on Facebook all sent their regrets. Everyone was up for it, but this time of year just isn't good for this type of get together. Everyone was headed to family or work holiday events. But I will have that party after the New Year, and I'll be sure to post about it here. I have to do it - Clever Girls and UbiSoft sent me a disco ball! Can't wait to get together with my pals and hang out just being goofy. There will be pictures. Maybe. I have a feeling these pictures could be a bit embarrassing! Stay tuned for my party post in January. In the meantime, head out to Toys R Us or go online to Amazon with these coupon codes and order this game with discounts. You deserve some Wii dance fun, too!

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.

I have to admit that I am really in a rut when it comes to TV. I predictably will channel surf between HGTV, The History Channel, SyFy Network, Food Network and TLC. When did I get old? Gee, I really am pretty boring. I watch a lot of educational and reality TV. But last night was different. I was reminded by one of my favorite blogging communities, Collective Bias, that it's fall TV premiere time when they asked for volunteers to review some of the new shows that are debuting this week. I wasn't chosen for the official review, but I decided I just had to watch 2 Broke Girls anyway.

When it comes to movies, I simply adore chick flicks. Chick lit is my favorite book genre, so it just makes sense that I would be drawn to a TV comedy depicting female friendship. I'd seen the commercials for this show and thought I might like to check it out. I'm really glad I did. The show's premise is not new. It's about a working class girl who meets a rich socialite that suddenly finds herself down and out. In this case, the working class waitress is Max, and the rich girl is Caroline. What's new is the way the characters are portrayed. Max is quick witted, with a soft side. Caroline isn't some clueless blonde. She's my favorite and proves to be smart, savvy and on the ball.

I will admit that some of the lines were pretty cliche and expected. The plot also seemed to be a little predictable. For example, Max's boyfriend hits on Caroline, and Max immediately believes her boyfriend over her new friend. Who didn't see that coming? But the way it's handled and resolved was new and fresh. Check it out yourself on the CBS website. You can watch the full episode at your convenience and get caught up for next week. I know I'll be watching every week that I can!

* This is not a compensated review, but I do have a chance to win a gift card. Even if I don't win, I'm happy because I've been lifted from my TV rut!

Why is it that I always learn about the cool stuff too late? I just found out about this amazing app that allows you to track your infant's eating, sleeping and diapering throughout the day. To me, that's just plain genius. The Similac StrongMoms Baby Journal app is an amazing free app for iPhone or iPod touch. It's a fabulous utility for keeping track of your baby's cycles throughout the day and night.

Overview

I have three children. Experienced mothers know that the pediatrician will surely ask you how much and how often your new baby is eating, as well as how frequently diapers are being changed. Many new moms aren't aware of this, which is where this app really comes in handy. Moms worry about whether their little baby is getting adequate nutrition and fluid intake. It's only natural. This baby journal app lets moms who are breastfeeding, bottle feeding or both track their baby's nutritional intake. The app also lets you be aware of your baby's sleeping patterns, allowing you to see the changes that occur. The Similar StrongMoms Baby Journal app helps to keep things straight and offers peace of mind to parents of little ones.

Features

This app is different than other apps in that it lets you track eating, sleeping AND diaper changes (including amount,, color and consistency). It also lets you chart your baby's growth. These are four of the most watched aspects of an infant's development by both parents and pediatricians. You can view a summary of each of these aspects and even email the data to yourself, your spouse or your pediatrician.

One of the most helpful and remarkable features, in my opinion, is the ability to immediately connect with Similac's feeding expert. Yes, I said immediately! What a relief it would be to be able to ask questions from an expert as soon as you have them. This app goes everywhere with you, so you can keep track of every feeding, diaper change and nap. The app not only gives you detailed views and reports of the data, it also predicts future schedules, giving you an idea of what to expect. Brilliant!

The Verdict

While I no longer have an infant and wasn't able to really use the app hands-on, I was very impressed with what I saw. I feel confident that an app as thorough as this would have given me a great deal of peace and reassurance when caring for my babies. I've used a lot of apps, and what I appreciate about the Similar StrongMoms Baby Journal app is that it is so thorough and offers many options for parents. It is a truly useful app that allows the user to customize the app, taking advantage of the features that are most important to her. I'd give this app four out of five stars, as I feel an option to keep track of medications and vaccinations would have made the app even more useful.

* I was compensated for this review by Collective Bias, but all opinions are mine.

Okay, let's admit it. Sometimes, we just don't get what we want for Christmas. Significant others or loved ones may fall a bit short of the mark, despite their best efforts. So, who says you can't buy yourself what you REALLY wanted for Christmas? I say every woman should treat herself once in a while. You deserve it!

And what almost every woman wants is jewelry. I met a fabulous woman this fall at the Type-A Mom Conference who makes some amazingly beautiful jewelry. Lisa Lehmann is the artist behind Studio Jewel. You may know her better as @thebeadgirl on Twitter. Lisa is as lovely as the jewelry she creates, and she very generously offered me the opportunity to receive a piece of her jewelry for review. She probably felt sorry for me after she saw me coming back time and again to salivate over her table of baubles at the conference mom market.

I'm so glad that she did because she sent me the most gorgeous set of stack rings. I told Lisa my children's birth stones, and she chose to send me a plain silver band with one adorned with an amethyst colored stone. I was very pleased because this is my daughter's birthstone, and I don't have many jewelry items with this stone. Take a look at how gorgeous these rings are.

Please excuse my photography skills. But you can see how delicate and shiny these rings are. I love their classic look. I wanted a ring I could wear for every day. What I really like about these rings is the timeless style and how comfortable they are. As a busy mom, my jewelry for everyday wear has to be comfortable and unobtrusive. I can't have stones sticking up that will poke my toddler when I pick him up. So I appreciate the design of these rings. And I love the simplicity but unique style statment of these rings and how you can add to them with other stack rings. I plan to get rings with my boys' birthstones as well. I wish you could see them in person.

Lisa sends each piece in a beautiful gift box. Even if you're getting a Studio Jewel design for yourself, it's so nice to receive that beautiful box to open, with your jewelry encased in a soft pouch. I love that touch! Lisa also includes a card with information about herself and how to care for your jewelry.

So if you didn't get what you wanted for Christmas, head on over to visit Lisa at Studio Jewel. You deserve it!

I'm very excited to have discovered a new online community for moms. While I belong to many online groups and forums, AT&T Power Moms is one I've added to my regular visits because there's lively discussions about all areas of mom life, including the tech aspects like useful apps, must-use websites and productivity tips. I never imagined that I'd become a tech junkie, but since discovering blogging and my iPhone, I truly have.

AT&T Moms also offers member perks. There's a $50 coupon for Power Moms to save on online purchases. There's also a monthly Blackberry giveaway. Who wouldn't want a chance to win a new phone? I love the App of the Week feature. It's a great way to learn about the newest helpful and fun apps. I'm especially excited about this because I've been planning to begin a weekly app review feature here at Everyday Baby Steps for the new year. You should see all the apps I have on my phone. Even Julie of Mobile Test Kitchen commented on how many I have, and her site is all about apps!

So if you're looking for a great community for moms where you can connect on everyday issues and learn about the newest in techie gadgets, you'll want to join AT&T Power Moms. Besides, it's just cool to be considered a Power Mom. Thank you, AT&T, for recognizing that we're all Power Moms!

* I will be receiving a $20 gift card to AT&T as well as a Blackberry Pearl for my participation in this AT&T Power Moms promotion. I will also be continuing my participation in the AT&T Power Moms community because I'm truly enjoying the conversation I'm having and all the information I'm learning.

My family and I are currently reviewing one of the coolest things. It's the Roku Digital Video Player, and it's changing the way we watch TV. With the Roku, we get instant access to all kinds of television and video, streamed right to our television. Let me tell you - we are loving it!

The Roku lets you stream video live from several free channels that come installed on the player or lets you choose subscription or paid services such as Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Video. We chose to subscribe to Netflix. For less than $10 a month, we're able to watch all kinds of programming instantly, such as movies, television shows or specials. Also, we get unlimited DVD selection through the mail, one at a time. We're considering switching back to basic cable. The Roku could save us lots of money.

And we're having so much fun experimenting with the channels. You can get Pandora music through the Roku straight to your TV. Right now, I'm enjoying listening to various Christmas music stations as I work or play with Brady throughout the day. You can also access popular web services like Flickr and Vimeo from your TV, but I have to admit that I haven't played with those features yet.

I'm not extremely techie, but I'm starting to really enjoy exploring different gadgets, tools and toys. The Roku really seems to offer so much for a rather small price. There are three different models, each with various features. They range in price from $59.99 to $99.99. A reasonable cost for something that offers so much versatility in entertainment.

I have to say that I really have only positive things to say about the Roku. The only negative I can think of is that you do have to weigh the pros and cons of each paid service to determine which makes sense financially for you and your family. It could be really easy to get a little carried away with adding paid subscriptions because there are so many choices. For now, I'm choosing to stick with Netflix only. I do think we'll get rid of some of our pricier cable features because we can get so much more through Roku in combination with Netflix. I may choose to add another subscription service or two in the future, but I plan to play around with one thing at a time.

And from now until tomorrow, 12/12 at 11:59 PST, you'll get free shipping on the Roku XD and XD/S. If you're looking for alternatives to cable or satellite dish, you should check out Roku.

I've loved Norah Jones for awhile. i was drawn to her at first because my daughter's name is Norah, but when I heard her voice and her style, I was hooked. Her smooth alto voice immediately puts me at ease when I'm feeling stressed. I just love her! So I was thrilled to be able to review her newest CD, ...Featuring, a compilation of songs featuring collaborations with other artists spanning her career.

This CD did not disappoint. I have very eclectic music tastes and really enjoyed exploring the varied tracks. There is music for every taste on this album. One of my favorites, I must say, is "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Willie Nelson. It's just a fun song, and hearing Willie always makes me think of my dad and how he would force me to endure Willie as a kid. I never dreamed Willie Nelson would actually grow on me!

And "Creepin' In" with Dolly Parton takes me back to my childhood as well. Dolly is a strong woman with a voice that's so identifiable. There are artists of all variety featured on this CD though, not just country. Some examples include Herbie Hancock, Ray Charles, Outkast, Foo Fighters and more. The only people who wouldn't enjoy this CD are those who prefer only one specific music genre.

I really love ...Featuring, and I'm excited to offer a giveaway of this delightful CD. Do you want to win? Just check out the list of songs on the CD and come back here to tell me in the comments which one you're most interested in hearing.

For extra entries:

Like Norah Jones on Facebook.

Join Everyday Baby Steps on Google Friend Connect in the sidebar.

Tweet about the giveaway, linking to this post and including @marybabysteps in your tweet.

Be sure to leave a separate comment for each method of entry. A winner will be randomly chosen on Tuesday, December 21st at noon EST. Good luck!

Thank you, One2One Network for providing me the ...Featuring CD. I appreciate it!

CONTEST CLOSED - AWAITING WINNER REPLY

I can't believe I"m just posting about this now. Holidays throw off my routine so much. Recently, I attended a blogger's event to celebrate the opening of our local Pittsburgh location of 77kids by American Eagle, and it was amazing. Have you heard of 77kids? Until I was invited to the visit the store, I wasn't aware of it, but I'm so glad I am now. What a cool store!

Their clothes are so cute, with sizes from infants up to 14. I was impressed with the selection and with how fashion forward everything was - totally unique looks ad fun stuff kids actually WANT to wear. What was also really cool was the store's layout and the neat things they for the kids to do. Take a look.

This is my son, Noah, outside the store. His sister was sick that day and couldn't come. She was so bummed.

Here's a shot of the kids having races to see whose bird reaches the end of the slope first. So fun!

This is where Noah spent most his time. It's a photo booth where kids can take their picture and decorate it. Loved it!

Boys' dressing rooms.

Girls' dressing rooms.

Snowflake wall in the Wish4Snow program. Customers can donate money to go to local children's hospitals.

In fact, you can help with the Wish4Snow charity initiative as well. Head on over to the Wish4Snow microsite and design your very own snowflake. If 100,000 snowflakes are made, 77 kids will donate an additional $25,000 to children's hospitals around the country! You can make as many snowflakes as you wish, and for each you make, you'll be entered for a daily chance to win a $77 gift card to 77kids! It's easy to do and only takes a couple minutes. You only have to register the first time you make a flake. After that, you simply sign in and let your creativity flow.

It's all for such a good cause. Want another way to win? Well, I've got one. Head on over to the Wish4Snow site and make a snowflake. Then come back here and let me know that you did in the comments, and you'll be entered to win a $50 77kids gift card! Entries must received by Monday, December 6th at noon EST.

Get extra entries by:

Liking 77kids on Facebook

Following 77kids on Twitter

Following me on Google Friend Connect in my sidebar

Tweeting about this contest. Be sure to include @marybabysteps in your tweet!

Just leave a comment for each method of entry, and you're entered to win.

*I was compensated for this post. All opinions are mine. This store rocks! I got some great deals on really cute stuff for the kids.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED - AWAITING WINNER REPLY

Okay, ladies, today's review is an amazing one. I'm so fortunate to have been offered the chance to try the best wrinkle cream ever, and I'm a happy girl. What's also making me happy this holiday season is that I get to offer my readers a chance to win a product valued at $150 or less from PerriconeMD! The product I chose to review is the Cold Plasma anti-aging treatment.

About the Product

Cold Plasma by Perricone MD is an anti-wrinkle treatment with five years of research behind it. It's an amazing cream that treats the 10 most visible signs of aging:

• wrinkles
• enlarged pores
• dryness
• redness
• discoloration
• uneven skin tone
• impurities
• loss of smoothness
• loss of firmness
• loss of radiance

My Thoughts

Whew! That's a pretty big claim on the part of Perricone. I've been using the cream for over a week now, and I can tell you I have seen a difference in my skin's texture and brightness. In fact, the deep creases in my forehead are definitely less noticeable. I'm not saying they're gone by any means, but they are a bit less noticeable.

I'm a skin care fanatic and have tried many brands. The feel of this cream is sublime. It goes on so smoothly and makes my skin feel so refreshed. Cold Plasma is meant to be effective for all skin types, and it was absorbed into my combination/oily skin very quickly. That's a plus in my book. So many creams just sit on my skin or require a great deal of blending. Not this one. It goes on smoothly with no shine or greasiness.

My overall review of Perricone MD Cold Plasma is a positive one. I love the cream and can definitely see a difference in my skin. However, I must note that this miracle cream comes with a $150 price tag, making it cost-prohibitive for many - including myself. If you are dedicated to a skin care ritual that works and have the room in your budget to accommodate quality products, this is definitely worth a try.

With that being said, I'm very happy to have had the chance to try the Cold Plasma. I'm dedicated to my skin care and quality cosmetics. I know that beautiful skin and a good foundation are the most important aspects of a makeup routine. For this reason, I'm planning to try Perricone's No Foundation Foundation. It's $50, which is an affordable splurge for me for a quality daily foundation.

The Giveaway

So if you had the chance, which Perricone MD product would you choose? Go to their website and have a look around. Come back here and leave a comment telling me which product under $150 you would love to try, and you just may win it! All comments received by Monday, December 6th at noon EST will be entered to win the product of their choice, valued at $150 or less.

Want extra entries?

• Follow me on Google Friend Connect in the side bar.
• Tweet about the contest - be sure to link here and add @marybabysteps to your tweet.
• Blog about the contest with a link here.

Each of these is worth one extra entry, but you MUST visit the PerriconeMD website and tell me about your product of choice for any extra entries to count. Be sure to leave one comment for every method of entry. Good luck!

I am so in love with Tiny Prints. I've shared my love of the company and the products several times on this blog, so when I found out about a blogger review opportunity to check out holiday cards from Tiny Prints, I jumped on it! Because the folks at Tiny Prints are so accommodating, I haven't actually ordered my cards yet. I've been waiting for my family's portrait CD to arrive so that I can add the kids' recent professional portraits to personalize our cards. But I did order Tiny Prints holiday cards a couple years ago. Here's how they turned out.

Aren't they nice? I loved sending my friends and family beautiful, personalized cards. The ordering process was easy, and the cards arrived in a timely manner. They were made of sturdy card stock. The customer service at Tiny Prints is amazing. I'm not exactly a technical wiz, and I've always been able to get help with sizing images or making sure the text was right. Not only have I received holiday cards from Tiny Prints, but I've also gotten my business cards done there and have sent personalized greeting cards from their site.

The only trouble I'm having now is choosing a card design. Cards start as low as .69 a piece, and there are so many styles. Since I have three kids, I'm looking at the three panel cards. Here are some of my favorites.

Okay, aren't they all so cute? How can I possibly decide? At least I've narrowed it down to the tri-fold style. Now I just have to choose from those. Which do you like?

Here's a bit about Tiny Prints from the company:

Tiny Prints provides simple, modern and unique stationery from Christmas cards to personalized greeting cards to thank you cards and even business cards. Offering exclusive designs from the nation’s top designers, easy card personalization, a powerful preview engine and top-notch customer service and paper quality, their designs have been lauded by numerous television networks, publications and celebrities. With Tiny Prints by your side the Holidays will be a cinch! They offer perfect party invitations for every occasion and memorable personalized photo-gifts like notebooks, photo-books and calendars.

And I've saved the best for last. Tiny Prints has invited bloggers to join their review program! So if you'd like 60 free holiday cards from Tiny Prints. Head over and fill out this form. Tiny Prints will be in touch. I can't wait to pick out and receive my review cards! I know from personal experience that I won't be disappointed.