2011 Holiday Gift Guide – Suggestions for Kids

(Be sure to check out all the other great Gift Guide items and giveaways here.)

It can sometimes be hard to find age-appropriate video games for the preteen set. Many games kids consider too “babyish”, some are too complicated in the game play and many are too graphic. The Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL is none of those things.

Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL is a brawler video game with 26 playable characters from shows like Johnny Bravo, The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory and many more. There are six play modes: story mode, battle mode, arcade mode, PTE mode, Fight the Drones mode and training mode; with both story mode and battle mode up too 4 players can play together (or against each other!). You’ll also find 26 different battle arenas in which to play. Cool items and characters can be unlocked in the PTE store using the coins you earn battling.

A2 tested out the game for us first. He thought it was okay, but shared that he felt kids 8-14 would probably enjoy it most. I also think that adults who enjoy some of the Cartoon Network TV shows would enjoy this game as a fun break from more “serious” games, too. (I always enjoy a good Dexter’s Lab.)

The controls are very intuitive, especially for those familiar with the brawler genre. All of the character each have four special moves, but this doesn’t make the game complicated.

Below is a screen grab of a battle scene with Johnny Bravo so you can have a feel for what the game play looks like. As you can see it’s all fun, cartoon-y stuff, not blood and gore.

You can also check out the video below from the developers.

Where to Buy:

Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL is rated E (Everyone age 10+) and in addition to the PS3 version ($39.99) it is available on the Xbox 360 ($39.99) and Nintendo Wii ($29.99).

Want to Win?

One winner will receive a copy of Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL for the PS3. To enter fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Reminder: Rafflecopter sometimes takes a moment to load; if you don’t see it after a minute, please try refreshing your browser.

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I received a copy of the game in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are 100% mine and my family’s.

2011 Holiday Gift Guide – Suggestions For Him

(Be sure to check out all the other great Gift Guide items and giveaways here.)

The Sportula is a great gift for a number of people on your list. Those that are hard to shop for, those who have everything, those that have a favorite hobby, those that love to grill – and, of course, tailgating!

The Sportula is a cross between a spatula and a fan item. The “flipping surface” of the Sportula has a laser-cut design that allows you to showcase everything from your favorite college team to your own corporate logo. They are made of heavy stainless steel, with the handle being hard maple with brass rivets. The lettering on the handle is custom heat-stamped and the end of the handle has a built-in bottle opener (also makes for a good hanging hook).

Sportula Products

Being from Kentucky, we are big UK fans. And most UK fans are quite serious about their tailgating. So I LOVE that the Sportula comes in a UK Wildcats design. I can think of a half-dozen people on our Christmas shopping lists that would love to show off their Cat Pride with one of these. (Hubby is looking forward to flipping some burgers with this.)

Sportula Products

If you’re not big into college sports, though, there are plenty of other choices. If you have a current or former member of the military you’re shopping for, they might like one of the patriotic designs. Or maybe you have a hobbyist on your list. They have everything from fishing, hunting, golfing – and a bunch more. You can even tell Dad and Grandpa how special you think they are.

Where to Buy:

You can purchase the Sportula direct from their website. Prices range from $19.99 to $29.99. They’re also available (on sale!) from Amazon.

Want to Win?

Two winners will each receive a Sportula of their choice! Giveaway closed.

I received a product in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are 100% mine and my family’s.

2011 Holiday Gift Guide – Baby & Toddler Suggestions

(Be sure to check out all the other great Gift Guide items and giveaways here.

If you wrote “adorable shirts” this year on your shopping list for babies and toddlers you’re going to be able to cross off a name or two. Puppy & Bean was started as a way to help caregivers remember the humor that comes with the job – humor that can sometimes be lost in the daily challenges of parenting or care-giving. The shirts are a fun way to embrace the moments that show us what complex little beings toddlers can be, and the ways they like to demonstrate it.

I had the pleasure of meeting Laurel at the ABC Kids Expo this year and she is just as sweet as her clothing line! If you’d like to “meet” her, too, watch the short video below.

The toddler shirts are 100% preshrunk combed ringspun cotton and the onesies and youth shirts are 100% organic combed ringspun cotton. They also carry a few other branded items, like tote bags, water bottles, mugs, and a signature shirt for women and men. I love a number of their designs, but the “Catch Me”, “love @ first sight” and “Silly Bean” are a few of my favorite. We received an adorable Snuggly Bean shirt which fits Baby C.’s personality perfectly. I love how soft the shirts are and how well they fit.

Puppy & Bean Shirts and Onesies

I’m not the only one who loves Puppy & Bean. Jewel had her baby shower sponsored by Puppy & Bean (the “love @ first sight” shirt above was designed especially for Jewel’s boy Kase). A number of other celebrities (Rachel Zoe, Nicole Sullivan) also love them. Google also just profiled them as a successful small business.

You can stay up-to-date with Puppy & Bean by liking them on Facebook and following them on Twitter

Where to Buy:

Visit Puppy & Bean and shop their online store. Onesies are $24 and toddler shirts are $20.

Do you prefer tees or onesies for your little one?

I received a shirt in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are 100% mine and my family’s.

(Be sure to enter on the main giveaway post if you haven’t yet.)

One of the lovely items that I have in my CouponCabin giveaway prize pack is the Lenox Autumn Owl sculpture. It is crafted of Lenox ivory fine china and 24 karat gold, and is 4″ tall. Sitting next to a pumpkin on a little log with some leaves, it is a nice representation of fall. Because it is done all in ivory it would fit in nicely with whatever decorating theme you have, now and for years to come.

Lenox products are really very beautiful. I remember when I was in junior high and would see the ads for hand-painted Lenox vases or their Christmas ornaments and I couldn’t wait until I was “grown up enough” to start purchasing their items. I have a Pooh Bear figurine (similar to the one below, but my Pooh Bear has a red shirt and is eating from a honeypot) and a Mickey Mouse ornament. I have a few others, as well, like a snowman ornament and a candy dish that were passed down to me. Not only are Lenox pieces very collectible, they make a nice start to a tradition of family heirlooms. Continue reading »

You may have heard of Heelys – sneakers that have wheels built into the bottoms allowing you to transition from a walk to a roll by shifting your weight to your heel. I had always thought that they were just for kids, but come to find out – they’re not! Heelys has an entire line for adults, too.

There are a few different kinds of Heelys. For younger kids – or us older kids that might need a little practice before cruising down the road, you can try out the Heelys HX2. These have two wheels per shoe to give you a little more stability (closer to a traditional roller skate). Once you have the hang of them you can remove the front wheel to convert them to the traditional Heelys. The Nano gives you a footboard for your front foot so you can build momentum with your other foot. This loosely equates to a skateboard that’s strapped to your foot (see below).

I received a pair of black and pink “Wave” Heelys – mock toe court styling with contrast color piping and embroidered logo. They’re made with synthetic nubuck and a synthetic leather upper. They also have a fats low-profile wheel with ABEC 1 bearings. Are you lost yet? Yeah, a lot of that is probably the kind of terminology used by people who skate, board, etc. Basically they’re black sneakers with pink contrast that you can insert a big, fat wheel into the bottom of each shoe.

It had been years since I’d been on roller skates; roller blades were a much more recent phenomena that I remember participating in. So these took a little bit of time for me to get used to. I think having a set of wheels on my shoes could be useful, though, for keeping up with Baby C. now that she’s crawling all over the place. Black and pink are also two of my favorite colors so I can see myself wearing the sneakers even without the wheels (especially if I were trying to gain a little “cool” cred with the younger set).

If you’re thinking about getting your own pair, check out the General Heely’s Skating Information page at Heelys. There are how-to videos on skating, tips, tricks and more. If you shop between November 25th and 28th, get a 2nd pair of Heelys for $25 when you buy the 1st pair at regular price – and get free ground shipping on all orders. Or if you order the Nano, you get a pair of Heelys for $25.

Heelys easily convert to a normal pair of sneakers by popping the wheel out with the wheel key. So even after the excitement of being able to roll yourself places wears off (or if the kiddos wanted to wear them to school, for example) you still have a usable pair of shoes.

For more information you can like Heelys on Facebook, follow them on Twitter or subscribe to their YouTube channel.

I received a pair of Heelys in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are 100% that of my and my family.

Views From the Ville

2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL PS3 Game – Review & Giveaway (12/16) #SfSHolidayGiftGuide

2011 Holiday Gift Guide: The Sportula Personalized Spatulas #SfSHolidayGiftGuide

2011 Holiday Gift Guide – Suggestions For Him

Where to Buy:

Want to Win?

2011 Holiday Gift Guide – Puppy & Bean Shirts And Onesies #SfSHolidayGiftGuide

2011 Holiday Gift Guide – Baby & Toddler Suggestions

Where to Buy:

Do you prefer tees or onesies for your little one?

The Autum Owl Figurine From Lenox

Heelys – Not Just For Kids! – Review