From Beer to Maternity Covers All the Bases

I'm not a beer drinker, and I haven't been pregnant in quite a while, but From Beer to Maternity, Maggie Lamond Simone's hilarious coming-of-age novel, completely resonated with me.

Filled with wisdom that anyone can relate to, From Beer to Maternity would make a great gift for any recent grad, former partyer or newly expectant Mom. Simone's comic insights on the lessons we all learn as we age had me laughing and nodding my head at the same time.

Starting out with a police officer escorting a drunken Simone away from the car she had just wrecked (she asks him to drop her at the bar where her friends are waiting!), the book takes us through her life from new grad to columnist to parent.

“People in their twenties today are not what they were in the 1960s,” Simone contends. “Today they’re still kids. Back then they were middle-aged. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.”

And she makes a lot of sense. When she mentions how, as a college graduate, she had to learn to go from telling someone, "Hey, the sink is clogged," to actually figuring out how to fix it herself, including dealing with her own personal nemesis, spiders (!), I realized how much my own kids, who barely know how to operate a microwave, could learn from this book.

From the press release:

Maggie offers serious (no, humorous) advice (well, sarcastic commentary) for older people (yes, over the age of 30) who are having trouble with growing up or what it means to age gracefully, or are worried and even confounded by the concept of adulthood in general.

Here's an excerpt from Chapter 6, O Heather, Where Art Thou?:

“The main weapon in the ‘I’m not old just because I remember eight-tracks’ arsenal is perception. ‘Old’ used to mean anyone over 30. When I hit 30, it meant over 60. Now it’s 120. I will accept I’m in the presence of someone old if her father fought in the Civil War.”

Viv's take: Honestly, genuinely hilarious and SO relatable, Maggie Lamond Simone's From Beer to Maternity hits all the right notes. Very, very enthusiastic thumbs-up!

You can purchase From Beer to Maternity through Amazon.com (just click the image to go to the product page). You can also follow Magge Lamond Simone on her facebook page, or visit her website.

I receive a preview copy of From Beer to Maternity to facilitate this review.

Woot! Unique Gifts, Every Day

Looking for original gift ideas? Woot.com is where all the cool kids shop.

Each Woot site offers "One Day, One Deal". I'm a huge fan, for the product descriptions alone, which are always inventive, and the low prices.


In addition to the original woot, which features a variety of items (today it's a sandisk mp3 player), there are several subsites.
There's a kid's woot (pinball games today!), a shirt woot (I bought a zombie Einstein shirt for the Rhino, my junior scientist, which says, "Science NEEDS YOUR BRAINS"), a sellout woot, and a wine woot.

Worth checking every day to find that special deal--t-shirts, for example, are just $10 when featured on shirt.woot.

Gifts for the Hostess on your List

I was just enjoying this post by a fellow blogger and thought I would give her some props! Check out the suggestions over at the Party Bluprints Blog!

Holiday Hostess Gift Ideas

Squeeballs Party is fun for the whole family

Looking for a gift idea for the kids? Maybe a video game that's not full of vampires and zombies? Something the whole family can play?

Squeeballs Party is a fun, family-friendly game full of unique challenges. Starring the Squeeballs, twelve cute and endearing "heroes" your kids are sure to love, the game offers hours and hours of entertainment.

What are Squeeballs? Toys made on a secret island somewhere in the Pacific, they aren't ready to go out to all the kids until they've been fully tested and put through their paces.

And that's where you come in.

You can play Squeeballs Party by yourself or against others, in head-to-head challenges for two players or party mode at up to four players. The 6 Nintendo DS party games (11 on the Wii) range from lava-filled canyons to snow-capped mountains, with stops in between in science labs and bowling alleys.

I had a chance to try out Squeeballs Party for the Nintendo DS, and it's pretty addictive (but in a good way). You start out with four basic challenges, and then more open up as you progress. The challenges get more and more difficult, and eventually (I'm told, because I didn't get this far) there are 70 challenges on the Nintendo DS game, and the Wii version has 150 challenges in total.

That should keep your kids busy for a while!

Here are some of the challenges contained within the Squeeballs Party game:


Tenpin Bowling--This one is really cute. Your job, as you bowl, is to knock the Squeeballs off the pins. They get scared when you come close and laugh in relief when you miss them.



Cannon--Bat away the Squeeballs with a racquet as they are sent at you from the mouth of a cannon.



Paint by Squeeballs--Now you catapult the colorful Squeeballs into a creative, colorful masterpiece.

So: cute characters, 150 mini-games, fun for the whole family...what else?

Oh, that's right, I almost forgot the best part!

Squeeballs Party is now only 19.99 for the Wii or Nintendo DS!

You can find Squeeballs Party at Gamestop, Walmart, Amazon.com or wherever video games are sold.

I received a copy of Squeeballs Party for the Nintendo DS to facilitate my review.

Help! I Need Toys for the Kids!

If you have a niece, nephew or grandkid to shop for, or if your kids are getting harder and harder to buy for, Toyinfo.org could be a lifesaver this holiday season.

Toyinfo.org helps you choose the right toys for your family, with toy safety facts, free downloadable play guides, and even discussion boards where other parents let you know the real deal on the toys you are considering before you purchase them.


While on the site, you can sign up for important recall notifications to be sent to you automatically.

Coming up on Toyinfo.org: a video from "The Moms of Toy Safety." A discussion from Moms, and even a grandmother who are also safety professional within the toy industry, this upcoming episode will remind watchers of TV's "The View" of the roundtable with Barbara, Whoopee, Sheri, Joy and Elizabeth.

Toyinfo.org is your one-stop resource for anything and everything about toys and play before you buy.

Once you know the skivvy, you'll also want to check out ToyAwards.org.

ToyAwards.org lists all nominations for the "Oscars" of the toy industry, the 2010 Toy of the Year Awards for only the top toys.


What's great about ToyAwards.org this year that is not only do you get the consensus from the experts, but parents and kids can indicate their own favorites--and register to win one of more than 11 prize packages!

Coming up in next in the Holiday Handbook is Viv's personal pick for a videogame the whole family can play together (and your kids will love)!

I wrote this blog post as part of blog tour from Team Mom.

Firsts! The First Gift on Your List for Christmas (and we're giving it away!)

Did you know:

The first blue jeans came into being in 1853, through the ingenuity of Levi Strauss?

The story goes that Strauss, a German immigrant in San Francisco setting up shop after the Gold Rush, met a prospector asking what he had for sale. At the time, his inventory included rough canvas for tents. The prospector said what he really needed was pants, as they were in short supply just then. So Strauss went right into the workshop and whipped up some overalls, which the miners liked, but as the material tended to chafe, Strauss switched over to a twilled French cloth, serge de Nimes--what we now know as denim. Their color gave them the nickname, "blue jeans."

The first burger chain was not (as I thought) McDonald's, but White Castle, established in 1921? And that, in 1961, White Castle became the first burger chain to sell a billion hamburgers?

The first computer dates from around the first century B.C.?

The first person buried on the moon (!) was an astro-geologist name Eugene M. Shoemaker?
These and other fun facts and odd occurrences can be found in firsts, the latest book by Wilson Casey (aka The Trivia Guy).

I loved this book. I'm a fan of trivia, lists and world records, and this was right up my alley!

firsts is compelling reading for anyone on your Christmas list--and we have FIVE copies to give away to our lucky readers!

Entry method (required): Just leave a comment on this post with your favorite bit of trivia you've picked up in your years of wisdom. It can be anything, from how to measure with a dollar bill (they're each 6" long), to your State's official flower (Florida's is the orange blossom).

I am really looking forward to reading those comments!

For Additional Entries (optional):

• Tweet about this giveaway
• Subscribe to our feed (top sidebar)
  
• Put our NEW! Holiday Handbook button on your site and Facebook page (middle sidebar)
  
• Blog about this giveaway
• Saturday or later (it will take a while to go up live), vote up this giveaway on Prizey! just click the green prizey button on the sidebar to reach the giveaway.
  

That's five MORE chances to enter! And remember, we have FIVE copies to give away! Deadline for entries is December 15th.

Good luck!

Psst...Holiday Hassles? We have the cure!

The Cool Moms Rule Holiday Handbook begins tomorrow!

With recipes, giveaways, shipping deadlines, decorating ideas and tips to survive all your holiday hassles, it's so much MORE than just a gift guide (but it's that, too!).

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...Disney! (and another giveaway)

We're planning our Holiday Gift Guide for the end of November, and I know I'm really looking forward to that (hope you are, too!), but I just had to let all you early shoppers out there know that not only does Disney have some adorable holiday movies for you to watch with your family, but the movies themselves come with special gifts to help make the holidays bright!

So, if you are like me and try to get all your shopping done early, or you just love that holiday feeling and want to spread some Christmas cheer throughout your home, take a look at these two offerings:

First up, there's Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving.

Now, I know I've gone on and on about how my kids loved Winnie the Pooh and the gang. I really think the appeal of Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet and the whole gang is timeless.

Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving starts out with Pooh and his friends thinking they missed Winter (due to some missing calendar pages). So they believe it's Groundhog day! They must track down a groundhog to find out what happened to their favorite season, Winter. What's really cute is when they think that it's Springtime and they plant their gardens out of season, even do some Spring Cleaning even though it's really Winter!

The next video vignette features Christopher Robin and it is all about getting ready for Thanksgiving. There's a cute Thanksgiving song from Pooh and even a monster Turkey! What I liked about this segment was that it's not all about the food and all the excesses but about being with your family and friends, and that's what the holidays are all about.

Of course, Christmas is my favorite holiday, and the Christmas episode will put you in the right mood. Rabbit (love how Rabbit is so particular about everything, like the Martha Stewart of The 10o Acre Wood) has an unexpected guest for the holidays that throws off all of his perfect planning. Oh, and Pooh? Not the best choice for babysitter. Just sayin'. This is actually a touching little story.

But that's not all that's on Winnie the Pooh: Season of Giving. There's lots of great bonus features, like two shorts called Magic Earmuffs (Piglet learning to ice skate!) and Wishing Bear (I've seen this one, Wishing Bear, before, and it's so sweet!).

Then there are two holiday games on the DVD, one where you decorate your own Christmas tree and the other has you coloring in holiday scenes.

And, perhaps the best extra of all, Pooh: Seasons of Giving comes with your very own holiday stocking!. This is definitely one DVD library, folks.

The second great movie pack coming out on DVD from Disney is Mickey's Christmas Carol.

I think we're all familiar with the classic Dickens tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, but most versions are too serious and stuffy for small kids to sit through.

Of course, Mickey's Christmas Carol is the exception. Naturally, Ebenezer Scrooge is played by Scrooge McDuck himself, and Mickey is his clerk, Bob Cratchit. The ghosts that visit him include Goofy and Jiminy Cricket!

In addition to a fun, kid-friendly cast, this special DVD, which hit shelves yesterday, comes with a collectible litho print of Mickey and his family decorating their Christmas tree.

And you can win Mickey's Christmas Carol for your family this holiday season just by leaving a comment below. Here's what I need to know in your comment : who is your favorite Disney character?

For additional entries, Tweet or blog about this contest, or leave a comment on another post on the site and let me know you are commenting for an extra chance to win Mickey's Christmas Carol.

That's FIVE chances to win! Contest ends October 14th.

I received review copies of these DVDs to facilitate my review and so that I could offer this giveaway to my readers.

InsanityWear is the Sane Choice for Your Family

Recently, I was fortunate enough to sample some of the wide array of offerings from InsanityWear T-Shirt and Gifts. I discovered them through Mom Made That, a blog I follow, and I really liked the selection.

InsanityWear has designs for pet lovers, graduating seniors, parents, kids, even expectant Moms, like the maternity top shown to the right--just about everybody on your shopping list!

InsanityWear is full of catchy sayings that are sure to ring true. I know that there are plenty of phrases that I can relate to, including two that are perfect for my own life on the site, and I like both of them enough that it's hard to choose between them for which one is my favorite.

First is this one, from the parenting line, "Confused Parent of Teenagers." That's appropro for, well, any parent of teenagers! I think for some of my friends, though, the "You Can't Scare Me, I Have Daughters," would also be perfect. Whenever I'm feeling particularly stressed, I remember to thank my lucky stars that I have boys--I understand from my fellow Moms that girls are, to put it mildly, a bit "dramatic" some days. (Though, to be fair, they don't seem to spend as much time in the Emergency Room as we Moms of boys do!)

My second favorite--and again, it's hard to pick--is the design I ultimately ended up with on my own personal mug from InsanityWear. You all probably know that I have three very spoiled cats, and the orange one pictured here reminds me of my fattest, fluffiest, cuddliest kitty, Cheddar. As you can see, the motto says it all:

"I'm Just a Pawn in My Cat's Quest for World Domination."

My take: InsanityWear is the perfect, convenient, one-stop shop for all your gifting needs.

Think Sporty Gift Ideas for Fit Kids!

We all want our children to be fit and healthy and active, so after all the latest posts on gaming, music and high-tech gift ideas, I wanted to be sure to include some ideas for the athletes in the family.

This first idea is especiallly cool, because a couple of teen girls, Tessa and Laura, took it to the next step and made what is essentially an athletic supply into a hot fashion accessory!

Originally designed for sports injuries, Pre-Wrap has become a fresh new fashion accessory, first to keep hair under control during practice and now as every-day wear.

Unlike other headbands, Pre-Wrap keeps girls' hair out of the way when they are playing sports like volleyball and soccer without slipping off, and it comes in a rainbow of colors (Pre-Wrap, from as little as 1.00 a roll(!), is also available exclusively in lime through Tessa and Laura's website).

Also for your soccer-loving girls are these cute gift sets from JustforGirlsSports. The Soccer Gift Set, packed full of fun and colorful soccer-themed accessories, includes a colorful and cheerful soccer monkey pillowcase, an I "Heart" soccer keychain, a 24-page soccer photo Book to keep all those snapshots of her best game plays, a soccer ball zipper pull for her jacket or backpack, and a bracelet and necklace set in a pink organza jewelry bag for extra safekeeping. The entire Soccer Gift Set comes packaged in a pink and brown hinged-lid box with a pink satin ribbon and attached soccer bag tag (Soccer Gift Set, 69.99 at JustForGirlsSports.com).

For your sporty guys, Heely's are definitely the way to go. These cool skate shoes are all the rage where I am now, with most of the middle school boys either sporting a pair already or putting them on their Christmas list this year. Heelys come as sneakers, with a rubber inset in the sole. You simply pop out the inset with the included tool, pop the skate wheels in and you're ready to go! Kids can leave the wheels, which are mostly recessed, in their shoes, and just walk normally--or they can go "heeling," by lifting up their toes to glide on the wheels and zip all over the place in record time. Heelys now come in even cooler designs, like the Camo Bones pattern pictured.


Oh, and Heelys are great for girls, too! Check out the cute Pixie (far left), or cool Sheer pattern (Heelys, available nationally at select shoe and sporting goods stores).

Games You Can All Play Together

Another fun section for me, because I had the chance to play the games here! You may be surprised by the list, as some of these games are different from the original versions--or just completely new!

I'm starting with a personal favorite, Kubit2Me. There are several different Kubit2Me games, for all different age groups, so you will want to check out the Kubit2Me website to pick the perfect one for your family.

My pick was Kubit2Me: Now You're Talkin', because as a Mom of boys, anything I can do to get them to open up and talk to me is a priority in my life.

And this game did it! You know why? It was developed by a Mom of four. ; )

Here's how Kubit2Me: Now You're Talkin' works: your game gear consists of a soft, foam-filled cube covered in "fur" like a shag carpet, which is totally huggable. On the cube are four pockets around the side and one on the top. The pockets are for the 40 game cards, which are split up and placed in the four side pockets (the top pocket is for discarded cards). The foam center of the cube also has an opening, inside which you can tuck the fun stickers that come with it. The stickers have lots of different sayings on them, everything from, "You crack me up!" and "darn tootin'!" to "You warm my heart."

To play, simply toss the the soft cube and we're off! The player who catches it picks a card from one of the pockets and reads the question off of the card, which might be, "Name the four most important things in your life," or "What would you do if you won $2 million dollars?" Then he or she answers the question. That's it! The next player can ask the first a question about the answer given (a great way to start a conversation going) or choose a new card to answer. At any time during the game, you can reach inside the cube and award someone one of the stickers for their answer. I gave the Rhino a sticker which said, "You're a peach!" and had him laughing.

Kubit2Me: Now You're Talkin' is a fantastic family game, which recently won the 2008 “Game of the Year” award from Creative Child Magazine, and there's no mess, because all the game gear stores right inside the soft fuzzy cube (Kubit2Me games, 24.99).

If Chess is a staple at your house, as it is at ours--the Engineer and I used to play chess for kisses when we were dating--then you will want to try out this new twist on an old classic, New Wave Chess and Checkers.

The unique design keeps all the pieces stuck to the chess board no matter how hard you try to shake them out (I tested it!), so it is perfect for on-the-go games. Stay-in-place Checkers are also included in this low-priced Chess set, so you can take both of the classic games with you on your holiday travel and never have to worry about missing pieces (New Wave Chess, paradoxy products, 12.00).

Xeko has a new trading card game (there's also adorable plush toys) based on China, stemming from all the excitement of the Beijing Olympic games.

Unlike other Trading Card games, Xeko: Mission China contains educational content that is also good for the planet--taking its cues from nature and science, Xeko: Mission China casts endangered species as the heroes, including the Giant Panda and Snow Leopard.

Xeko cards and packaging are made with recycled materials and soy-based inks, and the company donates 4% of net sales to Conservation International (CI) a non-profit organization whose work inspires the game.

In addition, the plush toys that complement the game consist of the same endangered animals, all made with earth-friendly soy fabric and filling ( Xeko Mission: China Card Game (1 Starter Deck) (2 Booster Packs) 30.00 and Xeko Hairy Eared Dwarf Lemur Plush
14.99).

Okay, technically this isn't a game, but Ravensburger has a really cool twist on the classic jigsaw puzzle that the whole family can enjoy assembling together.

Ravensburger puzzle balls are 360 degree puzzles, spheres in beautiful designs that piece together perfectly, no glue required, and are attractive enough, when assembled, to keep in your child's room or your den. One offering, the Astronomy set, actually includes eight puzzleballs representing the planets in our solar system (made you stop and think, didn't it? Me too, but remember Pluto isn't a planet now). All in all, there are 18 different designs, some with specially designed stands for displaying your completed creation. Sets range in size from 60 to 540 pieces.

Pictured here is the Wildlife puzzle ball (24.99 with display stand), which is available, as are all the Ravensburger puzzle balls, from the Ravensburger website (Ravensburger Puzzle Balls, also available in specialty toy shops, range from 14.99-39.99).

Favorite Toys and Plush for the Kids

What a fun time I had with this listing for our Holiday Gift Guide--I got to play with toys and hug stuffed animals! Hey, it's a dirty job, but someone has to do it, right? ; ) Here are my favorites (and I think they'll be yours too!) for the Holidays.

Like me, you probably know a little about the Build-A-Bear Workshops in your local mall. Maybe you even know that kids pick out their own bears, take them to the special stuffing station to make their bears soft and cuddly, and "pawsonalize" them with wardrobes (and even sound!) to make memories that will last. You may even know (which I didn't!) that each stuffed friend comes with a red satin heart warmed in the hands of a child and filled with wishes, a pawsonalized adoption certificate, and a code that brings the stuffed animal to life online at buildabearville.com.

But did you know that all year round, Build-A-Bear Workshop has bears priced as low as $10? And that, especially for the holidays this year, they are offering more $10 bears than ever?

Yeah, that price surprised me, too. Just $10 for some of the cutest critters around! “I have always believed a child should be able to visit our store and make a furry friend with their allowance, and that’s why we have always had a selection of bears starting at just $10,” said Maxine Clark, founder and chief executive bear of Build-A-Bear Workshop. “This year we felt it was more important than ever to give our Guests a holiday gift and begin the season a little early.


Build-A-Bear Workshop also has a special couple visiting this holiday season--Hal and Holly Moose! Pictures just don't do them justice because they are SO darned cute, but here is one anyway. Hal's antlers are adorned with lights that actually light up in sequence when you squeeze his hand! The cute couple have a special Christmas story book all about them available this holiday season for free (while supplies last) when you pick up Hal and Holly Moose for $24 at Build A Bear Workshops all over the country (Hal and Holly Moose also available individually, $18).

Zoobies, like my friend Bobo the Baboon over there, are special to me because I discovered them just recently.

Zoobie pets offer big bang for your buck this holiday season--because they are not one, not two, but three products in one!


Just check out Lencho the Lion (pictured, right) and you'll see what I mean. Each adorable furry Zoobie pet is lovably huggable in its animal form, but tug a little here and there, and Voila!

Now your child has a comfy pillow to sleep on.

But wait, that pillow not enough for sleepy time? No worries! Reach inside, tug some more and your Zoobie pet becomes a soft blankie, too!

Now, little ones will surely enjoy Zoobie pets, and can curl right up with those comfy blankies, but I think older kids will love them, too, because they are cute and comfy for hanging out with, providing a soft pillow when your teen is on the phone or a warm cover-up for their feet when they're working on homework (or, more likely, chatting with their friends online when they are SUPPOSED to be doing their homework). There's also baby Zoobie pets available (Zoobies, at specialty stores or online, range from $25-36).

Now, on to the toys!

If your kids are movie fans (or just like the idea of exploring like a Junior Indiana Jones), these next toys make very cool gifts. The Indiana Jones Lost City Archeology Dig lets your child actually dig up "priceless artifacts and treasure" of their own! Plus, unlocking the Mayan archeological dig site allows them to discover a special secret of their own, as well (no, I'm not giving it away!).

Also available is The Indiana Jones Crystal Skull Image Projector, which not only projects images from the latest movie, but real archeological discoveries, making it both entertaining and educational--but your kids won't know that! (Indiana Jones Lost City Archeology Dig from Uncle Milton, 29.95, and Indiana Jones Crystal Skull Image Projector, 39.99).

But maybe the guy on your gift list sees himself as more of a junior James Bond than Indy--in which case, he'll need the latest in spy gear to keep track of the bad guys.

Enter the SpyVideo ATV-360, the kind of toy that will make Dad want to take over the controls himself and give it a whirl!

This ruggedly built remote-controlled camera/tank combo lets your guys spy from rooms away via a special LCD camera and single earbud headset. Here's what sets it apart: live images AND audio are transmitted to the headset, so your junior spy can see AND hear who's coming in real time!

Even the Engineer found the SpyVideo ATV-360 impressive, and that's saying something! (SpyVideo ATV-360, available through wildplanet.com's online specialty store for $129.99, and also at Target and Wal-mart).

Finally, from our old friends at K'Nex come four new offerings to their Thrill Ride series of construction sets, a neat way to get the kids and Dad together for some quality building time.

Designed with older kids in mind (sets are intended for the 9+ crowd), these are challenging sets with hundreds of interlocking parts that will appeal to serious hobby enthusiasts, but they're also a lot of fun to play with once they're put together, since each one is, as the name implies, a Thrill Ride as well!

Pictured, for example, is the biggest of the bunch, the Motorized Madness Ball Machine, which, when assembled, stands over four feet tall. Included is a motorized ball-lifter (kinda like an elevator for marbles), and 3 unique tracks for the five balls to race down. With over 2000 parts, this will keep them busy on Christmas morning! (The four newest offerings in the K'nex Thrill Ride series range in price from 29.99 to 59.99) .

Land's End Blows Us Away: An AMAZING Giveaway (and a Sneak Peak at Tomorrow's Daily St. Nick Pick)

Lands' End, which is just bowling us over with they're holiday offerings, has Daily St. Nick Picks running now on their website, offering different discounted offers every single day.

We have the insider info about tomorrow's Daily St. Nick Picks deal: Look for selected $89 cashmere items discounted to $50!

But that's not all: Lands' End has offered an amazing giveaway to Cool Moms Rule! readers.

You can win one of these fabulous prizes:

A comfy, cozy, super-soft Women's Regular Long-Sleeved Cashmere Tee Sweater available in 21 (I counted!) colors;

OR

These super-warm Kids' Fleece Slippers, including the cute Scotties pair I profiled in the Cool Moms Rule! Holiday Gift Guide in either red or green, as well as penguin, ice skates, ski badge, dog and bear models;


OR


This roomy, easy-wheeling, Men's Wheeled Duffel Bag, perfect for all those Cool Dads who have to travel on business, available in five different colors.

And Lands' End is making it really easy to win--just visit their site, take a look around, and then come back and leave a comment telling us which of the above items is your favorite!

I'm giving you two weeks to comment on this post. We'll randomly pick the winner on Tuesday, December 9th, and make the announcement the next day.

That gives you plenty of time to take advantage of the other great deals on the Lands' End site, enjoy the Daily St. Nick Picks, and decide which item you would most like to win from Lands' End!

So, see, you definitely have something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!

Good luck!

P.S. Visit the GiveRespect.org site for an additional entry!

Custom and Personalized Gifts

Don't forget to enter our Holiday giveaways:

Today is the LAST DAY for the Hannah Montana and HSM3 Hallmark Ornaments and/or Christmas Sucks book giveaway! Enter now.

You can still win a pair of One True Fit Premium Bootcut Jeans from Lee Jeans! They're giving us TEN pairs to give away!

Lastly, enter to win the beautiful Duck in New York City book and CD set from the Secret Mountain.

Sometimes you just can't find a gift for that one person on your list. The Hard-to-Shop-For person--you know the one, the person who has, it seems, everything already. They don't really have a specific niche like scrapbooking or model railroading to help you out when you are searching for gifts. He isn't a soccer coach or a coffee addict or a nerd. She isn't a Perfect Angel or the Crazy Cat Lady.

So then you scratch your head and think, "What can I get them that shows that I know them and didn't just pick something up at the corner drugstore on the way over?"

Don't worry, we've got your back. These gifts are perfect, because they are specially made just for THAT person.

I don't care who you are or where you live, you gotta sleep. And when you do, you want to lay your head down on your own pillow. Some even go so far as to bring that special pillow with them when they travel--you'll see them in airports holding onto their soft and fluffy savior for those red-eye flights. And when you have your own special pillow, why not your own special pillow case?

Pillowcasegram is a unique gift idea to charm even the most difficult person on your list. Each one is uniquely crafted with the recipient's name embroidered on the pillow for a lovely homey touch, and there's lots of different patterns and fabrics to choose from. Order now (up to December 10th), and you can have your Pillowcasegram by Christmas!

Here's another cool feature: you can order a leftie or a rightie, depending on which side of the bed they sleep! You can crawl in the window and spy on them to order the perfect one. I'm just kidding about crawling in the window, btw. Please don't do that. I don't want to be responsible for some poor kid thinking Santa's come early and then find out, no, it's just Aunt Debbie. You can pick a fabric with a design that doesn't matter whether it is facing right or left, instead. (Pillowcasegram, ~$20).

This next gift is just incredible to me, because not only does it make a personal gift, it does so in a unique way I've never seen before.

Frecklebox--even the name is fun--has the perfect gift for any child on your list. Really, just cross them off right now, because one you see them, I'm sure you'll want one of Frecklebox's personalized children's books.

While I'm familiar with personalized books for children, Frecklebox takes it to an entirely new level. Or even a new dimension--these books spell out the child's name in snowflakes, leaves, even shells on the beach! Every time I look at the products on Frecklebox's site (you can also order personalized placemats, posters and coloring books!) I'm just blown away by the artistry of these gifts. The personalized books for children, as you can tell, are my favorite, but these gifts would work for anyone who'd like to see their name up in lights! ;) (You can order Frecklebox books soft bound for 19.95 or in hardcover for 34.95.)


Now, if you really want to go whole hog, and just awe someone with your amazing thoughtfulness, you can't go wrong by visiting LifeOnRecord. You'll want to bookmark this page, or write it down, because the next time someone you know is getting married or having a baby, you'll want to find the website again!

LifeOnRecord offers two options. One is a Journal, the ability to record your own voice and thus journal, basically, anything you want to remember for playback later. It could be as trivial as a shopping list reminder or as profound as, "Today I met my soulmate." I actually am signing up for this service myself, to help me remember ideas for Cool Moms Rule! You just call a number on your phone and record anything you want. You could record your little one singing, "Itsy Bitsy Spider." You could even record yourself reading a favorite book, and present a gift of a personal audiobook for someone--really, the applications are endless!

Remember I mentioned there were TWO options? Well, the second one, Weddings and Events, is even better for a special gift (I think the Journal option is just a great thing for anyone to have for themselves).

Here's how Wedding and Events works: Suppose someone you know is getting married. LifeOnRecord gives you a phone number to share. Then you have family members call it up and share a memory for that special event--maybe you will call and share about how you introduced Jim and Sue and now you are maid-of-honor at their wedding, or your grandparents can share about the day they met each other, 50 years ago; it can be anything, any memory--and then LifeOnRecord makes you a keepsake CD of all those memories!

LifeOnRecord makes a unique birthday gift, and of course is perfect for the holidays, when the whole family is together and can share all those precious memories. (LifeOnRecord Events, 49.99, Weddings 79.99, and Journal available through subscription service. Subscription services run for less than a year all the way up to 3 years at a time, prices vary by subscription).

Finally, for a cute and personal way to send a special greeting, and, better yet, one that's absolutely free, I invite you to go Elf Yourself. No, that's not a slippery metaphor for something sinister--Elf Yourself is a free service offered by Office Max that lets you put your face on an Elf for a cute Holiday greeting. Kids will love becoming an Elf for a day, and receiving an Elf card from those silly grown-ups, as well!

Next up in the Holiday Gift Guide are Designer and Handmade Gifts!

We have some more giveaways coming up soon (here's a hint: you'll be thankful for them!).

Beautiful Books Bedecked with Beats!

Can you tell that I am having an alliterative day today? ; )

I'm also all bouncy and happy, because I have some good news for you all, too!

I just have to share the absolutely luscious books I received from my friends over at Team Mom today, because not only are they gorgeously illustrated, but they come with a little added extra--CD's! These books come from The Secret Mountain, and each book is accompanied by an audio CD that complements the content of the book. So, for example (this is my favorite book title!) A Duck in New York City, a cute story for kids about a prairie duck with a dream to make it big on Broadway, comes with a CD of humorous kids' songs that go along with the funny theme, while Dream Songs, Night Songs: From Belgium to Brazil has an accompanying CD full of lullabies and dreamy songs, each in the native language of one of the countries from the book's title. What's great is that, with that last title, you get the song lyrics in the native language, and then there's the English translation right there on the CD in a downloadable pdf, so Ta DA! you have just learned a song in another language.

I love that The Secret Mountain music goes along with each book's story, and you can actually buy just the CD's by themselves, but then you would be missing out on the illustrations, some of which are over-the-top gorgeous! For example, the picture at the left is from their book entitled Down at the Sea Hotel.

And here's yet another plus: some of the songs from Down at the Sea Hotel are by famous artists you just might be familiar with: ever hear of a guy named Billy Joel? How about Don Henley, Neil Young, or Mary Chapin Carpenter?

I'm so thrilled about these books from the Secret Mountain, and I know you will love them so much, that I am GIVING ONE AWAY! Yes, that's right, another one!

Can anyone stop this mad woman and her giveaways?!

Nope, she's on a roll, folks.

Here's what to do to WIN the fabulously funny book I mentioned above, a Parent's Choice Gold Award Winner, A Duck in New York City:

Head on over to The Secret Mountain, and check out all the offerings from the English Catalogue. Listen to a couple of the song excerpts. Then come back here, and leave a comment with your favorite song on the site. Remember, I want the name of a SONG, not a book, okay? That's all it takes!

For extra entries, you can:

Go to the RESPECT site, and put down Cool Moms Rule! as your source (it's for a good cause!),
Add my badge to your sidebar,
Blog about this post, or Tweet about it if you don't have a blog, or
Subscribe to the Cool Moms Rule! feed.

That's all there is to it! Remember, for each additional entry method you choose, come back here and leave an additional comment, so I can verify and give you your extra entry in the giveaway.

I think this book would make a great Christmas present for someone, too, so I'm going to make sure you get it early enough to wrap, and since I'm sending it media mail, that means we need to make the deadline a bit sooner. So...let's say Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, at midnight, all entries are due. I'll pick a winner over the long weekend.

Good luck, and enjoy The Secret Mountain!