Sweet Treats for Your Sweetheart!

It's February! And you know what that means? Valentine's Day is just around the corner.

Have you shopped for your sweetie yet? Need a gift idea?  You can't go wrong with Donsuemor cookies!

The company, which gets its name from creators DON and SUE MORris, began with the introduction of their French madeleines in 1976. These soft, spongy cookies come beautifully packaged and they are delicious--just look at these heart-shaped, chocolate dipped treats above!

The above picture is their black and white assortment, with white-dipped chocolate cookies and more chocolate cookies dipped in extra chocolate. Donsuemor really caters to us chocoholics. ; )

I had an opportunity to try some Donsuemor madeleines for this review, and the selection I sampled was this Assorted variety, pictured above. They were delicious! We passed the cookies around our house when we had some guests visiting over the weekend, and they earned unanimous thumbs-up from all our tasters!

This special assortment is available beginning February 1st for Valentine's Day gifting.

Donsuemor also has French almond cakes, lemon-zest madeleines, chocolate madeleines and iced "cute" cakes (like little cupcakes) for year-round gifts. Or choose a variety pack if you can't make up your mind! Their online shop offers free shipping for purchases over $100.  

Viv's Take: We really enjoyed sampling the Donsuemor madeleines. Elegantly packaged, the cookies were soft and tasty, sweet but not overly so, and made for a nice indulgence. 

I received a sample box of the Valentine's Day Assorted variety from Donsuemor for the purposes of this review.

It Works! Body Applicator

For those of you who haven't heard about them yet, the Ultimate Body Applicator from It Works! is designed with weight loss in mind.

According to the website and the product description, the Ultimate Body Applicator is, "naturally based, mess-free, and comes with an affordable price tag. It’s NOT water loss. You are not losing water weight when you use the Ultimate Body Applicator.

The website is full of testimonials from satisfied users of the product, as well as information on how to become an independent distributor. There are also pictures of Ultimate Body Applicators and other products that were passed out in Hollywood, to celebrities like Paula Abdul.

How Does It Work?

You can download a .pdf that tells you all the ingredients in the Ultimate Body Applicator from the product ordering page. I won't reprint them all here, but I did notice the green tea and jojoba in there, and definitely smelled menthol when I put mine on. It's not an unpleasant scent at all; reminded me of Vick's when the kids have stuffed up noses.

You wash the area before applying the Applicator. Since I just had one, I chose my stomach, but you can use them on your thighs or back as well. You also want to take your measurements before you put it on, and record them, since the whole point is that, especially with repeated applications, you are supposed to lose inches and tighten your skin.

The Applicator is heavily coated with all the natural ingredients, so it is easy to tell which side is applied to the skin. There's a video on the site that shows a young lady unwrapping one and putting it on if you are interested. I wore my clothes over mine, and also wrapped saran wrap over it in accordance with a suggestion in the instructions.

I felt a little silly, honestly, with the saran wrap around me! I felt like a woman in one of those vibrating belt things from old TV commercials.

The Ultimate Body Applicator felt very cool against my skin, which went along with the whole menthol thing in my mind. It actually felt really good and was surprisingly comfortable. I wasn't sitting there, sweating or anything. I drank a lot of water and kept it on for the recommended amount of time for a first application, 45 minutes.

The literature says that as you get used to using these, you can leave the Applicator on while you sleep at night, or during your regular day, under your clothes. I honestly cannot see doing this myself. It wasn't visible under my clothes, but even without the saran wrap, it felt noticeable to me.

However, I definitely felt thirsty. Also, you are really encouraged to drink a lot of water, which I did and am still doing a week later. That's just good sense. But it doesn't really go along with the claim that water weight isn't what is being lost. Think about it: Why do they stress you need to drink more water unless you need to replace it in your system?

How Much Does This Cost?

I only tried out one Ultimate Body Applicator. You can purchase one Applicator for $29 on the website.

If you purchase the Starter Pack, they come 4 to a pack, with defining gel and an informational DVD. The cost is 99.00/ 59.00 Loyal Customer Price.

To get the Loyal Customer Price, you have to choose the auto-shipment option for a minimum of three months. Whatever you put in your cart, they ship that same product or products to you for three months. If you want a different order shipped out, you have to contact them to do it. Although technically you only have to commit to three months, again you have to contact them after those three months to cancel, and if you cancel BEFORE three months are up, they charge you a $50 early termination fee.

I DO NOT like the Loyal Customer concept at all. If they had it at all, I would rather it automatically cancelled after three months UNLESS you opted in, rather than forcing you to call and cancel.

In contrast, I received my Ultimate Body Applicator from a distributor for this review. I did not receive any gel with mine, though I would have liked some. But I did not have to commit to buying any additional Applicators, either.

Okay, so let's skip forward.

What were my results after 45 minutes?

I lost 1/2 inch on my waist. That's great, but nowhere near the differences I saw in the testimonials on the website. Also, according to my scale (which is the kind with the moveable weights, like they use in doctors' offices), I didn't lose any weight, water or otherwise. So it seems to me, and I am overthinking this whole thing but that's something I do, that perhaps tightly wrapping the Ultimate Body Applicator around my stomach redistributed the weight rather than making me actually lose anything. Maybe?

Still, I did only use one Applicator, while most users may go for 4 at least, since that's how many usually come per package.

My stomach hurt the whole night after I used the Ultimate Body Applicator, too. I can only assume that this is my own fault and I did not drink enough water, though, because I really think I was dehydrated and that's why it hurt. That's what it felt like to me, mild dehydration. So I might have had better results by drinking more water. I just don't know.

Did my results last?

It's now been a week since I used the Ultimate Body Applicator. I just took my measurements again. I have not changed my diet before or since using it. So, did the result last?

Well, again, it was only 1/2 inch off my waist. It's very hard for me to tell. I did not lose any weight with the Ultimate Body Applicator, and I haven't lost weight since, as far as I can tell. I do think my waist is still that 1/2 inch less, though, because despite that not seeming very much, I do fit into my pants a little better than I did over a week ago.

That's my experience with It Works! Ultimate Body Applicators.

Have you tried the Ultimate Body Applicator from It Works!? Have an opinion about this product? Leave a comment and let me know! I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Barbara, A Twittermom who started the Mommy Bloggers group over there (the largest group of all, with over 2000 members, it's definitely one you should consider joining), is also an "independent distributor" for It Works, and she kindly sent me one of their Ultimate Body Applicators to try out.

Michael Buble: Crazy Love could use more crazy

This last week, I've been listening to Michael Buble's latest CD offering, Crazy Love.

I've listened to it several times, played it for the kids, played it for anyone else I could get to listen to it with me, because I'm not a regular listener of his.

And while I like some of the song choices on this CD (in fact, "At This Moment" has always been a personal favorite of mine), I wanted a second, and a third opinion, to make sure I wasn't personally off-base in my own take on Crazy Love.

Which was, to whit: if you are going to do a remake of a famous song, you need to make it your own. It should be distinct and unique, and at least on par with the original. And if you are going to fill your CD with classic songs, your versions should be memorable.

And with Crazy Love, Michael Buble does not do this. At all.

From what I can gather, I am not alone in this opinion; all of us who listened to the CD agreed that the original versions were superior to Buble's versions.

Buble's "Georgia on My Mind," has none of the soulful longing of the original. The title track, "Crazy Love," is bland.

And his take of "At This Moment," which as I mentioned is a personal favorite? This is a song that should sound, as the artist belts it out, as though it is wrung straight from the heart:

What did you think I would do at this moment
When you're standing before me
With tears in your eyes? Trying to tell me that you
Have found you another
And you just don't love me no more?

I mean, just reading the lyrics, I get teary-eyed.

But Michael Buble's version, I'm sorry to say, is just emotionless. It makes me sad, to have someone go to the trouble to record such an incredibly emotional song and just not do it justice.

And that's not the most egregious example on the CD.

You are probably familiar with the Eagles' classic rock standard, "Heartache Tonight."

Now, I don't know about you, but whenever I think about any personal heartbreak I have gone through in my life, and if, god forbid, I then went on to sing about that time (I know how fervently you all are thanking your lucky stars that you have never had to suffer through that rendition), well, my voice would not be anywhere near as pitch-perfect as Michael Buble's.

But at least, if I were to sing about heartache? I would sound sad about it.

Michael Buble, though? He sings "Heartache Tonight" as if he were having a party. He actually sounds happy in the chorus.

I found myself wondering why he bothered to include songs he so clearly had no emotional connection to on Crazy Love.

So, yes, I was disappointed in this CD.

I do want to mention, though, one particular track which I really did enjoy on Crazy Love.

Buble sings a duet along with Sharon Jones (another artist with whom I was previously unfamiliar, but who I just might look up, because she's got a great voice) and backed up by the Dap Kings, called, "Baby, You've Got What it Takes."

And all the passion and the emotion missing in those other tunes really comes through in this one song. I don't know if they just have great chemistry, or if in trying to work together they indulged in some oneupmanship, just taking each to new heights out of pure competitive stubborness; but, sultry, sexy and upbeat, "Baby, You've Got What it Takes," is easily the standout on what is otherwise a very meh offering.

I received a demo copy of Michale Buble's CD, Crazy Love, from One2One Network, to facilitate this review. Which they are probably not so happy about right now...

Num Num Nut Clusters

I've been munching on a new snack lately that has two of my key requirements: tastes good and is good for me.

Okay, sometimes I scrimp on the second requirement, but in this case I'm being good. ; )

Nature Valley has these new Nut Cluster snacks, and they're really good! Even the Engineer, who scoffs at healthy food in general (don't even talk to him about vegetables) likes these.

Nut clusters are nuts with granola and a touch of honey added, and Nature Valley Nut Clusters come in several varieties. A small handful makes for a satisfying, protein-filled snack that also hits your sweet tooth just right.

My favorite are the roasted almonds, and the Engineer is an almond fan too. We also like the roasted cashews, because cashews are a guilty pleasure of mine even though when I eat too much of them I break out sometimes--you know it's love when you're getting hives and you're still whining, "But they taste so good!"

Right now, you can save $1 on Nut Clusters by visiting the Nature Valley website and printing up a coupon.

In addition to the Roasted Almond and Roasted Cashew, you can choose Honey Roasted Peanut and, in case you can't make up your mind, the Nut Lovers Nut Cluster!

Modern Rock!

There's no doubt that Mom Central is full of cool Moms--they've teamed up for a blog tour with Activision's Guitar Hero on Tour: Modern Hits for the DS.

You may remember that I recommended Guitar Hero on Tour: Decades in our Holiday Gift Guide. Well, this latest version of the Guitar Hero series not only doesn't disappoint, it delivers even more fun with 28 master tracks from influential artists including Coldplay, Fall Out Boy, Tenacious D, The Strokes and Weezer and LOTS of new multiplayer options.

I am hardly, by the way, a Guitar Hero myself. I've played the games, and I'd say I stack up more as a Guitar Goat. Or possibly a roadie.

But despite my lack of hand-and-eye coordination (or any musical talent whatsoever), I had lots of fun playing Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits on the DS.

I worked my way through the "Opening Act" songs and I'm ready to become a big star--if only I DON'T play against my (much more talented) kids.

I do find the DS interface a little more challenging than the console version of the game. It's very well-designed, in that it comes with a special attachment that allows you to "play" the notes with one hand while strumming your stylus on the DS with with the other. If, you know, you're coordinated.

I'm left-handed, and the game even offers an option for us that allows us to switch the screen around completely and even flip the colors of the notes so that it is left-hand friendly.

Even so, it's a bit of a stretch to get my fingers around and push down the color-coded buttons. And my fingers are pretty long.

I found it easiest to work with the DS not completely "open", so that my fingers can wrap around but I can still work the stylus with the other hand and see the screen fully. I was able to play pretty well this way, meaning that I can get "Star Power" on the first few songs and even get the audience (obviously not too picky) behind me.

My kids can generally get 100% through a whole song, but I am challenging myself to reach a 90% level once I'm past the easy intro music.

GHOT: Modern Hits doesn't stop with just challenging yourself, though. I'm really impressed, as someone who likes to game and really values repeat playability (which may be a term I just invented, but you know what I mean), with how many multiplayer options this game has.

First off, there's Face Off, which lets players each choose specially designed guitar tracks and play head-to-head, each with their own personal difficulty level chosen. This works well when one player (me) is not as advanced as another player (my kids).

Then there's Pro Face Off, which has the players go head-to-head with the same track, and the same difficulty level.

But it doesn't stop there, and this is what really makes GTOH: Modern Hits rock, to me.

Players can opt for Co-Op multiplayer, where they play a song together, one player taking the lead guitar and the other playing Bass or Rhythm.

Or they can have a Guitar Duel, which is really fun. Players pick up "battle items" as they play, like broken strings and dud notes (bombs), which they can send to the other player to mess them up! Hilarity ensues. At least when I play, anyway. Broken strings freak me out so much I just fall completely apart. This option had me laughing out loud.

Finally, if one player has the older GHOT: Decades and the other has the newer GHOT: Modern Hits, they can use the multiplayer capability for Song Sharing, sending approved songs to each other!

If you can find the right fit for your hand and really get to rockin' with the DS, I highly recommend Guitar Hero on Tour: Modern Hits for parents, tweens and teens to all play against each other. If you, ahem, listened to my recommendations last year, you'll already have Guitar Hero on Tour: Decades, and you can all play against each other!

My take: Guitar Hero on Tour: Modern Hits is a Must-have for your DS games collection!

Get Your Groove On

One of my teens' favorite programs for the Mac is Garage Band. They love music, and creating their own is addictive.

Until now, though, there were no kid-friendly programs for the younger set who want to get their own groove on.

Enter Groovy Music City from Avid Technology, designed with kids from 7-12 in mind. Groovy Music City has a simple interface that allows kids to create tunes of their own even if they've never played an instrument before.

The Groovy Music City software is easy to use, and (yay!) compatible with both PC and Mac. Once installed, it's easy to bring up the main screen and get started right away creating your own songs.

Groovy Music City lets your pick one of six avatars--three girls and three guys--and a login name. The friendly avatar stays on the bottom left of the screen until the child's song is created.

Creating the music is simple when you have a keyboard to plug in to your computer--kids just press the keys and the notes appear on the screen.

Without a keyboard, though, your child can still have fun with Groovy Music City, by simply clicking and dragging down any of the fun shapes at the top of their screen. Each shape has its own unique sound--everything from a cat's "Meow" to high-tech whistles, horns and drums. Kids can also change the sounds by choosing various instruments from the bottom of the screen and dragging them atop the original shapes.

Once the shapes fill the screen, clicking on the "play" button at the bottom of the screen plays the song, the avatar keeping time along with the notes as he/she walks across the screen in time with beat. There's a "help" option to the top right of the screen if kids ever get stuck. Groovy Music City comes with 28 tutorials to help kids make the most of their music software.

In addition to creating their own special sound, kids can share the music they've created on the Groovy Music website, and even download the creations of other kids just like them!

My take: the Groovy Music City software and website are easy to use, and kids will have fun with all the shapes. Making their own music, though, can get repetitive unless they have that keyboard to add functionality.

Groovy Music City software is supported on Microsoft® Windows® XP/Vista, and Mac OS X 10.4 or later systems. The software is available on the Avid e-store and at select retailers including Office Depot, Fry’s Electronics, Amazon.com, and Buy.com. Groovy Music City software has an USMSRP of $39.99.

Clorox Greenworks Wipes Review

I've written reviews of Clorox Green Works products before, and I love them, so when Mom Central asked me to check out the new Green Works™ Natural Biodegradable Cleaning Wipes, I jumped at the chance.

First off, I knew that Green Works products are better for the environment, they have a clean, fresh scent, and they work.

But that doesn't mean I took it easy on the new Natural Biodegradable Cleaning Wipes when I tested them.

No way.

You know what I spent yesterday doing? Take a guess. You'll envy me when I tell you.

I thoroughly cleaned out our bathroom AND the cats' litter box. And yes, I do mean cats' and not cat's, because we have three of them.

So when I tell you that Green Works™ Natural Biodegradable Cleaning Wipes really are a quick and simple way to clean naturally with the cleaning power of Clorox, you can trust me on this, people. My bathroom sparkles, and though I wouldn't go so far as to say the litter box does, it definitely looked and smelled fresh and clean when I was done wiping it down (with, I admit, copious amount of wipes, because I really didn't want to touch what was in that litter box. I'm sure you can relate).

Fortunately, the new Wipes are made from 100% cellulose fibers and derived from renewable farm grown trees. Like all Green Works products, they are formulated using biodegradable ingredients, are packaged in recyclable canisters and not tested on animals. So I didn't have to feel guilty about using a few of them at a time, knowing that they were better for the environment than other wipes out there. In fact, the Green Works line, including the new wipes, is recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for using environmentally preferred chemistry.

The new Green Works™ Natural Biodegradable Cleaning Wipes are advertised to, "work on grease, grime, dirt, soils and messes, and are safe to use on multiple surfaces throughout the kitchen and bathroom", and as I can attest, they are great in kitty bathrooms as well! ; )

Plus, I feel better using cleaning products for my family and my pets that I know aren't going to be giving off toxic fumes (and that I won't be breathing in nasty chemicals as I clean).

By the way, while you are at the Green Works website, check out their new "Green Heroes Grant Program," which will award five grants of $10,000 each to eco-friendly community projects across the country.

Between January 15 and February 28, 2009, anyone can nominate eco-friendly community projects for a Green Heroes grant by submitting a photo and short essay about the project. Each winner - or "Green Hero" - will receive a $10,000 grant to help their eco-friendly community projects grow and flourish!

Then, beginning on March 16 through April 10, 2009, you can vote online for your favorite eco-friendly community project. The final five Green Heroes will be announced on April 22 - just in time for Earth Day!

Madagascar: Back 2 Africa videogame!

I was excited about this Mom Central blog tour letting you all know that the new Madagascar: Back 2 Africa video game is available.

We tested out the Wii version--it's also available on Xbox 360 and PS3 for the same price (49.99), and for the Nintendo DS (29.99) and PC (19.99).

I was excited to get a chance to play Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa with my kids, because I know that Dreamworks always does a great job with the productions of their games. The graphics are lavish, the settings lush, and the characters are true to the movies.

And that's all true with this game.

I think that the characters and setting (oh, and the music!) are the best part of the game, as kids will immediately recognize all their favorites from the popular Madagascar movies. I would put that high on the 'pro' side of my list for the game.

Additionally, there are tasks for every character, so that your child will certainly get a chance to play their favorite--butt bumps from Gloria, Alex roaring, sprinting as Marty, Melman spinning--kids can even play as the crafty penguins, or the all-new Moto Moto the Hippo character!

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa also has expanded multi-player tournaments, which is where learning the tasks comes in handy, as your family (or your children and their friends) can all challenge each other in soccer, racing, etc., using all those skills they learned. Playing with, and against, others is the most fun part of the game.

Another pro is that the game makes a point of stressing the importance of Conservation eforts, weaving that message right into the gameplay and the tasks your child completes.

I do have a 'con' list also, unfortunately.

Most of the game play in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is very repetitive, as the player (which means your child) is required to repeat the same moves over and over to accomplish each task.

This was fine when the task was racing as Marty, the zebra, and sprinting super fast after eating carrots, which even big-old-adult Me found fun.

But we found some of the tasks tedious. For example, kicking the soccer ball over and over, or tying knots in a rope (which requires, by the way, that your child be able to read and understand the letters of the alphabet). Most kids don't get excited, in my experience, from tying their shoelaces.

At one point, the Rhino was getting so frustrated with the repetition in the knot-tying section that when the task, "Find the rope," came up on his screen, he cried out gleefully, "Maybe it's HERE!"

And then he jumped off a cliff. Deliberately.

We watched as his character, Alex the lion, fell (in a beautifully-illustrated spiral) to his inevitable demise. This being a Dreamworks game, he simply *poofed* into non-existence, but you get the idea.

Fortunately, the next task--propelling Melman, the giraffe, on a huge boulder down a steep, twisty path, while fighting to keep his balance on the rolling rock--was a lot more fun.

Melman's dialog is funny, too, though little kids might worry about him: after head-banging and spinning moles away from their holes in an attempt to thwart a "mole attack," Melman complains that he has a headache and feels dizzy. Of course, if they watch the movies, kids will remember that Melman worries about his health all the time, and hopefully they won't think he is actually hurt. But, since I am soft-hearted, I found the way the other animals seemed to give Melman the "dirty work" all the time a little off-putting.

Another con is just simply a gripe of my own, as the parent: as I watched the Rhino play, I found King Julian, whose role was explaining all the tasks and how to do them, tiresome. There were just, like I said, a LOT of tasks, and we often skipped through the dialog (tip for weary Moms: just push the A button!).

So, summing up: all in all, the characters and music are great and true to the movies and the message behind the game is good. The single player options are too repetitive, and there is too much dialog, but the multi-player tournaments are fun for the whole family.

I would recommend the Madagascar: Back 2 Africa game to children of around 6-10, as kids need to be old enough to read, at least the letters A, X, Y and Z, while still young enough to enjoy a cartoon.

Not surprisingly, kids who love the animated characters from the Madagascar movies are most likely to really appreciate the videogame, too!

Catching Up!

What with all my current health drama, I am a little behind on the blog, and I realize that! So, here are some answers to the questions out there, and just general catching up on what's coming up here at Cool Moms Rule!

• YES, I DO have more prizes to give away! I promised you a week, and that's seven giveaways! So there will be MORE giveaways coming your way this week!

• BOOK REVIEWS will start tomorrow, one day behind schedule. However, good things come to those who wait! In addition to our first teen/young adult reader review of the Twilight series, I have received an absolutely gorgeous book for younger children (elementary school age) from Barefoot Books called The Boy Who Grew Flowers, and I will be reviewing that for you as well in our very first week of book reviews.

• To all of our WINNERS : if you haven't received your prize yet, all the prizes awarded to date are going out in TODAY'S mail, provided I have your shipping address! Make sure you reply to the notification email with that info.

• What's coming up next week? More product reviews!

Review: Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion

I'm one of those people who has to put lotion on every day. My legs, especially, get very dry after I shave them (which I should probably do more often!).

Recently, I was sent a sample of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion and asked to test it out, no strings attached, and give my opinion on the product.

Now, I will be honest with you: when I saw "MD" in the name, I thought maybe this was a gimmick. What made this lotion any better than any of the other over-the-counter lotions at my store? A lotion is a lotion, right?

Anyway, I put the shielding lotion on my legs after I shaved them, and it felt good, the skin looked moisturized, and all was fine. That's pretty much all I expected.

So, the next day, I get out the lotion again--and I don't need it. My legs look great (if I do say so myself!). Even that dry area around my knees looked good. So I smoothed some lotion on my arms, especially around my elbows, and went on with my day.

The next day, my skin was still looking great. I was out driving around quite a bit, and since I live in Florida, I am always in the sun when I am outdoors. But this lotion just kept right on working.

To make a long story short, I went an entire week without having to apply any more to my legs (yes, okay, I went a week without shaving my legs, sue me), and they looked great every day. Plus, my elbows weren't, you know, pebbly looking. That's when I decided that this lotion deserved a closer look.

I went to the web site, looked through the literature, and here's what I discovered: this lotion is different. They call it a "shielding lotion" for a reason. It doesn't just go on top of your dry skin to moisturize what's already dry. It bonds with your skin to keep it moisturized all over. It actually helps your skin create a natural seal to hold the moisture in and keep drying irritants out. And there were numerous reports from dermatologists on the site (where the MD comes from, I'm guessing) endorsing the way the shielding lotion protects your skin.

Now, I don't see a dermatologist, and I bet a lot of Moms are like me. We have limited time and limited budgets and a lot of our effort goes into keeping our kids and our families happy, and so things like our skincare tend to sift to the bottom of the pile. I know mine does.

But that's why I think that 21st Century Formulations, the company that makes the Skin MD Natural shielding lotion, is on to something here. Because I didn't have to spend a lot of time, or use a lot of different creams and lotions and such, to keep my skin looking great. They made it nice and easy for me.

I just put on the Skin MD shielding lotion and forget about it. That's my kind of skincare regimen, right there. And since it lasted a long time, I really didn't need to use much of it at all, which means the expense is minimal, as well.

So, this product gets a definite thumbs-up from me. I am keeping the container in my car, where, like many chauffeur Moms, I spend a lot of time, so that I have it handy when I need it.

OVERALL RATING for Skin MD Shielding Lotion: A+!

Review: MonkeybarTV.com

Well, Moms, I have been promising this review for a while, and it has been busy at home since school let out, but that's not the only reason it took me so long to write this review. I honestly wanted to give you a full review of the MonkeybarTV.com website, which is a free, interactive kids site brought to you by Hasbro, and there really is just so much to do there that I went back several times. Now, I don't take compensation for my reviews, as you know, and I have to say, I think most kids would just love the whole site!

Anyway, here's a rundown of some of the fun things I found to do over at MonkeyBarTV.com:


First, I played a game called "Sandman's Tower", which is a Spiderman game. You climb up building, and move yourself left or right with the arrow keys to either grab points and bonuses, or avoid dangers (like electrically charged windows and bad guys). I played this A LOT. Word to the wise: use your spidey sense!



Remember Lite Brite? ("Lite Brite, making things with light...") The online version is as much fun to play, only better. You don't have to clean up the little pegs or worry about stepping on them in bare feet. Yes, that IS my creation above.



The Littlest Pet Shop Line up Game is a very simple matching game. Older kids will probably want to skip this one, but little kids (and Moms) will love the cute animals.



Okay, my boys totally won't understand my fascination with this, but my very favorite activity over at MonkeyBarTV.com was creating my own fashion mini-magazine over in Designer's World. You can pick which edition you want to "publish", choose the model, what she is wearing and how she accessorizes her outfit, select a color scheme, and include fun pages, like horoscopes or word puzzles. Personalize the magazine more by adding in your own name as editor, your model's personal information (little girls will want to use their own) like favorite vacation spots, birthday, etc. Then, print up and assemble your pages into an actual mini-magazine!

I thoroughly enjoyed all the activities I tried out over at MonkeyBarTV.com, and there were lots more I could have selected. Yes, they have Transformers activities to go with the new movie.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, there is a link to the Hasbro store on the site, as well as some activities that require registration, like competitions. But I didn't register, and everything I sampled on the site was free. Ideally, grade-school children, those from say 6-11, will probably get the most out of the site, as some of the games are geared towards younger children, but, well, I had a ball! Guess I need to grow up a little... : )

So, final rating for the MonkeyBarTV.com website? A+

NETJET Review! Online Game System for Tweens

Today, Cool Moms out there, I have a fantastic product review for you! The NetJet Online Game System, designed for tweens, manufactured by Hasbro (Tiger Electronics) is only available online right now, will be hitting your store's shelves by the Fall, and you are seeing it reviewed here FIRST on Cool Moms Rule!

First, let me explain a little about what the NetJet unit is:

It IS a system which lets your kids play all kinds of fun games, including Kool Kart Racers and Mission Paintball, right on your computer, without allowing them access to anything age-inappropriate, in one self-contained unit.

What the NetJet unit is NOT:

It is NOT a big game console, with an expensive price tag and wires and peripherals to hook up.

I had the opportunity to try out the NetJet Online Gaming System along with my kids, and here's my take:

The NetJet unit consists of a controller unit with an attached USB connector. It comes vacuum-packed with a small "key", the size of a USB drive or a regular key ring (it even comes with a cute key ring attached to it!).



Now, I decided to take on this review as if I were not too computer savvy. And, to make it even more challenging, I didn't even read the instructions first, just to see how intuitive this system is.

First, I opened up the vacuum packaging. (This was, by far, the hardest part of the review. I would go on about the evils of vacuum packaging, but that's fodder for another blog post.)

I took out the controller, looked at the USB connector, looked at my desktop computer's ports, found the one that the USB connector fit into, and plugged it in. Ta DA!

Immediately, on the bottom of my screen, I see "Found New Hardware: NetJet." I didn't have to do a thing; Windows recognized the controller right off. (This unit is compatible with Windows 2000 and later operating systems, and I have Windows XP on my desktop).

A nice welcome message tells me to insert my key. I pick up the cute keycode unit, look at the controller, slip it right in. There's only one place that it can go, so this is no biggie.

Now the screen shows me all kinds of game choices in the form of pics and descriptions. Along with my NetJet comes 30 minutes of free play for any of the games I view on my screen.

I decide to go with Mission Paintball, mostly because this is what I think my boys would choose.

The first time I play, it takes 5 minutes to download the demo for Mission Paintball. After that, if I want to play again, I don't have to wait.

I can pick from two characters, a boy and a girl. I, naturally, choose the girl.

The object of the game is to shoot targets with my paintballs. Amusingly, the targets are cardboard cutouts of the boy I didn't choose as my player. Again, I go into this without reading the instructions, and I have no problem at all.

I play this game three times, and I have to tell you, it's fun!

The first time, I barely got half the targets knocked down. I had to search for them--my character is in a big warehouse, with four floors and big crates, and the targets are scattered and hidden all over. Plus, it takes 3 shots with my paintball gun to knock out the target (it's easy to tell if the target is "downed", since it turns the neon green of my paintballs).

I also have four paintball "grenades", which I discover accidentally when I run out of primary ammo. I love the grenades. They fly up in an arc and when they hit, SPLAT! There's paint all over. I can also refill my paintball gun with other paintball ammo containers that are hidden in the level.

The second round, I almost made it. The third time, I only had ONE target left when time for the round ran out. I couldn't find it! I found the controller pretty easy to use, though it wasn't quite as responsive as either a Playstation or Xbox controller. Still, the speed of the response was fine for the game--I could have made it through if I had found that last pesky target!

My 13 year-old, who is a bit of a game guru, played the game next. Naturally, after a practice run, he was able to find all the targets and knock them out in seconds. The games are designed for kids 8 and up, especially for tweens, so he is actually a little old for this system.

My newly-12-year-old boy enjoyed playing the system and was eventually able to find all the targets, just barely running out of time before he could down them all.

We all had several tries on just the sample demo keycode unit that came with the controller.

We didn't have to stop there, though. You can buy extra keys for particular games that you tried with the demo and liked. Also, more games will be forthcoming.

When you are all done playing with the NetJet system, all you have do is unplug the unit from the USB port.

Here's my final scores for the NetJet Online Gaming System:

The NetJet unit retails (online only right now, but again you will be able to purchase these from your local stores where Hasbro products are sold in the Fall) for just 24.99. Remember, that includes the demo key, that lets you try out the games for 30 minutes. I give the unit an A+ for ease of connection and value for your money.

Although my kids and I had no trouble playing, we are pretty game-savvy, and the controls were not as quick as the higher-priced game controllers out there. Response times lagged. I'm going to give the controls an A- for this reason.

As a Mom who has shelled out lots of cash over the years for games that my kids became bored with after only a few minutes, I especially appreciated the "try it before you buy it" demo keycode that comes with the original unit, as well as the fact that additional keycode units are only 14.99. When you add that cost into the initial unit's cost, that's still only $39.98 total. So, for overall value and affordability, I'm giving the system an A+.

Lastly, as far as content, I would give the NetJet Online Gaming System an A+, for providing games that are appropriate in content for kids ages 8-12.

The NetJet Online Gaming System is: highly recommended.


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Have you been waiting for this?!

"Hey, Viv, what's the next product you are going to review?"

Well, I'm so glad you asked!

My next review is coming up soon, and I'm really excited about this one. I'll be posting my take on a brand new safe, self-contained online game system designed just for tweens! And here's the exciting part: all of you Cool Moms will get a look at this baby before it even comes out on the shelves! See? I wasn't kidding when I told you it was brand new!

It's called NetJet, and you will all be familiar with the group putting it out: Hasbro!

Only Cool Moms Rule has this exclusive review. And you'll be reading my personal take on the NetJet this Monday, May 21st!

You won't want to miss this one, so make sure you drop by!

Maui, Greetingflix style!

Wow!

As you all know, I recently went to Maui, and I have promised you pics of my trip. At around the same time I returned this week, I received a letter from Wendy over at Greetingflix. She asked if I would review what they have to offer and give you my unbiased assessment.

And that's exactly what it was: Wow!

This is a fantastic idea! Greetingflix is like making a video scrapbook, complete with music and personal messages and your own pictures. It's a mini-movie starring you, and it looks like a professional did it.

I can hear some of you right now saying, "That sounds nice and all, but is it complicated? Do I have to know all kinds of computer stuff? Isn't it a lot of work?"

And that's what makes Greetingflix so great--No, it isn't hard at all! In fact, it's so easy it only took me a few minutes to set up my own greetingflix! And I think (patting myself on the back here) that I did a great job.

I have the finished creation for you so you can judge for yourself, but first let me tell you a little about the process so you can see how easy it all is.

Once you have signed in to Greetingflix, you can choose from the "FREE" option or the "PRO" option. Now, the free option is fine, but Wendy very nicely set me up with the PRO option so that I could review all of its features here, and I highly recommend the upgrade. Here's why: it offers you up to 1 gig of storage space for your uploaded pictures (and if you're like me, your digital camera's pictures take up a LOT of memory). In addition, the PRO option lets you choose from additional PRO templates.

What are templates? I'm glad you asked! Templates are like little movie backdrops and themes that you customize with your own pics to end up with your finished greetingflix. Once you have signed in and your account is verified, you can choose the "create now" icon to really get going. You will view a neat little video movie that illustrates a sample greetingflix, and then you can make your own.

That's when you choose your template.

Now, the templates vary, and you can pick one for, say, a sporting event or a special occasion or just to send some pictures to your friends. Depending on which template you pick, you will then need to upload anywhere from 1 to 6 pictures into your scrapbook. You just select what pics you want off of your hard drive, choose "upload" and Greetingflix does the rest.

This is where the PRO option really comes in handy, because each of my pics was a whopping 2.7 Mbytes. But with the PRO option, even though I chose a template that worked with 6 pics, I was still only using up 1.7 % of my storage space! Isn't that great?! I have room to make more greetingflix if I want. And I think I am going to want to, because it really is kind of fun.

Greetingflix gives you the option of editing your pictures in a number of ways once you have uploaded them, before slipping them into the template you have picked. For example, you can crop the pics for a closer view, rotate them, or change the order so they make chronological sense or better fit the theme of your template.

Now that you have all of your pics uploaded and edited, you can even personalize your greetingflix further by adding an additional message to your recipients. You can view the final version of your greetingflix just as your recipients will see it, full-size, before deciding whether to approve it or continue to make changes. You can then choose to send your greetingflix to any three emails, along with a heads-up note from you (or you can use Greetingflix's standard notice).

And...voila! That's all there is to it! The entire process is a breeze, the result is professional and your friends will be impressed (and touched. Some of these video templates are quite moving).

"But wait!" I hear you all saying. "What if I want to send my greetingflix to more than three people?!"

See, I knew you would like it! :) And that's no problem. Your greetingflx is saved, and you can keep sending it out, three e-mail addresses at a time, until you run out of people you know. You can even send it to strangers if you want. ; )

So, obviously, I really recommend Greetingflix.com. But here's the final test for you, so you can see if you agree--as promised, my greetingflix to you:

viv's Maui trip

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