Every parent wants the best for their child. They want to give their new baby all the educational opportunities possible without overwhelming them.

Certainly, stereotypes abound about those who put their imagined progeny on waiting lists for exclusive preschools prior to their conception, or those who spend hours with their one month old using flash cards.

Well, the Your Baby Can Read! Learning System does have flashcards, but I don’t think the creators would want parents to obsessively worry...

Read the original review, posted to Kari's Couch

The Cat is competitive. He loves to test his knowledge, especially when he gets the answer correct.

When Brighter Mind Media's Brain Quest DVD game arrived free-for-review via the Parent Bloggers Network, the Cat was intrigued.

“500 questions? That is the best!” he exclaimed...

Read the original review, posted to Kari's Couch

Spliggle has two favorite DVDs right now. The first is “Happy Feet,” because the Cat has an obsession with penguins, and Splig likes to follow along.

But the second is “Go Potty Go!” which we received free-for-review via the Parent Bloggers Network...

Read the original review, posted to Kari's Couch

Five months ago, I did a review of the Your Baby Can Read! Learning System. For that review, I had the starter DVD, Volume 1, and some sliding flash cards.

I am glad that I now have Volume 2 (again, via the Parent Bloggers Network,) more sliding flash cards (including another blank one with an erasable pen,) and a thick stack of solid static flash cards. The first two DVDs haven't lost their appeal, but my kids were definitely thrilled to receive a third DVD...

Read the original review, posted to Kari's Couch

The Cat and Spliggle have been interested in space for a long time, and not just because of Buzz Lightyear. One of their favorite videos as young toddlers (and even older) was Baby Galileo. Even adult shows capture their attention.

In preschool, the Cat enjoyed the unit on planets and asked plenty of questions. In Kindergarten, the Cat brought a star chart to share with the class. His teacher taught the class fun songs about space, which he sang at home frequently. He owns a glow-in-the-dark constellation shirt which he loves.

The Parent Bloggers Network provided the opportunity for my family to review the Zula Patrol, a television show aimed at children to increase their curiosity for science.

I put the DVD in our van for the first time during a roadtrip. I don’t recall the kids asking, “Are we there yet?” but I do remember hearing, “Could you press play again, Mommy?” They loved going “way up where the planets do the hula - spin and shout, ‘til you find yourself on Zula”

The Cat came home one day last school year announcing, “I know how to count to three in Spanish! Pedro knows the rest!”

“What?” I hadn’t recalled any boys in his Kindergarten class named “Pedro,” but I did know that there were many Hispanic kids at the school.

“Pedro knows the rest.” He insisted.

I finally realized he was mispronouncing “Uno! Dos! Tres!” by creating an English sentence that made sense to him. After a lot of coaching, I was able to separate the words for him. Then he wanted to go up to ten. And then up to twenty. And then to one-hundred.

Later, he started running around announcing “Wii!” the way the Wii sounds when jumping over hurdles in the scarecrow-tipping game: high pitched and abrupt.

“It means ‘yes’ in French,” he explained to me.

I had to counter that “oui” is pronounced without the raised eyebrows, crazy eyes, and super-screechy register. Still, I was glad that he was learning little bits of another language.

And so, when the Parent Bloggers Network asked if I might be interested in receiving the Kids Love Spanish DVD set, I was thrilled! I knew the Cat would love to learn more Spanish than during his brief introduction in Kindergarten. Plus, I want to get Spliggle started on the concept of bilingualism.

The familiar orange-pink swirled envelope came in the mail last week. This time, enclosed within was a DVD offering a free trial of NoodleNet, a safe way for kids to browse the internet. Sometimes it will be a fabric softener sample, or a DVD of a new television show, such as when "Meerkat Manor" came out.

I still have fond memories of the show "Cover Shot," for which I voted on a "final shot" as one of the original VocalPoint members. I was in "the Club" so early in the game that I actually voted on the design of the envelopes in which VocalPoint sends their product samples, coupons, and announcements!

Why did I become a member?

I left this morning at around 10:30am. The Cat was playing Jump Start World: First Grade.

I returned home around 3:15pm. The Cat was playing Jump Start World: First Grade.

Sure, I know there was some time in there where he and Husband ran a couple errands and got lunch, but the time he was home he was glued to the computer, earning "gems."

Reward for good work is a huge motivator for the Cat. Jump Start World's gem reward system has gotten the Cat very excited about mastering levels and clearing units. We received Jump Start World: First Grade through the Parent Bloggers Network.

The Cat has tried some educational video games before, but they haven't been nearly as sophisticated.

As a parent determining what CDs are appropriate for your children, you don’t want to encourage repetitive jingles that stick in your head and drive you insane. But nor do you want obscene or too-sophisticated lyrics for the young-uns. Adult music can be appreciated by kids, but especially if it is introduced in a kid-friendly and “safe” way.

I am pleased to have had the opportunity to review That Baby CD and That Baby DVD, two products from Rob and Lisi Wolf of OyBaby LLC. The company’s first venture into the world of children’s music was to create the first and only DVDs and CDs made for Jewish babies and kids, OyBaby.

Through the Parent Bloggers Network, I received That Baby CD and That Baby DVD, two non-religious, sway-inducing, smile-producing products. Should I admit that I’ve probably listened to the music more than my kids?

When we receive a new DVD, it usually ends up in the minivan's player first, rather than the DVD player in our family room. This is somewhat out of habit, as we used to commute quite a long while in the van, plus our "regular" DVD player was out of commission for awhile. Still, the kids usually spend "at home" time doing other activities while "van-time" is frequently "movie-time."

I received "The Wheels on the Bus: Mango's Big Dog Parade" free-for-review via the Parent Bloggers Network. I didn't notice the little subtitle "The Early Socialization Series: Taking Turns & Getting Along," so I didn't realize this would be an educational video. Honestly, I thought it would be just the song "The Wheels on the Bus," which would have kept me and my kids happy!

But, it turned out to be much, much more.

Some time ago, Husband found the show Pingu, and the Cat thought the titular character's funny-speak was funny, indeed. For awhile, the Cat would exclaim, "Nert-nert!", an imitation of Pingu, when he was excited or otherwise interested in attracting attention. Pingu's antics have kept the Cat' laughing with glee. Although he's had other favorite shows, only Pingu has endured.

Of course I jumped at the chance to receive Pingu's first DVD, On Thin Ice, free-for-review from the Parent Bloggers Network.

The DVD contains eight episodes and runs about an hour. Having all those back-to-back episodes is amazing since on television the seven-minute blocks are typically between other shows rather than next to each other. And so the fun is over quickly and the show must be replayed (and replayed, and replayed.) The Cat and Splig are great with the TiVo remote, so I don't bear the brunt of the "again, again!" that some parents may have with such short episodes, but I remember it wasn't long ago that I had to restart favorite shows.

With an hour's worth of Pingu, life is good in the Karianna Household.

Bob the Builder underwear in sizes 2T-6 sit in my boys' dressers. The Let's Count! with Bob the Builder board book has been lovingly read by both boys (and decorated by Mr. Splig.)

For awhile we had Bob the Builder in our Season Pass for the TiVo, but the Cat only watched one episode over and over and over again, which was the one in which Mrs Barbara Bentley creates a train room for her husband, the building inspector Mr. Bernard Bentley. The Cat loved the electric trains depicted (and of course Bob's cat Pilchard,) but I was a bit annoyed with Mrs. Bentley's submissive comments like, "Oh, I don't know, Bernard doesn't let me touch the trains..." But as Bob's business partner is Wendy, a woman, I guess I cannot delve into a whole gender-issue thing here. Besides, that isn't the point of this post...

Everyone seems to know about Bob. When the Cat was a toddler, my teenager cousins asked him if he was into Bob. "Can we fix it?" they asked, and answered with a smile, "Yes, we can!"

Spliggle may have watched a couple episodes, but he became addicted to other shows instead.

Both boys haven't been into Bob recently.

I wondered if that would change upon review of Bob the Builder: On-Site - Roads and Bridges, received via the Parent Bloggers Network.

Because those are nimbus clouds

The Cat has been educating me about clouds ever since the Parent Bloggers Network gave me The Zula Patrol Explore Weather. The DVD contains four episodes, but "Treasure in the Clouds," stuck as the Cat's favorite.

Every morning and afternoon, the Cat quizzes me about what is in the sky. He tells me what he thinks, and then asks if he is correct. Ummmmm. I am not sure. I trust that he is right, because he quotes what he has learned from those peppy Zula Patrol folk. Fortunately, we've had a myriad of weather the last few weeks, so we've had different types of clouds available for firsthand study.

The Explore Weather DVD was not the first my boys had seen of The Zula Patrol. I reviewed the Zula DVD about volcanoes and rocks back in September. The boys absolutely adored learning about science, and as I mentioned in my 2007 recap, they - particularly volcano-loving Spliggle - continue to ask for the Zula DVD.

When I got to college, I met a young woman whose name was what my parents were going to name me - Tara. But I think my parents were going to pronounce it "Tair-a" not "Tar-a." Ironically enough, she quizzed me about the pronunciation of my name. Many people say "Car-E" but it is really "Care-E." But then she asked me, "Care-E" or "K-aH-Re" The latter is a sound we don't really use in California, a kind of nasally short "A" like the infamous "pahk the cahr at hahvahd yahd"

Well, I was reacquainted with that sound when I put in "Hip Hop Harry: Move Those Feet," received free-for-review from the Parent Bloggers Network. "Harry" is not "Hair-E." He is "H-aH-Re" and has a laugh "ha HA!" that matches that nasal tone.

But rather than start with annoying, I'll emphasize the positive. Hip Hop Harry is meant to get kids off the couch. I was eager to review it because I figured that my lovin-to-groove kids would appreciate Harry's enthusiasm.

Nearly two years ago, the Cat was asked to leave a private kindergarten. Among the unacceptable behaviors they cited, the most problematic was that he was pinching his classmates. When his teacher asked why, he couldn't answer. She asked me, but I didn't know either. The Cat hadn't pinched anyone before attending this school. I tried to get information about what was happing just prior to the pinch. Finally, we determined that the pinches occurred during times of transition.

One particularly problematic afternoon started because the other K-1 class came over to visit. When they left, the Cat pinched a classmate instead of saying "goodbye." This snowballed into a situation where the Cat couldn't explain his actions, so became more distraught when the teacher continually asked him "why." He didn't know why, and he was upset. The more upset he became, the more he acted-out, and the greater he was punished.

That day involved both a change in routine (that the other K-1 was invading "his" classroom) and then an unwanted transition (that his friend left the class to go back to his own.)

Although the Cat has matured a great deal since then, I was intrigued when the Parent Bloggers Network asked me to review Skill Building Buddies: Handling Transitions and Change.

The Cat's very first preschool experience ended in tears.

Mine.

I cried and cried the morning that the preschool director called to tell us not to come in. I was still crying when she came to pick up the fax machine she had lent me so that I could do the bookings for the preschool. (That's right, I lost my job in addition to losing a place for the Cat to go to school.) The Cat ran away, playing, oblivious at how deeply I was hurting - and completely clueless that the reason for my tears was directly connected to his behavior.

The Cat didn't know how to interact with his peers. He'd go up to a child, grin, and push them over. It wasn't meant to be malicious; it was his way of saying "Hey, let's play!" But he didn't know how to say "hello."

Kibbles Rockin' Clubhouse from Notabilities begins with a lesson and song about greeting words.

I wish I had that DVD when the Cat was going through his first attempts at socialization.

It has been awhile since we've sat down to watch a DVD. Sure, the kids have their old TiVo'ed favorites on the television, but I haven't introduced any new shows to them other than those they have found on their own (curses that the Cat discovered Sponge-Bob!) We've been busy with end-of-school things and grandparent-visits and other away-from-the-TV things.

Last week when we drove to Santa Cruz I finally had the opportunity to stick in a new DVD. With the kids captive in the back seat, it was a perfect chance to introduce them to something new. In this case, it was the Raggs Kids' Club Band. Although Raggs has been a live-action show for awhile, it didn't launch as a TV show in the US until recently. (It is from Australia.) The distribution of the show increased in February 2008 and it is shown on PBS. The Raggs Live Dance Party is also on tour, a safe-bet for a fun afternoon, although unfortunately they aren't coming my way. Their 2001 Raggs Kids Club Band "Pawsuuup!" Tour DVD, apparently won several awards according to Wikipedia.

At the moment, the Raggs website is going through a revision; I've found a few funny mistakes that will no doubt be corrected prior to the official re-launch this September. But the show itself is polished.

I recognize the characters and know I've seen pieces of the show here and there, but until recently it wasn't a show for which we've seen full episodes.

The kids enjoyed the stuffed animals that the Raggs-folks sent us along with the DVD and Dance Party CD. (Thanks Lindsey!) They played with the animals in the "way-back" of the van while they watched the DVD, occasionally telling their grandparents in the row ahead of them "Bend to the side, please!" At the next stop, the kids asked to switch places with their grandparents. Suddenly the appeal of the "way-back" was trumped by their desire to see Raggs clearly.

I ended up having to replay the DVD several times, and now What's The Dealio has been stuck in my head for days. The target-audience for the show is 3-6, but the Cat - who is 7 - really enjoyed it. Although he is called "the Cat," he has a real thing for dogs as well, so a troupe of singing dogs is right up his alley.

The show includes clubhouse-scenes (where a problem-solving topic is introduced) as well as concert scenes (in front of an actual audience) and clips of real kids: both q&a and action-shots set to music.

Initially I was a bit surprised by the format since the topic jumps around a bit. For example, in the episode "Who Am I?" Razzles' friends try to pick out an appropriate birthday present for her. The characters chose things that were special to them, but B. Maxx explained to each that while their selections were very nice, they weren't appropriate for who Razzles is. This is a very important social-skills lesson, one that the Cat still has to learn, so I smiled when I saw this topic unfold. But then after B. Maxx explains that they must discover who Razzles is, the show jumps to the live-action song (which has no direct connection to the problem that needs to be solved.) I understand the idea of keeping the youngsters' attention, but will they remember the first segment after the song?

Fortunately, the characters reiterate the problem, and do so again after a live-action-kids segment. As it turns out, the various segments end up being fun because there are so many things that will appeal to different kids. The real kids' answers are wacky and are bound to resonate with viewers. Spliggle, for example, is in agreement with one little boy "Sam," who declares that he is going to be a pirate when he grows up. "Aaaarrrr!" says Splig. Dumpster the cat, who provides questions to the real kids, is hilarious with his comments.

The varied interests and talents of each member of the Raggs Kids Club Band emphasizes that each kid is similarly free to have different interests than another kid, and that their talents will differ, too.

Raggs is definitely a fun show, and I imagine the in-person concert would be high-energy. If they will be in your area, check it out; otherwise, check your local PBS listings to see Raggs on television!

PS: Shortly after returning home, the boys caught an episode of Raggs on television. They have since asked to add it to their TiVoed shows.

Although my boys tend to have their "regularly watched" shows, from time to time another show creeps into the lineup. Typically, it is because a favorite show ends up having a preview for another; or because the TiVo'ed show ends, revealing whatever happens to be on the television live. During one such happenchance, the boys landed on Jane and the Dragon. Since then, both boys enjoy watching it when it is on, and we've TiVo'ed some of the episodes.

The boys are drawn to the dragon. I am drawn to the idea that Jane, instead of being a lady-in-waiting, decides to be a knight's apprentice. She scowls at wearing party dresses, much preferring to spar with the other apprentices or fly around on Dragon's back as she solves the problem of the day (usually getting into trouble before undoing a mistake.) I am also intrigued by the very realistic, yet fanciful CGI animation. Jane isn't some glamorous gal: her frizzy hair and gangly legs aren't the typical "ideal" of young women, but her adventurous spirit is certainly to be prized.

I was delighted to learn that Jane and the Dragon: A Dragon's Tale is now available on DVD, starting today. This DVD has five episodes, plus some enchanting extras, such as information about the art of Jane and the Dragon, character profiles, and a printable coloring page. The art section is fabulous, explaining how the initial challenge of bringing Jane's hair to life resulted in all the characters having realistic and unique hairstyles. Similarly, the costumes flow and respond to the character's actions just as real garments would.

Apparently, the Jane and the Dragon story is originally a book by Martin Baynton. The series includes other titles, such as Jane and the Magician and Three's a Crowd. Now that the kids have enjoyed watching the DVD, perhaps I can convince the Cat to read some of the books himself for "free reading" time when school starts. In the "Art of Jane" section of the DVD I learned that the amazing animation was patterned after Baynton's beautiful illustrations. I have not seen one of the books up close to compare, but plan to purchase some for the Cat. Baynton himself is listed as one of the executive producers of the DVD.

We were lucky enough to receive an advance copy of Jane and the Dragon: A Dragon's Tale. The boys enjoyed the episodes, and as mentioned before, I really enjoyed the extras. The art is spectacular and makes the program very enjoyable to watch. Our one criticism about the DVD was that even if we select "play all episodes," they cycle through in such a way that the opening theme plays before each episode. It would have been nice to have gotten the theme at the start, but then had all five episodes play in succession with only a single title slide announcing the next episode. The upside of hearing the theme song several times was that I was able to listen to the lyrics - which contain the back-story.

The boys sat still for the entire two hours worth of the show. Ordinarily I wouldn't have them watch so much in one sitting, but I just recently received the DVD and wanted a chance to review it for today's release. Also, the show itself is high quality, so I didn't feel guilty about having them watch it.

During the episode entitled "Tooth Fairy," I held my breath a little bit because my boys are both "believers." The Cat is skeptical, so he listened as Jane explained there was no such thing as a Tooth Fairy, but I think he was sufficiently confused by the twist-ending that he didn't ask me about it. Earlier in the summer, he asked about "magic" versus what is "real," but the jolly old red-suited guy, the egg-hiding rabbit, and the giver of goods in exchange for teeth didn't come into suspicion during that discussion. The Cat is about to be in second grade, and that was when "all was revealed" for me (around the same time that I asked what the "F" word really meant, since a classmate had been sent to the office for writing it on the chalkboard,) so it wouldn't surprise me if we have "the talk" soon - I just hope he doesn't ruin it for his younger brother!

Jane and the Dragon: A Dragon's Tale is a quality production, and I am thankful to the Shout Factory for giving me my copy. The boys are happy, and I'm definitely impressed with the production aspect and eager to learn more about the books upon which this series is based.

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The DVD is in both regular and widescreen formats, with both English and Spanish audio.

The Cat loves animals. After all, his nickname is from how he decided to become a cat as a toddler. His actual name is rather unusual in its spelling, and so much like me - it is rare to find something personalized.

Take his love of animals plus his desire to have something personalized, and you've got Billy Blue Hair. Their "Billy and Me" category contains a personalized educational DVD entitled "Why Do Giraffes Have Long Necks?" Through The Parent Bloggers Network, the Cat received his own personalized DVD.

The cover of the DVD has his name, spelled properly. Then within the video, his name crops up as Billy addresses him throughout the adventure.

Initially, the Cat was a bit skeptical. He loved the DVD cover since it has his name on it, but when he read the title, he remarked, "Well giraffes have long necks because they need to be able to reach the leaves on the trees." I nodded, but told him the DVD would be more than just that.

Indeed, the Cat was captivated by the show. He giggled at Billy and was clearly excited that Billy spoke directly at him. The show itself begins in a cartoon universe, but then switches to a live-action nature filmy-type thing. While the footage is what you might expect on the Nature Channel: beautiful and high-quality, but usually accompanied by either a too-sophisticated scientist's analysis or that preachy drone of those old school filmstrips, Billy's narration is upbeat and fun. He appears as his cartooned-self at the bottom of the live action. He talks about what the viewer is seeing. He poses questions to the viewer to keep them engaged. And of course, when he uses the child's name, they'll no doubt pay attention. Billy also adds some little cartoon elements to the show, like putting a hat on a lion.

The Cat's attention didn't waver. He was fascinated by the animals and definitely glad that Billy kept saying his name. He watched the whole thing several times over before moving to a new activity. My guess is that younger kids would be similarly captivated because Billy makes the education fun. The nature tidbits are broken up by Billy's storyline, which helps maintain interest. Billy talks to the kids, so keeps them involved in the learning process. I certainly learned new things about some of the animals, too. It is a nice painless way of learning something.

Spliggle wishes he could have a personalized DVD. Ironically enough, Splig's name is more common than the Cat's, and yet it is not part of Billy Blue Hair's database of over 400 names. Fortunately, the Cat's name sounds like a more common name, so it was included. Billy Blue Hair can customize the spelling of the name: the DVD comes with a personalized cover and a personalized title screen on the actual program. As long as a name in the database sounds like your child's name, you can purchase the personalized DVD with any spelling.

In that regard, some of the "over 400" names in the database are actually alternative spellings. (But even if your particular alternative spelling isn't listed, you can order it.) Honestly, some of the names in the database seemed very unusual, while some of the more "common" names I would have thought would be included, aren't. Thankfully there is a "request form" on their website so perhaps they will add more names to the possibilities.

Billy Blue Hair also has a "standard edition" which is non-personalized. As much fun as the personalization is for the packaging and the seven times Billy pronounces the child's name throughout the show, it isn't vital. When Billy poses questions to the audience without using a name, the interaction is still there.

Check out the Billy Blue Hair website to see if your child's name is listed. If not, request it - or get the standard version.

My kids learned about Wall-E through the magic of the internet. My eldest found the preview online and watched it a zillion times before the movie ever came out in the theater. My youngest received a Wall-E toy for his birthday. He was smitten even before the movie came out.

Both boys were excited and well-behaved when we took them to see the film. They sat still the entire time: quite a feat for very active boys! Afterwards they cuddled up to the plastic robot imitating his voice and my youngest cheerfully wore Wall-E pajamas to bed.

During the outside take, my video ran out of batteries, so although you can hear my youngest’s description of Wall-E, both sons’ more poignant thoughts are missed. During the inside take, both voices are difficult to hear: My youngest explains how Wall-E makes boxes out of trash. My eldest explains this is to get rid of waste. When asked what they liked best about Wall-E, my youngest simply answers in the affirmative “good,” then when further questioned, says “’cause I love him.”

The boys are ecstatic that Wall-E will be out on DVD this holiday season. I’m pretty excited, too, since I know several family members for whom this movie would be much appreciated.

Sure, the kids love the robot. Anything that beeps and is personified is instantly a hit. But what isn’t typical about Wall-E is that the first big chunk of the movie is without English dialogue. My kids were captivated. Wall-E’s actions: from gathering garbage to sorting his treasure, induced giggles and sustained attention. They didn’t shift in their seat or look away, because they knew they’d miss something. How often do stories unfolding on screen actually enhance attention?

With Eve’s arrival, the kids became wide-eyed. What could possibly happen? Eve, although technically not “female” still plays the female role here. In this case, the robot portrays an exceptionally strong, sophisticated and deadly female. I’m all for shows that reinforce powerful women, even if Eve isn’t really a woman.

As the plot unfolds, the animation delights. The kids squealed with excitement. My oldest held his ice-cream bar instead of eating it. It melted into a puddle, thankfully in the wrapper since he had been so enraptured by the movie that he didn’t open the bar in the first place. It is a strong endorsement that Wall-E was more important to my son than ice-cream.

Husband and I exchanged glances as we understood the underlying message of the film. We nodded as we saw what could indeed become a realistic future for us should we continue on the overindulgent convenience-laden, planet-sucking path that we’re on. But Wall-E delivers this message in a humorous way. Both boys chuckled as the obese humans tried to walk for the first time. I chuckled at various parts that should have also elicited a groan. (Yes, I’m on a diet, people, although Husband is not on a “let’s pick up the trash around [his] messy desk” project. But he is responsible environmentally in other ways, such as driving his beloved Prius.)

The wastefulness and reliance on modern conveniences related morals weren’t the only ones though. Good thing, for they probably were lost on my boys, at least for the time being. Certainly the relationship between Wall-E and Eve was something the boys could appreciate: friendship (or more) with basic phrases, but mainly actions and gestures.

Wall-E is a movie that parents can enjoy for the “deeper meaning” and cultural references. Kids enjoy the animation, the interaction amongst characters, and the action. There is always an anticipatory feeling of “what will happen next?” yet it is the type of show that isn’t stale or “ruined” after the first showing. The kids will want to watch it again and again, and the adults probably won’t mind, since there is enough going on that they can pick out new bits the second (and subsequent) time around. Of course, any movie worth getting on DVD must have this quality: if the disc is available, it will be played, so it better be a repetition-friendly movie.

We look forward to having Wall-E at our home for the holidays. I hope he can make his way to your home as well.

-Buy Now on DVD
-Buy Now on Blu Ray

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This is a Paid Review: Disney Pixar and BlogHer have asked me for my thoughts on why Wall-E is a good choice for the whole family – thank you for letting me convince you. (Check out BlogHer's Wall-E Giveaway!)

Husband and I typically end up with multiples of the same gift, like the year we both got each other America. Typically the duplicates end up because Husband will talk about how much he wants something, so I'll buy it for him. But days before Christmas, he'll go out and purchase whatever is already wrapped under the tree.

So I stopped listening to his first choice, figuring he'd get it for himself. I focused more on the "lower down" priority items.

Last year he kept talking about a slingbox. But I thought I knew better. I wasn't going to purchase something he'd no doubt buy on his own during Thanksgiving sales or Pre-Christmas sales or Friday Fry's sales.

The day before Christmas, Husband mentioned how excited he was that he'd be getting a slingbox for Christmas. He assumed that is what I had already bought. He was ecstatic.

Except I hadn't bought one, of course.

Not wanting to disappoint him, I quickly went online to Best Buy and did an in-store pickup order. While the store itself had long lines and packed aisles, the in-store pickup line was small. We were out of the store - coveted present in hand - in less time that it took us to find parking.

And so, my first tip to those of you who have waited too long to shop for Christmas (or the latter half of Hanukkah) is to see which big stores have in-store pickup. It is easy to browse online for that perfect gift, and typically is pretty easy to pick it up since most stores have separate lines for their online sales.

(The one exception I found to this was when I bought a camera at Circuit City - the closest store was sold out, so I purchased it at a store a half hour away. Guess what happened? That store didn't have it when I arrived, but discovered that my local store did! In the end I got my camera, but that particular excursion took a lot of driving and involved confusion.)

Another idea is the dreaded overnight shipping - yet for stores like zappos.com that already ship overnight, you're golden. Still, most overnight shipping options are pretty pricey, so you might want to brave the malls.

Or, you could buy something that is electronically fulfilled, such as an iTunes gift certificate or an Amazon.com gift certificate delivered via email.

Plenty of websites offer extended content for a fee. No, I am not suggesting purchasing "adult materials" for your preteen cousin. Rather, for kids there are sites like Club Penguin, a favorite of my boys. While the basic experience is plenty of fun, being a member allows the little penguins to accumulate coins to purchase pet puffles, buy snazzy new outfits, and deck out their igloo like budding interior designers would. In the Cat's case, that means purchasing as many toy trains as possible to create a "rug."

For older folks, there is Happy Neuron. I learned about this brain fitness website shortly after I had realized that I wasn't very good at the Brain Age DS game. (And don't even talk to me about Big Brain Academy.) "Mommy brain" is no myth: my brain is so filled with details of appointments, tasks, and managing other folks' lives that I don't have time to read or do puzzles to expand the other parts of my brain.

As we age, our brain "sags" just like our bodies do. Those who keep mentally fit by exercising their brain end up faring much better than those who don't. Plus, it is fun (until the computer tells you that you are mentally weak, that is!)

Happy Neuron is offering a 20%-off holiday special on a year's membership to the website. Members have access to 35 games (plus 5 beta Wii games.) The games fit in five categories: visual-spacial, attention, executive function, memory, and language. Each game has several difficulty levels, plus the program itself will recommend games based on the user's weaknesses.

I tried using the "coach" function whereby the computer is supposed to take me through an optimum combination of games based on my preferences, time available to "work out," and my past performance. Unfortunately, this feature didn't work for me (I was given a login free for the purposes of review, but perhaps this is a feature only available to full members, not reviewers.) And so, I tried out the five free games.

Does it surprise you that on the "split words" game that I was able to do the one about football but did horrifically on the "agriculture" one? (I can still hear my grandmother's tsk-tsk from many years ago when she learned I couldn't tell the difference between different types of cows. Sorry, I don't know anything about farming.) I thought I would do fantastically on "Catch the Ladybug" because after college I was a research assistant in a visual psychophysics lab. We did lots of "search" experiments, and since I had to program and test such things, I became very good at visual search. But my downfall in this Happy Neuron game was my trackball skills. I saw the ladybug immediately, but had a hard time rolling my way over. Perhaps a traditional mouse would be better in this instance.

There are other games that rely on time where an individual's ability to move the mouse becomes a limiting factor. This concerns me for the grandparent-set who might otherwise benefit from these mind-enhancing games. For these folks, those games without a time limit (but which will still record time) would be more accurate: as their time decreases with practice, the improvement can be attributed more to mental performance and less to mousing-ability. But for games that stop if the user fails to provide the answer, the individual wouldn't be able to practice the actual task unless the time required could be increased.

I love that there are a variety of games to "train" the user so the "workouts" are not boring. The site has a section on brain fitness science, plus has recommendations for other (sometimes offline) products. In addition to the aforementioned Wii games in beta, there is also a "Happy Neuron Junior" program in development. The Cat loves various games, particularly online. Although some of the games I've played through Happy Neuron are perfectly appropriate for him, I imagine the "junior" version will have aspects (such as in the "language" category) that will better fit his grade level.

Consider Happy Neuron for that otherwise difficult-to-buy-for adult. Grandmothers have enough perfume, bath oil, and lotion. And does Granddad really need another tie? Young(er) adults would like these games, too, so don't think your recipient needs to have grey hair. (I think my parents are sharper than I am at this point, anyway.)

Or maybe spend some time on the site yourself; it certainly wouldn't hurt! After all, the present I am getting for Husband is one that I hope to get myself at some point. This is one year where I'm actually hoping for a duplicate (but not expecting it.)

Wow, wow, Everyone!

Several months ago, the Cat ran around the house saying, "I have a little baby tail! Oh, I have a little baby tail!" Shortly thereafter, I heard the introductory song to "Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!" and understood: Wubbzy has a "baby tail" and the Cat picked up on it.

When the Cat was very young, he actually wore a tail made out of ribbon. It was this, along with his meowing, that led to his bloggy nickname of "the Cat."

So years later, he was back to enjoying the concept of a "baby tail." Fortunately, his fascination with Wubbzy's tail was rather brief, and the enjoyment of the show and its more important themes took over.

Wubbzy and his friends live in Wuzzleburg, a town that looks like it came out of a West Elm catalog: modern-looking right angles that have rounded corners and trees comprised of angled lines with boxy-ovals as leaves. This gives a jaunty backdrop to the upbeat show. (What did you expect with a show title with Three! Exclamation! Points!)

Indeed, Wuzzleburg is a hopping place to be. The friends are always doing some sort of adventure accompanied by exaggerated sound effects and carnival-like music. One episode was quite tuba-heavy. Their vocabulary is pretty cutey-cute, too; you can play kickity-kickball or look at a birdy-bird with Wubbzy, Widget, and Walden.

The episodes focus on problem-solving: everyone works together. The citizens of Wuzzleburg are quite inventive: their creative constructions help them get both in and out of trouble. Self-esteem building messages include celebrating uniqueness and confidence in asking for help. In fact, I need to take the advice on the "Ask for a Little Help" video - since I frequently try to take on the world without assistance. See, even adults can benefit from these seemingly silly, supportive characters.

My kids have been Wubbzy fans for quite awhile, so they were thrilled when the new "A Little Help from my Friends" DVD arrived on our doorstep Monday, free-for-review from Mom Central. They were also happy to hear that I'm following a friend of Wubbzy on Twitter.

The DVD includes eight episodes, four music videos, a "Kooky Kostume Game," activity sheets and previews of other kid-friendly shows. Both the Nick Jr. website and the Official Wubbzy Website have plenty of fun games and activities, too.

I dare you to watch the music video "Be Happy" without - yes, you guessed it - becoming very happy. Wubbzy is such a positive guy that you can't help smile when watching any of the episodes. Indeed, my kids become very animated when they watch his and his friend's antics.

We enjoy welcoming Wubbzy into our home via Nick Jr., but the DVD is a great addition since it provides plenty of back-to-back features that we can watch in the car or on our computers. It is a great compilation of fun videos and excellent episodes.

Thanks Mom Central!

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* Purchase at Amazon.com
* Visit Wubbzy's Official Website
* Visit Wubbzy at Nick Jr.
* follow WubbzyJen on Twitter

The Cat is quite intelligent, at least in academic matters. He's creative, curious, and can make connections very well. But somehow, if the intended connections, schemas, rules, and intuition is in regards social skills, he stumbles. He's one of those "quirky kids" who was diagnosed with pdd-nos, a "catch-all" diagnosis on the autistic spectrum.

As part of his IEP, he receives pragmatic speech and social skills group pull-outs at school. Truthfully, I haven't seen results. He's laughed at social skills DVDs and seems to enjoy them (particularly when the kids act goofy as part of the "how not to behave") but hasn't really put the information to use. One year we sent him to a social-skills camp, but while that may have helped him pay attention to his behavior, I actually wonder if being so analytical about it actually created an artificial situation: he ended up being hyper-sensitive to each mistake, which then created panic and an inability to remember the "correct" response. And then there is the matter of positive role models: he was with some kids who really had some odd social behaviors.

It is embarrassing to admit, but there are certainly times when I want to just throw my arms up because he's done something inappropriate, seemingly without "common sense." And then there are those days that he seems totally "normal" waving good-bye as he says brightly, "Bye Katie! See you tomorrow!"

Wow-Wow Everyone! Or perhaps I should say, "Arrrrgh, Matey-Matey!" All hands on deck, Wubbzy's Pirate Treasure is available on DVD!

Of course to my pirate-loving boys, the arrival of the Wow! Wow! Wubbzy Pirate Treasure DVD via Mom Central was a time for heavy celebration. They love Wubbzy, and I've mentioned before that I think Wubbzy is pretty awesomey-awesome, too.

They've fought me for control of the DVD player. In the morning, it plays Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. Then in the afternoon and evening, it is time to visit Wuzzleburg. Of course, given a title like "Pirate Treasure," I am sure it isn't surprising that the gang doesn't stay still in Wuzzleburg. Nope, they go on an adventure after treasure. Wubbzy (er, "Long-Tailed Wubbzy" is his pirate-nickname) is convinced that there is treasure to be found, but his friends are more skeptical. Ever-academic Walden is particularly concerned that there couldn't possibly be pirates in Wuzzleburg.

Is there treasure to be found? I'll let you use your imagination, but I bet you can guess. Of course, it wouldn't be Wubbzy without some awesome songs, and the one after the pirate episode contains lyrics such as "Life is filled with treasure - everywhere you look!"

Other episodes on the DVD include one where Walden learns to overcome his fear of the water. This is followed by a song that emphasizes that things need to be learned one step at a time (lest someone run into the ocean and expect to be able to surf right away!) This is definitely something that can be called on during times of hesitation, "Hey, remember how Walden was afraid to swim, but once he overcame his fear he realized that he really enjoyed the water? Let's try..."

Having a familiar and enjoyable character as a role model is much easier than talking in the abstract.

One of my favorite episodes involves a trip to "Plaidville." As many of you know, I'm mad about plaid. The lesson behind the trip was how everyone is different, how these differences can be appreciated, and then how our own "sameness" can be appreciated too. (In other words, don't wish you were someone else, but respect that someone else for their unique self.)

Wubbzy is fun, educational, and cheery. My kids love the characters, so much so that Spliggle wanted to record his own impressions. And so, I'll leave you with his thoughts:

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* Purchase Wubbzy "Pirate Treasure" at Amazon.com (There are some sample clips on the Amazon listing for this product.)
* Read my review of Wubbzy's "A Little Help from My Friends"
* Purchase Wubbzy "A Little Help from My Friends" at Amazon.com
* Visit Wubbzy's Official Website for games, activities, and information.
* Visit Wubbzy at Nick Jr.
* follow WubbzyJen on Twitter

As readers of my main blog, The Karianna Spectrum know, I've been spending the last month doing Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred.

Last Wednesday, I completed the thirty days.

A quick look back, for those who haven't been reading along:
- I joined the Shreadheads
- Graduated from Level One
- Graduated from Level Two
- Graduated from Level Three

... now on to continued use of the 30 Day Shred plus Bob's Weight Loss Yoga to continue toning and hopefully losing some weight in the process!

When I started the Shred, I weighed 137.5 pounds with a BMI of 24.37. On Day 30, I weighed 134.5 pounds with a BMI of 23.83. And so, I only lost 3 pounds, although during parts of the month I was down around 4-5 pounds.

The Shred has been a challenge, but has also helped me tone up and feel more "in control" of my body. I've noted some difficulty sleeping and some mood issues, but my hope is that as I continue to exercise on a regular basis and get some sleep, these things will regulate themselves to a net improvement.

While I huffed and puffed the first time I did Level 1 of the Shred, just the other day after doing Bob's Level 1 yoga, I found myself easily knocking out the exercises with Natalie (the "follow if you are advanced" model on the Shred DVD.) Even if the scale doesn't show it, I know my body is getting stronger. I started with soup cans (roughly less than a pound) but now use 5 pound weights for most of the exercises.

I am still a work in progress. My new goal is to complete Bob's whole yoga series. The DVD recommends two weeks at each of the three levels, and then apparently there is a "maintenance" level as well. I plan to follow this model, but also include workouts from the Shred to maintain the abs, strength, and cardio work in Jillian's style. That isn't to say yoga isn't challenging -- it certainly is, particularly with regard to strength (using one's own body as resistance) -- but I want to "mix it up" in order to make sure my body is being sufficiently challenged.

Although when The Biggest Loser came out on T.V. it was thought to be a mockery of America's obese, it has become an inspirational tool for many couch potatoes that we can become healthy.

Most of my life I was perfectly skinny and fit. I was a dancer, spending hours in the studio. Around junior year of high school, I decided I had to be "serious" about academics, lest I not get into a good college. I dropped out of my dance performing division and instead hit the books. In college, I took up ice-hockey, a hobby that continued after college and even for a couple seasons after I had kid(s).

Still, there was this undercurrent that adults aren't meant to have fun. I'm not sure where I got that notion, but I expect it had something to do with the chatter that went around when we were in high-school that of course we'd all have to stop dancing because only the very best would have a career in it, and even those folks would be relatively young when they'd finally have to retire. I suppose college was supposed to be "serious" and kinetic intelligence isn't valued as much as academic intelligence (unless it is in professional sports.) Taking a dance class or going out to play pick-up hockey was seen as "taking the easy way out" or "goofing off." If I was taking a run, I should have been studying. And yet I know that I shouldn't have thought of exercise in that way. (It is ironic, since "adults" see exercise as a chore, and yet when I was younger, I saw it as a privilege that kept me away from my "real" responsibility of studying!)

Fast forward several years, and my efforts have been all about the kids, making money, and keeping the house clean. It doesn't make sense to go out for a walk if I have clients emailing and calling wondering when is my URGENT project going to be finished!

I'd think to myself, "I'll just get this one urgent thing done. And then I can take a walk..." But of course it never happened, because yet another request would roll in. I couldn't say "no." I couldn't lie and pretend that my walk was "a meeting." And yet, I realized last autumn that was exactly what I'd have to do.

September was a horrid month work-wise. Not surprisingly, I gained a lot of weight. At the start of October, I saw my nurse practitioner, who told me point blank that at 35 years old, my ability to shed pounds and get in shape is much greater than what it will be at age 40. The nurse put me on South Beach. I lost around 15-20 pounds.

Something clicked.

Suddenly I realized that age 35 is simultaneously very old and very young. I realized that this is my only life. As I watched the gymnasts while Splig worked out, I reminisced about my dancing ability and how I used to do some gymnastics as well. Why can't I do that anymore? I realized that I wanted to reclaim some of my youth, or at the least, my ability to better control my body. I don't want to give up and let my body continue getting weaker and heavier. It is not too late.

There was a German gymnast in this past August's Olympics who competed at age 35. And then there is 41 year old Dara Torres. Both of these women have have children, and yet both have athletic bodies. I am not washed up just because I am a 35 year old mother.

According to wikipedia, Jillian Michaels is 34. That is only a year younger than I am. Also, she's apparently 5'2.5". My biggest "excuse" for my stocky look is that I am only 5'2.75" (I usually say 5'3") If I only had a few more inches, my 135 pounds would look skinny, I thought. Well, Jillian is 120. So only one year, one quarter of an inch, and fifteen pounds separate me and Jillian. (Well, and some endurance and muscles, but I'm getting there.) I have never been 175 pounds as Jillian apparently once was. My highest non-pregnant weight was around 155. (My highest pregnant weight was 165.)

And so, it is not unreasonable that I can get back into shape. It is going to take time and effort, but in just a month I've become much stronger.

It is possible. And if I can do it, then YOU can do it.

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I purchased both Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred and Bob's Weight Loss Yoga with my own money. I was not asked to review either of these DVDs, nor have I been given any compensation for mentioning The Biggest Loser or any of their products. I am simply a fan who wanted to lose weight and get in shape. Kristen Chase's Shredheads provided this opportunity - but aside from this community motivation, I haven't been "rewarded" for my endeavors here. No free DVDs. No gift certificates. No money. This review is real! [This disclaimer motivated by concerns regarding bloggers' liability in the product review market]

I am a big fan of the Olympics. I cry during the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and proudly point out the countries of my ancestry with pride, even though I have been to none of them. I turn on sports that I wouldn't watch unless it was the Olympics. I have it on in the background when I work or workout. When we come home, I eagerly snap on the TV.

Except my kids routinely ask to put on Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! Seriously, without fail, I click on the TV for some curling, and the chants of "Wubbzy! Wubbzy!" begin. Thankfully, we can now have both simultaneously.

Sort of.

You see, Wubbzy has put out a new DVD, Wubbzy: Go For Gold.

During "Earth Hour" we were at a hockey game, but they weren't going to turn out the lights on men with sticks, sharp blades, and hair-trigger tempers. But hopefully my family and I will do something meaningful for Earth Day - two days from now. (Today is apparently some sort of pro-marijuana holiday, which I guess is "green" in its own way. Our old phone number - with a different area code easily confused with ours - was the number for a medical marijuana dispensary. That was an interesting thing.)

At church Sunday, I was thrilled to find a green-centered sermon accompanied by some unconventional and exciting "hymns." One such hymn included a coyote, and was truly gorgeous. I don't talk about religion much because I know it is quite polarizing, and I'm of the belief that people can find meaning and spirituality a variety of different ways, so I don't want to give the impression that I'm attempting to preach a specific faith here. But let's just say that I was pleased that Sunday's sermon was about positive impact and respect. It was about being good stewards of the Earth. It was not about politics - as environmental issues frequently can be - it was about a way of life that honors what we've been given.

One of my old pals, Wubbzy, has already been educating kids about the need to be sensitive and respectful to our environment. On a regular basis, Wubbzy and his pals teach kids about positive social interaction, and about respecting each others' differences.

Today is the last day of April, and thus the last day of "Autism Awareness Month." Honestly, I don't know what to think of autism "awareness" since it doesn't really make people "aware" so much as it frequently spreads unhelpful stereotypes.

Each child is different, regardless of whether he or she has a "diagnosis" and as such, their strengths and weaknesses differ.

I'm tired of the tragic stories of autism: those that focus on hardship, despair, and lost dreams. Although there are definitely aspects of a spectrum diagnosis that fall into those categories, it is much more useful to acknowledge these children's (and adult's) strengths.

Fortunately, I've had the opportunity to review two different stories about children on the spectrum, both of which acknowledge challenges, but also celebrate their subjects for who they are as people beyond the diagnosis. Both the book Cowboy and Wills and the independent lens film The Horse Boy have animals in their title. ("Cowboy" is the name of Wills' golden retriever.) This is no coincidence.

This blog isn't the only thing that has been rather sluggish lately. In an attempt to correct at least one of these things, I'm jumping on the Shredheads bandwagon and tackling Jillian Michaels' Ripped in 30 DVD during the month of April.

Follow along on my main blog as I reveal embarrassing statistics and give my initial impressions of Level 1 of Ripped.

I'll continue to review Levels 2, 3, and the apparently nearly-impossible Level 4. Will I regain some tummy definition (in a shape other than round) or will I fizzle into a frumpy lump of fatness by the end of the month?

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Disclaimer: I purchased the Jillian Michaels' Ripped in 30 DVD with my own money and will not receive compensation of any sort for this post; however, the link to the DVD contains my amazon affiliate code, so I get a few cents should you purchase it.