Is football something enjoyed in your home?  Want to get your kids more involved in the game on TV?  Armchair Quarterback by Fundex is a brand new game designed to get the whole family involved in the action on TV! As fans watch their favorite teams, they can interact with the games – and each other – by calling the plays before they happen! We recently received a copy to try out and it is a lot of fun!

New to DVD November 9, 2010 is Barney's Best Fairy Tales--something your little ones are sure to go crazy over! We received a copy to check out and if you have a Barney fan at home, this is one to add to your DVD collection!

Welcome to a magical land where toys transform into lifelong friends, creating laughter, joy, songs and special moments for children of all ages!  Where else could the wonder and whimsy of classic stories be brought to life through music, dance and play?  Come along ...

My kids have a new favorite snack--Buddy Fruits!  These are awesome little pouches that are simple to pack in lunches and healthy, too!  No more trying to pull the tops off of apple sauce containers that can sometimes leave your child with a mess.  All you do is twist the top and squeeze!  These yummy pouches come in several flavors, such as apple cinnamon, multi-fruit, strawberry banana and more.  We haven't encounted a flavor they didn't love!

They are pure blended fruit--no preservatives, no additives, no coloring, not ...

Have you ever had a great photograph and wished you could turn it into something bigger and better?  Direct To Canvas, located in Clinton, can do that for you! 

 I recently had a photograph sent to them to turn into a  painted canvas picture.  The end result was amazing!  Now beautifully hand painted, what was once an ordinary snapshot is now a wonderful portrait of my child that I am excited to show off.  I am really pleased with the high quality and the quick turn around time. I love ...

THE TOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN! DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS DISNEY•PIXAR’S TOY STORY 3

ON SALE NOW 

Two very lucky Macaroni Kid readers are going to win a family four pack of tickets to go see Disney On Ice Pixar's Toy Story 3 on November 23rd 7:30pm!  To enter, email me at [email protected] with Disney on Ice in the subject line.  Tell me your favorite character from Toy Story 3.  MUST be a NW Jersey Macaroni Kid subscriber to be eligible to enter.  Winners ...

Can't get enough of Family Game Night games from Hasbro?  That's what I thought!  EA and Hasbro have teamed up to bring you some fantastic games for video gamers, perfect for the holidays!

We received these great games for XBOX 360 to check out.  Rated E for everyone, these are great family choices and they accommodate up to 4 players, which is really fantastic when playing together.

Family Game Night 3 features Clue, Twister, The Game of Life, Mouse Trap and Yahtzee Hands Down. all in a theme ...

We had the pleasure of attending The Gazillion Bubble Show: The Next Generation at New World Stages in New York City this past weekend.  This is a fantastic show for the entire family to attend.  Deni Fang performs some amazing tricks with bubbles and lasers in this quick paced show. 

It was especially fun for our family, since our four year old was called on stage to be an assistant to Deni Yang as he created a gigantic bubble to put over our boy.  He was thrilled to be up ...

If you have a Harry Potter fanatic at home, they will love the latest from Scholastic! We were sent these fun books to check out and they are a big hit with my kids.  Be sure to check these out and remember that these are great for stockings!

Harry Potter Collector’s Sticker Book – fans can add stickers to scenes from the movies, including the Quidditch Pitch, the Great Hall and Hagrid’s Hut.  There are sixteen pages and four sticker sheets.

Harry Potter Heroes Poster Book – a beautiful poster ...

I am super excited this month!  Why, you ask? Maybe it is  the Holidays are quickly approaching, but it is also because Harry Potter 7 is almost here!  Just a couple of weeks left until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is released on November 19.  We have six Harry Potter fans in my house that are eagerly awaiting it's arrival.  While we wait, though, there are some fun Harry Potter related products out there that we can enjoy.  Check them out below!

Don't forget to check our ...

Looking for a great gift for the Holidays?  Well for Thomas fans, this is just what you were looking for!

Available now, these 6 disc DVD sets are great to add to your DVD collections. We received them to review and they are fantastic!  Especially nice, since we don't always get to watch them on TV, we can turn them on for something fun to watch when we need some downtime or the weather is icky. 

The loveable railway engine Thomas is sharing hours of viewing fun with Thomas ...

 
The Hunterdon County YMCA encourages local residents to beat the holiday stress this season by taking time for themselves.  To help with this, the YMCA is offering a special six-week Y membership to help the community stay healthy this holiday season. This membership will also help participants get a jump-start on their New Year’s resolutions.
 
The cost of the six-week membership is $89 and includes a fitness orientation, unlimited fitness classes, babysitting, use of two fitness centers, pool and hot tub. As a bonus, one-hour of Personal Training, a ...

 Want to get paid to shop?  Through November 18th, The Company Store & Company Kids will be paying their customers to shop!  How does it work?  Once you make a purchase, you will automatically be entered into their sweepstakes.  Each day, five shoppers will be chosen at random and then reimbursed for the entire contents of their purchase, including tax and shipping & handling.  So you should check them out and see if you can get some of that holiday shopping done (and possibly a shopping bag full of great items for ...

Legos are a staple in our household.  I absolutely love them!  I can't think of any other toys that we have purchased over the years that have received as many hours of playtime, as the Legos have.  I love the imagination that is behind the creations when they are playing on their own.  But, I also love the amazing sets that Lego puts out.  So, when you combine Harry Potter and Lego, you know you have a MAJOR hit in our household.

We had the pleasure of trying out ...

Do you want an organized house?  Sure you do, but it isn't always so easy when kids are involved, right? You may be surprised how easy it can be to get those little hands to help out! Check out this fun organizing game--Les Mess.  This is a cute card game intended to get your kids to help out and have fun doing it. 

We recently received a set of cards to check out and I have to tell you, they worked like a charm.  Funny how a making ...

MAMA DONI & THE MAMA DONI BAND
GO WILD WITH ‘CHANUKAH FEVER’ IN NEW JERSEY
“FUNKY MUSIC WITH A JEWISH TWIST”
NOV. 28 – BERGEN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

One lucky Macaroni Kid reader is going to win a family four pack of tickets to go see Mama Doni & the Mama Doni Band!  To enter, email me at [email protected] telling me why you would like to win the tickets.  MUST be a NW Jersey Macaroni Kid subscriber to be eligible to win!  Winner will be picked at random.

“Her stage name ...

I am very excited about a new venture!  I am now a Nutrisystem Blogger and rather than gaining weight over the holidays, I am looking forward to losing!  So, you get to follow me on this journey as I hopefully shed some (lots) of the very stubborn baby weight (yes, that is what I am blaming it on :)) that I have gained from having four kids.  I am anxious to begin this week! 

Nutrisystem offers programs for men and women, tailored to your needs.  In addition to the meals they ...

We recently found this awesome secret book at SecretStorageBooks.com.  On the outside, it looks like a normal book, because it once actually was.  Now, open it up and inside it is hollow, allowing a perfect place for you to hide little treasures.  Especially fun for Harry Potter fans, as it can blend right in with the other Harry Potter books in you collection. 

Not a huge Harry Potter fan?  No worries, there are hundreds of different titles to choose from and there is sure to be something for everyone ...

Shaun the Sheep Season One is now available on DVD, through Lionsgate and HIT entertainment.  It includes all 40 episodes from the first season!  My kids loved Wallace and Gromit, the creators of Shaun the Sheep and so they have enjoyed checking out this very fun show.  This will make a fantastic gift for the Holidays for your fans at home!

Calling all Spongebob fans!  A brand new episode The Mystery with a Twistery is going to air on November 11th!  We got a special sneak peek at the episode, and no surprise, my kids loved it--yours are sure to, as well!

 SpongeBob embarks on railway mystery caper in an all-new  SpongeBob SquarePants half-hour special, “Mystery with a Twistery,” premiering Thursday, Nov. 11, at 8:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.

In an effort to stop Plankton from stealing the Krabby Patty recipe once and for all, Mr. Krabs sends ...

This Week's Picks:

Teen Scene:

Plan Ahead:

These are the traits that we want to instill in our children and that helped inspire this great toy company to  "B." Wanting to offer something simple and different, B. toys evolved to offer a great selection of fun and fashion forward toys that your children will love.  We received a few to try out and I can tell you they are great choices for the holidays!  Be sure to check out their website for other great toys you can find in stores or online, as well as some fun ...

Chuggington has made a big impact in the preschool world this year!  Top of the list of great items to get your little ones for Christmas are fun toys from Learning Curve's Chuggington line, like this Chuggington Training Yard.  Add some great Chuggington die-cast trains and your kids are in for some serious fun!  We received this set to test out and my four year old loves it!  It is very noisy, but offers lots of action packed fun.  He especially loves how the trains are able to launch ...

I am not sure how I have gone so long without knowing about Dinosaur Train. Now that my four year old is aware of it, there's no going back!  He loves the fun show that teaches all about dinosaur facts, but even more than that, he loves the  toy line introduced from Learning Curve!

We received some InterAction Dinosaurs to check out and they are amazing!  Set two dinosaurs in front of each other and through SmartTalk technology, they actually talk to each other!  So cool!  Check out this ...

Looking for some fun games for your kids?  Look no further!  Disney Interactive Studios has a great line up that will please everyone!  We were sent these titles to try out and I am happy to recommend them to you for great gift suggestions! Happy Gaming!

Club Penguin  Game Day   My kids really dig this Wii game!  In it, they get to compete against other penguin teams in single or multiplayer sports-themed racing and performance events.  Everyone has a fun time racing with familiar characters from Club Penguin.

Cars ...

Click on the links for full review and giveaway details, if applicable!
Board games and Electronics

• MobiGo from VTech
• Leapster Explorer
• Lego Creationary
• Franklin AnyBook 
• Money! Money!

Click on the links to read a review and find out giveaway details, if applicable!

• Bright Starts activity center
• Cloud B Twilight Turtle
• Maxi Cosi Stroller  
• Baby Moves
• Story Stacker 

• Kung Zhu Battle Arena   
• Hexbug Nano
• Spiderman   These are must haves for those that love Spidey!
• Transformers Leader Class Is your son into action packed play?  These Transformers are just the thing he is looking for!
• Nerf Weather Blitz Flag Football Set Perfect for the sports fanatic!
• Nerf Curve Pitch Baseball Set
• Super Hero Squad
• Air Hogs 
• Shred Sled  Perfect for kids that like to play outdoors!
• Nerf N-Strike Stampede
• Bakugan Dragonoid Colossus
• Quibit   

• Outdoor wireless speakersfrom OSD Audio  Who doesn't enjoy hearing some great tunes when they are out doing work or enjoying company?  These blend in with the scenery, too!
• Gerber tools.  These even have me blown away!
• Massages are great for men, too!  These guys have some serious ...

 Tons of great choices for girls this year! Click on the links below for full reviews and giveaway details, if applicable.

• American Girl Lanie   
• Mix Pups 
• Littlest Pet Shop Online or LPSO
• Bratz Party 
• Lalaloopsy
• Fin Fin Friends
• Moxie Girlz Magic Snow 
• Moxie Teenz
• Liv Dolls
• Dairy Queen 
• Orbeez

• Posh Mommy necklace
• Massage!  Mom needs some down time to relax and unwind, and what better way to do that?  Get her a fantastic massage!  Therapeutic Touch By Kim is the perfect way to give her that gift, too.  Order a gift certificate to put in her stocking.  Kim comes to you and takes all the stress away!  www.therapeutictouchbykim.com
• Lovely skincare.  Decleor is amazing!  Give Mom the tools she needs to refresh ...

Lots of great options for your preschooler this year!  Click on the links below for a full review and giveaway details, if applicable. 

• Strider  Has your little one not quite mastered riding a bike without training wheels?  Check out this bike!
• Olivia is super spunky and fun, your preschool is sure to agree!  Check out all these great gift items for your preschooler! 
• Alphie makes learning fun!  Check out this robotic friend for your child!
• Zoobles  Check out this hot in demand toy for the Holidays!
• Moon Dough  Has some ...

There have been many an early morning or late night where I went out to exercise.  I have frequently thought about if something bad were to happen, how would I let someone know?  I would bring my cell phone, but still, I would wonder if people would hear me if I needed help. 

Ila has some great products, one of which I was sent to try out, the ila Sport.  I love the idea of this stylish personal alarm and I love how great it functions!  Easy to take with ...

We all want our kids to get active and stay fit, but playing video games can sometimes seem like a more appealing option when indoors, right?  Well, JumpStart has created a great way to combine fitness and gaming to disguise exercise as fun with JumpStart Get Moving: Family Fitness. 

This game is perfect for the whole family, as you are able to play baseball, football, step aerobics, volleyball, pinball and more.  There are over 15 different activities!  You can compete each other or play solo, but either way you play ...

Here is a super unique gift for Mom that she will love!  Melange solid perfume blending palettes gives her the opportunity to create custom scents to wear.  I love the fresh scents and that there is no risk of spills.  Especially nice because you can keep it in your purse and even have it with you when you travel. 

I received the Melange Blending Palette Green Notes No.1 which includes these fragrances:

I love that they ...

Want to give your little one a beloved gift this Christmas?  A special friend from My Pillow Pets is what they are wanting!  Available in a variety of animals, I can't go anywhere without hearing about them!  We were sent an adorable Friendly Frog to check out and it is very soft and cuddly, just what I would imagine a pillow pet would be.  Made of very soft chenille, this pet unfolds to become a cozy pillow perfect for nap time.  It is machine washable, which is a ...

Check out these great Holiday movies new to DVD! 

Santa Paws

A Christmas Carol

Angelina Ballerina The Nutcracker Sweet  

 
Jolly Holiday   Deck the halls of your imagination and have a very merry time with this holiday-themed collection of five episodes featuring preschool favorites Barney^™, Bob the Builder^™, Thomas & Friends^™, Fireman Sam^™ and special guest Angelina Ballerina^™ when Jolly Holiday comes to DVD, Digital Download and On Demand October 12, 2010 from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment.

Merry Winter Wish  Celebrate with the ultimate collection of Thomas & Friends^™ tales that every child ...

 NHL Slapshot is the perfect game this season to get your family training to become  pro hockey players.  Start out in the PeeWee league and work your way up, all the while having fun moving your body in this interactive hockey game.  This game comes with a hockey stick controller attachment that my kids love to use when playing.  The game is very responsive to your moves and actions, making you feel very much a part of the experience.  Great choice to put under the tree!  We received a copy ...

Stuff the stockings with something sweet and cuddly this year--a PetCake!  These adorable pups look like cupcakes at first glance, but look a little deeper and you will find a super cute puppy!  These are sure to put a smile on your child's face as they realize what is really inside that cupcake liner!

PetCakes come in different  series of animals.  Series 1 consists of four different types of dogs and personalities.  Each dog comes with a name and description.  We received some from Series 1 to check out ...

Did you know that disposable paper towels create over 3,000 tons of waste each year?  I had no idea!  But, I do know that with all the kids in this house, paper towels certainly are a convienence that I don't really want to give up!  So here's a great solution for you--reusable paper towels! 

I recently received some to try out and I really like them.  What is the deal with them?  Well they are as earth friendly as you could get--super absorbant birdseye diaper cloth ...

Add the Roku to the list of great, I mean really great, holiday gifts to give this year.  What is it? It is the coolest electronic device that will leave you wondering how you got by without it.  Hook this baby up to your TV and you can watch movies and TV shows from Netflix, Hulu, Amazon VOD and listen to Pandora!  There is continually more streaming content available, too, making this a perfect entertainment option.  Once you purchase this very small receiver, there are no bills to pay every ...

Obviously, I am a mom.  I know I have mentioned that I have four kids.  Four BOYS.  Can you imagine what my bathroom looks like?  Soap all over the place, toothpaste, towels on the floor....let's just say, it is a disaster when they walk out the door in the morning.  Ugh!  Day in, day out, I am wishing there was an easier way to keep that room tidy.  I especially hate seeing the shampoo spilling out of the bottle and down the drain...what a waste!

Well, Simple ...

I have the perfect gift to put under your Christmas tree this year!  The Sleep Number True Silver Blanket!  Just the thing you want covering you on these upcoming cold winter nights! 

I recently received this fantastic blanket from Sleep Number to review and I am loving it!  I have always suffered from allergies and I love the feel of a down comforter, but sometimes end up uncomfortable using one.  The True Silver Blanket from Sleep Number is heavenly!  Very soft and warm, this is a great solution for my ...

Kids and messes seem to go hand in hand, don't they?  Especially when it comes to meal time!  If you have a fabric chair, I am sure you know what I am talking about.  It is inevitable that something will get knocked over and that fabric will be stained.  I know it has happened to me! 

To stop stains from ruining your furniture, I have a product to introduce you to! The SmartSeat chair protector is a waterproof, stain resistant, and machine washable cover made from soft-to-the-touch, toxin-free fabric ...

Here are some fun ideas for stuffing those stockings this year and some fun gadgets.  Lots of giveaways here, too!  Click on the link for review and giveaway information!

• Talkatoo
• Adorable Aurora stuffed animals
• Legos Well, I think I love Legos as much as my kids do.  My kids always love to buy big Lego kits that have tons of guys in them.  I love that Lego has released a brand new line of collectible minifigures.  At a very low pricepoint--under $3, you can collect a lot.  You don't ...

Last year my son was dying to try Tony Hawk Ride, yet I heard horrible things about it.  The premise was good, but it just didn't play out in this first attempt at a video game.  This year, Tony Hawk Shred has come out and, apparently, addressed all that gamers had issues with before.

While I am not a serious gamer, and never will be, what I can tell you is that I have four boys who love to play video games, especially those that are active and fun ...

We know that Silly Bandz were a huge hit,but have you heard of the latest trend?  TriBandz is an awesome 100% silicone wrist band.  Not easy to break, as this is a much thicker band, it comes in six bright colors and has spots for 3 unique plastic pictures called Tibbz.  These Tibbz can be switched out and are completely customizable.  These bands were just released last month and already there are more than 1000 different images for the Tibbz. 

We got to try some out and they are ...

I have the perfect gift to put under your Christmas tree this year!  The Sleep Number True Silver Blanket!  Just the thing you want covering you on these upcoming cold winter nights! 

I recently received this fantastic blanket from Sleep Number to review and I am loving it!  I have always suffered from allergies and I love the feel of a down comforter, but sometimes end up uncomfortable using one.  The True Silver Blanket from Sleep Number is heavenly!  Very soft and warm, this is a great solution for my ...

Kaleidoscopes hold a certain fascination for all ages.  There is something really breathtaking about looking inside and seeing the spectacular colors and designs that are ever-changing.  If you are looking for a very unique gift this year, why not try a hand crafted kaleidoscope?  Kaleidoscopes To You specializes in these beautiful pieces, and we were able to try out one of their solid walnut kaleidoscopes.  It was really cool to see a well made instrument, such as this, look so lovely on the outside, as well as the inside.  There ...

If you are looking for a cool gift for Christmas, think vinyl lettering.  This is a fantastic choice!  I have certainly gotten on a kick lately.  I love that you can customize and create any idea and turn it into something that you can see everyday.  But, if you ever get tired of seeing it, it is a quick and easy fix, as vinyl lettering is removable! 

I recently was able to try out Vinylletterdecor.com and I was super impressed.  I wanted a unique sign for my kids-- a ...