No Soup for You! Holiday Fun for the Grown Ups

Looking for a great gift to take to a party this holiday season? Or how about something fun for the hubby? Pressman's Seinfeld Trivia Game would be an excellent choice. I mean who isn't a fan of Seinfeld, right? What I love about this game is that you don't have to be a complete expert to play the game and have fun. Join Elaine, Kramer, Jerry & George as they move around the board while you answer fun trivia questions that will bring you right back to those glorious Seinfeld years of hilarity. Each trivia card has two questions on it, an easy one for the average fan and a hard one for all of you expert Seinfeld maniacs! This means everyone can play at their own levels... it's genius. Get the soup from you know who, and well, you know how it goes!

Available on Amazon.com for only $14.99, you can't go wrong! Buy two and you'll get free super saver shipping. Don't wait until The Jerk Store calls to let you know they're out of you, get your fingers on that keyboard and order up!

Kangacoo Thanksgiving Sale

Kangacoo is offering 25% off on all their designs now through Sunday, November 29th. Check out all their darling new winter clothing. Visit www.kangacoo.etsy.com.

Kangacoo is also now offering a boy's clothing line as well as sizes up to 5T to meet the requests of all her clients.

Get your little one something original this holiday, and they'll really stand out in the crowd!

Disney On Ice Presents Worlds of Fantasy

This Holiday season catch the new ice spectacular Worlds of Fantasy presented by Disney On Ice. Come and see the action packed show with all your beloved characters from Cars, Tinker Bell, The Lion King, and The Little Mermaid.

Get there early and experience the Disney Princess Pre-show free with the purchase of a ticket! You will be able to see enchanting ball gowns and mementos from the Disney Princess stories as well as a special appearance by a Disney Princess.

Disney On Ice will be in Southern California this Holiday season. Get your tickets for Los Angeles - Staples Center: December 17-20, 2009; Orange County - Honda Center: December 22-27, 2009; Inland Empire - Citizens Bank Arena: December 30 - January 3, 2010; and Long Beach - Long Beach Arena: January 6-10, 2010. All venues have both matinee and evening showings.

There is a special offer for all of our readers! Purchase a 4-pack of tickets for only $44 for a Monday through Friday matinee show, or receive $4 off all weekend shows (4 tickets must be purchased to receive the discount) by logging onto www.ticketmaster.com and entering the coupon code MOM. This offer is not valid on rinkside or VIP seating.

Treat your family to something extra special this holiday see Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy.

Layla Grace Update

On November 16th, Layla Grace began a 6 week hospital stay to undergo a High Dose Chemotherapy with Autologus Stem Cell Rescue, more commonly known as a Bone Marrow Transplant. This is the 2nd phase in Layla's treatment plan as she fights Neuroblastoma - an aggressive form of childhood cancer. Layla's story has touched so many lives and the response has been overwhelming. We have received several emails from people wanting to help, but not sure how.

Mom takes care of Layla at the hospital while Dad holds down the fort with Layla's two sisters. The easiest and most convenient way to help the entire family is by giving Visa Gift cards. These can be used at home or the hospital for various necessities (meals, gas, groceries, parking, etc). If you would like to donate, please send gift cards to Layla's PO Box at:

LAYLA GRACE MARSH

12320 BARKER CYPRESS RD, SUITE 600 #264
CYPRESS, TX 77429

You can also make monetary donations directly through PayPal at:

http://tinyurl.com/kvee97

Layla will turn 2 on Thanksgiving Day. She loves to receive cards. If you would like to send her birthday wishes, Texas Children's Hospital has a FREE card delivery service through their website.

Go to http://www.texaschildrens.org/parents/patientgreeting/default.aspx

and simply fill out a card and it will be delivered directly to her room on her birthday. Be sure to include her full name, Layla Marsh, on the form. If you would like to send her balloons, they can be sent to room 847. Please make sure they are mylar - her floor prohibits latex. **Please do not send stuffed animals or flowers - she is not allowed to have them in her room.

Go to www.laylagrace.org to follow Layla on her journey. Please feel free to spread the word and forward this email onto your family and friends. Awareness is key to finding a cure!!

Thank you so much for your prayers and support!

Layla's Angels


Layla's Prayer Team
www.laylagrace.org
http://www.twitter.com/laylagrace

Great Gift Alert: SkyBelts, The Tweens in Your Life Will LOVE Them!

Looking for a great gift for those hard to buy for tweens in your life? Look no more, I've found the solution for those picky little people! SkyBelts are the ultimate accessory, available in 22 colors, the interchangeable wonder makes the perfect addition to any wardrobe. Easy to "operate" and comfy too, SkyBelts are available in two sizes (S/M which fits up to 32" and M/L which fits up to 42"). All belts fit the SkyBelt buckle, so once you have purchased your first belt, you can add other colors for only $12.95. After choosing your colors, be sure to pick out some SkyClips to add some personality to your gift! Made to collect/trade, SkyClips are a fun way to show your personal style. The enameled clips simply slide on and off the belt making it easy to change your SkyBelt's mood.

Looking for something with a little more pizazz? Check out the SkyBelts with bling! You can even have them customized with an initial.

Visit the SkyBelts site today and cross those tweens off of the shopping list. One stop shopping for boys, girls, and if I were you, I'd pick up a little something for myself too!

Info You Need to Know by The Toy Industry Association

With the concerns we all have with toy safety, the new testing laws, and wanting to be sure that the toys we buy for our families during this holiday season will be not only safe but loved and used by our children, I'm excited to share some new resources with you.

The Toy Industry Association (TIA) is our industry's trade organization: the one that hosts Toy Fair in February in New York, and the one who has led American toy makers through the new toy safety testing laws and standards they must meet. And now, the TIA is reaching out to moms like us to help us understand how to buy safe, and great, toys. They created two websites for consumers. One is www.toyinfo.org. There's a neat video here that provides tips for shopping for safe toys and how to keep your children safe with their toys after they're home.

The site will be an ongoing source of news for parents, with regular updates. Check the home page often for new videos, to sign up for recall alerts, to learn about new safety initiatives and more!

'Tis the season to buy toys for the youngsters in your life, and TIA has another great new resource to help! A second website, found here, showcases the top toys in 11 product categories that have been nominated for the 2010 Toy of the Year Awards (TOTY). Well-recognized as the “Oscars®” of the toy industry, the coveted awards program is celebrating its 10th anniversary. To celebrate, TIA is sharing for the first time its list of finalists with you and your readers.You may want to consider using their holiday shopping list when you begin your hunt for great toys for kids this year.

The Perfect Gift for Your Young Scientist!

Have you got a young scientist on your hands? The Young Scientists Club has what you need. The Young Scientists Club has multiple award-winning science kit for your kids. These kits are geared for children 5 and over and allows them to see science happen right before their eyes.

As a former elementary school teacher with a sub credential in science, I found the Magic School Bus Going Green kit very impressive! Not only is the kit fun, but it helps children learn the scientific process and the terminology. These kits include everything you need for each experiment that is not typically found in a household. With multiple guided experiments your child is sure to learn and discover amazing things. Each experiment guides the child through the process and encourages them to record their results and draw conclusions about their discoveries. In the back of the experiment booklet there expected results and conclusions for your child to compare.

Visit The Young Scientists Club at www.kidsciencekits.com and explore. With The Magic School Bus Series, Nature Series, Let's go Science Series, The Young Scientist Series, and Adventure Science Series you are bound to find more than you can imagine for your little scientist.

Be the 3rd reader to email me at lynne@swankymoms.com and receive a free Young Scientist Kit.

HABA for the Holidays!

Ever heard of HABA? I have, and until recently I thought they were just a toy manufacturer! I had no idea they made high quality fantastically fun games as well. HABA is an amazing German company that has not sold out to cheap plastic parts and easily broken pieces. Their unique games prove to withstand the beatings of repeat play without a scratch.

We're big on games around here. In fact our game closet is a little ridiculous. We have tons and tons of games. We play tons and tons of games. My favorites are ones that involve cooperation and teamwork. Ones where my boys actually have to work together instead of "trying to win." There aren't too many of those around, so Castle Knights was really a refreshing discovery. Made for 2-4 players, ages 5-99 (I love that it goes to 99!), players use a special construction tool to build the castle towers. Really fun, really unique! Also, on sale, which makes it even better!

I recently spent some time browsing a great site that features an extensive HABA collection. Maukilo.com features only the finest European toys and has fantastic prices to boot! Their site is very easy to navigate and I love their "daily steal" which changes from day to day and features a great item with a significant discount.

You may want to alert Santa that www.maukilo.com would be a GREAT place to get some unique ideas!

Play This Way Every Day

Developed by a Doctor and mommy of twins, this "U" shaped interactive floor mat is used to encourage children and their caregivers to play a variety of exercises with theme based cards. The card decks come in subjects such as: Animals, Foods, Dress, Outside, Play, Fruits & Vegetables, Go and Home.

This educational game can be used for fun at home or professional use for teachers, speech therapists, and moms who homeschool their children. The "U" shaped mat was developed for convenience, so the child wouldn't be knealing or stepping on the cards and the clear pockets makes it easy to slip the cards in and out and protect them from getting damaged. A great way to play in an education way!

To find out more, visit www.playthisway.com

Baby Bunch

Pretty and Practical!! What an awesome gift for a new mommy! Everything baby needs when he/she arrives home from the hospital, all in one beautiful bouquet, so pretty you wont want to take it apart! Each Baby Bunch includes, one bib, one hat, one pair of mittens, two pairs of socks, one long sleeve onesie, and one long sleeve romper suit. Each item is carefully wrapped like a beautiful bud and surrounded by pretty fabric and wooden flowers and presented in a clear top, sturdy box ready for delivery. Baby Bunch will even ship and deliver your beautiful bouquet to your gift recipient along with a personal note. The Baby Bunch would also make a spectacular centerpiece for a baby shower!!

Visit www.babybunch.com

GreenSmart

I received the GreenSmart Neogreene water bottle kozy and laptop sleeve and both items are fabulous! My son uses the bottle kozy for school, it has a clip so can be easily attached to his backpack so he wont lose it. It also keeps his water nice and cool! I use the laptop sleeve, it is a great way to pack your laptop and keep it safe from damage.

GreenSmart products are made with Neogreene which is made with toxic free materials and uses 25% less electricity and 25% less petroleum to produce and the best part….it doesn’t have that awful chemical smell. Neogreene is also lightweight and waterproof!

To find out more visit www.greensmart.biz

Sponsor: LoLo's Garden Jewelry

LoLo's Garden Jewelry offering beautifully handmade jewelry. Perfect for giving as a holiday gift or a gift for yourself!

Visit www.etsy.com/shop/lologarden

Teleflora Migi Bouquet

If you know someone that just delivered a beautiful baby boy or girl, check out Teleflora’s Migi bouquets!! Great bouquets for new moms!! They are so adorable, and also come with something you can use after the flowers are gone! Teleflora kindly sent me the Migi's Baby Elephant Bouquet by Teleflora and it was absolutely gorgeous!!

Teleflora has flowers for EVERY occasion and even "just because"!! Check out this amazing Halloween bouquet. Let your loved ones know you are thinking about them with a beautiful arrangement from Teleflora.

Teleflora would like to offer a 10% discount. The coupon code is: SWMIGI and is good through to the end of the year.

To find out more, visit www.teleflora.com

Pressman Game Feature: Family Fun for Everyone!

Looking for some super fun new games for the game cupboard? Let me introduce you to two that should definitely be on the shelves! Pressman has come out with two new games that will have everyone in the family doing something silly and something smart.

Let's start with the silly! When I first saw Ring Around the Nosy, my immediate reaction was, "Oh, I hope those masks fit on adults..." Well guess what? They do! This game is a hysterical blast and everyone we've played it with has had a ton of fun. Ring Around the Nosy can accommodate up to 4 players. Each player dons a lovely elephant mask, trunk and all. The game board is a square piece of cardboard where you lay your colored rings. Each "elephant" must use only their trunk (pretty tricky and a guaranteed laugh) to pick up their matching colored rings. The first player to pick up all 3 rings is the winner! The game is labeled for ages 5 and up, but we played with some three year olds and just modified the rules, they were able to use 2 fingers to help get the ring on and it worked just fine. The kids don't know it, but I think I might have to bring this game to the next "grown up" party we attend. I can only imagine the hilarity of it after the adults have had a few drinks...


Now for the smart! Rummikub was (and still is) one of my most all time favorite games. I remember playing it with my grandparents, parents, and friends too! Sometimes we'd play game after game for hours. I haven't played in a while, so when I saw Pressman's Rummikub for Kids I got super excited to share it with my boys, ages 5 & 8. This clever edition uses shapes, numbers & colors to help players learn sequencing which will prep them for the "grown up" version of Rummikub. There are 3 levels of play, so you can modify it to fit the needs of your children. This is a great option as my 8 year old needs more of a challenge than my 5 year old. However, if we are all playing together, we can play the "middle" version. Rummikub for Kids can be played with 2-4 players and is labeled ages 4 and up. If you are a Rummikub fan, this is a must have for your family. I love that it's a "thinking" game and really gets the brain going.


Visit the links below to purchase either of these terrific games! OH, and you might want to give Santa a heads up that either of these games would make great holiday gifts.

To purchase Ring Around the Nosy, click HERE.
To purchase Rummikumb for Kids, click HERE.

EcoBuddies

Check out EcoBuddies (www.ecobuddies.com), a wonderful eco-inspired virtual world for children 5 to 13 years of age. Kids can play mini-games, chat safely with friends, and collect all kinds of fun items for their lovable online character while also learning about the environment and endangered animals. Inside the virtual world, children and parents can visit huts based on the EcoBuddies Eco-Explorers Club, as well as the animal welfare organizations Pandas International and Kids Saving the Rainforest. These huts have tons of downloads for kids ranging from going green coloring sheets to fact sheets about the amazing work that is done by Pandas International and Kids Saving the Rainforest.

EcoBuddies is moderated for safety and has safe chat features that enable parents to only let their children see and say pre-approved phrases while playing on the website. It is free for all players, but there are great benefits for users who decide to buy a membership, such as the ability to collect extra rewards, purchase special items in the game for their online character (such as a candy-apple colored electric convertible), and gain access to our top secret EcoBuddies Members Only Newsletter.
Memberships are $6.25 for one month, $28.75 for 6 months, and $44.75 for a year. To visit EcoBuddies click here: www.ecobuddies.com

The Inconvenient Bag: SUPER SALE

My favorite shopping bags are on sale, pick some up before they are sold out! Normally $11.00, The Inconvenient Bag is offering prices as low as $5.00! I met the owner Marc Sahara a few years back and placed an order with him. My bags are still in perfect condition, and I continue to get compliments every single time I use them. Think holiday shopping, a set of these would make a fantastic gift to anyone on your shopping list!

For more info, visit:
The Inconvenient Bag

Swanky Prize: KN Pink Ribbon Signature PJs

In Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Win a set of the KN Pink Ribbon Signature PJs!

1st Entry (mandatory) Visit www.karenneuburger.com and tell us what your favorite gift set is and add it to the comments (must register to leave comments) below.

Additional Entries

1 Entry per day- tweet the following: I just entered to win a set of KN PJ's @swankymom http://bit.ly/G44HZ

1 Entry-Subscribe to Swanky Moms' newsletter - send us your username and/or email and we'll add you

2 Entries-Blog about this giveaway and send us the link.

3 Entries-Grab a Swanky Moms button and put it on your blog and send us the link!

Contest open to US and Canadian residents ONLY. Contest will end at 11:59pm November 2nd. If winner does not respond within 72 hours, another winner will be randomly selected.

Kangacoo Baby Designs

Looking for an original Halloween costume? Check out the latest costumes by Kangacoo Baby Designs. Kangacoo offers darling costumes from 0-3 months to 3T.

My daughter likes to have unique costumes. The fairy costume was right up her alley. The brightly colored, adjustable tutu and bright pink, fuzzy fairy wings were absolutely darling. The wings were also adjustable and able to be fitted so that they never slipped off her shoulders. The costume easily fits over any outfit. I found this very helpful since you never know what the weather will be like on Halloween.

Not only does Kangacoo make darling costumes, they also make the most stylish blankets and outerwear for toddlers. Kangacoo was founded by a mother after she was laid off while she was 3 months pregnant. All products are personally sewn by the designer, Katie Nquyen, in Orange County, California to ensure the quality and integrity of each item.

Visit kangacoo.etsy.com to see all the stylish costumes, blankets, and outerwear! Katie is also happy to take custom orders. Feel free to send your custom orders to Kangacoo@hotmail.com.

JoJo

Get your bling on with JoJo’s Swarovski crystal earrings! So big and glamorous! Makes you feel like a princess! So many beautiful crystal colors, it’s hard to choose just one! All JoJo’s jewelry is handmade by JoJo herself in Boston, MA. Make yourself swanky and sparkly with fashionable jewelry by JoJo.

Visit www.JoJoLovesYou.com

Glasses USA

I received a chic new pair of eye glasses from GlassesUSA. They are fabulous! I don’t usually wear eyeglasses and stick to my contact lenses because I don’t really like how I look in glasses but I love my new glasses from GlassesUSA! I actually wear them quite a bit and feel great in them! I will definitely be ordering another pair! And probably the best part, they are extremely affordable! The best price for prescription eyeglasses I have EVER seen!!

GlassesUSA has lots of different eyeglass frames to choose from starting at only $18/pair which includes lenses and prescription!!! Your glasses will also come with a hard shell case and cleaning cloth. Stock up today!! Glasses USA also has optional upgrades you can add like: thinner lenses, anti-reflective, anti-scratch, transitional and polarized lenses! GlassesUSA has a 100% satisfaction guarantee so if you arent’ fully satisfied, return them for a full refund or a new pair of glasses. So what are you waiting for??!

Also, receive FREE shipping on orders over $99 and use coupon code “Mommy5” and get an additional 5% off!!

Visit www.glassesUSA.com