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Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure For the Whole Family!

November 21, 2011 By 1 Comment

I went to BlogHer back in August and had the opportunity to meet with a lot of companies and learn about a lot of products.  But one product stood out to me as something my boys would absolutely flip over.  That product was the new Skylanders Video Game.

The Skylanders publicity team was in a huge room filled with different games and toys.  Kathleen and I embraced our inner children as we played with Nerf guns and Hex Bugs.  I was drawn over to the Skylanders booth because I noticed the big screen TV’s displaying a colorful and fun video game.  It was beautiful and reminded me of another game the kids play called Free Realms.  The graphics were beautiful and little dragon type creatures were running around.  With the rise of shooting and killing games that are not appropriate for little ones, I was intrigued to learn more.  I decided to stop and take a closer look.

About Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure

In Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure, characters are ‘brought to life’ in a boldly innovative adventure game where children can collect real-world toys and teleport them directly into the game using a mystical Portal of Power™.

Propelled by a story-driven adventure, penned by Academy Award-nominated Toy Story feature film writers, Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow, children take on the role of a powerful Portal Master, who can control over 30 different characters, including the beloved fire-breathing dragon Spyro. Together with their Skylanders, players will embark on a fantastical journey into an amazing world, where they will explore mysterious, mythical lands, battle menacing outlandish creatures, collect gold and treasures, and solve interesting puzzles while on a quest to save their world from Kaos, an evil Portal Master.

I think we are going to LOVE this game (we haven’t played it yet…the boys get it for Christmas *wink*).  The graphics are colorful and fun, they remind me of the movie Avatar.  Since all three of my boys like the “walking around” games that tell a story and the characters can go on adventures rather than just solving puzzles, I know it’s going to be a hit.

Skylander Game Features

Toys with Brains – Action figures become interaction figures as each toy contains a “brain” that remembers the player’s shared experiences and leveled-up abilities (e.g. stats, ability and attack upgrades, and gold collected) created in the game directly within each toy. This allows players to personally customize and power-up their characters, as well as take their interaction figures on-the-go to bring them to life on a friend’s ‘Portal of Power’ for co-op play and player-versus-player arena battles.

Cross-platform Playability – “For the first time ever, Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure introduces “Cross-platform Playability.” Players will be able to collect a variety of toys and bring them to life using the innovative Portal of Power across a variety of transmedia experiences, including consoles, handhelds, and the Web World.”  If you have more than one game console (my house has a PS3 and a Wii) then you can play Skylanders on both consoles without buying a new game disk.  If your kids have the Wii in their room and the PS3 in the living room…you can send them to continue their game somewhere else.  Also, they can take their game characters to their friends house to continue the adventure with others…regardless of the game console!  SO COOL!

The Portal of Power – The mystical Portal of Power serves as a gateway between our world and the amazing game world, allowing you to ‘Bring Your Toys to Life’ by teleporting real-world toys directly into the game for players to control when placed upon the Portal of Power.  The portal easily plugs into your game console via USB.

This means that your kids can run around and play with the character toys in “real life” and have other adventures right in your back yard.  When they are ready, they can “teleport” into the game and play there, too.

Exploration – As the tale unfolds, players will encounter a variety of vivid environments, each with its own unique look and feel, and each providing different challenges, puzzles, and the discovery of secret areas, rewards and mini-games.

The game graphics are gorgeous!  They were created by Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow who created Toy Story, so they are really top-notch.  I can see this game becoming a fast favorite of my boys and can’t wait for them to find it under our tree.

The games are estimated to retail for:

  • $69.99 Starter Pack (X360, PS3, Wii) – Includes 1 copy of the game, 1 Portal of Power, 3 Characters & 3 Trading Cards
  • $59.99 Starter Pack (PC, 3DS) – Includes 1 copy of the game, 1 Portal of Power, 3 Characters & 3 Trading Cards
  • $19.99 Adventure Pack (All SKUS’s) – Includes 1 character, 1 location piece which includes a new game-play area, 2 additional magic items which work as power-ups & 4 Trading Cards
  • $19.99 Character 3-Pack (All SKUS’s) – Includes 3 Characters & 3 Trading Cards
  • $7.99 Character Pack (All SKUS’s) – Includes 1 Character & 1 Trading Card

I came across Wal Mart’s Black Friday ad and noticed that the $69.99 Skylanders Starter Pack (X360, PS3, Wii) will be on sale for only $49.96!  That is a fabulous deal if you think your kids would love this for Christmas.

Game has ESRB Rating of E10+

To learn more visit the Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure website.

 

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Month Two of The California Wine Club

November 15, 2011 By 1 Comment

I love getting my wine delivered to my door.  There is really no other way to say that.  When I hear that “knock knock” on my door and the delivery driver is standing there with my California Wine Club box I get all giddy!  It is so great to not have to wander around the BevMo or Costco wine section scratching my head over what to choose.  And I’ve tried some wines that I never would have considered before.  It’s fabulous.

This was month two of my three month Premier Membership trial.  In this shipment I received the Castoro Cellars 2010 “Blind Faith” Paso Robles Pinot Noir and their 2010 Paso Robles Gewurztraminer.  Neither one of these varieties ever would have crossed my mind before, yet I loved them both!  I do believe the Pinot Noir is my new very most favorite bottle of wine and fully plan on reordering more bottles at the California Wine Club’s special price.

Savor the concentrated fruit aromas that are a hallmark of Castoro’s “Blind Faith” Pinot Noir. On the palate, you’ll find black cherry and tea notes, toasty, smoky flavors and every reason to take another sip!

This wine was just released, so no awards or reviews are available, but expect some great kudos. Pedigree: the ’09 won two Gold Medals, three Silver and two Bronze.

I am not a very good wine expert (although I’m learning!) so I don’t really know how to describe this Pinot Noir other than to say it felt heavy on my tongue and was just a very delicious wine.  It was so smooth to drink that I finished it off without taking a picture (oops)!

I am thoroughly enjoying my Premier Membership and I think it would make a fabulous gift for anyone who likes to drink wine.  The monthly newsletter, Uncorked is really fun to read since it has winery histories and stories about the families that own them.  There is recipes and food pairings that make even a novice feel like an expert.  I should be receiving my final shipment of their prize winning Holiday wines any day and I am SO EXCITED!

Last month I was able to giveaway a one month membership to try out the club and if you happened to miss it (how sad a panda were you?) then head over to my friend Jessica’s blog and you can enter her California Wine Club Giveaway instead.

Filed Under: Product Reviews, Wine Reviews Tagged With: ,
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Holiday Cards on the Cheap

November 2, 2011 By 3 Comments

I love to make my own holiday cards using pictures.  This is my favorite one…which incidentally…I don’t think I ever mailed because I was too poor to afford stamps.

It’s really cute isn’t it?  Yeah. I thought so.  They were actually really buried in the sand.  Don’t call CPS…we dug them out.  See their smiles?

Anyhow.  It’s November and that means it is time to start thinking about Christmas cards again.  If you are like me and like to put your own spin on it or use your own pictures, then Groupon has a fabulous deal for you.

You can purchase customized holiday cards from Picaboo for up to a 67% discount!

  • For $25, you get $75 worth of holiday cards.
  • For $40, you get $100 worth of holiday cards.
  • For $50, you get $120 worth of holiday cards.

This Groupon is valid toward tax and shipping, too! There is a limit of 1 per person, but you can buy 1 additional as a gift.

This deal is only available November 2nd through November 5th (11:59pm) so HURRY!

Click here for the  (Groupon Expired)

 

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Pumpkin Carving Tips

October 28, 2011 By 1 Comment

It’s Halloween weekend!  Are you ready?  I know my kids are so freaking excited they can’t stand it.  Halloween is just simple fun.  I love everything from the pumpkins to the costumes.  We decided to go ahead and decorate our pumpkins yesterday and the boys had a blast.

For many years now I’ve used the push in pumpkin faces and they are fabulous for little kids.  No knives, no mess.  But now that Anthony is getting a little older, he wanted to try carving.  This year I picked up a little carving kit that came with a book of templates and off we went!

Anthony choose a “two pumpkin” difficulty level of a Witch and Cauldron (his is the pumpkin on the right).  It was a lot of work for him, but I am so proud that he cleaned and carved that pumpkin all by himself (dad had to help at the very end because his little hand was hurting).  Even I got in on the fun and carved the boys their choice of “bat-cat.”

If you haven’t done so yet, this weekend is prime time for carving those pumpkins with the kids! It’s a Halloween tradition and Zippo has assembled some easy-to-follow tips so that you’ll be able to hit the ground running.

Things You’ll Need:

  • Pumpkin (keep in mind the smaller the pumpkin, the smaller your design needs to be)
  • Newspaper (keeps the clean-up to a minimum!)
  • Marker
  • Stencils (if you really want to get creative, search online for some cool stencils)
  • Sharp knife/ spoon (tools of the pumpkin carving trade)
  • Small tea-light candle (light up your design so your neighbors can see your creation!)
  • Zippo Flex Neck with a flexible nozzle, you don’t have to worry about burning your fingers when you bring your carving to life!

 

Instructions:

  • Place a pumpkin flat on its bottom, on a flat surface (so the stem is at the top)
  • Draw a circle around the stem with a marker – make sure the circle is large enough so that you can fit your hand through it!
  • Cut around the outline with a long, sharp knife
  • Lift the newly made lid and remove the flesh of the pumpkin with a spoon – if you’re a fan of pumpkin seeds, you can roast them later on for a healthy snack!
  • Rinse the interior, clearing out the remaining flesh, and tip away the waste
  • Draw your design on the front of the pumpkin with a marker or draw around an already-made stencil – have your kids sketch out their designs on a scrap piece of paper and ensure they’re happy with it before they transpose it on the pumpkin!
  • Insert the tip of your knife into the lines drawn and begin carving your design
  • Once your masterpiece is complete, place the small tea-light candle inside the pumpkin
  • Save your fingers from any unnecessary burns by lighting it with a Zippo Fleck Neck. The long, slim, adjustable nozzle will fit right in between the carvings so that you don’t have to remove the candle to light it. Your fingers will thank you, trust us!

Have you carved your pumpkins yet?  What are your tips for making it a fun and safe tradition?

Filed Under: Holidays, Product Reviews Tagged With: ,
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{Giveaway} The BEST Holiday Gift is WINE!(CLOSED)

October 14, 2011 By

Gosh, I haven’t done a wine review post in a while now, have I?  I’ve picked up a few bottles here and there but just haven’t gotten my reviews to you.  I’m a bad wino.  But, today, I have something worth sharing and it’s VERY exciting!

I am being given the chance to experience a three month membership from the California Wine Club!

 

Premier Membership

Each wine club shipment includes two bottles of award-winning wine and our detailed and beautiful 12-page, full color publication, Uncorked. Uncorked offers an up-close and personal look at the family behind the wines plus tasting notes, recipes, wine luminary interviews, games and so much more.

Let’s face it, having kids can be stressful.  Some days I really look forward to having a glass (or three) of wine after the kids go to bed so that I can unwind and just enjoy the silence.  But, I really do not know that much about wine.  I only know I like to drink it!

The California Wine Club helps to take the guess work out of buying wine.  Instead of standing and staring and hundreds of bottles, the experts at California Wine Club pick your wine for you.  They work directly with the wineries ensuring that you get a quality bottle of wine…not close out or discounted left overs.

And you can buy this gift of wine for the ones you love!  (or me…)

I can’t tell you how excited I was when my wine came this month.  It was like Christmas!  I am quite embarrassed to admit that I drank down my bottle of Perry Creek El Dorado Chardonnay in one sitting.  *blush*  I’ve always claimed to not even like white wine, but this Chardonnay was so delicious that it was gone and put in the recycle bin before I could even get a picture of it!

The bottle of Perry Creek “Zinman” Zinfandel lasted a bit longer since it wasn’t quite as sweet as I had hoped.  It seems I am learning that I actually LIKE quality white wines but prefer the “cheap” red’s.  Go figure.

Did you know that Zinfandel’s are red?  I had no idea since I had only ever seen white zinfandel (which is pink).

Being a member of the California Wine Club is educational!

I love the Zinman bottle, it is really fun.

Being a member of the California Wine Club is really fun.  I look forward to what is coming next.  I love reading Uncorked and expanding my knowledge of wines and food pairings.

 

There’s an App for That!

The California Wine Club has a new wine pairing iPhone app that looks really cool.  It’s currently FREE (won’t be forever) that helps you find wine pairings for your food.  I will be downloading it this week and I’ll let you know how I like it!

California Wine Club Promo Code!

The Premier Club membership price is $36.45 (plus shipping, taxes) but by using the Promo Code 23monkeys you can get 10% off!  In addition, if you sign up for the Premier Club membership and use this promo code the California Wine Club will give you an extra bottle of wine…(on your 1st shipment) for free!  (Cancel anytime, no obligation to stay past the first month)

In addition to having a very cool discount and special gift for signing up, I am giving away a ONE MONTH PREMIER MEMBERSHIP to the California Wine Club!

First Mandatory Entry

Leave me a comment letting me know what your favorite wine is!  Two bottles a month is super nice, but I drink more than that and am always looking for recommendations.

Extra Entries (to be completed after the mandatory entry above)

  • “Like” the California Wine Club on Facebook and tell them that OhRheally sent you! (1 entry)
  • Follow the California Wine Club on Twitter  (1 entry)
  • Tweet the contest @OhRheally and earn one extra entry per tweet.  You can tweet as often as you like for unlimited entries.  You must link back in a comment showing me each tweet.  Please do not SPAM your followers, must have at least 50 followers to count.
  • Subscribe to OhRheally with email updates or RSS for two entries.   Leave two comments letting me know you subscribed.
  •  Become a Facebook Fan of OhRheally and receive one extra entry.  Don’t forget the comment.
  • Leave me a comment on any non-giveaway post and receive an extra entry.  Just leave me a comment on the contest letting me know what the name of the other post you commented on is.  Extra comments must be relevant to the post.  Unlimited extra entries.
  • Complete List of Rules

Giveaway open to residents of the US minimum age of 21, except UTAH (sorry Utah).  Giveaway will end October 28, 2011 at 10pm PST.  Winner will be chosen at random and notified by email.

WINNER!

Congratulations Donna K, your comment was chosen as the winner of this contest. 

 

Filed Under: Giveaways, Product Reviews, Wine Reviews Tagged With: ,
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