<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Wistful Wrists &#187; reviews</title>
	<atom:link href="http://wistfulwrists.com/category/reviews/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://wistfulwrists.com</link>
	<description></description>
	<lastBuildDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:34:21 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1</generator>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
			<item>
		<title>Review: Wii Jumpstart Get Moving</title>
		<link>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/07/review-wii-jumpstart-get-moving/</link>
		<comments>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/07/review-wii-jumpstart-get-moving/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:44:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>wistfulwrists</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Tech Fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Things I Like]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gadgets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Three I Like Thursday]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wistfulwrists.com/?p=912</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you follow me on Twitter, you might have gotten a clue that our family is making some bold steps toward a healthier lifestyle. One of the newest tools for our kids is the new Jumpstart Wii game, Get Moving &#8211; Family Fitness.

I was thrilled when asked by Jumpstart to review this item. We like [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you follow me on Twitter, you might have gotten a clue that our family is making some bold steps toward a healthier lifestyle. One of the newest tools for our kids is the new <a href="http://www.jumpstart.com/wii/get-moving.aspx" target="_blank">Jumpstart Wii game, Get Moving &#8211; Family Fitness</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s988.photobucket.com/albums/af7/Kadventure/Jumpstart%20Get%20Moving-%20Family%20Fitness/?action=view&amp;current=box.png" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af7/Kadventure/Jumpstart%20Get%20Moving-%20Family%20Fitness/box.png" border="0" alt="the box" /></a></p>
<p>I was thrilled when asked by Jumpstart to review this item. We like the Jumpstart Wii games and online world. Our Wii titles generally consist of Mario titles, which, let&#8217;s be honest, despite the Wii platform are still rather sedentary.</p>
<p>The game arrived at our house on a day my kids had a planned sleepover. I let them pack up the game to share with their friends. To my disappointment, their first reactions were less than ideal. The said repeatedly &#8220;It&#8217;s too hard!&#8221; It took weeks of badgering and finally a bribe to get them to play the game again, with me.</p>
<p>As with all Jumpstart titles, all the kids love creating their own &#8220;Jumpeez&#8221;, the Jumpstart version of the Mii or avatar on Wii. My children always choose the exotic options like blue or purple skin and pink hair. We started off easy the second time around with running games.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s988.photobucket.com/albums/af7/Kadventure/Jumpstart%20Get%20Moving-%20Family%20Fitness/?action=view&amp;current=screen23-02-2010_11-46-00.png" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af7/Kadventure/Jumpstart%20Get%20Moving-%20Family%20Fitness/screen23-02-2010_11-46-00.png" border="0" alt="Football Running" width="491" height="369" /></a></p>
<p>As we took turns through the games (Get Moving is a 2 player game), we did find a few with challenging movements in some of the activities. Basketball was one in particular that was tricky for my younger children. As I do, I used this as a teaching moment for my children. They have seen me doing my DVD workouts, and I pointed out that exercise isn&#8217;t always easy, but it&#8217;s worth it. This encouraged them and they tried until they were successful on most of the games.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s988.photobucket.com/albums/af7/Kadventure/Jumpstart%20Get%20Moving-%20Family%20Fitness/?action=view&amp;current=screen23-02-2010_16-21-10.png" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af7/Kadventure/Jumpstart%20Get%20Moving-%20Family%20Fitness/screen23-02-2010_16-21-10.png" border="0" alt="Basketball 3-point Shooting" width="491" height="369" /></a></p>
<p>The kids loved choosing the arena they play in. There are 11 different arenas to choose from and a random setting as well. At the beginning of each of the 15 sports challenges, Brooke Burke demonstrates how to use the Wii-mote and nunchuck to complete the task. As with most Wii games, this is a good instruction; but height, placement of Wii receiver, lighting and other factors can affect response times. This is why I believe, my children had much difficulty the first time around. We&#8217;ve figured out the quirks to playing Wii in our house and how to get optimum response.</p>
<p>Our kids now love to play Jumpstart Get Moving: Family Fitness, and love to tote it along to friends&#8217; houses as one of their favorite games to share. Our favorite mode of play is using the routines, both the preset and by creating our own with our favorite challenges.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s the list:</p>
<p>Pros:<br />
* Variety of sports: 15 challenges, ranging from easy (running) to challenging (volleyball, basketball, etc.)<br />
* Demonstration of movements before each challenge<br />
* 11 arenas to play in to keep interest<br />
* Countless customization options for your Jumpeez.<br />
* Well timed games, long enough for some good cardio exercise, not too long for kids to give up.<br />
* Children truly get exercise, mine worked up a sweat in just one running game.<br />
* Easy menu navigation for early readers.<br />
* Realistic sports moves for challenges.<br />
* Difficulty settings: Easy, Medium and Hard<br />
* MSRP $29.99 is a great price for a just released Wii game<br />
* Compatible with Wii Fit Board, but not required (we don&#8217;t have one)</p>
<p>Cons:<br />
* 2 player game at best (we have a family of 4, we take turns)<br />
* Some moves can be challenging, require parents help and encouragement<br />
* Graphics aren&#8217;t quite as smooth as other games.</p>
<p>Our family was very pleased with Jumpstart Get Moving: Family Fitness and are glad to have it as a piece of our family&#8217;s new journey to a healthier lifestyle. It&#8217;s great for our kids, and will continue to grow with them for quite some time.</p>
<h5 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; display: block; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><em><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-404" title="disclosurepolicybadgesm" src="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/disclosurepolicybadgesm.jpg" alt="disclosurepolicybadgesm" width="88" height="31" /> I received a complimentary copy of this video game to play and review courtesy of JumpStart. These are my personal opinions, no other compensation was received for this post.</em><em><br />
<strong><em>For more information please see my </em><em><a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #51555c; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://wistfulwrists.com/disclosure-policy/">Disclosure Policy.</a></em></strong></em></h5>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/07/review-wii-jumpstart-get-moving/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Three I Like Thursday: Get Healthy</title>
		<link>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/07/three-i-like-thursday-get-healthy/</link>
		<comments>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/07/three-i-like-thursday-get-healthy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:40:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>wistfulwrists</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Inspiration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tech Fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Things I Like]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[deals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[real life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gadgets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iPhone Posts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tech talk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Three I Like Thursday]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wistfulwrists.com/?p=920</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For this week&#8217;s edition of Three I Like, it&#8217;s all about getting healthy. Today I&#8217;m featuring tools my family has been using over the last few weeks to help us better ourselves.
First up:  Sparkpeople.com and the Sparkpeople iPhone App
Sparkpeople is a free website to help you organize, collect and learn all you need to know [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>For this week&#8217;s edition of Three I Like, it&#8217;s all about getting healthy. Today I&#8217;m featuring tools my family has been using over the last few weeks to help us better ourselves.</p>
<p>First up:  <a href="http://sparkpeople.com" target="_blank">Sparkpeople.com</a> and the <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/diet-food-tracker/id305430463?mt=8">Sparkpeople iPhone App</a></p>
<p>Sparkpeople is a free website to help you organize, collect and learn all you need to know about getting healthier. There are tons of forums on just about every topic, whether you are looking to lose weight, want to know about a particular exercise program or are adjusting your diet per doctor&#8217;s orders. It&#8217;s a bit overwhelming at first, lots of boxes and widgets, but it&#8217;s well worth the time exploring to find exactly what it is you need.</p>
<p>I use it for the food and exercise counters. I find it very helpful to keep account of what calories I&#8217;ve taken in and how many I&#8217;ve burned. I also have a few doctor&#8217;s recommendations on particular vitamins and nutrients (like calcium and fiber) that I can track with their tools.</p>
<p><a href="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IMG_0739.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-927" title="IMG_0739" src="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IMG_0739.png" alt="" width="320" height="480" /></a></p>
<p>Most importantly for me is that I can track my food on the go. Being able to look up nutrition information from their vast database and other user&#8217;s input really helps me to think twice about what I&#8217;m about to put into my mouth next. That may not be your issue, but it&#8217;s really helped me learn how to make some better food choices and plan my food intake for a whole day, not just grabbing and eating everything in sight.</p>
<p>Number two on my list today is Jillian Michael&#8217;s 30 Day Shred workout video:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewTVSeason?id=340326724&amp;s=143441"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-922" title="51QlqI3yaOL._SL500_AA300_" src="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/51QlqI3yaOL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>For a busy mom, this workout is ideal. It requires the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jillian-Michaels-30-Day-Shred/dp/B00127RAJY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=dvd&amp;qid=1279741845&amp;sr=8-1">DVD</a> or <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewTVSeason?id=340326724&amp;s=143441" target="_blank">downloadable video</a>, a set of hand weights, and space. A mat is only necessary if your space is a hard floor. The entire workout lasts about 20 minutes, including warm up and stretching at the end.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s considered circuit training. You complete three six-minute circuits. Each circuit consists of three minutes of strength training, two minutes of cardio, and one minute of ab workout. Sounds easy, right?</p>
<p>Wrong. It will kick your butt. First day I tried it, I could only get through one six minute circuit without feeling like I would die. Granted, I realized quickly I was dehydrated (don&#8217;t exercise on one cup of coffee) and was coming down from a weekend long sugar binge (really bad idea). I wasn&#8217;t going to give up, and I tried again the next day, well hydrated and made it through the whole workout. I was winded and beet-red at the end, but I did it!</p>
<p>I&#8217;m already seeing amazing results, my stamina improves every day and I&#8217;m beginning to feel definition in some of my muscles. It&#8217;s only been six workouts so far. I did have two days without working out while on my road trip, but I think I&#8217;ll be downloading the <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewTVSeason?id=340326724&amp;s=143441">videos from iTunes</a> before <a href="http://www.blogher.com/blogher-10">BlogHer</a> so I don&#8217;t miss a beat.</p>
<p>Stay tuned later today for my third item for the kids: <a href="http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/07/review-wii-jumpstart-get-moving/">Jumpstart&#8217;s latest Wii game, Get Moving- Family Fitness</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/07/three-i-like-thursday-get-healthy/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Get Your Crafty Back</title>
		<link>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/02/get-your-crafty-back/</link>
		<comments>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/02/get-your-crafty-back/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:34:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>wistfulwrists</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Inspiration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kid Crafts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[craft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[embroidery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[craft challenge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gift]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Handmade Holidays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wistfulwrists.com/?p=708</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I finally did it, I finally signed up for Christy Nelson&#8217;s Craft Challenge. If you are unfamiliar with this, Christy sells a kit on Etsy each month that you can purchase for $5 (plus S&#38;H) to allow you entry into the craft challenge on her website. You never know what the supplies inside will be [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I finally did it, I finally signed up for <a href="http://www.christynelson.net/">Christy Nelson</a>&#8217;s Craft Challenge. If you are unfamiliar with this, Christy sells a kit on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/christynelson">Etsy</a> each month that you can purchase for $5 (plus S&amp;H) to allow you entry into the craft challenge on her website. You never know what the supplies inside will be until the packet arrives. My packet arrived in the midst of my medical testing. Mr. T had no clue what it was, so it sat unopened on my dining room table for two days!</p>
<p>This month&#8217;s packet included some lovely handmade papers, tags &amp; paper ribbons, googly eyes, tan embroidery floss and brass buttons. My first thought was &#8220;CRAP! I&#8217;m not a paper crafter! What am I going to do with this?&#8221; Thankfully the fine print says you only have to use some of each material and although it must be one craft, creative packaging can count. Ah Hah! My loophole! I did some quick internet searching, found a project I liked, requested the book from the library and waited. Waited for the book to arrive, waited for Mr. T to depart so I could have some quality crafting time alone, and waited for divine inspiration on how to use the paper.</p>
<p>When I finally sat down to work on my project Sunday evening&#8230; Don&#8217;t judge me, I know I procrastinate! Well, let&#8217;s just say my initial project fell through. As did the next variation. Frustrated at how to use  both a whimsical googly eye and a stately brass button on the same project without coming off with something destined for <a href="http://craftfail.com/">Craft Fail</a>, I turned to the internet. Did you know there is a hilarious blog all about <a href="http://googlyeyewatch.blogspot.com/">googly eyes</a>? After scouring the internet, I finally had an idea.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/DSCF6418.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-709" title="DSCF6418" src="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/DSCF6418-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="491" height="369" /></a></p>
<p>Armed with a base set of instructions from <a href="http://weefolkart.com/content/tea-wallet-little-birdie-0">Wee Folk Art</a>, I set off to make a cute little felt business card holder. After all, I did just buy my ticket to attend my first <a href="http://www.blogher.com/blogher_conference/conf">BlogHer conference</a>, so it&#8217;s only logical I&#8217;d need something crafty to display my business cards. But as I was cutting felt, the project evolved one last time. Last December, while working the intense holiday production at church, a wonderful woman with fiery red hair and an awesome spirit to match, blessed me with a Starbucks gift card in this adorable little holder:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<p style="text-align: center;">
<p style="text-align: center;">
<p style="text-align: center;">
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/DSCF6463.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-710" title="DSCF6463" src="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/DSCF6463-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="491" height="369" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">
<p style="text-align: left;">I love to give handmade gifts, but you know there are those recipients who aren&#8217;t truly *ahem* appreciative (or *cough, cough* worthy) of the time and care that goes into such a gift. This seemed like the perfect way to blend crafty with practical!</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">By the time I finished, I had decreased the original pattern by 70%, changed from two pockets to a single pocket for a gift card, and had enlarged the bird so that it would be closer to scale with the smallest googly eye from the package. I used the most minimal amount of paper possible to be the &#8220;card&#8221; that accompanied the gift card for the recipient. This was my end result:</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">
<p style="text-align: left;">
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ww_febcraftchal_outer.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-712" title="ww_febcraftchal_outer" src="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ww_febcraftchal_outer.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Made of el cheapo acrylic felt (because it&#8217;s what I had), I&#8217;m thrilled with the results. Family and friends be warned: if you receive a gift card from me in the next year, you now know how it will be packaged! The photo doesn&#8217;t show the deep violet color of the main felt well, but in real life, it&#8217;s snazzy!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ww_febcraftchal_inside.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-725" title="ww_febcraftchal_inside" src="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ww_febcraftchal_inside.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Once I had decided what I was doing, this was a quick and easy project. It took 2 days, because I was being careful. I stitched the design in a few hours one evening, then used hot glue to adhere the eye and left it to dry overnight. I did the rest of the assembly in a few (interrupted) hours the next day.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">My felt still had the price sticker on it, I purchased it at 5 for $1. So with 3 colors used, that&#8217;s about $.60. Add 3 colors of embroidery floss and that&#8217;s another $1. Googly eyes and buttons you may have on hand, but if needed to be purchased for $1-2 per package. A cheap craft for sure, could be as little as free if you have these items left over from other projects, but not more than $5 even if you had to purchase everything! I suspect these sell for close to $5 at Starbucks each.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I truly loved working this craft challenge. I thought it would be much more difficult than it was, but the unique supplies provided just the right amount of difficulty to inspire and drive me to work a bit harder. It was a nice change of pace after having several big projects that took a lot of time and didn&#8217;t allow for as much creativity. Definitely helped me to bring my crafty mojo back.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Now I get to sit back and watch the voting for the next few days to see which project prevails. I hope the other entrants blog about their process as well, I would love to learn more about what appears to be a bracelet, listed as #1 for the vote. Click <a href="http://www.christynelson.net/2010/02/february-craft-challenge-voting/">here</a> to see all the entrants and cast your vote (no registration required)!</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">If you are inspired and want to join the crafty challenge, you can purchase a <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35174476">single month</a> like I did to give it a whirl, or get a discount by subscribing for <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=37993909">multiple months</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/02/get-your-crafty-back/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>No Apple iPad for this Mom!</title>
		<link>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/01/no-apple-ipad-mom/</link>
		<comments>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/01/no-apple-ipad-mom/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:08:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>wistfulwrists</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Tech Fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[what were they thinking?]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[D'oh]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gadgets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Not Me]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tech talk]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wistfulwrists.com/?p=673</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Seriously. If you are a mom blogger, you need to read this. The new Apple iPad is not for you. Sure, they make be marketing it with a catchy name that is sure to catch any woman&#8217;s eye &#60;insert sarcasm here&#62;, but I&#8217;m pretty sure this thing is really for the Kindle set, which is [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Seriously. If you are a mom blogger, you need to read this. The new Apple iPad is not for you. Sure, they make be marketing it with a catchy name that is sure to catch any woman&#8217;s eye &lt;insert sarcasm here&gt;, but I&#8217;m pretty sure this thing is really for the Kindle set, which is my politically correct way of saying the geriatric demographic. I was shocked when this <a href="http://whymomsrule.com/2010/01/27/marketing-to-moms-10-reasons-moms-will-like-the-apple-ipad/">link</a> came across my Twitter feed this morning championing the iPad. So shocked I looked for the disclosure statement, apparently they didn&#8217;t get a free one, which is the only way I might consider recommending one.</p>
<p>Personally, I can&#8217;t imagine any mom, especially a stay-at-home, run of the mill, mom blogger such as myself, following the Twitter buzz, internet hype and a post like that and investing in one. It almost makes me want to cry. So as self-proclaimed Mac enthusiast and mom blogger, let me lay out my argument against (this version of) the iPad.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-674" title="ipad_hero_20100127" src="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/ipad_hero_20100127.jpg" alt="ipad_hero_20100127" width="412" height="262" /></p>
<p>#1. It won&#8217;t multi-task. It&#8217;s not like your laptop, you can&#8217;t have 6 different softwares open at the same time. If you are like me, when on the laptop at any given time I may have a music player, Tweetdeck, an internet browser (or two) with numerous tabs each, e-mail, iPhoto and maybe even Skype all open. No, the iPad won&#8217;t do this. Yes, for the price tag, in my humble opinion, it should.</p>
<p>#2. No Flash. You know all those websites with the fancy photos on the front page? How about those games your kids play on all the network webpages? Yep, most of these are in Flash. When on the iPhone and you encounter a Flash application, a lovely blue cube with a question mark appears. Annoying yes, but can you imagine how much more annoying when the blank area takes up half of your 10 inch screen?</p>
<p>#3. Not for children. I&#8217;m not sure where people are getting this idea, but have you seen what my sons can do to a $7 paperback book? There is no way I&#8217;d hand them a $600 device to read a book or watch a movie or whatever. I think this is a completely ridiculous notion. And even if you do have older, more responsible children than I do, see note #2. Do you know how annoying it is when a child expects to see something on a webpage and it isn&#8217;t there? Yeah, that&#8217;s just a free ride to Whine City.</p>
<p>#4. No camera. Seriously? Not anywhere? Several of the design speculations about what the new tablet from Apple would look like had one on the front, so you could use iChat, Skype, etc. for video chat. Sure, it&#8217;s obviously too bulky to use as a regular camera like you would your iPhone, so it makes sense not to have one on the back. If Apple is the king of innovation, they really missed the mark here. All Mac laptops come with built in iSight cameras, so clearly Apple does not view this as a laptop competitor.</p>
<p>#5. Apps only. Not software, just apps. For instance, you&#8217;ve got a few minutes of time while waiting in the carpool lane, and you want to do some quick color correction on your photos. You&#8217;d have to have an app for that. So that thousand dollar suite of Adobe software you have at home, nope, can&#8217;t install it on the iPad. You&#8217;ll have to buy a new app, that&#8217;s likely far less useful to fix those great photos of the kids for your Christmas card. Sure, I expect the App store to explode with new versions of things with the new iPad capabilities, but it&#8217;s still just a glorified iPhone, not a real laptop.</p>
<p>#6. Hard drive size. Yep, they only go up to 64 gigs. If it&#8217;s bigger than an iPhone, more useful than an iPhone, why didn&#8217;t Apple give us more room to store things on it? If I really expected to replace my 2 yr old 160 gig Macbook Pro with this new cutting edge technology that is going to revolutionize how I view computers, it&#8217;s going to have more space. Again, the design shows that it&#8217;s clear that Apple is not intending this to replace your computer, it&#8217;s really just competing with the Kindle.</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t believe me? Check out this article from someone who knows more than I do and has actually seen an iPad: <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5458382/8-things-that-suck-about-the-ipad?skyline=true&amp;s=i">Gizmodo: 8 Things That Suck About the iPad</a></p>
<p>I&#8217;m really quite disappointed by Apple. It&#8217;s almost as if Apple set me up on a blind date and the iPad was waiting at the table for me. Sure, it&#8217;s quite the looker, but as dinner wore on, I grew weary of the shallow conversation. Clearly the iPad is all beauty and no brains. Apple, you told me you knew what I wanted in a partner; how great you were at pushing boundaries; how you&#8217;d revolutionize how we read, write and interact. I just can&#8217;t trust you to pick another blind date for me again.</p>
<p>All in all, I think I may ask my hubby to build me a <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5156903/how-to-hackintosh-a-dell-mini-9-into-the-ultimate-os-x-netbook">hackintosh</a>. So if I ever get to attend one of those cool blogging conferences, I&#8217;ll be the chick in the corner with a netbook with an Apple sticker on the lid.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/01/no-apple-ipad-mom/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Three I Like Thursday</title>
		<link>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/01/three-i-like-thursday/</link>
		<comments>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/01/three-i-like-thursday/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:55:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>wistfulwrists</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Making It Home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Things I Like]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[deals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gadgets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[real life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Three I Like Thursday]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wistfulwrists.com/?p=656</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One of my favorite parts of blogging and the blogging community is learning about new things and reading how people actually feel about them. So here&#8217;s a new (occasional) feature &#8220;Three I Like Thursday&#8221;. Why like? Well, I could say I love, but I&#8217;ve found myself using extreme adjectives far too much and I&#8217;m trying [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>One of my favorite parts of blogging and the blogging community is learning about new things and reading how people actually feel about them. So here&#8217;s a new (occasional) feature &#8220;Three I Like Thursday&#8221;. Why like? Well, I could say I love, but I&#8217;ve found myself using extreme adjectives far too much and I&#8217;m trying to scale back and be real about my feelings so that when I say &#8220;love&#8221; it has real meaning. I certainly do not put these items on equal status as my family, which I truly do LOVE. Why only three? KNOCK, KNOCK. Hello, read this blog much? Mom of 4, no time for top ten lists here. Three is much more reasonable. Now that the set-up is finished, on to the items.</p>
<h2><strong>1. <a href="http://www.eyeslipsface.com/eyes/eyeliner/liquid_eyeliner_">e.l.f. Liquid Eyeliner</a></strong></h2>
<p><a href="http://www.eyeslipsface.com/eyes/eyeliner/liquid_eyeliner_"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://www.eyeslipsface.com/gallery_big/10393.jpg" alt="" width="265" height="420" /></a></p>
<p>I&#8217;m not a huge makeup person, but I do wear it when I go out. I like to look my best, especially for the rare date night. I picked this up from an endcap at Target in late November for just $1. I&#8217;m not normally an eyeliner person, haven&#8217;t used liquid since my college days in my stage makeup class. I knew I was going to be in the show, and just in case I lost it or had to share with a random teenager I didn&#8217;t want to spend a lot. I&#8217;m a little picky when it comes to eye issues, and as a contact wearer, don&#8217;t want to risk any germs. For a buck, I could always toss it and replace it if necessary. The surprise was, I really liked it. And I&#8217;ve continued to wear it on days I wear full makeup. It&#8217;s a quick lift and definitely something everyone should try if they haven&#8217;t already. The price is great too! They only had black at my Target store, but on the e.l.f. website there are lots of other colors to choose from. Don&#8217;t believe me? Sarah over at <a href="http://www.reallifeblog.net/look-great-make-up-for-less/">Real Life Blog</a> also used this item for a stage performance and shares my sentiments about it.</p>
<h2><strong>2. <a href="http://www.eyeslipsface.com/eyes/mascara/regular_&amp;_waterproof_mascara_duo">e.l.f. Regular and Waterproof Mascara Duo</a></strong></h2>
<p><a href="http://www.eyeslipsface.com/eyes/mascara/regular_&amp;_waterproof_mascara_duo"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://www.eyeslipsface.com/gallery_big/1401.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="500" /></a>Same Target trip, same reasoning. I picked up this little duo for the show as well. I know some beauty experts may disagree, but because I&#8217;m so cautious about my eyes I buy the cheapest mascara I can find and replace it every 4-6 weeks. I like that this duo has both because there are certain *ahem* weeks that I need waterproof, but I don&#8217;t like how difficult it can be to remove. Other days regular mascara will do just fine. This affords me the choice without having to dig around the drawer to find the right one or try to remember which formula I bought when and which needs replacing. Again, I only found black in store, but brown is available <a href="http://www.eyeslipsface.com/eyes/mascara/regular_&amp;_waterproof_mascara_duo">online</a>.</p>
<h2>3. <a href="http://www.blackanddeckerappliances.com/p-33-burr-mill-coffee-grinder.aspx">Black &amp; Decker Burr Mill Coffee Grinder</a></h2>
<p><a href="http://www.blackanddeckerappliances.com/p-33-burr-mill-coffee-grinder.aspx"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://www.blackanddeckerappliances.com/images/Product/large/CBM220.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="500" /></a></p>
<p>I&#8217;m a French press girl. A few years ago when I wanted to switch from my <a href="http://www.tassimo.com">Tassimo</a> system (great convenience) to French press (better taste), I did a lot of research. I read that buying whole beans and grinding them with a burr grinders was the way to go, but most grinders were too expensive in my opinion for a trial. I found a Black &amp; Decker model for less than $30 and eventually gave away my Tassimo. Because my model is older, it is no longer available, but I&#8217;m so glad B&amp;D has continued to provide an affordable burr grinder. The one pictured is the newer model, but based on what I&#8217;ve read it&#8217;s the same, just with a sleeker, more modern stainless look than mine. Yes, it&#8217;s loud. My overly dramatic kids like to cringe whenever I start it, but that is the way of the burr grinder. Yes, it requires maintenance. I clean it every time I refill the hopper &amp; the cleaning takes a time investment of about 10 minutes if you do it well. I&#8217;m so pleased with the taste difference, and that it won&#8217;t heat up my beans like an electric grinder that chops the beans, so it&#8217;s well worth the noise and effort. If you are considering grinding your own beans at home to French press, this is a great starter model. Some day when I wear this one out, I&#8217;m going to ask for a fancy burr grinder, but this one has lasted me nearly 2 years and doesn&#8217;t show any signs of stopping.</p>
<p>I&#8217;d like to hear your opinions on any of these products if you&#8217;ve tried them. Share with me in the comments.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/01/three-i-like-thursday/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>11th Hour Sweater: Vanna&#8217;s Choice Baby review</title>
		<link>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/01/11th-hour-sweater/</link>
		<comments>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/01/11th-hour-sweater/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:11:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>wistfulwrists</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[craft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[knit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[what were they thinking?]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gift]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Handmade Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[motherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yarn reviews]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wistfulwrists.com/?p=649</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[My baby sister is expecting. When I first found out (in November), I thought I&#8217;d have enough time to knit up a quick little thing to wrap and have under the tree for the newest member of the family, even though the child, known now as B.O.B. (Baby On Board) won&#8217;t arrive until summer. I [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>My baby sister is expecting. When I first found out (in November), I thought I&#8217;d have enough time to knit up a quick little thing to wrap and have under the tree for the newest member of the family, even though the child, known now as B.O.B. (Baby On Board) won&#8217;t arrive until summer. I might have been a bit off on my calculations.</p>
<p>I was seaming this beauty together on Christmas Eve. Yes, I am the queen of procrastination. I finished all the details and wrapped it somewhere after 11 p.m., resulting in a single, terrible lighting, iPhone photo. I was too caught up in the family festivities the next day to snag it back for a better, natural light photo. This just doesn&#8217;t do it justice:</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-650" title="IMG_0333" src="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/IMG_0333-300x180.jpg" alt="IMG_0333" width="300" height="180" /></p>
<p>It is the <a href="http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/60128A.html?noImages=0">Little Luxury Kimono</a> pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. It was a really quick knit and in my opinion a great first project if you are thinking about making garments or sweaters. It went quickly, was basic and gave me some practice on how a garment is put together. The down side is that if you are used to quick projects, like I am, it gets a bit boring at the end. Once you are finished knitting, you need to block, seam, maybe add some edging details, etc. Not exactly my cup of tea, but I liked learning and practicing some of these news skills. The pattern includes 5 pieces (back, front left, front right, and 2 sleeves) and the individual pieces knit up easily. This is a great evening, television project with the stockinette stitch pattern used. Easy decreases shape for the neck, so if you know knit, purl &amp; decreases, any beginner can knit this project!</p>
<p>The yarn I used was <a href="http://www.lionbrand.com/yarns/vannasChoiceBaby.html">Vanna&#8217;s Choice Baby</a> in the Sweet Pea colorway. This was my second project using the Vanna&#8217;s Choice line from Lion Brand Yarn. My first project was the <a href="http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/wistfulwrists/4237027333/in/set-72157620349145019/">Luigi Hat</a>. It took about 2 skeins to complete the project, with enough yarn left over to be comfortable (errors, details, edging, extras, etc.) I chose the green color because it is one of my sister&#8217;s favorite colors and it&#8217;s gender neutral. We are still waiting to find out if B.O.B. is a girl or boy. The Vanna&#8217;s Choice yarn is really soft and easy on your hands as you are knitting. It is one of the softest acrylic yarns I&#8217;ve tried. It is a worsted weight (weight class #4) which means it knits up pretty quickly. I believe this project was knit on size 7 or 8 needles. My only complaint about the Vanna&#8217;s Choice Baby is that the strands tend to separate a tad more easily than some other acrylics. Not too bad, but I&#8217;m just being completely honest here. The softness and the rich, almost jewel tone colors (compared to other baby yarns), and the fact you are likely using larger needles totally compensate for this issue. I loved the yarn so much on the next sale I grabbed one of each of the Vanna&#8217;s Choice Baby colors to play with and use in other projects. They are soft, yet vibrant, a nice change of pace from many chain store yarn brands.</p>
<p>It remains to be seen how well the kimono will survive in the wash and dry process necessary for newborns, but with $5 in yarn and only a few evenings worth of labor involved, it was a good trial into this sort of project. Sure, I wish I could make these for every new baby in my life, but I really don&#8217;t like seaming and blocking, at least not yet. Maybe once my children learn to feed themselves more often, or Mr. T builds that feeding trough for them, I&#8217;ll have more time and won&#8217;t mind the tedious parts as much. So for now, because of my life situation, not the pattern itself, this will remain and &#8220;family only and maybe not even them&#8221; project.</p>
<p>A quick note for all my fellow knitting and crocheting iPhone/iPod users: Lion Brand Yarn recently released (FINALLY!) an iPhone app that makes it much easier to cruise their listing of patterns while mobile. It&#8217;s an early version, has a few quirks, but it is so much better than having to use Safari to navigate the LBY website! It&#8217;s a free download too, pick it up <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lion-brand-yarn/id347873773?mt=8">here</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://wistfulwrists.com/2010/01/11th-hour-sweater/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Need Baby Gifts?</title>
		<link>http://wistfulwrists.com/2009/12/need-baby-gifts/</link>
		<comments>http://wistfulwrists.com/2009/12/need-baby-gifts/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:15:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>wistfulwrists</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Inspiration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Making It Home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[deals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gift]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hectic Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MomTV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[motherhood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wistfulwrists.com/?p=598</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I do! Someone in my family is expecting a precious package in 2010, so I was thrilled when I got the announcement about Resa Design&#8217;s 12 days of Christmas sale. The only bummer for me is that the gender of this little one has yet to be discovered. I guess that&#8217;s good for Mr. T [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I do! Someone in my family is expecting a precious package in 2010, so I was thrilled when I got the announcement about Resa Design&#8217;s <a href="https://www.resadesign.com/pages.php?pageid=15">12 days of Christmas sale</a>. The only bummer for me is that the gender of this little one has yet to be discovered. I guess that&#8217;s good for Mr. T though, or at least his pocketbook. If you know of someone expecting or with a little one, you really need to check out Resa&#8217;s beautiful baby items. I must apologize, because I&#8217;m a bad blogging friend &amp; only announcing this at the very end of the sale! At least there are a couple of days left to hop in.</p>
<p><a href="http://resadesign.com/pages.php?pageid=15"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-599" title="12Days_861" src="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12Days_861-300x112.jpg" alt="12Days_861" width="300" height="112" /></a></p>
<p>Today&#8217;s deal is especially great for stocking stuffers for the infant you know. <a href="https://www.resadesign.com/product.php?productid=16151&amp;cat=62&amp;page=1">Burp cloths</a> are $5, <a href="https://www.resadesign.com/product.php?productid=16146&amp;cat=62&amp;page=1">custom burp cloths</a> are $6.50, and I even picked up a <a href="https://www.resadesign.com/product.php?productid=16183&amp;cat=62&amp;page=1">burp cloth</a> to send to Operation Shower for $3.60! Resa is incredibly generous as she discounts any items purchased for <a href="http://www.operationshower.org/">Operation Shower</a> and ships them to the organization on your behalf for FREE!</p>
<p>Speaking of Operation Shower, I recently participated in a MomTV special show hosted by Danielle of <a href="http://www.extraordinarymommy.com/">Extraordinary Mommy</a>. Danielle highlighted Resa and many other mom-made businesses that are participating in <a href="http://www.operationshower.org/shoperation/">Holiday Shoperation</a>. It was really amazing to see what these fantastic women are doing to support military families. Catch the replay of the November 17th show <a href="http://www.momtv.com/YourCausesPlayback.html">here</a> on MomTV. Choose Menu &#8211; View Movies &#8211; Live Recording 11/17/2009 to learn more about all the shopping deals.</p>
<p>Another mom business I was introduced to during the show was <a href="http://myhandsareclean.com/about/">My Doodle Bop</a>. Kristin has created several different styles of signs to hang on your infant&#8217;s carrier to help friends and strangers think twice before touching your precious cargo. The signs sport the phrase &#8220;My hands are clean, Are yours?&#8221; The signs are only $9.95 with free shipping &amp; during the month of December, 10% of all sales benefit Operation Shower. Kristin gave out some of her signs as prizes for those chatting during the MomTV broadcast &amp; I won one. I am so impressed with the design, a bit larger than I expected, they are sure to grab everyone&#8217;s attention. They are very sturdy, I suspect they would last through many babies, so they&#8217;d be a great gift for a first time mom.</p>
<p>What is on your shopping list for those experiencing their first holiday season?</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://wistfulwrists.com/2009/12/need-baby-gifts/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Wii Video Game &#8211; Jumpstart Escape from Adventure Island</title>
		<link>http://wistfulwrists.com/2009/11/wii-video-game-jumpstart-escape-from-adventure-island/</link>
		<comments>http://wistfulwrists.com/2009/11/wii-video-game-jumpstart-escape-from-adventure-island/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:05:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>wistfulwrists</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Tech Fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gift]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[motherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tech talk]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wistfulwrists.com/?p=517</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In our home, we LOVE the Wii. The problem is, many games are not easy for all of us to play. With the Princess at 3 years old, wanting to act like a big kid, but not being as dextrous as everyone else, and a wide range of reading &#38; math skills, it&#8217;s hard to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://blog.jumpstart.com/win/escape/"><img class="alignright" src="http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss289/JumpStartEfAI/JS_EfAI_TitleSheetCover.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="491" /></a>In our home, we LOVE the Wii. The problem is, many games are not easy for all of us to play. With the Princess at 3 years old, wanting to act like a big kid, but not being as dextrous as everyone else, and a wide range of reading &amp; math skills, it&#8217;s hard to find a game that is good for all of our children to play. And to have a game that they are able to play without supervision or assistance, that&#8217;s nearly impossible to find.</p>
<p>Over the past few years, we&#8217;ve found a few titles that work pretty well for us. We&#8217;ve enjoyed <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Go-Diego-Safari-Rescue-Nintendo-Wii/dp/B0011V2HR6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;s=videogames&amp;qid=1258258574&amp;sr=8-2">Go Diego Go: Safari Rescue</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pajama-Dont-Fear-Dark-Nintendo-Wii/dp/B0017HGHFC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=videogames&amp;qid=1258258614&amp;sr=1-1">Pajama Sam in Don&#8217;t Fear the Dark</a>. But both of these left us wanting. Pajama Sam had the educational value we liked and allowed for exploration within the game. Diego really used the unique motion qualities of the Wii platform, but was primarily just a 2D Mario-style video game. My newest, favorite child-friendly game is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/JumpStart-Escape-Adventure-Island-Wii-Nintendo/dp/B002SRNFX2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=videogames&amp;qid=1258258836&amp;sr=1-1">JumpStart: Escape from Adventure Island</a>.</p>
<p>We&#8217;ve been testing this great new game for a few weeks now. It has the great JumpStart characters and 3D virtual world format that many of you may have tried in the <a href="http://www.jumpstart.com/ecommerce/newmemberintroduction.aspx">online version</a>. At JumpStart, they&#8217;ve done a great job at blending the educational game format that they&#8217;ve perfected with the abilities of the Wii remote, all while keeping it accessible to even a preschooler. My sons were thrilled to recognize many of the places and games they visit online, but I appreciated that you do not have to have internet access to play the Wii version, unlike the computer version. Sure, it may not be much of a difference in your home, but if you&#8217;ve ever given a young child a turn on the computer, you know how many &#8220;oops&#8221; and wrong clicks they find. By playing on the Wii, they can explore the world much better on their own than on the computer version. Which is especially handy if you are a one computer household. No one wants Jr. messing up the computer that adults need for work, finances, and social networking.</p>
<p>Unlike Pajama Sam, which took the traditional PC game format and moved it laterally to the Wii format, Jumpstart Escape from Adventure Island actually uses the tilt features in the Wii remote in the games. On Pajama Sam, we were limited to clicking. For children used to the active format of the Wii, this gets very boring very quickly. Another benefit of the JumpStart game over Pajama Sam is that the buttons and instructions are voiced over for those emerging readers. There was a particular section of Pajama Sam we were quite disappointed to find had a lot of reading and required supervision and adult assistance. No, I don&#8217;t use the Wii as a babysitter. In our house Wii is reserved for after school, weekends and on rainy days. However, I do expect that a game can be played with assistance initially and with limited supervision or help thereafter. Momma does have to do laundry and dishes after all, I can&#8217;t sit around playing video games all day!</p>
<p>Another great feature of the JumpStart game is that there are lots of levels within the game. It will take a long time for our kids to get bored with this game. Both Pajama Sam and Diego were rather limited, and after a few weeks and several times mastering them, the kids were bored and haven&#8217;t asked to return to them.</p>
<p>My sons love making their Jumpees and houses, the navigation of the customization pages is easy for the kids and they love earning, shopping and purchasing these accessories. I really like the reward system that encourages them along the way to the main goal, escaping the island. It will be interesting to see how long it takes the kids to master this game. Both Diego and Pajama Sam were games they completed on the first day they played them.</p>
<p>There are a few items in the &#8220;cons&#8221; list for the JumpStart game I should make you aware of. First, it is a single player game. That said, the games can be replayed and because of the map format, it&#8217;s easy to create your own house rules for taking turns. Second, there are only 3 spaces for saving games. So if you have more than 3 children, this could be an issue as each child would not have their own individual game. Third, the graphics are juvenile. Sure, it&#8217;s a kids&#8217; game, but I don&#8217;t really care for the nature of the graphics. I&#8217;m not sure if it&#8217;s a lack of quality or a style choice, but I tend to expect a bit more out of a game and system designed to play on high definition televisions. All of these things are definitely outweighed by the great educational games and the way it encourages the children to move and think as they play.</p>
<p>Now for the good news: the JumpStart blog is having a <a href="http://blog.jumpstart.com/win/escape/">contest</a>! The theme of the contest is &#8220;Time to Escape!&#8221; JumpStart wants to hear how your family uses imagination to escape the everyday<br />
and turn life into an adventure! Tell them your story for a chance to win a Family Escape pack worth over $1000 including this Wii game, a Wii console, a Flip camera, JumpStart.com memberships and a SpaFinder gift certificate and more. Don&#8217;t delay, the contest ends November 16th. <a href="http://blog.jumpstart.com/win/escape/">Click over</a> to share your story now.</p>
<h5 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; display: block; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><em style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-404" title="disclosurepolicybadgesm" src="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/disclosurepolicybadgesm.jpg" alt="disclosurepolicybadgesm" width="88" height="31" /> I received a complimentary copy of this video game to play and review courtesy of JumpStart. These are my personal opinions, no other compensation was received for this post.</em><em style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><br />
<strong style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><em style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">For more information please see my </em><em style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #51555c; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://wistfulwrists.com/disclosure-policy/">Disclosure Policy.</a></em></strong></em></h5>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://wistfulwrists.com/2009/11/wii-video-game-jumpstart-escape-from-adventure-island/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Zhu Zhu Pets</title>
		<link>http://wistfulwrists.com/2009/11/zhu-zhu-pets/</link>
		<comments>http://wistfulwrists.com/2009/11/zhu-zhu-pets/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:19:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>wistfulwrists</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Tech Fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gift]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wordless Wednesday]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wistfulwrists.com/?p=507</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A nearly wordless Wednesday:

If you have any questions about Zhu Zhu Pets, feel free to ask in the comments section. I&#8217;m working on writing up my tips &#038; tricks about these hot holiday toys to post in a few days.


Disclosure: Our family received our complimentary Zhu Zhu Pets sets &#38; hamsters from MomSelect for an [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A nearly wordless Wednesday:</p>
<p><center><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="435" height="270" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fCWzl15GcrQ&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x402061&amp;color2=0x9461ca&amp;border=1" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="435" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fCWzl15GcrQ&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x402061&amp;color2=0x9461ca&amp;border=1" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></center></p>
<p>If you have any questions about Zhu Zhu Pets, feel free to ask in the comments section. I&#8217;m working on writing up my tips &#038; tricks about these hot holiday toys to post in a few days.</p>
<p></p>
<h5><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-404" title="disclosurepolicybadgesm" src="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/disclosurepolicybadgesm.jpg" alt="disclosurepolicybadgesm" width="88" height="31" /></h5>
<h5><em>Disclosure: Our family received our complimentary Zhu Zhu Pets sets &amp; hamsters from <a href="http://momselect.com/">MomSelec</a></em><em><a href="http://momselect.com/">t</a></em><em> for an in home party. We were also provided a hamster as a gift for each child attending our party. There was no expectation of or compensation for any blog content. </em><em><strong><em>For more information please see my </em><em><a href="http://wistfulwrists.com/disclosure-policy/">Disclosure Policy.</a></em></strong></em></h5>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://wistfulwrists.com/2009/11/zhu-zhu-pets/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Brandi Carlile Review &#8211; Give Up The Ghost</title>
		<link>http://wistfulwrists.com/2009/11/brandi-carlile-review-give-up-the-ghost/</link>
		<comments>http://wistfulwrists.com/2009/11/brandi-carlile-review-give-up-the-ghost/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:18:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>wistfulwrists</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Twin Mommy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music Monday]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://wistfulwrists.com/?p=431</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Have you heard of Brandi Carlile? I hadn&#8217;t, at least until a few short weeks ago. Must have been that vacation I took. You know the one, under a rock, where I spent those years as a mom of multiple toddlers. That wonderful time when life, especially trends in movies and music, passes you by. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Have you heard of <a href="www.brandicarlile.com ">Brandi Carlile</a>? I hadn&#8217;t, at least until a few short weeks ago. Must have been that vacation I took. You know the one, under a rock, where I spent those years as a mom of multiple toddlers. That wonderful time when life, especially trends in movies and music, passes you by. So although Brandi Carlile may be new to me, she is definitely not new.</p>
<p><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-434" title="BRANDI_PRESS3" src="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/BRANDI_PRESS3-200x300.jpg" alt="BRANDI_PRESS3" width="250" height="375" />In 2005, Brandi Carlile arrived on the scene with her <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=159966030&amp;s=143441">self-titled album</a>. Her sophomore album, <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=250112717&amp;s=143441">The Story</a>, debuted in 2007. Brandi Carlile&#8217;s newest release is titled <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=333372310&amp;s=143441">Give Up the Ghost</a>. I admit, I nearly passed on the opportunity to review this album. When it comes to female vocalists, I&#8217;m a bit of a snob. Sure, I&#8217;ll sing along with whatever catchy song Britney has rising up radio charts, but it&#8217;s entirely different to add a song to my iPod playlist. They hooked me with: &#8220;If you like KT Tunstall, Indigo Girls, Missy Higgins and Rachael Yamagata then you will LOVE Brandi Carlile.&#8221; Love might be a bit light for my feelings about KT&#8217;s music.</p>
<p>This music grabbed me from the earliest notes and captivated me with a unique and intoxicating blend of music. I appreciate great musicianship; the instrumentals on this album do not dissapoint. The album has fun, fast songs blended artistically with quiet, soul stirring ballads. Listening to the entire album feels much like taking a road trip with Carlile as she pours her heart out.  It&#8217;s as if she is your new friend disclosing intimate details of her past that have shaped who she is today. She is transparent in a way listeners will identify with, maintaining your attention as you journey through to the stories woven in the lyrics.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s rather difficult to pick a favorite song or two from this album, so I&#8217;ll share with you what songs I found myself humming long after the iPod stopped. <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=333372710&amp;id=333372310&amp;s=143441">Caroline</a> is a duet with Elton John, inspired by Carlile&#8217;s neice. It has a &#8220;strummy and playful beat&#8221; and I bet it won&#8217;t be long before you start singing the chorus right along with it. Carlile says that Elton John played a key a role in her evolution as an artist: “When I was 11, I started listening to country and western music and I was totally immersed in that Grand Ole Opry culture, wherein the entertainers are usually not the ones who wrote the music. But when I discovered Elton John, I realized that performers could write and perform their own songs, and I immediately went out and got a keyboard, and started writing.” She was too starstruck to tell him that when they recorded together. “I was just overwhelmed by the years, and by the influence that somebody can have on another person’s life without even knowing it.”</p>
<p><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-435" title="BrandiCarlile_GiveUpTheGhost_88697247402_F_001_600x600300dpi75qRGB" src="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/BrandiCarlile_GiveUpTheGhost_88697247402_F_001_600x600300dpi75qRGB-300x277.jpg" alt="BrandiCarlile_GiveUpTheGhost_88697247402_F_001_600x600300dpi75qRGB" width="300" height="277" />In <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=333372652&amp;id=333372310&amp;s=143441">That Year</a> Carlile remembers a friend who committed suicide while they were both teenagers.  A recent dream about her friend inspired her to write the delicate and heart-wrenching track.  Personally, I feel it&#8217;s the most powerful song on this album. So moving the song stayed with me for days after a single initial hearing. The lyrics and music blend beautifully to tell a haunting story in a beautiful, retrospective way.</p>
<p>Some of my other favorite heart-felt songs on this album are <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=333372564&amp;id=333372310&amp;s=143441">Dying Day</a> and <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=333372768&amp;id=333372310&amp;s=143441">I Will</a>.</p>
<p>I&#8217;d be remiss if I failed to share with you that Brandi&#8217;s band and fellow co-writers are twin brothers, Phil and Tim Hanseroth. I know those of you who follow me that are fellow mothers of twins will find that an interesting little fact.</p>
<p>Head over to iTunes to sample Brandi&#8217;s latest album and download a copy for yourself. You won&#8217;t be disappointed, and hopefully, you&#8217;ll be surprised beyond expectation like I was.</p>
<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-404" title="disclosurepolicybadgesm" src="http://wistfulwrists.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/disclosurepolicybadgesm.jpg" alt="disclosurepolicybadgesm" width="88" height="31" /></p>
<h5 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; display: block; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><em>Disclosure: I received a complimentary digital copy of this album to listen to and review courtesy Sony Music Service via <a href="http://one2onenetwork.com/">One2OneNetwork</a></em><em>.<br />
<strong><em>For more information please see my </em><em><a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #51555c; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://wistfulwrists.com/disclosure-policy/">Disclosure Policy.</a></em></strong></em></h5>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://wistfulwrists.com/2009/11/brandi-carlile-review-give-up-the-ghost/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
