• Monthly Archive:: February 2014

    They say that cats have nine lives, but if there’s one kitty who’s exceeded all expectations, it’s The Cat in the Hat. The famous feline is, of course, the brainchild of Dr. Seuss who would have turned 110 year old this coming Sunday (now that’s a lot of birthday candles!). In honor of his special day, PBS Kids is airing an all-new, one-hour The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That! special on Monday, March 3rd, followed by new half-hour episodes for the remainder of the week. My 5-year-old loves to start her day being entertained by the Cat’s clever antics. It doesn’t hurt that she learns a thing or two along the way. This coming week, viewers will be treated to different [&hellip

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    Did you hear the news that KISS won’t be performing during their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this spring? The band nixed the idea once they realized the original line-up wouldn’t be on stage together. If you happen to be a devoted fan who’s bummed out that you won’t get a chance to see the iconic 70s band known for its music almost as much as its make-up, then consider making them “play nice” with their latest counterparts. Uglydoll has just released its own tribute to the band with a line of plush dolls that mirror each band member. Outfitted as their alter-ego comic book characters, the Uglydoll KISS assortment includes OX Demon, Wage The Spaceman, Big Toe Starchild and Babo [&hellip

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    I never dreamed that my kindergartener would visit a spa before I did, but lo and behold, hell hath frozen over. She has since attended two beauty-themed birthday parties–all at the ripe old age of 5–and seems to have had her fill (for the time being, at least). But one take-away that never seems to get old is the experience of having her nails “done.” While she loves the glittery glow and the endless array of rainbow hues in which to adorn her digits, she admits that the stinky chemical smell is something she can live without (you and me both, kid). Because yours truly only breaks out the polish for her own twice-yearly at-home mani/pedi (if you call air-drying on the back deck a [&hellip

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    Move over, Tom and Jerry: There’s a new cat and mouse duo in town, and they’re a great team. Toopy and Binoo is an animated series for kids ages 2-6 that follows the adventures of Toopy, a tall, funny and friendly mouse, and his best friend, Binoo, a tiny, clever and lovable white cat. We got a sneak peek of these new characters who have their own TV YouTube channel and loved what we saw. This isn’t your ordinary game of cat and mouse; with a usually small creature like a mouse being so vocal and a cat being pint-sized and on the quiet, the role reversal adds to the show’s charm. My 5-year-old was quite taken with Binoo, probably because she can identify with [&hellip

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    What do you get when you cross one irritable kitty with a worn-out trade show attendee? A good laugh! Indeed, it was smiles all around at the Gund booth during this week’s Toy Fair. Even if you were feeling a bit frazzled by the hustle and bustle of the show, it only took a glimpse of this plush kitty to turn your frown upside down. Not only were standard-sized plush friends on display, but now Gund is offering personalized key chains in the likeness of everyone’s new favorite feline. While Grumpy Cat was undoubtedly the star of the Gund’s show, we couldn’t help but notice some other sweet stuffed friends. Teach Me Curious George is perfect for the kindergarten-bound kid learning to button and zipper [&hellip

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    It was a cold, but clear day in the Big Apple. With a fresh coating of snow on the ground, it was a fitting start to a trade show known for its brightness amidst the cold. We spent the day yesterday in NYC at the annual Toy Fair, checking out all the new playthings kids will be clamoring for later this year. With a comfortable pair of shoes (errr, make that snow boots), camera and trusty pad and pencil, we were ready to roll! To kick off the festivities, we attended a press conference spotlighting none other than Grammy award-winning artist Alicia Keys. (Yes, she’s as stunning in person as you might imagine, if not more). She was on hand to talk about the release [&hellip

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    Happy Valentine’s Day! There’s so much love in our house today, I can hardly stand it! And that’s just from my kids (wink, wink). Maybe some of that warmth can help melt the 14 some-odd inches of snow just outside our doors. Can you guess what we’ll be doing over winter break? (Hint: the answer isn’t shoveling…). Well, if the weather continues to remain frightful and the kiddies have had their fill of sledding, snowman-building and the like, it never hurts to hunker down and tune into a new show. Lucky for us, PBS Kids is airing an entire new week of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood starting on Monday. Dubbed “Daniel’s Big Feelings Week”, each episode will tackle a different emotion–like frustration and jealousy–and help Daniel [&hellip

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    A turtle, a rabbit and a little girl walk into a toy store…It sounds like the makings of a great joke, but seriously speaking, we’re getting pumped for the annual Toy Fair, which officially kicks off this Sunday. Some companies decided to get an early start on things, and that includes Nickelodeon. We were invited to the unveiling of their 2014 toy line-up, highlighting a handful of their top brands, including SpongeBob, Peter Rabbit, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the latest chapter in the Dora saga, Dora and Friends. Here’s what you can expect your kids to be pining for in the coming months: Everyone’s favorite sea sponge (is there any other?) was front and center at the toy preview, with more than 30 new [&hellip

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    Valentine’s Day is almost here; did you stock up on a candy and flowers yet? Sure, it’s a day to show your family how much you love them, and that doesn’t just mean heart-shaped pancakes for the kiddies. (Don’t forget how they got here in the first place!). If you want to remember your favorite guy or gal this Friday, you can bring out their inner geek with some fun novelty items brought to you by Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Comics. Give his old sweatpants a much-needed break with a pair of DC Comics Batman Men’s PJ Pants. Hip enough to wear in the man cave. Of course, you’ll eventually want to lure him away from the Xbox, and what better way to [&hellip

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    Every year for Valentine’s Day, my dad bought me a heart-shaped box of chocolates. While my candy box only held 3 or 4 candy treats, I savored each one as though it was a precious gem…and couldn’t wait for the day I would graduate to the deluxe-sized box that my mom received. We were never too big on jewelry (too flashy) or flowers (they look pretty, but don’t last very long) in our house, so candy was king. As I got older, I noticed how many girls favored charm bracelets, diamond studs other jewelry, but that just wasn’t me. To this day, aside from my engagement ring and a special sapphire pendant, I haven’t accrued any, shall we say, safety deposit box-worthy possessions. Because I [&hellip

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