29
Jul, 2012

My daughter, Aubrey is 5 yrs old and is a great mix of girly and goofy. She loves sports, but is definitely a girly girl. She prefers dresses, loves stickers and glitter and has pink handlebar streamers on both her Razor scooter and her bicycle. It should come as no surprise that she LOVES My Little Pony. Anything to do with ponies and horses is right up her ally, but My Little Pony is pastel colored, singing ponies who are really into fashion and fun which is pretty much her dream come true.

The My Little Pony – Friendship Is Magic: Royal Pony Wedding, 5 episode DVD is coming to DVD on August 7 and we were lucky to get a review copy! Aubrey has been watching it over and over and here’s her review:

“I LOVE IT!!”

It really is a well done series, currently airing on The HUB TV Network and we also stream it on Netflix. Magical, sweet little ponies with a wide variety of personalities and styles teach lessons in patience, kindness, honestly and integrity through hilarious story lines and super catchy tunes. I have a degree in music education and I have to admit I’m consistently impressed with the music on this series. It’s the quality of a good Broadway musical most of the time. OK, OK, I admit, I actually kind of like watching it too. But it is wildly popular with young kids and I won’t even get into the whole “Bronies” phenomenon. Google it. Oh wait. I already did it for you.

This DVD contains 5 episodes from the last season:

A Canterlot Wedding, Part 1 (yes, one of the ponies gets married to another pony, duh)
A Canterlot Wedding, Part 2
Hearts And Hooves Day
Sweet & Elite
The Best Night Ever

And bonus features of 2 sing-alongs and coloring sheets. Aubrey loves these wedding episodes SO much she reenacts them with different toys and even like to pretend we are the good and bad ponies on our bicycles in the driveway. Somehow, I always end up being “Nightmare Moon” (or as Aubrey usually calls her, “Mare Night Moon”). She’s the baaaaaad, evil pony!

Look for it in stores August 7 or pre-order on Amazon.com now! Priced at $14.97

*I was not compensated for this post, but was provided with a DVD to facilitate the review.

1 Comment - Leave a Comment »

Tags: A Canterlot Wedding • Amy Anderson • Aubrey Anderson-Emmons • DVD review • Friendship Is Magic • Hasbro • MY Little Pony • Shout! Factory • The Hun TV Network

03
Dec, 2011

The awesome folks over at EA Games, the premiere name in video games, sent over some goodies a couple weeks ago and I’m finally getting around to trying some of them out.

They have some really fun family friendly games that would make great holiday gifts and several are apps so there’s no postage involved!

First off, they sent us some console games and we don’t have a gaming console, BUT the very kind and generous Nolan Gould (he plays Aubrey’s tv cousin, “Luke Dunphy” on Modern Family) has an extra Wii and is giving it to us. Aubrey will be SO SURPRISED AND EXCITED!! And I’m excited because I’ll have some new activities to keep the energetic Aubs busy and physically active indoors during these dark, blustery winter weeks. Yes, we do get coolish, windy weather here in SoCal.

First for gaming consoles or PC I’ll give you a quick list and links so you can check them out. I haven’t played these (remember, no console) but they look really fun:

The Sims 3 Pets – available for Xbox360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS, PC/Mac
Be a pet or have a pet – it’s up to you.
ESRB Rating: “T” for Teen

FAMILY GAME NIGHT 4: The Game Show – available for Xbox360 (with Kinect functionality), PlayStation 3 (with Move functionality), Nintendo Wii
Experience re-imagined versions of your favorite Hasbro family games – CONNECT 4 Basketball, YAHTZEE! Bowling and SCRABBLE Flash to name a few.
ESRB Rating: “E” for Everyone

MONOPOLY Collection – available for Nintendo Wii
Hasbro’s No 1 family game is packaged in this two games in one value priced collection. Play Classic Monopoly or Monopoly Streets. You can also check out EA Games’ Monopoly versions on Facebook, iPhone, Android and Pogo.com.
ESRB Rating: “E” for Everyone

TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Bet You Know It – available for Nintendo Wii
Two different game modes to choose from with more than 7000 questions based on current event, pop culture and more. Also check out EA Games’ TRIVIAL PURSUIT games on Pogo.com and iPhone, iPad and Android apps.
ESRB Rating: “E” for Everyone

And now for the app games! We tried 5 of these apps so far and we’re hooked:

The Moogies – iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch
Targeted for children 2-5, this isn’t really a game so much as it is a silly activity for kids. A crazy cast of animal characters that do stuff that kids will get a kick out of. Aubrey is ADDICTED! It keeps her happy in the car and at restaurants and really, isn’t that 98% of the reason for having an iItem when you have a kid? Worth every cent. Enough said.

Rope Rescue – iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch
Help Rupert the parrot save baby birds in cages by connecting ropes through a series of pulleys and obstacles. This is one of those games that your preschooler will somehow be better at than you. Aubrey loves the birds!

Roll In The Hole – iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch
Guide Popo the panda through physics based puzzles to collect popsicles on his way to the portal into the next world! This game is a little to hard for Aubrey – she is 4 yrs old – as it does take motor skill precision and quick reflexes – but my boyfriend and I had a lot of fun with it. It is challenging AND adorable. (Tip: Great drinking game at a bar. Somehow seems to get more and more challenging the more you drink.)

Tetris – iPhone, iPod Touch, Android
The classic addictive game with new modes and official Tetris Rank and Tetris Club… in case you’re competitive like that.

Bop It – iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch
As annoyingly wonderful as it’s tangible counterpart, but not as easy to trip on in the dark. This is stupidly addictive and ALSO makes a great drinking game! No joke. I don’t know why they don’t market it as such. Invite some friends over, mix up the martinis and Bop It.

Some other fun family apps you may want to check out are Theme Park, Road Trippin’ and Fantasy Safari. I haven’t had a chance to check these out yet, but anything by EA Games is sure to be high quality and plenty of bang for your buck. I love theme parks, so I think I will check that one out next.

I hope you got some holiday shopping ideas for the game lovers in your life – or at least a new cocktail party theme.

You have 22 days left until Christmas and if you’re Jewish, better get crackin’. Happy Holidays and THANK YOU EA GAMES!!

1 Comment - Leave a Comment »

Tags: Amy Anderson • Aubrey Anderson-Emmons • Chillingo • EA Games • EA Interactive • gaming • Hasbro • holiday gift guide • The Sims • video games