I know it’s only Tuesday, but after the kids go to bed, I hope you can join me for Girl’s Night Out. Ok, so we might not really be going “out-out,” but we’ll be partying nonetheless over on Twitter!
And if you’re not already following me on Twitter, join me! I’m @jenrab.
Hosted by the fabulous Jyl Johnson Pattee of Mom it Forward, tonight’s GNO is sponsored by THE toy authority, Time to Play Magazine. So, yes, that means toy giveaways are involved—to the tune of a $300 giveaway.
(One of the giveaways is for Battle Strikers, a battling set that I reviewed last fall. Check it out!)
Saturday nights definitely aren’t like they used to be. This past Saturday, we tuned in to watch Nickelodeon’s 23rd Annual Kids’ Choice Awards. I love awards shows to begin with, so watching one with the kid made it much more fun. Even after the kid went to bed, I had to watch to see if any of my favorites took home the top kid honors.
Opening Day might be two weeks away, but this past weekend, our family enjoyed an afternoon at the ball field.
On Saturday, together with Vera from INOmommy, Alicia from Today’s Moms, NYC Single Mom and Suzanne of Mom Confessionals, our families were invited to participate in Citi Field’s Kids Day to take in some kiddie activities, as well as enjoy a behind the scenes tour of the Mets’ new stadium. The husband, who is a lifelong Mets fan, was as giddy as a school girl. The kid, well, as usual, he was filled with excitement…and all for good reason.
In line with its community outreach efforts that started last year, Citibank, the namesake and sponsor of the Mets’ new ball field, invited three hundred children from Boys and Girls Clubs of America and local YMCAs to attend the private event. Though players were in Florida for spring training, Citi Field, Citibank and the Mets staff created a “game day” atmosphere for the kids. With all the dancing, endless supply of hot dogs, hamburgers, face painting, balloons, ice cream and baseball fun, to see the pure joy on these kids’ faces throughout the day was priceless.
Children’s laughter filled the Caesar Club all afternoon, which overlooked the parking lot and where beloved Shea used to stand. Our families, along with all the invited kids enjoyed photos with Mr. Met and private tours of Citi Field. After all the tours, the kids held their own dance party to the tunes played by the Radio Disney AM 1560 New York Road Crew who were on hand.
Mets games stream from our tv beginning in April until October, which is both good and bad. Through all the injuries, disappointment and of course, sometimes stellar ball playing, we’re Mets fans through and through. The exclusive tour, (including a peek into the visitor’s clubhouse and learning tidbits like, players often spend their downtime playing Rockband and the Wii), taking photos with Mr. Met, and get this–walking onto the actual field–made for a pretty memorable day at the ballpark.
A huge thanks to Citibank, Citi Field, the Mets organization and of course, my blogging buddies for such a lovely day! Our trip to Citi Field was one of my favorite events that my boys were able to experience as well!
From movies, to tvs, and now, gaming systems, it looks like 3D is here to stay.
Nintendo announced it will release the 3DS, the successor to the DSi (above).
The internet is abuzz today over Nintendo’s announcement that it will launch the next version of its handheld Nintendo 3DS in March 2011. Nintendo said that with the 3DS, games can be enjoyed with 3D effects without the need for any special glasses. The 3DS will be compatible with games from the entire Nintendo DS series.
Little details were provided, but various sites have been annalyzing Nintendo’s latest announcement. Nintendo plans to announce more details at the E3 Show, slated for June 15th in L.A.
In the meantime, checkout what TechCrunch is saying about the innovation behind Nintendo’s next handheld gaming system.
Always a fan of fun, free apps, the kid and I are quite excited about PBS Kids’ recently launched Photo Factory App.
With the PBS Kids’ Photo Factory App, kids can customize their photos with various PBS characters and then email, save or share so the whole world can check out their creations. Kids can choose characters from Arthur, Caillou, Clifford, Curious George, Dinosaur Train, Dragon Tales, Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman, Sesame Street, Sid the Science Kid (my favorite!), Super Why! and Wordgirl to accent their photos; the choices are endless, really!
What I love about this app, other than it being free, is that it’s so user and kid friendly. The graphics are fun, the pictures are colorful and it’s yet another way to keep my guy entertained on bus and train rides. Oh, and we have even more ways to customize pictures to assign to my contacts in my phone! Who wouldn’t smile at a picture of Grandpa adorned with a little Clifford?
PBS, you guys think of everything, don’t you?
The PBS Photo Factory App is available absolutely free to download in the app store. For more info. on all PBS apps, check out their mobile site.
The dust, or rather, the snow may be settling now that the Olympics are over. And while a handful of Olympians are making the rounds touting their medals, one Olympian is speaking about what she’s learned.
When Lindsey Jacobellis is mentioned, some people may remember her as the snowboarder from the 2006 Olympics who fell on her second to last jump when attempting a method grab, scoring a silver instead of the expected gold. But, trust me, there’s more to know about Jacobellis. Much more.
Armed with even more fervor for the 2010 Winter Olympics, unfortunately, Jacobellis left Vancouver without medaling in the Women’s Snowboard Cross. This Olympics might not have been the “redemption” that many were anticipating, but “Lucky Lindsey” is holding her head up high. Why shouldn’t she?
Afterall, at just 24, Lindsey is one of the most well known, not to mention, one of the most decorated female athletes in her sport. In addition to the silver she earned at the ’06 Olympics, she has a gold from the ’09 Winter X Games to show for success.
On not medaling in Vancouver: “It’s definitely not the end of the world for me. It’s unfortunate that the rest of the world only sees this race and the one four years ago. I guess I don’t have a great track record with the general public,” Jacobellis was quoted in the LA Times.
You win some, you lose some, kids. And between us, it’s time to dispel the negativity. It’s true, we don’t always get what we want—hey wait, isn’t that what we teach our kids?
And yes, that includes winning Olympic gold.
I had the the unique opportunity to speak candidly with Lindsey the other week, where we discussed what’s next, her influences and what she thought about those snowboarding pants.
source: Getty Images
NKT: I know they’re apples and oranges, but can you compare and describe your experience in the X Games to that of the Olympics?
LJ: In the X Games, my family was able to be up close, which wasn’t really the case for the Olympics. When I’m competing, I’m in such a zone anyway, it’s hard to tell the difference.
NKT: As one of the most recognized names in snowboarding whom do you consider as a role model in your sport?
LJ: I’d have to say Shaun Palmer. I grew up admiring him since he paved the way for snowboarders, so it was such an honor to be on the same team.
NKT: After your second appearance, what is your biggest takeaway from this experience.
LJ: I approach all competition the same, so I try hard to not to walk away upset, even if the outcome isn’t how I wanted. I don’t give up easily, so I’ll take this experience and will grow from it.
NKT: I write typically for kid-centric sites, including my own, and it’s a well known fact that many tweens and teens look up to you. What would your advice/insight be for your most impressionable fans about not giving up?
LJ: If you’re in love with something and it makes you happy, pursue it, even if you don’t always get the outcome that you want. Do something you want! I continue to snowboard because I love it. How I do at a competition doesn’t define me; it’s how much I love the sport itself. It’s not so much as about winning. To me, it’s all about pursuing my passion and absorbing it all.
NKT: I asked many of my Facebook friends to chime in on questions, and everyone wants to know about the pants the snowboarders wore during the Olympics. You care to share your thoughts on them? The pants the snowboarders wore during the Olympics were by the popular snowboarding brand, Burton. In case you’re not familiar, the pants looked like distressed jeans, but were made of Gore-Tex. The overall look offset the preppiness of the plaid jackets.
LJ: When I first saw the design, I was a bit surprised. And then when I saw them in person, I thought they were awesome. It looked like we were racing in jeans, when really we weren’t; they’re really cool snowboarding pants, though. I thought they reflected the vibe and culture of snowboarding.
NKT: You might not have had a storybook ending to your second Olympic appearance. In light of that, can you think of a storybook or cartoon character that you can associate your experiences with?
Lindsey saved this question for last because she paused to ask her mom, whom she said would have a better recollection. I thought this was so endearing and indicative of how close she is with her family!
LJ: I’d have to say that I can relate to Dr. Seuss. His characters are all quirky, the stories are funky, yet so deep. I love how in many stories, they endure trials and tribulation and have a great message. There’s a Dr. Seuss story that I loved about a yakk, it was all about moving on!
NKT: What’s next for you?
LJ: I’m off to Colorado, then to Europe for the World Cup Tour and then Vermont. I’ll stay busy with traveling, snowboarding and catching up with friends and family!
NKT: And because you’re the DayQuil/NyQuil spokesperson, other than those remedies, what are your go-to remedies when you’re feeling under the weather.
LJ: I love going the natural route, so I tend to turn to the Neti-Pot when my sinuses are acting up. But other than that, I’m all about NyQuil.
The Olympics might be over, but keep an eye out for Lindsey. Expect her to blaze more trails, figuratively and literally, in the years to come!
Full Disclosure: I served as a brand ambassador for Vicks in the fall when I covered World Pneumonia Day, thus I have an ongoing relationship with P&G. I happily interviewed Lindsey Jacobellis, a P&G spokesperson, for coverage on NKT. I was not compensated in any way.
Tennis, anyone? Ubisoft has released Racquet Sports, a new Wii video game that includes tennis, ping pong, badminton, squash and beach tennis.
Targeted for the entire family, Racquet Sports can be played with up to four players, bringing the backhands and lightning-fast serves to our living rooms.
The graphics in this game are reminiscent of most Wii based games: colorful, quirky, yet realistic. The characters aren’t Miis, but the big cartoonish characters are diverse and can be customized. Racquet Sports can also be played with Ubisoft’s Motion-Tracking camera, which is available separately.
The game that’s familiar with many families, Wii Sports, already has its own arrangement of racquet sports, but I think Ubisoft’s new game adds a even more dimension to these family favorites. Beach Tennis and squash, in particular, are the racquet sports I like seeing on this new game. Also, the racquet extension that’s available for the Wii controllers (I’ve seen them at Costco) make this game a little more fun.
The other weekend, before the game’s official debut, we had the chance to check out the game being demo’ed by none other than the reigning French Open Champ, Svetlana Kuznetsova, and the reigning US Open champ, Kim Clijsters, in a Match Before the Match at Madison Square Garden. At the event, the tennis stars debuted Fila’s Spring 2010 Center Court Collection while they battled it out for the title of Racquet Sports champ. In the fun-spirited match, Kim defeated Svetlana, and added another title to her resume–Wii Racquet Sports champ!
On the heels of a successful live tour, Yo Gabba Gabba season three premieres today, March 8 at 10:30 on Nickelodeon. In Yo Gabba Gabba fashion, premiere week will feature a host of familiar faces such as Sarah Silverman, Weird Al Yankovic, Black Kids, Jack McBrayer, Paul Scheer, Weezer, Anthony Bourdain, Of Montreal, Mos Def, Devo, The Aquabats, Mark Mothersbaugh and Biz Markie. Famous dad, Travis Barker of Blink 182 fame will rock out a special remix for the premiere today.
Not sure if you’ve noticed the badge I’ve posted over there –>
In case you’re wondering, tomorrow, I will be taking a break from the baby and kid product blogging (I’ll catch up one day…) and will be attending a luncheon to hear more about Phyllis Rabinowitz’s work and the R Baby Foundation, for which the badge is posted. With R Baby Foundation’s mission in mind, tomorrow’s event is geared to help grow the foundation’s support base to improve the quality of pediatric emergency care.
As parents, it’s up to us to be the littlest people’s advocates, and with foundations like R Baby, more funding and awareness of pediatric emergency care are brought to the forefront.
In addition to hearing about R Baby Foundations, there will be a candid round table conversation with inspiring Momprenuers, including a few ladies whom I’ve had the chance to work with in the past.
Because this event is all about spreading awareness about R Baby Foundation’s efforts, I’d love for you to join us too! Don’t think you can’t participate in this inspiring event just because it takes place in NYC. Thanks to technology and the innovation of webcasting, all of YOU can join us.
With this as one of the coldest winters on record, naturally, parents have been doing what they can to keep babes big and small warm all winter long.
But did you know that infants who are overdressed or covered in heavy blankets or many blankets are at higher risk for SIDS? Contrary to our instincts to layer heavy blankets on ourselves, it is advised that babies to be dressed lightly to avoid overheating. The CJ Foundation, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the special needs of the SIDS community through funding SIDS research, support services and public awareness programs, recommends the use of wearable blankets and sleep-sacks in place of blankets to keep infants warm while sleeping.
I know it’s only Tuesday, but after the kids go to bed, I hope you can join me for Girl’s Night Out. Ok, so we might not really be going “out-out,” but we’ll be partying nonetheless over on Twitter!
