Happy Holidays - Really

Santa was a hit - can you tell?

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Wagons Ho!

Review round-ups are some of my favorites, and two new ones are up! The Babble Best Dress Up Sets and Babble Best Wagons appeared on Babble just in time for the holiday.

So hitch up your skirts and hop aboard. . .

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Who Won

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah - the holidays are half over, and the last two of the 13 Days of Giveaways have closed up. More reviews, giveaways, musings, half-crazy rantings . . . all coming after the new year.

But, in the meantime, some winners:

The winners of some Wett Giggles for their little bathers are JudyBrittle and Stacie. If you haven't already, pick some of these up! Santa stuck one in my daughter's stocking - and she had to put it right into the tub.

The winner of a soothing Stardust Lullaby Cd is Misty.

Winners, please shoot me an e-mail (e-mail at left) to claim your prize. As for the rest of you - back soon, I promise. Now go enjoy your holiday!

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Big-hearted volunteers show off community spirit

Everyone always moans that the holidays have snuck up on them, that there seemed to be no time to shop, no time for the cookie-baking and the merry-making.
And yet, this year, there was no sneaking.
The holidays came at us in fall gallup mode, the overeager shops trying their darndest to squeeze a few bucks from the stones that we have suddenly become in this economy.
It hasn’t been the traditional holiday season for anyone I know – there were the decisions to cut out travel, the siphoning off of the kids’ wish lists, the parties canceled.
And yet, the community festivities that have always made Christmas Christmasy and Hanukkah, well, Hanukkah, for the kids have made it through.
Events done for free, for the sheer sake of putting smiles on a few kids’ faces, could easily have been canceled by local community centers, churches and fire departments.
They could well have pointed to the dearth of donations this time of year, cried “we’re a non-profit,” and slammed the door.
They didn’t.
That’s the holiday spirit.
It’s the community spirit.
On Sunday, my daughter went with her daddy down the street to enjoy festivities with the rest of the Callicoon Center kids.
She smeared sugary frosting on gingerbread and colored to her heart’s content, then climbed on Santa’s lap for a visit with the old man (her third this year – all at community events, I might add).
She ran into my office still wrapped in her winter wear that afternoon, eyes dancing, grin spread wide across her face to show off the baby doll she’d just received from Santa.
The hours spent that night carefully dressing, undressing, cuddling and putting that baby to bed are proof positive that money spent on a community party is money well spent.
She was in love – and although we’re lucky enough to already have presents shoved under that tree, it wouldn’t matter if we did.
She has already gotten from Santa, as have dozens of kids around this county – their parents’ economic status aside – thanks to volunteers with big hearts.
That’s the holiday spirit and the community spirit, all wrapped up in one package.
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I've Been Tagged

I was tagged by Natasha from The Suckie Ranch to take part in a meme.

Here are the rules if you are tagged:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag sixish people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know he or she has been tagged.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

So, without further ado:

1. I think toes are freaky - and I refuse to let anyone see my feet without nail polish on my toenails.
   
2. When I buy a bag of jellybeans, I only eat the red, orange and pink ones. It's not that I don't like the rest - I just have to draw the line somewhere so I don't eat a whole bag in one sitting!
3. I like reading trashy literature, the trashier the better
4. I hate it when someone writes the words "under way" as one word - unless it's in a nautical sense.
5. I can't pronounce words that end in "ited." So if someone decides to kick it and leave me something, I'll have to tell you I "inheriteded" something.
6. I'm a vegetarian; and I've never liked the taste of meat (stop giggling and get your mind out of the gutter!).
   

You're it:
Jennifer at Mechanic Boy Loves Me
Amy at Blissfully Bitchy
Cher at Stardust
Lou at Doing Something Good
Meg at Fairfield County Child
Marlo at Cool Crazy Kids Stuff

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Winter Announcements - and Winner Announcements

For the sake of the Sager family sanity (I know, it's a stretch, but I'm thinking we have to have some somewhere), Inside Out will be taking a week off for the holidays.

I promise to return in the New Year with lots of reviews, attitude and what have you. But for those of you who won't be getting the daily e-mails, think of it as less for YOU to catch up on post-holiday!

I'll still be posting the winners to close out our 13 Days of Giveaways. . . and with that in mind, some winning. Winners, please respond as quickly as possible, if you would. I'd like to get some of these things out to you!

For the Power Ranger Giveaway, the winners are:

1. AAC
2. Ann

For the Scholastic DVD giveaway, the winners are:

1. Brandi
2. honeynuts to share (and I have to say - whoever you are - I love that name!)

There are still two giveaways open, so please sneak on in there to register. And have a wonderful, blessed, merry, happy. . . . whatever it is you celebrate!


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More of Those Giveaways Given Away

The Ninth Day Giveaway closed last night, with a present for a kitty lover and dog lover from Fat Cat.

I'm happy to say a friend won one of them! Random.org picked GiveUsPaws and JuiceboxMom (a new subscriber!) to walk away with a toy for their four-legged friends.

Now if only some of other winners would respond, sigh. Tomorrow I pick new winners for those who haven't responded, and I give away some other goodies, so check back. And winners, please shoot me an e-mail to claim your prize.

And while we're on the topic of winning. . . Bamboo, the parent-company of Fat Cat, has a huge giveaway going on right now - so you can still win something for the kitties and puppies in your life. Just tell your best "bad dog" story in celebration of Marley and Me over at this site, and you'll be entered to win.

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Bad Parent: Sorry Can't Make It

Stressed out by the holidays already? I've got the solution!

Check out my newest Bad Parent essay over at Babble this week: Bad Parent: Sorry, Can't Make It.


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Save a Little for Baby and Me

The gifts for baby start looking the same after awhile - clothes. Clothes. More clothes. A stuffed animal or two.

The first Christmas after a baby is born is usually more about Mom and Dad anyway. Even a baby born in January can just barely open the gifts, and the more sensible the present, the more their parents will smile.

The Munny Journey is both sensible and a total departure from the sameness of most of those baby gifts. A book not unlike the standard baby book, it's a journal of their money, from the first savings bond purchase to the first fistful of coins plunked in their little piggy bank.

Financial literacy may not be fun, but it's something baby will one day need - especially in this economy! And for parents navigating the exhausting (and expensive) road of child rearing, the Munny Journey helps them get a jump start on making a life for a baby who will one day need money for that first car, for college, for a wedding, a down payment on a house.

With place for pictures, letters from Mom and Dad, even a special pocket for their state quarter, the Munny Journey is a whole new kind of baby book, and one that will tell the story not just of their early days but of their future.

Check Out the Latest Over at Strollerderby:

Santa Claus Can Call Them For You

Five Easiest - and Cheesiest - Christmas Gifts to Make With the Kids

Bringing Sexy Back: Involved Dads

Teacher Tells Kids: Santa's Not Real

Your Mother-in-Law Really Is Bad For Your Health

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Winners and Reminders

A quick reminder to the winners out there - because it's Christmas, I'd hate to have to pick a new winner! So please shoot me an e-mail response so I can get your presents to you in time for the holiday!

I'm still waiting on Sarah Speaks Savvy SAHM Mom Reviews for the Jaybird Designs Gift Certificate she won

And the following book winners:

1. princess210
2. Chris
3. AmandaSue
4. Michelle

If I don't hear back by Thursday, Dec. 18, I'll have to pick a new winner . . . . so ....

Now on to new winners!

The FunKeyFinder Giveaway winner is Janet Faye (as always, picked by random.org).
The She's Got Papers Giveaway winner is Megan Lynn

Thanks guys - I posted the last of the 13 Days of Giveaways the other day, but several are still open for registering, so it's not too late to win on Inside Out.

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Does anybody think about the common good?

I was poking around on the Internet over the weekend, trying to feel better about my need to stay in (and away from holiday revelers) thanks to the cold to end all colds.
But it’s hard to feel good about much when you’re reading the news these days – and the latest on the auto bailout (or non-bailout) did nothing to improve my mood.
What it did was get me thinking.
The unions have apparently said no, they won’t accept a pay cut for the workers.
If you’re down in the lower echelons of the pay scale (like most of us in Sullivan County), I hear you. When you’re making only enough to pay the bills with no frills, being asked to take a pay cut for the greater good is like being asked if you mind having your face ground further into the muck and grime.
It’s not feasible.
But let’s step back here.
When did everything suddenly become one-size-fits-all? Don’t the facts of an economic downturn throw equality out the window?
More to the point, isn’t there a line that can be drawn – wherein people who have screwed things up royally can kiss their raises good bye, and the people who have simply been working their tails off get something to keep them going?
Cutting salaries for the greater good becomes laughable when those cuts put people out of their homes, put people on the public’s back in the form of unemployment, welfare and other social services.
Here in Sullivan County, we have people looking for parity in a job that already pays more than double the average income of a county resident – and in a county job. But parity walked out of the room years ago, as the taxes in Sullivan County climbed so high that a born-and-raised resident making $30,000 can’t afford to buy a house because of the taxes.
It walked out of the room when people started expecting things not because they could afford them, but because it’s the American way – we should all be equal, and all should have it all.
Where do you find that in the Constitution? Where does it say, the rich should get richer, and the poor should get a piece of it?
On both ends of the spectrum, there is a lack of responsibility.
There are people asking for a $10 million bonus (even if you do turn around and say you really don’t plan on asking for it, Mr. Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain) despite a year that saw their company spiral downward so fast that people literally couldn’t hold on.
On the other side? People moaning that the piece of paper they signed two years ago – without consulting a lawyer or reading the fine print – is being held against them. Now they’re actually being asked to pay up.
And stuck in the middle? The average Joe is losing his Christmas bonus – which is actually going to worsen the economy by lessening all that bonus-generated holiday spending (remember National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation? The bonus means a lot to the little people folks).
He paid his bills. He worked.
He didn’t ask for his bonus, nor did he ask to lose it. He didn’t ask for a raise, nor did he ask to lose it.
But he’s giving up a lot for the greater good. He’s making things work, because it’s what he’s always done.
He is the greater good.


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On the 13th Day of Christmas: We Give Away Sweet Dreams and Stardust

This is the 13th and final giveaway on Inside Out for the 2008 holiday season - the last giveaway of 2008 (I'm putting the weekly giveaways on hiatus so I can actually go shopping for my own kid!). There are several still open - the last won't close for another week, so there's still time to sign up.

In the meantime, I'm bringing back an old favorite, the Stardust Lullaby CD I gave away in one of my earliest giveaways when I finally brought reviews to Inside Out, to complement my newspaper columns which were already appearing here weekly.

The Stardust Lullaby CD comes from Cher Klosner Lane, a mom who was sick of the chintzy CDs on the shelves for putting kids to bed. Her beautiful voice is backed by brother Gene, who shares in her songwriting talents (although this CD also includes some of your old favorites). She's offered another up for the holiday season for one Inside Out winner. If you haven't already picked one up at the Stardust Lullaby Store, you can pick one up by going over, picking out your favorite track and coming back to comment (and you can get one for 30 percent off for a friend while you're over there).

Get extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about this contest and all 13 Days of Giveaways (remember to leave the link in comments as well).

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents, the contest will close on December 23, so remember to check back or subscribe at left to be notified right away (and find out what the rest of our 13 days of giveaways have in store). NEW SUBSCRIBERS for the month of December will all be entered to win a Dancing Leaves Teapot courtesy of Numi Tea, so don't forget to subscribe at left.
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Rowdy Sprout for Your Growing Sprout

You could dress your kids in something red or green and covered in Santas and reindeer this Christmas. Then again, if you wouldn't be caught dead in one of those outfits yourself, why are you doing it to your kids?

Rowdy Sprout lets you dress your kids like the little punks they are. The line of snapsuits and tees for boys and girls, with an extra set of drop waist dresses for the girls, are like a trip back into the annals of musical history. Think Hendrix and AC/DC taking over their Wiggles' hearts. That's music to your ears, isn't it?

The 100 percent cotton tees are silk-screened, giving them that retro aged look that's in at the moment, but allowing the clothes to stand up to toddler life . . . and the requisite frequent washings that come with it.

Rowdy Sprout's Yellow Submarine dress will be pulled out not only for the holidays (when she won't have to worry about getting mashed potatoes on her crinolines) but for months after, when she can rock around the house, the car, the supermarket . . . and keep sprouting up.

For your sprout who's about to rock, how about letting this holiday get a little rowdy?

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On the 12th Day of Christmas: We Give Away Wett Giggles

I've been able to give away some of the cool finds from the past few months during the 13 Days of Giveaways, and today's is no exception.

Wett Giggles won the Inside Out nod for must-have in the bath back in October, thanks to sweet smells and a guarantee that they'll have a little more fun in the tub. The soaps, made of shea butter and essential oils, are gentle enough for giggling kids' skin, and they're stocked with a goofy animal friend/nail brush that has to be freed by kids by using their soap to wash, wash wash.

I have one all ready to be stuffed in my daughter's stocking, and Wett Giggles creator Robin would like to give your kids a 2009 full of good, old-fashioned wet fun. Want to win one of the two up for grabs?

Check out the Wett Giggles site, pick our your favorite, and leave a comment. Get extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about this contest and all 13 Days of Giveaways (remember to leave the link in comments as well).

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents, the contest will close on December 22, so remember to check back or subscribe at left to be notified right away (and find out what the rest of our 13 days of giveaways have in store). NEW SUBSCRIBERS for the month of December will all be entered to win a Dancing Leaves Teapot courtesy of Numi Tea, so don't forget to subscribe at left.

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Everywhere I Go . . . iGo

There used to be six different chargers, the cords all wrapped up like a pile of Christmas lights, in a basket in my living room bookshelf. When I got the iGo, I started a serious cleaning regimen.

The universal charger has made bringing life back to all our electronics that much simpler with ends that fit not only into the car but the regular wall power outlet. iGo has embraced universal in a way that suits all of our techie needs - inside and out.

The iGo everywhere power adaptor makes the dying iPod issue non-existant - whether you're near the computer or not. Buy extra power tips, and that same adaptor can power up your wireless phone, their portable game console or the family's digital camera. No more piles of wrapped up cords, just a pouch (included with the iGo everywhere) of options for everywhere your family wants to be, and everything they need to see.

So pack it in their stocking this holiday, and see where it will take them.

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Nine - count 'em Nine Winners of Books

The folks at Scholastic provided one of the best of this year's giveaways at Inside Out - not only because books are some of the most important things we can put in any kid's hands, but because they gave us NINE this year. That means nine winners.

As always, random.org had to do the picking, because I can't pick one, never mind nine!

Here we go . . . these people all need to contact me within 72 hours so I can contact Scholastic and see if we can get these sent off in time for Christmas!

The winners are:

1. Michele
2. CharliesmomAshley
3. Mom of 2 Boys
4. KateAlex
5. cmb604
6. princess210
7. Chris
8. AmandaSue
9. Michelle (different spelling - but cool, we had two women with the same name win!).

Since there are nine books, I'm going to leave it up to the order of responses to mete out who gets what book - so please e-mail me as soon as you can! Happy reading to all of you - check out the Scholastic store online for some great finds.

And how about checking out the rest of Inside Out's 13 Days of Giveaways?

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Wieners, er, Winners of two more Christmas presents

I've got Christmas cookies to bake, so I'll make this short and sweet. My friend over at Random has chosen . . .

Sam&Boys to walk away with the goodies from the PsychoBaby giveaway

and Sarah Speaks Savvy SAHM Mom Reviews . . . to walk away with the gift certificate to Jaybird Designs

Ladies, if you'll shoot me an e-mail to claim your prize within 72 hours, I'd appreciate it (I'll give a little extra time for the weekend).

Thank you all for commenting, and keep reading, we're not done yet! So enter the contests, and please go back and shop at some of the kick-hiney sponsors' sites. They have great deals going on - not to mention some must-have products.

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On the 11th Day of Christmas: We Give Away Corduroy and the Ducklings

Reading to our kids might be one of the most important things we do - at least in terms of getting them ready for their futures. But when you're making dinner, and they're on your heels, it is OK to turn on the TV and shoo them out of the room (really, I swear).

To feel a little less stressed about it, the Scholastic Read With Me DVDs are taking over the Teddy Ruxpin "read along with me" job. Instead of a traditional movie rendition of their favorite books, the Scholastic Read With Me DVD series films are animated versions of the books. The words pop up along the bottom, giving them a chance to connect the written words with the narration. The animations themselves match nicely with the original artwork - which hits my little nostalgia-loving heart in the two DVDs up for grabs on Inside Out's 13 Days of Giveaways.

Make Way for Ducklings was one of the first books I rushed to a store to buy for my daughter - a full year before she was ready for anything longer than a one-word per page board book. The Robert McCloskey classic follows Mr. and Mrs. Mallard on their Boston adventures, and they're compelemented by retellings of the Ugly Duckling, a live action version of Angus and the Duck and other fowl fables.

Corduroy, the worn teddy bear with a heart that will rub you just the right way (and follow along in your pocket), comes to the screen in live action in his own film, but he's followed by Mike Mulligan and that hard-working steam shovel, and more caring tales.

Each one will be going home with one Inside Out winner. Want one? Visit the Scholastic site and leave a comment describing your favorite book turned movie. Get extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about this contest and all 13 Days of Giveaways (remember to leave the link in comments as well).

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents, the contest will close on December 19, so remember to check back or subscribe at left to be notified right away (and find out what the rest of our 13 days of giveaways have in store). NEW SUBSCRIBERS for the month of December will all be entered to win a Dancing Leaves Teapot courtesy of Numi Tea, so don't forget to subscribe at left.
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Fishing for an Education

Forget the magnetic fish. I've found a fishing game that makes our kids think they're playing around . . . while they're actually learning something.

Not surprisingly, Polar Bear ABC comes from Cranium, the game company that's all about the brain. The cute little bear comes complete with a pole and a pond, and a pile of letters. Kids get a jump on spelling with icebergs packed with letter spaces, and it's their job to fill them in.

Directed at kids 3 and up, it's a game that takes patience when you're playing with the younger kids, but Polar Bear ABC gives them a taste of what's to come - using those letters they're just learning to make words like "cape" and "train" that will take them off on another adventure.

And this is another holiday find that won't hurt the wallet - consider it $10 thrown into the wishing well for their education. The fun comes in fishing it out.


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On the 10th Day of Christmas: We Give Away Toys for the Boys (and girl Power Ranger fans too)

I am such a sucker for nostalgia. Even when that nostalgia only takes me back to the '90s, when my little brother used to run around the house shoving his little fist at mine and yelling "morphing power!"

So when I wrote about a Power Ranger promotion a few weeks back, I realized there are a lot of little kids out there who could use a little morphing power . . . or as they're calling it these days, Jungle Fury. Thanks to folks at Bandai, Inside Out will be morphing Christmas into a Power Ranger playtime.

Animorphin' Bat Ranger, Jungle Master Elephant Ranger and Red Tiger Strike Rider are all up for grabs - and the action figures pack powerful fun for kids 4 and up.

Want to win? Visit the Bandai site and leave a comment detailing your favorite line. Get extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about this contest and all 13 Days of Giveaways (remember to leave the link in comments as well).

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents, the contest will close on December 18, so remember to check back or subscribe at left to be notified right away (and find out what the rest of our 13 days of giveaways have in store). NEW SUBSCRIBERS for the month of December will all be entered to win a Dancing Leaves Teapot courtesy of Numi Tea, so don't forget to subscribe at left.

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Ballet Shoes for When They're On the Couch

DVDs make for an easy stocking stuffer, and this year's sweet holiday deal takes Noel Streatfeild's orphans-done-good tale to the small screen.

Ballet Shoes was made for the BBC with Harry Potter's female wizard star Emma Watson standing en pointe as the oldest of the Fossil sisters, three orphans brought home by an eccentric scientist to be cared for by his niece - an orphan herself. The scientist disappears - and with him his money - leaving the niece to scrimp and save to keep the family afloat. A boarder brought in to help pay the bills hits on the idea of sending the Fossil girls off to performing arts school, where they can keep up their education and learn a trade to help support the family.

The sweet story of sisterhood, success and dancing, Ballet Shoes lets little girls know they can let their dreams fly - but they don't need to leave their roots behind, no matter how shallow.


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Winners All Around

The Princess Bubble giveaway closed Monday night, and random.org has picked the Jacobsen family to take home a personalized copy of the book that lets little girls know they can grow up to be the kind of princess who takes over the world.

The Tote and Tee giveaway closed last night, and random.org has picked tinker884 to walk away with the gift certificate that will dress them up and help you carry their goodies.

Both The Jacobsen Family and Tinker884 need to shoot me an e-mail within the next 72 hours to accept their prizes! As for the rest of you - subscribe to be entered to win the Numi Tea tea giveaway for December subscribers and make sure you enter one of our 13 Days of Giveaways.

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Puzzle Me This

We are a puzzling household - in more ways than one. Keeping up with a 3-year-old means guessing from one minute to the next how to keep things entertaining and yet avoid mind-numbing (for either of us).

The Create Your Own Puzzles available on PsychoBaby (one of my absolute favorites, in case you guys haven't noticed - make sure you check out the giveaway) are a hit for parents who always want to stow their little monkey's artwork away for the future. Even better? The Create Your Own Puzzles are a slam-dunk with kids.

The thick cardboard sheets are pre-cut and pure white, so they can let their imaginations run wild. Scribbly mess? Go ahead. Portrait of the fam? Let's see it. The crayons included aren't Crayola, but I was impressed with how well they worked on the puzzles themselves; and how well the picture stands up to being taken apart and put back together time and again.

The pack of three is just $13 at PsychoBaby, and each puzzle in the pack comes with a spot on the back to note designer and date of their artful creations. What will they come up with?

Some other fun to keep up with:

Their Favorite Characters: Christmas-ized

When Your Kid's is the Puny Gift to the Teacher

Bone Headphones: Safer for Kids?

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On the Ninth Day of Christmas: We Give Away Gifts for the Four-Legged

I can fully admit that I am one of those dorky people who not only owns but hangs extra stockings for the four-legged members of my family. That I call them "members of the family" tells you where I rate the dog and cats.

So when I started planning the 13 Days of Giveaways, I wanted to send a little love in the downward direction - to the floor, under the couch, behind the bookcase . . . wherever your friends like to hide their treasures. I figured I'd leave the taste test up to them.

My animals are Fat Cat kind of creatures - even the dog. The bright colors ensure I can find that thing hidden anyway (probably in a snowstorm - we are talking BRIGHT), and the materials are non-toxic (a big worry in the year of food recalls). Fat Cat's a Munchkin line, the same folks who put out the Bamboo FurBuster that I think every parent with kids of the two- and four-legged varieties needs to have to manage the hair.

It's also the line that has kooky toys that stand up to the dog and cat beatings . . . for a reasonable price. Find it at most major retailers, or how about winning a dog or cat toy on Inside Out's 13 Days of Giveaways?

The Fabulous Showgulls come packed with organic catnip, and a feather boa that would put any Vegas showgirl to shame. Watching the kitty's shake what their Momma (you) gave them is worth the money - fun for you AND them.

For Fido, the Doggy Hoots Wonky Bonkers have just enough waving appendages to keep them working to get that bonker under control.

Want one for your four-legged friend? Visit the Fat Cat site and leave a comment describing your favorite pet and their must-have. Get extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about this contest and all 13 Days of Giveaways (remember to leave the link in comments as well).

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents, the contest will close on December 17, so remember to check back or subscribe at left to be notified right away (and find out what the rest of our 13 days of giveaways have in store). NEW SUBSCRIBERS for the month of December will all be entered to win a Dancing Leaves Teapot courtesy of Numi Tea, so don't forget to subscribe at left.


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On the Eighth Day of Christmas: We Give Away Her Papers

Seascapes and horses feeding in the field have their place. Just not on the cover of a thank you note from the Sager desk.

Ever notice that you hit a certain age and you're expected to send out these sedate, Granny-like notecards when someone dies or you get a package in the mail? Why? Did we lose our taste when we started building manners?

There's at least one line of notecards that's putting a little sass back in class. She's Got Papers are simple and clean, appropriate for that thank you or the "just because" note, but there's nothing sedate about the designs. They're feminine, sure, but they're distinctively personal - something that's rare to find in a professional line. She's Got Papers lines for babies, the misses or the ladies are the holiday find for the girl who has everything – and needs to say thank you for it.

Creator Tanea is getting you off on the right foot for your holiday thank yous. She's offering a set of folded notes from the Ladies line for the lady on your list. Want to win? Visit the She's Got Papers site and leave a comment detailing your favorite line (or someone you know). Get extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about this contest and all 13 Days of Giveaways (remember to leave the link in comments as well).

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents, the contest will close on December 16, so remember to check back or subscribe at left to be notified right away (and find out what the rest of our 13 days of giveaways have in store). NEW SUBSCRIBERS for the month of December will all be entered to win a Dancing Leaves Teapot courtesy of Numi Tea, so don't forget to subscribe at left.

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Just Call me Pied Sager

I’m starting to feel like the Pied Piper of Sullivan County. Too bad I can’t play a note.
I had at least four different kids come rushing my way on Saturday, while taking pictures at the annual Delaware Youth Center Christmas celebration.
Not one was mine.
Not that I’m complaining. My child was happily making her rounds of the room with Daddy following fast behind her, there to push her chair in and help glue extra eyeballs on her reindeer.
These kids were all children I’ve met over the years, kids I’ve photographed, kids who’ve come to know me as the lady from the newspaper or Jillian’s mommy (yes, their parents know me too – they’re not letting their kids loose on some stranger).
It’s the sort of experience you can’t describe, the feeling of a body throwing itself hard at your front, little arms wrapping around your waist, head burying in your hip.
There’s unequaled trust there, a letting go of all boundaries that today’s kids seem to have more of than any generation before.
Today we teach our kids to be afraid of strangers, to stick close to home, to hold tight to our hands in public.
Then we wonder why they shy away at the face of a friend of ours, why they cower behind us and refuse to answer questions with anything more than a whisper.
Kids are losing that ability to run pell-mell across a park and throw themselves at an adult. They’re losing their ability to show unabashed emotions.
Maybe it’s the holiday spirit (which seems lacking this year – and I’m not going to put that all on the shoulders of the economy, we’ve got a lot cranks about, it seems), but I get all gooey when I get a hug from a little kid who isn’t my own.
I get gooey when my own kid hugs me too, but that goes without saying.
Maybe it’s another one of those small town benefits that I’m always railing on about, the sense kids have that they’re safe around people they see on such a regular basis they might as well be an extended member of the family.
Parents often rush over, embarrassed that their kids have wrapped themselves around the leg of an adult who shares nary a drop out of their gene pool.
They needn’t worry.
I’ll take the Pied Piper title in exchange for a good hug.

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HyperJump to Get Their Hyper Out

Why does the drop-off in napping seem to coincide with the increase in energy? I rarely if ever got one of my own, but my body's been feeling the brunt of losing naptime.

My daughter? She's more hyper than ever.

Saying kids these days makes me sound (and feel) old, but let's face it . . . kids these days have as much energy to expend as we did. They simply have fewer places to do it. It's nice to say "send them outside," but the reality of outdoor dangers (depending on where you live - we have a large, inviting pond next door) sometimes means finding something for them to do indoors.

Short on cash this winter? You don't have to bust out the bucks for one of those new game consoles that lets them get their body into the action. Wild Planet's HyperJump, is less than $20, and it's made to get them moving. Better still, they can do it alone if they want to - so you can get things done - or with their friends. HyperJump accommodates up to eight players.

So what's the deal? Think Dance, Dance Revolution, Twister . . . any of those games that require you to move your body. But HyperJump keeps them moving with a center console that determines all the moves, and numbered pads that the kids have to hit just in time. The faster their response, the better they score - so it's helping kids build reflexes while it busts that childhood obesity threat. What's more, they pick up listening and attention skills - what parent couldn't use a kid who listens a little better?

HyperJump isn't for kids who are going to beat it into submission; it is a little more fragile than some games because the pads have sensors beneath. But overall, it's one of those holiday buys that comes at a cost parents can afford - and a benefit that parents will appreciate as much as their kids.

Now it's time for a nap, right?

Some other holiday bits from Strollerderby:

Bone Headphones: Safer for Kids?

Mix Rap With Kid Shows and Whaddya Get?

Would You Give Gifts Bought At Wal-Mart Where Man Died?

Crafty: Shrinky Dink Your Christmas Tree

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On the Seventh Day of Christmas: We get FunKey

Part of the 13 Days of Giveaways is the focus on what you need for holiday gift-giving, but who says everything has to be new? New to them, yes, but new to Inside Out?

I loved the FunKey when I found and shared the leather strap and extra hand with readers back in October: The Fun-Key Finder loops around your purse handle (or stroller handle or pretty much anything you lug around). At the end of the leather loops is a clasp that opens easily (no struggling with another blessed key ring that you can't get your stubby Mom nails under to get those fat rubber car key ends on). You clip your keys on when you go in the store, and when you come out, no rooting around in the purse - or worse, wondering if you left them on the banana rack.

Sounds like a must-have? Now you can. One Inside Out reader will get their own Fun-Key Finder for the holiday, while the rest of you pick one up for stocking stuffers!
Want to win? Visit the Fun-Key Finder store and leave a comment detailing how the Fun-Key can help you (or someone you know). Get extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about this contest and all 13 Days of Giveaways (remember to leave the link in comments as well).

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents, the contest will close on December 15, so remember to check back or subscribe at left to be notified right away (and find out what the rest of our 13 days of giveaways have in store). NEW SUBSCRIBERS for the month of December will all be entered to win a Dancing Leaves Teapot courtesy of Numi Tea.

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Winning Begins Today

The first of the 13 Days of Giveaways has closed out, along with the first-ever subscriber giveaway. The holidays also put me a little behind in announcing our last pre-holiday giveaway winner. So here we go:

First up, the Little Chickie Wear tee goes to Baba - for her granddaughter according to her comment! Baba, shoot me an e-mail, and I'll get designer Gwen to send a shirt her way. The rest of you, check out Gwen's shop and find something for YOUR little darling.

The winners of the Build-A-Bear Games for Nintendo were chosen, and e-mails went directly to them. But if you're a new reader, or you know anyone else who might enjoy the read, we have a new giveaway up for December. One new subscriber will receive a Dancing Tea Leaves teapot (and tea) from Numi Tea, so make sure you subscribe!

Finally: the first of our 13 Days of Giveaways, the plush personalized blanket from Fill-in-the-Blankie goes to AmyInMotown, for her William. By the way - to be totally transparent - this was one of those giveaways someone I know actually won! Random.org picked her, but Amy is a co-worker via the Internet over at Strollerderby - so check for her name while you're reading my posts (not that I'm hinting or anything!). Thanks for all of the responses - there were some beautiful tributes. Fill-in-The-Blankie has decided to help make your holidays bright with a 10 percent off code for your own blankets. Use the promo code insout (all lowercase) at checkout.


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On the Sixth Day of Christmas: We Give Away Three Sets of Scholastic Books!

If you're buying for kids this year and you don't have a few books on the list, shame on you. Everything they say about lifelong readers is evidenced by my late nights - then AND now - under the covers with a good book. Don't know where to start? Inside Out's holiday picks from Scholastic will cover all the bases this year.

A touch and feel book from the Little Scholastic line is in order for the littlest readers, and Welcome Winter is the stocking stuffer that will warm up the season. A board book with a simple story line that will keep them engaged, the crinkly plastic "snow" crunching under baby's boots and sparkly "snow" swirls in the air bring winter indoors while baby's nice and warm in mom's arms.

David Shannon's portrayal of kids' mischief is always on target and always hilarious. The author of the David series is back with Too Many Toys and another little boy drawn from real life . . . with a real life problem. Spencer needs to clean out his toy box, but he's got love to spare for everything in there. Sound familiar? Just wait. Spencer finds out the real fun is in the box.

The Klutz line of craftable books has put to rest the "I'm booooored" whine for good. Now they're keeping the kids busy in the days before the holidays so you can get something done. Don't worry, they're "helping." Make Your Own Angel Ornaments boasts what makes every Klutz kit a hit - one package carries everything they need, from a book of instructions to the pieces and parts of their new creation. The angels are delicate little creatures, so this Klutz kit doubles as a storage box for after she's done watching over your holiday.

In order to turn the bookstore Inside Out, Scholastic is offering three copies of all three of these books (that's nine books in all y'all) to winners of the Sixth Day of the Inside Out 13 Days of Giveaways. Want to win? Visit the Scholastic Store, and find some old favorites or a new author. Leave a comment about your find and what little reader could use it in their stocking.
Get extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about this contest and all 13 Days of Giveaways (remember to leave the link in comments as well).

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents, the contest will close on December 12, so remember to check back or subscribe at left to be notified right away (and find out what the rest of our 13 days of giveaways have in store). December subscribers will all be entered to win a Dancing Leaves Teapot courtesy of Numi Tea.

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A Gift for Them That Makes Your Life Easier?

It's probably selfish to say we want our kids to learn to make our lives easier. Now stop and think about it . . . kind of true, right?

The Learn to Dress dolls from International Playthings are the toys to get the tots who are still figuring how fingers fit around zippers, inside buttonholes and on top of snaps. With Emma for the girls and Jake for the boys, IPlay has made learning to dress yourself part of making a new friend and constant companion. She's got a bright grin, cuddly bear and that button-closed pocketbook. He sports a skateboard and a baseball cap for practicing just the right brim-over-forehead perch.

Outfitted in clothes that will make them the master of their new buddy's dressing success, the iPlay Learn to Dress Dolls are the Inside Out holiday find for families who want to get a jump on that next milestone and still put a smile on their face when they rip the paper off the box.

And at under the $25 mark, it's got to the corner on all-purpose toys - good for your pocketbook too.

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The Fifth Day of Christmas: a Gift from Jaybird Designs

To call something both delicate and sturdy would seem like I've lost my mind, but both played heavily into my choice of the scarf from Jaybird Designs that my daughter's been wearing around town this winter.

Jaybird designer Jennifer has an eye for creating crocheted clothes that scream "put this on my child." Where I used to look at crocheting as an art best left to grannies with a knack for hooking out some blankets, Jennifer's Jaybird Designs are fresh, fun and yet perfectly in sync with childhood. The stitches are tight, the fabric just right, and they'll hold up to whatever your little one has in store (blanket forts anyone?).

Warm up the winter for your favorite kid with one of her sweaters - handmade to order as a shrug, wrap or in the funky signature Jaybird style with bell sleeves for little girls who want a touch of something different - or order up a present for the rest of the family.

Want some help getting there? A $20 gift certificate to Jaybird Designs could be stuffed in one commenter's stocking. Just head over to the shop, browse around, and tell me what you'll be picking up and for what member of the family. Get extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about this contest and all 13 Days of Giveaways (remember to leave the link in comments as well).

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents, the contest will close on December 11, so remember to check back or subscribe at left to be notified right away (and find out what the rest of our 13 days of giveaways have in store). December subscribers will all be entered to win a Dancing Leaves Teapot courtesy of Numi Tea.


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Mixxo Your Holidays

There is nothing easy about making a holiday dinner with a child underfoot. It's the kind of thing that makes you seriously start thinking about drinking.

Fortunately the Inside Out holiday find for the kitchenista (or the male version - whoever that might be) does double duty. The Bosch Mixxo can mix up a killer margarita or mash those potatoes in record time.

The new gadget from appliance great Bosch puts those old-fashioned handheld mixers with the whisks that never fit quite right to shame. The long tube takes some getting used to, but once you remember this thing is cordless, across the kitchen you will go . . . to get everything done.

The Mixxo does double duty as a chopper or blender, letting you dice your onions or smash the ice you'll need to turn out a smashing meal without finding the need to get smashed on your own later that night.

It comes with a long-lasting rechargeable battery and charger, so you won't run out of power in the middle of cooking. Just remember to charge it the day BEFORE you go to cook (I learned that lesson the hard way). Or maybe you should buy this for the chef in your life . . . and charge it for them a day early (so you can take it out of the box and check it out for yourself). They'll thank you for being so thoughtful. Tell them they can thank you with a drink.

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On The Fourth Day of Christmas: We Give Away a Psychobaby Bundle

After announcing I was pregnant, I started making a mental list of what I wasn't going to do when I became a mom. Be my kid's best friend. Wear curlers and sweatpants to school. That sort of thing.

I also hoped against hope (crossed my fingers, toes, and what have you), that I'd have to wherewithall to still be a pretty kick ass kind of person . . . and shopper. Helping me along the way? The discovery of PsychoBaby, hands down one of the kick-assiest (if that's a word) of all stores for parents.

Its storefront is in Chicago, but PsychoBaby shares the view that parents don't have to bid farewell to everything that makes them rock with the Web. So I've spent the months since I discovered them stocking up on clothes, music, toys . . . everything we need for our kids that they put a "psycho" twist on.

They're putting that twist on the Inside Out 13 Days of Giveaways too. Thanks to mom Marlo, I have a gift box of goodies done the PsychoBaby way to give away to one lucky reader.

The contents:

Rockabye Baby! earned its place as a PeekabooPick back in September, and PsychoBaby stocks the whole range. The CDs take rock classics and slow them down to soothe baby - without giving Mom and Dad a headache. These lullaby renditions of the Stones prove you CAN get what you want . . . and what you need.

The PsychoBaby clothing line for little rockers salutes those kids who will grow up to rock. There are the classic girls and boys clothes - but there's nothing middle of the road available. And the giveaway bag has a little boy's (for age 3 to 6 months - for your son or a perfect gift) tattoo tee that will melt a rocking Mom's heart. A flaming heart with "Mom" in the middle? He's a heartbreaker, lovemaker . . .

Complement his outfit with little leather booties for their tender feet from Me in Mind. Soft and pliable, they keep their feet warm while another "Mom" tattoo makes those childfree-by-choice people crack up in the stores. See, kids CAN be cute. Even when they're PsychoBabies . . .

Want to know what else the moms at PsychoBaby have packed in there for you? Check out the site, and come back to comment on what you think the bag should hold to be entered into the random.org drawing for the PsychoBaby rocks on gift bag to finish up your holiday shopping! Get extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about this contest and all 13 Days of Giveaways (remember to leave the link in comments as well).

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents, the contest will close on December 10, so remember to check back or subscribe at left to be notified right away (and find out what the rest of our 13 days of giveaways have in store). December subscribers will all be entered to win a Dancing Leaves Teapot courtesy of Numi Tea.

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Poor Santa, Can't Get a Break

I’m starting to feel bad for Santa.
With each passing year, my daughter becomes both more excited to see the jolly old man and less enthusiastic once she does.
Friday night in Jeffersonville was no different.
She’d been crowing all day about the Dworetsky parade and the chance it would provide to share with Santa the list of toys she started making earlier this week when someone gave her access to the Thanksgiving Day newspaper circulars.
KB Toys, look out. She’s coming.
All through Christmas cookie decorating (or in the case of the two tots, cookie sprinkle eating), all through dinner and the watching of cartoons, I heard about Santa.
When I backed in to the lot near the Three Chocolateers and roused her sleeping form from the backseat, I gave her two options: hot chocolate or Santa?
“Both.”
We went in to the Chocolateers, where they were lined up six deep to the counter for the elixir to ward off the cold and decided to come back later. “Want to see Santa?” I asked.
She was off, running, to the workshop next door (where Santa will be every Sunday afternoon for the next few weeks).
Throwing open the door, I expected her to throw herself at the guy in the red suit perched on the chair in the center of the room. Instead I ran into the back of her as she stopped short in the doorway.
Apparently, the man, the myth, the legend just doesn’t live up to all the hype in the eyes of a 3-year-old.
Poor guy.
I was told that my daughter was hardly the first. In fact, her decision to slump in his lap with a grimace that made my friend Cat caption the possible Christmas card to come from the photos “are we done yet?” was one of the better reactions.
Some kids screamed. Some burst into furious bouts of tears.
My daughter simply sat there like a limp doll.
The photographer volunteering to take photos for the night (with money going to a family in need) did his best. He joked. He teased.
Santa leaned in to let her whisper. He offered candy cane bribes.
Nothing.
If you’d asked her to be more apathetic, she couldn’t have played it better.
Fast forward to Sunday, of course, when we hung her stocking on the living room arch.
“Yaaaaay, Santa can put little presents in there. I always wanted little presents from Santa!”
Ah, but how is he going to know what to bring?
She thought about that for awhile.
“I have to tell him,” she said. “We need to see Santa.”
Rumor has it he’s in Jeff every weekend – let’s see if he’s ready for a return visit.
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On the Third Day of Christmas: $25 for Tote and Tee

Part of the fun of the 13 Days of Giveaways is giving folks another bite at some of my favorite finds from the last few months of reviewing goodies here on Inside Out.

Tote and Tee hit my radar thanks to the knee socks and tights I've been throwing on my daughter's shivering legs every morning for the past few weeks. Owner Amy has put together a store that provides "nifty tees from A to Z" with everything in between. The prices are reasonable, the clothing too cute to turn down.

Don't believe me? Get over to Tote and Tee and check out the duds, the crowns, the bags and all the rest. Then come back and comment on your favorite to be entered into the random.org drawing for a $25 gift certificate to finish up your holiday shopping! Get extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about this contest and all 13 Days of Giveaways (remember to leave the link in comments as well).

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents, the contest will close on December 9, so remember to check back or subscribe at left to be notified right away (and find out what the rest of our 13 days of giveaways have in store). December subscribers will all be entered to win a Dancing Leaves Teapot courtesy of Numi Tea.

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This Elf Needs a Home on Your Shelf

Have your kids been doubting that same old "Santa is watching" story? It's time to launch a new era. With my daughter too young for our family's classic "The Nutcracker," I decided to go for the much-hyped Elf on a Shelf.

It's one of the rare products that lives up to the hype. The book and doll kit launches a new look at the whole Santa mystery. How does he know they've been naughty? Because the little elf perched on your shelf by day flies to the North Pole by night to make his report. The Elf on a Shelf book lays out the story, and makes a game of the sometimes daunting task of getting them to behave.

It all starts with a name - which is up to them to decide. We went through a long list: Little Bo Peep, Hippo, Movies - a 3-year-old's imagination isn't limited to silly naming conventions - before settling on Tree Branch. Marked in the special spot in the back of the Elf on the Shelf book, the names they come up with in their younger days will no doubt come back to mystify as much as their current Santa debate.

The newly named elf takes up residence in a spot in your house - only to take off at night to see the Jolly Old Man up at the pole. When he flies home, he'll find a new spot. And it's up to your kids to find him, making waking up in the build up to the holiday almost as exciting as the big day itself.

Available at the Chocolate Cake Club along with a raft of holiday goodies, The Elf on the Shelf is on special for a limited time. It's one holiday gift that will make fun for years to come.

Some more holiday goodies to check out:

Santa Shortage Strikes Germany

The Ten Best Christmas Songs For the Kid in You

Santa Claus Can Call Them For You

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On the Second Day of Christmas: Pop the Princess Bubble

My mother refuses to buy my daughter anything that celebrates the Disney princesses. Tinkerbell gets a bye, but she's convinced the princesses are bringing down the strength of girls in the states. I'm not quite as anti-princess, I've got to admit. But I'm not crazy about anything that would make my daughter think she needs a guy to get ahead. So balancing the normal princess crazed pre-schooler desires with my ideals is anything but easy.

I've tried to lessen the blow with frequent readings of Princess Bubble, the kids book from Susan Johnston and Kimberly Webb (with illustrations by Maria Tonelli) that follows the traditional fairy tale path . . . until it doesn't.

Princess Bubble goes to college, graduates, buys her own palace, even takes a job. When all her friends (princesses sparkle and the like) start marrying off and telling her it's time (what is it with all those smug marrieds?), she decides she's just too darn happy being her.

If that's not the fairy tale ending you want for your daughters - making their own choices - what is? Thanks to Susan Johnston, it's one you can bring home this Christmas for your little princess!

She's offered up a copy of Princess Bubble, autographed to your child, as part of Inside Out's 13 Days of Giveaways! To enter, leave a comment with the reason you think your daughter/niece/granddaughter/whoever needs a copy. Get extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about this contest and all 13 Days of Giveaways (remember to leave the link in comments as well).

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents, the contest will close on December 8, so remember to check back or subscribe at left to be notified right away (and find out what the rest of our 13 days of giveaways have in store). December subscribers will all be entered to win a Dancing Leaves Teapot courtesy of Numi Tea.

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