Just Dance Thru Your Spring Break Staycation

In the midst of  Spring Break season and so many families choosing "Staycations vs. Vacations",  we, once again want to give you some ideas about what we plan to do when our Spring Break hits in a few weeks since we are among the non-traveling families this year.

Besides taking at least one day to chill and do nothing - we are for sure planning an on-going GAMEFEST! Between rocking out on the PS3, baking treats and exploring new apps on the gadgets - we will be spending time on a new acquisition: Just Dance Kids! Wii.

As you can see from the video above - this game appeals to both my kids - at very different ages. Below find verbatim their thoughts on this game:

Evan - 5 years old
"I love to learn all the songs. It is fun and I get really tired after 4 or five songs. The moves are fun and funny. My mom is not very good but she sweats a lot and makes me laugh."

Thanks Evan. 

Emma - 9 years old says:

"I think it is very fun and active and Evan is right- she does sweat a lot! I love that the songs are sung by kids like me and Evan! The songs are songs that almost everyone knows and they are great for dancing to! For the littler ones, the songs are songs that the littler kids see in their TV shows. I recommend this game for kids of all ages- from 2 to even 32! Even grown-ups like my mom can have fun while having quality time with their kids!"  

While it's targeted at kids, (I agree with Emma and) I have to say I enjoyed playing it and found the moves to be fun and simple enough that both kids can win and enjoy themselves. My personal favorite thing about this game is how at the end of each song -there are opportunities for extra credit that can give you a boost for things like "Yeah" moves and "High Energy Movement". Those extras go a long way especially if you are like me and get tired before the end of the song. (Some one needs to give me a fitness game, STAT)

We absolutely recommend adding Just Dance Kids Wii to your gaming collection. You can find it here at ToysRUs.


While Ubisoft provided me with this game to review, the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Ubisoft, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity.

Michael Jackson Experience Makes Our Staycation!

President's Day weekend 2011 was the first weekend that we have not travelled on the February holiday weekend since 2004 when I was pregnant with my youngest, Evan.

We had no plans and it was delightful. Our super busy family never "staycations" and here we were with three consecutive days together at home.

It was delicious.  Sleeping in. Big breakfasts. Sleepovers in the living room in front of the fireplace. Impromptu city trip with lunch in Chinatown. And Michael Jackson.

Yeah, MJ (the original MJ - sorry, Michael Jordan - you are da bomb but he was my original "MJ") was an integral part of our family bonding weekend. We played the Michael Jackson Experience on Wii every chance we got starting Friday night through Monday night.



It was an instant classic in our family. I mostly watched the first night but was captivated by the music and movement before I ever attempted to join the fun.

Dancing. Sweat. Singing. Tears. In no particular order were the menu each time the game was on.

My favorite part about the game is the music - for me to be able to "mirror" MJ's moves while belting out my favorite tunes was fun but killed my chances of winning.  It's bad enough that my 30-something year old non-fit body was doing moves it hasn't done in a decade but trying to sing while doing it.

No dice.

My husband, Isael usually passes on the Wii unless it's the street basketball game in Wii Sports Resort. He jumped in right away to play with the kids as soon as they started and sweated through 4 songs before reluctantly giving me the remote. After sitting for only two songs - he wanted back in. Clearly, we need the fourth remote.

Funny, we've had the Wii for four years and did not "need" the fourth remote. Until now.

My little guy is the resident Michael Jackson super fan before this game and the game made it worse. He knows almost all the words to all the songs and now with the "official" moves - he feels unstoppable until the scoring happens. Poor guy has yet to win. Getting better but I cannot explain his inability to win because he truly has the heart for it. Watch our video to see what I mean. I think it's because he's smaller and possibly his moves don't register like the rest of us.  He is certain to give us a run for our money soon. Especially since he asks to play it almost every day.

My nine year old, Emma gives her own take here:

"I think it is very fun, very exuasting, and tiring but it is by far the best Wii game I have played. To tell you the truth, I have played many! It is so tempting to just start singing but once I start, I lose my breath! Very fun and the whole family loves it! When I started, I was just not winning. But when I kept going, I became the champion(oh yeah!).  MICHAEL JACKSON EXPERIENCE ROCKS!!"  

So, my Emma is a little humble - she is the ALL-TIME champion in our house - no one has beat her for one dance. Not once. She is such a hard worker on every move and she's right on point with the singing - that is my Achilles (see the video -even when I'm not playing) and she does me in, every time.

So we recommend this game to any family who owns a gaming console. There is nothing better than an impromptu competition to bring a family closer.  Nothing gets people moving more than Michael Jackson music. Plus - I think I've found my new workout routine. 3 MJ songs on the Wii Experience twice a week and I'll be back in shape in no time.

You can get it here at ToysRUs.com today!


While Ubisoft provided me with this game to review, the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Ubisoft, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity.

Tune In

For the second time in less than 7 days I have been completely without my Coach wristlet.

Last week, a walking angel picked it up at the local Meijer grocery store and returned it to the service desk with all $143.92 cents + cards/id.

Tonight, after music lessons and paying for new music books - somehow I dropped it in the middle of the parking lot and did not discover it until I made a stop to buy something a few minutes later. Miraculously, it was there laying 100 yards from the door of the music studio on the ground in the 8 degree cold.

Of course, I'm thankful that I was not forced down the "I lost my wallet and I want to die" road but I started to think WTF? Why am I all of a sudden losing things?
I am the epitome of the above picture. Queen of Multi-tasking. Too much on my mind and too little time paying attention.

A few weeks back, a very good friend surprised me with the news that she was ending her marriage and moving back to California via text. I was floored. I had no idea there was trouble.

It's because I was not tuned in. There were clues, subtle and not-so-subtle and I missed them all. Sure, I was so focused on attending to another woman in our group of friends and ensuring that I gave her birthday cake for her birthday, which I am sure meant a lot but had I been tuned in, I would have prioritized reaching out to this other friend. No question.

When I get home from work - my kids want to talk to me and I find myself irritated to stop and listen as I rush to get dinner on the table.

At work - if the person who walks in my office has the unfortunate luck of not being a succinct communicator, I am checking the email that just came in and glancing at my computer instead of listening fully to what they are saying.

That all ends today.

I have an impromptu objective to add to my list for 2010.

I need to tune in.

The guilt and re-tracking back to make sure I got it all is killing me.

So starting now, I am going to work to multi-task only when appropriate. Because that is so vague, squishy and such "a recipe for failure", here is quick list of when it's clearly NOT ok to multi-task:

• Anyone in my immediate family is talking to me or vying for my attention
• When I am catching up with friends - no more commuting only calls. For every commute call, there must be a non-commute call to match it. {MHH we are in trouble -Big Time}
• If someone walks in my office to discuss work issues. When the time is pressing, I will say so and politely move to get back to what I was doing
• When I am entering or leaving establishments - no calls or checking email.

That's good enough to start. I want to challenge everyone to do the same - tune in more in 2010.

Gotta go - being summoned to join a family Wii game.