Recently NBC came out with a brand new drama series. The show's name is "Parenthood" and the show was inspired by Parenthood, the movie, which came out some time ago. The show is an hour long, and as a parent myself, I found the idea of a movie all about parenthood to be quite intriguing. The premiere of the show just aired on Tuesday, March 2^nd 2010, and what an interesting show it turned out to be.

Based upon the movie, the show is all about the ups and downs that a family goes through as they struggle through different phases of parenthood. The Braverman family is featured in this drama, which is a large family that is very imperfect and quite colorful.

The parents of the family, Zeek and Camille, have four grown children. Adam, their son is married to Kristina and they are the parents of two children, Haddie and Max. Then there is Julia who is married to Joel, and they have one daughter, Sydney. Sarah is a single mom, parent to Amber and Drew. Then there is Crosby, who is with Jasmine, although not married, and they are the parents of Jabbar.

The cast of "Parenthood" includes quite a few names that you'll definitely recognize. The matriarch of the family, Camille, is played by Bonnie Bedelia. She's known in the series as keeping the family together, but she has a great resolve that she has developed working with her children and husband, all of whom are quite willful.

Craig T. Nelson is playing the patriarch, Zeek, and as an Emmy Award winning actor, he brings a lot to the show. IN the show he was a Vietnam vet and has not stayed with anything for more than a couple years, except he has been a father for many years.

For the four children, Adam is played by Peter Krause, Julia is played by Erika Christensen, Sarah is played by Lauren Graham, and Crosby is played by Dax Shepard. Other names in the show include Joy Bryant, Sam Jaeger, Monica Potter, and Mae Whitman.

The show has the 10:00pm time slot, and it gives parents a chance to check out the show. For many viewers, especially parents, this show is show to strike a chord. Although it seems a bit typecast, the situations are definitely realistic and most will appreciate seeing life through the eyes of other parents as they go through various challenges.

The pilot show basically introduced the characters, and hopefully as the show goes on, it will continue to evolve, showing off the characters and going beyond the predictable. There are quality actors involved and great producers behind the show, so it definitely seems like a promising one.

This first episode was all about Sarah Braverman coming back home to where the rest of the family lives. She is in a tight place financially, and she has to uproot her kids and bring them with her as she moves back to Berkeley so she can be closer to the rest of the family. She's be greeted by the rest of the family, all dealing with issues of her own, and so the show begins.

After watching the pilot show, I truly hope that this show will continue to air. I'm looking forward to the next episodes and how the show progresses as we all get to know the Braverman family.

If  you go to www.nbc.com/parenthood you'll find a lot of great information, videos, bios, games, and more that have to do with this new show.

The good news is that even if you missed the "Parenthood" pilot this past Tuesday, you can still see it. In fact, you can view the full episode below with your family. Clicking on the Video below will open up a movie player. You can than change it to full screen. So get the popcorn ready, gather your family around the computer and enjoy.

There are many fun, family crafts and projects that can be pursued when it comes to arts and crafts. Many families use their computers and other electronic devices to assist them when it comes to creating a project. Now, there is a new product on the market that I have found to be extremely fun and productive when it comes to creating fun projects with my children. This product is called Cricut. When pronounced, it sounds like you are saying “cricket”. This is a cutting system that is electronic based. However, the upside is that it does not require an actual computer. Here, I will tell you a little about how you can create fun family projects – the easy way!

Today we are going to be reviewing the features of the Cricut. It is a revolutionary machine that actually cuts an assortment of materials in many different ways. No more buying special printer paper or messing with patterns that can be really difficult to work with! Now, you can just insert the material, decide on how you want it cut and go from there. There are many exciting projects that you can choose from when it comes to cutting with this particular tool:

• Picture Frames

• Wall Hangings

• Jewelry Boxes

• Shelving

• Scrapbooks

• Cards

• School Memory Books

• Mousepads

• Table Placeholders

• School Posters

• Menus

• Napkin Holders

• Bags

• Photo Albums

• Gift Bags

• Unique Wrapping Paper

• Decorations for parties like anniversaries, birthdays, and more!

• Quilts

• Curtains

• Tablecloths

• And, more!

Features

There are a number of features available with this particular product. First, it can cut many different materials all in different sizes. You would think that this particular product would be really heavy considering all of the things that it can do, but it is actually quite lightweight. It is not too big, either, so it can be moved around to different locations with ease. When using this product, you must have a cartridge that helps control the ink and the overall design that is used. This cartridge is easy to install! This makes it really nice for people who want to experience simplicity when creating fun family projects – the easy way! There is also an overlay that is considered to be “soft touch” and a pressure dial that effectively allows you to control how much pressure is applied to the material when creating the projects that you take part in. When you purchase this product to create your family projects, you will receive a large number of items that will assist you in creating your projects:

• Alphabet precut templates

• Shape precut templates

• Mats to assist in the cutting process

• Blades to cut a large assortment of materials and products

• Tools to assist in the various cuts that are achieved by the product

• A storage container that will assist in the way of packing away the device until it is needed.

Bonus Features

This product normally sells for less than $50! As you can see, it comes with a large amount of extras. Did you know that there are now bonuses included in addition to all of the extras that can be experienced? That’s right! Now, you can get the following:

1. A bonus spatula tool that can assist in the projects that you elect to purchase

2. A new type of trimmer that can assist you in all of your projects

3. A couple of extra blades to assist in the cuts and shaping process of your products

4. An extra trimmer unit

5. A DVD that explains how to use the product and ideas for projects

6. A keyboard overlay system to make your family projects a breeze

7. And, more!

Summary
If you are looking to create fun family craft projects, this is something you may find interesting. The Cricut can really add fun and detail to all of your family arts and crafts! If you are searching for something that can add creativity to your projects, an easy way to cut materials, and some plain out fun for your family – this is it!  

 
Click Here to learn how to get the Cricut  

Personalized gifts add a little something to any Christmas, Birthdays, or just about any special occassion. Not only do they help a child to feel special but they also become a worthwhile and cherished memory.

There are a number of personalized gifts for kids that can be given but music and books help to provide a lasting memory that is not just a treasured possession but can have educational benefits as well.

Getting your child to read can be a difficult challenge especially in the day and age of video games, computers and loads of television programming. Personalized books can be a fun way to get your child interested in reading along with their favorite characters. Your child’s name is placed within the text of each story making them feel like an active part of the adventure and getting them interested in reading. This can provide not only hours of quality time and a love of reading but also an increase in academic awareness that can help your child throughout their life as they learn to read. Personalized books can also help with name recognition, which is an important part, and step to self-awareness in children.

Personalized music also can get your children involved in music, by inserting their names into favorite children’s songs and songs involving shows and characters that your children will recognize. This not only can help them to develop a love of music, but also help them to learn songs, learn the sound of their names and other useful skills like colors, shapes and body parts. Music is also fun to dance and sing too and having the opportunity to shout their names can help get children moving, dancing and singing which helps with physical development. It is also a known fact that music can help with learning.

Personalized childrens gifts are an extra special touch to anyone’s holiday but especially for children. There is a wide selection of books and music compilations available that can easily be personalized with your child’s name in order to create an interactive activity that they will enjoy. As they get older this can be a special memento from childhood that they can treasure and keep throughout the years. Take the time this Christmas to check out all the wonderful stories and music compilations that are available for personalization and create a wonderful environment not just for fun but also for learning.

Some of the characters you will find when it comes to personalized kids books are characters like the Ballerina Princess, Scooby Doo, Big bird and Spiderman. You can also create a book for my tea party, which teaches manners in addition to being a fun book to read. Personalized music titles include Journey to the land of Imagination, which has over 4200 names to choose from, Christian music, the Wiggles as well as the Care bears, and the Disney Princesses. You can also find general Kidz tunes, Veggie Tales and Awesome kid’s songs. Each one of these and more plays songs with your child’s name added.

Barbie Girls Helps Young Girls Keep Up With and Make Friends Online

Every year Girls are asking Santa Claus for their favorite dolls for Christmas.  This year Barbie has made a few changes.  Mattel has come up with the Barbie Girls newest doll.  This doll is also an mp3 player and a key to unlocking several items online at www.BarbieGirls.com where there are many other activities available for your young ladies.  With technology ever changing it’s nice to see the Barbie is keeping up with the times.

Barbie girls web site allows young girls to decorate their own space.  When a child signs up they have to get their parents’ permission.  Without their parents’ permission they are not allowed to use the web site.  No personal identifiable information is taken besides the parents e-mail address.  Girls are able to create their own user identifications and create their own Barbie avatar.  Players are able to chat with one another.  The chat is set up to be safe for the children involved.  While wandering through other people’s bedrooms and shops on the web site the avatars are able to chat with one another only by selecting the phrases that are available on the site.

Barbie girls MP3player not only plays music, it also becomes a key to opening certain restricted areas including the ability to purchase a pet on the web site.  The girls can dress their avatars and whenever hair facial features and clothing they want.  If the girls own Barbie girls MP 3 player they are allowed to select from a larger variety of designs.

The web site www.BarbieGirls.com also has available an e-mail program within the site for the girls to e-mail one another.  There not allowed to give out personal information or personal e-mail accounts but they can stay in contact on their own pages there on the web site.  And while these girls are on the site they can play games.  The site is more geared for younger girls, ages 6 through 8.

Barbie girls MP3player is also a doll.  This doll comes with outfits and hair and accessories.  Young girls can play with, and dress up there MP3 players, as they would their Barbie dolls.  Between having the perfect Barbie doll to play with and having great tunes there is the Barbie Girl MP3 player.  The Barbie Girl MP3 player has 512 mb internal memory with an expansion slot for a miniSD card.

This year Barbie will not only be played with in the house, she’s helping your daughter make friends and learn computer skills.  With the web site being as closely monitored is as it is the girls who play on this site will most likely never meet each other in real life, yet they will still be able to be best friends or should I say BFF when their online.  If your child does get a BarbieGirls account and go online to chat, the site gives you information about the privacy rules and the usage rules.  BarbieGirls .com is setup with your child’s safety in mind.

More Information on Barbie Girls:  Barbie Girls MP3 Player- Bright Pink and Green Outfits

The Nintendo Wii Increases Fitness and Encourages Family Activities. It is in high demand this year, as it has been since it was first released. It isn’t only seasoned gamers who are asking for this game console, the Wii has appeal to everyone.  Some places are limiting how many can be purchased per household each month to try to keep up with supply and demand. One console can be used by 4 players at once so the only reason families would have to purchase multiple consoles would be to use as gifts. And these make great gifts. Age doesn’t matter; the Wii has something for everyone from preschoolers to seniors.

This isn’t your ordinary sit-on-your-butt-in-front-of-the-television type game. This game console has put active into interactive games. The Wii comes with Wii Sports, a set of sports that can be played with the Wii console and Remote individually or in groups. Players control their onscreen characters by their movements.

The familiar game controllers of the past that require players to use their thumbs to push buttons as fast as they can aren’t used with this game. The Wii remote and (for games that need more than one handed play) the Nunchuk wirelessly control game play. The remote senses the players’ movement using the sensor bar and Bluetooth technology.

Parents don’t have to worry about their kids sitting all day playing mind numbing games. This game console brings activity back into after school activities. Children aren’t sitting down passively playing these games; instead they are able to play baseball in the family room without breaking anything as well as playing tennis. These games are fun and players are getting physical activity while playing them. The exercise that game players get while playing with the Nintendo Wii can help to increase circulation and increase coordination so players are able to increase physical health while playing video games. What more could parents ask for?

Wii was designed to put family back into family time. Family members who may not have enjoyed video gaming before are finding the interactive play with the Wii is addictive fun as well. Grandparents can take their grandchildren bowling in the living room. The physical agility needed in these sports is helpful in game play as well.  Siblings are able to play together or against one another with the Wii. People who haven’t played traditional video games are often able to get the hang of using the Wii remote faster than seasoned players. 

The Wii has WiFi capabilities and can be used to leave notes for family members (instead of pinning a note on the fridge) as well as sending emails to computers, cell phones and other Wii consoles. You can access the internet on the internet channel and even check the weather online anytime. Players can download games for the Wii using Wii points as well.

If you are an older game lover you will need to pick up the classic controller as it is needed to play games that you loved back in the 80s and 90s. Wii has the ability to be used to play more than 150 of the games from older systems including NES, Super NES, Nintendo 64 games, TurboGrafx-16 and Sega Genesis games. More games are being added as time goes on.  Virtual console games can be purchased for $5 to $10.

Wii Fit is expected to be released in Japan in December 2007 and in the United States in early 2008. This pressure sensitive balance board makes exercising, playing soccer, dancing and playing games with the Wii more interactive than ever before. By standing on the pressure sensitive board while playing and exercising the board you control your character on screen. Whether it is dancing lessons or playing hula-hoop this accessory promises hours of family fun, or ‘exergaming’.

The Wii fit transforms the game console into a personal trainer. Nintendo’s Wii Fit will be used in exercises such as push-ups, yoga, ski jumping and other exercises. Muscle conditioning, Aerobic exercise, yoga poses, balance games, and other power motions were included in the demonstration of Nintendo Fit when it was announced back in July 2007.

More4kids Inc. www.more4kids.info Copyright 2007 All Rights Reserved

Kids have a natual love of music. We introduced our son Kailan to music and music classes at an early age. Science says music can help a childs creativity and intelligence. When  a child is sad, a good energetic and fun tune can cheer them up. A good tune can help make a long car ride more fun and a childrens part more memorable. Just think of all the song we remember from childhood such as "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" or "Itsy Bitsy Spider". Music is imbeded in our culture and the earlier a child is exposed to music the more positive the impact can be.

So what is personalized music? Personalized music such as the one in the album to the left has your child's name sung into the songs. Kidz Tunes, for example, consists of 9 different personalized songs. One song includes the ABC's and another the counting the numbers 1 to 10. Children tend to learn more when they are personally involved and what could be funer then hearing their name in an song of the ABC's or counting from 1 to 10? To view our selection of personalized music CLICK HERE. ** Make sure to check the list to see if your child's name is availble **.

Click below to hear a sample of the personalized ABC song:

View this music CD and others HERE

More4kids® is a leading providing of personalized gifts for kids.

Just in time for Christmas. We have very limited quantities of our newest product: My Singing Teddy Bear. This product will sing your child's name with a speial wakeup song. Both our kids just love them! See the video below for a product demo of our singing teddy bears that we did, and be kind on the actors

For this product and other personalized gifts visit our online store at www.more4kids.com

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