The Suburban Jungle

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this post. Please visit Ubi.com to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. #UbiChamps

Every New Year's we hold a party at our home and invite a large group of people. After a few hours of eating and talking, it's time to break out some games. Our favorite thing to play are party games for the Nintendo Wii.

Of the party games, dance games bring out the most fun and cause the greatest amount of laughter and memories. We've played almost all of the Just Dance games and have enjoyed playing them. My only complaint with those games are some of the music options.

Enter The Hip Hop Dance Experience.

Most people love to dance to Hip Hop and I am no exception. In fact it would be my preferred dance music. That's one positive for this game.

The other positives have to do with the actual play. Unlike the other dance games I've played, this game shows the characters from the fron…

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sharper Image for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine. Christmas is just days away, and every year we have a hard time figuring out just what to get. And we wait until the last minute.... I think it gets harder every year because we all have so much. Even if you're not "well-off" most of us have all of the necessities and main things we want.  That's why Christmas is a great time to look for things people wouldn't have thought of or some of the really nice things to own. Sharper image is a great store to find unique gifts and fun items for friends. Here are a few "must have" items from Sharper Image.Sound Soother: wake up to the sound or rain or a bustling city. Plus it's also an alarm clock and it looks great. My husband loves to fall asleep to "noise" and he would love this.Back Massager: Who doesn't need a back massager? This is one of life's truly affordable luxuries. This…

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of No nonsense for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.Quick confession - as an adult, I have never worn leggings. Like skinny jeans, I just thought they weren't for me. But just like everything else, I'm finding that the world of leggings has changed.No nonsense tights and leggings come so many varieties and colors - the possibilities are endless. I had the chance to try a pair of corduroy leggings and black tights from No nonsense. The tights will be fabulous with a dress or skirt and blouse combo such as this: And the leggings....I'd pair them with a long t-shirt, scarf and denim jacket. I'll most likely wear the tights over the holiday and will be passing the leggings onto a friend. I'd wear them myself, but the size I received was too large.  But now that I know what styles are out there, I'll be looking for No nonsense leggings while I'm out shopping. You can find them all over - in food & drug …

I have friends that go to the gym at the same time every day and run through the same routine. These same friends religiously run 5k races each summer. I'm a fit girl, so they often invite me along, but I always decline.

I'd rather do something exciting - like run a mud race, scale a mountain, kayak in the ocean, paddleboard, or something else that's not monotonous.

I feel the same about workouts. I've been tempted to check out the crossfit classes because they are varied and interesting. There's a "box" near me (actually in my children's tae kwon do location) and there are scottsdale bootcamps that introduce you to crossfit.

Bootcamps, obstacle courses, running through fire - so much better than slugging it out on the treadmill. You only live once, make it fun.

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this post.

Our family is a big fan of dance games and party games for the Nintendo Wii. We bought the original Wii the same day it was released (lucky us!) and since then, we've played just about every version of the Just Dance games. This week was the first time we had a chance to play Just Dance Disney Party. 
Every time I get a new Just Dance game, I expect it to be exactly like the other versions and am always surprised at the differences. Of course there are similarities: You dance to music and try to get better each time.
Just Dance Disney Party is different in a few key ways. #1 - All of the music selections are kid-friendly, Disney songs. #2 - The game proceeds as an adventure that encourages the kids to collect stars and pop balloons. #3 - The dance moves are Waaaayy easier than any other Dance game.
Of all the Just Dance games, my kids liked this one the best. The moves are so much easier, the music slower, and they like popping balloo…

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Duck Brand® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine. We just ran to the store to buy Duck Tape® for our survival kits (seriously, Duck Tape® is very useful in emergencies!) and guess what I saw.....Holiday Duck Tape®. I mainly use Duck Tape® for practical reasons - I even used to repair a broken tree. The tape held for over 2 years through rain and snow while the tree had time to regenerate. It was awesome. The only reason the tape came off was because I took it off. But the Holiday tape caught my eye. My kids love crafts and I could imagine them making a ton of holiday projects that they could hang up and use year after year. With people using Duck Tape® to make prom dresses, purses, and almost everything else, the implications for holiday decor are endless.  I'd love to hear what my more "crafty" readers have to say. Any ideas on how you would use Holiday Duck Tape®?  I love the snowman print and could imagine the…

When you have kids, your entire life changes. One of the biggest changes for an introvert like me was scheduling all the playdates. I eventually got used it, and they became a great way for me and my children to make and grow friendships.

What do you even plan for a playdate? It really depends on the age, but almost all of our playdates have centered around outdoor activities. We'll meet other moms and kids at a park, zoo, beach,  farm, or even just take a walk on nature trails.

Outside is a great place for playdates because almost everyone enjoys nature. Kids can be messy, loud, and rambunctious and it's absolutely okay when you're outside. Plus you are guaranteed to get plenty of exercise.  

Most of our playdates move indoors for the winter and focus on crafts or just getting together to play, but that doesn't stop us from getting outside when we can. 

This is a picture of our favorite playdate activity: Snow Tubing. 



Almost everyone can participate (even babies - on lap…