Utter Nonsense: Family Edition a hilarious game for holiday gifting

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Utter Nonsense: Family Edition a hilarious game for holiday gifting

My husband has a thing about accents. He's long goofed off with our girls by speaking in (egregiously incorrect) accents, from Spanish to French to Australian and so forth. He gets a ridiculous kick out of hearing Siri speak in different languages, and has his own Siri set to the Australian male voice.

So when I mentioned I'd been offered Utter nonsense! The Hilarious Accent Game free for review, he was all over that. "Oh, you gotta get it!" he announced (in what I think may have been an Australian accent with a Spanish lilt).

I requested the game, and as soon as it arrived I saw its potential for wacky fun with my loved ones.

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Brief book review: All Fish Faces by Tam Warner Minton

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Fish fans of all ages will surely be delighted to find this colorful collection under their Christmas tree this holiday season. Or in their hands during any season.

All Fish Faces brief review 2.jpg

You'll find ALL FISH FACES by Tam Warner Minton (affiliate link) on Amazon plus other places great books are sold.

Disclosure: I received this book free for review; opinions are my own.

Games galore! Fun from Pressman Toy and Goliath Games

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Games galore! Fun from Pressman Toy and Goliath Games

The gifting season is upon us, and games never fail to fit the bill. Game gurus Pressman Toy and Goliath Games recently sent me more than a few of their faves for all ages to play and peruse with my local game boy (and grandson), James.

Some of the selections were silly, some challenging, all downright dandy for gift giving to grands.

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Greedy Granny game a goofy good time for grandkids and grandparents

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Greedy Granny game a goofy good time for grandkids and grandparents

Stereotypes of grandmas abound, and there's none more stereotypical than the star of Greedy Granny, the new offering from Goliath Games. Granny of the game is pin-curl coiffed, dons granny glasses, a lace-collared dress, and knee-high socks with pink slippers. She's wrinkled about the mouth and forehead and wears dentures that fly from her mouth when startled. She naps in a recliner, arthritic hands clutching the arms.

She's the stereotypical grandma caricature of comics and cartoons and commercials created by folks who apparently haven't seen a real grandma in several decades. A kind of grandma I can't imagine any child born in the past 30 years has ever seen, as grandmas are nothing like the stereotype. Or like Greedy Granny.

That said, It's silly to get one's grandma briefs in a bunch over the depiction, as Greedy Granny — stereotype or not — was surely innocently crafted for nothing but fun. And fun the game definitely is.

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Tender, tasty, quick, and easy meals courtesy Cosori Electric Pressure Cooker (review)

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Pressure cookers have intrigued me for nearly 50 years. They've also scared me that long, thanks to the monstrous meal-making machine that spouted steam and terror in my mom's kitchen as well as my grandma's decades ago.

I've always wanted to learn how to make meals with a pressure cooker. It just seemed that's what grandmas are supposed to do. Or at least try. But the idea the pressurized pan might go kabang has prevented me from giving such culinary craftiness a try.

Until now. Until I learned there's an electric — safe and kabang-proof — pressure cooker. Until I was offered the opportunity to review for free the safe, sturdy, and stylish Electric Pressure Cooker by Cosori.

 cosori electric pressure cooker

When I first unpacked and prepared my pressure cooker for cooking, my husband asked, "Are you sure that thing's not gonna explode?" Which confirmed that he, too, recalled pressure-cooker fears...

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Two hot picture books for kids from popular hit songs for adults (Brief book review)

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Everything old is made new again. Sometimes such creations stink (nearly every remade movie), sometimes they soar.

The following two fantastic new picture books for kiddos based on popular songs for grownups belong firmly and forever in the latter category. (They make great holiday gifts, too.)

FOOTLOOSE by Kenny Loggins, illustrated by Tim Bowers (Music & Lyrics by Kenny Loggins and Dean Pitchford)

footloose picture book ...

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Top That! A mad dash to match the magic hat stack game from Blue Orange Games

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Not too long ago, my buddy/reviewer Bud helped me try out a new game from Blue Orange Games called Dr. Eureka. It was loads of fun... but a tad challenging for Bud because of the manual dexterity involved in moving mini balls about ("molecules") to match the winning formula on game cards.

This game turned out a bit easier for my review partner.

top that! from blue orange games

Top That! from Blue Orange Games has very similar game play as Dr. Eureka — but was far more fun for Bud during our recent review play because the pieces (magic props) to be stacked and swapped and such to match what's on the game card before all the other players...

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Shape Mags Magnetic Stick N' Stack Tiles: Innovative magnetic fun (Review)

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Before I delve into my review of Shape Mags Magnetic Stick N' Stack playsets, I must first apologize.

I must apologize for using the "C" word here. That "C" word being, well, Christmas.

See, if you're anything like me, you abhor the idea of considering Christmas before summer has even come to a close. But, as these nifty playsets are ideal, imagination-stretching gifts for girls and boys of all ages (well, age 3+ is the recommendation), I simply must note that Shape Mags are absolutely perfect for giving — and getting... for Grandma's playroom — for Christmas.

There. I said it. Forgive me and let's move on... to the review.

shape mags

I received free for review the Shape Mags Magnetic Stick N' Stack Tiles Starter Set...

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