Happy Holidays!

From our home to yours, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season this year.
Thank you for your reader-loyalty and your business. I can't tell you how much we appreciate it!

I will be taking a little time off while those two little buggers pictured above are off school. I'll be back Monday, January 5th.

If you are relatively new and need your Emily Allyn Blog fix, feel free to read through some of our old posts. That ought to keep you busy (not that you're not busy enough these days)!

Last Minute Cookies

Presents? Check. Christmas dinner menu? Check. Relatives know what time to come for Christmas? Check. Cleaning? Well, it's getting there. All my cookies are baked? Yikes, no, I still need more cookies. We have family coming Wednesday. We are going to the in-laws on Thursday. And we are heading up to the cabin for the weekend. I will need cookies for all the occasions. Plus, I will want to horde some for myself. I mean it is the holidays and all!

If you are still searching for some cookies to bake for the upcoming holidays, I have a recipe for you. I'm not kidding, every time I make these White Chocolate Raspberry cookies, people rave about them. They are delicious.

Ingredients:
8 oz white baking bar 1/2 cup butter (no substitutes, though I use unsalted, just my preference)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 oz. white baking bar
1/2 tsp. shortening

Melt 4 oz. of the white baking bar over low heat (or follow package instructions for melting in microwave). Set aside to cool.

Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with for about 30 seconds or till softened. Add the sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat till combined. Beat in the eggs and melted white baking bar till combined. Beat in as much of the flour till combined. Chop remaining 4 oz. of white baking bar and stir/mix into batter.

Drop batter by rounded spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are (very) lightly browned. Cool for a minute. Move cookies to wire rack and cool.

You can do the following step when cookies have cooled or right before serving.
Heat and stir the jam in small saucepan over low heat till melted. Spoon about 1/2 tsp. of jam onto top of each cookie. Heat remaining 3 oz. of white baking bar and shortening (I do not use the shortening). Drizzle each cookie with some of the melted white baking bar. Refrigerate about 15 minutes to firm chocolate, if necessary.

Makes about 48 delicious cookies.

Last Minute J.Crew

J.Crew doesn't offer free shipping on any amount very often. Usually it's on $150 or more, which I say... whatever.
Anyway, when they do, I want to let you know about it!

Right now you can get free shipping on any amount PLUS there's up to 60% off a ton of products. Check it out and get yourself a little something this holiday season!

For free shipping enter code HURRY at checkout.

Our Winners

Congratulations to all of the winners in our huge holiday giveaway contests! And a big thank you to each of you who entered. Keep a good watch on the Emily Allyn blog; you never know what will pop up next!

Raggedy Ann & Andy set: Ruby from Alabama
Brain Quest DS game: Shannon from Oklahoma
Brain Quest DS game: Carrie C.
Animal Genius DS game: Meredith from Arizona
Say Anything game: Marlena from Iowa
Yoga With Your Baby DVD: Tami from Texas
Fabulous Fun With Puzzles book: Kjessia from Minnesota
Travel Games for Dummies DS game: Deanna from Texas

Giveaway Round-up

Today is your last chance to enter all of our giveaways!
All of the following will be closed by 11:59 (CST) tonight, Monday, December 15th.

Raggedy Ann and Andy
Brain Quest DS games (3 to giveaway)
Temporal Scanner
Travel GAmes for Dummies DS game
Yoga With Your Baby DVD
Fabulous Fun With Puzzles
Say Anything
Animal Genius DS game

Last time I'll say just how easy it is to enter! Simply send emilyallyn an email with the specified subject line. That's it! See each post for details.

Good luck!

Giveaway: Temporal Scanner

Drumroll please...
We have come to our last giveaway for the year 2008. Though we had some amazing giveaways throughout 2008, these past two weeks have been incredible! Two full weeks chock-full of prize after prize! Now we have come to the end. And we end our two weeks of giveaways with the most practical of gifts, the Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer.

How many flippin' times has your child been sick and either your thermometer is dead or you seem to get a different reading every time? The other trick is getting your infant to sit still long enough to get an accurate armpit read. Then there is the dreaded rectal read. No mother wants to do that procedure because you really have no clue what you're doing. And I love it when the 5 year old sits with the thermometer under his tongue and waits and waits for the temperature and starts to spaz-out because he can't breathe with his nose being so plugged up. With all these problems it's no wonder someone finally came up with an easy solution.

"With a gentle stroke of the forehead [the temporal scanner] captures the naturally emitted heat from the skin over the temporal artery, taking 1,000 readings per second, selecting the most accurate."

This makes temporal scanning more accurate than ear scanning and the rectal read. Not to mention this product makes taking a temperature slick-as-a-slithering-snake. (Try saying that 10 times, and yes, I just made it up.) That ease and slickness comes in handy in the middle of the night when you are dealing with a sick child (or husband) and things tend to get a little stressful.

The cheapest I've seen the Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer is at Costco.com and Wal-mart for $25 - $30, which is a steal.

"It is the gentlest and most accurate method of temperature assessment in the world." And I'll add that it is the most easy to use!

Giveaway Alert!
The very kind people working to publicize this amazing product would love to giveaway a Temporal Artery Thermometer to one lucky winner!

What you need to do:
As always, easy. Simply send an email to emilyallyn and be sure to put Temporal Artery Thermometer in the subject. That's it!

The giveaway will end Monday, December 15th at 11:59 pm. The winner will be notified by email.

And if you don't win this time around, there will be other chances to win on the Temporal Scanner Facebook fan page.

Giveaway: Travel Games for Dummies

Try explaining the title of a DS game to your 5 year old called, Travel Games for Dummies!

5 yr. old: "I thought dummy wasn't a nice word, Mom."

Mom: "It's not, honey."
5 yr. old: "Then why is this game for dummies?"

Mom: "It's supposed to be a joke. They write many books to like, Small Business for Dummies and Computers for Dummies."
5 yr. old: "But I'm not supposed to say the word dummy, right?"
Mom: (the dreaded answer with a sigh) "Well, in this instance you can."

I find the "for Dummies" series flat out hilarious - that someone came up with the title and has basically monopolized the How-To section at Borders. Genius. However, explaining it to my 5 year old was another story!

"Travel Games For Dummies offers three exciting games in one. The game is packed with over 600 puzzles for Solitaire, Sudoku and Crosswords enthusiasts.

In Solitaire, players can try their hand at 10 different Solitaire games from the classic Klondike, to more advanced versions like Pyramid and Scorpion.

Sudoku fans will learn to play like pros as they choose from hundreds of puzzles, using the full-featured practice mode with optional hints to solve them in record time.

Fans of Crosswords will be completing puzzles in no time, using hint options like clues and letter choices when they need help."

Now that your kids have a DS, you just might want to buy one for yourself. Then you can play your Travel Games for Dummies games all day, every day! No need to wait around for Junior to finish his never-ending Madden NFL '09 game.

With Sudoku being still being all the rage these days, your "friends" might come crawling out of that hole in the wall to "help" you play. Crosswords are just plain awesome for the brain. And once addicted to online Solitare, there's no turning back...

Giveaway Alert!
I have a brand new Travel Games for Dummies DS game to giveaway to one lucky winner!

What you need to do:
Easy. Simply send an email to emilyallyn and be sure to put Travel Games for Dummies DS in the subject. That's it!

The giveaway will end Monday, December 15th at 11:59 pm. The winner will be notified by email.

Barney's

My Happy Holidays tip to you:
Hurry, hurry, hurry is all I have to say - before all the good stuff and/or your size is gone!

Barney's New York CO-OP is promoting their Designer Sale with up to 60% off. I've checked it out and the prices are red-hot!

Now I need to get back there before all of you do...

Giveaway: Yoga With Your Baby

Exercise. Unless you are Michael Phelps, you probably feel you should always be doing more. Some feel they can't get enough. Others feel they need to start doing more. However, when you are a new mom, exercise is just a tad further down on your list than say... oh I don't know maybe... sleep, eat, laundry, and Target-runs!

The Yoga With Your Baby DVD can change that! Watch this video and you'll want to jump right in. It's relaxing, and it's not difficult. These are moves you can perform while cuddling with your baby and enjoying her many smiles. As with all yoga, there are varying degrees of difficulty and you can modify your pose to a level comfortable for you.

I'm a big fan of Yoga. I started it about 3.5 years ago. I will admit I start and stop and start again because I miss it so much and then stop and finally start again. It's a good, strong workout without feeling like you have to run 10 miles in order to get a good workout. There are so many benefits to performing yoga, not just exercise. You involve your mind, body, and spirit. (Which might coincidently be the YMCA's motto???) Meditation for your body and mind is powerful. Moving and holding poses for your body is strength-building, not mention it increases your flexibility. But that's just my take on it!

Here is a formal take on the benefits of yoga and Yoga With Your Baby straight from their website.
Benefits for your baby:
Throughout this program, you will be encouraged to gently move your baby's body rhythmically as you sing with the movements. This rhythmic movement is based on modified yoga poses and has the following benefits for your baby:

• Facilitates digestion
• Improves sleep
• Increases balance
• Promotes healthy brain development

Benefits for you:

• Introduces playful, easy, interactive yoga poses
• Calms and grounds you, so you can relax into a state of attunement
• Supports a respectful, loving interaction with your baby
• Encourages physical, mental & emotional levels of connection
• Facilitates enjoyment of your relationship with your child Helps you develop mindfulness & cultivate compassionate awareness
• Increases strength and flexibility

Whether you are new to yoga or a lifetime yogi, you will enjoy Yoga With Your Baby. The DVD is designed for babies who can hold their head up (usually around 3 to 4 months) and for toddlers (up to about 4 years old).

Giveaway Alert!
I have a brand new DVD copy of Yoga With Your Baby to giveaway to one lucky winner!

What you need to do:
Easy. Simply send an email to emilyallyn and be sure to put Yoga With Your Baby DVD in the subject. That's it!

The giveaway will end Monday, December 15th at 11:59 pm. The winner will be notified by email.

Giveaway: Fab Fun With Puzzles

It's baaaaaaack and absolutely fabulous.

The Fabulous Fun With Puzzles book started in 1946 when Joseph Leeming created Fun With Puzzles followed by More Fun With Puzzles. Fabulous Fun With Puzzles combines the best puzzles from each edition.
"The challenges are varied, in both content and difficulty. You'll find forgotten classics and original creations, humorous teasers and logical testers, easy ticklers and confounding head-scratchers. And just when you think you've caught on to all the devious angles from which Mr. Leeming's puzzles come at you, a new twist will arise. Prepare to be continually bemused, amused, and amazed."

If you are up for the challenge and ready to concentrate, imagine, use logical thinking and clear correlated thinking, then you are ready to purchase Fabulous Fun With Puzzles... or you are ready to take the LSAT.

I can't begin to explain the number of emotions I went through when trying to figure out these puzzles! I'll try - intimidated, smart, feebleminded, proud, confused, rewarded, frustrated, elated, irked, cocky, clever, and dare I say "puzzled". And that was all with the first puzzle! Just kidding. However, when you get one right, you feel pretty dang brainy. You also want to try it on the first person you see, hoping to stump that person and feel like the genius has sprung within you!

To get a flavor of these ultra-fun teasers, here are a few examples (answers found below).

1. Two mothers and two daughters attended a picnic together. The main courses were hot dogs, hamburgers, and grilled chicken - and yet each made a different choice. How could this be?
2. What is the weight of a fish if it weighs ten pounds plus half its weight?
3. Two of the jacks in an ordinary pack of cards are drawn so that one eye is visible. The other two are drawn with two eyes visible on each. Given that, what is the total number of eyes showing on all four jacks?

You will also find a number of conundrums with drawings, cutting out shapes, mixing up letters/words, number puzzles, longer story problems, etc.

What are you waiting for? Strap on your smarts and buy Fabulous Fun With Puzzles for the mind-teaser on your holiday list. That person won't be disappointed in the least!

Answers:

1. It was a threesome - a grandmother, mother, and daughter.

2. The fish weighs 20 pounds.

3. Twelve. Each jack has two heads.

Giveaway Alert!
I have a brand new copy of Fabulous Fun With Puzzles to giveaway to one lucky winner!

What you need to do:
Easy. Simply send an email to emilyallyn and be sure to put Fabulous Fun With Puzzles in the subject. That's it! Never has a contest been so easy.

The giveaway will end Monday, December 15th at 11:59 pm. The winner will be notified by email.

Giveaway: Brain Quest

Are you smarter than a 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th grader?
Here's your chance to find out - Brain Quest.

My son is in 2nd grade and 8 years old. Recently, he has been playing Brain Quest for grades 3 & 4. He really enjoys it, which is great. I love seeing him play video games where he digs deep into his brain and actually uses those cells! Don't get me wrong, I'm not against any of the other rated-E-for-Everyone video games. After all, I did grow up on Atari. Pitfall, Astroids, or Night Driver anyone?

Brain Quest has a wide range of questions. For example, under the 3rd grade category there are these two questions:
1. "Which is not a fruit?" with choices being an apple, grapes, cherries or a hot dog.
2. "Which of the following civilizations is known for building aqueducts?"' with choices being Colonial America, Ancient Rome, and Early Gaul. (Just in case you are wondering, the answer is Ancient Rome.)

Each game contains 6,000 questions. That's unbelievable! I know I couldn't come up with 6,000 questions for a 3rd grader! The categories vary as well, so the questions never get boring. You can choose questions from English, Science, Math, History, Geography, and Grab Bag.

My son really gets into this game and is quite competitive, however I do end up reading many of the questions and/or answers to him. If you would like your son or daughter to play by him- or herself, I would suggest following the grade designation - 3rd and 4th grade - as opposed to the age designation of 8-10 years.

Brain Quest will make the perfect holiday stocking stuffer for that 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th grader on your list. Just make sure you throw in a few "practice" rounds for yourself, so you get the hang of it before you request a challenge. You just may get stumped a few times!

Giveaway Alert!
The generous people at EA (Electronic Arts) sent me a few copies of Brain Quest, the DS game, to giveaway. There will be 2 winners. One winner will receive a copy of the Brain Quest for Grades 5 & 6, the other winner will win two copies, one of each Grades 3 & 4 and Grades 5 & 6.

Brain Quest retails for $19.99 each, but you can get yours for free!

What you need to do:
Easy. Simply send an email to emilyallyn and be sure to put Brain Quest DS Game in the subject. That's it!

The giveaway will end Monday, December 15th at 11:59 pm. The winners will be notified by email.

Giveaway: Raggedy Ann & Andy

Giveaway Alert!

Emily & Allyn. Jack & Jill. Hansel & Gretl. Mickey & Minnie.
All famous :)
But don't forget Raggedy Ann & Andy. Back to Basics Toys sure hasn't. The nostalgic Raggedy Ann & Andy Box Set is available for only $44.99. But, you can win a set for free!

All you have to do is send us an email and be sure to put Raggedy Ann & Andy in the subject line. That's it! You could be our next lucky winner.

The giveaway will end Monday, December 15th at 11:59 pm. The winner will be notified by email.
___________________________________

Back to Basics Toys is another one of my favorite catalogs this time of year. The toys can transport you back in time with smiles remembering your childhood days. They keep the best toys alive and add some modern ones with a twist.

Here are a few of my favorite.

Lincoln Logs. You can't be a kid and not experience the original Lincoln Logs. They are as classic as classic gets. This commemorative tin canister edition with 115 pieces sells for $39.99. There is also a larger set for $99.99.

The Junior Whirly Wheel. Kids (up to 60 lbs. for this version) use their hands to power this ride-on. It looks like so much fun! You can spin 360 degrees on almost any surface. $54.99.

The pendulum clocks are quite nostalgic to say the least. A perfect decoration for any playroom. Comes in Old Smokey Train and Little Princess styles. Each $69.99.

For the Frogger and/or Space Invaders lover. They are back, tabletop-style! Each only $29.99.

For the football fanatic. The Ultimate NFL Tabletop Football Game where you flick the "football" down the field. Brings me back to Junior High... $29.99.

A major indoor tree house. Comes with a crane, crow's nest, swing, rope ladder, water well, and bucket on a pulley to engage your tot for hours on end. $159.99.

The Brio Labyrinth. We have this toy from back in my day. It still drives me crazy! Yet it is quite addictive.

This should be enough to get you started on your journey through the wonderful land of the Back to Basics Toys website. Your turn!

Giveaway: Scholastic DS Game

Scholastic. Simply an amazing company with wonderful products, always. I can't say enough about them.

My son loves to play I SPY computer games on the kid's pc. We own I Spy: Treasure Hunt and I Spy: Spooky Mansion. They are imaginative and I don't feel guilty when the kids play since they combine fun with critical thinking and vocabulary skills.

I'm not the only one who appreciates these games; check out all the awards they have won!

The generous people working with Scholastic sent us the newest addition to the I Spy group, I Spy: Fun House. I played it with my (almost) 6 year old. We had so much fun together, finding objects, giving clues, winning tickets, and then playing in the Fun House. If you ever went to Carnivals as a kid, you will totally love this! It takes you back. My son also thought this was a hoot. He couldn't wait to get out of bed the next morning to continue his Fun House adventure!

"Solve I Spy riddles to earn tickets to the Fun House, a topsy turvy world where nothing is as it appears! Master puzzles and play exciting games while exploring the Fun House! Practice logic and reasoning skills while solving 30 brain-teasing puzzles, 33 I SPY riddles, 4 fast paced games, Scavenger Hunt, and over 185 additional problems!"

Giveaway Alert!
Scholatic's "Animal Genius [DS] puts players animal smarts to the test. Using the Nintendo DS stylus, players must compete in five different games, which require a combination of quick thinking and sharp reflexes. The five games include Creature Collector, Scratch N See, Matchomatic, Maze Munch and Animal Expert. "

Animal Genius for the DS retails for $29.99, but it could be yours for free!
What you need to do:
Easy. Simply send an email to emilyallyn and be sure to put Animal Genius DS Game in the subject. That's it! Slick as snot, eh?!!?

The giveaway will end Monday, December 15th at 11:59 pm. The winner will be notified by email.

Don't forget to visit Scholastic's website where you will find a ton of information for parents and kids - activities, games, videos, family life, books & authors, and more, more, more! Amazing.

Giveaway: Say Anything

Giveaway Alert!
The makers of Wits and Wagers (see yesterday's post) have created another game, Say Anything. And I have one to giveaway!

Say Anything
"Say Anything is a light-hearted game about what you and your friends think. It will get people talking, laughing, and having fun in minutes. Enjoy it with 3 - 8 family members (players must be able to write) or as a hilarious party game with adults. So dig deep into your heart or just come up with something witty -- this is your chance to Say Anything!"

1. Ask a question from the card you draw.
2. Everyone else writes an answer & turns it face-up.
3. You secretly choose your favorite answer. Then everyone tries to guess which one you picked.

Sample questions:
1. If I could have a "BIG" anything, what would it be?
2. Who is the most overrated band of all time?
3. Who's the most annoying celebrity in show business?
4. What's the worst thing to say to a cop after getting pulled over?

What you need to do:
Easy. Simply send an email to emilyallyn and be sure to put Say Anything Game in the subject. That's it!

The giveaway will end Monday, December 15th at 11:59 pm. The winner will be notified by email.

Wits & Wagers

Picture this: Thanksgiving weekend, up North at the cabin, thin blanket of snow on the ground, all cozy next to a fireplace, drinking wine and playing umpteen rounds of Wits & Wagers with the family. Sound like a good time? Without a doubt. (Some of you may need to replace the word family with friends in order to ensure a good time.)

Wits and Wagers by North Star Games is a game for many ages. Our group spanned from age 13 up to 61, and we all had a ball. When the younger kids (ages 5-9) saw how much fun we were having, they wanted in on a piece of the action. So, we gave them clues by supplying them with a range in which to guess and we made up a few questions specific to them.

"Each player writes down a guess to the same question and places it face-up on the betting mat. Think you know it? Bet on your guess! Think you know who the expert is? Bet on them. The player with the most points [chips] after 7 questions wins."

It's a little like bringing Vegas and Trivial Pursuit to your own living room. Only what happens in the living room while playing Wits and Wages doesn't always stay in the living room. For example, I'll be telling you all (a.k.a. the World) a little story about our game.

We had this question, "In 2006, how many knives were discovered during U.S. airport passenger screenings?" Our answers ranged from 50 (yes, 50) to 20,000. We placed our bets, then read the actual answer: 1,607,100. First, all of our mouths dropped and hung open. Then we all stared at our own answers in disbelief... and without skipping a beat, the jabs and jokes starting flying towards the person who guessed 50! (Sorry, Mom.) It's now one of those things she'll never live down.

To give you a better taste for the game, here are a few more examples of questions (answers below):
1. In dollars, what is the average annual salary of a Major League Baseball player?
2. In days, how long was O.J. Simpson's double murder trial?
3. What percent of American families annually spend more than they earn?
4. In days, what was the shortest term of any U.S. president?
5. In what year was Coca-Cola first produced?
6. In what year did Sesame Street first air?
I could keep going because it's quite addicting!

Wits and Wagers would be the perfect holiday gift or hostess gift. But don't take my word for it (or my mother's or my husband's or my brother's or my sister's-in-law, or my nephew's). This game has already won 13 industry awards. You won't go wrong giving this as a gift... unless of course you give this to your friend who is addicted to gambling and wants to play for real money.

Answers to questions above:

1. $3.060,484
2. 252 days
3. 40%
4. 32 days (Harrison died of pneumonia 32 days after his inauguration)
5. 1886
6. 1969

You can find Wits & Wagers at your favorite Target store; I saw it at mine today. It's also online at Target.com and Amazon.com.