The Broken Foot

It didn't start out sucking so bad. It was actually tolerable because she started out like this:

 Look - she's even smiling!

After breaking her foot over spring break, Em was in a boot for 4 weeks. Not great but at least it was removable and she could put some weight on it at the end of the month.

My Broken Heart

Unfortunately, the foot did not completely heal. So instead of taking a chance, the doctor put her in a cast for another 3 weeks.

A hard, itchy, non-removable, don't-get-it-wet, non-walkable cast for three weeks. JUST as we are preparing to surprise them with the Disney trip to the Disney Social Media Moms Conference.

I nearly broke down in tears right there.

THANK GOD we had not told them. They have been on a DSMM conference trip before. They would know far too well what they are missing. But it just didn't seem fair to drag her along when she could not fully enjoy it. And, even if you have a wheel chair at the parks, all the getting around at the airport, the hotel, and everything else would exhaust her. And me. I thought about going solo but remembered my husband was NOT going so he could get work done. Leaving the girls with him was not fair to him.

I had the tough job of relaying our bad luck to the folks at Disney who had already shipped us a little @DisneySMMoms surprise:

Yes, a gorgeous, raspberry colored 4-wheel spinner suitcase from AmericanTourister! @AmTourister on twitter if you want to follow them and definitely track the #PackMoreFun hashtag to see all the colorful bags they have.

The important folks at Disney insisted I keep the bag and because they are so generous, I decided the best thing to do is to pay it forward. It will take my mind off missing the trip, it will keep my daughter (who is bored out of her mind NOT doing any after school activities) busy helping me gather and brainstorm ways we can...

share a little Disney Magic with others less fortunate

While The Twofer are not aware they are missing out on the trip, they are Well Aware of the blessings they have received from previous DSMM trips and they actually love it when we shop for toys and things to donate. We do it a few times a year including around the holidays and back-to-school.

So, my mission this week is to fill my new American Tourister bag with goodies to donate and include a little Disney in each delivery. First up... food for Manna.

We have always collected and donated food for Manna, but The Twofer's Girl Scout troop actually had a chance to see the warehouse for the first time this year and even spent 2 hours sorting. What surprised me most was the baby food. It never crossed my mind to donate baby food but then I remembered how expensive it was. This trip I stocked up on baby food, Girl Scout cookies, and some Disney fruit snacks!

Your challenge:

Think about how you might spread a little Disney Magic this week. Think of one thing you might be able to do by Friday and share it here! I have some ideas but I can always use more.

Janine

And Twitter is all a buzz.

I'm especially excited to be going again this year to the Disney Social Media Moms conference, but even if I wasn't, I would still be enjoying the clues and figuring out what is in store.

Take a look at the latest reveal:

image via Disney

Here's the accompanying tweet:

We've gone Hollywood today - only 14 more days 'til #DisneySMMoms. Need directions? A map? Get 'em here!

Can you guess what fun things they have planned?

Fun Before the Fun Has Started

I have to say, as much fun as it is to try and guess, it's just as much fun knowing there are a bunch of surprises in store for us when we get there! And this is exactly how Disney excels. It's one thing to consistently plan a conference that is filled with amazing experiences. And yet the Disney team keeps reaching. This game of revealing clues keeps us guessing and talking about the conference in an entirely new way. It's about having fun way before the real fun has even started!

Learn From the Masters

I'm excited about the lineup of speakers Disney has planned for us during the conference. I'm also thrilled to have the opportunity to learn about customer service, word-of-mouth marketing, and how to incorporate FUN into a project from the folks at Disney. Every time I'm invited to a Disney event I make mental notes of things I want to use in my own line of work. Things that will motivate people to share ideas. Things that will keep people excited. Things that keep the focus on the positive.

As much as I plan to enjoy this experience, I also plan to learn.

I'll be at the Disney Social Media Moms conference May 9-12 and yes, I believe we can all expect a fabulous Mother's Day! We have NOT told the Twofer. I'm not sure how I'll pull another Disney Surprise on them or when we'll do the big reveal but you can bet I'm getting ideas from the masters of surprise at Disney!

Janine

ME NEITHER!

We love popcorn in this house.

We love it when it's cold out and when it's warm out.

We love it plane, with butter, or with some other funky seasoning.

But we had to say farewell to popcorn last year.

Orthodontists don't like popcorn and the expanders that were costing us a small fortune are not forgiving when it comes to popcorn.

So as a family, we decided that we should let these very expensive expanders do their job well, the first time, and we ditched popcorn.

Until NOW!

Expanders have been removed and popcorn is back on our snack list!

I told the girls we could eat it every single day until the next orthodontist appointment in August.

Have you ever given up a certain food for a whole year?

Janine

I so wish they had these when my twins were born.

I love that they are unisex.

And who doesn't love the Twin Discount?

Janine

For example, my kids knew how to set the TV, Direct TV, and cables to get the Wii to working in the basement before I did. In addition, they knew how to use many of the features on my iPhone before I did.

So when we received a Wii U from Nintendo, I was both excited and a little worried because the Wii U has many more opportunities for players to interact with people outside of their home. What I learned after hosting a Wii U party is that Nintendo KNOWS how kids think and how parents worry, and they have plenty of controls that can be put in place.

But first, we played

A parent in the hot seat during Mario Chase

One of the best ways to play Wii U is parents vs kids and the new Wii U tablet controler allows game designers to create games where the players using the Wii remotes are actually playing against the person with the tablet!  One of these games was Mario Race. In this game, an adult was Mario and using the tablet. As Mario the goal is to avoid being caught by the other players (in this case the kids).

I am NOT a huge gamer but this game had me sweating, squeeling, and bouncing in my seat.

I WON! They could not catch me!

And then we sang and danced!

Sing Party offer lots of opportunity to dance too!

The Wii U Sing Party game was of course a group favorite. Part karaoke, part dance lessons, this game brought kids and parents togethe to sing (using microphones the song lyrics on the tablet), and follow the dance moves shown on the TV.

At last, we set down the Parental rules

With the Wii U you can use the internet connection to chat with friends, play against someone in another country, and shop the Nintendo store among other things. All great features, but a parent's nightmare. And so the party leaders (trained in Wii U) showed us how to set Wii U parental controls so that kids can only connect when we want them to.

 In all we learned why we love the Wii U.

Tons a new ways to play together and against each other. Lots of additional features that even parents can figure out. Easy parental controls.

Have you tried the Wii U yet?

Janine

Disclosure: as a Nintendo ambassador I received a Wii U and three games at no charge for the purposes of having a party to showcase the system. All opinons are my own and this post was not reviewed nor approved by anyone.

The other day I heard this clank right out of my Campbell's soup can as I was pouring it into a bowl:

RIGHT?!?!

Of course I immediately posted on Facebook and everyone started telling me I would soon be a millionaire!

Wait, what?

How does a bolt in my soup translate to a windfall of money?

I didn't eat it.

I didn't chip my tooth on it.

I wasn't emotionally scarred.

Yet for some reason people assumed I would, what? Call and threaten Campbell's because, you know, nothing bad happenend but it could have?

That's not me.

I'm not on this Earth to drum up trouble.

I immediately called the number on the can and reported it. Within a few days I received a prepaid envelope (to send the bolt in for evaluation) as well as a collection of Campbell's coupons that cover above and beyond what I spent on the original can with the bolt in it.

Some of those coupons will go to people needier than me.

That makes me feel like a millionaire.

What's the strangest thing you've found in soup?

Janine

Last year we had a huge hit on our hands with this card.

This year, we decided to try something new.

I Hope Your Day Glows Valentine's Day Card

Glow stick can be removed and worn

Item's you'll need:

card stock (red for the heart another color for an arrow)

tube of mini glow stick bracelets (I found a tube of 25 for $1 at Michael's)

scissors or cutting tool

stickers, stamps or glitter to decorate

doilie (optional) to glue to the back of the card for additional decoration

Hope your day glows!

How to assemble the card:

Create a heart with 4 to a page in a Word document then print enough for the entire class (and teacher) onto red card stock

Make marks where the glow stick will go in and out in the heart

Decorate the heart and address the cards around the area where the glow stick will go (I thought adding a doilie to the back of the red card and having the edges a little frilly would be cute but my daughter nixed it)

Use a scissors or Exacto knife and cutting board to score an X on the spots marked for the glow sticks.

*TIP - score the X's farther apart so the card bends less when you put the stick through

My daughter then used a pencil to poke a cleaner hole through the X

Be careful not to bend the glow stick when you insert it through the holes or it will activate the glow!

Use another color card stock to make arrow tips - either another smallter heart or a triangle and tape these to the tip of one end of the glow stick

Add the glow stick bracelet connector (comes in the tube) to the other end

Kids can pull out the glow stick, activate the glow, then connect the two ends around their wrist to wear it home!

She left us, way to early, one year ago today.

She blogged here.

She made an impact here and here.

For the two or three years that I knew her, and through her ability to share what it was like to LIVE with cancer, I realized that it's my duty,

no matter what is going on in my life

despite whatever struggles I have

despite whatever worries or stress I have

that as a healthy person,

I MUST LIVE, truly live and embrace every single day.

Money is money.

Stuff is stuff.

What matters most to me are the people I love, and being able to really BE with them. To embrace each day, whatever it brings. To LIVE each day, each moment to it's fullest. Good. Bad. Ugly.

It's life.

And one day it will be gone.

I want to look back on my life, however long or short it is and see that I spent more time being thinking about what I'm grateful for, than thinking about what troubles me.

I want to be at peace because I chose to be happy.

I owe it to myself, to my family, and I feel that I owe it to Susan who no longer has that choice.

But when she did, she chose to LIVE.

Please consider donating to these organizations in honor of a Susan:

Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation: http://www.ibcresearch.org/

Crickett's Answer for Cancer: http://crickettsanswerforcancer.org/

Janine

So far each weekend in 2013 I have tackled at least one drawer, counter top, or cabinet to organize and it's working! I have been purging and trying to find ways to better organize what is left. Sometimes it's easier to organize a drawer or cabinet after I've emptied it and I see I only need to keep a portion of what just came out. I have been tossing and donating items as I clean out certain areas. Not only does this give me extra room, it makes it easier to look at the space and put things back in an organized way. And donating extra items (did you know I had 3 extra coffee makers??) to homeless shelters and needy people means it's staying out of the landfill and helping someone else.

Start Small

The thing with getting organized is that you can become paralyzed by the fact that you 'don't have the right storage'. Instead of looking for an entire wall unit to clean up your famly room, start small. Look for something that will help organize just one area - books, board games, socks and underwear, computer equipment, or whatever else is getting out of control. It's also easier to get started on a small job. Mentally and physically it's easier to dive into cleaning up just one area or one category of 'things'. Just as people often say, "One day at a time", they could say "One drawer at a time".

Look for Multi-Purpose Pieces

The trick is to find the right storage that can work in any room of the house. Whether it's the twins' room, the family room, my home office, or my bedroom, I need a storage unit that can be moved where I decide I need it most. What I have found in my search is that Staples has a great selection of storage units that work in all areas of my house. When the folks at Staples asked me to review a product from their site I opted for a light-weight, fabric storage unit.

It's perfect as an end table as the top of hard and solid. It will work in my family room to keep the library books and magazines from getting scattered all over the floor. This piece would be great in the guest room to hold extra sheets and towels. I might use it in my home office to hold the supply of papers, labels and ink cartridges for my printer. It will even work in the girls' room or in my closet as the perfect place to keep socks, or other accessories. This piece costs around $50. Not a bad price considering how versatile it is.

Staples Rewards you for getting organized

What I love about Staples are the rewards. They basically PAY you to shop! The Mister just went to Staples last week and use our rewards to get almost $100 worth of computer equipment, offices supplies and cleaning supplies ALL with our Staples Rewards! If we have to get these things, we might as well get them at Staples where we not only get a good price, but we are rewarded.

Where do you go to get organized?

Have you ever found the perfect storage unit to help you get organized around the house? Do you jump in and commit to organizing an entire room or do you prefer to just work on one small section?

I'd love to know what tips you have!

Janine

Disclosure: Staples provided me with this Altra storage unit for the purposed of a review but all opinions are my own. To see the full line of storage cabinets visit Staples.com.

One could interpret the term "Knock them out" several different ways. Some people might think I'm referring to some kind of corporal punishment - I AM NOT.

Some people immediately think - "Oh, drug them!"

I AM NOT.

I AM referring to my favorite Knock Knock Good Night Playtime Note Pad that has helped my kids in the past to fall asleep, and stay asleep with good dreams.

Every once in a while a friend complains that their child is either having trouble falling asleep, or is waking up in the middle of the night with nightmares. This will be my officla go-to link from now on because I've referred these note pads on several occasions.

For one, I LOVE that they prompt kids to look back at their day. Then they are prompted to think about what they want to dream about AND how they envision the next day is going to turn out. I always feel like if you think positive, it will be positive. Or at least you'll go to bed thinking it will be and you'll get a better night's sleep!

Make Your Own or Buy Knock Knock

Try this - encourge your child to keep a journal next to their bed and each night you can sit with them and ask them certain prompts. You can use the Knock Knock prompts, or try some of your own. The key is to help get them set up for a good night of sleep so keep it light and positive.

Want to buy the pre-made note pads?

You can find Knock Knock Good Night Note Pads at Amazon.com

Sweet dreams!

Janine

Disclosure: I'm not working with Knock Knock in any way, but some links are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

My book came last month

and you can see how I've already started to dog-ear the businesses I frequent.

My plan is to leave the book in my car since that's when we often make our purchasing and dinner-out decisions. Last minute of course.

The good news is that Entertainment deals are also available with a wallet card AND the mobile app.

These books are the perfect gift for teachers, sports instructors, neighbors, babysitters, and any hard-to-shop for person on your list! Pair it with a gift card to their favorite restaurant with a deal in the Entertainment book and you've got yourself an awesome gift!

You can purchase the book online at Entertainment.com.

Happy Holiday and Happy Shopping!

Janine

What's different?

There is a tablet that comes with the Wii U that can be used as a 2nd screen, it's great for balance games (think carrying a tray like a waiter), and it is used for group play.

In the new Zelda game, the person with the tablet is the one shooting the bow and arrow while the other players use the Wii remotes as swordsmen. There is a new ghost game where the person with the tablet IS the ghost, hiding from the other players who have to work together to catch him/her.

The tablet can also be used as a 2nd view, so in the game shown below, the tablet shows the view of the overal map of the area while the TV screen is the ground-level view.

The tablet is touch screen, and wireless. The wires you see are only because they don't have batteries in them for this event. You will be able to play your old Wii games and you can still use your current Wii remotes with the new Wii U system.

Look for it around the holidays.

Janine

Disclosure: I am a Nintendo Ambassador and from time to time I receive free Nintendo products, gift cards, or invites to special events like this. As always, all opinions are my own and this post was neither reviewed nor approved prior to being published.

This summer I plan to let the girls start riding their bikes by themselves around the neighborhood. Nothing too far, but enough that they'll feel independent and will have to be responsible for their things. That includes locking up their bikes!

WordLock bike lock uses letters and words instead of numbers

WordLock recently sent me two 5 Foot Cable Bike Locks for the girls that we can test out this summer. The cables are nice and long and the lock combination will be a word that is easy for them to remember. Next we need to have the discussion that you

a) never share your lock combination (or online passwords) with your friends

and

b) never use your name as part of your password (or lock combo)

The bike locks attach right to the bike frame and slide in and out of the holder easily. Perfect for smaller hands.

For more information about WordLocks

visit the WordLock website

Like them on Facebook

and look for WordLock on sale at Amazon too!

Janine

Disclosure: I received 2 WordLock bike locks for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own and this post was neither reviewed nor approved prior to being published. Some links are affiliate links.

One way to thank your favorite PR contacts, favorite brand reps, or even fellow bloggers (think of the friends who have passed along great opportunities to you) is with a simple, but thoughtful holiday card.

FedEx Office makes it easy to order custom holiday cards and calendars!

FedEx Office has a huge selection of holiday card and calendar templates that for cards and calendars that would work to help you highlight the 'best of 2011' from your blog. Trust me, I know. I was given a gift card to use to order holiday cards or a calendars and have spent several days just browsing and trying to decide if I want to go with a calendar or cards!

I have finally decided on a custom photo calendar (I think) and there are tons of cool backgrounds to choose from. It's taken me so long that I'm writing this post before I've even placed my final order. Once you decide, the process is really, really easy and quick.

Photo Cards are not limited to one photo

What made the decision so hard is that the photo cards do not limit you to one, or even two photos. The design options are vast...

AND, the designs work whether it's one photo, or if you choose the collage layout.

Notice you can even choose horizontal, vertical, and you can choose the collage that works best for the photos you want to use. This option is great if you want to highlight all the cool things you did on your blog this year.

Another option I was considering was the mini desk calendars that have a unique photo for each month! A very cost effective and fun way to promote your blog or your business.

SAVE on FedEx Office Cards and Calendars

Through November 27, order online using www.fedex.com/greetings to save 30% on select holiday cards and calendars!

Order on December 8-17 and use www.fedex.com/us/greetings/25email.html to save 25% on select holiday card and calendar orders

WIN a FedEx Office Holiday Prize Pack

I'm giving away a prize pack to one luck reader and all you have to do to win it is leave me a comment telling me how you'll use FedEx Office calendars or cards this holiday season.

For an extra entry, post a link to this giveaway on Twitter or your public Facebook page and leave another comment with a link to your post.

Prize pack includes:

20 holiday cards

plush ornament

FedEx Office pen

compact office supply case with sticky notes, paper clips and a ruler

Contest open to residents of the US and Canada, 18 years or older, and ends 12/7/2011 at 11:00pm ET. Winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. Winner has 2 days to claim prize before another winner will be chosen.

Happy Holiday Ordering!

Janine

Disclosure: I received a $50 gift card from FedEx Office to make this Holiday Cards and/or Calendar. I am solely responsible for selecting the winners for the giveaway (not FedEx Office). Also, the ideas in this blog post are entirely mine and I have not received ideas or advice from FedEx Office. 

Relationships are difficult and require open communication and, most importantly, honesty, to work well. Everyone will relate to something in Monster in Laws, so everyone deserves a shot at winning this in law survival kit!

The In-Law Survival Kit includes:

$50 Body Shop Gift Card

Spa Wisdom™ Japan Yuzu & Green Tea Bathing Salts

Total Body Massager

Here's how to enter:
1. Leave a comment telling me a funny or crazy in-law story. Feel free to post anonymously and note that your email is not visible.

2. Extra entry - share this giveaway on your blog, twitter, or public Facebook page and leave another comment with the URL of your post

Contest is open to US residents 18 years and over, and ends November 25, 2011 at 11:00 pm. I will choose a winner via random.org but the prize is provided by Lifetime / A&E.  I will notify winner via email and give 48 hours to claim with a response.

Be sure to watch Monster in Laws on A&E Monday nights (10 Eastern /9 Central) and follow the chatter on Twitter with #monsterinlaws.

Disclosure: I have a wonderful relationship with my OWN Mother-in-Law who occassionally reads this blog along with her other relatives. We are one, big, happy, loving family with no issues whatsoever. That said, even I can enjoy this show...it's THAT good. The giveaway prize is provided at no cost by Lifetime / A&E. All opinions are my own and this post was neither reviewed nor approved prior to being published.

This post was underwritten by BMO Harris Bank, which offers a matching $25 on a new savings account opened for your child through their Helpful Steps for Parents program. Learn more at bmoharris.com/parents

What better way to teach kids about money than with their own savings account?

The opportunity to write about this came at the perfect time.

The girls have been asking about getting an allowance for a few weeks now and just last weekend we sat down to discuss how we might handle that. The Mister and I agree that we don't want to necessarily pay them to do chores. We feel that each member of the family needs to contribute and that's what chores are...they are part of life in a family.

However, how are they supposed to learn about money, managing, saving, and spending if they don't have the chance to earn it?

We discussed what other families do:

Some pay a small amount for various chores...emptying the dishwasher is $.10, while taking out the trash is $.20.  Some simply pay a weekly amount and track the chores that get done...or don't get done. Other kids don't get any set amount but receive money here and there to spend (or save).

We've decided to go with the all or nothing approach.

In all honesty, I'm not sure how good I'll be at the 'nothing' part of this approach but we'll try it. For "all or nothing" the girls have a set of chores they have to do. Some are daily (putting those DAMN shoes away), some are weekly, and some are monthly. If they do all their chores for the month they will receive $20 at the end of the month! That's a large, tangible amount that they can see grow if they save it, or even a portion of it.

Earn Money then Save Money

The next step in this allowance adventure will be to open a bank account for each of them. This way, they can see the amount they save grow, but not be tempted to spend it as they are if they simply stuff it in their wallets. I think BMO/Harris Bank has a great idea matching $25 for a new kid's account! First of all - to go from $0 to $50 just for opening an account will get kids excited about seeing the balance grow, and thus excited about SAVING their money.

I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. To learn more about BMO Harris Bank, visit their website http://bmoharris.com/parents

Disclosure: I received compensation for this post but all opinions are my own and this post was neither reviewed nor approved prior to being published.

All it took was a pedal.

The Scrubbing Bubbles One Step Toilet Cleaner Starter is so easy to use, all it takes is one little push of a pedal and the toilet is clean.

There are no batteries required and, Scrubbing Bubbles even thought to provide a white cover for the can of cleaning solution that sits next to your toilet! The sprayer clips easily onto to the toilet bowl rim. The only issue I had was convincing my daughter she wouldn't pee on it the first time she saw it on the edge of the bowl.

She quickly got over it when I showed her how to step on the pedal and it leaves the bowl looking and smelling nice and clean.

Disclosure: I received a Scrubbing Bubbles One Step Toilet Cleaner for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own and this post was neither reviewed nor approved prior to being published. Also, I truly hate cleaning toilets. This makes it much easier. Some links are affiliate links.

So it makes a whole lot of sense that Kellogg's and Scholastic would team up on a promotion, right?

I mean, don't we deserve to read more than a ceral box (no offense Kellogg's) at breakfast?

Get $5 toward a Scholastic Book from Kellogg's and Walmart

Buy 2 specially-marked Kellogg's products (sold at Walmart wouldn't ya know) and redeem the code inside for a $5 gift card to buy a book from Scholastic Book Clubs or the Scholastic online store.

WIN a Kellogg's / Scholastic Prize Pack

It just so happens that one lucky reader can win a bounty of Kellogg's products and Scholastic books to celebrate the partnership.

Here are just some of the goodies you'll win.

• a mix of picture and chaper books from Scholastic
• an assortment of Kellogg's products
• a $15 gift card to Walmart

Here is a link to the complete rules.

Here's how to enter:

1. Leave a comment telling me what Scholastic book you would purchase with a $5 gift card (or which book you would apply the $5 to)

2. Post this on Twitter, "What is the ONE thing everyone does when eating cereal? #giveaway http://bit.ly/qqXLrK via @JanineNickel"  (Then leave a second comment with a link to your tweet.)

That's it! Giveaway ends 10/14/11 at 11:00 pm Eastern. Winner will be chosen using Random.org. A complete list of giveaway rules are HERE.

Disclosure: I received a prize pack of my own as a thanks for helping spread the word. All opinions are my own and this post was neither reviewed nor approved prior to being published. Also, I LOVE the Kellogg's products we received and purchase them on my own all the time. In addition, I have big readers and we're always big supporters of our school's Scholastic Book Fair. Great books. Great company.

Noodles for everyone!

Or, at least everyone in my family because I received a sweet package from P.F. Changs as a thank you for helping spread the word about National Noodle Day and the festivities they are planning in celebration.

P.F. Changs Home Noodle Meals

We will be sampling two of the 4 Home Noodle Meals by P.F. Changs:

Grilled Chicken Teriaki with Lo Mein

and

Pepper Steak with Chow Fun

I've had P.F. Chang's Home Meals before so I know how easy they are to make and how delicious they are as well. Plus, I don't need any other excuse to eat noodles for dinner - if it's noodle day then I'm eating noodles.

Socialize wtih P.F. Chang for Prizes

P.F. Changs is hosting a Twitter party on October 5th from m 8-10pm EST. Be sure to tweet with @PFChangs and follow the hash tag #noodlenight for a chance to win prizes and more! Then, on October 6th check out the PF Changs Facebook page (www.facebook/pfchangs) where there will be a Home Menu Sweepstakes tab where you'll enter to win a VIP noodle tasting kits like I received, chef-quality skillets to prepare your meal, and a grand prize trip for two to Las Vegas!

Of course, if you win, I would expect to be your #2 on that trip!

Disclosure: I received a VIP noodle tasting kit including 2 P.F. Changs home meals, noodle bowls, and the awesome Lo Mein t-shirt in the top photo. All opinions are my own and this post was neither reviewed nor approved prior to being published. Also, the meals really are deelish but the "Aint no shame in lo mein" t-shirt is the bomb!

Did you ever have someone hand you a toy for your kids and you try it out and you think,

"I'm not giving this to them!"

Yea, that's what happend with the 20Q Artificial Intelligence Game that my friend Leticia handed me a few weeks ago.

Here's how it works.

Think of something that is an animal, vegetable, or mineral.

Then, let the 20Q start guessing.

You press yes, no, sometimes or rarely for the answer.

It somehowbymagicelves guesses your thing every. single. time!

For my kids they needed some help answering the questions but for the most part they could do it all themselves and it occupied them for an entire 3-hour car ride

Here's a short list of some of the things our 20Q has guessed correctly:

• Dog
• Whale
• Ruby
• Snot

That last one had be really believing in magic.

20Q is available in all sorts of colors and themes including this 20Q Harry Potter version!

You can get more information on the 20Q Facebook page.

Disclosure: I received the 20Q game at no charge. All opinons expressed here are my own and this post was neither reviewed nor approved prior to being published. Some links are affiliate links.