Following are some suggestions:

Fashionista: The hottest cameras, phones, gadgets and accessories in popular colors like purple, pink and green will be sure to connect the Fashionista to her world in style. The Apple Ipod Nano has a larger display, video camera and a pedometer for keeping track of those music-motivated work outs. A Sony eReaderin metallic pink will help to get her reading in on the long commute, and a brushed chrome Crosley Corded Wall Phone with faux-rotary will outfit her home in functional, modern-yet-retro style.

Movie and TV Fanatic: The latest home theater options will give the men in your life a larger-than-life spectator experience. Go all-out with the new, ultra-thin Samsung 46″ LED-LCD HDTV and all-in-one Rocketfishâ„¢ with Rocketboostâ„¢ Expandable Wireless Audio package. Or, for the guy on-the-go, the Dynex® Widescreen Portable DVD player is a great gift along with stocking-stuffer selections of Blu-ray discs with widescreen.

Young Gamer: You’ll be sure to score big points with the kids by gifting the latest gaming systems and accessories. The younger generation will flip for the next-generation Nintendo Wii gaming system with a motion-sensitive controller or Microsoft – Xbox 360 Elite Holiday Bundle. Popular family-friendly games like Beatles Rock Band, DJ Hero and Wii Sport will keep the gang entertained way beyond the holiday season.

High Tech Student: Support your student’s quest for higher learning with the hottest high-tech tools and gadgets. The HP – Special Edition Mini Netbook with Intel® Atomâ„¢ Processor or the innovative 4GB Pulse Smartpen that records audio while you write, will ensure they never miss another word in any lecture or meeting. Mobile devices like phone car-mounts keep the student focused on the road but tapped in to their study buddy. Best Buy’s new gadgets and eReader collections also deliver fun and mental engagement for all ages.

Gift Cards – The Ultimate Last Second Solution
According to the National Retail Federation National Retail Federation Survey, November 5, 2009, approximately 55 percent of adults would like to receive a gift card this year making it one of the most requested gifts this season. With no expiration dates or maintenance fees, Best Buy gift cards are easy to give, use and manage. A variety of festive holiday designs can be purchased and redeemed in stores and online at www.bestbuy.com where free shipping exists for all gift card orders. If tech support is what you’re looking for, Geek Squad-branded gift cards are available in increments starting at $50.

Information Courtesy of Best Buy

If you’re a big believer in quality educational toys for your children, then you’ve probably already heard of Melissa and Doug.

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

From puzzles to puppets, plush to play food, magnetic activities, music and more, Melissa & Doug® is one of the leading designers and manufacturers of educational toys and children’s products. Started in 1988 in their garage, Melissa & Doug® has something for everyone, with nearly 1000 unique and exciting products for children of all ages!

OUR REVIEW

We had the opportunity to review a couple of awesome products from Melissa and Doug: Wooden Tabletop Easel & Easel Companion Set. In hindsight, I probably should have waited until I was ready to let the girls play with these items because once I opened the box, that was it. All I heard for the next couple of days was, “Can we play with it now? What about now? Maybe now?” and so on and so on and so on. If I didn’t mention it before, Kacie plans to be an artist when she grows up so she in particular could not wait.

First we set-up the Wooden Tabletop Easel. It was really easy to set-up . . .  I just had to insert a few over-sized wooden screws and attach the supply trays and we were all set. It literally only took a few minutes. This was a pretty cool easel with a chalkboard on one side and dry erase board on the other. It also came equipped with chalk, chalkboard eraser, dry-erase pen, and 4 magnets.

What I really liked about this easel are the double sides. This allowed both my girls to play at the same time and prevented an all-out war. I also liked that it had magnetic sides. Kiana is into magnets right now and she loved being able to stick her letters on there. The primary colors of the easel are great and would definitely fit into any childs’ room decor. However, the best part is that my kids loved it and played on it for hours. It allowed them to express their imagination in a creative way and kept them quiet and busy. The perfect opportunity for me to get things done around the house!

The Easel Companion Set is a must have to accompany this or any other easel you may already have. It came with 4 generously sized paint bottles, 4 brushes, 4 paint containers, a roll of easel paper, dry-erase pen & eraser, and a rainbow of colored chalk . . . pretty much everything a little artist could want. What I was really impressed with were the paint storage containers. I liked that they were deep and pretty much spill-proof. In addition to their cover, they also had an inside cover with a small hole in it, just big enough for a paint brush to go through. When my girls took their brushes out, the sides of the little hole helped to keep the excess paint inside the container. Anything to help with containing the mess is always a blessing.

So if you’re looking for great holiday gifts for all the children on your shopping list, check out Melissa and Doug today!

Check out other great gift ideas in the 2009 Holiday Gift Guide!

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

For reasons known only to Mother Nature, each area of the country in which our family testers put this product through its paces, experienced prolonged bouts of rain. Needless to say, the weather encouraged playroom reenactments of the story of Noah’s ark. Testers took the 44 animals out of the ark, matched them up in pairs, marched them two by two onto the ark, then carefully placed them back in their appropriate place. Once all the animals were loaded in, kids stacked the “levels” of the ark and helped Noah and his wife sail to safety.

OUR REVIEW

When we initially opened the box and took everything out, all my girls could say was, “Wow”! Even I was surprised at how many pieces came in this huge set which included 44 play figures & 11 storage levels. Basically, you need to match the animals to their shapes in the storage levels and then stack the levels in their proper order. Finish off by putting on the roof and adding a pair of giraffes.

This set was great especially for Kiana (3 years old) because it helped her with identifying different shapes and colors. First, she put all the animals in pairs and then tried to figure out which storage layer they belonged to by looking at their overall shape. We also played a game by identifying each animal (which is not as easy as it seems) and the sounds they make. Next, we grouped all the animals according to color. Finally, I just let the girls use their imagination and free play with all the figures. The possibilities of how your family can play with Noah’s Ark are endless!

And if you need more proof that Tier Toys is a great company, check out all these awards that they’ve won in 2009:

• The Toy Man Editor’s Choice
• The Toy Man Award of Excellence
• The Toy Man Seal of Approval
• PTPA Media Award
• Great Dad Recommended Seal
• Mr. Dad Seal of Approval
• Tillywig Sterling Fun Award
• Tillywig Brain Child Award
• Creative Child Magazine Top Toy of the Year Award ’09
• 2009 Parents’ Choice Approved Award
• National Parenting Center Fall 2009 Seal of Approval
• iParenting Media 2009 Outstanding Products Awards
• WTS Award
• Mom’s Choice Gold Award

Purchase your Stackers Noah’s Ark at Amazon.com for $49.99.

This post was written for Tier Toys who provided the complimentary item for review in return for my honest opinions.

Check out other great gift ideas in the 2009 Holiday Gift Guide!

I love it when a product is even cuter in person than it is in pictures.  The Good Earth Fairy by miYim is definitely one of those times.  Although the 12” rag doll looks cute online and in the press pictures, she is simply adorable in person.  I’m a huge fan of organic toys for a number of reasons, but especially for all the ways organic products work to better our earth and leave our planet beautiful for our children.  But, on a completely superficial level, I just love the way organic products look.

The Good Earth Fairy is created using a combination of fabrics and materials that make her a wonderful mesh of textures and textiles that makes her pleasing for little ones to touch.  Her skin is a super soft organic cotton, her hair is a braided thin rope, and then her clothing and fairy wings are made of numerous different linen and soft cotton fabrics that are absolutely adorable and help children learn about textures and materials.

Non-toxic, chemical-free, and eco-friendly, there’s a lot of reasons to choose miYim.  My daughter loves the miYim Good Earth Fairy and carries her around the house trying to feed her bottles and snacks all day long.  At first I wanted to put the Good Earth Fairy up for display in the nursery because she looked so cute sitting on the shelf, but my daughter won this battle and now the Good Earth Fairy is one of her favorite toys she plays with while I work.  I have a feeling that she will become even more treasured once my daughter is introduced to fairytale books and princesses.

The Good Earth Fairy comes all ready for gift giving in a reusable and recycled cardboard gift box tied with organic ribbon and it’s cute enough to leave unwrapped (save paper! save time!) for presenting.

Price: $25.99 ARV

http://www.miyim.com/

WIN IT!

miYim has generously donated a Good Earth Fairy to one lucky person! To enter:

• Just stop by miYim before midnight, Dec 15th and check out their other products.
• Then come back and mention which one you is your favorite. That’s it!
• A random winner will be selected and notified via email shortly thereafter.
• The winner will then have 3 days to claim their prize.

To earn extra entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra ticket but you must leave a separate comment for each one.

• Subscribe to An Island Life’s feed.
• Follow Island Life on Twitter.
• Tweet this giveaway.
• Become a Facebook Fan.
• Place our button in your sidebar.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog with a link back here and to miYim.

This giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck!

Click here to see more Leanne-approved picks and enter to win some great giveaways – over $4,000 before 2010!!

Check out other great gift ideas in the 2009 Holiday Gift Guide!

This post was written for miYim who provided the complimentary product in exchange for an honest review. By entering this giveaway, you are acknowledging that you have read, understood, and agree to our disclosure policy.

<img src="http://islandlife808.com/wp-content/themes/lifestyle_30/images/leanne.png">

GAME DESCRIPTION

It’s time to hit the town, explore new worlds, customize accessories, enjoy awesome mini-games, and collect six exclusive country pets with Littlest Pet Shop: City Friends. The second edition of the Littlest Pet Shop video game brings the party to you with a new cast of quirky pets and their best friends. Play tons of new mini-games and explore new towns with your favorite pets. With enhanced multiplayer features, you can even double your fun by playing with your best friend. Venture on quests, deliver invitations, serve up ice cream, and style your pets as you get ready for the biggest Littlest Pet Shop party of the year. And be prepared for a few surprises along the way, like an all-new mystery pet that just might show up at your party.

OUR REVIEW

My girls have always been big fans of Littlest Pet Shop. We have many of their playsets and tons of animals that they play with almost on a daily basis. Now with Littlest Pet Shop City Friends for Nintendo DS, it’s so cool to see these adorable characters come alive and share their unique personalities. In fact, just reading their chats with each other is just as much fun as playing the mini-games and shopping for accessories. I should know since I took over the game from my girls when they weren’t looking!

In this game, you get to plan a huge party for a mystery guest arriving in town. Along the way, play fun mini-games, earn kibbles (lps money), dress up the characters, accomplish various tasks, and even design your own accessories. My favorite mini-game was making bone-shaped cakes in the bakery. It reminded me of playing Cake Mania, another one of my favorite games.

I really liked that I was able to name the characters. These made them more personal to me and I found myself taking a real interest in making sure they were happy and well dressed. It was also pretty cool to be able to use the multiplayer function. Kacie was thrilled to be able to play along with me and we had the characters running all over town getting ready for the party. Even the video animation was great. I felt like I was watching an actual Littlest Pet Shop mini-movie.

I was actually kind of sad to turn off the DS so I could write this post but you can bet that I’ll right back on once I’m done here. It’s that addicting! I can’t wait to see who the mystery guest is!

Purchase your copy of Littlest Pet Shop City Friends Nintendo DS for $20.00 at Amazon.com.

Check out other great gift ideas in the 2009 Holiday Gift Guide!

Being that this is my third child, I’ve tried my share of baby carriers. And although they all have pretty much the same principle and serve the same purpose there are many different styles and features to consider. I recently had the opportunity to review the BabyHawk Baby Carrier and I was very impressed.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Our Mei Tai’s (Asian Baby Carriers) are adopted from a Chinese-inspired idea. Baby slings can’t offer the advantage of holding your little lovely to be on your front, back or hip the way a BabyHawkâ„¢ can.

OUR REVIEW

When I first took a look at the BabyHawk the first thing I noticed was how well it was made. The material was thick, padded, and comfortable. It looked very sturdy and I had no doubt that Kaila would be safe in it. This is very important to me because I need to feel secured that she’ll be okay when I carry her around.

The step-by-step photo instruction booklet was very easy to follow along. In  just minutes we were up and going. I think what makes the BabyHawk so comfortable is the extra wide straps. They don’t cut into my skin and they give extra support to Kaila.

Not only is it comfortable and functional but it’s also very stylish. No gawdy prints or overly bright colors. The BabyHawk designs are modern and subtle. And if you can’t find one that’s just right for you, you have the option to design your very own carrier. How cool is that?

But the absolute best part is that Kaila loves being carried in it. In fact, it’s one of the only ways I can get her to fall asleep. And when she does, I don’t have to put her down and risk waking her up. It’s so comfortable that I can wear her for hours. This allows me to actually get things done around the house . . . or blog. For me, it’s truly a godsend.

Purchase your BabyHawk today starting at $80.00 each. What a great gift for the special new mommy in your life.

This post was written for Baby Hawk who provided the complimentary item for review in exchange for my honest opinions.

Check out other great gift ideas in the 2009 Holiday Gift Guide!

But which games are the “must-haves” this holiday season? Well, I took this question straight to the experts (my daughters and their friends) to see what they thought. Here are their Top 10 Video Games for Kids.

1. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games – Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is a sports party game that takes players on the Wii platform to Vancouver, Canada, host city of the official 2010 Olympic Winter Games. This gaming experience invites players of all ages and skill sets to face-off in intense winter competitions in lifelike Olympic venues where they can choose from a legendary cast of playable characters, including new faces to the series like Donkey Kong, Metal Sonic, Bowser Jr., and Silver.
2. Disney The Princess and the Frog – Join Tiana on an exciting journey through jazz-infused 1920s New Orleans with the official video game for DS and DSi, inspired by the upcoming Walt Disney Pictures release of The Princess and the Frog. Meet favorite characters from the film as well as new friends, triumph over enemies, play frog games in the bayou, create music, cook New Orleans style and so much more. Along the way, discover how Tiana makes her dreams come true.
3. Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure – Somewhere north of Never Land lies an elusive treasure, and there’s only one person adventurous enough to pursue it: the legendary Tinker Bell. Join this intrepid fairy for a charming quest that will lead you down a trail to lost treasure. Journey by way of Pixie Hollow, where you can explore a wondrous magical world filled with delightful fairies, and set off on a truly magical adventure.
4. Super Mario Bros. Wii – Developers at Nintendo have dreamed of creating a simultaneous multiplayer Super Mario Bros. game for decades. The Wii console finally makes that dream come true for everyone with New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Supporting 2-4 players in side-scrolling co-op and competitive platforming action, and featuring a mix of fan favorites and new characters, new powerups and various input options via the Wii Remote, it is destined to become an instant classic in one of the most beloved game franchises of all-time.
5. Bakugan: Battle Brawlers – Based on the wildly popular card game and television show, Bakugan: Battle Brawlers, is a video game experience requiring skill, strategy and imagination. Featuring a fierce assortment monsters, uncanny powers and amazing environments in an alternate dimension called Vestroia, the game lets you and your own unique Bakugan join forces with Dan and his fellow Brawlers as they battle to save Vestroia and ultimately, Earth from destruction.
6. Rock Band: Lego – LEGO Rock Band merges two of the most popular video game franchises to deliver a unique family-friendly music experience that will take tweens, teens, families and gamers of all ages on a wild journey to rock stardom in order to “Build a Band and Rock the Universe.” Combining the authentic multiplayer music experience of Rock Band with the accessibility, customization and humor of LEGO games, LEGO Rock Band allows players to create their own unique rock star style and customize their own avatars, band members, roadies, and managers.
7. Guitar Hero World Tour – Guitar Hero World Tour transforms music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero’s signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience that combines advanced wireless instruments with online and offline gameplay modes including online Band Career and 8-player “Battle of the Bands,” which allows two full bands to compete head-to-head online. The game features a slick redesigned guitar, an authentic electronic drum kit, and a microphone, as well as a Music Studio music creator that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own rock ‘n’ roll anthems.
8. DJ Hero – The makers of Guitar Hero introduce an entirely fresh and innovative way to experience music and rhythm gameplay. DJ Hero features an amazing variety of music across genres – tracks that you love and reflect who you are. Using an authentic turntable controller, you will spin and scratch more than 100 songs into unique mixes and become the life of the party. Get ready for a whole new phenomena in music.
9. Animal Crossing: City Folk – If you were given the keys to your own community, what would you do? Go fishing, collect shells or watch fireworks with friends? Build a snowman, exchange presents with family or decorate your house for the holidays? Take a trip to the city, go on a shopping spree or visit friends from all over the globe? In Animal Crossing: City Folk, life moves at a relaxed pace, but the world brims with endless possibilities.
10. Littlest Pet Shop City Friends – It’s time to hit the town, explore new worlds, customize accessories, enjoy awesome mini-games, and collect six exclusive country pets with Littlest Pet Shop: City Friends. The second edition of the Littlest Pet Shop video game brings the party to you with a new cast of quirky pets and their best friends. Play tons of new mini-games and explore new towns with your favorite pets. With enhanced multiplayer features, you can even double your fun by playing with your best friend. Venture on quests, deliver invitations, serve up ice cream, and style your pets as you get ready for the biggest Littlest Pet Shop party of the year. And be prepared for a few surprises along the way, like an all-new mystery pet that just might show up at your party.

GameStop has the widest selection of games for every gaming console out there and the best part is that they take trade-ins on the games that your kids have grown tired of. If you hurry, you can even get free shipping on all orders over $25. Check out their 2009 Holiday Gift Guide for even more great ideas!

And speaking of the holidays, GameStop is hosting a Season’s Tweetings giveaway which includes 35 days of daily Twitter contests from their official GameStop Twitter account. All you have to do is follow GameStop on Twitter to find out the trivia question of the day. The tweet will also tell you which blog/post to visit in order to get the answer. A random winner will be selected from all correct answers of the day.

In fact, on Dec 4th An Island Life will be participating in this cool event! Just follow GameStop and find out what the trivia question of the day is. Then come back here for the answer and you could win a Wii! Good luck!

Our family loves listening to music no matter where we are. However, sometimes it’s just not feasible to bring along our iPods for fear of it getting wet or dirty. And since living in Hawaii gives us the opportunity to play outdoors pretty much year-round, we’ve been on the lookout for a way to safely take our music with us. That’s why I was very interested in reviewing the iH13: iPod Portable Speakers by iHome.

OUR REVIEW

When DH first heard about this review, he was thrilled. He’s a big fan of iHome products and we actually have iPod docking/speaker systems in every room. iHome is known for their quality products and amazing sound and these portable speakers are no different.

• Water-Resistant: Since we go to the beach a lot, making sure our iPods are safe from the water is a must. This case allowed us to hook up our iPod on the inside of the case and the zipper the whole thing up keeping everything inside safe and sound.
• Portable: Measuring 8.5″ W x 3.6″ H x 3.5″ D and weighing less than 2 pounds made these speakers easy to take-along. It even came with it’s own carrying handle which came in handy since Kacie designated herself and the “keeper of the speakers.” The handle made me feel comfortable that it wouldn’t accidentally get dropped.
• Docking System: While your iPod is plugged in, you can be assured that it won’t die out. The speakers also serve as a docking system and will charge your iPod while in use. This way you’ll know that your music will last as long as you do. And since DH and the girls usually spend at least 6 hours at the beach, this was very important to them.
• Built-in Remote Control: The controls are all located on the outside of the case so that we didn’t need to access our iPod directly. Again a great feature to make sure our iPod stayed safe.

But most importantly is the sound quality. After all, if it doesn’t sound great you won’t use it, right? Well, let me tell you that these stereo speakers were awesome! Most portable speakers make your music sound like it’s coming from an AM radio station but not the iH13. It actually sounded like something that my expensive home speakers would produce. And if you prefer to keep your music private, there’s also a headphone jack you can use. My kids loved this feature because it allowed them to keep listening to their music even when the baby was taking a nap.

So if you’re looking for a great Christmas gift for the music lovers in your family, check out the iH13 iPod Portable Speaker. It’s a great deal for only $49.99!

This post was written for iHome who provided the item for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

Check out other great gift ideas in the 2009 Holiday Gift Guide!

GAME DESCRIPTION

Your baby has grown so fast! Can you believe that a year has already gone by? Take care of your baby from their 1st birthday until they’re 3 years old. Your baby will discover its entire environment and learn from it, they’ll walk, babble and speak, try to catch every object they can, and put everything in their mouth… Your baby will be the apple of your eye!

OUR REVIEW

When you first begin this game, you need to make decisions on gender, name, and race. Or if you prefer you can have your baby be a total surprise. Kacie decided that she wanted her baby to be a surprise . . . just like in real life. She ended up with a little brown-haired girl which she named Rose.

The cool thing about this game is that you really have to interact with your baby or else you’ll have a very unhappy child on your hands. This means feeding, clothing, cuddling, entertaining, and bathing. Your child can then keep track of her baby’s development in The Progress Book. There are no mini-games or opportunities to unlock features like other games. You basically take care of your child and watch her grow. I think this was a good thing because it helped Kacie focus on what’s important . . . taking care of her baby.

What I really liked about My Baby First Step is how realistic all the functions of the game are. If you don’t take care of your baby, she’ll start fidgeting and crying. It gave Kacie a sense of how busy a Mommy’s life is and made her more sympathetic to what I go through on a daily basis. Maybe now I’ll get a little more help from her.

Purchase your copy at Amazon.com for $29.99.

This post was written for South Peak Games who provided the game for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

Check out other great gift ideas in the 2009 Holiday Gift Guide!

One of my girls favorite kind of toys are those where they can use their imaginations and build things. That’s why we were thrilled for the opportunity to review K’NEX thanks to Team Mom.

OUR REVIEW

We received two different sets that were targeted for different age groups:

• Sesame Street Neighborhood Collection Building Set (2 – 5 years)
• 400 PCS Tub (7 years +)

Kiana loved the Sesame Street Neighborhood Collection. This 19-piece set contained over-sized pieces that were perfect for her tiny hands. The blocks fit together easily and stayed together when she was done. We also liked the moving wheels because it allowed her to actually play with her creation once she was done building it.

The 400 PCS Tub was a little more advanced and would be great for kids with active imaginations. With all these pieces, the possibilities are endless. However, for people who could use a little help in the creative department (like me), they also included a booklet with step-by-step instructions on how to build various creations. You can even go to their website for additional ideas.

My only concern is that some of the pieces were very tiny and I was afraid that we may end up losing some. I had to make sure that Kacie understood that all unused pieces would need to stay in the container.

Other than that, Kacie and Kiana both enjoyed playing with their K’NEX sets. It was a great opportunity for all of us to play together and have fun!

K’NEX is also holding a Make a K’NEXion contest. Now you have the chance to win over $1,000 worth of K’NEX Toys and be featured on the KNEX.com web site. How? Make a video and include select K’NEX products. The possibilities are endless. Construct your own story or showcase your child’s K’NEX building skills – use your imagination! The 10 best videos will be featured on KNEX.com and the winning video will receive $1,000 worth of K’NEX Toys. How cool!

This post was written as part of a program for Team Mom and K’NEX who provided the item for review. We were not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

Check out other great gift ideas in the 2009 Holiday Gift Guide!