Ends May 22 

Zip Bin Racer Backback

Ends May 28 

The Lion King Diamond Edition on Blu-Ray/DVD

Bialetti Pasta Pot 

Squinkies Marvel Universe 

The Many Benefits of Video Games By Guest Contributor Jennifer Comet Wagner

Are you surprised to learn that video games have benefits? Maybe not. You might have heard about some hand-eye coordination or seen a few educational video games. That is barely the tip of the iceberg. Video games can provide a variety of important benefits to kids, adults and society and these benefits are growing daily.

The newspapers love to write stories about violence in video games because it sells. However there have been hundreds of studies during the last decade on video games benefits and some that also show that violent video games do not create violent kids. The fact that parents were only hearing one side of the story was the reason that I decided to write The Gamer Generation: Reaping The Benefits of Video Games.

Here is a list of the various benefits discussed the in the ebook:

1. Socialization – “For most teens, gaming is a social activity and a major component of their overall social experience.”
2. Physical and Health Benefits – “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
3. Violence in Video Games: The Studies You Don’t See – “Video games are bad for you? That’s what they said about Rock ‘n Roll.”
4. Cognitive and Creative Benefits – “Without this playing with fantasy no creative work has ever yet come to birth. The debt we owe to the play of the imagination is incalculable.”
5. Video Games in Education – “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
6. Educational Value of Video Game Creation – “It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them.”
7. Business and Careers – “If animals play, this is because play is useful in the struggle for survival; because play practices and so perfects the skills needed in adult life”
8. Serious Games – “Serious games are games with purpose beyond just providing entertainment.”
9. Family Connections – “It is a happy talent to know how to play.”

Gaming is here to stay. Whether on consoles, mobile phones or online, video games are video games. However, if you understand that as long as your kids play age-appropriate games, and don’t play every waking moment, gaming is not a bad thing. It can actually be a very good thing. Give it a try, so that you too can reap the benefits of video games.

Jennifer Comet Wagner writes a blog for parents of teens, Connect with your Teens through Pop Culture and Technology and recently authored the ebook, The Gamer Generation: Reaping the Benefits of Video Games.

I knew she would be excited but OMG (as the kids say), her excitement was uncontainable. She started jumping up and down, saying “thank you, thank you” and smiling like it was Christmas morning.

I know my daughter loved swimming but who knew she loved it that much. My daughter has been in the water since she was three months old and we have been going to swim class since then, can you imagine, every Saturday for almost 8 years. I mean we started with kids from pre-school who have since dropped out. In fact, there is not one kid we know anymore  who still takes swimming. This weekly ritual came to a halt last October when  I enrolled her in a Saturday enrichment class which sadly took up her entire morning thus missing swim class. To say she was not happy about missing swim class is an understatement.

I realized while watching my daughter literally smiling from ear to ear every time she jumped into the water what exactly being passionate about something truly looks like. Her passion  makes me determined to figure out how to get her as much swim time in over the summer. And when my daughter talks about wanting to be on the swim team, I guess I will have to suck it up and figure out how to make it happen even if it means getting up at 5am for swim practice.

What do you do to encourage your child’s passion?

Blip Squinkies Marvel Universe (Series 1) features 12  characters (including Thor, Captain America, and Ironman from the Avengers) from Marvel Universe. Squinkies are squishy, squashy 1″ collectible figures that come in their very own bubble container. Boys can collect, trade and battle their squinkies. Collect them all. Squinkies – the hottest toy around. This is a fun collectible especially given that The Avengers is now playing in theaters.

One NYC Single Mom Reader will win a Squinkies Marvel Universe (Series 1) set.  Contest ends midnight May 28, 2012. Required Entry: Subscribe to NYC Single Mom.com via e-mail and confirm subscription. Must leave a comment. (1 entry)

Extra Entries:

1. Friend me on Facebook/NYCSingleMom  (1 entry)
2. Leave a comment on a non-giveaway post. (1 entry)
3. Join NYC Single Mom Fan Page on Facebook. Leave separate comment.(1 entry)
4. Follow me on pinterest.com. Leave separate comment.  (1 entry)
5. Follow me on Google+. See Google + Box in the sidebar. Leave separate comment (1entry)
6. Follow @NYCSingleMom on Twitter. Leave separate comment.(1 entry)
7. Tweet about this giveaway using the link below and leave a comment with the link here. Leave separate comment. (1 entry)

I’m entering to win Squinkies Marvel Universe Set  http://bit.ly/IQwTW3 @NYCSingleMom #giveaway

Giveaway Rules: Winner will be selected by And the Winner Is,  shortly after May 28, 2012.  Winner will be contacted by email and must respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected. Open to U.S.  residents, 18 years and older, with a valid street address.

Again, you must leave a separate comment in the comments field for each entry that you make to be entered! If you are already any of these things, to enter just leave a separate comment reminding me of that! Maximum winnings of 2 giveaways per every 90 days.

The Lion King Diamond Edition Blu-Ray/DVD – The Lion King is one of the most popular movies in the last twenty years and will continue to delight kids of all ages for many years to come.  Embark on an extraordinary coming-of-age adventure as Simba,  a lion cub who cannot wait to be king, searches for his destiny in the great “Circle of Life.” You will be thrilled by the breathtaking animation, unforgettable Academy Award®–winning music (1994: Best Original Score; Best Song, “Can You Feel The Love Tonight”) and timeless story. The king of all animated films reigns on Disney Blu-ray 3D—magic in a new dimension.

One NYC Single Mom Reader will win a The Lion King Diamond Edition Blu-Ray/DVD ($39.99 SRP.)  Contest ends midnight May 28, 2012. Required Entry: Subscribe to NYC Single Mom.com via e-mail and confirm subscription. Must leave a comment. (1 entry)

Extra Entries:

1. Friend NYC Single Mom on Facebook/NYCSingleMom  (1 entry)
2. Leave a comment on a non-giveaway post. (1 entry)
3. Join NYC Single Mom Fan Page on Facebook. Leave separate comment.(1 entry)
4. Follow me on pinterest.com. Leave separate comment.  (1 entry)
5. Follow me on Google+. See Google + Box in the sidebar. Leave separate comment (1entry)
6. Follow @NYCSingleMom on Twitter. Leave separate comment.(1 entry)
7. Tweet about this giveaway using the link below and leave a comment with the link here. Leave separate comment. (1 entry)

I’m entering to win The Lion King Diamond Edition  Giveaway  http://bit.ly/J3iOZ0 @NYCSingleMom @DisneyMovies #giveaway

Giveaway Rules: Winner will be selected by And the Winner Is,  shortly after May 28, 2012.  Winner will be contacted by email and must respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected. Open to U.S.  residents, 18 years and older, with a valid street address.

Again, you must leave a separate comment in the comments field for each entry that you make to be entered! If you are already any of these things, to enter just leave a separate comment reminding me of that! Maximum winnings of 2 giveaways per every 90 days.

Here are my favorite looks that caught me eye:

‘

 

My daughter and I wandered into one of the many Duane Reade (@DuaneReade) locations near our home that I knew sold food because  obviously they all don’t sell food (yet.) As we entered, the store, I wanted to pick up the circular just to go through it one last time and it took me a moment to find it as it was hidden near the check out as opposed to inside the doors where it normally sits. Now if I was not intentionally looking for it, I would have  missed it entirely.

We then headed straight to the refrigerated section to find the Randazzo’s pasta sauces. There was a big discussion about which one to try. I wanted to try the Vodka Sauce and my daughter wanted the Plum Tomato Basil, so what the heck, I got them both. Since I did not feel like going to another supermarket for pizza dough, we passed on getting the pizza sauce (next time.) Reading the labels for Randazzo’s sauce, I was happy to see it was all natural, had no preservatives or sugar. I will admit that I was somewhat skeptical over the ” local flavor”  phrasing in the circular but still liked all the other features.

As I wanted this to be a one-stop shopping trip, I shot over to  pick up some spaghetti and was determined to get some Barilla spaghetti but my daughter “whined” a tad about being bored with having spaghetti all time and asked for ravioli. I said there is no ravioli and she quick to  pointout the ravioli was in the refrigerated section. No idea why but I have never tried Buitoni Ravioli and thought since we are trying new sauces, why not try a new pasta type as well.

Next up, dessert, maybe.  I had put the Haagen Daz ice cream on my shopping list but was having second thoughts but I knew it was on sale. You can’t beat buying a premium ice cream like Haagen Daz on sale, so we picked strawberry and cookie dough for $7, that’s a savings of $3. Not bad.

As made our way to the check out line, I also picked up a box of DeLish Dunkers cookies to crumble on top of our ice cream and DeLish Apple Juice, since both were on sale.

So how was it, I seriously thought the Randazzo’s Vodka Sauce would beat out the Plum Tomato Basil. Wrong, yes the Vodka Sauce was quite yummy but the Plum Tomato Basil was delicious and as the label states “inspired by the flavors and freshness of true Italian home cooking” was true. I could taste the tomatoes and you could see the fresh basil in the sauce which added to the freshness of the sauce. And miss picky eater also liked it.  Would I buy it again, yes but don’t think I will buy the Buitoni ravioli and not that it was not delicious. it was, but it was tad pricey and only served one person. My daughter literally ate the entire package.

For more photos, check out my Google + photo album: Pasta Shopping at Duane Reade.

To learn more about Duane Reade, visit  http://www.duanereade.com/ and don’t forget to Like Duane Reade Facebook page  and Follow Duane Reade on Twitter

Disclosure: “This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias  Opinions are 100% my own. 

Having The Avengers Themed Party – then here is a The Avengers Cookie Recipe to make your party complete. And if you need ideas, click here for 7 Tips on Having The Avengers themed party.

The Avengers Cookies Recipe 

1. Whip up a batch of your favorite sugar cookie recipe and use a cookie cutter to make character cookies. They make Superhero cookie cutters in the shape of many Avengers heroes. You can also use any oval shaped cookie cutter and instead fill in the details with your decorating. Once your cookies are baked and cooled, you are ready to begin decorating.

2. You can make your own royal icing (See: How to Make Your Own Royal Icing included below) or use store-bought. Color with food coloring to achieve the various colors you want for decorating. We recommend green (for the Hulk), yellow, blue, black, white, and brown. Place each color in a piping bag.

3. Begin by outlining the cookie in your base color. (If you were starting with The Hulk, outline the entire shape in green. Color in your outline with green icing and cover the entire cookie. (You can actually use a paintbrush to “paint” your cookie.) Give the base a few minutes to dry and choose your next color. For The Hulk’s hair, outline his hairline in black and proceed to fill in with black icing. You can continue to draw features in and watch your character come to life.

How to Make Your Own Royal Icing

3 egg whites, at room temperature. We prefer dehydrated egg whites, available at most supermarkets.
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
food coloring (optional)

Mix above ingredients with a little warm water until smooth. Add food coloring.

Thanks to Ms. Ricky Eisen, Founder and President of Events and Celebrations by Between the Bread, on “How to Throw a Superhero Party Worthy of ‘The Avengers’’

Disclosure: NYC Single Mom was not compensated for this post. 

]]> http://www.nycsinglemom.com/2012/05/09/the-avengers-cookie-recipe/feed/ 1 http://www.nycsinglemom.com/2012/05/09/7-tips-to-having-the-avengers-themed-party/ http://www.nycsinglemom.com/2012/05/09/7-tips-to-having-the-avengers-themed-party/#comments Wed, 09 May 2012 09:05:37 +0000 NYCSingleMom http://www.nycsinglemom.com/?p=15773

MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS broke box office history this weekend making $207.4 million during its 3-day opening weekend in the United States and I can’t wait to see it. This means that kids and adults will be wanting to throw The Avengers themed parties.

Here are 7 Tips on How to Have The Avengers Themed Party:

Invitations: Start your party off right with the perfect invitation. You can make your own postcard invitations with cardboard cut-outs of bright blue painted stars, and include the details about your party in a thin black marker. Decorate the front of each with classic comic book words like POW!, ZAP! And WAM!

Décor: The Avengers bring together 6 epic superheroes. Create your own easy decorations with cardboard cutouts of spiders and paint them black, neon green head’s of The Hulk and classic American flags for Captain America and, throughout the party, use bold colored streamers, which will add some mystery to the room.

Centerpieces: Choose your favorite Avenger and decorate the table around that character. Use lots of primary colors, since comic strips are usually blue, yellow and red. Print outs of comic book pages covered in contact paper make great placemats. Blanket your tables with these to tie the décor together and include stars, spiders and Hawkeye cut-outs on wooden sticks around the table with silver confetti.

Music: Keep the music simple but fun. “Live to Rise,” the original song written for and appearing in the film is the first single from the Marvel Music/Hollywood Records release Avengers Assemble. The epic and cinematic video, featuring a searing live performance with film footage, was directed by Robert Hales (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Janet Jackson, Kings of Leon, Justin Timberlake). View “Live To Rise”: www.vevo.com or youtube.com

Menu: Mini snacks such as cut-out tea-sandwiches make great finger food. Look for cookie cutters in shields, stars and spiders to create these treats. For Incredible Hulk themed beverages, create trays of green ice cubes by freezing water with green food color, and WOW! guests as their clear citrusy beverages transform color before their very eyes.

Party Favors: As a parting gift, place a few Avenger designed cookies in a cellophane bag and close with a gold twist-tie – your guests can enjoy the party for days to follow with these treats!”

Make The Avengers Cookies 

1. Whip up a batch of your favorite sugar cookie recipe and use a cookie cutter to make character cookies. They make Superhero cookie cutters in the shape of many Avengers heroes. You can also use any oval shaped cookie cutter and instead fill in the details with your decorating. Once your cookies are baked and cooled, you are ready to begin decorating.

2. You can make your own royal icing (See: How to Make Your Own Royal Icing included below) or use store-bought. Color with food coloring to achieve the various colors you want for decorating. We recommend green (for the Hulk), yellow, blue, black, white, and brown. Place each color in a piping bag.

3. Begin by outlining the cookie in your base color. (If you were starting with The Hulk, outline the entire shape in green. Color in your outline with green icing and cover the entire cookie. (You can actually use a paintbrush to “paint” your cookie.) Give the base a few minutes to dry and choose your next color. For The Hulk’s hair, outline his hairline in black and proceed to fill in with black icing. You can continue to draw features in and watch your character come to life.

How to Make Your Own Royal Icing

3 egg whites, at room temperature. We prefer dehydrated egg whites, available at most supermarkets.
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
food coloring (optional)

Mix above ingredients with a little warm water until smooth. Add food coloring.

Thanks to Ms. Ricky Eisen, Founder and President of Events and Celebrations by Between the Bread, on “How to Throw a Superhero Party Worthy of ‘The Avengers’’

Disclosure: NYC Single Mom was not compensated for this post. 

]]> http://www.nycsinglemom.com/2012/05/09/7-tips-to-having-the-avengers-themed-party/feed/ 0