Love cheerleading? Want a great workout? Then you need to play We Cheer 2. This game definitely has a little something for everyone. You can choose the training mode (to learn the moves), exercise mode, championship mode, or even the multiplayer mode. You can customize your squad, so they look exactly how you want.  The wii controllers become your poms poms as you jump, kick, and dance to the routines.  I learned from playing that I am no where near as coordinated as I thought I was.  After the first time you play it, your arms will feel like they should fall off (at least mine did).  This game also comes with a great soundtrack too.

We Cheer 2 is a fun game for any age.  You will definitely have hours and hours of fun with this game.

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We recently were introduced to a new cartoon that is on CBS called Busytown Mysteries. It’s based on the characters from the works of Richard Scarry (who has sold over 150 million copies of his books over the last 40 years!).  The program is about 20 minutes long and shows 2 eleven minute stories.  The stories revolve around Huckle Cat and Lowly Worm as they solve mysteries all over town (like who knocked all the cherries out of the farmer’s tree).  These stories engage our kids and makes them question who, what, when, where, and why.  I love it when they are learning and not even realizing it!  Will (my 2 year old) wasn’t all that interested in this cartoon.  However, my 5 year old did enjoy watching it, and she enjoyed the interactive games and activities that Busytown offers online!  Online, they can interact with the characters and explore the different neighborhoods.  They can even set up an email address (we aren’t ready for that in our house quite yet!).

You can check out the tv schedule for Busytown Mysteries and see where it is playing in your area, so your kids can check it out!  Check it out and tell me what you think!

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: http://cmp.ly/2

I remember reading Nancy Drew as a kid and loving the books. That’s why I was super excited to see that they have incorporated this awesome series into a computer game (which I hope ropes more kids into reading this great set of books).  Nancy Drew Dossier Resorting to Danger is a game where you (as Nancy Drew) have to stops bombs from exploding at an exclusive resort.  The games storyline definitely reminds me of the books.  Nancy Drew goes undercover to catch the culprit before the spa goes under.

The game is rated E for everyone, but there is some mild violence.  I played this with Madison, and we had a blast finding clues, interviewing suspects, and solving puzzles to get further into the story.  Madison especially liked having to defuse the bombs.  There is even bonus content to find.  Best of all, there are six endings to this game depending on the choices you make as a player.  You get a unique game every time you play!

Another great series of books that has been made into an awesome set of video games is The Hardy Boys.  The Hardy Boys Treasure On The Tracks is about you traveling from Paris to St Petersburg to follow the Romanov Family treasure.  In the game, you get to play Frank and Joe Hardy.  Like Nancy Drew, you get to snoop around for clues, interrogate suspects, and even more puzzles.  Madison liked that we got to switch characters like the spy you run into later in the game.  She also enjoyed being able to use the stylus to paint a couple of pictures in the game (she’s in a little art streak right now, so she loved this!).  As a mom, I loved that if you mess up in the game, the game restarts where you made the fatal mistake.

If you are looking for some great games this holiday season, I’d have to recommend both games (and the books too!).

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: http://cmp.ly/2

This giveaway is now over. The winners are Bebemiqui and Lily Kwan. Congrats!

A cute game that Madison and I recently tried on the the Nintendo DS is I Love Beauty.  I’ll be honest – I can’t see this as any boy’s cup of tea.  It really wouldn’t be.  However, for girls Madison’s age and older, they will definitely will like this.  This game is all about giving Hollywood starlets makeovers.  There are 36 different cosmetics for you to choose and combine.  You are also asked to change their makeup and accessories depending on where they are going.  The famous stars then get to vote on how you are doing:  Perfect, Very Good, Good, or even Totally Bad!  There is a contest mode that you can test yourself in three different styling competitions.  There are also 13 different make-up and hair styling games too.

Madison definitely enjoyed this game.  She’s watched me put on makeup and always wants some for herself.  This is a great way to channel that energy.  I have to admit some of her choices were interesting, but she was having fun so that’s all that matters, right?

I know that may of you have little girls that would enjoy this game, so I have arranged to give 2 copies away!  Here’s what you need to do:

Leave a comment on this post.  Tell me who you’d give I Love Beauty too and why.

Each of these gives you one additional entry:

1. Twitter about this contest. Please leave me your username so I can verify. Or use something like this:

I just entered to win a copy of I Love Beauty for the Nintendo DS from @blm03! Enter here:  http://lisareviews.com/2009/08/15/i-love-beauty-review-and-giveaway

2. Stumble this post and add this post to other social media sites like Digg, Kirtsy, Blogging Zoom, Reddit, Propeller, Etc. (1 entry for each social network).

Each of these gives you 5 additional entries:

1. Blog about this on your blog. Please give me the URL, so I can verify.

2. Add this to any forums you belong too. Please give me the URL, so I can verify.

3. Subscribe to this blog using either my email or RSS feed

4. Add my badge to your sidebar:

<a href="http://lisareviews.com"><img src="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk258/blm03_photos/125ad-1.png" border="0" alt="Lisa Reviews" /></a>

If this isn’t working, please let me know. For some reason, Wordpress seems to be eating the code up when I post. Each of these will give you 10 additional entries:

1. Join my Spark E Crew at Social Spark. Click here to find out how to sign up. If you are on my crew, please leave your social spark ID, so I can verify it.

2. Sign up for my free newsletter!

This contest will end August 29th at noon CST! Good Luck!!

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: http://cmp.ly/2

Is it bad when mom gets addicted to playing a kids game online?  If so, make sure your kids check out the Hidden Valley Veggie Adventure Games when you aren’t around. I found once you start playing, well you can’t stop until you play all 3 games! These games teach your kids to love and eat their veggies. I had Madison (who is 5) try these out, and she gave them 2 thumbs up. Actually, she said “sweet” and “awesome” a lot while she was playing. That is always a good sign. Veggie Adventures is a three-part vegetable adventure that begins with growing vegetables on the farm and ends with serving and sharing vegetables with friends. The games are easy to play, so you won’t have the normal frustration little ones can have when the game is too advanced. You also learn great tips and vegetable facts. At the end of each stage, players receive a printable certificate to commemorate their success.

Over 60% of parents play games online with their children and Veggie Adventures is one you should definitely check out with them.