Gaming is an integral part of our lives, so even though the little one is still pretty young for most games, we try to incorporate her into our playing time as much as possible. We’ve always had game nights where we invite friends over to play either video or board games. It’s nice to start this tradition with our family. The Parent Bloggers Network posed the question about family gaming to its readers. Those who take part in it will have a chance to win a Nintendo Wii and the newest game for the Wii by EA Games Wii Boogie.

Our favorite family activities center around games. Right now we are totally hooked on Guitar Hero. Rae loves to either grab the spare guitar controller or her Backyardigans guitar and strum along. It’s just too darn cute. Here she is sitting with Daddy a few months back.

She has a real interest in games especially on our handheld systems. She loves Super Mario Brothers for the Nintendo DS and also likes Dr. Mario for the Gameboy Advance. The DS really keeps her occupied. She is so enamored with it that I bought her a Disney Princess Pals handheld system. She enjoys it, too. With it I actually can get a few minutes of playing time on my DS.

Raegan’s favorite game is Guitar Hero without a doubt. She loves the music and does a great Trogdor impersonation. Trogdor is one of the special songs on Guitar Hero II and is from the Strongbad online comic.

Another favorite is Karaoke Revolution. The more action a game has, the more she likes it. This is why we really want a Nintendo Wii since most of the games require at least some action to make things happen. Wii-Boogie would make a perfect game since it obviously has music and a lot of rhythm to it. These are the games that really rule our game night. I’m not complaining since all this activity is bound to be good for us. It might not be a workout at the gym, but at least it’s working some muscles and burning more calories than just sitting.

So, playing Guitar Hero or Karaoke Revolution is how we spend most of our game nights. We do have a few board games that are meant for children as young as three years old. With a lot of direction, Rae can play these. It’s fun to see her get excited over a move or react to us with our responses.

This post will be my entry into the contest - but there is still time for anyone to enter. To enter, go to the Parent Bloggers Network and follow the instructions. But hurry because the contest ends today. Also, three others will receive the Wii Boogie game. I feel like Jeff Probst of Survivor when I say, “Worth playing for?” I think it is.

This post is brought to you in conjunction with Parent Bloggers Network & EA’s Wii-Boogie, a family gaming experience. Shake it. Sing it. Create it.

One career that always intrigued me when I was talking classes was lathe operator. They had these machines at the college that you could program and then it would cut the object out of a metal sheet. It reminds me of a plasma cutter but I’m sure it wasn’t. It was still a cool machine. They made clocks and other things that they would design on a computer and then the machine would do the work.

It was a really neat machine and looked like it could be a lot of fun to work with. Although I doubt the real world implications for the machine are making clocks and other crafts. Still it would be fun to take the class as I’m always looking out for my next career move.

Here is how I will define when we have made it: when we are able to afford a $120 baby pacifier for the little one. We lose pacifiers all the time. It would downright hurt to lose on that cost that much. There is plenty of baby bling at Aristabrat.com that would be perfect for any little diva.

It is kind of cute, though. I do like shiny things, and it could be put up as a keepsake rather than something that is used everyday.This design from Aristabrat.com is called “Madame Butterfly” and features over 330 crystals. It is quite stunning and is one of the less expensive pacifiers listed.

Aristabrat also has rattles and nail clippers that have a lot of bling. This one is so cute. I love the frown. That is when you give a baby a rattle is when they are upset. In our house it is usually followed by keys, cell phone, etc.

Their collection is definitely for those living the life of luxury. While I won’t be shopping there anytime soon, Aristabrat does have some cute ideas for baby collectibles. It’s fun to browse shopping to see how the other half live.

Sponsored.

I’m 3 rounds away from finishing Big City Adventures San Francisco. Best of all, for once I will finish a game before my husband.

Big City Adventures San Francisco has been a lot of fun to play. It has featured some beautiful scenes. Here is my favorite of Haight Ashbury.

It has to be all the colors that really make me like it so much. I’m so close to the finish line that it’s hard to concentrate on anything else. It has been a while since I’ve been so driven to finish a game.