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Christmas is approaching quickly and with it come those people who simply have to steal someone else’s property. We are all especially vulnerable during this time of year since the presents are stacked under the tree where all can see them. Typically, people buy the latest electronics both for the kids and for their spouses. Just think about it. What’s under your tree this year? Laptops, Wii, interactive toys, computers? Those really hard to find items? Thieves know this, count on it. What can you do about it?

ADT Security Systems will help you to feel safe and secure once more. These folks are nationally known home security experts who have affordable security plans just for you and your family. Whether you need the standard alarm system or a video security system, they have exactly the right plan for you. But they are not just about burglary. They also help with fire alarms, medical security and much more. Why choose ADT? They have a 24 hour monitoring system with the latest equipment to keep you safer. And they guarantee their services fully. Plus it is incredibly affordable.

Oh, and this is not just for Christmas. They work all year long to keep you happy, safe and secure. Why not get in touch with the security experts, ADT. Check out their FREE Home Security review to see what their experts have to say about your home. You won’t regret it.

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I wanted to take a moment, step away from the toy hunt for a second, and tell you about something I recently noticed online. Nurses, are you interested in more schooling? Did you want to go higher than you already are but were too bogged down with work or unable to go to the school? Well, I think I can help there. ST. Xavier’s Masters in Nursing program might just fit the bill for you. Now, you must already have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in order to take part in this wonderful opportunity. The best part of this is that they are offering this all online. You will have to take a weekend and go to the campus but after that, you can sit in the comfort of your home and get your degree in Master of Science in nursing.

This is a fully accredited university ready and waiting for you to apply so that you can better your education in your chosen field. Professional teaching staff will help assist you in advancing your education. Make no mistake, if you are tired of skipping your advancement due to problems getting to college, this is the deal for you. Too often, nurses cannot get their advanced education because of how busy they are or they cannot leave home. And while there are plenty of nursing jobs, not all work for you. If your employer is now wanting more education for his/her employees, this is your chance to get ahead. This online MS nursing opportunity is surely hard to pass up. Why not take the time right now to go and check out this awesome opportunity to advance your education.

Now, if you are looking for toys for your child, this is the right one. It’s the Chemistry Kit CHEM C1000, perfect for a child of a nurse, don’t you think? This kit has 75 experiments just waiting for your child to get into them. The box has 41 different types of items to work with. I will not name them all here but you can see for yourself at this site, Discover This. Happy toy shopping!

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We are heading into the times when toys and games, game consoles and other goodies will be out of stock in the stores and online. I took a good look at my toy list and found that most of the hottest toys are already out of stock in many places. That does not bode well if you intend to wait until next month or if you are one of those last minute shoppers. Last minute shoppers often lose out on the best deals and the greatest toys because they put this all off until one too many minutes have past them by. Folks, this is like trying to find a hotel in las vegas when the convention is in town. You can’t do it! Isn’t it about time to wake up and smell the coffee? Do the research, get online, take a look what is out there and go for it now while there are some options available.

I have told you about some really awesome toys and games, consoles and others. For instance, the Wii console is out of stock in several locations. That was to be expected. The Wii Fit is also out of stock. Some of the toddler riding toys are gone because they are a hot item this year. Elmo Live is still available. If the names Fisher Price or Playskool are on the toy, they are getting depleted quickly. Fisher-Price Ready for School Learning Center is almost gone for now. U Command Wall-E and Hasbro Nerf N’ Strike Vulcan are both out of stock in most places right now. If the toy is interactive with the child, it is likely to be very popular and out of stock.

The Christmas buying season has begun. It’s getting earlier and earlier every year. I remember a time when no one set up Christmas decorations until two or three weeks before Christmas. Then it went to right after Thanksgiving, then right before. It has gone back to before the October day that I do not celebrate and soon it will be backed up to September. So, toys are getting sold quickly now. If you think that the last minute will work now, it is likely to be a madhouse and worse this year. Take a deep breath, make out your list and check the listings in the paper and online…and then GRAB IT because if it’s a hot toy, you will not see it in a couple of weeks. Happy Shopping.

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Twas the night before Christmas and all through the…….Perhaps, I should start with the fact that this is a story. I think it’s just fine to write a story on a toy blog, don’t you? A change of pace is called for today. So, in the spirit of good will and loads of Christmas shopping, this is the story of Daddy and the Robot with a narration by Becca.

Daddy was determined to build Rusty’s robot before morning though he was hitting what he called one snag after another. I don’t know what a snag is but it’s really, really bad. For one thing, there were over a thousand pieces in the box, some he had never seen before and he didn’t know what they did neither. When Daddy decides something, he means it so he’s going to finish by daybreak, a time when my brother and sisters always woke up and ran to the tree. Daddy set about assembling the robot for Rusty. Mommy told him that he bit off more than he could chew, whatever that means. I’m Rebecca but you can call me Becca like everyone else does. And I am 6 years old. Rusty is 10 years old and he wanted a robot ever since he saw it at the toy store.

Rusty was going to be really disappointed if he didn’t get his robot. Mommy and Daddy don’t mind giving us what we want sometimes. But Rusty has talked about the robot for lots of time, ever since I can remember, I think. That’s what Mommy says about me too. “She has been a good girl ever since I can remember. Of course I only remember about an hour back!” Then she laughs really hard. I don’t know what that means.

When Daddy opened the box, there were about a million pieces that poured out. Oh, I’m not supposed to zadurate. There was a thousand though. Boy, that looks really hard. It’s a good thing Rusty is over at Carl’s house tonight to play but gets to come back in a little while. I figured this is going to be boring so I decided to play with my dolls for a while and make up stories about them. They really have a lot of fun too. Oh oh, Daddy just screamed something about ball lock pins and children’s toys, whatever those pin things are. Sounds like he needs them though because it’s stuff in the box. Maybe I should go upstairs. Daddy screams a lot when he makes stuff.

The next day—Hey, I want to see too! Rusty! Stop it! Stop pushing me. I guess Rusty likes being a big brother because he can push me so much. But he’s really good at school. He helps me with bullies. Oh oh, Daddy got the robot fixed for Rusty! That’s beautiful. Hey, Rusty stop it! Daddy, make Rusty stop getting the robot to chase me. I want to see my presents too! Daddy!

And Becca grew up to be a wonderful wife and mother. Rusty, her brother, still has the robot and it still chases people. He makes it chase Becca’s children now. Isn’t life wonderful.

For information on buying robots with slightly less parts than in the story, please click on Discover This, Educational Science Kits and Toys.

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Unless you are the parents of the baby, people have no clue what to buy for that new or growing baby. So, they run out and get whatever looks good right then, right there. If you are cautious about this, you want to buy items that are not going to hurt your child. Trust this. Others do not think of this. At the top of this page, I have put up a warning concerning toys made in China. People who do not have babies will not read the labels so there will be toys like that given as gifts. So here are a few tips for buying for baby:

1) If you aren’t the parents, ask. Make sure you know what they want for their new baby. There is no sense in buying something they will return the next day just so you can claim that you cared. If you do, you will ask what they need or want.

2) If you are the parents, for goodness sake, tell your friends and family what you need. Don’t just assume they know. They don’t. Unless the one person buying for your baby is a mother who has raised a dozen, they do not know or remember. Also, times and toys have changed so much that it is possible that they might think they know something they don’t. Just talk and exchange information. It isl well worth it. Maybe you could put up a wish list online either on a blog, your website or on shopping sites like Amazon. These can be made public.

3) Learn how to buy for baby. These little ones change so quickly that a toy that worked last month no longer does because they learned that one and are focused on something else. Some babies progress faster than others. You need to know where the child is in his or her development in order to buy for them.

4) Do not buy something today for their age now and give it for Christmas. It simply does not work that way. At the time of this writing, it is early November. A baby will have grown for six weeks at Christmas time. That is huge in terms of child growth in babies. Buy for the suitable age at the time. Again, if you are not the parents, check with them. They know their child.

5) Find good learning toys for little babies and toddlers. During the first year of life, they are learning to sit up, use their hands, taste things, learning to stand and move around. Using shapes and learning what they are is great. Toys that have music are very popular with this crowd. But do not assume they are genius and buy a football or Barbie. Not quite yet.

6) It is much better to buy a toy that the baby will grown into instead of buying something they just passed by. Little ones get bored if the thing is too easy or too hard.

7) Little babies like things that move. They can be fascinated with that for hours. And if it has music, all the better.

8 ) Don’t buy the most expensive toy just to impress your spouse or the kid. They don’t impress that easily. In fact, during the first year, they will likely want to play with the box or the wrapping instead of that totally too expensive toy. Oh, and that expensive toy will be outgrown before you pay the bills on it.

Honestly, this list is really quite basic but people tend to forget that babies are people too. They grow, they become self aware and they outgrow things so fast that it is likely not worth the time to even hunt for the expensive stuff. Save that for the terrible twos. By then, you will get the idea that they can destroy almost anything. No one wants to buy expensive toys for kids that will do that either. Although, sometimes adding a bit of money to the pot on that will get you a better toy that will last a good deal longer. Triple T requires that or broken toys will be the only thing you have in your house. Just use some common sense and get the best toys for the price, age and attitude of the child. That works every time.

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Frankly, that’s a hard call since you know your child and I do not. However, there are some basics to follow. I know that this is the time of year that you want to buy all those things that they want, some they don’t and some you just think are the cutest thing. And of course, you have to get your child the toys that other parents have gotten. After all, how can you live with yourself if you don’t provide the same opportunities that the kid down the street gets.

Now that we have had a good laugh, it’s time to face reality. Times are tough. Money is tighter than ever. How are you going to buy all the toys Junior or your adorable little girl want? You can’t. Toys are sky high these days. I did a review on a toy that the toddlers ride that costs almost or right at $300. Want reality? It’s only going to be good for the kid until he or she gets to 60 lbs and that is pushing it. And the closer the kid is to that weight, the less time they get. The only way that toy is even close to good is if you buy it the minute the child gets to a point where they can ride it. After that, it’s no good for riding. It will, however, be a wonderful entertainment for the kids…for about as long as it takes for them to realize they can’t ride it anymore. What a waste of money, in my opinion. The toy is simply too expensive for most of us. Now, the guy that’s got lots of money and wants that for a kid, great. When they outgrow it, donate the thing to some good cause so it can give more pleasure to someone else.

Okay, the kids want this, that and those. But you want them to have these, those and that. How do you work that out? Compromise works pretty well..up to a point. Talk to them. See what they REALLY want. I happen to know two girls and raised one that all wanted everything they saw. But really, they wanted only a couple of things. If they got those, they were happy. So, here are a few tips on buying toys:

1) If you know your kid doesn’t like something, don’t buy it. If you force the person to play with it, they will hate that toy forever. If you buy it and they don’t want it, the thing will sit in a closet somewhere until it’s discovered years later. I should know that one.

2) When they tell you what they want, don’t make it almost that or close to it. For instance, if they want a Hannah Montana doll, don’t buy Barbie or a baby doll. Do you have any idea what disappointment is to a kid who is so looking forward to getting that one special toy to find out they got something the parents wanted them to have? If it is not available, look into getting it later and, for heaven’s sake, tell the child that they are not getting that for Christmas if you can’t find it.

3) Buy within your budget. If you can’t afford the thing they want, be up front with them. Let them know ahead of time so there are no disappointments on Christmas.

4) Use the rule quality over quantity. These kids are smart. They know when you are padding the gift count. Get something that will last for longer than 10 minutes.

5) Do NOT go into debt for Christmas presents. If your children are that spoiled then they need to earn their own money and buy it themselves which will teach them something about money anyway.

6) Buy batteries! And buy the right ones. There is nothing more disappointing than to have the toy in hand but the kid can’t play with it due to no batteries. Buying the right ones is important too. If you have a dozen of this battery and it needs one of that, the end is the same. Check the packaging. Just buy a variety of batteries. You can have it covered that way.

7) Buy age specific for your child not what the box says. I have learned from experience that if you have children who have outgrown the item before they open it, they will ignore it. Buy things you know the child will be interested in.

8 ) If you have building kits, be sure to have all the materials and the right tools handy for it. There is nothing frustrating like having something that requires putting together but can’t because the tools are the wrong size, for instance. Building kits do not always have everything included. Read the labels. If it says NOT INCLUDED then take a hint. Get that item as well and include it in the wrapping.

9) Don’t wait till the last minute to buy toys if you want the hot items. They simply will not be there. Has no one learned from “Jingle All The Way”? It worked in the movie but you don’t live in the movies. You won’t end up in a parade as the hero. You will simply be the guy or gal that disappointed their kid on Christmas.

Above all, be responsible. Christmas is one day a year. It may be pretty important as a gift giving day but it is not the end of the world if your children don’t get a ton of presents. As a matter of fact, Christmas is really about something greater than that. It’s about the Lord and it’s His birthday not ours, loving your family, enjoying them. Commercialism has taken over the day so much that the real reason for the season has gotten lost in all the hype. Take the time to enjoy the day with your children and family. You cannot do that if you are worried about how to pay the bills or where to put all the loot. Just enjoy.

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I look at lists of toys that are available and not available at any given time. The problem here is that many of the toys I look at are not always there for someone to buy. One of the lists I just took a look at as large numbers of toys out of stock right at this time. That is likely to change soon since many will be getting more in. However, can you afford to wait for the possibility of not getting exactly what you want for that child of yours? The reality is that there are fewer toys available right now and probably will be that way for the balance of the season.

The toy companies want your business. They want you to shop at their outlets or the stores that carry their products. That’s why they are in business. But not everyone has the sense to order the number of toys of a certain kind anticipating the trend in toy purchases. No one can really predict that with any certainty. So, when it comes to purchasing toys or any other hot item, it is imperative that you get it while you can. It’s that simple. Now, I don’t work for any toy companies. I just supply a small, at the moment, service in making you aware of what types of toys are out there and sometimes even telling you whether they are truly hot or not. Most of the toys I have mentioned here are currently hot selling toys. Some are old standards but are worth mentioning anyway since they are still out there. I like to occasionally give a history on some long standard toys. \

My advice, if you are able to follow through on it, is to find the one item or toy that your child wants and grab it while it is available since many of them will not be there in a short few weeks. And I do hope you are able to acquire the items that you truly desire.

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I deliberately do not post individually where to get all those toys that I post on here. The reason for that is that there are several places that they are available usually. When there is only one place, I will most certainly post that place. The reason I do not post the individual places is because I do not wish to promote one company or store as being better than the rest. I do not believe that they are like that. The reality is that most of what I post here is going to be available at places like Walmart, eToys, Amazon, Target, ToysRUs, Hasbro, Mattel, Fisher Price and some on eBay. For the most part, these are the places I find the toys I post here.

However, there are some other places I look like those science kits come from a place called Discover This. There are lots of other stores, online and brick and mortar, so it would be great if you do the research yourself on some of these. I will definitely tell you when it is a one of a kind type store. I also find great toys at KBToys.com and Disneyshopping. KAPLA had some unique building sets. But if you would prefer that I post where to find them, I can do that. I will have to give a list though since I would rather not promote one particular place over another.

Any thoughts here on this? I would love your feedback on this subject. Please comment regardless of how you feel about it.

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When you’re searching for good toys especially for Christmas since we are getting into that season, I recommend visiting the websites of the manufacturers and hot toy sellers just to see what the hot deals are. Sometimes, the hottest toys are not the best values. In our family, we must watch for those toys made in China. It’s very hard to find out what is and is not made there. For instance, I had no idea that the Nerf blasters were coming from China until yesterday when I noticed the recall.

You will want to find all sources of where they were manufactured, something that is not always shown on the info pages of the descriptions. I try to give you all the information that is pertinent for each item. Not all information is available though. Research is the key. In my case, I will not be as able as you are to search out information on the individual toys like you can since you are buying for a limited number of children.

The manufacturers sometimes have a specials of the week page. So do the major toy sellers. That can give you both the best deals and the hottest toys available. And speaking of availability, you might want to start buying now those toys or games that are hot right now. For instance, get the Wii while you can. It will be impossible to find them in December. Just a thought. Any hot toys and games will be scarce by the end of November or early in December. Some are already scarce so if you find what you are looking for, do not hesitate or it will be lost to you.

Remember, the key to getting the best toys available for the best prices is RESEARCH! (I heard that! Yes, it may sound like an extremely DUH statement but some people are brand new to searching out the best toy deals.)

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