Playing Games

New Additions to Our "Got Game?" Collection
Our very popular and ever-expanding video game collection includes more than a few newbies, just in time for the holiday season. Here's a few :

LEGO Lord of the Rings (Wii or XBOX 360)
Epic Mickey 2 (Wii or XBOX 360)
Just Dance 4 (Wii)
Madden NFL 13 (Wii or XBOX 360)
Ice Age Continental Drift : Arctic Games (Wii)
Let's Dance (Wii)

Click here to browse a quick list of available titles.  One title per family at a time, adult cardholders only.

Celebrate Sound

Sonic Sensations
What kid doesn't like to make funny sounds or more certainly, noise? Here's a short list of fun books to share, from should be soft, to must be loud, to can be subtle...

Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp! by Wynton Marsalis; illustrated by Paul Rogers
Listen, Listen by Phillis Gershator
Mrs. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss
The Noisy Farm : Lots of Animal Sounds to Enjoy by Marni McGee
Sounds Around Town by Maria Carluccio
The Winter Noisy Book by Margaret Wise Brown
Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London
Listen to the Rain by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault
Oscar and the Bat : A Book About Sound by Geoff Waring
Oink! Moo! How Do You Do? : A Book of Animal Sounds by Grace Maccarone
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr.; pictures by Eric Carle

Also explore picture books that help your child learn to use specific sounds and have some fun! A few examples:
sh : Sheep in a Shop by Nancy Shaw
l : Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus
m : Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
b : The Baby Beebee Bird by Diane Redfield Massie
f : Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall

Economic Interests

From USA.gov
If you use your mobile device for business and your business is keeping up to date on the state of the U.S. economy, consider downloading "America's Economy" app.

The app is free (iPhone, iPad, Android Phone or tablet) and provides real time updates for 16 key economic indicators released from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Bureau of Economic Analysis. Key features include:

• Quick overview of indicators measuring the U.S. economy
• Detailed page for each indicator with trend data
• Share indicators on Facebook, Twitter and via email
• View release schedules for indicators
• Set up notifications and custom views

For more information or to download the app, click here.

Thinking Snow

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, or Fair to Middling
We all have our favorite snow season stories : a crazy-tough drive home, a spectacular snow fort, a skier's paradise, a walk in snowflake silence, a comfort food meal, the best snowman ever, a fender-bender...

No matter what your take on snow season happens to be, we offer quick book lists with upbeat themes.

For Kids : New and Classic

A Perfect Day by Carin Berger
Snowbots by Aaron Reynolds
Waiting for Winter by Sebastian Meschenmoser
The Snow Day by Komako Sakai
It's Snowing! by Gail Gibbons
Henry Goes Skating by Brian Biggs
Bedtime for Bear by Brett Helquist
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
Stranger in the Woods by Carl R. Sams
Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
Snow by Uri Shulevitz
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Grandma Drove the Snowplow by Katie Clark

For Adults : Mix and Match the Wintry Reads

A few handy titles to pass snowy day time and/or plan for activities both this year and next.

The Winter Garden : Create a Garden That Shines Through the Forgotten Season by Val Bourne
Wonders of the Winter Landscape : Shrubs and Trees to Brighten the Cold Weather Garden by Vincent A. Simeone
Yule : A Celebration of Light and Warmth by Dorothy Morrison
Snow Play by Birgitta Ralston
The Winter Solstice : the Sacred Traditions of Christmas by John Matthews
The Winter Harvest Handbook : Year-round Vegetable Production Using Deep Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses by Eliot Coleman
Fireside Feasts and Snow Day Treats : Indulgent Comfort Food for Winter Eating and Entertaining by Valerie Aikman-Smith
Basic Illustrated : Winter Hiking and Camping by Molly Absolon
The History of the Snowman : From the Ice Age to the Flea Market by Bob Eckstein

Turkey Day Is On the Way!

Give Thanks
Thinking ahead to family gatherings, kids home from school, great meals -- original and leftover -- and round-the-clock football games on TV, we offer a short list of fun titles for kids:

Balloons Over Broadway : The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweet
Fancy Nancy : Our Thanksgiving Banquet by Jane O'Connor
An Old-fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott
Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes
One Is a Feast for Mouse : A Thanksgiving Tale by Judy Cox
Amelia Bedelia Talks Turkey by Herman Parish
Giving Thanks : A Native American Good Morning Message by Chief Jake Swamp
Gobble, Gobble by Cathryn Falwell
I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson
In November by Cynthia Rylant
The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing
Celebrate the First Thanksgiving with Elaine Landau
Dino-Football by Lisa Wheeler
The Football Cookbook : Simple Recipes for Kids by Sarah L. Schuette

Let the Decorating Season Begin Anew!

In both 2011 and 2012, nasty weather interfered with more than a few Halloween decorating plans. We've heard tell that to many a hearty Boo! was added a heartfelt hoo...

Shake it off and join us on Saturday, November 17 @ 11a.m. to craft a very stylish Thanksgiving wreath. We'll provide a sample wreath, pictured left, and all the materials you'll need to make your own. Remember : the sample is just a guide and your personal touches and creativity will be what makes the wreath special to you and to your family. For kids ages 4-8; click here to register.