Santa is Totally Screwed

So I think I've mentioned that I have finished shopping for my boys already. Yes I am done.  I've already gone over budget and bought a ton of things I am sure the boys will love...

And then I went and took the boys to see Santa at the mall on Saturday.  First he was on his break (apparently Santa is in the union) so we stopped in Build A Bear.  My oldest was already bugging me about wanting to buy my youngest a Christmas present and when he saw that they had Snoopy, well between a generous heart and Snoopy obsessed 3 year old I couldn't say no. So Dad took the lil man out into the mall while we waited to make him a Snoopy for under the Christmas tree. 

Then after Santa made a quick stop for a drink from the pretzel place he plopped back into his chair and waited to hear the wish lists of more kids.  We only had to wait a few minutes (though a couple minutes more than we should have as some family managed to cut in front of us) before we got to see the big guy in red.  I had been prepping Bryan since we arrived at the mall.  He KNEW what he wanted but was nervous to actually tell Santa.  But when the point came, he did great.  Santa asked his name, how old he was and what he wanted for Christmas, to which he quietly declared "A Power Ranger Video Game."  Ah yes, Power Ranger Samurai for Wii.  The greatest desire of his heart right now.  The ONLY thing he asked for.  And NOT something I've bought. 

Johnny asked for Operation which I ordered for him for his birthday.  And Timmy asked for drums and a hockey stick.  Drums sooo aren't happening our house until we can build a garage or a sound proof cage.  And the hockey stick, well I passed that request on to the rest of the family so maybe he still has a shot at that one.  

But what to do about my Santa believing three year old and his wish for "A Power Ranger Video Game?"

Cooking Mama 4 for Nintendo 3DS #GamersGiftGuide2011

She cultivated your green thumb in Gardening Mama, turned your world into a work of art in Crafting Mama, and rocked the little ones to sleep in the innovative Babysitting Mama, but Mama’s talent is truly unparalleled in the kitchen. The original video game chef is whipping up all kinds of fresh fun in her 3DS debut. From new recipes and ways to play to exciting kitchen activities and dish combinations, the iconic kitchen cutie has some tricks up her sleeve that will magically transform kitchen newbies into master culinary artists!   

Features

• Use the stylus as your ultimate cooking utensil to chop, slice, stir, knead, roll, toss and more in more than 200 unique mini games.
• Use the 3DS gyroscope to cook in brand new ways:  crack eggs, balance plates of food, flip meals in a pan, grate cheese and more.
• Watch kitchen mishaps unfold in comedic 3D events and work to save your mistakes with additional activities on top of each recipe step.
• Create 60 mouth watering recipes including: Designer Cupcakes, Gourmet Popsicles, Takoyaki, New England Clam Chowder, Corn Dogs and Cherry Pie.
• Become a true kitchen master with new time-based activities that let you set the table, wash dishes, clean up, organize, decorate, and more!
• Recipes progress from simple to complex, from small to large dishes, so do your best to meet Mama's expectations and impress your friends. If your friends think your dish is delicious, you'll unlock another new friend!  
• Earn bronze, silver, and gold medals from Mama based on the quality of your cooking.
• Customize your kitchen & dress up Mama with fun earned outfits and accessories.
• Combine two recipes to make your very own delicious or unusual dish. A total of 416 different fantastic combinations.
• Cook off with up to 4 players in Challenge Mode.

My Thoughts on Cooking Mama 4 for Nintendo 3DS:

I was excited for a new Cooking Mama game with new dishes to master!  I wasn't sure how it would play in 3D but found that only the top, direction screen was in 3D so it was  fun but didn't make cooking more difficult.  Overall I felt that the dishes were actually easy to get perfect.  Others are saying that this is because the game is more sensitive/accurate than previous versions.  I got perfect scores on almost all the dishes I tried on the first or second try.  Some I had to redo because I didn't understand what I was supposed to do the first time around but did well the second time.  But the best part of Cooking Mama 4 is that there are more extras in this game that give lots of extra playing time!  If only I could cook this well in real life!!  At least I can have fun pretending!!


Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this game for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own honest personal feedback.