A shopping blog of cool gift ideas

As far as sports fantasies go, shagging fly balls in centerfield in Yankee Stadium, doing a loop at the Augusta National Golf course and playing a set center court at Wimbledon would all be equally mind-blowing for me. Part of the dream has virtually come true with EA Sports’ Grand Slam Tennis for the Wii. 

Grand Slam Tennis allows you to not only play realistic matches at Wimbledon, but the other three Grand Slam tournament venues as well. Another cool feature is you can play matches as any one of some of the game greats like McEnroe, Navratilova, Borg, Venus, Serena, Becker, or Federer to name a few. 

But for me, the coolest part of Grand Slam Tennis is the very responsive shot making capabilities made possible with the Wii. So if you make downward motion with your Wiimote, you will slice the ball. If you swing low to high you’ll execute a shot with topspin. Swing early and you’ll (if you’re righty) pull the ball to the left. Swing late,  and you’ll push the ball to the right. In short, Grand Slam tennis offers game play that mimics real tennis. 

But here’s the kicker, Grand Slam Tennis can be played using the Wii’s relatively new Wii Motionplus attachment (connects to the bottom of the Wiimote). What Motionplus allows for is even more accurate active play experience.  Its refined sensitivity makes your movements even more literally mimicked within the game. Aside from just being cool, it’s just a little snapshot of some of the capabilities of the Motionplus enhancement. I love EA’s Grand Slam Tennis for tennis fans, sports fans, Wii fanatics and for anyone who just wants to try something pretty cool.

EA Grand Slam Tennis for Wii starting at $39.99.

I can hardly believe it myself, but it's almost July! The rain has finally stopped and I'm ready for sun, fun and fireworks this Fourth of July. It's less than a week away, so check out our patriotic party essentials for this weekend. 

No one can resist cheesecake on a hot summer's day, and this red, white and blueberry cake is sure to disappear quickly from the picnic table. 

For those without a flagpole, you can achieve the same effect with this personalized flag plague. It's weathered finish gives it a folk art look for a dash of Americana decor to any home.

And let's not forget the kids with this American Flag Tank, perfect for boys and girls running around on the beach or backyard. 

For the entertainers, these portable wood flag serving trays will make any party feel festive and mess free. 

Check out the rest of our Fourth of July picks for hot holiday gift ideas.

Does your little girl LOVE ballet, ballerinas and everything pink? I was this little girl once myself and I know that this Ballerina Knapsack is the ultimate accessory for little ballerinas in the making. 

She can keep her shoes and leotard ready to go to class in this adorable bag or take it to school with her books and lunch stowed safely inside. She’ll feel like a princess every minute and will be the star of the show every where she goes with this dainty pack on her back. When she doesn’t need to use the bag, the straps and bag fit neatly inside and it becomes a doll that she can use to demonstrate her pirouettes till her hearts desire. This is a perfect gift for birthdays, camp care packages or any day you want to see a big smile on her face. See all of our gifts for ballerinas too!

Ballerina Knapsack starting at $25.00. 

As the weather heats up, and kids get the itch to play outside, you want something to occupy their creative and active needs. Look no further than the Build Your Own Airplane Kit from Cardboard Designs. 

We've blogged about our love of these guys in the past, and there's good reason. This eco-friendly kit is made of foldable cardboard, so your little Miss or Mr.Imagination gets to build it from scratch then decorate it as they please. When they're done flying around the backyard, the plane folds easily for storage or travel. For other eco-friendly fun, check out their lemonade stand or Blast Off Rocket. 

Build Your Own Airplane starting at $54.00.

It's finally Friday, and the family is itching to go out, why not treat them to the new Hannah Montana movie? If your tween hasn't dragged you out for your fourth viewing, or if you've been living under a rock, now is the time to see Miss Miley herself on the big screen. 

Watch Miley return to her roots down south, fall in love and .. well I don't want to give EVERYTHING away. Play along at home with this new doll set featuring Miley's new beau. Or take the stage yourself as you play Hannah in the new video game. Either way this pop star sensation is here to stay. 

Hannah Montana Movie Line Dolls with Hannah and Travis starting at $24.99.

With the new Nintendo DSi fresh on the shelves, it makes sense to take a look at some fun gift-able games which just hit the stores.  Because the DS platform appeals to gamers young and old, here are three games that will appeal to young gamers, and those who young at heart.

For the younger ones, “Henry Hatsworth” is a really fun, lighthearted game that combines both action/adventure game play with puzzle solving. Joining Henry as he explores quirky worlds over 30 levels will provide hours of fun (Rated “E” for Everyone). 

Another fun one that target kids 10 and up is called “ZUBO”.  Befriend and nurture Zubos and do battle to fight against the Zombos! The unique feature of the game play is the use of the game’s musical soundtrack to help along in the fight.

Lastly, Hasbro’s classic SCRABBLE was just been released for the DS. A must for the word game players out there, SCRABBLE not only provides the game everyone knows and loves for the DS, but also has game modes to help with vocabulary building, point strategies, and word-based training tools to develop an “A” game…SCRABBLE-style.

Henry Hatsworth DSi Game starting at $28.99.

When it comes to buying a gift for moms there are a few standby's one can always count on, flowers, food, and anything fragrant. Now buying a scent for someone else can be tricky, everyone has different tastes, some like stronger scents, other something more light and perfumes react on everyone's skin differently. The solution? Philosophy's "Amazing Grace" gift set.

This best-selling fragrance smells good on everyone I swear! It's both clean and feminine at the same time. This set includes Amazing Grace perfume, a buffing body wash, and a firming body emulsion all with the same sweet scent, (talk about multitasking). Check out the rest of these exclusive beauty gifts and spoil your mom this Mother's Day.

Philosophy's Amazing Grace Mother's Day Gift Set starting at $59.50.

Old technology seems to be having it's hey-day right now, mix tapes are popping up all over the place, retro phones and especially records! Today is National Record Store Day, and if you have a player already go visit your local shop and pick up something old or new, if not check out this awesome travel turntable from Crosley.

The Stack-O-Matic, appropriately named, let's you stack up to six records at a time and plays them in sequential order. It has a retro look but modern features like full range stereo speakers and has the ability to play 7, 10, and 12 inch records. Did I mention it's portable? It's perfect for any family getaway, college dorm or new apartment. If you're a music lover, learn more about National Record Store Day here.

Crosley Stack-O-Matic Travler Turntable starting at $179.99.

To continue our Earth Day series, I have another great find from the Green Products Expo: the All-In-One Recycling Center. The product is pretty much self-explanatory as it allows you to have a one-stop, in-home, organizer for all your household recyclables. The unit even has a can and bottle crusher to help reduce your items. 

The three reasons I like the recycling center is that it helps make recycling easier by limiting the clutter of can, newspapers, bottles etc.. It looks better and holds up to three times more recyclables than the ubiquitous blue bin the town distributed six years ago. And lastly, the bin will help make recycling an easy chore for kids- and getting a little help around the house is certainly a plus. It's a great gift for home owners and apartment dwellers who are looking to “go green"!

All-In-One Home Recycling Center starting at $279.95. 

What can you get for $15, that is eco-conscious, thoughtful and unforgettable? Was your guess a journal made from elephant poo?  Yeah, didn’t think so! 

But before you start making gagging faces – take a second look at this beautiful (and odorless) journal, and you may quickly change your mind.  Handmade in Thailand, this 100% recycled journal redefines “unique” without breaking the bank, or your conscious. And don't forget it's a great gift for Earth Day!

Elephant Poo Paper Journal starting at $15.00.