I have a confession to make…I never played with Barbies. I was a bit of a tomboy as a kid. Well - I take that back. I was a closet girlie girl. I had a few Cabbage Patch dolls, a Poochie Dog Stamper and got excited over a Hello Kitty notebook. But in public? I wore dirty jeans, my hat backwards and took down any boy who claimed he could run faster, climb higher or jump farther than I could.

But Barbies? I just don't remember playing with them. In the very recesses of my memory there is a single snapshot of a hot summer day when I ran through the sprinkler carrying a tattered Barbie doll by her hair. By the end of my fun tearing through the cool water, the Barbie was completely bald and had to be thrown away. That's it - my solitary memory of Barbie.

Today I am the mother of an equally raucous, competitive, tomboyish little girl who also has an affinity for frilly dresses and Cabbage Patch Dolls. So when I introduced her to Superstar Barbie, I wasn't at all sure how she would respond. Because I've never seen her with a Barbie doll. Apparently, though, she has played with them elsewhere as she exclaimed with impish four-year-old thrill, "My friend Gini Lu has Barbies, Mom! Is this one mine?"

I suddenly felt accused, like I had somehow been holding out on her. And then she promptly undressed Superstar Barbie (hey, underpants!) and my six year old son leaned over with wide eyes. We then had a long talk about how Superstar Barbie needs to stay warm so she doesn't get a cold and have to go to the doctor and put her clothes back on.

And speaking of clothes, check out Superstar Barbie's rockin' getup! I must say, I'm quite jealous of her gorgeous hair…

Is anyone else as envious of her sassy shoes as I am?

Here's the amazing thing…Barbie is 51! Clearly she's had a little work done, eh? Ahem.

On March 9th, 1977, Superstar Barbie made her debut in all her glorious, made up glamour and for 51 years, Barbie has been rockin' her way into the hearts of little girls worldwide. So to celebrate Barbie's birthday, we are giving away a very special set of Barbie dolls. You will receive the original '70's Superstar Barbie along with today's Superstar Barbie! It's fun for mom and daughter alike! Both are rockin' the styles of their day and, of course, the ever present removable diamond ring…because a Superstar has got to have her bling!

To enter, simply leave us a comment and tell us why you would like to win this commemorative set of Superstar Barbie dolls. And, as always, you can earn multiple entries:

• Subscribe to our Feed
• Sign up for our 5M4M Newsletter
• Add our 5M4Giveaways button in your sidebar
• Write a post and link back to this contest on your blog
• Spread the word via Twitter or email

Please see our site's Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules. This contest is void where prohibited.

When Superstar Barbie was originally introduced, she retailed for $3. And this week only, from March 8-12, you can purchase your own Superstar Barbie for $3 at select retailers or at BarbieCollectors.com.

So even if you don't win the contest, you can still head over and buy your own Superstar Barbie so that you too can stare at her shoes all day long and dream of owning a similar pair for yourself delight in the giddy grin of your enamored daughter.

Also, if you would like to follow along with all things Barbie, you can follow Barbie on Twitter (she's thoroughly modern these days) at @BarbieStyle.

So what are you waiting for! Make your little girls dreams come true and enter to win your very own Superstar Barbie (original and updated)! Because every little girl should have at least one Barbie doll, right?

This giveaway will close on Friday, March 26th. We will announce our winner on Saturday, March 27th.

I received a Superstar Barbie for review purposes.

Even though I love reading, I also love TV. There's just something about being lost in a story — in someone's else's story — that is such a great escape, whether it's comedy to make me laugh or drama to open eyes and make me think.

Boston Legal offers a little bit of both. I was a big fan of the Practice, from which Boston Legal spun off. I never watched it while it was on network TV, but a few years ago, I watched some of the first couple of seasons when it reran during the daytime on a cable network.

Well now Boston Legal is on TV Land. I absolutely love TV Land for bringing back favorite old shows.

Now you can get your Denny Crane 5 nights a week on TV Land Prime at 11:00 p.m. (and you can also watch full episodes online). Don't know Denny Crane? take a look:

Watch William Shatner and James Spader in the Emmy award winning series that combines thoroughly irreverent comedy with completely relevant drama. You never know what they are going to do next.

Are you a fan of Boston Legal? If not, do you love getting a second chance to watch shows like this when a network like TV Land airs them from the beginning?

We hope you'll give this legal dramedy a try, or revisit your old friends on Boston Legal, now showing on TV Land at 11:00 p.m. weeknights.

But you know what? Even if you don't, you can enter to win a $100 Visa gift card. All you have to do is read my post (which you just did, right?), and then leave a comment saying you want to win.

This giveaway will close on March 26, and the winner will be announced on March 27. Anyone can enter, but the Visa card must be shipped to a U.S. address.

As always, you can earn even more entries:

Subscribe to our Feed

Sign up for our 5M4M Newsletter

Add our 5M4Giveaways button in your sidebar

Write a post and link back to this contest on your blog

Spread the word via Twitter or email

Please see our site's Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules. This contest is void where prohibited.

Disclosure: This is part of a paid ad campaign.

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom Contributing editor Jennifer, who also blogs at Snapshot and manages 5 Minutes for Books

"Now this is curious!" Take a beloved children's story, add a new spin to it and hand it off to Tim Burton to direct and you are left with something truly enchanting.

Coming to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™ on March 5, 2010, ALICE IN WONDERLAND is an epic 3D fantasy adventure starring JOHNNY DEPP as the Mad Hatter and MIA WASIKOWSKA as 19-year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends: the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad Hatter.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND has been digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience.

For more information about the film, visit www.disney.com/wonderland.

I am intrigued and I definitely want to experience Alice In Wonderland in IMAX 3D. How about you? We have a fantastic 'Mad as a Hatter’ IMAX Prize Pack, retail value $200.00, that will help you do just that.

One lucky reader will win the following:

• An ‘Alice’s Tea Box’ set graciously donated by the famous New York-based store, Alice’s Tea Cup. The box includes 1 Cardew Alice In Wonderland cup/saucer, 1 Box of tea sacs, 1 Swirly striped tea tin, 4 2oz. bags of tea (2 caffienated, 2 herbal), 1 Alice tea cup travel tea tumbler.
• 1 Alice In Wonderland: An IMAX 3D Experience poster
• A 4-pack set of Alice In Wonderland: An IMAX 3D Experience bookmarks
• 1 Alice In Wonderland: An IMAX 3D Experience T-shirt
• A family 4-pack of IMAX tickets

To enter, please leave a comment below and tell us which Alice In Wonderland character you are most like. I can tell you that I am most like the White Rabbit. I am always rushing around and never on time.

As always, you can earn even more entries:

• Subscribe to our Feed
• Sign up for our 5M4M Newsletter
• Add our 5M4Giveaways button in your sidebar
• Write a post and link back to this contest on your blog
• Spread the word via Twitter or email

Please see our site's Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules. This contest is void where prohibited.

This giveaway is open to US residents and closes on Friday, March 12th. We will announce our winner on Saturday, March 13th.

IMAX provided me with a family 4 pack of IMAX tickets for running this giveaway. They are also providing the 'Mad as a Hatter' IMAX Prize Pack for our winner.

It's a game day today here at 5 Minutes for Giveaways. We have seven winners who will soon have new video games to play.

First we have two winners who are both receiving copies of Cooking Mama 3 and Hello Kitty Party for their Nintendo DS.

Using the stylus as the ultimate cooking utensil, you can chop, grate, slice, stir, spread, sprinkle, roll, and much more in over 200 different mini-games.

Delight yourself by creating 80 new recipes including: chili con carne, mushroom quiche, Eggs Benedict, tulip chicken and pumpkin gnocchi. Cooking Mama 3 is rated E for everyone. Retail Value $27.99.

Hello Kitty Party is the perfect game for Sanrio lovers. There are over 25 mini games starring Hello Kitty and her Sanrio friends: Keroppi, Badtz-Maru, My Melody and more.

Hello Kitty Party is rated E for everyone and retails for $29.82.

Our winners, receiving copies of both games, are comment #105 Rose and comment #175 Donna. Congratulations ladies. An email has been sent your way with instructions on how to claim your prize.

Five lucky winners will enjoy the world of Kai-lan on their favorite game system with 2K Play's Ni Hao, Kai-lan: Super Game Day (Nintendo Wii and Playstation 2).

The game offers one or two player options and each player gets to select which Ni Hao, Kai-lan character they want to play as. Then choose one of the 10 fun games to play!

Stacey's daughter's favorites are definitely Bubble Popping, Badminton, and Movin' & Grovin' with YeYe!

Congratulations to comment #289 Susan, comment #52 Nan, comment #170 Gena, comment #139 Carol and comment #86 Becky. You will each receive a copy of Ni Hao, Kai-lan: Super Game Day for your preferred console (Wii or PS2). An email has been sent your way with instructions on how to claim your prize.

Online interactivity is a big feature in children's toys these days. Environmental stewardship is another angle that often appeals to parents and kids alike.

Tales4Tomorrow has teamed up with Conservation International to produce stuffed animals that tie in with a gaming site (similar to Webkinz).

My 5 1/2 year old son Kyle was happy to receive the rhinoceros. He promptly named it "Hortie" (because it looks like Horton the elephant to him), and has been sleeping with him. He's not a huge stuffed animal lover, but something about this pet appeals to him!

These animals are bigger than I expected and look much (MUCH) better in real life than on the site. They are also made in an environmentally conscious manner. The outer cover is made from soy and cotton, while the product tag is made from recycled paper. The product line was created to educate children about endangered animals and what they need to survive.

Five percent of the proceeds go to Conservation International, and when the child first logs in to the site using the code from their stuffed animal, they can select for themselves which kind of animal the funds will work to preserve: frogs, pandas, elephants or tigers.

Kyle is definitely familiar with the computer and the plethora of gaming sites designed for children. Some bore him and some captivate him. He loves Tales 4 Tomorrow. The games are unique and interesting, and there are many opportunities for learning as well. The players can build their animal's habitat, using the Habitokens that they earn by playing games. Kyle loves this sort of incentive in games that he plays — knowing that he can earn points that can actually be used for something. I like that you don't have to pay anything else after the initial stuffed animal purchase.

The Tales 4 Tomorrow line is available for purchase at specialty stores and online at www.tales4tomorrow.com only. Each plush retails for about $19.99. You can also buy codes for a virtual pet for $9.95 that gives you access to the games (without the stuffed animal clutter!).

One of you will win the Tunger the Tiger stuffed animal with an activation code so that you can experience all the fun at Tales4Tomorrow.

In addition, we have two-week trial codes for FIVE runners up.

As always, you can earn even more entries:

Subscribe to our Feed

Sign up for our 5M4M Newsletter

Add our 5M4Giveaways button in your sidebar

Write a post and link back to this contest on your blog

Spread the word via Twitter or email

Please see our site's Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules. This contest is void where prohibited.

We'll announce the winner on March 13. U.S. shipping addresses are eligible.

*Disclosure: I received one stuffed animal with activation code so that Kyle and I could try it out for the purpose of the review.

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom Contributing editor Jennifer, who also blogs at Snapshot and manages 5 Minutes for Books

Have you heard of Biddees.com??

Biddees offers an extensive selection of brand new gift cards in various denominations from national retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, Costco, Gap, Home Depot, iTunes, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Staples, Starbucks, Target and Walmart, as well as VISA and MasterCard prepaid cash cards. Each card is guaranteed to sell for less than face value.

The savings aren't generally huge — maybe 10% — but 15% of your LBT goes to the listed charity of your choice. Since we all spend money at places like itunes, McDonald's, Target, Best Buy, and Amazon (don't we??), why not use your budget allotment here and do a little good as well? That's right 15% of your bid fee goes to the charity of your choice.

To experience and learn the Biddees process, each new customer is granted several free bid credits known as Little Biddee Things™ (LBTs). When the free LBTs are used up, customers can purchase more for 99 cents each – and 15 percent of each LBT purchased goes to a nonprofit organization selected by the customer. To view the price of any card, which always starts at least $1.50 less than its face value, a customer uses one LBT. Every time a customer views the current price of a card, the price automatically drops by another 50 cents. Upon viewing the price, the customer has the exclusive right to purchase the card at the new lower price, within 30 seconds. If the customer decides not to purchase the card, it becomes available to the next participant. A quick check-out process completes the purchase, and Biddees sends the card to the customer with no sales tax and free shipping.

Find out more about how it works. This walks you through the process clearly.

Sounds great, right?

Yes, it sounds good — get a discounted cash-value gift card? AND help charity? — but I wanted to try it out myself.

I signed up for my free membership, at which time I recieved 3 Little Biddee Things (LBTs). You need to have an LBT to bid or view the value of the gift card.

I used my first LBT to view a $25 Starbucks card. The price was just over $20. I had 30 seconds to decide if I wanted to buy it. I decided not to, but used another LBT to view/bid again. That immediately brought the price down to $20, a 25% savings! I decided to buy it, and was taken to the checkout process where I provided my credit card number and verified my shipping address. Shipping is free. So soon I can enjoy $25 worth of coffee and lattes and scones and cookies at Starbucks — all at a 25% savings (because I paid less to begin with it).

There's nothing to lose. Join now and try it out using your 3 free LBTs. If you like it, you can buy more at under a dollar each and keep buying gift cards at a reduced value, and giving to charity while you are saving! I think that this would be a fantastic way to buy gifts at a reasonable cost, either using the reduced-price card to shop, or give it away (what teacher doesn't love a Starbucks or Target card as an end-of-year gift??).

Viewing a gift card does not require you to do anything. It takes one LBT from your account, but you still have the option to decide if you want to buy or not.

As an incentive for trying out Biddees.com, a registered user who leaves a comment here will be eligible to receive a $50 Target gift card!

Want to be eligible to win? Just register for the site, and then leave a comment below. You don't even have to try it out if you don't want to (but who wouldn't??). If you are already registered, you can go ahead and leave a comment (and tell us your best win yet).

You can follow Biddees on Twitter @BiddeesUSA and Facebook to learn more.

If you are selected as winner, you will be required to share your user name so that we can verify you have registered for the site.

As always, you can earn even more entries:

Follow Biddees on Twitter (@BiddeesUSA)

Subscribe to our Feed

Sign up for our 5M4M Newsletter

Add our 5M4Giveaways button in your sidebar

Write a post and link back to this contest on your blog

Spread the word via Twitter or email

Please see our site's Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules. This contest is void where prohibited.

We'll announce the winner on March 13. U.S. shipping addresses are eligible.

*Disclosure — I got nothin' for writing this up. Just like you can, I received 3 free LBTs for registering.

We have three lucky winners this week.

First, we have two readers receiving $50.00 Pizza Dough Gift Cards to California Pizza Kitchen.

CPK has just released a new menu, the Small Cravings, that allows you to try more things on their menu in smaller portions. Somewhat like tapas, you can order several things and have amazing variation in your meal! Ranging from $4-$7 each, they have 7 choices, including Asparagus and Arugula Salad, Buffalo Chicken, Sweet Corn Tamale Ravioli, Crispy Artichoke Hearts, Mediterranean Plate, The Wedge Salad, and White Corn Guacamole and Chips.

Congratulations to comment #177, Molly K. and comment #20, Andrea O. You have both won $50.00 Pizza Dough Gift Cards. An email has been sent your way with instructions on how to claim your prize.

We have another winner to announce in our America's Biggest Bedtime Story giveaway.

"For this year's event, Lithgow will share his book, Carnival of the Animals, and if more readers participate in America's Biggest Bedtime Story than in previous years, BOOK IT! will donate funds for 50,000 meals to Haiti Relief through the World Food Programme. The magic number was set last year when 197,972 participants watched Lithgow read his book, I Got Two Dogs."

Congratulations to comment #200, Dawn, you have won one copy of Marsupial Sue Presents “The Runaway Pancake”, by John Lithgow and two $10 gift cards to Pizza Hut. You are going to love that book! It is adorable! An email has been sent your way with instructions on how to claim your prize.

Congratulations to all of our winners!

Happy New Year! That's right, February 14 is not only Valentine's Day but it is also marks a new year in the Chinese calendar! So, Happy Chinese New Year!!!

And who better to celebrate the Chinese New Year with than the lovable Kai-lan!!!

Ni Hao, Kai-lan is a very popular children's cartoon that focuses on teaching preschoolers different aspects of the Chinese and Chinese American culture, words and phrases in Mandarin, and different problem solving skills! My daughters love Kai-lan and all of her friends (Rintoo, Tolee, Hoho, and Lulu) and love greeting people at the grocery story by saying "Ni Hao!!!"

Now preschoolers can enjoy the world of Kai-lan on their favorite game system with 2K Play's Ni Hao, Kai-lan: Super Game Day (Nintendo Wii and Playstation 2) and Ni Hao, Kai-lan: New Year's Celebration (Nintendo DS)!

We recently had an opportunity to try-out the Ni Hao, Kai-lan: Super Game Day and it was an instant hit at our house. The game offers one or two player options and each player gets to select which Ni Hao, Kai-lan character they want to play as. (My daughter always chooses Kai-lan!) Then choose one of the 10 fun games to play! My daughter's favorites are definitely Bubble Popping, Badminton, and Movin' & Grovin' with YeYe! At least those are the ones where she always beats me!!!

The games in Ni Hao, Kai-lan: Super Game Day have been a great way to keep my girls moving, especially when it's been too cold to go outside, and to practice some hand-eye coordination. We've also been practicing being a humble winner and a gracious loser…we're still working on those! It did take a little time for my 4 year old to get used to idea that by moving the controller she was also making selections but she got the hang of it after a few tries.

Ni Hao, Kai-lan: New Year's Celebration for the DS is also a great way to introduce and celebrate the Chinese New Year with your kids. They will love creating colorful lanterns, cooking yummy dumplings, and marking in a dragon parade with Kai-lan, YeYe, and friends as they prepare for Chinese New Year!

To help you and your preschooler celebrate the Year of the Tiger we are giving away FIVE (5) copies of Ni Hao, Kai-lan: Super Game Day. Simply leave us a comment telling us if you would like the Wii or Playstation 2 game to enter.

As always, you can earn even more entries:

Follow 2K Play on Twitter (@2KPlay)

Subscribe to our Feed

Sign up for our 5M4M Newsletter

Add our 5M4Giveaways button in your sidebar

Write a post and link back to this contest on your blog

Spread the word via Twitter or email

Please see our site's Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules. This contest is void where prohibited.

This giveaway is open to US residents and closes on February 26.

In order to provide you with an accurate and personal review of the Ni Hao, Kai-lan: Super Game Day game, I was sent a complimentary game from 2K Play to try-out. The prizing is also being provided by 2K Play.

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom Contributing Writer: Stacey Lynn

This week we are closing the exederm Skin Care giveaway.
Please remember to add contests5m4m(AT)gmail(DOT)com to your "Safe Senders" list or address book, to ensure that your notification is not marked as SPAM.

The exederm line is the solution for eczema and dermatitis sufferers. Their products use the mildest ingredients possible. Exederm contains no fragrance, no color or dyes, no parabens, no (SLS) Sodium Laureth Sulfate, no Lanolin, no (CAPB) Cocamidopropyl Betaine, no Propylene Glycol, and no phthalates.

In fact, in September 2008, the National Eczema Association honored exederm with the first of 12 separate 'Seal of Acceptance' awards in acknowledgment of their ultra sensitive formulations.

If you or your children suffer from eczema or dermatitis, I recommend checking out exederm. There is also a handy chart on their site that compares the ingredients in leading creams that are used by those with sensitive skin. It really is eye opening to see how many of these creams actually contain many harsh chemicals.

The exederm line offers eczema wash, eczema shampoo, eczema conditioner, eczema lotion, eczema body oil, intensive moisturizer, and flare control cream. There are also products just for little ones. You will find baby eczema lotion, baby eczema cream, baby eczema oil, baby eczema wash and baby eczema shampoo.

Comment Number 15 - jessica, will receive the full exederm baby line!

Congratulations! You should have received an email about claiming your prize.

If you haven’t received an email, please send your FULL NAME, SHIPPING ADDRESS, and TELEPHONE NUMBER to contests5m4m(AT)gmail(DOT)com by Wednesday, February 17th in order to claim your prize. Any prizes unclaimed will be forfeited and a new winner or winners will be selected.

Roses are red, violets are blue. Staying home this Valentine's Day? Then these games are for you.

Are you hosting a Valentine's Day party for friends or family, staying in with your sweetie, or looking for a fun gift for your children? Here are three suggestions that are sure to delight your loved ones.

With Karaoke Revolution you can serenade your sweetie with some of today's top hits. There are 50 tracks to choose from including Taylor Swift's Love Story and Jason Mraz's I'm Yours.

Become a superstar as you perform as a solo artist or have a karaoke party with your friends and family. The multiplayer mode allows up to 16 players. With 16 customizable venues and the option of customizing your character from head to toe, your performances can be as unique as you are. Karaoke Revolution is available for the Playstation 3, Wii and Xbox 360 and is rated T for teen. Retail value $46.99.

Do you have a culinary cutie in your life? Let her enjoy some shopping and chopping in Cooking Mama 3 for Nintendo DS.

Using the stylus as the ultimate cooking utensil, your cherished chef can chop, grate, slice, stir, spread, sprinkle, roll, and much more in over 200 different mini-games. She will be delighted as she creates 80 new recipes including: chili con carne, mushroom quiche, Eggs Benedict, tulip chicken and pumpkin gnocchi.

So pour a glass of wine and take turns creating culinary masterpieces. Cooking Mama 3 is rated E for everyone. Retail Value $27.99.

If your Valentine is pretty in pink, then she will love Hello Kitty Party for Nintendo DS. There are over 25 mini games starring Hello Kitty and her Sanrio friends: Keroppi, Badtz-Maru, My Melody and more.

Your playful cutie can plan a party, send out invitations, sew a party dress, shop, cook, dance, and dress up Hello Kitty in a variety of fun outfits and accessories. Pictures can even be taken to commemorate the event. Hello Kitty Party is rated E for everyone and retails for $29.82.

We want to make this Valentine's Day extra sweet. We have 2 copies of Hello Kitty Party and Cooking Mama 3 to give away. That means we will have two winners, for double the fun. Don't forget, these games are for the Nintendo DS.

To enter please leave a comment below and tell us how you are spending Valentine's Day. As always, you can earn even more entries: subscribe to our Feed, sign up for our 5M4M Newsletter, add our 5M4Giveaways button in your sidebar, write a post and link back to this contest on your blog, and spread the word via Twitter or email! Please see our site's Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules.

This giveaway is open to US shipping addresses and ends Friday, February 26th. Our winners will be announced Saturday, February 27th.

We received 2 copies of Hello Kitty Party and 2 copies of Cooking Mama 3 to use as prizing for this giveaway. I was also sent a copy of Karaoke Revolution to enjoy with my family.

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom contributing editor, Erica.