Remember earlier this year when I was raving about the Seattle Rep production of Sherlock Holmes and the American Problem? Well, I'm back raving about Sherlock Holmes in Seattle, only this time the fun was across the Center, past the fountain, in the shadow of the Space Needle at the Pacific Science Center. The new Pacific Science Center’s The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes brings the legendary Sherlock Holmes to life, showing backstory of his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as the history of those Sherlock was modeled after. You will be transported to the Victorian time of Sherlock Holmes to learn about the science, technology, and methodology of the time while solving a mystery created just for this exhibit.
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Side yard hopscotch with DIY stepping stones
I've been debating for years about what I wanted to do with our skinny side yard. We need to leave it unobstructed because it's the main pathway to our backyard, but I hated that it would turn into a wet and muddy mess every time it rains. Doing stones of some sort that you could walk over, wheel barrow over, and also keep the side yard from getting swampy made a whole lot of sense, but I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do. That was until I visited Swansons Nursery in Seattle and started talking to their team about what made sense for a marshy yard. 
We decided we needed to dig the side yard down, add a weed barrier, and then add sand and fill dirt along with some stepping stones. After that was complete, we could add some ground cover plants that would help with drainage and keep the side yard from turning into a mud pit.
Inspiration really struck when I started filling up Swansons` boxes with plants and ground covers and realized that the box I was loading them in was the perfect stepping stone size.
More specifically, they were perfect hopscotch size. If we made our own hopscotch stones and laid them in our skinny side yard, we could actually utilize the space better to make it a play space as well as a pathway. With a smaller, urban yard I'm always looking for ways of maximizing space, and making it dual purpose is always a win. 
Educational fun with the SmartMax Mega Ball Run
I can’t even tell you how many times I have refused or returned a self-contained pre-made ball run that has been given to my kids. It’s not that I’m against kids learning about gravity and momentum by way of a ball run, it’s just that I can’t justify the space that they require for the momentary fun of dropping a ball down a chute a few times before the kids get bored.
But, when I was told about the SmartMax Mega Ball Run, I realized that someone finally got it. By adding in the fun of a construction toy and the power of magnets, SmartMax allows you to build your own ball run over and over again to enhance the play value and keep the kids busy for hours.
Need for Speed Seattle screening and Q&A with Aaron Paul and Scott Waugh
by Tyler, editor and reviewer
A few weeks ago we got to hang out with my pals Aaron Paul and Scott Waugh for a bit when they came to Seattle for a press screening of their new film, Need for Speed. We talked about fast cars, explosions, and what it's like doing stunt work while driving around cars worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Not impressed yet? What if I told you that I also got to hang out with Sir Mix-A-Lot before the movie started? Oh, yeah, this happened. 
Vote for your favorite math tip for kids and win with Zorbit’s Math Adventure
Did you enter the Zorbit's Math Adventure contest I posted about last month? If not, don't worry, because you can still win big just by helping to vote for the best tip. Read on to find out more. But, first: want to know more about Zorbit’s Math Adventure? It's a new iOS app from Best … Read more
Celtic Challenge from Find It Games
Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide – Day 12 I can’t resist a challenge. Tell me a game is a challenge and I will be intrigued. Put it in the name, however, and the temptation is just too much. When I heard that the local Find It Games had the ultimate challenge for me in the form … Read more
Twister Hoopla for Family Game Night!
Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide: Day 43 A little over a month ago I caught an Ellen DeGeneres show and was laughing as her audience members played a game that involved contestants holding various colored rings with different parts of their bodies. Much like the beloved Twister floor game of my youth, the game required contestants … Read more
Perplexus Puzzle Game
Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide: Day 28 In our house, mazes and puzzles are a very big deal and we love the challenge of racing each other or the clock to figure them out. But, as much as we love doing mazes and puzzles on paper, they are so much more exciting when they are in … Read more