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After a relaxing summer back at the ranch, I'm back in the city ready to go. School is starting up and I'm thinking of changing my major... not sure. Thinking of changing to business.

I finished the Yard Sale Treasures: Sunnyville guide I promised and just in time because I'm sure you noticed -- Azada 2 just released!

Howdy all! Whew, what a month this has been! As I mentioned before, the whole family went to Colorado for a week. We stayed near the Rocky Mountain National Park and wow, what a view! I didn't even miss my computer...much. I got to do some hikes, horse back riding, and take tons of pictures.

Things are getting back to normal at our house. The smoke from all the wildfires is finally cleared up and we can see blue skies again. The good Delta Breeze is back and giving us some relief from the very hot weather. Shelly the Turtle is back home with my granddaughter and school has started. I am ready for fall although it is a little early for that.

Got my classes, got my books... school is about to begin. Finished my summer internship. Sort of in limbo. That's where Ranch Rush comes in. I haven't had time to play it yet.

Two years ago I bought a new car. My 86 Lincoln, which I named Mary Todd, was beginning to have some problems. But I soon realized that the new car had problems too. It looked like every other car in the parking lot. I would come out of the store and there would be 3 or 4 cars the same color as mine and they all looked like the same model. When I was a teenager in the fifties you could tell a Ford from a Chevy. Then some genius in Detroit decided all cars should look just alike.

I'm a big fan of Project Runway. I've watched just about every episode of every season except the first. I just love watching them make these amazing clothes out of unique and interesting materials. I know so little about making clothes myself. I can't hardly use a needle and thread much less a sewing machine. It's a whole world a know little about.

When Jasper first asked me to review Enchanted Cavern I told him I had taken a look at it and thought it was boring. But I was drawn to it because when I was a kid I lived on a ranch that was close to a little known park called the Pinnacles. We would have Birthday parties and family reunions there. The reason it was so special was because the park had caverns .We would go into those dark caverns with our little flashlights and run amok. In some places we had to get down on our hands and knees to get through. I don’t know why we never got hurt or lost in there. Now there are lights in there and they tell me no one goes in without a guide. We were always looking for big piles of gold or jewels, but of course we never found a thing.

New out this week is Governor of Poker, a fun Texas Hold'em game. Xavier always beats me at Poker, particularly Texas Hold'em. I know a couple friends who've gotten pretty deep in debt from playing online poker, so I stay away from those. I have to admit I really like this version of it - you can choose your difficulty level and there's lots of tips to make you a better player. The AI of the computer players seemed pretty sophisticated. The idea is to make enough money to buy all the houses in each town, and then you move on to the next. In some of the games, people within the town wager up their houses which you can win as well. It seemed like a new twist on an old favorite.

I made it back home from Pennsylvania safe and sound and what better way to recover from a vacation than with... a game! The game in question is Forgotten Riddles: The Moonlight Sonatas, the second in a newer but popular HOG series (Mayan Princess being the first one).

I don't know if you keep up with current events, but if you do you might have read about all the big lightning fires here in No. California. The skies have been filled with smoke since the end of June. It hasn't been a very pleasant summer for any of us. Outdoor activities have been limited for a lot of people. So many of us are catching up on our reading, watching a little more T.V. than usual and of course playing games on the computer. So that's how I discovered Mahjong.

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My grandparents were farmers and my dad always had interesting stories about growing up and working on a farm. I think that really shaped my perspective of how much hard work goes into farming and made me appreciate the produce we can so easily access at our local store. I hope my son, Max, will grow to understand and appreciate his agricultural roots. And even though he is growing up in the city, that he will learn about all that goes into bringing him the food that he eats everyday.

If you're into the kind of games that test your brain skills, this one is for you. I enjoyed a lot of the challenges - they have these "stress" challenges where they introduce annoying bugs or a wolf is trying to eat a sheep. It definitely makes it harder. The trick with these games is using your periphery vision and learning to filter out the misleading information. Check it out - it will definitely test the gray matter.

Since I retired, all my days begin about the same, which is fine with me. I guess you could say I have become a creature of habit. First, at least 3 cups of coffee to get me started. Then walk the dog. A few household chores and then turn on the computer to do my daily puzzles. I enjoy all kinds of puzzles. I take a puzzle book with me to the Doctor’s office to help pass the time. So when I saw the new game Picto word I had to try it out.

If you are looking for something different, Harvest Massive Encounter may be for you. In this game you must defend your resource gathering colony from successive waves of UFO attacks. The nice thing about the game is there are many different modes of play that range from insane to creative where the UFOs do not attack at all. Download the trial and try it out.

I love going to the gym. I don't go as often as I should, but when I do, I'm always very glad that I did. Especially now that I'm a mom I really appreciate the time I spend there. The gym I go to has a supervised play area for kids, which Max thoroughly enjoys. So I get some uninterrupted time to focus on burning off some stress and hopefully some of those lingering pounds from baby weight.

Hi, my name is Cecelia and I live in northern California with my dog Lulu, cat Baby and a small turtle, Shelly (who is our guest for the summer while my granddaughter is away). My job here, as Anne and Jasper tell me, is to review games for you from time to time from a senior point of view. I am in my 60’s so I feel I meet the qualifications.

I managed to squeeze in another game guide before I pack up and head to PA for a week to visit my cousins. Cross your fingers the storms out there go away so I'm not cooped up inside all week with my younger cousins…

My little boy, Max, was the ring bearer in wedding this weekend. He looked so adorable in his little three-piece tux! It's amazing they can make those so small. He was a little nervous but he took his responsibilities very seriously, and he did a great job! Weddings are so great, so much excitement and energy around them. And it's fun to see the couple put some of their personalities and backgrounds into the various aspects of the wedding. Our friends really did that well this past weekend.

Hey all HOG fans! How's your summer going? I'm finding sometime in-between my volunteering and internship to play some games.

My most favorite indulgence ever (besides maybe chocolate) has got to be a trip to the spa. There's nothing like a little spa pampering to melt away the stress and leave you feeling refreshed. And now that I have a child, it's that time away that helps me regroup a little and restores my energy so that I have more to give to my family. I may not go very often, but the times I do are times well spent.

It's confession time again... Hello. My name is Lucy and I am a reality show addict. ((sigh)) Yes. It's true. For the life of me, I just cannot understand why some people will subject themselves to humiliation in order to win some prize or get on TV... but as long as there are people like that in the world, I'm gonna watch 'em!!!

I thought I'd start the summer out right and get into a good murder mystery. No – not a book, a game of course! Women's Murder Club: Death In Scarlet is based on the award winning books by James Patterson and this game really delivers. This game kept me so intrigued it really was like reading a good book. I highly recommend it to everyone. I'm sure you'll enjoy the plot twists as much as I did.

The world of casual games can get repetitive. It's nice to see something new. Tower Bloxx fits that category. This game requires you to build towers by aligning building blocks that swing precariously from a crane.

Airport Mania - A little too "cute" for me but different and challenging enough.

I spend way too much time in grocery stores. I try to only go once a week, but inevitably I forget something I need and end up back there again before the week is over. This past week, my husband and I and Max went on a road trip to Pismo beach. I wanted to buy lots of snacks, drinks and food for lunches so we could save some money instead of eating in restaurants the whole time. Plus I had to get a few other odds and ends to take with us. I probably hit a new all time record for grocery store visits just in preparation for our trip.

Hola beach lovers!

If you are a longtime fan of this site, then you know that casual gaming has been a hobby of mine for some time now. The beauty of these games lies in the fact that they offer such a nice break from the drudgery of work (or study). You can play them for as long as you like and there seems to be a never ending supply of new games.

Last month saw the release of some highly anticipated games in addition to the normal fare and I think that in the excitement, there are a few games that got overlooked when they really shouldn't have.

Hi gamers! Whether your from the West coast, East coast, North or South, I'm told summer is on it's way! I finally finished exams and have the whole summer off. Yay!

My family will be moving into a house soon, mainly for a bigger space for Max. We've been trying to figure out how we want to decorate each room, so interior design has been on my mind a lot lately. That's probably what drew me to the game, Eye for Design. It helps me sort out my decorating thoughts and play games at the same time!

I love having pets. When I was growing up we always had some sort of pet in our home. Over the course of my life so far I've had a dog, 2 cats, 2 birds, 2 hamsters, and many fish. Since Max was born, we haven't had any pets, but some day when he's older, I'd love to get another dog. But in the meantime, I decided to give Pets Fun House a try.

Only 1 week until finals, boy I'll be glad when it's over and I can enjoy my summer break!

Well folks, it looks like the housing market is in the toilet everywhere..... ~except~ for here in the casual gaming world! When I first heard that there was going to be a sequel to the wildly popular "Build-a-Lot" game, I wondered, "What could they possibly do to make it different and more fun than the first game?"

Since I have a couple years of baby-caring experience under my belt through taking care of Max, I thought I'd give the time management game, Kindergarten, a try.

Hi fellow gamers! Finals are upon me but what better way to procrastinate on writing papers and studying than a good HOG!

Finally! Between answering your questions and playing as fast as I could, I've finally managed to cobble together a game guide!

Howdy Y'all!

Hi everyone! Its been awhile since my last blog entry! Thank goodness those midterms are finally over!

I've noticed that the general consensus on Megastore Madness is that it's boring.... NOT SO! I think some people are using the word "boring" because they don't like admitting defeat. Megastore Madness will have you clicking that mouse like lightning as you tackle handling multiple characters that perform different tasks that can quickly get the better of you if you don't keep on your toes!!

This past week I decided to give Megastore Madness a try. The idea of the game is that you are managing a store. You need to keep the shelves stocked and the customers happy, and as you do so, your store will continue to grow and eventually become a megastore. At first it seems easy enough, but it quickly gets harder and harder to keep track of everything. It's great fun and will definitely challenge your time management skills.

Attention all Paradise Pet Salon Lovers! If you want more cute lil' fuzzy animals in your time management games then you'll LOVE the latest in the "Diner Dash" legacy of games... Yup! Welcome to Doggie Dash!

Back before I had Max, I used to be much more into fashion. I loved shopping for clothes and wearing the latest trends. Now I just grab whatever is clean and convenient to wear, which usually just ends up being a t-shirt and jeans. This is what drew me to try playing Fashion Boutique. Since I haven't had the energy lately to put into my real life fashion, maybe I could enjoy dabbling in virtual fashion. As I started out playing Fashion Boutique it seemed similar to some other time management games that I have played but I soon began to discover lots of fun and clever twists!

We were completely inundated by hidden object games from Big Fish Games this month. You can see the list of 10 new hidden object games.

When I was a wee little girl, my older brother's idea of babysitting meant him taking me with him to the local arcade and plunking me down on a nearby stool so I could watch him play video games. I always felt so cool sittin' there with the "grown-up kids" and having VIP seating for all that video game action! One game I remember clearly was called TIME PILOT. It was a flying/shooter game that practically guaranteed motion sickness with all the scrolling and flashing explosions!!

Magic Farm is the latest farming time management game. Its unclear to me what's "magic" about the farm, besides the fact that its an obvious fusion of Farm Frenzy and Magic Seeds. Despite the lame name, its still fun to play none-the-less. It's great if you've had a stressful week and are looking for a distraction.

Hello, everyone! I'm Kristi and this is my first blog for casual game guides. I'm a stay-at-home mom and have a son (Max). Anne and Jasper invited me to do some reviews for them as I have the time. So here goes...

I've just finished a week of playing (and making a guide) for one of the newest Hidden Object games, Miss Teri Tale. Anything to have an excuse not to write that psych paper...