Baby's First Circus!

Finally!!!  The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will be in the Philadelphia area in February.  We are taking Mason to the circus for the first time ever as part of his birthday present.   He is turning 4 in April and thought he is old enough to finally enjoy the show.  Bad news for me, I missed out on this great offer...

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey^®  Baby’s First Circus program.  This is for parents of newborns - up to 12 months old and living in the continental United States.

When You Sign Up You'll Receive:

• A ticket voucher, which will arrive by mail, that can be exchanged for a free ticket to any
  Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey performance, anytime, anywhere. No expiration date!
• You'll also be able to print a very special commemorative certificate, that you can personalize with your child's name!

For older kids, you can sign them up and you will be able to print a free personalized Ringling Bros. commemorative certificate for them also.

Although I missed this great offer for Mason, I already signed Amanda up for her first circus!  Head on over and sign up too.

Birthday Freebies!!!

Someone celebrated their birthday this weekend!  I won't say how old I am, but I have to say I had a great time with my family.  I was treated to a special dinner and Mason and Amanda bought me a beautiful necklace with their birthstones on it.

Did you know that when your birthday comes around, restaurants and retailers give away a ton of coupons and free stuff?  You have got to check out this list of freebies you can get on your special day.  Some require you to simply join their email list, others don't.  I have been receiving coupons and freebies all month long from various retailers!  Not too shabby.

Check out his comprehensive list from Mama Cheaps.  While you are there, you might find some great deals too!

Pumpkin Pancakes...A New Tradition

So, Mason has started pre-school! I am so excited for him and so far he LOVES it. Each day he goes to school, he comes home singing another song and babbles on and on about what he did.

I remember the first day of school with fond memories and would like Mason to have the same memories.  I wanted to make the first day of school extra special so I decided to make him a batch of pumpkin pancakes that just screams the first day of school.

I can't take credit for coming up with this recipe all on my own.  I looked around for different recipes, but in the end, I decided to use the recipe from Martha Stewart.

Directions:

• Whisk 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons sugar; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt; 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg; and a pinch of ground cloves.
• In a separate bowl, stir together 1 cup milk, 6 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 egg;

• fold mixture into dry ingredients.

 

• Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat; pour in 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.
• Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side; serve with butter and syrup.
• Makes 8 to 10.

These pancakes turned out to be quite delicious.  They were a big hit with the whole family.  The pancakes were fluffy and moist, not at all heavy.  The pumpkin taste was just right and the spices added a feeling of fall that was perfect for the first day of school.  They were very simple and I wound up freezing the leftovers so I have them handy whenever I need a quick breakfast.

Free Olympic Printables

It's here once again, the Summer Olympics!  In case you missed it they are in London, England this time around and they have been fascinating so far. 

In case you want to continue the fun with the kiddies, here are some links to free printables and games you can play to celebrate the spirit of the Olympics.

Click HERE for free printables from activityvillage.com.

Click HERE for free Olympic party printables from catchmyparty.com

Click HERE for free printables like certificates, coloring pages, and word searches from abcteach.com

Click HERE for online games from london2012.com

 Click HERE for printables and more from kaboose.com

And don't forget about the Winter Olympics!  Click HERE for free printables from homeschooling.about.com

Silly Elf!

Looks like our Elf wants some of Mason's St. Nick Day treat!

St. Nicholas Day...What treat did your kids get?

It is said you should learn one new thing everyday.  Today's lesson:

Today, Tuesday, December 6, 2011,  is St. Nicholas Day.  Although St. Nicholas is mainly celebrated  by Catholic and Orthodox Christians, he is also honored by various Anglican and Lutheran churches.  Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, thieves, children, and students.

What and who is St. Nicholas?

He is known as St. Nicholas, Sinterklaas and Santa Claus among many other names.  St. Nicholas Day celebrates the life of Saint Nicholas of Myra, a fourth-century bishop best known today as the real-life model for Santa Claus. 

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara.  Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.   He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra.  The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day, December 6th.

How is St. Nicholas Day celebrated?
As St. Nicholas was known for his love of children, various children festivals are held in his honor. Moreover, children who have been behaving well are given small gifts and candies by people who pretend to be St. Nicholas. This is in keeping with a tradition that was purportedly started by the saint himself.  Legend also has it that children put carrots, turnips, or hay in their shoes for St. Nicholas' horse or donkey and St. Nicholas would replace them with treats. So shoes filled with treats for children or feed for horses and donkeys are also symbols of St. Nicholas.

As a child I would put my shoes outside of my bedroom door with the hopes that I would receive a small treat in the morning.  And, as promised, I would receive a large candy cane stick.  This is a tradition I will be starting with Mason this year.  Even though he does not understand who St. Nick is yet, it is a tradition I hope to carry on and that it will be something he will remember and maybe pass along to his children some day.

Want some activities for St. Nicholas Day?  Click HERE for activities to print and color from stnicholascenter.org

Sesame Streets' A Very Furry Christmas Review

It is no secret that Mason is a HUGH Sesame Street fan..and that may even be an understatement.  The Best of Elmo was the very first VHS tape that he watched and loved to settle down to at night before falling asleep.  We have dressed up as Elmo for Halloween, celebrated his 2nd birthday ala Elmo style, seen Elmo's Green Thumb, and of course, Mason has his collection of stuffed Sesame Street characters that he calls his "friends".

So what a better way to kick off the holiday season than to head to Sesame Place for their new "A Very Furry Christmas" event.  A Very Furry Christmas is new to Sesame Place for 2011.  This is the perfect family event to get you in the holiday spirit.  With parades, Christmas shows, rides, games, music playing throughout the park, the awesome twinkling lights that make the park come alive, and of course, Santa, you will undoubtedly find something for everyone in the family.

We started our day off with the Neighborhood Street Party Christmas Parade.  What a great parade with all the Sesame Street characters.  Dancing and holiday songs like Jingle Bells, Sleigh Ride, Let it Snow and Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer got everyone up and dancing along the parade route. 

We explored Sesame Street and Mason found his latest obsession, Oscar's Trash Can! 

After visiting with Oscar we walked around the park and played some games and enjoyed some of the rides.  We came across an exhibit of different Christmas bells.  Mason loved playing with the different types of bells and experimenting with the different sounds each one made.  He would have stayed here all night if I let him!

We ended our night with the 1-2-3 Christmas Tree Show.  This was a spectacular light and music show.  It featured a 25 foot Christmas tree that seemed to dance along with the the holiday music! I think this was one of Mason's favorite activities.  He loved the lights and of course, knew all the Sesame street holiday music.

A Very Furry Christmas runs from November 25th through December 23rd.  Operating schedule varies, so make sure you check park hours for A Very Furry Christmas dates and hours of operation.    


Sesame Place kindly provided me with tickets in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are 100% mine.                                  
                                         

FREE Mother's Day Projects

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's, Grandmom's, Aunt's, Sister's and to anyone else who is like a Mom to someone special!

If you are looking for a special and quick last minute gift for Mom, check out HP's Creative Studio for Home.  There you will find free cards, photo frames, a coupon for Mom, and more!

Kids Wee Cycle Consignment Sale (Ambler, PA and East Norriton, PA)

I was at it again!  Consignment shopping.  This weekend I went to the Kids Wee Cycle Consignment Sale held in Ambler, PA at the Trinity Episcopal Church.  I think this just might be my favorite sale of the season.  There is always an abundance of clothes, toys, videos, DVD's etc.  I also can shop without having that overwhelming feeling of having to rush around and scoop up everything before it is gone.  What I also love about this sale is that it is only for a few hours and the last hour of the sale is a half price sale on designated items.  This is when I hit the racks! 

I am not on of those Black Friday shoppers who stand in line for hours for a great deal.  I do love finding a great deal, but I have more of the attitude that I will shop for what Mason needs and if I find something, GREAT!, if not, no big deal.  There will ALWAYS be more sales.

Somehow, I always find something with no problem.  This weekend I found all these clothes for Mason for the measly price of $13.00.  What else is great about this sale?  The pricing.  Besides the half price hour, the prices are so reasonable that you can get great deals, especially on clothes, during the regular sale hours too.  Most of the clothing items were priced from $1.00 to $5.00.  This is the most reasonable prices I have seen at any sale.  I have been to some sales where I feel items are overpriced for a consignment sale and I could easily find a great sale and buy some of the items new in the store.  Not at this sale.  I always feel like I am getting a great deal.  Really, who can complain about a $1.00 t shirt or $2.00 or $3.00 for a matching short set? 

Kids Wee Cycle does offer bigger items like bouncy chairs, activity centers, etc. and these were also reasonably priced from $10.00 and higher.  I know you run the risk of a slimmer selection, but think half price sale and you can really get a bargain if you are not particular.

If you missed this weekend's sale and you want to check out their next one, just check out the details below:

Date:  April 9, 2011

Place: Norriton Presbyterian Church
           Germantown Pike & Trooper Road
           E. Norriton, PA

Time:
8 am - 12 pm
12 pm - 1 pm:  Half Price sale on select items

I have not checked out the sale in East Norriton yet, but I can only imagine it is as great as the sale in Ambler.  Check it out, what do you have to lose?

Consignment Sales

It's that time of year again!  I finally went to my first consignment sale for the Spring.  I am stocking up on 2T, 3T and 4T for Mason.  And at .50 to $2.00 for a set of clothes, how can you go wrong?

Staying home with Mason has taught me to be a little more frugal when it comes to things like clothes and toys.  There is always an abundance of clothes and toys for sale..and for cheap!  I buy Mason something new for the holidays, his birthday or other special events, but for the everyday play wear, consignment sales are the way to go. 

Today we went to Cozy Tots Consignment Sale.  I LOVE this sale, especially the Sunday morning sale where most items are 50% off.  This is definitely how I shop!

3 Polo's = $2.50

Sweatshirt = $1.00

Sweatpants = $.75

Jean Shorts NWT = $1.50

Total: $5.75

2 Eagles T's = 2.50

Sweatpants and T Shirt Set = $2.00

T Shirt and Shorts Set = $2.00

Total: $6.50

Pajamas = $1.50

2 T Shirts = $2.50

Short Set = $2.00

Total: $6.00

The grand total for the day was $18.25! Now that's what I call shopping!

If you are local to the Philly area, check out playgroundbuzz.com for a complete list of the remaining sale dates and locations.  If you are not local to the area, just google consignment sales and your area.  You are sure to find some happening this month.

Till then, happy shopping!

Helpful Hints for Parents of Picky Eaters

I recently came across an article from Parents.com.  It has some great tips on how to help picky eaters get better nutrition.  Here is some advice from the article and some advice of my own that I have thrown into the mix. 

This caught my attention...."In one recent study from the University of Rochester Medical Center, nearly 60 percent of adolescents ate only about one fruit or veggie a day".  60%...only one fruit OR veggie????  I guess I have been REALLY lucky that Mason is still a great eater.  He is usually not picky and will eat just about any fruit and will eat veggies like peas, carrots, corn, etc.  If your child is on the picky side, maybe some of these ideas could help you.  And, as you read this, always remember: Don't assume kids won't like it.  It is often our likes and dislikes that are unknowingly put upon a child.  In fact, a recent Penn State University study found that using "stealth vegetables" -- hiding them in sauces so that kids don't automatically recognize them -- helped boost preschoolers' veggie intake and slash their calorie consumption significantly compared to those who ate pasta without extra vegetables tossed in.

Marinara sauce is a good start, "But you can doctor it up by mixing in a can of antioxidant-packed diced tomatoes before heating in a saucepan." Then toss in shredded carrots, chopped mushrooms, and onions to beef up the veggie quotient even more.  I have already put up one of my favorite posts about putting sweet potatos in pasta sauce.  I do this every time Mason eats pasta!

Tofu?  Yes, Tofu.  I have been sneaking Tofu in dozens of Mason's meals!  Tofu is great for babies 7 months and older.  Tofu does not have to be cooked because it is made from cooked soybeans. You can mix, mash, puree,  or chunk Tofu.  Add it to cereal, fruits, veggies.  It is a great finger food too, since it can be served in chunks or strips! 

I add Tofu to anything with a sauce or broth.  Mason just thinks it is chunks of pasta or veggies since it absorbs the taste of the sauce it is in.  To boost the nutrition in "on the go" foods like Pasta Pickups, I add Tofu and mixed veggies.  Again, don't assume your child will not like it.  It's worth a try!!!!

Healthier chicken nuggets?  Skip the premade stuff. Instead, dip chicken breasts or tenders in egg wash (a mix of egg whites and skim milk), then in seasoned bread crumbs or crushed corn flakes. Bake in the oven at 425 degrees F. for 20 minutes.

Greasy French fries?  Make your own baked sweet potato fries -- they're packed with vitamin A and also provide some fiber if you leave the skin on.  I made these a couple of weeks ago and Mason gobbled them down.  You would be surprised how many fries you get from 1 medium sized potato.  You can also slice up the sweet potato and freeze "fries" for later use.

Mac-and-Cheese?  - If you cannot make it homemade and make it from the box, you can just add some frozen mixed vegetables, like cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots, which help to boost this high-fat, low-fiber entree.

And as always, if you cook from scratch often, make your dish even healthier with whole wheat pasta and low-fat cheese. "Try flavor-packed cheddar instead of processed American".

Some meals may take a little more time and preparation on your part, but I think it is worth it knowing my child is getting the proper amount of nutrients everyday.

Northern Star Farm, Trappe PA

I love Halloween!  It is one of my favorite holidays (along with Thanksgiving).  It is fun, scary, and you get to dress up and pretend to be whatever you want....oh yeah, and the CANDY!

One of the things I like to do to kick off the Fall season is to go to a local farm for pumpkin picking.  Today we visited Northern Star Farm in Trappe, PA.

This the first time we went out to this farm.  I checked out the website and the list of activities included a petting farm, hayride to the pumpkin patch, pick your own pumpkin, pony rides, and corn maze, just to name a few.  This is just what we were looking for!

We met up with friends today and arrived at the farm when it opened at 10am.  We were greeted by hay bales made to look like spiders and a big pumpkin.  So cute!  There was also displays of large mums and pumpkins around the farm.  We wandered around the farm and saw chickens, cows, kittens, baby calves, and ponies.  We bought tickets for the hayride, the petting zoo, and for the pony ride. 

We started the day with the petting farm.  In this area, there were rabbits, goats, a pig, and a donkey.  There was also an area where little ones could crawl through a hay maze.  Mason loved going through that with his Daddy!

While we waited for the tractor, Mason and Kayla took a wagon ride.  We then went on the hayride out to pick our own pumpkins. Mason and Kayla loved the tractor ride and Mason picked a pumpkin from the patch that we will take home to decorate. 

Last stop on our tour for the day was the pony ride.  Mason rode a sweet pony named Violet.  This was Mason's first pony ride and he loved it!

We pretty much finished up after the hayride until I found the biggest, most beautiful, and dare I say, cheapest mums around!  This mum was $5.00......YES, $5.00!!!!

We left the farm around noon.  This was a perfect way to spend 2 hours out with our little guy.  He had so much fun petting the animals, picking his pumpkin, and crawling through the hay.  Definitely check out this farm if you want a real farm experience!

Kids Weecycle, Ambler PA

Today I continued my consignment shopping at Kids Weecycle, located in Ambler, PA.  This was my first time at the sale and was more than pleased at the selection and variety of articles offered!  This sale was from 8:00am -1:00pm.  The best part of the sale - - - there was a half price sale from 12:00pm - 1:00pm.  Can you say SOLD? I know that most sales offer a half price day or a $1 day, but if you find yourself limited on days to get out and shop, having half price day on the same day as the regular sale is a brilliant idea!

Here's what I got today:

$3.50

$2.00

$3.00

$4.50 

$4.00

$3.00

The total for today: $20.00 (and I saved $20.00!!!)  I did go to the half price sale from 12:00pm to 1:00pm.  What a bargain!

Please Touch Museum

Recently, I had the opportunity to check out a new program, You and Me Playdates, at the Please Touch Museum.  I was so excited because it had been years since I had been to this museum located in Philadelphia.  It had been so long, in fact, that I had not been to the new Please Touch Museum located at Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park.  Getting to the museum was a lot easier than I though.  And, once we got there, there was an easily accessible parking lot.  Parking was $8.00 for the day.  However, you may be able to find free, local parking if you are willing to walk a little.

You and Me Playdates offer a chance for children and their parents to play together and experience music, art, puppetry and make believe.  Here is a little information about the programs.

Music:  You, Me & Music will explore music that features the String, Wind, and Percussion families.  It is a 3 week class appropriate for ages 2-5 beginning Monday, November 1, 2010.  During this class we were introduced to the String family.  The session leader started the session by singing children's favorite songs on the guitar.  The children were given a cardboard harp with rubber bands as the strings.  How cute!  The children were then encouraged to join in on the song and strum their instruments too.  The leader allowed the children to have an educational, hands on experience with the instruments and the children had an opportunity to strum the guitar and play their favorite song on the violin. 

Music is Mason's FAVORITE activity!  I have had Mason listening to music since he was in utero.  Having a background in music, BMUS and having taught for many years, I strongly believe in the power of music and how influential it can be on people.  Since Mason was able to sit up, he would sway back and forth to music.  He progressed to clapping, dancing, spinning, jumping, and now he is humming his favorite songs.  He even sings You Are My Sunshine with me or my husband when we put him down for bed.  This class was exceptional.  It was definitely age appropriate for Mason's age and skill level.  I would recommend this class for anyone with a child about 18 months and up. 

Art: You, Me and Art is a 6 week session for children 8 and under.  During the sessions you and your child will create projects such as Mix it up with color, Print and Pattern Party, Halloween Festive Fun, FALL into Art, Express Yourself and Drip! Drop! Splat!  All art supplies are included in the pricing. Classes begin Monday, October 4, 2010.

Art is something I am just really getting into with Mason.  On occasion, I have given him crayons to color with, but, until recently, he would mostly try to eat the crayons.  Mason has also started to color with Crayola 3 Ct Washable Tadoodles Crayon Buddies and really seems to like them.  I was very interested in seeing how Mason would respond to other art media besides crayons and paper. 

Mason loved the art project presented to him.  He was able to use glue, markers, and play with buttons and stickers to decorate a bag with his name on it.  He did much better at this art project than I would have thought.  I guess I have start busting out the crayons and paints more!

Puppetry: You, Me and Puppetry is a 3 week session beginning on Saturday, November 6, 2010.  This program is will introduce your child to Rod Puppets, Shadow Puppets, and Marionettes. 

Our class introduced Shadow Puppets to the children.  I have often played with sock and hand puppets with Mason, but never shadow puppets.  Mason loves puppets and I was excited when I found out what kind of puppets we would be playing with during the session.  

During our preview of the puppetry session, Mason seemed to enjoy himself.  This class is intended for ages 5-9, so this was currently a little out of his age range.  However, he snuck behind the curtain and was thrilled with watching the Puppeteer behind the screens.  Eventually, the other children also decided behind the screen was interesting too.  The leader of the group was flexible and recognized he needed to change the program for the age level in the class tht day.  The leader was excellent in going with the program and decided to let the children explore and play with the puppets.  In teaching children, especially preschool age, flexibility is a necessity and the program allowed for the explorartive behavior children inherently possess.

Make Believe:  You, Me and Make Believe is a 3 week session beginning on Monday, October 4, 2010.  It is geared towards ages 3-6.  You, Me and Make Believe will explore different themes through the use of story books, props, movement, and dramatic play.  The session of creative play at the Please Touch Museum we experienced was so much fun!.  The session we sat in on was Camping Kids.  Other sessions will include Fall Fun and Big/Small Short/Tall.  Camping kids started with an introduction to camping and the camping experience.

Mason is just getting into make believe play.  He is starting to dress up with Daddy's baseball hat or tries to put on my shoes.  I bought his Halloween costume and loves to wear it.  I can tell this kid is going to have a creative and bright imagination.  Mason was so interested in the camping gear and loved the binoculars, the play fire, and the tent that was set up for the children to explore. 

After the sessions, we were allowed to take Mason and explore all the offerings of the Museum.  Our first stop was checking out a brand new exhibit, Space Station.  Space Station is an addition to the Flight Fantasy exhibit opening in October 2010.  This exhibit will include a shiny, sliver rocket that soars above visitors heads.  Children will be able to build their own rockets and use launchers to blast their creations into space.  A 18 foot steel Ring Tower will provide youngsters with targets and kids can attempt to shoot their targets through the rings!

Children will also be able to suit up like an astronaut in front of a blue screen and pretend to walk in space or fly their own rocket ship through the solar system.  There will also be a Busy Board in which kids will be able to practice their flying skills throught he use of  space-aged effected levers and buttons.

After our fun in the Space Station, Mason explored a city bus, a car, a crane where he could pick up and drop balls, River Adventure (a very large and extensive water play table), and last, but not least, the Woodside Park Dentzel Carousel.  

The Please Touch Museum is locally and nationally recognized as one of the best children's museums.  It is open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm and Saturdays 11am to 5pm.  Admission is $15 for adults and children age 1 and up.  Children under 1 are free. 

Location:

          Memorial Hall, Fairmount Park
          4231 Avenue of the Republic
          (formerly North Concourse Drive)
          Philadelphia, PA 19131
          (215) 581-3181
          ATTN GPS USERS: Use 4231 North Concourse Drive for directions

The Please Touch Museum provided me and my family passes in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are 100% mine.