morning routine, simplified.

go here to check out what the gals over at how does she recommend...

printables site.

found a great site that has a bunch of printables... ones for the babysitter, home management, christmas, etc. the one that i found most useful is the download of sheets for first day of school pics. i printed off a preschool and kindergarten one for each of the kids. such a good idea! :)

check it out here.

packed lunches.

this fall, i will have a child staying at school during the lunch hour for the first time ever. I've been looking into some ideas for lunch for him, and i've landed on an idea similar to the "muffin tin meals" idea i had posted about previously. it's called "bento boxes" and you may already know lots about it... it's not a new idea or anything... just new to me.

so i put the question up on my facebook page asking about what other moms and dads do for their kids lunches they take to school. one really awesome resource that was given to me was the blog called "bentology". the author posts pictures of the great bento boxes she puts together for her kids, so if you aren't familiar with bento, check that site out. it's a good resource for preschooler-friendly lunches.

i was also looking into what kinds of containers i should use for my son's lunch. one great one (used on that bentology blog) is made by sassy, and is called the on the go feeding set. i was reading reviews, and found that it might not be great for lunches containing a lot of liquid, but works great for dry foods. and the price is right, as well. 6 bucks at babies r' us.

here are a few other sites that might be useful for bento box making and preschool lunch assembling.

What's for lunch at our house
basic bento
bentobloggy
Lunch fit for a kid
another lunch
meal makeover moms

BABYLEGS REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY!!

Babylegs Review by Kelly

Everytime we wear these I get so many comments from everyone about "how cute" they are and "what a good idea!" I could NOT agree more.



We have had a rather "chilly" spring in Ohio (As I write this it is 49 degrees in the middle of May!) The Babylegs have been a perfect extra layer to keep her warm as she cruises about.



Maria is our 4th child, she joins 3 brothers 6,4,2 so the fact that I can put these on and they STAY in place is GREAT, I don't need to be constantly pulling them up or adjusting them. As for easy access diaper changes, it saves me so much time!

The colors and styles we have are super cute with polka dots and hearts that we can mix and match with many different outfits.



Socks

The socks stayed on ALL day! The grippers made it nice as she learns to navigate from different surfaces.



Everything Babylegs sent us (socks, babylegs and tights) washed up well. We had to soak some of them due to food stains and just plain daily wear and tear. The colors didn't fade and they still held the elastic fit that makes them stay in place.



I would highly recommend these to other families, I plan to give some as gifts in the near future.

To purchase the Babylegs shown above:
From left to right:
PopHeart here
Sweet Violet Tights here
Popcicle here


-----
Babylegs High Praise by Jen P.








Babylegs are the baby essential you didn’t know you needed!

Is your baby crawling and getting marks on his or her knees? Is it 90 degrees outside, but 60 inside because of the air conditioning? Are you in need of some extra sun protection at the pool or beach? Does your child need an extra layer on his or her legs or arms outside during the winter? Do you want to give your child’s outfits that extra “zing” of cuteness? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you NEED Babylegs!

There have been endless ways to use this product. In my house, my son wears Babylegs on his arms as an added layer underneath short sleeves. When the morning is cool, but the afternoon is hot, we slip some Babylegs on till the temperature rises, and we don’t have to change into another shirt to accommodate the weather. My daughter wears her babylegs on her arms, as well, but also over her tights and leggings. I usually pair a solid legging with a patterned Babyleg that matches one of her tops. She can also be seen wearing Babylegs with her shorts and skirts (my personal favorite way for her to wear them). Or, for even more fun, we pair her Babylegs with a tutu and t-shirt. The possibilities are endless, and the combinations are always fun to create. We hear nothing but compliments when she is wearing her favorite pairs!


Our new soon-to-be favorite way to be wearing Babylegs is at the beach. The Cool! Babylegs offer 50+UPF Protection, are made of a lightweight mesh, and can be used wet or dry! We can’t wait to try them out this summer!

As a mom, one of the things that I appreciate the most about Babylegs is the company itself. They are always willing to donate to children in need, they back their product 100%, and their customer service is FANTASTIC. I have spoken several times to their customer service representatives, and give them high praise for how they go above and beyond to make sure that every customer is satisfied. Not only do they offer legwarmers, but also socks, knee socks, and tights. Sizes range from newborn to 4T. A new "Hello Kitty" line will be available later this summer, as well!

So I bet that you want to get in on the action, right? You’re in luck, because at this very moment, Babylegs is having a clearance sale! The sale can be found here, and when you put at least 50 dollars worth of product from that page only into your cart, you can use the code BL5050 to get 50% off your total order. As always, with a 30 dollar purchase, shipping is free!

We also are doing a fun giveaway here on our blog for our moms! To enter, you need to become a fan on Facebook and Twitter (if you have one). Leave your name and the name of your favorite pair below in the comment section and you will be entered into a drawing (winner selected via random.org) for a grab-bag of Babylegs! Giveaway winner will be chosen on June 28th! The winner will be announced on the blog that day, and will have 24 hours to claim their prize before a new winner is picked!

Happy Babylegging!!

crazy 8 sale!

you might wanna head over to the crazy 8 site and check out the denim sale... most jeans are 6.99 and under. i got boy's jeans for 6.99 and little girls jeans (3T) for 4.99. sizes are going fast, so hurry over! 5 dollar flat rate shipping, as well.

orrville library events.

go here to check out the upcoming events at the orrville library, especially for kids! awesome programming includes an opening day celebration, and a kindergarten session in august!

Sydney sale!

Now in progress! Check out the new items that are just in at sydneysosweet.com! Get 15% off with the code MEMORIAL through june 7th!

Baby photo prop idea.

Umm, hello, cuteness! Check it out here.

Father's day gift ideas.

Here is a whole boatload of great ideas for father's day.
Last year, i took pics of the dog and my two kids with the letters d (my dog and daughter held that one in seperate pics) and a (my son held that one) and then i added them to a picture frame with three framed slots to spell out "dad". I really liked the way it turned out, and i saved the letters to do it again this year. I figure that it will chronicle the kids growth through the years, and will take up some of the empty space on his office walls. Adding in the dog gave some comic relief, but if you only have two kids, you can have them hold the letter a together. Really, any combo would work.
A great variation of it is for the grandpas or pawpaws of the world, with all the grandkids. And grand dogs. :)

Happy creating!

No sew boys cape!

A-ha! A boy-inspired craft for the masses! Go check out the no sew cape here!

Things to do with the kids.

Go here for some great ideas for things to do this summer!

Here is another list of 80+ things to do.

company kids.

check out the catalog company kids and get a discount!

companykids.com/PAR51
expires 7/31/11
good for 20% off

car activities.

some suggestions for car activities if you're taking some long trips this summer:

car bingo
audio books
mix cd's
rest stop recess (balls, frisbee, etc.)

let them eat cake!

check out 60+ cakes with how-to instructions at parenting.com/cakes

appaman.

target has a new "designer" line of kids clothes available through june 19, called appaman. 10% of the purchase price goes to "baby buggy", jessica seinfeld's charity.

cosi.

dinosaur exhibit- 3000 sq. foot maze. runs from may 28th- sep 5th, 2011.

member savings: get a discount on admissions to columbus museum of art, columbus zoo and aquarium, franklin park conservatory, king arts complex, ohio historical society and wexner center for the arts with your member card. visit cosi.org/members for info.

those with premium and supporting family memberships are eligible for the "out on the town" discount card, which offers 20% off at great columbus eateries.

special days of note:
farm days aug 17-21
messy science day: july 4
big machines: june 11-19
kids in motion bike festival: july 16

ladies night out.

ladies night out, sponsored by main street wooster, will be june 23rd, and offers the opportunity to shop and dine in downtown. info forthcoming.

farmland at akron zoo.

farmland at akron zoo is now open! it features a petting and feeding area, a maze and a train. open daily from 10-5.

things to do.

Wooster farmers Market opens June 4th. Saturdays from 8am-Noon, through Oct. 29th.

Kids Day in Wooster also on June 4th. On the square downtown, from 1-4pm. Free crafts, activities, contests music, live animals. Bounce house. For info: Main Street Wooster, Inc. at 330.262.6222

June 2nd- Breastfeeding Class at Dunlap Hospital. June 4th- Lamaze Childbirth Class, Part 2. www. dunlaphospital.org

Summer Camp 2011, June 6th-August 12th. 9-4, Mon-Fri. Swimming, Soccer, Crafts, Tennis, BAseball, Skating, etc. 125 dollars per week, includes lunch. Info, call 330.345.8686 or www.nobleice.com

Pancake Breakfast, June 11th, 8-Noon at the Wayne County Airport. Tickets are 5 dollars for adults, kids 10 and under are Free.

Strawberry Festival. June 11th 4-7pm at Dalton Village Park. Food and entertainment.

Physicals for kids offered by WCHD. Ages birth through 18. Fees on sliding scale. Call 330.264.9590 for appt.

Paws to Read at the Wayne Co. Public Library. Saturdays, at 10am. Kids can practice reading to trained therapy dogs.

Memorial Day Parade, May 30th at 9am.

Babylegs memorial day sale.

A gob of spring styles are now on sale! Shop early, as people have been dying for discounts lately. Go here to check out the action.

Highlights include the knee highs and socks for five bucks, and the super soft tights for ten dollars off. Unheard of!

And check back here later this week for our Babylegs Review, where one lucky mom will win a Babylegs Grab bag!

starbucks happy hour.

go here for the details about half-price frappuccinos.

target "free first thursdays".

check out this link and input the city you wish to find info for. target is sponsoring various cultural activities all around the nation this summer. in cleveland, you can visit the natural history museum for free from 1-5pm on the first thursday of each m
onth. can't beat free!

kids bowl free.

check out the details for the kids summer program called "kids bowl free". something nice for when (if) that hot weather of summer ever arrives!

new kohl's for kids books.

kohl's has just come out with the latest batch of kohl's cares for kids books. this time around, they are the "llama, llama" books with a llama plush and a zebra plush. they also have a cookbook that has the best bets for lunchboxes and a "top secret recipes" book, as well. each retails for five dollars, and all profits go to charity.

cinemark summer program.

here are the details for the summer kids movies at cinemark. a great deal at 50 cents to a dollar per show!

sydney sale!

sydney so sweet, one of my/our fave online hair clip boutiques, has promised that this weekend is the unveiling of her new spring items. and not only that, but a coupon code has been promised, too!


check it out on her link to facebook!

growing together.

carrie v. was kind enough to drop off a yellow envelope of "growing together" newsletters, for ages birth to 6. they are newsletters that are put out by the wayne county family and children first council, and are available in their entirety on the fcfc website. their are 23 newsletters in all, covering a variety of topics like discipline, health, kindergarten readiness, nutrition, and safety, amongst other things. check them out, if you get some spare moments. it's good info, and the website is a great resource itself.

thanks, carrie!!

SLN-May

Special Loves Network, the group for Parents of Children with Special Needs, has their second meeting coming up. Here's the info:


We will be meeting Wednesday, May 11 at 7pm at the First Presbyterian Church. We will be in the Youth Center, Downstairs (follow the hallway to the right and it's the last classroom on the right at the end of the hall). We have no formal agenda for this meeting, as we just want to meet and greet. We will provide the refreshments, and we're asking everyone to bring an appetizer or dessert to share. Hope to see you (and/or a friend) there!

mamarazzi!

here's a new photography book that just may get your heart racing, like it does mine. or maybe it won't. either way. :)

one of my favorite bloggers, kelle hampton, has an essay featured in it. and really, amazon can't ship this baby to me fast enough!

Special Loves Network.

Special Loves Network, the group for Parents of Children with Special Needs, has their first meeting tomorrow. Here's the info:


We will be meeting tomorrow evening, April 27th, at 7pm at the First Presbyterian Church. We will be in Classroom 1 Downstairs. We have no formal agenda for this first meeting, as we just want to meet and greet. We will provide the refreshments, and we're asking everyone to bring an appetizer or dessert to share. Hope to see you there!

Babylegs sale!

Another babylegs sale started today! This time, we get 50% off a 50 dollar purchase, sitewide. Enter the code TAXBREAK at checkout. And if your order is over 30 dollars, you qualify for free shipping! Happy shopping!

photo tips.

so i've been on this quest to become a better photographer for the sake of my kids, and i stumbled upon two really great resources to help get me started down that path.


for the first one, i'm a HUGE FAN of the idea room blog, and she has been having a guest blogger/photographer post tips that are photography related. the photographer is kristen duke. she got the great idea to put together a little tips e-booklet that she is selling online for just 10 bucks. it downloads to your computer, and you can take the images to your local photo developing place, and then get it spiral bound or attach the pages together in old way you prefer. the idea is that it is small enough to put into your camera bag to refer to it if you have questions. utterly brilliant. you can buy the e-booklet here. she also has a workshop that she puts on for people, and i sooooooo wish that she was somewhere near ohio so that i could attend.


for the second one, i was searching photography blogs and came across rebecca cooper. her photos are amazing, as well, and she has put out a little e-book titled "40 top tips for better photos" by ella publishing. two things to note here: the e-book is super cute and helpful, and has a companion piece that is sold for 1.99, also on ella publishing, and also along the same lines as the "stick it in your camera bag" conveinence. ella publishing also puts out books on scrapbooking, and there are other photography e-books like this one. so far, i have the 40 top tips, and the picture perfect book, and it's only a matter of time before i have the "on the go" photo tips. lovelovelovelove this site. if you check out the ella site, also sign up for the newsletter (bottom of the home page) and check out the eZine tab. totally utterly brilliantly awesome. i may post a little later about some more photography websites that i have found... but those two things should get you started. with spring here, i am totally ready to get the kids out in the backyard and start the madness that is my 200-shots-per-night photos of the kids in the summer. and this year, i'm going to jump head-first into manual mode!! :)

oh, and the best part? the books are all under ten bucks each. if you buy each one mentioned, plus the on the go photo tips, you have spent a grand total of.... wait for it... 24 dollars!!!!! wowza!!

just kid's stuff garage sale- orrville.

Just Kid's Stuff Garage Sale Saturday, April 16th 9am- Noon At the new Multi-Purpose Building behind Orrville High School Shoppers: 3 dollars for admission or Free after 10:30am Sponsored by the Exchange Club

safety town.

registration began on march 29th. sponsored by the kiwanis club of wooster. open to the first 100 registrants who will be entering kindergarten this coming school year (2011-12). more info and registration form here. more info on their site here along the right side. Dates: Week of August 1-5, 2011 (Monday – Friday) Time: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Location: Cornerstone Elementary School (corner of Bowman & Quinby, Wooster) Registration Fee: $18 per child (checks payable to Wooster Kiwanis)

easter egg hunt.

put on by the parks and rec dept, this saturday morning, be there by 10:45am. freedlander park. sponsored by kohl's dept store. open to the public.

preschool easter party.

preschool easter party at grace brethren church, this coming saturday morning from 9-11am. 5 dollars per family.

easter egg hunt.

easter egg hunt for toddlers through 4th grade at church of the saviour. saturday, april 16th, 10-11am. meet at the welcome center to hunt for eggs and meet the Easter bunny! 480 Fry Rd Wooster, OH 44691 need more info? 330.264.5233

summer storytimes.

anyone heard anything about summer storytimes at the library? i found the listing for storytimes through april, and am wondering about the ones that begin after school is out. if you have any info, please share it and i'll post it!

summer art camps.

wayne center for the arts summer camps... registration happening now (or soon!) for summer camp weeks. i picked up a registration form at the library on the way in from the parking lot. some great camps to consider: feathered friends (ages 3-4), fabulous five (ages 4-6), our great state (ages 4-6), and for our very girly girls, there is the very fancy camp (ages 3-5 and 5-8). if you want to see the info online, check it out here.

lodi outlets egg hunt.

There are having an egg hunt, bunny breakfast, coloring contest and raffle on April 9 to benefit Akron Children's hospital.

Egg hunt is free
10:30 am ages 5 and under
11am ages 6-12

Breakfast 9-10am
$7 adults, $5 children 12 and under
ages 2 and under free

More info on their website:
http://www.lodistation.com/events.aspx


thanks, corri!

posh boutique found!!

oh, girls! for everything super fun and cute for your baby girl, you need not look any further than little old ashland! hidden away in the middle of downtown, is a shop called "backdoor primitives". i discovered them at the craft show here in wooster and grabbed up their card when i saw their awesome tutu's, tutu leggings, birthday shirts, homemade infant shoes and boutique hair bows. and... here's the kicker.... at REASONABLE PRICES!! if you'd like a little taste of what the shop is like, go here. what am i loving? tutu's for 12 bucks, the hats pictured online, and the sweet little crocheted headbands. if you'd like to find them online, visit www.backdoorprimitivesohio.com , you will be instantly in love!!

babylegs at 25% off.

babylegs sent me a note this morning: We are excited to announce that BabyLegs is the WINNER of the 2011 Cribsie Award in Fashion for "Cutest Socks to Build an Outfit Around"! It's an incredible honor for us to win such a coveted award and we owe it all to you, our fans, for casting your votes for BabyLegs. Thousands of you took the the time to vote for us, and we would like to thank you for your suport by offering you 25% off site-wide! Use the code CRIBSIEWINNER for 25% off our socks, legwarmers and tights at www.BabyLegs.com between March 28th and April 1st.

congrats, babylegs!! and thanks for treating your customers to a special surprise! looks like we might be getting some "layer cake", and soon!! :)

sydney sale!

it's almost spring, and sydneysosweet.com is clearing out bins of clippies and bows and hats and other assorted goodies to make room for new items. you can check out the spring cleaning clearance sale here. any purchase over 25 dollars (and seriously, can you keep it under 25?!) ships for FREE and if you use the code FBF10, you get 10 percent off your order. it just might be time to stock up on felt flower clippies in school colors, or get headbands and korkers and boutique bows for fantastic prices! don't know about you, but can't wait to see what the new spring/summer merchandise looks like! i saw something about sequin headbands... too fun!!

Craft show.

If you have the opportunity to go today, check out the craft show at the Greenbriar Conference Center. It is, in a word, FANTASTIC!! There are three gigantic rooms and additional hallways of vendors. If you're a mom looking for boutique bows, tutus, and hats, this is your lucky day. Need something springy to perk up the housse after the long winter? Want a gift for the hard to buy for guy in your life? Hurry there!

st. patty's sale.

ahh... my favorite part of the holidays has arrived: the clearance sale on unsold holiday items! today at pat catan's, all st. patty's stuff was 50% off. i got a shamrock shaped muffin tin (oh, yeah, i am soooo trying the muffin tin concept from below!) for 4 bucks, some "tutu hairbows" in white and green with shamrocks on the ends for 60 cents, and some other little odds and ends super cheap. if you want to "get lucky" and "save some green"... head out to your nearest craft store.

jo-ann had their st. patty's stuff for 70% off. if you remember where you put it a year from now, you could get lucky and score some majorly lucky loot! :)

...oh, i can hardly wait till the pretty pastel easter stuff is marked down!! :)

muffin tin mom.

here's a little more in depth look at the whole muffin tin concept. the muffin tin mom has it going on!! :)

muffin tin mondays.

here's a great idea for getting kids to eat a variety of foods, instead of saltine crackers all day (what? who does that?). i love the idea of having a few small portions so that it doesn't seem as overwhelming to kids, and i love all the little muffin cups in different shapes. what a fabulous idea!

thanks, little wonders days!


and just as an aside, you might wanna get a jump on a summer bucket list from the same site. fun ideas!!

busy bags!

a ha! here is an idea that i came across a while ago in blog land, and could never re-find once i left it. however, it really left an impression on me and i have never forgotten the concept behind it.

busy bags are bags filled with quiet (or not so quiet) activities that kids can do when they are on the go. they can be car games, or games for when you are waiting, or activities for when you just need the kids to concentrate on something else other than running around for a little bit (like maybe in church?).

you can check out the posts here on this page and find linked up pages (that's other reader submitted ideas) here.

i am so psyched to have found this resource, as the car toys that i have for the kids are getting to be old. (cue the whining and crying from the general direction of the backseat only halfway down our street..)

many thanks to my delicious ambiguity for sharing!

lucky day!

today at sydney so sweet, through sunday at midnight, you can save 15% site wide by entering the code PATTY15 at checkout. All orders over 25 dollars ship free, as well!

this is the perfect time to stock up on all the easter hair clippies you may need, or want for easter baskets. since her store is out of wadsworth, shipping is lightning fast.

happy clippie shopping!

give and get at gap brand.

go here for access to the 30% coupon to all gap brand stores. that's banana republic, gap, and old navy, as well as the outlets of gap and banana. the coupon is good today through the 20th.

Homemade angry birds.

Getting our ipad for christmas means that we inevitably joined the angry birds craze. That is why i adore these homemade angry birds. So stinkin' cute!

Check out all the great ideas at make and takes!

more play space inspiration.

i was searching for some more ideas for things i want our play room to have, and thought that i'd share my findings here in one post.

green and red playroom here, on design dazzle

chalkboard crazy on mad boastings of a cheapskate mom

plethora of ideas on tip junkie

i miss this magazine... frog room and living room to playroom by wonder time

sophisticated on centsational girl

stay all day and peruse the ideas at a perfect playroom

Party ideas.

This post will be dedicated to great kids parties i come across in blog land. Keep checking back, i will keep adding to it.

Mad scientist party.

Farmyard party.

Waiting games.

Here is a post about what kids can do while waiting. I also really like the idea of keeping some of these games and activities on hand in the car. You can buy a plain bag really cheap (like a dollar) at the local craft store, and keep some of these activities inside it, that way you always have them when the need arises. I bought a few bags at pat catan's that i want to decorate with the kids... One for the car, one for restaurants, one for library books, etc. If the kids decorate the bags, i am thinking that they'd be excited to cart them around and use them.

If you haven't yet, check out the rest of the picklebums site. The link is on the top right side of this page.

Sprinkles!

I know, a few too many posts about cakes and cookies today (i am trapped in my house on this rainy day with two sick kids and am sick myself, after all), but this one has nothing to do with those sweet confections. This is about siblings for your first child... You know, the one that got the baby shower? Well, this idea is along the same lines as a baby shower, but on a smaller scale, hence the "sprinkle". It is a party geared toward your second or subsequent kid! Just search "sprinkle baby shower" online for some great ideas on how to make mama and baby feel special on that next go-round!


Here are some super cute ideas! Thanks, hostess with the mostess! Check out the site here.

Breastfeeding center.

I just found this great resource for breastfeeding moms and babies. It is located in massillon, which really isn't that far away, considering the great stuff that this place has. If you need help breastfeeding, or are looking for things to make breastfeeding easier, this could be your place!

Cookie pops!

I am really hungry for cookies right now, evidently. And things on lollipop sticks. This post seems like the solution to my problem. What could be better than cream cheese, cookie crumbs, and chocolate coated goodness? Not much, baby. Not much.

Starbucks petites.

Have you checked out the new starbucks petite treats? I stopped in yesterday and got a tiramisu cake pop... Hello, yumminess! Now you can try out their petites for free during their tribute days. Stop in between 2-5pm on March 10-12, and get a petite treat for each handcrafted beverage you purchase. You can choose from cake pops, mini-cupcakes, whoopie pies and a few other things.

While you are there, you might want to grab a gift card and register it for rewards. For each purchase you make, you get closer to reward status, which includes free syrup additions, free soy milk, free birthday drinks and other assorted rewards. Ask the baristas about the program, and then keep reloading your gift card after making purchases. Really good reward program for people who frequent the 'buck a lot. :)

heartland point.

so last month, i posted about the crochet class that i took. i took it with a friend, and she has completed her class hat, another hat and is working diligently on a beautiful blanket. crochet is just one of many interests you can explore deeper at heartland point.

here is the class schedule. you may want to note the button necklaces class taught by one of our very own moms, karrie mcallister. you may also be interested in the "fur, feathers and scales" class, or the kite making class for kids. moms can take some time for themselves and attend the spring brunch class, or easter flower arranging class.

heartland point is such a gem... so unique and an asset to the community. it's my hope that we will help support it. if classes don't interest you, then surely the sandwiches in the cafe will. and if not the sandwiches, then surely the buckeyes will. oh my gosh, the buckeyes are heavenly! (grab one before a class!!) :)

the wilderness center.

Growing Up Wild: Exploring Nature with Young Children at The Wilderness Center
Sat., Apr. 23, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Both formal and non-formal educators are encouraged to join Jamey Graham from the Ohio Division of Wildlife for Growing Up WILD: Exploring Nature with Young Children, Project WILD’s early childhood education curriculum. Like traditional Project WILD, the curriculum builds on the learning styles and interests of young children (ages 3 to 7) to foster an interest and appreciation of wildlife and the natural world around them. A variety of activities build positive impressions of nature while aiding children’s cognitive growth and development. This workshop is designed for anyone who works with young children and wants to teach youngsters about wildlife conservation using fun activities. Lunch is not provided–bring a sack lunch. Free, but registration required by Apr. 15. Min. 10; max. 30. Age 16 and up.


Check out the upcoming calendar of events here.

Learn more about The Wilderness Center here.

Thanks, Karrie!

toddler sewing basket.

i thought that this was such a clever, fantastic idea, and i will be copying it super-soon for my kids to work on their fine motor skills. a toddler sewing basket! and the update! if you haven't taken a little bit of time to peruse this site, you need to. full of fabulous ideas!!

crayons.

have about a million crayons saved up from various restaurants and don't know what to do with them? here you go. (and rainbows, no doubt!)

play space!

after being here in this house for almost a year, and not having done anything special to the playspace down stairs, i wanted to declare that this post has inspired me to get moving on it. i have visions of how i want the space to look, what i want it to be like, and this site has inspirational ideas to that end! check it out!!

gingerbread playdough.

here's a recipe i found for gingerbread playdough. makes me want gingerbread cookies, stat!!

hello, cuteness!

a petti-tutu?! super adorable, and added to my mental to-craft list. :)

salt painting.

my son did this at school, and brought home the most gorgeous picture. i think that i want to give salt painting a try!

going barrette crazy!!

i know that i have a post a little lower on here about the barrette's that i/we wore in the 80's... the ones braided with the pretty long ribbon tails. i just found a "twist" (ha! love me some puns!) on that same barrette, which also feeds into my current love for all things floral! check it out here!

thanks, prudent baby!

one last one for the day: art supplies for kids.

the lovely lady behind the blog pink and green mama put together a few posts about age-appropriate art supplies for kids. a pretty good read, i must say. here are the links:

art supplies for toddlers

art supplies for pre-schoolers

art supplies for school-age children

time to create!! (and eat some gummy candies...)

felt food, a craze sweeping the nation!

i have to admit that i am in love with this felt food. totally-super fun, and reminds me of the creative little set of clay foods that i created in fourth grade. the sky is the limit for creative felt foods. and they fetch top dollar in stores like pottery barn kids. if anyone wants to make any of these felt foods for me...ahem, i mean the kids, we will totally accept them. and i will make you some sweet, cute-as-a-button felt flower headbands or brooches in return. for reals.

glimmer paints.

here's a fun craft to do with the kids: glimmer paints. seems easy enough... i think that we may give this a go soon! :)

thanks to family fun magazine!

spring at the square!

Thought that I would help get the word out in the community. If you'd like to attend the dinner (details below), please send an email to wearemomsgroup@gmail.com and indicate how many tickets you'd like to purchase. There are 200 seats available for dinner (which are anticipated to sell quickly!), and also carry out is an option. Please consider helping JSC help women in our community.




As we wait expectantly for spring to arrive, the ladies of Junior Service Club are once again busy planning our largest fundraiser of the year. However, we are making some big changes to what was formerly “Spring Fling,” including a new name, format, and location.

This year's event is called Spring at the Square and will be held on Thursday, April 14, 2011. The City Square Steakhouse is graciously hosting our dinner and will dedicate that evening to our event alone. Rather than a ladies’ only event this year, men are now also welcome.

What hasn’t changed, however, is that the goal of the evening is to raise money for scholarships. These scholarships are then granted to area women who have had their college education interrupted or delayed (non-traditional students).

Last year alone, Junior Service Club awarded $6,500 to 5 deserving women from Wooster and the surrounding area. An additional $6,500 was granted to local charitable organizations, fulfilling requests for tangible programming needs.
Junior Service Club is once again turning to area business people and leaders such as you to help make this year's dinner the most successful yet. Whether it is an item from your business or a monetary donation, no donation is too large or too small. Every donation will be recognized in writing at the dinner.

Your donation is truly appreciated and will be put to great use. Successful applicants for scholarships will receive money as early as this summer (based on need). As always with Junior Service Club funds, 100% of proceeds are disbursed at the conclusion of our service year.

Monetary donations should be written to “Junior Service Club” and mailed to the address below (send an email, and contact info will be sent to you). Receipts for tax purposes will be issued upon request for all donations. Please consider donating to this worthwhile cause.

If you are interested in purchasing tickets to Spring at the Square, please contact Jen at the wearemomsgroup@gmail.com address. Tickets are $40 each which includes an appetizer, entrée, dessert, soft drinks, tax, and gratuity. You may select the time of your choice to dine between 5:00 and 9:00 pm. Carry out dinners are also available. We would love to have you join us!

Thank you for your support.

say no to auto!

kristen duke is a photographer that has been featured on the idea room blog for the past several months. she put together an e-book called "say no to auto!" which gives helpful hints about how to use your digital camera in manual mode. i thought that since we have a few camera enthusiast mommies, you might be interested in the book. i know that i am, and it's on my birthday wishlist. you can find it here, along the right side.

making whoopie.

some of my best memories from when i was a kid revolve around the food that my mom used to make. one of our very rare and very delicious treats was whoopie pies. i can still hear the plastic wrap rustle off of one, as we tried to keep all the crumbs contained while eating. heck yeah, you save the crumbs! you eat every last morsel!!

here is a post about whoopie pies... the classic version and then some modern updates thrown in the mix like salted caramel filling, or ideas for rolling the edges. yum!! if i come across anymore fab recipes, i'll post them here!

(thanks, mom, for the delicious and fabulous childhood memories. i can still see my six year old self peering anxiously into the oven with the light on, thinking that they'd never be done. waiting for them to cool so that we could frost them and sandwich them together seemed to take an eternity!! but gosh, was it worth the wait...)


here are some other noteworthy whoopies...

holy whoopie pies!! check out the spicy pumpkin ones!!

whoopie, it's heaven!!!

hello, rainbows!

ahh... i have been craving little projects to do for st. patty's day that involve rainbows. here is one that i just may have to try. rainbow cupcakes!


and i'm not sure where i saw it, but i saw some gray and white striped knee high socks cut off at the ankle to make leg warmers, and a little shamrock patch attached at the top! so cute! jo-ann has some st. patty's themed knee highs right now that have green shamrocks and RAINBOW shamrocks, and you better believe that i am sooooo doing this! i'll post the link to the post when i re-find it in cyberspace again... (wouldn't those leg warmers look super cute with a green tutu and a green crochet headband with a RAINBOW bow attached?? no one will be pinching my baby girl this year for lack of green...)

or how about rainbow pancakes? a rainbow party? a rainbow cake? rainbow lollipop cookies?!? want some other st.patty's day inspiration?
(i lovelovelove the idea room!)

Try rainbow bracelets here.
oh, i can feel the spring excitement building! i just need to find that pot o' gold.... a ha!!

more kids in the kitchen posts.

i previously posted about how great this mini-series was, but forgot to follow up on it. i restumbled upon it just now, after giving our little site a spring face lift. if i were you, i'd do the computer clicking equivalent of "run, don't walk" over to the page and check out all the posts. they are fantastic!!

and if you have extra computer time, check out the rest of the blog. i bet that you get bitten by the crafty-mom bug, too!! thanks to make it and love it and our best bites, for the great series! i think that the next hot dog we have in this house will be cut into an octopus shape...

pop-up pancakes.

trying to beat the breakfast rut that we seem to be in (another toaster waffle, anyone?), i tried the pop-up pancakes featured on one of my fave kids blogs, make and takes. they were really good, and did pop up and deflate, just like it said they would. if you want to try them out, too, just for something different (and easy), go here for the recipe. they would adapt very easily for a group, as i got 20 pancakes from the recipe given.

next up on my list of breakfast items to try from that same site is semi-homemade donuts. um, hello? total yum!

family fun, craft edition.

yes, it's that time again! head out to your local superstore and pick up the latest special edition of family fun magazine, this time devoted to kids crafts. it is on newsstands starting today! want to see what it looks like? go here. i have the dinnertime, christmas and halloween special editions and love them all! i'm sure that this one will be no exception!

kid concoctions... part 2.

i posted about kid concoctions before, but thought that my new find was worth mentioning.

so, ever since i quit facebook, i've been spurred to try to create things. when that feeling arises, there really is no place else to go than pat catan's and jo-ann in this town, especially if i need the feeling satiated soon. wandering around pat catan's, i found a line that they carry called "kid concoctions". i bought the video for less than 2 bucks, the cookbook on clearance for a dollar, and then found a 10th anniversary set made by them for the bargain price of 5 bucks! it includes things like paint brushes, paint sponges, color/dye, gooey glue, glow in the dark liquid to add to the concoctions like slime or silly putty, a bowl, four spoons, and a pop-up wire/mesh container, and a book that is four of their books in one volume. the price tag says that it's worth 79.99, but retails for 5 dollars! of course i snatched one up for us, one for my nephews, and one for a birthday gift! if you'd like to get one for yourself... ahem, i mean your kids... they are along the far right wall of the store in brown cardboard boxes. they have one on display above the boxes so you know what you're looking for.

Spring cleaning, recipe edition.

Want some great inspiration for wrangling in all thoses recipes that collect over time from various places? Check out this post.

local roots.

a great wooster resource for delicious, locally produced foods. but did you know that they have great activities going on all the time? check out the events and education tab found here. while you're there, grab some of uncle tim's chewy peanut butter cookies. yum!!

mom, i'm bored!!

well, there is plenty going on in wooster! find an activity, grab the kiddos and go beat your boredom!

tea party time!

Peter Rabbit Tea Party with Susan Heady and Susan Bowling

Saturday, April 23 at 11:00am at TODAY'S KITCHEN STORE, Wooster, OH

Please join us in a very special children's event at TKS in celebration of Spring, Easter, and everything delicate and child-like. Our resident Tea Connoisseur, Susan Heady, along with her Cupcake Expert friend, Susan Bowling, has put together a wonderful late morning Tea Party for you and your children. You will not only get to enjoy tea and treats, but learn how to put together your own Peter Rabbit Tea Party for special events within your home, or just for fun. Help your child make their very own fondant carrot for the top of their cupcakes while Susan Bowling demonstrates how to make Peter Rabbit's Garden Cake and Susan Heady demonstrates how to put together little sandwiches and the vegetable preparation. Tea will, of course, be served and Beatrix Potter Books will be read!
Skill Level: Any
Menu: Peter’s PB & J Sandwich Mrs. Tittlemouse’s Cheese Sandwich Mopsy’s Mini Spring Quiche Cotton-Tail’s Chicken Tea Sandwich Mr. McGregor’s Garnished Vegetables Benjamin’s Bunny Crackers Carrot Cake Cupcake & Bunny Cupcake (Decorated by Children) Republic of Tea: Flopsy’s Fruit Tea Mrs. Rabbit’s Chamomile-Lemon Tea Mr. Earl Greyer’s Tea $15.00 + tax per parent and $5.00 + tax for each child attending, ages 3 and older, please. To register for this class, please call the store at 330.601.1331, e-mail us at INFO@TodaysKitchenStore.com, or feel free to drop by in person to inquire.

secrest arboretum walk.

go here for details on how to join the walk and view the effects of winter and the tornado. the walk is on feb 28, from 2 to 3:30.

another babylegs post.

i know... i know. you're probably sick to death of hearing about my babylegs addiction. whatever. i am excited to report that they have a half off sale happening right now, right here. put 50 dollars of product into your cart, enter the code IHEARTUSA before you pay, and get some fabulous deals! here's what they said on their facebook page, announcing the sale:

Sorry for the delay everyone! Because we made it to our goal of 150 orders of $25 or more, BabyLegs has got a sale for you! 50% off selected styles NOW! There are a ton of great styles to choose from! Order $50 worth of clearance items and use coupon IHEARTUSA for 50% off! You helped get us here, so you hear it first! ...Shop now before they're gone!

you heard them, shop now!!

what to get the guy who has everything...

a-ha!! where was this post two months ago??? i will be doing this this year for a certain someone who shall remain nameless. please help me keep the secret, and please remind me that i said this when december rolls around and i'm wondering what in the world i can do for his birthday... *<:)

preschool soccer and t-ball.

today, my son's preschool sent home a sheet about signing up for coach chico's soccer and t-ball. they both run for two weeks (tuesdays and thursdays) in may. i thought that maybe some of you might be interested (and you might wanna use it like i do, as a sort of social hour...), so i thought that i'd give you the link to the sign up online. check out the page here, (click register online, then hit activities at the top and pick preschool) as well as how many spots are open in each class. word on the street is that the classes fill quickly, so keep that in mind! hope to see you there!

heartland point.

another crafting post! (i've been bitten hard by the crafting bug!!)

in the most recent edition of the newsletter, beth was kind enough to contribute an article about a little gem in orrville called heartland point. a cafe, a meeting place, and a community classroom, all wrapped up in one. (and btw, their buckeyes are to die for.) i thought that i'd post the latest event schedule through may 2011 for your perusing pleasure. tonight, i am attending the crochet class, and couldn't be more excited! (spring flowers on baby barrettes, here i come!!) they are offering some great classes for adults and kids alike. check it out here! you can register for classes via email or phone. :)

feeding the crafting frenzy!

chalk it up to being trapped inside my house too long because of snow and ice... i'm dying to get out of the house and learn something. more specifically, a creative something. i want to learn to sew and knit and crochet and decorate cakes and all that great creative stuff. are you at all like me? well, there is something that is right up our alley!

at the jo-ann store in fairlawn (i know, rt. 18 feels soooooo far from wooster, but learning a creative way to channel our energy is worth the drive, right??), they offer classes every month. what do you want to learn to do? any of the things above? or maybe quilting or scrapbooking or jewelry making? something seasonal? well, here is the schedule through april in case you are wanting to take a class. the best part? scroll down to the bottom of the page and check out the little blurb about the open house. they discount all their classes 50% on those days, and you can even call in to register! the open house discount days make for very affordable classes! prices aren't listed on that schedule, but are usually between 10 and 20 dollars after the discount.

also, if you have an older child who loves to craft, you can throw a party at jo-ann! see the kind people at customer service to schedule your day and time! :)

snow paint.

need a cute little activity that you can whip up with stuff that you probably already have? today i made snow paint for the kids for later today. what is it? water with food coloring in a spray bottle. to make mine even more cutesy, i bought water bottles today at jo-ann for 50 cents each, one of each color. i put that color "paint" in it, and went outside and sprayed the snow in my front yard. it actually made it really pretty, turning it into pastel shades. you can vary the intensity of your paint by how much food coloring you use. might be fun to paint the face of a snowman, or change what he's wearing after a few days of consecutive snow. or give him a scarf since it's sooooo cold out!

later on this summer, you can use those same water bottles for a chase game, kinda like the idea behind water guns, but without the "gun" shape. we played chase with water bottles last summer, and it was super fun to vary how far the bottle would squirt.

the best time to grab a water bottle (or a few!) is on clearance (llike jo-ann had them for 50 cents) or when they're in a place like the dollar spot at target. maybe even the dollar store.

for pictures and additional ideas, check out this post.

kid concoctions.

This is a line of items i found at pat catan's around christmas. They have videos, books and the ingredients to make some of their concoctions. If you have kids who are really interested in science, this is for you! You can make slime, silly putty, fake messes and other great concoctions from household items. The two things that i recommend are the video for 1.97, which includes demonstrations on how to make 30+ concoctions, and the Kid Concoction Cook Book that just went on clearance for 1.00. The videos are on an end cap at the end of one of the more kid-oriented aisles of stuff (like the craft aisle for kids near the far right hand side of the store), and copies of the book are in the newer clearance aisle, on the back of a rack in the middle of the aisleway. Happy concocting!

woven barrettes.

being a child of the 80's, i remember these barrettes fondly. i had a few, with long pretty streamers of ribbon flowing out of one end. and leave it to family fun magazine to revive my love for them!

check out the tutorial found here.

thanks to pink and green mama for reminding me that i started that project last january!!

in need of a baby sling or nursing cover?

there's a great deal going on over at seven slings, where the coupon code CUPID will deduct 100% of the cost of the sling, and all you pay is shipping. i got a sling a while ago, right before meg started walking, and loved it. super cute fabrics and comfy to wear. thought that maybe some of our new moms might like to try it out! :)

similarly, you can get a nursing cover at udder covers for free (just pay shipping and handling) when the code Thanks is applied at checkout. I have two nursing covers for when/if the need should ever arise again, and love them both.

The slings and the covers would make great gifts for baby showers, if you're in need of gift ideas. They each end up being in the 10-15 dollar range after the discounts are applied.

Oh, and if you wanted to upgrade to the gift packs, you can still use the codes, but each site charges about 5 dollars for the upgrade, and shipping and handling is applied on top of that. Still a great deal...

getting crafty!

so now that i'm not spending all my time on facebook, i'm looking at craft blogs more... it's feeding my desire to create. a few weeks ago, i stumbled across this super cute snowman made of mini-cookies and candy. it's been on my mind lately, and so this afternoon, we attempted it. if you'd like to try it out, it's a great post-lunch activity, as there are lots of broken pieces of cookie and extra "carrot noses" to be eaten. we subbed in some orange tic-tacs for the noses, and should have laid down wax paper on our cutting board. other than those, this is a craft with a definite can-do factor. :)

now to change over from snowman to something for valentine's day... :)

a girly post.

so here's one for all the moms (or aunts!) of little girls, especially if you are bow crazy like me. there are two great online boutiques worth mentioning (or mentioning again, if i have already).

the first is called sydney so sweet. we love them for their great prices and massive selection. and the ribbon art! ohmigosh, just peruse the site and you'll see what i mean. in the "just for moms" section, you can check out the trellis necklaces (i have three and LOVE them) and the headwraps for keeping the winter chill from your tender ears. i have placed what? like 4 orders from there in the last two months... i'm addicted. great quality for the price, and the true test is that my girl is constantly getting compliments on her hats, bows, clippies, headbands, etc. you can use the code FBF10 at any time to get 10% off. if you're a liker on facebook, you also get advance notice of sales. you can also sign up for the newsletter for notice of sales. we love our sydney stuff! and you can meet the owner in person at local craft shows, as she is based out of doylestown! (shipping is also lightning fast, i might add...) shipping is always free for orders over 35 bucks.

the second, i found while combing the internet for more bows (imagine that!). it's called sugar sweet bowtique and is kinda like the above site. super cute bows and boutique hats, hair streamers and korkers. she also has a "made to match gymboree" tab if you're a big gymboree shopper. super cute stuff! sign up for the newsletter for sale notices.

happy shopping! :)

treats for the babes.

every so often, i come across a blog post that is worth it's weight in gold. perusing the side bar of our little blog here, i came across the second installment of healthy snacks and treats by a blog called make it and love it. check it out! i think that i have some banana pureeing to do! :)

Twins Club Sale.

The Wayne County Mothers of Twins Club is having their spring/summer sale on Saturday March 19th at the Ida Sue School Gymnasium from 9am-2pm. This includes gently used baby equipment, toys, books, and clothing sizes infant to teens.

Thanks Christy, Denise and Jen! :)

Calendar Additions.

Check out the Calendar tab above to see what's happening through June!

Classified Section.

So we are back to regularly scheduled newsletters, starting next week. We will be sending out the Feb/March edition in the middle of the week next week, and will be adding a new section to the end... the Classifieds! This is your opportunity to use our network of 140+ moms to your advantage by getting some free advertising. What can you include? Anything that you'd normally find in the classified section of the newspaper.
Ideas:

Anything that you want to sell (car, house, etc.)
Garage Sale dates/locations
Dog having puppies?/Cat having kittens?
Anything that you want to give away
Services that you provide, a home business that you have
Something that you are looking for

If you'd like to get in on this, please send me the write up of the ad you'd like to place, and I will cut and paste your wording right into our newsletter. Please be sure to include contact info, location, etc. and send it back to this address (wearemomsgroup@gmail.com), and put CLASSIFIED in the subject.