September Events for Children at the Parkland Community Library

Head over to the Parkland Community Library for a month filled with fun!

PCL Teens

Tuesday, September 3 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Help to decide what YA books the library buys, discuss what you’ve been reading, help prepare for activities and programs, and have some snacks!
For those in grades 7 to 12.
Participants earn volunteer credit. 

Night at the Movies

Wednesday, September 11
6:30 p.m.

Join us for a showing of Adventures in Zambezia.
Held in the Youth Services Room.
No registration is required. 

Fall Story Times

September 18 to October 25; Story time registration begins August 26 at 10:00am.

 

Call 610-398-1361 x 19 to register

Family Story times

Wednesdays and Thursdays 10:30 to 11:00 a.m.

For children from 18 months to 3 years, but younger and older siblings may attend. An adult must stay with each child. Stories, songs, and games are shared with the whole family. Registration is required.

Preschool Story times

Wednesdays and Thursdays 1:00 to 1:30 p.m.

For children between 3 and 5 years. Parents must stay in the library but do not have to attend storytime with the children. Stories, songs, games and crafts are all part of preschool storytimes. Registration is required.
 

Drop-In Story times

Fridays 10:30 to 11:00 a.m.

For families with young children and children of all   different ages. No registration is required.

Touch a Truck

Saturday, September 28

10:00 a.m. to noon

Back for its second year!
Bring the whole family to the circle in front of the library to check out some of the coolest trucks around. We’ll have diggers, police cars, an ambulance, and more for you to explore.
No registration required.

52 Nut-free Lunch and Snack Options for All Kids

When my daughter was 15-months old, I gave her a tiny piece of a Girl Scout cookie that contained peanut butter. Two hours later, we were in the emergency room as she was covered in hives, eyes swollen and feverish. Since that day, I've been a mom on high alert.

Now that my daughter is in kindergarten, I worry even more about her elevated, potential exposure to peanuts. For all the peanut allergic (PA) families and non-PA families, here is a list of 52 healthy (and some not-so-healthy), nut-free lunch and snack options.

Please ... help keep our little, allergic friends safe. Together, we can all ensure the health and well-being of our kids. 

NUT-FREE LUNCH & SNACK CHOICES*

1. Apple slices 
2. Seedless grapes
3. Tube yogurts (Go-gurts)
4. Cheez-Its 
5. Cubed cheeses
6. Most pretzels
7. Raisins
8. Apple sauce pouches (Go Squeeze)
9. Jelly & Sunbutter (made from sunflower seeds)
10. Cream cheese & jelly sandwiches
11. Ham & cheese roll ups
12. Cheese & cucumber sandwiches
13. Turkey & cheese hoagie
14. Baby carrots & ranch dip
15. Golden Grahams 
16. Cheerios (most varieties)
17. Dole fruit cups
18. Mandarin oranges
19. Motts applesauce
20. Pepperidge Farm Goldfish
21. Keebler Club Crackers & cheese slices
22. Berries
23. Bananas
24. Cucumber slices with ranch
25. Pirate's Booty popcorn 
26. Fruit snacks
27. Celery sticks with sunbutter & raisins
28. Soy crisps (most varieties)
29. Mini-rice cakes (most varieties)
30. Danimal drinkable yogurts
31. Polly-O string cheese sticks
32. Ritz crackers
33. Nutri-grain fruit and cereal bars
34. Graham crackers
35. Fruit Newtons
36. Ritz Crackerfuls (most varieties)
37. Leftover spaghetti
38. Macaroni and cheese 
39. Seapoint Farms shelled edamame with Dora on package

SWEETER & SALTIER NUT-FREE OPTIONS

1. Rice Krispy Treats
2. Oreos
3. Homemade brownies sans nuts
4. Fruit Roll-ups  
5. Herr's ripple chips
6. Cheetos
7. Special K pastry crips 
8. Teddy Grahams
9. Jello chocolate pudding cups
10. Chips Ahoy chocolate chips
11. Hershey chocolate kisses (non-holiday varieties)
12. Swedish fish
13. POP-tarts

Always read the labels for known allergens. 

Many companies will list allergens in bold. Also, try to avoid foods that are made in or on shared equipment with peanuts. My daughter once reacted to pretzels made in a nut-factory, whereas she is normally fine while eating pretzels.

Looking for more snack options? Check out this PDF from snacksafely.com.

What is the Lehigh Valley's largest lake?

Do you know what the Lehigh Valley's largest lake is? Have you ever heard of Leaser Lake? Neither had we, until we spent a fantastic afternoon there. Located in the northwest section of the Valley, Leaser Lake is a great place for a quiet canoe ride, family picnic or catching minnows with the kids.

Paddling on Leaser Lake

A couple of weeks ago, I had seen a sign near New Smithville that mentioned paddle boats and Leaser Lake. So, when we were trying to find something to do with the kids over the 4th of July holiday, we decided to Google it and find out more.

Several years ago, Leaser Lake was drained so the dam could be repaired. Earlier this year, the lake reopened for the first time in three years for trout season. This is also the first season for Leaser Lake Boats, Bikes & Bait (LLBBB), which provide rentals seven days a week to outdoor adventurers.

WHAT'S NEW AT LEASER LAKE?

LLBBB is located at 8912 Levans Road in Kempton just behind Wanamakers General Store (which if you haven't done so already, be sure to stop in. Their sandwiches are delish!). You'll want to first visit LLBBB to pick out your rental and then head to the lake.

Rental options include kayaks (single or tandem), paddle boards, canoes, row boats, fishing rods and bikes. Prices range from $5-$10 per hour for bikes and $20-25 per hour for boats. My husband and I rented a canoe and purchased lunches from Wanamakers, and spent quality time with our girls ... all for less than $50!

Coming later this summer via LLBBB ... yoga on paddle boards while on the lake! That sounds both awesome and slightly dangerous at the same time. 

WHAT TO BRING TO LEASER LAKE

I'd recommend bringing a blanket and/or chairs to sit on if you plan to picnic; there are a few picnic tables, but we find it easier for our kids to have a place to sit on the ground, too. Water shoes, hats and sunglasses, and sunblock are a definite. It can be hot out on the boat with the sun reflecting off the water.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

There is no swimming at Leaser Lake and there's not much of a beach. It's simply a quiet place, away from all the hubbub of the busy community pools and more commercial lakes, where you can enjoy nature's beauty.

Connect with Leaser Lake Boats, Bikes & Bait on Facebook or visit their website for more information. Interested in learning more about Leaser Lake's history? Check out the Heritage Foundation site.

What's New at the LV Zoo? August Events for Kids, Big & Little.

I'm just going to say ... I love the Lehigh Valley Zoo! While it's not the largest, most exotic zoo, it's local, enjoyable and offers a great way for my kids to explore, learn and play (i.e. burn off some energy). For the first time this year, we purchased the family pass. The annual pass is $99 and is good for one year from purchase. It basically pays for itself after three visits for a family of four.

AUGUST EVENTS AT THE LEHIGH VALLEY ZOO

• August 2nd: The Lehigh Valley Business Group (LVBG) is sponsoring a free night at the zoo from 5 - 9 p.m. While there is no entrance fee, families are asked to register ahead of time and bring their free tickets.  

• August 3rd: Nocturnal Family Safari for families (kids must be 4+) from 5:30 p.m. - 9 a.m. Hike, eat and SLEEP with zoo animals! This sounds like a really great program; price starts at $30 for zoo members. Pre-registration required by calling 610.799.4171, ext. 238, 228 or 227.

•  August 5th - 9th: Summer Camps at Zoo for ages 11 - 14. Explorer camps is from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. and offers a wide range of educational and fun-filled activities. Registration required and camp starts at $240 for zoo members.

• August 15th: Summer Twilight at the Zoo from 4 - 8 p.m. with $1.00 hot dogs. 

• August 18th: Fifth Annual Run Wild for Wildlife Conservation, 10K, 5K and 1-mile family smart fun walk. Register via active.com. 

• August 24th: If you like margaritas, cheesburgers (in paradise) and Jimmy Buffett, this event at the Zoo maybe for you. Zoo in Paradise opens at 5:30 p.m. and tickets are available for $15.

DAILY ANIMAL FEEDINGS AT THE ZOO

If you're little ones like watching the animals, then feeding times will be a great experience for them to see. The penguins get their "fish on" every day at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., the the mongoose lemur eats a 1 p.m.   At noon on August 7, 17, 18 and 31 the alligator will be fed and the cute, lovable otter will get his (or her?) grub on at 12 p.m. on August 10, 11, 21 and 25.

For more information on what's going on at the Lehigh Valley Zoo in August or to register for any special events, visit www.lvzoo.org.

Let's go green! Try the Verdiva Bag!

If you are like me, you don't always remember to be "green" all of the time. Sure, I support the initiative in theory but not always in practice. Yes, I am human too.

A friend of mine introduced me to a cool new reusable bag by Verdiva®, an innovative proven material that marries functionality with design. Verdiva® bags are made with the legendary strength of DuPont™ Tyvek® fabric, the strongest non-woven fabric, that is lightweight and machine washable too.

Stylish to carry an iPad

 I wanted to try this bag out so I got one. Feeling a little silly taking only one bag with me to the grocery store, I decided to re-purpose it.  

First, I used it to carry my iPad around.  It was perfect!

Then I decided to use it for library books.  My girls and I like to visit the local library and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity! We normally come out of the library with tons of books. And books can be heavy and different sizes, not to mention difficult to carry.

Did I mention how stylish this bag is? We walked out of the library and even my youngest liked carrying the "book bag!" And let me tell you how unusual that is! I just love the perky color and design. We now have a great bag for the library and we know where all of the books go!

I can't wait to check out the other designs...perfect to differentiate between meats, dry goods and produce. It is nice that it is machine washable as I am always paranoid about the spread of bacteria. Washing between trips to the store is perfect!

Wegman's in Allentown has started to carry the Verdiva® bags as of May. So you too, can have a cool new bag like me!

 I found this cool video to show how easily it folds up!

This is my new favorite thing to promote!  It is a "Lehigh Valley Family Fun Favorite!"

Discover the Magic of the New Crayola Experience in Easton!

Color, color everywhere ... The Crayola Experience (formerly known as the Crayola Factory) is still located at 30 Centre Square in Easton, but that's about the only thing that's the same. The renovated building offers a new layout, new activities and a nice, new cafe. Whether or not you've been there before, it's definitely worth a day trip!

FOUR FLOORS OF COLOR & MAGIC

On the first floor, you'll find ticketing and a huge, new store (some of you may remember the old store was connected to the Factory; the new store is where the former eating-meeting space used to be). From there, take the stairs or elevator to the second floor.

iPads are a great new activity!

The Art Alive room features tables of iPads for kids and parents alike, and today's theme was underwater. Once we finished drawing our octopus and sea turtles, something magical happened! The drawings leaped to an animated wall with all of the other sea creatures.  I could have spent a full hour just in this room. It was a fantastic blend of art and technology.

Also on the second floor is the Crayola movie room which shows the audience how a crayon is "born." The show happens every hour on the half hour, and is much more clever, interactive and upbeat than before. My daughter and her friend sat through the entire show ... captivated by the presenter and her two, colorful sidekicks. 

Waterworks & crayon boats

Floor three features a two-story playground, sidewalk chalk, activity centers, Doodle in the Dark (my favorite room!) and water works. From the playground area, take the stairs to the fourth floor to experience a real Meltdown.

The Meltdown floor doesn't mean it's a floor filled with crying kids. It's an entire space dedicated to melting crayons and turning the wax into a new art form.

 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

If you have any old Crayola Factory tokens lying around, they will not work in the new machines. However, you can exchange them at the ticketing desk for new Crayola Experience tokens. These can be used to get markers, make your own crayons, and snag some model magic in a larger array of colors.

The Crayola Cafe is located where the McDonald's used to be. It's bigger, cleaner and offers a decent lunch selection, including pizza, hoagies, Naked brand juices, hummus, fruit and colorful cupcakes. 

I would recommend bringing a water bottle for the kids; there is a lot of climbing and dancing going on! Also, it's very busy. If you can get to the Experience on a weekday, just as it opens, you may have a better chance of avoiding large crowds. Here is more information on planning your visit to the Crayola Experience.  

FUN FACTS ABOUT CRAYONS

• Crayola crayons have been around for 110 years! The first crayons were made in 1903. 
• There are more than 200 different crayon colors, but only 13 label colors.
• The label machine can label 180 crayons per minute.

DISCOVER THE CRAYOLA EXPERIENCE

All in all, each of the four unique floors is dedicated to bringing out your child's imagination. Give yourself plenty time to enjoy each of the activities. This is one place you won't want to rush through.

Watch this YouTube video and see for yourself what makes the Crayola Experience a truly wonderful experience for kids of all ages.

Mom's Movie Review: Despicable Me 2

It was hotter than blue blazes today! So, instead of filling the inflatable baby pool, my gang headed to the AMC on Tilghman to watch a movie. This was the first time in YEARS that my husband had been to the movies and we brought our girls (5 years and 20 months). The heat must have definitely been getting to us ... we took a 20-month-old to the movies?!

We gave our oldest a choice: Do you want to see Despicable Me 2 or Monsters University? Secretly, I would have been happy watching either one of these, but was glad that she chose Despicable Me 2. I just love those little minions!



The movie is rated PG and seems to be well liked by the general public -- receiving four out of five stars on MSN Entertainment. I don't want to spill the beans too much, but here's the gist:

Dr. Gru is no longer evil ... he's a loving father to the three little orphans from DM1. There's another bad guy in town who wants to take over the world and uses the minions as part of his evil plan. Dr. Gru and girls save the day and the world! The end.

Oh, and there's a lot of jelly , fun new characters, guacamole and a princess party.

My crew really enjoyed this animated sequel. The baby almost lasted the entire movie and even laughed out loud a few times! Sure, the movie was probably not age appropriate for my toddler, but I do not regret taking her.

WANT MORE MINIONS?

For more details on Despicable Me 2 and to watch movie trailers, go to the official website. You can even create your own "InstaMinion" on Facebook (which I did, and it was fun and easy to do).

Have you seen Despicable Me 2? What did you think?

We are off to Girl Scout Camp: Part Three - Let the singing begin!

This post is a continuation from yesterday - We are off to Girl Scout Camp:  Part Two

So, the girls have been to camp for two days and all I have heard from them is "CAMP IS AWESOME!"  

The theme at camp this week is "cooking".  So, the arts & crafts that they do revolve around the fun of being in the kitchen.  So far, they have made chef hats, decorated spatulas and my older daughter made shishkabobs for lunch today!  

All of the counselors have "camp names".  How fun!  A few of the names that I have heard are Froggy, Glitzy, Sherlock, Booie, Whisper, Stomp, and Zappa.

They sing lots of songs!  The girls travel by bus to get to the swimming pool.  During the bus ride they sing fun camp songs.  There is one song in particular that seems to be their favorite.  It is called the Shark Song.  (see video)

As you can see from their cute little faces they are having a BLAST at Girl Scout Camp!

I wonder what tomorrow will bring?

For more information about Camp Mountain House or any of the camps in the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania's Camp Experience, visit their website. 

If you are interested in sending your daughter to Girl Scout Camp this summer, I have an AWESOME coupon to pass on to you!  Go to this link and use the promo code SUMMER for 30% off summer camp!

We are off to Girl Scout Camp: Part Two

This post is a continuation from yesterday - We are off to Girl Scout Camp:  Part One

Monday...
The morning started off well.  The girls got up but were a bit anxious at what they would encounter on their first day of camp.  
Since I had not been to Camp Mountain House before, I had to depend on GPS to get there.  I knew it was some place off of Route 78.  But this is a camp, surely it will be way off the beaten path somewhere, right?  

We head down Route 78 to the Summit Lawn Exit.  We come off the exit ramp and within minutes we are turning onto a stone driveway for Camp Mountain House.  I am amazed by all of the trees and nature!  It is hard to believe we are only a few minutes from the interstate!  

Camp Counselors & My Girls

We continue down the driveway and we are directed to an area where campers are being dropped off.  We meet two counselors who help the girls out of the car and begin the check-in process.  Within minutes, the girls are singing songs and playing games with a bunch of other campers.

Camp started at 9 a.m. and I was all ready heading back out to Route 78 by 9:03 a.m.  WOW!  Their check-in & drop-off process is extremely easy and very well organized!  

What a wonderful way to begin a week of camp!  

For more information about Camp Mountain House or any of the camps in the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania's Camp Experience, visit their website. 

If you are interested in sending your daughter to Girl Scout Camp this summer, I have an AWESOME coupon to pass on to you!  Go to this link and use the promo code SUMMER for 30% off summer camp!

Fun-filled Educational Experience at the Museum of Indian Culture

Museum of Indian Culture

We recently visited this hidden treasure to tour the museum and meet some of the program instructors.  It’s in an extremely convenient location just down the road from Lehigh Valley Hospital on Fish Hatchery Road, but the property itself is quite scenic and beautiful. There is also convenient off-street parking right next to the museum.  The museum employees were kind enough to come in prior to the actual opening time of the museum to accommodate my schedule, but it is typically open from noon-4PM Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  However, they are also available for appointments during the week. The building itself was beautiful and interesting, and within the museum they had pictures and information about the origins of the building.  

Though my children were a little young to fully enjoy touring the museum, I found the information fascinating and believe that elementary aged or older children (as well as adults, of course) would greatly enjoy a tour.  There were two different rooms containing artifacts, replicas, and other pieces of interest.  One of the best parts, kids are allowed (and encouraged) to touch several items.  

There were instruments and tools, animal pelts, and even weapons available to be held.  My kids really enjoyed feeling the animal fur and discussing which type of animal they were touching!  In addition, a plethora of arrowheads, handmade dolls, moccasins, quilts, and much more is on display.  The tour guides were very knowledgeable and friendly! They also had a small library containing an array of books and videos about Native American culture and a gift shop where patrons could purchase dream catchers or other souvenirs from their time at the museum.  

In addition to providing tours, the museum has many programs available for groups.  They provide programs for children preschool aged through college age.  These programs are $7 per child.  We met with Barry, who is responsible for the programming for younger children.  He explained that the program for young children includes storytelling and a craft, while programs for older kids include learning about the lifestyles of the early Native Americans and specifics about the tribes that lived in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  They even take children outside to get to throw an "atlatl", a large dart-like weapon.  I assure you, it seemed incredibly safe and is well supervised to ensure safety!!  Program directors at the museum will even travel to an alternate location to present one of their programs. 


All in all, we enjoyed our visit, and I would definitely consider taking a group to the Museum of Indian Culture to experience one of their programs!

July Events for the Kids at Wegmans!

Just in case you didn't love Wegmans enough already ... here are six more reasons! Throughout the month of July, Wegmans, located at 3900 Tilghman Street in Allentown, will host events for the kids. Some are free, others cost
a small fee.

Photo from the Morning Call, mcall.com

 FUN EVENTS FOR THE KIDS AT WEGMANS

July 13
Story & Craft Hour
10 - 11 am
Free event

July 19
Story & Craft Hour
10 - 11 am
Free event

July 20
Breakfast with Sully from Monsters University!
9 am - 12 pm
Breakfast Bar available until 11:30 am @ $8.99 / lb

July 21
Breakfast with Sully from Monsters University!
9 am - 12 pm
Breakfast Bar available until 11:30 am @ $8.99 / lb 

July 27
Story & Craft Hour
10 - 11 am
Free event

July 28
Cooking with Kids, Make your own ice cream
3 - 4 pm
$5 / child, purchase tickets at the Service desk

Maybe we'll see you there! If you have any questions about these events you can visit or call the Customer Service desk, (610) 336-7900.

We are off to Girl Scout Camp! Part One

I am SOOO excited! Why?  Well, my daughters start summer camp tomorrow!

As a kid I went to Camp Tohikanee, which is part of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania Camp Experience AND I loved every minute of it!

Tomorrow I will take them to Camp Mountain House, a wooded sanctuary located in Lehigh County minutes away from Allentown, which features shaded picnic areas and covered pavilions, spacious areas for outdoor activity, and three buildings for rainy-day fun.  All girls who attend Mountain House Day Camp (MHDC) will experience swimming on a daily basis, arts and crafts, cookouts, campfires, hikes, science, singing, games, archery (4th grade and up), and team building activities each week.

Each week has a theme so the activities will vary according to theme and girl’s choices. Girls are also divided into different swim groups and attend swimming at different times during the afternoon.

Here is the daily rundown...

7:30am: Extended Care
9:00am: Arrival
9:15am: Opening Flag Ceremony
9:30am: Arts & Crafts
11:15am: Arts & Crafts
12:30pm: Lunch/Swimming
2:30pm: Themed Activities
3:45pm: Closing Flag Ceremony
4:00pm: Departure
4:00pm: Extended Care

With all of that in mind, we are excited!  My girls are getting ready for bed as I type and their back packs are all packed and ready to go!  We have an exciting week ahead of us and I plan to keep you all updated.

For more information about Camp Mountain House or any of camps in the Girl Scout of Eastern Pennsylvania's Camp Experience, visit their website.

If you are interested in sending your daughter to Girl Scout Camp this summer, I have an AWESOME coupon to pass on to you!  Go to this link and use the promo code SUMMER for 30% off summer camp!

Open House and FREE Activities at Active Learning Center in Breinigsville!

On Saturday, July 13, from 9 a.m. to noon, Active Learning Center in Breinigsville will host an Open House, featuring children's music artist, Dave Fry. This event is FREE and open to the public.  

Starting at 9:30 a.m. Center Director, Jenna Godown, who has 24 years of dance experience  will teach a FREE Hip-Hop Class.   Class participants will be taught a routine for National Dance Day and with permission from parents, will be included in a video that will be entered into the National Dance Day competition in Los Angeles, California! 

Popular Folksinger and Family-music performer, Dave Fry will perform starting at 10 a.m.  Dave Fry has performed at Music Fest and other events around the Lehigh Valley. 

At 11:30 a.m. a FREE Martial Arts Class will be offered.  The Martial Arts program at ALC focuses on acquiring a strong set of moral values, developing an unbelievable non-quitting spirits and being aware of possible unsafe situations.

There will be lots of FREE things to do from cookie decorating, arts & crafts, to playing in the Moon bounce.  

This event is the first of its kind for ALC. The goal is to increase awareness about their programs as well as expose parents and children alike to their culture at ALC. They want families to experience first hand how warm and engaging their teachers are and experience the family atmosphere that exists in their centers.

It will definitely be a fun morning at ALC.  Space is limited so reserve your spot today. 

484-397-4095.

For more information about ALC and their programs or Lehigh Valley Martial Arts, please check out their website.

 

17 Fun & Free Things to Do This Summer in the Lehigh Valley

Like many parents, I am always on the hunt for things to do with the kids. It's an added bonus when, not only are we having fun, but it doesn't cost anything. (Who doesn't love free?) So, I scoured the interwebs in search of upcoming, free fun throughout the Lehigh Valley.

1. Allentown Art Museum -- Check out the Toulouse Lautrec exhibit. The museum offers free admission on Sundays, and kids 5 and under are always free.
2. Appalachian Trail -- Take the kids on a hike! You can pick up the trail on Rt. 309N.
3. ArtsQuest - Peas & Qs is a great family program at the SteelStacks in Bethlehem. Events start at 11:30; I recommend getting there a bit early to get a good seat.
   
4. Barnes and Noble -- Story time is offered Tuesdays and Fridays at 10:30 a.m. at the Lehigh Valley Mall location.
5. Bob Rodale Fitness Park -- You can't beat the giant sandbox at this park. The kids will love it!
   
6. Chick-fil-A -- Story times and family nights in Trexlertown at the Chick-fil-A on Hamilton Boulevard.
7. Concerts - Free concerts on select Saturday nights in Lower Macungie and on Friday nights in July at 7 p.m. at the Promenades.
8. Lehigh Valley Amateur Astronomy Society --August 13 at 7:30 p.m. for grades 6 - 12; free planetarium show at the South Mountain observatory.
9. Lehigh Valley Road Runners -- There are still a few kids races left this summer. Register online.
10. Lehigh Valley Zoo -- The Lehigh Valley Business group is sponsoring a free night at the Zoo on August 2nd. To register go to http://lvbgtakesoverlvzoo.eventbrite.com.
11. Parkland Library -- Keep the kids reading all summer long! The Parkland Community Library has a great summer reading club for kids 2 and up.
12. Promenade Shoppes -- Pack their bathing suits and play in the PopJet by Starbucks. Little ones go crazy for this water time play action. Open 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
13. Promenade Shoppes Kids Day -- Enjoy free family-friendly activities on August 17 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
14. Saucon Rail Trail -- Get out their bikes or go for a run! Great exercise and burns off energy (just in time for naps).
15. South Whitehall Township -- At 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the township offers various free crafts and story times. Registration with the township building is requested.
16. Trexler Nature Preserve -- Forge the Jordan River and picnic at this free and picturesque spot.
    
17. Vacation Bible Schools - Check out our list of VBS programs.

For more information, check out the individual websites or click the embedded links above.

Do you have more events to share? What does your family like to do ... for free ... in the Valley? Share your events and ideas for fun below!

Losing Our Family Pet...how will my kids cope?

Let me start this by saying, I am not writing this post to gain sympathy.  I am writing this to share our experience as a family and to hopefully help others along the way.

A few days ago we had to euthanize our dog Finnegan.  Finny, as we called him, was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Lymphoma.  We knew something wasn't right about 6 weeks ago but we simply made excuses of why he wasn't acting himself.  Then his Lymph nodes swelled up by his throat to the size of clementines and I just couldn't ignore it any longer.

Let me step back 5 years to give you some history on Finny.  Finny was actually the beloved dog of another family.  However, the little boy in this family had a terrible allergy to Finny.  So, unfortunate for them they had to find Finny a new home.  Fortunate for us, they found us through mutual connections and we were the proud owners of a 3 year old yellow Lab named Finnegan.

A few weeks ago, I took Finnegan to the vet to have him checked out.  Gut feeling from the doctor was that it was not good and a biopsy later revealed the Lymphoma.  Without treatment Fin would only have weeks to live.  We put him on temporary medicine to make him feel better, but this medicine made him urinate often and I am still steam cleaning my carpets.

My husband and I had an AWFUL decision to make.  Do we prolong the obvious for selfish reasons by keeping him on the medicine that gives him a temporary relief of disease?  Or do we put him down?  We went with the latter.

Telling our daughters who are 9 and 6 that they would loose their pet was much easier than expected.  In

Our Great Grandmother, Violette with my girls back in 2007

January, we lost our 101 year old grandmother (their great grandmother) and this was very upsetting to them.  However, in comparison to them this was not as upsetting.  Why?  At such young ages are they able to weigh the importance of a pet verses a person?  Heck, it was very upsetting to me...why weren't they upset?

So the awful deed is done and I miss my boy terribly.  He was my buddy.  He followed me everywhere I went; from the laundry room to the kitchen.  There is a void right now and our other dog Guiness seems a bit sad too.

Finnegan meeting Guiness for the first time when
we adopted Guiness from the Last Chance Ranch

I guess in hind sight, I am glad that my daughters are able to move past it.  I can hear them playing in their clubhouse now without a care in the world.  I sit here and type and I still miss my loyal friend.  But I know in the end I did the right thing by releasing him of his pain.  I'd like to believe he is running somewhere in the heavens with our other pets as they wait for me on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.

To conclude, never under-estimate your children's ability to deal with a situation.  They may be little but with each life lesson they become stronger beings.  They are able to process, learn from it and move on.  And if you are lucky like I am, they will teach you a thing or two in the process.

We will miss you, Finny!

An Enjoyable Evening at The Schnecksville Community Fair



I had no idea that I could enjoy a fair so much and not break the bank while doing it.  Last year my family and I went to a local carnival (NOT the Schnecksville Fair) and spent $15 for each of my kids to ride 3 rides!!!  We didn’t eat, there were no exhibits other than the rides, and my daughter and son each rode on three rides.  Then we left.  Not the best experience I’ve ever had.  But last night we went to the Schnecksville Community Fair for the evening and had a whole different (and much more fun) time! 

Wood Carving Exhibit: Imagine how great that
bird looked upon completion!

For just $9 a person (See below for coupon), we had more than our money’s worth of fun!  We were generously given admission to the fair for free for writing this blog, but we also chose to purchase the $8 bracelet for our kids to ride the rides.  It was absolutely worth it, and the whole trip was great!

When we arrived, we were able to park very close to the gate.   As soon as we entered, there was a blow up slide, a ferris wheel, a miniature fun house, and an exhibit where a man was carving a tree stump!  We sat for a little while watching him carve the wood with a chainsaw… AMAZING!  The kids were even intrigued and entertained watching this exhibit.  My daughter went on the Ferris wheel and both kids went into the miniature fun house. 

Side note: those fun houses are not made for adults – a lesson I learned when I had to climb in to get my son, who panicked at the top!  Yet, he almost immediately wanted to go back in, and my daughter went through 3 times!

We continued our journey and encountered an area where there were antique tractors. This was, of course, a glorious treat for my truck/train/tractor loving son!  The kind men who were sitting with these tractors even allowed the kids to sit on some. 

We next encountered the dairy show that was occurring last night.  Young men and women were showing their cows and being judged on their and their heifer’s performance.  At 4 and 2, my kids were super excited just to see the cows and hear them moo!  But it was also interesting to hear about how they were judged and to see the young men and women who work with these animals. Each night of the fair, a different animal will be showcased, so although there probably won’t be cows other nights, there will be some type of animal for the kids to watch and enjoy!

We then moved on to riding more of the rides.  With the bracelets, the kids were allowed to ride as many rides as they wanted as many times as they wanted!  Let me just say that they rode way more than 2 rides!  My son was only able to ride the rides for the smallest children (over 32”), but there were plenty of those to keep him busy!  A mini train on a track, cars and motorcycles that zoomed around, bugs that went up and down while going around and around, a carousel, boats that went in a circle, and more were available for children over 32”.   

One of two Ferris wheels

The smiles on both of my kids’ faces were priceless!  They loved being able to ride the rides, and my husband and I couldn’t stop smiling while enjoying watching them have fun!

My daughter was tall enough to go on some of the “bigger rides” as well.  The next height requirement was 36”.  She told me many times that she enjoyed the dragon roller coaster the most!  She also rode a second Ferris wheel and mini teacups.  She liked being a big kid on the big kid rides!

And, of course, there are actual big kid rides there as well.  Rides that spin so fast they’d probably make me sick; rides that go upside down, a bigger fun house, a trampoline ride, and more!  In addition to all of the rides and exhibits, there is the great food and carnival games to enjoy as well!  We treated the kids to funnel cake to cap off the evening.  They loved it, and my husband and I did too!  Although we did not play any games or eat anything other than the funnel cake, there was a plethora of food and a great variety of games with prizes to try if interested.  I’m sure there were even other areas we may have missed due to having little kids with little legs and early bedtimes! 


The fair runs every night this week from 5PM – 11PM.  With all of the exhibits, rides, games, food, and fun to be had, it is a great night out for a very reasonable price!  So go! Have fun!  And don’t forget a camera because there will be moments and memories that you won’t want to miss!