Things to do the weekend of December 19-21

By Jonik (Own work) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Things to do the weekend of December 19-21

Click event for more information

Friday 12/19

Peddler's Village Gingerbread Houses

Koziar's Christmas Village

The Fairmount Park Holiday Gingerbread House Display 

Hershey Park Christmas Candylane

Franklin Square Holiday Festival and Electrical Spectacle

Rothman Institue Ice Rink at Dilworth Park

Adventure Aquarium Christmas Celebration 


Kennett Square Lights Parade

Longwood Garden Christmas

Comcast Holiday Spectacular 

 

Saturday 12/20

Holiday Hayride at Arasapha Farms

Herr's Factory Christmas Snacktacular

Santa at Linvilla 

Rose Tree Park Festival of Lights 

Peddler's Village Gingerbread Houses

Koziar's Christmas Village

The Fairmount Park Holiday Gingerbread House Display  

Hershey Park Christmas Candylane

Franklin Square Holiday Festival and Electrical Spectacle

Rothman Institue Ice Rink at Dilworth Park 

Yuletide at Winterthur

Adventure Aquarium Christmas Celebration  

Longwood Garden Christmas

Comcast Holiday Spectacular 

Sunday 12/21

Holiday Hayride at Arasapha Farms

Herr's Factory Christmas Snacktacular

Rose Tree Park Festival of Lights 

Santa at Linvilla 

Free Mornings at Brandywine River Museum 

Peddler's Village Gingerbread Houses

Koziar's Christmas Village 

The Fairmount Park Holiday Gingerbread House Display  

Hershey Park Christmas Candylane

Franklin Square Holiday Festival and Electrical Spectacle

Flea It Up Flea Market

Rothman Institue Ice Rink at Dilworth Park

Yuletide at Winterthur

Adventure Aquarium Christmas Celebration 

Longwood Garden Christmas

Comcast Holiday Spectacular 

Things to do the weekend of November 28-30

By Huhu Uet (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Things to do the weekend of November 28-30

Click event for more information

 Thursday 11/27

Philadelphia Thanksgiving Parade 

Comcast Holiday Spectacular 

Longwood Garden Christmas 

Friday 11/28

Peddler's Village Gingerbread Houses

Koziar's Christmas Village

The Fairmount Park Holiday Gingerbread House Display 

Hershey Park Christmas Candylane

Franklin Square Holiday Festival and Electrical Spectacle

Rothman Institue Ice Rink at Dilworth Park

Adventure Aquarium Christmas Celebration 

Elsa, Olaf and the Ninja Turtles @ Marple Sports Arena  

Kennett Square Lights Parade

Longwood Garden Christmas

Saturday 11/29

Chadds Ford Winery Fire & Spice Weekends 

Peddler's Village Gingerbread Houses

Koziar's Christmas Village

The Fairmount Park Holiday Gingerbread House Display  

Hershey Park Christmas Candylane

Franklin Square Holiday Festival and Electrical Spectacle

Rothman Institue Ice Rink at Dilworth Park 

Yuletide at Winterthur

Adventure Aquarium Christmas Celebration  

Longwood Garden Christmas

Sunday 11/30

Free Mornings at Brandywine River Museum 

Peddler's Village Gingerbread Houses

Chadds Ford Winery Fire & Spice Weekends 

Koziar's Christmas Village 

The Fairmount Park Holiday Gingerbread House Display  

Hershey Park Christmas Candylane

Franklin Square Holiday Festival and Electrical Spectacle

Flea It Up Flea Market

Rothman Institue Ice Rink at Dilworth Park

Yuletide at Winterthur

Adventure Aquarium Christmas Celebration 

Longwood Garden Christmas

Media Santa Fun Run and Parade

Weekend Family Fun

No one can say they're bored this weekend---there is so much to do!!!

Weekend:

• Christmas on the Farm at Linvilla Orchards
• Grange Estate Train Display .
• Wanamaker Shower 
• The Comcast Holiday Spectacular 
• Reading Terminal Market Railroad & frequent events, info HERE.
• Longwood Gardens
• Winterthur
• Holidays in Franklin Square
• Rose Tree Park Festival of Lights Opens at 5:30

Friday:

• Festival of Lights (Philadelphia Art Museum) with West Philadelphia Orchestra

Saturday:

• Skate with Santa at the Marple Sports Arena
• Nutcracker at Neumann University info HERE
• Seaport Parade of Lights at Penns Landing
• Santa Arrives at the Helicopter Museum! 
• Holiday Storytime at Hedgerow Theatre
• Phanta Claus Pictures & Tree Lighting at Citizens Bank

Sunday:

• Phanta Claus Pictures

Nook, The Body Shop, Garden State Discover Museum, Academy of Science

A few really great holiday gifts!

• $119 for Barnes & Noble 8GB NOOK Tablet (Manufacturer Refurbished) ($199 List Price). Free Shipping and Free Returns Click HERE for details or to purchase! 
•  $10 for $20 Worth of Skincare, Bath, and Beauty Products Go HERE for details or to purchase!
•  Garden State Discovery Museum – Cherry Hill Museum Visit for Two or Four (Up to 54% Off)HERE! 
•  Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University – Logan Square $15 for Museum Visit for Two (Up to $30 Value) HERE!

Home made donuts

I got a donut maker for Christmas-when I received the donut maker it came with a package of premade mix, but I wanted to find a way to make the donuts from scratch. After testing quite a few different recipes (online & the book that came with the maker) & a little mix & match, here is my recipe. (adapted from the Babycakes donut maker cook book)


Valentine's Day breakfast!



1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1.5 TBSP Cocoa ****
1 tbsp baking powder
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp vegetable oil ( or 2 TBSP oil & 2 TBSP applesauce)***

Mix dry ingredients, then wet ingredients & make sure the dough is mixed well & smooth. (***FYI-Most recipes called for 2 TBSP of cocoa powder but I found that made it too bitter-so less was better & the apple sauce made it a little grainy, so the best donuts were vanilla with 4 tablespoons vegetable oil).

Add your mix to the donut maker & cook for 4-5 minutes. I find that flipping them over at 4 minutes, cooks them all the way. You can top them anyway you want.  We used regular frosting (because after making a few dozen donuts, I didn't feel like making icing too!).  Oh and just so you know, these don't taste like donut, donuts-more of a cupcake like donut.  My kids still love them & they're quick & easy!





Pin It

New Year's Eve Ideas!!!

Countdown to Noon on the 31st with the Swarthmore Community Center

Countdown to Noon with the Lansdowne Public Library starts at 11:30 on Friday! (Say hi to Miss Rachée for me!)

Romparoo has a few parties!

Main Line Parent has a great list too, so check it out HERE!

Free Santa Tracking via NORAD

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)is the bi-national U.S.-Canadian military organization responsible for the aerospace and maritime defense of the United States and Canada. During the evening of Christmas Eve, NORAD also helps children of the world track Santa Clause!

The NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center (NTSOC) opens on December 24th at 4:30 a.m. EST (3:30a.m. CST, 2:30a.m. MST, and 1:30a.m. PST) until 5:00am EST (4:00a.m. CST, 3:00a.m. MST, and 2:00a.m. PST) on December 25th.

Located at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the NTSOC receives up-to-the-minute status reports from our radar, satellites, and Santa cams. Official Santa trackers are standing by to update you on Santa’s current location! You can call, email or track Santa online, your cell phone & Twitter!!!

Phone: 1 (877) HI NORAD / 1 (877) 446-6723 (We have called and my daughter thought it all sound very official!)
Email: noradtrackssanta@gmail.com

Track Santa at NORAD Santa Tracker to see live updates.

Fossil-Free Overnight Shipping Today Only

Need a last minute gift? Watches, Wallets, Handbags & Clothes at Fossil and you can get them shipped overnight for free!!! How about getting cash back on your purchase too? Right now shop through Ebates and get 7.5% back. Just go to Ebates first, sign in (or up) and then type in Fossil and then click shop now to recieve cash back & free overnight shipping.

Don't want to go to Ebates, just go HERE to use the code FOS1220 to get free overnight shipping.

This weekend in Delco

Saturday 

• Build & Grow Clinic at Lowes 10 am registration required.
• Media Second Saturday HERE All Day!
• Parkside Performing Arts Company Presents: The Nutcracker 2011 Info HERE 7 pm

All Weekend

• Christmas on the Farm at Linvilla 
• The Rock School of Dance presents the Nutcraker Kimmel Center
• Grange Estate Train Display .
• Wanamaker Shower 
• The Comcast Holiday Spectacular 
• Reading Terminal Market Railroad & frequent events, info HERE.
• Longwood Gardens
• Winterthur

Holiday Memories~My Mother Gave Me Coal for Christmas

Day number 5 of 12 days and today's topic: Holiday Memories.

Yeah, you read that right, I got coal for Christmas...in my stocking.  I told my mother that year that I didn't believe in Santa anymore....I was 14 after all, the magic wasn't there anymore.  I had known for years but come-on, how long am I am supposed to keep this going?!  We woke up that morning early (because my brother is 6 years younger, he still had surprises under the tree)...I'm sure I walked down slower, too cool for school of course.  When I get to the living room my brother & sister already had their stockings & tearing into them.  My stocking is looking a little empty....and in it was a little tin of coal and nothing else. 

This is exactly what I had in my stocking that year!!!

Not a tube of chapstick, no cd.  Nothing. Coal. Even though I was 14, I was seriously upset, I wanted all the knick knack crap that came in that stocking.  One look at my mother's smug face and you could tell she knew she had done well.  So after the sibs get through their stockings we set out to open our gifts under the tree.  The last gift my mother hands me is a box.  

To Jessica From Santa.  Inside a little note: You really should believe in the magic of Santa because you're not to old to believe and if you don't then you'll get nothing for Christmas next year.   All the stuff that should have been in my stocking was in the box and  I've believed ever since!!!

 
Do you have a family memory to share?!

JCPenny Portrait Deal

$40 for Enhanced Portrait Package ($209.89 Value). Click
HERE for all the details.

Also, before posting this I read all the questions and the people at Groupon say it is good at all JC Penny portrait locations. Here is what you get:
•Six single-image enhanced portrait sheets, 10”x13” or smaller
•One Be Squared portrait, 10”x10” or smaller
•One single-image CD
•Standard sitting fees for all subjects in the photo shoot are waived
•40% off additional purchases of portrait sheets, greeting cards, collages, posters, or enlargements made that day

Creative Halloween Candy Solutions: What do do with all that candy!

If you are at all like me, you are wonder what the H*## am I going to do with all this candy??!!  Here are a few ideas that might work for you and your family.  

• Using plastic wrap and ribbons, wrap one piece of candy and tie with a ribbon, repeating until you have enough to last from November 1-Christmas or Hanukkah and let the kids eat one a day. 
• Have your children choose 10 (or 20 what ever works for your family) pieces of candy and then  the "Switch Witch" or the "Great Pumpkin" will trade them a small toy or prize for the candy.  Donate to the local food pantry.
• Hide some now for Christmas stockings (I do this every year and I have to really hide it or my husband will eat it!) I will do this today, the day after Halloween, before all the "good" candy has been picked over, to make sure we have good candy & to ensure that my kids have the same amount of the same candy!
• Use it in a birthday or holiday party.  Most of the candy we received doesn't have anything Halloween on it, so we will be using our this weekend for my daughter's birthday party.  She is having a Willy Wonka themed party, so candy fits it!
• Trade in your candy at a local trade and get $1 a pound!  The candy is then shipped overseas to our troops to eat and give to children there. Check out Halloween Candy Buy Backs find a participating office near you!

 Do you have a creative solution?  Comment below and let us in on your secret!!! 

Delaware County Halloween Parades & Fun

 Delco loves Halloween!  I would recommend calling before heading out tomorrow for parades...one has already been postponed!  If you have any more events, leave a comment!


Hayrides to the Witches House & Pumpkin Land at Linvilla AND all you can carry pumpkins $19.99 on Oct. 30th

Saturday

• FREE Pajama Breakfast at Chick-fil-A at 10 am
• Halloween SpooktacularSpringfield Mall at 11 am
• Granite Run Mall Safe trick-or-treating and a “spook-tacular” costume contest Oct. 29th from noon–2pm!
• Upland Oct. 29th at 4pm
• Toys R Us    Geoffrey's Halloween Parade 12-3 

 Media

• Media Recreation Board will be hosting their annual Halloween Extravaganza for the children of Media Borough on Sat. October 30 from 11:30-1:30 pm at the Community Center. There will be games, food, and goodie bags. Costumes are welcome Info HERE
• 47th Delaware County Halloween Parade, Oct. 30th at 2 pm InfoHERE (*Note: Rescheduled from Saturday Due to predicted bad weather!) 

  Swarthmore:

• Halloween party Oct. 29th 4:30-6:30 to benefit Chrohs & Colitis Foundation Info HERE
• The Creative Living Room Parade & story Oct. 31st at 4:30, More Info HERE

Ridley Park Dog Parade  October 30th Noon-3pm

Alice in Wonderland Wii & Ds Games only $9.99

Great for a holiday gift!!! I just grabbed one for my daughter :)

Thanks to Mamacheaps for finding this great deal!

4th of July Events~Most Updated List!

Leave a comment if you know of anything that has been missed! I'm still working on this but wanted to publish it before some of the events started this weekend! 
Harrah's Chester Fireworks, July 1st

Aston Fireworks (page 3 of the newsletter) The annual Fourth of July fireworks display in Aston Township will start at dusk on Monday, July 4 at Sun Valley High School.

Broomall/Newtown Square Parade: July 4th, starts at 10 in St. Albans Circle and comes down West Chester Pike to end at Broomall Fire Company (Thanks Lynn!)

LansdowneParade, Fireworks and More! – Monday, July 4

Lower Chichester has fireworks at dusk on July 3rd. at Rocco Gaspari municiple park on Hewes Ave. in Linwood. (Thanks Fran!)

Norwood: Fireworks July 3rd, Dusk,Lower Park (Thanks Elissa!)

Radnor Township Parade & Fireworks
Ridley Park: Fireworks, July 2nd at dusk, Eastlake Park - West Ridley and Constitution

Rutledge: Monday, July 4th, 2011 (No Rain Date) 9:00 am - Parade Registration at Triangle Park*,  9:30 am - Judging, Children's' Division. *All children under 12 riding on wheels must wear a helmet! PA law title 75, chapter 35, section 3510
10:30 am - Welcome, Honors & Awards at the Borough Hall,  Hot Dogs, Pretzels, Lemon Sticks, Soda & Water, Tattoos! Hair Painting! Face Painting!  FIRE ENGINE RIDES! Thanks Kris!!!

Springfield- Monday July 4th. The parade starts at 9am. Rain date is Saturday July9th. Memorial Park starting at 10:30 including a flag raising ceremony, Firehouse Five concert, free ice cream, free balloons and buttons, field events, pony rides, face painting, Kiddie Bounce Floats, a juggler, a clown and a balloon man.  (Thanks for the info Tara!!!)

Swarthmore July 4th at 8:30am at Borough Hall, Bike decorating contests, floats & bike races!

Thornbury- 10 am

Upland at 11 AM

Don't forget to check out the Wawa Welcome America activities as well. Info can be found HERE.


A list of Chester County Fireworks can be found HERE!

Kids Eat Free at Applebess!

My daughter LOVES Applebees, so we might have to go so she can get her fill & its cheap, to make her feel very loved!  July 2nd, 3rd and 4th, kids ages 12 and under get a free kids meal at Applebee’s (up to 2 free kids meals with purchase of 1 adult entree). Ridley Apples is participating, but call your local Applebees before you go to verify they are participating as well...sign up for their emails to get the deals to your inbox!

4th of July Weekend Events~3rd Draft

Leave a comment if you know of anything that has been missed! I'm still working on this but wanted to publish it before some of the events started this weekend! 
Harrah's Chester Fireworks, July 1st

Aston Fireworks (page 3 of the newsletter) The annual Fourth of July fireworks display in Aston Township will start at dusk on Monday, July 4 at Sun Valley High School.

Broomall/Newtown Square Parade: July 4th, starts at 10 in St. Albans Circle and comes down West Chester Pike to end at Broomall Fire Company (Thanks Lynn!)

LansdowneParade, Fireworks and More! – Monday, July 4

Lower Chichester has fireworks at dusk on July 3rd. at Rocco Gaspari municiple park on Hewes Ave. in Linwood. (Thanks Fran!)

Norwood: Fireworks July 3rd, Dusk,Lower Park (Thanks Elissa!)

Radnor Township Parade & Fireworks
Ridley Park: Fireworks, July 2nd at dusk, Eastlake Park - West Ridley and Constitution

Rutledge: Monday, July 4th, 2011 (No Rain Date) 9:00 am - Parade Registration at Triangle Park*,  9:30 am - Judging, Children's' Division. *All children under 12 riding on wheels must wear a helmet! PA law title 75, chapter 35, section 3510
10:30 am - Welcome, Honors & Awards at the Borough Hall,  Hot Dogs, Pretzels, Lemon Sticks, Soda & Water, Tattoos! Hair Painting! Face Painting!  FIRE ENGINE RIDES! Thanks Kris!!!

Springfield- Monday July 4th. The parade starts at 9am. Rain date is Saturday July9th. Memorial Park starting at 10:30 including a flag raising ceremony, Firehouse Five concert, free ice cream, free balloons and buttons, field events, pony rides, face painting, Kiddie Bounce Floats, a juggler, a clown and a balloon man.  (Thanks for the info Tara!!!)

Swarthmore July 4th at 8:30am at Borough Hall, Bike decorating contests, floats & bike races!

Thornbury- 10 am

Upland at 11 AM

Don't forget to check out the Wawa Welcome America activities as well. Info can be found HERE.


A list of Chester County Fireworks can be found HERE!

Free Lowes Build & Grow Clinic~Reminder!!!

Waving Flag: Saturday 06/25/2011 at 10 am!

Independence Day is right around the corner! Your child can show their patriotism with this cool Waving Flag!

Check out Lowes to register

Wawa Welcome America

Summertime means family fun in Philadelphia with the annual Wawa Welcome America! festival. There will be a ton of fantastic events happening June 25th through July 4th, 2010.

One of my fave events....
Super Scooper All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream FestivalPenn’s Landing

12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
$7 admission required to enter.
All proceeds benefit the Joshua Kahan Fund, fighting to cure Pediatric Leukemia.


Click HERE for more information and other events!

Kids Eat Free at Applebees on Easter!

Kid's must be accompanied by an adult to receive free kid's meal. Two free kid's meals per adult entree purchased. 12 and under. Must order from the Kid's Menu. Dine-in only.

Valid only at participation Applebee's in Greater Philadelphia, New Jersey, Wilkes Barre - Scranton, Baltimore and MD/DE Easter Shore.

Check it out HERE!