Looking for something fun to do this weekend with your family, besides enjoying some Labor Day BBQs? We'll be eating lots of cake in the Gilmore home. It's my husband's birthday tomorrow--Happy birthday G!
Check our Upcoming Events calendar for all the details. While your at it, make sure to sign up for our newsletter to stay in the know and get great deals. And if you haven't ordered your tickets to our awesome Back to School Bash--what are you waiting for? Do it now!
The Sentinels-16 Police Association, which is Montclair's Minority Police Officer Association, will be giving out free school supplies this Saturday, September 4 starting at 2 pm and ending when all the supplies are gone.
Free School Supplies Who: All school age kids. What: Sentinal-16 Polics Association helps out the community with free school supplies. Where: Glenfield Park, Maple Avenue, Montclair, NJ, 07042. When: Saturday, Sept. 4 starting at 2 pm.
In Part I, Professional organizer Deborah Gusoff gave us tips to make our mornings run smoothly. Now, she helps us make our afternoons with our kids more organized and hopefully, a more relaxing time together:
The After School Routine
Establish a routine for tasks such as emptying the lunch box, handing over notes from school, homework, putting the backpack on its designated hook, etc. If you have a middle-school or high-school child, you may want to designate an "in box" or specific area for him to put all school papers that need your attention. Your job is to make sure you look at that area each evening! Once you've signed the permission slip, homework, etc., put it in your child's backpack to ensure it gets back to school the next day.
Decide when homework is to be done. Some kids like to get it out of the way and then have the rest of the afternoon/evening to play or hang-out, while others need some down-time after school before starting. Discuss this with your child before school starts, and agree on a plan.
Determine what extra-curricular activities your child will participate in. Trying to manage your children's busy schedules can be challenging; trying to fold their lives into your already busy life can be downright difficult. The first step is to figure out how may activities you are willing to let your child take. Questions to consider include: If you have more than one child, should you stagger, alternate or consolidate their activities? How much school work do you anticipate your child will have this year and how will after-school activities impact that? (For example, a sports team that practices every day after school and has a game every weekend is a much bigger time commitment and will interfere with studies more than a one-hour per week art class). Are there certain activities you consider non-negotiable in which your child must participate (i.e., CCD or Sunday School)? How many activities can you afford to pay for this semester and do you need to purchase any equipment or supplies?
Once you've answered the questions above, sketch out what a sample week will look like. Make a grid listing each day of the week across the top; on the left-hand side, list times, by hour, from school dismissal until evening. Pencil in activities your kids are considering. Be sure to include travel time if needed. Be sure to include your own activities so you don't commit Johnny to karate lessons at the same time you have your yoga class.
Parents of young children are familiar with that most engaging and slippery of childlike characteristics: enthusiasm. You wake up one day to hear your child say, "I want to play the flute!" Happy to support such initiative, you run out to sign the child up for lessons. The next week, the flute lies dormant in its case, as your child has moved on to new infatuations like horseback riding lessons or karate. The fickle young brain has struck again.
But, say your child does make it past that stage and actually sticks it out with a chosen instrument for a couple of weeks or even months. Then, a new challenge awaits: practicing the instrument. Indeed, most parents dread practice more than their child. For, it is very often the parent who is there enforcing the practice time, making sure it gets done. Just how do you get your child to practice?
Montclair resident John Werner signed his son Liam up for trumpet lessons when Liam was younger. While John says that it is important "not to push too hard to practice," Liam took to the instrument and soon branched out into piano, bass and mellophone as well. "We built benchmarks for him," says John. "We weren't that formal about it. But, we would say, 'If you want a new horn next year, we need to hear more practice.'" This gave Liam the push he needed.
Forty-five Montclair school crossing guards were sworn in by Deputy Clerk Carla Horowitz at the Montclair Municipal Building yesterday morning. Sharon Johnson signs the official roster, left. Mayor Jerry Fried, back from his second China trip, thanked the guards handing them a Proclamation of Appreciation, saying "You are among the unsung heroes in town, and you're literally saving kids lives ever morning."
Barista Kids sends a big thanks to Montclair's crossing guards too!
Less than one week (or two in Montclair) until school starts. In an effort to make your life easier, we've gathered some important information about the upcoming school year for you:
With the number of overweight and obese children in the U.S. tripling over the past three decades, preventing childhood obesity has become a serious concern in this country. So much so First Lady Michele Obama is making it a top priority with her Let's Move campaign. And Jamie Oliver flew over from Europe to teach American school kids about healthy eating habits.
Now, Clara Maass Medical Center Foundation is taking on the challenge. On Sunday, September 26, the foundation is hosting the Lifeline Challenge to Healthy Living in Branch Brook Park. This walk/ride event raises money to help fund the foundation's efforts in bringing nutrition and exercise programs to Essex, Bergen, Passaic and Hudson county schools, empowering children and their families to make healthy choices.
We were at a nearby beach playground when a mom let her 4-year-old pour filled buckets of sand from the top of the slide down to the bottom--over and over again. Of course, sand crashed into my 3-year-old who was slow to get off the play equipment. He cried.
The mom stood right there watching. If she hadn't been present, I would've asked her child to stop it. But what do you say when a parent so obviously allows her kid to do something you'd never let her child do?
I bit my tongue that time. I figured my kid would learn to get off the slide a little faster. My general rule is to get involved when someone is getting hurt--whether the parent is present or not. This time, the kids at the bottom of the slide were fine.
St. Cassian School wants to spruce up its technology program and its holding a golf fundraiser to raise money. The golf fundraiser will be held on September 29 at Black Bear in Franklin, NJ. This year, they will be honoring alumnus Dr. James Morgan for his work to advocate for the respect and protection of basic human rights in Haiti. His organization, Lamp For Haiti provides basic healthcare, investigates allegations of human right abuses, and provides educational and humanitarian aid.
Your ticket will include breakfast, a four-person scramble, lunch, and an awards reception following your round of golf. Registration and breakfast start at 7:30 am, followed by a shotgun start at 9 am, and then lunch and the awards ceremony.
Register online or call Hugo & Jeannette Pizarro at 973.338.1153.
I've always loved going back to school. It is a time of fresh starts, new routines, and most importantly--new clothes.
I remember almost every "first day of school outfit" I wore up until I graduated high school. From the little white Peter Pan collar shirt and plaid skirt in kindergarten to the Doc Martins, ripped fishnets and Ozzy Osbourne t-shirt I wore the first day of high school--they each were carefully chosen for the beginning of a new school year.
Do you choose a special "first day of school outfit" for your kids?
Montclair schools offer the STARS program, a twice a week tutoring program that pairs Montclair High Students with Nishuane Elementary School students from the first and second grades, for one on one tutoring. The program has provided educational support for struggling students; it has also been a very rewarding experience for the MHS volunteers. With the budget cuts, the program was going to be reduced. That was until student volunteers from the program couldn't bear to let down the young students that they had been tutoring, so they took matters into their own hands.
Led by Stars Program leader Mel Bandler a Montclair High senior, the students organized a series of fundraisers to save the program. For two consecutive weeks they held fundraisers in town, selling homemade baked goods and handmade bracelets. The students raised over $700, almost halfway to their goal.
The Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles program gives kids a chance to fly high every year. Now the EAA is offering an historic flight experience in its restored B-17G Flying Fortress "Aluminum Overcast." One of only 14 Fortress's still flying, this aircraft is an icon of the Allied strategic bombing effort that helped turn the tide of battle in World War II. Unlike reading a history book, you can actually fly a mission back in time and feel the might of this magnificent machine, just as those brave young men did more than 60 years ago. The visit is part of EAA's 2010 "Salute to Veterans" tour and celebrates the 75th Anniversary of this special aircraft.
Harry Parsons, leader of the local chapter and Bloomfield father of two, says that people of all ages can fly. "There is no age limit of any kind, we've had infants and nanogenarians!" Check out the video above of a kid and his grandfather, a WWII veteran.
The cost to fly isn't cheap, but it would be a great thing for a family to do together:
Being a professional de-licer is a pretty lucrative job these days. it seems that lice is rampant in these parts--thankfully bed bugs aren't--yet. Anyway, Montclair's original Lice Lady, Susan Kaufman, has moved out of Baristaville and passed the comb over to Suzanne McDonald.
I spoke to Suzanne yesterday and got the lowdown on lice. Those nasty critters made their way onto heads all summer and Suzanne has been working non-stop trying to rid kids of the buggers. She warned that if the lice isn't taken care of before school starts that there will be another big infestation at the end of September.
You know how on an airplane, they tell you that in the case of an emergency where oxygen is needed, that you should put the mask on yourself first and then your children? Well Baristanet (the Mamas) went first and launched a new design this morning and we (Kids) are being helped next.
Barista Kids won't change as much, but we will look more stylish and have new features that will make it easier to get the most comprehensive news, event information and parenting discussion in Essex County. Like a good makeover, we will look like us, only better.
Our changes will happen on October 1--so stay tuned!
Registration for fall classes at the Montclair Little Y began on Monday. Meanwhile, the brochures for everything from tennis lessons to dancing school are piling up in my mailbox. Every year at this time, I wonder how many classes my preschoolers should take. I don't want to overschedule my kids. But is it possible to underschedule them?
My sister-in-law puts her kids in soccer twice a week. I asked her, "Why soccer?" She said, "Doesn't everyone do soccer?"
Meanwhile, my best friend doesn't sign her 4-year-old up for anything. She says preschool costs more than enough. Most of my other friends do at least one organized activity from Taekwondo to private music instruction.
Researchers have recently stated that kids aren't overscheduled. Kids who do up to 20 hours of organized activities (this pertains to big kids, of course) tend to be more well adjusted than kids who don't do anything at all.
But what about the youngest ones? How much stuff should a 4-year-old do? I have to figure it out soon. Around here, kids' classes--especially the ones at the Little Y--fill up fast.
Everyone will tell you to prepare for the Terrible Twos, but I'm here to tell you that 3-year-olds are so much worse. At least in the Gilmore house. With both of my daughters, their third year caused me the most grief. But my youngest has really turned my world upside down. I'm having to see my hairstylist every three weeks to cover all the damn grays I have now, and I can tell you what she did to cause each and every one. That big one right in front--I got that one the time she decided to bite into the glow stick she received in a goody bag, getting a mouth full of neon liquid. The little one that pokes straight up at my part--I got that one when she decided to climb and jump, knocking her front tooth loose. It's just another sign I can add to my list of things that make me old.
Listen, I love that cute little spitfire--I do. But she's lucky she is so cute and loving. Those attributes are her saving grace--a survival mechanism. It's just that since she turned three, she exhausts me. Everything is a battle. I want to put her hair in pigtails, she wants it down. I choose a dress, she chooses a skirt. I do the unthinkable and forget to let her pour her yogurt drink into her cup, and she freaks out and wants an entire new yogurt drink to start all over.
Being a teacher, I took all the child development classes that explain why children behave the way they do. I've read all the parenting books on how to speak to children so they listen. I currently teach preschool and use my best teacher voice with the kids and it always works. But there is something about dealing with a three-year-old (my three-year-old) that I can't manage to do right.
The thing is, my daughter is very passionate. When she smiles, her entire face brightens up. When she laughs, her entire body convulses in chuckles. When she hugs you, she squeezes you full of love. But when she is angry, watch the &$%# out.
She doesn't turn four until next summer in June. I am trying to be strong until then....I just pray I make it out alive.
The long, lazy, relaxing days of summer are rapidly winding down. Before you know it, school will be back in session. To keep some of that calm, relaxing carryover from summer, organization is key. Professional Organizer Deborah Gussoff gives us some tips to make our lives easier:
The Night Before
Planning ahead is a guaranteed way to make the off-to-school routine a smooth one. Unexpected events are known to occur (the alarm clock didn't go off; the dog got loose and had to be retrieved before you could leave the house); the more you can do ahead of time, the less hectic and stressful your morning will be.
After your child completes his homework, make sure the assignment, as well as any books that need to go to school, are put back into the backpack.
Create a designated spot for the backpack (i.e., a cubby or hook near the door) and make sure it is returned there each evening.
If you don't already have a hook that you return your keys to each time you enter the house, now's the time to grab a hammer and nail! Knowing exactly where your keys are pre-empts a frantic search in the morning.
Check the schedule for the next day and assemble any necessary items (i.e., sneakers for Gym; the book borrowed for Library; equipment for an extra-curricular activity) and place by the door or in the backpack.
If your child brings lunch to school, make it as you're cleaning up from dinner. If your child purchases lunch, make sure lunch money is assembled in the evening to avoid spending precious morning time running around trying to find exact change. Even better, if you can, pre-pay a week or month's worth of lunches so you don't have to worry about it daily.
Have your child select the next day's outfit before bedtime. This will give you ample time to wash a favorite shirt if need be.
After you clean up the dinner dishes, set the table for breakfast. Put out plates, glasses, cereal bowls, silverware and daily vitamins or other medications.
Can't move without your morning java? Consider a coffeemaker with a timer. You can set it to brew at a specific time, giving you a little extra motivation to resist hitting the snooze button.
Stock nutritious, portable snacks like granola bars and cheese sticks for days when you're running really late.
On Miller Street in Montclair, tucked behind an apartment, is a community garden flourishing with all types of delicious food. What started in the spring by HOMECorp, has continued to grow and bring the community together.
While many adults oversee and tend the garden, it's been kids who have volunteered many hours building, planting, and painting that has made it a beautiful place to be. I was invited to visit a few weeks ago by HOMECorp coordinator, Gwen Battle. The day I visited, the Montclair YMCA Travel Teen Camp was there for their weekly visit. They arrived and started painting the shed with the beautiful pastel colors that run throughout the garden. Other volunteers have been The Civics and Government Insitute from MHS, Temple Ner Tamid, Toni's Kitchen, St. Luke's Episcopal Church and First United Methodist Church of Montclair.
There's no need to wait until Halloween to have some carving fun. How about taking a paring knife to a pepper, cranberry bean pod or purple eggplant? That's just what we did the other day after a trip to the Millburn Farmer's Market. The kids got instantly excited when they spotted the Gina's tent (apparently Montclair's very own Gina's Bakery is opening a location in Millburn) welcoming them to the market with free samples galore. And sample we did.
Moving on (with full tummies), my daughter eyed the cranberry beans while wandering through rainbow-colored bins of vegetables. Holding one up for us to see, my little one's face lit up as he recalled the whimsical sea creature from his favorite book One Lonely Sea Horse. Believe it or not, my son has been looking for these red-spotted, camouflage-patterned beans to make into sea serpents. You see, inspired by Joost Elffert's Play with Your Food, we'll often create animals and sea life out of various fruits and vegetables. With only a few cloves or beans for eyes, we've transformed a banana into an octopus and a ginger root into a big clawed lobster. It's an excellent activity while waiting for dinner.
It was with this beautiful serpentine cranberry bean that we discovered our purpose at the market this week. And so we roamed tent to tent, looking not for perfect vegetables but for attention-grabbing ones: Peppers with interesting folds (to become a scrunched up mouth on a funny face), u-shaped eggplants (for diving sharks) and bunches of okra (for silly soldiers). In a short time, we had mounds of unusual looking vegetables and we were poised for an afternoon of play-with-your-food fun.
It seems that every town does it differently, but most of them do it sooner than Baristaville--letting families know who their child's teacher will be.
In Glen Ridge kids meet their next year teacher on the last day of school. And at Oakside Elementary in Bloomfield they were given the info on the last day of school. In SOMA a friend tells me that they usually aren't told until the Friday before school starts. I thought it was bad in Montclair, we usually get told by the end of August. I've heard from some Montclair parents and teachers in the district that they will start to mail the placement letters today--but I'll believe it when I see it.
Do you know who your kid's teacher will be this school year? Are you happy about it?
Glen Ridge dad and children's author Daniel Kirk has been offering a download of his catchy songs every month since September 2009. We told you about his Halloween themed song last year. It's the end of the summer and the end of the Song of the Month Club, so this month's song is appropriately titled Carousel Horse, which reminds me of Martha's Vineyard.
If you haven't been downloading Kirk's songs every month, you're in luck, all 12 songs are available for free downloads. In addition to the free music, there has been a monthly book contest too. Kirk is giving away the biggest prize of all this time--a box of 25 autograph titles from Daniel Kirk's collection. To enter, email Daniel here and tell him why you think you should win. The best entry received by September 30, 2010 will win.
Montclair High School's Mounties, along with new coach, John Fiore, looked good in blue today on Media Day. There's a lot of excitement for this season. "This really is an exciting time for our football team! The new coach really cares about the guys, and we see a "new" energy in the players. My husband believes we had more people in attendance for a Saturday scrimmage than for many of last season's home games. (Don't know if that is accurate.) It certainly shows that Montclair is enthusiastic about what this year's football season could bring, " shares an excited parent.
The players are just as optimistic. Mounties safety and wide receiver Aamad Bush says, "Coach Fiore is great, I'm really happy he's our coach; he keeps us focused and also makes sure we have fun while playing football. But we are very excited for this season. We have something to prove after last season and we are also excited to win games for our new coach. We wanna prove that Montclair football is still one of the best in the state."
Check out the team's new website for the latest news. Here's the schedule of games for the upcoming season--Go Blue!
Looking for something fun to do this weekend with your family? Check our Upcoming Events calendar for all the details. While your at it, make sure to sign up for our newsletter to stay in the know and get great deals.
The first thing to do this weekend is to click here and purchase tickets to our Back to School Bash.
Have you been to Turtle Back Zoo lately? When I first started going about 5 years ago with my oldest daughter, it wasn't much to look at. However, if you've been there lately, you know that it's wonderful. The grounds are beautiful, there's a carousel, playground, face painting, and a nice collection of animal exhibits--my girls love the red panda. Now thanks to The Zoological Society of New Jersey it will soon have an aquarium.
The Zoological Society of New Jersey is celebrating its 35th anniversary - "the coral anniversary" - by donating an aquarium exhibit to the Essex County Turtle Back Zoo. Expected to open this September, the aquarium will feature several tanks filled with exotic sea-living species from tropical locations around the world as well as a Scarlet Ibis bird exhibit. Last night, they offered a sneak peek to the press to show off how excited they are to acquire the aquarium and to get the word out that they need sponsors:
Yetunde Daniels Rubinstein, a former admissions officer at Fordham University and currently a guidance counselor at Westfield High School, has spent the past 10 years working with high school seniors and their families as they explore their college options. This is a first in a series that will follow Baristaville high school seniors on their path to college.
For everyone involved - students, teachers, siblings, parents and pets - the arrival of the final year of high school is quite a momentous occasion. For many seniors in our area, September marks the start of twelve months of transition to college. As these young people navigate this unique period -- fraught with highs, lows and everything in between -- they often come to uncover so much about themselves that by the end of this year, they've transformed. Good, bad or ugly, this year is a very important step in the maturation process. Despite what they may tell you, high school seniors need help navigating these uncertain waters.
Baristaville has many bakeries, but only one that is completely peanut and nut free and that's Bella's Bakery in Millburn. And when I say completely peanut and nut free, I mean it in the strictest way. Owner and chef, Janet Antico, makes sure that all of the ingredients that go into the yummy treats come from a peanut/nut-free facility, from the flour to the chocolate, which she orders from the Vermont Nut Free Company.
This is a dream to a parent of a peanut allergic child. And it makes a kid who can rarely eat from a bakery super happy. My 6-year-old daughter has a severe peanut allergy. When I told her we were going to visit Bella's Bakery in Millburn so I could write about it on Baristanet's Food page, she was thrilled. After she binged on sweets, she was happy to give Barista Kids her review:
When Foreigner takes the stage at the Wellmont tonight, they won't be alone. A little local talent will be joining them on stage. And they might even show the band a thing or two.
Members of the Montclair and Glen Ridge High School Choirs have teamed up to sing with the iconic 80's rock band during the band's performance of their classic number one hit, "I Want to Know what Love Is."
What started as a conversation between Baristanet and The Wellmont, turned into this great opportunity. Baristanet's Daily Editor Erika Bleiberg organized the event in a very short amount of time and tonight, she can sit back (or rock out) and enjoy what she helped bring together.
Catherine Geller, a junior at Glen Ridge High School, was the first person to get the news that Foreigner wanted to sing with them, and she was stunned. "I said, 'What? a famous band wants to sing with us?'" She immediately tried to contact her chorus teacher, but the teacher was away on vacation. When she finally got in touch with her Choir Director, Jessica Sartori, Geller said Sartori's reaction was "'No way. This is crazy.'"
Sartori admits being "super excited" when she found out. "I'm a big 80's baby." And her play list proves it. "They're already on my ipod," Sartori said of Foreigner. Of course, all of her students were excited, too. "They're thrilled. They've never done anything like this before."
As Autumn and the Jewish Holidays approach, I am actually looking forward to the cool weather so that I can use my oven once again. It has been way too hot to turn that thing on. I love to bake and especially like to bake with my kids. In addition to the modeling cooking and baking together provides, it also creates what I hope will be lasting memories of family rituals around the Jewish holidays, something I never had.
Saying I did not grow up in a religious household is an understatement; I went to my first Passover Seder in my early twenties at a boyfriend's home. Until I went to college in the midwest, where there were relatively few Jewish people, I rarely thought about being Jewish--I was a New Yorker. Then the antisemitic wave happened on campus, things like rigging the breaks on a Jewish day camp bus and swastikas on the Jewish frat houses. I was forced to think of myself as Jewish and I felt conflicted.
The Red Cross of Montclair, Glen Ridge and Nutley needs cookies to give to donors as part of its Cookie Angel program. Melanie Hazim, Director of Public Relations/Blood Services, explains:
The Red Cross of Montclair hosts monthly blood drives at the chapter located at 63 Park St. On the second Thursday of every month we welcome anywhere from 40 to 60 blood donors to our home and they help others, perfect strangers, with one simple blood donation.
We are looking for local church groups, boy/ girl scout troops, or any other organizations that would like to be a part of our Cookie Angel program. We would ask that you bake about 4-6 dozen cookies for one specific month out of the year. Our donors and the technicians we see every month ALWAYS comment on the warm feeling our chapter gives off and I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the home baked treats we are able to offer, versus the regular bags of pretzels and packaged Chips Ahoy.
We have lost some participation as of late and would love to find some new groups to put on our calendar starting in September. If this is something your group could help us with, please call me at 973.746.1800 or email here.
If you missed the New Jersey State Fair this year, never fear. The St. Sebastian's Fair is coming to town this week. The best part: This festival is in our back yard.
Every year, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church hosts this Italian feast. Kids can ride Donald Duck and the Berry Go Round while adults eat zeppoles and sausages under the food tents. Rides are affordable, and the corn dogs are good.
But the highlight of the affair is St. Sebastian himself, see left. He was killed during the persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire--in the year 288. Our Lady of Mount Carmel received their St. Sebastian statue 84 years ago from Cerami, Sicily. Their Saint hits the streets procession-style on Sunday, August 29, at 3:30 pm from 94 Pine Street in Montclair. St. Sebastian arrives at the fair right around 5 pm.
If you see him, it's customary to yell, "Viva San Sebastiano!"
If you don't see The Saint, you can still get in on the fun. This fair in Montclair starts on Thursday at 5 p.m. Keep reading for more details.
Sometimes it's just nice to be in the kitchen with girlfriends. Sure, the kids can wander in and out, with curious looks and taste all they want. But I need some girl time when I can get it and at this time of year, there's nothing like cooking up a good old fashioned batch of farm fresh tomato sauce with a friend or two.
Tomatoes are everywhere, and good ones for that matter. This year's Jersey farmers are producing sweet beauties - heirloom, beefsteak, grape, plum - you name them. I've had such an abundance of tomatoes from my CSA, farmer's markets and various farm stands that it would be nearly impossible to not make sauce. Got tomatoes? Just gather some farm fresh garlic and basil and get cooking a big batch (or two or three) of sauce. Invite a friend who has been away and use the time to catch up. There couldn't be a simpler sauce to prepare or a more ideal food to make with someone else.
Every year, we hit the L.I.E. and head out to Fire Island. It's our pilgrimage, complete with natural bug spray, organic mac and cheese and ear plugs for me. All week, we are in Fair Harbor in the same house rental.
The days before going on vacation are always stressful. Will my three preschoolers need their swimming shoes for the sand? Probably not. Will the neighbor mind watching the dog while we're away? She didn't. And someone needs to check on the cat. Check. The chores of going away for seven days are tiresome. But they are done with hopefulness. After all, we're preparing for some much-needed family time and relaxation.
But is it relaxing to hang out with three little kids minus the luxuries of summer camp and TV on demand? It's not relaxing when the kid wake up at 6:30 a.m. like they always do when we're away from their comfort zone. In other words, vacation can be daunting. I've only been a parent for four and a half years, and I'm still getting the hang of it. The other nine years I've been coming out to Fire Island were totally carefree.
I'm still learning how to keep my kids--and myself--happy. Here are a few things I do before going away. And if you have tips, please share.
Paper Mill Playhouse is running a video dance contest in celebration of its production of Hairspray, which will open on September 22. Contestants were challenged to come up with a new, original dance move to the music track "You Can't Stop the Beat" from Hairspray. This all went on on Paper Mill Playhouse's Facebook page.
Today they announced the eight finalists:
Chris Beard of Pennington, NJ, age 18. Dance invention entitled, "The Coif and Party."
Isabella Bucci of Morris Plains, NJ, age 14. Dance invention entitled, "The Hairspray Bottle."
Ryan Campbell of Stirling, NJ, age 16. Dance invention entitled, "The Neck Breaker."
Allison Edelstein of Livingston, NJ, age 15. Dance invention entitled, "Tracy Time."
Rorey Furey-King of Montclair, NJ, age 14. Dance invention entitled, "The Frame."
Elena Knitel of Fair Lawn, NJ, age 13. Dance invention entitled, "The Sewing Machine."
Phil Sloves of Fair Lawn, NJ, age 18. Dance invention entitled, "Galloping Bat."
Mike Yosen of Whitehouse Station, NJ, age 20. Dance invention entitled, "The Prom Shuffle."
Starting today, you can vote for your favorite dance and dancer. The contestant with the most votes, will be announced on September 26, at the opening night performance of Hairspray. You can access the contest by heading over to Paper Mill Playhouse's Facebook page, clicking "like" and then clicking on the contest tab to see the videos.
I became a New Jerseyan twice, in the two ways most people do. I was born in NJ, and was a native of our fair state from day one; I also moved to New Jersey after stints in Pennsylvania and New York, and did the paperwork that made me a resident of NJ (when I turned in my NY license at the DMV in East Orange, they still had my license number on file from when I'd first passed my driving test back when).
My son had to take a more circuitous route to join our ranks. He was born in Texas, to a birth-mom who had been matched with my wife and me through a domestic adoption agency. Because every state has its own laws governing inter-state adoptions, we had to wait several days after his release from the hospital to get approval to fly him out of Texas; and even though we brought him straight to Newark International Airport and our home in Maplewood, he still wasn't a Jersey Boy.
Another school year is about to begin - to me, the real start of the New Year. Regardless of how many children you have, or how old they are, the beginning of the school year can be hectic and overwhelming.
There are still about two-three weeks before school begins. Now is a good time to take stock of what you did over the summer and start gearing up for the big day. One of the most effective ways to avoid chaos and bring peace of mind to the uncertainty of newness is through the use of routines. Routines create a sense of security for children because they know what is expected of them and what will come next. Routines are also a great way to help children become self-sufficient, and isn't one of our primary goals as parents to help our children become responsible and independent?
With two weeks to go, now is the perfect time to get back into the swing. I recommend that you introduce a few "school year" routines per week every week until school begins. Think about which routines will make the biggest difference in your household and start with them. This will give you all more time to practice those. Let's look at some areas of life where routines can make a difference, but before enumerating them, please make sure that you only work on a few at a time and think of ways to institute routines in small steps over an extended period of time. Starting with too many, too fast is a certain path to frustration and failure.
The end of August and the beginning of September is tricky for working parents. Summer camps are finished, but school hasn't started. What to do with the kids when you have to work? If you live in Montclair, you're really scrambling for coverage, because school doesn't begin until Monday, September 13. Most Baristaville schools are closed for Rosh Hashanah. If you aren't observing the holiday, you may need coverage as well.
If you have family who will watch the kids, you're lucky. A babysitter is another option, but that will get really expensive.
Luckily, there are some cheaper options out there:
NJ Monthly Magazine has just released the full list of NJ's Top Public High Schools for 2010. We told you that Millburn made the top spot last week, but now we get to see how other Baristaville schools ranked.
Glen Ridge moved up one notch from the number five spot to the fourth spot.
Montclair fell down nine spots from 85 to 94.
Columbia High School (Maplewood & South Orange) improved, moving up from spot 89 to 75.
Our Back to School Bash is really coming together. We're working really hard to make it a great event for families of all ages.
We've made it easy to purchase advance tickets. Click here and order them at Brown Paper Tickets and mark the date on the calendar!
Barista Kids Back to School Bash Who: All ages. What: A super fun party to celebrate going back to school. Bouncy houses, live entertainment from Mr. Ray and School of Rock Montclair, fun activities, yummy treats to buy and much more! Where: Soccer Domain, 14 Depot Square, Montclair, NJ, 07042. When: Sunday, September 19 from 2 pm - 5 pm. Cost: $5 in advance / $7 at the door / Babies 12 months and under Free. Order online here.
After the board of education's retreat last month where members and concerned citizens were schooled on New Jersey state regulations regarding charters, the possible conversion of the entire district into charter status may not seem as appealing as it once did. Back in March when the borough learned it had lost all of the $1.2 million in state aid for the upcoming school year, parents had proposed possible conversion.
Although charters are prized for their promise of innovation, flexibility and intimate settings, the road to the schools are often long, rutted and occasionally washed out.
Rex Shaw, former executive director of the acclaimed Teaneck Community Charter School (TCCS), explained the difficulties involved in starting and maintaining a successful charter.
WINNER: Congratulations to BloomingMom, the winner of the owl backpack from The Sewing Loft.
If you have a kid starting preschool, then we have the backpack for you.
The Brown Belly Owl backpack is super cute and the perfect size for a preschooler. It's handmade by Heather Valentine. A former designer in the garment indsutry for 20 years, Heather decided to do her own thing and launched The Sewing Loft two years ago.
The Sewing Loft offers handmade, limited edition products. Heather's two daughters (ages 10 and 6) are her critics, giving her their opinion on her designs and offering up ideas, so you can be sure that kids will like the collection. What was once a dress, becomes a backpack--the collections are designed around post-consumer products using a combination of scraps, felt, upcycled and repurposed fabrics, along with a few new fabrics.
The Sewing Loft is generously offering one lucky Barista Kids reader a Brown Belly Owl backpack. I'll be honest--it's my favorite in the collection. We have a thing for owls here at Barista Kids.
When Brian Lerner, 16, set off for camp this summer unlike his fellow teens, he didn't board a bus or hop into his parents' car. Instead he got on a plane and traveled thousands of miles from his hometown of Maplewood to Ethiopia, a place that was all at once foreign and familiar to him.
"One of my main impetuses for going was that my 5-year-old sister is Ethiopian," Brian explained. "And it was definitely important to me to go and understand the world that she came from. Still, though, the chance to go and make such a meaningful difference in that world was the driving force behind my trip."
Brian's fellow campers and he didn't share a language. And their backgrounds and experiences couldn't be more different. Brian will be starting his senior year at Montclair Kimberley Academy where he's a member of the chess club, competes on the debate team and plays baseball. His fellow campers are orphans. And they're living with HIV/AIDS.
Quest Academy, a proposed charter school in Montclair, is getting closer to a final approval. From an email sent out tonight:
Dear Quest Academy Charter School of Montclair Supporters,
We are excited to send you the latest update about the current status of the application submitted on March 31st, 2010. Our application was one of 35 proposed new charter schools in the state of New Jersey, and was among those chosen to advance to the next stage of the approval process. The founders were invited to attend a "Charter School Leadership Workshop" in early August, and our founding group was called for an Addendum meeting on August 3nd in Trenton. Tracey, Liliya and Claudia attended the Addendum Meeting, and met with the reviewers from the NJ Charter School Department at the DOE. At this meeting, we were pleased to learn that the team of "Independent Reviewers" concluded that our group merited moving to the next step. The NJ Charter School Dept. provided us with feedback on the revisions needed prior to its submission to the Commissioner of Education, Bret Schundler, for his final decision. We were given one week to complete these changes, which were successfully submitted on August 10th. The Superintendent of Montclair Public Schools, Dr. Frank Alvarez, has another 30 days from the August 10th date to present his response to the revisions. We should have the official decision sometime after September 10th, at which point, if favorable, all founders will attend a formal interview with the Commissioner of Education, Bret Schundler. We will continue to let you know about the status of our application. If approved, we look forward to opening our doors in September of 2011 to 160 students from 9th and 10th grades.
All summer long, we have been working on bringing your family a really fun party to celebrate going back to school (or having one last hurrah before hitting the books)--whichever way you look at it, it will be fun.
Mr. Ray, Baristaville kiddie rocker, will get the party started thanks to Park Street Academy who is sponsoring his show. After years rocking with Bruce Springsteen, Matchbox Twenty, and Meat Loaf, Ray Anderson became Mr. Ray and has been entertaining the preschool set ever since.
School of Rock Montclair will then perform a concert that will end the party with a bang. If you've been able to catch their summer concerts at Just Jake's, you know the students of School of Rock can rock.
The PJ Library is like a Jewish "Book of the Month" club for kids and it's absolutely free. This award-winning Jewish family engagement program was created by the Harold Grinspoon, a real estate entrepreneur, as a way to strengthen the identities of Jewish families and their relationship to Jewish community through books. The PJ Library offers free, high-quality Jewish books and music each month to families raising Jewish children ages six months to 5 ½ years old in more than 125 communities across the United States and Canada.
Families in Baristaville can enjoy the benefits of The PJ Library through the MetroWest program. Children living in Essex, Morris, Sussex, and Northern Union counties can receive a FREE age appropriate Jewish content book or CD at their home every month. In addition, parents receive a monthly E-Newsletter with more information about the books and local happenings in the Jewish Community. Kids must be 6 months - 5 1/2 years old to subscribe. The program is also available to special needs children over the age of 5 1/2--just email Andrea Bergman, The PJ Library Coordinator, to discuss the appropriate age level.
The Montclair Episcopal churches of St. John's and St. James are sponsoring their annual Backpack Project. Please consider donating NEW backpacks for Montclair children in need, and dropping them off at either of the rectory offices. While you're at the store buying a backpack to donate, pick up some school supplies too.
You can also bring your donations to the Upper Montclair Sidewalk Sale on Saturday, September 11. The churches will have a table set up for collection of backpacks, school supplies and monetary donations.
Get those mini cycling enthusiasts in gear and head over to the Hilltop this Saturday for Essex County's first ever kids only bike race. Ideal for both new and experienced riders, The Hilltop Grasshopper Bike Race for Kids is a fun and friendly competition on a specially prepared course including both smooth roadway and a winding trail through the woods. Kids in kindergarten through 8th grades can blaze their trail through Hilltop Reservation come 9:00 am Saturday. Start times and course lengths vary by class, which are determined by age for both the boy and girl divisions. Prizes will be given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each class, but, not to worry, all little racers will receive an award for participating.
Presented by Essex County Parks Department and the Hilltop Conservancy, the race is open to all those who love to ride, wear a helmet and have a fully functioning bike (which must pass mechanical inspection on the day of the race). Waivers signed by a parent or guardian are required in order to participate, and an adult must be present during the race.
Off to the races? Get all the details on the next page.
I couldn't miss my cousin's wedding. I was going--I just had to work out a few kinks first. Like, the wedding was in Oklahoma. And the airfare was $350 per seat. And even if I could afford it, taking three little kids 1300 miles away for a long weekend sounded like torture.
So I booked a four-day trip--solo. I told myself to be happy and relaxed about this rare opportunity. But still, I was eaten up with guilt for leaving them. I was nervous to be so far away for so many days. I don't know what I thought might happen--I just knew it couldn't be good.
I asked local parenting expert Patty Dow for advice. As a life coach and parent educator, she wisely reminded me that guilt is part of the territory of parenting. "The trick is not to let it stop you," she added. I forged ahead. I put my husband and babysitter in charge. I hoped they wouldn't forget to feed the baby--or the dog. I took Dow's tips to heart before I headed to the airport:
The Montclair Public Library Foundation is raffling off a sleepover party at the library. If you win, you and 10 of your friends (in grades 1 to 5) will have the opportunity to be the first ever to sleep in the Montclair Public Library.
Your "Night at the Library" party will include a scavenger hunt in the children's department, an age-appropriate craft, a movie shown in the Library Auditorium, and pizza, cupcakes, and a bagel breakfast.
Drawing will be held at 4 p.m. on October 23, 2010 in the Montclair Public Library, at the conclusion of Little Read 2010. Winner need not be present.
Check out all the details on our Web site. To enter, complete and mail in our raffle entry form.
Please call the MPL Foundation office at (973) 744-0500 ext. 2222 or e-mail if you have any questions.
I'm kicking my kids to the curb come September. This year they are on their own to make it to school and back.
They're old enough (I think). I've taught them to look both ways before crossing the street (although I've never actually seen them put that into practice). And, I can spit and practically hit the school from my front doorstep so I'm pretty confident they'll make it.
We gave it a trial run at the end of last year. It was going wonderfully until I was informed by my son Vovie's teacher that he was behaving like a lunatic on the way to school. So it was with a heavy heart that I called an end to the experiment.
But this is a whole new year and, hopefully, a whole new Vovie.
Has seven-year-old Michael ever announced, "Mommy and Daddy, I want to compose music like Mahler or Beethoven"; four-year old Emily voiced her concerns about global warming or three-year-old Aiden memorized and recited house and license plate numbers and asked you how these numbers were selected?
If your child popped these types of comments or questions on you, your immediate reaction may have been to:
A. Ask your child to repeat the information because you are sure your brain imagined or misheard it.
B. Think, "Wow, even though I only scored a 533 on the mathematics portion of my SATs, my kid is a genius!"
C. Experience an anxiety attack after you mentally calculated your contributions to that 529 plan.
After the jubilation of producing a genius wears off, you may wonder if your kid is legitimately advanced or gifted.
The Side Door Program in Montclair runs throughout the school year and offers a cool place for middle school kids to hang out after school. Alma Schneider visited once and tried to convince the kids to drink her green shakes--with some success.
Side Door is run by Union Congregational Church in Montclair. Kids register (with their parents signature) and have a place to watch movies, play games, eat pizza and just hang with their friends on Friday afternoons. Since the program was closed for the summer, they decided to run two summer dates, which they called Screen Door and the second, and last, happens today from 2 pm - 5 pm.
Turnpike Tikes Trips is a series on Barista Kids by Ronda Kaysen, editor and publisher of Turnpike Tikes, a blog and weekly email about great stuff to do with the kids in New Jersey.
Rock out to DJ Lance Rock and his goofy Yo Gabba Gabba buddies next Friday. The kid-rock sensation is giving two live shows in Bethel on August 27 at 1:30 pm and 5 pm.
What more can I say? It's Yo Gabba Gabba. If you're kids are as nuts about Yo Gabba Gabba as the rest of us they'll go bananas seeing Brobee, Foofa and Flex live. And, to make things even more exciting, Rapper Biz Markie (remember him?) is scheduled to make a special appearance.
Teenagers in Baristaville (and former Barista Kids) are packing their suitcases and getting ready to leave their homes for college. For most, it will begin a period of "firsts". The first time on their own, the first time having a roommate, the first kegger.
It can be scary and even scarier for parents.
Maureen P. Tillman, L.C.S.W., is the founder and director of College with Confidence, a comprehensive psychotherapy service, with offices in Maplewood and Morristown, that supports parents and young adults through the college experience. She recently contributed to the College Edition of U.S. News and World Report titled Break That Hovering Habit Early. She shares some words of wisdom to say to your child to help make this transition go as smoothly as possible...
"Don't talk to strangers!" It's something that almost every parent says. We teach our kids rules to keep them safe. When our children are old enough to venture out in this big world without us, we go over a list of "dos and don'ts" and hope they follow them. But do they?
NBC is looking for parents of children in our area, who are at an age to play outside alone or be left home alone for short periods, to participate in a program to be broadcast nationally. Your child will be put to the test. If you're interested in participating, send a description of your family (age and gender for each child) and contact information here. Filming is set to start early next week.
Slimfast, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, juice fasts, Weight Watchers...most women know of these diets. Some are considered healthier than others, but they all are meant to help you get thinner. You may be happy with the results, but does dieting send a bad message to your daughter?
In a conversation I had with some friends, we started talking about which diets work. One friend had lots of success with Jenny Craig, another swears by Weight Watchers, one likes quick crash diets, like the Cabbage Soup diet. I hate dieting and try to eat healthy, organic food in appropriate portions, but I too, have caved by drinking Slimfast to shed some pounds quickly.
Then we started thinking. Is all this dieting good to do in front of our kids? Some worried that if their daughters saw them drinking their meals out of a can, they might be creating food issues down the line. On the other hand, another mom thinks that we've gotten so PC around our kids. She thinks, like anything else, dieting teaches that sometimes we have to reel in the excess. In a day where childhood obesity is at its highest, is it really wrong to have children see you diet?
The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, which supports charitable organizations that promote health and the arts, has announced the Foundation's second round of grants for 2010 totaling $213,750.
Two Baristaville organizations are among the lucky recipients:
Montclair Art Museum received a grant of $10,000 to support its Free Family Days. The program provides free admission for families twice a year and features guided tours of exhibitions, gallery activities, live musical, theater and dance performances and workshops. The next Free Family Day is scheudled for September 25.
Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey in Millburn, received a grant of $15,000 to support its Fifth Grade Parent Alert Initiative. The initiative educates 34,000 students and parents about the dangers of substance abuse, and encourages parents to have positive discussions with their children.
Millburn High School has once again been ranked number one in New Jersey Monthly Magazine's biennial list of the best high schools in New Jersey. Back in 2008, Millburn High School first made its way to the top of the chart among the 322 high schools in the state due to its outstanding student performance on standardized tests (average SAT score of 1868) and its student outcomes -- the high number of students who attend college.
The rankings are compiled exclusively for New Jersey Monthly by the Polling Institute at Monmouth University and are based on data reported by the schools to the Department of Education for its most recent New Jersey School Report Card--covering the 2008-2009 school year. The rankings take into consideration such factors as school environment (class size and student-faculty ratio, for example), student performance (standardized test scores), and student outcomes (such as how many kids are college-bound).
On Saturday, August 21, Nishuane Park will be filled with the sounds of cool jazz. Jazz House Kids will present their second annual Summer Jazz Festival.
The young musicians who participated in this year's summer workshop at Jazz House Kids will perform along with performances by creative director and multi-Grammy winner Christian McBride, founder and executive director Melissa Walker, camp director Mike Lee and esteemed faculty including Freddie Hendrix, Radam Schwartz, Bruce Williams and Ed Palermo.
Gather the family, bring a picnic blanket and lawn chairs and enjoy a free jazz festival.
WINNER: Congratulations to south end ella, she is the winner of a Go! Go! Sports Girl doll. Enjoy!
I was never much of a doll girl. I did go through a Barbie phase when I was 10-years-old, but it was more because I loved to make my own outfits and just needed a clothes hanger. As a mom to two girls, I haven't really pushed the doll thing on them and they haven't really asked for them. I guess my problem with many dolls is that they either don't seem like very good role models for girls (Bratz dolls) or that the majority of them are blonde, blue-eyes, fair skinned girls. So it was with much happiness that I found Go!Go! Sports Girls.
Go! Go! Sports Girls dolls were created by Jodi Norgaard. Jodi has always been involved in sports and for many years coached "Girls on the Run", a program which encourages girls to make healthy choices in life through running. While working with young girls, Jodi had an idea. "I realized there was a need for a positive doll for girls that would be age appropriate, proportioned properly and sent a positive message about a healthy lifestyle - physically, mentally and emotionally - through sports." And so Go! Go! Sports Girl dolls were born.
There are currently eleven girls in the collection and each plays a specific sport. Through the Dream Big Toy Company, Go! Go! Sports Girls were created, "as a fun and educational way to promote self-appreciation and the benefits of daily exercise, healthy eating and sleeping habits, self-esteem and overall healthy life-skills among youths 3-12 years, regardless of race and socioeconomic class." Each doll has the words "Dream Big" embroidered on its tummy.
Jodi was kind enough to send my girls a Taye doll, the basketball player, to play with it and they love her. She even comes with her own basketball which she carries in a backpack.Jodi is being very kind by offering one Go! Go! Sports Girls doll of choice to a lucky Barista Kids reader.
Until recently, it was a given that twin children would be placed in different classrooms starting in kindergarten. Principals all around Baristaville split up twins--even when parents pleaded to keep them together. Conventional wisdom in the educational world is to separate the kids to foster their independence.
All that changed when outgoing Governor John Corzine signed off on Law A-1671, commonly called The Twins Law. Since then, parents--not principals--have had the power to decide whether their multiples will be in the same classroom. This has been a hot topic on the message board Montclair Parents of Multiples for ages. It's especially timely now that students are being assigned to teachers for the new school year.
After the cancellation of several tour dates of the new Charles H. Bullock School in Montclair, families of Bullock School students can finally get to see inside. The first tour takes place tomorrow, August 17 at 7 pm. From the district's website:
The tour for Charles H. Bullock School families is ON as scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, August 17. Please note:
Tours are limited to CHB families only.
Children may come.
There are still some workers in the building and rooms are still being set up. Not all furniture has been delivered. The building looks "close to normal" but not spit-and-polish finished.
Back at home, after lightly breading and pan frying the blossoms, I plated them with a side of ketchup, as if they were golden chicken tenders. I carried them out to a small gang of kids, each of whom hungrily sampled away. Upon taking his first bite and noticing the airy consistency, my five year old skeptically took a second bite before deciding they were delicious enough to gobble five in a row. Even his friend, a somewhat selective eater, dove in. "It tastes like chicken," summed it up pretty well from my
10- year-old as she sampled the zucchini fritter. I decided to let them name our new farm fresh favorite, so move over chicken fingers. . .here come Blossom Fingers!
As I shop at Target and Staples for back to school supplies, preparing my first-grader for that all important first day, I realize the most basic supply cannot be purchased. Not even at a discount. It's yoga. I teach Kids Yoga at several summer camps and throughout the school year. Yet, when preparing my child and family for important milestones, I often forget to keep it simple.
As a reminder to all of us ever-busy Moms and Dads, here are a few simple elements of Kids Yoga that can become the essential back to school supply:
BREATHE - It all starts with the breath. Sit with your kids, in criss-cross-applesauce or an easy cross-legged position. Find a favorite pillow, blanket or rug. Make it comfy for your child--you too. Inhale and Exhale. That simple. Try to breathe in through the nose and out through the nose. Add some vocals. Kids love to make noise. Inhale quiet, Exhale Aaaahhhh, or Ooooooo, or EEEEeeeee. Add some arms and move a little. Inhale arms reach up over head. Clap hands together. Exhale hands together come down in front of your heart.
This is the start of a Sun Salute. I often tell my students, let's bring a little sun into our hearts to warm up the love. Kids love to answer questions. I like to ask, "What's in our hearts?" Kids always know the answer....."LOVE!!!" This is a great way to talk with your child about who they share their love with. Listen carefully, their answers may surprise you and warm your heart too.
Did you watch Live Aid in 1985? Were you lucky enough to attend? I was 12-years-old and thought it was the coolest concert ever. It was the first time I saw U2 and it started my lifelong crush on Bono.
The kids of School of Rock Montclair (many who are the same age I was when Live Aid aired) are paying tribute to Live Aid. Eli Seger, age 12, and Jacob Frank, age 14, will represent The School of Rock Montclair at Live Aid Remade, a show celebrating the 25th anniversary of 1985's Live Aid concerts, at The Gramercy Theater in NYC on Thursday, August 19.
Live Aid Remade will feature performances by School of Rock students of songs from the original Live Aid concerts in Philadelphia and London, which were organized to raise money for African famine relief. Ticket sales from the Live Aid Remade show will be donated to Music For Relief, a non-profit organization established by the rock band Linkin Park, which seeks to bring the music community together to raise awareness and funds for victims of natural disasters. The proceeds from Live Aid Remade are going towards the organization's efforts in Haiti.
Ok, not so little girl, but she'll always be my baby. That's right my very own Lily Girl, Lily Gill Dastis, 9, won the prize for biggest fish. She came home with a mammoth trophy with a shiny, golden catfish on top (and a gift card to Applegate Farm). The trophy was quite possibly the size of the catfish she caught - 8 3/4 inches. The PAL and PBA were kind enough grant two trophies, one for boys and one for girls, for each of the two competitions, first fish and biggest fish caught. The biggest fish for the other winner came in at 9 inches. Way to go guys and girls!
But with good cause. The members have all graduated Glen Ridge High School and are heading off to college. Well, almost all. One member, the lead singer, will remain to finish her last year of high school before going off to college. They are moving up and out, one as far as St. Louis, so it was impossible to keep the band together. "If we could, we would stay together," said drummer Nick Potters.
Potters, who has been playing music since he was four, and Tyler Kent, the lead guitarist, were instrumental in forming the band. "It started really with me and Tyler," Potters said. "It would just be me and him playing in my basement."
The two then invited Elena Ruiz over to jam with them. They knew she was musical and introduced her to the bass guitar. Within minutes she picked it up so she became the band's third member. Next they added Rachel Goldstein on rhythm guitar. They found a lead singer and in their freshman year Fireblanket was born.
There's never a dull day at the Renaissance Faire where adventure reigns and fantasy rules. The faire is filled with plenty to do for all ages from the youngest children to those contending with Merlin in years. Begin the day by attending the welcoming ceremony as the Queen and her court enter the Shire. And as the Queen arrives, so do the famed outlaw Robin Hood and his Merry Men all of whom are more than willing to wreak havoc with the Sheriff of Nottingham and his silly laws. All throughout the day, visitors to the Shire can watch as the Queen makes the decision who to name as heir and Robin and the Sheriff battle for the affections of the fair Maid Marian.
Between acts, the entertainment never ceases. Brother Donald, in his hideout among the trees, will be sharing his many tales all suitable for the young lads and lasses. Performances of the humorous trials and tribulations of the Shire-folk are abound on the many theatrical stages with shows that are sure to have everyone giddy with laughter and merriment. Renaissance artists are constantly showcasing their skills in blacksmithing, candle-making, glassblowing and even falcon training as in Master Falconer Steve Hody's Birds of Prey demonstration. Among the trees and passages of the faire, games and rides are sure to delight children and adults alike. Wandering minstrels, magicians, and interactive actors will keep you on your toes and entertained at all times. Children will even get the chance to meet Robin Hood and choose between joining his Merry Men or the Sheriff's Guards.
So go join the fun at the New York Renaissance Faire! Step right into the fantasy and go dressed in your best Renaissance costume! Discounts are available for groups of 15 or more.
This weekend you can visit your local National Parks for free. It's only on Saturday and Sunday, not a full week this time, but it's still free. We have two national parks in New Jersey that are less than 30 minutes away: Edison National Historic Site and Morristown National Historic Park.
Thomas Edison National Historic Site offers lots to do and learn with the family. Visit Glenmont Estate, and see where Edison lived, walk the grounds, listen to a cell phone tour, and children can earn their Junior Ranger badge. Check out this review and slideshow for more info.
Morristown National Historic Park offers our revolutionary past and facts about the events, people, places, and things in historic Morristown. Kids can also earn a Junior Ranger badge.
This just in... The PA announcer of the NJ Jackals, George Ruthauser, is holding a one-day camp tomorrow at Yogi Berra Stadium which will teach you what it takes to be a voice of baseball.
From 10 am - 1 pm, Saturday, August 14, campers will each have a turn to go up to the booth with George and read a script over the intercom. Then you can announce whatever you want in your best sports voice: The NJ Jackals, favorite Major league team, your little league team or even give a shout out to a friend.
On Sunday, all campers will be introduced to the stadium and given a certificate of participation in a pre-game ceremony. Then, and here's the best part, one lucky camper will be chosen to go up to the booth with George and announce the entire game!
For the past five years Judith Lindbergh, a published novelist, freelance writer and photographer, has taught and mentored adult writers at the South Orange-Maplewood Adult School, which led to her creating The Writers Circle.
The Writers Circle brings together writers, of all levels, as a community. Last January, she decided to expand the program to include children after observing her son. Lindbergh explained, "I watched my own son, age 9, and his friends coming home from school with very rigid ideas about writing. I realized that what he was learning in school, however necessary for academic and standardized writing, was actually squelching his natural creativity. So I decided to use my personal background as a writer, former actress and dancer, to try to breathe life back into writing for children."
Lindbergh leads the children's writing workshops and says she tries to, "nurture self-expression, imagination and creativity above all else."
If your child is an aspiring writer, you can register for the Fall semester now. Classes will be held at Luna Stage in West Orange.
Back in the day I could hula hoop with the best of them. I would keep that round, plastic hoop going in circles on my waist for as long as I wanted to. Sadly, my hips have lost their magic, but my kid is pretty good.
Just Kidding Around in Montclair is hosting its first ever hula hooping contest this Sunday, August 15, for hula hoopers of all ages. There will be great prizes to be won and lots of fun to be had.
The day our first daughter was born, my husband joked that he wished we could implant a chip under her skin that would allow us to track her every move. Actually, I don't think he was really joking.
His wish is coming true, because there is now a GPS tracking device that you can clip on your kid's backpack, belt loop or fit in her pocket. It's not as sci-fi as implanting it under her skin, but it will do the job.
Secura Trac offers The SecuraPAL (Personal Automated Locator)®, a small device that fits into your child's pocket or backpack. "It uses the global positioning system satellites and the mobile phone networks to pinpoint your child's location and and report it back to the SecuraTrac network."
The SecuraPAL is meant to be a safety device when you visit a large place, such as Disneyland, in case your child gets lost. It can also be used for elderly people who may get disoriented and lost. But think of the possibilities. You can hide one of these suckers in your teen's backpack or purse and know her every move. He's broken curfew? No worries. You can drive to his exact location and bring his butt home. Is she at that bad boy kid's house instead of at the library studying? Show up at his doorstep in time to stop any frisky behavior about to occur.
Consignment shops are great, especially when they offer good quality children's clothing. Milk Money consignment shops do just that and they save you money when back to school shopping.
I have been a regular customer at Milk Money in Montclair since my oldest daughter was born. Not only have I scored beautiful dresses, sweaters and jackets, but I've consigned all the baby gear and clothing my girls have outgrown.
Milk Money Montclair is gearing up for its Grand Re-Opening. New owner, Andrea DelleChiaie has taken over the store and is excited to share some changes, spruced up decorations and the fall/winter collection with you.
Turnpike Tikes Trips is a series on Barista Kids by Ronda Kaysen, editor and publisher of Turnpike Tikes, a website and weekly email about great stuff to do with the kids in New Jersey.
It's history buffs meets drag racers at the Annual Ducky Derby at the Historic Village at Allaire this Saturday. For $3, anyone with the racing bug can race a little rubber ducky down the Mill Pond stream in the village.
"Everyone is a winner," says John Curtis, the village's director. Participants win a prize just for taking part in the race - and everyone gets to keep their ducky -- but the racer with the fastest rubber ducky wins a stuffed duck.
In September Montclair schools will open their doors to new students and many of them will introduce new staff, curriculum and, for some, a new building. According to a report released yesterday by the New Jersey School Boards Association, most New Jersey public school districts will reopen with fewer teachers, larger class sizes and/or reduced programs. Here are some changes and updates that have been announced for schools in the Montclair district:
Northeast
Northeast Elementary School begins the 2010-2011 school year with former Hillside vice-principal, Dr. Joseph Putrino. In a letter sent to parents, Dr. Putrino shares some of the changes, which include: revisions to the curriculum and schedule, the use of a Spanish video program for K-2 called SALSA designed to allow non-Spanish teachers to teach Spanish and Rosetta Stone for grades 3 -5 and the creation of one period a week where students will have a 80 minute block of one particular related arts class (K-1: Library, 2-4: Art, and 5:Tech).
I only run when chased. Maybe I wouldn't be so scared of this hot sport if I'd had access to a confidence-boosting program like Girls On the Run. It's geared to all girls--not just track and field stars. So kids like me--who have interest but no skill--can take to the road. Of course, future Jackie Joyners are also welcome.
GOTR, a registered non-profit, is open to third through fifth graders only, read our spring story here. Coaches use the power of running to teach kids about self-respect and healthy living. Girls meet two days a week for 10-weeks to train for a 5K event. Another branch of the organization is called Girls on the Track, for sixth to eighth grade girls.
This year's season is starting soon around Baristaville. Check the next page for listings.
Have you ever wondered why some women wouldn't think of eating sushi, drinking soda or smoking cigarettes during their pregnancy but then give formula instead of breast milk once the baby arrives? This pre-baby versus post-baby health concern is a curious phenomenon.
Last week was World Breastfeeding Week and with it the accompanying stories of health statistics, challenges and guilt. Having worked with hundreds of women individually and in workshops discussing the challenges of cooking, I have gathered some pretty enlightening anecdotes regarding how women feel about their role at home and in society around the topics of breastfeeding and cooking.
Interestingly enough, the decline in breast feeding and eating healthy by cooking at home have a similar history. With breastfeeding, women wanted more freedom or were told by society/the media and big business (formula companies) that they wanted more freedom. Many women gave up the nurturing, bonding and healthy act of breastfeeding and opted for formula. Many gave birth and were not even asked if they planned on breastfeeding--it was just assumed that they would use formula and their chests were routinely taped up so as to avoid having their milk come in.
Take the kids fishing at Edgemont Park in Montclair this Saturday, August 14, and hook some big prizes. The Montclair Police Athletic League (PAL) and Policemen's Benevolent Association (PBA) Local 53 is sponsoring this free event for Montclair kids ages 6 - 12 with a grown up.
The Fishing Derby begins with registration between 8:30 am - 9 am at Edgemont Park. Cast your line between 9 am to 11 am and will end with prizes awarded for the
first fish hooked and the most fish hooked. Bring your own fishing pole if you have it, but not to worry if you don't--a limited number of loaners will be available for those wanting to cast off for the first time.
What happens when four accomplished performing arts educators with a long history of working together collaborate to create a new company? The Crossover Project, the latest addition to Montclair's innovative and active arts scene, is born.
What is the Crossover Project? The brainchild of Christian Ely, Sharon Stephens, Raegan Bliss Wood and Terrance Kennedy, the Crossover Project is a company of 21 student actors, singers and dancers who are challenged to "cross-over" or utilize all three core disciplines of acting, singing and dancing, no matter what each individual's original strength is. Students audition or join by invitation, and there is a tuition fee.
Sharon Stephens, Managing Director of the Crossover Project, teaches at the Rosa Parks Arts High School in Paterson. Says Stephens, "We named this project the Crossover Project very intentionally. Our belief is that the artist will have a core discipline of modern dance, voice or acting. And the artist will be pushed to explore the elements of the other discipline."
On Saturday, August 14, ORNG INK will present Inkalicious, an art party in The Valley District.
The Valley Arts District is located in the old industrial core of the Valley neighborhood on the Orange/West Orange border. Artists of all ages come together to perform, create, and work in the arts. ValleyArts, Inc. makes this possible. This nonprofit organization's mission is to grow and maintain a vibrant arts district in the Valley Arts District and to create cultural and artistic opportunities for local residents of all ages.
One of those opportunities is through ORNG INK, a youth driven, interdisciplinary art and design studio created by high school students in Orange, New Jersey. ORNG INK provides studio, retail, exhibition space, and mentoring for young artists all year long for free. Director Lorena La Grassa shares, "I feel proud of every single kid that comes to us with the will of participating and being involved in our activities and I am happy to be able to offer an after-school safe environment for children in the local community free of charge."
This week, the Montclair Public Library will transport you around the world with two cultural family events. It's like Eat Pray Love for kids.
This afternoon, Gina's Gyil & World Music Magic will feature native West African instruments like the gyil (traditional xylophone) and mbira (Shona thumb piano) creating traditional melodies and rhythms. Gina Ferrera's passion for drumming began at age ten and has taken her around the world with groups such as Leana Song, Kokolo Afrobeat, and many others.
On Friday, go down under with the Didgeridoo Down Under Workshop, a high-energy, Australia-themed event combining music, art, environmental-awareness, cultural awareness and audience participation. Kids will learn how to play the digeridoo too!
Dora the Explorer turns ten this month and is celebrating with an hour long movie titled Dora's Big Birthday Adventure, which will be followed by a mini-documentary about the show featuring Salma Hayek, Soledad O'Brien, Anderson Cooper and many more.
If that wasn't enough of a celebration, Dora will ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange today.
Actually, Dora is, and will always be, 7-years-old, but it's the 10th anniversary of the first Dora the Explorer episode, where the first animated Latina character on TV in a leading role won the hearts of kids everywhere. Today, Dora has made her way into the homes of over 100 million children around the world.
'Tis the season for grilled corn and burgers. We've been invited to a few family get-togethers involving kids, parents and cocktail shakers. We've hosted our fair share, too. After surviving the belly laughs and meltdowns, I wondered how I could encourage the former and limit the latter.
For more fun and less fuss, I came up with these rules for surviving local backyard BBQs.
It's time to start shopping for back to school clothes, shoes, backpack and supplies. According to the National Retail Federation 2010 Consumer Intentions and Actions Back to School survey, the average American family will spend $606.40 on clothes, shoes, supplies and electronics, compared to $548.72 last year, and close to the $594.24 in 2008.
I am lucky to get beautiful hand-me-downs from a friend, which saves me lots of money each year, but it's still not cheap to dress two girls. It's the shoes that cost so much.
How much do you plan to spend for each child this year?
This past Monday, my girlfriend and I set off on an adventure with our kids to the Maplewood Farmer's Market. We gave the kids the freedom to explore, allowing them to choose farm-fresh ingredients to bring home and then cook together that afternoon. With no set plan in mind, they wandered from stand to stand. It didn't take long for the plump blueberries to spark their idea to make blueberry muffins with a golden honey buttery glaze. On the car ride home, I plotted a recipe that they would soon follow to create a sumptuous, bed and breakfast-worthy treat.
We all had a particularly good time at this compact but well stocked market. Replete with a pickle guy (Dr. Pickle), a high quality meat, fish and bread vendor (Hoboken Farms), three farm stands, a nut and dried fruit company (Gourmet Nuts and Dried Fruit), freshly squeezed lemonade and even a cupcake stand (A' La Cupcakes, LLC), it was a true one-stop shopping experience. Our girls gobbled down a few too many pickle samples, which I am embarrassed to admit, resulted in a passerby noticing that we were making a lunch out of someone's samples. I didn't feel so bad though since my five year-old gave the pickle guy a fair amount of business with his almost bottomless capacity for pickles-on-a-stick.
Yesterday, The First Seventh-day Adventist Church of Montclair invited families to Glenfield Park to celebrate "Healthy Families Raising Healthy Children". Families learned about healthy food choices, bike/pedestrian safety and much more. For children, the fun included food, games, face painting and music provided by DJ Done - Gospel DJ.
They're baaaack! But the real question is where have they been?
I mean how it is possible those little mystery critters went out of style? They're oh so soft and cuddly. They are really fun when you wiggle their little feet. And they are happy, happy, those Monchhichis.
Nothing, in fact, is as happy as a Monchhichi - or delivers as much joy. And, so, I was delighted this past Easter when my daughter found one in her Easter Basket. Not from the Easter Bunny. Not even the Easter Bunny could pull this one off. No, this was a feat only my sister could perform.
There are great events this weekend and the weather will be much more enjoyable with temps in the 80s and lower humidity. We've put together some great itineraries to please all types of families. Check August 7 and August 8 listings for all the details:
For NYC Loving Families:
Saturday, August 7 9:30 am - Start your morning with art at The Met. If you're a Bank of America cardholder, admission is free for all cardholders, as part of BOA's Museums On Us program.
2 pm - After you've taken in all the Picasso you can, take the family over to Lincoln Center for it's Out of Doors Family Day celebration. Enjoy concerts, puppets shows, and much more.
Sunday, August 8 4 pm - Take the family to Brooklyn for the Celebrate Brookyn! Ezra Jack Keats Family Day Concert, featuring Elizabeth Mitchell and Brady Rymer. My daughter will perform a couple of songs onstage with Elizabeth Mitchell and her family band. Find me and say hello if you go!
With a summer reading program theme titled Make a Splash...Read!, it's only fitting that Bloomfield Public Library celebrate it with a The Magical H2O Show by magician Mark H. Wurst.
The Magical H2O Show will answer those important questions about where rain comes from, how much water is in our bodies, why it's important to conserve our water, and many other water related topic. All presented in an interactive, funny and magical way. Each child will receive a special magical souvenir from the magician.
WINNER: Congratulations to Generically named Mike. He is the winner of the Becopotty. Happy potty training!
Part of being "green" is trying to reduce the amount of plastic you bring into your home, which can be difficult with children. Bottles, high chairs, toys, potty seats--it's a challenge to find them in non-plastic form. I still have the plastic potty from IKEA that my youngest used. I hate to throw it out, but who really wants a used potty seat?
Enter the Becopotty, a potty seat that isn't plastic and is actually good for the environment.
Made of bamboo and rice husks left over from farming, the Becopotty is biodegradable, which means when your toddler is finished potty training, she can plant it in your garden, throw in some seeds and watch them grow. Poop in in then plant it. Not only are you keeping something out of the landfill, you can grow your own veggies with your kid's potty.
TrendyKid, retailers of the Becopotty, are generously offering one Becopotty to one lucky Barista Kids reader.
The Summer of 2010 is almost over, but The Fresh Air Fund still needs loving host families. The McElroy family, from Maplewood, shared their wonderful experience hosting a little girl with us a couple of weeks ago. It was a positive experience for both 6-year-old Gianna from Brooklyn and the family of 5.
Fresh Air children are boys and girls, six to 18-years-old, who live in New York City. Children on first-time visits are six to 12-years-old and stay for either one or two weeks. Kids who are re-invited by the same family may continue with The Fund through age 18, and many enjoy longer summertime visits, year after year. A visit to the home of a warm and loving volunteer host family can make all the difference in the world to an inner-city child. All it takes to create lifelong memories is laughing in the sunshine and making new friends.
The majority of Fresh Air children are from low-income communities. These are often families without the resources to send their children on summer vacations. Most inner-city youngsters grow up in towering apartment buildings without large, open, outdoor play spaces. Concrete playgrounds cannot replace the freedom of running barefoot through the grass or riding bikes down country lanes.
If you're interested in hosting a child, The next trip will take place from August 10 - 20. Get more information here or call 1.800.367.0003.
UPDATE (8/6): I decided to call and complain to CVS and found out they the new decision is that the pharmacy will no longer be open 24 hours (M-F: 8 am - 10 pm and Saturday: 8 am - 6 pm), but that the store WILL continue to be open for 24 hours. Whew--What a relief!
I went to over to my favorite CVS on Claremont Avenue yesterday to pick up a prescription and was told that they will no longer be a 24 hour store. "What?!" I exclaimed. The pharmacist shook her head and told me they were all shocked too and just learned the news that morning.
I'm upset. I have two young children. If you have ever had a child wake in the middle of the night with a high fever, or a bad cough, or worse--a stomach virus, you understand how great it is to have a 24 hour pharmacy in your town. There have been many occasions that I have sent my husband out in the middle of the night to get Pedialyte, Tylenol and even diapers when a stomach virus had my baby pooping every 20 minutes.
As a mom, I'm also all for convenience. Any place with a drive thru is a favorite of mine. I frequently drove to Orange, NJ to a Dunkin' Donuts that has a drive thru for a cup of coffee when my youngest was a baby and I didn't want to lug her carseat out to the store. I wish every place had a drive thru: drive thru ATM, drive thru post office, drive thru Raymond's when I have a french toast craving.
What places do you wish were open 24 hours or had a drive thru?
Columbia High School senior Emma Gordon won a national grand prize and a national first place for a poster she submitted to the AAA 66th Annual Traffic Safety Poster Program.
Emma's poster was selected from thousands of entries in the nationwide competition. It took grand prize in the senior high category for Digitally Enhanced/Graphic Arts Posters and first place for best poster in the senior high category. Emma is holding the award, which she received at the awards reception, in the photo at left.
"My family belongs to the NJ Automobile Club and I just happened to notice the 66th Annual Traffic Safety Poster Contest announcement in one of last year's issues of the AAA Traveler," said Gordon. "I had an idea for a digitally-enhanced submission and thought it would be a great way to utilize the skills I acquired while taking Ms. Malhotra's Computer Graphics course in my sophomore year at CHS." Emma asked Ms. Malhotra (pictured above holding the winning poster) for assistance and sponsorship and worked on it during her lunch break and after school.
Ms. Malhotra shared how proud she is of Emma. "She came up with a great concept, developed a plan and showed a level of commitment that paid off." "Ms. Malhotra was extremely helpful as I was working on the poster and I am deeply grateful for her support in this endeavor," added Emma, who intends to major in Graphic Design in college and plan to apply the monetary winnings that accompanied the awards towards my college expenses pursuing that degree."
See Emma's award winning poster after the jump....
With his sister away at camp, this week is dedicated to my six-year-old son, A. As he put it, it would be a week without getting his hair pulled. For the grownups, it looked to be a week without sibling rivalry, the predominant drama in the home.
A. has developed a fixation with car models, and which one is the fanciest. Echoing and embellishing on what we've told him, he'll look at a Ford pickup and say, "That lady must hate Chevvies," and he will ask questions that are beyond me, like, "Mama, which is fancier, a Pontiac or a Hyundai?" My scant knowledge of the automobile hierarchy peaked before the arrival of Lexuses and Accrias, as he calls Acuras, but I muddle through.
I suggested we go for a test drive. If he was going to love cars so deeply, maybe he should experience something less mundane than our Honda and Subaru. I ran the idea past him, and his face lit up.
So on Monday, after discovering that DCH Audi in Millburn was open til 8:30, we had an early dinner and headed off on our adventure. My husband thought it was a weird errand and opted to stay home. I had discussed how I should spiff up a bit from my work-at-home-mom look, to appear more like an Audi driver, but time was of the essence. A quick lick of lipstick and an application of mascara would work, A. agreed.
If you haven't taken advantage of the endless free events in New York this summer, this weekend is a great time to do it. Lower Manhattan has some seriously cool and kid-friendly stuff going on all day Saturday.
Rather than drive the car and battle the parking gods, drive to a ferry dock in Jersey and take the ferry in. It'll add another adventure to the day and take a little pressure off the driver.
Start the morning at 11am Rector Park West in Battery Park City (which is conveniently close to the ferry dock.) Bring a blanket and sit along the Hudson River as storyteller Charlot Lucien spins traditional Hatian tales to stir the imagination.
Every Friday, I take my family to the farm. We say hello to the pigs, chickens and cows. We fend off feisty geese. Then we walk into the barn where we take as much food as we can carry. We pick just-harvested produce like carrots, greens, beets and potatoes. Larry the Cow provides us with one pound of beef per week. We also get a fresh chicken.
"Are we gonna eat that chicken, Mommy?" my four-year-old asks as a rooster crosses our path on the dirt driveway.
"Not that one," I say.
I wanted to take the middle men--and metal shelves--out of our food supply. I wanted to know where the animals we ate came from, including how they lived and died. I learned that Larry the Cow was blessed before he was slaughtered. Moved by the advice of Michael Pollan and Alice Waters, I love cooking these non-processed, local eats. It's not cheap at about $165 per week, but being a partner in a farm is more fulfilling than walking down the aisles. I used to spend the same at the grocery store to feed my household of six.
So we drive 55 minutes down Route 80 to Howling Wolf Farm every Friday--looking forward to every trip.
Sugee!, Japanese slang for cool or awesome, is a shop in Montclair that offers pop-culture, manga, and Japanese inspired gifts, toys, art, and accessories. It's an independent shop for Japanese culture fans of all ages.
Sugee! is currently holding its 3rd art contest. Submit your original art by August 14 and get a chance to win a $20 gift certificate to shop at Sugee!.
If someone asked you to house a Chinese exchange student for a week, feed them, wash their clothes and drive them to and fro, would you politely decline or consider it? I decided to make our family a host family and requested not one, but two 16-year-old boys from the Montclair Chinese exchange program.
Why would I do such a thing when I already have four of my own kids? Glutton for punishment? Acting out on suburban guilt for having extra room? Yes to all of the above, but I chose to be a host for a few more reasons. My son studies Mandarin and I thought having the students here as part of the program would be a great way for him and my other kids to get a true sense of a different culture by, well, being immersed in it just like the Chinese students. I requested it so that they would entertain each other. Smart, huh?
The Montclair Town Council passed a resolution in support of a skate park last night. The resolution was originally scheduled to be discussed towards the end of the meeting, but was moved to the top of the agenda, so the children present could go home and sleep.
The council supports the skate park idea and the fact that the youth of Montclair are showing the initiative to gain support and receive grants and private funding for the project.
Mayor Jerry Fried also thanked all the adults working with the children. "With the passing of the resolution, we hope the government can help the young people get the support they need," Mayor Fried said at the meeting.
If you can't stop them from having sex, at least you can market to them.
That seems to be the latest strategy of some apparel companies. This month Motherhood Maternity will introduce its exclusive new collection of Disney-themed clothes for expectant mothers. The new line of t-shirts and sleepwear hits stores August 12 with a collection of onesies for newborns to soon follow. Then moms-to-be and babies alike can dress in Disney.
But is The Mouse really meant for maternity? Of course, it's more than just Mickey. The clothes feature Winnie to Pooh and Minnie, too. But should expectant mothers look like the children they will soon be responsible for raising?
Or should they look a little more like the pregnant women imagined by Forever 21? The store has just debuted its line of pregnancy apparel, Love 21 Maternity, for the fashion-conscious college student. This, I presume is their target audience given the store's name. I could be wrong, but if you are or t
Looking for something fun to do this weekend with your family, besides enjoying some Labor Day BBQs? We'll be eating lots of cake in the Gilmore home. It's my husband's birthday tomorrow--Happy birthday G!
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