Mothers and More is putting on a Preschool Meet and Greet event to let parents learn about many preschools in one convenient evening.  This event is an opportunity for parents in the greater Grand Rapids area to gather in one central location
where they can explore the various preschool options to their children.

February 1, 2010 from 7:00pm - 9:00pm
New Branches Public Academy │ 256 Alger St │ Grand Rapids, MI


Attendees can expect to:
• Have access to multiple preschool representatives who can answer questions, provide information, and share the benefits of a preschool education
• Receive a welcome bag full of information from community resources
• Enter for a chance to win fabulous door prizes

FEATURED PRESCHOOLS
•Aldersgate Center for Child Development
•Second Congregational Preschool
•Children’s Workshop
•Southwest Cooperative Preschool
•Gymco Discovery Preschool
•St. Mark’s Lutheran Preschool
•Jenison Christian Preschool
•St. Paul Preschool
•John Knox Presbyterian Preschool
•Stepping Stones Montessori
•Northpointe Christian School
•Koina Center - Lutheran Schools
•Pyramid Montessori

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Mandy Suhan, Publicity Coordinator.

Mothers and More is a group of women committed to improving the lives of mothers through support, education, and advocacy. We address mothers’ needs as individuals and members of society, and promote the value of all the work mothers do.

This event is FREE!
www.grmothersandmore.org

Grand Rapids, MI (January 19, 2010) – The DTE Energy Foundation Ethnic Heritage Festival will be held from 9 am – 5 pm, Saturday, February 6 at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.  Visitors will receive free admission to the Museum to enjoy music, dance, crafts, displays and food representing various ethnic groups that call West Michigan home. 

 

The Planetarium will present gratis Everybody’s Sky: Star Stories from Around the World at 11 am, and 1, 2 and 4 pm.  Guest can also view the Museum’s permanent exhibit “Newcomers: The People of This Place” which highlights over forty ethnic groups and looks at the personal journey stories of people who’ve settled in the greater Grand Rapids area.  Carousel rides will also be free.

 

Colorful and varied performances are scheduled throughout the day on two different stages.  Guests will enjoy the talents of Irish, Pacific Island and Indian dance groups; the sounds of the multicultural drum group WaZoBia and others.  Visitors can listen to storytellers and participate in craft demonstrations.  A variety of ethnic foods will be available for purchase, and visitors over the age of 21 can sample beers from around the world (including Australia, Mexico, Canada, Poland, Germany, Argentina and Belgium) from 1-4 pm for just $6.  A showcase of traditional and modern ethnic fashions will begin at 12:30 pm hosted by Storm Team 8 Meteorologist and eightWest Co-HostTerri DeBoer.

 

Members of ethnic organizations will staff display tables throughout the three floors of the Museum, sharing their unique cultures with guests.  Groups already signed up to attend include the Asian Center, Congress of North American Bosniaks, the Edelweiss Society, Finnish American Society of West Central Michigan, Grand Rapids Scottish Society, Latvian Association of Grand Rapids, the Multicultural Language School, Sons of Norway and the Western Michigan Genealogical Society.

 

The Public Museum of Grand Rapids has a long history of presenting exhibitions and programs on ethnicity and cultural change. For information call 616/456-3977 or go to www.grmuseum.org.      

East Grand Rapids has just released their spring parks and rec brochure and it is jammed full of fun, unusual opportunities.  Even better, you don't have to be a resident to participate.  What are you waiting for? (If EGR is too far for you to drive, check out other parks and rec departments here...they're at the bottom of the page.)

Here are just a smattering of the possibilities:

• Lacrosse
• Abrakadoodle Art
• Mad Science
• Lego Engineering
• TaeKwonMuDo (martial arts w/dance & music)
• Fencing
• Beginning Horsemanship
• Baby Signs
• Stroller Strides
  

A MAGICAL WORLD COMES TO LIFE... when your Grand Rapids Symphony and the Grand Rapids Ballet Company present the classic tale "Hansel and Gretel."  This version of the classic children’s tale tells the story of a modern-day Hansel and Gretel who go into the neighborhood looking for adventure. There is a cell phone, a babysitter who just watches TV and a pair of fun-loving main characters.

"This is a much more light-hearted version of Hansel and Gretel than the original Grimm’s fairy tale,” said Varineau. “Children will be entertained and learn about symphonic music and dance. Everyone in the audience will have a good time with lots of smiles all around.”  This 45-minute musical story is a perfect introduction to music for children ages 3-6.“ 

KIDS LEARN ABOUT THE INSTRUMENT FAMILIES Musicians will wear colored t-shirts to show their membership in the string, woodwind, brass or percussion family.

TICKETS JUST $5!
General admission seating. All ages require a ticket.

OR, you can win tickets by leaving a comment in the blog. 

Tell me what fairy tale you'd like the GR SYMPHONY LOLLIPOPS to perform and you are entered to win 4 ticketsto the January 23 (Saturday) show at Sunshine Church on the East Beltline.

Concert times are 10:15 am and 11:30am.

Click here for more details about the concerts.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.  HEATHER COX IS THE WINNER. CONGRATS HEATHER!

My 2 year old will eat avocados, hummus, dried cherries and spinach.  My 5 year old won't touch these or most related healthy items.  Vegetables in his diet are limited and I wish he'd eat more.  After all, I love him and want him to be healthy.  But I also don't want mealtime to be a battle.  Do these troubles sound familiar? 

Most moms I talk with face these same dilemmas...it's a tall order for moms with picky eaters to get their kids to eat a well-rounded diet! Even if you don’t have picky eaters, getting your kids to eat the wide variety of fruits and vegetables they should have is a tough job.  Personally, I've tried a lot of "tricks" to getting veggies into his diet, like Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious process of hiding veggies in regular foods to giving the kids V8 Fusion Juice that claims to have veggie servings worked right into the juice.  I've had limited success with these methods.

Raising healthy kids is one of those things you MUST start right away. According to the experts poor eating habits and a lack of whole food nutrition is the biggest contributing factor in illness & disease.  

Help your kids avoid becoming a statistic with a sound nutritional foundation.  Who would like their kids on this list? (I don't want to scare you, but these stats are pretty powerful.)

• Obesity has doubled in children in the past 20 years – 1 out of 4 is overweight obesity is rapidly replacing tobacco as a leading cause of sickness & death.

• In the past 20 years type 2 diabetes has increased 10 fold in children. It’s estimated that 1 in 3 will develop this disease…it is now the #3 killer of our population….preceded by cancer and heart disease.

• By the age of 12 years old 70% of children have hardening of the arteries

• In the next 10 years this generation of children is expected to have a shorter life span than their parents and that has never happened in the history of mankind.

Local mom & grandma, Wendy DeJong has watched her kids and grandkids go through the same dietary struggles and she's decided to do something about it.  Moreover, she would like you to know about an easy way to start raising healthy kids and combat the poor eating habits that contribute to illness, disease, and obesity.  She has a way to have your kids asking YOU for their daily fruits and veggie’s!  Even more, you can know whether your kids are getting proper nutrition by bridging the gap between what you know they should eat and what they actually do eat. 

Click here to check out the video on Wendy's home page (and learn how tasty and helpful Juice Plus can be in providing whole food nutrition for your family.)

Once you’ve watched the video, post a comment on the blog about something new you learned. 

Also include the number of ages of your kids and Wendy will send you an email good for a free sample of the Juice Plus Chewables (gummy-type chews) to test with your children.  Plus, you’ll also be entered into a drawing for a free 1 month supply of Juice Plus Chewables (for 1 child).

This contest will be closed on February 8th.

Note: I was not paid to write this endorsement.  I've actually tried these chewables myself and think they are pretty good.  I just want to give moms with headache eaters another option.  Good luck! 

FREE.  What a great word!

Parents, you'll be delighted by the free family fun that can be found at our local libraries.  Many of them are hosting DVD release parties or movie parties that feature big titles on a big screen.

Recently, I took my kids to the GR public library downtown to watch Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs on the big screen.  Kids of all ages showed up with their stuffed animals and blankets and plunked down for the 5pm flick.  The library provided free popcorn and pop, so this was a special time for all!

Plan to take your family to one of the upcoming Movie Parties in your area.  Here are some to look for:

Family Flix: G-Force
Saturday, March 27, 2010, 2:30 pm
Grand Rapids Public Main Library – 111 Library St NE
 
Families can come and watch the blockbuster film “Astro Boy” on the big screen. Bring your pillow and favorite stuffed animal and enjoy the movie. Free and open to the public.

 


Get a Clue with Nancy Drew
Thursday, March 25, 2010, 5:30 pm
Main Library – 111 Library St NE
 
Nancy Drew has been on the case since the 1930s. How has she changed through the years? Is Carolyn Keene really the author of the books? Solves these mysteries and test your knowledge of Nancy Drew with games, activities and a craft. A screening of the film “Nancy Drew” will take place at 6:30 pm. For ages 8 and up. Free and open to the public.


Family Flix: Astro Boy
Saturday, March 27, 2010, 2:30 pm
Grand Rapids Public Main Library – 111 Library St NE
 
Families can come and watch the blockbuster film “Astro Boy” on the big screen. Bring your pillow and favorite stuffed animal and enjoy the movie. Free and open to the public.

Okay, I am not a downhill skier (I love cross-country, though!) But this mom-opportunity sounds great for anyone who likes to whisk down the slopes...

Did you know that every Wednesday at Cannonsburg Ski Area (Belmont) ladies can ski, eat a buffet luncheon, get rentals & lessons, and childcare for just $30?  That seems like an amazing deal.

On top of that, they also have chair massages and wine tasting!

I've also learned that there is complimentary childcare from 9am-5pm on the other days of the week as well.

Bundle up, moms, and hit the slopes while the snow is good!

Do you know of any other programs like this?  Let me know in the comments section!