Mother/ Daughter 5k

Photo By: 1-877-Fotos-4U

About a month ago, the company I work for underwent a reorganization. Part of the reason why I’ve fallen behind in blogging was that I was trying to get my bearings within my new organization (new boss, new peers, etc).

Now that I’ve been in my position for over a month, I figured last weekend’s (April 21^st) Running Moms Rock 5k was the perfect event to jumpstart my 2012 running resolution.

The evening before the race, I picked up both mine and my friend’s packet. However, the next day, my girlfriend had to cancel due to a sinus infection she had been struggling with that same week. No bueno! I emailed and  told her to take care.  The next thing I knew, our eight year old daughter wanted to do the 5k with me.

I figured, “why not”? She was excited to don her first bib (under my friend’s name) and tech shirt and we were on our way to Highland Village.

As we warmed up and the crowd began to thicken, my mini-me confessed she was nervous.  Minutes before the race, she had to use the restroom due to her jitters.

We were near the starting line (behind the serious runners) when we heard the signal to start jogging. I was impressed, we had a good pace until we turned the corner and my daughter grabbed my hand while wailing her side was hurting.  Meanwhile, I turn to my right and briefly scan the crowd for my hubby and three year old. Fortunately, we see each other and wave/smile.  That was until I heard my three year old screaming and crying for me (she wanted to run the race too!).

It was a tough race for our eight year old daughter despite our jogging/ brisk walking. She stopped once to pick up a bag of Skittles (there was a “Skittles Fairy” tossing them to the spectators) only to have the male runner behind us stumble over her. Another time, we had reached a good jogging pace. But she decided to stop and pick up the pretty purple flower she spotted along the trail (HAHAH).

As we were nearing the cheering crowds and the Finish Line, we grabbed each other’s hands and let go briefly to throw our arms in the air. We were so elated! That was short-lived.  My mini-me tripped on the Finish Line and fell flat on her face. She cried her little eyes out (as she should have). It was a difficult race (much less for an eight year old), but she said she felt like she accomplished something BIG. She also asked me when she should schedule her next race.

I expect she’ll be outpacing me within a few years!

Overall, it was such a great evening race. It was family oriented and the crowds weren’t outrageous. I definitely plan to sign us up next year!

- Cool Playground Mommy

Happy Running

Grab your running shoes and your jogging stroller for Running Moms Rock third annual 5k run/ walk benefitting Children’s Advocacy Center for Denton County.  This event combines a healthy respect for running while benefitting a good cause!

My girlfriends and I (who are incidentally new runners) are excited to partake in this family and fun filled event. It’s our first evening race – which is a great relief from the warmer temperatures we’ve been receiving lately.

Happy running!

Flip for FREE pancakes February 28, 2012 at IHOP! Since beginning its National Pancake Day celebration in 2006, IHOP has raised nearly $8 million to support charities in the communities in which it operates. On February 28, guests from around the country are invited to celebrate National Pancake Day at IHOP and enjoy a free short stack of Buttermilk pancakes.* In return for the free pancakes, guests are asked to consider leaving a donation for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals© and other designated local charities.

This year IHOP has a goal of raising $2.7 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals! We can help them out simply by going in and enjoying a yummy breakfast. Want to be reminded of National Pancake Day? Sign up for a celebrity wake-up call reminding you of the event.

You can also win free pancakes for a year by participating in Stacks for Good Acts. Tell IHOP your story of how you or someone you know recently did a good deed. As a thank you, you could win pancakes for an entire year!

IHOP National Pancake Day on the web

IHOP on Facebook

*There is a limit of 1 free short stack per guest. Offer is valid at participating locations for dine-in only while supplies last and is not valid with any other offer.

Get up close and personal at the Dallas Zoo!

Now that the weather is getting cooler, it is a great time to explore the Dallas Zoo again. If you have never been, it is a great zoo to visit with small kids. Not so overwhelming as the Fort Worth Zoo but it still has  a good variety of animals and close encounters! I find that there aren’t quite as many areas where you have to pick small kids up to see over bushes either.  Make sure that you check out the bug house and reptile house, both are favorites with my kids. The children’s area also has a very cool circular fish tank that is sure to mesmerize the younger set, as well as a playground and water feature if it is still warm enough for wading when you go. Arrive by DART for an added treat for the kiddos too.

You might consider a family membership if you enjoy the zoo. We are family passport members, so we get free parking as well as free carousel and monorail rides every time we go, and we go quite a few times a year! We can also bring a guest, which is handy when grandma is visiting or to bring a friend for my oldest to pal around with.  The first year we joined, we figured out that our family of  five pretty much paid for the basic family membership in one visit! You can check out the different levels of memberships here.

Another good reason to check out the Dallas Zoo this fall is to get a peek at all the babies that arrived over the summer! We saw baby flamingos, baby warthogs, a baby giraffe and even some baby snakes! I love how awesome the workers at the Dallas Zoo are with my kids too: on Labor Day weekend, one of the elephant keepers talked to us for 10 minutes about the sensor that one elephant was wearing to track their movements and told us how to identify each elephant by name. (Did you know that Jenny and Gypsy still hang out together? We do now!)

Cutest Thing Ever!

Baby Flamingos

On October 17th, I was one of many who decided to get up super early and head out to Stonebriar Mall.  I arrived at 4:30 and ran to the Disney Store where I was number 18 in line for Disney’s Limited Edition Designer Dolls.

Most people camped out the night before, but since I was told they were not allowing that, I decided to just get there super early (so much for following the rules).  The things we do for the “it” thing.

What is the big deal about these dolls?  They are limited edition.  There were only 4,000-8,000 of each made.  They are collector dolls who are in their own display cases.  Disney Store was releasing each of the 9 dolls separately, one each Monday.  The first two, Cinderella and Ariel, didn’t sell quickly until people saw how much they were going for on Ebay.  Then the craziness began.  All of a sudden there were lines every Monday morning.  Everyone wanted these dolls.

After the release of 4 dolls, they realized there were a lot of upset people.  Too many people waiting in lines or on line and still not getting the doll.  So, to help it out, Disney Store released the last 5 dolls on the same day.  I’m not real sure how that was supposed to fix anything, but that is why I was with all the other crazy people in front of the Disney Store on Monday.

I was the last one in line that was able to get the last 5 dolls.  The lady behind me got 4, and the guy behind her got 3.  The last people in line either just got one doll or a sad piece of paper that explained how terribly sorry they were that they missed out.

I thought waiting in the freezing cold for silly Zhu Zhu pets was crazy.  I think this took the cake.  And at $60 a pop, I must be insane.

Curious about what these dolls are all about?  Go to Ebay and type in Disney Designer Dolls.  Got a few hundred dollars?  Geeesh!  Insanity!

First 4 dolls

Today my husband and I decided to take my boys to Six Flags for the first time.  I was a little skeptical at first because I didn’t remember there being a whole lot for younger kids to do.  I had not been there in 6 years, so my memory was a little fuzzy.  We figured we would go ahead and go.  If anything Landon, my 2 year old, would fall asleep and Aiden, 5, would be able to ride a few things.

When we arrived we decided to go for the season pass.  Do we think we will be driving out to Arlington every weekend?  No, but a season pass is only a few dollars more than a regular ticket, plus if you buy 4 season passes, you get free parking for a year.  Parking is generally $15 or so.  It doesn’t take a math person, which I am not, to realize what the better deal is.

As we entered the park, excitement was all over the faces of my boys.  They were all decorated for Fright Fest and monsters were running rampant.  Right when we walked in, zombies were waiting to welcome us.

I'm not scared

We started at Looney Tunes Land.  There was plenty for them to do there.  The best thing that they had set up was a walk through Trick or Treat area.  The kids were handed bags and walked through a winding line to each Looney Tunes character who handed them hand fulls of candy.  The only issue I had was that I wish we did it later in the day.  Do you know how difficult it is to keep kid hands out of candy bags?  Pretty difficult.  Once you give in, all you can think about (or all I could think about) is, “What is going to go on with their stomachs during a mildly fast ride?”.

Trick or Treat

After  Looney Tunes fun we took off around the rest of the park.  I thought the boys could only ride a hand full of rides, but I was wrong.  We rode ride after ride after ride.  The secret height is 36 inches.  Luckily Landon is right at that.  He was able to ride the majority of the rides with either my husband or myself.  Aiden is 43 inches, so there were a few more rides that he could go on.  The scary ones, as he would say.

We arrived at the park right when it opened for the day and left at closing.  There was so much to do.  More than I remember.  We rode rides, played games, and ate some of the fattiest food I have ever put in my mouth.  The day ended with full tummies, heavy eyes, and two happy little boys who, by the way, got their hands on Superman and Batman capes.

Come see us!

My kids are pretty seasoned travelers, since we drive home to south Louisiana three or four times a year. It is a 7 hour trip, which can be challenging if you make the trip during the day. (If you can stay awake, driving at night is great…they sleep the whole time but you pay for it the next day!).

When the kids were very small, we would break up the trip by stopping at a McDonald’s with a play area and let them run off some energy. This trip, we decided to experience some Louisiana culture–the Bayou Pierre Gator Park and Show outside of Nachitoches, LA.  That is almost 4 hours from Dallas, so just over the half way point of our trip to Baton Rouge.   Fun to visit, corny for the adults and a great experience for the kids!

Grab some Alligator for lunch while you are there

Then watch the gators get fed!

Try your hand at feeding some tamer animals--goats, deer, & ostrich!

For closer encounters, there is also the East Texas Gators and Wildlife Park in Grand Saline, TX.  I haven’t visited, but it is close enough for a day trip and when contacted, the owners said that two or three hours are plenty of time to visit. My kids really had a blast feeding the animals and have not stopped talking about our visit yet!

Reward those grades!

If your child did well in school this semester, you might want to take advantage of some of these cool deals to reward their great efforts! Just as an aside, I don’t believe in bribing for grades. We don’t pay for good grades or offer privileges based on how my son’s report card looks.  But these are community deals,  and he didn’t know about them until he got his report card, so why not let him reap the benefits of his hard work?

Amazing Jake’s wants to reward good grades! Have your child bring in their most recent report card and they will receive FREE Game Play Credits. (A = $1 Value in Credits, B = $.50 Value in Credits) Max of 6 grades accepted per student per report card. Amazing Jake’s Plano accepts all grading systems.

Chuck E. Cheese believes in the value of a good education. Have your child bring in their most recent report card and they will receive FREE tokens for good grades.  Valid only with a food purchase. Up to 15 tokens maximum per child. All grading systems accepted.

Whole Foods Short Pump – Children receive a free small gelato for having an “A” on their report cards (Limit one gelato per child per report card. Grades K-12.)

Family Video They give out a free rental in the summer for A’s on a report card. The child must bring their final report into his/her local Family Video store.

Only at Some Locations: (But it doesn’t hurt to ask!)

Baskin Robbins–Get a free scoop of ice cream for good grades on your report card!
Blockbuster–Get a free family friendly movie rental for A’s on your report card!

Cold Stone Creamery–Get good grades then bring in your report card each quarter and get free ice cream!

McDonalds–Students with straight A’s can get a free Happy Meal!
Pizza Hut–Three A’s Program. Each report card, any child who has 3 A’s or the equivalent thereof, will receive one Personal Pan Pizza and a small soft drink or carton of milk by presenting his or her report card to the manager. This offer is good for Elementary and Middle
School students. Dine-in only. Student mu st be present.
Wendy’s–Students who received A’s and B’s on their report card and bring it into Wendy’s will receive a delicious reward.

KRISPY KREME: Offers 1 free donut for every “A” on your report card up to 6 A’s (some had a limit of two), up through the sixth grade. A sweet reward for all that hard work! This only applies to Krispy Kreme stores – not Krispy Kreme displays you will find in convenience and grocery stores. Simply find the Krispy Kreme nearest you, and stop in with your report card.

LIMITED TOO (Justice): Rewards girls for their good grades. We want to congratulate “the girl” on receiving such outstanding grades on her report card. It’s our way of saying “Way to go!” and ” Keep up the great work!” Report cards may be taken in to any Limited Too retail store within 30 days of issuance and receive $5 off their purchase that day.

If you know of more, please share!

Between preparing for my Girl Scout troop’s camp outing and getting ready for our elementary school’s Spring carnival (I’m on the planning committee), the last couple of weeks have been busy for this mama! I had to make myself stop and blog today just so I can take a break from all the stress of the last couple of weeks. Of course, I also want to share my daughter’s cute inch worm craft that she’ll be using to SWAP (trade) for other friendship tokens at camp this weekend.

If your family is involved in scouting, you know that SWAPs are a big part of the camp experience. It’s a way to make new friends. Some events offer prizes for the best SWAP too. This weekend, my daughter will be participating in her Brownie’s troop’s first camp experience. As her troop leader, I never realized how much was involved in planning for this outing, but the potential for our girls to have a fun day makes it all worth it…right? Now where was I? Oh, yes, the SWAP.

Thanks to my co-leader providing links to various SWAP sites, my daughter and I were able to come up with a cute, but simple project for her SWAP. Off to Hobby Lobby I went and was very pleasantly surprised to see that everything I needed was 50% OFF—what a bonus! My daughter and I started working on a design and realized that it might not work because one of the beads I got was too big. What to do now?! Luckily, my son who has a good eye for putting things together helped us come up with the idea for an inch worm—C.U.T.E! The picture above is the final product with one pinned to the hat that my daughter’s going to wear at camp. (It’s tradition to pin SWAPs you want to display on your hat.) How cute is this?!

What you need (for 40 SWAPs)

2 bags of safety pins without the coil (you can use regular large safety pins if that’s all you have)
1 bag of smiley face beads
About 200 pony beads
hot glue gun

Start off by designing how you want your inch worm to look on the pin. (My daughter designed most of the pins and had so much fun doing it!)

Glue all of the beads together one at a time. This is something you may want to do since the glue can be hot.

And here’s the pin all finished.

It may not win any awards, but my daughter loves her SWAP and is happy with what she was able to accomplish—that’s what counts! Enjoy!

While we’d really love you to enter and win our free ticket contest (go here to enter), we unfortunately don’t have enough free tickets to give everyone a set.

So, we thought we’d give you the next best thing:  a COUPON CODE!

Purchase tickets online at http://www.ticketmaster.com and use the code: MOM when ordering on the purchase page under “Advance or Promotion Ticket Selection”.  You can also order by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and mention coupon code: MOM.

Have a great time at the circus!