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Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Letter of the Week: Ff


F is for Flag and Family
Here's what you need for this project:
- cardstock (red, white and blue)
- star stickers (white or silver work best)
- pictures of family members (or you can draw them if you don't have pictures)
- glue




Click here for free printable Upper Case Letter templates.

F is for Feathers and Family
Here's what you need for this project:
- cardstock
- feathers
- pictures of family members (or you can draw them if you don't have pictures)
- glue




Click here for free printable Lower Case Letter templates.

 Sight Words
This week's Sight Words are:
- funny
- for

 Handwriting


 Books

Here are some library books we reserved to go along with our theme:





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Monday, November 3, 2014

2014 St. Louis Holiday Events

This pic is copyrighted from Mastermind Creative
I love this time of year!  I've researched the holiday events around St. Louis but this list is not complete.  Some popular St. Louis locations have not yet posted their holiday events online so be sure to check back. If you have any events to add, please leave them in the Comments section.  Also be sure to check the website links for accurate dates and times of operation.
EVENTS
Old Webster Holiday Open House
November 9 @ 10am - 5pm

 Longview Farm House Holiday Boutique
November 15 @ 9am - 3pm

Santa's Wonderland at Bass Pro Shop - St. Charles
November 15 - December 24

MO Botanical Garden: Gardenland Express
November 22 - January 4

Downtown Kirkwood: Holiday Walk 
November 22 @ 9:30am

Ameren MO Thanksgiving Day Parade
November 27 @8:45am on Market Street

Butterfly House: Winter Jewels
November 28 – January 4 @ 9am to 3pm (Tuesday through Sunday)

Visit with Santa @ Museum of Transportation
November 28 & 29, December 6, 13 & 20 @ 10am - 2pm
November 30, December 7, 14 & 21 @ 12 - 3pm

E. Desmond Lee Holiday Train Display @ Museum of Transportation
November 28 - December 28 (Thursday - Sunday)

 All Aboard the Polar Express at the Children's Illustrated Art Museum
November 28 - December 28 (Friday - Sunday)

Ritz Carlton: Deck the Halls
November 28

Christmas in Historic St. Charles
November 28 – December 21 on Historic Main Street
Wednesdays & Fridays @ 6:30-9pm, Saturdays @ 11am-9pm & Sundays @ 12-5pm

Historic St. Charles Kriskindlmarkt
November 28 – November 30 @ Lewis & Clark Boat House and Nature Center

Historic St. Charles Santa Parade
November 28 – December 21 (Saturdays and Sundays) @ 1:30pm

Big Joel's Winter Wonderland
November 28 – December 21 

Santa’s Elf Is Coming to Whole Foods Market (Town & Country)
November 29 & 30 @ 12-2 pm

Northern Lights Christmas Market and Lighted Parade
November 30 @ Ferguson Citywalk

 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Story Time
December 2nd @ 11am & December 6th @ 11am

 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Sing- Along Concert
December 3rd @ 4:30pm & 5:30pm 

Wildwood Holiday Balloon Glow
December 5 @ 6 – 8 pm

Candlelight Christmas Walk in August, MO
December 5 and December 12 @ 5-10pm

Historic Daniel Boone Home Christmas Candlelight Tours
December 5-6 & 12-13 @ 5:30pm

Magic House: Grandparent Member Holiday Breakfast
December 6 @ 9 - 11am

 Bounce U: Jingle Bounce & Cookies with Santa
December 6 @ 9 - 10:30am

Holiday with Santa @ Westport Plaza
December 6 @ 10am - 12pm

Santa at the Old Town Log Cabin in St. Peters
December 6 @ 1 - 3pm

 CWE Window Walk
December 6 @ 1 - 6pm

Christmas on the Hill
December 6

 Christmas in Old Town Florrisant
December 6 @ 2pm

Kristkindl Markt in Hermann, MO
- Stone Hill Winery: December 6-7 @ 10am
- Hermannhof Winery: December 13-14 @ 10am

Snapshots with Santa at the Boathouse
December 7 @ 11am - 2pm

 Candy Cane Hunt @ Whole Foods Market (Town & Country)
December 7 @ 1pm

Holiday Family Night at SLAM for Family-level Members and above
December 9 @ 5:30–7:30 pm

Winter Wonderland Ice Show @ St. Peters Ice Rec-Plex
December 12 (7-9 pm) and December 13 (5-7 pm)

Candlelight Holiday at Thornhill Grounds at Faust Park
December 12 (6-9 pm), 13 (6-9 pm) and 14 (1-5 pm)

 Christmas Cookie sale, Gingerbread House & Ye Olde Candy Shoppe

December 13 @ 9am - 2pm @ the historic Bacon Log Cabin

 Breakfast & Craft Workshop with Santa at the Pet-acular Holiday Bazaar

December 13 & 14 @ 9:30 - 11am

 Candy Cane Hunt at the Kirkwood Park Lion's Pavilion
December 13 @ 10am - Come early to decorate a bag!

Webster Holiday Cookie Walk
December 13 @ 10am - 2pm

 Pet-acular Holiday Bazaar @ Purina Farms
December 13-14 @ 11am - 4pm

 Holidays in Old North Festival & Craft Market
December 13 @ 11am - 4pm

Holiday Santa Walk @ Jefferson Barracks
December 13 @ 5, 5:45 and 6:30pm

Lafayette Square Holiday Parlor Tour
December 14th @ 10am - 5pm

 Holiday Story Hour at Whole Foods Market (Town & Country)
December 14 @ 4pm

Magic House: Holiday Members-Only Morning with Santa
December 15 @ 9am - 12pm

Magic House: Members-Only Storytime with Santa
December 15, 17 & 18 @ 6-8pm

 Family Holiday Evening at The Foundry Art Centre
December 17 @ 5:30 - 7:30pm

 Storytelling at the MO History Museum - Silly Snowman
December 19 @ 10:30am

 Holiday Demo at Whole Foods Market (Town & Country)
December 21 @ 12 - 3pm

 Story Hour & Reindeer Craft at Whole Foods Market (Town & Country)
December 22 & 23 @ 10 - 10:45am

 Winter Getaway at the MO History Museum
December 27, 29 & 30 @ 10:30am - 2pm

Downtown Kirkwood Winter Fireworks Festival 
December 27 @ 5pm @ Station Plaza

Union Station Polar Express

Nana's Farmhouse Christmas Village & Train Display
Through December 31 from 6-10pm

 Noontime New Years Eve at Whole Foods Market (Town & Country)
December 31 @ 11am

Christmas Jubilee at Holiday Inn Six Flags

PERFORMANCES
November 28 – January 2

An Evening of Holiday Songs and Favorites by The Erin Bode Group
November 30 @ 6pm @ Purser Center at Logan University

Fox Theater
- Annie: December 2-7
- Mannheim Steamroller Christmas: December 9-10
- Straight No Chaser: December 11
- A Christmas Carol: December 12-14
- A Christmas Story, The Musical: December 16 – January 4


December 5 @ 8pm

St. Louis Children's Choirs Holiday Concert
December 6 @ 2-4:30pm @ Powell Symphony Hall

 The Nutcracker - Carol Bowman Academy of Dance
December 6 @ 2:30 & 4:30pm @ the Chesterfield YMCA

 Peter and the Wolf & Holiday Favorites
December 7 @ 3pm @ Purser Center at Logan University

December 7 @ 7pm @ The Lindenwood Theatre

December 12-14

- The Little Dancer: December 12-14
- The Little Dancer Tea: December 14 @ 2-3pm

December 12-14

December 13 @ 2:30pm 

December 13-14


December 16 @ 7-9pm

Touhill Performing Arts Center
- Sugar Plum Fairy Luncheon: December 20-23

December 19-21

December 19-21

Featuring the Children's Choir of St. Charles School District
December 19 @ 8pm @ The Lindenwood Theatre

Dance Center of Kirkwood: The Nutcracker
December 20 & 21 @ 1pm & 6pm

Tuesday, December 23

December 26 @ 3:30pm & 8pm @ Scottrade Center


HOLIDAY LIGHT DISPLAYS
November 14 – January 4 @ 5:30pm

AB Brewery Holiday Lights
November 20 - January 4 @ 6-9pm (Thursday - Sunday)

November 22

November 22 – January 3 @ 5:30 – 9:30pm

November 26 - January 1 @ 5:30pm - 9:30pm

Nov 28 – Dec 30

November 28 – December 30
The lights are usually up the weekend after Thanksgiving

Taubman Prestige Outlets
November 15 @ 4-7 pm

St. Peters
November 21 @ 6:30 - 9pm

 Eureka
November 22 @ 5 – 8pm

Historic St. Charles Tree Lighting Ceremony
November 28 @ 5pm @ Berthold Square

Affton Community Center
December 7 @ 5-6pm

 DINE WITH SANTA
St. Charles: Breakfast with Santa
November 29, December 6 and 20 @ 9am
November 30, December 7, 14 & 21 @ 9:30am

Eureka: Pizza with Santa
December 4-6

St. Louis Zoo: Breakfast & Dinner with Santa
December 6-7, 13-14, 20-21

Butterfly House: Supper with Santa
December 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 @ 4:30 – 7pm

MO Botanical Garden Members Event: Breakfast with Santa
December 6 @ 8am, 8:45am and 9:30am

Ritz Carlton: Brunch with Santa
December 6, 13 & 20 @ 9am – 1pm

Magic House: Breakfast with Santa
December 7 @ 8:30 am, 9:45 am, 11 am and 5 pm
December 14 @ 8:30 am, 9:45 am and 11 am

Breakfast with Santa: St. Peters Rec-Plex South
December 13 @ 8:30am - 10:30am

 Breakfast with Santa: The Pointe at Ballwin Commons
December 13 @ 9am - 2pm

North County Recreation Complex: Lunch with Santa
December 13 @ 11am - 1pm

 Pizza with Santa at Whole Foods Market (Town & Country)
December 20 @ 12 - 2pm

PICTURES WITH SANTA
Holiday Boutique @ Berkshire Hathaway's Town & Country Office
November 22 
Pictures with Santa and his live reindeer from 10am - 1pm
Holiday Boutique from 9am - 3pm

Strolling Santa and Mrs. Claus @ Taubman Prestige Outlets  
November 29, December 13 & 20 @ 12-3 pm

 Photos with Santa @ Kirkwood Train Station
December 4 & 11 @ 5-7pm 
December 12 @ 11am - 1pm

Cookies with Claus @ The Lodge Des Peres
December 6 @ 9am - 12pm

Santa at the Frisco Caboose
December 6-7 @ 2-4pm

Pictures with Santa @ St. Vincent Community Center
December 13 @ 1-3pm

 Chesterfield Mall

 Galleria

 Mid Rivers Mall

 Plaza Frontenac

 South County Center

 St. Clair Square

 St. Louis Mills

 St. Louis Premium Outlets 

 Taubman Prestige Outlets

 West County Mall

The Meadows



KIMMSWICK, MO
November 22 @ 10am - 9pm

December 5-7

December 5-7
Friday & Saturday 10am-9pm & Sunday 10am-6p

WASHINGTON, MO
November 30

December 5

December 6, 13 & 20

ILLINOIS EVENTS
November 21 - January 2 @ 5-9pm

Alton Community Tree Lighting
November 21 @ 6-8pm

Christmas Wonderland in Alton
November 28 - December 28

Belleville's Santa Parade
November 28 @ 10am

Christkindlmarkt
November 28 - December 23 @ Public Square in Belleville, IL

Eckerts: Breakfast with Santa & Holiday Storytime (Belleville)
Nov 29 & 30, Dec 6 & 7, Dec 13 & 14, Dec 20 & 21 @ 8am - 12pm

Nov 29 & 30, Dec 6 & 7, Dec 13 & 14, Dec 20 & 21 @ 10am - 4pm

December 5 @ 6-8pm

Grafton Taste of Chocolate
December 6 @ 11:30am - 2:30pm

December 13 @ 8am - 3pm

 Breakfast with Santa in Godfrey
December 13 @ 8:30am to 11:00am

 Santa's Workshop
December 13 @ 3pm

 A Winter Wonderland
December 13 @ 7pm

Visit with Santa at Alton Square Mall

 MOVIES & TV

Opens November 7

Opens November 21

Opens November 26

December 1 – 25 

Opens December 19

Opens December 19

Opens December 25





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Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars


It is very hard for me to try out new pumpkin recipes because I LOVE my pumpkin bread so much.  But I saw a picture of these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip bars from two peas & their pod and couldn't resist trying them.  While I still rank my pumpkin bread #1, these bars are nice for a change!

 Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

 Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. With a stand or electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth.
4. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. 
5. Add pumpkin puree and mix well. The mixture will look somewhat curdled. 
6. Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. 
7. Fold in chocolate chips. I used semisweet mini chocolate chips.
8. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. 
9. Bake bars for 30-35 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.
10. Cool bars completely in pan. Cut into squares and serve.

 This would also be great warmed with some vanilla ice cream!!!

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Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Letter of the Week: Ee


E is for Elephant
Here's what you need for this project:
- card stock (dark and light purple)
- elephant template (see below)
- googly eyes
- glue





 Click here for free printable Upper Case Letter templates.

 E is for Egg
Here's what you need for this project:
- card stock (yellow, white and green)
- brad fastener
- glue


Of course Sidney wanted to decorate her egg with stickers!

 Click here for free printable Lower Case Letter templates.

 Sight Words
This week's Sight Word is:
- eat

 Handwriting



 Books
Here are some library books we reserved to go along with our theme:





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Monday, October 20, 2014

Emergency Supply Kit

This pic is copyrighted from thehealthsite.com.

Thanks to Shepard Smith, we now know that we don't have to be afraid of ebola.  Thanks Shepard!  Your firm, authoritative and slightly condescending tone has set me at ease!  

 I don't know about you but I don't like to be told how to think and feel.  Ebola scares me. And the government's lack of preparation and control over this issue pisses me off frankly. So when the director of the CDC says that "it's going to get worse before it gets better", I feel the need to take action to protect my family.

 I spent the better part of last week going through our Emergency Survival Kit and purchasing supplies.  I have four lists:

 1) Detailed Disaster Supply Kit - This is our main supply kit that we keep at home.

 2) 72 Hour Kit - This kit contains supplies in backpacks that will get us by for 72 hours.  If we cannot stay in our home, we can carry / wheel our supplies to another location.

 3) Emergency Car Kit - In case an emergency occurs when we are away from home, we have supply kits in all our cars.

4) Pandemic Disease Kit - I keep this supply kit with our main supply kit (#1 above) in a separate bag.

 In addition to a lot of the medicine and food expiring (it tasted terrible!), we did not have sufficient water supply.  Previously we had been storing water in three of these Aqua-Tainers that I bought at Walmart for $18 each:
Each Aqua-Tainer holds 7 gallons of water.  Typically, a person consumes 3/4 gallons of water/liquids a day.  In an emergency situation, it is recommended that you store at least 1 gallon of water per person per day.  Children, nursing mothers and sick people may need more.  It is also recommended that you store a 2 week supply for each member of your family.  So my family of 5 would need at least 70 gallons of water (5 gallons per day x 14 days) for a 2 week supply.  Our 3 Aqua-Tainers only held 21 gallons of water, which would only last us about 4 days!

 We were having problems at our house one day and they had to shut off our water. I don't know if you have ever been stuck in a house with 3 kids and no water before, but it was tough.  You can't use the toilets, wash your hands, brush your teeth, rinse dirty dishes, wash clothes, etc.  Now, every time I have the water running in the sink or let the girls play in the shower or bath tub I'm very aware of the luxury of having clean running water.

 So we decided to buy this Augason Farms Emergency Water Storage Tank that holds 55 gallons of water.  It cost $150 (including shipping).
This, combined with our 3 Aqua-Tainers, will provide 2 weeks of water for our family.  I know it seems costly and excessive.  We debated it for quite a while.  We are not Doomsday Preppers (although I'd feel a lot safer if someone in my immediate family was!!!).  We just feel that it is our responsibility to protect our family in a crisis situation.

 The lists I created above include supplies that I felt my family needed.  Your family may require less (or more).  To create the lists, I did a bunch of online research and read two online manuals by FEMA:

 1. Are You Ready?
2. Basic Preparedness

 FEMA also has guides for specific types of emergencies and disasters that affect specific geographic areas (click here for more info).

 I have a Pinterest board with helpful articles and blog posts that I have found related to survival kits.  Click here if you'd like to see my board.
The best case scenario is that all this preparation is a big waste of time and money. But I will rest better at night knowing that we are prepared.

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Wednesday, October 15, 2014

St. Louis Holiday Events

This pic is copyrighted from Mastermind Creative

Don't be mad at me...I'm not trying to rush things.  I realize we haven't even celebrated Halloween.  Trust me, I am no where near ready for Halloween.  I have yet to root through the costume box to see which one Clara will fit into this year.

 But I've been searching around for all the fun holiday activities in St. Louis and there are a TON!  And some of them require advance reservations that are already filling up quick!  So with that said, I am warning you that I will be posting my list of activities soon and updating it as more information becomes available (probably after Halloween).  So be sure to check back!

 Now, let's get back to enjoying fall and all the pumpkin-filled treats we can possibly consume in a 3 month time period!

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