Meeting for parents in Chester County to ask legislators about the state’s proposed budget cuts to public education

Meeting with parents and state legislators on Thursday May 5, 7:00PM at West Chester East High School, 450 Ellis Lane, West Chester.

The meeting is sponsored by parent groups from 12 school districts in Chester County and it is an opportunity for parents in Chester County to ask legislators about the state’s proposed budget cuts to public education.

The following legislators have committed to attending:

State Representatives: Duane Milne, Chris Ross, Dan Truitt, Warren Kampf, Tim Hennessey, John Lawrence
State Senators: Andy Dinniman, Dominic Pileggi (Representative will be attending)

Each district will ask one parent to speak about what the proposed state cuts means to that school district.

Legislators will then be given a chance to respond to a series of questions that were prepared by parents and then questions will be taken from the audience.
The state must pass a budget by June 30, 2011, so this is a great opportunity to voice your opinion to legislators before they vote on a final budget.

Chesco Mom Sarah recalls meeting Punxatawney Phil & Groundhog Day Activities

Bright and early on February 2nd, Phil comes out of his burrow on Gobbler’s Knob in Punxatawney, Pennsylvania, in front of thousands of followers from all over the world – to predict the weather for the rest of winter.

According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring. Keep your fingers crossed that he doesn’t see his shadow. I am ready SO for spring!

2 years ago, I made the trek to Punxatawney, Pennsylvania, to witness the Groundhog Day, festivities first hand. My mom, sister and both kids went with me. We stayed at a nearby hotel and I had every intention of having a nice breakfast and leisurely showing up to the event around 6am..just to make sure I got a good parking spot. At check in the clerk at the hotel told me the first shuttle for the event attendees was leaving at 3am. 3am! Say what?!? (I believe that was my response) Then he told me press and news crews were already on site. I checked in at 10PM the night before. I couldn’t believe it. I had no idea Groundhog’s Day was such a popular event. I had drug my family all the way to Punxatawney, I wasn’t about to miss seeing the Groundhog up close and personal. So I set my alarm for 2am and was on site at Gobbler’s Knob, the site of the big event by 3am.

3am is VERY early! Seemed even earlier on what was a very cold February morning. I am SO not a morning person, but I was able to work my way to the front row where I stood in the frigid air waiting for Pennsylvania’s Most Famous Groundhog. Even though it was f-f-freezing, the morning was actually lots of fun. There were bands, fireworks, people dressed up in costume, prizes shot into the crowd by air cannon…Good Times! Around 5am my bundled up kids joined me and Phil’s handlers gave them commemorative groundhog coins and stuffed animals. By 6am, there were thousands of people waiting for Phil to make his prediction.

Around 7am, the bands cleared the stage, the crowd cheered as very official looking men in top hats took the stage to begin the big show. Who were the men in top hats you ask? Well, they were the gentlemen known as the Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle. They’re a group of local dignitaries responsible for carrying on the tradition of Groundhog Day every year. They’re the ones who are not only responsible for planning the events every year, but they’re also responsible for the feeding and care of Phil himself!

I love an experience and Groundhog’s Day at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxatawney was truly an experience to remember. My daughter was 4 years old the year that we went to Punxatawney and meeting Punxatawney Phil made quite an impression on her. We couldn’t get too close to Phil (we were told Groundhogs can have a bad temper), but the handlers were happy to hold him and pose for a few pictures with my kiddos. For the past two years my daughter has taken her special Groundhog’s Day coin to school and loved sharing her toddler tale of the event.

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Groundhog Day Facts Impress your friends and family with your Groundhog Day know how.

Groundhog Day Cupcakes – Seriously, how stinkin’ cute is this Groundhog Day inspired cupcake? Click here for instructions on how to make them. (Family Fun Magazine)

Groundhog Day Word Search
Click here to Print: Groundhog Day Word Search and find the Groundhog Day related words.

Groundhog Day Crossword Puzzle
Click here to print a fun Groundhog Day themed Crossword Puzzle

Click here to print a Groundhog Coloring Page

Boot Up … ski areas across PA are open and have GREAT Discount Offers.

Boot Up … ski areas across PA are open (or are opening soon)! Click here for more information and be sure to check your fav ski area’s individual link for hours, etc.

How about skiing or boarding for FREE this winter? Well here’s your chance! Your Pennsylvania 4th & 5th Grade Snowpass booklet offers you the privilege of skiing and boarding 22 Pennsylvania Ski Resorts for FREE this winter. Click here for more information.

Several PA Ski Resorts are aslo offering a special “First Timer” Ski/Sbowboarding Discount. Click here for more information or to purchase your $35 ticket today!

You can also check out the Downingtown Area Recreation Consortium for lift ticket discounts to Bear Creek, Big Boulder, Jack Frost, Blue Mountain, Camelback, Elk Mountain, and Greek Peak (just right over the PA/NY border). The DARC office is located on Bell Tavern Road (right off ofRt. 30) and only accepts cash payment.

Shannon and I visited both Greek Peak and Bear Creek earlier this year and we loved both resorts. Click here to read our travel reviews of Bear Creek and Greek Peak.

Bear Creek Resort, Spa Week and a great Giveaway!

Last week, Sarah and I were given the opportunity to get away overnight with our good friend Kelly from The Centsible Life. We headed just about an hour north of our homes in Chester County to a place called Bear Creek Mountain Resort. I had never heard of this resort, but was eager to see what this destination was all about in Lehigh County.

When we arrived on Friday evening, we were at first struck by the beauty of the surrounding area, as well as the gorgeousness of the resort buildings nestled into the mountainside. The resort is impressive with ski lodge details in every aspect of their decor from large lobby fireplaces to wood carved chairs and warm, inviting paint colors. We were invited to stay in one of the loft suites at the resort, and it was clearly one of the nicest hotel spaces I’ve ever stayed in. It was so clean, cozy, comfy and very spacious!

That night we got to enjoy some of the dinner dishes at the The Grille and loved their vast menu and yummy food. I had a plate of Ribs (quite a diversion for me) that were DELICIOUS! Sarah and Kelly enjoyed their meals also and we were able to relax and unwind without having to cut up meals for our kids, referee our kids’ fights, or navigate a kids menu…. so wonderful!

The next morning, we went down to the Spa at Bear Creek for some much-needed treatments! We were thrilled to be given a preview of the Spa Week services that Bear Creek will be offering starting Monday October 11th for JUST $50 each (read more below)!

Since I’ve recently been dealing with tension headaches that turn into migraines, I was especially looking forward to my massage appointment. I wanted all of that stress to be massaged right out of my neck and shoulders! I was not disappointed… I felt like a new woman walking out of that room.

I followed that up with a facial. I have to be honest here and tell you that I don’t generally like getting facials. I know that they are necessary occasionally, but it’s not something I enjoy. The facial at Bear Creek was fantastic, and I actually liked it and was so relaxed. They have these wonderful facial products that they use there and the scent is so light, but so relaxing that I just loved the experience. And, let’s not forget to mention how great my skin looked and felt afterwards!

Bear Creek is on the MUST VISIT list. It is a perfect overnight or weekend destination with plenty of activities in both the winter and summer seasons. I can’t believe this high-end resort is located so conveniently to the Philadelphia ‘burbs and am already planning a return visit with my husband!

The Spa at Bear Creek is participating in Spa Week next week, and the Spa Week services that we previews there were superior. If you can’t make it to Bear Creek, there are over 800 spas participating in this week-long event from October 11 – 17th and MANY in the Philadelphia and surrounding areas. Go to www.spaweek.com to find a location close to you that is offering several spa services for just $50! That’s a value that you just can’t beat! Book now!

For additional information, you can also find Spa Week on Facebook: www.facebook.com/spaweek and Spa Week on Twitter: www.twitter.com/spaweek

*Disclosure: I received complimentary overnight accommodations, 2 meals and spa treatments in order to facilitate this review.

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

Don’t Flush Your Prescription Drugs Down the Toilet. Safely Deposit them this Saturday during National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

Pennsylvanians are urged to safely and anonymously dispose of prescription drug medications this Saturday, September 25 during the first National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

The event is an initiative of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA, with the cooperation of the PA State Police and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD).

Controlled, non-controlled and over-the-counter drugs will be collected for disposal from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on September 25. All solid dosage medications, such as tablets and capsules, will be accepted. However, intravenous solutions, injectable medications and needles will not be accepted.

For a list of local deposit sites, click here to connect to the D.E.A, Office of Diversion Control.

A Chesco Mom Review of The Great Wolf Lodge, Pocono Mountain

On my summer quest to visit family friendly places that take less than 4 hours by car to get to, my family recently had the opportunity to visit the Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos thanks to our friends at MomSpace. We had such a great time. It took us about two hours to get there. Super easy directions! My children are ages 3 and 5.5 and absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a water park! Call me crazy, but I actually “mommed’ both kids on my own for an entire day at the water park until my reinforcements (husband and sister) could meet us there when they were done with work.

Upon checking in we were greeted by the valet and whisked over to customer service to check in. In the center of the lobby is the Great Clock Tower that features animated forest creatures that tell stories and sing songs. One of the shows was going on while we were checking in so my kids were very well entertained. Check in may have been one of the easiest to date! The animated shows run several times a day and every night at 8:00PM children are invited to wear their pajamas for a bed time story.

We stayed in a Loft Fireplace Suite. This was a great room for my family of three adults and two children. On the main floor there were two comfy queen beds, a living room with a full-size sleeper sofa, gas fireplace and two TVs. Upstairs, was a third queen bed, half-bath, and a third TV. Our suite also included a private balcony, mini fridge, microwave, hair dryer, and most importantly a coffee maker! We really liked this room set up because when the kids fell asleep we didn’t have to go to bed, afraid of waking them up. We were able to watch TV, work on our laptops (oh, the Great Wolf offers FREE wi-fi) and read in the living room area- just like we do at home while the kids are asleep in their rooms.

Chesco Mom Tips for Visiting the Great Wolf Lodge

No Soggy Wallet Here: The Great Wolf Lodge has a “wrist wallet” system. The “Wrist Wallet” is your pass to the water park, your room key and it also can be used to charge things to your room. I find the wristband to be one of the coolest things about staying at the Lodge. No room key to lose and no need to carry a wallet to the water park. I locked my purse in the in room safe and didn’t need it our whole stay.

Don’t miss a Photo Op: Purchase a cheapy water proof camera before you leave for your stay at The Great Wolf Lodge. I missed so many adorable photo ops of my kiddos because I only took my pricey and bulky everyday camera with me. If I would have had a waterproof camera I would have given a paparazzi a run for their money with all the pics that I would have snapped. To see photos of inside the waterpark – Google or visit the GWL page on You Tube.

Squeeze Me Please: I am not a big fan of walking around in a wet bathing suit and if you aren’t either – make sure to stop by the the women’s locker room to change back into dry clothes. For your wet suits – There is a free spin dryer that you can put your wet bathing suits in that actually squeezes out all the water before you head back to your room or to one of the restaurants to grab a bite to eat.

Dining Tips: The breakfast buffet at Loose Moose Cottage is AWESOME! They have everything you can imagine! I am a sucker for a breakfast buffet. We didn’t eat dinner at The Loose Moose, but I did sneak a peek at the buffet…. lots of options and there was a dessert bar.

If you are not a buffet family, there is a Pizza Hut on the pool level. There is also a snack bar and super yummy fudge.

If you want to venture outside of GWL there are plenty of restaurants within driving distance for you to choose from. We ate at Red Robin. It took about 10 minutes to get there. We had out laptops with us and Google’d directions. There is also a list of nearby restaurants in the ‘Lodge Life” book and a book of menus at the concierge’s desk (to the right at the check-in desk), for nearby restaurants. Some places even deliver to the GWL. We didn’t order take out, but I saw lots of families with take out bags and pizza boxes throughout our stay.

Non-Water Park Activities
Race Zone: design and build your own remote control vehicle by choosing the color of the vehicle, the color of the wheel and three different body styles. You even get to create your own drivers license! Then test your design by racing it on our indoor race track. Along with your remote control vehicle the Race Zone Package includes event tickets consisting of 3-4 races – $59.99 plus tax
Northern Lights Arcade: jam-packed with what must be over a hundred games.
Scoops Kids Salon for girls ages 4-12

gr8_space: features computers with teen-conscious internet access, docking stations for ipods and mp3 players, as well as multiple gaming stations for those who strive to win one of our contests on systems such as Nintendo Wii, XBox360 & Playstation 3. Play games like Guitar Hero, Rock Band and sing some karaoke.
Cub Club: Cub Club is the kids activity center at Great Wolf Lodge. Cub Club offers edutainment crafts and programs that teach kids about nature and the creatures of the Northwoods. It’s a Great Wolf tradition where kids can make it, watch it, hear it, play it, read it, try it and often take it home as a souvenir.
This is not a drop off activity center. It is a parent participation activity center staffed with crafty Great Wolf Employees. My family had lots of fun at Cub Club. My daughter decorated a pillowcase (small fee) and my son drew, colored and stamped his little heart out and made posters(free). There are puzzles, board games and books at Cub Club that offer a nice break from the water park activities.

MagiQuest: MagiQuest is an interactive live-action, role playing game where players embark on quests and adventures in an enchanted fantasy world using real magic wands to solve the mysteries of the game. You decide…With wand in hand, you will enter the enchanted kingdom. What will you do first, Magi? Befriend a Pixie, learn from an ancient wizard, battle a goblin or outwit a dragon? Your journey’s direction is in your hands, literally… Your wand is how you play and control your game. It knows your character and remembers your achievements. Each visit to the MagiQuest kingdom will allow you to progress further and master the skills needed to solve the mysteries of the game. Once your adventure concludes, your wand will come home with you.
My kids were a little young for this activity, but we saw dozens and dozens of bigger kids running the halls with their wands trying to solve the quest. They were all smiles and having a great time! (During our stay the MagiQuest prices were -Wand – $15.99 and up and the game – $12.99 – These prices are subject to change. Check the Great Wolf website activity page for more information)

Water Activities
Keeping in mind that I have younger children (ages 3 & 5)…we spent a good portion of our stay in the kiddie pool area. There were four slides that my kids could go down by themselves and there was a huge climbing/activity structure, Fort Mackenzie, that we all climbed together. Fort Mackenzie is a four-story interactive tree house water fort offering 12 levels of super-soaking fun. We had fun making our way over suspension bridges and cargo nets to spray stations and soaker buckets. (Watch out below!) The grand daddy of soaker buckets is the 1,000-gallon tipper that sits atop Fort Mackenzie. Every few minutes, the warning bell clangs, and the bucket begins to tip its contents over the roof and onto the people below….of which my daughter loved!
The indoor water park is a comfortable 84 degrees year round.
No need to bring towels from home or your hotel room. They are given to you when you enter the water park. You are not allowed to take them back to your room though. So make sure you bring a cover up to put over your suit to walk through the hotel. You don’t have to though.. I saw lots of people that didn’t have a cover up on in the lobby of the lodge. I personally just like to be covered up.
My husband and daughter LOVED riding the big slides together and cruising the lazy river. She is tiny for her age and just made the height requirement of 42 inches so she was a little limited on riding the big kid/adult slides, but she is very much looking forward to our next visit and hoping she meets the height requirement so she can go on more water rides – especially the Double Barrel Drop. This hair-raising new attraction is the first of its kind in North America, and the first indoor waterslide of its kind in the world. From the exhilaration of the high speed drop into a huge funnel, to lighting and special effects that will make you HOWL, everything about this six-story adventure literally screams fun. Then add a 450º turn where you twist into a dark vortex tunnel before dropping into a second funnel and you’ve got the Double Barrel Drop. (Please note that riders must be at least 48” minimum in height)
We had a great experience at Great Wolf Lodge and are planning to visit again in the fall. The park is VERY clean and well managed. We felt safe in the water park – life guards we everywhere. Great Wolf Lodge website offers different vacation packages.. make sure you check it out if you are planning a trip any time soon.

Connect with The Great Wolf Lodge:

www.greatwolflodge.com

Be the 1st to know on Groundhog Day

Be the First to Know Punxsutawney Phil’s 2010 prediction on February 2nd! Text “Groundhog” to 247365. Standard rates apply.

FREE H1N1 Vaccines 1/8 & 1/9..

This Friday and Saturday (January 8th and 9th) the state health department is offering free H1N1 vaccines for all at designated locations between 8 am and 4 pm. If you want to get one, please visit the website www.H1N1inPA.com or call 1.877.PA.HEALTH (1.877.724.3258) Monday-Friday between 7 an to 7 pm. You have to register before time in order to get vaccine.

There are list of locations in the website. I checked briefly and found that the location closest to us is in Media.

Thank You Chesco Mom Susan for this info.

Calling ALL PA Moms! It’s time for you to SEND THE MSG!!

Calling all PA Moms!

It’s time for you to Send the Msg:

Stop distracted driving in Pennsylvania!

We’ve got a bill in PA that would ban texting and driving but it is sitting in committee. We need to get the PA moms behind this to tell our lawmakers it has to be made into law!

I just know the moms can do this.

OK, everyone – we have a job to do! …..In Pennsylvania, a banning texting and talking on hand-held phones while driving bill has passed the Transportation Committee and it now sits in Appropriations awaiting a full House vote.
What on earth are Pennsylvania’s lawmakers waiting for? As each hour ticks by, texting drivers continue to travel the roads of Pennsylvania essentially with blindfolds on.
This must stop.

Why? Just ask Jacy Good, a 21 year-old from Lititz, PA who lost BOTH her parents to a distracted driver. It’s an awful story but could happen to any of us — Jacy and her parents were driving home together from Jacy’s college graduation when they were hit, killing Mr. and Mrs. Good and putting Jacy in a coma.

Pennsylvania moms, we know what we need to do:

1) Rep. Eugene DePasquale, who represents the 95th district, and Rep. Josh Shapiro have been working tirelessly on this cause for years. In fact, Rep. DePasquale has a petition we need to sign that urges Pennsylvania lawmakers to pass this important legislation against distracted driving. PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION HERE.

2) Please urge your legislators to pass the bill and make it a law. To find out who your legislators are in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, go here: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/ and call them or send them an email demanding they pass the ban on distracted driving in Pennsylvania!

3) Put a link to this post on your Facebook, Tweet it and blog it. SPREAD THE WORD!

4) Sign the Mom Sends the Msg Pledge to “Keep your Mind on the Wheel!”

We look forward to hearing you story, too. If you have a Pennsylvania distracted driving story, comment or question post in the comments below. Thanks everyone, looks like it’s up to the moms to Send the Msg and get that bill passed into law.

PS. Please remember – SIGN THE PETITION URGING PA LAWMAKERS TO BAN DISTRACTED DRIVING (it only takes a second to sign)!

Know what to do about the flu…

Flu.gov is the go to site for finding out what to do about the Flu. Click here to visit the state website, locate a flu shot clinic and get up to date information regarding H1N1.