Chesco Moms Blog

Ten mom keyboard shortcuts you wish you'd have for life:

2012-01-27T16:56:00.001-05:00

Ctrl S: for capturing the moment that makes your nose itch and your eyes water.

Undo: for damage control on the nuggets you cleaned off your child's plate earlier today.

Redo: for those two-second hugs your kids are entirely too busy for these days.

Ctrl P: for printing an image of your child's first music recital, when you just don’t want to live the moment through a viewfinder.

Ctrl. I: for special emphasis on every word while explaining that big sister's Lego Hogwarts doesn’t belong in the bathtub.

Ctrl. A: for gathering the whole family on time, just once, to head out the door in unison and not be late for a family function, again.

Home: for a quick return after a seven-hour swim meet.

Insert: for adding funds to your non-existing vacation savings account.

Ctrl Z: for life in general, and throw-up in your hair specifically (after your sickie child comes visiting your bedroom in the middle of the night).

Pause/Break: need I say more?

Friday Fitness Tips: Body after Baby

2012-01-27T11:59:00.001-05:00

Trying to get your body back after having a baby can sometimes seem more difficult than labor and delivery! As a mom and a fitness instructor I can tell you I have struggled with this first hand. With my first child I gained almost 90 pounds. Yes! 90 pounds! I am only 5'2 so I looked like a tomato with legs. I honestly thought I was eating for two, sometimes three. Let me tell you I was shocked that I did not give birth to a 75 pound baby and I was left with all of this weight to lose on my own. Now, I was no longer cute and pregnant, I was just fat.

I never knew what it meant to " try" to lose weight. I am a former dancer and like I said, I am a fitness instructor so I was always moving and always exercising. So, there I was, a brand new mommy overjoyed with my newborn son, and so depressed that I was still wearing maternity clothes. I remember thinking, "how is this supposed to work?" I hadn't showered, I fell asleep while going to the bathroom, I was still figuring out how to use a breast pump and a bouncy seat, and I couldn't figure out how to get out of my house in under 30 minutes and without a 20 pound diaper bag. How on earth was I supposed to try to exercise? Let alone find time to exercise?

Well, lucky for you I figured it out! And you can too, I promise. I also promise that making yourself a priority during any stage of motherhood will have huge rewards. You will feel and look better, obviously. You will also boost your immune system, increase your energy level and ward off depression. All of these reasons help you be a healthier mommy. That is a great gift to give your family. I am listing my best tips and advice to help you figure out how to make exercise a part of your daily routine.

1. Put yourself first! And do NOT feel guilty!- You can not possibly take care of someone else if you do not take care of yourself. Bottom line, your baby needs the mommy you can be and that means YOU are at the top of the list!

2. Don't think you have to go to a gym- this can be a lot of work and can be overwhelming. If you enjoy the gym, go for it! Otherwise, stay away! Exercise does not need to happen all at once, 2 hours a day, sweat till you drop kind of sessions. Too much too fast is a recipe for disaster. Baby steps.

3. Get creative! Baby weighs about 5-10 pounds as a newborn and more as they grow. Who needs weights when you have this cutie pie to workout with?! Baby lifts while you are on your back work triceps,shoulders and biceps. Stand with feet apart and squat while lifting baby out and back to you. Working almost your whole body! Exercising with your baby is great bonding and you are already starting baby off with some healthy habits!

4. Think outside the box- while running errands, park your car in a far away parking spot and get in some extra walking in and out of stores you have to go to anyway. Also, doing your housework with baby in a front carrier will burn double the calories!

5. Enlist your spouse or significant other- take turns supporting each other as healthy new parents. Maybe he makes dinner and puts baby to bed while you go to a zumba class, then you do the same another night while he goes for a run or plays basketball with friends. Find a balance that works so you feel supported and not guilty. Plus....exercise boosts libido!!

6. Get a pedometer- I was shocked that I didn't hit the recommended 10,000 steps a day. Make it a game. Stick one on your pants and forget about it until the end of the day. Figure out ways to beat each days steps.

7. Go easy on yourself- you are a new mommy. Your body has been through a lot. If you are currently exercising 0 minutes a day don't expect to win a marathon. Start with just 5 minutes. I promise, a consistent 5 minutes will lead to a consistent 20 minutes, then 60 minutes and so on. Don't overdo it!

8. If you don't like it, you probably won't do it- I hate running. Unless I am being
chased. I have tried to be a runner and I quit every time, because I hate it. However, I love to dance! I have taken several adult dance classes but my favorite is zumba. I love to shake it so this is the workout for me. If you love the water, then find a swimming class. Maybe you were an athlete or love to roller-skate? You can combine both loves with a little roller derby! Or work your abs with a hula hoop and your favorite songs. My kiddies loved when I would workout with a hula hoop. I had a smile from ear to ear. Plus it is an awesome workout. Now they do it themselves!

9. Kill that postpartum depression!- I am in no way, shape or form a doctor so I can not make any claims but, exercise can beat the depression just as good if not better than any drugs. I have suffered through post pardon depression and I deal with a little regular depression as well. I think many of us do and it is tough. I use exercise as my drug of choice and I can tell you that it works! It works with your endorphins, balances out hormones and let's you blow off some steam! And everything counts! Just a 5 minute walk can cure a sour mood. 5 minutes is better than no minutes!!

10. Make it a necessity - This is so important. We spend so much time with all of our other necessities...food, clothes, shelter.....a.k.a cooking, laundry and cleaning! But none of this can be done well if we as moms are not taking care of ourselves. Make a promise to give yourself some time each day or even each week to take care of your body. It is a necessity!!

A Mother's work is never done. We all do so much and the payoff is usually a big one since nothing makes us happier than seeing our families happy. I know many of us have our plates full...or overflowing....but please keep in mind that taking time for yourself is more important than getting all the laundry done. The laundry is never really ALL done anyway;)!

My name is Caitlin Ennis. I am a certified fitness instructor, a hairstylist, a wife,and a mother of 2 children 11 year old boy and 8 year old girl. I work full time outside the home and super full time at home! I love music,dancing,and vampire movies. I dislike cleaning, making school lunches, the post office and the gas station.

Healthy Game Day Tips and More from Leading Nutritionist

2012-01-26T20:00:00.006-05:00

This article comes to us from a leading nutritionist, Rachel Berman, RD, CSR, CD/N, the Director of Nutrition for CalorieCount.com (a healthy-living website with more than three million members)

Healthy Game Day Swaps

Besides watching the game and enjoying the commercials, Super Bowl snacking is a one of the main attractions of game day. In fact, Americans consume more calories during the Super Bowl than nearly any other day during the year – second only to Thanksgiving!

We all know the major culprits. One serving of nachos can add up to more than 550 calories and 30 grams of fat, while a serving of chicken wings packs in 440 calories and 26 grams of fat. So, instead of mindlessly eating your way through a Super Bowl celebration, try utilizing the following tips:

To save on saturated fat:

Add more beans instead of meat to a chili recipe, look for reduced-fat cheese for nachos, and swap Greek yogurt for sour cream when making dips and spreads
Make a healthier version of chicken wings by baking chicken tenders that are lightly seasoned with your favorite spices – and serve reduced fat blue cheese.

To save on refined carbohydrates in lieu of chips:

Serve a big crudite platter with interesting veggies like artichoke hearts, radishes, mushrooms, grilled asparagus, and jicama and pair with hummus or salsa.
Make a healthier version of chips by slicing whole-wheat pitas into wedges and then lightly toasting these in the oven

To save excess calories:

Beer, even light beer, can pack on the calories. It can also lead to mindless munching. Keep track of how much you drink and steer clear of any specialty cocktails prepared with juice or soda.
When it’s time for kick-off, relax and enjoy the celebration – but keep an eye on portion size and make a plate of food when hungry instead of grazing throughout the day.

Plus, check out CalorieCount.com for great game-day recipes, such as:

Mango Salsa (41 calories, 0g fat)
Tomato & Basil Pita Pizzas (199 calories, 2g fat)
Cucumber Dip (5 calories, 0g fat)
Taco Cups (137 calories, 2g fat)
Rosemary Cheese Biscuits (131 calories, 5g fat)
Oven-Fried Onion Rings (79 calories, 4g fat)
Chicken Taquitos (159 calories, 5g fat)
Broiled Buffalo Chicken (218 calories, 8g fat)

Additional Story Concepts

Really Reading the Packaging

Understanding nutrition facts can be confusing. In fact, according to a Nielson report released today, 59 percent of consumers around the world have difficulty understanding nutritional labels on food packaging. In addition, the packaging on many of so-called “healthy” products can be even more misleading. Rachel can discuss what key items to identify when reading nutrition labels – and can also share tips for what misleading marketing language to look out for when shopping.

For Example: Not all granola bars are created equal! Be weary of granola bars that are low in fat as sometimes these may actually be higher in sugar – and might not be the healthiest option.

National Grapefruit Month (February)

Not that we need an excuse to enjoy grapefruit – especially as it’s packed with nutrients antioxidants – but February is National Grapefruit Month. Rachel can provide the complete nutritional breakdown for this super-healthy fruit and share recipes and tips for ways to enjoy grapefruit at any meal.

For Example: Grapefruits are not just a breakfast item – they are an excellent accompaniment to a variety of dishes like an Avocado and Grapefruit salad.

American Heart Month (February)

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. American Heart Month opens the door for discussions about heart health, diseases that put your heart at risk – and things we can all do to improve the heart’s health. Rachel can share expert advice specific foods, exercises and lifestyle choices to improve heart health.

For Example: Choose proteins that are low in saturated fat and avoid eating red meat (or save it for a special treat) and get creative with meals – try serving these ginger-honey glazed barbecued chicken breasts on whole-wheat rolls for a satisfying and heart-healthy BBQ option.

Kid-Friendly Family Eating

Eating healthy while maintaining a busy schedule is tricky enough – but if you have a few picky-eaters in the family (whether it be kids or spouses) preparing regular, wholesome meals can be even more difficult. Rachel can provide suggestions for ways to engage the entire family in healthy eating, tips for how to “sneak” nutrition into kid-friendly foods and recipes for quick and delicious family meals.

For Example: To keep everyone happy, try “sneaking in” fruits and veggies to your meals - toss chopped or dried fruit into chicken, tuna and turkey salads and add chopped-up vegetables (or frozen spinach) to sauces.

Bio: Rachel Berman

Rachel Berman, RD, CSR, CD/N is the Director of Nutrition for Calorie Count, a free health and wellness website with over 3 million members. Rachel provides users with practical science-based information related to nutrition, weight loss and health.

Rachel has worked with various patient populations in the clinical setting for almost a decade. Most recently she was the dietitian for Columbia University’s Eating Disorder Day Program where she planned meals and provided nutritional counseling to individuals. In addition, Rachel is active in social media to promote credible health information on the internet.

Rachel is a member of the American Dietitian Association and is Board Certified in Renal Nutrition. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University and conducted her dietetic internship at North Shore LIJ Health System in Long Island, New York.

Looking for a Playgroup in Chester County? JOIN or RENEW Moxie Moms of the Philadelphia Suburbs now for $20!!

2012-01-26T13:39:00.007-05:00

JOIN or RENEW Moxie Moms of the Philadelphia Suburbs now for $20!!

Did you know Moxie Moms is now a savings network to save you $ all around town? View partner list here....with many more to be added soon. Plus you have the added bonus of an activities calendar which includes events with the kids & Mom’s nights out!

Click here to join or for more information.
-indicate “other”
-enter code SUPERDEAL if new to Moxie Moms

(or code SUPERDEALRENEWAL to renew) in code box
-then fill out info and pay via Paypal or by check.

Wednesday Wellness: Newborn Knowledge for New Nana's ... and Gramp's too!

2012-01-26T10:23:00.002-05:00

This healthy post was brought to you by The Chester County Hospital and Health System.

Congratulations! You are going to be a Grandma! Well, maybe not yet … but someday you could get the great news that your family is growing. Are you ready for the challenge?

In today’s family structure, grandparents play a vital role in the lives of their grandchildren. On any given day, Mommom’s are called upon to be baby sitter, chef, chauffeur, concierge, sleep-rocker, rule-setter, storyteller, playmate, cheerleader and moral supporter.

According to grandparents.com, 72% of grandparents take care of their grandchildren on a regular basis and 13% are primary caregivers. Another fact: 6.2 million homes (5.3% of all US households) are now multigenerational, and that number has been increasing. (Source: US Census Bureau 2010).

But as excited as Grammy is to “help out” with the little one, it is important to recognize that a lot of rules have changed in the 20, 30, or 40 years since she raised a child. It is critical for anyone caring for a baby to know the most current child-raising information.

Parenting Examples: Then and Now

Then – Parents were told to put babies to sleep on their tummies.
Now – For better breathing, always put babies to sleep on their backs. Also, no bumpers, blankets, pillows or other loose items should be in the crib.

Then – Doctors felt formula feeding is best for the baby.
Now – Because of its nutritional benefits, breastfeeding is strongly encouraged.

Parenting is a whole new ballgame when it comes to car seats, feeding, home safety and much more. But here’s the good news for grandparents-to-be! The Chester County Hospital is now inviting grandparents to sign up for its Newborn Care Class too. All Grandma’s and Grandpa’s, Mommom’s and Poppop’s, Nana’s and Pappy’s welcome!

In the class, you will learn about these modern and other concepts, and other do’s and don’ts of grandparenting. And just think how impressed your son or daughter will be with your modern knowledge. You can then effectively help your son or daughter in their new role as parent, just as you supported them through every step of their own childhood. After all, they’ll always be your ‘baby,’ no matter how old they are.

Newborn Care Class

The 2½-hour class for parents, and now grandparents, covers up-to-date information about caring for the new baby. The program includes infant safety, bathing, diapering, dressing and the needs of the newborn. Participants will have the opportunity for hands-on practice. Grandparents can register at the discounted rate of $10.00 per person. All grandmothers and grandfathers are welcome to sign up for the class, even if their grandchild will live outside the Chester County area.

For information or to register, call The Chester County Hospital Wellness Line at 610.738.2300.

Share your experience. What can you remember your parents doing when you were a child that would break the rules today?

Source: http://www.grandparents.com/gp/content/opinions/from-the-editors/article/surprising-facts-about-grandparents.html

Cuisine to Go introduces the New and Expecting Mom Dining Club

2012-01-25T13:00:00.001-05:00

As a new mom (for the third time), Michelle Marinack, Owner of Cuisine to Go sympathizes with the struggles of a new mom. From late nights to early mornings.. the days can seem very, very long.

To make the day a little bit easier for her fellow new moms and moms to be, she is happy to introduce the new Cuisine to Go New and Expecting Moms Dining Club, offering New and Expecting Moms in Chester County an opportunity to receive a few well deserved nights of delicious food delivered to your house..for a discount.

Upon signing up for this program Dining Club Members will receive a $5.00 Cuisine to Go Gift Card and a coupon code specific to their email address for 10% off of future orders for six (6) months. There is NO FEE to join... just fabulous savings and food to enjoy!

Click here to join the Cuisine to Go

New and Expecting Moms Dining Club TODAY!

Cuisine to Go Hosts Win it Wednesday..2 Winners!

2012-01-25T07:00:00.001-05:00

If you are a regular visitor of this site, you are well aware I am a HUGE fan of Cuisine to Go. So I am uber excited that this week we are offering two lucky readers and opportunity to win a $25 Cuisine to Go Gift Card.

Cuisine To Go is a multi-restaurant delivery service serving most of Chester County. Click here to see if Cuisine to Go delivers to your area.

How it works ~ You place your order either online at cuisinetogo.net or by phone at 610-363-6606 then a delivery driver is dispatched to the restaurant, picks up your order, places your meal in a insulated thermal carrier and delivers it directly to you at your home or office. It is THAT easy! Oh, and I almost forgot.. Delivery is FREE with promo code:CHESCOMOM.

Click here to see a list of all of the great Chester County restaurants that Cuisine to Go delivers for.

Connect with Cuisine to Go on Facebook for menu updates, daily specials, restaurant news and more.

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Save 89% with Picture People!

2012-01-24T12:30:00.001-05:00

Need family photos or photos of your children? This is way to good to pass up! Picture People, in multiple locations, is offering a deal worth $144 and you pay only $16 for a Photo Shoot and Eight Color Portrait Sheets. You are saving 89%! What a Deal!!! Click here for more information.

Huge Savings at Floris Nail Salon and More!

2012-01-24T10:13:00.005-05:00

I love this nail salon! Floris Spa & Nail has a serene atmosphere that captures you as soon as you walk in. When you sit down in the chair, be ready to be pampered and relaxed from the time you enter until you leave. Today, you can buy a Parrafin Manicure and Pedicure PLUS a $5 gift card towards future services for just $24...a value of $60. Don't miss it!

Don't forget about your little girl too! Sweet & Sassy's Glittery Glam Express package for $12 is still available as well.

Glittery Glam Day for Girls is Back at Sweet & Sassy!

2012-01-23T16:11:00.007-05:00

Nothing is greater than seeing the happiness and amazement on your little girls' face! That is what you will see when you purchase this great deal from one of our favorite places, Sweet & Sassy!!! For just $12, get the Glittery Glam Express Package, a $25 value. Sweet & Sassy is the greatest salon and spa for girls ranging in age from toddler to tween to be pampered as they should be. With the Glittery Glam Express Package, your special princess will have get a party up-do, makeup application, and Just-a-Polish for her fingernails. Or, get a Sweet Cut (a haircut and blowout) along with a Mini Mani for $17 (a $35 value). Get this deal and use it at any of their 3 locations available (Exton and Collegeville, PA and Cherry Hill, NJ).

Dottie Foley Photography: Creating Timeless Images {Discount Alert!}

2012-01-23T12:10:00.003-05:00

“A new baby is like the beginning of all things - wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities.” ~ Eda J. Le Shan

Whether this is your first baby, your last baby or one in between, there is nothing like those first days with your new little miracle. Babies grow up really, really fast. They change daily. One day they are your perfect little caterpillar, all swaddled up. The next day they are rolling all over, running all over and before you know it they are off to kindergarten. They will not wait for you to get organized, get ready or even get sleep but you can capture those first moments with your new family in photos to treasure.

Dottie is an on-site photographer who specializes in capturing the miracle of new life, the innocence of childhood, and the unrivaled bond of family. Dottie creates timeless images you will treasure forever.

“I was lucky enough to receive a newborn photo session with Dottie as a shower gift from my sister. It was the best gift she could have given us. We are so grateful to have such beautiful photos of our newborn son to treasure forever. Not only did Dottie produce amazing photos for us but the photo session itself was a really fun experience…. We LOVE our pictures and have enjoyed being able to share them with our friends and families. Dottie is truly meant to do this and we highly recommend her for a newborn session.” ~ (client, Kristin Tovey)

“Sometimes,” said Pooh, “the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” ~ A. A. Milne

Fill your walls with Art that fills your heart!

Schedule a newborn session and mention code CHESCOMOMS for a free maternity session. Offer valid for sessions booked by February 14, 2012 (actual session can occur after February 14th depending on due date). Newborn sessions are for babies up to 14 days old.

Don’t miss a moment! See www.dottiefoley.com for more information and portfolios. Follow Dottie on facebook http://www.facebook.com/dottiefoleyphotography and Twitter @dottiefoley

*Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Dottie Foley Photography.

Wings Lacrosse Ticket Promo Code!

2012-01-20T18:00:00.001-05:00

If you can't wait to go see The Philadelphia Wings, I told you there would be a discount code coming up, so here it is! The Wings are exciting to watch so I know you will have as much fun as I did, they don't disappoint!

Click here to buy your tickets to any game you would like and enter code "WINGSMOM" to receive 20% Off your ticket purchase!

Fun Indoor Winter Activities for Kids

2012-01-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

Winter time is here! Do you struggle with keeping your child engaged when you are stuck inside? I have put together some fun indoor educational activities that can be done with your children indoors.

Calling all writers! Here are some ways to help your child become better writers without it having it seem like work! Create a dialogue journal with your child. You can write them a letter and ask them to respond. This is a great way to promote writing while increasing communication between the two of you. Another way to implement a dialogue journal is to have your child write a critique about their favorite show or movie. After they have spend a few minutes writing you can use a different color pen to ask questions. This process can promote further dialogue between you and your child. For example: Child writes: I loved this episode of iCarly because I think Sam is so funny and she makes me laugh. Parent writes: What did Sam do to make you laugh?

I spy a Science kid! Doing fun science activities is a great way to keep your child busy and engaged while learning all at the same time! I don’t know about you but I haven’t met a kid who didn’t like making slime or volcanoes or even tornados in a bottle! You will find many of our favorites on this great link. I have enjoyed many of these experiments with my own kids. Check out http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/ for ideas.

Are you the next Picasso or Van Gogh? There is nothing like a fun art project. Sometimes a little sticky mess is just what you need when you are cooped up on a cold day! Try this art project to keep your kids smiling during this winter. Making “cotton swab” snowflakes can be lots of fun! You will need cardboard or a plastic wrap for your work area., 18 cotton swabs, tacky glue, glitter and monofilament line.To make the snowflakes, first create a work surface by covering a large piece of cardboard with plastic wrap. For each snowflake, arrange 18 cotton swabs into a snowflake shape (be creative and use your imagination). You want to make sure the ends of the cotton swabs meet each other. Squeeze a small amount of tacky glue where the ends of the swabs meet. Sprinkle glitter onto the glue and let the snowflakes dry overnight.

Carefully peel each flake from the plastic. Collect and return the excess glitter to its container. Hang your snowflakes up with monofilament line, grab a cup of hot chocolate, and watch your dining room transform into a winter wonderland!

I hope you find these activities fun and educational! Happy Learning!

Yolanda is the mom of 3 young children in the Delaware Valley. She is the Founder of Team Tutor.

Game Review: The Philadelphia Wings 2012 Season Home Opener

2012-01-19T09:00:00.001-05:00

I know lacrosse is a fairly uncommon sport, but it is rising in popularity. I have played lacrosse since I was in 7th grade, during college and here and there for the past 10 years since college; ok so I gave up my age. This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the 2012 Season Home Opener of The Philadelphia Wings Lacrosse Team and we had a blast! The game has changed over the past few years regarding regulations but that didn't make it any less amazing. The fans were great and respectable, the seats were incredible and the stadium staff was awesome! We sat in a club box so we had a private bathroom and a wait staff there for our needs, not to mention that we had a private bar as well! Those amenities in and of itself makes the event that much more enjoyable. It was pretty awesome to be able to go to a season home opener, the excitement is unspeakable!

I can't say that I personally have followed much of professional lacrosse since I have "grown up" but the players are dedicated to the sport just as any other sport out there. They play their hearts out and try to make a great name for Philadelphia. This particular game was against the Rochester Knighthawks and they sure did make Philly play hard! Rochester was tough. The Wings started out great, then it started to show how much competition Rochester really was. They gave The Wings a run for their money to say the least. But hey, you win some, you lose some...as long as you played to the best of your ability that is all that matters! Like I said, no matter what the outcome was, we had a blast and I would do it again in a heart beat! Be prepared to see some fighting and lots of action!

If you are interested in going to see The Philadelphia Wings play this season, click here! I do have to tell you, a discount code is available so keep your eyes open, it will be coming in the next few days. The next home game is Sat. January 21 against the Washington Stealth! Tickets range from $10 to $75, but there really wasn't a bad seat in the house!

A little bit about The Philadelphia Wings:

"The Wings are one of the most decorated teams in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) with six championships. Each season the Wings and the NLL bring the top lacrosse players in the world to the Wells Fargo Center to showcase their brand of fast paced, high scoring and hard hitting action. The NLL teams each play a 16-game regular season schedule (eight home & eight away) that begins January and runs through April. The regular season is followed by the Champions Cup Playoffs, a single elimination tournament to crown the league’s top team."

Disclaimer: I was offered the opportunity to go the Philadelphia Wings Home Opener by Wells Fargo, Comcast-Spectacor in return for a review of the game. The opinions expressed throughout the review are solely my opinions.

Wednesday Wellness: Tips and Tricks for Mindful Eating

2012-01-18T12:00:00.002-05:00

This healthy nutrition post was brought to you by:

Eat when you are hungry. Stop when you are full.

Sounds easy, but it’s really, really difficult. We did that when we were young children. Somewhere along the way, we stopped listening to our bodies. Somehow, food took on the magical qualities of providing comfort, preventing boredom and relieving stress.

Those of us who have tried many diets have lost and re-gained weight. You didn’t fail at the diets, the diets failed you. When you eat too few calories, your body slows down and stops burning as much fuel. When you restrict "bad foods" you end up bingeing on those foods or over-eating other foods to compensate. Then you feel guilty, "go off" the diet, and re-gain all that you lost. Sound familiar?

“The best way to allow our bodies to get to the weight nature intended is to consider our bodies as our teammate, not as our adversary,” says Kim Smith Knipe, RD, LDN, Community Nutrition and Outreach Coordinator for The Chester County Hospital. “If it's hungry, feed it. When it's full, stop eating. Appreciate each mouthful.”

She stresses, “DON’T DIET!!”

How can we do that?

Respect what your body tells you. Eat when you are hungry. Your body knows what it is doing – we just have to re-train our brains.
When you are hungry – stop to think if it is your body that is hungry or if you are just bored or lonely or tempting treats are in front of you. If you are truly hungry – EAT! If not, move the treats to a new location and distract yourself – go for a walk, call a friend, check email.
If you are hungry, try to eat something healthful that will conquer whatever craving you are having. Want something sweet? Have some fruit instead of a cookie. Want something crunchy? Have some baby carrots instead of pretzels or crackers. Want something salty? Have a small handful of lightly salted almonds instead of a bag of chips.
If what you truly want is a “bad” food, you can have some. YES! It’s not off limits. Just be more aware. Have a small portion without guilt. Once you've enjoyed a few bites, you may find that you are satisfied -- so stop eating. Don’t worry; this will become easier with practice!
Several times throughout each meal, stop and decide if you have become satisfied (notice I didn’t say “full”). If you are, stop eating. Food will be available when you are hungry again.
Focus on how you feel rather than on weight loss. Eating lean protein, whole grains and vegetables makes our bodies feel better - we have energy; we don't have “tummy issues.” Eating white bread, cookies and soda every day reduces our energy, disturbs our digestion, and doesn't even give us much pleasure after the fact.

Kim says, "When you allow yourself to eat whatever you want without judgment, you will begin to learn what makes you feel good and what doesn't. If you eat mindfully and tune into your body's signals, you will enjoy your food more and need less of it to be content." Your weight might go up a little at first, but then it will go down, until you stabilize at your natural weight. Learn to love yourself at that weight.

Eat when you're hungry; stop when you are full. Eat what you love and definitely love what you eat!

What mindful eating tips would you share with others? What questions do you have about listening to your hunger cues?

Win it Wednesday: $50 Gift Certificate to The Master's Baker in West Chester

2012-01-18T07:00:00.004-05:00

This is a SUPER DELICIOUS Win it Wednesday, is sponsored by our friends at The Master's Baker in West Chester. Up for grabs is a $50 Gift Certificate for one lucky Chester County Moms.com reader.

Recently named the recipient of the 2011 Philly Hot List Best Cake Award, The Master's Baker has been baking and decorating BEAUTIFUL one of a kind, custom cakes cakes in Chester County for 42 years.

My family has personally celebrated many of milestones with cakes from the bakery and I love their cakes, but don't just take my word for it... read what other happy customers are saying. Click here to read their Yelp Reviews. Click here to read their Wedding Wire Reviews.

Follow The Master's Baker on Facebook for promotional deals, information on local tasting events, AWESOME photos, inspirational tid-bits and more.

First Five

2012-01-13T16:44:00.001-05:00

Illustration by Melissa Jefferson

When I fumble for my keys at the front door after returning from work, I see my little guy skipping to the window. Before I even step into the hallway, he's greeting me as a wild cheetah, a renegade pirate, or a roaring T-Rex. It's a mixed bag; I'm never quite sure what to expect at the door.

I love that my preschooler hops off into another room, waiting for me to follow suit in his already defined scenario, where mom's part keeps the jungle, pirate boat, or Jurassic park going. Before becoming enthralled by the imaginary world I have suddenly been thrown into, I make a beeline for my daughter, who is busy finishing her homework. A quick kiss and hug later, and I'm answering to "you are the mommy shark, and I'm your baby shark!" Problem is that mommy shark didn't have time to use the bathroom on company time. Tsk-tsk. So I put down my purse and head upstairs, where I transform from "presentable-with-heels" to "slob-with-bun" in no time.

Winter makes it particularly easy to justify pajama pants and fluffy socks at 5:05 p.m., but I keep my bra on just in case—one never knows who might ring the doorbell at this hour. My sloppy leisurewear selection is slightly more tasteful in summer when I risk running into other human beings my age before dinner and have to dress the part. But winter is a freebie. I usually shape up in time for Girl Scout cookie season, when I can't really answer the door in Paul Bunyan-patterned pants.

But back to my homecoming. Just five minutes in, I'm ready to build pillow bridges across the living room floor to catch unsuspecting big sis at my baby shark's whim. Three hours to bedtime, and I try to make the most of our playtime.

The first five minutes back home are often like a switch between different cultures, complete with their own customs and local dialects. Of course, the transition isn't always a cakewalk. Sometimes, I just want to lounge, mope, and vent. If I had a particularly deadline-driven day at work, playing anything at all can be hard, especially after spending all day in a grown-up sandbox with figurative shovels flying around. But I try. Those precious first minutes often set the tone for the night. Occasionally they are all I have before I grab my daughter's gear and head off to swim practice with her. Mommy storming into the front door and putting up a timeout-worthy pout isn't exactly helping anyone, so I sometimes take those five minutes for myself, to read last month's PTC newsletter in the bathroom while hitting my mental Crtl Z button and start over again. Then…I'm mommy shark.

By Marion Kase
Marion Kase is a working mother who lives, plays, and, well, works out in the burbs. She captures a dirty sock laundry list of mundane, sometimes hair-pulling observations, as seen from the brim of her coffee cup, for all the unsung heroes in our wonderful community on her blog, Helicopter-Caterpillar.

Illustration by Melissa Jefferson. Melissa is a textile designer, graphic artist, and mom of two. You can view her artwork at www.coroflot.com/majadesign

Ask Shelby, Marriage Check-In

2012-01-10T09:08:00.001-05:00

Dear Shelby,

I am married to a good man, but often I find I am frustrated, lonely, or resentful. How do I know if these are normal parts of a good marriage, or if we need to start therapy to work on making our marriage better? I don’t want to ignore warning signs, but I also don’t want to make a mountain out of a molehill!

Signed, Checking in on my Marriage

Dear Checking In,

Yours is a common question. I think therapy can be helpful for a lot of couples, especially if you approach it as an opportunity to explore creating a shared vision for your relationship and then mapping out a plan for making that vision a reality. Too many people think therapy is for “crazy” people when in reality, it is a wonderful resource for anyone seeking to create change in their life.

A great way to begin to decide if you would like to pursue therapy would be to talk with your husband and see if he thinks it could be helpful. If you both still feel confused about starting therapy, a good option is a relationship check-up. This can be scheduling one session with a therapist to assess together what your concerns are and how therapy might help. It may also be reading a book together (like Scream-Free Marriage by Hal Runkel or Why Marriages Succeed or Fail by John Gottman) and discussing what aspects of your marriage you like and don’t like. It can also be participating in a marriage program at church, the local YMCA, or through your child’s school. A popular, well respected program is the Prepare-Enrich program, which gives couples an opportunity to complete an online questionnaire and then work with a trained facilitator (often a trained therapist, but not always) to discuss the results and highlight couple strengths and areas for growth.

One of my associates, Allison Hopper, is currently offering the Prepare-Enrich program. See the information below for more information.

I wish you the best of luck, and I am glad to see you are listening to what you want in your marriage and taking a thoughtful, balanced approach to addressing those needs.

Yours,
Shelby

Shelby Riley, LMFT of ASK SHELBY Presents

Strengthen Your Marriage
Sign up for the Prepare-Enrich Program Today!

Special Limited Time Offer for Chester County Moms Readers—
$10 off each session!

Your marriage is one of the most important and satisfying relationships you'll ever have. A successful marriage takes an investment of time, effort, and a commitment to your partner and the relationship.

By taking the Prepare/Enrich Program online assessment and meeting with a trained facilitator, you will identify your current strengths and growth areas as a couple and learn important relationship skills to make your marriage more intimate and more satisfying. From beginning to end, the program is designed to be comfortable, relaxed, and fun.

The Prepare/Enrich Program assessment can be customized for dating, engaged or married couples.

If you're in a committed relationship,
Prepare/Enrich will give you the tools you need
for long-term happiness and success.

Program Costs:
$29.95 for access to online inventory of approximately 160 questions designed to assess your relationship strengths and growth areas.

$85.00 per session with a facilitator who provides feedback to help you understand your results as well as teach important relationship skills and address couple concerns. The results are presented over 4-8 sessions depending on results and couple needs. (Chester County Mom readers: Mention “Chesco Moms” before February 14, 2012 and receive $10 off each session with your facilitator).

Call Allison Hopper, DO, marriage and family therapist, at Shelby Riley, LMFT and Associates, LLC for more information and to get started today:
610-547-5135.

Shelby Riley, LMFT of ASK SHELBY Presents: Strengthen Your Marriage

2012-01-05T09:53:00.004-05:00

Shelby Riley, LMFT of ASK SHELBY Presents
Strengthen Your Marriage

Sign up for the Prepare-Enrich Program Today!

Special Limited Time Offer for Chester County Moms Readers— $10 off each session!

Your marriage is one of the most important and satisfying relationships you'll ever have. A successful marriage takes an investment of time, effort, and a commitment to your partner and the relationship.

By taking the Prepare/Enrich Program online assessment and meeting with a trained facilitator, you will identify your current strengths and growth areas as a couple and learn important relationship skills to make your marriage more intimate and more satisfying. From beginning to end, the program is designed to be comfortable, relaxed, and fun.

The Prepare/Enrich Program assessment can be customized for dating, engaged or married couples.

If you're in a committed relationship,
Prepare/Enrich will give you the tools you need for long-term happiness and success.

Program Costs:
$29.95 for access to online inventory of approximately 160 questions designed to assess your relationship strengths and growth areas.

$85.00 per session with a facilitator who provides feedback to help you understand your results as well as teach important relationship skills and address couple concerns. The results are presented over 4-8 sessions depending on results and couple needs. (Chester County Mom readers: Mention “Chesco Moms” before February 1, 2012 and receive $10 off each session with your facilitator).

Call Allison Hopper, DO, marriage and family therapist, at Shelby Riley, LMFT and Associates, LLC for more information and to get started today:
610-547-5135.

*Disclosure: Philly Burb Moms is simply passing this opportunity along to our readers. No compensation was provided for this post.

Win it Wednesday: Philadelphia Flyers Tickets (over $300 Value!)

2012-01-04T16:46:00.007-05:00

Thanks to our friends at Pompei Insurance Agency we have a FABULOUS giveaway to kick off Win it Wednesday 2012!

The Pompei Insurance Agency is committed to being one of the premier independent insurance agencies in the DELAWARE VALLEY. Their commitment is to provide customers with the best insurance value and service available, while maintaining the highest ethical standards and credibility with clients, carriers, and the public.

The Pompei Insurance Agency is a general independent insurance agency with a broad range of Commercial, Personal, Life, and Health products. They have aligned themselves with some of the finest carriers to deliver these products to you.

If you are looking to change insurance carriers or wondering if there is a carrier that can offer you the same coverage that you have now for less money, call the Pompei Insurance Agency today at 610-992-0214, and tell them Philly Burb Moms sent you!

On to the giveaway!

Get ready to get Flyer'd Up! One lucky Philly Burb Moms Reader will win 2 tickets to game 28, Philadelphia Flyers vs. Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 7:00PM. Section 120, Row 12. Good seats! AND...AND.. it gets better! Our friends at Pompei Insurance have included a Parking Pass for the Braod Street Lot. The Value of this Win it Wednesday Giveaway is $310!!!

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The Little Gym of Exton's Dance Program - Enrollment is Open!

2012-01-03T19:30:00.006-05:00

With the holiday rush behind us, I know I'm trying to figure out what to do to keep my clan busy during the cold winter months ahead. Finding the right program that keeps them fit, entertained and energized (and let's face it, wears them out a little bit) is ideal this time of year.

Enrollment is now open for The Little Gym of Exton's Dance Program, starting on January 23, 2012! If you've ever wanted your child to experience dance classes in a nurturing and non-competitive environment, then this is the Dance program for you! The Little Gym's dance classes for children ages 3-12 combine tap and ballet techniques with creative movement and complementary gymnastics skills.

Call the gym at (610) 363-2350 for more information or visit www.tlgextonpa.com to see the dance class schedule.

*Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Little Gym of Exton

Weekend Happiness on a Budget…With Meatballs on the Side

2011-12-30T16:59:00.002-05:00

At the end of this past summer, on a rainy Sunday, I packed up the kids and headed for IKEA in Conshohocken. I guess my guys can’t really grow up with a foreign-born mom without learning to appreciate two dollar minifängsts (I have two; they are great!).

It’s sad, yes, but whenever I receive the catalog, I read it like a magazine, with a cup of good coffee in hand. Sometimes I even tag the fifty-cent coffee mugs in the catalog that I’d like to add to my Swedish cupboard repertoire, or the five-dollar vase with the cumbersome first name. (“White vase” works for me, but then again, I don’t design these things.) While I sip my coffee and indulge in a smörgåsbord of perplexing products, I often plan my next trip to the store with the kids. It’s fun for all of us (or maybe they are simply still too young to question the store’s entertainment value).

So with the kids excited about heading inside the super warehouse of endless bargains and incomprehensible merchandise tags, we delved right into the children’s section during our last trip there. My son promptly tried out every single toddler bed, stool, and rocking-something (sure didn’t look like a horse to me). We also threw around snuggly plush broccoli florets and chocolate-covered strawberries (teddy bears are so I går). Genius. Who designs this stuff? Maybe the same people who write Phineas & Ferb episodes. Awesome.

After working our way through the ultra-sleek, perfectly geometric design spaces, I found myself with an armful of items I didn’t exactly need, but were too much fun to pass up. No one really travels for forty-five minutes for the sole purpose of purchasing a one-dollar garlic press. And no trip to the cheery yellow and blue mega-land is complete without stopping at the bistro. It’s the crowning achievement of our shopping adventure. You would think that the euro stops at the cafeteria counter, but IKEA’s food is also amazingly cheap (but good). In fact, kids’ meals were free the day we visited, so we enjoyed meatballs and pommes frites for next to nothing. I read that the color yellow can elicit headaches, but can it stimulate an appetite as well? Maybe their marketers are on to something here…

It’s not just the merchandise, of course, or the joy of watching my kids getting a complete kick out of the store that brings me back for three-hour visits at a time. It’s the memory of growing up overseas, I guess. As absurd as it sounds, this part of Conshohocken connects me to Europe, one meatball at a time.

We all carry around associations with certain places. While pommes, meatballs, and lingon berry jam on the side may seem a bit far-fetched for some, they work for me in every regard. And if I can pick up a new garlic press for pennies in the process, while my kids have a ball, that’s even better.

By Marion Kase
Marion Kase is a working mother who lives, plays, and, well, works out in the burbs. She captures a dirty sock laundry list of mundane, sometimes hair-pulling observations, as seen from the brim of my coffee cup, for all the unsung heroes in our wonderful community on her blog, Helicopter-Caterpillar.

Win it Wednesday: Ticket Giveaway - Wings Lacrosse

2011-12-21T13:29:00.003-05:00

He Shoots...He Scores! Lacrosse is an exciting game to watch and play! The Philadelphia Wings are among the hottest teams to watch when it comes to the sport. They have a full schedule for the 2012 season which began with a season opener on Dec. 11, 2011 and the home opener on Jan. 14, 2012. Their games are full of excitement as the players try to gain control of the game and do whatever it takes to keep it! For the Wings schedule, please click here. If you would like to purchase tickets to see a Wings game, please click here. The Home of the Philadelphia Wings is at the Wells Fargo Center, a part of Comcast - Spectacor.

For a chance to win 4 Lower Level Seats to the second game of the season on Jan. 12, 2012 please fill in the form below.

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Crafting with Little Kids: Marshmallow pops

2011-12-21T09:02:00.001-05:00

Making edible crafts can be a lot of fun with your preschooler, granted the project is age appropriate and you have a plan. This is a simple project with tasty results that can be turned into gifts for friends, family or even the preschool classmates. It was a bit messy, but that was part of the fun. We made chocolate dipped marshmallow pops that we dipped in crushed peppermint candy canes. My little guy had a blast making these. All supplies were purchased at A.C. Moore, except for the marshmallows.

Supplies:
one bag of chocolate melts, found in craft stores, in the flavor of choice. (We used dark chocolate.)
pack of lollipop sticks.
bag of marshmallows, regular size or jumbo
candy canes, about four or five, or sprinkles
cellophane treat bags (optional)

Tools required:
microwavable bowl or measuring cup to melt the chocolate or
mini crockpot or
chocolate melter
spoon
cookie sheet covered with parchment or wax paper
rolling pin
sealable/zipper plastic bag
small bowl

Directions:

I used a mini crockpot to melt the chocolate, but it is just as easy to melt it in the microwave. Follow the instructions on the bag. (Tip: its very important to not get any water in the chocolate, so make sure the container you are using is dry.) While the chocolate was melting, we prepared the candy canes.

My son loved this part! I unwrapped four candy canes and put them in a bag. My son used a rolling pin to smash the candy canes into little pieces. I put the crushed candy canes in a small bowl for dipping later. You can use sprinkles instead of candy canes for decoration instead.

As the chocolate is melting, stir it well to make sure it is completely smooth. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper line up the marshmallows and push a lollipop stick into each one without poking through to the top. Once the chocolate is completely melted, dip each marshmallow into the chocolate and swirl/spin the marshmallow around to completely coat it while also getting the excess chocolate off. Immediately dip the chocolate marshmallow into the crushed candy canes or sprinkles, if using, then set the marshmallow on the parchment paper to set while you continue to work on the next marshmallow.

If you can fit the cookie sheet in your freezer, the chocolate will set faster. I had no room, so I let it sit out and harden on it's own. After a taste test, we wrapped each pop in a holiday themed cellophane bag to use as gifts for friends and cousins.

Happy holiday crafting!

You can find other preschool crafts and activities on Diane's blog, Knitting Zeal.

Ask Shelby, Self-Care

2011-12-19T11:45:00.001-05:00

Here is December's installment of "Ask Shelby" from Chester County's own Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Shelby Riley.

Dear Shelby,

I feel like this has been the longest year of my life. I’m so burned out, I can barely enjoy the holidays. I’m cranky, resentful, and exhausted. What am I doing wrong?

Signed, Spent

Dear Spent,

I can think of a few different reasons you may be feeling the way you do. Without knowing more about your situation, my best guess is that you have fallen to the bottom of your priority list. I see this often with clients in my practice, especially women. Women tend to be amazing caregivers….to everyone but themselves. We volunteer at school, church, and sports. We overfunction at work and home. Our kids, partners, work teams, extended family and neighbors all come before ourselves.

Many women express a sense of guilt about taking care of themselves. They can feel a sense of pride for a friend who runs a 10k, but they feel guilty even thinking about going out for a 30 minute run themselves. Sitting and reading a book for a bit before the kids come home from school? Are you crazy?! There’s laundry to do and toilets to clean!

By now I am guessing you have heard the adage about the airplane-oxygen mask: put yours on FIRST, then help your child or seat-mate with theirs. It’s a tired example, but incredibly true—if you are on your last legs, you are not going to be any good for anybody. Would your family rather have two hours with a refreshed, energized, patient woman or three hours with a cranky, bitter, angry woman? The hour that you “take away” from your family to give to yourself (that’s the guilt talking) is really a gift you give to everyone.

My advice for you is to come up with a list of self-care activities that can be done in 10 seconds, 10 minutes, one hour, half a day, whole day, and a whole weekend. Then, engage in several smaller (10 seconds to one hour) activities a day. Some of my clients even keep a self-care calendar, logging their self-care activities every day to keep themselves accountable. Every so often, throw in a bigger one (half day to weekend) for good measure. Here are some examples to get you started:

10 seconds: Several deep breaths; smelling roses at the grocery store; stopping to look at interesting art in a store window; quick, deep stretch; smiling at a good memory

10 minutes: mini-yoga session; walk; leafing through a magazine; listening to two favorite songs; talking on the phone with a friend

One hour: good, solid workout; long bubble bath; reading a great book; knitting/jewelry making/creative endeavor; cooking a gourmet meal; mani/pedi; massage

Half day: kayaking at Marsh Creek; hiking in Valley Forge; reading an entire book; wine tasting with friends/partner; movie and lunch

Good luck—and remember—self-care is not a luxury…it’s a necessity!

Yours, Shelby

Shelby Riley, LMFT is the owner of the family therapy practice, Shelby Riley, LMFT and Associates, LLC in Chester Springs, PA. She is also the incoming President of the PA Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (PAMFT). Remember to check out Shelby's website www.shelbyrileymft.com for useful information about therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

Life in 60 Second Increments

2011-12-16T15:28:00.001-05:00

Long-distance relationships are hard. Such relationships among working mothers are nearly impossible, but feasible with a good-calling plan and an occasional Facebook visit.

My husband and I had a long-distance relationship before we got married, one that spanned the Atlantic Ocean. That was nearly twenty years ago, just as people started saying “World Wide Web” with a twinkle in their eyes. Alas, we are living proof that long-distance anything is quite possible, no matter the color of your passport, the deadlines at work, or the mommy commitments after office hours.

One of my best friends lives in Colorado. Judging by the amazing pictures on her FB wall, she truly lives a world away from my backyard here. Our view of Monocacy Hill pales in comparison to her rustic outings. Her backyard critters have sharper teeth than the snuggly ones who frequent ours.

My friend usually calls from her long commute to work on weekends. Her travel along the highway often coincides with our Sunday morning breakfast, a family tradition I have maintained through the years. I try to make up for rushed, two-minute phone calls by trying to call back during my lunch hour the following week, but work often gets in the way. Sometimes I barely have a lunch, let alone energy to do anything but space out while waiting for the microwave to signal that the frozen, high-sodium treat is done. So in voicemail we trust. It actually works better for us than social media, and there’s no corporate firewall to keep me away. (Visit FB at home, on my own time? That’s not exactly high on my to-do-list.) It’s also free of distractions. I can leave a summary of my life up to that point without getting sucked into viewing other friends’ comments about this and that.

With voicemail, we go all out, leaving nothing to chance or misinterpretation. Long after our respective monologs stop ringing in our own ears, we take mental notes of other updates that didn’t fit into the allotted message time and save it for next week. Sometimes the phone cuts off our stream-of-consciousness. If we were really clever, we would build in deliberate, well-timed cliffhangers to assure a more prompt return phone call, but we are not that devious.

Our voicemails are accompanied by familiar background activity: my office’s parking lot clearing out during lunch and her kids getting ready for school. The time difference offers a variety of noises that range from mid-day bustling to morning rush, depending on the message sender’s longitude.

We all carry around enough guilt while trying to juggle it all. I’d rather not add friendship maintenance to the list of “things to improve.” Instead, we rock our long-distance friendship and corner the market on voicemail blogs - when we have the time and energy to do so. Occasionally, we are flat out flabbergasted when we actually connect, often during a “luxurious” one-hour trip to the supermarket, pouring our hearts out while considering the store-brand alternative to overpriced floor cleaners. Would I rather fly out there and spend a weekend chatting? Sure. But the grocery store will have to serve as a backdrop for our girl talk for the time being.

Love you, my friend (you know who you are!), and I promise I’ll TRY to call next Tuesday, while dashing out of the office to catch you before school/work/life ties up our respective phone lines.

The Virtual Scavenger Hunt is ON!!!

2011-12-15T20:00:00.005-05:00

****Thanks for Playing. Our Virtual Scavenger Hunt is now over****

Welcome to tonight's Scavenger Hunt everyone! We're proud to partner with the production of The Wizard of Oz for tonight's fun contest!

Scavenger Hunt Details
Let's get down to Scavenger Hunt business! Tonight's fabulous prize is a 4-pack of tickets to The Wizard of Oz at the Merriam Theater. Thanks so much The Wizard of Oz for this amazing prize!

For those that are new to our Scavenger Hunts, below you will find an entry form for tonight's Hunt. All you need to do is go to http://kimmelcenter.org/events/?id=4177 and find the answer to the questions on the entry form. When you submit the form, we will check responses for correct entries. If you have a complete and correct entry form, you will be put into the random drawing for tonight's awesome prize.

PLEASE READ! Contest rules:

Please only submit your entry once. All duplicate entries will be deleted.
This contest will be live from 8pm to 10pm this evening. The contest will close at 10pm promptly and then a winner will be notified this evening 10:15pm.
The winning entry is non-transferable. Please only play along if you yourself (and your child of course) are able to take advantage of the prize being offered.

*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by The Wizard of Oz. Tickets will be held at Will-Call for winner.

Math and Spelling Fun for the Whole Family!

2011-12-15T11:30:00.001-05:00

Math and Spelling Fun for the Whole Family!

Who says reinforcing math and spelling skills has to be tedious and boring? My girls and I have blast with these fun and inventive ways to foster math and spelling concepts. What I love most about these activities is that the whole family can get involved!

SPELLING FUN

Shaving cream – spray it on a flat surface, smooth it out and let them write their words in it.

Finger paint – let them spell out his words with finger paint.

Sidewalk chalk – have them spell out his words on the driveway with colorful chalk.

Keyboarding – let them type their words out on the computer.

Hangman -– play hangman using the spelling words.

Tiles – grab some letter tiles and have them spell the words you dictate.

"Guess the Word" – spell the word for them and give them a chance to guess what it is.

As far as on-line spelling resources, there are many to choose from. One of my favorites iswww.spellingcity.com

MATH FUN

Grocery Shopping – let your child help you take items off the shelf and place them in your cart. While doing so, she will learn about weight, shape and size. Point out labels and prices and explain the differences.

Clean-up – as you and your child clean-up her toys, talk about the different colors, shapes, weights and sizes of each item as you put them away. Talk about the number of items you are putting away, for example, “Let’s put these two books in the bookshelf”.

Baking – cooking and baking allows your child to weigh and measure various ingredients. Together you can count the number of spoonfuls, cupfuls, and tablespoons required for the recipe. She can also experience first-hand what happens when you mix different ingredients together.

Wash & Dry – have your little one help with the laundry. She can measure out and pour the detergent. She can also help sort items by color, texture, type of clothing, etc.

Daily reinforcement is the best way to learn and retain math and spelling concepts. Give these a try and let me know how you make out!

Yolanda is the mom of 3 young children in the Delaware Valley. She is the Founder of Team Tutor.

TONIGHT: Virtual Scavenger Hunt!

2011-12-15T09:07:00.001-05:00

Get ready for another one of our fabulous and fun Scavenger Hunts TONIGHT, December 15th! This hunt is sponsored by The Wizard of Oz and they are giving away tickets to the Philadelphia performance at the Merriam Theater!

The Hunt will go live on our site tonight (12/15) at 8pm. As with Philly Burb Moms previous Scavenger Hunts, you will have between 8pm and 10pm to complete your entry (entry form will be part of the Chester, Delaware and Montgomery County Moms blog post). Then, at 10pm we will use Random.org to select a random winner from among the correct and complete entries. We will announce the winner LIVE on our Facebook and Twitter Pages as well as here on our Blog around 10:15pm.

So, come on back and play with us tonight! We'd love to see you!

*Disclosure: This is a sponsored scavenger hunt. Prize fulfillment is the responsibility of the PR firm sponsoring this contest and will be held at Will-Call.

Wednesday Wellness: 6 Healthy Holiday Party Tips

2011-12-14T16:22:00.001-05:00

This healthy holiday post has been provided by The Chester County Hospital and Health System. The Hospital offers a variety of nutrition and weight management programs to help the community live a healthier lifestyle.

1. Eat well during the day. Skipping meals during the day to save up for a party is a bad idea. You will get overly hungry and overeat. Eat a good breakfast and lunch and then go on to tip number 2!

2. Eat a healthful meal before you go to the party. Eating a healthful meal (lowfat, high fiber), such as a baked potato with vegetarian chili and a salad, before going to a party is insurance that you won't end up eating too much of the wrong thing. You will be in better control when you see all those tempting appetizers and desserts!

3. Limit or avoid alcohol. Alcohol is a double-edged sword if you are trying to watch your weight. It is high in calories AND it affects your judgment on choosing foods that are lower in calories. If you have more than one party to attend, this can spell disaster for a weight-loss agenda. One way to avoid drinking at a party is to be the designated driver. If you must drink, have one drink then switch to soda with lime for the rest of the evening.

4. Bring a dish. Offer to bring a dish to the party. Make it a large tossed salad or a low-cal appetizer. This way you will have at least one healthful dish you can eat while you are there.

5. Fill up on salad first. Fill up a large dinner plate with salad or raw veggies before you go through the rest of the buffet. This way you will fill up on fewer calories. On the next trip to the buffet, use a smaller plate and fill it with a few lean options. Enjoy a few of your favorite items but keep portions small.

6. Focus on conversation. Make an effort to meet new friends and circulate with those you know instead of eyeing the food.

Hot Chocolate Gift Jars; Easy, Free and Green

2011-12-14T14:00:00.000-05:00

By: Heather Bitzer

Okay... I admit it. I haven't posted anything for a really looong time! In fact, Montcomom herself is probably on the floor in shock after seeing my name pop up on the Blogger account today.

So, what in the world is exciting enough to pluck me from my novel writing to shout from the Suburban Social Media rooftop?

Hot Chocolate Gift Jars! (Yes, I AM serious.)

If you're anything like me, you've known about these little mix projects for years, but filed the idea away in the "looks cute, but I'll probably never get around to it," box...along with all of that scrapbooking you keep promising yourself you'll catch up on....
Anyway, my BFF and I rescued a bunch of spaghetti sauce jars from the recycle bin today and got to work with the kids. Our kids are 18mos, 3 and 4. This craft was age-appropriate fun for everyone and best of all... practically FREE!
I already told you about the sauce jars (Classico's are the prettiest), but the other free/re-purposed items we used were:

2 Bags of powdered milk left over from Hurricane Irene (use them before they expire, ladies!).

Nesquik chocolate powder that I already had in my pantry.

Berry picks pulled from an old garland in my Christmas decoration graveyard.

Colorful fabric squares cut from one of my husband's old flannels.

Ribbon.... I have enough ribbon in the basement to get me on an episode of Hoarders.

The only thing we had to buy was mini marshmallows... and turns out they were free for me too since Carly bought them on her way over and I forgot to pay her back!

Using a mix ratio of 6 tablespoons of chocolate for every 1 1/2 cups of powdered milk, we layered the ingredients into our 1 pint jars. Then the kids loaded marshmallows all the way up to the top. To finish, we decorated the lid using the ribbon, berries and a hand written label.

The big thing for the older kids was pouring the dry ingredients. Once everything was measured into the pitcher, they were able to do it themselves, resulting in a real sense of accomplishment. Adding the marshmallows was the high point for my littlest one. The look of pride on her sweet little face was what I kept in my head during the cleanup phase. Excessive milk dust was the only drawback of an otherwise enjoyable activity!

Montco Mom Heather is a former pediatric nurse turned mom to two lovely little ladies.

*add contents of jar to 4 cups hot water to yield 4 servings

Ready...Set...Stress!

2011-12-14T08:51:00.000-05:00

I have a decent job. In fact, it’s a pretty fulfilling career.

Come my daughter’s fall swim season, I also have another job, one that’s voluntary by definition and anything but in reality. The beginning of the season gives slacker moms, like me, unbridled moping reign. Wait a minute, way too many big words to define what’s really going on here. We, the parents, basically get to sit around, eat candy from the vending machine, and occasionally glance toward the pool, unless the People magazine, the WiFi situation, or HGTV reruns in the lobby prevail and entertain us during the glorious, one-hour downtime. Yes, I know, sad. I’d rather sip a latte at Barnes & Nobles or, heck, get my nails done, but my reality isn’t exactly sponsored by a TV show. On the contrary – it’s my reality.

Several weeks into the season, the parents finally get their work/volunteer assignments. “Yippee!” I had applied for the “zookeeper” job; a pretty cushy gig by definition since I already keep a small herd of monkeys at home – the elementary and pre-school kind. The job description appealed to me. How bad can it be to “herd” a group of swimmers between events? Sure beats manning the bake table, which requires a cool head and flawless math skills (not my forte). Unless they’d agree to rip off customers by instituting a uniform pricing structure, the subtle variances between a bag of M&Ms and a bowl of homemade chili are too much for me to calculate on the spot, with swimmers and parents scuttling about. I have enough pressure at work, thank you.

Feeling superbly confident in my qualifications as a zookeeper, I was shocked to learn that the position had already been filled. Now, these kinds of arrangements don’t come with a LinkedIn network (note to self: look into registering a swim team social network to swap job opportunities, recommendations, and ongoing training). There is no Plan B, no “who do you know” string pulling, and not even an “opt out” contingency plan. I was assigned place judge instead, a job that requires dead-on eyeballing capabilities. Don’t get me wrong, I take this stuff very seriously, which is why I mope so much during preseason, drinking soda, eating candy, chatting, reading, and watching lobby TV, sometimes all at the same time. As a newbie to this gig, I dove right in and listened in earnest to the instructions during orientation, while the pros on the team, aka parents less inclined to embrace vending machine-sponsored happiness during preseason, merely poked their heads in and excused themselves seconds later to do their jobs with the efficiency of a fighter pilot. The instructions for my new job made sense, but I had the official repeat them twice more for good measure, as if the whole competitive event would fall apart without my assigned job.

Ten minutes later, I found myself clutching a clip board and heading for the pool to judge swimmers’ placements in individual events. Place judge basically acts as a third line of defense in case the stop watches fail or the touch pads malfunction. Still, I felt like the new guy in the office with a truckload of responsibility on the first day. Not wanting to disappoint, or worse, get fired (by whom?) from my volunteer position, I set out to make an impression and put all the previous place judges to shame! I had visions of my name on a plaque in the lobby dancing in my head. Honest…Fair…Dead-on Judgment. I was ready to take on the pool and kick some butt, with my flip-flop-clad feet planted firmly on the slippery, wet tile.

One of the more senior volunteers occasionally checked in for progress updates. These brief chit-chats completely derailed me though, and I could only guess at which little hand in which lane touched the pad first (the little swimmers have a tendency to all arrive at precisely the same time in a big cluster). This is not exactly the Olympics, so why then are these races so darn close and dramatic? Well, in short, I failed miserably several times. I reported back to the higher ranking volunteers and joked about getting fired (lots of nervous laughter on my part). After four hours, I finally figured out why my hands where so sore; I had been gripping the clip board as if it was a life preserver. I had scribbled down lane placements in incomprehensible gibberish, exposing my lack of qualifications for the job and bad eyesight.

Why do I take these things to seriously? Maybe it’s because my daughter is watching me from the sidelines. She’s the athlete, I’m just the over-achieving, under-qualified volunteer who can handle a tough task at the office, but can’t eyeball a 25-feet dash to the finish line poolside. She’s the one who jumps headfirst into the pool, swims her heart out for 45 seconds, and returns five events later for another race, while having fun with her fellow swimmers between events. I have always prided myself in being way too jaded to take this stuff too seriously. Yet I ran with the job like it came with a client charge number.

What really matters is for my daughter to have fun, if she sees me bee-bopping around poolside in the process, that’s even better. A quick kiss, an embarrassing, scream-my-head-off “go!” from the sidelines, even while working/volunteering, bring it all back to what it really is – a parent’s ability to help out. And since there’s no parents’ performance review at the end of the season, and they can’t really afford to fire volunteers for being human (and making some mistakes), I might as well have as much fun with it as my daughter, who once again reminded me about the simple pleasures in life.

Winter Wonderland Holiday Week Camp at The Little Gym Exton

2011-12-13T18:42:00.006-05:00

Have you been wondering what to do with the kids when school is on break this winter? Without the regularity of his preschool routine, I know I can expect my son to be bouncing off the walls looking for some sort of activity to hold his interest and help burn off that energy.

I am probably preaching to the choir on that one, right?

The Little Gym of Exton is holding a Winter Wonderland Holiday Week Camp the week of December 26th-30th, from 9am - noon each day. The camp is open to members and non-members with bathroom independent children ages 3-12. Each day will be full of fun activities and free play in the gym, snacktime, and lots of festive winter-themed arts and crafts!

Cost of a camp day is $32/members and $38/non-members or take advantage of the multi-day SPECIAL and receive 1 free day with the purchase of 3 camp days! Space is limited so call the gym at (610) 363-2350 to register your child today!

You can check out The Little Gym of Exton's website for more information, and to see the other offerings this great establishment offers!

*Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Little Gym of Exton

The Goddard School Celebrates Friendship and Goodwill

2011-12-13T13:30:00.000-05:00

Courtesy and respect is incorporated into Goddard School lesson plans through a variety of activities that inspire thoughtful discussion and provide age-appropriate practice on an individual and group level. Stranger Danger is also covered so children recognize unsafe situations, react and respond appropriately, and differentiate between situations in which personal safety is more important than using good manners. The Goddard School® is laying the foundation of good citizenship by fostering four essential skills: friendship, compassion, cooperation and kindness.

Each year in February, The Goddard School, the nation's leading early childhood education franchise, celebrates a week-long Goddard Community Games event to highlight its FLEXTM Learning Program, a curriculum focused on play-based learning. This year's event will bring together two important curriculum components: friendship and bully prevention.

Families were invited to Choose for Charity by voting online for their favorite toy from The Goddard School 2011 Preschooler-Approved Toy List through December 10. The Bristle Block Stackadoos were voted as the "Top Toy" and Goddard Systems, Inc., franchisor of The Goddard School, will be making a donation of 100 of the Bristle Block Stackadoos to Toys for Tots this holiday season.

The Choose for Charity campaign is a wonderful learning opportunity and helps young children make the connection between holiday celebrations and helping the community. The fundamentals of friendship–and the pathway to bully prevention in later years–begin forming at an early age.

One of the exciting components of the Goddard Community Games will be the Goddard Cares project. Goddard Schools across the United States will collect postcards, hand-written and decorated by the families in their schools, and distribute them to the service men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces. Their goal is to collect 25,000 postcards!

Commitment to family and community is characteristic of The Goddard School. They dare to make a difference by participating in some very special community sponsorship and charitable outreach programs, both local and beyond. Children learn about the importance of helping others and the significance of giving and being a part of their community through aiding those less fortunate.

To learn more about The Goddard School’s philosophy or contextual learning curriculum, please visit their Exton or Marshallton locations on the web or call to speak directly with the on-site owners:

Click here for The Goddard School located in Exton, or call on-site owners Melissa Capodanno or Wendy Cohen at 610-363-6698.

Click here for The Goddard School located in Marshallton, or call on-site owners Wendy & Richie Cohen at 610-431-1330.

For more information on The Goddard Community Games, visit GoddardSchool.com/games.

*Disclosure: This post sponsored by The Goddard School.

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: BONUS DAY sponsored by Sweet & Sassy

2011-12-13T11:30:00.000-05:00

We had to much for sharing Holiday Extravaganza with you this year, we are hosting a BONUS day of giveaways sponsored by Sweet & Sassy! With 2 great locations, Exton and now in Collegeville. Sweet & Sassy is one of our favorite places to bring our daughters for lots of fun and relaxation. They offer a variety of salon and spa packages for your princess and retail products to take home with you in a fashionably fun salon.

Locations:
Main Street at Exton
292 Main Street, Exton, PA 19341
(610)-280-PINK (7465)
Hours: Mon: Closed, Tues-Thurs: 10am-6pm,
Fri-Sat: 10am-7pm, Sun: 12pm-6pm

And

Providence Town Center
250 Plaza Drive
Collegeville, PA 19426
610-489-PINK (7465)
Hours: NOW OPEN! MON-SAT 10-7 SUN 11-5

Like Sweet & Sassy on Facebook and learn about special promotion, events, etc.

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Enjoy this coupon below for 20% Off Any Single Regularly Priced Retail Item. Restrictions do apply.

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: BONUS DAY sponsored by Sweet & Sassy

2011-12-13T09:00:00.001-05:00

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Our 1st Giveaway for Sweet & Sassy is just what the doctor ordered! Enter to win 2 Party Princess Packages for your Princess and a friend.

The value of the Party Princess Package is $39.95 each. The winner will receive 2 Gift Certificates at the time of pick up. A Party Princess Package includes a mini mani, mini pedi and a party updo!

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Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Games on the Move Sponsored by Games2U

2011-12-12T08:46:00.010-05:00

Our sponsor today will have your inner child resurfacing again, Games2U. I was out driving on a Saturday afternoon, when I saw this van next to me. The can had gaming graphics everywhere...naturally I was intrigued. So I went to their Web Site, g2u.com and was very impressed with what I saw. Games2U in a unique interactive mobile gaming center, filled with mind-blowing Video Game Theaters and 4D Ride Experiences; high-tech Laser Tag; giant-sized, kid-driven U-Bots; life-size Hamster Balls and so much more. Whether you're planning a birthday party, company party, school fundraiser, or just about any other kind of event, Games2U can bring you an on-site, mobile experience that you'll never forget. They will come to you so you don't have to worry about packing up the family and heading out...they are affordable and convenient that will bring out the child in everyone!

For more information on booking a party contact:
Games2U
35 Seminary Rd.
Glenmoore, PA 19343
1-800-71-GAMES - Main Number
610-942-7285 - Local Number
Email: G2UMainLine@me.com

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Games2U is offering a 1-hour Game Time Gift Certificate to 4 Lucky Winners!

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Holiday Extravaganza 2011: Prize Pick Up Guidelines

2011-12-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

Holiday Extravaganza Giveaway: $50 Gift Card for Calista TOOLS Beauty Products

2011-12-10T09:47:00.008-05:00

This giveaway for today is sponsored by our friends at Calista Grand Salon and Spa in West Chester. Calista Grand is located at the intersection of Rt. 202 and Rt. 926 in the Thornbury Commons Building.

Calista Grand Salon and Spa is a full service salon offering everything from rejuvenating facials, soothing massages, indulgent manicures and pedicures, and fresh hair cuts and colors to ensure that you leave looking and feeling your best.

Calista Grand Salon and Spa, has recently begun a product line to empower you to get salon styled hair at home. It is called Calista Tools. Among the fabulous Calista Tools products that I LOVE are the Ion Hot Rollers. The rollers are currently sold on QVC and are the #1 selling styling product.

Today our friends at Calista Grand Salon and Spa are offering one lucky winner a $50 gift certificate towards any CALISTA TOOLS hair care product, including CALISTA TOOLS ION Hot Rollers and styling tools available at the salon.

Holiday Giveaway Extravganza: $25 Gift Card to Pistachio's

2011-12-09T17:15:00.002-05:00

Pistachio's Cafe and Catering (237 E. Gay St., West Chester) is a BYOB restaurant and has a beautiful Tuscan-style dining room with dining in or takeout during lunch or dinner. Their items are mostly homemade, like their dressing, soups and croutons. For everything else, they get the finest and freshest ingredients around. Pistachio's has a wide array of pies, cakes and decadent cookies to satisfy any sweet tooth. Their freezer is stocked daily with pastas, homemade soups, sauces and dinners to go.

They also have an extensive and affordable catering menu for off-site celebrations, and can accommodate up to 50 people for parties, special events or corporate meetings. Customers can get generous trays of original appetizers (including the pistachio chicken fingers), sandwiches and wraps, breads, salads, hot and cold pasta dishes, vegetable dishes and an assortment of desserts. The owner, Chris DiFabio, caters to each client to plan the perfect menu. Call 484-887-0488 and ask for Chris for your next event.

Thanks to our friends at WC Dish for..the dish on Pistachio's. If you are looking for more information on Pistachio's make sure to check out WCDish.com

One lucky winner will receive a $25 Gift Card to Pistachio's

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Hosting a Holiday Party? Cuisine to Go can deliver you delicious baked goods and catered food right to your front door or office.

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: $25 Gift Card to Riverstone Cafe

2011-12-09T16:00:00.000-05:00

Located in Exton, Riverstone Cafe is known for having the best Tapas in the area, freshest variety of oysters, and too many different martinis to count! The perfect place for private parties & gatherings. Riverstone Cafe also offers live music in the Stone Lounge every Friday & Saturday night.

Click here to connect with the Riverstone Cafe on Facebook

In the mood for tapas, oysters or delicious flatbread pizza?.. then click here to have Cuisine to Go deliver from Riverstone Cafe to you tonight.

Holiday Giveaway Extarvaganza: Pietro's Prime Gift Card

2011-12-09T15:00:00.000-05:00

With all the excitement that West Chester restaurants are creating, there's finally a steakhouse in the borough! Located at 125 West Market Street, Pietro's Prime offers excellent service and quality food in a warm and relaxing atmosphere. One lucky winner will win a $25 Gift Card to Pietro's Prime.

Click here to connect to Pietro's Prime on Facebook

Getting hungry? Click here to have Cuisine to Go deliver a delicious steak from Pietro's Prime right to your door tonight for dinner. Order now for dinner delivery!

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Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Appetites on Main Gift Card

2011-12-09T14:00:00.000-05:00

Located in the popular Main Street at Exton shopping Center, Appetite's On Main is a restaurant and bar with a friendly, family atmosphere. Since its opening, it has come to be known as the place to watch local jam bands, and all the local Philadelphia sports teams.

The abundant beer list will impress even the pickiest of beer enthusiests. The food is an excellent mix of delicious, traditional bar food with an array of upscale, affordable entrees.

Oooo.. and make a note for spring and summer. Appetite's on Main is dog friendly! Bring your favorite pooch to the outdoor patio. All that they ask is that your dog remain on a leash.

Click here to connect with Appetites on Main on Facebook.

One lucky winner will receive a $25 Gift Card to Appetites on Main

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Getting hungry? Click here to have Cuisine to Go deliver a yummy meal from Appetites on Main to you tonight.

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: $25 Jake's Wayback Burger Gift Card

2011-12-09T12:00:00.000-05:00

One lucky winner will receive a $25 Gift Card to Jake's Wayback Burger in Exton.

Wayback Burgers began in 1991 as Jake's Hamburgers with a single restaurant in Newark, DE which still occupies its original location on Route 273. Home to the University of Delaware, Newark is also known for its automotive plants (little known fact: reggae icon Bob Marley worked in one) and Main St. shopping district. A simple, unassuming "burger joint," Jake's soon became several stores and home to one of the region's favorite burgers.

Jake’s Hamburgers had always served big, juicy hand-made burgers and real milkshakes, crafted to order by a friendly staff. Delivering the freshest, most delicious food possible was Jake’s only philosophy.

Fast forward 20 years: many fast-food chains are selling some version of a “premium” burger. Most of these are just larger versions of their frozen “hockey-puck” burgers, mass-produced and shucked at customers from under heat lamps. Celebrity chefs got in on the act too, selling overpriced burgers for $20 at their upper-crust burger boutiques.

None of this felt right to the people at Jake’s. Burger lovers deserve better than that, and Jake’s wanted to remind people that they can still get a better burger, made just the way they like it, in a warm and comfortable restaurant that feels like home. That’s how they did it way back when, and that’s what they still do today.

So, in August 2010, Jake’s Hamburgers changed their name to Jake’s Wayback Burgers. They still serve the best burgers under the bun.

Every month, Wayback Burgers features a brand new "Burger of the Month" and our "Shake of the Month." And, burgers are only the beginning: House-made potato chips, all beef hot dogs, marinated chicken sandwiches, turkey burgers, specialty sandwiches and even fresh salads are available as well.

Click here to connect with Jake's Wayback Burger of Exton on Facebook or stop at the Exton location, 807 N. Pottstown Pike, Exton (Next to Starbucks) to try the "Burger of the Month".

Getting hungry? Click here to have Cuisine to Go deliver a delicious signature burger from Jake's Wayback Burger to you...right now!

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Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: $25 Gift Card to Nonna's

2011-12-09T11:00:00.001-05:00

Nonna's is a new Italian Restaurant located in downtown West Chester, at 116 East Gay Street.

With delicious authentic Italian Cuisine available for lunch or dinner, great atmosphere and live entertainment, this is sure to become one of your favorite restaurants in West Chester.

One lucky winner will receive a $25 Gift Card to Nonna's

Click here to connect with Nonna's on Facebook for menu updates, specials and more.

Getting hungry? Cuisine to Go can deliver you delish food from Nonna's.. click here to order.

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: $25 Gift Card to the Winner's Circle

2011-12-09T10:00:00.000-05:00

Our second Cuisine to Go Giveaways is from the Winner's Circle in Exton.

One lucky winner will receive a $25 Gift Card to the Winner's Circle in Exton and an autographed Darren Daulton baseball. The Winner's Circle Sports Grille offers seasonally changing menus to ensure their guests always have a variety of options from which to choose. The Winner's Circle menu with everything from steaks and seafood to award-winning buffalo wings. The bar is fully stocked and offers 15 draft beers on tap. Happy hour is offered daily and drink specials can be found on a routine basis. The Winner's Circle has a large game room for the kids, both young and young at heart!

Click here to connect with the Winner's Cicle on Facebook for promotions, community events, discounts, menu updates and more.

Getting hungry? Cuisine to Go can deliver you delish food from The Winner's Circle.. click here to order.

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza... Cuisine to Go!

2011-12-09T09:00:00.002-05:00

The sponsor for Giveaway Extravaganza is Cuisine to Go. If you a regular visitor of Chester County Moms, you know I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Cuisine to Go! I am not a cook, nor do I play one on TV. I am a big fan of delivery via Cuisine to Go (or C2G as I call them), Wegman's kitchen and my mom's house!

Funny story.. then we will get to the giveaway. SO..awhile back, I ordered delivery from Cuisine to Go. I ordered lasagna from Rino's. It was delivered before my husband got home from work so I tossed the delivery containers in the trash and put dinner on plates, cut up some italian bread and dumped the salads that came with dinner into a big salad bowl. When he got home dinner was waiting on the table (I am such a nice wife), he ate dinner and complimented me up and down on "my" lasagna. He said it was better than a restaurant and that I should make lasagna all of the time. I just smiled and took ALL of the credit... True Story!

How does Cuisine To Go work?
Cuisine To Go is a multi-restaurant delivery service serving most of Chester County. You place your order either online or by phone at 610-363-6606. A delivery driver is dispatched to the restaurant, picks up your order and places your meal in a insulated thermal carrier and delivers it directly to you at your home or office. It is THAT easy! Oh, and I almost forgot.. Delivery is FREE with promo code:CHESCOMOM.

Click here to see a list of all of the great Chester County restaurants that Cuisine to Go delivers for.

Click here to connect with Cuisine to Go on Facebook for daily specials, restuarant news, discounts and more..

Up first for our Cuisine to Go Giveaways is a $25 Gift Card to Cuisine to Go.

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Throughout the day we will feature several of the restaurants that Cuisine to Go delivers for.. if looking at all of the restuarant giveaways gets you hungry, remember delivery is FREE when you use promotion code:CHESCOMOM.

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Things That Go Vroom...Sponsored by Francis Automotive

2011-12-08T21:00:00.002-05:00

The sponsor for today's posts is Francis Automotive. Finding a great mechanic when something goes wrong with you car, truck or van is hard. I want quality and reliability when something needs to be fixed. Francis Automotive is a great place to turn to. The employees pride themselves in providing honest auto repair with integrity; to strive for the highest standard of quality; to give our customers added value of the goods and services they purchase; and to serve our customers needs with the spirit of pride. All technicians are ASE certified and are trained to service Hybrid cars, new cars, general maintenance of any car, new or used and they are also trained for Child Safety Inspections. To learn more specific services are provided, please click here.

Location:
1317 ½ West Chester Pike
West Chester, PA 19382
610.692.0913
Email:mailto:info@francisauto.com?subject=inquiry

Become a fan of Francis Automotive on Facebook to learn about services and to receive coupons. Click here to sign up to receive special email promotions. To make an appointment for any service, click here or call them directly.

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Francis Automotive Coupon Offer: To receive $25 Off Any Purchase of $50 or More

mention PROMO CODE: CHESCOMOM or print the coupon here.

Coupon offer expires 12/31/11.

Holiday Giveaway Extarvaganza: Things That Go Vrooom...The Toy Guy introduces the Lazer Stunt Chaser

2011-12-08T20:00:00.000-05:00

The Lazer Stunt Chaser Dragon Fire is a light-controlled R/C stunt vehicle. This car performs stunts and is always "right side up," thanks to its two-sided design. The remote control lets kids drive the car right, left, forward, or backward. But the remote also emits a light (Not a real laser.), and the car chases after the light. Wherever you point the light, the car will drive. There is a performance range of 40 feet, so the car and remote work together even from fairly long distances. The car comes with a stunt ramp for performing different tricks and a built-in rechargeable battery with charger. The remote has two channels so kids can race two cars at once. The Lazer Stunt Chaser DragonFire is for ages 4 and up, but we think that ages 6 and up will be able to better control this R/C car.

This giveaway will be for a blue car.

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Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Things That Go Vrooom.. The Trash Pack Truck

2011-12-08T18:30:00.000-05:00

The Trash Pack Truck is a great place to store your trashies it holds over 10. Also 2trashies are included. Trash Pack is 'The Gross Gang in your garbage.' There are over 100 to collect and swap. Collect as many as you can and try to find the rare glow in the dark trashies. This item can only be found at Toys R Us since it's being sold there exclusively..

Meet the gross gang from the garbage! Moose Toys introduces The Trash Pack, a new toy line of icky characters named after all the delights one might find in their trash can. Available exclusively in the U.S. at Toys R Us stores nationwide and online at Toysrus.com. These miniature, collectible figures and playsets are disgusting additions sure to top kids wish lists this holiday season!

Retail Value: $19.99

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Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Things That go Vrooom..Tonka XT Ricochet RC Vehicle

2011-12-08T17:00:00.000-05:00

Go wild with this freewheeling remote control car! The RICOCHET STUNT PRO was made to steer through the sharpest turns and do the best stunts you can come up with! Its awesome remote technology lets you save your favorite stunts and press Replay to do them over and over. You’re at the wheel, so get ready to amaze yourself with daredevil stunt action!

Vehicle comes with controller, battery charger and wall adapter.

Includes 3 "AAA" batteries for the controller and 1 rechargeable 9.6V battery for the vehicle.

Ages 8 and up.

Retail Value: $79.99

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Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Things That Go Vrooom... Thomas the Tank Engine DVD Gift Set (11 DVDs)

2011-12-08T15:00:00.000-05:00

If you are shopping for a Thomas the Tank Engine fan this Holiday, then this is the giveaway for you! One lucky winner will win all three DVD's and have hours and hours of Thomas and friends to keep their little engineer happy.

Retail Value: $ 70

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Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Things That Go Vrooom...with The Toy Guy

2011-12-08T11:30:00.000-05:00

The Fisher-Price Little People Wheelies Zig the Big Rig is the friendly talking truck who is ready to play with you and your Wheelies vehicles (sold separately). Press his bumper, roof, side gate or wheel, and Zig will come to life. His eyes, mouth and brow move to show his different expressions as he talks to you. He has plenty to say – more than 50 different phrases and sounds. Load up your Wheelies vehicles in back for exciting launch 'n race action. Zig the Big Rig includes the Roberto the race car Wheelies vehicle. Store up to six Wheelies vehicles in Zig's back.

Retail Value: $29.99

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Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Things That Go Vroooom...Sponsored by Francis Automotive

2011-12-08T09:00:00.004-05:00

Location:
1317 ½ West Chester Pike
West Chester, PA 19382
610.692.0913
Email:mailto:info@francisauto.com?subject=inquiry

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Our first giveaway today from Francis Automotive is a FREE Pennsylvania State and Emissions Inspection. The winner will receive a voucher at prize pick up day.

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Holiday Fun: Arasapha Farms Holiday Hayride Family 4 Pack of Tickets Giveaway

2011-12-07T18:00:00.005-05:00

Today's posts are sponsored by Arasapha Farms Holiday Hayride located on 1835 Middletown Road (Rt. 352) Glen Mills, PA 19342. The Bates Motel as many know it, goes from Scary to Merry for the Holiday Season. Transformed into a winter wonderland, Arasapha Farms becomes a delightful, relaxing holiday paradise for the entire family to enjoy. Take a hay ride through beautifully lit, rolling hills, see real live reindeer and enjoy a cup of cocoa when the hay ride is complete. If you haven't gotten your Christmas Tree, you've come to the right place. Arasapha is filled with many Christmas Trees for you to purchase while your enjoying your holiday family fun. Choose from hundreds of beautiful, fresh cut Christmas Trees that include Douglas Fir, Concolor, and the ever favorite Fraser Fir. Deliveries are available.

DATES OF OPERATION:
CLICK HERE FOR THE CALENDER
Times: 6:00pm-9:00pm
weather permitting

TREE SALE HOURS:
Everyday Nov 25 – Dec 23
Weekdays 12 to 9 pm
Weekends 10 to 9pm

Become a Fan of Arasapha Farms Holiday Hayride on Facebook and Twitter to see special events, coupons and much more!

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The third and fourth giveaway from Arasapha Farms Holiday Hayride is a Family Four Pack of tickets, a $40 value. 2 Winners will be chosen for this giveaway. This giveaway will end at 5:00PM, on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011, so that the winners can enjoy Arasapha Farms this weekend. To enter please provide the information on the form below.

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Holiday Fun: Arasapha Farms $2 Off Holiday Hayride Coupon

2011-12-07T14:00:00.008-05:00

Today's posts are sponsored by Arasapha Farms Holiday Hayride located on 1835 Middletown Road (Rt. 352) Glen Mills, PA 19342.

The haunted attraction, The Bates Motel, goes from Scary to Merry for the Holiday Season. After the Halloween season ends the property is transformed into a sparkly winter wonderland,

My family recently visited Holiday Hayride for the first time and my kiddos ages 4 and 6, LOVED it! We piled onto a hay less hay wagon (there is bench seating) and were guided through a wonderfully lit field by Christmas tunes. Clark Griswold would be very pleased by the lights, lights and more lights at Holiday Hayride. Each section of the ride had a song to go along with the lighted decoarations. Our favorite part was the "Frosty the Snowman" part of the ride. When you hear "Frosty" play, you go through a tunnel and get a little winter surprise.
Our wagon also drove by two of Santa's reindeer. Also a big hit with my kids.

After our ride ended (it was about 25 minutes long) we visited Santa at his workshop. It is a VERY good Santa! He sat with my kids for about five minutes. Asked them what they each wanted and told them that they had to be nice to each other, not just at Christmas, but all year long because he is always watching.

MOM TIPS: Parking is FREE. There are porta potties on site. You can buy tickets with cash or credit, but if you buy with credit card you have to go to the gift store to have your card run, then go back to the ticket window. So to save time, buy online or pay with cash. Buying online also saves you the trouble of waiting in line at the ticket window.

There is a snack bar. Again, cash only. The prices are quite resonable. $1 for a small popcorn, $1 for 3 cookies, $2 for hot chocolate.

While I was there I also saw families roasting marshmallows for s'mores on the bonfires. There are picnic tables and seating, so if you like to roast s'mores don't forget your sticks, and supplies.

Holiday Hayride is also a drop off point for Toys for Tots and collects donations and supplies for military families. Click here for more information.

DATES OF OPERATION:
CLICK HERE FOR THE CALENDER
Times: 6:00pm-9:00pm
weather permitting

TREE SALE HOURS:
Everyday Nov 25 – Dec 23
Weekdays 12 to 9 pm
Weekends 10 to 9pm

Become a Fan of Arasapha Farms Holiday Hayride on Facebook and Twitter to see special events, coupons and much more!

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We want you to go and have a great time at Arasapha Farms Holiday Hayride, so our friends the Arasapha Farms Elves are offering $2 Off each admission ticket. To receive the discount, please purchase your tickets online here and use PROMO CODE: Chescomom.

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Holiday Fun Sponsored by Arasapha Farms (Christmas Tree Giveaway - 2 Winners!!)

2011-12-07T09:00:00.004-05:00

DATES OF OPERATION:
CLICK HERE FOR THE CALENDER
Times: 6:00pm-9:00pm
(weather permitting)

TREE SALE HOURS:
Everyday Nov 25 – Dec 23
Weekdays 12 to 9 pm
Weekends 10 to 9pm

Become a Fan of Arasapha Farms Holiday Hayride on Facebook and Twitter to see special events, coupons and much more!

The first and second giveaway from Arasapha Farms Holiday Hayride is a Christmas Tree. 2 Winners will receive a 6-7' Tree of your choice. Glad you waited until now, right?

The value of each tree is $55 and the winners will receive a voucher for redemption. This giveaway will close at 5:00PM on Friday, December 9, 2011. We will announce this winner on, December 9, 2011, so the winner can select their Christmas trees THIS WEEKEND!

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza Sponsored by The Town Dish (A Value of $200)

2011-12-06T15:15:00.011-05:00

Today's Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza is sponsored by The Town Dish. With sites in West Chester,Exton,Phoenixville,Downingtown,Kennett Square and The Main Line, they are your go-to source for all things food and dining in your town.

Follow their local sites on Facebook or Twitter:

West Chester: WCDish @wcdish

Exton: ExtonDish @extondish

Phoenixville: Phoenixville Area Fun Guide @phxvilledish

Downingtown: DowningtownDish @dtowndish

Kennett Square: Kennett Square Dish @ksqdish

The Main Line of Philadelphia: MainLineDish @dishmainline

Travel with them on food adventures with their national site, DishTrip.com.

Facebook: Dish TripTwitter: @dishtrip

Want to get foodie news in your inbox, too? Sign up for their email blasts by clicking here.

Town Dish’s delicious prize package features cookbooks, dining, shopping and entertainment–all to fulfill your foodie needs. Test your luck at winning the following gift set:

Two tickets to a production of your choice at People's Light and Theatre, our go-to professional theatre in Chester County, PA, that premieres diverse plays from many sources that entertain, inspire, and engage the community. Currently, we are obsessed with their Treasure Island: A Musical Panto production–which runs until January 8. A pair of tickets retails at $90.
$50 gift certificate to The Farmhouse Bistro, the eye-catching restaurant of the People’s Light & Theatre Company that’s set amongst the award-winning Bachman Gardens

A copy of Carlino’s Specialty Foods and Catering's brand-new cookbook, Wanna Taste? Stories and Recipes from Mama Carlino’s Kitchen. Retails at $45.
A $15 gift certificate to Carlino's to shop for ingredients, with convenient locations in West Chester (128 West Market Street) and Ardmore (2616 E. County Line Road)

A copy of Delectable Collectables, a Chester County-themed cookbook from The Chester County Historical Society. Retails at $20.

The Total Value of this GREAT prize pack is $220

Shop with Local Vendors at West Bradford's Winter Bazaar!

2011-12-06T08:30:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again when shopping is on the to do list! The malls are crazy and you never know what to expect with shipping. Avoid the crowds and help out local vendors, head to West Bradford Elementary School for a Winter Bazaar on Dec. 10 from 10am - 3pm. Over 80 vendors will be there selling items such as homemade crafts, jewelry, candy, fudge, tote bags, purses, clothes, candles, ornaments, specialty items, home decor, gourmet food, allergy and gluten free products, antiques, photography, tastefully simple, pampered chef, avon, mary kay, Sunless tanning, tea, bookmarks, 31 gifts, silpada, stella & dot, hair accessories, hand knit and crochet items, homemade dog treats, dog sweaters and scarves, indian silk scarves, religious items and jewelry, greeting cards, hoodies, afgans, hats, homemade soap and bath and body products, creative memories, quilted items, arbonne, stained glass AND SO MUCH MORE. For the kiddos, a Santa's workshop is available, all items available are affordable and fun for the kids to buy. Santa will be visiting as well, so get ready for pictures with Santa! Get so much accomplished all in one location without the hussle and bussle of crowds.

A catered lunch from Scarlett's on Cypress is also available. For those crazy nights of running around, Scarlett's on Cypress will also be selling pre-made meals to stick in the freezer for your enjoyment. Don't forget to stop by the raffle table (sign up to win a great item) and homemade baked goods table, where you can indulge in freshly baked goods!

West Bradford Elementary School is located at 1475 Broad Run Road Downingtown, PA 19335.

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Girly Girl Gifts - Hair Accessories Gift Basket from Chesapeake Ribbons

2011-12-05T19:00:00.014-05:00

Chesapeake Ribbons is a Mom owned and operated, Chester County business that specializes in handcrafted classic ribbon belts, hair accessories, dog collars, and more for crabs of all ages.

Click here to connect with Chesapeake Ribbons on Facebook to stay in the loop about upcoming sales, giveaways, community events and more.

Up for grabs tonight is a fun gift basket that includes a $10 Gift Card that can be redeemed online at ChesapeakeRibbons.com, as well as a shabby chic flower headband (retails for $8), beige barrette (retails for $3), and a set of fabric ponytail holders (retails for $5).

If you have a few holiday gifts left to purchase are interested in purchasing from Chesapeake Ribbons... visit them on December 6, 2011 at the Kesher Isreal Annual Holiday Shop at Kesher Isreal Synagogue on Rt. 100 in West Chester. 9:00am-1:00PM. Tell em' Chesco Moms sent you!
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Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Girly Girl Gifts - Some of The Toy Guy's Fashion Doll Faves

2011-12-05T15:30:00.000-05:00

The Toy Guy is back with five of his favorite Fashion Doll Favorites!

The winner of this giveaway will win ALL FIVE DOLLS!

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Girly Girl Gifts - My Little Pony Pinkie Pie's Remote Control Car

2011-12-05T13:00:00.002-05:00

My Little Pony Pinkie Pie's Remote Control Car
(HASBRO/Ages 3 & up/Approx. Retail Price $19.99)

PINKIE PIE pony is at the wheel and ready for a fun-filled cruise through PONYVILLE in the MY LITTLE PONY RC vehicle. This stylish violet coupe features a white swirled racing stripe and embossed horseshoes that assure a lucky day for any pony. The easy-to-use two button remote puts girls in control of the adventure, allowing them to drive the car forward and spin the car around. Every road trip needs a playlist, and girls will love humming along to the MY LITTLE PONY theme song from the “My Little Pony Friendship is Magic” television series, which plays at the touch of a button on the remote control. Headlights and sound effects add even more excitement to the ride.

The MY LITTLE PONY RC vehicle fits up to two ponies and three animal friends for one magical road trip. Additional ponies can hitch a ride with PINKIE PIE by attaching APPLEJACK’S FARM TRUCK vehicle or RARITY’S ROYAL GEM CARRIAGE vehicle to the back of the car (each sold separately). Requires 5 “AA” batteries: 2 “AA” included in the remote, 3 “AA” not included in the car.

Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

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Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Girly Girl Gifts - Baby Alive New Teeth

2011-12-05T11:00:00.001-05:00

BABY ALIVE BABY’S NEW TEETH
(HASBRO/Ages 3 & up/Approx. Retail Price $19.99)

Look who’s getting her first two teeth! All dressed up in a pretty pink frock with her soft hair tied up in pigtails, this cutie can’t wait to show off and care for her pearly whites. Little girls can “feed” their BABY’S NEW TEETH doll a teething “biscuit” or let her “chew” on her teething ring and her two bottom teeth will pop up! Girls can even “brush” her teeth, simply squeeze the tube of “toothpaste” and watch as the toothpaste magically appears and can be “applied” onto the toothbrush. After brushing, give her some water from her adorable monkey sippy cup, but don’t forget to change her diaper!

Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Girly Girl Gifts - EASY-BAKE Ultimate Oven

2011-12-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

EASY-BAKE Ultimate Oven

(HASBRO/Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $49.99)

This holiday season girls will love to spend time in the kitchen as the beloved EASY-BAKE brand introduces the EASY-BAKE Ultimate Oven. This brand new oven has a stylish look and modern functions perfect for today’s tweens! Girls will love to gather with their friends to create and decorate sweet and savory snacks in this new oven which features a heating element, similar to a conventional oven and that does not require a light bulb. Easy to use, the oven features a larger cooking chamber and bigger baking pan giving tweens the opportunity to bake more delectable treats than the EASY-BAKE Oven & Snack Center. In addition, the new oven bakes an extended menu that includes cookies, red velvet cupcakes, checker cakes, pizza, pretzels, cinnamon twists and brownie sticks (refills sold separately). The new EASY-BAKE Ultimate Oven comes complete with all the tools tweens will need including a baking pan, cupcake pan, pan pusher/spatula, storage drawer, and mixes to make 12 mini cookies and 12 mini red velvet cupcakes complete with frosting and sprinkles. Adult participation and electricity required. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

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Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza ~ Avante Salon and Spa Manicure & Blowout Gift Certificate

2011-12-02T20:30:00.001-05:00

Day 2 of our Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza is sponsored by Avante Salon and Spa. With locations in both Exton and West Chester, Avante Salon & Spa offers superior customer service, high quality products, and a wide variety of salon and spa services.

Avanté Salon & Spa — West Chester, PA
Bradford Plaza, 700 Downingtown Pike, Unit 120
West Chester, PA 19382
610-429-1800
info@avantesalon.com

Avanté on Main Street — Exton, PA
Main Street at Exton
98 Main Street
Exton, PA 19341
610-363-0600
info@avantesalon.com

Connect with Avante Salon and Spa and Avante on Main Street, on Facebook for promotions, special events, discounts and more.

If you would like to receive special special offers on Avanté Salon and Spa services and promotions. Please click here to sign up for Avante Salon & Spa eDiscounts.

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Our last giveaway for the day sponsored by Avante Salon and Spa is for a $45 Gift Certificate for a Manicure and a Blowout. Perfect for upcoming Holiday Parties!

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza ~ Avante Salon and Spa Spray Tan Gift Certificate

2011-12-02T17:30:00.002-05:00

Connect with Avante Salon and Spa and Avante on Main Street, on Facebook for promotions, special events, discounts and more.

If you would like to receive special special offers on Avanté Salon and Spa services and promotions. Please click here to sign up for Avante Salon & Spa eDiscounts.

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The third giveaway sponsored by Avante Salon and Spa is a $45 Gift Certificate for a Spray Tan. Whether you are not ready to part with your summer glow and need a bronzed touch up or want to try spray tanning for the first time.. now is your opportunity!

Get the equivalent of a natural sun-kissed, golden tan without the sun or harmful UV rays! The method performed by Avante Spa Technicians gives you an even, glowing tan on the limbs, face and body, using an airbrush selected specially for the beauty industry.

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Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza - Avante Salon and Spa Gift Certificate

2011-12-02T12:30:00.001-05:00

The second giveaway from Avante Salon and Spa is a $40 Gift Certificate to use in the Retail Shop. The winner of this gift certificate can stock up on hair care and skin care products, make up, accessories, nail polish... you get it.. GIRLY STUFF!

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Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza Sponsored by Avante Salon and Spa - Pedicure Gift Certificate

2011-12-02T09:00:00.004-05:00

Connect with Avante Salon and Spa and Avante on Main Street, on Facebook for promotions, special events, discounts and more.

First up for our fabulous Avante Salon and Spa Giveaways is an Express Pedicure. Great for those on the go...ie, MOMS!

The value of the Avante Salon and Spa Express Pedicure is $40. The winner of this giveaway will receive a gift certificate for the service.

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Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Tech Kids: Leap Frog Tag Interactive World Map

2011-12-01T20:00:00.000-05:00

2011 Winner of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Book Award! Soar into an around-the-world adventure as you learn fun facts and play games with the two-sided Tag™ World map.

• Teaches map skills, world geography and world languages.
• Meet kid characters from around the world and learn how to say “hello” in their languages.
• More than ten interactive games bring fun characters and map facts to life.
• Parents can follow their child’s play and learning progress on the LeapFrog® Learning Path.
• Play in LeapWorld™, a safe, online learning world with more games and rewards to expand the fun.

Retail: $20

Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Tech Kids - LeapFrog Learn to Write and Draw with Mr. Pencil

2011-12-01T16:00:00.000-05:00

LeapFrog Learn to Write and Draw(LeapFrog; $24.99)Learn how to write letters and numbers, draw and use art techniques to make your own masterpiece!
• Teaches drawing, handwriting and color theory.
• Follow along in interactive lessons that help you write upper- and lowercase letters and numbers 1-10.
• Make an animated flip book, color pictures or play fun creative games.
• Draw animals, shapes and cartoons as you explore techniques like shading and perspective.
• Parents can follow their child’s play and learning progress on the LeapFrog® Learning Path.
• Connect the handheld to your computer to access earned Achievement Certificate rewards.
• Play in LeapWorld™, a safe, online learning world with more games and rewards to expand the fun.
• Works only with Leapster and Leapster2 learning game systems.

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Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza: Tech Kids - Fisher Price iXL

2011-12-01T13:00:00.001-05:00

These days, even preschoolers want cool digital devices. Wait ’til they get their hands on iXL—the learning, entertainment and media center just for kids. Like them, it’s small but powerful. Full of creative fun. And very, very smart. It flips open and turns from a book to a game player and so much more—it’s like having six digital devices in one! Kids will love all the different ways to play, learning important fundamentals along the way. Folds closed for on-the-go fun. Requires 4 AA batteries (not included). iXL also requires a PC or Macintosh computer with internet connection, CD-ROM drive and USB port. The Media Manager CD-ROM it comes with makes it easy for kids to load and manage their own photos, music and software titles. iXL can store multiple files.

Base system includes:
• 1 interactive story and activity
• 1 learning game
• Writing activities
• Art tools and stampers
• Music sampler
• Sample photo images
• 9 mini-apps
• And it’s easy to add more!

iXL teaches:
• Story comprehension
• Counting (by 1’s, 2’s, 10’s)
• Art and creativity
• Phonics
• Vocabulary
• Writing
• Spelling and lots more!

Minimum System Requirements:
Microsoft® Windows XP, Windows Vista™ or Windows 7
• 150MB free hard drive space
• Internet connection
Macintosh OS X v10.4 or higher
• 150MB free hard drive
• Internet connection

Retail Value: $60

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Holiday Extravaganza Giveaway: Tech Kids sponsored by Time to Play Magazine

2011-12-01T09:00:00.002-05:00

Welcome to Day 1 of Chester County Moms Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza!!! As you can see we are happy to welcome our friend Chris Byrne, AKA "The Toy Guy" from Time to Play Mag.com to our fun little online party this year. Chris has lots of fun toys to share over the next 12 days!

We are kicking off the 12 days of Giveaways off with techy stuff that kids love!

First up is the Tag Reading System - The new sleeker Tag reader form features an included title that lets kids sample pages and activities from across the Tag library, which is helpful to parents in finding out what kinds of themes and activities their kids are interested in so they can purchase other appropriate Tag products.

The Tag reader is designed to foster children's love of reading, making learning to read a fun, engaging adventure. Easy to use, amazingly responsive, and small enough for a child to take anywhere, Tag reader brings books to life with just one touch. A small, sophisticated infrared camera at the tip "reads" letters, words, and symbols printed on the special dot-patterned pages of products in the Tag library. Kids can use Tag as they begin their learn-to-read journeys, then continue to enjoy it as their reading skills grow, from hearing an entire story aloud to seeking help with individual words. Parents simply download books' audio using the PC- and Mac-compatible LeapFrog Connect Application, then sync content to the reader. It's easy to use, highly intuitive and worry free. Parents can also see what their kids are learning while they read with Tag. The free Learning Path online resource offers personalized insights into children's learning progress with LeapFrog products.

Retail Value: $35

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If you are having trouble accessing the entry form please click here to enter for your chance to win.

Welcome to End of The Year Giveaway Extravaganza

2011-12-01T00:00:00.014-05:00

Woo-hoo! Welcome to Chester County Moms End of the Year Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza. There will be daily giveaways on this site throughout December 12, 2011. We will have lots of great gifts up for grabs.

As with our End of the Year Giveaways in previous years, there will be a prize pick up day this year too, BUT this year we will have two pick up days and two locations. My Gym Children's Fitness Center in Lionville and West Chester Mercedes in.. you guessed it, West Chester. Any unclaimed toy prizes will be donated to Toys for Tots. Friends, spouses and neighbors are allowed to pick up prizes for you as long as we have their name on file as the person picking up your prize.

If your prize if a gift certificate you can pick it up at the Giveaway Sponsor or have it mailed to you. We can not replace any gift certificates that get "lost in the mail", so we really advise picking up your prize to be safe.

All entry forms will close at midnight on December 12, 2011. Winners will be selected via RANDOM.ORG and notified via email. The giveaway winner will have 24 hours to respond to the "you won" email. Failure to respond will forfeit your prize and we will pick another winner. All winners will be listed on Chester County Moms.com on December 13, 2011. (Listed by first name, last initial - Sarah. F)

The standard disclaimer for each giveaway is:

The winner of this giveaway will be notified via email. This giveaway ends at midnight on Monday, December 12, 2011. The winner of this giveaway will have 24 hours to respond to the "you won" email notice. As in years past, ALL winnings will be claimed on "prize pick up day". There will be two locations for prize pick up, West Chester and Lionville. If you fail to pick up your prize on pick up day you will forfeit your prize and it will be donated to Toys for Tots. CCM/SSM will not share any information with any third parties or solicit those that enter this contest. All information will remain in the Chester County Moms/Suburban Social Media, LLC database. ONE ENTRY PER HOUSEHOLD, duplicate entries will be deleted. Chester County residents only!

Each day of giveaways will kick off at 9:00am. We will keep a daily recap of all of the Giveaways on this page.. so check back throughout the day so you don't miss any of the great goodies up for grabs.

The Toys for Tots Collection will be on pick up day.

Good Luck & Happy Holidays!!!!

Listing of Giveaways

Tag Reading System

Fisher Price iXL

Leap Frog Mr. Pencil

Leap Frog Interactive World Map

Avante Salon & Spa Manicure and Blowout

Avante Salon & Spa Spray Tan

Avante Salon & Spa Retail Store Gift Certificate

Avante Salon & Spa Pedicure

Easy Bake Ultimate Oven

Chesapeake Ribbons Hair Accessories Gift Set

5 Fashion Dolls

My Little Pony - Pinkie Pie's Remote Control Car

Baby Alive - New Teeth

The Town Dish Foodie Gift Pack (People's Light and Theatre Tickets)

Christmas Tree Giveaway (2 winners)

Holiday Hayride Family 4 Pack of Tickets (2 winners)

Francis Automotive - Pennsylvania State Inspection

Fisher - Price Wheelies: Zig the Big Rig

Thomas the Tank Engine DVD Gift Set

Tonka Remote Control Car

The Lazer Stunt Chaser

The Trash Pack Truck

$25 Nonna's Gift Card

$25 Riverstone Cafe Gift Card

$25 Jake's Wayback Burger Gift Card

$25 Cuisine to Go Gift Card

$25 Winner's Circle Gift Card

$25 Pietro's Prime Gift Card

$25 Pistachio's Gift Card

$25 Appetite's on Main Gift Card

$50 Gift Card for Calista TOOLS Beauty Products

1-HR Game Time Gift Certificate - Games2U

Sweet & Sassy Party Package

Thanks for participating in Online Holiday Extravaganza 2011

Incredible Deals: Haagen Das, Ice Skating, Zoolu and More!

2011-11-30T18:30:00.001-05:00

Today's Save: Haagen-Dazs

Today's Save:$5 for $10 worth of Haagen-Dazs - two locations!

Bonus Save: Overstock.com

Last Chance:$10 for $20 worth of high-quality, brand-name gifts on Overstock.com

Bonus Save: NuMe Style

Today's Save:$87 for a ceramic flat iron, curling wand, and holiday gift set from NuMe ($359 value), plus free shipping!

Bonus Save: Power Play Rinks

Today's Save:$9 for admission and skate rentals for two at Power Play Rinks (up to $18 value)

Bonus Save: Canvas Lifestyle

Great gift idea:$30 for $85 worth of custom photo canvases from CanvasLifestyle.com - plus free shipping

Bonus Save: Curves

Today's Save:$10 for a one-month membership to Curves ($39 value)

Bonus Save: Zoolu!

Limited quantity:$25 for $50 worth of baby's clothing, products and accessories from Zoolu

No Joke: $25 for a Target Gift Card and Restaurant. com Card

2011-11-30T16:26:00.003-05:00

Highlights

• When you purchase this Digital Doorstep Experience for ONLY $25 – receive a free $50 Restaurant.com Gift Card and a $25 Target GiftCard®.

• Nearly triple the value of your money the minute you purchase.

• Choose from your choice of over 18,000 restaurants nationwide – wherever and whenever you’re ready to dine.

• A Target GiftCard is your opportunity to shop for thousands of items at more than 1,700 Target and SuperTarget stores, as well as Target.com. From home décor, small appliances and electronics to fashion, accessories and music, find exactly what you’re looking for at Target. No fees. No expiration. No kidding.