Saturday, April 27, 2013
by Kristen Bagwell; sponsored by Kidz Celebrate
If you're planning a birthday party, you simply must consider Kidz Celebrate. A new venue in Raleigh, Kidz Celebrate offering drop-in child care, classes, full-day, half-day and summer camps, and birthday parties, among other things. From their website: Kidz Celebrate brings parties to life with unique themed parties, enriching camps, and unforgettable classes, including kids’ Zumba, and much more! We also offer drop-ins, where your child can enjoy crafts and exciting activities in a fun and enriching atmosphere where kids can be themselves! Read More
Happy, Happy Halloween! This is one of the most fun nights of the year for kids, and unfortunately, it's going to be a cold one, so make sure you and your kids wear layers to stay warm. 
Do you log on to our site every day and think, "Gosh, I wish they'd write about such-and-such topic. I'd really like to know what other moms think of that." Or do you have a bunch of ideas swirling around your head that you're itching to write about and share with other moms? Even more, are you someone who loves to write but just can't come up with a good topic? If you fit one of these descriptions, we'd love to hear from you!
My husband came home with a book he received from his sister, and I literally devoured in minutes. It’s called 
As we head back to school for the traditional calendar, I thought it would be fun to re-run this post from Rachel, a former teacher. Many parents like to provide a little treat for their teachers at the start of the new year...hopefully the post below will give you some inspiration. Enjoy! ~KB
With 2 little kids, date night is hard to come by. Our daughter is only just getting into movies at age 4, and fortunately our son goes to bed early enough that he doesn't care. My point: if you could make a movie afternoon or evening, with your favorite choices...what would you watch? 
Back in January, I felt like everyone was talking about Pinterest. At first, I couldn't figure it out, and luckily we had a guest blogger who gave some suggestions about 
I am a huge fan of our NC mountains, having gone to college there <ahem> years ago. There's never a bad time to visit, but summer is particularly fun because the temperatures are 15-25 degrees lower than Raleigh on any given day. (For example, when we visited, the high in Raleigh was 89 degrees and the high in Boone was 67. JOY!) 
In case you missed it, we wanted to re-post our "50 fun things" list to give you some activity ideas as we move through the summer season. Now that it's sweltering out, take a look at the indoor and water fun activities! 
A zipline adventure is perfect for families who love to try new things, as well as for those trying to escape the daily heat and pool
routines this coming summer! To find out how easy, breezy this kind of day trip can be, including what's required time-wise and dollar-wise, and what ages are most appropriate for this kind of adventure, begin by reading this
As soon as my youngest child was out of diapers, my husband and I decided that we were going to start camping with the kids. Our first camping trip was only for a night, to see how the kids (and the adults) handled the experience. The trip was a success and much fun was had by all - with the kids already planning our next camping trip before we left the first. However, I knew that if we were going to be camping for multiple days, a state park or normal campground was just not going to suffice for day long entertainment for the kids (or the adults really). There are only so many hikes one can take! 
We literally have two weeks of summer under our belts and I'm already pulling my hair out. It's like the bickering started on cue. The dismissal bell rang on the last day of school to signify the start of summer, but really it was more like the opening bell for an all-out, summer-long boxing match that takes place in my house, in the car, at the pool - and just about every where my kids seem to spend more than five minutes together.
We're early into summer days, and I can't yet see a time when going to the pool will get old. In case it does, though, we're taking a page from our sister site's book. 
Do you find yourself searching high and low all over town for the healthiest, most affordable food to feed your family? For my family, we found the solution right in our own backyard. After reading about pesticides in our foods, we explored organic options for baby food and produce. 
We were feeling the need for a series, and what better time to feature "summer visits"? Through the end of August, Triangle MOM will be featuring both day trips and weekenders that may be of interest, all within NC. We kick off this series with one of the prettier visits in NC: Maggie Valley.
Welcome to this month's community bulletin board! If you have a charitable
event or cause (or just want to raise awareness), email 
Triangle Moms on Main is continuing to grow, which means we need more help keeping Triangle moms in the know! We are now hiring and are looking for two sales representatives in the Cary, Durham, Chapel Hill, or Raleigh areas. 
Spring has sprung! We have received a ton of emails this week from folks who want to share event alerts and charitable causes with our readers. With so many events coming up, we didn't want to leave anyone out, so we've opted to do a local bulletin board as today's post. 
Do you feel like the Easter bunny brings the same things every year? And are you tired of all the candy and plastic "junk" that's usually found inside your child's baskets? We feel the same way, so today we're sharing ideas on how to fill an Easter basket with items your child will actually use! Rachel and I took a little shopping trip to see what we could find - and in doing so - we came up with the idea to "theme" our Easter baskets. Not only did we stuff our baskets with useful stuff, but we also did it all within budget. AND we think they turned out pretty cute! 
I'm a total geneaology nut, and the 1940 Census is coming out. To me, this is like waiting for the next Harry Potter book/movie to come out...or for the next iPhone (depending on your mom mode). It's truly very exciting because for a lot of us, our grandparents and even some parents will be on this census. All of this excitement has made me think a lot more about family heritage and traditions lately. 
“I want THAT, Mom. Pleeeeease!!!” This is probably something you have heard many times if you have dared to walk through Target or Wal-Mart with your children in tow. As adults, we know that children can’t have everything they think they want, especially in the current economic time. However, this can be difficult to explain since most children have very little understanding of money and how it works. 
Do you ever feel like you're not sure whether you're coming or going? As a working parent, I used to always hear about cool gift ideas, products to try, events for myself and the kids...and then I'd think about them later on, either too late to act or having missed the event entirely. The good news is, help is on the way! 
Have you heard of 
I figured if I put "sex" in the title I would grab your attention. In this post, however, I am referring to "sex" as "gender", as in the gender of your baby. (But if you really do want to read about sex, we've got some blogs 
Every year I say I'm going to organize all our old toys by creating piles of toys to donate, piles of toys to pitch, and piles of toys to consider consigning. It never happens. I just have piles. So when Elizabeth suggested this topic, I thought it'd be a great post to share with all of you! Happy organizing! ~ Katie
If your house is as nutty as my house, maybe you are still putting the finishing touches on the holiday decorating. (Or, maybe 50% of the stuff is still in a pile on the dining room table. Ahem.) If that's the case, there's still time to do some crafty decorations with the kids. 
It might be the busiest time of year but we all love to squeeze in some holiday TV specials and other classics, don't we? Starting today some of our favorite holiday shows begin to air. 
Remember when your child’s list to Santa was thicker than the phonebook? When Disney’s favorite Princess or Nick Jr's favorite handyman could save the day for Christmas bounty? Those long lists have been replaced by much shorter ones that primarily involve cash and gift cards. If you’re like me, you want to give something more than “just” a gift card but what items are on the “must have” list for our Teens and Tweens? .jpg)
Rachel is always looking out for the cutest, most unique gifts and personalized gifts rank among her favorite. You'll remember she just ran this 
We have big news on our site today....we just published a new look to our calendar of events! You all tell us how much you appreciate TMoM's easy-to-use calendar of Triangle family-friendly events, and now it's even more user-friendly - especially for busy parents who like to plan ahead.
September – school starting back and the start of soccer and football season. Fans of both sports are passionate in their love of these games. One does not have to look very far to spot people wearing football or soccer apparel around the Triad. Sports are an important part of most people’s lives, and they are commonly discussed at home, with friends, in the workplace, in cyber space and through any form of media that we come in contact with on a daily basis. As such, it seems we would be doing our children a disservice to not expose them to different sports and give them an opportunity to experience playing different sports. 
We are already thinking "hooray for fall" around here, and what better way to celebrate than to plan some outdoor fun? These tips and tricks from Katie can help you get the ball rolling. Enjoy! ...Kristen B. 
Summer is the perfect time of year to consider a volunteer project with your whole family. Not only can children learn valuable "working" skills and all about different organizations - as well as how these organizations fit within society - but kids also learn how to give back and be thankful for what they have. According to 
When my two-year-old son saw a true-to-life Thomas the Tank Engine turn the corner, race towards him with a loud clackety-clack and let out an ear-piercing “Choo Choo,” I thought I might have mistakenly ended his innocent obsession with all those funny faced locomotives. Instead, it turned out to be one of the most magical moments for him. I honestly believe he thought we arrived on Sodor Island. And while he will never forget that surprise visit from Thomas, I will always cherish the priceless expression on his little face. .jpg)
So, summer is here! Time to sleep in, relax by the pool, go on vacation and not do any homework………..wrong!! Ok, well maybe not “homework” technically, but no need to let those smart young minds atrophy during the summer months. Here are a few tips on what you can do with your children this summer to keep their minds sharp and maybe (gasp!) have some fun too! 
You can live 15 minutes away, 45 minutes away, or within walking distance to downtown and there is always something in Winston-Salem worth visiting time and time again. I've only lived in this beautiful city for less than six years and my family and I are constantly discovering new things to do or to see. I love having friends and family come visit so we can show off our city. The influence of history, culture and arts, along with its appeal to families with children of any age, makes Winston-Salem a fantastic place for a day trip. Winston-Salem is an easy 107 miles from Raleigh, straight on I-40 west and follow the signs. 
I have a large extended family, and we love to spend many holidays and vacations together. One of my favorite memories was the first trip we took to Duck, NC with about twenty of us. We rented a beautiful house in the Four Seasons neighborhood and stayed an entire week. My mom reminded me that it was a beautiful summer that year, but the week we chose, it decided to rain almost the entire length of the trip. Surprisingly I did not even remember the bad weather because we had such a good time!
Earlier this month, our own Triad MOM team was featured on Fox 8 News all morning, showcasing spring cleaning ideas - as well as other tips and tricks they've found along the way. Because they only had three minutes per segment to share all these wonderful spring cleaning secrets, you can find details on everything they showcased below. 
Does this happen to you? Several times a week your child comes home with piles of art and other paperwork for you to adore, compliment, and select which pieces you’ll hang on the fridge. Later that evening, you sift through the entire mound of paper and decide which pieces make the cut for a future keepsake and which ones get tossed. You think you have it all figured out, and then the next morning your child discovers his masterpiece in the trash. Oops. You apologize profusely, dust off the coffee crumbs, smooth out the wrinkles, and add it to the last remaining spot on the fridge.
Anyone else in the mood to go someplace warm? This may be the next best thing...
It's the first weekend of 2011 - what do you have planned? If (like me) you haven't exactly thought it out, check out the TMOM events calendar. Simply 
I am so embarrassed to admit this, but I have yet to create a photo album of my children (ages two and five). It's like I am photographically challenged. I own a nice digital camera, yet I am forever forgetting to bring it places! If it weren't for my husband, we would be seriously hurting in the photo department. Luckily, he reminds me often - and once I have my camera in hand - I actually enjoy snapping shots. So we do have a lot of pictures of our kids, thankfully.
Spring has sprung! This is a great time to pull out the arts and crafts and celebrate this gorgeous time of year. If your children are on Spring Break, it is an even better reason to get in some quality crafty time! We hope you enjoy the Easter and Spring craft ideas we have collected below. A big thank you to Judith Long, Marybeth Barrett, and Joy Blaser for these adorable craft ideas! 
I recently reached out to a few moms I know who have a knack for balancing work and home life. I think these tips are terrific even for stay-at-home moms. We all need a few extra hours in our day, and these are some great ideas on how to make that happen …
I asked Anitra to write this blog about her experiences with Big Brothers/Big Sisters after Rachel H and I were invited to a BB/BS luncheon. I knew little about BB/BS at the time, and was amazed to learn so much about this wonderful organization, the parents who give so much of their time and love, and all the incredible "little brothers and sisters." I also had no idea Anitra and her family were involved as "Bigs" before attending this luncheon and discovering her husband is the president of the local BB/BS chapter. Anitra and her husband, Brad, have two beautiful boys: Cooper (age 5) and Turner (age one), and one amazing "little brother" Steven. I hope you enjoy their story. - KM 
