Thursday, May 31, 2012

Art City Days

I love Art City Days. It's fun to get out in the community and participate in the things that are going on. I will try to be comprehensive in my listing since it doesn't actually start until Sat. I hope this helps someone that would like to do something.

June 2nd: Nestle 5K Family Fun Run/Walk, 7:30 a.m. starting and ending at Springville High School. You can register the day of the race for $15 starting at 6:30 a.m.

Riding Club Rodeo, pre-show at 6:30 p.m. at 767 W 1600 S, cost is $10/car or $5/person

Talent Festival, 7 p.m. at the Spring Acres Park (620 S 1350 E) this event is free.

June 4th: Teddy Bear Tea Party, for 2-5 yr olds and their grown-up, Multiple times available (9:30 to 1:30, each hour) sign up for a time at the library and get any other info you want. This event is also free.

Rubber Ducky Dunk 'N' Dive, 6 p.m. at the Springville Pool (1015 E 900 S) it does cost $8 per immediate family. With each paid admission each swimmer will receive a rubber duck. During the evening, several times the ducks will be let loose and many will be caught by the Duck Wrangling Team. If your duck is picked you win a prize.

June 5th: Skate Park Challenge, 3:30 p.m. Open to youth ages 11-17, register on-site and have parental permission form signed to participate.

Junior Jazz Fun Shot, 5:30-8 p.m. at Cherry Creek Elem (484 S 200 E), kids 5th-12th grade are able to compete to make as many shots as you can in 60 sec. It is free and you can sign up the day of the event.

June 6-9: Carnival, Wed 6-10 p.m., Thurs and Fri 6-10 p.m., Sat noon-10 p.m. At the Acres Park (700 S 1300 E) Wed. night is family night and all rides are 1 ticket. There will be Food Booths, and Craft Boutique also going on during the Carnival hours.

Local Entertainment will be available to enjoy as well.

June 6th: The Flashback Brothers will preform at 7 p.m. in the center of the festival tents.

June 7th: Cake Decorating Contest, 5-8 p.m. at the Senior Center (63 E 200 S) The public is invited to watch the artisans work. The Cupcake Corner will be open to kids 12 and younger. Instructional demo will be held at 7. Admission is free.

Battle of the Bands, 7-11:30 p.m. at the Arts Park. The Battle is on the main stage followed by an outdoor dance.

June 7-9: Fireman's Breakfast, Thurs 7-11 a.m., Fri and Sat 6-11 a.m. at the Fire Station (75 W Center St.) cost is $5 adults, $4 children

June 8-9: Balloon Fest, 6:30 a.m. at the Junior High soccer field (165 S 700 E), Admission is free to watch the balloons set-up and launch.

Quilt Show, Fri 10-6 and Sat 10-4 at the Arts Shop (443 S 200 E), It is free to see the submitted work.

June 8th: Children's Parade at 10 a.m. at the Grant School (105 S 400 E) Elem. age and younger can dress up and decorate their entry. It is free to participate.

Children's Art Festival, 10-2 at the Museum of Art (400 S 200 E), Live entertainment, food and artist booths with make-and-take projects.

Entertainment, 7 p.m. at the Main Stage at the Arts Park, There will be a hypnotist, a Phat Cat Swinger with a dance floor to use. Admission is free and for the family.

June 9th: Pioneer Museum Open house, 9 a.m.-noon at 175 S Main St. Taste pioneer candy, play pioneer games and make a pioneer craft.

Grand Parade, 10 a.m., begins at Buckley and 400 S then turns north on Main and ends at 200 N. There will be an announcer and bleachers.

Auto Body Car Show, after the parade until 4 p.m. at 587 S Main St., Admission is free.

Best Hot Dog Contest, 3-6 p.m. at the Arts Park, for $4 you get a punch card that will get you 1/4 of a hot dog or polish dog from each participating restaurant and you can then vote for your favorite.

Blackhawk with Keith Stubbs, 7 p.m. at the Arts Park, following the concert there will be fireworks

I think that covers pretty much everything. Check out the Sprinville Website for more info (springville.org)

Eagle Mountain

Eagle Mountain is doing their city celebration this week and thought it might be fun to post what's going on that's cheap, free or just fun. I'm getting started late, but it might help someone for tonight and this weekend. Also Springville has their Art City Days starting on Sat. so there will be plenty going on if you want to participate.

May 31st: Movie in the Park at the SilverLake Amphitheater (7920 N SilverLake Parkway) they will be showing "Soul Surfer" It will start at dusk, around 8 pm.

June 2nd: Grand Parade starting at 10. It starts at Hidden Hollow Elem. on Pony Express Way and will go to the LDS Stake Center at 4506 E. Pony Express Parkway.

There have been others and more things coming up, but others required registration and since it's late...I didn't post them. Hope this can help someone.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Online Help

So, I have been addicted to pinterest lately...there is always something fun to see or do. It gives me lots of ideas that I will *someday* put to use. With that in mind, I have also been bouncing around to new blogs here and there and I have found some websites that I would like to post about more specifically.

Over the summer I *try* to do centers or something specific with each child that I don't do otherwise. I worry about my older children loosing what they have learned in the long break away from that intense learning that they have been doing. I am not so good about doing things at home with them during the year, so summer tends to be my time to try and help them progress (or at least not end up loosing what they have learned). The littler kids should be getting better attention to this at home during the year, but like I said before, I'm just not that good at it. So for this summer I thought that maybe we'll try it again and see if some of it can carry through till after the new one is born and then into the school year for the little ones.

So, as I have been searching and trying to figure out what to do for their "centers" I have come across a couple different websites that can help one child while I may be working with another...or something like that.

One great website I have found for math is khanacademy.org Here there are videos to help teach as well as practices that the child (or yourself if you have ambitions to learn).

Another site is for learning the alphabet and reading it is: starfall.com It lets the child pick letters and talk about the letter and sounds that go to it. It will also read stories.

I have no idea how much either site helps kids in the long run, but for me I feel that if they can help it's worth a shot. I know this shouldn't replace other activities, but I think as a supplement it really can't hurt much.

Are there great websites you use/like for education purposes?

I just found this site that might help someone out... www.myoatmealkisses.com/2012/03/top-educational-websites-for-kids.html#

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Political Thoughts

I don't tend to be too vocal about my political views, but I heard something this morning that really gets to me. We've been hearing talk about Ann Romney and how she was a stay-at-home mom (which I am). With that there has been talk about how because her husband made so much money she didn't need to. Well, with those thoughts in mind, I have my own views as well. I started staying home with my own kids full time when my second child was born. Frankly, my husband wasn't making a ton of money, but I wasn't making enough to make it worth putting 2 kids in daycare so I could work. So financially it's been a lot better for us for me to be home. My husband doesn't make the most money, but we are now expecting child #6 and I couldn't be happier with the decision we have made for me to stay at home with my children.

So, back to the ad that I heard this morning. I can't remember who made the ad, but it sure did get me going. In the ad it talked about how Ann Romney has never worked a day in her life. I know that they are referring to outside the home, I do the same thing myself at times, but when it comes to a political ad, it's best to not make that mistake. If anyone thinks that staying at home with children is not work has never done it before for any duration of time. There are so many expectations of a mother that it's VERY HARD to feel like you can live up to MOST of them let alone ALL of them. I sometimes think that having a job where I get paid outside of my home would be easier than doing what I currently do. I also very much admire those that do have full time jobs outside of their home and still maintain their homes. I know I couldn't do it all.

The more I hear ads of this nature against the Romneys' for this choice that they made, the more I feel like I cannot vote for anyone but the Romneys'. I just don't agree with the comment that if you are a stay-at-home mom you don't work!
Ain't no need to watch where I'm going, just need to know where I've been.