It’s officially fall in Bucks County, Montgomery County, and surrounding region, which means Halloween will be here soon.  Everywhere I travel I see pumpkin signs advertising area pumpkin patches.  Our family likes to visit Solly Farm each fall to go apple picking and to visit their pumpkin patch.  They have a hay ride to the apple orchard on the weekends that gives a little tour of the farm.  There is a HUGE pumpkin on the side of the farm market at Solly Farm that I like to photograph my son next to each year to see how much he has grown.   Last year we also went to None Such Farms on the weekend to their Pumpkin Festival where we were able to enjoy a hayride and tour of the farm, some fun music and get some light lunch before checking out the pumpkin patch.  There are many area fall festivals and pumpkin festivals listed on Mama’s calendar, so if you are looking for some ideas, start there!  What are some fall traditions you have with your family or ones you are thinking of starting?

Solly Farms huge pumpkin!

This weekend’s weather forecast is sounding more ominous every minute!  The threat of hurricane Irene, due to arrive to the Philadelphia, Bucks County, Montgomery County and New Jersey regions Sunday morning, means lots of cancellations and evacuations.  While everyone hopes that this storm is being hyped more serious than it really will be, it is so important to be safer than sorry.   I can’t help but think of those tragic news stories that followed hurricane Katrina, when people were not as prepared as they could have been.   There are many resources online that provide helpful information on how to prepare for a storm.  Here are a few resources for Mama’s Little Helper readers:

• The National Hurricane Center, which also provides great resources for being prepared with a family plan and emergency supplies.
• One Storm has information for making a family hurricane plan.
• Ready America from FEMA has information about planning and returning home after a storm.
• The Red Cross has a hurricane safety checklist.

Be prepared for during and after Hurricane Irene!

If your area has not been evacuated, there are a few things you can do to help your family shelter at home during and after the storm, when power outages are possible.  While this list is not inclusive, here are a few tips I learned about from reading various places online to help deal with this storm:

• Have a good supply of drinking water on hand.  Approximately one gallon per person for at least three days, up to seven.
• Set your refrigerators and freezers to the coldest setting in case of a power failure.
• Freeze extra ice packs or even bottles of water to use to help keep your freezer contents cold in case of a power outage.
• Be sure to have a good supply of any prescriptions you need on hand.
• Have some extra cash on hand.  If there is a power failure in the area, ATMs will not work.
• Fill your gas tanks of your car and generator if you have one.
• Keep non perishable foods on hand, such as peanut butter and jelly, bread, snack bars, fruit, and your kids’ favorite snacks!
• If there are babies at home, be sure to have diapers, food, milk/formula supplies for them.
• Have flashlights with batteries on hand, as they are safer than candles.
• Keep a box of activities that can be used to entertain your kids during a power outage.  Games, crayons and coloring books, and even something new to be a nice surprise for the kids during this stressful time.
• Clear your yard and decks/porches of potential hazards…store lawn furniture, bird feeders, toys indoors if possible.

Natural disasters are scary for adults and confusing for children.  It is important to teach your kids about how to be safe without frightening them.  It’s good for the adults to have a plan for evacuation from the home if necessary and share as much as that plan as is appropriate for your children based upon their age.  Watching the news with kids can provoke anxiety for some kids.  Share with your kids just enough information about what is going on with out going in to too much detail to curb anxiety.  Some kids won’t care, but there are lots of kids who will be scared.  Plan to have a little fun while you are stuck inside during the storm.  It might help relieve everyone’s anxiety or stir-craziness!

Be safe during the storm!  I hope that everyone who has been evacuated from the Jersey shore is able to return home safely soon.

Mama Diane

This week’s featured mama of the week is Teresa H. Berger, author of the book Mom’s Recipe and Activity Guide and mother to one awesome five year old girl.  She also blogs at Life. Suburban. Simple. where she shares tips regarding being green and more earth friendly.

Teresa is currently a SAHM and has always worked in some capacity since becoming a mother.  She has worked as a part-time freelance marketing consultant, full-time marketing director, and most recently full-time SAHM.  She is also a certified group fitness instructor and has taught pre/post natal fitness classes for women for about four years.  Teresa said, “I am a firm believer in maintaining a sense of self-worth when becoming a mother. I have struggled with that the last couple of years because I’ve worked less and less. I do enjoy being with my daughter and creating memories I could never have had the opportunity to had I been consistently working full-time. But at the same time, I’ve learned I need to allow myself “me” time to develop my skills, interests and passions. That is one reason I got certified as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer, and why I’m currently training to run a 1/2 marathon in September.”

Parenting presents challenges, and Teresa shared some of the things that she deals with, including time management, which is an issue for her. She said, “even with one child, I’m still learning how to adjust and build in buffer time to account for her wardrobe changes or the random morning tantrum. As kids go from baby to toddler to elementary age and beyond, they still need you, their needs just change.”  She also mentioned that she has a hard time dealing with when she sees her daughter’s feelings get hurt at school or on the play ground.  Teresa mentioned that she is “learning that it is just a part of life but it gets me in the gut to see her hurting (or any child hurting because they’ve been called a name or treated poorly.)”

This Montgomery County mom & author helps fund raise for The National LeioMyoSarcoma Foundation

Teresa’s book, Mom’s Recipe and Activity Guide was written to celebrate her mother’s life, which was loss at the young age of 53 to LeioMyoSarcoma*, a rare form of cancer.  The book honors her memory of her mother and includes many family activities and recipes that kids can help make.  A portion of the proceeds for the book goes to The National LeioMyoSarcoma Foundation.  The book can be purchased through CreateSpace or via Amazon.  Teresa is also involved in fundraising efforts for LeioMyoSarcoma through a local walk.  She said, “the first Sunset Stroll for LMS was held in October 2010 in conjunction with the books efforts to raise awareness and funding for the NLMSF. We are planning a second Sunset Stroll for LMS in October 2012 (hoping to eventually make it an annual event.)”

*Leiomyosarcoma is a rare form of cancer, which affects about four people in every million. It spreads through the blood stream and can affect the lungs, liver, blood vessels or any other soft tissue in the body. Presently there is no cure, only remission if it can be attained, and this rare cancer can reappear anywhere and at any time. Because of its rarity, few doctors know how to treat it and it attracts little research.  From http://www.nlmsf.org/

A great recipe from Mom’s Recipe and Activity Guide:

Teresa shared one of her favorite cookie recipes from her book, Rainy Day Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies. They are an easy recipe kids can absolutely help with making.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

• 1 cup butter

• ¾ cup packed brown sugar

• ¾ cup sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

• 2-3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (optional—omit if anyone at home has a peanut allergy or if you are sharing with friends/classmates)

• ½ cup flaxseed (good source of vitamin B, protein, and zinc)

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

 

In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Add eggs and mix thoroughly. Combine the baking soda, salt, flour, peanut butter and flax seed and stir into creamed mixture. Add oats and chocolate chips and stir until well blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Makes about 24.

Teresa uses social media to build and maintain relationships and to stay in touch with family from afar. She said, “I try not to spend too much time on it, because I don’t want to get carried away from my first priority – family. Social media has helped me grow professional relationships and friendships. It’s also afforded me the opportunity to stay on top of what’s going on in the world.”  You can find Teresa on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date with her book and her latest project, her second book!  She is also pursuing options to make her current book into an e-reader format!

Teresa takes advantage of living in a great part of Montgomery County that has a wonderful park, Alverthorpe Park.  She said, “it’s got something for families with kids of all ages and because it’s a township park it has summer camps for kids throughout the season. My daughter just took a week-long golf basics camp there and it was so fun.”

Thanks Teresa, for sharing a bit about your life with Mama’s Little Helper’s readers!

EurAupair: a provider of intercultural child care programs in the US.

With over 20 years of experience, EurAupair (pronounced “yoor´-ô-pair”) is one of the oldest, largest and most trusted au pair organizations in the United States. EurAupair was one of the first au pair programs to become designated by the U. S. Department of State to legally sponsor au pairs to come to the United States, and has placed tens of thousands of au pairs successfully with American host families since it’s inception. As EurAupair follows strict regulations, your family will be choosing an au pair from among the most qualified au pair candidates, and you can be assured that your great au pair will arrive with all the proper legal visa documentation.

About the EurAupair Program

Like the au pair tradition itself, EurAupair has its roots in Europe. From this long-standing heritage, EurAupair brings to the United States bright, responsible au pairs who assist in caring for your children in exchange for inclusion in American family life, the opportunity to study at an American college, and exposure to a new culture.

Au Pairs can work up to 45 hours a week, 10 hours/day max. They are there to take you kids to after school activities, or watch them when they’re sick or have snow days. They can take your toddlers to preschool and you don’t have to have out of home childcare for your little ones.

About the Au Pairs: more than a babysitter

Au Pairs are young adults from all over the world. They have experience working with kids and they are very well screened. They are excited to get to know a new culture and what a great way to expose your children to one too.

Local mom, Anitta Williams, is a local community counselor in Montgomery /Bucks County area for EurAupair. She meets with the Au Pairs monthly and has monthly contact with the Host Families. If there are any issues or questions she is there to help. Anitta was an Au Pair herself about 10 years ago.  She said, “then back home in Finland I worked for the local agency interviewing Au Pair applicants. And as a mother myself I can relate to other families looking for child care.”

About the cost:

Affordable child care at roughly $340 per week includes your au pair’s round-trip international flight, visa assistance, comprehensive insurance coverage, weekly stipend and ongoing personalized support from your local EurAupair team.  And remember, this is per family, NOT per child.

For more information, please contact:

Anitta Williams

awilliams@euraupaireast.com

www.euraupair.com

1-800-333-3804 ext.255

**Right now EurAupair has a special; the application fee of $350 is discounted to only $65**

Question of the week:  How do you  keep kids entertained during the heatwave!

The weather forecast for this week has been downright dreadful.  The Montgomery County Health Department has declared a Code Red beginning Wednesday July 20th through Sunday July 24th.  That means a Hot Weather Health Warning is issued in anticipation of an oppressively hot airmass with a heat index of 100º F or greater. With the heat that hot, it makes everyone cranky!  Mama’s question of the week is, if your kids are not enrolled in a camp program or you don’t have a pool to go to, what do you do on these really hot days to keep your kids entertained?

I keep a mental list of free or low cost places to go when the weather is lousy.  I have a preschool age son, so some of these places may not be entertaining for older kids, but for the four and under crowd, they seem to work!  Also, I find that during the week, many of these places are not that busy.

Ikea:  the kids department is fun to play in, there are lots of maze-like floor plans to weave through, there are Humongous ceiling fans in the warehouse part of the store, and the restaurant offers ridiculously cheap meals for kids, with some healthy options.  And bonus:  if your kids are of a certain height/age, they can stay in the kids play area while you can shop/drink coffee for a bit. If you can manage to not purchase anything, then this is a cheap place to visit!

Lowe’s or Home Depot:  I am not sure why, but the hardware stores fascinate most little kids I know.  Check out the forklift, the seasonal aisles, and the paint chips display.  The staff there has been happy to accommodate my son’s fascination with the forklift.

Play date at a friend’s house:  It’s nice to take turns hosting and giving the kids a chance to play with “new to them” toys at a buddy’s house.  Make it a theme day, such as a pajama play date, or a craft play date.

Craft Stores:  Check out their schedules online to see when they are featuring a free craft.  For example, AC Moore has Blumenthal Button Bookworm Bookmark as a Free Make & Take, today, Wednesday July 20th, from 3:00-5:00 p.m.  Many craft stores also have train tables, which can be entertaining.

Book Stores:  Many book stores feature story times during the week.  Check with your local store for details.  The children’s department of many book stores often have train tables and other activities for little ones too.

Your local Library:  Check out the library’s websites to see what their schedule of kids activities are, many include age-specific story times or other activities.  Spend a few hours in the air conditioning of the library reading with your kids or letting them play on the kid-friendly computers.

For lots of other ideas, check out Mama’s Little Helper’s calendar of events!

So what are your ideas for keeping your kids entertained during the heatwave??  Stay cool!!

And remember, no matter what activity you engage in with your kids, make sure everyone stays hydrated!  Keep lots of cold water on hand for you and your kids.

Mama Diane blogs about her adventures in parenting, cooking, and crafting at Knitting Zeal.

Stay at home mom Julie-Ann Stimmel shares her struggles and achievements with parenting

This week’s Featured Mama of the Week is Montgomery County area mom, Julie-Ann Stimmel.   She is “the tired mother or two silly, silly daughters, four years old and two years old. Also, we are expecting another child in August but have chosen not to find out the gender at this time, (though I am getting a GREAT deal of peer pressure to find out at my next ultrasound!)”  Since the weather has warmed up, Julie-Ann and her girls can be found outdoors a lot, often playing in the sandbox or digging for worms in the dirt. The girls are currently obessed with collecting worms and designing little homes for them out of flowers, grass, sand, and water. “Basically, the girls are happiest getting dirty while creating something.”  When asked about what she likes most about being a mom, Julie-Ann replied, “I can only address this question with a trite, clichéd answer… I love being able to see the world through my babies’ eyes! Their boundless enthusiasm is contagious and a privilege to behold!”

Julie-Ann finds parenting presents it’s own challenges, much different from what she anticipated and from the challenges she faced when working in the special education field as a teacher and therapist. She mentioned, “I think the most difficult adjustment I had to make as a new mom, is the loss of freedom that becoming a parent brings. Unfortunately, this is something I continue to be frustrated by! I know my children need to stick to a schedule, however I would love to be spontaneous and meet a friend for coffee, or to just run “one more” errand before getting the girls home for lunch and nap. However, this is a lesson I have learned the hard way, NO ONE wants to be around a cranky tired tot and it is just better for all if I shelve my plans for another day.” Julie-Ann is currently a Stay at Home Mom and receives support from her husband and mom that help make staying home go more smoothly. She mentioned that she is continually surprised by how hard it is to be home full time. Switching roles from an employee in a career of choice where having thoughts and ideas were respected and valued as part of a team to the isolation of motherhood where tiny dictators rule her was a very difficult adjustment.

While Julie-Ann does not use social media for business purposes, she remarked that she has found a way to receive support from her online social circle, especially at challenging parenting moments. She uses Facebook to keep in touch with family and friends, as well as using text messaging to communicate or send photos to her sister or best friend. “Staying at home can be such an isolating endeavor, I can’t imagine parenting without this diverse, global group of women! There is something very comforting in knowing your child is not the only one to have a crazed tantrum because they can’t wear their rain boots to bed!”

Julie-Ann enjoys cooking for her family, even more so since becoming a mom. She is fearless with trying out new recipes and her family enjoys her cooking. A recently added favorite recipe is Sticky Chicken in a crock pot, an extremely easy to make recipe that yields enough chicken for several meals. Another family favorite is salmon, cooked various ways, along with crabs from Maryland, a place near and dear to her family’s heart.  She also enjoys baking, and recently baked summer beach themed cupcakes for her daughter’s last day of preschool. She said, “Easily, baking is my favorite activity to do with my children. As soon as I take out the mixer, the girls drag chairs up to the counter and try to get their hands into whatever is being made. My husband jokes that our two year old knows more about making cookies than he does and frankly, he’s right!”

A family favorite place to visit, besides the local playgrounds or friends’ homes for play dates, is the Delmarva Discovery Museum in Pokemoke, MD. It is a small hands-on museum that explores the history of the Chesapeake Bay. “My children LOVE being able to feed horseshoe crabs, touch sea stars, and pretend to captain a river boat. The staff of the Discovery Museum are so patient and willing to entertain every last question my curious four year old can come up with, it is always a pleasure to visit.”

Having two children (soon three) so close in age gives them the opportunity to practice and learn about empathy on a daily basis. Julie-Ann mentioned “My girls always seem to want the same thing at the same time so I seem to constantly be talking about our feelings, sharing, and using our kind words. My oldest daughter takes great pride in passing on clothes and toys to others that might not have as much as her. Unfortunately, sometimes she tries to give away her sister’s toys, but we are working on that!!!”

When asked what she would tell a new parent to help them survive this life-changing role, she replied, “The best survival tactic I can think of is find like-minded friends! There are so many transitions, hormones, crazy media stories that a new parent needs to process on very little sleep that an adult sounding board is necessary. I had a tough adjustment with my first daughter, as much as my husband tried to help he just couldn’t understand what a fellow mother could instantly!   A few months after I had my first child my friend had a son, I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I have called her and started a conversation with the phrase, “is this crazy…” she has become such an important part of my life, honestly I don’t know what I would do without her support!”  What is the worst advice someone told her about parenting? Julie-Ann stated that reading the glossy parenting guides and magazines undermined her confidence the most as a new parent. She said, “Suddenly, i would find myself awake at 4 AM thinking I was causing cognitive delays to my child because I did not get her the right “developmental” toy! Craziness! Our children need us, they don’t need these gadgets and “educational” video games! They need TLC- Our Time, Our unconditional love, and our consistency!”

Thanks Julie-Ann for participating in Mama’s Little Helper’s Featured Mama of the Week!

If you know a mom you would like to see featured here, (or even yourself) email Diane@mamaslittlehelper.org.

Masons Mill Park, located at 3500 Masons Mill Road in Huntingdon Valley, Upper Moreland township, PA, is a public park that covers 76 acres of land in Montgomery County.  It includes a large playground area for kids with two modular play areas.  There is a fun ship, complete with slide, telescope and a plank to walk for kids to use their imaginations and play “pirates.” In the summer, near the ship playground, is a water spray pole that kids love to cool off under.  There is a larger play area with two different sized playground equipment sets.  The one area is for younger/smaller children and has a series of smaller slides, steps and ramps.  The larger play set has a “rock” wall, a variety of larger slides, ramps, a tunnel, a bridge, and monkey bars of different shapes.  It is designed for older children.  There are plenty of swings around the perimeter, including bucket swings for the smaller kids and babies.   The playground surface is covered in squishy rubber matting to provide a cushioned fall.  There always seems to be a great group of little one’s playing at this park, providing hours of fun!

Safety Town is fun for the smallest drivers!

Nearby the playground is the Safety Town Complex.  This fenced in area includes a miniature replication of many businesses in nearby Willow Grove with roads, traffic lights, and parking lots for tots to ride their tricycles and tiny bikes.  The buildings are made out of concrete blocks and are painted to look like the Upper Moreland Library, Abington Hospital, Willow Grove Park, Sam’s Market, Home Depot, Kremp Florist, to just name a few.  The buildings are arranged in clusters and connected by “streets” for little riders to drive on.  It’s also a great place for little kids to run around, as the fence has only one opening so kids are safe running around without worrying about them escaping!

Exploring Safety Town at Masons Mill Park in Upper Moreland

Masons Mill Park also includes a lighted basketball and volleyball courts, softball fields, baseball field, football field, 7 tennis courts, a fitness trail, wooded walking paths, an archery range, a fishing pond, horseshoes, picnic tables, grills, picnic pavilions, water fountains and restrooms.  There are benches situated around the park, as well.  When my son was an infant, this was the park I visited frequently to walk him in his stroller.  The lap around the park on the fitness trail was a great way to get outside for some exercise.  We have also used empty fields to play soccer or just to run off extra energy.  There is plenty of free parking.  During park hours there are park staff present.  During the summer, there is a township camp program that uses the playgrounds, but non-camp visitors are allowed too.

Picnic pavilions are available for rental, as is Safety Town, which would be a fun place to have a birthday party in warm weather.  Contact the township’s recreation department for details.

Free Concert Series at Masons Mill Park all summer long!

Summer brings a great FREE concert series, held on Sunday evenings at 6:30 at the Gazebo.  What a great way to relax listening to music and enjoying a nice summer evening.  Pack a picnic dinner to make it a great night out for your family.  Last summer we enjoyed a fun kids concert that had my son up and dancing with lots of other kids.  Be sure to get there early and bring a lawn chair or blanket.  This series begins on June 19th with The Mango Men, a Jimmy Buffet style group.  Check out the complete concert series here at the township’s website.

Summer Concert series at Masons Mill Park

Exploring the neighborhood playground series will feature area playgrounds that are free to the public to use.  We’ll try to cover a range of neighborhoods in Mama’s Little Helper territory, but it certainly will not be inclusive.  Feel free to send suggestions of playgrounds you’d like to see featured or your kids’ favorite playgrounds in a comment below or email Diane@mamaslittlehelper.org

Photos courtesy of the author.

This week on Mama’s Little Helper we are featuring Joey Fortman as our Mom of the Week.  She is the mom behind the website Real Mom Media and a co-founder of the website Moms On The Spot.  When she isn’t online posting, or out interviewing someone for Moms On The Spot, you might just find her on on TV’s WPHL hosting Better Philly, or hear her on 92.5 XTU radio or as an iVoice on iVillage.  And when she isn’t working outside her home she is mom to her adorable only son, Boston, who at 2 and half years old keeps her very busy!

As mentioned, Joey is the mom to one cute little boy!  She said, “He’s a rotten 2 1/2 year old named Boston.  I know. We moved here from Chicago-live in Philly, named our kid Boston?  Yeah.  It’s cool now though.  My husband always says ‘All great athletes go by one name!  Jordan, Tiger, BOSTON!’  Ok dear.”   One of Boston’s favorite things to do is throw a ball.  He is a lefty and throws hard!  He also loves attending Makin’ Music classes and having Mr. David come to school to sing songs.  I asked Joey about what she enjoys the most about being a parent to Boston.  She had a wonderfully honest reply with which I think many new moms can relate. She said, “I have to be totally honest and tell you that it was VERY VERY VERY hard for me to crossover from being super successful and super hard worker….to talking about poop all day.  I went through some awful post partum depression over it.  But now?  I’m very happy.  (Drugs work wonders!! ha)  I love every second.  I’m so blessed with such a laid back kid.  He listens well…plays well…….and laughs well!  I really love watching him sleep.  And many ‘little things’.  Like when he touches my cheeks and said ‘nice’!  (He was starting to slap as a baby and I taught him to be gentle…be NICE..and he still does it!)  I really never thought I could love him any more when he was an infant-but now?  He says some of the FUNNIEST things! I’m constantly laughing at him.  He’s the best.”

Every mom has challenges in regards to parenting.  Joey was able to make the most out of some difficult situations and turn those challenges into quite a success story.  She mentioned that she had a very difficult time transitioning into her role as mother after being a professional for so long.  In one year she got married, moved to Philadelphia from Chicago, got a new dog, both her and her husband got new jobs, she got pregnant, dealt with the death of a friend, bought a new house, had her baby and then was laid off from her job in radio when the station switched formats to no on-air personalities.  That is a lot of stress and newness for anyone!  As a result of all that, Joey reports that she and her husband are much stronger now.  Joey’s current parenting challenge involves getting Boston to stay in his own bed all night.  She finds it so hard to say no to him when he comes into her room in the middle of the night, taps her cheeks and says “Hold you Mommy!”

For fun, Joey likes to visit the Little Treehouse in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia with her son.  They also enjoy visits to the Morris Arboretum, especially to see the train displays.  The Smith Playground is another fun spot that Joey and Boston enjoy for play time.  She shared that her absolute favorite thing to do with Boston is to rock him and sing to him.  She knows that that special time will end someday, but for now it makes her feel loved when he stares into her eyes while she sings to him.

When asked what tip would she give to new parents about what she wish she knew before she was a parent, Joey stated that “in the beginning I wished the days away.  I was so depressed about gaining weight, not working, my husband never home….I wished the days away.  I hate that I did that.  Now that I’ve ‘accepted the things I can not change’ I embrace every second.  Except for when he poops in his diapers.  Lord help me when I decide to potty train!!  I won’t be surprised if he’s still wearing diapers at 14!”

After her son was born, Joey began blogging to stay creative.   Her blogging led to some great money-making opportunities for her.  Her witty personality shines through in her writing on her blog, making it even more interesting to read.  On her Moms On The Spot blog, Joey teams up with blogger and mom Tara Bucci featuring all sorts of events, opportunities, and adventures for parents in the Delaware Valley.  They frequently post video blogs (vlogs) with interviews of their feature topics.  Joey and Tara have a great rapport with each other and seem to laugh and have so much fun.  It makes reading their blog even more interesting!

Joey is on Facebook for Real Mom Media and Moms On The Spot.  You can also find her on Twitter as herself and for Moms On The Spot.

Thanks to Joey Fortman for being our Featured Mom of the Week!

We welcome nominations for future Featured Moms of the Week.  If you know a mama who you would like to see featured on this weekly column, please either leave a comment below or send an email with details to Diane@mamaslittlehelper.org or leave a message on mama’s contact page.

Cutest Baby & Toddler Photo Contest

The Cutest Baby & Toddler Photo Contest, in which people can upload their child’s photos to be judged online, is open for entries now.  It’s easy to enter your most adorable photo of your little one.  Just find your favorite photo of your baby or toddler and upload it on the “Submit an Entry” page and you’re good to go!

Every approved submission will receive 2 tickets to the Baby and Toddler Expo April 16 & 17 at the Greater Philadelphia Area Expo Center in Oaks, PA.
Then get your friends and family to vote, view other entries and vote for your favorite. Voting will begin March 14, 2011.

What can your cute baby win?

The winner will participate in a photography session with Montgomery Media’s professional photographer, and the winner’s photo will appear on the cover of an upcoming Parents Express issue.

Montgomery Media- Target Big, Target Small with 14 weekly newspapers: Public Spirit, Willow Grove Guide, Ambler Gazette, Springfield Sun, North Penn Life, Montgomery Life, Souderton Independent, Valley Item, Spring-Ford Reporter, The Globe, Times Chronicle, Glenside News, The Colonial, Perkasie News-Herald and Roxborough Review.

Parents Express-Celebrating 20 years as Philadelphia’s Monthly News Magazine for Families. Awarded 2010 Keystone Award as Best Specialty Publication by the Pennsylvania Newspapers Association

The Baby & Toddler Expo will be held on April 16 and 17th at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA.  It is there where the final judging takes place for the Cutest Baby & Toddler Photo Contest.   www.babyandtoddlerexpo.com

Pennsylvanians Meet Your New Electric Bill

File This Post Under, “Electric Bill Savings Tips”

Thanks to deregulation in PA, we have a new business to turn to for our electricity needs. Ignite in now on the scene and providing customers with the same, literally the same service as we had with PECO or PPL. This post will break down in easy to understand language what is happening with all this talk about switching electricity suppliers.For the rest of this post, every time I mention PECO consider that to mean either PECO or PPL for my sanity and fingers and if you are in another state, whatever your electricity provider is). I’m hear to tell you about the research I’ve done. This is not meant to be an end all for you, just what I’ve concluded thus far. Once the way you purchase electricity in PA was deregulated in Jan 2011, Ignite negotiated a deal with PECO for a reduced electricity cost on generating electricity.  I spoke with someone over at Ignite. The bottom line is…PECO is working with Ignite. At the end of the day, PECO is still distributing the bulk of the energy and getting paid. Ignite is the one generating our electricity. They generate our electricity from many sources, one of which happens to be PECO. If you look at your bill, you see many rates (night time rates, off peak rates, on peak rates, seasonal rates…). Ignite has taken away all of those changing rates. No longer do you need to do any multiplication to find out what your rate is..meaning no longer does your electricity bill trick you. It’s black and white, you don’t need a glossary to figure it out and then still be just as confused as you were before you even spent the day trying to figure out your bill in the first place. Saving money happens to be the byproduct of this new system that Ignite has come up with.

People Are Liking Ignite & Making the Switch to Save Money!

• Ignite negotiated a deal with PECO to get electricity at a cheaper rate
• Also offer gas electricity savings
• There’s no risk to you based on research
• Ignite is part of the BBB and works with PECO directly
• PECO still responds to all calls, maintains wires/poles and is considered your distributor of your electricity
• Ignite is considered your Electric Generation Supplier
• The longer you sign up with Ignite, the lower your rate will be (I went for the 12 month fixed)
• You will get one bill from PECO or PPL, with what you owe each company and they will pay Ignite on your behalf

Some of you may have known this already, switched your electricity carrier and are already saving money every month, some may have heard, been scared to switch and are on the fence until they see how this goes down with others, and then there are the others who haven’t even heard about the deregulation and have no idea they can switch and be saving money every month. Whichever person you were doesn’t matter, what matters now is that you now know your rights!

Now as a consumer you can choose Ignite and save money every month on your electric bill. I have switched over and started saving. In today’s economy times are rough for everyone, so I’m always looking for ways to make ends meet at home for me and my family. I was reading over Ignite’s website and saw an opportunity to become an affiliate sales representative for them. Which really means that I tell everyone about the company and if anyone switches over to them through my link, I will receive money. If you know a lot of people in PA, MD, GA & TX (the only 4 states deregulated as of today), through this link you too can sign up and start making a few extra dollars.

I’m not sure I will become a millionaire, but I think I could make a few dollars to help with the budget and who knows…maybe even save for a vacation. Please consider becoming my energy customer by clicking the link below.
http://discountedelectric.igniteinc.biz