“BARNUM” PRESENTED BY RITZ THEATRE COMPANY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PSCA

Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, children of all ages… step right up to for a first rate glance at the jugglers, clowns, trapeze artists and original ring leader of them all… Mr. P.T. Barnum!  The Ritz Theatre, in partnership with Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, presents “Barnum,” between Thursday, October 20, 2011 through Saturday, November 19, 2011, at Ritz Theatre Company.  Performances take place on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 2:00pm, and Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm. Written by Mark Bramble, with music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Michael Stewart, Ritz Theatre Company gives a fresh, exciting new look to this classic American Musical. Based on the life of showman P.T. Barnum, this spectacle takes you to a world like you’ve never seen before! Here lies a rare gem that offers everything from traditional musical theatre to the tantalizing stir of excitement that one can only find waiting underneath the big top!  “Barnum” proudly features the aerial talents of PSCA performer and instructor Jackie Zalewski.  Performances take place at  Ritz Theatre Company, 915 White Horse Pike, Arts District, Haddon Township, NJ 08107. For ticket information, direction and additional details, please visit www.ritztheatreco.org.

At Ritz Theatre Company, 915 White Horse Pike, Arts District, Haddon Twp, NJ 08107

Thursday, October 20, 2011 – Saturday, November 19, 2011

Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 2:00pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm

Cost: $20.00 – $35.00

Barnum

About Philadelphia School of Circus Arts

PSCA is the region’s center of contemporary circus arts.  PSCA presents professional and student productions during the year.  Seasoned faculty lead a curriculum featuring aerials (static trapeze, corde lisse, aerial silks and lyra), juggling, unicycling, tightwire, tumbling, acrobatics, Chinese pole, and physical conditioning.  In addition to ongoing classes, PSCA also offers introductory workshops, birthday parties, rental space, summer camp and special guest performances.  For information, visit www.phillycircus.com.

You can also find more information about the Philadelphia Circus by checking them out on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube!

Website: www.phillycircus.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/phillycircus
Twitter: twitter.com/PhillyCircus
Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/phillycircus

Enter to win tickets to see “Barnum!”

Want to win a family four pack of tickets for Sunday, October 23 at the 2:00 pm performance?   Leave a comment on this post about your favorite thing about the circus to enter for a chance to win tickets.  One winner will be chosen using Random.org and contacted via email and will have 24 hours to reply to the email with details required to receive tickets.  Tickets will be held at the will-call window.  Contest ends Wednesday, October 19th  at 10:00 pm EST.  Good Luck!!

Boo at the Zoo Schedule of Events:

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 week’s Featured Mama of the Week is Barb Hoyer, blogger at A Life in Balance and mom to five kids!  She has four sons, ages 15, 7, 5, and 3 and one daughter, age 4.  Her kids love to play with Legos and most days you’ll find their basement floor covered in those little bricks.  Barb loves to see the creative side come out of her kids and she encourages them to express themselves in creativity and through play. Her oldest son has developed into a wonderful writer and she is encouraging him to explore his talents in high school.  Barb herself has always needed a creative outlet, whether it be writing, photography, drawing, painting or knitting.

Family meetings held weekly are a great way to connect with the family!

Being the parent of five and running a household of seven people takes a lot of organization and comes with challenges.  Managing all of those people in one house, with all of the noise and mess, is difficult.  Barb mentioned that during this school year she plans to implement some changes at home to make life go more smoothly, especially with all of the activities the school year brings. Barb and her husband are planning to hold weekly family meetings during their Sunday night dinners when they know the family will all be together.  This is such a great idea for any size family!

Barb is currently a stay at home mom (SAHM) although she was also a working mom for a while in the past.  She said, “I’m a SAHM, though I did spend a year working on a Shaklee business. I became a SAHM when my oldest was about 4, and we decided I would homeschool him. When I was working, I worked in the fundraising offices of several nonprofits. My last gig was an Office Manager/Special Events Coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania Library Development Office, my favorite job. My boss was fabulous and being a dad himself, very flexible about my working from home at times.  I love being a SAHM because my skills in running an office have translated to the home though it’s taken me awhile and 5 children to realize this.”

Barb’s blog, A Life in Balance is all about how she is working to keep balance in her and her family’s life. She mentioned regarding her blog, “No one has exactly the same situation as me, but they can identify with the issues I deal with whether it’s replacing an appliance or feeding a family while watching the grocery prices continue to rise and rise. I also want to discuss as a mom how to have a healthy balance in our lives and what that looks like. I want my readers to take what they like and leave the rest.”  Barb is an avid gardener too, and shares a great deal about gardening on her blog.  Barb shared her favorite family recipe with Mama’s Little Helper readers too: Chicken Parmesan.

Social media has become a resourceful tool for Barb, especially when talking on the phone can be challenging with five kids interrupting!  “I use Facebook and Twitter a lot for my blogging, and Facebook for connecting with my family and my husband’s family. I love both as social media tools and yet, I am mindful that they are tools. I think face time is just as important, and I also like to pick up the phone to chat with distant relatives from time to time. I tend to rely more on Facebook and Twitter right now because my kids have phone radar and always want my attention when I’m on the phone. I usually have to retreat into the bathroom (my Gibbs-style office) to have a conversation. Interruptions from the kids are not interruptions when I’m using social media.”

Teaching respect in a family of seven is very important, especially in regards to other’s toys, possessions and space.  With four kids sharing a bedroom, Barb found that using a combination of boundary setting with locking cabinets and gates, along with reinforcement of rules repeatedly helps. She mentioned that one of the first topics to be covered during family meetings will be formulating a written list of rules for the family and posting them publicly.

Having five kids means Barb’s received lots of tips and advice from others over the years regarding parenting.  She said “the best piece of advice was to pay attention to what might be affecting my kids when they misbehave. I can tell when they’re tired, and I will often suggest that they spend a little time by themselves until they’re ready to be with us again. For the really young ones, I make sure that they get the much needed nap to be their happy, bright selves again.  Barb’s advice to a new parent is “a baby can never be held too much. I used a Bjorn to carry my four young ones, and my oldest spent a lot of time in car seats or strollers. I think that level of touching between a mom and baby has made a huge difference in my children’s lives. If I could raise my oldest again, I would carry him a lot, have a family bed, and breastfeed him.”

Barb likes to spend her “alone time” walking.  She used to be a longer distance runner before being a parent and loved to run five miles at a time.  Currently her best walks are up to an hour long.  Pounding the pavement really helps her walk out things and de-stress.  She uses her cell phone and sends herself emails while walking if she thinks of things to do, that way she doesn’t risk forgetting a thought before she gets home.  Then she can move on to the nest issue.  What a great way to wind down!

Barb Hoyer from A Life in Balance

Thank you Barb, for being a featured mama of the week on Mama’s Little Helper!

This author of Spit That Out! loves raising her family in Philadelphia

This week’s featured Mama of the week is Paige Wolf, mother of one cute two year old son and owner of Paige Wolf Media & Public Relations, which she has had for 10 years. Paige said,  ”in the past few years I have been fortunate enough to work with green and sustainable clientele.  Paige Wolf Media & Public Relations offers communications services to clients who contribute to a sustainable world and positive change. My clients range from national green beauty companies to local nonprofits to large community events.  In addition to that, I am the author of Spit That Out: The Overly Informed Parent’s Guide to Raising Children in the Age of Environmental Guilt and I blog at www.spitthatoutthebook.com about making green living more practical, manageable, and affordable.”

Paige utilizes social media.  She said, “I am addicted to Facebook and Twitter.  Someone once said, “Facebook is about who you know and Twitter is about who you want to know.” I think that’s very true and why both mediums are equally important.”

In regards to feeding her family Paige mentioned “we get a CSA (community shared agriculture) share from a local farm delivered to the city. I love that it challenges us to try new and healthy things, and finding ways to incorporate all these fruits and veggies into our meals! Sometimes we do get stuck with something we hate – like beets – so we share them with the neighbors!”

Paige’s book, Spit That Out: The Overly Informed Parent’s Guide to Raising Children in the Age of Environmental Guilt, covers a wide range of parenting tips.  To sum it up, Paige’s advice to new parents is that just because your feel you can’t do everything does not mean that you should do nothing.  This applies not just to green living but various aspects of parenting including activities, quality time and so on.

Thank you, Paige for sharing a bit of your life with Mama’s Little Helper readers!

Paige Wolf, author of Spit That Out!

If you know a mom who you would like to see featured here, please email Diane@mamaslittlehelper.org.

Chevrolet Launches Military Salute Program in Pennsylvania

Chevrolet to honor and thank servicemen and women in Pennsylvania by celebrating their time at home

WHAT:

As part of its longstanding commitment to the military, Chevrolet is proud to announce the Chevrolet Military Salute in Pennsylvania – a program that encourages people to nominate active duty Pennsylvania military servicemen and women who they’d like to honor, for the chance to win a Chevy-style celebration in their hometown.

Nominations will be accepted from August 22 to September 23 on the General Motors’ GMNortheast blog, www.drivingthenortheast.com. Five finalists will be selected from the entries received and profiled on the blog. People will then be able to show support for their favorite finalist by casting their votes online. In October, the Chevrolet team will roll into the chosen serviceman or woman’s hometown for a celebration they’ll never forget. For your chance to nominate a loved one or vote visit, www.drivingthenortheast.com.

WHEN:

Nomination Period: August 22, 2011 – September 23, 2011

Judging/Selection: September 26, 2011 – October 4, 2011

Winner Chosen: Week of October 2

WHERE:

Pennsylvania

WHY:

Chevrolet’s commitment to the U.S. military runs deep.

Its relationship with the military began in April 1940 when Chevrolet negotiated their first military contact building explosive shells. By the end of 1941, military trucks and aircraft engines were also being produced in Chevrolet plants. Seven Chevrolet plants across the country were awarded the Army-Navy “E” for excellence, in recognition of their contributions to wartime production.

Chevrolet Military Salute was launched to recognize and honor the sacrifices of men and women for their country, extending the brand’s support of the military. This support includes other programs such as Chevrolet’s military discount, ongoing collections for Cell Phones for Soldiers, and partnerships with military organizations like the Achilles Freedom Team and the Travis Manion Foundation.

CONTACT:

For more information you can contact:

Lauren Fitapelli Natalie Neyer

212-418-6214 717-231-5331

Lauren.Fitapelli@gm.com nneyer@tierneyagency.com

About Chevrolet

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 3.5 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. In the U.S., the Chevrolet portfolio includes: iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs, such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers, such as Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers “gas-friendly” solutions, such as Chevrolet Cruze Eco with an EPA-estimated 42 miles per gallon highway, and the Chevrolet Volt offering 35 miles of electric driving and an additional 344 miles of extended gasoline range, according to EPA estimates. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models, fuel solutions and OnStar availability can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

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!