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Free Bowling and Skating – Summer 2013

19 May

The year has gone by so quickly and it is time to start making summer plans with the kids. This will be the first summer I have had in a while home with my children. They are excited about “Camp Mommy.” I hope they won’t be disappointed!

Below are FREE bowling and roller skating opportunities to take advantage of this summer.

Kids Bowl Free:

Kids can receive two free bowling games a day for the entire summer thanks to generous bowling alleys across the nation (they also have locations in Canada). Shoe rental cost is not included. Check out their website for information on getting your school involved, locations, and frequently asked questions. The age limit is determined by each bowling alley. Dates also vary by alley, but some go from April until October!

There is also an option to sign up for a family pass (for the adults), but it is not necessary to receive your child’s free games. This may be a good deal if you go multiple times over the summer with your kids. You will have to figure it out based on how many times you think you will go, and the cost per game and for shoe rental at your participating bowling alley.

AMF Summer Unplugged:

AMF offers their own summer bowling program for kids. Kids 15 and under get two free games every day of the summer (from May 13 – Sept. 2). Again shoe rental is not included and a family pass is available for purchase. AMF has locations in ALL BUT 14 states in the United States. This year there is no need to print coupons or vouchers; they will give you a membership card on your first visit. And if you forget your card, they can look you up!

Brunswick Bowling:

Brunswick also has a summer bowling program for kids. Students 18 and younger can receive one free game of bowling in June, July, and August. For children 12 and younger, you just add them to your Bonus Zone profile (a rewards program and email newsletter). Children 13 -18 should create their own Bonus Zone account. Brunswick has locations in 18 states and Ontario – Canada.

KidsSkateFree logo

Kids Skate Free:

According to their website, skating is:

  • A fun way to increase muscular strength and cardiorespiratory endurance.
  • A way to burn anywhere from 330 to 600 calories per hour!
  • Great for improving balance and flexibility.
  • A fantastic source of aerobic exercise.
  • A key to weight control.
  • Easy to learn.
  • A great tension reliever and enthusiasm builder.
  • An excellent way to help maintain good health.

The website features a tool for finding a location near you, frequently asked questions, and other information. Times and days vary by location.

For more ideas of fun things to do with your children, check out the:

 
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Posted by on May 19, 2013 in Family ideas, Other savings tips

 

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Disasters: What can you do to help?

14 Apr

Tornado

Last week, several areas of Missouri, including the area of the school where I teach, were hit badly by a tornado. There were many families whose homes were severely damaged and many who were displaced. I can’t imagine the stress and hardship these families are going through. It is during times like these that we count our blessings and are grateful for small and big things.

Thankfully there has been a tremendous outpouring of support from our school district staff and the community to help these families. It is amazing all the efforts that have been launched, from collecting donations of items and money, to providing meals and shelter, to helping clear the debris, to providing information on resources and aid.

With our technological age, it is much easier to distribute information regarding volunteer opportunities and assistance available.And for those families in the area who didn’t have access, volunteers canvassed to get them that information. For those of you who want to help, it isn’t always easy to know what website or place to go to for ways to help. Here is a short guide to lending a hand in natural disaster relief.

∞ Check the local school district’s website and Facebook page. They will often have information on how to help or how to get help.

∞ Check the local newspaper’s website for current news, links to organizations, and more.

patch logo∞ Check out Patch.com, a new community-oriented news source. On this main page, you can search for the website for your local area. They had great coverage of the local tornado and links to many local organizations providing aid and resources.

amer red cross logo∞ American Red Cross – Although most known for its blood drive efforts, the American Red Cross helps with disaster response, too. To find out more, click here.

salv army logo∞ Salvation Army – Search the Volunteer Match website to be linked with Salvation Army volunteer opportunities. You can also donate money, household items, or clothing to help those in need. To learn more about Salvation Army’s variety of disaster services and efforts, click here.

united way logo 2∞ United Way – Volunteer to help the many efforts of the United Way. You can learn more about general opportunities, take the pledge to join, and see local opportunities. You can also go to your local United Way website and view a volunteer calendar with specific events in your area.

* Please note: All of these organizations also gladly accept monetary donations, if you are not able to give time or resources.

Related posts:

 
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Posted by on April 14, 2013 in Chesed (service or volunteering), Family ideas, Other savings tips

 

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Kids’ Mitzvah Checklist for Passover

21 Mar

nissan_simaneihaseder_magidI am taking a break from my regular Passover (Pesach) preparations to think of my kids. One of my favorite new traditions is involving the kids by helping them get excited about doing the mitzvos for that holiday. I already had a reader/friend ask where my next holiday checklist for the kids was! So here is this holiday’s mitzvah checklist for your children.

Kids’ Mitzvah Checklist for Passover

I like to print these out in color for my kids and post them on the door of their room. They love adding stickers for each mitzvah they complete and then we go for a family reward after the holiday. Thanks again to Chinuch.org for the great clip art!

If you are still in the middle of your holiday preparations and need some tips, here are my past related posts on Passover (Pesach):

For other related posts, check out:

Have a wonderful and meaningful Passover!

 
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Posted by on March 21, 2013 in Family ideas, Forms for everything, Holidays

 

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Kids’ Mitzvah Checklist for Purim

21 Feb

little_kingPurim is not a holiday that really needs help being fun, but I wanted to make a Mitzvah Checklist for the holiday anyway. My kids really enjoyed the ones I made for Rosh Hashanah and Sukkos. They loved getting to put stickers on their charts when they completed a mitzvah. We had a fun outing after we completed one of the charts and the boys earned a prize after the other.

The charts helped my kids get excited about each mitzvah that’s part of the holiday and it helped them learn all the ways they could help and participate.

Here is one for this holiday. You can print one out for each of your kids. Kids’ Mitzvah Checklist for Purim

Religious school and day school teachers may even want to send it home with their students as a family activity. Again, thank you to Chinuch.org for the great clipart.

Related posts:

 
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Posted by on February 21, 2013 in Family ideas, Holidays

 

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St. Louis Orthodox Community — Purim Megillah Readings 2013

18 Feb
Purim Hamentashen

Purim Hamentashen (Photo credit: slgckgc)

I apologize to my non-St. Louis readers that this post will not apply to you. However, it is time for my annual post sharing the Orthodox Megillah readings here in St. Louis. This is particularly helpful for moms with young children who are not old enough to stay up (or be quiet) during Megillah readings. It is also helpful for those having to work around their “work” schedules.

Here is my current list as of 10:30 a.m. on Friday. I could not get in touch with anyone at the Central West End minyan or St. Louis Hillel.

Saturday night, February 23, 2013:

6:32 p.m.         Ma’ariv at Agudas Israel, megillah reading to follow

6:55 p.m.         Sha’arei Chesed (U City Shul), followed by melave malka with entertainment, babysitting free

7:00 p.m.         Beit Shira, at The Cedars Synagogue (Meadowview Building), 13190 South Outer 40 Road
x                      Havdalah followed by 7:05 p.m. reading by Rabbi Gertzulin, songs & refreshments.

x                     Lazaroff Chabad Center on Delmar

7:15 p.m.         Nusach Hari by Rabbi Mintz (following 7 p.m. Ma’ariv). Bring non-perishables, pers. care items.

Young Israel Ma’ariv/Megillah by Rabbi Rovinsky and Max Gornish

Levites Chabad House at 7018 Forsyth at Big Bend

Bais Abraham

7:30 p.m.        Young Israel, Purim play for children – Grades 2 and under

x                     Tpheris Israel Chevra Kadisha (TICK) (second reading TBA)

8:15 p.m.         Young Israel Costume parade

8:30 p.m.         Torah Prep boys’ school – additional reading for women

9:15 p.m.         Young Israel 2nd Megillah reading in the Beit Midrash by Rabbi Shulman

10:00 p.m.       Young Israel Purim Murder Mystery, $5/person. Themed costumes welcome

x                      Agudas Israel Purim party

Sunday day, February 24, 2013:

7:10 a.m.         Young Israel in the Beit Midrash (following 6:30 a.m. minyan)

7:30 a.m.         Shacharis at Agudas Israel, megillah reading to follow

8:30 a.m.         Nusach Hari by Rabbi Rovinsky (following 8:00 a.m. Shacharis)

8:35 a.m.         Young Israel by Rabbi Shulman (following 8:00 a.m. Shacharis)

x                     Sha’arei Chesed (U City Shul), free babysitting, donations appreciated

8:40 a.m.         TICK (second reading TBA)

9:00 a.m.         Bais Abraham

x                      Beit Shira, at The Cedars Synagogue (Meadowview Building), 13190 South Outer 40 Road
x                      Reading by Rabbi Gertzulin with the Block Yeshiva boys (following 8:30 a.m. Shacharis)

x                     Lazaroff Chabad Center on Delmar (following 8:30 a.m. Shacharis)

9:30 a.m.         Women’s Megillah Reading at Bonnie Goldmeier’s home in Clayton

10:00 a.m.       Aish HaTorah, with Powerpoint presentation and rabbis’ skit

x                     Agudas Israel

10:30 a.m.       Epstein/NCSY/B’nei Akiva Purim Carnival at Epstein

11:00 a.m.       Young Israel Beit Midrash

2:00 p.m.         Purim Re-enactment Parade at Gay & Cornell

4:00 p.m.         Lazaroff Chabad Center on Delmar

4:15 p.m.         Levites Chabad House at 7018 Forsyth at Big Bend

Fliers from some of the shuls:

* For more information on any of the shuls, please contact them individually. Here is a link to all of the congregations here in St. Louis.

 
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Posted by on February 18, 2013 in Family ideas, Holidays

 

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Printer ink can cost a fortune!

18 Feb

This image shows an opened Canon S520 ink jet ...Our printer recently died and HP told us that it could not be fixed. They offered us an upgrade at a lower price. I checked out Amazon and it was a lower price than they could offer. Our new printer came very fast and I was excited that I can scan, copy, and print from one device. But who knew that the ink would run out so quickly. I have been buying ink every few weeks! Here are my tips for saving as much as you can on printer ink.

1) Print in draft mode as much as possible. This will limit the amount of ink used on each printout. Print your coupons in black ink instead of color to limit your color usage, too.

2) Buy ink online whenever you can and be sure to compare prices with your local stores so you know when you have found a good deal. I often can find my ink for $5 – $10 cheaper than in stores. I mostly purchase through Amazon, so that if I need to return the ink, I have a reputable company to make sure the return goes well.

3) Buy remanufactured ink when you can, but be sure to check the reviews for that company and product. Some remanufactured inks are not as good as others. I have read many reviews of products that did not last long or didn’t even work when they were first opened.

4) Check reviews online for your printer ink. I almost bought a set of three colors and black ink together. By reading the reviews I found out that the four-packs for that ink number are only available as the setup packs that the printer comes with.

5) Buy XL inks when you can. These have more ink for the cost. However, be sure to read the specifications for these. You printer may take that number model of ink, but not the XL version, as mine does not.

6) Get your ink refilled at an office supply store when possible. Many inks can be refilled for a minimal cost instead of being replaced. See what your local store provides.

Related posts:

Other related articles:

 
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Posted by on February 18, 2013 in Email and online tips, Other savings tips, Protecting the environment, Reviews

 

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Purim is coming too fast!

17 Feb

Last year I started preparing for Purim early and really worked hard not to leave everything to the last-minute. I was so happy not to be finishing my boys’ costumes right before the sueda! However, this year, with my new job, it has been hard to get started early. Now I am down to one week before Purim and so much to do: costumes to make, shaloch manos to assemble, and food to cook. Luckily we are not hosting a sueda, so that is one less large task.

Thankfully all of my past research and checklists will help me get through it all. Here is my Purim checklist that you can adapt for your needs: Purim prep.

We did our shopping today for our shaloch manos supplies (thank you Costco) and spent the afternoon making shaloch manos as part of a charity project we have done for the past 16 years. Now my goal is to get supplies for my kids’ costumes. I always have luck finding ideas at Family Fun or Parenting magazines’ websites, so I will check there again. Here are a few links to check out:

Here are my kids from last year — my oldest as a knight and my little ones as superheroes.

100_7709

If you are like me and are behind in your Purim preparations, here are a few of my older posts to help you:

 
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Posted by on February 17, 2013 in Family ideas, Forms for everything, Holidays, Saving while keeping kosher

 

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