A Life-Sized Toy Box!

Remember how awesome those classic Fisher Price toys were when we were kids?!  I loved the record player so much!  All my kids have loved the chatterbox phone. Such a classic!  We actually still have mine from when I was a kid and I bought one for Andrew when he was a baby that has lasted through all my kids even now that he's 16! Violet and Lily both play with that same one!

Your little ones can now play inside a real life toy box when Fisher-Price and the Monroeville Mall unveil their brand new Toy Box play area that features larger than life Fisher-Price toys and characters this Friday, December 4!
The opening celebration will kick off at 11am with a ribbon cutting ceremony and a special appearance from Santa Claus! This life sized toy box will be located in the Lower Level Macy's Wing of the mall.

Monroeville Mall, just outside Pittsburgh, is one of the very first malls in the country to debut the new Toy Box play area that features iconic children's brands like Little People,Thomas & Friends and more with other locations to follow!  Although we'll miss the Mister Rogers' play area that has found a new home in Latrobe, we are so happy to be one of the first to welcome this innovative play area to encourage physical, social, and imaginative play!

I hope we'll see you there!


Wait!  There's more....
I've been asked to share a little bit of love this holiday season by giving away a couple of these classic toys inspiring this new Toy Box play area-- A FisherPrice Chatterbox Telephone and three Thomas & Friends mini trains!   Giveaway will run through the end of the Grand Opening weekend at 12/06/15 11:59pm and winner will be notified by email.  Good luck! (Open to anyone in the United States, not just Pittsburgh.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway  Disclosure: I was provided exclusive insights or other products for this post. All opinions are my 100% my own. Please see my full disclosure.

Touch A Truck & A Band Festival

One of the my favorite parts of being in Pittsburgh is the amount of activities available to families. We try to keep a balance of the commitments of our or our kids' activities and community events as well.  We've been fortunate to find so much to do that reaches our family make up of a teen all the way down to a toddler! This weekend is no exception!


This Saturday, there is a  FREE Touch-A-Truck event from 12-4pm on California Avenue in Avalon (15202).   There's a special "quiet hour" (12-1) for those who don't like all the noise too! Great for families who have little kids or special needs!

There will be local police, fire, and public works vehicles, buses, a replica "Back to the Future" DeLorean, ambulances and rescue vehicle, a Hazmat vehicle, construction vehicles, a vehicle from the Animal Rescue League, an accessible van and more! The Pitt Mobile Science Lab will conduct forensic science experiments with kids of all ages.

Also, there will  be a big book sale with prices starting at just 25 cents! Vendors, concessions and baked goods for sale, and free games will be available.  You can bid on raffle baskets featuring themes like truck toys, Halloween goodies (including Fright Night tickets from Kennywood), board games, Avon products and Minions toys! You can join the Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/703376169795620/
The Friends of Avalon Public Library is proud to support the Avalon Public Library.

After your afternoon, you can fill your evening with the sounds of local marching bands at the

  55th annual North Hills Marching Band Festival!

This is a special year where the alumni band will also be performing!  

Tickets are $6 for everyone above 5 years old. 5 and under are free!  There will be tons of amazing concessions, baked goods, and marching band merchandise available for sale!  Come out and support young musicians in our community!!  This is our biggest fundraiser which helps support all instrumental music in our school--not just the marching band!

Of course, it doesn't hurt that my son will be there performing and this proud mama will be cheering him on!

If you see us, be sure to say hi! 

#SlidetheCity Pittsburgh

Slide The City Comes to Pittsburgh - Saturday, June 6, 2015 11am-7pm

** UPDATE ** NEW Day being added, Sunday June 7, 2015! Tickets on sale Wednesday, May 6. Don't delay -- Saturday is SOLD OUT, Mark your calendar and get your tickets!

Our summer usually kicks off with our big kids finishing up school and custody schedules sending them off to other places. We spend a lot of our summer running them back and forth and ensuring family activities take place during our times when we're all together! As a family of 6, we have some restrictions just because our little kids are well, little. This year we decided that we were going to kick of our some doing something with just us and the big kids! Cue, Slide the City! We saw this coming to town and knew this was perfect!!  I have a friend who participated in Arizona recently and after watching her video, we knew this was exactly what we were going to do! 

Summer time is approaching fast and we are bringing 1000 feet of slick vinyl to brighten your city streets. Slide the City is a family friendly slip-and-slide water party event. There will be live music, food, drinks, water, and of course the biggest slip and slide ever to hit Pittsburgh!

Come dressed to impress because it's not every day you can strut through town with your hot bod, cool dance moves and slick slides. Did we mention 1000 feet? Yeah, that's over 3 football fields. 

Make sure to bring your water buckets, floaties, and water guns (non-realistic of course), to squirt, spray, splash, and get all attending soaked. 

Location: South Park – Allegheny County
Registration Opens: April 22nd, 2015 10am Eastern Time
To Register: Go to http://www.slidethecity.com/events/pittsburgh/

Participants in Slide the City will ride inflatables down a 1,000-ft. slip and slide. This one-of-a-kind experience will help people “slide into summer.” The first event of its kind, Slide the City has seen massive growth since it started in 2014. This original concept went viral when the video was released, and this year promises to be bigger, better, and wetter. “This will be one of the highlights of your year,” said Slide The City Founder, T.R. Gourley “Get ready for the slide of your life!”

Pittsburgh has shown great enthusiasm for the event with over 17,000 people signing up to be notified once registration was opened and hundreds more joining the waitlist daily.

Each rider can purchase a one ride pass, three ride pass, or all-day pass. With over 150 events in the US and Canada, and more than 20 international locations beginning with Japan and Australia as early as March, water slide enthusiasts are sure to find a Slide the City event nearby.

All are welcome to slide into fun. Visit www.slidethecity.com for more information about Slide the City dates and locations or checkout what fans have to share on Facebook at www.facebook.com/slidethecity.

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Some other deets:

Is there an age or height limit?
All who are over 46 inches tall and over 5 years old are invited to slide, but remember if you're under 18 you'll need to get a sign off from your legal guardians.


Are there group rates available?
If you have a group with 20 or more participants send us an email.

What do you do to address water conservation?
Water conservation is also a priority at our events. We strive to have zero environmental impact on the community. The Slide was designed to have zero water loss, and it treats and recycles the water safely and efficiently throughout the day. When permitted, we donate the water back to the community. Methods of disposal include local reclamation centers, parks, golf courses and other places dependent upon local regulations. 


Instagram - https://instagram.com/slidethecity/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/slidethecity or http://www.slidethecity.com/events/pittsburgh/

Twitter - @slidethecity

Jump Start Sports

As Lily has gotten a little older and had the opportunity to begin preschool last year, participate in a dance recital, have a short stint in a gymnastics class, I've been waiting for her to be old enough to take part in an organized team sport!  Cue: Jump Start Sports--  Dek Hockey is calling our name!   I got on to the website and found a dek hockey league close to us and can't wait for her to start! It's a short "season" introducing her to the basics which is perfect for her!  

LEARN. DEVELOP. SUCCEED!  

Jump Start Sports provides children with a foundation for growth and nurture their love of sports.  Through sports we teach character and life skills that lead to happiness and success.

Our recreational based camps, leagues, and programs teach fundamentals and values to children of all ages. Our programs are fun and well organized.

Preschool Sports ProgramsChildren ages 3 – 6 have a blast learning the fundamentals of sports from trained staff coaches (NOT coached by parents of participants). Players are put on teams and play games so that the children learn teamwork, game concepts, and sportsmanship. The first half of the classes focus on skill development using terminology and fun drills designed to teach these concepts to such young children. Programs offered include Hummingbirds Soccer, T-Birds T-Ball, Rookie League Coach Pitch Baseball, Little Hoop Stars Basketball, Mini-Mites Flag Football, and Deck Hockey. These programs provide a special experience for the whole family while children gain an appreciation of sports, specific knowledge and skill, an appreciation of team, and a boost in confidence. Learn. Develop. Succeed! 

Youth Sports ProgramsChildren of all experience and skill levels improve fundamentals and learn about new sports in these fun oriented programs led by trained staff coaches (NOT coached by parents of participants). Players meet one day a week and are taught skills and fundamentals they will need to succeed in more competitive programs. Then they practice what they have learned in games that teach game concepts, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Sports offered include Introductory Lacrosse, Flag Football, Fall Baseball, Hoop Stars Basketball, Deck Hockey, Beginner/Intermediate Tennis, and Introductory Volleyball.   Learn. Develop. Succeed! 

Find out more at www.jumpstartsports.com or email us at info@jumpstartsports.com

**Please mention my blog when registering, so they know how you found them. :)

Register today and follow us for extra info and specials!
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jumpstartsports

Jump Start Sports offers currently offers programs in PA, OH, MI and NC.

Below are some descriptions of what Jump Start Sports offers within specific sports: 

Flag Football  Children entering grades 1 – 6 have a blast learning the basics of football.  Players are grouped by age, coached at their level of understanding, and play fun, low competition games under adult supervision. All instruction will be conducted by Jump Start Sports staff coaches. Players will learn the basic fundamentals of offense and defense, and will be introduced to speed and agility training. Parent coaches can assist in the instruction and will call the plays for their teams. Jump Start Sports staff will also supervise all games to ensure equal playing time, a rotation of players in various positions, and they will help teach within the context of the game.

Hoop Stars Basketball  Instructional and recreational basketball program for children in grades   1 - 2. Players are taught the basics of dribbling, passing, shooting, positioning, defense, and rebounding in a fun-oriented program. Then they apply what they’ve learned in low competition games.

Hummingbirds Soccer  3 through 6 year olds have fun and learn the basics of soccer: dribbling, passing, trapping, shooting, defense, and positioning. Each session consists of instruction in all aspects of the game, participation in fun drills that are designed to teach fundamental skills to young children, and low-key, non-competitive games. All coaching will be conducted by Jump Start Sports staff, but parents may assist.

Little Hoop Stars Basketball  Instructional and recreational basketball program for children in preschool and grade K. Players are taught the basics of dribbling, passing, shooting, positioning, defense, and rebounding in a fun-oriented program. Then they apply what they’ve learned in low competition games.

Rookie League Baseball  A fun baseball experience for 5 and 6 year old boys and girls. Players will receive instruction in all basics of the sport, and will apply what they have learned in fun games. All players begin the season playing T-Ball and are slowly introduced to Coach Pitch Baseball over the course of the season. The program includes both instruction and game play. The games will be non-competitive and no score will be kept, but hits and outs will be recorded as they are in older coach pitch programs. Players who are not able to hit a pitched ball will be able to use a tee while learning. Rookie League classes are 1 hour and 15 minutes long. Jump Start Sports staff members conduct the instruction and oversee the game play while volunteer team coaches participate in a detailed coaches training program provided by Jump Start Sports.

T- Birds T-Ball  A fun and highly instructional introduction to baseball for 3 and 4 year old boys and girls. Players learn the basics of throwing, catching, fielding, batting, and base running, and then apply what they have learned in fun, non-competitive games. Sessions are one hour long, one day per week, and include all instruction and game play in one outing. Instruction is conducted by Jump Start Sports staff coaches. Players receive a Major League Baseball hat, team tee shirt, and baseball medal. Volunteer coaches may also participate in a detailed coaches training program provided by Jump Start Sports.

Pittsburgh Play is on Sale at The Children's Museum!

One of my favorite places to visit in Pittsburgh is the Children's Museum!

There are so many events and activities the museum offers and being lucky enough to be in Pittsburgh where Mister Rogers is from, he is celebrated in this museum in several different ways within the museum and my favorite-- free admission on Mister Rogers birthday! If you don't want to wait until March 20th to visit next year, August is a fantastic time to visit with "Play Is On Sale"!

There are lots of creative, fun and educational exhibits to explore throughout the Children's Museum ... in fact, Play Is On Sale! this Summer at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh!

Enjoy Museum admission discounts* and giveaways every day of the week through August 29, 2014. 

Fantasy Weekends (Saturdays & Sundays)
--All Museum visitors dressed in a costume relating to the weekend's theme receive $3 off admission:
       Dress like a Movie Character - August 9-10

       Dress like an Alien, Monster or Space Hero- August 16-17

       Dress like an Animal - August 23-24 

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• Member Mondays

Museum members park free (as space permits) and have a chance to win prizes. Learn the weekly prizes here.

• T-Shirt Tuesdays

Free Museum t-shirt to the first 200 children visiting the Museum

• Weather Wednesdays

Child admission for children 2 and up is based on that day's forecasted high temperature for Pittsburgh, PA, by the National Weather Service, as forecasted at 5:00 pm the previous day 
e.g. 73 degrees = $7 child admission, 87 degrees = $8 child admission, etc.  July 23: 84 degrees = $8 child admission
If purchasing tickets online, use code WEATHER when checking out to receive the discount 

• Throwback Thursdays

Child admission = $7 - the child admission price in 2004 when we opened the expanded Museum
If purchasing tickets online, use code THROWBACK when checking out to receive the discount

• Hot Dog Friday

A free hot dog to the first 500 children visiting the Museum

*Play Is On Sale admission discounts (Weather Wednesdays, Throwback Thursdays and Fantasy Weekends) cannot be combined with other admission discounts.



Hours
10:00 am - 5:00 pm Every Day
Our Studio and MAKESHOP close at 4:30 pm daily.

Latest Children's Museum of Pittsburgh Deal - http://pittsburghkidsguide.com/coupon.php?regionid=58&bid=10658&dealid=1624
Get more details here! https://pittsburghkids.org/sale


 Be sure to get your picture taken on Trolley! :)

My Lily in 2013 on Mister Rogers' birthday

Score at Just Between Friends!

My mission with this new baby has been to find a sit and stand stroller.  Knowing that I'd need containment for my Lily, who loves to run any chance she gets.  Remember Halloween? Ummm, yeah.  Containment necessary.

I'm not one who has to have brand new everything.  This baby will have her own new stuff, but the big stuff? Not necessary.  So, I've been scouring Craigslist and consignment sales to find one in good shape at the price I want to pay.

Remember when I told you about the Just Between Friends consignment sale in Pittsburgh this coming weekend?  Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to be invited to a luncheon and then had the ability to shop early at the presale.

At the lunch, I met Kelly, the guru who owns and runs the JBF sale, and some of the great local ladies of Macaroni Kid whom I've "known" online for awhile, but had never met in person.  It was wonderful to put faces to names! By the way, if you're not familiar with Macaroni Kid in your area...find them! It's a wonderful free resource for all things family and mamas.

After lunch, we were off to explore the enormous sale! I mean, enormous! There were so many items--toys, baby swings, strollers, clothes 0-3months up to size 12, shoes, maternity clothes, outside toys, sport equipment, shoes, toddler tables, toy boxes, books, puzzles etc etc etc.  If you need it or think you need it for a baby or kid, they've got it!

I headed to the strollers first.  After all, this sit and stand stroller is my mission for this new baby!

Rows and rows of strollers. 

I saw three sit and stands.  All three were one brand in particular. One was more the double stroller type with the two actual seats and not what I was looking for.  So, then I was down to two.  Exactly the same except for color.  Then I noticed one did not have the infant seat attachement which is super important to me.  I headed over to the infant seat section and found a brand like the one I have to make sure it would fit on the one sit and stand that did have the attachment. Score!  I looked over the stroller, made sure the buckles all worked, noticed a tray in the basket underneath which was the snack tray after the infant seat is no longer being used.  Okie dokie, this is exactly what I was looking for!  Seriously, I scored this gem for thirty dollars!!

I strolled around the entire place just looking and thinking about what I might need for our new baby and knew I would be looking for summer dresses for Lily. 

The clothing racks were jammed full!! I've typically found that the older Lily has gotten the harder it's been to find clothes for her at consignment.  Kids obviously are harder on clothes as they get older, so there's less selection.  This was not the case this year at this sale! The clothes were in great shape with no holes and/or stains! I felt like the inspection of items before allowing into the sale was a legitimate action. One that is an important selling point for me! 

I was looking for specifics this time...sun dresses and 4th of July outfits. I found exactly what I was looking for and Lily will be set for the month of July, not just the 4th. :)

The time is also coming after our new baby girl arrives and begins to outgrow her baby clothes and items, that I will be consigning and selling since this is our last baby.  Just Between Friends is the sale for me!  I'm already looking forward to the Fall sale!

Be sure to head out there this weekend! 

Thank you, Kelly, for a great sale and a great time!!

Friday, May 3rd 9am-7pm: Sale Opens to the Public!
$3 admission fee all day
Join our mailing list to get your FREE ADMISSION pass!

Saturday, May 4th 8am-4pm: Public Sale & NEW Merchandise!
Admission is FREE!

Sunday, May 5th 8am-2pm: 50% OFF Public Sale!
MANY items 50% and admission is FREE!  

Disclosure: I was provided a presale pass for my honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Just Between Friends Pittsburgh!

Want to outfit your kids in great brands?  Looking for some new toys or baby gear for less?  You  won’t want to miss the Just Between Friends Children’s & Maternity Consignment event.  This is my favorite consignment sale of the season in the Pittsburgh area! I've hit almost all of them and this one has the best quality and inspected items for sale! 

 

Here's a couple shots of our score at the Fall sale last year!!

 

The Just Between Friends Spring/Summer Children's & Maternity Consignment event kicks off for everyone on May 3^rd.  There is an exclusive pre-sale for volunteers, consignors, first-time parents, foster parents, military families and teachers on Thursday, May 2^nd!    

What: JBF Pittsburgh Children's & Maternity Spring/Summer Sale
When: Fri., May 3 – 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sat., May 4 - 8am-4pm (NEW Merchandise!) & Sun., May 5th- 8am-2pm (Many items 50% off). 
Where: RMU Island Sports Center in the Golf Dome, 7600 Grand Ave., Pittsburgh 15225
Admission: $3 on Friday (under 18 is free - or print your FREE admission pass below for Friday). Admission is free Saturday & Sunday.

Want to turn YOUR clutter into CA$H at the Fall Sale?  It's not too late to sign up to sell any new and gently used items your family has outgrown at the JBF event. Consignors prepare and price their own items using an easy, online bar code system. They earn 60% of their sales or if they volunteer at the event, 70% of their sales. Anyone interested in consigning can sign up for the Pittsburgh event on the jbfsale.com website (click here).

Volunteers are an important part of our JBF event. Our JBF Volunteers shop FIRST and earn 70% on their consigned items.  Anyone is welcome to volunteer at the event.  You can register to volunteer for a short 4-hour shift to guarantee early admission at the pre-sale event!  Start early preparing for Fall too!!

We hope to see YOU at the JBF Sale!