Friday, April 19, 2013

Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day to all you Moms, Dads, Kids, Grandparents, Aunties, and Uncles out there in the Willamette Valley!  This weekend Mid-Valley Kid Calendar is chalk-full of exciting Earth Day activities for families!

Don your green apparel Saturday and head over to the Oregon Gardens for some fabulous Earth Day festivities.  Re-purposing crafts, face painting, wildlife demos, and live Mariachi music (!) await you and your children among the beautiful flowers and spring greenery, as well as composting and green gardening seminars and a tree give-away for the grown-ups.

AND..... I know you have been waiting all year (as I have!), and the day has finally arrived:  Coinciding with the McMinnville Public Market's special La Casa Verde Earth Day Market, with it's free birdhouse craft table, free children's library, and farmer's market, is the Annual International Chicken Tractor Races - Of The Nation!  McMinnville takes "keeping Oregon weird" very seriously, and today we get to come together as a community to show the Nation that non-conformists have more fun.  So come out and show your support for your favorite Chicken Tractor and remember: birds of a feather......

Earth Day is an important time for us to remind ourselves, and teach our children, how very valuable our world and its resources are to us and our future.  I hope you are able to spend some time sharing in the Earth's wonder with your kids this weekend.  Send in some pics, and if you have any events you would like included on Mid-Valley Kid Calendar, please email me here.  Have a wonderful time.  I hope to see you out there!
FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2013
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SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2013
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SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013
ALL DAY
MORNING
  • 11:00-1:00 Meet the Author - Josh Vlach reads "Hello My Name is Not Piglet Bug", Latte Play, All Ages, Free
AFTERNOON

    Sunday, April 7, 2013

    Thank You!

    A big thank you goes out to all my new fans and followers who found Mid-Valley Kid Calendar this weekend.  Welcome!  And to all you who have been with me for a while, thank you for helping spread the word.  I strive to provide a useful resource, and I can't do it without you, so thanks!

    There's some very cool fun for kids and families this week in the Salem area.  If you are looking for a great opportunity to teach your kids about giving back to the community, Salem Public Library is offering its yearly Food for Fines event all week.  Bring canned and packaged foods to the library to erase your book fines!  Take a look at the Library's website to see food/fine guidelines.

    This week's Kid Pick for Fun is Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm's annual TulipFest!  Open every day from 9:00 to 6:00, the festival offers hundreds of photo opportunities, as well as a chance for little ones to get their ya-ya's out in the mud.  Come during the week and miss the weekend crowds.

    The weekdays are a wonderful time to check out the everyday activity listings on the right.  The Mid-Willamette Valley has so much for families to explore.  Get out there, get some great pics, and give your children some experiences to remember!  As always, photos of your adventures are always welcome.  And if you know of an event you'd like to see listed on Mid-Valley Kid Calendar, please email me here.  Have a beautiful week.  I hope to see you out there.

    MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2013
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    TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013
    ALL DAY
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    • 10:30 Boogie Woogie Concert - Rich Glauber, Salem Library, Ages 3-6, Free
    • 11:15-11:45 Infant & Toddler Story Time, Dallas Library, Ages 0-3, Free
    AFTERNOON
    EVENING
    • 6:30-8:30  Set & Ceili Irish Social Dancing Class, Ceili of the Valley, Ages 8+, $5
    • 6:30-8:30 Terrific Twos, Old Silverton High School, Class for Moms / Activities for Toddlers, $35
    • 7:00 Salem Library, Family Bedtime Storytime, All Ages
    WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2013
    ALL DAY
    MORNING
    • 10:15 and 11:00 Salem Library, Lapsit Storytime, infants and toddlers
    • 10:30-11:30 Family Story Time, Independence Library, Preschoolers, Free
    • 10:30 AquaTots - Fabulous Feathered Friends, Oregon Coast Aquarium, Free with Aquarium Admisson ($11.95 - $18.95), Ages 3-5
    AFTERNOON
    • 1:30 Salem Library, Brainy Babies - Bebes Super-Inteligentes bilingual storytime, infants and toddlers
    • 4:00-6:00 YuGiOh! Tournament, Hopscotch Toys, Must be 8+ to be left without a parent, $5 tournament fee includes 1 pack of cards
    EVENING
    THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2013
    ALL DAY
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    AFTERNOON
    • 4:00-6:00 Pokemon Tournament, Hopscotch Toys, Must be 8+ to be left without a parent, $5 tournament fee includes 1 pack of cards
    EVENING

      Friday, April 5, 2013

      Babies!

      As I write this morning, a dear friend is going into labor and I am awaiting the word: she has asked me to attend her birth!  I know that attending a birth is not everyone's cup of tea, but for me it is a very special dream come true.  I'm so excited!  And it seems especially appropriate that Mid-Valley Kid Calendar is filled this weekend with baby-themed family fun.

      Saturday, the McMinnville Public Market is holding Baby Animal Day from 10:00 to 2:00.  If you haven't been to the Market yet, this is a fantastic day to take the whole family for fun, local produce, baby animals, crafts, and great food!  In addition to the visit by the baby animals, the kid craft table will be offering an opportunity to build a free bird feeder!

      Also on Saturday, St. Mary's Catholic School is hosting Babies, Bellies, and Beyond!  Come down to this resale event and stock up on maternity, babies', and children's clothing.

      What could be cuter than baby chickens?  Perhaps only your child cuddling them!  Saturday from 8:30-5:00, Old Mill Feed & Garden will be introducing this year's hatch of babies and invites families to their annual Chick Day!  Chicks and chicken supplies are available for sale and there will be information and tutorials on raising chickens, as well as fun activities for the kids and lots of chicks to cuddle!

      Although it is not baby related, I do want to note that Sunday's Spring Garden Tea with Peter at the Salem Riverfront Carousel requires pre-registration.  Give them a call today at 503-540-0374 to ensure your seat at the tea table.

      Spring is all about babies and this weekend will be baby-filled, indeed. Be sure to take pictures; I'd love to see some pics of the cuteness you find!  If you have an event you would like posted to Mid-Valley Kid Calendar, please email me here.  Be sure to spread the word to all your Willamette Valley friends:  Mid-Valley Kid Calendar can help answer the question, "What are we doin' today, Mommy?"  Hope to see you out there!

      FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013
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      SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 2013
      National Tartan Day
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      SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2013
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      Saturday, March 30, 2013

      Easter Weekend!

      This weekend, whether you are celebrating the rebirth of the world or just rejoicing in the world's beauty, family activities abound in the Mid-Willamette Valley.

      For kids on a mission for the perfect Easter egg, Egg Hunts all over Salem, both Saturday and Sunday, promise prizes, candy, giggles, and tons of fun.  All those little children out on the damp lawn scrambling around for that coveted egg!  What a great way to celebrate the holiday and to get the little ones' ya-yas out.

      Tulip Fest! starts this weekend at Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm.  Take the whole family, decked in Easter finery, of course, for some amazing photo opportunities among the fields and fields of beautiful flowers.  Do keep in mind that it can get muddy, so if a romp through the mud is more your kids' style, ditch the Sunday best and bring your mud boots instead.

      Want to get away from the crowds and experience Spring at its finest?  Head to Lincoln City to watch as gray whales make their annual journey north for the summer.  Obviously, the whales will be visible from many places on the Oregon coast.  But Lincoln City has established an event with naturalist guides available at popular whale-watching points to provide information and help with spotting the magnificent and amazing animals.

      Have a wonderful weekend!  I'd love to hear stories of your hunt for the perfect egg or the elusive whale.  Let me know how it goes!  And pictures are always welcome.  If you have an event you'd like listed on Mid-Valley Kid Calendar, just email me here.  Hope to see you out there!

      SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013
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      SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2013
      Easter
      ALL DAY
      MORNING
      • 10:45 Easter Egg Hunt for Kids, Keizer Clear Lake United Methodist Church, 0-11 year olds, Free, Event held either at Forest Ridge Elementary School Park or inside church, weather depending.
      AFTERNOON
      EVENING

      • 6:30-8:30 Square Dance Lessons, Salem Square Dance Center, Ages 10+, $5


        Monday, March 25, 2013

        Spring Break!!

        Oh, Spring Break!  That time when kids rejoice that they won't have to do anything... until they discover that they have nothing to do.  Time for Moms and Dads (and Aunties and Grandpas!) to take a look around the Mid-Willamette Valley for unique and exciting activities.  Some very cool events are on the Calendar this week and Spring Break is the perfect time to check out some of the Everyday offerings that you might be missing while the kids are in school.

        All week long, Gilbert Discovery Village is offering special Spring Break activities for families.  Thursday's and Friday's fantastic Mini-Camps require pre-registration, so be sure to give them a call earlier in the week.

        The Willamette Heritage Center at Mission Mill is hosting Spring Break activities for kids and adults, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  Crafts, history, and natural sciences are on the agenda all three days, so stop by!

        This week's Kid Pick for Fun is the Enchanted Forest!  The park will be open all this week, and then only weekends until May, so take this opportunity to get some thrills in mid-week.  Take Grandma and Grandpa along with you: this is a memory they'll want to share from their own lives!

        Let me know what kinds of fun your kids got into this week.  If you have an event or photos you'd like posted, email me here. Spread the word about Mid-Valley Kid Calendar.  Spring Break is all about exploring and finding new, exciting things to do around your own neighborhood, or on fun day-trips.  Check out the lists to the right for ideas on everything from a coffee play-date to a family beach day.  Be inspired to try something different!  After all, you're on vacation!

        MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013
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        TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013
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        WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2013
        ALL DAY
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        AFTERNOON
        • 12:00-7:00 Easter Bunny Visits, Lancaster Mall, All Ages, Free
        • 1:00-4:00 Spring Break Family Learning, Gilbert Discovery Village, all ages, Free with Admission
        • 1:30 Salem Library, Brainy Babies - Bebes Super-Inteligentes bilingual storytime, infants and toddlers
        • 2:00 Karate for Kids, Salem Library, Grades 1-6, Free
        • 4:00-6:00 YuGiOh! Tournament, Hopscotch Toys, Must be 8+ to be left without a parent, $5 tournament fee includes 1 pack of cards
        EVENING
        THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013
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        FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2013
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        Friday, March 22, 2013

        Happy Spring!

        The birds are chirping, the grass is growing, the bunnies are hopping!  It's Spring!  We have officially made it to the Equinox, the day when the days are officially longer than the nights and the Mid-Willamette Valley is just coasting into Summer.  This weekend, to celebrate, find some Spring-feeling activities and get your family out to breathe in the sweet-smelling air.

        Today, Friday, the day I have been waiting for is here. The Enchanted Forest opens for the season!!  This Salem area attraction is a gem of vintage and modern family fun.  An independent theme park, The Enchanted Forest has been delighting Oregonian children since 1965 with exhibits ranging from a storybook village, to a western town, to fantasy rides.  My childhood, along with so many who have grown up in the Salem area, would not have been the same without fond memories of this magical place.

        Saturday and Sunday, celebrate Spring by taking the whole family out to Amity for the 19th Annual Amity Daffodil Festival.  There will be art, kids' activities, guided walking tours, food, and more.  Lots of photo opportunities for your cuties dancing through the daffodils! 

        Wrap up the weekend with a frolicking Easter-egg hunt at one of Sunday's fun events.  The Easter Bunny himself will be receiving visitors all weekend at the Lancaster Mall.  The  Easter Egg Hunt and Party at Our Savior's Lutheran Church promises music, food, crafts, and, of course, lots of games and candy!  

        I am always eager to hear how your activities turned out!  Drop me a line and send pictures.  Share the Calendar with your friends!  And if you have any events you'd like added to the calendar, email me here.  Enjoy the springtime!  Hope to see you out there.


        FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013
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        SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2013
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        SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 2013
        ALL DAY
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        •  
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        • 6:30-8:30 Square Dance Lessons, Salem Square Dance Center, Ages 10+, $5

        Friday, March 15, 2013

        Saint Patrick's Day!

        I love Saint Patrick's Day.  Here is one holiday of the year when Salem looks just like a holiday picture postcard.  We may dream of a white Christmas, and our Great Pumpkin costumes may always be concealed under a raincoat, but on St. Patrick's day, the Willamette Valley looks exactly like the rolling, lush hills of Ireland. Oregonians can easily imagine the wee-folk dashing behind the daffodils, or the pots of gold at the end of every rainbow.  So this weekend, don your green garb, set the corned beef and cabbage in the crock pot (here's a great recipe!), and head out for some St. Patrick's Day fun activities with your kids!

        Saturday, The Ceili of the Valley Society hosts their 2nd Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade.  Come down to the Salem Riverfront Park at the Carousel at noon.  Wear your green Irish pride and join the Leprechauns, Banshhees and Menehune for free family fun.

        Sunday, the Salem Riverfront Carousel hosts its own St. Patrick's Fun Day at the Carousel.  The fun lasts all day, and between noon and 3:00 there will be family activities, limited free rides, and a live bagpipe player.  

        I hope you have a wonderful weekend out there with your kiddos.  Send me some pics of your good times.  If you have an event you'd like listed on the Calendar, email me here.  And may the luck o' the Irish be with you!


        FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2013
        ALL DAY
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        AFTERNOON
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        SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 2013
        ALL DAY
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        AFTERNOON
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        • 7:00 Salem Library, Family festival of the Arts - Nyewusi Askari aka Askari Da Storytella, All Ages
        SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 2013
        St. Patrick's Day
        ALL DAY
        MORNING
        • 8:00-1:00 Birding Outing to Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, Salem Audobon Society (503-363-8435), All ages who can hike for 4 hours, Free 
        AFTERNOON
        EVENING