- The first thing I want to point out is the three giveaways we are currently running.
I am very excited that we have a family four pack of tickets to Stepping Stones Museum for Children to giveaway. The tickets can be used anytime during the entire length of the Run! Jump! Fly! exhibit that opens on the 21st and runs into April, so you pick the day that works best for you. Run! Jump! Fly! will be a great way to get the kids active on cold winter days. I am a big fan of Stepping Stones (check this link for a review).
Parents of teens and boys will love these! Our newest and quickest-ever giveaway is for the FMX show at the Webster Bank Arena for January 20th at 7:30 pm. Those tickets will be awarded on Tuesday evening, so enter quickly. For the Monster Jam at the XL Center we have two family four packs to giveaway and you get to choose the date you go.
- Although it is still a while away, Valentine's Day is coming up. For you die-hard restaurant goers, time to make reservations (hint, hint).
Every expert says that the key to keeping relationships healthy is one-on-one time. After a couple of date nights, though, I found the dinner out to become rather routine and, yes, too boring to support the cost of hiring a babysitter. One of our favorite activities to do as a couple (which I've talked about before) was taking ballroom dancing lessons together, which I still recommend (specifically the very nice Gabi at our advertiser Basically Ballroom).
While most advice is to have alone time once a week (no less than once a month), doing the same thing over and over again 52 times sounds dull. How about taking some time to brainstorm with your loved one things to do together and then try to do as many of those as possible before the end of the year. Think of it as your couple "bucket list".
- It's time to register for kindergarten. My guy is old enough, but I still can hardly believe he could be going to a building filled with hundreds of kids in just eight months. If you want to be sure your child is ready for kindergarten, check out the free resources at Get Ready to Read for free early learning resources, Starfall for free phonics and reading lessons, or head to the book store or library for Bob Books which teach kids how to read by introducing a few new sounds or sight words at a time and helps them practice.
- Monday is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the kids will likely be off of school. There are a number of ways to celebrate the man and the day off. Check out our article highlighting the programs specifically for Dr. King and special hours for Martin Luther King Day 2012. Check the calendar for other ideas!
- Another way to spend some time this week is helping your child learn about their senses of taste and smell with items right around your house. The kids will enjoy the puzzle aspect part of the activity.
- Here is a great way to save your children's artwork in a way where you can still enjoy it without actually keeping all of it. If you have never bought a photobook, they are rather fabulous.
Highlights for the weekend include:
- Little Women, the Musical is playing at the Hartford Children's Theatre
- Disney on Ice at the XL Center
- the Color Purple at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven
- Pinkalicious at the Downtown Cabaret Theatre in Bridgeport starts on Sunday.
- Over the Tavern at Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury
- Stepping Stones has free admission for families of children with special needs on Saturday from 9 am to 11 am
- Check out our own local "maker" location at CT Hackerspace with a special open session on Saturday
- Also on Saturday, the New Haven Symphony Orchestra is presenting "What if Mozart Played Guitar Hero" in Cheshire. If Cheshire is too far, then you can see it in New Haven and then Shelton over the next few weeks, but Cheshire has the cheapest ticket prices.
- If you want to know if you have any sugar maples in your yard so you can tap your own trees (I know someone who did it), then make sure to attend the Winter Tree Identification workshop at the White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield.
- The Bent of the River Audubon Center is offering a Full Moon Hike.
Here are the quick links to this weekend's calendar of events:
Check back often for updates and don't forget Facebook, where new items are often posted.
