Happy Thanksgiving to you! Can you believe how fast this Holiday has come upon us? Time just seems to fly by anymore these days. As you know, I have been writing for the last few weeks about Thanksgiving, and kind of what it means to me.

Well, this week is not really much different, because I think it is so important to reflect on all that God has blessed us with and how we have family and friends to share this special day.

We, personally will have a house full, close to 20 people, and I can’t wait! I love to decorate and make all the fixin’s, of course, others are bringing food as well, but we have some traditions that only really happen on Thanksgiving and/or Christmas.

One of the food traditions we have is to make turkey gravy with noodles in it to spoon over our mashed potatoes. And, we still have the regular yummy turkey gravy, but this is special! We also have mashed potatoes a little different than most people. When I was growing up, my parents wanted us to eat more carrots, so my mom began to cook carrots with the potatoes and then mashed them together, whipped them with some milk and butter, and boy are they delish!!! Try it sometime!

Do you have family traditions that you do with foods for the Holidays? If so, please share them, we would love to hear from you!

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This Weekend at Regal Cinema…

Now Showing:

Puss in Boots NEW! PG • 1 hr. 30 min.

Happy Feet Two NEW! PG

Happy Feet Two in 3D NEW! PG

Visit www.regmovies.com for more info or call 828-262-3330.

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On Friday…

Come on over to Chick-fil-A for a special Veggie Tales Family Night, and visit with Moo Cow too, this Friday, Nov. 18th from 5:30-7:30pm. There will be fun activities for the kiddos and they’ll get to see the movie, “Princess and the Popstar”. Kids can also register to win a Veggie Tales gift! For more info call 828-264-4660 or visit their website at www.chick-fil-a.com/boone.

Tweens and Teens, 4th-8th graders will get the Chance to Dance hosted by H.U.G.S. (Help Us Give Support) at the Optimist building in Boone from 5:30 – 8:30pm, this Friday, Nov. 18th. A great way for the kids to have some fun and help out a great cause with this benefit for the Hunger & Health Coalition. Admission to get in is $3 plus one canned good or more, and Raffle tickets are $1 or one canned good. For more info call 828-773-4409 or email bethdarnell@hotmail.com.

Do you have Kids or Teens that are Readers or like to Write? November is National Novel Writing Month and the Watauga Public Library in Boone is hosting a Teens and Kids Write-A-Thon this Friday, Nov. 18th from 6-10pm. Help spark their imaginations! For more info call 828-264-8784.

It’s Ski Season again! Appalachian Ski Mountain opens this Friday, Nov. 18th, weather permitting. Be part of the first 100 guests and receive free Ski Tickets, along with other great deals to be announced. For more info call 828-295-7828 or visit their website at www.appskimtn.com.

On Saturday…

Give some heart and be a part of the Operation Christmas Child Family Day at Samaritan’s Purse this Saturday, Nov. 19th from 9am – 7pm. This is an awesome way to bring the whole family and participate in a local ministry that reaches around the globe. Kids up to age 12 will get the chance to see what a Christmas Shoe Box goes through and how it travels around the world by “being the shoebox”! It’s a great visual. To make reservations to be a part, call 1-800-442-9120, or visit their website at http://www.samaritanspurse.org.

Jing, Jing, Jingle all the way to the 3rd annual Christmas Holiday Market at the Watauga Farmer’s Market starting this Saturday, Nov. 19th and goes through the Saturday following Thanksgiving, Nov. 26th from 9am – 1pm.  Held at Horn in the West, look for lots of Christmas Trees, Wreaths, seasonal decor and items, along with homemade arts & crafts, and goodies, sweets and much more! For more info visit their website at http://www.wataugacountyfarmersmarket.org/.

Have a Fun, Safe, and Blessed Weekend!

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***Make sure to visit our Online Stores at www.timespasttoys.etsy.com , our NEWEST website www.timespastwoodentoys.com, and www.dailycrossdesigns.etsy.com for our Wooden Toys and Home, Business, and Garden Decor.

You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter under http://www.facebook.com/TimesPastToys; and as a follower @TimesPastToys; and at http://www.facebook.com/dailycrossdesigns and as a follower @dlycrossdesigns.

Hope to see you soon!

*****Do you need help with Decorating for Guests? Throwing a Party and don’t know where to begin?

~It’s Not Too Late To Decorate with Fall Decor or for the upcoming Christmas Holiday Season!!! If you need help with Decorating for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or Party Planning, please call us at 828-719-6615.

We offer Room Decorating for Parties, the Winter and Christmas Season, TableScapes, Christmas Tree Decor, Christmas Tree Themes and more.

Here is a current item being offered: From our Daily Cross Designs Online Store, here is one of our Fall Wreaths. This Floral and Fruit Wreath for Autumn will make a wonderful addition to your home decor for the Fall season.

Hang it on a Door, over the Fireplace Mantel, or even hanging on a China Cabinet, this beautiful wreath will catch your eye and bring compliments from your guests.

Lovingly hand-crafted with exquisite detail, the sugar-coated pumpkins add just the right touch along with natural elements from the pine cones. $45.00

We are now offering our Toys and products packaged for your convenience.

Our children love to be read to and hopefully one day will love to read themselves.  According to Child Trends, children that are read to experience an increase in literacy development, have social and emotional gains, and have increased likelihood for success in school.  Plus, I personally think reading increases the development of a child’s imagination which can lead to increased creativity and other creative developmental gains.  It can also help foster the ability to focus attention on a subject.

The Dolly Parton Imagination Library has been a hit in Tennessee for quite some time.  Children from zero to five are sent books in the mail for absolutely free.  All you have to do is sign up! The exciting thing about the Imagination Library is that it has recently extended its boarders beyond Tennessee and can be enjoyed nationwide.  Eligibility and availability vary from county to county so make sure your county has a funded program.    Check to see if your county has a program by clicking here. Many counties in North Carolina do, including the high country.

If you have small children between the ages of 0 and 5 don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to build their personal library for free!  Stop by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and see if they are taking applications for your county!

The Appalachian Regional Public Library system began their summer reading program on June 13.  Children from preschool to elementary can read, or be read to, for 15 minutes a day and log it on their passport. At the end of each week of completed daily reading the child can choose a prize. Prizes and contest rules vary by county, but prizes consist of a free food coupon or a book to keep.

Each Library also has lots of fun events that are taking place this summer. The Watauga County Library has a monthly family night that will include a light dinner sponsored by area vendors. The next Watauga Family Night will be Thursday, June 23 at 5:00.

Remember that each day at 11 AM is Story Time, and Baby Lap Time is Tuesday and Thursday at 10:30 AM!

You can find a complete list of family friendly activities by clicking here for Watauga County Library, here for Wilkes County,  and here for Ashe County.

I stopped by Black Bear Books this morning to get some work done.  Black Bear is my new favorite place to do a little work in town (free wifi with purchase), or meet friends!  Bald Guy Brew Coffee, cozy atomosphere, great books, and now… YARN!

Black Bear has a new owner, new decor, new website, events and happenings, and a new partner in Laura’s Yarntasic! The manager Erin shared all kind of fun projects and events going on at Black Bear.

New Website!

At the new website, you can see featured new arrivals, and what’s coming soon, upcoming events, and even Black Bear Book’s Twitter feed! They are bringing in several authors for book signings and readings this summer! You can also SHOP ONLINE! So if you can’t actually make it out to the store, but still want to support our local independently-owned store, you can!

New Owners!

New owners Karen Hall and Chris Walker are really energizing the store, and taking it to the next level.  KAren has been a TV writer, producer and consultant for many years, and she is a fascinating person!  Check out her list of shows, including M.A.S.H., and recently 2 episodes of a new show “The Good Wife.”  I know you will recognize some of the shows!

New Decor

The signature look of the store is the same.  It’s very cozy and clean, and you feel like you’re in someone’s living room. (at least I do)

Coffee Shop

Children's Corner

Battle of the Books

Black Bear Books has posted the Battle of the Books List for 2010-2011, as well as stocked all the books from the list.   If you buy the entire set of books from the list, you get a 20% discount, so you can get a head start on next year.  At the end of the ’10-’11 season, Black Bear will host a pizza party for anyone who reads through the entire list!  Area private schools will be holding their own Battle of the Books competition, since they are excluded from the official public school program.

Stay tuned to the High Country Mom Squad for news about Parent Child Book Club, and Laura’s Yarn Nook soon!

High Country Parent contributors share our experiences and advice, what works for us. We make no guarantees that you will have the same experience or results, and are not always experts. Please consult a professional before making any lifestyle changes- health, dietary, financial, or otherwise. Click here to see our full disclaimer.]]> http://www.highcountryparent.com/lots-going-on-at-black-bear-books/feed/ 1 http://www.highcountryparent.com/april-weekend-events-springtime-fun-0416-18/ http://www.highcountryparent.com/april-weekend-events-springtime-fun-0416-18/#comments Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:37:13 +0000 Keri http://www.highcountrymomsquad.com/?p=5784 Pin it

April is just flying by, but what a wonderful month it has been with the awesome weather and many fun events and happenings going on around the High Country. Haven’t the flowering Bradford Pear trees and the Yellow Bells been just beautiful?

Everyone seems to be out and about at once with the Tot Lot being full of kid’s having fun and their contagious laughter, and the Baseball fields and parking lots overloaded with cars, people, and games, ours included as my son plays Baseball at the Optimist Field. (That’s a picture of him on the left making the winning run for his team!) Now that is a crazy place for sure!

In short, Oh what Springtime Fun! Here are some activities going on this weekend for you to check out. Feel free to add more events if you know of something going on.

The Children’s Playhouse is having a Baby Fair and Consignment Sale this Fri. & Sat., April 16th – 17th, held at the National Guard Armory in Boone. For more info, call 828-263-0011 or visit www.goplayhouse.org.

Shooting Stars 2010 is here! Hosted by The Watauga Education Foundation, this super fun local talent show is Friday night, April 16th at Farthing Auditorium on ASU’s campus. Make sure to see Sarah’s story about this and her husband showing off his talents in this year’s show. Tickets on sale there, $10 for Adults and $5 for Students and Watauga County School Employees. For more info visit www.wefnc.org.

Curious George…Where? Yes, we can thank Jaime Hawkins for this tip, George will be in Wilkesboro at the W. Kerr Scott Visitor’s Center, participating in the Read With A Ranger Program and UNC-TV’s own Read-a-roo for a day full of green reads! This Free Event day begins with a Book Exchange, 10 am – 12 noon, so bring in a book and your child can take home a new one. Then 10 – 10:30 am and 11 – 11:30 am, Meet and Greet Curious George and UNC-TV’s Read-a-roo, followed by a Hot Dog Lunch from Noon – 1pm. From 1 – 3 pm, it’s TAKE-A-KID FISHING DAY! So get ready to get hooked on fishing and learn about aquatic wildlife, even go on a guided hike with a Ranger.

Sponsored by Friends of W. Kerr Scott Lake, the Read with a Ranger program promotes environmental education through literacy. Please call (336) 921-3390 to register for this free event or visit their website at http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/WKScott/index.htm.

In the mood for a concert? Son’s Light Ministries is hosting a Benefit Concert Sat., April 17th 7-10 pm at Harvest House, (btw Goodwill and Boone Bowl). Michael Alvarado, Harvest House Band, Marlowe Crews, and Kaley Rivera will be performing and proceeds go towards the Son’s Light Records/School of Music projects which focus on providing music lessons to all ages and offering them the opportunity to learn practical business skills from an operating record label. Tickets are $5 at the door which covers cost of entrance and a raffle ticket. Visit www.sonslightministries.com for more info.

With all of these activities going on, you and your family are sure to have a good time. Let us know what your plans are!

***NOTE*** Check out Keri’s 2 Online Website stores featuring Times Past Toys, her Wooden Toy Products at www.timespasttoys.etsy.com and www.timespasttoys.com, currently under construction, so please pardon her cyber dust. Come back often to see New items!

Here is a current item being offered: Toy Safari Truck with Safari Animals – Children will feel like they are riding through the Safari lands of Africa with our Safari Truck reminiscent of wild running zebras. Toy Safari Truck comes with Safari Animals and comes in a variety of colors and can be customized. If you do not see a color that you would like, please ask. Measures – 10″ Length X 5″ Width X 5 1/4″ Height. $14.99

April  has brought wonderful changes in our weather and scenery around and about the High Country. I think we can officially say that “Spring had Sprung”! Hopefully you have been able to get out and enjoy the sunshine. Here are some weekend activities designed just for this very purpose.

This Friday, April 9th through Sunday the 11th,  ASU’s I.G. Greer Studio Theatre  will host the play the “Nightingale,”  an adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s classic fairy tale. Performing the play for the campus community and local families is The Appalachian Young People’s Theatre or also known as AYPT who is currently touring area schools with this production. Friday’s performance begins at 7 pm, and performances on Saturday and Sunday begin at 2 pm. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students and children. Call 828-262-3063 or visit for more info www.theatre.appstate.edu/performances .

Saturday, April 10th, starts off with The 4th annual Relay for Life Spring Thaw 5K Run/Walk at 8:30 am at the Greenway Trail in Boone. Meet at 7:30 am for Race day registration and packet pickup in the Clawson-Burnley Park picnic shelters. The entry fee is $20 and the family rate is $45 with all proceeds directly benefiting the Watauga County Relay for Life. For more info or to register, contact Paula Ward at 828-297-4876/ or at wardpy@appstate.edu or Becky Younce at 828-264-9583/ or at www.appstate.edu/~wardpy.

APPS and Justice Hall at ASU will be having a Spring Fling Justice Bash offering a day full of fun and games Saturday, April 10th, from 12 noon - 7 pm at Duck Pond Field. Admission is free and activities and fun include a giant slide, trampoline jump, popcorn, gravity ball, tie-dying, live music and much more. For more info, call 828-262-2855.

This Saturday and Sunday, April 10th and 11th, Appalachian Ski Mountain hosts its Meltdown Games, a series of free activities for those wanting one more weekend on skis or snowboards. From teams racing down the slopes in cardboard boxes and trash bags to a costume contest and the pond skimming contest, the two days are filled with ways to say goodbye to the ski season. For more info, call 828-295-7828 or visit www.appskimtn.com.

National Library Week Begins this Sunday and goes through Saturday, April 11th to 17th. The Watauga Public Library is participating and will celebrate this event with story times for children with a library theme. Donna Pruett will also hold a balloon program for children and a display on the history of the library. For more info, head over to the Watauga County Library, call 828-264-8784 or visit www.arlibrary.org.

***NOTE*** Check out Keri’s 2 Online Website stores featuring Times Past Toys, her Wooden Toy Products at www.timespasttoys.etsy.com and www.timespasttoys.com, currently under construction, so please pardon her cyber dust. Come back often to see New items!

Here is a current item being offered: Toy Mini-Tanker Truck – Mini-Tanker Truck will stir your child’s creativity as they pretend to deliver the goods with this Tank Truck in metallic silver. Reminiscent of Gas, Oil, or Milk Tanker Trucks, kids will have lots of play-time fun with our easy-to-hold toys. Mini-Tanker Truck comes in a variety of colors and can be customized to your favorite colors. If you do not see a color that you would like, please ask. Measures – 5” Length X 2 ½” Width X 3” Height. $ 6.99

YEAH!!! Spring is Here!!! Saturday marks our official 1st day of Spring and boy are we ever ready for it! It’s time to get outside and enjoy the milder temperatures, soak in some Vitamin D with the sunshine, and take in the sights and smells. Be on the lookout for flowers like daffodils and tulips beginning to push through the soil, and listen to all of the birds chirping their spring sonnets. To get you and your family thinking about the outdoors, here are some activities sure to bring lots of fun.

Here’s an event to help grow our children’s minds, the annual Watauga County Schools’ Battle of the Books competitions held during the months of March and April. The Middle School Battle of the Books competition will be 1st in the series,held Fri., March 19 th(snow date March 26),  and the 2nd in the series is the Elementary Battle of the Books competition on Fri., April 16 th(snow date April 19).  Both competitions begin at 9 am, and are held at Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Boone. 
 

Another event to help our kids is an evening of Bingo held at the Mabel School cafeteria on Sat., March 20th, from 5 pm -until. Hosting this event are the Mabel and Bethel middle school students to help raise funds for Spring educational field trips such as the 8th grade end of year trip, Space Camp, etc. $10 buys a Play-All-Night Bingo card and you can purchase more than one and enjoy food and prizes.

Looking for a Job? Tweetsie Railroad hosts its annual Job Fair this Sat., March 20th, from 10 am - 3 pm inside the Palace Saloon at Tweetsie. Many different job opportunities are available for those 16 years of age or older, however some park positions require a minimum age of 18. Traditionally Tweetsie hires more than 200 seasonal employees each year and is contingent on the result of a background check and drug screen. For more info about opportunities visit Tweetsie’s website at  www.tweetsie.com/employment/job-opportunities/ or call 828-264-9061, ext. 200, or visit .

Don’t forget to read Sarah’s story on the 4-H Youth Gardening Workshop  held this Sat., March 20th at the Agricultural Conference Center in Boone from 10 - 11:30 am. Participants will explore the wonders of plants and gardens and generally for 5- to 12- year-olds . Contact Watauga County 4-H at 828-264-3061 to register or for more information.

Let the Easter Egg Hunt’s begin with the 1st one at Sugar Mountain Resort hosting its 4th annual Easter Egg Hunt on the Slopes Sun., March 21st. The grand prize, a “Golden Egg”, contains a 2010-2011 season Ski Pass and will be scattered among hundreds of plastic eggs spread over the lower portion of the Lower Flying Mile slope. Children 12 yrs. or younger are welcome to participate but must have a valid slope pass and your skis or snowboard. There will be prizes awarded to the top 3 costumes, judged on creativity, and all participants will receive a complimentary ice skating voucher for next season. For more information, call 1-800-sugarmt or visit www.skisugar.com/calendar.

Last but not least, make sure to read Amy’s story on the Spring Carnival at ASU’s Duck Pond Field  hosted by Alpha Delta Pi, Sun. March 21st, from 1-4 pm. A Family-Friendly event, organizations will have carnival booths with games for the children to play, also lots of music, food and inflatable bounce objects. The Carnival benefits the Southern Appalachian Ronald McDonald House Charities Inc. and donations are accepted. For more information, contact Rebecca Horn at hornrn@appstate.edu.

***NOTE*** Check out Keri’s 2 Online Website stores featuring Times Past Toys, her Wooden Toy Products at www.timespasttoys.etsy.com and www.timespasttoys.com, currently under construction, so please pardon her cyber dust. Come back often to see New items!

Here is a current item being offered: Army Truck with Army Men - Kids will have fun playing with our Army Truck that comes complete with a pack of Army Men. G.I.Joe here they come, as kids play Military games of sneaking in on the enemy and rescuing their fellow comrades.  Army Truck comes in a Camouflage colored Fabric and can be customized. Make sure to check out our other Military Vehicles of Helicopter, Airplane, and Semi-Army Truck with Tank and Gun that turns. Measures – 10 1/2″ Length  X  4 1/2″ Width  X  5 1/2″ Height. $14.99

Welcome to Marvelous March where there’s still snow coming down but Spring is a comin’! I know everyone will certainly be ready for sunnier days and warmer climates. So get out your seed planting books and get to planning your garden. Whether it is flowers, shrubs, vegetables, or even life situations, it will be time before you know it to plant seeds and/or  bulbs, water them, love them, and then wait for the harvest. Oh how sweet  it is when we get a return on our investment and time that we have sown.

This same principle can be applied in our daily lives in many ways. Let’s make sure that we plant good seeds, words, actions, even deeds  in fertile ground to take root and produce a harvest.  There’s only one event to write about this weekend that I found, but what an example of planting healthy seeds into the young minds of our children to grow up having an active mind full of endless possibilities.

 Invest in a young mind through the Raising A Reader program on Sat. March 6th, from 10 am – 12 noon at the Avery County Library in Newland.  All families in Avery County are invited to join in the magic of Dr. Seuss  to celebrate “The Cat in the Hat.” The event is sponsered by Avery County Smart Start; A Partnership for Children. For more information, call 828-733-9232.

Also, make sure to check out Keri’s and her husband’s new website, www.timespasttoys.com (And Please See Note At Bottom For Exciting News!) for their Wooden Toy and Home Decor business, Heavenly Creations Decor, currently under construction, so please pardon their cyber dust. Even so, this will give you a look at some of the products they have to offer and who they are. They are constantly adding new inventory as well.

Here is a current item being offered: Airplane with turning Propeller  - Airplane with Propeller that turns will inspire your child to fly right into their dreams. Your child will love pretending to be the Red Baron or another great Pilot as they soar to new heights in their imagination. The Airplane comes in a variety of colors and can be customized to your favorite colors.

Keri and her husband look forward to hearing from you and you are more than welcome to give  helpful hints as to making the website better and more user friendly. They  will soon be including links for area businesses selling Times Past Toys and Heavenly Creations Decor products and such.

***NOTE*** Keri and her husband also now have their Etsy store up and running. Please visit them at www.timespasttoys.etsy.com. New items are being added daily!

Once again, please welcome Makisha Howell, who will be contributing to the Mom squad on the topic of Adoption!

Adoption can be hard to understand, especially if you are kid.  Below are adoption related books which can offer a better understanding for young children.

I Wished for You: An Adoption Story by Marianne Richmond

This award winning book is recommended for both parents and children affected by adoption.

A Mother for Choco by Keiko Kasza

A Mother for Choco is recommended for families that are affected by interracial adoption.

Rosie’s Family: An Adoption Story by Lori Rosove

Rosie’s Family: An Adoption story encourages children to ask questions about adoption, and discusses the issues of being different.

Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale by Karen Katz

A vibrant story about international adoption, Over the Moon follows the journey of becoming parents. This was the first book I purchased for my little man.

Other Children’s Books About Adoption

Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis

God Gave Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergen

I Love You Like Crazy Cakes by Rose Lewis

Happy Adoption Day by John McCutheon

Heather Reaves, owner of Paint Your Wings is excited to announce a storytime at the “paint your own pottery” studio in Boone!! The event will be called “Paint Me A Story.” Participants will be read a book, and then paint a piece of pottery that is related to the book!

Paint Me a Story will start in September and happen every Tuesday at 10am. The cost is $11 per child and includes the piece, a snack, and a coffee for parents.  This would be really great for prechool kids and early elementary homeschoolers!  My middle daughter is all about arts and crafts, and I know this would make reading so meaningful for her!

We have made some great pieces for the kids, the grandparents, and for me at Paint Your Wings! They have their own personalized cereal/ice cream/vegetable bowls, and mugs out of which they will actually drink water!  I have a super cool travel coffee mug with a lid, and the grandparents have a platter with a sunflower, created with the kids’ handprints! I’m trying to find the photos I took of them, I’ll add them if I find them!

Heather would like to give 2 Mom Squad Readers each  1 admission to a Paint Your Wings story time!

Here is how to enter:

• Leave a comment on this post, suggesting a children’s book title for the story time

It’s that simple!  For extra entries, leave a comment (each) if you:

• sign up for the Paint Your Wings monthly email newsletter. Visit the website, www.paintyourwings.com, click on the link in the bottom right, “email list.”  Then, enter your information.
• are a Mom Squad Subscriber. Click here for daily email updates, or enter your address in the top right of this page for our weekly newsletter!
• Share this offer by Facebook or blog. (you can click those handy links at the top of the post)

The contest is open to High Country residents and visitors 18 and older, and will run through Thursday September 3, 2009.  Winner will be announced on our winners’ page and by email. Paint Your Wings is a Mom Squad sponsor, however, no additional compensation has been received for this giveaway.