Party on a Budget

Published: 04/28/2013

Party on a Budget

By: Angela Pounders

I told myself that I would not be the type of parent who would go all out and spend a lot of money for my children’s birthday parties. Instead, I would buy a few themed items and work around that with what I had and/or buy some inexpensive items to go with it. My parents never went all out and I have some of the best birthday memories. To me, it’s not about how much money you spend, but about the time spent together.

This year, Sweet Girl, my (now) four year old, wanted an Elmer the Elephant party. (He’s a patchwork elephant featured in books by David McKee.) I couldn’t find party stuff to buy so I had to be creative. Love Bug, my (just turned) two year old, picked a Thomas the Tank Engine theme. Of course, there is a ton of stuff out there with Thomas! However, I ended up spending about the same for each girl’s party with these easy, fun and inexpensive ideas.

Plates and Napkins: I always let the girls pick out plates and napkins that go along with their chosen theme. We have done solid colored plates and printed napkins before as well. I found the cutest elephant napkins that stand up. There is a wide variety of designs available. So, not only did we have napkins, but a table decoration at each spot!

Tablecloth: Go with a solid color and something that can be reused. If you are having a bunch of children over, plastic tablecloths from the Dollar Store work great. Oriental Trading has a good selection to. We used our nice cloth tablecloths (you know, like the ones you pull out for the holidays) this year for the girls and it made them feel so special.

Decorations: A lot of money can be spent in this category, but it doesn’t have to be. I printed out color pictures of Elmer and his friends and also of Thomas and friends to hang around the living/dining rooms. I also printed some in black and white so the girls could color them and used those as decorations, too. You can find a lot of free printables online to go along with any theme. I found some elephant party invitations at the Dollar Store and used those for decorations and for making Sweet Girl’s birthday card. Remember, think outside of the box! Also, streamers and balloons in colors that go with your child’s theme are an inexpensive addition to the décor. The Dollar Store is the best place to go for these disposable decorations.

The new idea I came up with this year is free! I thought it would be fun to decorate using books. Yes, the kind you read. We went to the library and checked out a bag full of books for each girl’s theme. We set the books up around the living/dining rooms. They decorated the rooms and were in reach when the girls wanted to look at them. You could also buy some new books for your child and put them out the morning of his/her birthday as a surprise.

Activities: Again, you can find many free printables online with patterns and craft ideas. There are also a variety of BINGO type game sheets that you can print out, too.

Sweet Girl really wanted to look like Elmer and asked if I could paint her. Um, no, but how about coloring a t-shirt to wear instead? I drew a checkerboard on a couple of t-shirts and let the girls go at them with fabric markers. I even made one! What child wouldn’t think it was neat to draw on and make his/her own shirt? You could prep each shirt with a picture related to your child’s theme (draw it on, iron-ons, etc) and have each child decorate his own shirt. An activity and party favor in one!

Cake: Maybe you feel like you’ve saved enough money with everything else to buy a bakery made cake, but why not make one at home? Whether you make it from scratch or a box, it is so fun to have the birthday child make the cake with you. Sweet Girl even wanted to help place the animal cake toppers (which doubled as toys afterwards—another money saving tip!) on her cake.

I hope these fun, easy and inexpensive ideas help you with the next party you plan. Remember to think outside of the box and be creative. Think about how things can serve double functions to save even more money. Spend more time and less money and everyone will benefit from it!

Angela Pounders is a transplant to Prince William County Park from Arlington. She is blessed to be a stay at home mama to two beautiful girls. As a former teacher (as well as preschool director and Children and Family Director), she is always on the look out for fun, easy and educational things to do with her girls. She shares her ideas on her blog, The Master’s Daughter.

themastersdaughter.weebly.com

https://www.facebook.com/MastersDaughter

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Tea With Mrs. B

Published: 09/21/2012

Tea with Mrs. B, located in McLean, VA and Bethesda, MD, is a children¹s tea room focused on providing a fun and memorable lesson in manners, etiquette and poise.

Never one for boring, every day instruction, Mrs. Rebecca Czarniecki, better known as Mrs. B, captivates her audience with detailed stories and her outgoing, joyful personality. From private adult and corporate manners classes to customized birthday parties for children, Mrs. B is here to help with all things etiquette.

Join Mrs. B the third Saturday of every month at the Bethesda Lebanese Taverna for her newest program, Mingling and Manners 101. Designed especially for tweens and teenagers, Mrs. B provides lessons on dining etiquette, proper body language, communication skills and navigating certain social situations, over lunch and tea. $55 per person.

To contact Mrs. B, please call 202.448.2930, e-mail b@teawithmrsb.com orvisit www.teawithmrsb.com

Want to meet Mrs. B for something more fall-ish? Tea with Mrs. B, along with Art Works, is having a Halloween Haunt at the Historic Beall House (7740 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD 20814). This event will take place on October 27 from 4-6pm and will include music, face painting, a candy hunt, a haunted house and games and prizes. All ages are invited!

Mrs. B is so excited to share her programs with PwcMoms, and she's even got a special "tea for one" set for a lucky reader! To win, email info@pwcmoms.com with "Tea With Mrs. B" in the subject line! Contest closes Saturday, September 22nd.

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Birthdays at Leesylvania State Park

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Published: 09/03/2012

Looking for a children's party venue in Prince William County? Consider hosting your child's birthday party in Woodbridge, Virginia at Leesylvania State Park!

Leesylvania currently offers the following children's party themes:
Ages 3-6
Crazy Caterpillars Birthday
Dino Day Birthday
Pond Play Birthday
Terrific Tales Birthday

Ages 7 and up
1860s Afternoon Tea Birthday
Critter Tracking Birthday
Decoding the Battlefield Birthday
GPS/Nature Hike/Canoe Tour Birthday

Parties are an hour and a half and include an hour of programming and a half hour of "traditional birthday fun", such as cake and presents. Leesylvania offers an affordable birthday party option in Prince William County with rates starting at $52.50 plus $2 per child.

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NOVA BMX

Published: 08/15/2012

We were really fortunate to be invited to a super-awesome birthday party at the NOVA BMX track in Woodbridge, Virginia. The kids had a great time and were getting lots of fresh air and exercise, which was fantastic. I thought going into it that there was no way we'd make it more than 10 minutes (long pants and long-sleeves are required for safety reasons and it was 102 degrees!), but the kids didn't complain at all!

From treasurer Brenda Powers:
Our track is owned by Prince William County Park Authority. We are a 501(c)3 organization and run solely by volunteers. BMX is an individual sport and is very family oriented. BMX became an Olympic sport in 2008 and this year we are celebrating the 2nd year of BMX in the Olympics. It is a great sport and because of the Olympics it is growing in popularity. Unfortunately, our track seems to be one of Prince William County's best kept secrets! We are trying to get the word out as often as we can. Hopefully your web site can help us accomplish this.

BMXBackyard.com

The track, located at 7 County Complex CourtWoodbridge, VA 22192, offers clinics, races, and practice time memberships. Not sure if your child will like it enough to sign up for a 30 Day Membership? That's okay- you can come out for a FREE one-day trial membership. A full-face helmet is another requirement, but the track has ones to loan. In addition, the track offers sanctioned practices with gate opening on Wednesdays at 5:30pm to dusk and on Sundays from 2-4pm. As far as competitive riding, it looks like races start at around $8, so this is a really affordable sport (once you've bought the bike!) especially compared to things like figure skating!

BMXBackyard.com

The track also offers birthday parties, and would be a really fun outing for a scout troop, too. At the party we went to, we rode first and then did a tailgate in the parking lot. It was such a fun event!! I've never been to a party like it, and even younger siblings (no training wheels are allowed on the race track) had fun on the blacktop that surrounds the track.

When you head out to check out the track, you'll want to enter the county complex area and head to the right, as if you're driving up to the Potomac Nationals stadium. Continue to the right all the way back to the right-rear area of the parking, and you'll see the track on your right hand side. (It's the best-kept secret because you can't see it from the road!)

Disclaimer Time: PwcMoms.com was not paid or compensated. While this review is a fair and accurate representation of our views, it is important to know that BMX is a physically strenuous and potentially dangerous activity. PwcMoms.com does not assume any liability for injuries sustained partaking in any type of sport or activity reviewed on our site, including BMX.

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Guest Post: LEGO Birthday Party Ideas

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Published: 08/15/2012

5 LEGO Birthday Party Ideas

Certainly one of the main ingredients in a great kid’s party is the games, and a Lego themed party is no exception. Surprisingly versatile and always popular, despite the temptations of more technologically advanced games and toys, Lego remains a huge favourite with younger kids and a Lego party will go down a treat. Here are some tips for getting just the right mix.

Rules of Engagement

Lego, or not, there are a certain rules of engagement when it comes to parties and kids ones are no exception.

· Have a game or an activity ready to start as the guest arrive; this helps to get the party started and it’s one small step in the continual battle to wear your own and your friends kids out!

· Have a different range of games that include group games and individual task, this ensures that everyone gets to take part and doesn’t get left out.

· It may be the taking part that counts but it’s important to ensure that everyone – including the birthday boy/girl – gets to win one of the games.

· Finishing touches – end the party games with the cake – and give out goodie bags for everyone to take home with them.

Photo Credit: /lfab-uvm.blogspot.com/

Lego Games

· Opening the games; no, you don’t need to create an Olympic spectacle but a jar full of Lego bricks at the front door to play “Guess the Number” is a good starting point. The winner gets to take the jar of Lego home at the end of the day.

· Using chopsticks tied with a rubber band get each guest to attempt to pick up as many Lego pieces from a central bowl and place them in individual bowls. The winner is the one with the most bits in their own bowl at the end of a minute.

· Towering Treats; no Lego party is really going to be complete without a building challenge; a group task should naturally involve creating the tallest tower. You can set the challenge to one large group or several competing groups. Each team member has to take turns to add to the tower and the group with the tallest tower (or the last to collapse) wins.

· Especially if the party is indoors – either weather bound or because of distinct lack of outdoor space - Lego bricks can make an ideal focus for a treasure hunt. Again this is a good team effort game and by setting it as a group challenge you can create a couple of different treasure routes. The winning team is the one that finds all the pieces first. A more complex version is to take each piece from a small model and the winning team is the one that finds all the bits and constructs the model first!

That Cake

Naturally the cake will be a key part of the celebration and thanks to their simple design Lego bricks make a perfect and easy to make cake. Any flavour of sponge cake can be used along with six sponge cupcakes. The cupcakes form the studs and you can use standard icing coloured red, blue or green to cover the cake and studs, creating a realistic and tasty Lego brick cake. A more adventurous alternative is to create a layered cake, decorated with a number of different colours and top off with studs and a forest of candles on the top. Goodie bags or boxes should contain at least one mini-kit (cars for the boys and jewellery for the girls go down well) to take home as a reminder of a fantastic Lego party.

Photo Credit: Babble.com

AuthorCarlo Pandian is a freelance writer and LEGO fan. He blogs about LEGO bricks, parenting and design covering everything from Dallas with kids to theme parks. When he’s not online he likes gardening and volunteering at his local community center.

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My Daughter's Best Friend's Birthday Party's Vendors

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Published: 08/08/2012

Cause that's not a mouthful :)

My daughter's blessed to have an amazing group of little girlfriends. I don't remember ever having great friends at her age, but she certainly does. One of her friends has a mom who I adore because she makes me look sane by comparison. I go all out, but she goes all out times two. We had a blast setting up for this party together- and when it was done, it looked like a magical place where Pinterest threw up. When you're having a birthday party in Prince William County, sometimes a little DIY can go a long way ;)

Yup. who needs sleep when you could be helping a friend fluff crepe paper balls at 4am? Certainly not me :) Obviously this was going to be an amazing party! This momma had thought of everything!! From customized water bottles to a candy bar. It was amazing. Even better, she'd sprung for a deal-site special on a woman who was going to come and lead a tea party for the girls. The Little Tea Spoon, which incidentally uses the same theme as my business cards on their website, offers birthday parties, tea parties, baby showers and more. We were all excited to see what she'd come up with! However, this ended up being a fiasco as she was supposed to show up 45 minutes before the party to set up and didn't arrive until well after the party started at which point she proceeded to set up as if she was early, which was to say slowly. I totally understand this is Northern Virginia and traffic happens, but if the terrible happens and you're over an hour and a half late, you have to compensate with speed! The girls were definitely hungry and ready to party and had to wait for quite some time. (I wasn't asked to do a review, I was just so unimpressed, I asked my friend if it would be okay if I did a warning) The girls had a great time with each other and didn't notice that things weren't going according to plan, of course.

The stand out from the party (besides the gorgeous decorating) was Andrea Gunter, who came and took party pictures. Honestly, this had never crossed my mind, but I thought it was completely genius!! You're always so busy during a child's party, you never get all the pictures you want!! Andrea had a great rapport with the kids and seemed to know exactly which shots to make sure to get without being intrusive. She's didn't ask for a review, either, but I was so impressed with her work that I wanted to share. Andrea Gunter Photography offers portrait sessions, mini sessions, birth announcements, maternity shots, family and more. Check her out on Facebook. I love the very clean look to her pictures.

These two are naturally gorgeous, but the pictures are awesome, too!

Look at my cake. I've never had a cake look as good as when Andrea photographs it :)

So there you have it, the vendors from my daughter's best friend's birthday party. One I'd pass on next time, and one who was fantastic! Who've you used that made your child's party even more fantastic? Leave a comment below and share with the crowd! Have you ever hired a photographer for your party?

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Review: Cavalier Family Skating Center

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Published: 07/24/2012

We had the opportunity to head to Stafford to the Cavalier Family Skating Center last week with friends. Leaving from Lake Ridge, it took us about 30 minutes to get to the Cavalier, which is located at 1920 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Stafford, Virginia. (Hey person who asked me to include addresses, I'm talking to you!)

Coming from 95 north, the location is on your left side of Route 1. It looks like a house with a Pizza sign, but turn in anyway, the skating center is actually BEHIND the pizza place. Generally speaking, admission is $6, skate rental is $2, Roller Blade rental is $3, and "PlayZone" admission is $3. They do take credit cards. Admission includes a slice of pizza and a small fountain drink. You can check for daily specials on their website.

Are you ready for the worst iPhone pictures I've ever posted? Are you sure? I warned you!

So, obviously it's dark inside :) There are lots of lights going and you even get a little black-light style glow to any white clothes that you're wearing. The floor is flat and surrounded by carpet, which is actually a nice way to start your new skaters out. My ice skating boys opted for roller blades and did just fine with them, but my little figure skater had to resign herself to 4-wheeled skates because the roller blades don't start until size 13. Right next to the skate rental area is the play zone. You can almost see it in the junky iPhone picture above. It's an extra $3 to use, and I refused to pay for it, but my kids didn't seem to mind or even ask about it until it was time to go and they'd taken their skates off. There are also numerous arcade style games around that require tokens, which you need cash to get, so if you've got a gamer, plan on at least a little cash so you can get your tokens.

Oh, look! A decent picture from the Cavalier website.

At the opposite end of the rink there's a linoleum area with the cafe, more games, some seats, and a party area. Word to the wise, the linoleum is SLIPPERY, especially for new skaters. That first step from the carpet or wooden skate floor to the linoleum is a doosey!

It's definitely a great temperature inside, and as you can see, we had the place basically to ourselves, with the exception of the disco ball, although a summer camp group did come near the end of our time. Admission the day we went was from 10am-6pm, but we stayed from 12-3. The music is kind of fun- I heard a few blasts from the 90s past and enjoyed it immensely :)

As far as cons, I've got to be honest, this place has seen better days. You can't really see this picture well, but it's an image of where the carpeted benches meet the carpeted floor. That white looking line is about 1/4 inch of chunky dirt that runs around the entire perimeter. The day we went the water fountain was missing 2 of its 3 "push here" covers, so there were just holes in the fountain where they should have been, and there was a bench top missing from one of the tables in the cafe area, so there was just bare metal left. The floor to skate on was definitely clean and smooth, and the kids had a really great time skating, but if I kept my Dyson in the back of my car, I would have busted it out for awhile.

In addition to school groups and camps, the roller skating rink also offers birthday parties, which are currently priced from $129-$199 for 9 guests plus the birthday child.

Cavalier Family Skating Center
Pros: Admission fee is good for the entire day, lots of special event skates. Indoor option that keeps the kids moving, all 3 of my children (4, 6 and 8 years old) had a good time. The weekday we went it was basically empty.

Cons: Extra cost for play area, facility needs serious cleaning.

Recommended for: A day inside, but be sure to bring some hand sanitizer when you're done.

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Meet Hallabolou

Published: 07/18/2012

Hallabolou is a full service Children’s Enrichment and Event Company. I first met their owner, Vanessa, at the Chick-Fil-A Fire and Rescue Fest. I instantly decided that I needed to know the woman with the purple apron and approximately 75 pounds of Legos. Bright, enthusiastic, and passionate about engaging and enriching children's lives, Vanessa instantly won me over on Hallabolou (a secret message saying hello to her children) and her work there. Read more about them below, and be sure to check them out on Facebook and their Website, too! They offer classes, after school enrichment, camps, and more!

From the owner:

Our enrichment programs and camps are dedicated to creating an atmosphere that fosters each child’s feeling of autonomy and positive self-image. From a young age, children are fascinated with the world around them. Hallabolou uses this fascination to teach life skills and assist children in understanding and expressing their emotions through a creative technique known as the Five Points of Discovery. These points are Imagination, Determination, Commitment, Self-Confidence and Cooperation. Through our offerings of bRiK Programs or Learning Levels we teach STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. We enrich their experiences by also providing a Dance and Movement program, Educational Cooking for Kids, Theater and Art.

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Review: Azuria Events

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Published: 02/13/2012

Have you ever made the joke about the queen coming to tea? Well, for my daughter's 4th birthday, we actually had the Princess! (Didn't know a kid-friendly princess lived within commuting distance of Prince William County, did ya?)

Jennifer Faulconer, aka Princess Genevieve is the ultimate in a character study. When I first contacted her about doing my daughter's birthday party, she actually responded to me "Dear Queen Kristina". No joke. She does the Disney Princess giggle, comes dressed in a ball gown, and has an entire kingdom, complete with a map, a flag, and a crest.

One of my friends, a former servicewoman who shall remain nameless, couldn't handle the girly-ness of it all.

However, our girls...well, they were, to use Princess Genevieve's word, enchanted.

When I told my daughter that a princess was coming to her birthday party, she spent the entire week talking to anyone that would listen about the fact that "There is a REAL princess coming to my birthday!! A REAL PRINCESS!!". People in the grocery store, the post office line, and the library quiet room were all very understanding. Savannah (my daughter) was so excited that when Princess Genevieve actually knocked on the door and arrived, she rushed to the door with all of her friends and, and...

And she couldn't speak. Couldn't even quite look the lovely vision in blue in the eye. Actually, none of them could!

Princess Genevieve, however, took this all quite in stride, and floated in (she actually really did float! Pageant girls take note!) with her bag full of treasures from Azuria and proceeded to captivate an audience of 8 completely silent 3 and 4 year old girls (and one very talkative 5 year old brother) with her stories about unicorns, four leaf clovers, fairies, and mermaids. Mysteriously, the two older boys in the room disappeared to the basement to complete some Lego work ;)

By the time Genevieve finished telling her stories and inspecting the treasures that said brother brought down, it was time for some dancing and singing!

I would imagine that the Pied Piper couldn't possibly have gotten a more instantaneous reaction when asking children to rise. The girls all stood up and started slowly moving to "Happy Birthday Princess". Slowly, one by one, they got comfortable as Princess Genevieve twirled them around the room, and by the end of another song, they were all dancing in a circle to Genevieve's directions.

After that, Princess Genevieve helped with the singing of Happy Birthday and the cake cutting, and without missing a beat, placed herself on the floor among the happiest little girls I have ever seen in my life to talk with them while they enjoyed their refreshments. Kind, happy, and amazingly understanding of the preschool dialect of English that usually only mothers are fluent in, Princess Genevieve talked with the girls while they munched happily and asked her questions. She even encouraged them to say "please" and "thank you", which instantly won her brownie points with me!

When it was time to go, Princess Genevieve floated out the door with hugs and stories about the ball that she had to prepare for. It was lovely and etherial and magical.

And then the girls realized what just happened and went absolutely nuts talking to each other about what they'd just witnessed.

Savannah is now back to talking to anyone that will listen to her, or that is within ear-shot and HAS to listen to her about the fact that Princess Genevieve came to her birthday party. I'm not sure how long it will last, but I'm glad to know that I could give her such an amazing childhood memory. We get so few, when you think about it.

Princess Genevieve and her band of princesses are based out of Azuria, which, for commuting purposes is about the same distance as Warrenton. They will travel the region for a fee based on mileage. In addition to parties, Princess Genevieve is available for events and even Girl Scout badges! She will also do appearances for schools and libraries. With children my daughter's age, we opted to do a 45 minute appearance. I think that the optimal age for children to really get into the appearance would be 5-7, based on the 5 year old boy we had kicking around (who loved the story telling), and the 5 year old girl (who was the first one to stop being completely spell-bound and participate). However, I think that our 3's and 4's did fantastic and had such a memorable time, I would definitely have done this again the same way!

Thanks to Princess Genevieve for making our little princess' day completely enchanting!

Disclosure: PwcMoms paid full retail price for Princess Genevieve's services. No additional arrangements or discounts were provided in return for this post, and it represents the personal views of PwcMoms.com only.

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Open Skate at Prince William Ice Center

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Published: 01/16/2012

On Saturday night, I took the kids to the Prince William Ice Center to bide my time as a football widow. (I was pulling for Tebow, but rooting for the Patriots)

I was a little nervous when I pulled up and couldn't find a parking space- but there were still a lot of skaters hanging around after the morning's exhibition activities. There was also a hockey game going on when we arrived (PW Ice Center has 2 sheets of ice).

Princess was supposed to start skating lessons on Tuesday morning, but I forgot and we missed the first day, which I'm adding to my mother of the year application! When your child enrolls in lessons, they're put in the computer to have one free practice a week while they're in lessons. It used to be you got a coupon book, which probably would have worked better for me since I promptly forgot about the fact that she was in the computer when I went to pay. I've seen some BOGO coupons lurking around, I want to say there's one in the Leisure magazine the park authority puts out, but I'm not sure. If you can find them, take them! We had 5 people skating plus 2 skate rentals, which ended up being $41.

Skate sessions last 2 hours for open skate. We decided to arrive halfway through, which is when they clear the ice to Zamboni it, which takes about 10 minutes, so I guess the sessions are really an hour and 50 minutes :)

A note here. PLEASE ask someone for help if you don't know how to put on ice skates! I pulled a few people off the ice to re-tie their skates. I used to help teach kids' classes when I was a figure skater, and it really makes a HUGE difference if your skates are tied properly. If you can wiggle around, slide your foot out, or fit your hand in your skate after you've tied it, "Ur doin it rong". Let the boots help you support your ankles!! Luckily for you guys, YouTube is here to rescue us!

Ah, that's better!! While I'm at it DON'T WALK ON THE BLEACHERS WITH YOUR ICE SKATES ON!! THE BLADES WILL GO DULL AND THE NEXT PERSON WON'T BE ABLE TO SKATE!! If you need to sit down, there are benches in the lobby. Sorry, it's kind of a pet peeve of mine. Skate blades are like your good metal knives- so don't use them on metal!

The music was embarrassing my 8 year old. It was mostly 90s instrumentals and they started with the first verse being sung, and then it was just music. Of course, this meant I needed to sing! Sorry, kids, you can tell your therapist about it later!

It is rather crowded on a Saturday night (did I mention that? I'm writing this in 5 minute chunks!) so make sure your child learns how to get up before you put them on the ice. A quick way to do this is put their skates on and have them fall down and get up several times in the lobby. On the ice there is an area with 4 cones where all the girls who think they're the next Tara Lipinski (or whoever is the new "it" skater) go to show off their moves. Keep your child away from that area, because it's the place they're most likely to get trampled by someone going backwards.

In terms of what to bring, snowsuits are a good idea on toddler skaters. Otherwise, long pants, long shirts, and a jacket along with GLOVES!! for everyone, and if you're being safe, a helmet is a good idea, especially for new skaters.

There is a cafe that serves snack foods and drinks. Outside food and drinks are not allowed according to the signs on the front doors. Cash and credit cards are accepted both at the front desk to buy passes and skate rentals and in the food bar and pro shop, which does have gloves if you forget!!

We had a really great time skating, and will definitely be back for more fun!! Little kids (ages 2-5) will probably only make it an hour or so their first time. Older kids, or those that have skated before, will enjoy the entire session, and your younger ones can always take a snack break.

Disclosure: My children take hockey and skating lessons at the Prince William Ice Center. I was not, however, compensated in any way or asked to provide this review. All opinions are my own.

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You're Invited!

Published: 12/07/2011

Okay, so not really. But, if it was physically possible to fit all 950some of you into Edgemoor Art Studio, I totally would have. However, since I can't, I wanted to share a little of my son's birthday party.

I've worked with Ruth, the owner of Edgemoor, quite a bit since my first article on the studio. However, for full disclosure, I pay for my son's art lessons and paid for his birthday party, at the same price everyone else does. Which, FYI, is a ridiculously awesome price, but we'll get to that in a second.

Birthday parties at Edgemoor start with the theme of your child's choice. My son wanted a jungle theme, and he and Ruth spent about 10 minutes discussing what that meant. The day of the party I was asked to come 30 minutes early to put out my snacks (you can bring whatever you'd like) and make sure that I was "happy with the decorations".

Holy. Heck.

Why, yes, I do think that transforming your entire studio into a jungle will do quite nicely for making me and the kiddo happy. SERIOUSLY? (And, no, it's not just us. A few weeks ago the studio was covered in black and stars and planets and a few weeks before that there was a red carpet and manequins....these parties are all-out)

Eating area. With matching jungle-print plates and cups and jungle animals on the table. Y'all, I didn't do ANY of this, it was just magically there. I seriously showed up with mini pumpkin pies (my Turkey Day Baby does not like cupcakes) and party favors.

Please do not pay attention to the picture in front of my 3 year old :) We had a lovely lesson on finding the shapes in animals and each child was invited to make their own jungle image. My baby went with some very contemporary interpretations ;) the older kids made some amazing masterpieces. We were supposed to do a special keepsake photo project, too, but I am a horrible mother who's currently in a fight with a store that rhymes with Binkos DedHex. That's all I'm saying.

We also learned about mixing colors, double loading the brush, and more. The kids had a great time and on their way out, several of them said it was the coolest party, EVER. Aside from the snacks, the only other thing we brought was the "goodie bag", which we actually got these, but from Michael's on sale of the week, so they were $5 each. I consider that an awesome deal for goodie bags, you can spend major cash on all the junk that normally goes in them! Plus, these looked super cool :)

The best part? This kickin birthday party was $200. Seriously. Read it again, I'll wait.

Did that sink in?

We've had parties a lot of places. None of them have customized, decorated, or engaged with the kids the way that this one did. With goodie bags and food I spent a total of $310, and that easily could've been less if I wasn't lazy and bought everything pre-made.

We had a great time at our "Arty Party" and I think your child would, too!

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I LOVE (by Cupcake) You Guys

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Published: 10/24/2011

What is it with all these amazing women bakers in our area? I don't know but I love it! When you can combine your passion for a vocation with your passion for helping other people- well, that's a beautiful thing.

Enter our giveaway sponsor for this week, Love By Cupcake. As described by the owner:

Love by Cupcake was born in honor of my dear friend who at the age of 38

was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer called Triple

Negative Breast Cancer. Today my friend continues her vigilant and courageous fight and inspires

me to help others. A portion of the money from the purchase of my cupcakes helps

me in my fund raising efforts. I have been able to donate money to families and individuals who have

been affected by cancer.

Website http://www.lovebycupcake.com

Facebook fan page

Want to win a gift certificate from this compassionate baking company? Head over to their facebook and leave a note about how Breast Cancer has affected you- it is, after all, breast cancer awareness month. I'll pick a winner on Wednesday afternoon, so hop on over!!

(on a personal note, Love By Cupcake seems to use an amount of edible glitter rivaled only by me. That makes me love her very much! There's is nothing better than a cupcake....unless it's a sparkle cupcake!!)

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Let's Talk Gymboree Woodbridge

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Published: 06/06/2011

Our first introduction to Gymboree was in Massachusetts when our first baby was, well, still a baby. A very kind Auntie had given us a 2 month class and we really loved it! Getting out of our ~~freaking small~~ intimate apartment was difficult in the ~~ridiculous cold~~ New England winter. Especially for someone that still used "y'all" even if it was in conjunction with "wicked cool".

Yeah, I know, he's the cutest brunette little boy you've ever seen. You don't have to tell me, I already know. :)

When we moved to Woodbridge, my middle baby tried Gymboree art and it wasn't for him because OH MY GOSH I MIGHT GET DIRTY!!! But he really loved the music classes and thoroughly enjoyed shaking his moneymaker during the Spanish Songs section we did. I was a huge fan of the art classes and loved making adorable projects since he wouldn't touch them. I have to say I kicked serious butt at those 18-24 month old art projects. Classes vary in price and you can try one for FREE. I know that June is a tough time when you're waiting for older siblings to finish school, so I've actually listed all the Gymboree Woodbridge Classes on our June Calendar so that you can pick a free preview class for your little one!

We've also really loved Gymboree Woodbridge Birthday Parties. We did a joint one for our daughter's 2nd birthday with a little friend of hers and everyone had a great time.

All the kids got to run around and get out their energy and I didn't have to clean my house. I am all about not having to clean my house.

Our Gymboree Party Liason was fantastic and did a great job of engaging the kids. I think some of the older siblings might have been a little over a few of the games, but they were good sports and secretly (or not so secretly) still loved the bubbles and the parachute. Gymboree Parties are $250 plus a 15% tip for your party host/hostess. That includes 15 kids and all the adults you care to invite to act as baby paparazzi, 90 minutes of hosted party time, the custom theme of your choice, paper products, goody bags, and invitations (which they'll even fill out for you). You can also add a live appearance from Gymbo the Clown, a craft, extra kids, extra time, and pizza. You are able to order pizza through Gymboree Woodbridge, or you can bring any commercially prepared food and beverage you'd like. You can bring a homemade or commercial cake. Parties can be held at 1:30, 3:30, or 5:30pm Saturday or Sunday. To schedule a party, contact Gymboree Play & Music Woodbridge at 703-590-3320 or email the owner, Meshell.

Gymboree Woodbridge also offers Bubble Camp, which is brilliant. It's one day (always a Friday) for young children that can be hard to find camp for (ages 3-5 and potty independent). They're $35 per week and include great themes, all of which are up on our calendar! The best part is the $35 includes unlimited attendance at Open Gym time, which is a great way to burn energy, the Tuesday and Thursday of your camp week! Open Gym is from 1pm-7:30pm.

This giveaway is closed, but you can still join Gymboree for fun!!

The very fabulous people at Gymboree Play and Music Woodbridge are offering some great promotions for our PWC Moms readers!! This June, new families can join for their first month of class for $49 and NO MEMBERSHIP FEE!! They're also offering one lucky PWC Mom a totally free Birthday Party! Plus, if you don't win- book your party by June 15th and mention PWC Moms and they'll give you a $50 discount. That way we're all winning!

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Lorton Workhouse Part II

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Published: 04/22/2011

Sharing a few more notes:

1) They do Birthday Parties!! Ages 4-12 can host a custom party theme, activities and art projects. Proceeds from the parties support the workhouse's outreach for young people. Contact Caren Hearne for details- 703-584-2900

2) They do classes!! Summer Session begins in June and includes the following(prices listed are for members, add $25 for non-members)
-Mixed MEdia Painting for Kids (4 weeks, $110)
-Art Exploration (Drawing, Painting, Mixed Media) for grades 1 and 2 (7 weeks, $110)
-Art Discovery (Drawing, Painting, Mixed Media) for grades 3 and up (7 weeks, $150)
-FUNdamentals of Fine Art for Children ages 8-14 (8 weeks, $135)
-Kindergarten Creations (6 weeks, $100)
-Papermaking for ages 7-12 (9 weeks, $150)
- Young People Crochet for ages Preteen/Teen (1 week, $50)
-Exploring Papermaking: Pulp Painted Postcards ages 7 and up (1 day, $45)
-Kimekomi Dolls, ages 12 and up (4 weeks $105)
-Doll Making for Busy Hands for ages 7-12 (9 weeks, $150)
-A Complete Puppetry Experience for ages 7-12 (9 weeks, $150)
And that's just art!! There are also classes in animation, "writeamation" film editing, short film, recording studio, piano, guitar, drum circle, ceramics, dance, yoga, and hula.

3) They do Summer Camp!
Camp options include Short Films, Visual Arts Explorers (1/2 or full day), Art Star Theatre Camp, Art Star Performance Workshop, and Half Day Music Camps in into to music, guitar, and piano.

Register at workhousearts.org or by calling 703-584-2900

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