Join us at the St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer

I was recently contacted and had a meeting with the Pittsburgh branch of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Although I was somewhat familiar with the amazing work of St. Jude, I did not know that they had an office here in Pittsburgh to make an impact in our region. I have friends who have both had to say goodbye to their young children or raise them with severe special needs, so this cause is very near to my heart. 

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats, and defeats childhood cancer. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood survival rate from 20 percent before opening in 1962 to more than 80 percent today. St. Jude freely shares its groundbreaking discoveries, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists can use that knowledge to save thousands more children globally, including here in Pittsburgh. As the hospital’s founder, Danny Thomas, once said, we won’t stop until we find a cure because “no child should die in the dawn of life”.

The Pittsburgh St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer will take place during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and will occur on the same day (Sept. 24) in 61 cities all across the country. The 5k family walk/run will bring together more than 1,000 members of our Pittsburgh community in celebrating the life-saving mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Participants will enjoy free St. Jude “swag” from our spirit tent so that they can visibly show their support and will also have the opportunity to enjoy light food and drink at our hospitality tent. Notably, participants will be able to hear from a patient family during the program, which is set to begin at 9am.

Kids Zone will prove to be a highlight of the event, with featured tents including games with “Let’s Move Pittsburgh”, art with “Pinot’s Pallette”, cartoons with the “National Cartoonist Association”, tips and activities about healthy eating with “Pittsburgh Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics”. You must stop by our Pgh Momtourage tent and say "HI" as well! 

So here's the cool thing - you can walk with us on the Pgh Momtourage team! To join us in this effort, sign up with Team “Pgh Momtourage” by visiting the event website here www.fundraising.stjude.org/pittsburghwalkrun and clicking “register” and “join a team”. Registration is only $10 and FREE for kids five and under. Click here to be taken directly to the Pgh Momtourage page. 

WALK/RUN DETAILS

September 24

Herrs Island (Washington's Landing)

600 Waterfont Drive, Pittsburgh, PA

REGISTRATION: 7:30AM

RUN/WALK START: 9:30AM 

Maybe you can't walk with us, but would still like to help us in the fight against childhood cancer. Please consider going here to make a donation to help us reach our fundraising goal. Every donation helps!

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We hope to see you there as we join the fight to end childhood cancer!

This post sponsored by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. All opinions remain my own. 

Burgh Baby Diaper Drive

It is very difficult to see when the smallest and most innocent among our society do not have the basic necessities to keep them healthy and safe. If you follow my blog, then there is a good chance you are a parent and have experienced first hand the financial challenges that can come with children. One of the biggest expenses for babies and young children is diapers. The cost of a child in diapers is around $100/month and the reality is that there are many, many families who simply cannot always afford the amount of diapers they need for their child. This February, the Burgh Baby Diaper Drive has been created to ensure that we do everything we can to help little ones here in Pittsburgh! 

Did you know we have a Diaper Bank here in Pittsburgh? Read more about its conception and how it works here. 

Currently, one in three Pittsburgh mothers struggle to provide their babies with a basic necessity—diapers. Each day, these moms must choose between diapers, which cost up to $100 per month per baby, or other essentials, such as food. This is called diaper need, and there is little help or government assistance for it. Therefore, many mothers are forced to keep their children in soiled diapers, exposing them to health risks or preventing them from attending daycare. This is a huge concern in Pittsburgh, which has the nation's sixth highest poverty rate for African-American children.

My friend and fellow blogger, Heather Hopson, is working in partnership with the Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank (WPDB) and the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank who will be able to get these diapers to the families who need them the most. The WPDB partners with non-profit organizations and supplies them with free diapers to distribute to low-income or poverty level families.

The goal is to bring in 50,000 diapers in this drive which will help a lot of little ones! 

If you are Interested in helping in this drive, you can drop off packages or boxes of diapers of any size at several local churches, including the Smithfield United Church of Christ in Downtown Pittsburgh, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Wilkinsburg and Shiloh Community Missionary Baptist Church in Homewood. A full listing of donation sites is available here with more locations being added! Larger sizes (3, 4, 5) are most needed. Pull-ups are also being accepted. You can also make easy, online donations that are tax-deductible here.

Please consider adding an extra box of diapers to your cart next time you are shopping and help us ensure that  families can have the resources they need to keep their little ones healthy and safe!

The Burgh Baby Diaper Drive is accepting donations through February 28.

#‎BurghBaby‬

Getty images used by permission with DiaryofaFirstTimeMom.com.

Join the Momtourage at the Pineapple Classic!

If you're like me, running for long distances for the fun of it aren't my favorite. So when I do races, I've loved finding ones that add some extra fun in such as Color Me Rad or Foamfest. This year I was excited when the organizers of the Pineapple Classic 5k contacted me about their event. It definitely sounds like our family's fun race for this summer! 

Pineapple Classic 5k Obstacle Race

& Children's Obstacle Course

 
I have one more code for 50% off registration if you would like to join our team of 4! We've already established that we are not the world's fastest runners :), so don't feel like you have to be super-athlete to join us! Email me at pghmoms@live.com if you would like to receive the code (first come, first served.)

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Saturday, September 20th, 2014

Hartwood Acres | 9:00 am

The Pineapple Classic 5k obstacle course race is a fun and challenging Hawaiian-themed event. Participants will be crawling, climbing, bouncing and bending to raise funds for blood cancer research and patient services. Each team is responsible for carrying one pineapple through the course without letting it touch the ground. Upon crossing the finish line, participants and sponsors are invited to enjoy a luau complete with Hawaiian food, drinks and steel drums!

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And I love that there is a children's event as well! Kids ages 2 - 11 years old can join the fun at the Children's Obstacle Course! For a $10 donation, each child will receive a wrist band; which will allow him/her to go through the course as many times as desired and eat at the luau. Children will NOT be assigned start times; all children will go through the course on a first come, first serve basis. 

The Children's Obstacle Course will be less than one mile long. The obstacles include: climbing through tires, jumping hurdles, sliding down a slide, crawling through a tunnel, etc. Just like the 5k race, each participant will have to carry a pineapple! (This time its a tissue pineapple) After completing the course, each child is permitted to select ONE of the available giveaway items.  Go here to register your kids!

There will also be an inflatable bounce unit (separate from the obstacle course) for all kids. 

THE CAUSE:
Each team that registers online will receive a Team Fund-raising page that can be customized and emailed to friends, family, co-workers, etc. In addition, each participant that registers online will also receive a personal fund-raising page that can be customized and emailed to request online donations toward your fund-raising goal. You do NOT have to fund raise in order to participate. 

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. Founded in 1949, we are relentless in pursuit of our mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. As a non-profit, we rely on the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations. Major annual fundraising campaigns include Team In Training, Light The Night Walk, School & Youth Programs and Man & Woman of the Year Campaigns. Special events such as the Pineapple Classic 5k are newer events that are gaining momentum around the country to support our mission. 

 

Top 5 / August 4 - 9

We love that Pittsburgh is full of family-friendly events on our summer weekends! But sometimes parents work on the weekends, or we are scheduled with other commitments and of course, stay at home parents are always looking for ideas throughout the week. So each week I am highlighting 5 awesome Pittsburgh family venues. Many of these are open every day and planning a visit is very flexible. Hope it's helpful!

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• Monday, August 4th, is FREE admission day at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens! These days can be busy, but it's also a great way to check out local venues and see if they are worth it to go back. Enjoy the Summer Flower Show, Butterfly Forest and Tropical Forest Conservatory. The Summer Flower Show takes you on a grand journey as small-scale trains wind through summer flowers in the glasshouse and the Garden Railroad takes center stage. It features a variety of imaginative railroad displays enhanced by flowers, plants and interactive features. 
• The Citiparks Roving Art Cart features great art projects from around the world. Sadly, this is the last week for this summer for the Roving Art Cart!  Have fun making Amazon rain sticks, Chinese dragons, colorful masks and much more. These are all FREE as well! Find the Art Cark this week 10am - 1pm here:

August 5th / Swisshelm Playground – Swisshelm Park

August 6th / Banksville Park – Banksville

August 7th / Davis Park – Hobart Street – Squirrel Hill

August 8th / Riverview Park – Observatory Entrance.

• Join the Pgh Momtourage on Wednesday at Wiltshire Park! Park amenities include a seal that sprays water, a sand box, playground & swings. There is also a small creek that runs through the park. Only downside is there are no restrooms, so you may want to bring a portable potty if you have a child that might need one. :)  Bring your lunch and a picnic blanket, sand toys, towel, & lots of water for a warm August! Wiltshire Park, Upper St Clair, PA 15241. RSVP here.
• Beat the heat and head to Fun Fore All.  Ballocity is FREE all day on Thursday and is three stories of fun for the whole family! Each level has something different that adds up to over 30 interactive things to enjoy. Air cannons shoot foam balls, “Ballcano” - blasts foam balls high into the air and a four story slide! It’s big enough for adults to get in on the fun also and there is also a separate toddler area for the little ones. (The air cannons can be loud!)
• Bloomfield Saturday Market - this is an extra special week to check this out because of the Snack Drive to benefit Jeremiah's Place! Read full details of how you can be a part of the snack drive here. But besides the fun of the Farmers Market, there will also be great kids activities including free face painting, the Volunteer Princesses, live music, and lots more! Saturday, August 9, 9am - 1pm. 5050 Liberty Avenue, 15224, (between S. Winebiddle and Gross Streets).

Pineapple Classic 5k / Moms in Training

If you're like me, running for long distances for the fun of it aren't my favorite. So when I do races, I've loved finding ones that add some extra fun in such as Color Me Rad or Foamfest. This year I was excited when the organizers of the Pineapple Classic 5k contacted me about their event. It definitely sounds like our family's fun race for this summer! 

Pineapple Classic 5k Obstacle Race

& Children's Obstacle Course

 

---

Saturday, September 20th, 2014

Hartwood Acres | 9:00 am

The Pineapple Classic 5k obstacle course race is a fun and challenging Hawaiian-themed event. Participants will be crawling, climbing, bouncing and bending to raise funds for blood cancer research and patient services. Each team is responsible for carrying one pineapple through the course without letting it touch the ground. Upon crossing the finish line, participants and sponsors are invited to enjoy a luau complete with Hawaiian food, drinks and steel drums!

*

And I love that there is a children's event as well! Kids ages 2 - 11 years old can join the fun at the Children's Obstacle Course! For a $10 donation, each child will receive a wrist band; which will allow him/her to go through the course as many times as desired and eat at the luau. Children will NOT be assigned start times; all children will go through the course on a first come, first serve basis. 

The Children's Obstacle Course will be less than one mile long. The obstacles include: climbing through tires, jumping hurdles, sliding down a slide, crawling through a tunnel, etc. Just like the 5k race, each participant will have to carry a pineapple! (This time its a tissue pineapple) After completing the course, each child is permitted to select ONE of the available giveaway items.  Go here to register your kids!

There will also be an inflatable bounce unit (separate from the obstacle course) for all kids. 

THE CAUSE:
Each team that registers online will receive a Team Fund-raising page that can be customized and emailed to friends, family, co-workers, etc. In addition, each participant that registers online will also receive a personal fund-raising page that can be customized and emailed to request online donations toward your fund-raising goal. You do NOT have to fund raise in order to participate. 

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. Founded in 1949, we are relentless in pursuit of our mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. As a non-profit, we rely on the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations. Major annual fundraising campaigns include Team In Training, Light The Night Walk, School & Youth Programs and Man & Woman of the Year Campaigns. Special events such as the Pineapple Classic 5k are newer events that are gaining momentum around the country to support our mission. 

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BUT WAIT, MOMS, THERE'S MORE......................

Do you do better when you have a team encouraging you on to train, and run, and stay fit? Enter Moms In Training. By signing up for Moms in Training you get:

• Training Schedule (run with the other Moms in Training on Saturdays, with a fun and manageable plan)
• Coaching (from a certified and encouraging coach)
• Workshops on topics like nutrition and stretching
• Socializing (Moms have to have fun, too!)
• Team Environment (training is easier with a friend!)

The Moms in Training team also knows it’s not easy to work out with kids. If your child can remain in the stroller, they’re welcome to join you. If your kids are older and can run along with you, they can come along.And dads? You’re welcome, too.

The Moms in Training will be participating in the Pineapple Classic 5k!

DO YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE?

On Saturday June 7^th, there will be an info session at Pittsburgh Poison All Stars (1 Herron Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202) from 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM for interested moms to learn more about the program. There is also more information their website and Facebook page.

 

They ask you to commit to try to raise $500 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Western PA and West Virginia by the day of your event. The Moms In Training staff will be there every step of the way with lots of fundraising ideas and ways for your family and friends to get involved. 

Please go here to register for Moms in Training!

 

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

This post sponsored by The Motherhood, in cooperation with United Way of Allegheny County & partnership with The Fred Rogers Company and WQED.

Are you a good neighbor?

Do you have good neighbors?

Our family loves to take neighborhood walks and it is rare to find people hanging out on their front porches anymore - I miss that! But for many families evenings now mean sports or music practice, homework, the draw of TV and a million other things....everyone is really, really busy. Taking time to shovel a neighbor's driveway, or rake an elderly neighbor's yard, sending over a loaf of fresh bread, dropping off a crockpot of soup when a neighbor is sick, or just simply stopping to chat helps build great neighbors & neighborhoods.
We all know the BEST neighbor of all, and that was Pittsburgh's beloved Mr. Rogers. And in honor of his March birthday, some very special FREE events are happening that you don't want to miss!

On March 22, 2014, four YMCA locations across the Pittsburgh area will host a variety of fun, free, family-friendly activities to give children the opportunity to practice being neighborly. Daniel Tiger of the PBS series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood will make his first Pittsburgh appearance as part of the event!

“’Be My Neighbor Day’ builds on the indomitable legacy of Fred Rogers, who for more than 40 years taught kindness, generosity and respect to thousands of children and families,” said William Isler, president, The Fred Rogers Company. “Like our new series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, this event embodies the values Fred stood for and carries his timeless message to a new generation of children.”

Inspired by an episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, “Be My Neighbor Day” encourages neighbors to come together to help one another. Families will learn about acts of kindness, work together on craft projects to benefit their local communities, participate in YMCA Healthy Kids activities, and have the opportunity to meet Daniel Tiger.  

Additionally, in honor of Rogers’ favorite attire, families are encouraged to bring a new or gently worn sweater to the event. Sweater donations will be distributed to needy families throughout the region.

March 22, 2014 (times vary by location)

Visit www.bemyneighborday.org for more information and to register at one of four locations: Baierl Family YMCA (Sewickley), Western Area YMCA (Coraopolis), Penn Hills YMCA, or Thelma Lovett YMCA (Centre Avenue).  There is no cost to attend.

Tips for Being Neighborly

To help encourage neighborliness with your little ones at home, here are some tips inspired by the “Neighbor Day” episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood that will help show your children that doing something nice for their neighbors can be a rewarding experience that makes them feel good about themselves!  

• Volunteer!:  Check out your local food bank, library or neighborhood park for opportunities for your family to contribute, whether it is going through your house with your preschooler and donating extra canned goods or old books  or helping plant brand-new trees!
• Play outside and meet new people!:  Bring your young children for a fun visit at the neighborhood playground, so they can make new friends and interact with old friends, too!
• Ask to help!:  When your family sees someone who might need a hand, offer it!  Work together with an elderly neighbor who needs extra assistance in their yard or even have your preschooler help take care of a friend’s pet while they’re away on an end-of-summer trip.  You can also just talk with your child about times when you helped someone in need.
• Smile and say, hello!:  Sometimes the littlest things makes the biggest difference!  When you are walking through your own neighborhood with your kids, greet passing neighbors with a friendly smile and a “hello” – you might just brighten someone’s day!
• Make Coupons for Giving: Help your child create homemade paper coupons for kind and helpful acts, like “a hug,” “help with household chores” or “reading a book to a younger sibling.”

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Don't forget that Thursday, March 20th is Mister Rogers Day and includes
FREE admission at The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh! Enjoy a visit from everyone's favorite speedy delivery man, Mr. McFeely at 11:00 am.

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 #BeMyNeighborDay

Shrine Circus Giveaway

The Shrine Circus returns to CONSOL Energy Center 

April 4-6

 Celebrating its 65^th anniversary!  

Tickets on sale now!

 This year’s Circus will be a fun-filled extravaganza featuring the following:

The Human Fuse – he sets himself on fire and is shot out of a giant crossbow!! (As seen on The Late Show with David Letterman) There will be a comedy trampoline act; daredevils will ride motorcycles, bears will ride motorcycles, and a six-man troupe on BMX bikes. This year’s circus performers also will include elephants, tigers, bears – and – house cats. And “Hump day” will have a new meaning, when a painted camel act performs for the first time. Long-time favorite, Grandma the Clown returns. 

Special guest:  THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN

Affordable family fun! Opening Night – all tickets $15 (excluding VIP).

·         Giant Eagle Family Fun Pack – 4 tickets for $68 includes $20 of concession value – good for all shows!

Purchase tickets at the Box Office or at Ticketmaster.com. 

 Shriner’s are the largest philanthropic fraternal organization in the United States.  Pittsburgh has more Shriner’s than any city in North America.  The Shrine Circus is the largest fundraising event for the Shriner’s of Pittsburgh, which helps them support the 22 Shriner’s Hospitals for Children across North America.  The Shriner’s Hospitals for Children offers free care for children, and are considered the premier sites for orthopedic care and treatment for burns, and recently began specialized care for cleft palate repair.  The Shriner's Hospitals for Children have treated over 850,000 patients, and have a daily operating cost of over $2.3 million dollars every day! 

GIVEAWAY:

FIVE lucky winners will each win a family 4-packs of tickets! 
(Winners will pick up their tickets at will-call.)
 Go here to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest open for entries through Wednesday, March 26, 2014, at midnight. Winners have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Visit the "Education Tree" at the Mall at Robinson!

Will you be stopping by the Mall at Robinson this holiday season? Then consider stopping by the Education Tree!

 Helping local children in need for the holidays just got much easier. This holiday season, The Education Partnership and The Mall at Robinson are teaming up to provide children with the gift of school supplies. The mall is hosting an Education Tree, a display provided by The Education Partnership to encourage community donations, through Christmas. To participate, shoppers can visit the display in the Grand Court (next to Starbucks and JCPenney), or visit online at EducationTree.org.

A simple $15 donation will provide children with necessary school supplies – and all who donate at the tree in the mall will receive an acknowledgement card and a handmade ornament, making it a meaningful gift to cross off any shopper’s wishlist. Beyond providing supplies, the donations are helping local students achieve success in the classroom – and providing them with the confidence to do so. 

“For many of the children that we help throughout the year, school supplies may be the only gifts they receive during the holidays,” said Justin Brown, Executive Director, The Education Partnership. “We’re seeing that our community is inspired by this need, and we’re hoping that our Education Tree, which is located at a central location in the Mall, will motivate holiday shoppers to give back to these deserving children.”

More than 30,000 students in southwest Pa attend schools that are eligible to receive services from  The Education Partnership. To reach these numbers, a $15 donation provides a local student with a holiday kit – which can include crayons, notebooks, toothbrushes, pens and other essentials including hygiene items. Beyond that, a $25 donation will support a local student for an entire school year. 

“The presence of the Education Tree calls upon each of us to consider what life might be like for a child who faces a school day without the things they need to be successful,” said Shema Krinsky, Director of Marketing, The Mall at Robinson. “While we’re holiday shopping, we are all reminded that we have an opportunity to support local families who need our help.”  

Please consider supporting this with your donation this holiday season!

Little Cup of Hope: ticket giveaway!

Event: Little Cup of Hope

 

Where: Pine Community Center in Wexford

 

When: December 15th 2-4 pm

The holidays are about so much that touch our hearts & bring us joy… love, warmth & wonder. Flashes of Hope is hosting an event for children so they are able to start learning about giving back during the holidays... and have fun in the process! Little Cup of Hope will be an afternoon of Christmas cheer for children & their parents. Children attending are invited to wear their pajamas & slippers, make holiday crafts, and settle in for a cup of hot cocoa & treats, then it’s story time with a surprise reader & a visit with Santa. Each child will be asked to bring a new pair of slippers. The slippers will be brought to The Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh & given to the children who will be staying in the hospital during the holidays.

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 Tickets are $15 or $50 for a family of 4 or more. Go here to purchase tickets.

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Little Cup of Hope will benefit the Pittsburgh chapter of Flashes of Hope and Children's Hospital. Flashes of Hope is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to creating powerful, uplifting portraits of children fighting cancer and raising money for childhood cancer research. The Pittsburgh chapter was founded in 2008 and we've been creating memories at Children's Hospital since then.

 

GIVEAWAY:

We have TWO family 4-packs of tickets to giveaway to this wonderful charity event!

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Go here to enter.

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Contest open for entries until Monday, December 9th, 2013, 8pm. Winners chosen at random. Winners will be emailed PDF tickets.

Easy fundraising with Mabel's Labels

Award-winning Mabel's Labels is the leading provider of personalized labels for kids and adults. Our custom labels include sticky labels for clothing, personalized stickers for tweens, school labels, name labels, iron-on clothing labels/name tags, book plates, label stickers/adhesive labels for the home, and children's labels for look-alike items sent to school, daycare or camp.

Many parents dread the thought of the next fundraiser around the corner...whether it's selling candy bars, wrapping paper, or raffle tickets! Well, how about a fundraiser that requires less work on your part, but involves great products that can be beneficial to every family?! Enter Mabel's Labels.

With the back to school season just around the corner, help start a Mabel's Labels fundraiser for your child's school or daycare! Once the fundraiser has been set up you can shop through a specially created website link and your group gets a percentage of all sales. No more hauling boxes and filling forms because Mabel's Labels handles all orders, payments and deliveries. Get started today!