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Rain or Shine it’s Carnival Time

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My children are not quite of an age where I can hand them a few bills and send them off for a few hours. Thankfully most of us are eased into parenthood so these changes are gradual. I am always so grateful to find places for them to gain some independence but still be able to find me if necessary. I have never attended the Lake Placid Elementary School annual spring carnival and silent auction, but it seems the perfect place for the whole family to spread their wings, games for all and a silent auction for me. A long-standing tradition, the carnival is a fundraiser for FRIENDS (an acronym for Friends Really Interested in the Educational Needs and Development of Students), which raises money to provide funds for field trips, supplies and other student needs. Taking place this Saturday, June 7, from 10:00am-2:00pm, the carnival will host a mixture of games, activities and events. There is no fee to get in but some events range in price from .25-$2.50. Just a few activities to look forwa

A Wild Mother’s Day

I do not know what is in store for me for Mother’s Day. That is the point, I guess. To let the wee ones hatch elaborate plans that involve waking me at 4:00 a.m. with tea and toast. They have hatched some sort of plan, the two of them and have been hiding things from me. At first I thought it was more sticky candy wrappers I occasionally find under the couch or perhaps an accidental spill cleaned up with my best tea towels. After a small slip of the tongue I have been led to believe that it may be something a little bit more. My son is itching to tell me what he has planned. When he comes to hug me he always mentions how he loves giving surprises as much as getting them. Then he follows with a few hints. It is not alive. (Whew! I am a bit alarmed when presented with the gift of life in the manner of snakes or ant farms.) I can’t eat it; which may be a mixed blessing. I can’t wear it; so I am assuming that I am going somewhere. For anyone wishing for ideas the Wild Center in Tupper Lak

Burlington VT's ECHO Museum

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We have ventured from the woods and across the pond. We are compelled to see the exhibit, “Attack of the Bloodsuckers!” at the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center located in Burlington, VT. I am not known for a fondness for anything of the horror genre so I usually abstain from anything that will cause two small children to crawl into bed with me at night. But I’m willing to go anywhere to learn more about my nemesis, the black fly. We have not gone to ECHO (a place to view the Ecology, Culture, History and Opportunities of the Lake Champlain Basin) before and enter the buildings to the sound of running water. The children rush up the stairs while my husband and I consult the brochure. I grab a Discovery Trail (flyer with scavenger hunt) but find it unnecessary. There is plenty else to do. We find our children at the tide pool petting starfish and anemones. We turn the corner and attempt to excavate some Beluga Wale bones. I do an on camera weather report while my son ventures i

Elvis has left the building

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There is something about a parade that can take away the winter blues. Perhaps it is the eagerness of those that participate. Perhaps it is the friendly competition of costumes and floats that make one anxiously look around the corner to see who is coming next. Each group taking part in the parade is no more or less important than the next. Each process is different. For Petrova Middle School it has been a powerhouse of participation. With over ten dedicated teachers and 40-80 students, their contribution to the 50’s celebration will be fabulous. The art room at the middle school is filled with parade goodies. Cardboard cutout electric guitars rest against the wall and oversized record albums highlight hits from the 1950s. A giant jukebox ties all the elements together. Students slowly filter in throwing names out with familiarity built around weeks of work. A few students grab Lucy while others wrestle with Howdy Doody. The room is tight and gets smaller still as Marilyn and Elvis jo

Easy Tupper Lake/Saranac Lake Hikes: Where the Raquette River meets Stony Creek

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Raquette River - Stoney Creek loop Distance = 1 mile loop Elevation - n/a Vertical ascent - n/a Snowshoe = yes Cross-country ski = yes The first words to end peace in the family are “Are we there yet?” Gone are the years when we can just tell the kids we are almost there. My son can pinpoint landmarks like he is channeling a GPS. If we end up turning around and detouring, my son lists the waypoints necessary to obtain the final destination and yes, he is usually correct, we are not almost there. We spend an inordinate amount of time going in circles; to school, pre-school, store, work, back to school, pre-school, store and work. You can either remember those times or you are still so in it that you don’t realize that you are going in circles. Sometimes going in circles is frustrating while other times it is a peaceful journey. My husband piles the kids into the car and asks me to escape my work for a moment. He wouldn’t tell me where we were going. He kept saying, “You’ll enjoy

The Magic of Snow

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For a good portion of the year this white winter water surrounds us all. I am not sure if anyone else ever feels the weight of responsibility each shovel full brings. Is it only me?  I am sometimes consumed by the need for extra hat and mittens tucked into the backpack. I am sometimes overwhelmed by the necessity to clear cars, paths and driveways. I am sometimes challenged by road conditions, road salt and road kill. This isn’t even a particular challenging winter and I am bogged down in the removal of snow rather than the enjoyment of it. Though I only need to look at my children’s cold redden cheeks to be reminded of uninhibited joy that comes with snow. My husband recently saw a former camper, a visitor from North Carolina. We were returning from seeing a movie and a light sugar dusting was floating down. The young man was just standing outside his door, quietly watching the snowfall. We joined him for a while, catching up on the past and peacefully avoiding the future. We

Diane Chase Author of Adirondack Family Time Guidebook Series

Contact: Diane Chase, adkfamily (@) gmail (dot) com  Some Options - Book signing and family craft activity based on the book - Trivia game based on the book - Seasonal activity slideshow and talk:      • WINTER - Preparing to go snowshoeing off the groomed                            trail       • SUMMER - swimming holes       • GAMES to play while on the trail.  If your store currently carries Adirondack Family Time ,  please let me know if you would like to schedule a book signing at your store.  If your organization would like to  hold a slideshow based on the book,  please let me know as well. I look forward to hearing from you!  (Sorry. I've had to write out the email because of spam!)  

ISKYNY Third (3rd) and Fourth (4th) Grader FREE Ski Areas

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ISKINY is once again offering its FREE Ski and Snowboard for Third (3rd) and Fourth (4th) graders Passport Program. Keep in mind you do not need to reside in New York State to participate in this program. Here is a link to the website application, download and send it in. Passports will be mailed to your 3rd or 4th grader by the end of November. Please check with ISKINY or the individual mountain  ski resort websites for specific blackout dates. Enjoy! *Keep in mind that each child is only free with a paying adult. (I know, the small print.)  2015-16 Participating Ski Areas / Resorts:

February 22, 2017 Harlem Globetrotter Trivia Contest Rules

ENTER TO WIN OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES Contest:  2017 Lake Placid NY  Harlem Globetrotter Trivia The Company: Adirondack Outdoor Expeditions, LLC  (AOE)  Address:   39 Prospect Street, Bloomingdale, NY 12913 Contest Area:  Open to anyone physically able to pick up the tickets from Will-Call at the Lake Placid NY Olympic Center Sponsor(s):  Adirondack Family Time Prize Provider(s):   The Harlem Globetrotters Age of Eligibility:   18 Contest Period:   February 16-19, 2017 Entries Due:   11:59PM EDT on February 19, 2017 Entry is limited to one entry per IP address. Drawing Date(s):   February 20, 2017 Number of Winners on Each Drawing Date:   One (1) Total Number of Winners:   One (1)  Prize(s) and Value(s):   One winner will receive four (4) pack tickets to "The Harlem Globetrotters" at the Lake Placid Olympic Center on February 22, 2017 at 7 pm Total approximate retail value of each prize is $408.00. Facebook Pa

Ice Skate Ornament Template

Ice Skate Ornament Template: Use wool felt and thread or use paper and a paperclip!  © Diane Chase is the author of the Adirondack Family Activities™ guidebook series, Adirondack Family Time™guidebooks have easy Adirondack family hikes, Adirondack swimming holes, Lake Placid Olympic activities, Adirondack trivia, Adirondack horseback rides, Adirondack snowshoe family trails and more. Look for the Adirondack family guidebook online or bookstores/museums/sporting good stores. Diane is currently working on the next Adirondack Family Activities™ guide.

Adirondack Family Time Guidebook: Tri-Lakes/High Peaks Region

Thank you for your purchase!  Have a great time exploring the Adirondack High Peaks area with this guide. Coming soon!  The next book in the series:  Adirondack Family Time:  The Adirondack Coast   from Plattsburgh to Ticonderoga