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Family Time Weekend Spotlight: 7/24/09

Here is a brief synopsis of family events happening around the Adirondack Park this weekend. Of course this wouldn't include taking a dip in a secret swimming hole or taking a fun walk in the woods. Those events are just assumed to be on the roster. Clinton County: July 24-26: Clinton County Fair: www. clintoncountyfair.com Essex: July 24: Rebecca Kelly Ballet (free) 6:00 p.m. Lake Placid, Mini-Performance at Mids Park Bandshell July 25: Champlain Quadricentennial and Fort Centennial Celebrations. Fort Ticonderoga Re-enactors,Suffragette, Music & More! July 25: 10:00 a.m. (Matinee seats all $12) The Wizard of Oz at the Pendragon Theatre July 25: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Strawberry Festival, Lake Placid Franklin: July 25, 7:00 p.m. free Shakespeare in the Park Tupper Lake July 25-27: (free) Chamber Music for Families at the Saranac Lake Free Library on the 25th at 10:30 - 11:15, Loon Lake Jewish Center on the 26th at 7:30 p.m. or Saranac Lake Laboratory on the 27th at 7:30 p.m. Ju

Adirondack Theatre: Would you like popcorn with your free movie?

There is something so powerful about the word free. In my humble opinion it needs to be used with more frequency. I don’t think we should reserve it for special occasions or use it with the solemn shake of the head, “in times like these.” We should be hearing it all the time. The word plays like a musical in my head, “Free!” I can sing it, dance it and if someone is giving something away I can stand in line for it. (My husband manages to stand on line but I can’t cater to that.) Well, for the second year in a row the Champlain Centre 8 Cinema in Plattsburgh is hosting its Family Film Festival and yes to add to the tongue twister it is free and fun. As much fun as walking through the movie turnstile without a ticket and choosing between two free films can be. My kids feel pretty powerful just waving to the attendant as they pass by and I have to say I do too. These second-run films are a mid-morning fiesta with kids pondering over such tough decisions as should they see the free G rate

No cook play dough

1 cup flour 1 cup hot tap water 2 tbsp. lemon juice ( You can use vinegar or some kind of acid. I just like the way the lemon smells) 1/2 cup salt 1 tbsp. oil Mix and knead together. I have the kids help measure and mix as well as mold whatever they want. Even my nine-year-old still likes to play with this. Tip: Roll in seeds in the winter and put outside for the birds. The artwork will eventually melt away in the weather (unless the dog eats it first) and the birds or squirrels will enjoy a wrestle with the seeds. Enjoy! Eat well. Live well. Love well.

Clinton County Fair - July 21-26

If your children like to go on the rides the Mega Pass is the best bargain for the weekends. If rides are not the agenda then it is worth just paying the gate fee and enjoying the vendor exhibits, clowns, magic shows and other sponsored events included with admission. Go to www.clintoncountyfair.com. See you at the fair! LAST DAY TO GET MEGA PASS IS JULY 20th: Good for any ONE day of the Fair. This covers the gate fee (usually $7/adults, children 11 and under free) and all rides . This does not cover the "games of chance." All tickets and passes are available at the Fair Office or by calling 518-561-7998 If you can not get a MEGA PASS, buy a wristband for unlimited rides. Wristbands are only available on Wednesday (all day), Thursday (7:00 p.m. - close) and Friday (all day). Schedule: July 21, Tuesday: (Press Republican Day: FREE newspaper for early birds) 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm Rides are FREE! A fter or before noon all rides will require a ticket (ouch!) That can get qui

Parenting Tips: Fear of the Automatic Flush Toilet

Laugh all you want until your child/niece/nephew or friend takes a leap off the toilet when the automatic flush goes off. The tears and clean-up that ensue can be easily handled by just placing your hand over the sensor until business is taken care of. Another tip, unless you have really long arms, pull off the paper first so you don't have to become a contortionist.

Adirondack Museum: Alice T Miner Museum

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Assistant to the Curator Stephanie Pfaff leads us on a whirlwind tour of the Miner family in Chazy. It is astounding how one family could shape a community. She touches on some of the basics like Heart’s Delight Farm as an experiment in modern farming, starting a K-12 school that became the 1st centralized school, building a hospital, church and the Alice T Miner Museum. The unusual part of the museum is that Alice Miner had the museum specifically built to replicate a house to highlight how people lived in the mid 1800s. Her directive was to showcase American history. This isn’t a renovated building altered to fit the museum’s vision but a specific example to allow visitors a glimpse into the Colonial Revival time period. We are shown the downstairs sitting and formal rooms. The children are asked to identify various articles from the collection and play three guesses. For the first item my son guesses a spoon warmer correctly. His recent fondness for soup has him rethinking our tab

Seagle Music Colony 2009 Schedule

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Since 1915, Seagle Music Colony has been training talented singers in opera and musical performances in Schroon Lake. Located on the web at www.seaglecolony.com.

Paddle on Osgood Pond

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My husband and I are alone. My daughter is worried as she goes off to a play date that we will be lonely. We are soon in the middle of a pond, completely alone. There are no young voices yelling to see a cobweb, bug, rock, or floating stick. There are never long moments of silence. The dynamic children bring to any activity can fill the air and allow one to see things differently. The enthusiasm for the simplest of things is refreshing. That said, they also have the ability to vacuum the positive energy right out of a given situation with life altering decisions like they no longer like bread while dramatically claiming starvation at the same time they wave a sandwich overhead. Another way is when is when they have to go to the bathroom only after being life-jacketed and paddling in the middle of a lake no matter how many times they are asked before to take care of business. It happens and we survive but during all that I am not always tuned into the hermit thrush’s call. I

Parenting Tips: School Projects and Clutter

Items needed: photo album, color printer, photo paper, digital camera In our household children and clutter go hand in hand. I do my best to keep ahead of the paperwork coming home but it can become overwhelming. On the same thought, children put a lot of work (and sometimes glitter) into their school projects. In the house it can create a mess and a build up of projects. I want to create an environment that acknowledges their creativity but also doesn't overrun the rest of us with egg cartons and shoe box dioramas. At the beginning of each school year I give my children an empty photo album just for school projects. We set a time limit that each project will be "on display" in our house. Our time limit is one week after the school presentation takes place. Of course if family is coming to visit then we will postpone so our children can demonstrate for the grandparents. We make a big deal when it is time to take the photos. Take as many angles as necessary and let the chi

Clearly not my servant

My son turned to me the other day, after I asked him to pick up his clothes, and informed me that he was not my servant. Clearly, this is true. Since sarcasm is not an appropriate response, I cock my head to the side and go over the course of an average day. He has to put his own clothes away after I wash, dry and fold them. He has to set the table while my husband and I alter between cooking and cleaning up the meal. He has to pick up the toys, books, and games he plays with. He has to make sure his lunch and snack (that I make) get into his backpack. He has to buckle his seatbelt while he is shuttled from baseball, birthday parties, play dates and other activities. He has to take off his own dirty clothes and put them in a laundry basket, not around a laundry basket. He has to make the bed that he sleeps in. He has to get himself dressed. He has to make sure his own toys are off the floor when I vacuum. Those are some of the things he has to do. There are additional tasks but that i

The circus is coming to town

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I realize not everyone is in the midst of school finals, half school days and science projects that I find myself finishing. Yes, that I am finishing, if the number of times I’ve reminded my son of the importance of penmanship and timeliness counts toward my partial credit. I repeat to my child that I did finish the 3rd grade and find no need to repeat the curriculum. We are dealing with last minute details and lessons (we hope) learned that waiting to the last minute is not an effective way to plan. We are not above taking away privileges or dangling the occasional carrot (or should I say circus) in front of my child’s head. I only hope he will remember that procrastination causes stress. This is a lesson I already know well. I do not need to keep reliving that as well as the awkwardness of 3rd grade. This Saturday the Saranac Lake Youth Center will be holding its first annual circus at Lake Colby beach from 11:00 a.m. – 4: 00 p.m. There will be a traditional midway where the variou

Make Your Own Face Paint*

1 tablespoon corn starch 1 ½ tsp. water 2 tsp. cold cream food coloring In a small container, mix the water and corn starch until it is smooth. Blend in the cold cream. Make sure there are no lumps so the when the color is added it will be consistent. Add a few drops of food coloring at a time until the color you wish to achieve is created. Basic colors: Blue = 4-5 drops, more for darker color Red = 7-8 drops Pink = 3-4 drops Yellow = 4-5 drops White = leave as is Orange = even amounts of red and yellow Green = even amounts of yellow and blue Purple = even amounts of red and blue *Please do not put anything on your face or anyone else's without doing an skin allergy test first. Apply a small amount on the skin and wait at least 5 minutes before applying to larger an more visible portions of the body. If any food coloring remains gently scrub the area with toothpaste. It should come right off and you will smell minty-fresh. To wash off use mild soap and warm water. The cold cream th

Make Your Own Beer Bread

3 cups flour 3 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup white sugar 1 can of beer (various flavors will alter the taste. The darker the beer, the stronger the taste.) DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350. Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.* Add beer and mix. The batter will be lumpy and sticky. Pour into a 9 x 5 inch greased loaf pan. Bake for 50 for 60 minutes. *For a quick hostess/housewarming gift put all the dry ingredients in a glass jar, close the lid tight, print out the directions and attach with a ribbon. Alterations: Try using a carbonated beverage like a sparkling juice or seltzer