Adirondack Family Time™

Yuck, the UnHappy Meal! McDonald's is recalling 12 million Shrek drinking glasses because the design contains cadmium. Cadmium is extremely toxic and is used in producing batteries and other products. According to a New York Times piece, "Walt Riker, a McDonald’s spokesman , said that 12 million glasses were intended for distribution in the United States and that about 7.5 million had gotten into the hands of consumers. He said the company would refund the $2 purchase price to consumers and that the company would provide information on its Web site next Tuesday on how to return the glasses.

Though ideally my children’s summer vacation should be spent outside building forts, catching fish and living a childhood reminiscent of a Mark Twain story, I am all about the back-up plan. My children’s video game experience so far has been gained from friends and visiting family, I am not sure how far I can press those relationships to include 90 days of gaming. I know I would not want that even if it were offered. Healthy indoor activities can be limited. That end of school transition can be challenging when the school schedules are replaced with other events. Sometimes we find we need to have a routine to keep the peace in the family. As my children grow older I want to make sure those events are positive activities and not directionless hanging out. TFree summer bowling card for students Once again Romano’s Saranac Lanes is offering every student in Saranac Lake a free summer bowling game card. The offer started June 1 and runs through August 31. So for 90 days my children and yo

PRESS RELEASE: To give back to a community that has supported Pendragon Theatre for the past 30 years, Pendragon Theatre founders Bob Pettee and Susan Neal will donate 20 percent of the box office from the June 12th performance of Jungle Book performance to benefit Lift Mount Pisgah. Pettee states, “Pendragon Theatre wants to be able to do what we can to support a well-rounded child. Lift Mount Pisgah supports that philosophy through its continued efforts to provide a year-round outdoor recreational facility. At Pendragon, we nurture the arts through our theatre programming, performance tours and educational involvement. We hope people will come to the theatre on June 12th and show their support for Lift Mount Pisgah.” The script is an adaptation of the Kipling stories and contains all the favorite characters: Mowgli and the wolf pack, Baloo, Bagheera, Kaa, Shere Khan, the monkeys and more. Director Kent Streed has done extensive research on Indian culture, and music melding this wit

Take the kids on a beautiful family hike in the Adirondacks. Owl's Head (Keene NY) Trailhead to Summit: 0.6 Ascent: 460 ft Snowshoe - yes Owl's Head, located between Lake Placid and Keene, is a perfect hike for the entire family. It takes approximately 45 minutes round trip for an average hiker though we always plan for a bit more than an hour each way. The ascent is 460 ft., and very easy for even the smallest climber. The summit is semi-wooded, and has spectacular views of Cascade, Pitchoff and Giant Mountains. A Race to the top of Owl’s Head My husband asked for a new backpack for his birthday. Not a swanky designer, top-of-the-line camping pack but a comfortable pack that could carry our youngest in style up any number of hills. I sigh at how our lives have changed. Just a few years ago he would have had the Cadillac of camping gear. Now he pours over catalogs or bids on eBay for a Kelty child carrier. My husband’s birthday arrives and my son eagerly spil

Last day of $1.00 ice cream at Romano's Saranac Lanes' new Ice Cream Window. Romano's Soft Serve will be serving Crowley Soft Serve Ice Cream. They are offering vanilla, chocolate and twist cones and cups. In addition they have shakes, floats, sundaes, banana splits & Brooklyn Egg Creams. So add them to your summer stroll when walking around Saranac Lake.

Sometimes my children seem to forget that spring is a season. To them it seems more pit stop to summer than an event of its own. After a long winter, that seemed to want to continue with those late snowfalls, our house is a rush of summertime activity. My children want to discontinue jackets while one even attempts to boycott long pants. I am afraid to pack up the boots and coats because last time I stored the winter gear it snowed. I am just superstitious enough to believe that there is a connection. The 1st annual Daffest will be a wonderful way to really cement the idea that spring deserves celebrating on its own. Saranac Lake’s new community event will paint the town yellow in 2011. Pathways and parks will be a bloom of color. Over a million bulbs will be planted this fall out and around Saranac Lake. To find out how to help, please go to daffest.com. Bulbs are available for purchase at a variety of sponsorship and donor levels. After a long winter a million daffodils will be a wel

There is really nothing like a canoe trip to really bring out the strengths and weaknesses in a family. It requires balance; strength and teamwork some of which we are sometimes in short supply. As we transition from winter sports to summer fun our organization skills are put to the test. The children have outgrown their life jackets and the weather can’t decide whether to snow or rain. The bug spray has to be found along with my very attractive bug netting. Citronella wafts around us like a cloud sparking memories of spring. We have decided to take two cars and leave one at the end of our destination so we will only be going downstream. We are not equipped to go over the permanent rapids and decide a portage isn’t in the cards for this short outing. We start just north of the Village of Saranac Lake and spend a few moments going over the rules of the river. It may seem like common sense but my children always need to be reminded not to stand up in a canoe. The current is swift and