MaltaMama - Family Fun Things to Do | Malta, NY, Saratoga County

February just about flew by, for me at least!  I hope you enjoyed the weekend with some outdoor activities.  We went to Mt. Snow and had a blast tubing (Robby and I) and skiing for Jude.  Angie just came along for the ride but was a happy spectator. 
Any Dr. Seuss fans out there?  If so, Wednesday at the Children's Museum at Saratoga is a Seussian Celebration.  It starts at 2pm and is free with museum admission.  As part of National Read Across America Day and Dr. Seuss's birthday, special guests Thing 1 and Thing 2 will lead us in crafts and stories to celebrate the wacky world of Dr. Seuss.  I don't know about your kids, but I know mine would be pretty psyched to see Thing 1 and Thing 2! 

There are two more Monday's left for the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library's PJ Storytime series.  It starts at 6:30pm so definitely doable for working mama's.  Local performer and educator Diane Payette leads this story time and PJ's are welcome (kids only!)  It's appropriate for kids ages 2-6 and is a free drop-in program. 
The library has a nice children's area so come early or state late to extend your stay. 

Have a great weekend everyone! 

There isn't too much going on this weekend for families, so my recommendation is to explore the community!  Even though I've lived in this area nearly my whole life, I'm still discovering new things all the time.  This past weekend we tried Wheats & Sweets bakery in Ballston Spa.  What a spot!  I had no idea how cute the place was inside with a nice sitting area to enjoy your treats.  My gosh the baked goods were delicious too.  We got a cinnamon roll, chocolate chip cookie, and a french baguette to take home.  All were fresh and yummy. 
Another Saturday stop, the Saratoga (indoor) Farmer's Market.  It goes from 9am-1pm at the Division Street Elementary School, 220 Division Street. 
Sledding, snowshoeing, ice skating, shopping, whatever!  Or check out the Home and Garden show at the City Center. 

Does your home need updating?  Looking for ideas for a spring project?  Want to learn more about green technology?  This weekend is the Saratoga Springs Rotary Home & Garden Show at the Saratoga City Center (522 Broadway).  The show starts this Friday and runs through Sunday.  Hours are: Friday 5pm-9pm, Saturday 9am-7pm, and Sunday 10am-4pm.  The cost is $6 for adults and children under 5 are free, over 5 are $1.  But wait, here's a coupon for $1 off an adult admission! 

The Show offers over 130 exhibitors with a wide range of home and garden products and services, as well as informative seminars and great prizes.  This is the Saratoga Rotary's major annual fundraiser so a good way to support the rotary, local vendors, and encourage home improvement!  If your home needs no improvement, I envy you. 

 I love that I have sometimes have the opportunity to receive and review some amazing products for kids, like these blankets from Peacock's Crafty Heart!  Angie got to 'review' the pink one and Robby the guitar print.  They are both beautifully sewn with great attention to detail.  As a (beginner) sewer myself, I can appreciate the workmanship.  They are both very generously sized as you can see from the picture below, Angie has a lot of room to grow! 
Angie's review:  I really love my new blanket.  Mommy put it on the floor and it made such a comfy surface to play on my tummy and practice my army crawl.  When I fell on my face accidentally, it was soft as a cloud.  I now use it as my one and only crib blanket because mommy said I'm old enough to use a big girl blanket.  The pattern is perfect for me because it is hip and trendy without being to princessy. 
Robby's review: I love guitars.  When I saw this blanket, I pretended to 'play' one of the guitars.  I pretty much won't sleep or nap without it now.  It's really comfy and nice, and the pattern is rockstar, like me. 
Mom's review: These are not blankets you would find at Babies r Us.  They are unique, handmade, quality products that you will WANT to keep for a long time and even pass down to a niece, nephew or friend.  As you can see from the packaging above, they would make great gifts.  The patterns are modern and funky and again, not the stuff you see in every store.  They are both backed with the softest, most cozy material.  They are warm and cozy but not too heavy. 

This weekend, the Round Lake Library is hosting a Sweetheart of a Book Sale starting today in the Shops of Malta (Price Chopper plaza).  Shop from a selection of books, videos, CDs/DVDs, books on tape, and lots more.  I've gone to their book sales before and scored some great deals on children's books especially. 

Hours are Friday and Saturday 9am-8pm and Sunday 11am-4pm.  All proceeds benefit the Round Lake Library.  For more information, call 518-899-2285. 

Have a nice weekend everyone! 

This Saturday, Feb. 19th is the 16th annual Ballston Spa Winter Fun Festival.  The event runs all day with fun at three locations; Bath Street, East Avenue Rec field and the Milton Community Center.  Weather pending, Bath Street in town will be closed for sledding from 11am-5pm.  The street has a wicked slope and the snow being packed down and a little icy will make for a wild ride!  For those seeking another type of adventure, the Eastern Avenue Rec field will be open for skating from 5-9pm.  After your outdoor recreation, head over to the Milton Community Center on Northline Rd for the Indoor Snowball Rumble.  A fancy name for music, dancing, contests and food from 6-10pm.  As of today, the weather for Saturday is looking good so the Winter Fun Fest should be in full swing. 

We are fortunate to  be surrounded by some amazing colleges, one of them being Skidmore in Saratoga. 
The Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College presents a series of Family Saturday programs to accompany the work in their spring exhibitions. The programs run from 2:00 – 3:30 PM, and are free and open to the public. Suitable for children ages 5 and up along with their adult companions, the Family Saturday programs are fun and educational.
This Saturday, Feb 19th, kids can Make a Fuzzy Garden.  After looking at Paula Hayes’s fascinating terrariums in her exhibition Understory, participants will make gardens of their own out of pipe-cleaners and beads.
Reservations are highly encouraged as space is limited and the programs are very popular. You may sign up for each program up to one week in advance. You may sign up for each program up to one week in advance. For additional information and reservations, or to be added to our Family Saturday e-mail list, please call the Tang’s Visitor Service Desk at 580-8080.  My kids aren't quite old enough for this, but I'd love to hear a report if any readers go! 

Happy Valentine's Day to all the mama's (and papa's) out there!  I hope you feel loved and valued today.  We've been busy this past week and I wanted to report back on some very successful outings. 
We visited the State Museum last week and had a fabulous time.  In fact, I would have called it a perfect day if it weren't for me leaving my lights on and my car dying.  Thankfully, AAA came to my rescue as they always do.  Also thankful for great friends that took my son home.  Aside from that little snafu, the museum outing was highly successful.  Mid-week is an excellent time to go because it is quiet.  We were able to let the kids roam around and enjoy themselves.  Packing a lunch was a good idea and the carousel on the fourth floor was a huge hit.  The drive was well worth it.  A wonderful place to go with kids. 

Tuesday for Tots is a program at The Children's Museum at Saratoga on Tuesday (obviously) from 10-12pm.  We went last week and really enjoyed ourselves.  They have different stations set up with art projects (all supplies included), playdough table, various toys, etc.  It was nice to be able to do art projects without making a mess in my own house!  We are going to get a membership to the museum this year because I want to take advantage of more of their special programs. 

Our preschool search continues.  This weekend we attended the Saratoga Independent School open house.  What a beautiful school that was!  I was extremely impressed with their program and the staff all seemed wonderful.  Still weighing our options and I will keep you posted as our search moves forward. 

Happy Valentine's Day!