National Preparedness Month

September is national preparedness month, and it falls during the perfect time to think about this stuff. With back to school starting and the beginning of hurricane season, plus winter is around the corner, September is the perfect time to think about these thing.

Being prepared for anything is a must these days. With hurricanes wreaking havoc all over the world, or the fires in California, it makes me really want to prepare for something. Watching the news, these are the questions that have been going through my mind lately when I see disasters. I'm sure I'll be adding to this list of questions over time.


Pets:
What do I do with my pets in an emergency?
Can I bring them with me to where ever I am evacuating?
 If not, where can I bring them?
 If I am staying home, do I have enough food for them for multiple days of being stuck in the house?

Thankfully, a lot of animal shelters and vets will open their doors to pets if need be. Plus, some emergency shelters will allow you to bring your pets with you. Each town will be different though and you should know where to go a head of time.

Kids: (for me it's my nieces and nephew, but most will apply when I have children of my own)
Where will we go if we need to leave?
Do I have enough food and drinks in the house for the kids?
Do I have anything to entertain them? (yes, I know!)
Where are all the flash lights and batteries? Do I need more?
Where can I charge our cell phones so we can use them if we need them?

Other:
If someone needs medicine, do I have enough? Where can I get more if we are out?
If we lose power, how long until the food is no good in the fridge/freezer?
Do we have enough propane for the grill so we can cook if we lose power?
If it snows, can we get to the snowblower/shovels? Can we get to the wood pile for heat?
Do I have enough gas in the cars in case we have to leave?
Can I access water? If the pipes freeze or get turned off, will I have enough bottled water to flush the toilets or wash things?  Note: during a snow storm, our water was turned off (water main break! yikes) so we heated up a pot of snow to have to flush our toilets.
Is the generator set up properly?


Good websites/apps for info

• WMUR app. I have this installed on my cell and it updates me constantly on everything!
• Call 211 for non-emergency information!
• Massachusetts Alerts app put out by MEMA.
• Check MEMA.com or FEMA.com
• https://www.mass.gov/be-prepared-for-emergencies-and-disasters has some great info!
• Follow local police on social media (not just your town but surrounding towns and state police)
• Join local facebook groups to get updates from other people
• https://safety.macaronikid.com/articles/5993b3151f397745e4eb090c/september-is-national-preparedness-month
• https://www.popsugar.com/moms/photo-gallery/35948232/image/35948233

Tips:

• Buy items you will use that don't need to be refrigerated, in case you lose power.
• Have a car charger or portable chargers for your cell phones. We bought 3 at Walmart last year for like $5! They charged our cell phones and kindles a few times before we needed to charge them (which we just plugged them into the car charger or brought to work with us)
• Make lists on your cell. I use the memo app that is on my smart phone. I have one list for where certain things are in the house (extra batteries, flash lights, candles, etc). I have another one with links to specific websites that will update frequently. I have another with if we need to evacuate, what I should bring.
• Call 211 if you need information about shelters, getting medicine, needing transportation, where to get food, etc. Basically all non-emergency questions should go through 211
• download WMUR (NH) and Massachusetts Alerts apps onto your cell phone

Lindsey and Her Puppet Pals show

The other day, I brought my nieces and nephew (ages 9, 6 and 4) to Salisbury beach to see Lindsey and Her Puppet Pals puppet show.

When I saw the event on facebook, I was skeptical because I was sure the kids (especially the 4 year old boy) wouldn't sit through a puppet show. 

I was expecting someone to have hand puppets and be behind a "stage" like most shows we have gone to. Oh no, I was pleasantly surprised when Lindsey pulled out a FULL SIZE puppet. The 1st puppet she had out was a moose, and this guy was as big as she was!

We had so much fun at Lindsey's show!. The show was amazing! Lindsey kept the kids' attention and they were laughing the whole hour!

I highly recommend Lindsey to everyone! She did an amazing job and the show was super cute. She even added some "life lessons" in her skit (sharing, not interrupting etc) that is a good learning tool for the children. I have attached the links to her facebook page and her website in case anyone is interested in checking her out.

We are very thankful that Salisbury Beach arranged for Lindsey to come do a free show for the kids. I hope they have her back for years to come!

Check out a few of the photos I took during the show and a video I took of the kids singing with the puppet.

https://www.facebook.com/LindsaysPuppetPals/

http://www.lindsayspuppetpals.com/

Buyer beware

This past week had me thinking about recalls. I was shopping with my nephew in one of those 2nd hand stores that people donate to for charity. I can't remember which one it actually was, but we went into a Savers, Goodwill AND Salvation Army that day looking for Harry Potter books. Any way, as we were heading up to the check out counter, I looked at some of their baby gear. They had a bumbo that was recalled. No big deal, I let the guy know at the counter and went on with my day.

Later that night I started to think:

1. Did that guy really listen to me when I told him it was recalled? Did he take it off the shelf?
2. What if someone had bought it before I told him? 
3. And how many of recalled baby items were sitting on their floor?

Being a 2nd hand store manager and a buyer, we check every item that comes in. If something is recalled, we tell the person it was recalled and give it back. Some items, like the bumbo, I can easily get the recall piece for. Others, like a drop side crib, we don't take the risk. Some people have no idea their item was recalled.

I took a short survey of mothers in a few of the groups I am in on Facebook. A lot of them don't look up recalls for their items. Granted, most of them do register their big ticket items and should get contacted if there was a recall. Many admitted that if they were selling their item (to a 2nd hand store or donating) they don't look up any recalls for it.

After reading some of the responses, it made me think..

Facebook market place is a popular place to sell baby equipment. Do people keep track of recalls if they are selling it online? Do people do their research before buying something online?

So, I'd like to take a moment to share a few ways as to our we find out if a product is recalled. 

I literally google it. I will type in Bumbo Recall into the google search and it will tell me what, if any, recalls there are. Usually it will take me to the Bumbo website where I can request a recall piece to fix the issue, sometimes it will take me to the .gov websites that list all.

If there is a year on the item, like a stroller, I will type in 2011 BOB Jogger Recall.

We check recalls.gov often too. This site allows you to sign up for emails, which we get too, that list the most recent recalls on all items. 

If you shop in our store, or any other Children's Orchard nation wide, we check and double check our toys and equipment to make sure they haven't been recalled. Even some clothes and shoes have been recalled. Please be extra careful buying from other places or online. Most people are honest and would never knowingly put someone's child in danger, but some people don't care or are just trying to make a quick buck.

If you have any helpful tips for people concerning recalls, please feel free to comment below!

Note: this isn't meant to make anyone feel like they aren't doing everything they can to keep their child safe. It is being written because of what I have seen recently at other 2nd hand stores and on Facebook market place. 

Incredibles 2

I took my niece to see Incredibles 2 the other day after school. It was raining and the perfect ending to the school year for her.

The movie picks up where the 1st movie left off (even though it's been 14 years!) The movie starts out with the Incredibles fighting Underminer, but destroying the city in the process. Because of the damage, the authorities become concerned and as a result, Rick Dicker informs the Parr family that his department's "Super Relocation" program is being shut down, forcing supers across the world to permanently adhere to their secret identities. 
Lucius Best, their superhero friend "Frozone", is stopped by Winston Deavor, a superhero fan, telecommunications tycoon, and owner of DEVTECH, after the fight with Underminer. Frozone tells Bob and Helen about his encounter and the 3 of them to to DEVTECH to meet Winston Deavor, who proposes a publicity stunt to regain the general public's support of supers.

Helen Parr, considered the least-destructive of the supers, is selected to undertake the stunt by openly fighting crime in New Urbrem, under her old identity of Elastigirl. As part of the plan, Winston provides the family with a new home, to which Bob offers to take care of the kids while Helen is away. During her absence, Bob discovers that Jack-Jack has various super powers, but struggles with controlling the family's infant. Seeking help, Bob takes Jack-Jack to Edna Mode, a family friend and superhero-costume designer, who agrees to help upon seeing the baby's superpowers in action. Meanwhile, during her mission, Helen confronts the Screenslaver – a mysterious villain who hijacks screens in order to project hypnotic images that can brainwash civilians.

After rescuing an ambassador from the Screenslaver's clutches, she manages to defeat him, only to find that he is no more than a pizza delivery man, who has no recollection of what he did. While attending a celebration of the Screenslaver's defeat at the Deavor's, Helen realizes that the pizza delivery man was being controlled by hypno-screens within his goggles. Before she can alert anyone to this, Winston's sister Evelyn Deavor overpowers her and brainwashes her with Screenslaver's goggles glasses. Evelyn reveals herself to be the mastermind behind the Screenslaver – seeing supers as a threat to humanity's independence, she sought to undermine her brother's mission, and plans to brainwash the world's leaders so that they cannot re-legalize superheroes. Evelyn then manages to lure Bob and Lucius into a trap, and place them under her control with brainwashing glasses.

Avoiding the same fate as their parents, Dash, Violet, and Jack-Jack, whom Edna had outfitted with a super-suit, sneak aboard the Deavor's ship to rescue their parents, as the world leaders meet for a hearing on supers. After freeing their parents and Lucius, the group reveal Evelyn's plan to the assembled leaders. A battle on the boat ensues, threatening to crash the ship into New Urbrem. However, the group manage to stop it, while Helen apprehends Evelyn when she tries to make an escape. Following the incident, the Supers Relocation Program is reinstated in response to the group's heroism, making supers legal once again.

This movie had a lot of action, which held my niece's attention for the whole almost 2 hours! There is an issue with flashing lights that may cause issues for some people, but other than that it was a great movie. I highly recommend kids and adults to take the time and watch it.

As we were leaving the theater, my niece asked me if we could see it again this summer with her cousins AND if I would buy it as soon as it comes out on DVD (which will be awhile, because we watched the movie opening day! lol)

Online shopping/ Stores closing

Last night, while watching T.V., I saw multiple ads for online shopping. While I was watching the commercials, I was also on Facebook reading how everyone is sad that stores are closing.

As a someone who works in a small business, a brick and mortar business, I can tell you exactly why stores are closing.

We have become too reliant on online shopping. I know, I shop on Amazon too! However, because I work in a store, I force myself to go to a few stores before turning to Amazon. 

If we continue to shop online, we will continue to see stores closing. And what happens when stores close? We lose jobs!

Please do my store a favor. Shop in stores! Shop small, local businesses. Support your neighbors who own businesses. 

The Children's Orchard franchise once had 100 stores nation wide, we are down to less than 30. Stores are closing left and right for us, and other stores! 

Think of stores as being on the endangered species list. Pretty soon we will be extinct, if we don't do something about it. Please, shop in small stores like us!

From a grandmother's perspective (Stephanie): It's a good learning experience for children to be out in stores. It is a good place to teach them how to behave in public. If we don't teach them, no one will. It helps them learn how to interact with people: have eye contact, speak with adults or other children. We can teach them to respect other people's property.

Library Passes

Did you know that the public libraries have museum passes? Well, now you do!

I have a library card with Salisbury, which allows me to utilize any library in the Merrimack Valley. I typically request a pass from Salisbury, but if they are out I will call the local libraries to find one for the date I am looking for.

Here are the ones Salisbury offers:

1.  Museum of Science: Boston MA. This pass admits 4 people at a cost of $10 each. Pass does not include the Omni and Planetarium
2. Children's Museum of NH: Dover NH. This pass admits 4 people at a cost of $5 each.
3. Peabody Essex Museum: Salem MA. This pass admits 2 people at a cost of $6 on a weekday or $12 on weekends.
4. New England Aquarium: Boston MA. This pass admits 4 people at a cost of $10 each. Pass only available Labor Day through June 30
5. Zoo New England: Boston MA and Stoneham MA. This pass admits 6 people at a cost of $9 per adult or $6 per child
6. Museum of Fine Arts. Boston MA. This pass admits 2 people at a cost of $10 each
7. The Institute of Contemporary Art. Boston MA. This pass admits 2 people at a cost of $5 each
8. Massachusetts State Parks Pass: ​The DCR ParksPass entitles the bearer to free parking for one passenger vehicle of visitors at over 50 facilities in the Massachusetts State Parks system that charge a day-use parking fee. Local State parks include The Salisbury Beach State Reservation, Maudslay State Park, Sandy Point State Reservation, Georgetown-Rowley State Forest, Bradley Palmer State Park, and more.   (Not valid at Nahant or Nantasket Beaches.)

You can reserve a pass online, on the phone or at the library. I highly suggest you get one before visiting the above to help you save some money!

Museum of Science- Boston

During February school vacation week, I went to the Boston Museum of Science with my 3 nieces, 1 nephew and my sister in law. For my sister in law and 3 of the 4 kids, it was their first time ever. I haven't been since I was a kid. We all had a blast. 

We drove in, because taking the train then the subway and walking with 4 wild kids was not what we wanted to do. The drive in wasn't bad, we didn't hit too much traffic. We parked in the lot that was attached to the museum, which is very convenient.

We stood in line a few minutes before getting our tickets. I had gone to the library and gotten their pass before heading in. The pass is good for 4 people and we would only pay $10 a ticket (instead of full price). However, there was an extremely nice lady in front of us. She was a member and had some extra tickets and offered us all to get in free. We were very happy that she saved us money! Because we saved by not buying out tickets, we bought tickets to the butterfly exhibit, that the kids insisted on going to. We paid $6 per person to go in. This exhibit was okay, but the kids did enjoy it so I don't mind paying extra. In my opinion it was small and the ones at the zoos are bigger and included. However, when we went there was a nice woman working and she really engaged with the kids, which was awesome. The kids got to hold an orange that attracted the butterflies and they got to watch them eat.

The lightning show was amazing! My oldest niece, who is 9, was bugging us for hours to see this show. It did not disappoint! She is still talking about it a week later! The other kids really enjoyed it too. Be aware though, it is pretty loud and get's packed quickly. 

We saw the show about cold (I think it was called Wicked Cold or something like that) The lady was good at keeping the kids' attention, while teaching them (and us!) something.

The kids enjoyed the house of mirrors, to the point where we walked through that maze about 6 times!

I packed our lunches, so that helped save money. We did pick a busy time to eat (noon) and we got the last table. It wasn't too bad though.

I rented a locker for the day. We stashed our lunch and jackets in there so we didn't have to carry them around all day. I was able to open the locker a few times, unlike some places where you can only open it once.

We didn't have time to do the planetarium, so that will be the 1st thing we do next time.

I highly recommend visiting with kids of all ages! It is a lot of walking, so if you have younger kids (or a runner like we do) I suggest bringing a stroller (wish we brought one!)