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. 

Disney's Descendants 2

Last week we watched the new Descendants 2 movie and the kids LOVED it! Yes, all 4 of my nieces and nephew LOVED this movie.

Plot:
Descendants 2 follows Mal, who is still at Auradon Prep and dating King Ben. At the beginning of the movie, several months after moving to Auradon, Mal starts to feel like she doesn't belong and that she doesn't know who she is anymore. She admits her issues to her friends, Evie, Carlos, and Jay, but they are content with their new lives in Auradon and do not wish to return to the Isle of the Lost. Evie scolds Mal for relying on her mother’s spell book to solve her issues. Ben eventually discovers Mal’s reliance on magic, and she comes clean about her insecurities, causing the two to have a falling out. Mal returns to the Isle, now ruled by her former friend Uma, the daughter of Ursula. Ben, Evie, Jay, and Carlos learn of Mal’s departure and sneak onto the island to find her, but one of Uma's gang recognizes them. Ben confronts Mal, who rejects his feelings for his sake and Auradon’s. Ben leaves dejected, only to be captured by Uma, who orders Mal and her friends to retrieve the Fairy Godmother’s wand or Ben dies. Carlos and Jay return to Auradon Prep, where they create a replica of the wand using a 3D printer. Uma speaks with Ben, bitter that she and the others were not chosen to go to Auradon. Ben takes this into account and invites her to Auradon, but Uma instead plots to make her own way there. Mal’s group return, handing over the fake wand in exchange for Ben, but Uma realises it is a forgery. The group flee back to Auradon, but Mal and Ben’s relationship is still on the rocks. Aboard a ship during the Cotillion, Ben stuns everyone by appearing with Uma, who he declares as his true love and announces he will destroy the barrier on the Isle. Jane unveils a stain glass display Ben commissioned to show his affection for Mal, who realises he loved her for who she was all along. Suspecting Uma has given Ben a love potion, Mal kisses him, breaking it. Uma leaps into the water, using her mother Ursula’s magic seashell to transform into an octopus, Mal fighting back by transforming into a dragon. Ben intervenes, quelling the battle, and Uma swims away despite his offer still standing. Mal and Ben reunite, Mal surrendering her spell book over to the Fairy Godmother. Mal and Evie request that Dizzy be allowed to attend Auradon Prep.

This movie was cute, as all Disney channel movies are. The music was fun, which is what my nieces and nephew liked the most (obviously!). They were singing and dancing to the songs, their favorite was What's My Name that Uma sang. Check out the videos of them having a blast! I feel like we will be buying this sound track to listen in the car!

We recently saw Smurfs: The Lost Village and LOVED it!

The movie follows Smurfette and a few of her friends on finding the "lost" village before the evil wizard Gargamel does. 

Plot:
The movie starts out explaining all the Smurfs are named after their characteristics (Brainy is smart, Clumsy is a klutz, Hefty is strong, etc) and Smurfette feels a little out of place. Smurfette is the only female in the village, but she was created from clay by the Evil Gargamel. While Smurfette is out playing near the forbidden forest (along with Brainy, Clumsy and Klutz) she sees another female Smurf.  Smurfette ends up being captured by Gargamel and at his castle, she ends up inadvertently revealing the hat, enabling Gargamel to mix up a brew that causes him to locate the village on a map.  Soon enough Hefty, Brainy, & Clumsy who followed Smurfette, help her escape and return to Smurf Village, where they are punished by Papa Smurf for disobeying his orders and confines them to their houses while dismissing their claims of a lost village filled with Smurfs. Smurfette decides to break out, with the help of Hefty, Brainy, & Clumsy because they are "Team Smurf". The four best friends follow the map and end up in various adventures, like being attacked by monster flowers and getting caught in a stampede of luminescent rabbits, one of whom they befriend and name Bucky, who helps them on their quest. After setting sail on their handmade raft along the river, they encounter Gargamel, Azrael, and Monty. Following a brief chase, Gargamel was thrown out of his own raft. Hefty and Smurfette convince the others to help save him. They do so but instead of thanking them, he pushed them out of their raft, leaving them to plunge down a waterfall. After surviving the waterfall and washed ashore, they are soon captured by the leaf-covered creature from earlier along with a few others and they soon reveal themselves to be female Smurfs. They are taken to their village, which is called Smurfy Grove, in the trees and get to know all the girl Smurfs, including the leader Smurf Willow, the tomboyish Smurf Storm, the hyperactive Smurf Blossom, the gentle Smurf Lily and the music-loving Smurf Melody. They all welcome the Smurfs, especially Smurfette, to their humble home. After a while of showing them what they do, Smurf Storm and Clumsy come back with her telling that Smurfette was created by Gargamel. Before they can attack her for being considered a traitor, Papa Smurf appears (after realizing Smurfette and the boys are missing, he goes out to find them), and the female smurfs accept him into their home. Then, Gargamel comes and destroys Smurfy Grove, capturing all the Smurfs, all except Smurfette, who is now alone, feeling guilty for her actions. However, Brainy's pet Snappy bug shows her a picture of her and the others, and she soon realizes that she is not a real Smurf, and heads back to Gargamel's lair with Snappy and Bucky to save the Smurfs. At Gargamel's lair, where all the Smurfs are, Brainy makes a plan to escape. Papa Smurf hears their plan and he and Smurf Willow decide to help them. Hefty, Brainy, Clumsy, and some of the female Smurfs succeed at the plan until Gargamel and Azrael spot them and put some of the female Smurfs and Clumsy into his Smurfilator, extracting their essence. Smurfette appears, tricking Gargamel that she wants to be an evil smurf again. When Gargamel tries to turn Smurfette into an evil smurf, he realizes that Smurfette is absorbing his magic powers instead, a skill she found earlier after destroying Brainy's invention. The lair explodes, sending Gargamel, Azrael, and Monty into a lake full of piranhas. Unfortunately, Smurfette has reverted to her original lifeless clay form. Papa quickly tries to find a spell, but Brainy states there's nothing they can do to save her, leaving everyone, especially Papa, heartbroken.

Back at Smurf Village, all the Smurfs, boys and girls, mourn the loss of Smurfette. Using their energy, Smurfette comes back to life and becomes a Smurf again and everybody happily celebrates. After which, Smurf Village and Smurfy Grove become united with each other and Smurfette finally became the new leader of the Smurfs and most of all, true-blue Smurf.

I took my 7 and a half year old niece to this and she LOVED it! She was giggling the whole time! We highly recommend seeing this to everyone! She even told me she liked this version better than the other movies (Smurf 1 and 2, both were live action)!

Recycle!

With Earth day coming up, I wanted to talk about recycling. Everyone talks about recycling plastic bottles/cans or paper. Not a lot of people talk about recycling (or reusing) children's things! The Children's Orchard is all about recycling and reusing items!

Did you know, we buy and sell children's things that they have outgrown?

1. Clothing/shoes: Children, at least twice a year, grow out of their clothing! Some items, like fancy dresses and suits, they only wear ONCE! We buy season clothing/shoes!
1. Spring/Summer
• bathing suits and cover ups
• shorts/capris
• t-shirts/tank tops
• sun dresses
• sneakers
• sandals
• water shoes
• rain coats/ boots
• Light weight jackets
• Dressy clothing and shoes for Easter/Mother's Day/ Weddings
2. Fall/Winter
• t-shirts/sweat shirts
• pants
• Halloween costumes
• sneakers
• rain coats/ boots
• Snow gear (jackets, snow pants, winter boots)
• Dressy clothing and shoes for Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years/ Weddings
• Bathing suits (year round: for swim lessons or the hot tub/pool on vacations)
2. Equipment: swings, exersaucers, high chairs etc. the children only use for a few months (if they even like it). We buy gently used equipment (as long it hasn't been recalled)
• swings (inside and outside)
• exersaucers/ jump a roos
• high chairs
• changing tables
• pack n plays
• cribs (no drop sides)
• Strollers/joggers (single and doubles)
3. Toys and Books: Children have so many toy options these days! Typically, a child will lose interest in the toy after a few months! We buy them if they have all (or most) of their pieces!

When you sell to The Children's Orchard, you are recycling your children's outgrown items! Unless you give them to friends, the things your child outgrew sits in a landfill!

When you buy items from The Children's Orchard, you are reusing someone else's items!

Both are good for the environment!

Online Selling?

Are you selling your children's stuff online? Facebook groups, craigslist, even yard sales are a lot more work for less money! Did you know, you could easily bring your child's clothes, toys and equipment to us and get money right then and there?

I have spoken with friends who sell online or at yard sales, and I have also sold at both. Here are a few things that is better when selling to The Children's Orchard!

1. Less time spent dealing with selling!  Between taking photos, posting to the numerous sites you use and waiting for people to respond or show up, selling things can take hours or days! If you brought the items to us, you could save yourself some time. We look at it when you bring it in, and let you know right then and there if we can buy it!
2. Meeting a stranger somewhere or having them come to your house can be dangerous! Selling to us is safe and convenient. We are located in a plaza with many people around plus we have only a few buyers, so you work with the same people over and over again

When you buy online:

1. You never know if the item has been recalled, unless you constantly check the list of recalled items. The Children's Orchard does that for you! We NEVER have recalled items in our store!
2. You can't return something if your child doesn't like it or it doesn't fit! Here, at the Children's Orchard, we allow you to return things! We know it's hard to shop with and for children. Kids are picky and they grow fast!
3. We go back to meeting a stranger somewhere. You never know who is placing the item online! We live in a dangerous time, why risk it?

Why waste your short time with buying and selling online? Come into our store and do both at the same time!

Support small and local businesses before they all close up!

Sing

The other day, I went to see Sing with my nieces, nephew and cousin. My nieces are 7 and 4, my nephew is 2 and my cousin is 15. They all liked this movie!

This movie is a fun musical that all ages will love! There are hilarious high jinks, inspirational moments and foot taping musical numbers. My only wish would have been for more music!

I highly recommend this movie to children, and adults, of all ages!

(From Wikipedia)

In a world of anthropomorphic animals, optimistic koala Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) owns a music theater, having been interested in show business since his father took him to his first music show as a child.

Facing financial troubles, Buster tells his friend Eddie Noodleman (John C. Reilly) that he will host a singing competition. Buster's assistant Ms. Crawley loses control of her glass eye which causes her to inadvertently append two extra zeroes to the actual $1,000 prize money. Before the fliers can be checked, they are accidentally blown out of Buster's office.

Animals from all around the city gather for auditions. Those selected include: housewife and mother of 25 piglets Rosita (Reese Witherspoon), street musician mouse Mike (Seth MacFarlane); mobster son gorilla Johnny (Taron Egerton); punk-rock porcupine Ash (Scarlett Johansson). Meena (Tori Kelly) bombs her audition out of stage fright while Ash's boyfriend Lance is dismissed from the contest and Rosita is paired with another pig contestant named Gunter for a dancing routine. Buster discovers the flyer shows a prize of $100,000, but remains optimistic. Buster visits Eddie to convince him to get an audience with Eddie's retired opera singer and actress grandmother Nana Noodleman to sponsor and to provide the show's prize money. Nana agrees on the condition that she see a private screening of the show.

Encouraged by her grandfather, Meena tries to ask Buster for another chance, but ends up helping him as a stage hand. When some of the animal acts quit, Meena is added as an act. However, their individual problems begin to hinder rehearsals. Rosita flounders in her dance routine with Gunter, having been distracted by her parenting duties that have fallen into disarray. After discovering Lance has a new girlfriend, and after throwing them out of their apartment, Ash is heartbroken and in no mood to sing the cheery "Call Me Maybe". Johnny is torn between having to help his father as the driver of the getaway car in a heist and making the practices; when he tries to do both, he doesn't show up for the planned pickup, and his father and his gang get arrested. Meena still has stage fright. Mike, assuming the prize money is as good as his, buys a fancy car to impress a girl mouse, but swindles a group of bears in a card game at a nightclub.

The day of the screening, the bear mob interrupts the show, demanding the money from Mike, who in turn, points to Buster. The bears open the chest containing the prize money but only see a bunch of random items totaling less than a thousand. The glass tank full of luminescent squids that Buster got to light up the theater breaks and floods the theater. The theater then literally comes crashing down. Homeless and crestfallen (he lived in a drawer inside his office), Buster takes up residence at Eddie's place (Nana's pool house). Although the contestants visit him and try to cheer him up, Buster is too despondent to listen to them. He starts over by opening a car wash, using the same bucket that his dad had used to earn money for Buster's theater.

When Meena goes to the theater's rubble lot and sings, Buster hears her and is inspired to reinstate the show without the prize money. They perform in front of Rosita and Meena's family members. As Rosita and Gunther perform "Shake It Off", more animals are attracted to the scene as the show is broadcast on the news. Johnny amazes his father with Elton John's "I'm Still Standing" who escapes from prison to reconcile with him. Ash impresses Lance with her original rock song. Mike, who bailed out when he heard there was no prize money, returns when his peers make fun that he wasn't able to sing like the ones on TV, singing Frank Sinatra's "My Way. Meena finally overcomes her fears and sings Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing". The show becomes a success and impresses Nana who buys the lot and rebuilds the theater.

Trolls

A few weeks ago, I took  my nieces and nephew to see Trolls. My nieces are 7 and 4 and my nephew is 2. They LOVED it!

The movie starts out with the Trolls escaping the evil Bergens. The Bergens keep the trolls in cages and eat them once a year to feel happiness. After escaping, the Trolls live in happy peace for a few years until one of the Bergens find them and capture half of them to bring back to her people. Poppy, the happy, loving, fun Princess goes off to find her friends. Branch, the polar opposite of Poppy, decides to follow Poppy and help her rescue her friends. With the help of one Bergen, Poppy and Branch are able to rescue their friends, after being betrayed by another Troll and some funny adventures along the way.

This is a feel good movie with a ton of songs! I don't normally take my 2 year old nephew to the theaters, because he doesn't usually sit through a whole movie, but he LOVED this! This movie held his attention, and that of his sisters, the whole time!

Right after seeing the movie, we had to listen to the soundtrack on the ride home. Now, it has been about a month and that soundtrack is still the most popular music we listen to!

I highly recommend this movie to any child! Boys, girls, young and old will fall in love with this highly energetic, sparkly movie. The music is fun and gets everyone dancing!

Winter clothing...

I just want to take a moment to tell people about our winter outerwear! As you can see in the photos below, we sell used winter coats, snow pants and boots that look almost new for a fraction of the price! We carry all the great brands, from the brands selected for this blog to LL Bean, Lands End, Burton and more! You can save anywhere from $30 to $100 on certain brands! Why spend full price on a jacket that the kids will only wear a few times? Come on in and save a fortune! Plus, if you bring in ones they outgrew, we will pay you for them (we pay you a third of what we will sell them for in a check form, plus a little more in store credit). Not only do we have already discounted items, but we have at least 2 sales a month! Imagine the added discounts you can get by shopping with us!

This SPYDER 2 in 1 jacket sells for $165-$190 new, we sell it for $89.99! You save $75-100!

This Columbia snow pants sell for $75 new, we sell them for $24.99. You save $50!

These Boggs sell for about $85-$100 new, we sell them for $49.99. You save $35-$50!

These Kamik boots sell for about $70 new, we sell them for $19.99! You save $50!

Melissa and Doug Sale

I know I already posted a blog about the amazing toys that Melissa and Doug puts out, but now I want to say how great the company is!

We are a small business, part of a small franchise (about 30 total stores nation wide), and Melissa and Doug is helping us out (along with a few other small businesses). They are reducing their prices to us so we can give everyone 30% off this holiday season!

The sale runs from December 1st through December 15th!

Thank you Melissa and Doug for helping us pass on great deals to our customers! You are making some children extremely happy this holiday season!

Black Friday shopping? STOP!

Are you out fighting the crowds right now for Black Friday steals? Well, stop! We have everything you need for gifts, clothes and equipment for your child this year! We carry NEW and USED items at an amazing discount!

NEW:

• Melissa and Doug toys
• TY Beanie Boos and Teeny Ty stuffed animals
• Snow Stopper Mittens
• Hair accessories
• Clothing

USED:

• Toys
• Fisher price toys
• Cars
• Kitchen sets
• Doll houses
• Melissa and Doug toys
• Little Tikes toys
• Equipment
• exersaucers
• bouncy seats
• bumbos
• changing tables
• cribs
• strollers
• high chairs
• Clothing
• Preemie to size 12 years
• Holiday wear
• Dresses and suits
• Every day clothing
• Carters
• Abercrombie
• Gap
• Janie and Jack
• Mini Boden
• Gymboree
• American Eagle
• Nike
• Under Armour
• Shoes
• Snow wear
• Snow suits/pants
• Ski jackets
• Boots

Why stand in line at the mall when you can get amazing items right here? Not only are you helping the environment by buying resale, you are helping small businesses and the community!

On top of the already discounted items, we have sales!

Upcoming sales:

• Black Friday Weekend Sale
• November 25th through November 27th
• Pick a turkey at checkout for your discount
• 40% off, 20% off, $10 cache card or a FREE book!
• Gift Card Sale
• November 25th through December 24th
• For every $50 gift card you buy, we will give you a $10 gift card!
• Melissa and Doug Sale
• December 1st through December 15th
• 30% off all NEW Melissa and Doug toys
• Fill A Bag
• December 10th 10am to 2pm (or while supplies last)
• Fill a bag for $7 
• We will have bins separated by size and by gender and each plastic grocery bag is $7. 
  Feel free to bring your own bags. We will be selling reusable bags that can be filled as well! Reusable bags can be brought from home, price will be told once we see the size.
• If you bring 3 non-perishable food items, you will receive a larger bag to fill!
• Holiday clothing sale: details to come!

Melissa and Doug Toys

We have been selling Melissa and Doug toys for many years. Melissa and Doug has a toy for almost every child.

They have:

• Pretend Play 
• They sell pretend kitchen items. They have food, plates, pots and pans, cleaning supplies, appliances. Diner items and shopping items also available
• They sell pretend school items.
• They sell pretend tool items. They have a tool bench, tool belt, tool box.
• They sell dress up clothing and accessories 
• Magic Sets
• They sell beginner sets that teach the child how to perform certain tricks
• Arts and Crafts
• They sell the standard paint, crayons and coloring book sets and much more!
• They have embroiders sets, looms, stained glass, jewelry making kits, stencils, decorate your own keepsakes,  stamps.
• They have MESS FREE art work: sand art, glitter art
• Stickers and Activity sets
• The best thing we have used: Reusable Puffy Sticker Play sets and the Water Wow!
• They also have magicolor (mess free coloring), secret decoder sets.
• Activity rugs
• 4 in 1 game rug, hopscotch rug, road rugs (multiple types)
• Trucks, trains and vehicles
• Wooden trains and tracks
• Wooden cars and trucks
• Vehicles with people (plane, bus, firetruck)
• Puzzles
• All kinds from Jumbo knob puzzles for 1 year olds to giant floor puzzles for older kids and everything in between.
• Puppets and puppet theaters
• Baby Toys
• Age appropriate baby toys: sit in/on toys, crawl after, pull alongs, blocks, fill and spills, shape sorters,  push toys
• Musical Instruments
• Bands in a box, recorders, pianos
• Developmental Toys
• Different motor skill toys, building and nesting toys, stacking and sorting toys, magnetic toys, alphabet and number toys, and learning mats.
• Games and Card sets
• magnetic puzzle games, preschool games, board games, travel games, trivia questions, classic games.
• Dollhouses, furniture and dolls
• They sell castles and houses (big and small) with wooden people
• They sell Barns and stables with animals
• Dolls and doll furniture, doll food and bath accessories, 
• Active play and outdoor toys
• Science and nature toys, lawn and garden toys/games, beach and pool toys
• Plush animals 
• Large and small stuffed animals
• Seasonal and Religious toys
• Christmas, Hanukkah, Biblical toys

What I like about Melissa and Doug is the toys are mostly all wooden (with the occasional plastic or metal or cloth where need be), educational without all the sounds or lights of other toys, and they put the age appropriate right on the package!

We have great sales during the year, especially during November and December, to stock up for holidays, birthdays or just every day gift giving!

#childrensorchard #childrensorchardrowley #northshore #giftideas #melissaanddoug #holidayshopping