For those who wish to roll into Sunday with yours truly, tune in to WERS 88.9 FM’s You Are Here program on June 1 at 7am. You Are Here is a weekly, hour-long program that covers local and global issues by “combining stories, interviews, and sound from newsmakers.” I was interviewed this week about ways that moms can go green, and discussed everything from household recycling, to mama-to-mama recycling, to green cleaners, to the state of cloth diapering, to the impact moms can make by purchasing responsibly made products. If you can’t tune into the broadcast, you can download the show’s podcast.

UPDATE 6/3/08: Apologies, folks. I just heard from WERS and the programming got shuffled. My interview will air on June 8th.

Hooray for spring outdoor fun! Here are some family friendly picks to consider as you plan your weekend: For nature enthusiasts, Sunday offers the Nature Festival at Ipswich River, the Spring Fling and Silent Auction at the Boston Nature Center in Mattapan, and the Kids Take Pix nature photography program in Cambridge. For music lovers, there’s the Needham Spring Arts Festival (Saturday), Dedham Square Music Festival (Saturday & Sunday), and Cambridge New School of Music Family Music Festival (Sunday).

Today, April shares a favorite craft time solution - Post-it Banner Roll - that allows her budding artist to think big, while providing a cool (celebratory, even) way to display the artwork afterwards. Read on for April’s review, as well as to learn how to win a Post-it Banner Roll!

“In our home, paints, crayons, watercolors markers, and colored pencils are a big part of life. As you can imagine, our little artist needs a suitably large surface on which to work her (fairly messy) magic. We have a wide selection of papers for nearly every mood or project. Often, we tape down large sheets of 11 x 17 paper to our daughter’s craft table. However, for the last couple of months, painting and coloring has become a sort of athletic event - it’s not a question of staying inside any lines (overrated, I think you’ll agree); rather, it’s become more about staying within the confines of the paper itself. Sometimes, the 11 x 17 sheets just don’t measure up to the immense vision of a pint-sized Pollock.

We needed a huge area of paper that absolutely will not budge from the table. To the rescue is Post-it Banner Roll. Sure, it’s meant for things like “Happy Birthday” banners, but it’s a genius tool for plain old coloring and painting. This long roll of paper is backed with super-sticky Post-it removable adhesive. It doesn’t move around or peel up, and my daughter is free to think seriously large. I simply unroll the paper like tin foil and cover an entire side of her craft table, and my be-smocked child then channels her messiest artiste and works her way down the table with an uninterrupted canvas available to her. There’s no more fumbling for a fresh sheet of paper when her hands are covered with wild paint colors, (while I pray she won’t dart for the furniture if the paper doesn’t get in place soon). After the oeuvre is complete, we have a large banner of her latest work—and that looks even cooler than little sheets of paper covering the kitchen walls.

The banner roll is 12 inches tall and comes in two lengths: 40 feet and 50 feet. You can find it at Pearl and other art supply shops. You can also find it at the 3M online store, and the 50 foot roll currently is available at Amazon.”

+ + + + +
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winner Catherine D.!
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Now, want to win a Post-it Banner Roll*? Here’s how:

Simply email contests@bostonmamas.com, with ‘Banner’ in the subject and include your shipping address in the email. (This information will be kept private and will simply be used to expedite shipping to the winner.)

One entry permitted per person; US entrants only.

Entry period closes at midnight EST, Thursday, May 29, 2008.

*Winner will receive a 40 foot Post-it Banner Roll.

I'm cross-posting my husband's mind-bogglingly well-written essay today from Ain't No Free Lunches because I think he said it better than I can say it. I didn't grow up near there. I don't know Parkersburg. He did, and he does.  But we both know Iowa, we're from Iowa, and when something horrible happens to Iowa, someone walks on my grave.

As I've said before, I am fascinated by tornadoes.  They and the fear and awe of them have shaped my understanding of the Midwest for my entire life.  This blog is based on the idea that your life can be literally picked up and moved at any point by chaos or God or some other unpredictable storm.

We're praying for you, Parkersburg.  Surrender, Dorothy.

Source: Des Moines Register

My wife and I were in Lawrence, KS on Sunday evening - enjoying a fabulous wedding reception with old friends we hadn't seen in awhile. About 11:30 pm I received the following text message from my brother: "f4 tornado hits parkersburg. town gone."

I've never had a message quite like that.

For those of you not familiar with my background - I grew up in a tiny community in NE Iowa. The size of a duck-fart, around 450 people. No stop lights. A single Catholic church. One gas station. Biggest employers are the local taverns. It's the type of town where you can mail something to just a name sans an address, and the postmaster will make sure it gets delivered. Every state has a town like this. They are all over the Midwest. Most have either died a slow death due to tough agricultural issues and lack of commercial industry. Some have been swallowed up by a neighboring city. In the case of my hometown, its only access is from 2-lane county and state highways. These types of communities are proud beyond belief. If you were raised in a small town, you are even prouder of the experiences you had growing up.

So when the hangover subsided Monday morning, I hopped on a computer at the hotel to look up the damage and see what the text message the night before was all about. What I saw put a lump in my throat.

If you are reading this, you no doubt have already heard about news concerning the tornadoes that struck Iowa and Minnesota over the weekend. As with any major tornado news story there were tales of survival and those not so fortunate. It's the time of year we come to know as the fifth season: Tornado Season. When I was growing up, there was always a hint of excitement when the sirens sounded during a bad thunderstorm and my parents told us to go to the basement. It wasn't until a few years ago that I actually realized how bad these things can be. I had the opportunity in 2003 to volunteer my time for a day cleaning up up after an EF2 sized tornado swept through the north part of Kansas City hitting near William Jewel College and some neighboring homes. I spent the day picking up pieces of debris no bigger than my hand. Littered across acres of land. If you are lucky, an EF2 tornado will leave your house standing without windows, doors or a roof. Everything inside will be blown out. You have to rebuild, but at least the town around you is still intact and you will have quite a few resources to get your life back up to speed. You will be missing things that are dear to you, but you can survive EF2 tornadoes by taking the correct measures of safety. It was on that day that I said to myself, "I will never take a tornado warning lightly again."

We've all done it, I'm sure. When the siren sounds - go the nearest patio and look up to the sky to see for yourself. Dodge some hail, comment on the hard rain and wind and pretend to be weather spotter.

It's also the dumbest thing anyone can do. Hell, I've done it. Not since 2003, but I've done it. When you hear that these things can virtually drop out of the sky in seconds and pound your property in less time than it takes to crack open a cold one, you realize quickly that you are just flirting with disaster. I decided on that day in 2003 that I didn't want to become a statistic. Parkersburg, IA is what you would call a hop, skip and a jump from my hometown. Far enough that you have to drive there. Close enough that you might know someone. I read the news of the families having to pack up what is left, in a single garbage bag, and find a place to sleep. Possibly with neighbors miles away. Most likely in a shelter. The destruction was so bad that the town had to be put on curfew. Only those who lived there were able to go back during daylight to continue sifting through the piles and pieces, hoping to find that last picture album or small memento. I read about the school in Parkersburg. A high-school that was everything to that town. Growing up, we knew Parkersburg to the the home of Aplington-Parkersburg. The home of the Falcons. The school with teams we ALL envied because of their power. State titles. Division 1A athletes. NFL professionals. As is the case in small towns and diminishing enrollment, the school was combined between two communities who live for everything that is on the school events calendar.

I think back to what life was like growing up with a school that had K-12 all in one building. (Not one room, one BUILDING....save the jokes.) If my entire town was wiped out and more importantly my school was leveled, it would no doubt set my town back so far I'm not so sure it would even have the ability to rebuild. Most families at that point would have probably just given up. There are few jobs around anyway and if those few small employers were taken out - there wouldn't be much reason to stick around. And losing the school would have been the only common place for kids. Things change daily in our lives, but when you are under 18 and still in school, that tends to be the central focal point of your life. And for those in Parkersburg and Aplington, IA - it's now gone.

Last year, we heard so much about the town of Greensburg, KS. Similar in size and shape to those small communities mentioned, it was completely wiped off the map by a large tornado. In that instance, it was an EF5. The mother of all tornadoes. Aka: The Finger of God - thanks to the movie "Twister." As you saw from Greensburg, the community had to make the decision of either rebuilding from scratch or to bulldoze completely and sell the land for a wind farm. They chose the former and with much outpouring of support from celebrities and other headline grabbers, they have been fortunate to get things going - albeit slowly, but the news coming from Greensburg recently sounds as though they are on their way. And good for them. Nobody should have to face erasing history and not have a hometown to go back to. I have to wonder, though, how much all of those headlines did for Greensburg. Would the overwhelming support have arrived if it wasn't for CNN, the Weather Channel and Hollywood? It needed and STILL needs every bit of that support to make sure it makes it back 100%.

Sitting here in Kansas City, I think of what it is I might be able to do to help those communities back home. Those small towns in Iowa. The state where I grew up. The place where I learned how to respect those who were older and where "Work Harder" was the recipe for success in life. Send clothes? They don't need my trash. Send food? It's Iowa. There will be food. Trust me. Send money? Sure. That's the easy thing, I guess. In situations of total disaster, money tends to do the most good. Money can help in so many ways - heck, they don't even have a toilet let alone toilet paper at this point. They need gas money to travel 20 miles just to get to a grocery store. The people affected by the weekend tornadoes in Iowa and Minnesota need the rest of us.

If you are still reading this, I'm not going to ask you send money or clothes or food. But I am going to ask you for one favor: If you have a blog or some way to send a link, please do this one simple thing. Put the link below in your next post or column and just simply ask to spread the word. If you can relate to growing up in a small town and that experience still means something to you - the information contained in the link will tell you all you need to know. If you have a friend who knows someone who knows someone who grew up in a small town - you're in the club as well.

It's been an interesting night of reading all the personal stories that have come out of Parkersburg, IA. The lump in my throat is still there. The final news article I read was the last thing I needed to know. The National Weather Service completed their investigation today. The tornado that struck those small towns in central Iowa was an EF5.

HOW TO HELP.

Today, Tracy offers ideas for timeless toy alternatives:

“My younger son just turned 4. In the weeks preceding his birthday, his grandparents called to ask about gift ideas, and as usual, I found it difficult to generate a list. I realized that part of my difficulty is that my kids don’t really play with toys. Gabriel enjoys sports, and likes to be very ‘real’ in his play (moving action figures around just doesn’t cut it for him). Caius likes pretend play and art (current pretend play favorites include being a waiter or groom; a little challenging to find those trimmings at your average toy store).

The below is a compilation of gift ideas that are meaningful, useful, fun, or timeless when you are “toy tired” or just looking for something out of the ordinary. I’ve also included ways to be creative with some old favorites.

1. Books. Books are always at the top of my list. Look for classics, award winners, or ask your local bookseller for recommendations appropriate to the reading level of the child you are buying for. If you are buying a book gift for another child, buy a book that your own bookworm can’t get enough of. If you’re sure the child doesn’t already have the book (i.e., won’t need to return it), write an inscription on the inside cover.

2. Magazines. It is so cool for kids to get their own mail. We bought gift subscriptions to Chirp (ages 3-6) and Chickadee (ages 6-9) for our kids, and they love when their magazines arrive. There are plenty of other magazines and reading clubs geared to children, several of which have been reviewed here at Boston Mamas (see Highlights and Tessy & Tab reviews).

3. Education funds. We have set up education and other scholarship funds for our boys, and it is always welcome when grandparents and relatives contribute to these. We have requested that if a doting grandparent’s budget exceeds the list of gift ideas we give them that they put the remainder into the education funds. This idea has been very well received.

4. Charitable donations. Make a donation in the child’s name to a charity that has a meaningful association. In our case, this would mean donations to allergy oriented causes given Gabriel’s severe allergies. Caius was born on his great-grandmother’s birthday and she suffered from strokes and heart disease, so donations to those types of organizations are meaningful for us. Other ideas include buying green space, adopting an endangered animal, or supporting another eco-minded charity.

5. Give the gift of experience. Tickets to the theatre, symphony, or other performances or sporting events can be both educational and inspirational. If grandparents don’t live locally, plan ahead to attend one such event when they next visit. Other ways to give experiences are by funding all or part of lessons, activities, or camps. We have recently suggested that helping defray the cost of Gabriel’s piano lessons next school year (when I am on maternity leave) would be very helpful.

6. For the athlete. Along the lines of giving an experience, contributions toward the cost of playing an organized sport, or the gear associated with it, would be useful.

7. For the artist. With avid artists, you can never have enough art supplies, whether it’s crafting clay, paints, paper, etc. - the ideas are limitless! I even heard of a parent who showed up to a birthday party with the cardboard box from her new fridge at the suggestion of the birthday boy’s mother. The box was the hit of the party.

8. For the scientist. Gifts from museums or educational toy stores can include anything and everything from “science labs” to geology gear.

9. For the musician. Investing in child-sized versions of real instruments is a great idea. The child-sized conga drum we got for Christmas gets pulled out for dancing, marching, and sometimes for a kid who just needs to make repetitive noise. Other good ideas are bongo drums, rain sticks, slide whistles, kazoos, harmonicas, and accordions.

10. For the actor. Kids love dress up but costumes can get expensive. Ask relatives for interesting hand me downs, or shop at second hand stores to find items to stock the dress up box. Another great idea for open-ended dress up play is investing in play silks (shown; play silks from Magic Cabin). These colorful pieces of cloth can be transformed into whatever a kid needs: napkin, neckerchief, headscarf, or “twirly” skirt. (Old bridesmaid dresses can also offer another source for dress up clothes.)

11. Reach for the stars. One of the most original and touching gift I’ve ever seen was my sister’s gift to her godchild: naming a star after her. There are many websites that will help you do this, and most give a certificate listing the coordinates of your star. The child may never actually spot their star, but just imagine the sense of awe and “specialness” they will feel looking up and knowing one of those sparkling gems is just for them.”

Some days, no playground structure seems tall enough for my climbing monkey. And once Laurel is old enough, clearly, it’ll be time to hit the Boston Rock Gym in Woburn. Offering novices to experts plenty of room to rock, we dig that this climbing facility offers courses exclusively for women, as well as an impressive dedicated youth program for kids 5 and up. Youth programming includes daily classes, flexible summer camp sessions, climbing teams, and birthday parties for 7-12 year olds. Talk about a perfect way to burn off the cake-induced sugar rush.

Want to win a BRG Family Intro Class*? Here’s how:

+ + + + +
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winner Jen D.!
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Visit the Boston Rock Gym’s youth programs page, then email contests@bostonmamas.com (with ‘Boston Rock Gym’ in the subject), and name a program you think your little climber would love to try.

One entry permitted per person; local entrants only.

Entry period closes at midnight EST, Friday, May 30, 2008.

*Winner will receive a complimentary Family Intro Class, which covers one adult and one child for the introductory class and equipment rental + a 2-week membership including gear rental!

We’ve covered BPA in breast pumps and bottles previously, and this Thursday (May 29) at 3pm, you can attend and/or testify at a public hearing to examine the health risks posed by BPA to Boston residents, and potential action the City of Boston may take. The hearing will be held in the Iannella Chamber of Boston City Hall. Among the expected presenters are Dr. Michael Shannon of Children’s Hospital, Mia Davis of Clean Water Fund, and Dr. Steven Hentges of the American Chemistry Council’s Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group. Click here for the public hearing notice.

For compact travel toys, I love the concept of magnetic or reusable sticker books, but we’ve repeatedly been disappointed by the mediocre magnetism or stick of several brands. That is, until we tried Mudpuppy’s vinyl sticker play scenes and magnetic figures. Offering beautifully illustrated themes for boys and girls, the generously appointed garden fairies play scene (which includes 6 fairies + costumes, critters, and tea party fare) and princess dress up doll tin have provided countless hours of entertainment. The princess tin, which now goes everywhere with us, offers a brilliant solution to weak cardboard-based magnet books. The hinged tin case serves as the stage (and convenient storage!) for two double sided scene cards, allowing the princess and her many outfits and accessories stable styling grounds.

Want to win a Mudpuppy sticker play scene + magnet set*? Here’s how:

+ + + + +
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winner Jennifer M.!
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Visit Mudpuppy’s vinyl sticker play scene OR magnetic figure collections, then email contests@bostonmamas.com (with ‘Mudpuppy’ in the subject), and name a play scene or magnetic figure style your kid would love to own.

One entry permitted per person; US & Canada entrants only.

Entry period closes at midnight EST, Tuesday, May 27, 2008.

*Winner will receive their choice combination of sticker play scene + magnet set, subject to availability.

And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:

Coochicoos features Kimochi Dolls, designed to help children express their emotions. MomFinds is hosting a giveaway for a $100 shopping spree at Kobold Toys. One Chic Mama is offering up a Rakkiddo shoe rack for kids. Classy Mommy announces their Big Give for Breast Cancer winner. Clever Parents reports on Operation Shower, which recently showered 100 new moms and moms-to-be in Fort Bragg, NC. And Car & Caboodle highlights Jeannie Tate's Show from her minivan.