Holiday Giving Wrap-Up

THANK YOU! Our 2011 Holiday Giving Campaign was a great success thanks to you, our generous readers! We decided to run two campaigns this past year, one through JOIN to help a local homeless family move into stable housing, and one through Mercy Corps to help alleviate the devastating, ongoing suffering in the Horn of Africa. Readers donated a total of $1,875 to our JOIN “Home for the Holidays” effort, which, when added to our match of $1,250, gave us a grand total of $3,125. Our goal was $2,500, the amount needed to move one family into housing, so thank you thank you thank you for helping us exceed that! You also donated $2,010 to the Mercy Corps effort, which we began running in August 2011. We added $2,500 to the pot for a total of $4,510, making ours the fifth-highest earning Mercy Corps Horn of Africa pledge effort. See the results at mercycorps.org . Thank you, and a very happy new year to you all!

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Holiday Giving Wrap-Up

Enter the Year of the Dragon

Gung Hay Fat Choy! Chuc Mung Nam Moi! The Year of the Dragon is nearly upon us, and the Chinese and Vietnamese New Year’s festivities happening around town offer an especially entertaining and engaging way to introduce your kids to different cultures. Lan Su Chinese Garden hosts two full weeks of celebrations, beginning Jan. 23 this year, including lion and dragon dances, performances, crafts, story telling and much more! Check their website for a schedule of events. You’ll also find celebratory events at local libraries, and at A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village in Salem. Here’s the scoop: Jan. 14, 19 & 28 Red Fans for Lunar New Year at Multnomah County Libraries. Decorate a fan for free. . FREE. Jan 14 from 1 to 3 pm at St. Johns Library, 7510 N Charleston Ave., 503-988-5397; Jan. 19 from 3:30 to 4:30 pm at Belmont Library, 1038 SE 39th Ave., 503-988-5382; or Jan. 28 from 4:30 to 5:30 pm at Woodstock Library, 6008 SE 49th Ave., 503-988-5234. Registration required. events.multcolib.org . Jan 21 Chinese New Year at the Beaverton Library. Make a craft, hear a story and celebrate the Year of the Dragon. Grades 1 to 5, with grown-up. 1:30 to 2:30 pm. FREE. Beaverton City Library, 12375 SW 5th St. 503-350-3600. beavertonlibrary.org . New Year Party at Tigard Library. Celebrate Chinese and Vietnamese new year with crafts, coloring and snacks. Ages 5 and older. 1:30 to 3 pm. FREE. Tigard Public Library, 13500 SW Hall Blvd.503-684-6537. wccls.org . Lunar New Year Celebration at AC Gilbert’s Discovery Village. Crafts, activities, food and more. 1 to 4 pm. FREE with museum admission. (Also free with your OMSI membership card and photo ID) AC Gilbert’s Discovery Village, 116 Marion St. NE, Salem. 503-371-3631. acgilbert.org . Jan 24 More Lunar New Year Fun at Multnomah County Libraries. Celebrate with entertainment, crafts and more. FREE. Jan. 24 from 5:30 to 7 pm at Midland Library, 805 SE 122d Ave., 503-988-5392; Jan. 25 from 6 to 7:30 pm at Holgate LIbrary, 7905 SE Holgate Blvd., 503-988-5389; and Jan. 28 from 1 to 3 pm at Gregory Heights Library, 7921 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-988-5386. events.multcolib.org . … and don’t forget Mochitsuki! For more New Year’s fun, check out Motchitsuki on Jan. 29 ! This annual celebration of Japanese New Year features entertainment, kids’ games and activities, mochi pounding and more. 11 am to 4 pm. $12 adult, $9 student, $5 ages 2 to 12, free ages 2 and under. Scottish Rite Center, 1512 SW Morrison St. mochipdx.org .

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Enter the Year of the Dragon

Comedy’s Jeffrey Ross is coming to roast the Rose City

The Roastmaster Jeff Ross has made his name at the Friar’s Club celebrity roasts, skewering the likes of Charlie Sheen, Pam Anderson, Flavor Flav and laying waste to dozens more of his colleagues.

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Comedy’s Jeffrey Ross is coming to roast the Rose City

PFA Part of Oregonian News Network!

Hello Everyone, Great news!  Portland Family Adventures was selected to be part of the “Oregonian News Network: The best bloggers from Oregon and the Pacific Northwest,” which will… [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

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PFA Part of Oregonian News Network!

What’s In Your Medicine Cabinet?

When most of us contemplate how to educate our children about the dangers of drugs, we think about illicit and controlled substances. We rarely think about over-the-counter pain killers, prescription medications stashed in the back of our medicine cabinets, or even our daily vitamins. But how and when we use these types of medications can play a major role in our children’s lifelong attitudes about and habits related to drugs, and proper storage of medications is essential to keeping our children safe. In this month’s online article , Oregon Partnership’s director of parenting programs, Emily Moser, explores these topics and offers simple tips for parents to keep children safe and encourage healthy habits for life.

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What’s In Your Medicine Cabinet?

Winter Portland Farmer’s Market opens

Portland Farmer’s Market opened a new winter location at downtown Portland’s Shemanski Park Saturday.

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Winter Portland Farmer’s Market opens

Our 2012 Family Resource Guide

Our 2012 Family Resource Guide is on the stands now, with over 50 pages of new and updated listings! It’s the ONLY regional directory of family-friendly activities, destinations, businesses and resources available for FREE! Inside you’ll find everything from Educational Attractions to Visual and Performing Arts to Playgrounds, Public Fountains and Hiking Opportunities to Sports, Gymnastics and Horseback Riding to Family-friendly Restaurants and Cafes to area Farmers Markets and more. You’ll even find a comprehensive list of Resources for Parents and Families . You really should pick up your copy today! (You can read it online , too, but we think you’ll want to keep a copy handy for those “What should do today?” and “Where can we find …?” kind of days.)

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Our 2012 Family Resource Guide

Holiday Baking

This past weekend was a flurry of holiday baking activity at my house, and I know I’m not alone. I made three different sweets to eat and to share, two of my easiest/tastiest standards and one recipe that was new for me: Peanut Butter Fudge (titled online as “ Easiest Peanut Butter Fudge “); Brownies (six ingredients, one pan); and Hello Dolly Bars (which reminded me why I should always test out new recipes before planning to give them as gifts!). Brownies are my go-to dessert for potlucks, parties and play dates (though I’m not allowed to call them “play dates” anymore!), and since the fudge recipe is available online (link above), and the Hello Dolly Bars still need some serious recipe 911 action, I figured I’d post my brownie recipe here. They’re seriously delicious, as easy as boxed mixes, and use ingredients you probably already have in the pantry: Super Easy Super Fudgy Brownies Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate (baker’s squares) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1/2 cup flour (These brownies are quite gooey. I usually scoop slightly more than half a cup to get them a bit more cakey.) Directions: Melt butter and chocolate over medium low heat in a pan on the stovetop. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and sugar. Mix well. Add eggs. Mix well. Add flour. Mix well. Spread/pour batter into a greased 8

SE Portland’s Peacock Lane lights up

The dazzling displays are lit and ready for revelers on Peacock Lane, which calls itself “Portland’s Christmas Street.”

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SE Portland’s Peacock Lane lights up

It’s Not Too Cold to Play Outside!

Sometimes I feel like hibernating during the northwest’s long, cold, wet winter months, but spending time outdoors is important year round, especially for kids. If you find your family avoiding the great outdoors these days, check out these links for tips on getting kids outdoors -– and spending quality family time outdoors -– even when it’s cold and wet out! The Impossibly-Busy Parents’ Guide To Getting Kids Outdoors : The National Wildlife Federation knows it can be difficult for busy families to make time for outdoor play, especially when the sun sets before dinner time! Here they offer some quick and easy ways to encourage your kids to spend time outdoors. Be Out There : Also from the National Wildlife Federation, this entire site is dedicated to encouraging families to explore the great outdoors year round. If you’re looking for new places to explore nature with your kids, try the Forest Finder at Finding My Forest. The site also includes ideas for outdoor activities to help kids learn about nature. And if you need some incentive to pry your family away from the fireplace this winter, here are a few studies to remind you how important it is for kids to spend time outdoors: Kids sleep better when they spend time outdoors. Read the report if you don’t believe us! Health Benefits of Outdoor Time . Fast Facts About Outdoor Time . Now go outside and play!

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It’s Not Too Cold to Play Outside!

Life is Good – PFA Recommendation

Our friends at “Life is Good” sent us a couple products for review.  I warned them that our kids would destroy anything they sent us within a matter of days.  They decided to take the… [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

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Life is Good – PFA Recommendation

Bike-themed holiday gift fair in Portland

A holiday fair in Northeast Portland this weekend will feature locally-made, bike-themed clothes, accessories, art, and even a “bike concierge” to help shoppers find the perfect gifts.

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Bike-themed holiday gift fair in Portland

Holiday Ale Festival returns to Pioneer Square

The Holiday Ale Festival has returned to Pioneer Courthouse Square Park for the 16th year.

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Holiday Ale Festival returns to Pioneer Square