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!
Windells – Off Season Access
What’s to Love: Located 12 miles SE of Sandy, Oregon on the flanks of Mt. Hood, Windells is a training camp for kids (and adults!) interested in skateboarding, skiing, snowboarding, BMX, and… [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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Windells – Off Season Access
Holiday Highlights
Every week we post our What’s On this Weekend! (WOW!) blog, with listings of family-friendly events and activities around the area. That gets especially challenging during the winter holidays, when every day is packed with enticing opportunities for family fun, so we compiled a list of our favorite holiday happenings for the entire month and listed them all in one place: Holiday Highlights ! From Trains, Boats and Planes (think Cinnamon Bear Cruise, ORHF Holiday Express, Christmas at Pearson Air Museum and the Mt. Hood Polar Express Train) to Santa’s in the House (Santa on the Bricks, Macy’s Santaland, Breakfasts with Santa and more) to Twinkle, Twinkle! (Zoolights, Christmas Ships, Winter Wonderland and all the other spectacular holiday light shows around the area), there’s something for everyone in your family to enjoy every single day of the season! For a truly special family holiday experience, check the Drama, Dancing, Music and Merriment section, with plays, concerts, ballets ( Nutcracker anyone?) and more. What’s your family’s favorite holiday activity or event around town? Which ones haven’t you been to before that you’re hoping to catch this year?
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Holiday Highlights
Donate & Receive a $20 John’s Incredible Pizza Gift Card!
Our holiday giving campaign is in full swing, with two wonderful ways to contribute, and to sweeten the deal we’re giving away five $20 gift cards to John’s Incredible Pizza to the first five readers who donate $25 or more to one (or both!) of them. Here’s the 411 on the giving campaigns: JOIN’s “Home for the Holidays” Program: Since 2008, Metro Parent and our readers have been partnering with JOIN , a local nonprofit that helps homeless people move into permanent housing, to help families down on their luck transition into stable environments – and keep them there. The cost to get a homeless family into permanent housing through JOIN is $2,500. During November and December, Metro Parent will match our readers’ donations up to a combined reader contribution of $1,250, bringing the total to $2,500. To contribute to our “Home for the Holidays” effort, visit JOIN’s website and click on the Metro Parent logo on the home page, then choose “Metro Parent Magazine Home for the Holidays” from the donation category drop-down menu. Mercy Corps/Metro Parent Match Campaign: The famine in the Horn of Africa has taken the lives of thousands -– but the suffering is far from over. The United Nations predicts that 750,000 people could starve to death over the next few months in Somalia alone. Metro Parent has been matching our readers’ donations to Mercy Corps since September. At press time, we had matched $1,410 in reader donations and our readers had donated $1,910 (for a total of $3,320). We will continue to match donations up to a total Metro Parent match of $2,500 (for a total reader/Metro Parent donation of $5,000). To donate to Mercy Corps, visit our donation page . Here’s the 411 on how to enter: (1) Donate a minimum of $25 to one of the campaigns above. (2) Send an email to marie@metro-parent.com letting us know you donated. Be sure to include your address so we can mail you your gift card! The first five readers to donate and email Marie (our editor-in-chief) will receive a $20 gift card to John’s Incredible Pizza. You’ll be making the world a better place and having a fabulous time with your family! What could be better?
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Donate & Receive a $20 John’s Incredible Pizza Gift Card!
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
December Coupons & Deals
Check out the super savings in our December issue : Thinker Toys: Get 20 percent off any one item. (Page 17) OMSI: Take 20 percent off any membership. (Page 21) Piccolo Mondo Toys: Get $10 off any purchase over $50 at the new Progress Ridge store. (Page 23) IKEA: For every soft toy you buy, they donate $1 to help educate kids. (Page 19) Eco Baby Gear: Get 20 percent off (up to $15). (Page 17) Eco Maids: Take 10 percent off gift certificates. (Page 21) Dancing Brooms: Schedule two cleanings and receive $50 off your third cleaning. (Page 20) Bob’s Red Mill: Buy two products at the Mill Store, get one free. (Page 21) Play Boutique: Get $25 off any birthday party, 20 percent off any Beeztro food order, and/or unlimited Stay & Play for $395 annually. (Page 23) Little Smiles Pediatric Dentistry: Free initial exam for children under 3. (Page 5) World of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry: Complimentary exam for children under 2. (Page 15) Learning Palace: Take 15 percent off science kits, toddler toys, homework books and teaching materials. (Page 24) Tidee Didee: Get one free week of diaper service with four prepaid weeks. (Page 38) … and a Bonus Deal, too! (This one isn’t in the issue, but we wanted to share it with you anyway.) North Clackamas Aquatic Park Wipeout Deal: Get four Big Surf swim admissions, four rock climbs on the 29’ Steel Mountain wall, four slices of pizza, four fountain drinks and one locker all for $40, now through Jan. 31, 2012. Visit North Clackamas Aquatic Park , 7300 SE Harmony Rd., Milwaukie, or call 503-557-SURF (7873). Mention “Metro News Dec” when purchasing. Here’s a PDF version of the issue , too, perfect for printing and clipping coupons!
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December Coupons & Deals
Earth & Sky Farm – Tree Hunting
It’s that time of the year! Have you picked-up your Christmas/holiday tree yet? Each year, we enjoy heading out to a local tree farm and cutting our own tree. We love the festive… [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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Earth & Sky Farm – Tree Hunting
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
Download the FREE Oregon Ski Report app!
KGW has launched the FREE Oregon Ski Report app, just in time for the start of ski season!
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Download the FREE Oregon Ski Report app!
Portland Composts!
I’m so glad the City of Portland rolled out their Portland Composts curbside composting program citywide beginning Oct. 31. I’ve felt guilty about throwing away food scraps for years, but with one small compost bin in the backyard I’ve never been able to get into a composting groove. Now the city is helping me out, and I’m loving it! Of course, it does take some getting used to. How’s it going for you? One thing I’ve realized is how lazy I had become, even with basic recycling. There were times (more frequent than I care to admit!) when I would toss used toilet paper rolls, empty shampoo bottles and other recyclables into the trash. No more. We can’t spare the space! And I love being able to recycle (i.e., compost) pizza delivery boxes! One of the biggest challenges for me, so far, is cleaning out the fridge. I have to remember to do it the day I put the trash out because, without the security of wrapping spoiled food in a plastic bag (Yes, I do waste food! I’m trying to stop doing it!), I don’t want it sitting out of the fridge for too long. But on the up side, it has been making me clean out the fridge more regularly! We weren’t home for Thanksgiving, but I imagine it wasn’t much of a problem since most of the trash generated would be food waste, which is still picked up weekly. It’s the winter holidays with their mountains of gift wrap that likely will cause most people concern. All the more reason to go greener this year, minimizing disposable wrapping and recycling everything we can. If you live in Portland, how are you liking (or not liking) the new program? What tips can you offer to those who might still be struggling with too much trash?
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Portland Composts!
Metro area police keep holiday shoppers safe
There were no reports of major Black Friday violence in the Portland area, as the Sheriff’s Posse patrolled Clackamas Town Center on horses and Portland police were educating shoppers at the Lloyd Center.
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Metro area police keep holiday shoppers safe
