Events: Michigan Groundhog Day

When my mom and step-father moved to Novi we added a new member to the family – “Charlie” the groundhog! There were great amounts of entertainment value in watching an overly plump groundhog run from my 5 pound poodle. Hilarity and gales of laughter could be heard when he ran (and I use that term loosely), wiggling, squeezing and wedging his was into his burrow under our small backyard shed. Imagine almost any cartoon character going through and getting stuck in a small space and you’ll get a great mental image of the events! Groundhogs can be fun animals to watch, which brings me to my topic.

Saturday is Ground Hogs day, the eagerly anticipated celebration of the coming of spring. The legend is based on an old Scottish couplet, "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year." So if the groundhog sees his shadow, it means six more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow, it means spring is just around the corner! Locally there are a couple of fun events celebrating the day.

Take the entire family out to the Howell Conference & Nature Center (1005 Triangle Lake Road, Howell 48843) to view Michigan’s own "Woody the Woodchuck’s" annual spring weather prediction.
Michigan’s Ground Hog’s Day celebration is a must see for locals, so stop by for pancake breakfast, to have your picture taken with the furry beast or simply to see when spring will arrive. Woody's prediction happens at 8:15 a.m. SHARP! For more information call 517-546-4185 or visit the Howell Conference & Nature Center website.


For those of you that can’t even manage to burrow out of your own wintry homes, Punxsutawney Phil wants to text you the results of HIS weather predictions. He'll be broadcasting his weather prediction on Tuesday to fans who sign up by texting the word "Groundhog" to 247365, or follow him on Facebook and Twitter @GroundhogPhil.

Free Family Fun at The Henry Ford Museum

Here's a free event to add to your calendar for next Monday.

On Monday February 4, families can get free admission to the Henry Ford Museum in celebration of Rosa Parks 100th birthday - The museum even has extended hours that day, staying open 9:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Families will find Nationally recognized speakers, music and dramatic interpretations as well as many hands-on and interactive activities for the kids! So be sure to start Black History Month off with free admission the the Henry Ford.

Kids Building Clinics February

Love is in the air, and it seems that is the theme for kids building clinics this month!  So why not take your child to build their very own Valentine Card Holder at the Home Depot Kids Building Clinic on February 2 from 9:00 a.m. - noon or register them to build the "Wheel of Love" at the Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic on Saturday, February 9 at 10:00 a.m. Your kids will LOVE you for it!

Week 4 - Weekend Events Round-up: Jan 25-27

This weekend will be crazy for us - My Cub Scout Pack is having their pinewood Derby, my daughter has has Upward cheer clinic and we'll hit the North American International Auto Show after church on Sunday! As I said Cray-zeee. There are a few fun things happening around town though that are worth mentioning.

Ann Arbor families should be sure to check out Saline's Winterfest on Saturday or if that's too cold for the family, another fun family event would be to experience the Wild Swan's production of Under the African Sky playing throughout the weekend at the Towsley Auditorium at WCC. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Thickets for this event are $12/adults, $8/youth and seniors and $3 lap passes available for kids under 2. Purchase tickets at 734.995.0530 or www.wildswantheater.org.

So what will you do with your kids this weekend? Play outdoors or find a fun indoor event? I'm sure the weekend planner has something to help make your plans for your kids tots or teens - And as always enjoy the weekend with your family!

Saturday, January 26


10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Thurston Elementary (2300 Prairie, Ann Arbor) Chess Tournament for students in grades K-8. For more information www.thurstonchess.com. Tickets are $7-16 depending on full day or half day.

10:00 a.m. - noon - Take the kids to the "Hot Chocolate" event at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens (1800 N. Dixboro Rd., Ann Arbor) to explore the rich history of chocolate, learn about the cacoa tree, and create chocolate treats of their very own. Cost for this event is $8. Register early online.

11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - With snow arriving, everything will be primed to spend the day outdoors at the Hudson Mills (8801 N. Territorial Rd., Dexter) Winter Fun day event. Families can try a variety of outdoor activities, including snow shoeing, snowsnake tossing and Klondike racing plus indoor crafts and hot chocolate. Kids can also see dog sledding demos or explore with a fun scavenger hunt! Winter Fun day is a great family event however it's also a Scout festival for local Girl Scouts. Brownies will earn the Senses badge and Junior Girl Scouts will complete activities for the Journey Get Moving: Energy Insights from Wilderness & Wildlife badge. Winter Fun costs just $3/person or $7.50/person with lunch. Scout patches are $1.50 each. Preregistration is required 734-426-8211.

11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. - Behind the Scenes: Research and Exhibits at the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History (1109 Geddes Ave., Ann Arbor). Learn about the scientific collections, how to cast fossils, and how to create plant and animal displays that look lifelike. This free program is suitable for adults and children, ages 5 and up. If you go to the museum though, be sure to check out the free dinosaur tours at 2:00 p.m. and also the planetarium!
2:00-4:00 p.m. -  Kids and teens ages 6-18 can experience "Spy Day" a free event at the Ypsilanti District Library (8975 MacArthur Blvd., Superior Twp.) to learn a few tricks of spy trade with invisible ink, decoders, and secret messages. Check it out, but don't tell them I told you about it - Shhhh. It's secret!


Sunday, January 27

3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. - Behind the Scenes: Research and Exhibits at the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History (1109 Geddes Ave., Ann Arbor). Learn about the scientific collections, how to cast fossils, and how to create plant and animal displays that look lifelike. This free program is suitable for adults and children, ages 5 and up. If you go to the museum though, be sure to check out the free dinosaur tours at 2:00 p.m. and also the planetarium!

Have you heard about other fun activities or events happening around town? Be sure to let me know, either through email or by commenting below!

Winterfest Arrives in Saline!

Kids will find fun at Saline's Winterfest on January 26.

Hey families, make sure that you mark your calendar for the second annual Saline's Winterfest. On Saturday, January 26 starting at 9:00 a.m., families can experience an extreme snowman building competition (weather pending) in addition to ice carving demos, bingo, free kids activities, a dog sled demonstration and good eats.

Saline Winterfest Schedule of Events:

• 9:00 a.m. - Ice Carvings begin throughout downtown 
• 9:30–11:30 a.m. Free kids activities, games and face painting 
• 11:30 a.m. - Dog sled demo at Henne Field
• Noon - Ice Skating demo at the Henne Field outdoor ice rink
• 1:00–3:00 p.m. - The ultimate snowman building championship (weather pending of course!)
• 3:00–3:30 p.m. - Official snowman count 
• 3:30–4:00 p.m. - Snowman decorating contest - Judging begins at 4:00 p.m.

For additional information on the event, be sure to visit the Saline Winterfest website at www.besaline.com.

Weekend Events Round Up: Jan 18-21

It's been a crazy few weeks - Reflecting on all of my writing though I am not sure when like is NOT crazy for my family though! I have finally begun to pull back on a few commitments allowing me to begin to breath though! I actually looked at our calendar for this weekend and *gasp* realized there is very little planned! I can't remember the last time that happened! There are lots of things that I've wanted to take the kids to though, so we'll likely try and find our way over to the Grange Jr. Makers program or the Museum of Natural History and after a few weeks off, It'll take the kids to Mathnasium for tutoring as well. And if things go really well - yea right - I will hand each kid a shovel and a trash bag and lock them in their respective rooms.We'll likely check out the Plymouth Ice Fest this weekend too.

Since this is a long weekend that includes many Martin Luther King Jr. Day events that families are considering. My kids are signed up for the Day Off School program at the Leslie Science and Nature Center for Monday, but I'll admit having them spend the entire day at UM for the free MLK program sure looked appealing. My fear was that my youngest wouldn't get anything out of it though!

So what are your weekend plans? Will the Ann Arbor Mom weekend event planner help you?

Saturday, January19

10:00 a.m. - noon Grange Jr. Makers program (3337 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd., Ann Arbor) where the kids will either build a walking stick or grow box. 

11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Behind the Scenes: Research and Exhibits at the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History (1109 Geddes Ave., Ann Arbor). Learn about the scientific collections, how to cast fossils, and how to create plant and animal displays that look lifelike. This free program is suitable for adults and children, ages 5 and up. If you go to the museum though, be sure to check out the free dinosaur tours at 2:00 p.m. and also the planetarium!

Sunday, January 20

1:00-4:00 p.m. Chesstastic at the Arbor District Library (Traverwood - 3333 Traverwood Dr., Ann Arbor) Free chess program for youth (Kindergarten and up).

 2:00 p.m. Storytime and Craft at the Ann Arbor District Library (Pittsfield - 2359 Oak Valley Dr., Ann Arbor)   

2:00 p.m. Free dinosaur tours at the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History (1109 Geddes Ave., Ann Arbor). 

3:00 p.m. Behind the Scenes: Research and Exhibits at the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History (1109 Geddes Ave., Ann Arbor)

Spend Time With The Piston's: Free Event

Courtesy of Meijer, Pistons fans will have an opportunity to get up close and personal with several players during the "Pistons Days at Meijer." Families can participate in a shooting competition to win free Pistons tickets or other Pistons prizes, you will get a chance to meet a Pistons player during a meet-and-greet autograph session.

Bring your own Piston's item for signing or get your free autograph card during the event. To make sure everyone gets the chance to meet the player, Pistons fans are asked to refrain from requesting multiple autographs or take a posed photograph with the player! The full list of players and event dates can be found at the Detroit Pistons website, however Ann Arbor folks have one of the events right here at the  Ann-Arbor Saline Road Meijer TOMORROW!

On Tuesday, January 8, from 5:00-7:00 p.m., Pistons fans can play the games and meet Kyle Singler starting at 6:00 p.m. So be sure to stop by Meijer (3145 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd., Ann Arbor) for your chance to score free Detroit Pistons tickets, win some prizes and meet a Pistons player personally!