Win Tickets to See The Wiggles!

Want to win a family (4) pack of tickets to see The Wiggles on October 11, 2015 at 1:00 p.m.? Read on for details on winning this prize pack valued at $98.

The tickets will be placed at will call in the Fox Box Office for pickup when you and/or your winner arrive for the show.  Please send me a link to your post once the giveaway is up and running, as well as your winner's name once you have it.

Below are the copy and image you may use on your blog for the promotion.

September 14-18

The Wiggles, will return to the U.S. this fall with their incomparable brand of preschool entertainment for their “Rock & Roll Preschool” tour. Ready to once again delight families at the Fox Theatre on Sunday, October 11 at 1:00 p.m., they will be touring in support of their brand new CD and DVD, Rock & Roll Preschool, as well as a new season of their hit TV series airing on Hulu.

Tickets ($18, $24.50, $34.50 and $60) are on sale now and can be purchased at OlympiaEntertainment.com,  The Fox Theatre and Joe Louis Arena box offices,and at all Ticketmaster locations and Ticketmaster.com. To charge tickets by phone, call (800) 745-3000.  Discounts for groups of 10 or more are available by calling 313-471-3099. For additional information, call (313) 471-6611.

Don’t want to miss your chance to see this highly entertaining quartet? Just for Ann Arbor Mom readers, tell us about your best Wiggles moment in the comments below. A random entry from all comments posted by midnight, September 18, will be chosen to win (4) free tickets to see the Wiggles!  

Free Movies: Fall 2015

See free movies at Goodrich Theaters Sept 12-Nov. 8.



Attention families, free movies are back! On weekends September 12 through November 8 at Goodrich Quality Theaters (Canton Cinema - 43555 Ford Rd., Canton and Quality 16 - 3686 Jackson Rd., Ann Arbor) at 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., the entire family can enjoy a free movie once they register for the FMG club. Tickets are first come, first serve and plan on an intermission with every show, otherwise everyone gets in free!

The schedule is as follows:

• 9/12-13: Penguins
•  9/19-20: The Spongebob Movie 
• 9/26-27: Paul Blart Mall Cop 2
• 10/3-4: Home 
•  10/10-11: Annie 
• 10/17-18: The Nut Job
• 10/24-25: Night at the Museum Secret Tomb
• 10/31-11/1: Minions
•  11/7-8: Shawn the Sheep Movie

Watch your Son Grow Through Participation in Scouting!

"Why is scouting important to me? As a Scouter mom I get to watch him grow into a wonderful, considerate young man... Why wouldn't anyone want this for their son?"

My son with his Papa at the
100th Year Anniversary Camporee.

Yes, that statement was posted as part of a Mom 2 Mom contest our local Boy Scout council promoted a few years ago. Guess what? It is still incredibly accurate several years later. My son went through the entire Cub Scout program and is now a Boy Scout. He is an amazingly involved and motivated young man who I admire greatly.

What Scouting Has Done for My Son

My son has always been a giver. Not necessarily in the monetary sense, but through participation in scouting he has learned to be an active part of the community. I often hear that he is the first to raise his hand to volunteer to help in some way, and I love that he is learning that giving does not always have to mean money, and that one person CAN make a difference. These are valuable life lessons.

Giving of ones self means that he will be able to relate to his greater community. Right now that is his class and school, but scouting has opened his eyes so that he can see the value of helping in the neighborhood, township and beyond. He has worked on conservation projects for the local watershed, and for the county, he has participated in food drives, at the animal shelter, and through soliciting funds for those in need. He has also volunteered at senior centers and food banks. These experiences have opened him up to people he may have never have met, and it has helped him understand that one person can make a difference.

This summer he went away to three camps. Since I ask my children to help pay for their fun expenses, like the canteen at camp, much of his summer slush fund was depleted. Regardless of that, when he heard that the local Humane Society was low on toys for cats, he and his sister counted coins to purchase $30 some to donate. They hunted down the best deals too, knowing fully well that more cats could have the toys if they could make their money go further.

My son helping serve at a
pancake breakfast.

One of the stories I like to share when doing Friends of Scouting presentations, is from the first year he sold Boy Scout popcorn. He was given a $20 to spend, but instead of using the money on himself, he asked me to put it in his popcorn money so that he could give it to the soldiers. Here he was, at just 7-years old, taking his money and giving it to others!

There are many other great stories of course but the point is that though scouting, my son has learned the value of hard work, teamwork and friendship. He has built up his self esteem and learned new skills.

Now that he has moved onto Boy Scouts he knows that hard work and perseverance can move mountains. Just this past year, while doing several class projects and the science fair, I have heard him say countless times, "Mom I don't want to be that kid who does the minimum." His hard work has paid off in many ways that makes a mom proud.

Could he have gained this without scouting? I'm pretty sure that he could have, but the experiences he has had, and what he is learning through participation in Cub Scouts and now Boy Scouts, is shaping him into a young man that I admire greatly. These experiences and skills are helping to shape him in amazing ways, ways that would make any parent proud.

September is a great time to look at scouting, as there are many open houses, scout nights and round-ups. Want to find a local Cub Scout Pack, Boy Scout Troop or Venturing Crew for your son to join?  Check out the Be A Scout website for more information on what is available to your child.

Free Admission to the Henry Ford

Get free admission to the Henry Ford during Target Family Days!

On Monday, September 7 (9:30a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) families can receive free admission to the Henry Ford Museum courtesy of Target. The Target Family Days, are scheduled throughout the year and include free activities, admission and parking. Find live music, hands-on demonstrations, make-and-take activities and more season-specific programming. Target Family Days at the Henry Ford are for families, so be sure to head over to check it out!

Saline Community Fair: Rides, Agriculture, Animals & Fun

Check out the Saline Community Fair this week Sept 2-6, 2015

This week's fair of choice is the Saline Community Fair. Beginning September 2 and running through labor Day families can check out the rides, eats and exhibits as well as many great special attractions at the Saline Community Fair.

Special attractions that families might enjoy are events happening throughout Thursday's"Pre-school  Day" 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and Saturday's "Kid's Day". Families will especially enjoy the annual talent show, Saline's Got Talent and Saturday's parade in downtown Saline, as well as animal shows, tractor pulls, plenty of entertainment! For a full listing of Saline Community Fair daily events though, be sure to visit the fair website.

Saline Community Fair

September 2-6, 2015

Daily Admission: for those 11+ is $7.00 (kids 10 and under FREE Admission)
Special season passes are available!

Ride Armbands:

 

Ride armbands will be available for purcase.  Special pricing for rides is also available during Preschool Day where fair admission is $5.00 (ages 2 and up) 9:00 - 2:00 p.m. The pricing includes kiddie rides only from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. No big kids rides will be open until 2:00 p.m. Also in years past, there is special pricing on Labor Day beginning at 1:00 p.m.

Saline Community Fair Highlights:

To highlight the special events on Thursday's Preschool Day, families in the past have found plenty of great activities and events for the everyone. Past performances by Cirque Amongus, Nick's Kid Show, and Gemini, with special activities provided by the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, a fun display of fire trucks from the Saline Area Fire Department, and the New Beginnings baby animal exhibit. My family especially enjoyed viewing all of the great displays put together by the kids - and of course my award winning pepper jelly being displayed! (I'm not going to say I should have won, but that was the very last jar since my family all but sucked down 8 jars in a matter or 2 weeks.).

Continue to watch the Ann Arbor Mom blog for fair updates or check out the full Saline Community Fair calendar of events on their website. Below are a few select highlights that may be especially helpful to families.


September 1:
Parade (Bennett Street, Saline) - 6:30 p.m.
Followed by Old Fashioned Games in Mill Pond Park

September 2:
Gates Open - 9:00 a.m.
Rides Open - 3:00 p.m.
Miss Saline Pageant - 8:00 p.m.

September 3 - Preschool Day:
Note: While the Fair Website indicates that this morning is for "Pre-School aged children and Toddlers" know that my experience has been that there are often older children in attendance and in line for the rides!

Gates Open - 9:00 a.m.
Preschool/Toddler Program - 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
A2SO Pet Instruments - 9:00 a.m. - noon
Ann Arbor Hands on Museum - 9:00 a.m.
Junior Livestock Auction - 7:00 p.m.

September 5 - Ladies Day:
Gates Open - 9:00 a.m.
Ladies' Day Program - 1:00 p.m.
*Regular Admission Begins 1:00 p.m.
Rides Open - 2:00 p.m.
Saline's Got Talent - 6:00

September 6 - Kid's Day:
Gates Open - 9:00 a.m.
Kid's Activities - 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Lookin’ Back (Bob Seger Tribute Band) - 7:30 p.m.

September 7 -  Free Admission:
Rides Open (armbands $10) - 1:00 p.m.