Dover DoodleHeads

Belkin Family Lookout Farm Pass for $99

Did you know that Belkin's Lookout Farm in South Natick has an annual pass for only $99??

They are open every Saturday + Sunday from 10:00 - 5:00 for train rides, live children's entertainment, moonbounce, hay pyramid, children's play area and more!

And a regular admission is $8 per person - so for a family of 4, if you visit 3 times, it pretty much pays for itself!  Think strawberries, peaches, pears, apples & pumpkins!  PLUS all the rides, playgrounds and petting zoo!

It's so close and so much fun even if you're not picking your own fruit!

Belkin Family Lookout Farm Welcomes You!.

Cheap Blue Man Tix @ BosTix Jr

If you're looking for something to do for after school gets out, BosTix Jr has cheap tickets to Blue Man for only $31.... right now there is an early show on 6/27 @ 5pm for the smaller folks!  good deal.... :)

BosTix.org - Half-Price Tickets to the Performing Arts.

New way to print those digital pics!

I didn't know CVS had a Photo Site....They have a nice perk that won't last long - 50 free prints just for registering!

Considering I have at least 3 CVSes close to me, this will be an easy way to print some of my millions of digital pics!

Vera Bradley Sale on New Colors!

Looking for a cute new bag to tote to the beach or pool?  Snag a pretty bag from Vera Bradley during their sale.... New colors on sale until June 24th!

Time to Plant: Square Foot Gardening

Even though I have a bit more space than I used to for my vegetable garden, this is still my favorite book - Square Foot Gardening. 

It gives you great plans for very efficient gardens and pairs plants that work together.... :) 

Time to Get Planting!!

New 39 Clues Book out June 2nd!

Waiting for some new summer reading material?  The new Judy Moody doesn't come out until July...

BUT the new 39 Clues: Beyond the Grave (by award-winning author Jude Watson) is out on June 2. 

Before summer reading even starts!

Coco Key Water Resort Discount from Shaws

I happened to pick up a "Summer Solutions" booklet at Shaws the other day and if you like Coco Key Water Resort, they are worth a gold mine!  In the back are coupons for $10 off each full day access pass to Coco Key Water Resort in Danvers, Fitchburg or Waterbury, CT!  Full Day pass costs vary from $30-$40, so this is a good deal! 

This deal is good thru 12/15/09, so you can even save your trip for a super cold day!  Or go on a day this summer that is 100 degrees outside! :)

Complete details in the booklet available at Shaws.  Here's some of the info:

Advance online reservations required.  Enter promo Shaws09 to receive discount.  Valid for arrivals thru December 15, 2009 at any Coco Key New England Resort- MA/CT.  Excludes Saturday arrivals, holidays & events, not combinable with other discounts or coupons.  Advanced online purchase required to guarantee admittance.  No walk-ins.  Maximum 3 discounts per order.

Love My New Rain Barrel

I have a lot of plants... vegetable garden, potted plants, hanging plants.  This means lots of watering.  I had heard about rain barrels to "harvest" rain water from your downspouts, but was dubious. 

Well, I broke down and bought a not-so-bad-looking rain barrel last week and am THRILLED with it!  Some rain barrels are these big green or brown barrels, but I found one at Gardener's Supply Co that is plastic but looks like it is made out of pottery, so it doesn't look so bad near my patio. 

My downspout had a link at the right height for the smaller "Rainwater Urn" so it was an easy install - no sawing off of the downspout.... But my small "downspout diverter" that I got at Lowe's to make the downspout pour water into the Urn was our big question.... would it fall off once the water started pouring down?  And how much water would we get at all?  Would it be worth the $150 for this big hunk of plastic?

Well, we got a rainstorm on Sunday afternoon and my 45 gallon urn is almost FULL.  We watered the entire garden and all the plants with it and we still have water in it!  wow.   This rainwater barrel actually has a little spigot so even the kids can fill up buckets and watering cans from it.  Right now they still think its fun - so I have watering helpers.... we'll see how long that lasts!

 It's going to rain some more this week so we're all set for water for the garden for a while.  I am totally sold and am already thinking about getting another one!  Reuse rainwater, go green AND save money!

New Judy Moody Book out in July!

Just in time for some Judy Moody Summer Reading, there is a new Judy Moody book coming out in July!!

Judy Moody & Stink: The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt

We're so sad we missed Megan McDonald in Wellesley last week, but I figured (correctly) that it would be CRAZY!  Ah well, next time.  But over April vacation we did have some cartoon lessons from Judy's illustrator Peter Reynolds... fabulous!!!  Watch for more of those at the Blue Bunny in Dedham!

We did love meeting Jeff Kinney at the Blue Bunny on Saturday though!  We only had 68 people in front of us!

Glen Ellen Country Club Pool Memberships

I just saw this advertised in the paper yesterday and thought I would share...

I have Glen Ellen Country Club in Millis listed on our Pool & Pond Memberships page at the left, but I had not seen the price before.

Glen Ellen Country Club Family Pool Membership- $1200.00
Pool Members may use all of the tennis, swimming and dining facilities of the Club.
Pool Members are not required to pay court fees for use of the tennis facilities .
Payable in full or take advantage of our payment plan if paying by credit card.
Payable in three installments of $400.00 on June 1st, July 1st and August 1st. This option only available to members paying by credit card.

A family Golf & Pool Membership is available as well for $2800.

Glen Ellen Country Club - Millis, MA - Pool Memberships.

Morses Pond Beach Tags on Sale May 19th for non residents

Wellesley's Morses Pond Beach tags will be available for purchase to non residents beginning on May 19th.  If you buy your tags before June 10th, the prices are:

• $45 for adults
• $40 for kids (ages 1-16)
• $25 for Seniors (age 60+)

See more info on Pool & Pond memberships under DoodleDo's at the left under Pool & Pond Memberships!

Dover DoodleHeads: Pool & Pond Memberships.

Summer Reading Lists

Looking for some summer reading for the kids already?  Try these lists from today's "Surfing the Net with the Kids"

Summer Reading.

Love Diary of a Wimpy Kid?

Well then get your kids to the Blue Bunny in Dedham next weekend!!  Diary of a Wimpy Kid author, Jeff Kinney, will be in person @ the wonderful Blue Bunny!!

Saturday May 16th Jeff Kinney, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, 2 p.m.- 3:30 p.m. We conclude our celebration of Children’s Book Week with a long-awaited return visit by our good friend Jeff Kinney, author/illustrator of the wildly-popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid children’s book series. No need to say more!

Blue Bunny Special Event.

Farm Pond Lottery 2009 List Up!

If you are waiting for the Farm Pond Lottery List, the 2009 list is up now!

Town of Sherborn Massachusetts.

Dover plans to pull bill that would have banned drinking near public property - The Boston Globe

Dover plans to pull bill that would have banned drinking near public property - The Boston Globe.

my favorite part of the article:

 "All of which begs the question: Are raucous parties endemic in Dover? Not exactly. ..."

Barnes & Noble 2009 Summer Reading Program!

B&N's Summer Reading Program for 2009 features Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson & the Olympians! 

Book 5 in the Percy Jackson series - The Last Olympian - comes out on May 5th!!  Just in time for summer reading!!

B&N's summer reading club is fun because when your kids read 8 books, they can get a book for free! 

Just go to the website below and download the reading journal:

Summer Reading - Barnes & Noble.

Then bring it to a Barnes & Noble near you and your child can pick a free book from a list of titles.  The program runs from May 26, 2009 thru Sept 7, 2009.

DoodleDo: Higgins Armory Museum

DoodleDo #6

Higgins Armory Museum
Tons of Fun for April Vacation Week  .... and if you print out a free MassValuePass, when you purchase one admission, you get the second free!

More info here:
MassValuePass

Higgins Armory Museum
Worcester
508-853-6015

Purchase one admission, get a second for free!

DoodleDo: Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House

DoodleDo #5

Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House
Tons of Fun for April Vacation Week  .... and if you print out a free MassValuePass, when you purchase one admission, you get the second free!

More info here:
MassValuePass

Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House
Concord
978-369-4118

Purchase one admission, get a second one free!

DoodleDo: Battleship Cove!

DoodleDo #4

Battleship Cove
Tons of Fun for April Vacation Week - See the special schedule here .... and if you print out a free MassValuePass, then you can get 25% off admission!!

More info here:
MassValuePass

Battleship Cove
Fall River
508-678-1100

25% off admission.

DoodleDo: Ecotarium!

DoodleDo #4

Ecotarium
Tons of Fun for April Vacation Week .... and if you print out a free MassValuePass, you get 25% off admission!!

More info here:

MassValuePass

EcoTarium
Worcester
508-929=-2700

25% off full admission.
Cannot be combined with group rates, other offers or special event pricing.

DoodleDo: Southwick's Zoo - Buy One Get One Admission Free!

DoodleDo #3

Southwick's Zoo
Tons of Fun for April Vacation Week .... and if you print out a free MassValuePass, when you buy one admission the second is free!!

More info here:

MassValuePass

Southwick's Zoo
Mendon
508-883-9182

Purchase one admission, get a second for free!

DoodleDo: Davis Farmland Discount!

DoodleDo #2

Davis Farmland
Tons of Fun for April Vacation Week - Opening Day was April 16th!! .... and if you print out a free MassValuePass, then you can get 25% off admission!!

More info here:

MassValuePass

Davis Farmland
Sterling
978-422-6666

25% off general admission.

PawSox: Kids Eat Free thru May 7th!

If your kids love the PawSox, now's the time to go!  Kids eat free with box seats thru May 7th!  We went today and it's easy peasy!  Fun Fun and so much cheaper than the Red Sox.... :)

Details on deal:
To be eligible for Kids Eat Free at McCoy you must be 12 years-old or younger and be holding a purchased box seat ticket. You must check-in at the Kids Eat Free table inside the main gate at McCoy Stadium upon arrival. Offer is good for games at McCoy between April 18 - May 7, 2009. There will be no substitutions to your concession coupon which is good for a hot dog, Pepsi, and a bag of chips.
Pawtucket Red Sox: News: Article.

Children's Fun Pass for April Vacation!

Don't forget to buy your Fun Passes for April Vacation!  I just ordered mine and they arrived in 2 days!  Great deals for vacation trips and the summer.... The only discount around on Story Land in NH.... Check it out!  :)

StoryLand & Other New England Attraction Discounts: Fun Pass.

DoodleDo: Old Sturbridge Village Discount

DoodleDo #1

Old Sturbridge Village
Tons of Fun for April Vacation Week.... and if you print out a free MassValuePass, then you can get 25% off admission!!

More info here:

MassValuePass

Old Sturbridge Village
Sturbridge
508-347-3362
25% off adult, senior and youth regular daytime admission.

April Vacation Program at Orchard House

Looking for something different to do over April Vacation?  Maybe do you have a daughter studying MA history?  Check out the neat programs running at the Louisa May Alcott House in Concord!

Special Events at Orchard House.

Tuesday, April 21 - Friday, April 24 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. each day
Plumfield Fun Week! For ages 8 to 12 Join us for a week of fun during April school vacation! Try your hand at activities popular with Louisa May Alcott and her sisters. Our trained staff will help you act, write, make a craft, and draw just like the Alcott girls -- the real-life models for “Meg,” “Jo,” “Beth,” and “Amy”! Cost: $100 for the week or $30 per day (Orchard House Members: $80 & $24 respectively) Space is limited! Pre-registration & pre-payment required; please phone 978.369.4118 x106

Looking for more April Vacation Camps?  Click on "Vacation Camps" at left!

Franklin Park Zoo: Free Child Admission

Did you know that with the Free MassValuePass you can get a free child admission with the purchase of one adult admission?  Warm days are coming!

Franklin Park Zoo / Boston / 617-541-LION

More info here:  MassValuePass.

Offering the Best Price for Learning Supplies - Free - NYTimes.com

I never knew this organization existed! So neat!

Extras for Creative Learning is a nonprofit organization that funnels castoff items from businesses into the hands of teachers, day care providers and parents. And the economic downturn is fueling a boom in some donations.

Offering the Best Price for Learning Supplies - Free - NYTimes.com.

Dover Library lends out cake pans - Dover, MA - Dover-Sherborn Press

Some of these pads are SO cute!  Take a look at them before you make your next cake!
Dover Library lends out cake pans - Dover, MA - Dover-Sherborn Press.

Schools Try Separating Boys From Girls - NYTimes.com

Schools Try Separating Boys From Girls - NYTimes.com.

Puppet Showplace Theatre: Two for One Tix

Did you know that you can get two Puppet Showplace Theatre tickets for the price of one with the MassValuePass?

Puppet Showplace Theatre in Brookline
617-731-6400

More info here: MassValuePass.

Distractions May Shift, but Sleep Needs Don’t - NYTimes.com

How much sleep do kids need?.... at least 10 hours for an 8 year old.... in print in the NYT.  :)
18 and Under - Distractions May Shift, but Sleep Needs Don’t - NYTimes.com.

Buying and Selling Among Friends | Katherine Boehret | The Mossberg Solution | AllThingsD

WSJ reviews the new Facebook Marketplace.... Looks snazzy....

Buying and Selling Among Friends | Katherine Boehret | The Mossberg Solution | AllThingsD.

Half Day Wed @ Chickering - Every other week starting 09/10

I kept hearing that Chickering might not have half day Wednesdays anymore.... and here is this week's Principal's Letter confirming that it was approved at the 2/24/09 School Committee Meeting.

The key section of the letter:

"At the February 24 School Committee meeting the board voted unanimously to approve the Time-On-Learning increase for next year.  As a result, we will reduce the number of early release Wednesdays from 39 to 22 and gain approximately 40 instructional hours for our students in first-fifth grades.  We will follow an every other week format identical to the schedule of Pine Hill Elementary in Sherborn.  Kindergarten students will still have early release days on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays."

Eight Web Sites That Will Save You Cash - washingtonpost.com

I am surprised they didn't talk about Ebates.....

Eight Web Sites That Will Save You Cash - washingtonpost.com.

Vera Bradley Sale

Wishing for Spring?? Get a great deal and get ready for Spring with Vera!  They are having a fabulous sale on their sale items - 10% off all sale items on the website! Use code Sale4Spring at checkout! Only good thru Sunday March 8th....

Fios TV in Dover

Fios TV is finally in Dover and we just got it today!  Nice. 

If you've been on the fence about switching, you might as well switch over to FIOS now.... They have a nice deal for $99.99 a month for Fios TV, Internet & phone with a two year price guarantee... AND you can Get $150 Cash Back when you order FiOS TV + FiOS Internet + Phone!

They will send you a $150 Visa gift card after you've been a subscriber for 30 days.  Pretty good deal!

39 Clues - Book 3 is out!

  The new 39 Clues books are favorites in our house - and the next installment came out yesterday - The 39 Clues: The Sword Thief!

The UPS truck should be here with ours before the bus brings the little readers home...  It really is a fun series - for girls and boys. 

Check it out if you have not read them yet.

Here's a link to the Boston Globe article from a few months ago about the 39 Clues series too.  ("The story plays out: With a book, trading cards, and online game, 'The 39 Clues' clicks with kids")

Give Your Laptop Battery a Longer Lease on Life - washingtonpost.com

I leave my laptop plugged in 24/7.... and my battery is pretty much kaput.  Here's why.... and what I should have done ....

Give Your Laptop Battery a Longer Lease on Life - washingtonpost.com.

Finding a Massage in Lean Times - WSJ.com

Yesterday, the WSJ had an article on finding a less expensive massage.... And they reviewed one of the Massage Envy clinics in FL:
 
Finding a Massage in Lean Times - WSJ.com.

We have a few Massage Envy's around here and I've been wondering....  maybe it's worth a try!

Another not so expensive option is the Charles River YMCA in Needham has a massage therapist now.... She has two times a week on Mondays only.  And it's only $65 for a 45 min massage.

Yet another inexpensive massage option is that supposedly the Mass Bay Community College Therapeutic Massage School has a student clinic in Framingham.  If anyone knows more, please leave a comment!

Dover Girl Scouts Cradles to Crayons Clothing Drive until March 6th

You might be surprised to learn how many little children — some of them in our own neighborhoods — are wearing thin, tattered and tight clothes because their parents just can’t afford new ones.

You can help those needy children with your donations of new and gently used clothing and shoes in sizes newborn to 16. New underwear, socks and pajamas will help, too.

The Dover and Sherborn Girl Scouts are partnering with Cradles to Crayons in a multiweek drive to get clothes to those children.

From Feb. 23 to March 6, you can bring your donations to any of these convenient locations:

• The Sherborn Library
• The Pine Hill School
• The Sherborn Town Offices
• The Sherborn Transfer Station
• The Chickering School
• The Dover Library
• The Dover Post Office
• The Dover Church
• St. Dunstan’s Church, Dover

You can call Melissa Connolly at 508-652-7293 in Sherborn, or Julie Palo Hayes, at 508-785-8322, in Dover, for answers to questions about the drive.

Cradles to Crayons provides poor and homeless Massachusetts children from infancy to age 12 with everyday essentials. They donate directly to at-risk and needy children free of any charge through distribution partnerships with shelters, health centers, schools, parenting programs and day cares. You can find out more at its Web site: www.cradlestocrayons.org.

With Deals for ’09, Disney Is Making It Tougher to Say No - NYTimes.com

Practical Traveler - With Deals for ’09, Disney Is Making It Tougher to Say No - NYTimes.com.

IF you’ve long put off your kids’ entreaties to take them on a Disney vacation because of an aversion to long lines, high prices and throngs of mouse-eared fans, you may soon be running out of excuses.  Attendance at Disney’s theme parks in the United States began to slip in the last part of 2008, dropping about 5 percent compared with a year earlier. To keep guests coming through the turnstiles in 2009, the company is rolling out deals not seen in years.

The Cough-and-Sniffle Question - When to Keep a Child Home? - NYTimes.com

18 and Under - The Cough-and-Sniffle Question - When to Keep a Child Home? - NYTimes.com.

The Future of Reading - In Web Age, Library Job Gets Update - Series - NYTimes.com

Even as more school librarians teach digital skills, they often become the first casualties of budget crunches.

The Future of Reading - In Web Age, Library Job Gets Update - Series - NYTimes.com.

Blood drive at Charles River School Today!

Blood drive at Charles River School - Dover, MA - Dover-Sherborn Press.

Please support your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers by donating blood on Thursday, Feb. 12, at the Charles River School, 6 Old Meadow Road, Dover, from 2-7 p.m.

John Smith Soccer Camp @ CRS last two weeks of Aug

John Smith Soccer will have their soccer camp again this year at Charles River School! 
Dates: Aug 17-21 & Aug 24-28
Coed Ages 4-12
Munchkin ($99), Half ($145) & Full Day ($235) Options

Find more info and forms here:
John Smith Sports - Soccer Schools, Indoor Sports Leagues, and Tournaments.

Watchdog Group Says Scholastic Is Selling Not Just Books to Children - NYTimes.com

From today's NYT:

A consumer watchdog group accuses the children’s publisher of using its classroom book clubs to push video games, jewelry kits and toy cars.

Watchdog Group Says Scholastic Is Selling Not Just Books to Children - NYTimes.com.

Don't let baby-sitting costs keep you home - The Boston Globe

An article on babysitting co-ops in today's Boston Globe:

Don't let baby-sitting costs keep you home - The Boston Globe.

DoodleGear: Cool Kindle

I thought the old Kindle was cool.... but the new one looks even better.  Thinner, tons more storage for books and a longer battery life.  Supposedly now it will even read to you....and there are over  230,000 ebooks available - usually for only $9.99 and are delivered within 60 seconds!  Talk about instant gratification!!

It will be available for shipping at the end of the month and costs $359.  I thought the old Kindle was amazing.... it really does read like a book - and the pages look like paper and are so easy to read.... you have to see it to believe it.  They are great for reading on the train - light and new books instantly!  Here are some of the highlights of the new version:

New Features & Enhancements

Slim & Lightweight: Just over 1/3 inch and 10.2 ounces

Books in under 60 seconds: Get books delivered in less than 60 seconds; no PC required

Improved Display: Reads like real paper; now boasts 16 shades of gray for crisp images and text; even reads well in bright sunlight

Longer Battery Life: 25% longer battery life; read for days without recharging

More Storage: Take your library with you; holds over 1,500 books

Faster Page Turns: 20% faster page turns

Read-to-Me: Text-to-Speech feature means Kindle can read every book, blog, magazine, and newspaper out loud.

No Wireless Bills: No monthly wireless bills, data plans, or commitments. Amazon pays for Kindle’s wireless connectivity so you won’t see a monthly wireless bill.

Large Selection: Over 230,000 books, plus U.S. and international newspapers, magazines and blogs available

Low Book Prices: New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases $9.99, unless marked otherwise

10% off all Vera Bradley Sale Items