Happy Halloween

The Supermom family will be at Fun Depot today to celebrate Halloween with our family and friends.

The Health Adventure ~ Super Science Saturday

October 31, 12pm – 2pm

SUPER SCIENCE SATURDAYS are assorted family-friendly themed activities based on the current traveling exhibit. Activities are aimed at families with children pre-school age and older.

Baby Carrier, Baby Wrap and Baby Sling Review by The Adventures of Supermom.

I love carrying my baby in a sling, wrap or carrier. I have worn all four of my children. Baby M is 18 months old and still gets worn. She loves it. I love it. Superdad loves it. It's awesome!!!!

I have tried LOTS of slings, wraps, and carriers since my first child was born over 15 years ago. This review will be about the ones I have personally tried myself. I'll be honest and brutal. You wouldn't expect any less from me I know. I will also be including pictures of my kids in the slings when available.

My first carrier was the basic blue Snugli. I couldn't even find a picture of that carrier from the 1990's. Carrying babies wasn't popular back then so there wasn't much of a selection. Pretty sad huh?

I used that with both of my smaller children. It's comparable to the Bjorn in my opinion. It's worn over both shoulders and the baby rests in a face into chest or face out position.

I love that style of carrier. It's easier on the back and very comfortable.

When I had my third child in 2005 having a baby carrier/sling was as popular as the newest style of pocketbook or name brand shoes. I tried a couple different ones. This is where my review gets negative.

I bought this expensive green over one shoulder sling with metal rings. It was all the rage!

These pictures were taken on the rare occasion of me wearing the sling. It was uncomfortable to me. It hurt my neck, shoulder and back. I had really hoped to like the sling but I just couldn't. I threw it in my closet to collect dust.

Then we tried another carrier for when she was older. Playtex Hip Hammock Infant Carrier

Another over the shoulder carrier. It was supposed to make you feel like the child was on your hip. Didn't like it. It again hurt my shoulder and neck.

There is good news!! I had a favorite carrier for baby #3.

My Baby Bjorn. Again, a carrier that went over both shoulders!!!!!

With baby #4 of course there were NEW carriers to try!! I was super excited!!!!!! So far all of the below are my best all time favorite carriers/slings/wraps EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Hug-a-Bub wrap!!! Baby M is 5 days old in this picture!

More pictures of Baby M loving this wrap:

I still use this wrap at home and Baby M is 18 months old.

Of course I had a Baby Bjorn as well with Baby M.

Baby M loved the Bjorn too! It was super fast and easy to put on. I just left it in the car for shopping and visiting.

This is how a Supermom bowls:

Next came the carrier that I absolutely love and even would have another baby just so I could use it again!! I love it that much. NO, they aren't paying me to say that either!! I bought this wrap all by myself over the summer just for Baby M. The ERGO Baby Carrier.

Baby M was in this carrier the whole time we were in Washington DC. She loved being in the front and she always fell asleep in the back.

I love how the ERGO has special straps to keep the head from flopping around back there! Perfect for a sleeping baby.

On the beach having fun!

I wrote ERGO a special email about buying their carrier and my love for it! They sent me a special accessory for my carrier!!!

The ERGO Back Pack!!!!

You can attach it to your ERGO when your child is in the back position. You can carry your diaper, wipes and bottle and baby all in one carrier!!!

I borrowed this picture from the ERGO website.

I also just use the ERGO Back Pack as my diaper bag when not attached to my carrier. I LOVE IT!!!

I hope this review was helpful to new parents looking for the perfect wrap. I recommend a wrap, sling or carrier that go over both shoulders. I find them to be more comfortable. Easier on the back and your neck.

I would even find a baby specialty store that will let you try them on. Give you advice and make sure you find the perfect one for you and your baby.

The Health Adventure ~ Preschool Play Date

October 29, 10:30am – 11:30am

Asheville Pizza Company on Merrimon.

Tuesday nights are always Family Night

Come see us Tuesday for dinner & board games, see The Balloon Guy in action! Family dinner specials as well as free sundaes for the kiddies EVERY Tuesday from 5:00p-8:00p

“Celebrate Good Health” Health Fair

The public is invited to the “Celebrate Good Health” Health Fair on Saturday, November 7th from 7:00 am to 11:00 am at the YWCA of Asheville, 185 S. French Broad Avenue.

This free event is sponsored by the YWCA and Mission Hospital. Attendees can take advantage of the following Health Screens: glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure, and BMI. There will also be education and counseling. There will be opportunities for children and adults to get active and try new kinds of exercise.

Appointments must be made in advance by calling: Josephine Hall, R.N., YWCA Health Outreach Coordinator 828-254-7206 ext. 202.

For more information about the YWCA of Asheville, go to www.ywcaofasheville.org.

The Health Adventure ~ Super Science Saturday

October 24, 12pm – 2pm

SUPER SCIENCE SATURDAYS are assorted family-friendly themed activities based on the current traveling exhibit. Activities are aimed at families with children pre-school age and older.

Kid Friendly Asheville Wants You!

Kid Friendly Asheville would LOVE you to send FAMILY FUN PICTURES to post on our website! We will add them to our Flickr account and they will rotate on the very top of the page!

Just email them to

AshevilleKids(at)aol(dot)com

Do you want to share something KID FRIENDLY with everyone? Email us the details, a website if applicable and a phone number just in case there are question and we will post them on KFA.

AshevilleKids(at)aol(dot)com

Kid Friendly Asheville is all about sharing KID FRIENDLY FAMILY FUN with YOU!

The Health Adventure ~ Preschool Play Date

October 22, 10:30am – 11:30am

Asheville Pizza Company on Merrimon.

Tuesday nights are always Family Night

Come see us Tuesday for dinner & board games, see The Balloon Guy in action! Family dinner specials as well as free sundaes for the kiddies EVERY Tuesday from 5:00p-8:00p

The Adventures of Supermom

Have you voted for The Adventures of Supermom as the Best Mom Blogger?!?!?

There's still time. CLICK HERE TO VOTE!!!!

Kid Friendly Asheville Wants You!

Kid Friendly Asheville would LOVE you to send FAMILY FUN PICTURES to post on our website! We will add them to our Flickr account and they will rotate on the very top of the page!

Just email them to

AshevilleKids(at)aol(dot)com

Do you want to share something KID FRIENDLY with everyone? Email us the details, a website if applicable and a phone number just in case there are question and we will post them on KFA.

AshevilleKids(at)aol(dot)com

Kid Friendly Asheville is all about sharing KID FRIENDLY FAMILY FUN with YOU!

The Health Adventure ~ Preschool Play Date

Thu, October 15, 10:30am – 11:30am

The Health Adventure ~ Origami Folding Frenzy

October 14, 4pm – 5pm

Join us from 4PM until 5PM to learn new folds, share favorites, and meeet fellow origami enthusiasts. All levels welcome. Become a regular "Four O'Clock Folder" at The Health Adventure. Paper is available at our museum store or you can bring your own.

The cost is the price of admission to The Health Adventure.

Asheville Pizza Company on Merrimon.

Tuesday nights are always Family Night

Come see us Tuesday for dinner & board games, see The Balloon Guy in action! Family dinner specials as well as free sundaes for the kiddies EVERY Tuesday from 5:00p-8:00p

I love Christmas Parades!!!

This year's parade will kick off at 11 am
on Saturday, November 21!

Click HERE for more information!!!!

~sorry I am late getting this out, it was mixed in with lots of emails!~

Cooking with Kids ~ Oatmeal Cookies

Sorry I haven't posted a recipe for many months to make with your kids! Having four kids seems to keep me busy.

This morning we made Oatmeal Cookies!







This recipe came from Make-Ahead Meals For Busy Moms by Jane Doiron.

Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup raisins (I DIDNT ADD)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

I added a handful of butterscotch morsels to our dough! I love butterscotch!!!!

I threw it all in my stand mixer, mixed on low, until the dough was formed. I rolled into small balls and placed 2 inches from each other on baking sheet. I baked them for about 9 minutes. Then cooled them on rack!

They were YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Plan a game night at your house.

Kid Friendly Asheville believes in quality family fun!

You don't always have to leave your house for Kid Friendly Family Fun.

How about starting a tradition with your children or grandchildren?? Plan a game night. Children as young as three even enjoy this family fun.

If you plan on inviting more family and friends to your family fun here are a few ideas to make your night a big success.

Set up a Kid Friendly table. At our house the Dora table works perfectly. Just the right size for small children to use for their games. Younger children can play Memory, Dominoes (with pictures), Sorry, Candyland and many more. They don't have to really follow the rules. Let them make the rules up themselves. Just let the younger kids enjoy the fun!

You can let the older kids play with the adults. They like being included in the grown up fun.

Adult (kid friendly) games to think about playing: Monopoly, Trivia Pursuit, Upwords, Scrabble, Dominoes, Clue, Scatagories, Cranium and many more. It's a good idea to pair a child with an adult and play in pairs. That way the child doesn't get overwhelmed and think they cannot play the game as good as the adults.

No matter the game, your family will enjoy it. Be prepared to laugh and make lots of great memories for your family and friends.


****If you have a family tradition to share with us just send us an email
AshevilleKids(at)aol(dot) com****

We'd love to hear about it and post it on KFA!

The Health Adventure ~ Super Science Saturday

October 10, 12pm – 2pm

SUPER SCIENCE SATURDAYS are assorted family-friendly themed activities based on the current traveling exhibit. Activities are aimed at families with children pre-school age and older.

Hey! COME ON DOWN TO HEY DAY AT THE WNC NATURE CENTER!

Hey! COME ON DOWN TO HEY DAY AT THE WNC NATURE CENTER! TODAY!!

October 10th, 2009, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hey! Come to Hey Day, on Saturday, October 10th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the WNC Nature Center, 75 Gashes Creek Road in East Asheville. We’ve made the event a little greener with the addition of demonstrations on solar energy, chicken tractors, sustainable agriculture and water catchment. While being educated, families can still enjoy our special visiting animals and the following local entertainers:

Jay Brown (10 a.m. – 11 a.m.) Founding member of the old time, swing band Lazybirds, Jay has toured throughout the southeast and as far as Alaska and has performed at festivals such as Merle Fest, Bele Chere and the Rhythm & Roots Reunion. He has shared the stage with artists including Doc Watson, Ritchie Havens, Gillian Welch and Sam Bush.

Mountain Thunder Cloggers (11 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.) dance to many types of music - from Bluegrass & Country to 80s/Pop/Hip-Hop. A family-oriented team, they encourage the families watching them to join in!

Haw Creek String Band (11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) Whoop it up to the music of the Haw Creek String Band, featuring banjoist Brad Searson and ole time fiddler Bob Hill!

Forge Mountain Cloggers (12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.) LOVE to clog and they bring smiles and energy to their audiences!

John Bowers and David Ray (guitar/mandolin) (1:30 – 2 p.m.) play a mellow alternative country genre and play weekends only!

Sherry Lynn and the Mountain Friends Band (2 - 3 p.m.) play acoustic country and contemporary bluegrass. This is a strong team that combines fine musicianship and pure joy, giving audiences a highly entertaining show.

Mark DeVerges (3 p.m. to 4 p.m.) is a true balloon artist. He will create a massive custom object/animal/creature right before the audience with the help of many volunteers in a way that incorporates science, education, and visual art! Following the show, Mark will amaze the kids with his award winning balloon twisting!

Admission is $9 for adults, $5 for children, and FREE to Members of Friends of the Nature Center. Scrumptious food will be available at the Classroom Café onsite, so families can spend the whole day! This year’s generous Hey Day Gold level sponsors include Animal Hospital of Reems Creek, Harrington Electric Company and Dr. Ryan Haldeman, Orthodontist. Silver level sponsors include ABC Pediatrics, Allergy Partners of Asheville, Steven Cahan, Eye M.D., Greenworks Healing Center, Doug Sherry with Preferred Properties and the Toy Box. Media sponsors include Advantage Printing, Mountain Xpress and WOXL-FM.

Hey Day will be filled with fun for the whole family. Events include pony rides (extra $), weaving and spinning demonstrations, soapmaking, crafts, face painting($), a clown show, The Rainbow and You – a special storyboard performance, watercolor painting, pumpkin painting (extra $) and the always popular cake walk (extra $). Visiting animals include rescue Llamas, Fjord Horses and Miniature Ponies. Enjoy educational exhibits from the Asheville Fire Department, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, Ashevillage, a chicken tractor expert, Doubletree Farm, Rainbow Recycling (inventors of the Recycling Stomp!), Riverlink, Greenworks, Higher Ground Gutter Cleaners and Sundance Power Systems.

All proceeds benefit the Friends of the WNC Nature Center’s College Summer Internship program. The Friends’ mission is to support the programs, facilities and the residents of the Western North Carolina Nature Center, which showcases the fauna and flora of the southern Appalachian region. The Nature Center’s mission is to educate the public about the flora and fauna of Western North Carolina and foster an interest in the conservation of native plants and animals. . The Center is operated by the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department of the City of Asheville. For more information on the Friends or Hey Day, contact Sarah Oram, Director, at (828) 298-5600 ext. 308

Chuck E. Cheese Coupons for October.

Kid Friendly Asheville Wants You!

Kid Friendly Asheville would LOVE you to send FAMILY FUN PICTURES to post on our website! We will add them to our Flickr account and they will rotate on the very top of the page!

Just email them to

AshevilleKids(at)aol(dot)com

Do you want to share something KID FRIENDLY with everyone? Email us the details, a website if applicable and a phone number just in case there are question and we will post them on KFA.

AshevilleKids(at)aol(dot)com

Kid Friendly Asheville is all about sharing KID FRIENDLY FAMILY FUN with YOU!

Asheville Pizza Company on Merrimon.

Is now showing!!!!!

Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince

AWESOME!! I cannot wait to see this movie!

Spellbound Children's Bookshop ~ October!

Mark your calendar for these special days!

~Enter to Win Free Copy!

Monday, October 12 is the day that Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans have been waiting for: the day that Book Four, Dog Days, will arrive in bookstores!

We are taking entries (in-store only) for a drawing to be held Monday for a free copy!

~Saturday, October 25 at 1:00pm

Halloween Story Time
Costumes encouraged but not required. Not-too-spooky stories to celebrate the season. Suggested for ages 3 to 8. Free.

~Saturday, October 31 All Day

Trick-or-Treating? Stop in!
All kids in costume get a free treat during store hours on Halloween.

Fired up! ~ Parents' Night Out

Parent's Night Out
Fired Up! Creative Lounge
26 Wall Street - Downtown Asheville
Friday, Oct. 9th, 6-9 pm
Drop off Kids 5-12 years old
Kids will paint a bisque piece, have pizza and play games
$25 per child, reservations required
828-253-8181

The Health Adventure ~ Preschool Play Date

Thu, October 8, 10:30am – 11:30am

The Health Adventure ~ Free Wednesday

Free Wednesday!!

3pm – 5pm

Asheville Pizza Company on Merrimon.

Tuesday nights are always Family Night

Come see us Tuesday for dinner & board games, see The Balloon Guy in action! Family dinner specials as well as free sundaes for the kiddies EVERY Tuesday from 5:00p-8:00p

Fun Depot for October.

Asheville Pizza Company on Merrimon.

Is showing UP during the day. 1 and 4

The Health Adventure ~ Gross Out Your Parents Day

October 3, 12pm – 2pm

Need some ideas for making Halloween even scarier and grosser? Make fake snot, blood, and vomit to take home in this hands-on gross-out session! In addition to all of the sillines, we will also be learning why these body fluids are important to bodies' health. Gross Out Your Parents Day is presented as part of our Super Science Saturdays program series featuring activities based on the current traveling exhibit and aimed at families with children pre-school age and above.

Hands on Asheville-Buncombe, a United Way Program for October 2009

Hands On Asheville-Buncombe

Hands On Asheville-Buncombe, a program of United Way, makes it easy to lend a hand and help others in our community by volunteering with local nonprofits. Visit www.handsonasheville.org and choose the volunteer opportunity that works for you: your passions, your skills, your schedule. Volunteer on your own or with your family, business, or faith community. The following Hands On Managed Projects are led by a trained volunteer Project Coordinator in connection with Hands On and a Partner Agency. Most of these projects last 2-4 hours are generally held on evenings and weekends and do not require a long-term commitment. For more information, and to sign-up, simply click on the project name below.

Cookie Night

Help bake homemade cookies for families who are staying at the Lewis Rathbun Center. The Rathbun Center provides free lodging for families from out of town who have a loved one in an area hospital. Supplies will be provided. Just bring some compassion and an appetite (sampling is encouraged!).
Project Date & Time: 10/12 (Monday); 7:30-8:30 pm
Requirements: 2-4 needed; ages 18+ welcome (ages 10-17 with adult supervision)

Visit www.handsonasheville.org to sign up.



Pack & Sort at MANNA

Help sort and pack food at MANNA Food Bank to be given to agencies serving hungry people in 17 Western North Carolina counties.

Project Date & Time: 10/17 (Saturday); 9:00am-12:00pm

Requirements: 5-20 needed; ages 16+ welcome (5-15 with adult supervision)

Visit www.handsonasheville.org to sign up.



MANNA Packs for Kids (MANNA Food Bank)

The MANNA Packs for Kids Program gives students from low-income families food to take home over the weekend. School counselors identify the students in need and discreetly place the bags of food into their backpacks. Volunteers participate by packing food items into backpack-sized parcels that are distributed to local schools.

Project Date & Time: 10/22 (Thursday); 6:00-8:00pm

Requirements: 5-12 needed; ages 16+ welcome (5-15 with adult supervision)

Visit www.handsonasheville.org to sign up



Make a Difference Day: Help Keep Someone Warm (Hands On Asheville-Buncombe)

Make a Difference Day is a national day of service dedicated to neighbors helping neighbors. Hands On Asheville-Buncombe invites you to help keep someone's home warm this winter by helping make "draft stoppers" (stuffed and decorated fabric tubes that are placed at the bottom of a door). Finished draft-stoppers will be distributed to individuals and families served by Meals On Wheels, Community Action Opportunities, and Council on Aging. This project is great for individuals, families, and small groups. Kids as young as 3 are welcome to participate with close parent/guardian assistance and supervision. This project is taking the place of our normally scheduled "Kids Care" projects for October.

Project Date & Time: 10/24 (Saturday); 10:30am-12:00pm

Requirements: 5-50 needed; This project is geared towards 3-12 year olds with close parent supervision.

Visit www.handsonasheville.org to sign up



DraftStoppers: Portable Project (Hands On Asheville-Buncombe)

Can’t make it to the 10/24 project? Asheville-Buncombe invites you to help keep someone's home warm this winter by helping make "draft stoppers" at home! Finished draft-stoppers will be distributed to individuals and families served by Meals On Wheels, Community Action Opportunities, and Council on Aging. This is a great project to do with friends, co-workers, family members, or on your own. Since this project is done from home, volunteers should have prior experience with sewing and will need to provide their own materials. After you log in to the project (link above), please click on the "have agency contact me" link and we will email you instructions so you can help from home.

Visit www.handsonasheville.org to sign up

The Health Adventure ~ Preschool Play Date

October 1, 10:30am – 11:30am