Blog Archives

King Richard's Faire is Back and A Lucky Cape Cod Mom Reader is Going to Win Tickets!

7/31/2014

Well with one fair over, another one is on the way. Huzzah! King Richard’s Faire opens on the last weekend of August celebrating the 33rd season! Last year we told you about all the exciting events taking place at the Faire and how we would be judging the Prince & Princess Contest! And this year does not disappoint, as they once again have a very healthy schedule of events and entertainment that is sure to once again delight the masses! So dig out your favorite costume and get ready to escape your reality!

Every Saturday afternoon, the King’s stage offers special themed contests and events to add variety to each week’s entertainment lineup:

·         Sat Aug 30: Carver Day (free for residents of Carver)

·         Sun Aug 31: Military Appreciation Day

·         Mon Sept 1: Open for Labor Day

·         Sat Sept 6: Cleavage Contest

·         Sat Sept 13: Vow Renewal Ceremony

·         Sat Sept 20: Prince & Princess Costume Contest (ages 11 and younger)

·         Sat Sept 27: Game of Thrones Ascent Costume & Trivia Contest

·         Sat Oct 4: Royal Ink Tattoo Contest

·         Sat Oct 5: Men in Kilts/Ladies in Bloomers Contest

·         Sat Oct 11: Children’s Fairies & Pirates Costume Contest

·         Mon Oct 13: Open for Columbus Day

·         Sat Oct 18: Adult Costume/Cosplay Costume Contest

·         Sat Oct 19: Last Day of King Richard’s Faire

King Richard’s Faire is a lot of fun and helps the whole family get in to a creative state. The imagination can run wild and the possibilities are endless. Last year, Cape Cod Mom, Meghan shared her entertaining Time Travelling at the Faire experience with us and how the whole family got into the experience. Guests can watch the King’s daring knights joust on horseback, listen to talented musicians, and enjoy a full day of live, interactive entrainment for all ages.

The Faire is open 10:30am to 6pm for 8 consecutive weekends thru October 19 including Labor Day and Columbus Day. Tickets are $29 for adults (12+); $16 for children ages 4-11 and can be purchased on site or in advance online at King Richard’s Faire. Children under 4 are free and parking is also free. Visit them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and on Pinterest!

To celebrate the their 33rd year, we are giving away 4 adult tickets ($29/each) to one of our lucky moms for Opening Weekend! Enter below using our handy form! Winner will be announced on Friday August 15, 2014! Don't forget to share this with your friends and stay tuned, we just might give away another 4 pack!
HUZZAH!

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Summer Speech Fun: Visit A Local Children’s Museum

7/31/2014

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By: Suzanne Golden, M.S., CCC-SLP
This week we met some friends at the Children’s Museum in Easton. It was a bit of a drive for us from Plymouth, but well worth it for a few hours of fun!

The Children’s Museum in Easton is housed in an old firehouse, which means the inside and outside have some pretty cool features! Inside the museum there are three floors full of kid-friendly activities, including a Fire Pole the kids can climb up! Outside there is a fenced in picnic area with sculptures and other interesting things to explore. One of my favorite things about this museum is that most of their activities really promote being creative, exploring and using language!

Here are some ways exploring at the children’s museum helps to promote language development:

· Spend some time in the various pretend play areas: rocket ship, train, stage with dress up clothes, kitchen area, fire truck, dinosaur room, doctors office. These pretend play situations can open your child up to a variety of vocabulary that may be new to him/her. Model language for your child and then allow him/her to take the lead and you can expand on whatever language/pretend play scripts he/she creates!

· Check out the rolling ball mazes. These mazes allow the child to drop a ball at the top and watch it make its way to the bottom. The ball maze on the bottom floor has pieces that can be moved so your child can explore different pathways. This activity opens the door for a variety of language about location, size and problem solving.

· Make new friends! A museum full of other children and parents is a great place to make new friends. Encourage your child’s social/pragmatic language skills by encouraging him/her to introduce him/herself to a new friend and engage in play with him/her.

If the Children’s Museum in Easton is too far of a drive, check out the Cape Cod
Children’s Museum, located in Mashpee. Although we didn’t go to the Cape Cod Children’s Museum this time, we have been there before and love exploring all of the various areas it has to offer!

I hope you take advantage of one of these great Children’s Museum and enjoy the rest of your summer, while also building speech/language skills!

For more information about the Children’s Museum in Easton, visit:
http://www.childrensmuseumineaston.org/home0.aspx

For more information about the Cape Cod Children’s Museum, visit: http://capecodchildrensmuseum.org/

To schedule a screening or assessment please contact Golden Speech Therapy today. www.goldenspeechtherapy.com
Golden Speech Therapy
Suzanne Golden, M.S., CCC-SLP
Contact Info:
781-603-8529
www.goldenspeechtherapy.com
www.facebook.com/goldenspeechtherapy

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Cape Cod Mommies Seeks Nominations for Momunteer Spotlight!

7/29/2014

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There are so many AMAZING Moms in our community that between their busy schedules they seem to find time to volunteer and give back. Cape Cod Mommies wants to shine the spotlight on them to recognize their hard work and the causes they support! We are currently in search of these amazing Momunteers! If you know of a Mom that you would like us to consider highlighting, we want to hear from you! Please fill out the form below to submit a well deserving Mom for recognition!

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Sources of Financial Aid for Your College Cherub

7/18/2014

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By: Gary M. DellaPosta, CPA

Here is a summary of the possible sources of financial aid. The types of aid and tax implications change frequently, so consult your financial advisor for specifics when you're approaching the time to seek financial aid.

Grants, the best type of financial aid because they do not have to be paid back, are amounts awarded by governments, schools, and other organizations. Some grants are need-based and others are not.

Federal Pell Grant Program. Pell grants are need-based.

Tip: Don't assume that middle class families are ineligible for needs-based aid or loans. The assessment of whether a family qualifies as "in need" depends on the cost of the college and the size of the family.

State education departments may make grants available. Inquiries should be made of the state agency. Employers may provide subsidies.

Private organizations may provide scholarships. Inquiries should be made at schools.

Most schools provide aid and scholarships, both needs-based and non-needs-based.

Military scholarships are available to those who enlist in the Reserves, National Guard, or Reserve Officers Training Corps. Inquiries should be made at the branch of service.

Tip: Try negotiating with your preferred college for additional financial aid, especially if it offers less than a comparable college.

Loans may be need-based, and others are not. Here is a summary of loans:

Stafford loans (formerly guaranteed student loans) are federally guaranteed and subsidized low-interest loans made by local lenders and the federal government. They are needs-based for subsidized loans; however an unsubsidized version is also available.
Perkins loans are provided by the federal government and administered by schools. They are needs-based. Inquiries should be made at school aid offices.
Parent loans for undergraduate students (PLUS) and supplemental loans for students are federally guaranteed loans by local lenders to parents, not students. Inquiries should be made at college aid offices or by calling 800-333-4636.
Schools themselves may provide student loans. Inquiries should be made at the school.

Work-Study Programs. This is a program that is federally funded and based on the family's financial need. The student works on-campus and receives partly subsidized pay. The receipt of work-study funds does not affect the level of "need" for purposes of need-based grants and loans.

To make a thorough investigation, you should fill out the financial aid application, which you can obtain from the school's financial aid office. You will have to provide tax returns. The amount you are determined to be eligible for depends on your income, the size of your family, the number of family members currently attending college, and your assets.

Gary DellaPosta is a CPA and founder of the firm: Gary M DellaPosta, CPA's & Business Advisors. A graduate of Bryant
University, he is a member of the American Institute of CPA's as well as the Massachusetts Society of CPA's. In addition to providing accounting, tax and advisory services to individuals and businesses, he also provides litigation support to attorneys and has been recognized as an expert in numerous Massachusetts' courts. Mr. DellaPosta serves on the Board of the Barnstable County Mutual Insurance Co., where he serves on the audit, investment and employee benefit committees. He also serves as the Treasurer of the Community Health Center of Cape Cod, is a Director at The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod and is a former director of Eastern Bank and Plymouth Savings Bank.

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Beauty Express Salon and Spa Makeover Giveaway

7/17/2014

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Have you heard about Beauty Express Salon and Spa in Hyannis? Beauty Express Salon and Spa is the newest Cape Cod beauty destination. The salon was founded by owner, Kharmel D'agulham, a talented, skillful stylist with a unique sense of style who has the best training and experience and who gives attention to fashion and new hair trends. They specialize in hair color, offer expert hair coloring services and use the best products for your hair and is one of Cape Cod's best kept secrets.

A Beautiful Bride

"Located in the heart of Hyannis, Beauty Express Salon is the best in quality care, comfort and relaxation. This cozy hair salon offers the latest hair color techniques, haircuts, hair styles, hair color corrections, highlights, ombre, natural hair extensions, Brazilian keratin straightening with a collagen makeover, manicure , pedicure, massage , facial, Skin treatments. Our professional staff is well trained to provide you with outstanding services, catering and enjoyment. We also offer professional hair-beauty products. We sell a wide range of top-of-the-line beauty and hair products It's in order to provide everything you need in one convenient location. 461 Main St, Hyannis, MA. Our lifestyle and busy schedule make us always on the run and we often don't have time to enjoy a moment for beauty and relaxation. Our hair salon is the place to come and experience a healthy, happy, relaxing atmosphere and great services. Beauty Express Salon and Spa is the only hair salon where you will feel at home, where your hair needs will be satisfied and your hair color will look fabulous ... like you do!!!!!"

One lucky Cape Cod Mom will win a Hair Makeover valued at $190 with owner Kharmel D'agulham because we know Moms deserve to be pampered!

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Speech and Language Fun at the Library

7/16/2014

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By: Suzanne Golden, M.S., CCC-SLP

On both rainy days and sunny days, one of our favorite places to visit is the library! We are fortunate to have two libraries here in Plymouth that both offer a variety of programs for children to take advantage of. We frequent story time at the main library, which often also includes songs, games and crafts. In addition to story time, our library boasts a play area and computers with educational programming. All of these activities add up to an awesome, fun-filled few hours at the library!

Here are some ways you can foster speech/language skills through a trip to the library with your child.

·         Pick a theme (maybe something you already did this summer or something your child is looking forward to doing) and find books about it – for example, if you are going on a whale watch with your child, look for books about whales and other ocean-life

·         Build some background knowledge by finding out what your child already knows about the topic and then expand on this through reading together to gather more information.

·         Read some books together at the library and take some others home with you to enjoy later

·         Help your child learn about how the books are organized and have him/her help you find certain books you are looking for (“This book is going to be in the ‘J’ section, can you look for the letter J?”)

·         Build your child’s literacy skills by talking about what an author and illustrator are and showing your child how to find the name of the author and illustrator in the books your read

·         If your library has a play area, let your child explore and encourage him/her to build social skills by making new friends and interacting with other children in the play area

·         If you have a question about where to find a book, have your child ask the librarian him/herself

I hope you and your child find some new books and have fun exploring all of the great things to offer at your local library!

Does your child receive speech therapy at school during the school year but not during the summer?

Are you concerned about them not receiving services for two months?

Are you looking for someone to provide services over the summer?

Call Golden Speech Therapy!

Summer is a time to enjoy the sun, head to the beach and have some fun! However, if your child has a speech/language disorder you don’t want them to take any steps back. Golden Speech Therapy in Plymouth is happy to offer services in a fun, family-centered environment.

Booking an appointment for an evaluation in the next few months can assure that your child is able to begin receiving services before the end of the school year!

Call today to inquire about our services or to book an appointment.

To schedule a screening or assessment please contact Golden Speech Therapy today. www.goldenspeechtherapy.com
Golden Speech Therapy
Suzanne Golden, M.S., CCC-SLP
Contact Info:
781-603-8529
www.goldenspeechtherapy.com
www.facebook.com/goldenspeechtherapy

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Transformation begins with nutrition!

7/14/2014

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By: Jennifer L. Long, RN, NCN

The Endocrine, digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, reproductive, integumentary, muscular & skeletal are the systems of your body. *Do you know whether or not the habits you are engaging in on a daily basis are supporting long-term health or disease to those systems? *Do you know those systems are dependent on your lifestyle choices & habits for survival & prevention of disease & quality of life? *Do you make choices to prevent disease, maintain & promote health? *Do you know how your choices affect each one of those body systems? *Did you know that an unstable blood sugar, elevated stress levels, lack of physical activity, lack of sleep, poor nutrition & dehydration contribute to disease? It is SO important that the person helping you with whatever your health goals are, losing weight, gaining weight, maintaining, lowering your A1C, hormone balance & improving the quality of your body systems, is fluent in how the body functions? Food, water, medications, disease & health conditions all effect each system & you can change outcomes without drastic measures, extreme dieting, unrealistic expectations. Someone with an understanding of health psychology and behavior change that can help you develop into the lifestyle you need for desired success. Change occurs 1% at a time, the decision to change is 100% yours...make the choice & let's CHANGE YOUR LIFE! Transformation begins with nutrition! #RNutrition

Here's a client of mine who's been with me for 16 weeks

“Transformation Begins With Nutrition”- Jennifer Long, RN,NCN.

Contact RNutrition Health & Wellness to receive Nutrition & Health Consulting from Jennifer Long, RN, NCN.

Phone: (508) 360-2032
Email: RNutrition2013@gmail.com
Website: www.rnutritionhealwell.com

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Thank You Notes - Etiquette Series pt 3

7/14/2014

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“A handwritten thank you note sent through the postal service is like a priceless gift to the giver. Whether your child is just old enough to make marks with a crayon, or has just completed six college application packets, they can and should send one.”

The Fine Art of Etiquette: Thank You Notes

By Alison Weiner, Student Intern

Lamperti Counseling & Consultation

Photography by Kelly Cronin Photography, taken at Chatham Bars Inn, June 7th, 2014

            In our fast pace world filled with text messaging, instant messaging, and email, it has become the norm to speed through each day and effortlessly communicate. The art of writing an eloquent and precise thank you note has slowly slipped away. What has replaced it is the easily written email or text message, which we can now send from any place at any given time. However, by failing to send a thank you note, we are allowing ourselves to slip into the mediocre category and be forgotten like yesterdays junk mail.

            A good thank you note does not require a huge amount of time, money, or effort; yet it does make all the difference in the world. An effective thank you note takes only three simple sentences; the words may be brief but the message is immense and the lasting effect is dramatic.

·         The first sentence should include the “thank you for”; a way to thank the person for the gift or opportunity.

·         The second sentence should elaborate on the importance of the gift or opportunity and what it means to you.

·         The last sentence should focus on further developing a relationship or trying to create future plans.

Taking the time to write a thank you note allows you as an individual to stand out from the pack; whether it is after an interview or simply thanking a neighbor for a kind deed, your gratitude will be more warmly felt and memorable.

“If you have had a delightful time at a gathering, it’s just like a gift and sending a thank you note will warm the heart of the host or hostess.”

A thank you note is a gift in and of itself. The handwritten thank you note speaks volumes to an individual’s character and allows that individual to stand out from the crowd of simply well mannered people. It shows a small, but appreciated, investment of time taken to express thankfulness.

·         It is important to remember to always hand write your thank you note.

·         It is never too early to learn how to write a thank you note; if your child can hold a crayon they can create some sort of thank you card.

·         A thank you note can often lay the building blocks for a stronger relationship and a much more intimate and meaningful one at that.

“As adults, we have a special duty to young people to be a fine example. Sending a thank you note, a note of encouragement or a note of recognition will not be quickly forgotten, and some children will remember your special note and the message you sent forever.”

It is easy to brush off the importance of a thank you note and feel that it will not make a lasting impression; however, not sending a thank you note, can make you appear rude and unappreciative.

·         Teaching your child to express sincerity is an important part of thank you notes, for example adding special touches such as saying “thank you for the bracelet- I love it!” is better than simply saying “thank you for the bracelet”.

·         If you really want to help your child learn the art of thank you notes, it is fun to have them write little thank you notes for random acts of kindness. Your child will get to practice their thank you notes and the receiver will have a pleasant surprise that may make their day.

·         Most important, remember to lead by example, if your child sees you writing thank you notes, they will follow suit!

            Text messages and emails are a dime a dozen in this generation; we must find a way to help our children be unique and show a sense of gratitude and appreciation for those people who help them in life.

A September class has been posted on www.tracylamperti.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/696309457104882/.

Spaces are limited. Please contact Tracy Lamperti if interested.

Alison Weiner, Student Intern
Lamperti Counseling & Consultation
Tracy Lamperti, LMHC, BCETS
Psychotherapist, Educator, Consultant

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Cape Cod Fall Etiquette Series With Tracy Lamperti Now Open for Registration!

7/9/2014

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Put manners together with confidence and our young people are going to be winners and leaders!

Back by POPULAR demand, Cape Cod Mom Adviser Tracy Lamperti has posted her upcoming Etiquette Classes for September. Space is limited so call, email, whatever you need to do so you can get in to these amazing classes! For more information on her classes check out the Etiquette Series!

Tracy Lamperti, LMHC, BCETS
Psychotherapist, Educator, Consultant

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The Bouqs Delivers Spectacular Blooms Making It This Cape Cod Mom's New Favorite Online Flower Company

7/9/2014

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By: Amy E
Disclaimer: A press sample was sent via The Bouqs Co. for our honest review. All thoughts and opinions are the blogger's own. This post does contain affiliate links. We only do affiliate links and work with companies that we truly believe in.

When the Bouqs company reached out to me and asked me to review their services, I figured I would give it a shot because I love flowers plus I had seen them on Shark Tank and I was intrigued by their idea of fresh gorgeous flowers without the hidden fees or the middleman. Typically most store bought flowers (excluding local small businesses in our community) never last even a week for me. Bouqs if taken care of correctly can last up to 3 weeks. The company source to consumer model saves storage, energy, and waste costs and the sustainable farming appeals to people’s “green responsibilities”. They also always offer free shipping and they only charge a flat rate of $40 for a dozen blooms but you have the option to upgrade to either 2 or 3 dozen for $50 and $70.

the Bouqs is also an Eco friendly company. They cut the blooms on the day you order and they arrive to you straight from the farms. By cutting only what they sell they ensure there is no waste. Your the Bouqs are shipped from California or Ecuador, on the side of a volcano (yes seriously a volcano) depending on the collection you pick. After doing some research on the company I found out that they also care about their workers providing them with healthcare, living wages, childcare and adult education. #Winning

The Bouqs greenhouses and the volcano in Equador where the Volcano collection is grown.

The Bouqs website offers so many choices between their 2 collections (California which can be delivered next day or Volcano which is delivered the next week) that it was hard to pick which blooms we liked the best. We decided on the Desperado Bouq from the Volcano collection and we were not disappointed!

I was excited when the Bouqs box arrived! I made sure when I placed the order to make sure I had them delivered to a place where I would be on the delivery date I chose. I had done a lot of research on the Bouqs blog ahead of time in terms of flower tips, so I was armed with knowledge and determined that my flowers would last longer than a week! They were packaged tightly and came with easy direction, plus had a GIANT card with a cute message! (You can customize this card on their site and there is plenty of room to get your whole message in!).

I quickly began preparing the flowers, removing the outer travel petals in order to give the bloom room to breath. I also removed all the leaves below water level so there would be less bacteria plus there is less energy being diverted away from the bloom. I trimmed the steams under running water, added my pennies (which add some alkalinity to the water), and the bloom food.

On their website I found a blog post that gave some great tips on how to prepare the flowers upon arrival and even a super trade secret on how to make the blooms last longer called teasing the bloom! Because of the teasing, the blooms opened magnificently and I personally think it contributed to the total length of time they held for, which was about 2 weeks.

Through my research I did come across some negative reviews of the company which all seemed to be copied and pasted across several blogger review websites. The complaints which really only seem to be a handful (from the same people) focus primarily on a FEW isolated incidents where the company had a Glitch in system and the other being Fed Ex issues (Complain to FedEx - they are the shipping company, you know the one you don't have to pay for or instead ship them to a location where you actually will be so that they don’t sit all day on your front step). There were a few isolated complaints about wilted flowers but again this could be due to the transportation issue, whether you were home when they were delivered, how soon you got the flowers into some fresh water, etc. These things are not necessarily the Bouqs fault, but sometimes things happen - life is hard, get a helmet, contact the company and calmly let them know what happened and they will definitely resolve the issue.

I found NONE of these things to be true in my case though. My flowers were delayed however that was due to FedEx and my contact, Adam emailed me to let me know that they would be taken care of:

This is an example of EXCELLENT customer service and my flowers arrived the next day in GREAT condition and no less worse for the wear.

Some of these same people also claim that the company was lacking customer service and there was no way to contact them. We found several ways to contact them on their website and experimented to see the response time and again found the complaints to be untrue:

Phone Response: Selected 1-3pm window at 2:13pm. I immediately received an email copy of my request and then I received a call back within the hour.

Email Response- I received an email response within the hour after receiving it.

Live Chat responded in under 1 minute.

So while the company does not have a direct line to contact them, they have created 3 other ways for consumers to reach them and all 3 avenues delivered as promised. Therefore, we find the complaint of "no way to contact company and no company response" to be invalid though sometimes things happen (mistakes happen in all aspects of life but patience is key). We recommend if you experience an issue to contact them all 3 ways as a precaution just so you can be sure they got your message. The fact that they responded in extreme timely fashion is another example of great customer service from this company.

Now back to the important part of this blog, more about the blooms!

1st 24 hours of blooms

Every day I continued to give the fresh blooms fresh water water and would trim the stems every few days. I also added a tsp of sugar to the water each time I trimmed them so that they would last longer. During the course of my review, I also received some lovely roses from my significant other from a local florist. I received these 4 days after my Bouqs blooms had arrived. I took a picture of them comparatively when my Bouqs was a week old and the local flowers only 3 days old. I snapped a picture to compare the 2 and while both are fabulous, the Bouqs is certainly holding it's own and looks just as spectacular 4 days later!

At a week out the blooms had held up fantastically and I was not disappointed! I was already impressed by the fact that my blooms had lasted a week! Also the tip of teasing the blooms really opened them and made them appear fuller, plus we lost no petals! (We strongly recommend using the tips on their website to help make them last longer.)

Gorgeous blooms a week out after trimming!

Unfortunately with all the holiday activities and hurricane action here on Cape Cod, I kind of slacked during the course of week 2 with making sure I kept up with my trimming but the blooms still have held up wonderfully despite this. I sadly did not make it to the 3 week goal of making them last but the fact that they lasted 2 weeks without drooping is amazing! I noticed this morning that while the blooms still appear full and beautiful there is more fragility to them so I think we are on our last leg. We will probably get a few more days out of them and then make some rose petal scrub with the leftover petals!

2 weeks of blooms!

We really, really LOVED our Bouqs blooms and we were so impressed that we will definitely be becoming a frequent customer (which you can set up with their concierge service!). While we always recommend shopping fresh and local (#theCapeCodWay), if you prefer to go the route of ordering flowers online, saving money, or simply need to send something in a hurry, we recommend the Bouqs as our favorite online flower company. We hope you will consider giving them a try and let us know what you think!

24 volcanic flowers, just $50 & FREE SHIPPING! Shop volcanic flowers from The Bouqs Co. and show that special someone how great you are!

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<<Previous

King Richard's Faire is Back and A Lucky Cape Cod Mom Reader is Going to Win Tickets!

Summer Speech Fun: Visit A Local Children’s Museum

Cape Cod Mommies Seeks Nominations for Momunteer Spotlight!

Sources of Financial Aid for Your College Cherub

Beauty Express Salon and Spa Makeover Giveaway

Speech and Language Fun at the Library

Transformation begins with nutrition!

Thank You Notes - Etiquette Series pt 3

The Fine Art of Etiquette: Thank You Notes

Cape Cod Fall Etiquette Series With Tracy Lamperti Now Open for Registration!

The Bouqs Delivers Spectacular Blooms Making It This Cape Cod Mom's New Favorite Online Flower Company

24 volcanic flowers, just $50 & FREE SHIPPING! Shop volcanic flowers from The Bouqs Co. and show that special someone how great you are!

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