 This summer, my family left the Cape for a weekend and headed to one of our favorite vacation spots, the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It’s a destination that I personally have been enjoying annually pretty much since I was born. My aunt used to have a timeshare in North Conway, and we’d always book it for a week in the summertime with my cousins. Every year we’d make it a point to spend a day at Story Land, a tradition which I have continued now with my own family.  Although the park has changed quite a bit since I was a kid (we all especially miss the Silver Mine attraction!) it’s still a blast to enjoy with your own little ones and it’s not at all difficult to spend an entire day there. First there are the rides; there is definitely something for everyone. There are a few small roller coasters there but nothing too extreme. The Bamboo Chutes coaster features a slow climb and a decently long plunge, but my son who’s 8 went on this ride 3 times and a row and loved it. My personal favorite was Dr. Geyser’s Remarkable Raft Ride, which consists of a rotating, four-person raft which tumbles down a fairly flat waterway track, with geysers and other water hazards all around. You’re definitely gonna get wet. We probably spent over a half an hour at the Splash Battle attraction, in which a group rides a boat on a water track in a circle, while others on the “shore” spray water cannons at you. The ride you’re on also features water cannons, so you can give it all back! Again, probably best to bring a dry shirt.  My daughter, who’s three, was mesmerized by the Farm Follies Theatre, which is a periodic performance featuring animatronic fruits, vegetables, and other colorful farm characters that seems to take place every fifteen minutes or so. There are plenty of different songs, jokes, and characters to keep just about anyone entertained. We truly didn’t have the easiest time getting my little girl to leave!  The older part of the park is where it gets its namesake from, as many of the attractions are centered around popular children’s stories. There’s a full-time Mother Goose on duty, as well as Humpty Dumpty, the Woman in the Shoe, and Cinderella. The youngest of visitors will probably find this to be exciting, as there are plenty of replicas of famous story locations for them to explore. Aside from the attractions and the rides at the park, I was impressed with the food available there, as the prices were fair and healthy options such as salads were available as was typical fare food, with some slightly heartier choices like BBQ pulled pork, which was great. We keep coming back to Story Land every summer, and there really is enough to see and do here to keep it interesting and make sure the experience doesn’t get old. Check it out for yourself!  Brian lives on the Cape with his family and 2 children. He is the owner of Millennium Archery where he not only teachers archery but also makes custom arrows and products. Brian also enjoys cooking and trying new healthy recipes with the family. He enjoys spending time outdoors in nature and appreciating all that the Cape has to offer. Brian will be guest posting on the blog as we add in our new feature called Dad's Den which will share blogs from Dad's point of view.
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This week Cape Kids Cast visited the Atlantic White Shark Conservatory in Chatham with special guest reporter and shark expert, Sophia. They had a great time exploring the conservatory and learning some new fun facts! They also had a chance view some great artwork by local students as well as participate in some virtual reality inside a shark cage! The Conservatory is a great place to visit and they learned so much about the amazing creatures that share our waters! Be sure to check out our Summer Edition sponsors, Sea Crest Beach Hotel in beautiful North Falmouth, one of the best places to go for family fun ALL day long! Leave us a LIKE, COMMENT or SHARE and let us know what you think of our summer edition series! For advertising information or to invite the cast to your event or family friendly business, email us at info@capecodmoms.com #summer #CapeCod #summervacation #family #shoplocal @a_whiteshark #capecod #CapeCodKids #shark #exploration @thesharkcenter  FALMOUTH ROTARY TO HOLD 19TH ANNUAL CRAFT FAIR Falmouth Rotary will hold its 19th Annual Craft Fair, Saturday and Sunday, 8 am to 4 pm, August 31st and September 1st, at Marine Park on Falmouth Harbor. Over 70 vendors take part in Rotary's Craft Fair, showcasing products including jewelry, art, antiques, clothing, baked goods and books including Clover Dilly Candle Co., Knotty Cod rope mats, Cape Lights Gallery and Shady Pine Soaps. "More than 2,000 residents and tourists flock to this event each year," said Rudy Hunter, Event chairman. Falmouth Rotary raises nearly $15,000 yearly through this event, Hunter added. Funds raised benefit the Falmouth Service Center, Volunteers in Public Schools, Rotary's scholarship programs, Youth Leadership programs, Nobska Light, Spohr Gardens, Belonging To Each Other Inc., military families at Joint Base Cape Cod and more. "Over the last few years, our annual Craft Fair has helped Falmouth Rotary raise over $400,000 in scholarship funds for local high school students and local charitable organizations," Hunter said. In conjunction with the Craft Fair, summer food service will be offered, including hot dogs, hamburgers and sodas. Entertainment will be provided by the Surf Drive Band, Andy Sexton Trio and DJ Dave Richards. Admission to Rotary's Craft Fair is $3 for adults or 2 for $5. Children 12 years of age and under are admitted free. https://www.facebook.com/events/928444314175123/ 
 This week Cape Kids Cast Explores their Top 3 favorite places to go for ice cream in Sandwich: Twin Acres Ice Cream Shoppe, Shipwreck Ice Cream, & Sweet Caroline's Ice Cream and More Inc. . Find out more about why these 3 businesses are huge hits for #CapeCodKids Be sure to check out our Summer Edition sponsors, Sea Crest Beach Hotel in beautiful North Falmouth, one of the best places to go for family fun ALL day long! Leave us a LIKE, COMMENT or SHARE and let us know what you think of our summer edition series! For advertising information or to invite the cast to your event or family friendly business, email us at info@capecodmoms.com #icecream #summer #CapeCod #summervacation #family #shoplocal  EVERYONE Grieves
It is NORMAL to grieve It is OKAY to grieve Grieving shouldn't be done ALONE Lets Grieve Together Join Good Grief Cape Cod at their first annual Family Camp Day on Saturday August 24th 9-2 pm at Camp Lyndon in Sandwich. Lunch snacks drinks provided during this expressive art therapies packed event. Our day will consist of a meet and greet breakfast , activities based on expressive arts and healthy living( visual, drumming, physical and mental/emotional activities.) swim time and lunch. Have your family join us this summer and be a part of a unique community that grieves together. THIS EVENT IS FREE thanks to a micro grant from the United Way of Cape Cod and the Islands. Reserve a spot for your family now! amy@goodgriefcapecod.org The best way to describe our summer family camp day is a time for families all coping with the loss of a loved one to be together and learn new healthy ways to help us cope productively. It is a time in which nobody has to get up and speak about their loved one or how they are feeling etc. It is time to be together for a cause to know and believe it is okay to be someone who is grieving and to know you are not alone. We will all be a part of different activities throughout the day together at Camp Lyndon. Zumba, Drumming, swimming, mindfulness and snacks and lunch will be provided. Cant join us for our camp day? Check out our Play Therapy and Equine Therapy events this month! Good Grief mission: In a culture that often avoids talking about loss, Good Grief Cape Cod holds a great emphasis on and support for research that children of all ages do grieve. Our mission is to promote positive change to how we as a society respond to grief by providing community engagement opportunities, sharing information and educational workshops that will provide our community with ways to help children and families cope with death. Good Grief Cape Cod is an initiative under the umbrella of Falmouth Together We Can, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.  Escape YOUR reality at King Richard’s Faire, New England’s largest and longest-running Renaissance festival! Open Labor Day Weekend Each year since 2012 we have been lucky enough to be granted admission to King Richard's realm as guests for his annual faire as well as offer giveaways to our fans & readers. This year we are giving away 3-Family 4 Packs for Opening Weekend to people who attend our upcoming Parent Night Out at the Cape Cod Children's Museum. We’ve always had such great times while attending. Some of our favorite parts of the Faire are seeing the Prince & Princess Contest and the joust, eating turkey legs, attending the fabulous music and shows and much more. We love visiting the vendors as well and in prior years have purchased a piece for our outfit to attend in! Each year we find something fantastic and something new! We cannot wait to see what is going to be at the Faire this year! Below are some of our blogs, tips and tricks on King Richard's Faire over the years: King Richard’s Faire 2012 King Richard’s Faire 2013 2nd Review Blog 2013 by Meghan King Richard’s Faire 2014 King Richard's Faire Meghan's 2014 Experience King Richard's Faire 2015 Meghan's Review of the Shows & Interviews with the Kids for 2015 King Richard's Faire 2016 King Richard's Faire 2017 Giveaway King Richard's Faire 2018 by Charissa-1st time visit King Richard's Faire 2018 Giveaway Visit the Faire weekends and Monday holidays from August 31-October 20, 2019, where entertainment, exciting rides and skilled games abound on the Faire’s enchanting 80-acre wooded site (235 Main Street, Carver, Mass. 02330). You’ll be dazzled by acrobats, aerialists, and jugglers! Be captivated by minstrels, dancers and puppeteers and enthralled by fire-eaters, magicians and exotic tigers. See our website for new acts and special events for the 2019 season! On Saturday August 31st, opening day, Carver residents are welcomed with free admission with valid photo ID. On Sunday, September 1st, the Faire holds a "Salute to Safety" with free admission to first responders with valid photo ID - see website for details. Hundreds of talented performers perform non-stop for you throughout the day on any one of our eight vibrant stages. The King’s handsome knights battle on horseback as bawdy beggars compete in mud. Wacky wenches will leave you in stitches while happy villagers engage you in the lanes. Frolicking faeries can be seen dancing through the forest, where you can try your skill in his majesty’s Gaming Glen. Afterward, epicurean pleasures suited for royalty, will tantalize even the pickiest of taste buds. Satiate thy palate with giant spit-roasted turkey legs, ringlets of fryes, and boules of chowder or stew, and quench thy thirst with specialty cocktails, champagne, wine and brew. Many of the King’s talented artisans journey from around the globe and have much to offer all who enter the gates of Carvershire. Discover beautiful handspun pottery, fabulous jewelry, and incredible face painting. Delight in period clothing, leather, armor, and moccasins. Be amazed by our blacksmith and forged weaponry, jewelry making, and other works of art. Revel in scented oils, perfumes, handmade crafts and psychic readings as you make memories to last a lifetime. Visit kingrichardsfaire.net for a site map, event schedules, and ticket sales. 235 Main Street, Carver MA 02330 adult: $34 child 4-11 $17 children 3 years of age and younger are free Website link: http://kingrichardsfaire.net Ticket link: https://kingrichardsfaire.net/ticket-admissions-faqs/ Group discounts (25+ guests): 952-238-9915 (November-July) and the Faire site office @ 508-866-5391 (August-October) or via email by contacting info@kingrichardsfaire.net. Group Discounted Pricing – $28 Adult/$16 Child  This week Cape Kids Cast catches up on their summer reading. Ethan will share his favorite summer books including Choose Your Own Adventure books and ElfQuest. Comment and tell us your favorite summer books below! Be sure to check out our Summer Edition sponsors, Sea Crest Beach Hotel in beautiful North Falmouth, one of the best places to go for family fun ALL day long! Leave us a LIKE, COMMENT or SHARE and let us know what you think of our summer edition series! For advertising information or to invite the cast to your event or family friendly business, email us at info@capecodmoms.com #summerreading #summer #CapeCod #summervacation #family #shoplocal Cape Cod Parents Night Out! Cape Cod Moms, Cape Cod Children's Museum & Totally InTouch Vacations invite you to a fun evening with friends! Wednesday, August 21 at 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm Cape Cod Children's Museum 577 Great Neck Road South Mashpee, MA 02649 Join Amy & Melissa from Cape Cod Moms, Cape Cod Children's Museum & Totally InTouch Vacations for a fun evening mixing and mingling with friends new and old! FREE Childcare; all attendees will receive a FREE 1 year membership to Cape Cod Moms Shop Local club and will be eligible to win prizes. We will also have refreshments; the museum will be offering a discount on a membership & in store purchases. In addition any one who books for the Mother's Day trip will receive an additional gift. RSVP here by emailing us your name and attendees. RSVP's will be eligible to win an extra door prize!  This week Cape Kids Cast Explores a time honored tradition on Cape Cod of Whale Watching with Captain John Boats out of Plymouth & Provincetown. Find out more about why taking the kids on a whale watch is a huge hit for #CapeCodKids They may even fall asleep on the way home after #parentingwin Be sure to check out our Summer Edition sponsors, Sea Crest Beach Hotel in beautiful North Falmouth, one of the best places to go for family fun ALL day long! Leave us a LIKE, COMMENT or SHARE and let us know what you think of our summer edition series! For advertising information or to invite the cast to your event or family friendly business, email us at info@capecodmoms.com #whalewatch #summer #CapeCod #summervacation #family #shoplocal  My Pregnancy in a Peanut Shell By: Emily L My husband, Ben, and I started taking pre-conception pills the last 2 weeks in August of 2018 and I stopped taking my birth control pills. “I am ovulating on September 14th, we will start trying then!” I yell from the living room, while I am counting the days on my calendar. We were so excited! September 14th, 2019: ovulation day! “I am really nervous, what happens if it works on the first try?! Are we really ready for this?!” I say with an excited look of nervousness to my husband. “Yes! This is something we have talked about, and something we both really want. Sure it can happen on the first try, but we have to understand that it also may take some time,” my husband calmly says to me, in some words or another. September 27th: the day we found out about our little bean! We made it happen on the first try! ON THE FIRST TRY! We were beyond excited, we were nervous, we were beyond over the moon happy, we finally felt like we were on the right track to begin our family. It was all very clear that this was meant to be right now in our lives. We began looking at all things baby related. Looking up pregnancy tips, reading all the books, looking for the best of the best materials. Was it too early? Should we wait? We can’t be this excited yet, what if something happens?! We need to wait until our ultrasound…but it’s ok, because right now, we were pregnant.  A few weeks later, we found out that our due date was June 8th. We were SO excited throughout our pregnancy! We “felt” like it was a girl. I felt like the baby was a girl. Was it because we both wanted a girl as our first? We instantly knew a name, we knew that we both wanted, Aurora, for a girl. We loved the Aurora Borealis, we haven ever been, but just loved everything about it. We also are HUGE Disney fans, and loved how different Aurora was. We didn’t tell anyone of our name choice because, “oh you will change your mind when she is here.” (One of the many pieces of “advice” we were given.) November 30th: “I don’t have any cravings or weird food aversions…but I can only eat these foods all together.” Check out my smorgasbord!  The further I was getting into pregnancy, the more “real” it was starting to feel. I had morning sickness, but it was at night. This was great because I was able to work just fine during the day, relax in the bathtub at night and go to sleep when my nausea kicked in. I had lost 5 pounds due to nausea and not feeling hungry, and solely living off of saltines for dinner. (Side note: I never ONCE vomited during my pregnancy, it was so strange and not what I was expecting. ) HAPPY NEW YEAR 2019! Our last New Year’s Eve just the two of us!  January 17th: the sex reveal ultrasound We knew that we wanted to find out from the start of our pregnancy, because we had that hunch that it was a girl. We knew we would love our son or daughter no matter which sex they ended up being, and if they decide that one day that isn’t what they want, we are still going to love them regardless.  I say “our” and “we” because this pregnancy was just as much my husband’s as it was just the baby and I. “Don’t you mean your BABY’S due date?” “YOU are carrying your daughter, not your husband.” “This process is what YOU are physically going through.” “He doesn’t understand what you are going through.” “I hope he is doing everything at home, because you can’t.” “He doesn’t fully understand what you are going through.”  Just a few of the things that I got when I phrased my sentences with “our” or “we.” You are right; he wasn’t carrying our child physically. BUT, he was working two jobs so we could save money for when the baby arrived because I was granted UNPAID leave. UNPAID. While working two jobs, he would come home to do all of the housework; the cleaning, the laundry, the dishes, taking out the trash, make dinner (yes he is the cook of the household), all while having to assist his pregnant wife. Because, that’s what he is supposed to do, right? “I hope he is doing things at home, as he should be,” the midwife would say in reply to anything we discussed during prenatal appointments. “I am a feminist, in case you didn’t know,” the midwife said at our 24th week appointment, as she only looked me in the eyes to say it, ignoring my husband’s presence. The appointments my husband came to and sat idly by, as he was talked about like he didn’t exist, from the midwives. He attended EVERY appointment. EVERY appointment he brought questions. EVERY appointment he would leave work, no matter how long the appointment would be, and not complain. He supported the process because this is something we wanted for a long time.  Here is my husband and I at our childbirth class, which he WANTED to attend to learn as much as possible to raise our daughter.  Living through the pregnancy process during a time when “males/men” are looked at negatively as a whole, was challenging. All of those “Miss Independent” ladies would come out of the wood cracks and speak their minds, only to not include my husband during MY pregnancy stories, in a positive way. I got to a point in the pregnancy where I REQUIRED my husband’s assistance. I did absolutely depend on him the last trimester, especially after I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes on March 22nd. I struggled very hard with this diagnosis, only because we had been having an amazing pregnancy. So, I needed him. Not because I couldn’t do it myself, but I needed him for his loving support because I was too “blue” to pull myself up to do it myself. I needed the encouragement and support from him to help me through that change. To not feel like I failed my baby, my husband, and my own worst enemy, myself.  We worked together to make the 3rd trimester a breeze. Considering I am not generally a candy, dessert, or sweets of any kind type of person, the whole “NO” thing, made me want it even more. This added challenges to the final countdown, when all I cared about at times, was how delicious that brownie would taste following an ice cream M&M cookie sandwich, while eating some jujyfruits. At first, it was easy to switch up my diet, there wasn’t much to eliminate that was “horrible.” I was told that anyone no matter how big or small their bodies were, could get gestational diabetes. Since I didn’t have diabetes prior to the pregnancy, but was overweight, and didn’t want that to be the main focus of the diagnosis. I got depressed and it was challenging to enjoy the rest of my pregnancy without the constant worry. I was recommended to go to a nutritionist, but it was basically mandatory for the first time so I could get a basis of foods to use as a resource. The nutritionist said, “Well with your weight, gestational diabetes was probably to be expected.” Call me sensitive or a pregnant monster, but I instantly shutdown and started snapping back at everything she said, in a rude and snippy way. How could you say that my weight was to blame, when it is common for any pregnant person? I had lost weight throughout my pregnancy and had only gained 3 pounds! What is going on?! Now, I felt like the last few weeks were going to be worse than I thought, as I watched her cross off all things delicious with a bright red sharpie as if I failed a spelling test in the 3rd grade. She told me I needed However, this delicious strawberry poppyseed salad was exactly a perfect divide to a sweet and healthy treat that kept my numbers in great shape!
Our Baby Girl’s Baby Shower/Name Reveal! AURORA LEIGH My husband and I have always loved the Aurora Borealis, the northern lights. We always watch the live feeds of the Aurora Borealis and always say, “Someday we will go see them live.” We have never seen it in person, but we just love its natural beauty! We are also BIG Disney fans, and love Aurora as Sleeping Beauty. When we found out that our little bean was a girl, there was no doubt in our minds that Aurora was going to be her name, Rory for short. It was a name no one we knew had, and it wasn’t widely popular on the “Most popular name,” lists. We chose her middle name, “Leigh,” after my sister’s middle name. Our baby shower was held on Saturday, April 6th at my parent’s condo. It was well attended with my closest family and friends and it was storybook themed. I am a Children’s Librarian, so it was only fitting.   After the baby shower, things went by quickly. Before we knew it, we were having our last ultrasound. The last ultrasound to determine her size and make sure everything was going well. Below is a pic of our chunky-cheeked little bean! If you tilt your head to the right, you can see her looking right at you! It was so crazy!  Our little Rory Bean was measuring at 6.5 pounds! We still had a little was to go, and if she continued to measure ½ pound a week until her due date, she would be 9 pounds. NINE POUNDS! WHAT?! The ultrasound tech shrugged her shoulders and said, “She could be give or take one or two pounds from that.” All I could think about was trying to control my sassy eye roll and lip pout out loud. Since she was measuring large, the midwife thought it was best to do weekly non-stress tests, to be sure she was doing alright in there with her growth and wasn’t getting too squished. It was scary at first, being hooked up to machines and laying in a hospital bed watching the lines jump up and down with a beeping noise. Then suddenly I heard her heartbeating loud through the speakers. When she moved, I could hear her over the machine squirming to the other side of my belly. It was magical to hear her heartbeat for the 20 minute non-stress test, and everything turned out just fine.  Days flew by and the weeks were coming to a close, the non-stress tests were going great and the baby was doing fantastic. My husband and I decided to do an impromptu maternity photoshoot, with our own camera and tripod. Here are two of my favorites!  My last duty of pregnancy was to schedule a pedicure, so I was “delivery room ready.”  Our last appointment was on June 6th, with our due date being on Saturday, June 8th. We were told that I wasn’t very dilated, but they didn’t want me to go too much past my due date. At the end of that appointment, I was scheduled to be induced that Monday, June 10th! The look on my husbands face was hilarious and I wish I got a video of it! But by the feeling of a skip in my heartbeat of excitement, made me realize that mine probably looked similar. Saturday, June 8th: DUE DATE! We can’t wait to meet our little Rory Bean!  Monday, June 10th: Induction Day! Our pregnancy journey was filled with so many exciting moments. As we were walking into the hospital for induction, I thought back to all of the key moments of our pregnancy. The highlights of the good and what we thought was “bad” at the time. It was all an experience to remember and in the moment there were times of worry that took away from the experience. Though those worries are inevitable for any soon-to-be mom, whether it is your first time or your 5th time, there will always be some worry. Please try to relax and enjoy each and every moment. It is a magical time that everyone should experience fully.   Emily is a wash-a-shore on Martha's Vineyard. After many years of vacationing on Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard as a child, Emily met her husband in college who was born and raised on Martha's Vineyard. Small world! Right before getting married, Emily and her husband relocated to Martha's Vineyard to settle down and start a family. They are new first time parents to their daughter, Aurora and cat parents to their gray and black tiger cat, Baby T.
Emily is a Children's Librarian on the island, as well as a kid's mindfulness and yoga instructor, and a former teacher. Being a life long and continuing learner, reading, being thrifty, crafty and fun is her specialty! Emily is always looking for new events and programs to get her and her family involved in the community. She started an advice and experience instagram page, called spillthebeansmom, at the end of her pregnancy to help use as an outlet to reach other moms and listen to what moms had to say based off of their experiences. |
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