Duke Lemur Center

This is one of those activities that is completely unique to Durham.  In fact, you can't really have this experience anywhere else in the world, except maybe Madagascar.  I used to go every year with the school where I taught, so I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity to take my son to visit.

What it is: The Duke Lemur Center is the largest sanctuary for prosimian primates (mainly lemurs) in the world.  The center is used to encourage research and understanding about these endangered creatures.  It is also a great place to take kids to learn about lemurs specifically and also the issue of endangered animals.   

The center gives tours most days of the week, but you need to call to arrange a tour.  I've been on tours with just adults, elementary age kids, and most recently with my sons and their friends who range in age between one and three years old.  They are really able to cater their tour to the ages of their guests.  For example, for the older tour guests there is a short video at the beginning of the tour, but they skipped that for the little ones.  The tour guides can give you a lot of good information as you travel from cage to cage visiting the lemurs, but they didn't give the little ones a lot of information that was over their heads. 

On the tour you pass by all of the lemurs and get a description of each of them.  You even get to see the actual lemur from Zoboomafoo the children's series!  We saw quite a few lemurs that were actively jumping around their cage and heard some pretty noisy sound effects coming from others.  At the end of the tour, you get to go into the habitat of the nocturnal animals.  This gave a really interesting glimpse of animals that are rarely visible.

**There is also a tour available for adults and kids over 10 in which you can actually go into the lemur's natural habitat areas of the center where you can truly walk with the lemurs.  It's quite expensive, but it was well worth it when we were able to do it several years ago.

What we liked: We loved having the unique opportunity to get to see the animals close up.  In addition, since the tours were so catered to the age groups the toddlers were interested the whole time and the pace was appropriate. 

What we would change: One difficulty is that you can't just show up, you have to schedule a tour in advance which can take a little more time and planning.  In addition, it does cost money with tickets at $10 for adults and $7 for kids ages 3-12. 


Website and other important information: 

Website: http://lemur.duke.edu/

Address: 3705 Erwin Rd., Durham, NC 27705

Phone Number: (919) 489-3364

Photos: 

 1. Lemurs...

 2. Lemurs...

 3. and more Lemurs!

4. A view of the Lemur Center visitor center

New Hope Church Playground

And just when we think we've just about located all of the fantastic parks in Durham, another one comes to our attention!


What it is: This park is located at the New Hope Church on Fayetteville Rd. just south of Southpoint Mall in Durham.  We heard their playground was open to the public, so we headed on over to check it out.  It's another great option for some outside toddler play.  There are regular swings and bucket swings, a play structure with some slides, and even a fence around the whole thing to keep them nicely contained.  The surface of the playground is recycled tires which gives a nice soft landing to falling kids but also (unfortunately) goes quite nicely in crawling babies mouths.  There are also two picnic tables located just outside the fenced in playground.

There is an additional playground located next to the building which has some shade and different equipment, but signage on this playground indicates that it is only intended for preschool use.

What we liked:  There were parking spaces right next to the playground which made for very easy access.  The fence was also a nice feature so we didn't have to worry about our kids escaping into the parking lot. 

What we would change: It is sunny!  So, if you head over there in the middle of a hot summer day, be prepared for some heat.  In addition, during preschool or church times this playground maybe used by the actual church and its members so it wouldn't be available. 

Website and other important information:

Website: http://www.newhopenc.org/ (Church website)

Address: 7619 Fayetteville Road, Durham, NC 27713

Phone Number: (919) 206-4673

Photos: 

1. View of the playground with the fence in the foreground and the swings in the background

Touch A Truck

I rarely write on events that have already come and gone.  However, every once and a while an annual event comes around that it a wonderful outing for kids.  When that happens I like to write it up so that when next year rolls around, everyone knows about it and is ready.  Touch a Truck this weekend was one of those events.

What it is: Touch a Truck is an event put on annually by a boy scout troop in the parking lot of University Mall.  They bring in every type of vehicle that you can think of and the kids can actually get in and explore them!  This year, we headed down and my almost-three year old was in heaven!  He got to sit in a limo, a digger, a trash truck, a ferrari, several tractors, two helicopters, and an ambulance-and those were just the ones that we went in.  There were plenty of other vehicles there to explore and even some bouncy castles for extra fun.  In addition to getting in all of vehicles we also were lucky enough to see two helicopters, one from Duke and one from UNC, actually land in the parking lot while we were there.

What we liked: For a person with car and truck loving toddlers-what could be better?  It was so great to just let your kid go up and touch a vehicle like that and then get in it!

What we would change: The most difficult part of this event is the timing.  It takes place from 12pm-4pm which is usually precisely during nap time.  We managed to sneak in a quick visit before the boys went to sleep this time though.  In addition, there is a $5 admission charge which can get expensive.  However, the proceeds go to a great cause and the experience is definitely worth the money!

Website and other important information: 

Website: http://universitymallnc.com/calendar/event/112-3rd-annual-touch-a-truck

Address: 201 S. Estes Dr., Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (University Mall)

2011 Date and Time: Sunday April 17, 12pm-4pm

Photos:

 1. a view as we walked in

 2. One of the trucks

 3. Everybody watches the helicopter land

4. A police officer shows everyone his dog and his vehicle.

Volunteers needed for Tornado Relief Efforts at Stony Brook in Raleigh!!!!

Here's more information about the tornado relief efforts from Katie at Discovering the Southern Part of Heaven.  Please read and help where and when you can.  Thanks so much for the information!

As last week’s storms become a memory for those of us not hit, many people in our state are just beginning the process of recovery. Long, complicated, difficult, recovery.   Stony Brook mobile home park in Raleigh was one of the hardest hit by last weekend’s tornado.   Many of these families need help navigating their way to recovery.  Exemplifying a spirit of community and giving, one Durham Mom, Kim Johnson,  has set up an efficient and effective response, but to really get these people the help they need, she needs volunteers…lots of volunteers.  In fact, she is looking for teams of 50 people, at least 5-10 of whom speak Spanish and have time to spend on site, as primary points of contact for families.  Other volunteers on each team would be responsible for making phone calls to help put these families in touch with available resources, while still others are needed down the road to help people get into their temporary, and eventually new, homes.  Feel like you can't do any of these tasks?  All skill sets are needed, from data entry to running messages. 

  

If you don’t know 50 people, don’t worry.  If you can volunteer, please contact us atsouthernpartheaven@gmail.com, and we will help organize a group.  If you cannot volunteer, but would like to help, please help to spread the word by sending this to your friends and family.

"Do all the good you can.  By all the means you can.  In all the ways you can.  In all the places you can.  At all the times you can. To all the people you can.  As long as ever you can."  --John Wesley


Here's the link to the original post: http://southernpartheaven.blogspot.com/2011/04/volunteers-needed-for-tornado-relief.html

The Mystery Playground-Valley Run Playground

What it is: The Stir Crazy Moms have been frequenting Tutti Frutti, the new frozen yogurt shop in Hope Valley Square Shopping Center.  As some of our readers know, we've been searching for a great nearby playground where we can stop after our sweet treat.  Thanks to our readers we've gotten several great suggestions we can't wait to check out. 

On one of our most recent trips, one of the moms noticed a nearby playground as she was driving to the store, so we had to stop and check it out.  It took some sleuthing to figure out where this glimpse of slides and swingsets that she saw from the road through the trees was actually located, but we found it.  It's a little playground tucked into a neighborhood called Valley Run.  So, we are calling it the Valley Run Playground (I know, how creative). 

It is a very small playground with some swings, a small play structure, and it's most unique feature-a see-saw!  My son loves these, and we so rarely see them at the playground we frequent.  So we're always happy when we find one.  This playground would definitely be best for smaller kids and ones that are not incredibly adventurous with their climbing and sliding.  Since I have one non-adventurer and one little guy-this playground was a perfect fit!


What we liked: It was fenced, it was quiet, and it had that lovely see-saw.  Plus, it was close to our afternoon dessert destination!


What we would change: As we said earlier, it is small, and the equipment is small.  However, this can also be an advantage depending on our child's temperament.  I will caution that this is a neighborhood playground.  Parking is on the street in front of houses.  So, if you go make sure to be courteous to those that live in the neighborhood. 


Important Information: The park is located on Valley Run Rd.  To find it turn off of Old Chapel Hill Rd. onto Valley Run.  The park will be located on the left a short distance down the road.

Photos: 

1. A view of the entire playground

Helping the Youngest Tornado Victims-Spread the Word

*Stir Crazy Moms received this information on how to help the victims of this weekend's tornado from a fellow local blogger.  (Thanks, Southern Part of Heaven!)  The following information is copied from her blog.  Make sure to read, help if you can, and spread the word!

 

Here's the link to the original post on her blog:

 http://southernpartheaven.blogspot.com/2011/04/helping-youngest-tornado-victims.html

 

Thanks, The Stir Crazy Moms 

 

Helping the Youngest Tornado Victims-Spread the Word

Are you looking for a way to help out with tornado relief, but you aren't certain how? While the immediate needs are, of course, food and shelter, can you imagine being a child and not only not understanding why you cannot go home, but not having toys, books and stuffed animals?    The youngest tornado victims need our help!!!  A Durham Mom started an email request for new or gently used toys and books for children in need, and that has grown into an even larger effort.    We will be collecting gently used toys, books and other children's items, as well as diapers, sealed containers of formula and other unused baby hygiene items for children impacted by the storm.   These will be distributed to shelters and other agencies who will make sure those who are in need receive them.

If you are willing to volunteer to help with this effort, whether to help pick up and sort items, deliver them to the agencies that need them, or act as a neighborhood  drop-off location, please contact us at southernpartheaven@gmail.com.

Please help spread the word!

Current dropoff points are listed below:

Chapel Hill:

Strays (formerly known as Ship and Shop)
Southern Village (between Bloom and Weaver Street)
300 Market Street, ste 130
Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Durham: 

4809 Marvin Drive
Durham, NC 27707

Morrisville:

Diapering Doula
4109 Grace Park Drive
Morrisville, NC 27506

Raleigh:

Brooks Avenue Church of Christ
700 Brooks Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27607-4132

Wilson: 

Playdate of Wilson
2801 Ward Blvd # 3T
Wilson, NC 27893-1733
(in the Brentwood shopping center)

Chapman's Chiropractic Center (Dr. Chad Cato)
2231 Nash Street NW
Suite A
Wilson, NC  27896

"Do all the good you can.  By all the means you can.  In all the ways you can.  In all the places you can.  At all the times you can. To all the people you can.  As long as ever you can."  --John Wesley

The King's Daughters Inn

What it is: At long last, we thought it was about time that we have another post for our "Just for Moms" section.  The King's Daughters Inn was the perfect choice.   If your wanting a perfect hideaway for a special night away from the kids without ever having to leave town, King's Daughters Inn is a fabulous option!  It also is a great choice for visiting grandparents to stay or even have your next party, shower, or celebration.


The King's Daughters Inn is a 17 room bed and breakfast located just across the street from Duke's East Campus.  It was previously used as a home for single women and was recently renovated into a beautiful bed and breakfast near to all of the fabulous restaurants and entertainment in downtown Durham and Duke's area of town. 


For a weary mom they offer rooms with a deep air jet tub, plush robes, nightly turn down service complete with port and chocolates, delicious breakfast, afternoon tea, and nightly spirits in the parlor.  I would love to enjoy a night out at a great Durham restaurant followed by a night at the Inn! 


What we liked: The Inn is beautiful with lots of wonderful amenities and a great location.  However, the greatest amenities of the King's Daughters Inn are the caring and knowledgeable innkeepers, the Crossmans.  They will make sure you are well taken care of during your stay and that you have everything you need.


What we would change: The biggest drawback to a night at the Inn is the cost.  While it is *incredibly* reasonable when compared with other nice hotels in the area with rooms starting at only $168 a night, it is still an expensive night out for a mom.  It would have to be a special occasion, but it would definitely be worth the splurge.


Website and other information: 

Website: http://thekingsdaughtersinn.com/

Address: 204 N. Buchanan Blvd, Durham, NC, 27701

Phone Number: (919) 354-7000

Photos:

1. The inn from the outside

2. Examples of two of the rooms (all of which are unique)

Mini Corn Fritters

So, my almost 3 year old son actually willingly ate a vegetable for dinner!  So, I had to report to everyone how it was possible.  Usually, I get him his veggies through veggie/fruit juice, fruits, and purees snuck into various dishes.  However, with this recipe, he knew what he was eating, and he ate his vegetables willingly!  Yay!

This recipe is from Annabel Karmel.  I love her books for kid-friendly recipes-all the way from purees to toddler munchies.  This corn fritter recipe was something that my foodie husband actually loved as well as my non-vegetable eating toddler and my one year old who eats absolutely everything. 

So, enjoy!

Mini Corn Fritters

Ingredients:

*1/4 C. all-purpose flour
*1/2 teaspoon baking powder
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1 large egg
*1 C. drained canned corn
*1 large or 2 small scallions, thinly sliced
*2 TBSP canola oil, for frying

Procedure:

*Whiz together all ingredients except the oil in a food processor for 1 minute to make a batter.
*Heat a little of the oil in a large frying pan and drop in tablespoons of the batter.  Cook for 1 to 1 and 1/2 minutes in two batches of 5 until golden on the undersides, then carefully turn and cook for another minute.  You can use the back of a spoon to help push the fritter onto a spatula to make turning easier.  Drain briefly on paper towels before serving.

What other tricks and great recipes do you have to make your little ones eat their veggies!

Morrisville Community Park

What it is: One of the other Stir Crazy Moms told us about this park in Morrisville, and at first I was a little hesitant to check it out.  Morrisville sounded pretty far away for a park outing.  Then, as I looked at the map I realized that this part of Morrisville was actually closer than downtown Durham from our location in South Durham, not a bad drive at all.

So, we headed off to check it out one day this week.  It's a fairly big park with some grassy fields as well as a large playground area with a gazebo and picnic shelter for eating.  The playground had a ton of equipment for our kids to explore.  There was a large sand area, some bucket swings as well as big kid swings, a smaller play structure for the younger kids, and a giant play structure for the bigger ones. 

What we liked: This park had lots of different things for the kids to do.  It seemed like it could even keep the really active kids busy for a while.  Plus, the bigger structure was a little different from ones we were used to so it gave us something new to explore.  There was also enough grassy area for our kids to have room to run and for us to be able to spread out some blankets and enjoy our snacks in the shade.


What we would change:  I don't know if this is always the case, but on the day we went it was pretty crowded.  There were several school groups there as well as other adults and their kids.  The big kids did pretty much stay on the larger play structure so that the little ones could play on the other one, but it was definitely daunting for some of our shyer toddlers. 

Website and other important information:

Website: http://www.ci.morrisville.nc.us/index.aspx?NID=199

Address: 1520 Morrisville Parkway, Morrisville, NC

Photos:

1. The smaller play structure is in the front. Behind it is the gazebo and larger structure

Top Five Indoor Play Spaces

So, here it is, at long last, our reader's choices for favorite indoor playspaces in the area.  We've had the poll up for a while for all of you to vote, and from day one your first choice was clear but it took a little while longer to sort out the rest of the top five.  There are so many great indoor play spaces in Durham, and here are just a few of your favorites...Enjoy!

1. North Carolina Museum of Life and Science-with 66% our favorite museum was clearly also your favorite choice for best indoor play space.  But don't forget all of the outdoor fun that can be had here as well.

2. Play Nation-With 15% of the vote this indoor play space complete with slides, climbing structures, and bouncy houses is just the right size for some toddler fun.

3. Southpoint Mall-With 8% of the vote Southpoint has a play area and so much more.  You can eat, play at the play area, head up and down the escalators, and do so much more exploring without even setting foot inside a store.

4. Monkey Joe's-With 6% of the vote Monkey Joe's is another great indoor play space complete with bouncing, sliding, and jumping fun!

5. Wheels Family Fun Center, Family Center of Northern Durham, and Durham Public Libraries-All of these locations tied with 4% of the vote. All are great options for an indoor storytime, craft, or a little climbing fun.

Bull City Burger and Brewery

What it is: Bull City Burger is a great new burger restaurant that opened up in downtown Durham.  They offer gourmet burgers and hot dogs with your choice of toppings in addition to beer, wine, and fancy sodas on tap.


What we liked:  My family and I checked this place out after the Art Walk this weekend and we loved it!  First, we ordered the burgers and they had all sorts of fancy toppings you could choose from.  The basic burger was $6 and each topping that you picked added on a couple of bucks.  So, you could finish with a fairly expensive burger, but all of the toppings sounded so good!  Fortunately, there were quite a few free toppings for you to choose from.  After the burger, we asked for a soft drink.  They directed us to their Boylan soda fountain, apparently the only one in the state, where we could choose from gingerale, cream soda, birch beer, cherry soda, or cola.  It was a very refreshing change.

Then, we went to sit down and we noticed the best part of all-a kids' area!  That's right, they had a little corner with a play kitchen, crayons, and blocks.  As my son went off to play after he had finished his kids' meal, my husband and I realized something.  This place was definitely family-friendly.  We also realized that there's a distinction between being just kid-friendly and being family-friendly.  A family-friendly place is a place that the whole family could go to have a good time, not just the kids.  At Bull City Burgers and Brewery the adults can have a good time sipping their beer or wine and the kids can have a good time coloring or playing in the play area.  Everyone wins!  And to top it all off, the food is good too.


What we would change: The biggest drawback we noticed was that the kids' hot dog had a bit of a grown up taste to it that might be off-putting to pickier kids.  We recommend going with the kids' burger instead. 


Website and other important information:

Website: http://www.bullcityburgerandbrewery.com/

Address: 107 E. Parrish Street, Durham, NC 27701

Phone Number: (919) 680-2333 


Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:11am-10pm, Friday and Saturday 11:11am-midnight (kitchen closes at 10pm), Closed Sunday  **At the time of this review it does mention on the website that the hours are subject to change.


Photos: 

 1. Inside view of the restaurant

2. The fancy Boylan's soda fountain

3. The kids' area

4. The actual brewing part of this brewery

Our April Giveaway Winner...

We are happy to announce that the winner of our April giveaway to Bull City Craft is...Jennifer!

Jennifer commented, "We love any and all crafts! The messier the better from my kids point of view (so lots of painting) but I like creative reuse of materials :)"

We are sending you an e-mail as we speak so you can claim your prize! 

For everyone who didn't win, keep reading, more great Durham activities coming soon, and of course, more giveaway!

Renaissance Festivals Large and Small

What they are: We love a good festival here at Stir Crazy Moms.  It's great to take the kids out, let them roam through the spectacle of a fair, and see all there is to see.  We've always loved going to Renaissance Fairs even before the little ones arrived.  Seeing everyone in costume, watching the musicians and contests, sampling the food, and just roaming around is so much fun.  So, we thought we'd tell you about two festivals that we found in NC that are worth checking out.

The first one is one that my husband has been going to his whole life.  The Carolina Renaissance Festival actually takes place every fall in Huntersville, NC which is just north of Charlotte, but it was definitely worth the drive for us.  It actually looked like they built up a whole village devoted to the festival.  It's size felt similar to the State Fair!  We headed down there when my oldest son was about 18 months, and I can't wait to take both boys back again.  There was something new for him to see around every corner.  He loved listening to the music, watching the jousts and the jugglers, trying out some of the games for kids, eating the food, and just looking around at everyone in their costumes.  I can imagine that the older he gets and the more he understands about what he's watching, the more fun it will get.

The second one is the one that precipitated this post.  Last weekend we headed out to Knightdale to check out the NC Renaissance Faire (which is still running through April 17).  It wasn't as far as the Charlotte festival, and it also wasn't nearly on the same scale.  When we first drove by, by husband and I actually contemplated not stopping because we didn't know if there was enough there to entertain our family.  However, we had driven the 45 minutes to get to Knightdale so we decided to stop.  We were definitely glad we did.  Even though there wasn't as much to see, there was certainly plenty to inspire the imagination of my son, and since it was much smaller, it felt like we could get more personally involved in what was happening and interact more with the performers and other entertainers.  We watched knights duel and joust from the front row, we watched jugglers and clowns from a similar distance, we sampled food that wasn't particularly authentic to the period but was delicious none-the-less (donuts!), sampled some homemade mead, and even learned to fence.  The whole day taught us a lesson about family outings: we definitely shouldn't skip an event just because it isn't huge and showy.  Toddlers and young children's imagination can be fired by anything if presented with the right enthusiasm.

What we liked:  We loved how both festivals could inspire the imagination of young kids.  The larger one had so much to see and do while the smaller one gave the opportunity for meaningful interactions.


What we would change:  Both of the festivals are a bit further from Durham that we would have liked, but the one in Knightdale is definitely suitable for a day or half day trip.  (We went in the morning and managed to be back by afternoon nap.)  In addition, both festivals have somewhat expensive entry fees which make them a special treat.  We felt the Carolina Renaissance Festival was a bit too big with long car lines for parking.  However, we felt the NC Renaissance Faire was a bit too small with few vendors and a somewhat disorganized appearance.



Website and other important information:

Carolina Renaissance Festival:
*Website: http://www.royalfaires.com/carolina/
*Address: 16445 Poplar Tent Road, Huntersville, NC 28078
*Dates: October 8-November 20, 2011
*Admission: $19 for adults, $9 for children ages 5-12, discounted tickets available at Harris Teeter


NC Renaissance Faire:
*Website: http://www.ncrenfaire.com/
*Address: 7633 Poole Road, Poplar Creek Village, Knightdale, NC
*Dates: April 2-3, 9-10, and 16-17, 2011
*Admission: $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 5-12


Photos:

1. The Carolina Renaissance Festival royalty parading through town

2. The crowds at the Carolina Renaissance Festival

 3. Knights duel at the NC Renaissance Faire

4. A jouster at the NC Renaissance Faire

Red Robin

What it is: Red Robin is one of the more kid-friendly restaurants in town.  It is a burger restaurant in South Durham that caters to kids with it's bright and busy decor and festive atmosphere. Their burgers are fabulous, and they've recently modified their menu to include more than just burgers.  In addition, they have a kids' menu that includes entrees and choices of kid-friendly sides such as mandarin orange (healthier) and fries (not so healthy).


What we liked:  We like how you don't have to worry about coming here with your kids.  This place is designed for kids from the several foot tall Red Robin in the middle of the restaurant to the TV in the middle of the waiting area floor to the colorful signs and decor all over the walls.    Oh, and the entrees come with unlimited fries, so you can get your kid a healthy meal and then, you can let them share your fries (if you want)!  All of the adult entrees also come with a piece of melon which is a little bit of a healthy twist with your not so healthy burger and fries.


What we would change: Some of the choices aren't the healthiest ever, but they do have healthy options and any option there certainly does taste delicious!


Website and other important information:

Website: http://www.redrobin.com/

Address: 5324 Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard, Durham, NC 27707

Phone Number: (919) 419-4980

Hours: Open Mon-Thu,Sun 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11am-11pm

Photos: 

 1. The Red Robin

2. A view of the outside

Welcome Baby

With this post we will tell you about Welcome Baby, and we will also welcome another Stir Crazy Mom, this post's author Amy!

What it is: Welcome Baby is a non-profit that focuses on helping new mothers connect to community resources and each other. They host educational classes, support groups, and manage a "Giving Closet" that recycles gently used maternity, baby, and toddler items, among other things.


I didn't find Welcome Baby. They found me. While I was still at the hospital, they came by the room and asked if I'd like them to contact me later with information on their services. I think I said yes to about a zillion of those questions, but Welcome Baby was one of the few who actually followed up. They called and asked if I wanted to be part of a "Now & Later" group. The group is made up of mothers with children under 4 months (my son was the oldest in our group) and we met weekly for 2 months. Each week, we discussed topics that were "the issues" in our lives. We brought up some topics, and sometimes we had a guest speaker (a pediatrician, a baby massage expert, a lactation consultant...) who could guide our discussions. While some of the moms in the group have already headed back to work, we are still hanging out when we can.

What we like: Welcome Baby is open to all Moms in Durham. While they are a non-profit, they do have some regular staff, who can answer just about any question a Mom would have, or at least give you a name or number of who you should get in touch with to get an answer. It's a One-Stop-Shop for first time moms, especially.

What we would change: Like any non-profit, the program is limited in hours and staff, which could make it difficult for a working mother to take advantage of the resources. I wish they were better funded, so they would be able to keep more people on staff and have more "open" hours.

Website: http://www.welcomebaby.org/

Address: 721 Foster Street, Durham, NC 27701

Phone number: (919) 560-7150

April Giveaway-Bull City Craft!

Hooray!  April is here!  With it comes warmer weather, flip flops, playgrounds, outdoor music, and yes, another fantastic giveaway from a fabulous local Durham mom business.  This time, you can win a gift certificate to newly opened Bull City Craft for a FREE drop-in craft or 50% off two drop-in crafts.  I know I can't wait to head back in and have my son make some drop-in crafts for upcoming Easter, Mothers' Day, and Fathers' Day gifts.  Your choices for a drop-in craft include a bird house, house shadowbox, tote bag, card, wooden box, or beaded jewelry. 

So, to win this fantastic giveaway, all you have to do is post a comment on this blog entry.  Since this entry is all about crafts, comment about your favorite craft to do with your kids.  Personally, I love fingerpainting on the easel in the kitchen with my son.  Just for fun, to gain extra entries, simply follow us on facebook and twitter, tell us about it in your comment, and gain an extra entry for each.

Here are the details: Enter by Friday, April 8th at midnight to be eligible.   On Saturday, I will announce the big winner on the blog.  If you include your e-mail address in your comment, I will also contact you when you win.  Please check back, and if I don't hear from you in a week, I will draw another lucky winner instead.

Oh, and don't forget to check out Bull City Craft's official grand opening on April 9th.

Good luck!  Happy Entering and Happy Crafting!