Tampa Mom

If you are looking for a really excellent musical experience for your child, I recommend checking out Gulf Coast Youth Choirs. GCYC offers a number of graded choirs led by professional choral directors. The founder of the organization, Dr. Lynn Gackle, has wealth of experience and is internationally-recognized as a leader in the choral world. She has assembled a staff of highly qualified professionals who carry her vision through to each choir under their direction.

Singing in a choir is like no other musical experience. It’s like a team sport with aesthetics. You are all working together towards a common goal – communicating to an audience – and the combination of musical language and the poetry of the lyrics speaks like no other. Directors set high expectations and the choristers continually excel. GCYC is a great place to be.

Our Experience – We are in our second year with GCYC, and have great hopes for it being even better than the first. I am thoroughly impressed with the quality of the organization in many areas. As a professional musician myself, I was concerned with the rigor and depth of the program and am sufficiently pleased. The literature selection, coaching, management, care of young voices, attention to detail is all there. Our child enjoys singing and is encouraged week after week to improve and get deeper into the music. Her choir performed at Disney’s Magic Music Days last Spring and they are planning another tour for Spring 2009. As a chaperone for that trip, I was impressed with not only the organization, but the quality kids in this program. They are top notch. It was an absolute pleasure to accompany them on a trip.

If you are not sure if this is something your child would be interested in, I suggest taking them to a concert this year and consider it for next year. You can get more information on their website at http://gulfcoastchoir.com/

The 2008 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival runs from September 26 through November 9. Florida residents are eligible for a lot of great deals during this time of year. If you live close to Orlando, consider the Epcot After 4PM Annual Pass, a fantastic deal, and will get you into Epcot all year without blackout dates after 4pm. This is great if you just want to dine, go to an Eat to the Beat concert, or visit France for pastries and fireworks at the end of an evening.

Kids can experience all the fun of the festival by traveling to over 14 Kidcot activity stops around the theme park. Our kids really enjoy this and it keeps them motivated during the day. It also provides an opportunity to rest inside, out of the sun or rain. This year, USA Pears sponsors The Pearville Fair, a learning center about pears! Our kids love Epcot!

A note about food allergies: In our experience, Disney is very accommodating, especially in the more formal dining experiences. Even the takeaway food stands are pretty knowledgeable about what they are serving. If you have food allergies, notify your server, and they will typically introduce you and your allergic child to the chef. We’ve met numerous Disney chefs and had just as many conversations with them about our food needs. Once, a chef at Boma (my personal favorite Disney restaurant) made a special dessert for Elizabeth since she couldn’t eat a single thing from their dessert offerings. As with any food activity with allergies, don’t forget your Epi-pens, Benadryl, Albuterol, and whatever else you typically need to deal with an incident. Also, don’t forget to pack some safe snacks. We always pack plenty of safe snacks wherever we go.

One last money-saving tip: You can get a large cup of ice water for free at any fountain drink vendor at Disney. I get a 32-ounce cup of ice water and sometimes mix in a Crystal Light To Go packet. Don’t let your budget prevent you from staying hydrated! Pack a water bottle. Water fountains are abundant throughout the parks, and single-serving drink packets can make it more palatable.

Tasting menus from some of the 2007 international food vendors.

It’s Your Life, Make a Difference!
Leadership Kick-Off & Family Fun Weekend
September 27, 2008

If you have a Girl Scout in your family, or someone who wants to join, you do not want to miss this Fall 2008 Kick-Off event at Cypress Gardens. There will be scavenger hunts, badge activities, and lots of scouting fun in addition to all of the great attractions at Cypress Gardens. The price is only $18/per person, and for only $10 more, you can extend your ticket to unlimited admission for the rest of 2008!

Find out more about the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida and register for the event.

Food allergy is one of my “interests” whether I like it or not. Now, many websites exist with information on coping with this affliction. There is no cure or treatment – only avoidance and survival. Here are a couple of links for recommended reading:

• Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network – my top pick
• Peanut Allergy Kid – a mom’s perspective

Can’t find an answer? Post your question here!

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, just a mom.

For kids aged 5-12, Home Depot offers its own brand of Kid Workshop on the first Saturday of each month. Saturday, September 6, 2008, kids will be constructing a paper football goalpost. Building begins at 9am, and goes until noon, or until supplies run out. Get there early to secure your spot and make sure your child has plenty of time to complete their project. Each child receives a kid-sized orange apron, an achievement pin, as well as their own newly-constructed project kit.

Check out the next project here!

Get your kids involved in home improvement at Lowe’s Build and Grow program. This is a free program for kids offered at your local Lowe’s store, usually on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month. Kids learn building skills, project safety, and get a boost of self-confidence when they discover that they really can build something themselves! Check it out and post your comments and reviews here!

Sign up now for September activities!

Do you struggle with menu planning? I know that I do, and it’s a constant battle. There is one menu-planning system that I’ve found that is absolutely fantastic! It’s called Saving Dinner. I’ve used some of these recipes and they all got a thumbs up from the whole family! I highly recommend Leanne Ely’s menus. Just give it a try. Your family will be so happy to sit at the table together eating a meal lovingly prepared just for them! Bon appetit!