Manners Matter: Say ‘thank you’ to your child’s teacher

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Heidi Thomas

Photo courtesy of Sweet Flour Bake Shop

Photo courtesy of Sweet Flour Bake Shop

The end of the school year is upon us.

Parents are busy selecting gifts to show appreciation to their child’s teacher.

This week, we will review the guidelines and etiquette of teacher gifting.

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Container garden chronicles: The benefits of rain

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Sarah Chain
parsley

Parsley! Quite a bit, actually, but only about a third of my plant’s growth so far.

One of the things I struggle with most in container gardening is giving my plants enough water. The soil in the containers dries out fast, and when we have a slew of 90-degree days, I worry.

But the recent soaking rains have been great for my plants: On Monday, I harvested the first cuts of parsley. (I also forced co-foodie and locavore Miss Reciplease! to smell it as I headed back to my desk, of course.) I’m pretty excited to see how I can work it into dinner this week.

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Students: Meet best-selling Civil War author Jeff Shaara

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Sarah Chain
Jeff Shaara

Jeff Shaara began writing in the early 1990s, after his father, Michael, died. (Submitted photo)

Best-selling author Jeff Shaara never intended to be a writer. But a dozen novels and one nonfiction title later, he’s enjoying the ride.

Shaara will be in York County June 27 for a dinner and reception as part of the York County Heritage Trust’s Distinguished Speaker Series. At $125 per ticket, the event is virtually sold out and now has a waiting list.

But if you have a high school or college-aged kid that’s a budding writer, take note: Area students have a special (free!) chance to meet and speak with Shaara.

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The Wiggles ‘Taking Off!’ to visit Hershey Theatre

Posted on June 10, 2013 by April Trotter

Photo courtesy of wiggletime.com

Photo courtesy of wiggletime.com

Make way for a few new Wiggles.

To kick off their 21st season, The Wiggles have announced three new cast members. The first-ever female Wiggle, Emma Watkins, will play the Yellow Wiggle. She will be joined by founding member Anthony Field (the Blue Wiggle), Simon Pryce (the Red Wiggle) and Lachlan Gillespie (the Purple Wiggle).

The group will take the stage with Dorothy the Dinosaur, Captain Feathersword, Wags the Dog and Henry the Octopus at the Hershey Theater for shows at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Aug. 18.

Tickets are $19, $25.50, $40.50 and $77 (tax and applicable fees apply) and are available at Hershey Theatre Box Office. They can be charged by phone at 717-534-3405 and purchased online at www.HersheyEntertainment.com.

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Of Pots and Pens: Chocolate-dipped, peanut-coated peanut butter cookies

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Rebecca LeFever
Photo by Rebecca LeFever ofpotsandpens.com

Photo by Rebecca LeFever ofpotsandpens.com

These are prettttty tasty.

I made a batch of these to take to Ohio for a week long visit we have planned with my fiance Will’s family. I started taking baked goods after Will’s Dad did my taxes for the first time. It was my way of thanking him for keeping me out of jail should I have to do my own taxes. They would be royally messed up.

Then the baked goods continued when Will’s youngest brother started college and we sent him care packages.

So I’ve been on this kick. And this idea of chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies is amazing as a reality.

Kind of like peanut butter cups but in a soft cookie form. That’s what you do when you have chocolate chips and don’t want plain old cookies.

Want to see the recipe and more photos? Visit Of Pots and Pens.

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‘Disney Junior Live on Tour! Pirate and Princess Adventure’ coming to Hershey Theatre

Posted on June 8, 2013 by April Trotter

Photo courtesy of Feld Entertainment, Inc.

Photo courtesy of Feld Entertainment, Inc.

Calling all preschoolers.

See “Sofia the First” and “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” live on stage. The characters from the top-performing cable kids’ programs will appear at the Hershey Theater Nov. 9.

“Children everywhere are falling in love with Sofia and Jake, and we are thrilled to bring these popular Disney Junior characters to the stage for the first time ever,” said producer Alana Feld in a press release.

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Catch up with Smart this weekend

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Sarah Chain

Smart magazine logoAh, the weekend. Take a break this morning, grab a cup of coffee and catch up with Smart:

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Rhoad to the Altar: What is an unplugged wedding

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Abby Rhoad

I’m always that person standing in the aisle at weddings, trying to get a great shot of the couple kissing … and probably ruining it for the professional photographer they spent thousands of dollars on.

Recently, one of my bridesmaids sent me a link to a blog post by wedding photographer Corey Ann on having an “unplugged wedding,” something I had never heard of.

Having no clue what an unplugged wedding was, I read through Corey Anne’s blog post on why you should have an unplugged wedding and realized I’d probably been silently and brightly sabotaging my friends’ wedding photos for years. So, what is an unplugged wedding?
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ZooAmerica offers animal activities this summer

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Sarah Chain
Prairie dogs

The prairie dog exhibit at ZooAmerica will offer a chance to interact with zoo naturalists and learn about grassland animals. (Photo courtesy of ZooAmerica)

My most vivid memory of a visit to the zoo was with cousins in Pittsburgh when I was 10 or 11. My younger cousin went into the petting zoo exhibit to befriend a deer, then broke out in tremendous hives because of an unknown allergy.

Oops.

I’ve had better zoo experiences since then — a notable trip to the Brooklyn Zoo and a belted-out version of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” and a night-time December visit to the Columbia, S.C., zoo to see exhibits lit up with Christmas lights.

It  always makes for a fun day trip for “kids” of all ages — and for Yorkers, ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park is within an hour’s drive. Go ahead: Get in touch with your inner animal this summer.

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Diary of a wimpy mom in her first boot camp class

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Samantha Dellinger

I’ve been hobbling around the newsroom in pain this week after my first boot camp class.

Photo courtesy of Sonya Paclob

Photo courtesy of Sonya Paclob

The York Daily Record/Sunday News has been on a fitness kick for 2013. We’ve invited the community to get healthy with us on our newest blog, No Sweat, York. We’ve been swapping donuts for fresh fruit in the newsroom.

And we started No Sweat in the Park classes — each month we try a different fitness craze. May was Zumba. Tuesday was our first time doing Gruver Outdoor Fitness Boot Camp.

I’ve been wanting to get back into exercising. But, like most people, I’ve made excuses for why I couldn’t — and why I wouldn’t — exercise: A full-time job, freelance work, a family…

But, as boot camp instructor Jeremy Gruver shouted at us during the drills, “No more excuses!”

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