Tonight A.P. played on the last remaining ‘snow mountain’ in our church parking lot.  It might be the last time he touches snow until next winter. I love re-visiting places we’ve been in the past season to see what’s changed, so I’m excited to head out to the Calvin EcoPreserve First Saturday Program again this Saturday, April 2 at 10:00 AM. It’s free!

Later that day, head over to Blandford Nature Center from 2-3 PM  for “Michigan – Mittenful of Riches”.  Blandford founding director, Dr. Mary Jane Dockeray will present a program that explores the many natural wonders our state has to offer. For all ages. $3.00 per person.

Or, you could just head out to a park and explore. Want some ideas? Check out this Spring Activity Guide. If it’s a little early for you to be stomping around in the woods, take a walking tour of Grand Rapids.  Check in with a smartphone along the way and learn about different downtown locations.

This is part two in my Spring Break series.  Part one was all about eating frugally, and the final part will be about cultural events. The calendar is filling up very nicely with plenty of free and frugal fun, so check that out too!

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Hey there! Did you notice? I’ve had a little work done.  HUGE thanks to Creative Kristi for this awesome blog overhaul!

But like an impatient patient; I lifted up the bandages too early and messed a few things up.  The next couple of posts may have a little bit of a funny look to them until I get used to what’s new

What’s not new is that there is a ton of fun to be had this week! I am trying something different.  I’ve added an event calendar; with great hesitation.  I don’t like the look of a lot of event calendars because they are cluttered and give me a headache.  If I can keep this looking tidy, it will become a permanent fixture.  Please let me know if it works (or doesn’t work) for you!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Will you be making the traditional Corned Beef? Here is a list of fun activities I rounded up for the kids if you are one of those crafty people.

• A craft and activity from Sandy at Kids On The Grand.
• Great family fun ideas from Families With Purpose.
• A nice little “Celebrate and Learn” post with ideas from Detroit Mommies.

Beyond St. Patrick’s Day there is a ton of fun around town, as usual! Here are my picks:

PLAY March 17 Flick’s Family Film Fest starts! YAY! This week’s movie is ” Nanny McPhee Returns”. $3.50 for adults, FREE for kids.

PLAY March 19 LaughFest continues with a family day.  Visit Meijer stores for a voucher worth $3 off a family four pack of tickets!  Varies.

PLAY March 19 7th Annual Camp & Summer Adventure Expo.  Breton Village Mall.  Come and learn about camps for the summer.  There is always good swag at this one and my kids are experts at working the tables. Free.

LEARN March 19 12:00-4:00 Blandford’s Sugarbush continues. $3.00 per person. We love Sugarbush!

LISTEN March 19 10:15 and 11:30 DeVos Performance Hall.  Grand Rapids Symphony Aesop’s Fables. $5.00.

WATCH March 19 2:00 PM Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.  “The Stinky Cheese Man”. Free.

EAT and GIVE March 21 Free Pancake Day.  Perkins Restaurants. Get a stack of pancakes free with a donation to “Give The Kids The World”.  Free with donation.

LEARN March 21 4:00 PM Arthur Author Marc Brown is in town! Listen to him talk a the main branch of the Grand Rapids Public Library. I LOVE THIS GUY!  Free.

LEARN and PLAY March 22 6:00 – 7:00 PM Parent Information Meeting from Bright Beginnings.  “The Power of Play”  West Oakview Elementary.  Free childcare provided.  Pre-register with Denise 293-8458. Free.

LISTEN March 25 10:30 AM Spring Has Sprung Storytime with Clifford.  Barnes and Noble, Woodland. Free.

LEARN March 26 Day of Learning at the East Grand Rapids Kent District Library, presented by the Great Start Parent Coalition.  Free.

GIVE The Great Start Parent Coalition Diaper Drive has begun! Start looking for collection boxes around town and help them reach their goal of collecting 40,000 diapers! I have started writing a weekly ‘diaper deal’ for the Parent Coalition with the best bargain around town I can find.  Click on the ‘Keep ‘em Covered’ picture on the right side of Big Binder’s home page for a direct link to the deal!

Coming soon:  the ultimate Spring Break guide!

Have you entered my giveaway this week for RiceSelect Texmati Rice? Don’t miss anything! Subscribe to my RSS feed, get Big Binder by email, follow me on twitter, or become a fan on Facebook.

Are you ready for another great week? Here is a list to help you make your plans!  Make sure you check out my Kids’ Guide to LaughFest!

PLAY March 11 Flick’s Family Film Fest starts! YAY! The first movie is” Despicable Me”. $3.50 for adults, FREE for kids.

GROWN UPS March 11 West Michigan Women’s Expo begins.  Best ticket discount is at Meijer; $2.00 off each ticket.

GROWN UPS March 12 9:00-12:00 Courageous Parents Conference at Calvary Church.  Designed to help parents find Biblical answers to today’s tough parenting questions. $15 per person. Child care is available for $5 perchild (maximum of $15 per family). For more details or online registration, visit calvarygr.org.

PLAY March 12 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM Michaels “The Knack Free Family Event“; Make it take it yarn doll.  FREE.

PLAY March 12 10:00 AM Lowes Build and Grow Workshop; Make a “Shoot around basketball”.  FREE.

PLAY March 12 11:00 AM St Patrick’s Day Parade! FREE.

LEARN March 12 12:00-4:00 Blandford’s Sugarbush continues. $3.00 per person. We love Sugarbush!

GROWN UPS March 15 My friend Donielle is speaking at Nourishing Traditions about “Nourishing Our Children“.  FREE.

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FRIDAY, MARCH 4

GIVE! 7:00 Save some cash on Griffins tickets and make a donation to the Great Start Parent Coalition Diaper Drive! You can also bring packages of diapers to donate at the game – there will be big collection containers to put them in.  I know this, because I am lugging them down there tomorrow

SATURDAY, MARCH 5

PLAY! Home Depot Kids Workshop 9:00AM – 12:00 AM.  This car is sweet. Make it for FREE at the workshop! LEARN! 10:00 – 11:30  First Saturday at Calvin College EcoPreserve.  Woodpeckers. Peck’n Out A Living. FREE! Want to see how much fun we had at the owl presentation?

LEARN! 12:00 – 4:00 PM Sugarbush!! One of my favorite times of the year! Read about Sugarbushes of years past, and then go check out the events at Blandford Nature Center as you learn about maple syruping.$3.00 per person.

SUNDAY, MARCH 6

LEARN! 1:30 – 3:30 Experience India at the Cascade Township Branch of the Kent District Library.  This looks fantastic! There will be activities will include playing Parchesi, enjoying a slideshow of India, and making a paper bag tiger, Mehndi hands or an elephant mask; and have an interactive Indian experience with local Indian families

GIVE! 6:00 PM 8th Annual Friends of UCOM benefit concert at Aquinas College. By attending this concert, you can support organizations such as Homework House, which provides volunteer tutors and mentors for students in Grand Rapids Public Schools, as well as contribute to UCOM’s food pantry outreach, which provided more than half a million meals in 2010. The night includes a buffet reception, a raffle drawing, and door prizes, along with fantastic live music!  Visit www.UCOMgr.org to order tickets, or call 241-4006 to reserve. Tickets are $20 each.  Pretty good for a fabulous night benefiting an awesome cause!

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9

PLAY! Kindergarten Here I Come at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.  If you have a child who is going to kindergarten next year and you live in the Grand Rapids Public School District, attend this FREE event!

We’re getting the grouchies out at Big Binder with a WHOLE WEEK OF GIVEAWAYS! Don’t miss anything! Subscribe to my RSS feed, get Big Binder by email, follow me on twitter, or become fan on Facebook.

Well, hi there! Are you having a good week? Some people love snow days, and some people hate them.  Hopefully we are done for a while; or at least until Monday when the next storm is supposed to hit.

Fortunately, there is so much FREE this week you won’t lack for fun, even if there is no school.  Laugh in the face of $5.00 a gallon gas, my friends.  Frugal is how we roll!

Speaking of frugal; a few weeks ago we went to the Heritage Festival at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.  We had a good time! Please enjoy this short video while you bask in the glow of the FREE:

FRIDAY

February 25 6:30 PM Evening Story time with Cookie Mouse, Barnes and Noble, Rivertown. FREE.

SATURDAY

February 26 Outhouse 500.  Parade is FREE; lots of side events.  Coopersville.

February 26 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Target and Read Across America have a FREE Dr. Seuss Story Time at all Target Stores.

February 26 10:00 AM Lowes Build and Grow Race car.  For FREE.

February 26 11:00 AM Egypt program at Byron Center Branch of the Kent District Library.  FREE.

February 26 4:30 PM Jewels of Africa at the Yankee Clipper branch of the Grand Rapids Public Library.  FREE performance.

SUNDAY

February 27 3:00 PM Family Concert at First United Methodist Church.  Bill Vits (from the Grand Rapids Symphony), percussionist and the Percussion Discussion introduce all sorts of percussion instruments.  FREE will offering.

MONDAY

February 28 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM East Grand Rapids branch of the Kent District Library.  FREE dance party for kids 6 and under.

February 28 6:30 PM Egypt Program Rockford Branch of the Kent District Library.  FREE.

TUESDAY

It’s MELTING!! I cannot wait to get out there and enjoy this (relatively) Spring Like weather.  Fortunately, there is a lot to do this weekend.  Here are some suggestions to keep it on the cheap!

• Burn off some steam Friday at Gymco where they are having a free family event from 6-9!
• Pooh’s Corner in the Breton Village Mall will have a Snowbird Safari, complete with snakes. What is a Snowbird Safari without snakes? Nothing, I tell you.  This one has what it takes, and is free.

• If you want to spend some time outside, head over to Meijer Gardens for their Winter Family Day.  It’s free if you have a membership; but if not, try the Grand Rapids Public Library and see if they have any passes to check out!
• The Heart and Sole 5K is Saturday, and they have a kids fun run! I love that ‘race season’ is picking back up.  Spring can’t be far away now, right? RIGHT?
• More love for the Library! Taste of Soul Sunday is back, and this event is really picking up steam! Check out all the events; there are some kids events that look fantastic, including the dance and drum troop Jewel of Africa. Dancing and drumming at a cultural event? It’s almost too much awesome for me.
• Also on Sunday, come and hang out with me at the Griffins game! It’s a nice, early game (4:00).  Better yet – get discounted tickets AND make a donation to the Kroc Center all at once!  Follow this promotion link and enter “BIGBINDER” as the promo code.

Whatever you do – enjoy it!

Don’t miss anything! Subscribe to my RSS feed, get Big Binder by email, follow me on twitter, or become fan on Facebook.

I’m going to tell you about all the fun coming up in Grand Rapids a little early this week because I’m going out of town (so you’ll have to enjoy it for me!)

Tomorrow at a painfully early hour, I’ll be flying down to Nashville where I’m attending the Blissdom conference, thanks to my awesome sponsor Collective Bias. I am THRILLED to be representing this amazing company!

Enjoy your week; this is going to be a great experience for me and I know it will help me make Big Binder a better blog.

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(Ongoing) January 20 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM $1 admission to Family Night at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum

(Ongoing) January 21 10:00 AM – 12:00 Bouncin’ Babies and Tumblin’ Toddlers at Kentwood Recreational Center $1.00 per child.

(Ongoing) Ice Skating at Rosa Parks Circle. Hours are: Monday-Tuesday 6:00-9:30p.m. Wednesday-Thursday 12:00noon-9:30p.m. Friday-Saturday 12:00noon-10:00p.m. Sunday 12:00noon-9:30 PM. Admission fee to the rink is $1.00. Skates are free with I.D.

(Ongoing)  Saturdays from 10:00AM – 3:00 PM Skate and Create at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.  Grab a coupon at the GRAM warming shelter and get admission to the Art Museum for $2.00!

Friday, January 28 7:00 PM Evening story time with Curious George at Barnes & Noble, Rivertown Crossing.

Saturday, January 29 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Super Science Saturday at Grand Valley State University. Interactive, hands-on science fun for K-12 students, teachers, parents, and community members!

Saturday January 29 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Sparta Kids Winter Snow Break. Lots of winter fun!

Saturday, January 29 10:30 AM Alto Branch of Kent District Library. Egypt Program!

Saturday, January 29 1:00 PM “There’s A Monster In My Lunchbox” program at Barnes & Noble, Woodland.