Printable List of Recalled Toys

Sure, I read the headlines. Recalled Toys. China. Lead paint. Bad for kids. Bad for economy.

After a while, though, it got hard to track what all the recalled toys are. Now, my friends at the Pacific Daily News, a Gannett paper on the island of Guam, have put together an awesome graphic with pictures that lists the toys--just download, print and stick on your fridge! Here's the link to the PDF document:
http://groups.google.com/group/supernovamom/files

If you'd like to see the document first, you can see it on the PDN Web site at (you'll only have a week or two to access it free of charge):
http://www.guampdn.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070923/NEWS01/709230306

Tracking Dinos

Didn't get enough of Walking with Dinosaurs, the Jurassic Park-goes-to-Vegas extravaganza that recently showed at the Verizon Center in DC? If you missed it, you can still catch it Sept. 26-30 in Norfolk. See http://www.dinosaurlive.com/ for more info.

But if your budding paleontologist wants more, more, more, here are some places we've been to that I can vouch for:
Dinosaurs Alive! 3D
Now through at least February 2008
Maryland Science Center, Baltimore, MD
Dinosaurs on an IMAX screen? Couldn't get any better! But I haven't seen the show, so I couldn't tell you how much screen time is devoted to the computer-generated dinos vs. the narrator talking about great paleontological finds. You can purchase a ticket with admission to the center ($18.50 for adults, $14 for kids) or watch it after 5 p.m. for only $8. The center, which is a destination unto itself, features full-size dinosaur replicas on the first floor and interactive exhibits on the third. Don't forget to stop in the gift shop, which has devoted an entire room to all things dinosaurific--dino shoes, dino slippers for infants to 6-year-olds, dino toys. Great place to shop for gifts for the dino lover in your family. Eat at home or pack a lunch, as the center's cafe is being renovated to change out the windows. See previous posts about parking nearby.
http://www.mdsci.org/shows/imax/dinosaurs_alive_3D.html

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
Washington, DC
Interactive exhibits in the Hall of Paleobiology on the first floor. Free and open to the public daily except Christmas. Check out the Web site for info about dinos and dino research at the museum and around the world. Last time we were there, you could only get hot dogs from vendors outside or eat at the Atrium Cafe or Fossil Cafe, both of which had overpriced fast food. Street parking can be difficult on the weekends later in the day.
http://paleobiology.si.edu/dinosaurs/index.html

Dinosaurland
White Post, VA (west of Loudoun County, over the mountain as Loudouners say)
Never mind the kids, this is my favorite dinosaur attraction in the region so far. The place screams kitschy Americana but I love, love, love it! A shady forest trail winds around dozens of creatures including a giant King Kong in whose outstretched hand your kids can sit, a 20-foot king cobra, 70-foot octopus, and so much more. Be aware, though, that some younger kids can be put off by a few gory scenes of dinosaur fights and feeding off each other. Admission is something like $5 (it's been a while), but you'll probably end up spending more because the self-guided tour begins and ends in the well-stocked gift shop. No food allowed, but there's a McDonald's kitty corner from it at the intersection of Routes 277/340/522. Closed Jan. 1-Feb. 28. Easy parking.
http://www.dinosaurland.com/

The Museum of Culpeper History
Culpeper, VA
This small museum in the cool town of Culpeper offers a one-hour tour for adults or school groups about the dinosaurs that once lived in the area and left tracks nearby. Haven't taken the tour, so can't vouch for it but it would be a great little stop on a day tour of downtown Culpeper, which has great restaurants and shops. Admission is to the museum $3 for everyone over 18, kids are free. http://www.culpepermuseum.com/

Upcoming:
Virginia Museum of Natural History
Martinsville, VA
Next Jan. 12, the museum celebrates its 2nd Annual Dino Day with music, games, food and fun activities. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for kids 3-18 years. http://www.vmnh.net/index.cfm/topic/dino-day

What's Hot, What's Not

Had our second class, What's Hot What's Not, What's Solid What's Not at the Maryland Science Center's homeschool program, and it was MUCH better than the last one, Bugs in the Backyard. The woman leading the class, Joyce, was a much more dynamic presenter and the content wasn't dumbed down for the age group (preK-2nd grade). She went over the three states of matter--that's solid, liquid and gas for all you non fifth-graders out there--in a way that even the littlest ones could comprehend. For instance, she showed how energy in the form of heat changes one form of matter to another by having the kids rub an ice cube in their hands. Next week is the last week for the homeschool program, although they're extending it for students in grades 4-9 on Wednesdays through next May. Only problem is, the classes start at 3 p.m. and last an hour, putting Northern Virginians in prime rush hour traffic.

Here are more tips if you go:
* Signed up for two or more classes? While you could feed the 2-hour meters along Light Street and Key Highway, if you go a little further on Key Highway there are 4-hour meters between Battery and Covington. It's worth the extra bit of walk to have the piece of mind. These meters also only take quarters.
* Definitely pack a lunch; the Breakers Cafe was closed for renovations, so the only option you'll have within the building is salads (the smaller sizes go for $6.50).
* Stop by the gift shop, it's worth seeing what educational toys and books are out there. If you do decide to purchase something, all homeschool program attendees get a 10% discount so make sure to tell the cashier that you're there for the program.

Angie's List vs. Consumers' Checkbook

Trying to decide between Angie's List and Consumers' Checkbook, two organizations that rate and review DC area companies and services?

Here's our personal experience: After reviewing costs for each, my husband went with Consumers' Checkbook. According to its Web site, http://www.angieslist.com/, Angie's List charges $90 for two years, which includes a one-time $15 signup fee. Consumers' Checkbook, http://www.checkbook.org/, charges $34 for a two-year subscription--but this only applies to the current quarterly issue. If you want access to its archive of of past ratings and articles, you'll have to pay another $25. Still, that's a total of $59, vs. $90 for Angie's list.

Here are some free resources to check out companies in the area:
Better Business Bureau
The Web site for the DC area chapter is http://www.mybbb.org/; it allows you to search for members and find out whether any complaints have been registered in the last three years.

Fairfax County Consumer Protection division
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/consumer/complaint_history.htm
This division's staff is really on the ball and very pro-consumer. You can search online for complaints lodged with the county against companies; the reports are fairly detailed and tell you what the outcome of the case was. You can also file complaints online.

Arlington County has an Office of Consumer Affairs; couldn't find a page for the office on the county's Web site, but the no. is 703-228-3260.

The Alexandria Office of Consumer Affairs Web site, http://alexandriava.gov/city/citizen_assistance/consumer_affairs_home.html, says you can call them to ask about any complaints lodged about a company. Tel. no. is 703-838-4350.

Loudoun County does not have an office of consumer affairs; they refer consumers to the state's office, the Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs, at http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/consumers/index.shtml

Transformers Coming to IMAX!

Just came back from the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, where they had a sign advertising that the Transformers movie will be showing at the IMAX theater on Sept. 21!

Tickets go on sale online Sept. 10, although I wouldn't buy them online (see my July postings about my Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix experience).

The Udvar-Hazy site http://www.nasm.si.edu/visit/theaters/uhc/ doesn't mention the upcoming movie, but the IMAX site does: www.imax.com

Free Stuff on craigslist

You may have heard of craigslist, you may have even used craiglist to buy/sell stuff, but have you checked out their free stuff listing? It's under the For Sale heading, under "Free." Don't know why I haven't seen it before! It's heavy on furniture and other household goods but if you're thinking about buying anything, check this listing first. If you don't want to browse, you can use the search function and get immediate results. People from all around Virginia, DC and Maryland post here every few minutes it seems.

Just a few from this morning from NoVa posters: scrap wood in Falls Church, computer monitors in Falls Church and McLean, solid wood dresser in Reston, dog carrier in Fairfax City, Simmons twin mattress in Sterling, picnic table in Herndon. A bargain hunter's delight!

Here's the link: http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/

Assateague State Park, Maryland

Thinking about a last trip to the beach? If you're thinking the Eastern Shore, my vote would be for Assateague State Park and if you're looking for a celebratory atmosphere with like-minded families, go on Sept. 15. That's Maryland Coast Day, when they waive entrance fees ($4 per person, free for kids 5 or 6--can't remember--and under).

First off, some general observations about Assateague, a barrier island with 2 miles of ocean beaches, according to the park Web site. In July, the surf was moderate, with smaller swells than say, Fenwick Island State Park. I really liked this park, though, because:

* They have the added attraction of wild horses! While it wasn't the primary appeal for my visit with my kids, I thought it would be a change of pace from the other Eastern Shore beaches we had visited. Of course, there's no guarantee you'll see a wild horse, which are free to roam the island, but we ended up coming across a couple along the roadside as we were leaving Assateague, as you can see from the picture. A word of caution, though: don't give in to temptation and feed the horses. A camper we met on the beach said she had heard ambulance sirens going back and forth frequently to treat people who had been bitten.

* They have a neat small nature center with aquarium displays. I'd visit the center for a quick tour before heading to the beach, then you'll be able to recognize unfamiliar things on the beach like stingray pods, or egg cases (a photo of one is in the photo gallery, see link below).

* Like Fenwick, they offered beachgoers plastic bags to encourage beachgoers to keep their trash off the beach. Those plastic bags are also handy for storing wet swimsuits, goggles, masks, etc. for the drive home.

Some tips if you go:

* The state park is just part of the Assateague Island National Seashore, which is administered by National Park Service. You want to go the state park entrance, which is north of the national seashore entrance.

* If your primary purpose is to enjoy the beach, park near the bath house (you can download a map of the island on the park Web site below) so you can take advantage of the shower facilities. Bring your own soap and shampoo.

* The Web site said the park doesn't post a life guard on the beaches after Labor Day, and if they don't on Coast Day, keep a careful eye on your kids in the water.

* I imagine the camping might be limited on Coast Day, but you can make reservations for the park's 350 campsites online; the campsites are available until Oct. 29.

* If you want to take advantage of the Coast Day festivities, consider bringing bikes and pedaling along the bike trail to the various activities. They're expecting thousands of people to come and celebrate from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Besides live music and food vendors Coast Day entertainment will include:

- live animals including red-tailed hawks, screech owls, box turtles, king snakes, whelks, terrapins, horseshoe crabs, flounder, spot, moon snails, and starfish

- sea creature touch tanks

- sand-castle building lessons

- decoy carving

- Native American dance

- guided canoe tours

For more information about Coast Day, call Dave Wilson at 410-213-2297 or e-mail him at outreach@mdcoastalbays.org

For more information about Assateague, visit http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/eastern/assateague.html

For my photos of the beach and bath house, visit http://picasaweb.google.com/GuamTubby/AssateagueIslandStateBeach

Port Discovery Homeschool Program

Got this as an e-mail; this place is different than the Maryland Science Center, but you can perhaps take one of the Friday classes at the center, then go here for a full day in Baltimore!

Great Deal at Baltimore's Port Discovery on Fridays in September
For the month of September, all out-of-state home schoolers can enjoy Port Discovery for only $5.50 from 1:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M., a wonderful deal for a day of fun in downtown Baltimore! This offer is open to home school students in Pre-Kindergarten to Fifth Grade, and pre-registration is required.
Please e-mail kgulick@portdiscovery.org or call (410) 864-2666 or (410) 864-2664.Ranked by Child Magazine as one of the top ten children's museums in the United States, Port Discovery in Baltimore, MD offers educational, hands-on exhibits and programs for children ages 2-10. Imagine! Play! Learn! Grow!
Address: 35 Market Place, Baltimore, MD 21202Phone: 410-727-8120Fax: 410-727-3042
General Email: info@portdiscovery.orgWeb: http://www.portdiscovery.org

Maryland Science Center

The Maryland Science Center at Baltimore's Inner Harbor is sponsoring homeschool classes Tuesday through Friday the entire month for preschoolers to high schoolers, and I took my 4-year-old to a Bugs in the Backyard "class" this morning. The class, which was geared to preschoolers, consisted of reading from a couple of books, having the kids stick cutout "spots" on a cutout ladybug and cutout "insects" on cutout spiderweb, and coloring your own insects on a piece of paper.

Overall, it was a great deal, since the class was only $4.50 and afterward she got unlimited time in the Kids Room, which is huge (shown in the video), more entertaining and more educational. Toddlers could easily spend a couple of hours there.

It's also worth a weekend visit if you've never been; the center's got three levels of interactive exhibits, an IMAX theater, and frequent events/activities. It's pretty pricey though, for a family: basic admission for an adult starts at $14.50, kids' tickets start at $10. You can check their Web site for discount programs, including membership (which is a good deal depending on how often you plan to go) and Dollar Days on Dec. 8 and 9 (when admission is only $1, not including IMAX movies).

Some tips:
* Pack a lunch and snacks. This is one of the few facilities I've been to that set aside space for families who bring their own lunches rather than buying at the center. The room is large and has vending machines with drinks (soda, water, juice) and snacks (chips, candy).
* If you're going to be there for less than 2 hours, there are metered parking spaces across the street on Light Street and Key Highway (50 cents for 2 hours and the meters only take quarters). If you're attending the Homeschool programs, park on Key Highway--the entrance for attendees faces the street. If you're there just to visit the center, the entrance faces the harbor.

For info on the homeschool classes, go to http://www.mdsci.org/educators/homeschool.html

For pictures, see http://picasaweb.google.com/GuamTubby/MDSCSupernova

Eczema Cure

My 10-year-old son has had eczema since he was an infant, and since then I've been on a quest to find something that would soothe his itchiness and the ugly red areas on his skin. He has a prescription for a steroid cream and I've tried what seemed like dozens of different lotions. This last winter, the eczema spread to the corners of his mouth, then to his right eyelid; the skin in those areas had severe flaking, and while the lotions and Vaseline helped for a little while, the redness always remained.

In the spring, I took him into his pediatrician for something else, a flu I think, and the pediatrician noticed his eczema. She suggested trying Aquaphor, which she described as similar to Vaseline. We tried it and found what I had been searching for all this time ... we applied it frequently at first (like 6 times a day) then as his skin healed, went down to just the morning and evening. I know I sound like an ad, but this stuff really works. It comes in tubes and tubs in the baby care section and the lotion section at CVS. Haven't seen it at Walmart or Target.