November 2013 – Rockland NY Mom

Tell your husband its not that bad…

Posted on November 30, 2013 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Uncategorized .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as I was invited to a session with Studio 3 Photography. All opinions expressed here are my own. —

Tell your husband it’s not that bad….

(D) is not a huge fan of my photo obsession. He mostly tolerates it, but would rather not be the focus of my lens. I’ve repeatedly asked him to take an old time photo with me (I love those), and he outright refuses. Now we have two kids, we NEED family photos ;o). Enter Caitlin Fuster of Studio 3 Photography. Caitlin is one of three very talented photographers at Studio 3. Her two partners Joanne and Jennifer were not there when I was, but I have heard so many good things about them. We signed up for our session and Caitlin said that often the men drag their feet. In the end though they say it’s not so bad. We shall see (D) is a hard sell…

Conversation for pre-shoot was fun and lively. She had great ideas, welcomed mine, and said that she would try anything that was safe. Caitlin was even up to the task of using my Pinterest board. Oh boy, now I am like a kid in a candy store! I loved our conversation and although I am dreading breaking the news to (D) that I have booked the family session, I am optimistic about the whole experience. I am dying to get to my computer where I can look up fun poses for the family. Studio 3’s philosophy centers around the importance of documenting life’s special moments. While talking to them, they emphasize that those moments should be organic. They are also serious about building relationships and the tradition of portraiture.

Studio 3 is located in Sparkill, NY has several different setups, including a room dedicated only to newborn photography. This is done with a focus on making sure it is a clean environment for your little ones. The studio has a nice large bathroom (with a changing table) and was very clean (so important) and professional.

Some things that Studio 3 offers:

Digital and print options are available.
Organic Bloom and Wild Sorbet Picture Frames
Studio 3 will hold sessions in studio, or on location.
In addition to family photography, they have a full portrait studio (more about that later )
Turnaround time from shoot to proof including editing for most clients is up to 2 weeks.
Mini-session turnaround is generally quicker so that they can be used for Holiday Cards.
Speaking of cards, if you need them, they do those too…
They can shoot any Holiday (Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza…) and they would love to.

Some Helpful Hints:

There is a financial incentive to booking during the week (you pay a weekend premium).
Stay away from busy patterns and neon colors for your clothing (complimentary colors are helpful but not necessary.

What fun we had! Right away my son walked in and started to play. Without missing a beat Caitlin started snapping pictures (remember those special-ordinary moments). There was holiday music playing in the background and (A) felt right at home, never awkward or out of place. I don’t know how many she took, but by the end of the night I was able to see what she was talking about. (D) showed up about a half hour into the session from work and admits to feeling nauseous on the way in (he really didn’t want to do it). He was glad to see how professional the studio was and actually said Wow twice when checking out the setups. We got right into it, and I am pretty sure he even smiled (will have to actually check the pictures to make sure)! We never felt uncomfortable or posed, and really just did what we do naturally as a family. When we left I asked him how it was and he said, “it’s not so bad, the atmosphere and the professionalism, paired with some sharp wit and real dedication to the preservation of memories made it more than bearable.” Once the teasers were released, he actually beat me to the posting, and had shared them by the time I had gotten home from work. If that doesn’t mean that he was pleased, I do not know what would.

And there you have it folks, if you can get (D) to like it (believe me I have been afraid to ask him to do photos for years) then it’s worth giving a try.

Give them a like on Facebook so that you can keep updated, there are big things happening in 2014!

Studio 3 Photography is currently running a Holiday Mini-Session Special as seen below. If you are interested in booking a Holiday Mini-Session, book soon as they end December 6^th (so they can get your pictures to you for the Holidays).

I cannot get enough!

Check out the pictures of my little girl.

My little lady killer is at it again.

Doesn’t (D) look happy?

My Family Photo

Santa “Claws”

Posted on November 28, 2013 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Out and about..., Uncategorized .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as I was invited to attend Santa “Claws”. All opinions expressed here are my own. —

Before I had human children, there was Duncan. My first baby, and my mush. We take him everywhere, he is one of my kids. Imagine my delight when I saw the advertisement for Santa “Claws” at the Palisades Center in West Nyack, NY. Now my eldest can join in the fun (even though he’s a 91 lb Chocolate Lab).

The Scoop:

Pet Pictures start promptly at 6pm on Tuesdays only.
Pet must be on a leash.
Prices are the same as regular Santa pictures.
Coupons can be applied.
Santa has moved this year, to in front of JC Penny, so park accordingly.
If Tuesday is the only day you can go with your little humans, you can still go, just keep in mind that there will be animals there.
There is still a nice coloring station for letters to Santa and the Mailbox to put them in.

Santa was awesome. I have to say that for the past three years I have been very impressed with the Santa at this mall, he is kind, sweet and fantastic with kids. He juggled my 4 month old, my 3 year old and my pup like a real pro. The rest of the staff was courteous and kind as well. When I was unsure if we got a good picture the photographer stopped and said we could try again (not easy to get all three to cooperate, especially because Duncan is a ham). They also reminded us about Cookies with Santa on December 8^th at 10 am. Make sure to register in advance (follow the link for the number). We went last year and it was really cute, (A) got to hang with Santa for a good amount of time.

Right after the picture you can go over and view them on the computer and make your choice. Have trouble choosing just one pose? Me too, I totally freeze and have trouble deciding. You can access your photos online. There you can order more prints, and/or some merchandise with your awesome photos on them. If you join Noerr Rewards for discounts which apply at Santa “claws” well as regular Santa hours. All you need to do is show your coupon on your phone, no need to print.

I am so unbelievably happy with my photos, they are really fantastic! I am so very glad that they had this program this year. I am also very hopeful that they will have it again next year. Take your kids (yes all of them) down there and share your photos with us on our website and Facebook page we’d love to see them!

(A) writes his letter in crayon as we wait.

Off to the North Pole it goes!

Duncan makes himself at home.

The perfect family memory.

MYGYM Nanuet Parents Night Out!

Posted on November 22, 2013 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Out and about... .

Need somewhere to drop your darlings while you run some errands and fight the Holiday shopping crowds?

Holiday Camps also available!

More Than Words and ABC’s

Posted on November 21, 2013 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Crafts, Crafts and More Crafts, Uncategorized .

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Disclosure: I did not receive any monetary compensation in exchange for this post, all opinions expressed here are my own.

I recently found a super talented local mom Cindy on Facebook and had to write about her. I saw her posting these awesome subway type graphics made up of different sayings about children into different shapes. Each piece of work is delivered to you as a “soft” file that you can use on any venue you would like (I am considering pillows for the playroom in addition to the wall art I originally intended). The already created shapes that she has cost $25 a piece. I was immediately drawn to these adorable graphics.

Cindy is a stay at home mom who has always enjoyed being creative. One day she stumbled on to these. She has fun designing them and has had a great response. Cindy has just opened her ETSY shop called “More than Words and ABC’s.” She has started with a nursery theme including shapes such as hearts, flowers , trains and sailboats. She currently is broadening her shop to also include other themes such a love, family and friends so keep checking her shop for more .The flower was perfect for my daughter whose nursery is themed with flowers because gardening is something that we like to do as a family. The other designs were awesome but didn’t quite fit in with my son’s personality. I started thinking that if she could do that perhaps she could make a fire truck. Yes she does custom orders (for a small additional fee). I decided to ask her and the result is shown below.

The custom Fire Truck made for AJ.

Cindy was fast and super precise, checking several different color schemes with me to make sure that I was happy. I had both designs created and in my ETSY inbox in record time (2-3 days). All you need to provide her with is your child’s name, date and time of birth, weight, and height. She does the rest. Cindy communicated with me the whole way and I have to say I am very pleased with the results, now I am just brainstorming all of the things that I plan to do with the graphics… I am loving the idea of a mug with both for grandparents and of course wall art.

(E)’s flower

Holiday Shopping Alert! Loop-a-tee!

Posted on November 15, 2013 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Crafts and More Crafts, Out and about..., Uncategorized .

Loop-a-tee

Disclosure: I did not receive any monetary compensation in exchange for this post, all opinions here are my own.

With the scarf craze that has swept the fashion lines all over I thought I would share this one. Loop-a-tee was created by a Marketing-manager-turned neckwear designer Laurie Miller-Donnis who is based in Bergen County, NJ. Each is hand crafted out of “up-cycled” t-shirts and/or new t-shirt fabrics and each one is one-of-a-kind, just like you! An inspired take on the infinity scarves we all know and love, Loop-a-tee comes in several different cool including (see below for pictures of each):

o Original (my personal fave)
o Backstage
o Ombre
o Fringe
o Shredded
o Tube

The prices for a loop-a-tee range from an affordable $16-$26

There are many different ways to order a Loop-a-tee:

Check her out on FB and PM her to order.
Email : loopatee@gmail.com
Her ETSY page will be up and running by Thanksgiving
Loop-a-tee is available for private trunk shows in the Tri-State area. (Hostesses earn sweet swag!)
The Loop–a-tee Kids Line will be available on November 15th! Loop-a-tee Kids Line features the Fringe Loop-a-tee style in the following colors: (1) Bubblegum Pink, (2) Sunshine Yellow, (3) Glamorous Grape, and (4) Waterfall (Aqua). Each scarf is knotted and accented with beads on the fringe and costs $16. (Photos coming soon!)

Loop-a-tee will be at the following holiday craft shows:

* Sat, Nov 23rd – PWRC Holiday Show at Pearl River High School from 10am-4pm

* Sun, Dec 1st – Paramus High School Holiday Craft Show from 10am – 5pm Loop-a-tee accepts credit cards, cash and personal checks. (All sales are final.)

The Shredded Loop-a-tee

The Original

The Ombre

The Tube

The Fringe

The Backstage

Holiday Activities (work in progress)

Posted on November 12, 2013 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Uncategorized .

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post in any way. All opinions here are my own.

With the Holidays quickly approaching so we went out to find a list of awesome events that you can attend. I am still working on this list, but I wanted to start getting it out there for all those who planning (like me).

Here is a list of places that we think sound awesome, keep an eye out for those with an asterisk as we will be attending and reporting back to you!!!

**Holiday Lights at the Zoo– I was so sad to hear that they cancelled the lights at the Bronx Zoo, but Turtle Back Zoo does their own version. They open Black Friday and ADMISSION IS FREE!!

**Santa Trolley –we are doing this one this year, we have heard great things about these trolley rides and cannot wait!!!

Santa Train – we did this one for the Easter Bunny Last year, it’s cute. It takes place on a modern day train, great for young kids because it’s so close and not too long.

**Santa Train – we are trying this one this year, the train is a little older, a bit more nostalgic.

Santa Breakfast– at Bear Mountain, we got closed out last year so we will be going this year. They have added a gingerbread workshop this year that we are very excited about.

Polar Express NJ- I think we will wait until he is a little older to do this one, right now the book is good, but the experience I think he may need to be a bit older to understand fully.

Polar Express NY- Up in Saratoga NY

***New York Botanical Gardens Holiday Train Show– Bronx NY

New York Botanical Gardens Thomas and Friends– Bronx NY

Old School Values NOT Wasted Here…

Posted on November 12, 2013 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Main Page, Out and about... .

Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way for this post. All opinions here are my own…

A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO CLARKSTOWN PHARMACY FOR CARING ABOUT MY FAMILY!

I absolutely had to talk about this. I have had it with poor customer service and the way that most business is run these days. I myself, have opted on several occasions to shop online as opposed to walking into a store due to this issue. Shopping is now a chore, no longer the fun experience that it once was. The biggest issue? It’s not just clothing, toys, or food anymore, its other places that are much much more important. My suspicions that I was not the only person who felt the way that I do were confirmed when a passerby overheard my phone conversation with my father in law yesterday. I hung up the phone and they asked me a few questions and then thanked me, stating that they too were switching pharmacies.

(E) has had a few little health things, she’s going to be fine, but when your child is two weeks old and you are special ordering items from pharmacies you learn a lot. (A) was never sick. At 3 years old he has had only one ear infection ever and the random cold here and there. So when (E) was born I was totally unprepared. Like most others I did not need a pharmacy often and therefore didn’t care. I used the large chain store in town, and loved that they had a drive up window. This all changed when I NEEDED them.

Without getting into too much detail I will say that in the past 4 months they have “misplaced” my important prescriptions, not been ready on time, and blamed my doctor’s office on several occasions. I needed to special order and no one had time to help me out, I was told to order online, and that was after spending 5 days at Columbia Presbyterian with my two week old.

The good news is I learned my lesson. After calling around I landed on Clarkstown Pharmacy. They were more than happy to special order for me the special wound care that I needed for my daughter, even checking several companies for the best bargain. They remember me and my order by name so when I call for refills they know what I need and they have it within 24 hours ( I don’t order in bulk because the gauze is very expensive, and I keep hoping that I won’t need it anymore when I order). When I come in with my order it is filled while I stand there and have more than polite conversation, they really care how my daughter is doing. They have even mentioned to me several times that they will deliver my medication if I can’t get out of the house because of the kids. You just don’t get service like that anymore, or maybe you do.

It is because of this experience that I am changed forever on my view of such places. I will not go back to the chain pharmacy that I once used, these people care about my family and are willing to help me when others would not. They bent over backwards to take care of my baby and that speaks volumes. I cannot thank them enough. I am more than excited to get back to the old world type of interactions where people are helpful and caring.

Clarkstown Pharmacy is located in the center of town next to Deciccos Supermarket.

The friendly staff at Clarkstown Pharmacy really cares about my daughter and gives my family all of the attention we need and deserve.

Have a business you would like to spotlight? Contact MJ at rocklandnymom@yahoo.com!

Holiday & Craft Fairs

Posted on November 8, 2013 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Crafts, Crafts and More Crafts, Out and about... .

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Disclosure: I did not receive any monetary compensation in exchange for this post

Here are some of the local craft fairs you can attend and or participate in. If you know of one not listed, either comment or send us an email rocklandnymom@yahoo.com!

11/16/ 10 am
St. Pauls Church
323 South Main Street
New City, NY 10956

11/23- 10-4pm
Pearl River Women’s Club
Pearl River HS
Pearl River, NY 10965

11/24- 10-5pm
Nanuet Hebrew Center
411 South Little Tor Road
New City, NY 10956

12/7 10-5pm
Albertus Magnus HS
798 New York 304
Bardonia, NY 10954

Glass Slippers are Back!

Posted on November 5, 2013 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Out and about... .

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Disclosure: I did not receive any monetary compensation in exchange for this post.

I love Broadway, and I love Cinderella! Recently, I was fortunate enough to see Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella on Broadway. I was giddy as we approached the Broadway Theater, 1681 Broadway at 53rd Street. Seeing a line of little girls dressed up like the main character made it that much more special. I felt as if I was one of those bright eyed little girls ready for some enchantment.

As you enter the theater there is a green screen where eager theater goers can have their picture taken, and then be superimposed onto a glass slipper…a very cool souvenir for a young Cinderella enthusiast! Also, available for purchase is a range of apparel and other baubles including a tiara!

Tickets for the show can be purchased on Ticketmaster for between $45 and $137. Tickets can also be purchased through most discount programs at this time including Plum Benefits, TDF, and TKTS. My seats were center front mezzanine row d, and they were perfect! Since the Broadway Theater is not that large, there is probably not a bad seat in the house. The show opened and it was magical from the very beginning, and I was captivated for all 2 hours and 15 minutes. For those who are familiar with the Rogers and Hammerstein movies that have been done in the past this show is a bit of a derivation. It combines the music from Rogers and Hammerstein and combines many of the story plot from the movie Ever After, which if you love Cinderella as much as I do, you know backwards and forwards. The costume changes happen in front of your very eyes and are done very cleverly. The dancing is hypnotic and the effects simply ‘impossible’. Everyone who left the theater was grinning from ear to ear including my mother and myself.

One of the things that I thought was really special was how appropriate it is for young audiences (target age being 4). I was 8 when I went to my first show (Cats), and I have been in love with Broadway ever since! I cannot wait until (A) is old enough to attend (I think 3 is pushing it). Inspired by Cinderella, I had to look into other plays that would be suitable for youngsters, especially since the holidays are approaching. Part of our holiday traditions mean going to a show! Listed below are the shows and links that are suitable for younger audiences (use your discretion, and do research first, since each child has special fears and/or likes).

Super Value for RocklandNYMom Readers!

Posted on November 4, 2013 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Out and about... .

MusicClasses4Kids is offering to any readers of RocklandNYMom two FREE Holiday Classes on December 14 and 21 2013 or December 11 and 18 when they sign up for and pay in full for the winter session. This is a $35 dollar value!

Trial Classes are January 8 or January 11 2014 at 39 Germonds Road New City, NY!

See our MusicClasses4Kids review for information on their program!