The Sweet Smells of School

August is upon us, once again, and that means one thing...its time to Stuff The Bus!

While its always hard to see summertime go, there are certain little things I still remember fondly when I think about that first week of school... The smoothness of a brand-new Pink Pet eraser, the unique smell of our local bookstore, getting to choose my new Trapper Keeper which, undoubtedly, had a picture of puppies on it, picking out new pens and pencils in a myriad of colors... What? Is it not normal to daydream about school supplies? Perhaps I should be talking more about seeing friends, sporting new clothes or meeting the new teachers, you say? Well, then I digress...

Unfortunately, there are a number of children in our area who might not know the joy of having a new backpack of school supplies without a little help from their neighbors. But that is where the good people of The United Way and you come in. The North Penn United Way has made it very, very easy to contribute to this great cause at any level you are able. There are so many drop off spots, you will probably pass by one within the next 24 hours without even intending to. But, if popping into a retailer is a bit inconvenient (believe me, with three kids under age 6, I get that), you can also mail in either a check or even a giftcard to any retailer that sells school supplies. How great is that?

For specific info on what is needed or a list of drop-off locations, please see the "Do Some Good" section of North Penn Under Ten. Until then, I believe I have some Post-It pads in assorted patterns to doodle on... Ahhhhh...stationery...

Its Play Time!

On Wednesday, July 21st, the new North Wales Area Library will be hosting a free production of Goldilocks and the Three Bears presented by Theatre & Kids. The program is free (!) and starts at 10:30am. Don't miss it!

Looking for an encore? The Commonwealth Classic Theatre Company will present Moliere's The Miser at 7:30pm at White's Road Park, also on Wednesday the 21st.

If that still doesn't quench your thirst for the dramatic arts, you must check out Seussical the Musical presented by the Methacton Community Theatre. This production is sure to thrill kids of all ages and will be showing at 8:00pm on Friday and Saturday nights, as well as a 2:00pm matinée performance on Saturday. All shows are taking place at the Perkiomen Valley Middle School East, a short drive from Lansdale.

Further details on these shows and other exciting events for the week can be found on the North Penn Under Ten calendar. Bravo, to all our local actors!

Cool Ways to Spend a Tuesday

If you're already planning to see one of the Free Summer Movies at Frank's Theatres this week, consider stopping by Imagination Playzone at the Montgomery Mall afterwards. If you present your movie ticket stub, you'll get a free pizza lunch with your paid admission at the play place! Be sure to arrive by 2pm. Imagination will be offering this nifty deal every Tuesday and Thursday through August 26th.

Also, on Tuesday the 20th, (as long as you're already at the mall!), swing by The Picture People and take part in their Sizzlin' Summer Fest. Your kids can make a fishy craft, receive a goody bag, and parents can pick up coupons to places like McDonald's all for free!

By 7pm, it should be cooler outside (in theory, at least), so check out the Summer Concert at White's Road Park. Performing this week is the (35-piece!) Marine Band of Allentown. They'll play everything from patriotic marches to jazz selections to showtunes!

Eat At Moe's!

Friday, July 16th, when you dine at Moe's Southwest Grill on 309, a portion of your purchase will go to the Layton family of Lower Salford to aid their fundraising efforts. The youngest member of the Layton family, Joshua, age 2 1/2, suffers from severe, even life-threatening, allergies to eggs, milk, peanuts and all tree nuts. Joshua's allergies are so extreme that many of the activities that other children his age enjoy are simply off-limits for Joshua.

That is why his family has committed to raising a hefty $20,000 to acquire an Allergy Alert™ dog for him. This remarkable service dog will be able to identify and protect Joshua from unseen threats like milk residue - a seemingly harmless substance, but one that can send (and has sent) Joshua to the emergency room. The Laytons are already halfway to their goal, but they need all the help they can get.

So, make your way to Moe's. Whether its for lunch, dinner or a tasty snack, stop by and do some good while you eat some(thing) good. Moe's is open from 11am to 10pm and is located in The Shoppes at English Village on Bethlehem Pike (aka Route 309). To learn more about Joshua's story, visit joshuasangel.com.

New MarketPlace Has Launched!

Having a yard sale or fundraiser? Need a gently used stroller or a pair of cleats? Want to sell your old baby gear? Looking for a babysitter or tutor for your child? Have a home business to promote?

Whatever your need, you can now connect with buyers & sellers in Lansdale, North Wales, Hatfield and other local communities for just pennies a day.

Its targeted and totally affordable - Check out the new MarketPlace section of the site here!

New Interactive Parks Map & Vacation Bible Schools Just Added!

So you've heard about this great park, but you have no idea where it is and can't seem to Google it either, eh? With so many great parks in the area, its not surprising. But, now you have a secret weapon...The North Penn Under Ten Interactive Parks Map. Its at the top of the Links page because we think its so handy that it deserves top billing. Take a look and tell us what you think.

Secondly...summer means a few things...and around the North Penn area, it means there's a vacation bible school happening somewhere nearby just about every week. (Chances are, its across the street from one of our many pharmacies. Seriously! Why so many? But, that's a topic for another day.) To help you find one that fits both your beliefs and your schedule, check out the Now Registering page.

Finally, if you haven't noticed already, new links and events are being added to the site CONSTANTLY. Really. Editing this site has become an addiction. So check back often and see what's new!

Tonight's Upper Gwynedd Concert Cancelled

Please note: The concert at Upper Gwynedd's DeBarth Amphitheater tonight featuring the Montgomery County Concert Band has been rescheduled for Wednesday, August 4th.

The North Penn Under Ten events calendar has been updated to reflect this change.

Need something else to do? Branch Creek Community Church is holding a "Magical Variety Show" from 6:30 to 8:30pm. See our calendar for more details.

One Thousand Hits and One Thousand Thank Yous!

Things have been pretty busy for North Penn Under Ten in these first six days... Here's a quick rundown:

• The site had a whopping 1,000 hits in the first 72 hours following its July 1st launch. Wow!
  
  
• Feedback has been incredibly positive & very appreciative. Some of my personal favorite e-mails include one from Stacey of Harleysville who said "I LOVE LOVE LOVE this site!" and one from Denise in Hatfield who stated "Someone had to do it!"
  
  
• We have recently added all "No School" and "Early Dismissal" dates for the North Penn School District as well as Lansdale Catholic High School and St. Stanislaus Parish School to the calendar through June 2011.
  
  
• Just a reminder that whether you subscribe to the blog, bookmark us, "friend" us on Facebook, or simply stop by the site, there is no fee for doing so.

Again, a thousand thank yous for stopping by, friending us, and, of course, visiting our sponsors.

We would love to hear your suggestions for anything else you'd like to see on the site!

northpennunderten @ gmail . com

Condensed List of Tonight's Festivities

Since one of the main goals of North Penn Under Ten is to keep things organized and simplified, here is a condensed list of tonight's fireworks, courtesy of The Reporter. Enjoy!

http://lap.jrcbenfranklin.com/community/07/04/where-to-see-fireworks-parades/

TV Offers Alternatives for Timid Spectators

For those who would prefer to view the fireworks from a distance, your TV has quite a lot to offer this Sunday evening. In fact, you can really line up a nice marathon of fireworks displays if you would like to.

Starting things off, at 8pm, PBS will show their annual coverage of the Washington, D.C. show, "A Capitol Fourth". Hosting, as always, is Jimmy Smits. Other celebrities on hand include Gladys Knight, Reba McEntire, Darius Rucker, "American Idol" finalist David Archuleta, John Schneider, Lang Lang and the National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jack Everly. This is always a fun show because of selections like Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" accompanied by cannon fire from the U.S. Army Presidential Salute Battery. KA-BOOM!

Run-time for "A Capitol Fourth" is 90 minutes, however, you might want to switch over to the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular in NYC at 9:00PM on NBC...especially if you have a tween in the house...because that is where you will find Justin Bieber. (Just in case you were looking...) Also appearing will be Leann Rimes and Enrique Iglesias.

If anyone is still awake at 10pm, they can see the always-awesome 35th Annual Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on CBS hosted, for the second year, by Craig Ferguson. Also performing will be Rascal Flatts.

However you spend your Independence Day, have a Safe and Fun-filled holiday!

Fourth of July Festivities

Thinking ahead to the weekend? (Silly question, huh?)

The Reporter has compiled an excellent list of area parades & fireworks displays. Check it out!

Here It Is!

How often has this happened to you?... Your kids are moaning "Moooooom I'm boooooored!" You sift through a pile of newspapers you've kept "just in case", find the perfect activity that your child would just love...and notice that it happened...yesterday.

Not any more! Thanks to North Penn Under Ten, you now have all the best local events at your fingertips. Our calendar is always up-to-date and, with the click of your mouse, you can even copy events to your own free Google calendar (more on that in a future post)!

Speaking of local...how frustrating is it to sort through all of those "Metro Philly" and "Philly Suburbs" calendar listings, trying (in vain) to find the ones that are happening in Lansdale, Hatfield, North Wales, Towamencin, Upper Gwynedd, Harleysville, Colmar, etc. and not downtown Philly, Southern Chester County, or New Jersey? Problem #2 solved!

This site has been a long time in the works and we couldn't be more excited to get things off the ground!

So, please, bookmark us. Visit our sponsors. And tell a friend.