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FREE trial lesson - Learn to swim at SwimLabs Swim School of The Woodlands!

Life is full of tough decisions. Fortunately for us moms in The Woodlands, deciding to invest in swim lessons for our children isn’t one of them!

Since we know that (1) we want our kiddos to be great swimmers and (2) drownings are preventable and (3) swim lessons are a budgetary priority, most of us just need to find a reputable, convenient, amazing program with which to sign up.

 

SwimLabs Swim School of The Woodlands has been making big waves with their innovative approach to swim lessons and swim training, and their Mommy & Me lessons, Toddler Transition lessons, and private and semi-private learn-to-swim programs for all levels make it easy for families to swim safely this season and beyond. Semi-private Competitive and Elite Lessons are also being offered. We LOVE that the school has restructured their current class options to meet Texas’ recommended business guidelines for COVID-19, plus they’re doing everything possible to follow required screening guidelines, maintain strict cleaning, and implement the wearing of facial coverings.

7 Places to Celebrate National Ice Cream Month in The Woodlands!



We all scream for ice cream! July is National Ice Cream month (declared in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan), and the third Sunday of July (July 19, 2020) will be National Ice Cream Day. We sure hope you plan on celebrating! To be clear, there won't be any parades or special events going on in The Woodlands for this "holiday", but you can totally indulge on your own. Here are our 7 picks:
 
1. Your humble abode. Make ice cream in a bag at home. For 1 serving, you'll need the following ingredients: 1 cup half-and-half, 2 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 3 cups ice, 1/3 cup kosher salt or ice cream salt. Here's what to do:
 
(a) In a small resealable bag, combine half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla extract. Push out excess air and seal.
(b) In a large resealable bag, combine ice and salt.
(c) Place small bag inside the large bag and shake vigorously, 7 to 10 minutes, until ice cream has hardened. Your kiddos might want to wear oven mitts to protect their hands from the coldness! 
(d) Remove ice cream from bag and enjoy with your favorite toppings.

The lobby at the library is open! Here are the details:

Raise your hand if you miss going to the library! Before COVID-19, checking out new library books, enjoying storytimes and other programs, and visiting the Friends of the Library bookstore for awesomely priced books and magazines were weekly occurrences for me and my family. Oh how we missed being within those walls! That’s why we’re so pleased that Phase I of the Montgomery County Library System’s reopening is currently in effect. Here are the details: 

We’ve Struck Gold! Check out these goodies, compliments of Montgomery County Library System

So many online resources are available to engage your child at home lately. Where DOES one begin? In our very own back yard, of course! We’ve been perusing the Montgomery County Library System website week after week, year after year to stay up-to-date with events and happenings; somewhere along the way we forgot about all the great virtual resources our libraries offer. What a treasure trove of goodies we’ve gotten reacquainted with! There’s something for everyone, even the big kids and adults. Here’s a sneak peek, but visit countylibrary.org for all the details. 

You can do it yourself! Check out The Home Depot's painting workshop!

My house is almost 10 years old, and it's past time to refresh the paint in some of its bedrooms. My pre-teen wants to switch out her lavender walls to a beige or tan, and the younger girls who share a room must certainly be bored with pink by now. My 14-year-old isn't too picky, but her room might get a new color too!

I wish I had the confidence and know-how to paint the rooms myself, rather than dropping several hundred dollars per room plus the cost of paint. (I've already gotten a quote on my master bedroom and bathroom; that alone is $800). But wait - what's this I see on the Home Depot's website? On Saturday, February 8, from 10:00am - 11:30am, they'll be offering a
n Interior Paint and Drywall Repair workshop that happens to be just what I need! Here is description of the FREE workshop, taken directly from the website:

What’s that howling sound? It’s probably a coyote! (Yes, The Woodlands has them!)

Lots of folks have been seeing (and hearing) coyotes lately! It’s nothing new; coyotes have been around The Woodlands since forever, but some newer residents are just now getting the memo, plus it seems that sightings have been on the rise in recent years. Reportedly, some neighbors in Creekside Park have even experienced having their little chihuahuas hauled off by these wolf-like canines (YIKES!), but this could possibly be an urban legend. (Let us hear from you if you have some facts about this.) Living among wild animals is part of the beauty of living in a heavily wooded, mostly secluded area like ours.

Genealogy Research - A Wonderful FREE local resource for getting started!

Have you tested your DNA for genealogy? I know a few people who have, and they have been quite intrigued with the results. I've even heard of families who have traced their ancestors all the way to Africa and consequently recently visited the continent for the first time to meet distant relatives. What an adventure!

Many times, I've thought of purchasing one of the kits like Ancestry or 23AndMe, but what if I start digging and then uncover a long lost family secret that really bothers me? (Yes, I tend to be more paranoid than most folks!) And on the other hand, suppose I discover a great great uncle who has willed me all his riches? I know... slim chance.. but it's a fun idea that I conjure up often!