The Ups and Downs of Family Photos

Everyone knows that having family photos done can be incredibly painful if your kids don't cooperate or if the photographer isn't patient with your rambunctious kids, there's so many factors to consider!  We schedule sessions twice each year usually around birthday time for the kids and towards the end of fall to get a holiday photo. From choosing what to wear to all of the variables that go into collecting children and adults to get grabbing the perfect family photo it can be quite overwhelming.

                     
We recently had our kiddos spring birthdays and scheduled a session with Sabotta Imagery for some good old fashioned family photos and a little smash session for our youngest.

We've been working with Jeff for a number of years now and this guy couldn't make the family photo experience more chill, his attitude is the best and somehow always captures my kids showing their true personalities.  In past photo sessions our older kids fought to hold his hands while exiting the session, thats how much they like him!

                                        

                      


As my kids grow it is becoming more and more evident how quickly they change and that it is not only that we need to capture their little faces and precious smiles and how they have grow but freezing their spunky, unique little personalities in time that is where the value is!

That silly attitude or the goofy smile or the fancy twirl that is a must for every dress that is what really matters.  Whatever your choice is for photography if it is a professional or if you are just snapping on your iPhone, let your kids be themselves. Let them stick their tongue out between their  missing teeth or allow your 3 year old to wear her $1 store necklace for the photos even if it wasn't part of your "vision".  In 15 years you won't be worried if you got the PERFECT smile you'll want to see pictures of her as HER when she was 3 in that silly necklace she wore all summer long or a fancy twirl that was required with every outfit.

It makes me crazy emotional to think that in 10 years how different our family will look with 3 teenagers who barely will have the time of day for their super un-cool parents.  I'm basking in these photos of our kids climbing all over us because truthfully we will never be more loved by them than we are right now... ENJOY!

                                                    
A huge thank you to one of our favorite guys, amazing photographer Jeff Sabotta, we couldn't be happier to have you as our family photographer and love that you have gotten to see and capture our family as it grows year after year!

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Packable Pails - LVFGS Goes to the Beach

With summer here, I have a super cool and handy new accessory to feature! Recently I reached out to Packable Pails about trying out their product, and they kindly agreed to allow us to try out and feature their signature item. 

 

Their Packable Pailsfirst caught my eye on @babyguynyc - a hugely popular baby/kid product expert, if you have littles and don't follow him yet, DO IT, you'll thank me later.  Anyways, summer after summer I throw away the cheap pails I picked up before vacation because they crack, end up with broken handles or just plain stink because they too flimsy or cheap.  Plus, they always are also a major pain to pack and haul to the beach because they're bulky and take up a ton of space. 

Packable Pails are none of these things, they're study, made out of very strong plastic, much thicker than your average Dollar Store Pail and here's the kicker, they collapse! With a unique silicone base the pail goes from a larger than average Pail into a compact package thats only about 2-3 inches high. 

Now what good is a pail that collapses if it doesn't make a good sand castle?! I tested it out and found that not only does it make a decent sand castle but because of the Pail being collapsable it actually functions as two sizes. You can use it both it is fully extended size (see 3, above) and the partially extended size (see 2, above). The Pail has the classic sand castle details in it making it great for building with. 

                                 

           

Image Courtesy of Sabotta Imagery Photography

www.sabottaimagery.com

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lehighvalley.findandgoseek.net only exists because of hours upon hours of work that comes directly from the heart of a mom who wants to make the Lehigh Valley a better place to raise your family. Because of our effort we publish a resource that makes your life as a parent easier, makes the Lehigh Valley more welcoming to a family new to the area and helps make the Lehigh Valley a more vibrant and engaging place for families to grow and live. In order to make it possible to continue doing this we must find ways to generate income from our work. At times you will see posts from sponsors who pay us a fee to help them spread the word about their business or event. This article contains affiliate links from businesses that give us a very small portion of your purchase should you decide to purchase from any of our links.  Barters and fees that we receive from our sponsors and affiliates help make the website the best it can possibly be, they put food on our family's table and allow us to keep doing what we do! By patronizing the businesses who support us and by choosing to opt in to offers we share you keep lehighvalley.findandgoseek.net alive - making it possible for us to continue to provide information and engaging content for years to come. Without you and without our valued sponsors the website could not continue to operate. We love all of our LVFGS Families and thank you for you support.

Shopping at Just Between Friends!

Shopping gets started this afternoon at Just Between Friends Allentown/Bethlehem! I shopped this morning to preview the sale fro everyone and WOW! There is so much great stuff to be found! I was able to snag a huge summer wardrobe for my oldest kiddo all made of up awesome name brand and brand new looking items - some still with their original tags!!! 

I prepped a little video here showing some of the items I got and their pricing.  I felt most of the items were priced very well and I was impressed with the quality as well!

        Get your free tickets to get in and shop this weekend here! 

The event is being held at Elite Sports Academy in Emmaus

4651 Colebrook Ave. Emmaus 18049

Friday, April 29th - Presale Day

Open to the public 4 pm - 8 pm

$3 admission fee required. Click here for free admission passes.

Saturday, April 30th

Open to the public 9 am - 7 pm

$3 admission fee required. Click here for free admission passes.

Sunday, May 1st - Half-Price Day!

Open to the public 11 am - 3 pm

Free admission

                                                       

 

There were tons of outdoor toys, cozy coupes, a picnic table, ride on and push toys and much more! 

A huge selection of helmets and sports gear! I also noticed a bunch of life vests and swimming devices which would be great for pool season.

Don't miss the section of Melissa and Doug items near the check out! These are all brand new in package items that are perfect for gifting.  The prices were great as well, far less than I have paid for similar items elsewhere! 

BRING TWO School supply items are receive a raffle ticket for one of these awesome prizes! Supplies will be donated through JBF's Partnership with the Donate Local Simple Program! 

Raffle items offered by:

The Home Depot

Storybook Party

Elite Sports Academy 

IT Works

Enfamil 

and more! 

2016 Summer Camp Guide

April 2016

Give your kids the Coolest Summer Ever! Summer Camp Guide 2016 Spring is here and it is time to start thinking about what you are going to do to keep your kids busy all summer! The kids will be out of school before you know it so don't get caught without a great camp program to keep them active!  We've got a great list of camps for EVERY child.  Programs for children with special needs, day camps, sports camps, overnight camps and much more are all included. View our full camp guide here and browse more than 50 different Lehigh Valley Summer Camp programs! Did your child LOVE their camp last year? Make sure to share a reviewfor it so more families can check it out! Blue Mountain Adventure Camp Blue Mountain Adventure Camp, where days are filled with ziplining, whitewater rafting, archery, laser tag, and more.  Campers build confidence and create memories.  Come check out the fun and take a tour –Information Dates are April 17, 24 and May 7, 14. Check out more information on these upcoming information dates here.  Blue Mountain Adventure Camp will be offering amazing experiences for kids this summer with the convenience of full or half day day camp programs, overnight experiences and convenient bus transportation for campers from multiple areas in the Lehigh Valley! Active Learning Centers Summer Day Camp At Active Learning Centers, they do summer camp the way it used to be! Children spend most of their day outside playing. They have the opportunity to go to the swimming pool twice a week and they go on field trips once per week. Every child enrolled in camp will also have the opportunity to take a martial arts class each day at no extra charge. The only things you won’t find at this summer camp are TV’s and video games… this is Active Learning Centers! Each week features a different theme and these themes are based upon leadership qualities. The activities of the week are designed to teach, encourage, and develop those traits in the children. From listening skills to problem solving, and courage to communication, this will be the most beneficial and fun camp you’ll ever find for your child. Contact them to inquire about signing up. Lehigh Valley IronPigs Camps Sign-ups are now underway for the 2016 Youth Baseball Camp presented by Capital Blue Cross at Coca-Cola Park! The camps will run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for all days of the session. Boys and girls of all skill levels will have the chance to learn baseball and fundamentals from the future stars of the Philadelphia Phillies. Each day, members of the IronPigs coaching staff and select IronPigs players will teach the basics of the game and help all campers become better ballplayers! 2016 Camp Options (each camp is limited to 110 campers): Camp 1 (Ages 7-8): June 28-30 Camp 2 (Ages 9-10): August 2-4 Camp 3 (Ages 11-13): August 15-17  Camp is $165 per camper and includes the following: Instruction on baseball fundamentals from Lehigh Valley IronPigs players and coaches Two (2) tickets to a selected IronPigs game during your camp (Camp #1, June 29th; Camp #2, August 3; Camp #3, August 16) A daily lunch during each day of camp On-field recognition prior to IronPigs games on your camp group night Official 2016 Camp T-Shirt Compass USA  Compass USA Lehigh Valley brings approximately 100 enthusiastic teens from Spain and France for 3-4 week stays in July.  These students come to improve their English, learn about the American culture, and to participate in group activities.  These students (aged 14-17) are eager to share their culture with their host family.  Compass USA  host families make lifelong friendships and connections.  This program is a great way to learn about another country and culture without leaving the comforts of your community, earn volunteer hours, gain a valuable experience to put on a college app and to make a lifelong friend. This program works with families of all kinds and it is a great way to meet others within your own community. A host family can be anyone that has two or more people in a home (can be a single parent home, couples), a bed for a student (own room is not necessary), provides 3 meals a day and are willing to have a lot of fun! For more information contact Tiffany at (484) 347-3459 or at compasstiffanyw@gmail.com Elite Sports Academy Camps Elite Kids Summer Camp will be offered each week throughout the summer as a great active way for your children to spend their summer days while mom or dad is at work.  Their program integrates a number of different sporting activities. Children can enjoy a full summer of active programming at Elite Sports Academy! Full or half day programming available from June 20-August 19 Sharpen your skills this summer at an Elite Sports Summer Camp Soccer - 3 sessions are available to meet your needs. Experienced staff and will provide the training and support your child needs. Available for ages 7-13. Baseball - This all skill camp will help propel your payer to elite status. Camp is available for ages 7-12. Softball: Another all skill camp designed to boost skills. Their low coach to player ratio provides the opportunity for one on one attention and assistance. Camp is for ages 8-12 Valley Family Therapeutics Enrichment Camp If your child has special needs finding a great place for them to enjoy their summer and build their skills while school is out can be a challenge. Valley Family Therapeutics will be providing social skill development along with specially designed activities in a fun, camp-like atmosphere at their location in Center Valley. Staff is made up of trained Occupational Therapists, Behavioral Health Specialists (BCBA), an Art teacher and Speech Therapists. Small child to instructor ratios will help ensure your child receives the support needed. Camp is open to all children, aged 4-10, and will include individualized programming for children with special needs.  Children will enjoy Sensory Play, Yoga, Crafts and game as well as focus on various skills including feeding, social skills, and fine motor. Space is limited for these specialized camps, Contact them now by clicking here or call 484-863-9220 to reserve your child's space. School of Rock Camps Rock! School of Rock is hosting 3 awesome rockin' musical camps for kids this summer. Camps will be offered in their locations in Easton and West Allentown  Rock 101 Boot Camp Singer Songwriter Camp Beatles Performance Camp  The School of Rock is a great music and social community for kids, where they can learn music is a safe and fun environment from some of the best musicians in the area. Children ages 8 and up are invited to register for these unique performance camps. School of Rock is a performance-based music program.  Kids immediately walk into this school with something in common; a love of music and a desire to play with others.  Their staff is background checked annually and work for them throughout the year - they don't hire seasonal employees to staff our camps, so the instructors are people they are familiar with and trust, so you can feel comfortable leaving them with them for the day. Call now to schedule a tour!  You can reach them at (610) 923-7624 Register online, spaces are filling quickly! Register for Easton Camps Hereand Allentown Camps Here. Girls Scouts of Eastern PA  The Girl Scouts of Eastern PA offers three residents camps and four day camps. Girls do not already need to be Girl Scouts in order to attend camp! With new activities and amenities at all of their camps, there’s something new for every girl this summer! You can register for camps by signing into their Online Registration System on their website, or creating an account if you do not yet have one. There is so much to do! Their resident campers enjoy Frisbee golf, low and high ropes courses, Zip line across the lake, climbing tower, Western horseback, extended camp sessions, travel, and more! New this year, the Shelly Ridge Resident Camp is perfect for the first time camper, or the camper who likes the perks of home in their camping experience!Day camps feature a Pottery Kiln, gaga pit, ZUMBA ®, traveling programs, cooking programs, STEM, low ropes course, overnight options, soft archery, Karaoke, and more! Check out all of the camp sessions in their Camp Guide, here Upcoming open houses are scheduled for April and May at a number of local camps. Click here for dates, times and locations. Send this to a friend! 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Just Between Friends is BACK!