Leapin’ Lizards!

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Are you an Annie fan?  Me too!  The Village of Orland Park’s theater troupe is gearing up for it’s spring production of Annie and needs local talent in order to make the musical possible.  See below for more info!

From the Village of Orland Park:

Choruses of “Tomorrow….tomorrow….I love ya, tomorrow…” will soon be heard in Orland Park when the village’s theatre troupe holds auditions for its spring musical, “Annie” on January 20 and 21.

Children age six and older are invited to audition and must sing sixteen measures of a prepared piece from the show, be dressed to learn and perform a dance and be able to read from the script. A large ensemble show, “Annie” calls for up to 50 children and more than 20 adults.

“We’re very excited to produce ‘Annie’ for the village’s spring musical,” said Executive Producer Stephanie Simpson, the Recreation Department program supervisor who oversees the theater program. “This is a great show that includes a sizable cast, enabling lots of people to be a part of it,” Simpson said.

Auditions for children, primarily girls, will be held on January 20 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Orland Park’s Old Village Hall, 14413 South Beacon Avenue. Adults are invited to audition from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on January 20 and January 21, also at the Old Village Hall. If necessary, call backs will be held January 22. Once cast, participants must pay a $35 registration fee.

“People familiar with the show will remember the large number of girls in the cast, especially the orphans,” said Producer/Director Frann Carnivele-Sidlow. “However, we do need some boys to audition too,” she added.

Rehearsals will be Sunday afternoons and Monday and Thursday evenings, February 3 through April 25. Performances are April 26-28 at the Carl Sandburg High School Performing Arts Center.
“Annie” is a Broadway musical based on the Harold Gray comic strip, “Little Orphan Annie,” by permission of The Tribune Media Services, Inc. The book was written by Thomas Meehan with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin.

“This show is full of fun songs that everyone will enjoy performing and the audience will enjoy hearing,” Carnivele-Sidlow said. “The Orland Park area is filled with some amazing talent and we’re looking forward to having yet another talent rich cast in this village show,” she said.

The original Broadway production, directed by Martin Charnin opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years, winning a Tony Award for best musical. It was presented on Broadway by Mike Nichols, produced by Irwin Meyer, Stephen R. Friedman and Lewis Allen. It was originally produced by The Goodspeed Opera House, Michael P. Price, executive director.
Further information about the Village of Orland Park’s spring production is available by calling the Recreation Department at 708/403-PARK.

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It’s Girl Scout Cookie Time again!

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For the first year in many, my daughter is not part of a girl scout troop and we are not selling cookies.  The lessons in communication and organization that she learned from the sales will always be with her and benefit her all of her life.

Lucky for us, there are many options for getting our Thin Mint and Shortbread fixes.  Orland Park Patch has come up with a great idea and is posting contacts for just this reason.

The money earned from selling cookies enables troop leaders to provide activities, learning experiences, charitable donations to local communities and more to the girls and is vital to their yearly expenses.  

Last year, my daughter’s troop made their way to the local Walmart with their earnings to buy groceries for the local food pantry.  In doing so, they learned so much.  By shopping for  sales and deals, they learned how to get the most for their money.  They price matched sales at other stores and used coupons to ensure they could provide the most food to the pantry as possible with the money they had to work with.  As the girls made their way around the grocery store, the nutritional benefits of items were discussed and the girls asked questions like “will this food go to kids like us?” and statements like “I never thought about not having food to eat, it was always just there for me” were made.

What they learned that day was priceless.  This is just one example of the importance of supporting local scouting.  Cookie sale time just makes it easier for us to show our support.

Here is a link to the many varieties available.

So take a moment and support a local girl scout troop and your sweet tooth at the same time.  Boxes of cookies freeze well and make great gifts!

 

Good luck girls!

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Free Twinkies for Everyone on December 5th at Baby’s!

baby's twinkies

Are you mourning the loss of the Twinkie?   Have no fear, Baby’s Cheesesteak and Lemonade in Orland Park and Country Club Hills bought 10,000 of them and are hosting a FREE TWINKIE Day on December 5th.  According to a representative for Baby’s in Orland Park, “Baby’s Cheesesteak wants the world to enjoy for the holidays what we grew up on. No kid should be without one!”

So, how do you get your hands on a free twinkie?

*Make a food purchase on Dec 5th at Baby’s

*Follow Baby’s on Twitter

*Like Baby’s on Facebook

*Tweet and share photos of yourself at Baby’s

Baby’s in Orland is located at 15858 S. La Grange Rd.

You can order by phone at (708) 349-9800 or visit their website.

Their Facebook page can be found here as well.

This just in as well, Baby’s has added a special shake for the occasion!

Twinkie Shake

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The Case of the Missing Invite

Let me just start off by saying, I think I am losing my mind.  I don’t remember feeling these immature feelings when I was, well, less mature.  Let me explain, here is how it went down…

My child came home from school one day and said “(so and so) is having a party!”.  That’s great, I replied.  Then I went on with the gazillion things I had to do and forgot about it.

Then a close friend called and said “What are you getting (so and so) for their birthday?”.  I said that we had yet to receive our invite, but maybe it was in an old, obscure email box that I rarely check.  So, I checked, nope, no invite.  My friend was appalled.  “That isn’t right, to invite all of (said child’s) friends but not (said child)!”  In defense of the non-invitation extending mom, I reminded the friend that I often speak my mind openly, and maybe, just maybe, I had said something distasteful, true but painful, or simply against her beliefs at some point that rubbed her the wrong way….then I agreed, it WAS a shitty thing to do.  Again, I went on with my day and forgot about it.

The day of the party came and went without mention of it from (said child).  Phew, dodged that bullet, I thought.  I think it was actually forgotten about. Then came school.  (Said child) came home and was visibly upset.  You know, comes in, slams door, throws backpack, requests junk food…..

“(So and so) was very mad at me because I did not come to the party! I told (so and so) that I didn’t get an invite.”  At that point, my child was told that they specifically asked their mom to invite my child.  Maybe it was a peace-offering conversation,  maybe the non-inviting mom truly made a mistake, or maybe, just maybe it was intentional.

Regardless, my child’s feeling were hurt and in turn, momma gets angry.  It’s not something I can control, it is innate.  Ask any mom.

My child realizes that I am hurt because they are hurt and anger turns to acceptance in a heartbeat.

“That’s ok, it’s not like we are not going to be friends because someone’s mom made a mistake. My birthday is coming up and I will give (so and so) their gift for the party I missed there.” And, once again, I was proud of another one of my children for their forgiveness, reasoning and clarity at such a young age.  Someone raised them right, eh, hem.

So, did I squash any uncertainty and ask the non-invitation extending mom why she excluded my child? Nope.  I wrote this blog instead.

Her time will come (insert evil laugh….) Kidding, it’s not that big of a deal, as I learned from my child.

Have a happy, forgiving and wonderful day!

OPM

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Don’t Feel Like Cooking this Thanksgiving?

 

 

Stressed out about the idea of cooking a lavish spread this year?  Wish it would be taken off of your hands so that you could relax with the family instead?

No worries, there are several places in Orland Park that will do the cooking for you.

Check out this handy list over at the Orland Park Patch with local restaurants and grocery stores that take care of everything from the turkey to the pies!

How’s that for something to be thankful for?

😉

 

 

 

 

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Ugliness Lawsuit?

 

At first I thought this was a joke.  A reader sent me an email about a man who sued his wife for, well, misrepresenting her natural attributes.  Turns out it was true! Continue reading

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Trick or Treating in Orland Park 2012

 

Halloween is almost here! Costumes are ready and local kids are super excited about the possibility of bags full of candy.

Trick or Treating hours in the village are listed as 2pm through 7pm this year.  

Here are some tips to consider when heading out the door with your little ghouls and goblins: Continue reading

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Halloween Costume Madness

 

 

So, one of our favorite holidays is soon approaching!  My two younger kids are all excited about the upcoming parties, trick or treating and above all else…COSTUMES!

My 7-year-old son was quick and easy.  He went through the bins of Halloween stuff and decided he would be a ninja for one party, Mario for another and maybe Darth Vader for trick or treating.  Done, zip…boom.

My 11 year-old-daughter was another story.  She told me not to worry, that she was wearing a hand-me-down costume she was given by an older niece.  It was called the “star of the sea” or something along those lines.  How cute!  I pictured a sparkly, age appropriate  mermaid costume and didn’t give it another thought.  She is attending a local party sponsored by the Village of Orland Park tomorrow night, so I asked her to try on the costume to make sure it fit.  That is where it all went downhill.

Out she strutted in a get-up that seemed more appropriate if she were to be dancing around a pole than at a community gathering.  The skirt, if you can call it that, was more of a belt.  The midriff was bare.  Stockings…..fishnet.  Modesty…non-existent.  I asked for the package it came in.  Ages 12 and up, it read.  Pffft.

How do you tell your  baby girl that she looks trashy?  You don’t.  I simply told her that she would be cold and I would give her a few things to wear along with it to make sure she stays warm.  These things may or may not include a full robe, just saying.

So when she went off to school today, I ventured into one of those temporary pop-up Halloween super centers here in town.  I walked among the other freaked out moms desperately seeking appropriate, last-minute costumes and accessories for their children.

As I browsed through the costumes that would fit my 5’4″ 11-year-old, I noticed a trend.  Trashy was the theme, and it was everywhere.  These costumes were obscene.

I turned to one mom who was in the same predicament.  I knew this because she was on the phone with her child telling her that yes, they have the rock star costume she wanted, but, in her words “Over my dead body are you wearing this smut.”  We quickly became friends and talked for much too long about the evolution of costumes over the years.

Conclusion, she will wear the trashy sea tramp costume, but actual solid leggings will be added, skirt will be suddenly longer (thanks to two yards of tulle and my sewing machine), and a long sleeve black tee will cover up that midriff.

Lesson learned, and I will plan ahead for next year.

How did you all fare with costumes for this year?  What do you do about the trashy costume availability when it comes to your daughters?

 

 

 

 

 

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Reader Question

 

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Hey Orland Park Moms~

 

One of my readers asked the following question:

I live in Orland Park and I  am a new mom to a five month old little girl. I love being a stay at home mom but I’m having a hard time finding things the community for us to do. I’d also like to meet other moms with children around the same age. I’m surprised that I’m having such a hard time. I’m just wondering if there’s anything that you know of.

Any moms of little ones have answers for her??

 

Thanks!

 

OPM

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Dave & Buster’s Grand Opening This Weekend!

Finally! The buzz around town about the opening of Dave & Busters will come to fruition this Saturday, September 22nd when the Orland Park location opens its doors for the grand opening.  It is on the site that formerly housed the Orland Square Theaters just off of 151st and LaGrange Road which has been vacant for over 11 years.  Continue reading

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