St. Joseph Church Sylvania’s Little Carpenter’s Play Group fall session begins

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September 1, 2017

The St. Joseph Church Sylvania’s Little Carpenters Play Group is a parent and/or caregiver group that meets for three 6-week sessions throughout the year to explore toddler topics and activities of interest. Children from ages 0 – 5 are welcome to attend and participants are not limited to members of St. Joseph Church Sylvania. The group meets on the parish’s east campus every Wednesday from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. throughout the session. Registration is not required but always appreciated. The fall session runs September 27 – November 2. Contact Program Coordinator Mrs. Laurie Neary at 419-885-5791 for more information or to RSVP.

St. Joseph Catholic Church
5373 Main Street
Sylvania | 419-885-5791

Teletubbies celebrate 20 years

By

Kimberly Feldkamp

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September 1, 2017

You’ve heard of Teletubbies, right? The children’s show is celebrating 20 years. The series depicts exploring and enjoying life through creative exercises and relatable experiences — to support the development of language skills, encourage physical activity and inspire positive social interactions.The modernized Teletubbies series is designed to captivate today’s digital toddlers with updated elements. In honor of this milestone, we’re giving away a Teletubbies Prize Pack (valued at more than $75) that includes a plush toy, four new DVDs, and a new line of books, to a lucky reader.

KIDS HOROSCOPE: August 23 Sptember 22

By

Kimmie

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September 1, 2017

Your Virgo child is very particular: they know what they like and will definitely let you know what they DON’T like! Creatures of habit, these children do best with a set routine and schedule. This month their creative switch will flip on! Make sure you know where your crayons, markers, paint and paper are! Otherwise, they will be expressing their creativity on your furniture and walls! If you react in a way of upset it might stifle their natural ability to create. Virgos are neat freaks and will prefer simple surroundings without a lot of distractions. Go out and get an easel for them and some simple watercolor paints or crayons and let them create their masterpieces! Be sure to have a specific place to hang what they made and your little Virgo will grow up being able to freely create and that nit-picky part of self will fade away. As a parent you need to show them you are excited with what they did! They will surely only give you the painting or picture of what they feel is their best work anyway!

September 2017 Giveaway

By

Toledo Parent Staff

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September 1, 2017

As we settle into our school routines, the longer days of summer are fading and your little ones will have to spend more time indoors. If you’re worried about keeping them occupied, Pai Technology might be able to help. These fun and interactive products for children ages 3 and up will keep them engaged and entertained while helping them learn, too. And this month, Toledo Area Parent is giving away a Pai Technology gift pack. One lucky reader will win the following three items:

Cube-tastic! With the help of the Cube-tastic! app and your phone or tablet, anyone can learn to conquer the cube through customized, step-by-step tutorials to solve the puzzle.

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Ocean Pets pairs augmented reality with creativity for youngsters. By using special putty and ocean templates, kids create their own ocean pets, scan them and watch them come to life.

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TJ & the Beanstalk brings a classic fairytale to life as children interact with the story through 3D storybooks and augmented reality.

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August 2017 Giveaway

By

Toledo Parent Staff

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August 24, 2017

The new school year is upon us and who doesn’t love new school supplies? Gear up with some of these cool new products, which will get your child to school on time and ready to learn. Bonus – we’re giving these products away to one lucky reader!

The logistics of carpooling just got easier, thanks to the mifold Grab-and-Go booster seat. Winner of the coveted Best in Show JPMA Innovation award, this seat is more than 10x smaller than a regular child’s booster seat, but is just as safe, meeting or exceeding the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards in crash tests. The compact and portable booster is for children 4-12 years (40”-57” tall). $49.99, available online at mifold.com.

booster-seat-giveaway

Packing lunches won’t be such a bore when you’re filling the Marcus & Marcus Insulated Lunch Backpack. The Phthalate and BPA free product will keep meals, snacks and drinks cool and protected. It features a zippered interior pocket to keep things organized and secure. With a rubber zipper grip, it’s comfortable and easy to use for tiny hands. For 18 months+. $24.99, available on Amazon.

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A new school year often means a new backpack and your child won’t be disappointed with the ZIPIT Grillz Large Backpack. The exterior pocket unzips to reveal shiny grillz, which, along with the eyes and hood, makes this a fun and practical way to carry school supplies. A padded back and adjustable shoulder straps make it comfy to carry, too. $24.99, available on Amazon.

grillz-back-pack-giveaway

Food Fight: Rosie’s Italian Grille

By

Karen L. Zickes

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August 2, 2017

606 N. McCord Rd. Toledo
419-866-5007
Sun-Thur: 11:30a.m.-9p.m.
Fri-Sat: 11:30a.m.-10:30p.m.
Rosiesitaliangrille.com

The Short Course

Kid-friendly: Yes
To avoid wait: Reservations are best on the weekend
Noise level: Moderate
Bathroom amenities: No changing station
High chairs? Yes
Got milk? Yes—white and chocolate…just ask
Kids’ menu? Yes
Allergies? Alert your server of allergies immediately so the proper steps can be taken in the kitchen to avoid cross contamination. Gluten free items are noted on the menu.

In the lyrics of Alice Cooper: “School’s out for summer! No more pencils, no more books!” Oh how summer break never seems to come soon enough, nor does it ever last long enough. To commence the joyous occasion and celebration of another successful school year for all three kids, I decided to treat us to Rosie’s Italian Grille. Now THAT’S Italian!

Tradition runs deep

To answer a question many of you are asking, yes, Rosie really exists. She was married to the late John Joseph Barone. According to general manager and chef Eric Kish, the family business first began as a deli some 34 plus years ago. From there it grew to a pizza place and then additional locations. At some point, three of Rosie’s sons, Phil, Mike and John decided to keep the traditional family recipes alive, took things up a notch, closed the causal locations and then opened Rosie’s Italian Grille; an upscale restaurant with a delectable menu.

I have fond memories of Rosie’s half price pizza night when I was growing up. It was a far cry from “fast food” pizza. Their traditional pizza on the menu brought back countless memories when my oldest son ordered one for dinner. I was pleased they haven’t broken with tradition. Many of their recipes to this day are made exactly how Rose Barone had made them.

Classy yet comfortable

You will love the Tuscan theme atmosphere the moment you step inside Rosie’s. Pretend just a little bit, and you may actually feel you have been transcended to a place far away from Toledo. You will most certainly feel you are somewhere else as you enjoy time on their inviting and spacious outdoor patios. “People love our patios. Our patios are very popular”, noted Kish. (I love them too.) They also offer a four season patio which is especially nice when Toledo weather is not cooperating.

Rosie’s offers a beautiful bar at the entrance, as well as a comfortable waiting area. On weekends, however, reservations are best. We were seated in a semi private booth off the main dining area. Though my kids are older these days, the three of them together can still make a bit of noise when they get going. So I enjoyed having a table slightly removed from the main dining area. It may be a request worth making if you are concerned your little ones might be distracting to others.

Several children, along with a few babies, were enjoying dinner out with their families. If you worry your children may not be all about the “fancier” restaurant, you may also consider a table on the patio or of course, enjoy an evening sans children.

Think seafood and lamb chops?

Of course you’re going to find all the pasta favorites at Rosie’s. However, according to Chef Kish, people flock to Rosie’s for so much more than the pasta. “Definitely our grilled lamb chops are very popular,” said Kish, who added that the fresh seafood flown in regularly from Key West is a favorite of many. Perhaps grouper, swordfish, shrimp or salmon sounds more appealing than red sauce and pasta. They have it all.

I enjoyed the best of both worlds with their evening special of mushroom pasta topped with strip steak. It was a scrumptious treat for the palate. The kids’ menu offers many options for $7 and drink is extra. Milk isn’t on the menu, but simply ask your server for white or chocolate and they’ll be happy to accommodate your little one.

The kids’ menu offers traditional favorites such as pizza, lasagna, ravioli etc., but for the less adventurous, the old standby of chicken chunks and fries is available. My youngest enjoyed baked rigatoni from the kids menu, and my daughter couldn’t pass up fettucine Alfredo.

Bottom Line:

Rosie’s Italian Grille won’t disappoint if you have memories of the original Rosie’s pizza from long ago. However, the upscale Italian grille will entice all your senses, and the food is outstanding not to mention attentive service. Though your children are more than welcome, you may relish a relaxing date night or enjoy one of the best happy hours in town with your girlfriends.

Karen Zickes is a mom of three active children and freelance writer who resides in Holland, OH. She can be reached in c/o
[email protected].