When you have small children New Year’s Eve can be challenging. We always opted for staying home so our children (and sometimes me, too!) were fast asleep by the time the clock struck midnight. When they were finally old enough to stay up, we would go outside and listen to the horns honking, bang some [...]
Blomquist Family Adventures
Celebrating New Year’s Eve
A desert dweller’s holiday
This is the time of year we desert dwellers live for. While the rest of the country digs themselves out of inches (sometimes feet!) of snow, we do our holiday shopping in T-shirts and flip-flops. This wonderful weather tends to also bring friends and relatives out for a visit. If you find yourself with out-of-town [...]
An evening with elves
A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to be an “elf handler” for the big premiere of “An Elf’s Story.” Three of the stars made the big trek from the North Pole that evening: Wordsworth, Zart and Snowflake. The premiere was a “ticket-only” event held at the Ice Den in Scottsdale and featured a [...]
Craftapalooza 2011
I love to craft and I enjoy spending time with my friends, so ten years ago I decided to combine the two. My annual craft party (a.k.a. craftapalooza) was born! It is always held the Saturday evening before Thanksgiving. I picked this date years ago as a nice kick-off to the holidays, and a good [...]
My hero, Bruno
Nestled in a residential neighborhood not far from the Magic Kingdom sits another magical place – the Anaheim White House. I was fortunate to be able to dine here (as a guest of the Anaheim Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau) with my family and good friend Toni Purry and her guest, Tyrus. This restaurant [...]
It’s beginning to look a lot like Schools, etc.
Every January Raising Arizona Kids magazine publishes the Schools, etc. directory. This is my magnum opus of all things school-related in Maricopa County. There are listings of private schools, charter schools, special needs schools, public school districts, preschools, online learning, tutoring programs, boarding schools, secondary schools and more. From September to December each year the [...]
Occupy Zombie Street
This week, 17-year-old Mylan Blomquist shares her recent adventures as one of the undead. Have you ever heard the saying “Sleep is like death without the commitment?” I feel the same way after this week, except I have become the UN-dead without the commitment (you know, without actually having to eat brains or gradually lose [...]
Searching for the perfect pumpkin
I have a quest. It happens this time every year. It starts with side glances as I pass the neighborhood pumpkin patch. Then I find myself inexplicably drawn to the over-sized cardboard container, standing like a behemoth in the produce department of the local grocery store. I am searching for the Holy Grail of fall [...]
Boo! at the Zoo is a treat
This weekend little ghosts and ghouls will don their Halloween costumes and head over to the Phoenix Zoo for the annual Boo! at the Zoo. The zoo has been hosting this event for more than 20 years and it is a tradition for many Arizona families! There are numerous booths to visit for treats, crafts, [...]
Disney’s Halloween Time and Knott’s Scary Farm
October is the perfect time to visit Anaheim’s theme parks. The weather is beautiful and the crowds are smaller than in the summer time and upcoming holiday season. Disneyland is decked out for Halloween Time. There are more than 300 jack-o’-lanterns on Main Street and each one is different! The Haunted Mansion has been transformed [...]
Connect With Us
-
-
-
-
-
Special Subscription Offers
From our promotional partners
RAK Giveaways
Recent Issues
-
November 2012
$6.00November features results from our 2012 Family Dining Survey. Find out which Valley restaurants are reader favorites! Plus: Making healthy choices/substitutions when dining out — and parenting strategies to help take the “whining” out of dining.
Add to cart -
October 2012
$6.00The October issue includes our annual PARTIES, ETC. guide to more than 200 places, entertainers and services that make family celebrations memorable. Plus: Learn how St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center is leading the local effort to improve outcomes for preemies.
Add to cart -
September 2012
$6.00A sneak peak at the 2012-13 performing arts season. PLUS: the Valley’s arts-focused schools, an interview with Valley Youth Theatre’s Bobb Cooper and groundreaking treatment that prevenst brain injury in children who suffer oxygen deprivation at birth.
Add to cart -
August 2012
$6.00Bullying prevention, breastfeeding support for physician moms and our annual back-to-school retail guide. Plus: a Valley mom shares her daughter’s potty-training experience on Facebook.
Add to cart -
July 2012
$6.00Kids Bored? Stocking a “bored box” and more family fun crafts. Plus: Real Easy Recipes for cool summer treats and lunchbox pleasures, local events that celebrate the 4th and hope for kids facing PANDAS.
Add to cart -
June 2012
$6.00Our annual guide to resorts around Arizona and throughout the Southwest that special deals and family-friendly amenities. Plus: A martial arts program targeted to kids with AD/HD.
Add to cart