Maple Syrup

No matter what corner of the Chicago area you find yourself in, you will likely be able to check out a maple syrup festival somewhere during this month.

Here are a few of the festivals that I am aware of. Feel free to add any others in the comments. These are generally very educational events that the whole family can enjoy.

North Park Village Nature Center

5801 N. Pulaski Rd.
Chicago, IL , 60646
(312) 744-5472

Bring the family to experience the entire maple syrup making process, from tapping the tree and collecting sap to boiling it down to syrup. Stroll the sugar bush, enjoy storytelling and live music, make a craft, and taste homemade syrup.

Fees: Free

Age Range: All Ages

See the entire maple syrup-making process from tapping the tree and collecting the sap, to boiling it down into syrup. Take a walk through the sugar bush, enjoy storytelling, make a maple craft, warm yourself by the fire, and taste real maple syrup fresh off the fire. The Maple Syrup Festival is a sweet and warm tradition that is free and fun for all ages. No registration required.

Pioneer Fest and Pancake

Breakfast! Enjoy pancakes, sausage, and 100% pure maple
syrup! Come for the maple syrup making
demonstrations and try your hand at pioneer chores
while stepping back into time with our pioneer reenactors.
Age: All
Pilcher Park Nature Center
Sat/Sun 3/24-3/25 8 am-12 pm
$9 Adults/$7 Children under 12 (my understanding is that the fee is only if you are eating, but call to confirm this)

Phone: 815-741-PARK (7275)

Sap Collectors

Fullersburg Woods, Dupage County

Mar. 9, 2012

Hike to the sugarbush to collect sap from sugar maple trees. Ages 6 and up; under 14 with an adult. $3 per person. To register, call (630) 850-8110.

Mar 2, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. at Fullersburg Woods
Mar 9, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. at Fullersburg Woods
Mar 16, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. at Fullersburg Woods

Maple Sugaring Days

Naper Settlement

Saturday and Sunday, March 10 & 11, 2012

The history of maple sugaring
Maple sugaring was an integral part of American life in the 1800s and was the foremost sweetener until the end of the Civil War. A community social event celebrating the arrival of spring, the difficult work involving in collecting and processing the sap required many hands. This festive gathering was a welcome diversion following a long winter. Until the end of the Civil War, maple products were the most important food sweeteners in the United States because they were far less expensive and more available than cane sugar.

Time:
Saturday 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Sunday 1:00-4:00 pm

Ticket Information:
$9 adults
$8 seniors (62+)
$6.50 youth (4-17)
Naperville Heritage Society members and Season Pass Holders receive free admission.

And, the one at Kline Creek Farm already passed, but here is a YouTube video that they took to show the tree tapping. I’m sure the drill is authentic 1840s 😉

And here are a couple more places to find lists of maple sugaring events in Illinois and surrounding states:

http://www.midwestweekends.com/plan_a_trip/touring/spring_scenery/maple_syrup_festivals.html

http://www.chitowncheapskate.com/2012/03/chicagoland-march-maple-syrup-events.html

New Veggie Tales movie and free viewing

Free Educator Screening!



You and one (1) guest are invited to a Free Educator Screening of *SEA REX 3D: JOURNEY TO A PREHISTORIC WORLD. Additional guests will be charged $7.00 per person. Date:* Wednesday, February 29, 2012 Time: 5:30pm – (please arrive a half hour prior to showtime to check-in and register) Place: Randall 15 IMAX – 550 N. Randall Road, Batavia, IL 60510 Get Map RSVP: Email or Call 630-659-6762. RSVP by noon on Tuesday February 28th. IMPORTANT – Please leave us your first and last name, school name, theater, email address, and number of people attending. If registering via email, you will receive an email confirmation. If registering via phone, you will not receive a phone call to confirm your space.
	Through the power of IMAX 3D, experience a wondrous adventure from the dinosaur age. Join Julie, an imaginative young woman, in a unique voyage through time and space. Explore an amazing underwater universe inhabited by larger-than-life creatures which were ruling the seas before dinosaurs conquered the earth. See science come alive in an entertaining manner and get ready for a face-to-face encounter with the T-Rex of the seas! Website & Trailer Educator Guide Classroom Guide

SciTech Hands-On Museum is bringing hands-on exhibits & novelties to purchase Paleontologist Rob Sula is bringing fossils of prehistoric sea creatures & dinosaurs, and hand-drawn dinosaur artwork.
Teachers! Book your Group Today! Call 630-659-6762 or email
MOVIES BELOW ARE AVAILABLE FOR GROUP RESERVATIONS!

Visit our website for more information on IMAX and Teacher Resources at www.GQTI.com/IMAX

Special speaker in DeKalb

Received this info via email:

Please join us on Monday, February 20 to welcome Wanda Gibert as she shares with the HEART homeschool group:

A Holy Influence: Be the Crowning Touch in Your Husband’s Life

God has given wives an extraordinary ministry to their husbands. Balancing homeschooling, schedules, meals, and caring for little ones often leaves wives tired with little energy to give to our husbands. Wanda Gibert, mother of six, will share ways to keep the God-ordained unity and intimacy between husbands and wives.

This talk is for wives only, but husbands don’t let that stop you from coming out with your wife. The men will meet to enjoy fellowship and “guy” time in a separate room.

HEART meets at Evangelical Free Church, 150 Bethany Rd, DeKalb, IL. Doors open at 6:30 for fellowship with our meeting starting at 7pm. We invite everyone to join us for this special meeting.

DuPage Engineers Week

Last year I heard about an event geared toward K-8th grade students that would help them understand and explore the various worlds of engineering. I had no idea how much we would enjoy this event.

Here’s the info on the event for this year:

Join us for a fun, free, family interactive event with displays and presentations that will excite children about science and engineering. The DuPage Engineers Week Expo includes cryogenic freezing with a few controlled explosions, model airplanes and a wind tunnel exhibit, robots, bicycle power, load testing and destruction, static electricity, levers and pulleys, building molecules and hands-on activities with ZOOM®, Design Squad, LEGO® Robotics, and the DuPage Children’s Museum. See a list the free public events.

You do not have to be an engineer to enjoy the 28th Annual DuPage Area Engineers Week Expo. The Expo is geared toward children in K-8th Grade, however, all ages will enjoy this event!

Details:
When: Saturday, February 25, 2012 from 10:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Where: Illinois Institute of Technology: 201 East Loop Road, Wheaton, IL (Directions)
Cost: Free, and open to the public

Lunch and snack items will be available for purchase as a fundraiser from Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana.

IIT Alumni – Call for information on a special Alumni-only Breakfast!

If you are free and looking for something to keep your kids engaged, I would encourage you to check this out. It was packed last year, but we still managed to navigate our stroller through the hallways somehow. Our whole family enjoyed the event immensely, although our then 8 month old did not like Mr. Freeze’s explosions. If you have seen his show there or elsewhere, you can probably understand why.

Expect parking to be a nightmare, and the building to be crowded, but also prepare for your kids to enjoy themselves and not want to leave. We all learned a lot of new information. Some displays have kids helping out, but many are staffed by engineers eager to share about their background, their education, the career choice, and their displays. They want to engage your student and help them learn about engineering and the various fields it encompasses.

The program for the event is now available online, so check that out to get a good idea of what to expect from the displays.

Steve Demme coming to the area

Next week! This ICHE sponsored event is coming soon, and if you can’t attend in person you can register to attend online. Steve Demme is an incredible speaker and well worth taking the time out of your weekend to give a listen.

Please join ICHE and CHOSEN, the Freeport area support group, in welcoming
Steve Demme to the greater Rockford area!

Steve will be sharing his unique and encouraging insights on family life. Steve and his wife have raised four sons by God’s grace. He has worked as a math teacher and a pastor, but many know him as the author and founder of Math-U-See.

The desire of Steve’s heart is to see a balanced bilblical view of the family restored. We are very excited to hear from a man who has seen first hand how our homes and families can be impacted by the love and grace of our Savior.

Check out their website for all of the details about this family discipleship seminar.

This event is an exciting first for ICHE.
If you cannot attend in person, we are offering a live webstream of the event!

To view the live webstream, register online and check the box that says live stream at the end of the registration form. You will receive an email shortly before the event with instructions on accessing the website and video stream.

Evolution presentation

Information from the Midwest Creation Fellowship:

Is Evolution True? The Field Museum’s Proof

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

6:45 p.m. — Refreshments

7:00 – 8:30 p.m. — Presentation and Q&A

The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago states unequivocally that evolution is one of the best-proven theories of science. Come and assess for yourself the quality of the evidence that the Field presents to support their view. You may be surprised.

Presented By: Mr. Jim Orme frequently visits the Field Museum, and is the author of “Evolution: Fact or Fiction?,” one of the Field Museum guides on this website. Jim retired after 34 years as a systems analyst and developer for Bell Labs, AT&T and Tellabs. His responsibilities were as varied as the simulation of a spy satellite system, analysis of telecommunications traffic, development of real-time operator systems, and development of domestic and international telecommunication standards. more

Location: 25W560 Geneva Road, Carol Stream, IL

No charge. We also plan to have light refreshements, and a table of resources for sale.

For more information, call 630-702-9061 or email wscmcf@hotmail.com.

Homeschool mom’s Midwinter Renewal

From Illinois Christian Home Educators:

ICHE Ladies’ Midwinter Renewal

II Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to bless you abundantly,

so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

When: January 28, 2012

Time: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Cost: $25.00 per person, $50.00 per immediate family

Where:

Aurora Christian School

2255 Sullivan Road

Aurora, Illinois 60506

We are blessed to have Tracy Klicka as our speaker.

klicka

Tracy is the widow of Christopher Klicka, who was Senior Counsel of Home School Legal Defense Association. Married 21 years, they were blessed with seven children, whom they homeschooled since their birth. Through many trials over the years (including the near-death of their twins during her pregnancy and Chris’ struggles with multiple sclerosis), Tracy has learned firsthand what walking by faith is all about. She has seen over and over again the outpouring of God’s grace in her life, and the precious importance of the Scriptures in sustaining and empowering believers. Her message for moms is one of hope and joy in God, who is able to make all grace abound to us (II Corinthians 9:8). She has written dozens of articles, has been interviewed on both national and international media, and has spoken at numerous state home school conventions to encourage women to see God’s faithfulness as they take him at His Word.

We are planning a special day for you. It begins at 8:00 a.m. with check in and a coffee time for fellowship followed by speaker sessions at 9:00 a.m. During the day, you will be challenged in your walk with the Lord, enjoy the blessings of fellowship, and partake of a delicious brunch served by wonderful volunteers. The last session will be finished by 3:00 p.m. We want you to be encouraged to trust in the Lord as He leads you down the path He has chosen for you. Daughters ages 12 and over are encouraged to attend with their mothers.

Invite a friend, and register now at www.iche.org . The registration deadline is January 21, 2012. Please be praying for our ICHE Ladies’ Midwinter Renewal and for our speaker, Tracy Klicka. We are so much looking forward to seeing you later this month.

Blessings,

The ICHE Ladies’ Midwinter Renewal Committee

Total lunar eclipse coming

Unless you are traveling out of the Chicago area you will miss the “total” part of the eclipse, but you might still be able to catch a rare viewing of both the sun and the eclipsing moon. This chart gives you the time to be looking (7:05 a.m. for us):

For more info on this special eclipse, check out space.com

SciTech happenings

Drop & Shop Days

Friday Nov. 25, $65

Sunday Dec. 4th $50

Sunday Dec. 11th $50

from 9 am to 3 pm
Before and after care available!

Drop off your kids off at SciTech Museum in Aurora. You hit the mall and shop for the holidays while the Kids have fun at SciTech Museum!

Fun, food and “edutainment” for less than the cost of a babysitter! Learn More

December’s “Can’t Miss” Event!

Murder at SciTech Cafe
Dec. 9 6:30 pm
Individual Tickets for $75
Sponsor Table $1,000

A film noir spoof! Buy a ticket or your very own Table! Elegant Dinner, musical show, art show, silent and live auctions too! Proceeds benefit the SciTech Museum and our amazing new science based preschool. Buy your tickets here.

More December Events- all Free with admission to the Museum!

The SciTech Discovery Preschool and SciTech Cafe Ribbon Cutting ceremony. Dec. 1st, the Public is invited. SciTech Discovery Preschool is one of the first S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) based preschools in the country and the first in Illinois. Celebrate its official ribbon cutting along with the new SciTech Cafe!
Trim the Tree Day Dec. 10th from 10 am – 5pm
A Day with Santa Dec. 17th from 1-4 pm.
Winter Break Camps: Two day camps on Dec.27-28 & Dec. 29-30. Ages 6-8 and 9 and up. Choice of 3 camps: Ultimate Predator, Totally Ballistic and SciTech Theatre Workshop! Tons of Scientastic Fun over Winter Break!
A Family Friendly New Year’s Eve on Dec. 31, from 1-4 pm.

Learn more about SciTech Museum events here.