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  • let's play!
    • let's play inside! super active
    • let's play inside! a little quieter
    • let's play outside!
    • water play!
  • let's party!
  • let's shop!
    • kids clothing
      • resale clothing
      • new clothing
    • toys
    • arts & crafts
    • books
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The best stuff for families in Lane County

Stock Your Pantry with Whole Foods in 2017

12/29/2016

26 Comments

 
​It’s near January. And I’m expecting my third son any day now. Nursing and postpartum recovery await me, so this New Year is not about getting my best body nor any sort of diet.
 
Let’s be honest. We’ve all been there, done that, and it’s a bit uninspiring.
 
But what I am interested in is how food can bring relief to my tired, postpartum body while nourishing my new child and the rest of my family. There are foods that heal, and we needn’t be intimidated by lack of money, time, or ability.
 
And whether you’re expecting a baby soon or just curious how food can help balance hormones and elevate your mood after the sugar-infused season we just celebrated, Eugene’s newest specialty grocery store is here to help! Be sure to enter the $50 Whole Foods gift card giveaway too!
​Eugene is now home to Whole Foods Market. Their bulk section provides an affordable opportunity to try out some ingredients that may be new to you, are easy to add to your current regimen, and are deeply nourishing –all types of rice, beans, dried fruits, nuts, and lots of different grains. 
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​Their produce department often offers $5 off coupons...and, well, it’s just so pretty. 
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​Look for their private Whole Foods or 365 label on all sorts of products – Whole Foods has these high quality products manufactured by reputable companies so they can offer them at a lower price. 
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​And the Eugene store is designed in a way where it’s also just a fun place to hang out when downtown – think family date with slices of wood-burned oven pizza in their eating area, happy hour at their bar offering local brews, 
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​or trying out one of the local businesses housed within Whole Foods: Ellenos Real Greek Yogurt offering fresh yogurt and smoothies (it’s ridiculously good), or a cup of Wandering Goat coffee. 
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​When you visit, you’ll also find that there are very well educated team members available to answer your questions and make recommendations based on your interests or needs.
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​Currently, Heng Ou’s book, The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother motivates me. Ou highlights some of those “trendy” foods we’ve been hearing about, such as bone broth and turmeric, that have been nourishing people for centuries but are currently new again to us westerners.

Listed below are a few of Ou’s favorite pantry items, all of which can be affordably found
​at Whole Foods. Click on links for detailed recipes, inspired by Ou.
​
  • Adzuki beans – add to a Mother’s Bowl or soup/stew. They are small (good for picky eaters with texture issues) and the easiest bean to digest.
  • Bulk grains and unsweetened dried fruit – combine to make Coconut Dried Fruit Granola.
  • Black sesame seeds – add to smoothies or sprinkle in savory or sweet dishes for extra crunch. This ingredient is age defying, offers lactation support for nursing moms, and has B vitamins and iron.
  • Goji berries – infuse these to make a nutrient rich hot tea or an iced tea you can sip on all day.

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  • Spirulina and Bee pollen – add one of these supplements to a smoothie for natural energy, an easy B vitamin and protein boost, and purification. 


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More Whole Foods tips:​
  • Check out their weekly sales flyer
  • ​The Whole Deal coupon book is available in store
  • Download the Whole Foods digital coupon app
  • Kids 12 & under can enjoy a free piece of fruit every time they are in the store (fruit is located at the Customer Service Desk).
  • The Eugene store offers a private upstairs space that can be reserved for social groups, businesses, boards, etc…for free. The space has been used for mom's coffee dates (they have a baby gate), mom’s night out, and wine & cheese tasting events.
  • They are committed to the community! Since opening in September 2016, they have donated over $23,000 to the Eugene/Springfield community through their 5% days.

Coming up at Whole Foods in Eugene:
  • January 6-8, 25% off ALL supplements...some supplements will already be offered at promo price so will actually be 50% off when combined with the sale.
  • January 14, Health & Wellness Fair from 10am-2pm – various vendors will be sampling their products, healthy recipe ideas, and Eugene Yoga will be running a couple free yoga classes in the private space upstairs.
  • January 21, Barre3 free pop-up class and wellness education from 10:30am-1pm.
  • February 11, Free Valentine’s day craft for kids, from 12-2pm.
  • February 16, A Registered Dietician from PeaceHealth will be hosting a free educational class on maternal health, from 6pm-7pm.

 
And…Whole Foods Eugene is giving away a $50 gift card to a GoMomGo Reader! So awesome!

To enter:
Comment on this post with what you love about Whole Foods (if you've been there) or what interests you in Whole Foods if you haven't been yet.
You can also enter on our Facebook page & share for more entries.
Giveaway winner will be announced on Sunday, January 1, 2017 at noon. Happy New Year, right?

Hooray!

26 Comments

GoMomGo Kids Pick: McKenzie Martial Arts

4/21/2016

3 Comments

 
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Ever since my son learned to crawl, there have been a few things that were quite certain – he is FAST, agile and veeeery busy. I have spent the last six years trying to keep up with his ever-moving body. One can only holler, “Control your body!” so many times before realizing I. Need. Help.
 Last fall when he turned 6, we began a quest for a martial arts studio in Eugene – hoping to find a fun, natural way for him to learn to discipline his body. No one in my family has trained in martial arts before so we were uncertain of what to look for. After visiting a few places, we still felt unsure. I’m seriously so glad we took a chance on one more place.
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My son began training with the Little Champs (age 4-7) at McKenzie Martial Arts (on W. 11th across from Lowes) last September. During his complimentary visit I noticed a few things: the coaches called him by name, remembered his name throughout the duration of the class, and they asked the other students to help him out and show him how things are done. It was done in a very respectable, authentic manner.

​The kids are quickly taught that they are teammates and are there to assist each other. There is an intentional balance of play, instruction and drills. I also noticed the coaches were grown adults rather than high school or junior students. It is abundantly clear that MMA’s coaches understand child development and how to work with each age level to help them succeed.
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I later discovered that the two coaches of the Little Champs, Adam Roberts and Terry Britten, are the co-founders of MMA, which started in 2009. I am so grateful that they take the time to coach every age level – from age 4 to adult. Read more about their story here.
 
I knew in our first visit that we had found our place, and as I was thanking Coach Adam following class, my son ran up to me – as if on cue – and declared, “MOM! I pick this place!!” 
After several months of watching my son develop his skills, grow in confidence and just have fun in his 2x week MMA regimen, I was a bit jealous. The office manager, Holly, encouraged me to try the women’s kickfit class – so I have officially been training at MMA too. You know the kind of exercise that hurts so good? This is women’s kickfit at MMA. Coach Shannon crafts a workout that balances strength and cardio all while learning self-defense skills.
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There is truly something for every family member at MMA – even a specially designed play area where younger siblings hang while parents observe class. Also, Emily of GoMomGo will soon bring us another MMA story about her kids training in the Juniors’ class (age 8-12) and her husband training in the adult classes.
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Q &A with Coach Adam
GoMomGo: What are some of the long-term benefits of a student training in Jeet Kune Do and Gracie Jiu Jitsu? What other training styles do students learn and how do they differ?
Coach Adam: McKenzie Martial Arts is a self-defense school. We are the only school teaching both Bruce Lee's contemporary Jeet Kune Do and Gracie Jiu Jitsu. Everything we teach is 100% intended for, and applicable to real life street defense and bully defense. We are grateful that there are traditional studios in our community that carry on the time-honored customs of Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Kung Fu, etc. but what we teach at MMA is fighting concepts. Everyone that leaves our school will be able to realistically defend themselves regardless of their age, size or ability. 

GoMomGo: Your motto is "keep it playful." Can you explain that?
Coach Adam: This is an amazing motto that comes from our Gracie Jiu Jitsu family. It truly embodies the lifestyle and attitude at McKenzie Martial Arts. There is a certain level of intensity and seriousness that is inherent with self-defense and combat sports. Most people can easily match this intensity and "KeepitReal", but we want to instill in our students a training philosophy that will keep you on the mats for a lifetime. Life is serious, "KeepitPlayful" is a good reminder to us all to have fun and stay safe! 

GoMomGo: MMA consistently has been voted top martial arts studio by the Register Guard...what do you suppose are some of the reasons MMA stands out?
Coach Adam: We are excited to announce that we were just again voted the 2016 top Martial Arts Studio in Lane County! We have been honored with this award every year since we have opened our doors and are humbled each time by this amazing community recognition. We believe that we stand out from other martial arts schools because of our realistic and contemporary approach. We truly have a unique system that appeals to much of our community.

​GoMomGo: Anything else you'd want families who are new to martial arts to know?
Coach Adam: McKenzie Martial Arts is truly dedicated to empowering our community. We believe that the stronger we are as individuals, the stronger we are as a whole. We hope that everyone has a chance at some point to come "KeepitPlayful" with us!

Thanks, Adam! So great to hear all about McKenzie Martial Arts!

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NEW/PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS -- MMA wants to invite you to come visit! Simply show up 10 minutes early for the class you want to visit and talk with a coach or staff at the front desk to get started. Mention GoMomGo referred you - if you join by May 21, you will get 50% off enrollment fee.
Current MMA Schedule. 
​Also, visit their FAQ page for more helpful info.

CURRENT STUDENTS – mention you read the GoMomGo article and get 10% off in the pro shop through May 21.

Be sure to check out MMA's awesome summer camps, too. They have an early bird discount through June 20. Such a perfect way to get your kids moving & learning this summer!
3 Comments

Business of the Month Part II: Field Trip Report

5/22/2015

3 Comments

 
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...AND Last Chance to enter The Dancing Weasel Giveaway!

This month we are featuring The Dancing Weasel Toy Store as our business of the month. You can read interview from mother-daughter owners here, and now get a first hand report of what a visit to their store is like!

Getting there and basic info:
Whenever I hear a business is downtown, I hesitate before bringing my two-year old along. I assume the trip will include a half-hour or so of cruising the one-way streets while trying to dodge metered parking and then tweaking my back as I wrangle my toddler down a busy sidewalk…but The Dancing Weasel has their own private, easily accessible and safe lot. A relief!

Days/Hours: 
Monday-Saturday: 10am to 5:30pm, Sunday: 11am to 5pm

Location: 
30 E. 17th Ave., Eugene, Oregon 97401
(Between Willamette and Oak, right across the street from Brails Restaurant.)

Store experience:
Speaking of toddlers, I also don’t sign up to bring him to an unfamiliar store on my first visit. You just never know when the doe-eyed sweet face will turn Incredible Hulk and send his wrath out on a beautifully executed store display.

However, I told myself, this is a toy store for goodness sake, I’m sure they’re familiar with toddlers.

And yes, they were ready for my little Hulk. He innocently plucked a few things from the shelves to check them out before toddling back to the well-planned out play area in the back of the store. There was a large table with toys for him to peruse, books to thumb through, and a couple ride-on toys to try out. He was completely satisfied and mesmerized, and I got to do my own toy shopping for an upcoming birthday party.

Aya was manning the store that day and was full of ideas for my gift. The items they carry come at all sorts of price-points and I was able to get a thoughtful, creative gift for under ten bucks. 

AND, they gift-wrap. For FREE.

A few other things I loved about my visit?

  • They have NO commercial products in their store. No Elsa. No Avengers. Just well-researched, thoughtful products – some of which you can try out at the store. It’s a very hands-on kind of place. 
  • They have an ongoing calendar of events and activities that cater to kids and their parents. Story-time, holiday events, music-time, etc. Check out their online calendar for details. They always host a story or music time at 11AM on Thursdays plus lots of special events and sales throughout the year. 
  • Danita and Aya are awesome and generous and do all sorts of things to help kids in Lane County. They also have agreed to giveaway a few of their products to three GoMomGo readers! 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Comment below with your mom super-hero name, and the three winners will be announced MONDAY, May 25. 
If you entered in Post I, no need to enter again.

If you win, rush on down to The Dancing Weasel as prizes are first come, first pick, and you have seven days to claim your gift! Gifts are pictured below. Good luck!


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3 Comments

Review & Giveaway: VeggieTales Noah's Ark

2/27/2015

17 Comments

 
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By Megan

We are fans of vegetables at our house - especially ones that sing, dance, and don't have to be consumed at suppertime. This means that the VeggieTales shows are usually well received by my four year old. The new 48 minute story of Noah's Ark is no exception. 

Maybe your family is familiar with the Biblical story of Noah, or maybe not. In the story, Noah is prompted by God to build a giant boat to save his family, the animals, and himself, from a massive flood. Understandably, doing so took an extraordinary amount of faith on Noah's behalf. This DVD explores what it means to trust God and His promises even when you have different ideas about what you think should be happening in your life. This is a super applicable message for kids, and Noah is a very relatable figure with all of his animals and tools and silly songs (note: the silly songs are NOT actually in the Bible). :) 

I don't always love kid's movies and shows - my kiddo might, but often I find myself annoyed at bad graphics and obnoxious songs that won't. leave. my. head. But this VeggieTales' Noah's Ark show was really, truly, 100% enjoyable for both my four year old and myself. It included difficult concepts of control, consistency, faith, and patience, which were addressed in a very approachable fashion. There were some clever references that flew right over the head of my kiddo but that made me chuckle - nods to "hammer time", gluten free diets, and Titanic were all subtly thrown into the mix. But they felt pretty natural, you know? Not like a desperate "we're trying to make this humorous for all ages, do you get it??" plea.
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There were some elements added to the story for dramatic measure that aren't in the Biblical account of Noah - for example, I'm pretty sure that there were no giant squid attacking the ark. Also, I am 100% positive that the actual ark did not include a gym, spa, or kareoke lounge. But the overall message of trusting God even when your life seems confusing is solid. The show includes seven catchy new songs and features Wayne Brady (random right?). The length of the show is perfect, in my opinion - longer than the 22ish minutes of a single kid's show (who can get anything done in that time??) but not an entire hour (insert guilt for letting my kid's brain melt to mush). Apart from some really overly cartoon-y animals (why do all of them have giant, sad eyes?), I thought Noah's Ark was really worth the watch. 

My little is SUPER obsessed with a certain oceanic show right now (Do you know everything about every ocean creature ever? Because I do. Thank you Octonauts.) so I was pretty surprised when he asked to watch Noah's Ark again during our TV time the next day. Anything that breaks the routine of "Creature Report" while also teaching my little about God's trustworthiness is a giant win. Well done, VeggieTales!
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Thanks, Megan! It sounds super cute!

We are super pumped to give away a Free copy of VeggieTales Noah's Ark today on GoMomGo!

In the comments tell us your kiddo's favorite vegetable (& if you prepare or serve it in a certain way we would love to know about that, too.) & you're entered!

Winner chosen
Saturday, February 28 at 10pm

Hooray!

17 Comments

Giveaway! Beethoven's Treasure Tail DVD

10/27/2014

2 Comments

 
Today we're super excited to announce an awesome giveaway! Universal Home Entertainment is offering 10 families a free DVD of their new movie Beethoven's Treasure Tail!
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Comment below with your favorite family movie. You'll be entered to win a DVD (plus we'll all have a bunch of fun movies to add to our lists!).

Beethoven's Treasure Tail...
Get ready to howl with laughter in this all-new family comedy starring America's favorite St. Bernard, the one and only Beethoven! After a doggone disaster of a movie shoot, the big-hearted pooch and his trainer, Eddie (Jonathan Silverman, Beethoven's Big Break), are heading home when they get stranded in a small coastal village. When Beethoven befriends a local boy (Bretton Manley), he helps him find a pirate map to lost treasure and together they em-bark on an adventure that brings the whole town together. Co-starring Morgan Fairchild (Flamingo Road), Kristy Swanson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Bretton Manley (Ted), and Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator), it's a heartwarming "tail" about finding fun wherever your nose leads you.

Comment on our Facebook post, too, for more chances to win!

We'll announce the winners Tuesday October 28 on our Facebook page!

2 Comments

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  • home
  • StayMomStay
  • calendar
  • seasonal fun
  • let's eat!
  • let's play!
    • let's play inside! super active
    • let's play inside! a little quieter
    • let's play outside!
    • water play!
  • let's party!
  • let's shop!
    • kids clothing
      • resale clothing
      • new clothing
    • toys
    • arts & crafts
    • books
  • let's learn!
    • dance classes
    • martial arts
    • sports
    • arts & crafts classes
    • gymnastics
    • yoga classes
    • music classes
    • more classes
    • child care
  • blog
  • advertise
    • advertise
  • newsletter
  • contact us
  • payments
  • add an event
  • GoMomGo...PNW