5 Tips for Having a Successful JBF Shopping Trip

I attended my first Just Between Friends Sale, the JBF of Port Washington/Germantown, Wisconsin.  I have some tips I would love to share to make your shopping trip a fun and worthwhile experience.

1. Make a List: Before arriving at the sale, have a list of items you are looking for. The space is huge and filled to the brim with goodies. It is easy to get overwhelmed and forgot what you wanted to buy.

2. Bring a Shopping Partner: There is an immediate rush when the sale starts. Have a game plan with your shopping partner. You already have a list, thanks to tip #1, so split the list up and grab your "must have" items as soon as possible.

3. Wear comfortable shoes: The location is large and the floor is cement. You don't want to be distracted from the great deals due to an aching back or feet.

4. Compare Prices: Thanks to this being a consignment sale, there are multiples of the same items, and many of them have different prices! When you see an item you love, look around to see if there is more than one and check prices. The more you save, the more you can buy!

5. Bring a Wagon/Cart/Bag: Ikea bags are provided, but were in limited supply and high demand.  If you plan on buying big items, bring a wagon! You can also bring your own bag or rolling cart to fill.

Noteworthy points:
-Kids are 100% welcome, but if you can leave them at home, you may be happier. There were so     many toys, you may never be able to leave without bringing half of them home.
-Nursing accommodations are offered and there are changing tables in the rest rooms.
-This event is quite organized, with a lot of workers and volunteers.
-It is a large space with big aisles. (No shoulder bumping!)

Below is the Sale Schedule.

Wednesday, March 21st | Opening Day! 9:00am- 7:00pm 

Public sale day! $3 admission at door 

Thursday, March 22nd | Public sale day! 10:00am- 7:00pm 

Free Admission 

Friday, March 23rd | Public sale day! 10:00am- 5:00pm

 Free admission 

Saturday, March 24th | 50% off all day on tags with no stars!!! 9:00am- 7:00pm 

Public sale day! (Doors close at 7:00pm) 

I enjoyed my time at the JBF sale and found some great items, and I really enjoyed the hunt for a great deal. I want to thank Ammie for this opportunity, I can see all the hard work she has put in. Make sure to check out the website and Facebook page for the Just Between Friends Sale of Port Washington/Germantown.

Just Add Kids (JAK): Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure

Have you ever attended a Packy Play at the Racine Theater Guild? I grew up going to and enjoying the Children's Theater and I am excited I can now bring my children to see them too.

The Packy Play season is coming to an end, with 3 of the 4 shows completed, but there is still one more show we can all attend! Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure is being put on March 16th-18th with multiple show times, with one I am sure will accommodate your family's schedule.

Tickets are available for $6 each for any age. The shows put on by the Children's Theater are appropriate for all ages! I personally only take my 4 year old because she has more patience than my 2 year old to sit and watch a show, but younger children can go too. No one will turn you away for the age of your child, bring the whole family! There is also a handicap accessible entrance and seats.

After the show, all characters will line up in the lobby to take pictures and sign autographs. I suggest bringing a pen, and the Racine Theater Guild will provide the program to collect signatures on.

To see all show times and buy your tickets, click here. I hope to see you there!

"Soar away to Neverland in this musical adaptation drawn from the beloved novel! Join Wendy, John, Michael, Peter Pan, and Tinkerbell on a magical journey!"

Make sure to check out the JAK calendar to see more family friendly events coming up.

Just Add Kids (JAK): Riverbend Nature Center Feature

I am so excited to announce that I have been selected to be the official blogger for Just Add Kids (JAK)! That means that I will be blogging all about the kid friendly activities in my local area that are available to the public! Most will be free, cheap, or a fundraiser to benefit our community. These are topics I was planning on blogging about anyway, but now I get the privilege to partner with JAK.

I have a passion for my community, a love and appreciation that I want to share with others. I am always looking to see what Racine and its surrounding communities have to offer, and there is SO MUCH! All you have to do it look a little! Luckily, JAK makes it easier by putting as many events as they can on their calendar in one place, you can check out their calendar here. It is constantly being updated and they are always looking for new events for us! Do you know of a local event that isn't on the calendar? Share in the comments, and I will pass it on!

Now on to my featured event!

The Riverbend Nature Center Sugarin' Off Pancake Breakfast.

From their website:

Celebrate the beginning of spring with Sugarin’ Off at River Bend Nature Center!

River Bend Nature Center will once again host the spring time tradition of Sugarin’ Off pancake breakfasts to celebrate the maple sugar harvest. Sunday breakfast are scheduled for March 4, 11, 18, and 25 from 9am to 1pm.

Pancakes with 100% Wisconsin maple syrup, sausage, orange juice, coffee, tea, or milk are on the menu. Tickets can be purchased at the door. $8 for adults/$5 for children 10 and under/children under 3 free

Following your breakfast, hike through the woods to observe and learn the process of maple sap collection and syrup production.

Volunteers will tap 70 maple trees on the nature center grounds and collect sap to make the syrup. See the sap boil over a roaring fire as it concentrates into “liquid gold”. When the sap is boiled, the sap’s naturally occurring water evaporates as steam, leaving the sap and its sweetness to concentrate into maple syrup.

Pure maple syrup is 100% maple sap that has been boiled down; 40 gallons of sap makes one gallon of syrup. A gallon of pure maple syrup weighs 11 pounds!

We welcome you to join us for this local tradition of discovery and fun at River Bend Nature Center!

This is an event my family has enjoyed each year! We eat a delicious breakfast with maple syrup from Wisconsin, and then go on a small hike afterwards. The trails at Riverbend are small feet friendly, though a bit uneven thanks to mud, so I would not recommend using a stroller. While you walk the Riverbend woods, you can see the fascination process of maple sap collecting. 

So, go check it out! Great food, great company, fresh air, education, and supporting you community! How can you say no? See you there!