It’s time to announce another Pittsburgh running event with an option for lil Burghers – the 2020 EQT 10 Miler’s Kids Virtual 10! Our mom will be running the adult version (the EQT 10 Miler) on November 8 – be sure yinz tell the parents about that (or send them to her blog for more info).
EQT 10 Miler | Kids Virtual 10
Here is what you need to know:
Race Type: Challenge! Kids will complete 10 fitness activities at home or wherever they chose
Medal: YES
Swag – YES! a mini Pittsburgh Box celebrating Pittsburgh fun!
Pittsburgh’s running community loves supporting kids who want to get out and be active. We are four of those kiddos! This challenge is new and a first for P3R to offer. With 10 activities to complete for this challenge, the Kids Virtual 10 should present some fun options to get families out and moving this fall.
Who will you complete your challenges with this year? What challenges do you think will be part of the 10 to complete the challenge?
Check out other 2020 P3R events here – some with promotional codes to save on registration! Looking for a road race for your ‘lil Burghers? There’s still time to get in on the Liberty Mile or the Junior Great Race in 2020!
Below are details for kids AND parents to register. Good luck, runners!
* Code WILLIS10 does NOT save 10% on the Kids Virtual 10 *
The Kids of STEEL team has some exciting news for Pittsburgh kiddos who love to run. Similar to the RUNwithP3R Challenge, your child can earn an extra medal by completing the Kids of STEEL Challenge in 2020!
What is the Kids of STEEL Challenge?
By running three designated races (each a one mile distance), the 2020 Kids of STEEL Challenge will help keep Pittsburgh kids running this summer and fall. The three races to complete are:
Pittsburgh Kids Marathon ✅ (would need to have ran this in May 2020)
Kids will get this fourth medal in addition to the other three they earned running those races! There are over 4,000 kids who ran a virtual race in May that are eligible for this challenge – will you be one of the ‘lil Burghers who takes this challenge on?
Facts about Kids of STEEL
Our friends at P3R, the engine behind Pittsburgh’s running events, shared the following with us about Kids of STEEL:
2020 Kids of STEEL Challenge Medal inspires kids and their families to stay moving together throughout the whole year.
Over 8,000 Kids in the Kids of STEEL program in 2020.
Nearly 4,000 ran a virtual race in May.
The challenge to complete all 3 races (Chick-fil-A Pittsburgh Kids Marathon + Fleet Feet Liberty Mile + Dollar Bank Junior Great Race) is great motivation to keep moving and build healthy habits, and more importantly, stick to them all year.
The Chick-fil-A Pittsburgh Kids Marathon is the most popular of the youth races and is sometimes their first race experience. We want them to build off of this foundation of running with P3R!
Do you know what is “short, fast and fun for the whole family”? This summer (by August 7), record your fastest one mile run with the Fleet Feet Liberty Mile! It is a race any ‘Burgher can take on anywhere at any time!
With so many road races going virtual in 2020, families have the chance to move together all year long and P3R, the engine behind Pittsburgh’s greatest races, is committed to continue inspiring any and all to run in these unprecedented times.
source: LibertyMile.org
The Fleet Feet Liberty Mile has been a race on mom’s radar for a few years – it is a personal challenge to log a “PB” – a personal best – at this distance. When the race was an in-person event, it ran down Liberty Avenue in Pittsburgh – a fast and flat part of our beloved Pittsburgh Marathon course. The excitement of a race like this was high, but it happened on Friday evenings and always seemed to be the same time she’d be away for a work conference. This year, we will all be able to run it “solo together” – logging our best miles locally!
What is the benefit of registering (and paying $15) to run this virtual race? You will still get (for a $5 shipping fee) your shirt and medal. (2020 is the first year this race is offering a medal!) You’ll be part of continuing Pittsburgh’s traditions of running…and maybe start a tradition of your own!
Hey, friends. Mama Burgher over here, big cup of coffee in hand. It is day three of summer break in Western Pennsylvania and I am already tired of telling the kids to get outside, put down the electronics. Thankfully I recently found out about a book authored by a 10-year-old who gets me. In “Legends From Mom’s Closet”, Sasha Olsen shares her summer adventure of learning about historical legends, using her imagination and not a screen.
Sasha’s book is coming out in a few days, but this busy ‘lil lady took the time to share a guest post with us as part of a virtual book tour she’s doing on blogs like ours. Details on ordering “Legends From Mom’s Closet” can be found below.
USE YOUR IMAGINATION INSTEAD OF YOUR SCREEN
By Sasha Olsen
My name is Sasha Olsen. I’ve lived on the beach in South Florida since I was a baby. I have many hobbies; some are ballroom dancing and playing piano! This past summer, I also started working on my first book Legends from Mom’s Closet. Back then, I was spending a lot of time inside because of the stormy weather. Most of us have also been stuck indoors recently because of the quarantine situation. A lot of kids my age started distance learning in March, so I think it’s a really great time to share my story with everyone!
Instead of getting onto the computer or using phones, I think we should use our creativity to start new projects with what surrounds us. I realize more and more every day that there is just so much we can do at home. When I read about some amazing women legends last summer, I wanted to feel a bit more of what it would have been like to live a day in their shoes. So, I did exactly that! I started dressing up as them by getting creative and putting outfits together that showed off their signature styles. Most importantly, I was able to do this by rummaging in my mom’s closet and asking my grandma for help.
By reading my book, I think kids all around the world could get inspired to use their imagination to try something new. Last summer I also started my movement to help save the oceans, Iwantmyoceanback. So, I’m also always thinking of ways we can help the environment and reusing clothes is definitely one of them! Fast fashion is one of the biggest problems our planet deals with. That’s why it’s even more awesome to use what we already have for new projects, especially ones that help us learn something too.
source: Amazon
When I started Legends from Mom’s Closet, I realized that I would never end this project. Recreating looks from iconic legends and historic paintings is something I love to do. It helps me learn even more about that person or time period, and I see it as something everyone can do. Not just kids!
I actually started planning some new recreations with my little sister, so that we can read and learn more together. The whole family can even do it! It’s really fun and helps us think outside the box.
Nowadays when I’m not doing schoolwork, I look for new people to learn about and dress up as since we have more time on our hands. You can check out the legends I learn about and dress up as on my Instagram, legendsfrommomscloset. Maybe you’ll see someone you recognize or maybe you’ll meet someone new. Dress up as your role model or favorite legend and send it to us! I would love to see what you guys come up with and share it.
Sasha Olsen is a 10-year-old author, environmental activist, ballroom dancer, bookworm, pianist, and enjoys anything artistic. She always finds new hobbies and things to do, which usually ends up in her trying to juggle everything. She lives with her family in Bal Harbour, Florida, where she also spearheads the conservation movement “I Want My Ocean Back.” Legends From Mom’s Closet is her first book.
Family movie nights are becoming a regular occurence around our house – anyone else feeling the same? With the early release of Disney and Pixar’s “Onward”, families can enjoy an adventurous film ahead of schedule! Released last week on Movies Anywhere and on Disney+ yesterday (April 3), this film is full of delight and surprise. Keep reading to get your FREE “Onward” Activity Pages, too!
Source: Disney Pixar
In ONWARD, teenage elf brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot (voices of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt) get an unexpected opportunity to spend one more day with their late dad, embarking on an extraordinary quest aboard Barley’s epic van Guinevere. Like any good quest, their journey is filled with magic spells, cryptic maps, impossible obstacles and unimaginable discoveries. But when the boys’ fearless mom Laurel (voice of Julia Louis-Dreyfus) realizes her sons are missing, she teams up with a part-lion, part-bat, part-scorpion, former warrior – aka The Manticore (voice of Octavia Spencer) – and heads off to find them. Perilous curses aside, this one magical day could mean more than any of them ever dreamed.
Source: Disney Pixar
Source: Disney Pixar
Our family (with kids ages 5 to 11) laughed, cried, cheered, and danced all throughout the movie. The next morning, the kids even asked if they could watch it again! As a mom of four, might I say that I’m lovingall these Disney and Pixar storylines about siblings being there for each other?
“Onward” Activity Pages
Not only am I excited to share that “Onward” can be watched at home, but Disney and Pixar shared these “Onward” activity pages with me to give to you as FREE Printables!
I don’t know about you, but right now I’m loving being able to hand my kids coloring pages and let their creativity SOAR between home lessons. These have been great for brain breaks and morning work. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did!
Check Out Onward
You can buy “Onward” digitally and on Movies Anywhere (for $19.99) OR catch it with a Disney+ subscription.
The world is in a very interesting place in our history. Many of you are probably feeling like this mom is – overwhelmed, overprepared, and underprepared. Together we are facing life trying to stay healthy and safe and at the same time spending much more time at home working and learning. I’m grateful that we’ve been able to stay connected to our family and friends through our internet provider, Comcast. They’ve shared some information with me that is helpful for all of us as we navigate through the reality of life responding to COVID-19.
How We’re Connected with Xfinity
To give you a little glimpse into what is happening day-to-day in the ‘lil Burghers house (not that you probably aren’t doing the same), here’s how we’re relying on our internet provider while the four kids are being schooled at home:
Mom wakes up around 6:00 to start her workday and connect to her client’s VPN. Kids wake up around 8:00, do chores, then connect to their Google classroom, Mo Willems’ doodles, zoo virtual tours, and more throughout the day. Mom is in her home office but has to “drop in” on the dot to check on how things are going because Dad is at work in healthcare. And to be honest? Music or Netflix is always streaming somewhere in the house for much needed brain breaks.
Clearly, this wouldn’t work if we didn’t have reliable internet.
And we’re definitely using more internet than usual with all this activity – check out what our xFi app showed me about our activity on Wednesday (our third day of social distancing with work and school added to the day).
That’s a LOT of work and learning happening and we’re so thankful to stay connected with Xfinity.
Comcast’s response to help keep Americans connected
Comcast has announced their commitment to connecting families over the next 60 days with some important initiatives.
“During this extraordinary time, it is vital that as many Americans as possible stay connected to the internet – for education, work, and personal health reasons,” said Dave Watson, Comcast Cable Chief Executive Officer. “Our employees also live and work in virtually every community we serve, and we all share the same belief that it’s our Company’s responsibility to step up and help out.”
source: Comcast
Here are the policies they have implemented to stand behind this commitment:
Xfinity WiFi Free For Everyone: Xfinity WiFi hotspots across the country will be available to anyone who needs them for free – including non-Xfinity Internet subscribers. For a map of Xfinity WiFi hotspots, visit www.xfinity.com/wifi. Once at a hotspot, consumers should select the “xfinitywifi” network name in the list of available hotspots, and then launch a browser.
Pausing Our Data Plan: With so many people working and educating from home, we want our customers to access the internet without thinking about data plans. While the vast majority of our customers do not come close to using 1TB of data in a month, we are pausing our data plans for 60 days giving all customers Unlimited data for no additional charge.
No Disconnects or Late Fees: We will not disconnect a customer’s internet service or assess late fees if they contact us and let us know that they can’t pay their bills during this period. Our care teams will be available to offer flexible payment options and can help find other solutions.
Internet Essentials Free to New Customers: As announced Monday, it’s even easier for low-income families who live in a Comcast service area to sign-up for Internet Essentials, the nation’s largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program. New customers will receive 60 days of complimentary Internet Essentials service, which is normally available to all qualified low-income households for $9.95/month. Additionally, for all new and existing Internet Essentials customers, the speed of the program’s Internet service was increased to 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream. That increase will go into effect for no additional fee and it will become the new base speed for the program going forward.
News, Information and Educational Content on X1 and Flex: For those with school-age students at home, we’ve created new educational collections for all grade levels in partnership with Common Sense Media. Just say “education” into your X1 or Flex voice remote. To help keep customers informed, we also have created a collection of the most current news and information on Coronavirus. Just say “Coronavirus” into your X1 or Flex voice remote.
24×7 Network Monitoring: Underpinning all of these efforts, Comcast’s technology and engineering teams will continue to work tirelessly to support our network operations. We engineer our network capacity to handle spikes and shifts in usage patterns, and continuously test, monitor and enhance our systems and network to ensure they are ready to support customer usage. Our engineers and technicians staff our network operations centers 24/7 to ensure network performance and reliability. We are monitoring network usage and watching the load on the network both nationally and locally, and to date it is performing well.
For more information and updates from Comcast related to Coronavirus, visit: http://www.comcastcorporation.com/COVID-19/
This post is a review of Monster Jam which our family attended the Pittsburgh opening night of. Thank you to Feld Entertainment for the tickets in exchange for this post.
Our night at Monster Jam Triple Threat (which is in Pittsburgh until Sunday, February 9) was full of HIGH OCTANE FUN. With six competitions full of surprises, our whole family found something to cheer about.
This year’s tour is titled “Triple Threat” because it includes stunts by the drivers with monster trucks, ATVs, and speedsters. Our favorites are the monster trucks, but the ATVs and speedsters break up the competition (and give our lungs a break from the heavy dust). Compeitions on the monster trucks included a race, 2-wheel stunts, donuts, and freestyle.
What surprised us?
Even though Megalodon lost the nose of his truck during the 2-wheel competition, he won 4 of the 6 competitions and was able to complete all six…then win the entire event. We are pretty sure his backflip (a first in the Pittsburgh arena!) is what won it.
El Toro Loco came from behind in his first round of speedster racing and cut off Pirates Curse for a spot in the semifinals (but went on to lose in the semifinals to Megalodon).
The four tires on a monster truck weigh about 645 pounds combined!
Our row made it on the jumbotron between the 5th and 6th competitions.
Some of the judges zone scores were lower than we expected. Judges Zone is an online voting for the fans to score 1 to 10 how we felt the trucks performed.
A Family Tradition
Monster Jam has become a family tradition for us. We look forward to our night at the indoor dirt track! What is a family tradition that your family looks forward to each year?
If you’re interested in going, there is one show left on Sunday 2/9, 2020. Read our first post to get all the details + tickets!
Megalodon, the winner!
Make a Difference
Support the St. Jude mission: Finding cures. Saving children.® Text MJAT3 to 78533 to donate to Monster Jam’s support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospial and make a difference in the lives of kids with cancer. Love the “This Shirt Saves Lives” shirt that the drivers wear under their gear? Texting and donating is the way to get it!
Missed the Pittsburgh event?
The Tampa event will be airing on NBC-SN on February 11, 2020 and there are more nationwide events including the May 2-3 championship.
Review Disclaimer: We have a partnership with US Family Guide – they provide opportunities such as Challenger Sports International Soccer Camp in exchange for reviews on this blog and our social media. All opinions are 100% our own.
Pittsburgh, it is time to welcome Challenger Sports International Soccer Camp back to our city as a summer day camp option for your ‘lil Burghers! Our son Evan is a three year alumni of the program and will be back at one of the fields this summer…and he highly recommends this for any kid who loves soccer or wants to learn more about the sport.
Challenger Sports International Soccer Camp 2020
This program, which brings coaches from around the world (Evan’s had coaches from the UK, Spain, and Brazil) is a nationwide program for ages 2 to 18. Coaches stay with host families and bring their skills to further the love of soccer in our communities. We’ve been part of their “family” for three years but I still am amazed at what they offer kids through this program:
Challenger Sports, the largest soccer camp company in North America is coming to a community near you, and bringing over 30 years of coaching experience. Our international staff will work with your players to teach a fun, technical and tactical curriculum that’s filled with training sessions from five of the world’s leading soccer nations. Challenger’s International Soccer Camp offers instructional camp programs for all age and ability levels! The TinyTykes program, ages 2-5, provides fundamental soccer activities, games, and stories; designed to enhance technical skills along with physical and social development. The Half-Day Camp, ages 5-16, is the most popular program and will provide 3 hours of skill development, games, challenges and competitions each day. The Full-Day Camp, ages 8-18, is a 6 hour program filled with developmental practices, games, competitions and challenges. Register now for Challenger’s International Soccer camp and get a free international soccer ball, t-shirt, poster, player evaluation and access to TopYa!’s Juggling Club sampler! Register 30 days before camp and qualify for a free International Game Jersey!
Source: Challenger Sports / USFamilyGuide
source: US Family Guide
Register Today | Lots of Freebies!
We took a look at the camps offered in the Pittsburgh area and are excited to see a number of options throughout the whole summer. If Evan could go every day, he would. We live about an hour from each camp and usually have to rely on the Grands to get him to/from camp. Thankfully the camp has an easy (and secure) drop-off/pick-up process that works for our family + it gives them a chance to see their soccer dude play his favorite sport. We try to get the whole family there on the last day for the last “World Cup” game – but our soccer star doesn’t always love our cheers! 😉
Registering early is one of our favorite things to do because there are lots of freebies for those who get it done now:
International Soccer Ball
T-Shirt
Poster
Player Evaluation
Access to TopYa!s Juggling Club Sampler
International Game Jersey – must register 30 days in advance!
Has your child participated in a Challenger Sports summer camp? What did you think? What questions do you have if you haven’t done this camp before? Think about who you can share this opportunity with – or even consider gifting a week of camp to a child in your life.
Personal testimony – when Evan goes to camp, it is so worth the $200 the full day costs. He gets home, eats a bunch of food, packs his own lunch for the next day, then sleeps for hours out cold from the activity! Share this post on Pinterest so a mama or daddy who needs a good rest can check this out!
Our family has attended several events that Feld Entertainment has brought to Pittsburgh. In 2020, one of those events will be Monster Jam Triple Threat. The information below was supplied to us to share with our readers.
This post about Monster Jam Triple Threat contains affiliate links. When you shop our links, there is no additional cost to you. All opinions are 100% our own.
Monster Jam Triple Threat
If you’ve been a fan of ‘lil Burghers over the past few years, you know just how much our middle daughter Ava LOVES attending Monster Jam. Her first event was when she was just a toddler and ever since, when asked what she wants to be when she grows up her answer is…A MONSTER TRUCK.
So it’s not a surprise that we’re planning to attend Monster Jam Triple Threat when they come to Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena from February 7-9, 2020. There will be four shows throughout the weekend and ticket prices start at $15. For Saturday and Sunday shows, there is even a Pit Party where your family can check out the trucks up close! (Pit Party Passes are an extra fee.)
Right now, we’re hoping to attend the opening night performance, but to get there, we’re part of a CONTEST with Social Toaster to share the news about the event and need to work our way there. If you’d like to enter the contest, too, sign up here!
Meeting Zombie after the 2019 Monster Jam in Pittsburgh
What we love about Monster Jam
As I mentioned, Ava loves attending and so do our other three kids. We’ve been going as a family since 2016 and they look forward to:
Cheering on their favorite drivers – old favorites like Zombie and Scooby Doo have a place in the ‘lil Burghers’ hearts!
The dust. It can get really dusty in PPG Paints Arena during these events but the kids love watching the dust fly and feeling “dusty” on the way home.
The thrills of the skills challenge. We especially love when they jump!
As a mom, I have some logistics I always take care of in advance of our attendance. Three of us have asthma so we take our inhalers before and with us (see the dust point above). We also bring protective earphones for the kids because it does get noisy. Theseearphonesare great for kids+ they come with a carrying case and as of 1/15/2020 there is a 15% off coupon for them, too!
We hope we’ll see you at Monster Jam! Here’s some more information in case you’ve never been and remember you can win tickets here or buy them hereright now.
About Monster Jam
Born out of our love affair with bigger, faster and louder, Monster Jam is the most accessible family-friendly sport in the world today. Unlike most sports, we put men and women on the same track, truly inviting anyone who aspires to be a Monster Jam driver to dream as big as the trucks that have made our sport famous.
Unexpected, unscripted and unforgettable, Monster Jam takes center stage in the world’s most iconic venues, sporting meticulously manicured dirt tracks created with the sole purpose of pushing these perfectly engineered, ever-evolving trucks to the limit.
These world-class drivers, some generational rivals, are athletes at the core and experts in four-wheeled, controlled agression. And just when you think we’re done racing, jumping, flipping and doing things with trucks you’ve never seen before, the brand extends in to the home through must-watch content and merchandise that keeps the fun alive year-round.
The larger-than-life sport that always leaves you entertained. This. Is. Monster Jam.
Source: Feld Entertainment
About Feld Entertainment
Feld Entertainment® is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live family entertainment experiences that bring people together and uplift the human spirit. Properties include Monster Jam, Monster Energy Supercross, Disney On Ice, Disney Live!, Marvel Universe LIVE!, Sesame Street Live!, DreamWorks Trolls The Experience and Jurassic World Live Tour (coming Fall 2019). Across the brand portfolio, Feld Entertainment has entertained millions of families in more than 75 countries and on six continents. Visit feldentertainment.com for more information.
Our family has attended several events that Feld Entertainmenthas brought to Pittsburgh. In 2020, one of those events will be Disney On Ice presents Road Trip Adventures. The information below was supplied to us to share with our readers.
DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS ROAD TRIP ADVENTURES TAKES PITTSBURGHFAMILIES ON A FUN-FUELED EXCURSION TO ICONIC DISNEY DESTINATIONS
Source: Feld Entertainment
PITTSBURGH, PA (January 4, 2020)— Disney On Ice presents Road Trip Adventures will whisk families away on an immersive getaway chock-full of magical participatory moments. Featuring new and classic tales, this a multi-generational experience visits Pittsburghfrom February 27 – March 1at PPG Paints Arena. Tickets are on sale at www.ticketmaster.com.
The show invites audiences to hit the road with Mickey Mouse and his pals for a high-octane ride in Disney On Ice presents Road Trip Adventures. Exciting twists and turns await as Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and guests of all ages embark on an interactive and memory-rich adventure to iconic Disney destinations. See the world from the rooftops of London with Mary Poppins and Jack and his band of dancing lamplighters. Travel to the sun-soaked Motunui and help Moana restore the heart of Te Fiti. Set off on a safari and snap unforgettable photos of wild cheetahs and monkeys when guests traverse through the Pride Lands with Simba, Timon and Pumbaa.
Source: Feld Entertainment
Discover a whole new world and be swept up in Aladdin’s princely parade filled with spectacular stunts, magical moments with Genie, and a brand-new song from Jasmine that will render the audience “Speechless.”
Source: Feld Entertainment
Mosey on over to a larger-than-life comedic carnival and team up with Woody and Bo Peep as they search for their new friend Forky. Fans will hit a high note with Mickey and pals while singing along to beloved Disney tunes as they welcome Merida, Belle, Ariel, Mulan and Tiana to the ice. Families should be prepared for a getaway jam-packed with unexpected hijinks and surprise, up- close character interaction as Disney On Ice presents Road Trip Adventures makes a pitstop right in the Burgh!
Tickets for Disney On Ice presents Road Trip Adventures start at $15. All seats are reserved, and tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com or at the arena box office. Stay current on the latest developments through social media:
Feld Entertainment® is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live family entertainment experiences that bring people together and uplift the human spirit. Properties include Monster Jam, Monster Energy Supercross, Disney On Ice, Disney Live!, Marvel Universe LIVE!, Sesame Street Live!, DreamWorks Trolls The Experience and Jurassic World Live Tour (coming Fall 2019). Across the brand portfolio, Feld Entertainment has entertained millions of families in more than 75 countries and on six continents. Visit feldentertainment.com for more information.
