Today only, students from the Columbia Rock Academy perform at the main branch of the Richland County Public Library at 12:30 p.m. Free! Show will take place in the 1431 Film & Sound section of the library.

Don’t forget the all-ages puppet show this afternoon at RCPL. The puppets will take the stage at 3:30pm in the Children’s Room of the Main Library.

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My best friend is coming into town this weekend with her two children (ages 7 and 5). I am having a hard time deciding exactly where we should go and what we should do. This is their first visit to Columbia. Some of the ideas I am tossing around include:

Friday

• Teen Fashion Week Final Show @ RCPL - Main Library (6:30pm)

• Coffee talk with my be-fri at Adriana’s

Saturday

• All-Local Farmers’ Market @ Rosewood Market (get your all-natural and organic produce, beef, eggs, chicken, lamb, pork, grains, honey, flowers, and milk from South Carolina farmers)

• Get some exercise with an early morning walk along the river via the Cayce Riverwalk . (I use the Cayce location because the parking is easy. I also like Riverfront Park with the Canal, but the path isn’t as shady, and last time I was there, it was under construction).

• Columbia Marionette Theatre - The Bremen Town Musicians. (This is a definite!)

• Lunch out at El Burrito or Cafe Strudel .

• Afternoon stroll on Devine Street.

Sunday

• Brunch at Rosewood Market

• 10th Anniversary Celebration at the Columbia Museum of Art . Family-friendly and free!

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Don’t forget that Billy Jonas is performing today at the Main Library.
Billy Jonas: Junkadelic Folk Music: A Summer Reading Club Celebration - for all ages
Catch the rhythm of Billy Jonas, who sings and plays instruments made from recycled objects. You can’t help but sing along!
3 p.m., Wednesday, July 23, Main Library

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• 
• Swellkid is a seller on etsy who has the coolest Retro Alphabet art. Animal Alphabet also available.

• Love these toys, tables, and chairs from Small Paul by Paul Frank. Not cheap, but definitely high on the design meter.

• I love Ida Pearle - cut paper collages. Purchase an existing design, or place a custom order. The alphabet cards are beautiful.

• Bilibo is a versatile seat/rocker for kids. It is designed to be used in a variety of ways, leaving the uses to the child’s imagination. The best part is… you can get one at Creative Kids in Columbia’s own 5 Points. Save on shipping and buy local today! $27.99 at Creative Kids.

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Super cute "Sweet Sushi " recipe and how-to on The State’s Family Ties forum. You can also see another dessert sushi how-to on the notmartha blog. The notmartha version involves powdered donuts for the "sushi rice" and dried papaya as the ginger. Candy sushi photo from notmartha and ice cream sushi photo from shewhoeats (Note: I have no idea how you make ice cream sushi. I just thought it looked really cool!). If you want the fancy dessert sushi (at a fancy price), Kookisushi has it!

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You know, those foods that rarely make it into your weekly menus, but that you know someone must be eating because they are always on the shelves at the grocery store. I can claim blueberries. Now if I could just work in that Swiss chard! How many of these do you eat? Lists of Foods You Should Eat

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I know this is last minute…just found out about this a couple of hours ago. 5 Points merchants are hosting a sidewalk festival today only. Hours are 11-6pm. Free children’s games, face painting, live music, SNOW CONES, and more…not to mention special sales in all the stores. Support your local merchants and entertain your kids! On Harden Street between Blossom and Devine.

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I want my children to be dressed well, but comfortably. I want them to have a unique style. I don’t want to burn through a tank of gas driving from Devine Street to Forest Drive to Harbison, only to return empty-handed because I couldn’t find anything that met our needs. And honestly, I don’t have that much time sans kids to devote to shopping. Maybe you can think straight while someone is burying his or her head in your legs and whining "Mama" over and over again, but I can’t. So, with less and less time to make the rounds searching for the perfect clothing items for my children, I turn to online retailers. There are a few that I love… I love the designs, the styles, and the fact that the clothes are reasonably-priced. If anyone is interested in opening a shop in Columbia carrying these sorts of items, let me know. I’ll be there on opening day!

• bioME5 (Half price long sleeve tee-shirts right now! Get them for Fall!)

• Fooey ($7 t-shirts! $15 dresses! Free shipping on orders over $60!)

• jasper hearts wren (No stores in SC, but FL, NC, MA, NY, NJ, VA, PA, CA are in luck!)

• Mini Boden (I know this one is pretty popular, but I always find something that my kids just can’t live without!)

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The Muppet Movie is coming to Columbia!!! Yes, the same movie you saw when you were a kid! The Nickelodeon Theatre in downtown Columbia is revitalizing its family-focused programming. The family series will take place on the second Saturday of every month, beginning August 9, 2008 with The Muppet Movie. Don’t miss this chance for your child(ren) to experience the Muppets on the big screen! It should be an awesome time. The show starts at 10am. $1 admission. Spread the word and remember…you heard it here first!

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When we moved into our house, we were very excited about having a playroom for our children. While I love having a dedicated play space, I hate when it starts looking stale and unruly. To inspire you to keep your playroom fresh and fun….

• Get this Today Is Calendar to add a splash of color to your playroom walls!

• Decorate with this artsy growth chart (and teach your kids the metric system)!

• Buy a Fatboy Bean Bag - they come in several sizes and 12+ colors.

• Get a cardboard castle or house your kids can decorate themselves. Or grab a large shipping box and make your own!

• Decorate the floor with this fun Playspot foam mat.

I’ll keep adding new playroom ideas so stay tuned!

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