News | Twin Cities Moms - Kids and Family Guide

Google Express Delivery Service is Here: What to Know

Alright Mamas....we know you got excited when Amazon Prime was made available in the Twin Cities and we KNOW their addition of Surdyk's alcohol delivery really got you interested. So we were so excited to tell you about yet another delivery service that's made it's way to the Twin Cities! Google Express has been working it's magic in the Rochester area for a little while, but it's finally HERE in the Twin Cities! Mamas, we're always on the lookout for services that can make your life easier so we're thrilled to tell you more about it and give it a try ourselves! Here's how it works: Much like another fave, Instacart, Google Express shops popular retailers for you and delivers your purchase for a $4.99 fee. It's not available in all areas of the Twin Cities yet, so you'll have to check the Google Express site and enter your zip code in the upper right corner to check for availability. We checked several suburbs' zip codes and found that Burnsville, …

#TargetRunDay is a real thing this weekend! 10% off!

You heard it here, Mamas! Target is offering a special discount day this weekend as a "one-day event" in stores and online! In an attempt to come back from some disappointing sales figures in recent months, the move is being used as a shot in the arm for the nationwide retailer in a season when spending should be higher than normal. Here's how it will work: There will be a coupon in Sunday's Target ad or you can request that a coupon be sent to your mobile device by texting RUN to TARGET (827438). If you shop online on Sunday, the 10% discount will be automatically deducted from your total. Yes, you can still use coupons, Cartwheel and your RedCard discount. No, you cannot buy gift cards and certain branded items. According to Target's announcement, "*Offer valid at Target or Target.com. Excludes all gift cards, prepaid cards (airtime, entertainment, iTunes, and online gaming), Laneige, LEGO, Cards Against Humanity, Vitamix, Weber, Dyson, DSLR cameras and lenses, Goog…

Noodles & Company Data Breach: Check Your Accounts!

The haven of picky eaters everywhere has experienced a data breach. Noodles & Company announced today that their systems were infected with malware that could have affected users' credit card or debit card information. The company is asking customers who used their cards from late January 2016 to June 2, 2016 to check their statements and monitor their credit card information. The issue has now been cleared and Noodles assures customers that it is again safe to use cards at Noodles locations. Questions about the breach can be directed to the Noodles & Company corporate office 888-849-1067 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. Full details about the breach are available for review on Noodles' site at http://www.noodles.com/security/ Minnesota locations affected include: (source: http://www.noodles.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Noodles-Minnesota-Locations.pdf) Wisconsin locations affected include: (source: http://www.noodles.com/wp-content/u…

Twin Cities Free Outdoor Movies 2016 | TwinCitiesMoms.com

The ultimate free entertainment in the Twin Cities each summer! Free outdoor movies! There's nothing better than bringing blankets and chairs to the neighborhood park, popping some popcorn, toting along a flashlight and some glow necklaces and having fun under the stars! This guide will list EVERY free outdoor movie in the Twin Cities! Best of all, instead of just a list you have to scroll through, we created an ENTIRE CATEGORY in our Kids & Family Calendar so that they'll pop up on your phone as they're scheduled and show up in our regular list of Kid and Family events in the Twin Cities! No lists to keep track of! No posts to bookmark! Just hop on our calendar and everything is listed by the day it's showing including maps to the movies! STAY CONNECTED ON THE GO Have you added our Kids & Family Calendar to your phone's home screen yet? Just make a shortcut (check the bookmarks setting in your phone's browser for a "Home" option) and it works just li…

Teach Your Kids How to Grow Tomatoes the Easy Way! | TwinCitiesMoms.com

If you've decided that this is the year you'll take a stab at gardening or getting your kids involved in learning where their food comes from, this is really easy way to start! Growing tomatoes this way is easy, educational and can save money using tomatoes you may already have that are spoiling or over-ripe. What we love about this method to grow tomatoes is that it's an easy way to show your kids the life-cycle of a plant all the way from the original fruit, to it's planting, it's early growth and finally maturity. Take it a step further and use the tomatoes to make homemade pasta sauce, pizza sauce or salsa! Do you garden? Come back to our post on Facebook and tell us what works for you in the garden!

Fave Twin Cities Ice Cream Shop: Twin Cities Moms’ Faves of the Cities

We're moving on in our "Faves of the Cities" contest to a very tasty category: Fave Twin Cities Ice Cream Shop! Spring has (mostly) sprung here in the Twin Cities and there's no better way to enjoy the warmer weather than to grab an ice cream cone as a family! With so many great Twin Cities ice cream shops, it can be hard to narrow down the choices! We asked, YOU, our readers on Facebook, to nominate your absolute FAVE Twin Cities ice cream shop and the response was amazing! These five nominees received the most votes and are now eligible for the final vote for the 2016, "Faves of the Cities" award! Who will win? Only YOU can decide! In no particular order, YOUR nominees are: (more…)

Twin Cities Easter Events 2016 | TwinCitiesMoms.com

Last year, we posted a huge list of Easter events for families in the Twin Cities! This year, it's going to be even bigger! We're getting the Easter egg rolling a little early this time around because Easter is earlier this year and some of these events require (or suggest) registration in advance! Check out these family Easter events in the Twin Cities that we pulled from the full version of the Twin Cities Moms Kids & Family Calendar! Whether you’re looking for a photo opp with the Bunny himself, or an egg hunt for your kiddos, this list will have something for you! We will have compiled over 50 Twin Cities Easter events by the time we're done! We’ve found what is claimed to be the biggest egg hunt in Minnesota, a brunch with the Easter bunny, and even an old-fashioned egg hunt on the lawn of a historic home! Let’s just hope the weather holds out for all of them! Tip: Browse to the calendar on your phone and create a shortcut to it on your Home screen and our…

Metro DentalCare Participating in Free Dental Care Event

Metro DentalCare is offering free dental care to children in need next week on February 5th and 6th! There will be eight participating locations throughout the Twin Cities metro area! This is part of a statewide initiative to help up to 5000 children with free dental care as part of the Minnesota Dental Association's 14th annual "Give Kids a Smile Event". More than 150 Minnesota dental offices will be providing free dental services to children who would otherwise go without proper dental care. What's amazing about this program is not only that children will receive needed services but that 2,500 volunteers will spend those two days making sure children are receiving these services! True kindness and caring in our community once again! (more…)

The Permission Slip: Store-Bought Valentines – TwinCitiesMoms.com

Who else feels like they need a dose of a "Pinterest Permission Slip" right about now? Are you overwhelmed with Pinterest Valentine crafts showing up all over social media? We love those crafts too! But in reality, when you're up against a deadline at school do most moms have that kind of time, not to mention, crafting ability? Did you finally give up and say, "Forget this, to Target I go!" instead? Maybe you're wishing you'd done something "special" or crafty for your child's valentines. Maybe you feel like yours won't "measure up" or that someone else will have put more time and effort into making the perfect valentines....stop! Don't think for one second that your perfect little store-bought valentines aren't enough! They are more than enough. Don't worry about what the other moms will think! Who do we do these for anyway? For our kids or for other moms? For a lot of kids, picking out the valentines at Target is something they live for! It's a chance fo…

Where to Walk Indoors for FREE in the Twin Cities

The Twin Cities can be a brutal place to try to work out in the winter, especially if you love to walk or run. We've put together a list of over 20 places in the Twin Cities where moms can work out for FREE in the winter while staying warm and comfy! Always check with each location before arriving to make sure the facility hasn't been closed for a special event, a school break or maintenance. Some of these options are available year-round, including the summer! Not listed here: Malls without specific walking programs or special hours, but those are always an option too! Blaine Northtown Mall 398 Northtown Drive, Blaine 763-786-9704 The mall is open for walkers on Mondays-Saturdays from 8am -8pm and Sundays from 9:30am-6pm. Cost: Free Bloomington Mall of America 60 East Broadway, Bloomington Mall Stars Phone: 612-866-0850 The Mall Stars Program is not free, but you do have the opportunity to receive discounts throughout the mall for showing…