Julie Simpson pictured with her husband Doug and their two children. Photo provided.Julie Simpson is chairman of the North Aurora River District Alliance, a non-profit organization. Simpson, 39, has lived in North Aurora for 11 years and is a former president of the North Aurora Mothers Club. She also works part-time at her children's school; her son is 7 and her daughter is 5. She and her husband Doug have been a couple since right after high school; he is a firefighter and paramedic.

Read on to find out more about Simpson, as well as a totally cool water feature that's being added to North Aurora's riverfront; your kids are going to love it!

Q. How did you first get involved with the North Aurora River District Alliance? Can you tell me a bit about the organization and what you like most about it?

A. I became involved with NOARDA when it was called the Riverfront Committee in 2008.  At that time a small group was reviewing a viability study and master design plan that had recently been completed through a Kane County Forest Preserve grant the village had received. I was asked to join the committee based on my interest in the riverfront and role as president of the North Aurora Mothers Club. After a few months we determined that a non-profit organization would be able to raise funds, seek private grants and advocate for projects as an ongoing entity. When the 501c3 was created in 2009, I was appointed by Mayor Dale Berman to serve as Chairman of the organization.

The Great Backyard Bird Count got underway Friday and continues through Monday. It's a wonderful excuse to get outside with your kids and a simple way to help scientists around the world.

All you need to do is count birds for at least 15 minutes from one spot anytime through Monday. You can count just one day or multiple days. There are materials at the official site that provide clear directions and some info especially aimed at kids. There's also a regional bird list that will help you prepare for the types of feathered friends you might spot.

When you're finished, you submit your results online before the March 5 deadline. You can even download a cute certificate to give to your children, recognizing their work helping with the count.

The Great Backyard Bird Count is now in its 15th year, and is led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society. Organizers stress that beginning bird watchers are welcome. Scientists use the counts to provide a picture of winter birds.

"Make sure the birds from your community are well represented in the count. It doesn't matter whether you report the five species coming to your backyard feeder or the 75 species you see during a day's outing to a wildlife refuge," the website says.

But if your family feels like it needs some expert help, members  of the Kane County Audubon will be on hand at Hickory Knolls Discovery Center on Sunday afternoon from noon to 4 p.m. to help you learn to identify winter birds. 

Editor's Note: Thanks to my friend Maegen Blue at Sounds Fun Mom for alerting me to this event. If you know any young families in the greater Seattle area, please make sure they know about Sounds Fun Mom, a wonderful resource in the South Sound.

CYT is performing 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' this weekend and next at Batavia High School.BATAVIA: Christian Youth Theater's Aurora branch will perform "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" on Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m and 6 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at Batavia High School's Fine Arts Center. Tickets at the door are $14 for adults, $11 for children ages 2 through 17. Note that the 2 p.m. performance on Saturday offers "Family Day Pricing," at which all tickets are $11 each. Performances will continue next weekend.

AURORA: The Fox Valley Park District is sponsoring a "Fitness Fun Fair for Kids" on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Vaughan Athletic Center. Admission is free and it's an open-house format. The day will include entertainment, inflatables, contests and lots of healthy activities. One of the aims of the event is to teach children and families that exercise is a way to take care of your body, rather than a chore.

GLEN ELLYN: The McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage is presenting "Kidjazz!" on Saturday at 10 a.m. The show, which features the Arts Center Jazz Ensemble, is an interactive musical concert in which children will be introduced to the world of jazz and other musical styles. It is especially recommended for children ages 5 through 11. Tickets are $12. But also make sure to consider having your child join the MAC Kids Club, since he or she will receive a free ticket voucher redeemable for a MAC Kids event this season.

It's that time of year again -- time to mark you calendars in preparation for scoring some deals at massive resale events!

Photo courtesy of the Bugaboo Children's Consignment Sale.Please follow the links provided to learn more about each resale's individual policies: Some are free to enter, others charge a small admission. Some of the events ban children, strollers, wagons or laundry baskets. Most sell items for half-price later in the day. And most are still looking for volunteers to help out -- volunteers get to shop the presale, usually held a day before the event is open to the general public. 

Before you head out, especially if you're a resale novice, you'll want to read our guest columnist Edith Tarter's tips for making the most of these types of events.

Know of a resale we don't have listed here? Add it in the comments section. Happy shopping!

MARCH

Timothy Christian Schools’ Children’s Spring Toy & Clothing Resale: Saturday, March 3, from 8 a.m. to noon in the school gym, located at 188 W. Butterfield Road in Elmhurst.

Western Avenue School Semi-Annual Clothing Sale: Friday, March 9, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, March 10, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the school, located at 1500 Western Avenue in Geneva.

My kids had a random day off school this week and I had meetings stacked up all day.

Play with me, Mom! Photo by Amy L. Hatch.I hadn’t realized that they’d be home (way to check the school calendar, dummy) and it was too late to get a sitter. Instead, my husband volunteered to hang out with them while I went about my business.

While I was gone the kids and their dad had a grand old time. There was wrestling and games and general horseplay.

The minute I walked in the door they were on me like white on rice. They clamored for me to do the science experiment I’d agreed to before I left the house. And, just as an aside, when you’re buying Christmas gifts for your kids? Skip the books filled with science experiments.

So I changed out of my skirt and tights and we made some ice cream with milk, ice and some plastic bags.

Then we ate the ice cream. Then we played Legos. Then we built a movie theater out of blocks for a stable of miniature plastic ponies. Then there was a fire in the movie theater so we had to build a hospital.

This is the day when our thoughts turn to flowers, chocolate, lovers running through the rain to reach each other and similar grand romantic gestures – the kind you see often in movies but rarely in real life.

For this week’s “Five Great … “ series, I thought it would to be fun to encourage you to think about some of your own favorite romantic movies. My personal tastes run toward tearjerkers from Hollywood’s Golden Age, but I forced myself to include a couple actually filmed in color on this list, as well as a few that actually have – gasp – happy endings!

In order of their release:

* The Philadelphia Story (1940): Perhaps the most entertaining love triangle ever: Cary Grant as the smooth C.K. Dexter Haven, Katharine Hepburn as spoiled rich girl Tracy Lord and Jimmy Stewart as the smitten tabloid reporter Mike Connor. A classic screwball comedy with witty, sparkling dialogue.

* Casablanca (1942): They’ll always have Paris. We’ll always have this gorgeous movie about a doomed love affair between the beautiful Ilsa (Ingrid Berman) and the cynical American Rick (Humphrey Bogart).

* Roman Holiday (1953): Gregory Peck. Audrey Hepburn. Rome. Not sure which one of the three was more attractive in this film about a sheltered princess who falls in love with an American journalist based in Rome.

* When Harry Met Sally (1989): Billy Crystal is Harry. Meg Ryan is Sally. “Can a man and woman be friends, without sex getting in the way?” I might argue this is the best modern romantic comedy -- I can’t think of one I like better in the last 20 years!

* Sense and Sensibility (1995): Emma Thompson is the rational older sister Elinor. Kate Winslet plays her romantic dreamer of a sister Marianne. Both are disappointed in love – will they eventually find happiness? In addition to a wonderful cast and beautiful locations, it features an amazing script by Thompson, who won an Academy Award for her work adapting Jane Austen’s classic. 

Go West readers: Are you a fan of any of the movies on this list? Share with us some of your own favorite romantic films!

The muffins tasted a lot better - and looked a lot better - than this photo would suggest. I need to hire a food stylist. Photo by Tara Burghart.But recently they returned with a huge flat of (admittedly delicious, admittedly inexpensive) blueberries. We eat a lot of blueberries around here, but I knew there was no way we could get through that many before they went bad. I considered washing some and freezing them (like mini blue popsicles!) but instead chose to check out my favorite food site, Allrecipes.com, for a blueberry muffin recipe.  

The first one I came across, entitled "To Die For Bluebery Muffins," had a 4.5 rating (out of 5 stars) from nearly 5,400 people. Sounded good enough for me. What makes this muffin recipe special is the topping made of sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon you sprinkle over them before baking. It only takes a few more minutes, but the result is crumbly, sweet goodness -- like something you'd expect from a bakery muffin. And the recipe was easy enough that my 3 year old was able to "help" out.

CYT is performing "Annie Jr." this weekend at the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin.BOOK SWAP: The Oswego Public Library has been hosting a "Winter Book Swap" all week, and it continues through Sunday at its locations in Oswego and Montgomery. Your kids can bring up to five books into Youth Services, then pick the same amount of books from the book swap shelf to take home. Either hardcover or paperback books are OK. 

ICE AGE: One of these days, I'm going to make the "Family Science Night" at the Elgin Public Museum, because it always sounds so darn cool. This month, the focus is on mammoths, mastodons and the Ice Age. Different stations will be set up all around the museum on Friday night from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. No registration is necessary. The fee is $2 per person.

HARD KNOCK LIFE: The Christian Youth Theatre's Kane County troupe is performing "Annie Jr." over the weekend at the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin. The show, which runs less than two hours, will be performed on Friday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets at the door are $14 for adults, $11 for children. (Get a $2 discount by buying in advance.)

DREAMING OF IRELAND: The Paramount Theatre in Aurora will host a performance called Celtic Fire on Friday at 8 p.m. The night will feature traditional Irish music and dancers doing reels, gigs and slow airs. Tickets range from $38 to $48 and can be bought at the box office.

DEFYING GRAVITY: The Peking Acrobats bring their show to the Paramount Theatre in Aurora on Saturday at 7 p.m. The promotional materials say the show is "somewhat like watching 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' live wihtout camera tricks or special effects." Tickets are $25 for children and $35 for adults and can be bought at the box office.

DANCING TROUPE: The DuPage Children's Museum sponsors a series called "Tiny Great Performances" usually a couple times a month. On Sunday, the museum will be hosting the Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre at 1 p.m. (Seating is limited, though, so arrive early.) The troupe is known for melding contemporary dance and an internationally flavored repertoire with live music and visual art. Tiny Great Performances are free to DCM members or free with museum admission. 

Want a fun alternative to traditional Valentine's cards to hand out at school or to family members? My son and I had a great time making these Valentine Surprise Cups!

A toddler can do most of the steps to this cute treat if you prepare some of the parts ahead of time. Here is what you will need:

• cardboard egg carton
• washable paint and paintbrush
• toothpicks
• construction paper
• small treat or surprise to put inside
• glue
• marker or pen

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