Bring the petting zoo to your party with the Barnyardigans, a mobile petting zoo and pony ride company that specializes in children’s birthday parties. The Barnyyardigans brings animals to your birthday party venue whether it's your house, backyard, or local open space area or park—they'll even work with you and your local city recreation department in finding a suitable party venue that permits animals. They're certified and fully insured, and are licensed by the Marin Humane Society. You may have even seen the Barnyardigans zoo at various spots throughout Marin and Sonoma counties this fall, including the Nicasio Valley Farms pumpkin patch and Garlock Christmas Tree Farm in Sebastopol.

Disney's newest animated feature, The Princess and the Frog, opened this past Friday to rave reviews. Featuring elegant old-school hand-drawn animation and Disney's first-ever African American princess herione, this take on the classic fairy tale is set in Jazz-age New Orleans, and was created by the team responsible for The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. The Princess and the Frog also boasts music by award-winning composer Randy Newman.

We're giving away a cool The Princess and the Frog prize pack filled with goodies related to the movie as well as a pass for two to see it. (The pass is good in San Francisco only, so unless you live there you'll have to make a trip into the city to see it, but that's part of the fun, isn't it?) To enter, send an email to contests@marinmommies.com with "Princess and the Frog" in the subject line. Enter by 11:59 pm (PST) on Friday, December 18. We'll choose a random winner on Saturday, December 19. Good luck!

Marin photographer (and mom of a 10-month-old) Lindsay Clipner recently launched Dahlia Portrait, which blends classic portraiture with an editorial voice following the mom-to-be, child, or family. Lindsay is a former photo assistant in New York City, where she worked with, among others, renowned French fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier and publications including Real Simple, More, Vanity Fair, Vogue and Parents Magazine.

As part of our Marin Mompreneur series, we asked Lindsay a few questions about herself, her photography, and living and working in Marin. You can learn more about Lindsay and Dahlia Portrait by visiting www.dahliaportrait.com.

Guest contributor and Marin dentist Dr. Steven McConnell gives us some tips on how good oral hygiene can help prevent the flu and other illnesses this winter.

Teaching your kids to wash their hands frequently during flu season is a good idea, but brushing their teeth correctly could do more to prevent their actually coming down with a virus. Just as with adults, gum disease can lead to illness in other parts of the body, including flu, pneumonia, chronic colds, sinusitis, and ear infections.

Dr. McConnell shares his tips for teaching your kids flu-preventing oral hygiene techniques that parents can also use for their own benefit:

Take a trip back to the 18th century and learn about music with eight-year old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart via the children's TV show Wunderkind Little Amadeus. This animated series is designed for children ages 4 and up, and not only keeps them entertained, but educates them about music through the adventures of young Mozart and his friends. Wunderkind Little Amadeus can be seen on KQED Kids daily at 8:30 am, or on a new four-DVD set of the entire first season (which we're giving away here to one lucky reader; keep reading for details).

Each episode features a colorful mix of real historical and imagined characters, including the precocious boy Mozart, his sister Nannerl, his parents Leopold and Anna Maria, his best friend and neighbor Kajetan Hagenauer, and Mozart's dog Pumperl. Also prominently featured, of course, are the musical works of Mozart. There's also a villain, Lorenzo Devilius, an official at the court of Salzburg's Prince-Archbishop Sigismund von Schrattenbach, who, along with his talking rat sidekick Monti, plots against the young Mozart and his family (but thankfully never succeeds). Obviously not all of the characters in this German-produced series are historical people. I'm pretty sure Devilius is made up, for instance, and I can't find any evidence that Mozart ever had a dog named Pumperl, but it's all in good fun.

Congratulations to Jessica M., winner of our fantastic Fantastic Mr. Fox contest! Jessica won a family pack of four tickets to see the new animated film of Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox, directed by Wes Anderson, as well as movie posters and furry fox tail ties to wear. Thanks to Fox Searchlight for generously sponsoring this contest.

Check back on Marin Mommies soon, as we have other great giveaways lined up!

When I was in grade school, my favorite book was Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox. I checked it out from the school library and read in numerous times, and I even committed to memory the little limerick about the story's antagonists, farmers Boggis, Bunce, and Bean.

Boggis, Bunce, and Bean
One fat, one short, one lean
Those horrible crooks
So different in looks
Were nonetheless equally mean

So I was really excited to learn about the upcoming animated movie version of the Fantastic Mr. Fox, which opens everywhere on November 25, 2009. You can also imagine how excited I was when Fox Searchlight generously agreed to sponsor a Fantastic Mr. Fox contest on Marin Mommies! We're offering one lucky winner a family pack of four tickets to see this fantastic new movie, which Salon.com audaciously declares to be "Better than Pixar." But wait, that's not all! The winner will also receive four movie posters and four furry fox tail ties to wear.

All you have to do is send an email to contests@marinmommies.com with "Fantastic Mr. Fox" in the subject line. You'll have until 11:59 pm on Wednesday, November 25, to submit your entry, and we'll select a winner at random and announce the results on Friday, November 27. (As always, we promise not to use your email in any way other than to notify you if you've won.)

Marin mom and artist Colleen Proppé paints Marin County landscapes, as well as cycling scenes and commissioned portraits, all in her signature plein air style. Her work can be viewed in venues and exhibitions throughout the county, and on her website at www.cproppe.com. Colleen took some time to answer some questions about her art, her inspirations, and living in Marin.

Please tell us a little about yourself and your background. How did you get started in painting?

I was born near the University of Connecticut in 1968, where my father was studying for his doctorate in education, and my mother was a nurse. I started drawing and painting when I was 3 years old. My first portrait was of "The Banana Man" on Captain Kangaroo.

We had an easel outside in the summer, and my mom encouraged me with a great appreciation for my work. I imagine it kept me quiet and out of trouble!