Showing posts with label Guest Post. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guest Post. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Check Me Out...
...over here, today. Free Fun in Austin is by far my favorite site on all things to do in Austin, and who doesn't love free, especially when you are as busy as we are! Pay Heidi a visit today to check out my experience at the fabulous Children's Day Art Park in downtown Austin, and subscribe to her feed to ensure you don't miss a single (free) thing!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Guest Post: Footloose in Zilker Park
It's been three days since I attended Austin's 53rd Annual Zilker Summer Musical and I'm still singing, "Everybody cut, everybody cut!" The energetic production of Footloose at the Sheffield Hillside Theatre in Zilker Park was so fun I had a hard time not jumping up and dancing along. But I have that problem whenever I hear '80s music. (When Toni Basil's "Hey Mickey" played over the speakers at intermission, I may have embarrassed myself a little, by singing too loudly). And this musical has three great '80s tunes: "Footloose," "Let's Hear it for the Boy," and "Almost Paradise."
Every year, I think the cast and crew of Zilker Summer Musical perform better than the last. For a play that is free to attend, the quality is amazing. Footloose boasts a talented cast with strong vocals. The live orchestra makes the performance even more enjoyable. And the choreography with big musical dance numbers seals the deal. It's a great way to spend an evening, relaxing on a blanket in the park, watching the sometimes poignant and often humorous tale of a troubled teenage boy unfold.
There are a few things you may want to consider before taking small children to the musical:
- The play starts at approximately 8:30 p.m. and does not end until 10:45 p.m.
- There is some violence - the main character's uncle hits him in the face and the teenage boys are always itching for a fight.
- There is some innuendo - the main character says, "You make her horny" and two characters talk about doing "it."
- There is quite a bit of talk about alcohol and drugs.
- There is minor language - "He can kiss my butt"; "Where the hell where you?"; "Can I please kick his butt?"
Footloose plays Thursday through Sunday nights at Sheffield Hillside Theatre, across the street from Barton Springs, through August 13, 2011. The play is free but you may need $3 for parking and donations are accepted at intermission.
For more information, visit the Zilker Theatre Productions website.
Guest blogger Heidi Gollub loves exploring Austin with her four kids. You can find more of her adventures at Free Fun in Austin.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Guest Post: Top Things to Do in Austin
I was so excited when B asked me to guest post for her while she's out and about, but I had no idea what to write about! And then? It hit me! Last week I started a sort of project on my blog. It's my Big Texas To Do. A Texas bucket list, if you will. I realized I've lived in this wonderful state all of my life, and have hardly experienced any of it! Anywhoodles, since B and I share a love of Austin, I thought I'd share some of my Austin to do's with y'all! I picked my top three things for parents to do with and without their kids. Alright, I'll skip the long intro, and get down to the nitty gritty!
Mom and Dad Only
1)Live Texas Music at the Nutty Brown Cafe
Great food, great music, a great time. They have live Texas music (my favorite!) every weekend, and during the summer, an Austin radio station hosts the Free Texas Music Series on Wednesday nights. It's a free concert, y'all, from some of Texas' best artists! You gotta check it out!
2)Kayaking on Town Lake
Town Lake is absolutely gorgeous! There are many hiking and biking trails to enjoy, among many other activities along the lake, but honestly, the kayaking and rowing has to be the best. I've never done either, but I've heard it's so much fun! Plus, the view is gorgeous!
3)Watch the Bats Fly From Congress Bridge
Also found on Town Lake is something truly amazing. Every summer night, the largest urban bat population in the world leave their homes from under the Congress Bridge to go out for an evening fly. Now, this is obviously something you could do with the kids in tow, but it sounds incredibly romantic to me to spend a little time watching the bats, and then mosey on down to one of the amazing restaurants downtown for dinner with your honey!
Pure Family Fun
1)Zilker Park Kite Festival
America's oldest continuous kite festival, Zilker Park Kite festival was started in 1929. It's held the first weekend in March (weather permitting) and, here's the best part, it's free! There's a kite contest, as well as a kite making workshop. There are concessions and pets are welcome too!
2)Deep Eddy Pool
Deep Eddy Pool is the oldest man-made swimming pool in Texas. It started as a swimming hole in the Colorado river, and then became a resort in the 1920's. The pool is fed from a hand-dug well, and the temperature varies from 65-75 degrees and is opened year round. There's a wading pool for the kids, which is open March through October. During the summer, the pool hosts Splash Party Movie Nights, and shows family films on a screen visible by swimmers and waders. Plus? It's kinda pretty!
3)The Triangle Farmer's Market
The Triangle is Austin's largest mid-week market. It's open Wednesdays from 4-8pm. Their website boasts live music and splash pads for the kids. It's a part of the SFC Farmer's Market, which is a project of Sustainable Food Center (SFC), a local non-profit that "creates opportunities for individuals to make healthy food choices and to participate in a vibrant, local food system." Live music, homegrown food, and a splash pad? Count me in.
So, that's it guys, that's a few of my Austin to do's! So, if you're I. Austin, or if you're planning a trip here, definitely check out some, if not all, of these amazing places!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Guest Post: Fighting Off Your Preschoolers Summer Boredom
I've been fortunate enough to have the lovely Emily Patterson from Primrose Preschools offer to guest post for me today, while I'm off enjoying the sunny California landscape with my extended family. Thank you, Emily!
With only a month or two left of summer, you're child probably feels like they have done everything so far this summer and undoubtedly utter those words that no parent wants to here: "I'm bored!" But with some imagination and planning ahead
by parents, you can be sure to fight off boredom for the rest of the summer months…and at the same time stimulation your child's learning process so that they don't lose what they have learned.
Studies show that without stimulation, children can lose up to 60 percent of what they learned during the school year. Primrose Schools, a family of 200 accredited private preschools, suggests the key to overcoming summertime boredom and the “brain drain” effect is to encourage imaginative play and have a plan in place to keep children engaged during the
summer months.
Summer is also a great time to encourage children to let their imaginations soar. School schedules can sometimes be demanding and time for less structured, imaginative activities is often scarce. The freedom of summer gives children large blocks of uninterrupted time to create projects of their own choosing that can last several days or even longer.
Here are a few ideas parents can use to keep young minds active:
1. Beat the Boredom Jar: At the beginning of the summer, sit down with your family and brainstorm a list of activities that can be done alone or that you can enjoy doing together. Encourage your children to share their own ideas
and help you decorate and label a simple jar as the family “Boredom Buster Jar.” They’ll feel more involved in the project and more likely to think this is a “neat” idea, if they participate in the creation and idea generation. Next, write everyone’s ideas down on slips of paper and as a group decide which ones should go in the jar. Anyone in the family can pull any idea out of the jar to fight the summertime boredom blues.
2. Stories Alive: It sounds too simple, but reading is one of the most important ways to keep young minds engaged during the summer. Make reading even more fun by finding ways to bring the stories to life. Read a book with your children and have them act out their own scenes that come from the book or create the world that the book lives
in.
3. Art Treasure Chest: You’ll need to gather basic art supplies–child safe scissors, glue, markers, tape, and construction paper. Put them in a special box along with empty oatmeal boxes and paper towel rolls, colorful magazines, and bits of aluminum foil. They’ll probably have some good ideas of other household items that can be recycled to fuel their creative energies.
4. Fort Building: Children love to build all kinds of structures--from small towns to large towers. Constructing forts or tents is an activity that can keep children focused and problem solving for hours. All the items you need can be found around the house–some chairs, cushions, blankets… and of course adult supervision.
5. Cookbook Fun: Have you ever shared your favorite cookbook with your children? Take it out and ask your children to choose a recipe to try. Measuring can be a fun and easy way to keep math skills fresh…and you can teach your children to make smart and healthy choices in the kitchen as well.
6. Listening Game: Lie down in the backyard, in the den or at the park and listen. What do you hear? Do you hear what I hear? Can you imitate the sound? This is similar to watching the clouds and naming the shapes, and it encourages everyone to slow down and focus on listening.
7. Camping Out: Pretend to campout in the backyard. Plan a meal, pack a backpack and set up a campsite. You might
even decide to spend the night!
8. Scavenger Hunt: Make a list or picture cards of common household items and have your children find the items on the list. You can do this just with your family or invite friends and neighbors to join to make it a competition.
Ultimately, we know every child is different, with different interests and learning styles so having a variety of ideas is a great way to be prepared during the summer months. Involving children in the planning of ideas gives them an opportunity to
express their individuality and creativity.
Parents can use this list of ideas as a starting point for summer activities that offer a balance between the freedom of child-initiated play time and more structured activities.
With only a month or two left of summer, you're child probably feels like they have done everything so far this summer and undoubtedly utter those words that no parent wants to here: "I'm bored!" But with some imagination and planning ahead
by parents, you can be sure to fight off boredom for the rest of the summer months…and at the same time stimulation your child's learning process so that they don't lose what they have learned.
Studies show that without stimulation, children can lose up to 60 percent of what they learned during the school year. Primrose Schools, a family of 200 accredited private preschools, suggests the key to overcoming summertime boredom and the “brain drain” effect is to encourage imaginative play and have a plan in place to keep children engaged during the
summer months.
Summer is also a great time to encourage children to let their imaginations soar. School schedules can sometimes be demanding and time for less structured, imaginative activities is often scarce. The freedom of summer gives children large blocks of uninterrupted time to create projects of their own choosing that can last several days or even longer.
Here are a few ideas parents can use to keep young minds active:
1. Beat the Boredom Jar: At the beginning of the summer, sit down with your family and brainstorm a list of activities that can be done alone or that you can enjoy doing together. Encourage your children to share their own ideas
and help you decorate and label a simple jar as the family “Boredom Buster Jar.” They’ll feel more involved in the project and more likely to think this is a “neat” idea, if they participate in the creation and idea generation. Next, write everyone’s ideas down on slips of paper and as a group decide which ones should go in the jar. Anyone in the family can pull any idea out of the jar to fight the summertime boredom blues.
2. Stories Alive: It sounds too simple, but reading is one of the most important ways to keep young minds engaged during the summer. Make reading even more fun by finding ways to bring the stories to life. Read a book with your children and have them act out their own scenes that come from the book or create the world that the book lives
in.
3. Art Treasure Chest: You’ll need to gather basic art supplies–child safe scissors, glue, markers, tape, and construction paper. Put them in a special box along with empty oatmeal boxes and paper towel rolls, colorful magazines, and bits of aluminum foil. They’ll probably have some good ideas of other household items that can be recycled to fuel their creative energies.
4. Fort Building: Children love to build all kinds of structures--from small towns to large towers. Constructing forts or tents is an activity that can keep children focused and problem solving for hours. All the items you need can be found around the house–some chairs, cushions, blankets… and of course adult supervision.
5. Cookbook Fun: Have you ever shared your favorite cookbook with your children? Take it out and ask your children to choose a recipe to try. Measuring can be a fun and easy way to keep math skills fresh…and you can teach your children to make smart and healthy choices in the kitchen as well.
6. Listening Game: Lie down in the backyard, in the den or at the park and listen. What do you hear? Do you hear what I hear? Can you imitate the sound? This is similar to watching the clouds and naming the shapes, and it encourages everyone to slow down and focus on listening.
7. Camping Out: Pretend to campout in the backyard. Plan a meal, pack a backpack and set up a campsite. You might
even decide to spend the night!
8. Scavenger Hunt: Make a list or picture cards of common household items and have your children find the items on the list. You can do this just with your family or invite friends and neighbors to join to make it a competition.
Ultimately, we know every child is different, with different interests and learning styles so having a variety of ideas is a great way to be prepared during the summer months. Involving children in the planning of ideas gives them an opportunity to
express their individuality and creativity.
Parents can use this list of ideas as a starting point for summer activities that offer a balance between the freedom of child-initiated play time and more structured activities.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Free Fun in Austin!
Sure, you may have seen me talk about a couple of these things before, but even so, hop on over to my gal Heidi's amazing site, Free Fun in Austin, to see a couple of my guest posts this week :D
I promise, you won't regret it. This is a PHENOMENAL resource for Austin mamas (and anyone who ever plans to visit, has an interest in living well for less, etc!)
Here's a link to one of my posts. You'll have to find the other by browsing around :)
I promise, you won't regret it. This is a PHENOMENAL resource for Austin mamas (and anyone who ever plans to visit, has an interest in living well for less, etc!)
Here's a link to one of my posts. You'll have to find the other by browsing around :)
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Where Am I?
Today, I'm posting over at Free Fun in Austin, sharing with y'all my favorite free places to go in Central and Downtown Austin. Won't you come take a gander?
Thursday, August 12, 2010
My First Guest Post!
Hey unexpectedly readers!! ::waves hi:: I'm so excited that B asked me to guest post today! I'm Lil Miss Butterbean, and you can normally find me over here. This is my daughter, Baby Butterbean:
She's about two weeks younger than little A, and she's a stinker. I swear she has the biggest personality I've ever seen in a baby. Anyway, when B asked me to write a post for her, I was stumped as to what to write about. I tossed around a few ideas, and then finally settled on two topics. Then, after talking to B, I *still* couldn't decide, so, you guys are getting both! This is the top five grossest things about babies, and the things you need to handle those gross things! So, without further ado, let's kick this off, shall we?
Number 5: Feeding Time
Baby Butterbean has been eating solids for awhile now and it's not the eating part that's gross, it's what she does after I get the food into her mouth. She blows rasberries. Do you know what that means? She basically spits whatever is in her mouth, all over her high chair, my shirt, and, most of the time, my face. So be sure and stock up on bibs, antibacterial wipes, paper towels and stain remover.
Number 4: Boogers
I'm starting to think that my kid is the slimiest baby on the face of the earth, because frankly, girlfriend's got some serious boogie issues. And boogers are hella gross in my book! How do I combat Baby Butterbean's green monsters? Boogie wipes (just like the ones B just reviewed!) and a nasal syringe. We own 5 of them!
Number 3: Peepee
Not to brag, but I am one lucky mom. Baby Butterbean has slept completely through the night since she was two months old. I know!! But, there is a downside to that. She leaks through her diaper every night. Know what that means? Not only diaper rash but wet sheets every morning. So be sure to keep *plenty* of fitted sheets for the crib on hand, otherwise you'll be doing a lot of laundry!
Number 2: Vomit
Baby Butterbean has severe reflux, which means she and I smell like vomit pretty much all the time. My solution? Tons of burp rags, bibs, a few outfits for her, a few outfits for me (I'm not even joking, I carry two pairs of jeans and two shirts in my car!) and *plenty* of perfume. Cause no one likes the stinky family!
And, finally, number 1: Poop
Poop and I are not friends. In fact, it is my one and only enemy. We've had more than one run in. There was the time that Baby Butterbean pooped on me in the bath. And then that one time that I was changing her and she had a blowout right after I moved the diaper out from under her. That's the time that I got poo in my eye. Yes folks, my eye. So what's a girl to do? I put a clean diaper under her before I move the dirty one out of the way, that way, once she's all clean, she's got a new diaper there to catch anything. Also, I *always* use a changing pad, even when we're at home, because we've gotten poo on the couch before. My couch that I bought right before having Baby Butterbean. That's another thing, don't buy a new couch right before giving birth.
Hopeully these tips help any new moms or moms to be. Do y'all have any tips that I missed?
She's about two weeks younger than little A, and she's a stinker. I swear she has the biggest personality I've ever seen in a baby. Anyway, when B asked me to write a post for her, I was stumped as to what to write about. I tossed around a few ideas, and then finally settled on two topics. Then, after talking to B, I *still* couldn't decide, so, you guys are getting both! This is the top five grossest things about babies, and the things you need to handle those gross things! So, without further ado, let's kick this off, shall we?
Number 5: Feeding Time
Baby Butterbean has been eating solids for awhile now and it's not the eating part that's gross, it's what she does after I get the food into her mouth. She blows rasberries. Do you know what that means? She basically spits whatever is in her mouth, all over her high chair, my shirt, and, most of the time, my face. So be sure and stock up on bibs, antibacterial wipes, paper towels and stain remover.
Number 4: Boogers
I'm starting to think that my kid is the slimiest baby on the face of the earth, because frankly, girlfriend's got some serious boogie issues. And boogers are hella gross in my book! How do I combat Baby Butterbean's green monsters? Boogie wipes (just like the ones B just reviewed!) and a nasal syringe. We own 5 of them!
Number 3: Peepee
Not to brag, but I am one lucky mom. Baby Butterbean has slept completely through the night since she was two months old. I know!! But, there is a downside to that. She leaks through her diaper every night. Know what that means? Not only diaper rash but wet sheets every morning. So be sure to keep *plenty* of fitted sheets for the crib on hand, otherwise you'll be doing a lot of laundry!
Number 2: Vomit
Baby Butterbean has severe reflux, which means she and I smell like vomit pretty much all the time. My solution? Tons of burp rags, bibs, a few outfits for her, a few outfits for me (I'm not even joking, I carry two pairs of jeans and two shirts in my car!) and *plenty* of perfume. Cause no one likes the stinky family!
And, finally, number 1: Poop
Poop and I are not friends. In fact, it is my one and only enemy. We've had more than one run in. There was the time that Baby Butterbean pooped on me in the bath. And then that one time that I was changing her and she had a blowout right after I moved the diaper out from under her. That's the time that I got poo in my eye. Yes folks, my eye. So what's a girl to do? I put a clean diaper under her before I move the dirty one out of the way, that way, once she's all clean, she's got a new diaper there to catch anything. Also, I *always* use a changing pad, even when we're at home, because we've gotten poo on the couch before. My couch that I bought right before having Baby Butterbean. That's another thing, don't buy a new couch right before giving birth.
Hopeully these tips help any new moms or moms to be. Do y'all have any tips that I missed?
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