I originally wanted a Kindle for purely selfish reasons.  I had visions of myself curling up on the couch and ordering a great book and reading it instantly.  But, things changed when I pulled the Kindle out in a restaurant while waiting to have dinner with my family.

My son had gotten bored waiting and like most children, was starting to get antsy.  Just to entertain him, I pulled out the Kindle and we started searching the store for children’s books.  He picked out a book from the Junie B. 1st Grader series and well, the rest is history.  In the morning, he brings me the Kindle when he wakes up and asks me to read to him.  I keep it in my purse all the time now and whenever we are waiting or have the time, we pull out the Kindle and can just pick up where we left off.  Best of all, when we finish one book, it takes (literally) 30 seconds to get another loaded onto the Kindle.  He actually has stopped bringing his DS and/or portable DVD player when we travel since we have the Kindle.

The Kindle is very thin and lightweight.  It features Whispernet to connect directly to the Amazon store and does not have a monthly fee.  The children’s books are about $2-$4 each and do not expire once you load them.  My son is easily able to follow along as I read to him and he loves pushing the “next page” button.  The children’s books we have loaded have a few illustrations as well which are very clear on the device.

Something I thought was all about me has turned into a great bonding experience for parent and child.

Current shows include:

• The newly-acquired show “The Planets” which takes audiences on a tour of our solar system, explaining how our solar system and its planets formed, why things rotate around the sun in the ways they do, and eventually looks at the planets that have been discovered around other stars.  This show was produced by the Southeastern Planetarium Association and is narrated by Kate Mulgrew (aka Captain Katherine Janeway of “Star Trek: Voyager”) .
• The three shows in the “Explorers” series.  These were produced by the Bishop Museum Planetarium in Hawaii and address many of the national and Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) for K-12 students.
• The children’s show “In My Backyard”, produced by the Calgary Science Center.  This show takes younger audiences (from 3 years old to second graders) on a tour of many of the objects that can be seen in the night sky without a telescope.
• “Dinosaur Prophecy”:  The audience joins paleontologists at the scene of the crime, excavating bones and wondering what killed the mighty dinosaurs.  Be amazed as your favorite giants come to life, roam across the dome, and meet their catastrophic deaths.  Find out how NASA scientists monitor the Earth and solar system for potential disasters!
• And the always-popular Christmas show ” ‘Tis the Season” chronicles many of the legends and traditions of the Christmas holiday season, including the story of a certain star.

Tina’s take:  I brought my son and a couple of his friends here for an evening show.  They loved it and can’t wait to go back!  Curie Hall, where the Planetarium is located on the Radford campus, is easy to find and free parking is available right behind the building.  The young lady leading the show we attended seemed to be very passionate about her work and took extra time to answer all the kid’s questions.  Shows last anywhere from 30 to 50 minutes.

Visitors get behind-the-scenes looks at some of the CRC’s endangered animals, the bird house, and the veterinary hospital.  One of the Zoo’s endangered brown kiwi’s will also be available for meet and greets.  In addition, there will be live music, draft horse wagon rides and cavalry maneuvers.  Lunch, beverages and zoo-themed merchandise will be available for purchase.

Admission is free for CRC members.  For non-CRC members, a car pass is required and may be purchased for $5.  Car passes are also available at the Front Royal/Warren County Visitor’s Center (414 East Main Street, Front Royal, VA) and at the gate each day of the event.

Please note: The Conservation and Research Center is set in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The Autumn Conservation Festival activities are scattered throughout the campus.  Dress appropriately for outdoor activities and wear comfortable walking shoes.  This event will be held rain or shine.

Directions:

From the East (Washington DC Area)

• Take I-66 to the Linden/Route 55 exit (Exit 13)
• Turn left at the bottom of the exit ramp
• Turn right at the first stop light onto VA-55 West and go about five miles
• Turn left at the first traffic light onto US-522 South/Remount Road
• The main gate to the CRC will be on your left in about two miles
• Turn left into the CRC

From the West (Winchester/Strasburg)

• Take I-81 to I-66
• Take the Front Royal/US-522 exit (Exit 6)
• Turn right at the end of the ramp and follow US-522 South/Remount Road through Front Royal and for about two miles south of town
• Turn left into the CRC

By Casey Williams

Have you had sticker shock lately at the produce prices in the grocery store?  Have you seen the prices of blueberries lately even though they are “in season”?

In the spirit of going green, spending more time with family and supporting the local farmers and economy, why not try picking your own?

My favorite site for finding pick your own produce is:  Pickyourown.org.  The site is filled with not only places to pick all over the world, but also tips for preserving and canning your harvest.  Thanks to this site, we have been able to enjoy family-time throughout Virginia picking our own fruits and vegetables.

Best of all….KIDS LOVE IT!  Here are a few tips to make your pick-your-own trip a success with the kids:

1. Try to pick early in the morning.  It’s not too hot nor too crowded.
2. Cover the kids with bug spray and sunscreen before going.
3. Some pick-your-own farms offer containers, some don’t.  Bring a sturdy plastic bucket for the kids to use and hopefully, that will avoid any spills and tears.
4. Let them eat as they pick!  Ask if the farm uses pesticides and if not, let the kids indulge.
5. Plan ahead what to do with the harvest and let the kids help.  Some items, such as blueberries, can be put in plastic bags and frozen for later.  Something as simple as a scoop of vanilla ice cream with “their berries” on it can make a child light up with excitement.
6. Teach the kids what vitamins are in which foods.  They love this stuff!  Before you know it, they will be telling you how they can see better because they ate 3 carrots or that they grew because they ate an apple.

Here is a list from the Pickyourown.org site of the farms in Virginia:  http://pickyourown.org/VA.htm

Cyrus McCormick

Who was Cyrus McCormick?

“Cyrus Hall McCormick invented the first successful reaper and founded the harvesting machine industry.  In July 1831, at 22 years of age, McCormick first demonstrated his invention publicly.  This, the world’s first successful mechanical reaper, opened a new era in agriculture, an age of mechanization that changed life on the farm, altered American advertizing, and made it possible for millions of people to leave the land and enter an industrial society.”

Located in Steele’s Tavern, the McCormick Farm is conveniently located off I-81 exit 205.  The park is open daily from 8:30am – 5pm and admission is free.  There are picnic tables on site and plenty of room for the kids to run.  They will particularly enjoy seeing the real working grist mill.

The Farm features a grist mill dating back to the 1800′s, blacksmith shop and museum, school room, smoke house and other items of interest from the period.

Grist Mill at the McCormick Farm

Blacksmith shop and museum

Map of McCormick Farm

Duck pond at the McCormick Farm

“Learn about fun and educational attractions for the family as well as one-of-a-kind camps.  Tempting day trips exploring Virginia’s coastlines and mountains will lure you outside, as will weekend getaway ideas chock full of authentic experiences found only in Virginia.

Take in Virginia’s four hundred years of history via heritage trails or get your heart racing over Virginia’s motorsports.  Need more passion?  How about this – even the most dedicated film buff will be surprised by the tidbits concerning major motion pictures shot in Virginia.  Take a film tour to see the sites for yourself!
Easily discover attractions, lodging options, shopping destinations, restaurants and campgrounds for each of Virginia’s nine regions.”

Order your copy of the 2009 Travel Guide by clicking here.  It is free and you will receive it in about 15 days.

As I attempt to keep this blog non-regionally specific, I feel that my self-imposed rule needs to be broken here.

The Virginia Beach School of the Arts was founded by Steve and Virginia Largent and is privately owned and operated.

What do they offer?

Music, Mommy and Me (ages 2 and under) – singing, dancing and FUN!  They do educational games and activities to teach listening skills, following directions, matching, taking turns, colors, shapes, instruments and more!  Since the average 9 month old already understands over 250 words, vocabulary is also a big part of class.

Preschool for the Arts (ages 2 1/2 – 5) – students attend once or twice a week for 3 hours.  In one hour classes of music, art and dance, the children learn academics through the arts.  Degreed teachers instruct classes of 8 students.

Acadamiacs (ages 5 – 11) – students learn to “Sing the Standards of Learning”!  From mathematics to science, biology to history, chemistry to language arts, there is a song (or songs) for practically every topic covered in public and private schools.  Because everyone loves music, this class is perfect for all ages, all levels of intelligence, boys and girls from gifted to special needs.

Music Readiness (ages 3 – 4) and Advanced Music Readiness (ages 4 1/2 – 6 1/2) – teaches children basic music theory, the white keys on the piano, all their notes and rhythms, composers and songs from Acadamiacs.  In the Advanced class, children learn everything in music needed for playing an instrument without the practicing involved.

And….Art classes, keyboard classes, summer camps, private lessons, jewelry making and even more!  For a schedule of classes, contact the school at 757-431-1382.  They are located on Brickhouse Court off Kings Grant Road in Virginia Beach.  Below is a coupon for a FREE class to try them out!

Tina’s take:

My son (5 years old) has been attending classes at VBSA for about 1 1/2 years.  Miss Virginia has an incredible gift in connecting with the students and they don’t even realize they’re learning!  It’s amazing to hear 3 year olds singing the Presidents in order and their states/capitals.  Last night, my son was learning how to build an atom from the periodic table (all to a song!).  The Largent’s are completely understanding of the schedule of a working parent!  There are no additional fees for registration nor are there any contracts to sign.  If you have to miss a class, just call the school and ask when you can come in for a make-up.  Easy as that!  The tuition is VERY reasonable, depending on the class, approximately $45 – $60/month.