Virginia is for Kids!

I was practically raised in an airport.  Well, not really, but for a large part of my life, I have spent time in the airport.  My father worked for the FAA and after I graduated from college, I became a Flight Attendant.  Needless to say, I have always been partial to flying….until recently.

The last time my son and I flew together, he was “selected” by TSA for inspection.  Yes, my 7 year old son who has been flying without terrorizing since he was 3 months old.  Between that and now having to pay for luggage to be checked, I’ve become very frustrated with the whole flying experience.

So, when we decided to take a trip to New York, we opted to take the Amtrak train.

The booking experience was quick and painless online.  With our AAA discount, the tickets were only $177 round trip for the two of us to travel from Lynchburg to Penn Station on Amtrak’s Northeast Regional.

While we arrived at the train station about an hour prior to our train departure, we learned as other’s arrived that it is really not necessary to be there so early.  We also learned that while Amtrak has a very liberal baggage policy, it’s best to pack a bag that’s easy to manage as you need to lug it onto this train yourself.

Our seats were spacious and comfy with lots of legroom.  We were both excited to see an electrical outlet next to our seats for all the electronic “toys” we had with us.  We didn’t use those toys for the first few hours though as the scenery heading north through Virginia was beautiful.  We passed pieces of history where there once was a thriving train industry.  We climbed mountains and crossed scenic rivers.  As we approached Washington DC, we had a great view of the Washington Monument.

Unfortunately, as we headed further north, the scenery became, well, not-so-scenic.  At that point, we headed to the dining car where there was a nice assortment of pre-made food at very reasonable prices.  In addition, I was able to get work done (thanks to my wifi card – Amtrak does not have wifi service on all of their trains) and answer business calls.  G had a great time watch videos, playing games and took a long nap.

Our trip to NYC took about 7 hours.  Overall, we found it to be a very low-stress and pleasant experience.  I hope to see Amtrak expand service to others areas in the Commonwealth – especially those areas that were once thriving railroad towns.  Beginning July 20th, Amtrak will begin daily round-trip service between Richmond and Washington DC.

The Commonwealth of Virginia is currently subsidizing some of the Amtrak routes in Virginia.  If the trains meet ridership goals, then service will continue and possibly expand.  Per recent news releases, expansion plans include Hampton Roads and Roanoke markets.

Families in a Blacksburg neighborhood are looking for your vote. They are one of ten national finalists for the KaBOOM! Promote Your Project Design Contest, a national competition hosted by the non-profit playground builder KaBOOM!.

Over 800,000 communities submitted playground designs for the contest, and now the Mt. Tabor Meadows Commons project is in the finals for up to $5,000 in playground equipment grants! Now the first-, second-, and third-place winners are being determined by a public vote.

Neighborhood resident Beth Lohman said the project started when the homeowners’ association got together to figure out what to do with the common space in their neighborhood.

“We wanted a place in our neighborhood for parents and kids to gather, share daily experiences and grow a sense of community,” Lohman said. “The mission for Mt. Tabor Meadows Commons is to create a place for unstructured play, socialization and environmental stewardship. These opportunities don’t currently exist, but by working together we can create an innovative and inspiring space that may motivate other communities to do the same.”

Since there are no public parks near the neighborhood, the residents decided that Mt. Tabor Meadows Commons should include a playground that neighborhood children could safely walk to and integrated natural elements with conventional playground equipment. Other plans include a community meeting space, an urban forest to serve as stormwater management and a community garden.

The residents worked with the Virginia Tech Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC) to secure a grant with the Virginia Department of Forestry to help offset about 40% of the design costs. CDAC will use the grant to create the conceptual master plan for the site.

Justin Boyle, builder and developer for Mt. Tabor Meadows and also a current resident, said the whole process of planning the common space and working on the contest has brought the neighborhood together in a special way.

“With everyone’s busy schedule, it’s often difficult to get to know your neighbors,” Boyle said. “Because we have had to express our opinions, likes/dislikes and come to a consensus, we’ve been given an opportunity to get to acquainted with one another.”

To win an equipment grant of up to $5,000 from a top national vendor, Mt. Tabor Meadows Commons needs to gather as many online votes as possible. To cast your vote, go online click here, sign up, and vote by May 31.

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First, let me start by saying I do not make any money off the sale of Kindles.  I am writing this post because I truly believe that this is a great tool for all parents.

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.

For a limited time, the Virginia tourism website is offering to mail your “Virginia Memory” postcard for FREE!  All you have to do is visit the website:  MyVirginiaMemory, upload the photo of your “memory” (or choose one of their stock vintage postcards).  After choosing your image, customize your card by choosing a border and handwriting style.  Then, just type a message to the recipient, add their address information and send.  You can choose to send by email or by post mail…both are free.  What a great activity to do with the kids and send some happiness to the grandparents!

This came across my email today and looked like an inexpensive (or FREE) activity for the kids!  These events will all be held and sponsored by your local Michael’s Arts and Crafts store.  For a list of stores near your area, please click here.

The Knack Great Pumpkin Event
Saturday, October 10
10am–1pm

Bring the whole family to Michaels and create your own craft pumpkin. $5 per pumpkin ($7 Canada), includes supplies. While supplies last.

The Knack FREE Family
Halloween T-Shirt Event*
Sunday, October 25
1pm–3pm

Use your hand to make a special Halloween t-shirt that is sure to spook. Just purchase the t-shirt of your choice at Michaels and decorate it for FREE using our paint supplies! While supplies last.

*Parents, we also have an Adult Mask-Making Demo going on at the same time. Learn how to turn an ordinary mask into an extraordinary costume accessory!

The Knack FREE Family
Halloween Event
Saturday, October 31
10am–12pm

Bring the kids in to kick off Halloween! Come and get a FREE trick-or-treat pail! Plus, enjoy a free coloring activity, FREE Crayola® pencil topper demo using Crayola® Model Magic® FusionTM and a Make-It Take-It Halloween frame. Children will also receive a FREE balloon and candy. While supplies last. Ages 5–12 welcome.

A great video featuring one of my favorite places to visit in Virginia.

The Virginia Tourism site did a GREAT job putting this together!

Virginia is a kid’s playground!  From parks (both natural and amusement) to education (history, arts and sciences), your children will have a blast this fall as you take in the scenery along the way.   Click HERE to see a great variety of quick and inexpensive fall getaways….with kids!

Whether in Northern Virginia, the Chesapeake Bay, Shenandoah Valley or Central Virginia, there are LOTS of fun and affordable things to do this fall in Virginia.

Also, if you need help finding an inexpensive place to spend the night, HERE is a link to Virginia’s 40 Off Deals!

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

Looking for the usual….or unusual to do with your kids in Virginia?

The Virginia tourism site:  virginia.org has a page devoted to 51 Cool Places for Kids.

From waterparks and amusement parks to museums, zoos and places to see what life was like long ago in Virginia, this is a great list.  All parts of Virginia are represented so there is bound to be something a short drive from your home.

A few of my favorites on the list:

Route 11 Potato Chip Factory

PJ’s Carousel Collection

American Celebration on Parade

Science Museum of Virginia

PLANT A SEED. SUPPORT A FIELD IN NEED. AND HELP KIDS EVERYWHERE BE THEIR BEST.

Please support this field so it has the chance to be rebuilt by Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes® cereal. They’re on a mission to rebuild run-down fields across America, because kids need places where they can work hard, play hard and be their very best. Let’s help this field be one of them.

The baseball fields at Azalea Garden in Norfolk, Virginia have hosted many Challenger League events along with t-ball, softball and baseball.  These are the most heavily used fields in Hampton Roads. (Hampton Roads includes:  Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Suffolk, Newport News, Poquoson and Portsmouth.  Azalea Garden fields are the only baseball fields in the area to host Challenger Tournaments as well as the Challenger Worldwide Jamboree.  Challenger Leagues are for disabled children 5 -19 years of age.  It is important to keep these fields in great condition not only for special needs children but for all children.  Without programs such as Challenger League, these children would not be able to experience the sport of baseball and interact at such a level with others.
This field is important to the community because ti gives children, including those with disabilities a chance to enjoy the sport of baseball, learn teamwork, enjoy the outdoors and sunshine, and exercise.  There are too many kids today who stay inside playing on computers or video games.  They do not have the opportunity to learn what team sports have to give, which is sportsmanship, confidence, teamwork, exercise, and friendship.
This field is in poor condition and the fields are in need of expansion due to more and more teams needing space to play.  Improvements needed include not only the fields, but also the dugouts, bleachers and other items which also need to be handicap accessible.  The little league has been trying to keep registration dues to a minimum to allow more children the ability to play.  Due to the current economy, donations have dropped significantly and this league has always relied on financial support from the community.
This field’s restoration will help the community because it will provide a safer and cleaner environment for the children to play and enjoy while also adaptng to their special needs.

Please vote for the Azalea Garden Fields by clicking here.