Showing posts with label parks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parks. Show all posts

Thursday, August 4, 2011

looking for a new park?

If you want your kids to smile this big, take them to the park at Mary Munford. I think I'd heard it was good, but it wasn't until I read this post that I decided to try it out.
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It has musical instruments.
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A cool little house.
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And tires. Joaquin couldn't decide if he should crawl on it, or through it. A spider inside helped him make up his mind.
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He really was having a great time despite his face. Check out these steps...they wobble back and forth.
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One side is all wood, and the other is metal and plastic. Still fun.
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Do they look alike, or is it just me?
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Joaquin found a nice cooling off spot. Bring your water and have a great time!
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Monday, August 1, 2011

choo choo!!

Watch out for that runaway train!!

Elementary schools have the coolest playgrounds.
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Thursday, July 28, 2011

feed the birds

We headed out to the park the other day and realized we even had some crackers in the car to feed the ducks.

(A note about the crackers...I've stopped buying crackers for many months, but this week, I bought some plain, ol' Saltines. Checked the box, they had the least, but pronounceable ingredients. When I let the kids try them, they LOVED them. Joaquin said: "Mom! Where did you GET these???They're delicious!!")

Anyways, apparently the ducks thought the same thing! We were immediately surrounded.
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Joaquin liked the hand feeding.
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Yes, it hurts!!
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There was only one brave soul that dared hop up onto the table.
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Is it me, or does this remind you of Mr. Popper's Penguins?
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It's so hard to get a picture of the three of them. Diego's just a little short.
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We headed over to the sand pit after that...Diego is always very concentrated around sand.
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And for a bit, their imaginations returned. The sharks were circling the ship and no one could slide off into the water. It's been a while since I've seen them play like that. So sweet.
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Diego finally got a turn as captain.
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Then it was time to go!
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Monday, April 25, 2011

Holy Week... filled with sadness, tears, triumph, love, excitement, wonder, joy.
Our Spring Break... filled with the same, but not necessarily the same order.


The highlight was probably our impromptu trip to Forest Hill Park. The big boys rode their bikes on the trails, on and off road!

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Joaquin even wanted to ride across this bridge! I had to say no way. Am I the only voice of reason in this family?
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Meanwhile, the rest of us enjoyed Mother Nature's spring show.
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I think other people love this park, too.
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Oh! And Isabela got a haircut...first she did it herself, then we took her to the shop. I actually liked what she had done on the soccer field with a pair of scissors, but somehow it morphed into something scary later on, so we had to get bangs. Bangs make her hair so much easier!
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WORLD OF MIRTH. If you haven't been here, it's definitely the funnest toy store ever. Make sure you don't bring your purse if you don't want to buy anything, or else everyone will come out with a bag.
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Then we headed across the street to The Byrd Theater which was playing Gnomio and Juliet. The whole family got to see the movie, eat a huge popcorn and a drink for only $17. Definitely a deal these days.

And that was just Day One.

A FUN BUY.
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I came across this typewriter in a thrift store...the same kind my mom owned when I was little. The kids have been fascinated with it...and while I had great ideas of them practicing their spelling words and writing to their penpals on it, it turns out the C, E, P, J, and R don't work. Some of those letters are pretty important. (Som of thos ltts a tty imotant...see what I mean?)

So instead, Isabela just types up "prescriptions" as she calls them, super fast typing with whatever keys her little fingers hit first. And that's how I learned, too.
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Day Two, we headed out with friends to Pocahontas State Park.

Our walk around the trail was slowed for some reason. He insisted on pushing. He's getting quite insistent lately.
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Isabela got to be big sis' to a little sis' for a day. So sweet.
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And the only sign of the beavers was this tree. Pretty cool, but a little too far away from the lake to do them any good, in my opinion.
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I was wary of letting Diego get too far off by himself, but I was able to bring him back by yelling "bichos!" (it means bugs in Spanish). He's not that scared of them, actually, but likes to be near just in case.
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Day Three, our Aunt Leah Ann came to visit and put on the best Easter egg hunt of all! I told her to make it hard for them, and she complied. They were stuck up the gutters, in the watering can, under bike seats.
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I loved the rosaries she included in some of the eggs. And she even explained how to pray the rosary. FYI, they are not necklaces....only gang members wear them around their necks.
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Yes, I need to cut those weeds.
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And just so you don't think we always eat healthy...homemade donut holes: canned refrigerated biscuits, cut and rolled into balls, fried, then dipped in cinnamon/sugar or powdered sugar. There's something about sugar and bread that I just love.
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I did a little sewing...I was trying to make a dress for Isabela that took me over a month, with stopping and starting and figuring it out. When it was done, she didn't like it and neither did I. So I whipped up this skirt in thirty minutes, and that's what she wore for Easter. The instructions are here. And anyone can make this.
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CRAFTS: Mostly they involved dye and vinegar, but this bird nest wasn't too messy and turned out so realistic! Unfortunately, I can't remember where I saw it to link back.
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CANDY: Way too much.....
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...but so good.
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EASTER on PARADE:

Definitely HOT. It was our first time going. While it was fun, I'm not sure it will become a tradition.
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People, dogs, and even yard ornaments were dressed up.
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These birds put on a good show.
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And Joaquin caught a short line for an inflatable. But again, it was hot and snow cones were $3 each!
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We ended our Easter break up all night with a screaming Diego...that can only mean one thing...an ear infection. And when I say up all night, I mean I finally went to Walmart at 4:45am to get some Children's Tylenol, only to come home to a silent house. I caught a few winks on the couch before the cat started meowing to go out. Then it was time to start the day.

I think I'm ready for a vacation.

Friday, March 4, 2011

green spring

It's such a relief to know that spring is right around the corner. I know there's always a chance of snow in March, and there's still some cold winds coming to chill us to our bones....but the signs are there, so it can't be too far off. I always imagine those poor Pilgrims and their first winter here and wonder if they thought it would ever end. It does.

And so...pictures from a wonderful park in Alexandria, VA called Green Spring Gardens. It's similar to Lewis Ginter, but on a smaller scale...and best of all...it's FREE!


Out back is their children's garden, with cute tables...


...winding brick pathways for little feet to follow...


...colorful pastel mailboxes to open...


..and all different types of little gardens. I liked the sign in this one.


There's also remnants of last summer.


And cool benches made out of branches that you imagine having in your own backyard.


This precious bird spied us before we even noticed it.


And I always love this serious expression on Joaquin's face. (I had to crop Isabela out because of hers!)


And this, it turns out, is Witch Hazel. I never knew what it looked like and love that I can learn right along with the kids.

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