Special Post

Joslin Garden: 2016 Open Garden Day

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Joslin Garden
pic from Joslin Garden in 2012

It’s always fun and interesting to re-visit a place you haven’t been to in awhile and I look forward to exploring Joslin Garden for Open Garden Day this upcoming Saturday.  Joslin Garden is a private residence inside the beltline that features over four wooded acres of rare and native plants.  William and Mary Coker Joslin have gifted their home and garden to the City of Oaks Foundation and City of Raleigh Parks & Rec Dept.  Currently, the garden is open one day a year, but in the future, the garden will be opened year-round.

When I first visited the garden four years ago I was blown away by all the flowers, vegetables and plants, little pathways, streams of flowing water, and cute garden decor.  The gardens felt enchanting, romantic and whimsical.  It’s hard to believe a private garden of this size exists inside the beltline. I was happy to share it with Ashley back then, even if she was only 13 months old at the time and I look forward to re-discovering this secret garden this weekend, hopefully with a little one at my side.

Joslin Garden Open Garden Day Infoimg_1073

  • Saturday, April 23, 2016 from 12pm-5pm
  • 2431 West Lake Drive, park only on one side of West Lake Drive
  • features self-guided tours of private gardens
  • there are no public restrooms
  • event flyer

Celebrating a 5-year Old & the Top 5 Bike Riding Parks for Preschoolers

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IMG_4304And, just like that, I have a 5-year old daughter!  Lately, I’ve been reflecting a lot on the past 5 years and this birthday is hard to accept.  This birthday means the kindergarten milestone is just around the corner in August and it’ll be her first birthday I can’t share with my mom.  My baby is really growing up and it’s hard to put into words what this birthday means other than I’m just so proud of the smart, independent, fun, and crazy lego-building-tutu-wearing-acrobatic girl she has become.

Speaking of acrobatics, Ashley has fallen in love with bike riding.  We went the balance bike to two-wheel bike route and it really worked for her.  She was highly motivated to keep up with the bigger girls on our street and loves to ride in the nearby culdesac.  With intentions of taking her on the greenway soon, we’ve been exploring different parks in the area to get her more comfortable with riding (and most importantly, braking)!  Here are our top 5 favorite local parks for bike riding:

  1. IMG_3813Isabella Cannon Park (central Raleigh, ITB) – has a great 1/4 mile loop with nearby playground for younger ones to enjoy; I feel safe letting her ride by herself on the loop because I’m close enough to run to her on foot if she falls while also keeping an eye on Claire at the playground
  2. Anderson Point Park (east Raleigh) – has a mix of flat and gentle hills in a 2/3 mile paved loop; great biking spot to teach them about being alert and staying on the right side of the trail because there is steady bike/foot traffic; provides a great family bike ride option where you can pull younger children in the bike trailer and/or connect to the nearby Neuse River and Crabtree Creek greenways
  3. E. Carroll Joyner Park (Wake Forest) – fun advanced spot for little bike riders!  This park has lots of gentle rolling hills and open trails offering clear views of the traffic ahead.  With nearly three miles of paved trails, there are different loops of varying distances and scenery to practice riding and enjoy.  The trail that follows the perimeter of the park crosses the main entrance road into the park, allowing for good practice at stop signs.  Pack a picnic lunch and kite and enjoy the park all day.
  4. Brier Creek Park (northwest Raleigh) – has two connected flat paved loops (1/3 mile total) surrounding open fields and toddler playground area; kids have easy views of the traffic in front of them, but paths are narrow; bathrooms are nearby for pit stops
  5. Walnut Street Park (Cary) – has a twisty 0.4 mile paved trail that loops through wetlands, sparse forest, open fields, and two playground areas; with the high popularity of this park, this could be a good place to practice bike safety skills

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2016 Valentine’s Day Ideas in the Parks

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20110614-063105.jpgWhy not celebrate Valentine’s Day by exploring a park or program with a loved one?  Whether it’s a spouse, friend, or special little one these ideas are sure to entertain and provide fun memories:

Paint Your HeART Out at Sertoma Arts Center – Saturday, February 6 from 10:30am-noon; create your own Valentine-inspired artwork on canvas; for all ages; $6 and up; for more info

Valentine Surprise Arts & Craft at Abbotts Creek Community Center – Monday, February 8 from 10-10:30am; make a Valentine-themed arts and craft project with playtime on the playground afterwards; ages 0-12; $2; program barcode 189906

Valentines & More at Pullen Community Center – Tuesday, February 9 from 10-11:30am; read books, make crafts and have Valentine-themed fun; ages 2-5; $5; program barcode 182523

Valentine Card Making at Greystone Community Center – Tuesday, February 9 from 4:30pm-5:30pm; use supplies to make original Valentine’s Day cards; ages 6-10; $7; program barcode 188526

Mosaic Heart Art at Sanderford Road Park – Thursday, February 11 from 5-6pm; make a Valentine’s Day inspired arts and craft; ages 5-15; FREE; program barcode 182872

Valentines for Everyone at Optimist Community Center – Friday, February 12 from 12:30-1:30pm; participate in a Valentine-themed arts and craft project and edible creation; ages 3-5; $6; program barcode 183486

Creative Crafts at Hill St Community Center – Friday, February 12 from 5-6pm; create a Valentine-themed project; FREE; ages 5-12; program barcode 180959

Kidz Crafty Cooking at Chavis Community Center – Friday, February 12 from 5-6pm or 6:15-7:15pm; cook a Valentine-themed treat; $5; ages 5-6

Breakfast with the Birds at Historic Yates Mill County Park – Saturday, February 13 from 9-10:30am; enjoy a coffee or hot chocolate for the kiddos followed by a trail walk with a park naturalist to identify and count the birds; all ages; FREE; bring a reusable mug

Heart’s Delight Cooking & More at Pullen Community Center – Saturday, February 13 from 11am-1pm; make heart-shaped edible treats, create a craft and play games; ages 5-11; $5; program code 182733

Happy Valentine’s Day Mother Nature at Crowder District Park – Sunday, February 14 from 2:30-3:30pm; make a Valentine’s present for the birds and a card from natural objects for a special someone; all ages

Great Backyard Bird Count: Love Birds at Historic Yates Mill County Park – Sunday, February 14 from 2-3:30pm; see a slideshow followed by exploring how birds begin courtship to attract mates and warn off rivals, and also what they do to set up house; all ages; FREE

Get out and try something fun:

Breakfast in the Gardens – grab breakfast to go from Flying Biscuit or Cafe Carolina and head over to the Rose Garden for the perfect picnic

Frisbee Golf & Breakfast – catch 9 holes at Lake Raleigh or 18 holes at Kentwood Park or Cedar Hills Park with breakfast at State Farmers Market Restaurant or Big Ed’s North

Run & Coffee – run along East Fork Mine Creek Trail followed by local coffee and hot biscuits from Jubala Coffee

Walk & Wine – Go for a walk along House Creek Trail followed by a wine tasting at Ridgewood Wine & Beer

Bike Ride & Beers – Go for a bike ride along Reedy Creek Greenway followed by some yummy beers at Raleigh Brewing Company

Picnic at the Pool – pack a picnic lunch and bring the family for some indoor swimming at one of the winterized pools

Hike & Beers – Explore Durant Nature Preserve’s web of trails and playground followed by refreshing beers at Compass Rose Brewery

Hot Dogs & Ice Cream at the Park – for a super casual day, grab some hot dogs and ice cream from Snoopy’s on Hillsborough St and then walk over to Pollock Place Playground for a picnic and some playground time with the kids

Shopping & Exercise – do some shopping at North Hills with a run, bike or walk along Crabtree Creek Trail near Lassiter Mill Park

Explore Robertson Millpond Preserve – bring a picnic from home and take a romantic walk exploring the dam, federal-style home and grounds

2015 Holidays in the Parks

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IMG_3193With school out for a few weeks over the holidays are you looking for some activities to keep the kids entertained?  Or do you need last minute gift ideas? Check the Leisure Ledger and gift a loved one an experience! From crafts, games, movies and nature hikes, the local parks have fun activities for all ages!  Here’s a list of several indoor and outdoor programs sure to keep the kids busy (and the parents sane) that are happening across different parks through New Years.

City of Raleigh programs (contact local park to register or register online through RecLink)

  • Holly Holidays at Optimist Community Center – Fri, Dec 11 or Sat, Dec 12 at 12:30pm; ages 3-5; make a craft or edible creation; $6 per class; registration is almost full
  • Calling for Owls at Annie Wilkerson Nature Preserve – Sat, Dec 12 at 4pm; ages 3-5; read a story, make a craft and try to call the owls; $3; registration is almost full
  • Holiday Gifts from Nature at Durant Nature Preserve – Sat., Dec 12 from 2-4pm; ages 6+; make a creative gift from items found in nature and sip hot chocolate; $5
  • Holiday Tours at Mordecai – several tour times starting at 5pm on Sat., Dec 12; all ages; take a guided lantern tour through the Mordecai house and grounds to see how the holidays would have been celebrated in the past; $5
  • Kritter Kids at Lake Johnson – several Tuesdays starting Dec. 15 from 4-5pm; ages 4-9; play a game, make a craft and try to spot a different animal in the wild; different theme each week; $5
  • Creative Crafts throughout the Holidays at Hill Street Center – Wed, Dec 16 at 5pm; ages 5-12; make a fun holiday-themed craft; FREE; registration is required
  • Cool Artsy Crafts at Sanderford Road Park – Thurs, Dec 17 at 5:30pm; ages 5-14; enjoy a cool arts and craft experience; FREE; registration is required
  • Ornament Decorating at Pullen Arts Center – Fri., Dec 18 from 5-7pm; ages 5-11; drop the kids off for a fun evening of ornament making and decorating; $10; registration is almost full
  • Santa’s Night Out at Marsh Creek Park – Fri., Dec 18 from 6-9pm; ages 5-12; monthly program with a Santa theme for December including crafts, games, snacks and a movie; $20
  • Snacks with Santa at Chavis Park – Sat., Dec 19 from 10:30am-12pm; ages 1-12; enjoy games, arts and crafts, and take a photo with Santa; FREE; bring two non-perishable food items as donation
  • Kidz Crafty Cooking at Chavis Park – Tues., Dec 22 from 6-7pm; ages 5-8; celebrate the month of December by cooking a tasty treat; $5
  • New Year’s Day Hikes – jumpstart your New Year with a guided nature walk of about 1 mile at one of the following parks:
    • 10-11am at Durant Nature Preserve, Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve or Annie Wilkerson Nature Preserve
  • Friday Night Movie at Lions Park – several Fridays beginning Jan 1; ages 2+; enjoy a family-friendly movie along with popcorn and drinks; $1.50

IMG_3292Wake County Parks

  • Winter Wrap-Up at Crowder District Park – Sun., Dec 13 from 2-3pm; all ages; join a naturalist and identify animal tracks, explore conifers, drink pine needle tea and do a science experiment; $3/individual, $5/family
  • Night Tree & Wildlife Treat Creation at Harris Lake County Park – Fri., Dec 18 from 3:30-5pm; enjoy a reading of Night Tree by Eve Bunting followed by making tasty treats for your backyard friends; all ages; $8/family
  • Wagon Ride & Cocoa with Santa at Harris Lake County Park – Sat., Dec 20 from 1-2:15pm; enjoy a wagon ride while singing Christmas carols and enjoying hot cocoa with Santa; all ages; $10/family
  • Crafts & More for Kids at Harris Lake County Park – Mon., Dec 21 from 10am-2pm; kids will enjoy hikes, crafts, and games for 4 hours while you run errands and do last-minute shopping; $16; send lunch and water
  • Fossil Fundamentals at Blue Jay County Park – Wed., Dec 30 from 2-3pm; ages 5+; learn about fossils and how to start a collection; $3/individual, $5/family
  • New Year Celebrations at Historic Yates Mill County Park – Sat., Jan 1 from 11am-12pm; all ages; learn about New Year traditions around the world and create a Chinese New Year
    lantern to take home; $3/individual, $5/family

img_4946NC Parks

First Day Hikes at NC State Parks – enjoy a guided hike (at varying levels) or explore a park on your own; here are some highlights of guided hikes in the nearby state parks

  • William Umstead Park – meet at the Reedy Creek side of the park at Loblolly trailhead for a photography-focused hike at 8am
  • Jordan Lake State Park – meet at New Hope Overlook for a challenging hike along the 2.7 mile Blue Loop Trail at 10am or meet at Seaforth Recreation Area for a 1.25 mile gentle hike along Pond Trail at 3pm
  • Falls Lake State Park – join a park ranger at Rolling View Recreation Area for a guided .75 mile hike and scavenger hunt; hikes will start at 10am, 11am, 1pm and 2pm; check out our 2015 First Day Hike
  • Raven Rock State Park – join a park ranger for a 2.5 mile hike to Raven Rock at 1pm
  • Carvers Creek State Park – at 1pm choose either a 1 mile Hansel and Gretal hike, a 2 mile nature hike through the Longleaf pine ecosystem or a 3 mile history hike
  • Eno River State Park – meet at the Fews Ford Access for either a 2 mile or 4 mile hike at 2pm

NC Art Museum

Nature Walks Along Crabtree Creek Trail Following Hurricane Joaquin

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IMG_5801As of this past Monday, Raleigh had 12 days of consecutive rain, tying a 128-year-old record.  The sun finally came out on Tuesday and it was ah-mazing!  Before Hurricane Joaquin threatened Raleigh this past weekend, the grounds, creeks, and rivers were already saturated and above normal levels. The nearly 8 inches of rain in 12 days created high waters around the area so we decided to explore the greenway along Crabtree Creek on Sunday morning in hopes of getting some interesting photos and having a discussion with the girls about the effects of heavy rainfall.  Our nature walk near Capital Blvd was most interesting because we saw little raccoon footprints in the mud and saw a wasp nest up close.  We used utmost caution and did not explore areas where water had flooded out the greenways.  Here are some photos along Crabtree Creek Trail at Lassiter Mill Park, near Crabtree Mall and near Capital Blvd.

Check out my previous post after Tropical Storm Andrea in 2013.

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Take a Child Outside Week: Sept 24-30, 2015

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Seeing a turtle along the Wee Walkers Nature Hike

Cooler temps and lower humidity means that Fall is on it’s way and it couldn’t be a better time to participate in Take a Child Outside Week (TACO), held September 24-30, 2015. Take a Child Outside Week is an national initiative through the NC Museum of Natural Sciences with partner organizations throughout the country.  The program emphasizes outdoor nature activities with children to increase their awareness and appreciation of the environment.  Here are several outdoor activities at local parks to highlight this program:

City of Raleigh Parks – has several organized events throughout different parks where you can learn about the native animals and plants in our area, enjoy a family campout, hike a nature trail, feast on s’mores and a story around the campfire, and many more events; several events are FREE or have small fees; to see the complete list visit the City of Raleigh’s TACO website; as a hint, the Wee Walkers program at Durant Nature Preserve Park is a great organized nature hike for young ones

Wake County Parks – their list of TACO organized events includes nature hikes, a twilight bike ride, nature play day, junior meteorology experiments, tree and spider identification activities and a storytelling festival; several events are FREE or have small fees; to learn more check out the events on Wake County Parks TACO website

JC Raulston Arboretum – join the plant experts at the Arboretum for a variety of nature crafts, scavenger hunts; several events are FREE or have small fees; learn more about the TACO events at JC Raulston Arboretum calendar

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Eno River State Park

NC Museum of History – although not a specific TACO event, join the museum’s garden staff for Saturday’s in the Garden, an informal tour of the History of the Harvest exhibit along Bicentennial Plaza; FREE; Saturday, Sept. 26 from 1:30-2:30pm; for more info visit event details 

Prairie Ridge Ecostation – listen to a story and take a nature hike, explore the nature play area (bring bug spray), discover the nature garden, or explore the nature trails; for more ideas, visit the Prairie Ridge Ecostation website

Eno River State Park – take a walk with a ranger to search for salamanders and amphibians, go canoeing, learn about Occoneechee Mountain’s geologic wonders; for more details visit the NC Parks TACO website and select “Eno River”

William Umstead Park – learn about insects and butterflies, discover animals native to the park, watch the Amphibian movie, take a short (0.6mile) nature photo hike, go fresh water fishing on Big Lake; for more details visit the NC Parks TACO website and select “William Umstead Park”

Falls Lake State Park – go on a spider safari complete with campfire story and s’mores, take your child fishing; for more details visit the NC Parks TACO website and select “Falls Lake State Park”

NC Art Museum – visit the Museum Park to explore the Park Art including a new “Park Pictures” exhibit; my personal fave is hiking the unpaved trail to discover the Cloud Chamber (aka Hobbit House) exhibit

NC Environmental Education – listen to nature stories, go on hikes, visit with native animals and more; check out the NC Environmental Educations’s complete list of TACO events in the Greater Raleigh area and beyond

If you can’t make it to any of these organized events, check out TACO’s list of suggested activities and head to the nearest park or greenway and just explore!

Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA

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21AFor Claire’s 2nd birthday this year we decided to take a family trip north to Langhorne, PA to visit Sesame Place amusement park.  She recently discovered a fondness for the Sesame Street characters and with her love for the water it seemed like a fun way to celebrate her crazy, smart, expressive 2-year old self!

Sesame Place is located at 100 Sesame Road in Langhorne, PA, which is about 40 minutes north of Philly off I-95.  We drove to my in-law’s house in Maryland on a Thursday and spent the night and then drove the rest of the 2.5 hours to Sesame Place on Friday morning.  After arriving to Sesame Place on Friday around lunch time, we quickly parked, gooped up with sunscreen, and headed into the park.  See my list below for what to bring into the park with you. I pre-ordered our “Any Day” admission tickets ($55 each) online, which were good for any 2 visits (Friday and Saturday for us) in 2015, and saved about $10 per ticket.

IMG_1888After getting into the park on Friday afternoon we got a quick pass bracelet to more easily pay for food, rented a locker for our wallets and got some lunch.  Thankfully I brought lunch in for the girls while Bill waited in line for at least 15 minutes to order salads for us.  The southwest chicken salads tasted like chicken and lettuce drizzled in barbecue sauce, but honestly, we were starving and happy to eat.

Here are our thoughts on the Wet Rides:

  • Slimey’s Chutes – great way to introduce little ones to water rides as they can ride by themselves if they’re over 36″
  • Teeny Tiny Tidal Pool – has three separate pool areas between 6″-18″ deep with several water fountain sprays; Claire’s favorite place to cool off and splash as there’s no line and life jackets are not required
  • Ramblin’ River (aka lazy river) – everyone loved this relaxing ride except Claire who was required to wear a life jacket and fought it kicking and screaming until the very end of the ride; note: Ashley had to wear a life jacket too but was fine with it
  • Ernie’s Waterworks – fun splash pad area good for kids of all ages; warning – you have to pass by the huge sandbox area to get into Ernie’s Waterworks so if you don’t want to clean off wet, sandy kids prepare to distract them when you walk by that area
  • Count’s Splash Castle – super fun water playground area with several water slides that little ones can ride by themselves without life jackets as water depth is 6″; you’ll get soaked just walking near the playground; water temperature was pretty chilly despite the hot temperatures
  • Sky Splash – our favorite ride because the whole family (including Claire) could ride together in this large raft; has some fun jaw-dropping plunges; lines can be long for this popular ride (we waited about 20 minutes each time) so arrive early or go during the character parade
  • Sesame Streak – fun ride for little ones, but know that they have to ride in double tube with you if they’re under 42″

2AHere are our thoughts on the Dry Fun Rides:

  • We rode just about every dry fun ride and the twiddle tracks located next to the tidal pool area, Monster Mix-up (aka tea cups), and Vapor Trail (aka roller coaster) were our faves
  • We felt like the ride attendants didn’t efficiently place patrons into the rides so it took much longer to go through the lines than it should have.
  • Monster Clubhouse (climbing house) was a good go-to activity before lunch and during down times because there was no line.
  • Character Parade happens everyday at 3pm and is a must-see event for the kiddos.  We arrived about 10 minutes early to discover both sides of main street were covered in rows of people.  We found a decent spot one row back, laid our towels on the hot asphalt and enjoyed the parade for a good 30 minutes.  This was a great way to see all of the characters in one place and enjoy a late afternoon snack.

Overall, our family had an amazing time at Sesame Place.  I first visited Sesame Place with my family when I was about 6 or 7 years old when we embarked on an unforgettable RV trip from Virginia.  Even though our youngest was probably a little too young to endure standing in lines and the long days, the trip was a fun memory that we’ll have thanks due to our old school underwater Kodak film camera.

Hot tips:

  • bring your own lunch and waters ($3 in park); we brought PB&J sandwiches and snacks for the girls so they didn’t have to wait around while we ordered food, which took at least 20 minutes
  • bring a small umbrella stroller with fold-up shade to carry little one and all your stuff.
  • wear water tennis shoes
  • bring 1 or 2 towels for a family of 4
  • break up the hot day by seeing a 25-min show in the early afternoon
  • get a Quick Pass wristband hooked to your credit/debit card to easily pay for food and drinks
  • leave your cell phone in the locker and purchase a waterproof disposable camera for catching highlights from the day; it was great to disconnect for the day and be with family
  • arrive at park early to hop on popular water rides right away; we almost signed up for Abby’s Magic Queue to do priority boarding but it wasn’t applicable for every ride and sold out quickly
  • We decided not to pre-purchase any lunches/dinners with the characters, which was spot on with this crew; even though the girls LOVE watching Sesame Street cartoons and talked them up the whole car ride, they were terrified when they saw them in person in the park
  • We stayed at the new Hampton Inn & Suites about 15 minutes away in Bensalem; it was less than $150/night for a king studio suite with kitchenette (staying in a hotel room was a HUGE bonus for our kids); the staff was super friendly, breakfast bar was included in your stay, and the pool was clean and relaxing; nearby Red Robin restaurant was super fast despite busy Friday night

What to bring into park: lunch (at least for kiddos), healthy snacks, waters, 1 or 2 towels, small umbrella stroller, sunscreen, diapers, wipes

Thumbs up: landscaping, family-friendly rides for all ages, lots of benches and shady spots for taking a break, life jackets available at every ride so you didn’t have to carry one around all day, perfect size amusement park for young family – lots to do but didn’t require miles of walking with little ones; amazing people watching, several diaper changing areas in bathrooms

Thumbs down: no bathrooms near locker rooms, lacks of helpful directional signs from Main Street area, slow food service, inefficient ride loading, difficult to find bathrooms

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Harveyville, Kansas

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IMG_8193Today would’ve been my Aunt Pam’s 59th birthday.  For as far back as I can remember, she lived in a large ranch house off a very long gravel road in Carbondale, KS, but she grew up 30 minutes from there in Harveyville, KS.  Pam was my dad’s younger sister and I miss her a lot these days. Despite living far away in Kansas, she made great efforts to see us each year; whether she travelled to VA or NC for graduations, crab feasts, weddings, or “just because” trips we all loved catching up to hear what she was canning, how her retirement from Blue Cross was treating her or how her sweet pups (and husband) were doing.

When my sister and I went out for her funeral last November we explored the Harveyville, KS area after her services.  We walked around the few streets where we passed all the typical shops that make up a small town (Harveyville 2010 census population = 236): a small library, law office, bank, convenience store/restaurant & bar, the local Oddfellows & Rebekahs lodge, a few closed shops, seed barns, a church and several homes.  It was a gorgeous, but windy fall day so after a quick 11am Budweiser toast at the local bar (Pam would’ve been proud) where all the talk was about Pam’s funeral, my sister and I headed out in our rental car to see what else we could find.

IMG_8820Despite Harveyville’s decrease in population over the years (my dad recalls a total population around 300 when he graduated high school in 1971), it was very comforting to explore a small town, especially one where my dad and aunt grew up in.  Harveyville is all of 0.13 square miles, so it was hard to get lost.  We drove to my dad and aunt’s childhood home, which is now home to the pastor who delivered my aunt’s funeral service.  It’s a lovely two-story home with an enclosed front porch.  My dad recalled the strangeness of having to visit the pastor at his home to discuss my aunt’s services, but I’m sure being in his childhood home again helped with the healing of losing his sister.  While driving around Harveyville, I started to imagine a simpler life with simpler expectations, regular community/family gatherings, finishing high school with your same preschool friends, and working as a teenager in one of the local shops or farms.

IMG_0481After seeing their childhood home, we passed the new church that was rebuilt after being flattened during the 2012 tornado before coming to Samuel Harris Park and my dad’s old high school, Harveyville High School.  Samuel Harris Park was donated in 1920 by the Harris family who were long-time residents of Harveyville.  From the little research I’ve done and found online, Samuel Harris had a large family of nine children and lived from 1858-1944.  Samuel Harris Park has all the necessities of a small town park – swing sets, restrooms, horseshoe pits, a large pavilion with picnic tables, and lots of green grass and trees.  I like to imagine great community and family gatherings happen on a regular basis at this park.

IMG_8812Just across from the park is Harveyville Grade School and Harveyville High School, where my dad was part of the last graduating class in 1971.  It’s a beautiful brick building full of windows on the front with a large bell out front and a water tower in the grasslands behind the building.  At a closer glimpse, I noticed dogs barking behind a fenced-in area attached to the high school.  Being the curious type, I walked up the steps of the school and noticed the lobby was full of sewing materials and I heard voices coming from inside.  I knocked on the front doors of the school and a sweet woman about my age greeted me at the door to tell me they were preparing for a weekend-long felting retreat.  She gave me free reign to explore the school as she was super busy.  Old classrooms were turned into shared guest rooms, bathrooms were updated to include showers, and the gorgeous gym contained all the tables, chairs and supplies needed for a felting retreat.  The Harveyville Schools are now home to the Harveyville Project, which offers a variety of workshops and community projects with lodging and meal options: felting school, cheese school, beer school, private crafting parties and more!  It was so neat to learn that people come from all over the country to attend these artsy workshops in tiny little Harveyville.

I am thankful for my new Harveyville memories and I’m thankful that while Pam isn’t around for me to call on her birthday I can celebrate and remember her through my niece, Ava, who also shares a birthday with Pam.  Happy 59th Birthday Pam and Happy 1st Birthday Ava!

Thumbs up: community areas, open picnic spots with mature trees, Harveyville Project offering art workshops

Thumbs down: nothing to report

Photos from my Fall 2014 visit to Harveyville

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Photos from my Fall 2006 visit to Harveyville

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Top 9 Raleigh Parks for Wrangling More Than One Kid

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We’ve all been there, our eyes are glued on our fearless older child as she climbs the arching ladder on the playground while trying to locate the other fearless younger child.  Swearing the fearless younger child was moments earlier pulling on your leg begging for “More Snack”, you tell fearless older child to sit still on the tall arching ladder while you snake your way around the jungle gym equipment in search of fearless younger child.  After calling her name, poking your head inside tunnels, and reminding yourself she can’t get out of the fenced-in playground (or, can she?) you see that she is quietly playing in the sand box behind a small wall.  Thank goodness, now back to check on fearless older child…

Like I mentioned earlier, we’ve all been there where we’re trying to wrangle more than one child at the park.  Maybe you’re a new mom again with baby #2, 3, etc and you’re quietly feeding new baby while trying to keep an eye on the older sibling(s) when you realize you have to break away from feeding baby to assist the older sibling(s) as she tumbles down the twisty slide (again, we’ve all been there…I think all of Cedar Hills Park has seen my lady lumps). But, knowing so many friends with two kids (and several with three or their third on the way), I wanted to compile a list of my Top 9 Raleigh Parks for Wrangling More Than One Kid.  Here’s my list, where I put a lot of weight on being able to see kids regardless of where you’re standing at the playground, proximity of bathrooms, and kids’ escapability:

  1. Halifax Park – small, partially fenced-in park with swings and climbing structures for all ages; bathrooms in the nearby newly renovated community center; no sandbox; great visibility of entire park

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    #1 – Halifax Park
  2. Method Rd Park – fully fenced-in park with swings and short climbing structures for all ages; bathrooms are nearby in the community center; no sandbox; great visibility of entire park
  3. Longstreet Dr Playground – small, partially fenced-in park with swings and climbing structures for all ages; no bathrooms; small sandbox area;  great visibility of entire park
  4. Eastgate Park – fully fenced-in park with swings and climbing structures for all ages separated by a short hill that scares me overtime I see Claire run down it; seasonally-opened bathrooms are outside the fenced-in area, needing much updates; small sandbox area; medium visibility of entire park; can get busy, but centrally located
  5. Hill St Park – partially fenced-in park with swings and unique climbing structures for all ages; bathrooms are located in nearby community center during operating hours; no sandbox; great visibility of playground area

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    #5 – Hill St Park
  6. Marsh Creek Park – fully fenced-in park with climbing structures for all ages; no swings; bathrooms are nearby in the community center; no sandbox; medium visibility of playground area; can get busy especially during track out days
  7. Pollock Place Playground – peninsula-shaped playground area surrounded by neighborhood roads with swings and climbing structures for all ages; no nearby bathrooms; large sandbox; great visibility of playground area; close proximity to roads with light traffic
  8. Strickland Rd Park – partially fenced-in park with swings and unique slides/climbing structures for all areas; no nearby bathrooms; large sandbox area; medium visibility of park; can get busy

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    #9 – Roanoke Park
  9. Roanoke Park – narrow playground area sandwiched by neighborhood roads with swings, ride-on toys and climbing structures mostly for kids under 7; no nearby bathrooms; large sandbox; medium visibility of playground area

2015 Summer Bucket List

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Backyard pool time, May 2015 #bringonsummer

With the opening of our neighborhood pool this past weekend and another year of preschool finished up, it’s time to switch gears and think summer activities!  While we were able to cross a lot off our bucket list goals from last summer, we have some of the same goals and some lofty new goals this summer (note, “survive swim team”).  In no particular order, here’s my kiddo-friendly summertime bucket list:

  1. Have a breakfast picnic in pajamas
  2. Visit the library
  3. Visit the Eno River State Park
  4. Camp in the backyard
  5. Try a new ice cream place
  6. Attend an outdoor concert
  7. Explore Downtown Raleigh via Segway
  8. Play with the slip ‘n slide
  9. Let the kiddos enjoy the water fountains at NC Museum of Art after a Stroller Strides class
  10. Go blueberry picking
  11. Discover three new parks (and be current on blog posts)
  12. Catch lightning bugs
  13. Explore the Prairie Ridge Ecostation again
  14. Survive swim team
  15. Go to the movies
  16. Attend a Durham Bulls game
  17. Discover a new (to us) brewery
  18. Make s’mores
  19. Fly a kite
  20. Watch a movie outside
  21. Grill oysters
  22. Go to the Durham farmers’ market
  23. Visit Beaufort, NC
  24. Visit a farm
  25. Enjoy a bushel of crabs

This might seem like a busy list, but I’ve got energetic girls who can hang! I know the next three months will fly by but we’ll have great memories and photos to cherish, so #bringonsummer!