Image: sxc.hu

We love family hikes. We live near mountains right now, so heavy duty hiking is only a short drive, but even the neighborhood does well for everyday walking.

We need to get into the habit of more family game nights. The kids are getting old enough to really enjoy them.

This got me thinking about the heritage of fun and closeness and memories Stephanie and her family are creating.  We have fond memories of activities, during tough times, with our daughter and grandchildren.  They were filled with laughter, too.

To preserve these you can:

• Put photos on CDs
• Create scrapbooks
• Keep journals
• Make collages
• Record stories and memories

Post from: Blisstree

Developing a Family Heritage of Closeness

The Bronx:

• Boo at the Zoo – Along with zoos across the nation, the Bronx Zoo welcomes families on a haunted safari, a hayride, and to share in all sorts of ghoulish family experiences.  Offered weekend until November 1st.  Admission is $15 for adults, $11 for children aged 3-12 (FREE when wearing a wildlife costume and accompanied by an adult paying full-price admission).
• Halloween Hoorah! – New York Botanical Garden sponsors this full day of fun (and a little bit of learning) with opportunities to decorate pumpkins, play with leaves, and learn all about the mysterious vampire bat.  October 25th, 11 am – 4:45 pm.  Admission, which includes admission to the entire garden, is $20 for adult and $8 for children (ages 2-12).

Brooklyn:

• Gravesend Inn Haunted Hotel – This high-tech haunted house was designed by the faculty and students at New York City Collect of Technology.  It’s open October 16 – 17th, 22nd – 24th, and 29th – 31st.  Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for students (ID required) and kids under 12.
• Halloween at the A-Scarium – New York’s Aquarium on Coney Island host scary sea yarns, an expert pumpkin carver, and trick-or-treat stations.  Experience monsters of the deep on October 24 – 25th, and October 31st – November 1st.  General admission, which includes admission to the entire aquarium is $13 for adults and $9 for children aged 3-12 (FREE when wearing a wildlife costume and accompanied by an adult paying full-price admission).

Manhattan:

• Pumpkin Festival’s Scarecrow Contest – Scarecrows pepper Central Park contest.  You’ll have to register online by Friday, October 16th, in order to entire your scarecrow, though.  You can view the all the scarecrow entries on Saturday, October 24th, noon – 5 pm, at the Bethesda Fountain.  The top 3 scarecrows from each age category will be displayed at the Arsenal Gallery.
• Nightmare:  Vampires – An interactive haunted house exhibit that will explore the history of vampires.  Designed to be education, as well as scare the pants off of you.  Dates:  October 14 – 18th, 20th – 31st, November 1st, 4 – 7th.  $30 in advance, $35 at the door.  October 24th is Kids Day, and children tickets available for $15.  Other than Kids Day, no child under 12 will be admitted with a parent or guardian.
• Village Halloween Parade – This annual community event is full of fun and quirkiness.  The parade is Halloween Day, and starts at 7 pm.  Various activities and community projects will be going on all evening.  If you don’t get can’t get down to the village, you can watch the parade on television (NY 1) starting at 8 pm.

Queens:

• Pick Your Own Pumpkin – A perfect activity for the whole family, the Queens County Farm Museum offers pumpkin picking on October 17th, 18th,24th, 25th, and 31st, weather permitting.  Admission is FREE, except for the 25th when a $5 per person admission is charged to support the Children’s Fall Festival.  Your pumpkins is priced based on its size.  I always want to get a BIG one!
• Haunted Hike – Head into Forent Park, and see if there really are things that go bump in the night.  Saturday, October 31st, 6 pm.  FREE.

Staten Island:

• Halloween Harvest Fair – A day of outdoor family activities involving crafts, games and costumes at Conference House Park.  Saturday, October 17th, 11 am – 4 pm.  FREE admission, and a $10 charge for an unlimited access pass for the inflatable slide and bounce house.  Those latter activities are for kids only.
• Halloween Extravaganza – The ghosts of the St. George Theatre get let loose for a night in this award-winning show.  Lots of special effects and illusions make for an entertaining show, although younger kids may be a bit too spooked.  Friday, October 30th, 7:30 pm.  Tickets:  $10-28.

Halloween in New York City is always entertaining!

Photo credit: SXC

Post from: Blisstree

Halloween Activities in New York City

During this research, Rick noticed that today is World Oceans Day. The day is part of the World Ocean Project and was designated by the United Nations in an effort to encourage individuals to evaluate their perspective of the ocean, learn about ocean creatures and habitats, and discover ways to become a better caretaker. There are several threats to our oceans – which ultimately threaten us. For one, global warming is causing rising sea levels, altered ocean currents, warming poles, and bleached coral reefs. By educating ourselves and our children, we can reverse those affects. And that is the premise of World Oceans Day. Even if we don’t live close to the ocean, we can still make an impact by making small modifications in our lifestyles, such as decreasing our carbon footprint and following a more “green” lifestyle.

This year’s theme is “one ocean, one climate, one future.” There are World Oceans Day events worldwide, but if you don’t live close to one you can checkout some of the online events and activities for adults and kids such as Habitat Heroes Ocean Day Treasure Hunt and World Ocean Day coloring sheets.

We began celebrating World Oceans Day early. Rick and Truman went to the pet store and bought two beta fish for Truman’s fish tanks. Truman dropped some of the seashells we collected on the beach into the fishes’ bowls.

I celebrated by focusing on the ocean’s wonderful bounty. I went to Snapper Grabbers fish market and bought trigger fish filets and jumbo shrimp, and served fish tacos for dinner.

Hope you have a glorious and “green” World Oceans Day!

Photo, JWJourney

Post from: Blisstree

June 8th is World Oceans Day

Image: sxc.hu

States,

 Encourage youngsters to go outdoors if there are safe areas around your home.  If not, see about taking them to a park , a nearby hiking area or national forest.

 Take walks around the neighborhood.  See how everything around you is changing with the seasons.  This also is an activity to engage in other seasons; compare and contrast what you find in each.

 Take weather observations from your home and keep a chart.  Research different types of weather, how clouds form, what causes the weather you’re experiencing, and even find some weather experiments to do.

 See if there is a nature center within easy distance from your home.  Plan a visit there and make it a half or full day’s outing, complete with picnic lunch.

 Do you have hiking trails near you?  Perhaps you live in the country and have places to hike right on your own property or the neighborhood.  We live on the edge of town, and the area around our home is wooded with trails over abandoned, overgrown  roads. These provide perfect places to hike and explore.

 Build a fort or shelter in your yard or on your property.  We live on 3 wooded acres.  The grandchildren have, for years, built forts or hiding places there, by themselves and with their friends.

 Children often enjoy camping out in the yard, or even on a porch, when the weather is welcoming.  My grandson pitched a tent on the deck last year.  He often used it as his get-away during the day, as well as sleeping there at night.

 What spring and summer activities do you engage in with the youngsters in your life?

Post from: Blisstree

Spring and Summer Parenting

Do you get involved in quilting/fabric art projects for yourself or with your family?  I began quilting with my grandmother when I was eight-years old.  My daughter was around my quilting from an early age and now has become a recognized quilter/fiber artist.

Her daughter often chooses quilting projects when she has to do reports at school.  So quilting can be a family affair.

I write the b5media blog, Quilting and Patchwork.  Over there, I’ve compiled a short list of books you might enjoy, Fascinating Quilting/Fabric Art Books, which will remain as a resource in my Pages section of the blog.

(Round Table Toys image)

Post from: Blisstree

Quilting Books for Family Projects