Tips for Fun at the Lake
August 12, 2010 by screweduptexan
Filed under activities, feature, fun, mom
One of the best ways to beat the summer heat is to spend a day (or even a few hours) at one of our many local lakes in the DFW area with the kids and family or as a fun day out with friends. I have had the personal pleasure of visiting many of our lakes, and so far my favorites are Lewisville Lake at Lake Park and Grapevine Lake at Murrell Park just south of Flower Mound on the north shore of the lake.
During the summertime, I make it a special priority to get the kids out as much as I can so they can enjoy the water while it lasts. Murrell Park has become one of my personal favorites because of its easy access and free price tag. Although Murrell Park does not offer a playground like Lake Park does, it does offer quieter and more secluded surroundings as well as many hiking and biking trails in close proximity. Murrell park currently has tent and primitive camping, but is undergoing an expansion to increase camping facilities.
I’ve found the following tips helpful when planning a day out with young children:
1.) Wear sunscreen and bring extra, applying as directed. There is nothing worse than spending good quality time together just to be miserable afterward. Bring a hat and sunglasses for extra protection.
2.) Bring towels and wear old shoes you don’t mind wearing in the water and therefor getting wet.
3.) Bring a cooler with drinks, water, fruit, and premade sandwiches or other snacks to eat. Alcohol is prohibited at Lake Grapevine (check with other lakes on their rules).
4.) If you don’t mind carrying them, bring foldable lightweight chairs and a radio with batteries.
5.) Bring fun water toys such as pool noodles, water squirters, flotation devices.
6.) WEAR A LIFE JACKET! There are no lifeguards on duty and a drowning can happen in seconds!
7.) Don’t forget your fully charged camera!
You can also take these tips from my dog, Lily:
A Goat Dairy Farm In Flower Mound? No Whey!
August 4, 2010 by Happy Campers
Filed under To Do in DFW, activities, feature
We spent the morning at Latte Da Dairy…which is probably the coolest place I’ve seen in a long time!! Anne Jones and her husband were “city folk” who got tired of the rat race & set out to live a country lifestyle. Long story short, they began a goat dairy farm & have in just a few short years, won many awards on their 100% Natural, Artisanal Goat Cheese. Anne’s cheeses are even carried by Central Market…talk about dream come true for a homestead farmer!
First, with our plans to move to the farm in the next few years & have goats (although not dairy goats), this outing was of particular interest to me. Second, it’s always so inspirational to hear someone’s story of really living their dream.
You can really, really see the care that Anne’s “divas” receive. She believes that the best quality food for the Divas, most comfortable living environment, & freshest milk make her cheese so amazingly delicious. After eating about half of the chevre I took home yesterday I have to agree!
Latte Da Dairy has two breeds of dairy goat: La Mancha (genetically born without ear flaps) & Nubian. They are a larger breed of goat capable of producing about a gallon of milk each day!
Anne told us that her goats respond in many ways that dogs do. The girls know their names, they know the milking order so that when Anne calls one Diva, the next Diva knows it will be her turn soon, & she said they love to be pet! Here’s my attempt at petting a goat and taking a picture at the same time. Guess my glove tasted good!
Goats always need a “guardian” and Dozer the Llama was the Latte Da Dairy guardian. What a unique looking fellow! Some goat owners use donkeys & others choose llamas as Goat Guardians. I asked Anne’s husband why they chose a llama & I found out some very useful information for our future goat herd! If a predator entered the goat pen, a donkey would stomp the predator to death if possible & Anne was afraid that if her own dogs ever got into the pen, the donkey would kill the dogs. On the other hand, a llama will gather the goats in a corner of the pen & stand guard against the predator. Llamas are tall, spit far, & are very brave, so they are ideal guardians. That information greatly impacts our decisions in the future!
Anne took us into the barn to show everyone how the milking process begins. I just liked the silhouette picture of Reese & a friend in the barn….
We went into the milking room & when Anne said “The milking machine is a little loud….” everyone covered their ears as she turned it on.
All the kids got to feel the suction tubes (that attach to the teats) on their hands. Reese really, really, really liked the sensation & kept asking Anne if he could to do it again & again. Silly boy 
Here’s our motely crew gathered outside the milking barn. Check out how bundled up we are!
After the pasteurization process, the whey is leftover & is unusable in the cheese making process. These divas know what to do with it though! As Anne poured they whey into the trough, you could hear the “slurp slurp” of the girls loving their treat. The whey helps keep their fur nice & shiny too…
One of the Happy Divas who just finished her whey.
After visiting the milking barn, Anne invited us all into her cheese making kitchen. Brave woman. Seven children & six mothers gathered in her commercial kitchen! She graciously explained her cheese making process. The white basket is where Anne’s cheese is made & it gives the finished product a pretty basket weave design.
Finished chevre cheese on the left, basket on the right. See the similarity in pattern?
Tammy was SO kind & purchased a cheese for each family to take home. We chose the “plain” Chevre, but it was definitely not “plain old cheese”! I ate it three different times yesterday & could have easily eaten the entire cheese in one sitting.After leaving Latte Da Dairy, we all headed to lunch together. Why do you think they put all 13 of us at one big table in a room all by ourselves?
Our group really is unique & I feel SO very thankful that we have friends who are wacky enough like we are to visit a Homestead Goat Dairy when it’s 33 degrees outside!
Texas Vacation Ideas
July 27, 2010 by Macey Hart
Filed under activities, family, feature
While visiting Grandma and Paw Paw last week, we went to the Houston Downtown Aquarium & the Kemah Boardwalk. First we went to the Aquarium. I found a “Buy one All-Day Adventure Pass, get one free coupon online to the Aquarium–yeah, what a deal! Each pass includes unlimited access to Train Shark Voyage, Aquarium Adventure Exhibit, Ferris Wheel, Carousel & Lighthouse Dive.
The Aquarium and amusements are centered around the Aquarium restaurant in downtown Houston. My kids wore their swimsuits and swim shirts, so that after seeing/doing all the attractions and amusement rides, they could cool off in the water fountains. (If you go, be CAREFUL the water fountain’s cement is very slippery!) We started out in the Aquarium Adventure exhibit which had a sunken shipwreck and lots of different sea life to see. My boys loved getting to touch the stingrays, baby sharks, crab and star fish in the open hands-on exhibit. Then at the end of the Aquarium, Adventure Exhibit there is a white tiger exhibit. We got there just in time to see them feed the tigers by placing raw meat all around their habitat for them to hunt and find, while a trainer talked about the tigers and answered questions. (I send you a short video file of the tigers from my point and shoot camera.) 
After touring the exhibits, we sat down on the covered picnic benches and ate a picnic lunch that we brought. The parking is really close by, so it was easy to go back and forth to your car if needed.
Our favorite attraction was the train ride that takes you through the whole park and through the shark tank. It also has a fake shark that pops out of the little lake at one point! The ferris wheel has great views of the Houston skyline. The carousel was very unique in that it had an aquatic theme with alligators, sharks, dolphins, and seahorses to ride on. The boys loved the Lighthouse Dive ride that takes you up and drops you down.
We had a great time and did everything leisurely in about 4 hours. The best part is it was only $35 for the 4 of us with the coupons!
Aquarium buy one all-day pass and get one free! http://www.visithoustontexas.com/visitors/coupons/special_deal.display.php?id=102
Free appetizer of the day at Aquarium restaurant: http://www.visithoustontexas.com/visitors/coupons/special_deal.display.php?id=664
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The Kemah Boardwalk is 20 miles from downtown Houston and overlooks Galveston Bay. This place has a lot of meaning to my husband and I because we had our wedding rehearsal dinner at Landry’s restaurant’s ballroom that sits right on the bay there.
Kemah is a combination of great restaurants (including the Aquarium restaurant like in downtown Houston), great views of the bay, marina, dancing water fountains, and amusement park right at the water’s edge. The amusement park includes about 10 rides. You can buy an all day pass for $16 per person, but I could not find any discounts! My 10 year old son loved the new wooden roller coaster, while my 4 year old liked the Aviator airplane ride. They also have a train that takes you around the entire Boardwalk area. And a real speed boat thrill ride called the “Kemah Beast” that takes you into the Galveston Bay. My husband and I just love eating at one of the many restaurants with views of the channel where you can watch sailboats and shrimp boats go in and out. It makes a nice day or afternoon/evening trip with the kids.
Shutterfly pics to follow. Plus one stock photo from the internet of the Kemah Boardwalk area attached (www.visithoustontexas.com).
Never Too Young To Appreciate Art (Toddler Art Classes at the Dallas Museum of Art)
June 15, 2010 by Jill Krause
Filed under To Do in DFW, activities, feature
My 2 year old son has long had an appreication for art, and by “appreciation” I mean a desire to scribble on my windows and walls with crayons. His favorite activity at his Mother’s Day Out program is coloring and painting. That’s why I send him, so that others can deal with that mess. But really, it is something I’d like to encourage. I just need to be smart about channeling it to a suitable medium, like paper.
When I heard about the Toddler Art classes at the Dallas Museum of Art, I figured I’d try out for Mom Of The Year and sign him up for one. We attended one on a Friday at the beginning of May, and I have to say I was pretty impressed. Our class focused on Oceans and Coastlines, based on a collection of paintings they were displaying at the time. We, along with approximately 10 other toddlers and their accompanying grownups sat on the floor, surrounded by beautiful paintings, and talked all about the ocean. The instructor was engaging and passed around sea shells while showing pictures of sea life.
I do regret not bringing a stroller to keep my son contained (something I didn’t even think of until I saw other moms with theirs), but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, and plenty of the other children were without one, too. You’ll, hopefully, understand now why I don’t have any pictures of my son participating. I have to keep one hand within inches of him at all times, and I haven’t yet figured out how to take pictures while taming a toddler.
We ended the class by heading to Arturo’s Nest, a charming classroom with all sorts of stimulating activities set up. My son got to work on creating a beautiful masterpiece, inspired by the ocean. He really had a blast using all the materials provided, like sandpaper and cotton balls, to make a picture that I was super proud to bring home and put on the refrigerator. In addition to the art table, the children were able to explore textures and shapes, seashells were set up with giant magnifying glasses. The hour long class went by in a flash, and I hope to take him again someday soon. It’s a perfect, well air-conditioned, escape during the summer heat.
The details:
Toddler Art classes are free with admission to the museum.
Admission is $10 for adults, children under 12 are free (members get in free)
On-site, underground parking is $10
The museum is also accessible by DART
These classes fill fast! So make sure you check availability and email the provided contact as soon as you’ve decided on an available date. We signed up for ours 6 weeks in advance.
The Dallas Museum of Art also offers many other classes for a wide range of ages. You can check out the full list here:
http://www.dm-art.org/Family/ClassesCamps/index.htm
Botanical Gardens – Fort Worth
May 26, 2010 by Texasholly
Filed under To Do in DFW, activities, feature
The Fort Worth Botanical Gardens has an amazing boardwalk learning trail for children.
It is tucked inside the first Botanical Garden exit (the one closest to 30).
When you see the big log, you are close.
The “log” is actually made of concrete and large enough for a whole group of children to play.
Just beyond the log is the entrance to the boardwalk.
All along the raised trail are learning stations where kids can learn about plants, animals, insects, birds and whether trees poop.
Because the entire trail is high, children can peek through the wire rails at everything below.
Just beyond the boardwalk is a really pretty Lilly pond. I am happy to report that no one ended up in the middle of it on this trip.
We saved the water fun for this action-initiated fountain in one of the prettiest corners of the Botanical Gardens.
Everyone goes home wet, worn out and happy.
The amazing thing is that we have only scratched the surface of things to see at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens, but that is all we needed today. We will save the rest for another adventure.
Egg-citing Science
March 30, 2010 by guest
Filed under To Do in DFW, activities, feature
With Easter coming up this weekend, it’s probably safe to assume you’ll have plenty of eggs in the fridge. Why not try one of these fun “experiments” with the kids?
Egg Balancing
Have you ever heard that you can balance a raw egg vertically on the first day of spring? The story goes that because the sun is aligned with the Earth’s equator, gravity is somehow different.
Well, Sci-Tech fans know that balancing an egg is possible any day of the year with a nicely shaped egg and some patience.
Try it out anyway –it’s fun!
Egg in a bottle
This one requires some adult supervision and common sense.
You’ll need:
- several hard boiled eggs with the shell removed
- a clean glass bottle with a mouth only slightly smaller than the egg
- matches (hence the adult supervision)
- several strips of paper (2 x 6 inches)
We want to get the egg in that bottle without breaking it, but how? Have the adult light a strip of paper on fire, quickly and carefully place it into the bottle, and replace your egg on top. As the fire goes out, your egg should slip into the bottle!
What’s going on? When air heats up, you might have heard people say that it expands. That means that the molecules move away from each other. Some of them move around the egg and slip out of the bottle. As the fire goes out, the molecules cool and return to their original places, but that egg is in the way! This is called a partial vacuum. The air pressure outside the bottle is so great that it pushes the egg right in!
Have some trouble? Try greasing the top of your bottle with a little vegetable oil for a more slippery egg.
Article courtesy of the Sci-Tech Discovery Center. For more information visit their website at www.mindstretchingfun.org or call them at 972.546.3050.
Lunar Mini Golf
January 26, 2010 by BlessedinTexas
Filed under To Do in DFW, activities, feature
We had a blast today at a friend’s birthday party. It was held at Lunar Mini Golf inside Vista Ridge Mall in Lewisville. In case you don’t know what in the world that is, think of Putt-Putt golf, indoors, lit only with black lights, and lots of neon paint and golf balls in the room. It was fun although quite challenging, I dare say impossible, to get a good picture capturing the mood without destroying it by using a flash (although I’m sure Stuart could prove me wrong!)
Here’s my lame attempt. Slow shutter speed to let in more light which wasn’t fast enough to capture the moving 5 year old in the middle of the picture
. 
What? You can’t see him? He must have turned invisible. No, there he is. Look closely at the blacklight illuminating his white shoes and his glow in the dark bracelet. We had a great time and I’m sure we’ll go back!
Bowling 101
January 12, 2010 by BlessedinTexas
Filed under To Do in DFW, activities, feature
Nicholas went to a friend’s birthday party at Main Event in Lewisville and he tried bowling for the first time. He got some pointers from Daddy. The lanes had the bumpers up to keep the kid’s balls from going straight into the gutter. I don’t think anyone kept score. It was just a lot of fun!
After bowling, the kids enjoyed Spider-man cupcakes and some video games.
Dallas Area Festivals by Month
January 10, 2010 by Katie
Filed under To Do in DFW, activities, events, feature
It’s 2010 and another fun-filled year is upon us, packed with events, festivals and more. If you’re looking for some fun and excitement in the Dallas Fort Worth area, we have put together a list of some (of the many) festivals and shows that the Dallas Fort Worth area has to offer. What will your family do in 2010?
JANUARY
Southwestern Exposition and Stock Show & Rodeo: This popular event attracts nearly one million people from around the world to the Will Rogers Memorial Center for the nation’s oldest livestock show and daily performances of the world’s original indoor rodeo. For affordability and good family fun the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo can’t be beat. www.fwssr.com
FEBRUARY
Black History Month: Although it’s not a festival in the usual sense, you would be hard-pressed to find a better description for this monthlong collection of activities, events and exhibits honoring ethnic history and culture. One example is the The Texas Black Film Festival, which will host three full days of entertaining and insightful films, workshops, and events. Programmed for family entertainment and inspired by the African-American experience, this festival will provide film makers an opportunity to reach audiences with films seldom recognized through major theatrical release. www.texasblackfilmfestival.com
Cowtown Marathon: The Cowtown is a non-profit organization promoting community health and wellness to North Texans of all fitness levels by providing enjoyable, accredited races for young and old, skilled athlete and novice. Events include a marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10K and 5K races. The Cowtown was started in 1979 and continues to thrive and grow each year; in 2010 they will be celebrating their 32nd year of running. www.cowtownmarathon.org
MARCH
North Texas Irish Festival: Largest Celtic festival in the Southwest features bagpipes aplenty, with traditional, contemporary and pop music; traditional dancing; cultural booths; wandering musicians; Scottish clan village; and Urchin Street Faire. Fair Park, Dallas. 214-821-4173. www.ntif.org
APRIL
CJ+K Hickory Street Mud Bug Boil & Gumbo Cook-Off: Daylong crawfish boil, street party and all-you-can-eat charity fund-raiser, which also includes fried fish and deep-fried turkey, gumbo competition and sampling, and live entertainment. 1211 W. Hickory St., Denton. 940-565-0770. www.mudbugboil.org
Prairie Dog Chili Cook-Off and World Championship of Pickled Quail Egg Eating: “Granddaddy” of North Texas chili cook-offs after nearly three decades, this two-day event includes more than 100 chili teams, pinto bean cooking contest, quail egg eating and tortilla tossing contests, “Lemon Roll” and anvil toss. Alas, no prairie dogs. Traders Village, 2602 Mayfield Road, Grand Prairie. 972-647-2331. www.tradersvillage.com
MAY
Asian Festival: Largest Asian heritage celebration in North Texas, this event features local dance and music groups performing traditional routines, martial arts, sumo demonstrations, kids activities and, of course, Asian food. Annette Strauss Artist Square, Flora at Leonard, Dallas. 972-241-8250. www.gdaacc.com
Cinco de Mayo Festival: Parade, live bands and dancers, soccer tournament, children’s crafts and food. Civic Center Park, 321 E. McKinney, Denton. 940-349-8509. www.dentoncinco.org
Texas Stadium Festival: A quarter-century tradition, event celebrates Hispanic culture and Cinco de Mayo with live entertainment, exhibits, games, carnival rides and food. State Highway 114 at Loop 12, Irving. 972-785-0400
National Polka Festival: Three-day event, around for nearly 40 years, celebrates Czech and Slovak heritage with parade, polka bands and dancing, traditional costumes, arts and crafts booths and ethnic food. Memorial Day weekend. In Ennis. 972-878-4748 or 1-888-366-4748. www.nationalpolkafestival.com
JUNE
Denton Juneteenth Celebration: Three-decade-old tradition marking the emancipation of Texas slaves, the festival includes live entertainment, food vendors, basketball “shoot-out,” barbecue cook-off and children’s games. Fred Moore Park, Bradshaw and East Prairie. 940-349-7275 or 940-349-8275. www.dentonparks.com
Fort Worth Juneteenth Freedom Celebration: Another long-standing event, with several days of activities, including a parade, music festival, pageant, dance competition, art and history exhibits, religious observances and 3-on-3 basketball tournament. In and around the Tarrant County Convention Center. 817-335-1866
JULY
Old-Fashioned Fourth: Old City Park in Dallas takes visitors back to a turn-of-the-century Independence Day with a parade, the swearing-in of new U.S. citizens, live entertainment, a pie-eating contest and stick horse rodeo. 1717 Gano St. 214-421-5141. www.oldcitypark.org/fourth.htm
Gran Fiesta de Fort Worth: Three evenings of Latino culture, including folkloric dance; mariachi, merengue and salsa bands; outdoor arts and crafts mercado; children’s activities; and food reflecting Hispanic and Latin cultural influences on Texas and the Southwest. 214-855-1881 or 817-488-2336. www.meifestivals.com
AUGUST
North Texas State Fair: OK, this is a fair, not a festival. But it has been around for three-quarters of a century, which, in the shadow of the State Fair of Texas, should count for something. Includes championship rodeo, carnival rides and games, live entertainment, barbecue cook-offs, fiddling contest and petting zoos. North Texas Fairgrounds, 2217 N. Carroll Blvd., Denton. 940-387-2632. www.northtexasstatefair.com
SEPTEMBER
The Corndog Festival: Timed to the opening of the State Fair of Texas, this annual benefit features corn dogs in costumes and oddball dioramas. Includes live music and all-you-can-eat corn dogs and tater tots. Ozona Grill & Bar, 4615 Greenville Ave., Dallas. 214-749-3901. www.corndogfestival.com
Greek Food Festival: One of Dallas’ oldest food fests (nearly five decades), featuring all-you-can-eat buffets with Greek favorites such as gyros, dolmas and spanakopita; a marketplace; cooking demos; and entertainment. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 13555 Hillcrest Road at Alpha. 972-991-1166. www.greekfestivalofdallas.com
National Championship Indian Pow Wow: Salute to American Indian heritage attracts dance participants from dozens of tribes, artisans and crafts people. Event includes tepee contest, Indian food booths and exhibits. Traders Village, 2602 Mayfield Road, Grand Prairie. 972-647-2331. www.tradersvillage.com
Addison Oktoberfest: Munich-style harvest festival features four days of German foods – including sausage, sauerkraut, strudel and giant pretzels – plus authentic beer, wine tastings, live music and dancing, carnival and children’s activities. Addison Circle Drive. 1-800-233-4766. www.addisontexas.net
OCTOBER
Country Day on the Hill: Cedar Hill event harks back to an era when farm families came to town after the harvest to trade goods in the town square. Sixty-six years old and counting, the festival includes settlers reunion, traditional food, arts and crafts, horseshoe tournament, street dance, music, chili cook-off and pie auction. 972-293-4740
Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering & Western Swing Festival: Three-day commemoration of Texas’ cowboy culture opens with arrival of wagon train and includes ranch rodeo, ranch cutting horse and chuck wagon competitions, cowboy poetry recitations, music, trading post and food. Fort Worth Stockyards, Main Street at Exchange Avenue. 817-444-5502 or 1-888-269-8696. www.theredsteagallcowboygathering.com
Lebanese Food Festival: Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church festival features three days of homemade Middle Eastern food such as tabbouleh, hummus and baklava, plus performances including Lebanese folk dancers and belly dancers, and children’s activities. 719 University Place, Lewisville. 972-436-7617. www.ourladylebanon.com
DECEMBER
Candlelight at Old City Park: Holiday celebration includes a parade, horse-drawn carriages, carolers, arts and crafts, children’s crafts and storytelling. 1717 Gano St., Dallas. 214-421-5141. www.oldcitypark.org
KwanzaaFest: Features live entertainment, including musical performances and African dancers, children and family activities, vendors and food. Fair Park, Dallas. 214-653-6671. www.johnwileyprice.com/pages/kwanzaa.html
If we happened to leave out a festival that you know our other readers would love to know about, please leave the information in the comments below!
Trains at North Park
December 9, 2009 by Texasholly
Filed under To Do in DFW, activities, feature
The trains at NorthPark Center in Dallas is a fun thing to do with your kids over the holiday break. The trains are set up in a store front in the mall. All the proceeds go to benefit the Ronald McDonald house.
When you walk through the train display, there are trains on both sides on multiple levels. There is space for strollers and you will find yourself lifting your kids so they can see things up high. There are also displays lower on their level.
The details are pretty great. There are little scenes everywhere you look. My boys were especially interested in anything construction-related.
The train display doesn’t take long. We probably spent about 30 minutes. The food court at NorthPark is expansive and kid-friendly.
NorthPark Center has an unusual attraction for kids. In several locations they have these large planters filled with beautiful flowers. The tile bricks are very slick and children climb up to the top, hang on, then slide down. The planters attract tons of kids and all seem to have a fun time.
More information about the trains at NorthPark can be found here. The exhibit will be at NorthPark November 21, 2009 through January 3, 2010.
