Who's Feeling Seuss-y?

I would like to take this opportunity to tell you all that I was reading by age 3.  This is not to brag.  It it to let you know that I'm not completely incompetent when I tell you that it is physically impossible for me to read Dr. Seuss books to my children.  In my work as a children's pastor, I've had to read names like "Methuselah" and "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego".  Which, for the record, I can do.  But this:

"When a fox is in the bottle where the tweetle beetles battle with their paddles in a puddle on a noodle-eating poodle, THIS is what they call...

...a tweetle beetle noodle poodle bottled paddled muddled duddled fuddled wuddled fox in socks, sir!"

No.  I cannot read it in a box.  I cannot read it with that silly fox in sox. 


I mean socks.


Gah.


Which is why I am ever so glad that it is almost Read Across America Day!  Hooray!! This means some lovely, well-educated librarian can muddle through the tongue twisters while I either enjoy her suffering as much as I do or secretly curse her ability to make her tongue move that fast across words that may or may not actually be part of the English Language.


Seriously, though, my children love Dr. Seuss and whether they're making Cat in the Hat hats (see, this is Seuss tormenting me again) or dressing up for a Book Day at school, we plan to thoroughly enjoy all the Seuss we can on March 2nd, mainly because I'm not reading it myself :) Although I can handle printables, so HERE are some for you. 


Wednesday, March 2-
*Bull Run Library- 10:30am Seusstacular Storytime
*Central Community Library- Monthlong Seuss Mind Benders Contest, grades 1-5
*Chinn Park Library- 10:30am Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss Storytime
*Potomac Library- Celebrate Winter Reading with Dr. Seuss and Jan Brett at 10:30am AND 7pm 
*Lorton Library- Seuss is Loose (waiting list) 10:30am
*George Mason Library (FFX)- 7:00pm The Cat in the Hat Story time for ages 2-5


Thursday, March 3-
*Seussical- 7:00pm at Burke Presbyterian Church, Free Tickets (going fast!) by email


Friday, March 4-

* Chinn Park Library- 10:30am Super SEUSS Friday Flicks
*Seussical- 7:00pm at Burke Presbyterian Church, Free Tickets (going fast!) by email

Saturday, March 5
*Borders Books and Music- 2:00pm Seuss Reading Times and Crafts
*"The Cat in the Hat Presents STEM: What is a Scientist" free event with hands-on science and books, Canterbury Woods Community Center, 12184 Chaucer Lane, Lake Ridge VA 2:00-4:00pm
*Seussical- 7:00pm at Burke Presbyterian Church, Free Tickets (going fast!) by email

Sunday, March 6
*Seussical- 3:00pm at Burke Presbyterian Church, Free Tickets (going fast!) by email



How are you all observing Dr. Seuss' birthday? Leave me a comment and share- especially if you know of another event! I'd offer you one of our used Seuss classics as an incentive....but they're in pretty bad shape from me constantly hiding them from my children during bedtime stories :)

Field Trip- Clemyjontri Park, Great Falls

My youngest fell asleep in the car today on our way to the park for a picnic.  Rather than wake her up and lose the nap, we decided we'd drive out a little bit further and take the kids to Clemyjontri Park in Fairfax County.  If you've never been, do not go today, because our observations about the weather were WAY more optimistic than the actual temperature!! It was cold!!

However, do go sometime.

Clemyjontri was built to be an inclusive play area where children with special needs and physical disabilities could play alongside their able-bodied peers. What's nice about that design, even if you do not have children with physical restrictions, is that everything at the park is stroller-accessible, too.  That means that if you have a runner and an infant, you can still use your stroller and keep up.

The playground is massive featuring several play sections, including a swing area (both modified, tire, infant, regular, and bench swings), a maze, an imaginative play area that includes cars, planes, and a "road" for runners, strollers, and wheelchairs to drag race around the park, and a playground section with wide access ramps, multiple slides, various forms of monkey bars and teeter totters, balance beams, and the traditional "playground" equipment you'd expect to find.

In the center of the park is a giant carousel, which is closed during the winter, but great to enjoy in warmer months!  This park is a drive from PWC, and took us about 40 minutes to get to, but since we needed that nap, it was perfect, and we enjoyed the change of scenery!!

For more pictures (and the story behind that mouthful of a name), check out Playground Princess' Review HERE.

Happy Playing, and look for more local playground reviews coming up in the days to come!

It's Coming! Classy Kids Consignment Spring 2011

If you are a mom, then you have probably had at least one horrifying morning where your child inexplicably refuses to fit into any of the clothes in their closet, including the ones that fit yesterday.  This leads to both a box of outgrown clothing and being late to school or playgroup while you run to the nearest supercenter to grab an outfit.

Classy Kids Consignment can help with both those issues.

Held several times a year in both Prince William and Fairfax Counties, Classy Kids Consignment allows parents to sell their children's outgrown or unused toys, clothes, books, videos, maternity wear, furniture and "gear".  Not only does this clear out closet space for sellers, it nets buyers great deals on children's items in gently used condition.  Consignors receive 60% of their items' cost, and can opt to reduce items for special 25% off and 50% off sales or not.  Parents may also volunteer to help work the sale in return for special pre-sale perks.

Parents can come to shop at the PWC Fair Grounds in Manassas beginning March 2nd at 12pm.  Sale dates are as follows:
March 1: Pre-sale for shop volunteers, must register in advance.
March 2: 12pm-1pm
March 3: 2pm-7pm
March 4: 10am-6pm 25% off sale, 2pm-6pm 50% off sale for volunteers, must register in advance
March 5: 8am-2pm 50% off sale
March 6: 10am-1pm Dollar Dash Sale (all remaining items not picked up by consignors after the 50% off sale)

Classy Kids Consignment offers a great way to stretch your budget and get some great deals on children's items.  Be sure to mark your calendars and come out for this great event!