Playskool Playdate

Note: Local Mom Debbi attended the same high school as me, and was kind enough to attend the Playskool Playdate at Top of the Town in Arlington for me since my kids are a little too old! She has three children, ages 4, 2.5, and 6 months. Here she shares a little about the toys and experience.  You can find more of Debbi's writing on her blog or follow her on Instagram.

Instead of lounging around the house on this rainy morning, we got to test out new toys at the Playskool Playdate in Arlington, VA.  I knew the girls would enjoy themselves but baby Matthew (6m) seemed to have the most fun. 

There was tons to do for the infant / toddler age group.  A variety of Elmo toys were available and they were all approved by Matthew – the big eyes and squishy hands and feet were a hit.  Cailin (age 2) also enjoyed the Sesame Street Talking ABC Elmo.  Elmo’s guitar was a fun prop for the girls and Matthew was happy to use it as a teether.  The Shapes ‘n Colors Turtle was bright and loud and Matthew could operate it on his own (always a plus).  His favorite toy seemed to be the Stack n Spin Monkey Gears. 

The toys were all available on a foam ABC mat which was inviting but as soon as kids began to pull apart the letters, choking hazards were everywhere.  This was a smaller version of the ABC foam mat often seen in play areas. 

Many older toys were re-presented in new ways:
- Glow worms (Matthew snuggled one in the stroller as I reminisced about my old green glow worm …from times of yore)
- Mr Potato Heads- with super hero capes and transformer pieces (Mixable Mashable Heroes)
- Ele-fun ball poppers – looked similar to the original, minus the flimsy trunk that always collapsed

Charlotte (4) and Cailin (2.5) were enthralled with the balloon maker, the face painter, and the fried macaroni and cheese balls.  Many of the preschool aged toys were targeted towards boys: Transformers, Spiderman (figurines and cars), and Marvel Super Heroes.  My girls stopped to give these toys a quick look but moved on quickly.  They were hoping for something representing Elsa and Anna (what preschool girl isn’t?). 

Juice boxes and hot dogs proved to be a success at lunch but the toddler chairs and tables were shaky at best.  I think they’re made to disassemble for storage which has its perks… but it wouldn’t be long before one of my squirmy kids would be crying on the floor. 

We had a very fun morning and are very excited about the swag we got to bring home!  Thanks for sharing the opportunity with us Kristina!

Beaches Near Prince William County

We had a reader request for beaches somewhere closer than VA Beach (which is about a four hour drive).  Here are our results from readers about beaches that are local to Manassas, Woodbridge, Dumfries, Dale City, Lake Ridge and Bristow (and any other city in Prince William County. Don't hate me for trying to get google to get my website to come up!)

Obviously I haven't been to all of these beaches, although I'm willing to give that a try.

You know, in the name of science.

Here's what I've got! Are we missing your favorite? Leave a comment below and add your thoughts!


If you'd like to stay under 2 hours (minus DMV traffic which cannot be helped on any given day)
Aquia Beach
"off courthouse rd.  Its secluded but its connected to the Potomac river...good fishing a beach and bathrooms! 25 mins."

Breezy Point
"1.5 hours from Manassas"

Calvert Cliffs
"In MD, about an hour and a half from Manassas. Beach, shallow water, and shark teeth fossils!"

Colonial Beach
"Only about an hour and 15 min away and a pretty decent beach.  We went there for Memorial Day and it wasn't packed.  If you follow the water down to the right of the pier area there's also all day parking for $5 as opposed to the 2 hour parking by the pier"
"Colonial Beach is like an hour and a half or so from 95 south entrance"
"1 1/2 hour sometimes only 45 minutes giving traffic but it is awesome, they have playground for kids, ice cream shops, little art shops where the kids can participate and for the adults there is the river boat casino and the best part, you rent golf carts to drive around the town. My kids love it there and on the 4th of July there is a firework show"
"Yes!! Colonial beach is only an hour and a half from Woodbridge! Best local places to eat, too!"
"We went to Colonial Beach last 4th of July. My 4 boys loved it!
"To those of you who went to Colonial, I found it very rocky and almost unmanageable.  Was I just in the wrong places?"
(Not copying this comment, but suffice it to say someone was less than impressed with the ambiance at this beach.)


Falmouth Beach 
"Right off the highway Falmouth exit...30 mins. Have grassy area a beach and a couple of grills...they also give out life jackets to the kids!"
"We go to River Beaches, not quite the coast. Not fancy, but the kids love it.  Free parking, 30 mins from Dale City"

Half Moon Beach 
"Past Strasburg" (Google maps says 1.5 hours from Manassas)

Lake Arrowhead Beach
"In Luray VA you have Lake Arrowhead Beach, very nice and cost very low"

Leesylvania
"Leesylvania has two tiny beaches.  Woodbridge/Dumfries area."

North Beach 
"I have heard good things about North Beach, MD but I have never personally been.  Google says it takes about 1 hour 15 min from Montclair.
"North Beach is okay, but it's a pay beach"
"No waves to worry about for the little ones.  Cute shops and a nice boardwalk."

Rappahannock Beach
"Off Rt 1. Quiet, safe, good for kids. 20 minutes from Dumfries"

Sandy Point
"Never been, but looking into Sandy Point"

Shenandoah River
"Second best for us, least crowded every time we've gone is Shenandoah River at the Shenandoah State Park.  About an hour drive."

Westmoreland State Park
"Only 90 minutes away and a nice beach"

If you think 2+ Hours is local (or worth the drive, but either way, I'm separating them out)

Bethany Beach
"Delaware. 3 to 3.5 hours. We have done day trips. They are long days, but so worth it."

Chincoteague Island/Assteague Beach
"I am a single mom and I love taking my 7 year old daughter to Chincoteague every August.  "Is that where the horses are?" is the top question I get.  Yes, but there is way more.  It is 3.5-4 hours east of us and only 30 minutes south of Ocean City. There are plenty of hotels and it is a top family vacation destination in the area.  We also like to camp there as well for only $30 a night tent camping.  The beach is really nice and has lifeguards.  Assateague beach is a notion park so there are no board walks, just shower and parking.  There is a small fee for the beach because it is a park.
"We loved Chincoteague"

Fenwick Island
"About 2.5 hours away and super family friendly. It's right next to Ocean city but removed from the crazy college crowd."

Dewey Beach
"DE, and it's beautiful and not too far, but not great for families.  Bethany, just a few minutes away is much better."

Ocean City 
"I load the kids up at 5am and head to OCMD.  It's before the traffic rush so we can be there by 8, even with a bathroom break.  Spend all day and load up the sleepy kids back into the car around 7 and they wake up in their beds.  It's a drive, but not awful."

Ocean View
"We just moved here from Norfolk.  VA Beach is cool for ocean beaches but I have small kids and we always like the Ocean View beaches in Norfolk better because the waves are smaller and the beaches are less crowded.  On a good day it's 2.5 hours from here, but it's more like 3-3.5 hours."

Outer Banks
"31/2 to 4 HRS"

In addition to reader suggestions, here are a few from the Washington Post.

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Giveaway: Madame Tussaud's DC

Where can you and your kids visit all your favorite celebrities in one swoop? Madame Tussaud's, of course! Pose with your favorite historical figures, celebrities, and politicians all day long- they don't mind at all because they're wax!

Recently, Madame Tussaud's added Katy Perry to their ranks!

But you can also visit Barack Obama in the Oval Office:

Along with every other US president, for that matter!

Want to go? Enter to win your tickets using the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want more info? Here's some details from a review I did a few years ago:

Madame Tussaud's is very easy to get to.  There's easy metro access, but we ended up driving (395-14th street-F street) and were there in about 30 minutes, including parking.  There's a $10 a day parking garage right across the street, but there's also lots of on-street parking available if you go on a day that isn't full of Cherry Blossom visitors trying to beat the snow!

When you enter Madame Tussaud's, there's a line to pay, then a few steps down to a brief video where they demonstrate how the wax figures are made.  You then head to the left (I'm mentioning this because I was a little unclear on where to go!)  and go through a few halls of presidents.  Several of the exhibits have a way to interact with the figures- for exmaple, George Washington has a "boat" that you can sit in and don a Washington-esque coat for a pictures.  Lincoln (depicted sitting in the balcony at Ford's theatre) also has a coat you can wear for your picture.  Bring. Your. Camera. If your kids are anything like the kids I took, you will hear "take my picture!! take my picture!!!" around 3,000 times :)

After you move through the presidents, there's a spot at the end where they take commemorative pictures in the "White House" or with the "Obamas", and then you move into some historical figures.  There's Rosa Parks and a bus background, Martin Luther King Junior, Malcom X, and also some historical figures in with the presidents like Jackie O, the Apollo astronauts, Winston Churchill, and others. 

The final two sections are famous athletes and movie stars/singers.  The little girl that we brought was excited to point out the Jonas Brothers.  I took a picture with my future ex-husband, George Clooney ;) and my only complaint was probably that there was a Robert Pattinson who wasn't sparkly, and there was no shirtless Taylor Lautner.  Just saying.

The kids I took (all 7 years old) had a really great time.  They were super excited about people they recognized (Washington, Lincoln, Obama, Tiger Woods, Britney Spears, Jonas Brothers, astronauts) and anything that had an interactive component. They were also happy to have me take their picture with anyone who they thought looked cool.  I think that the ideal age to take here would be 9 or older, just because they would have exposure to more of the historical people and would be more excited to see them, and would be able to read the fun-facts more independently.  That said, I was totally happy with our trip and my 7's had a great time!! Fair Warning: The end of the tour dumps you into the gift shop, so be prepared to stop any wandering little hands.
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Disclosure: This giveaway provided by Madame Tussaud's DC location.  All opinions are my own. By entering you're agreeing to all of our Giveaway Rules and regulations. I'm not responsible for traffic, weather, your kids being sad the real Katy Perry isn't there, or any other drama you encounter.  

4th of July 5k!

Freedom Firecracker 5K : Fun Run Racing is excited to partner with The Freedom Center for this family friendly celebration of July 4th. Feel free to wear your patriotic themed gear. As with all FRR races, this will be a festive affair – music, fun race giveaways at the start line, ‘in-race’ awards for best costumes, and FRR “surprize” awards in the finish line chute – including our ‘Golden Ticket’ awards {just hope fora “Willy Wonka-like” golden ticket}. :)

Kids 1K Fun Run also available. 

30 Acts of Kindness 15-21: The Easy Ones With No Pictures

During February, March (because snow is not my friend) I'm celebrating my 30th Birthday with 30 Acts of Kindness suggested by readers.  The point of these posts isn't to "brag" about what I've been doing, but rather to raise awareness about different organizations in Prince William County and share how you and your family can get involved in making our area a better place to live.  If you'd like to join me in any of my assignments, or if you participate in one on your own, I'd love to get your picture and/or story to share!! I'd love to think this is making a difference, and I hope that you'll join me!  

I am a bad blogger.  I am so very far behind on these posts- but I definitely wanted to do an update!! Last we spoke, I'd completed task 14 at the Bill Mehr Drop in Shelter thanks to Chick Fil A. 

Let's continue with some of the easy ones that I don't have pictures for because of privacy/inability to take a picture of the person benefitting:

15- Drive Thru Difference.  
This one was super easy! You can read more about it and even print a letter by visiting WGTS or you can just drop some extra money off with the drive-thru cashier.  You don't have to pay for someone's whole order (we lucked out and the person behind us just got lunch for one, I was sure when I agreed to this one I was going to end up with a full conversion van of 20 people behind me) you can just do $5 or $10- it'll make a difference in their day!

16/17- Get someone's coffee (Bonus: Pet Treats)
We happened to be at Walmart in Manassas one day and there were two gentlemen sitting outside in the rain with their dog trying to pick up some work.  We picked up some dog treats, hot coffee, and cookies and told them to have a great day.  It was cold, so hopefully it was a helpful pick me up! 

18- Dinner at an ACTS Shelter (My contribution was cupcakes)
A very sweet Girl Scout troop offered me the opportunity to join their dinner at the Domestic Violence Shelter, I made cupcakes and they served.  Thank you, girl scouts!

19- Fill up all the vending machines (We did CiCis Pizza)
This was a fun one for my kids to help with.  We got quarters and left them in the vending machines at CiCis so that when the next group of kids got there, they'd get a fun treat.  The kids actually had a lot of fun imagining who was going to get each thing. 

20- Take someone dinner
This worked out well because we had friends who were adopting! Even if you're not the best cook in the world, Boston Market is a nice change from Pizza! 

21- Volunteer with a kids group-
I'm counting volunteering at Cub Scout Day Camp.  Because I did, and I can :) Additionally, I got to shoot a bow and arrow, at which I am not horrible.  Bonus. 

Freedom Center Summer Camps 2014

Camps at the Freedom Center start June 19th and they have a little something for everyone! Whether your child just needs a few hours of enrichment or you're looking for full-time childcare during the summer months, there's probably something that's a great fit for you!  There's also before and after care available to extend days for commuters from 6:30am-6:30pm, which is no extra charge for full-day campers! 

Camps include the following:

All Sports
In-line Skating
In-line Biking
Aquatics
Babysitting
Baseball
Boys and Girls Basketball
Boxing
Camp Freedom
Camp Freedom for Kindergartners
Camp Freedom for Preschoolers
Cheerleading
Cooking
Drama Kids
Engineering for Kids
Equestrian
Fishing
Football
Kayak
Jiu Jitsu
Gymnastics
Journey Camp
Lacrosse
Volleyball
Martial Arts
Mountain Biking
Nature
Paintball
Rock Climbing
Science
Soccer
Softball
Spy Camp
Tennis
Zumba for Kids

Let's be honest- if there's not SOMETHING on that list that interests your child, they have either some totally off-the-wall specialty or they don't like anything.  Full Day camps start at $210, and half day camps range from $108 and up.  The week of July 4th is prorated for the missing day of camp.  Camps that are more materials-heavy and/or require transportation off-site are more expensive (for example, the Paintball camp).

Options are available for preschoolers (age 3) to high schoolers (age 15).  There is also an option to add swim lessons to your child's day for $45 a week.

Camp counselors are all over 18, background checked, and trained in CPR/first aid.  For a full camp listing, as well as details on specific camps and registration, visit the Freedom Center's Summer Camp Guide HERE.

Camping at Prince William Forest Park

I am a little more of an "outdoor adventure followed by a warm shower" girl.  Especially after they chopped my neck in half last year for my brain surgery.  Sleeping on rocks just doesn't appeal to me, no matter how many months of recovery I've had.

However, my husband and kids are so darn cute, and they really love camping, so I will do it anyway.  Prince William Forest Park offers several lovely camping areas including three "frontcountry", one "backcountry" and 5 cabin sites.  This time, we opted for Oak Ridge, which allows tents and RVs.  Loops B and C are reservation only, but loop A is first come first served. Turkey Run is great for groups, and we've camped there with Cub Scouts before. 

 We made sure to bring my daughter's American Heritage Girls handbook (similar: Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Trail Life, etc) so that we could do the fire safety section and she could get a badge.  She just recently discovered that anything in life worth doing has a badge associated with it.

 Of course when you're camping, you need a few essential items.  I refuse to camp without hats and DEET because Lyme Disease is no joke.  Camping chairs, firewood, matches, all essential.

Also sleeping bags.  PWC Dad may have taken us on our first family camping trip when our kids were 6 months, 3, and 5 and forgotten the sleeping bags.  I may have also driven back from Lake Anna with said 6 month old at 2am, and because of that I always double check that the sleeping bags made it in the van.

 And, of course, you need S'more fixings.  My kids prefer to completely burn the marshmallows and eat the chocolate, although for those of us with a little more patience, a carefully toasted marshmallow is a thing of beauty.

 Tin foil (the heavy duty stuff)  is also a good idea if you're going to be using a site-provided campfire grill.  Those things don't get cleaned very often, and I don't care how hot they get.

I just don't.

Trash bags- also a good idea, and in our case we kept the cooler in our van so that we wouldn't attract any little critters. Obviously, a lovely time was had by all.

Want to have your own camping fun? Here are a few site recommendations, both from myself and from readers, in and around Prince William County.

In-County
Prince William Forest Park (Dumfries/Triangle) sites start at $20/night or $10 for seniors/passholders.  Note that you'll still apparently need to stop at the Visitors Center and pay the park entry fee ($5/week) on top of that.  We assumed it was included in the price, which was apparently wrong, but luckily we have a pass. Tent or RV or Cabin.  Showers, bathrooms, activities.

Greenville Family Farm (Haymarket) site prices aren't listed, but apparently vary based on whether or not you want electricity.  Fishing ponds, showers, bathrooms.

Leesylvania State Park only offers group camping.

Out-of-County (Virginia)
Burke Lake Park (Fairfax) sites are $28/night and Burke Lake Park offers lots of fun (including a train and carousel).  However, sites are first-come, so be sure to plan to arrive early.

Shenandoah National Park (Front Royal-Wayensboro) start at $15/night and include tent and limited RV

Christopher Run Campground (Lake Anna) starts at $32/night cabins, lodges and tent sites available. This is one of my family's favorite sites when we camp with my parents, who have a boat.

Todd Lake (Stokesville) $16/night for tent camping, showers/bathrooms/drinking water available.

Sherando Lake (Shenandoah) has reserved or first-come camping for tents and RVs.

Out-of-County (Bit of a Drive)
Starlight Camping Resort (Pennsylvania) $42/day for 2 people, $3/day for each additional child or $5/adult.