Indoor Scavenger Hunt

My friend, Heather, created a scavenger hunt for her 5-year old son. Was it for Easter, a Birthday, or another special occasion? I don’t remember… She mentioned how much he loved the mystery poems with rhyming and funny clues.

The following day’s weather was overcast and cold. The kids had already played in the morning and were now looking for a special activity. I bribed them to take afternoon naps by offering a scavenger hunt when they woke up. I mentioned that there might even be a treasure at the end of this adventure of clues. Excited (maybe almost too excited) they eagerly went to bed. And so, below are the clues to our First Ever Scavenger Hunt. The next clue was placed at the answer/location in parentheses.

1. OK, so you’re ready to start? Go to where you get colors for art! (art nook)
2. Now to where you jump jump jump! Just be sure you don’t bump… your head. (mini-trampoline)
3. Hurry, rush, don’t be slow. This is where you need to go (not in your pants!) (bathroom)
4. Uh Oh, Schroeder’s hungry, dude! This is where he eats his food! (food bowl)
5. This is where Daddy sits alone when he is talking on the phone (office desk) You found the prize! Box of July 4th Sparklers

The adventure lasted all of a half hour. We were entertained as my 5-year old read the clue to her 3-year-old brother and they brainstormed to guess the answer. Or sometimes a sibling would just run away which resulted in a chase for the next clue. I noted that next time, I would have more (and more challenging) clues that would lead them to various places (and alternating levels) of our home.

A week later, I got a special request for another scavenger hunt. In exchange they would go to bed “without fuss”. My daughter especially requested more funny and rhyming clues with more “mystery”. Done! And here is the result of Scavenger Hunt Take 2.

1. Practice, Practice, it’s a breeze, to make music on my keys (piano)
2. A sailing vessel for a mouse, this one’s the biggest in the house! (sail boat)
3. He’s red and blue. He loves music, too! (Spidey i-dog)
4. Cook, wash, bake, you need to be taller. Mommy’s is in the kitchen, but yours is smaller (play kitchen)
5. Here is where it is shown, Just how much you have grown! (growth chart)
6. He barks and barks to those outside, From here he sits no one can hide (Schroeder’s bed)
7. Whirring, Whirring, What’s that sound? Why it’s Dad and his coffee grounds! (coffee nook)
8. Mommy doesn’t have one by her side of the bed. Daddy does! It’s near his head. (alarm clock) You found the prize! Ring-pops.

Not too shabby on the clues, if I do say so myself! Maybe I can hire myself out as Scavenger Hunt creator. Hmm, not a bad etsy idea…

Happy Birthday @ Stay and Play

We recently spent a fun morning and Birthday party at Stay and Play in Old Saybrook. I mentioned this place before and I finally got the opportunity to take some photos. When you enter the main double doors, to your left are open closets and cubbies for jackets and shoes. Straight ahead is the check-in desk that is a shared area to the cafe corner.

When you pass the child safety gate that separates the foyer entrance to the play area, you are greeted by this huge indoor playscape. To the left of the playscape is the gated play area for crawlers (not shown). In the first photo is a peek of the education toy store, just behind the playscape and the crawlers play area. The second photo is the right side of the playscape and center of the building.

The next photo shows the opposite side of the playscape (making it the right side of the building when you enter). Here is the fun schoolbus cafe (it’s a real bus!) with tables and chairs inside for eating. Here, kids also pretend to be the bus driver and take turns at the steering wheel. There is also cafe seating around the bus. Here’s a glimpse of the cafe that offers healthy snacks and drinks, as well as lunchtime sandwiches and wraps.

This next photo is take from the center of the room looking farther to the rear of the building. Note the ample adult lounge seating (how comfortable!). The Birthday space is behind the room separators on the left. The spacious restrooms are to the right. My kids enjoy moving the oversized shapes and stairs to make obstacle courses and forts.

This last photo is taken from the back of the building, looking toward the front. You will see both the cafe (left), but the crawlers area is hidden behind the playscape.

It was a great time for the facility was clean, spacious, had an open floorplan for ease of supervising, and comfortable (there were more than half a dozen loveseats). We enjoyed playing, snacking and celebrating, and playing again afterwards!

Stay and Play, LLC
175-2 Elm Street
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
(860)395-4446

Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, Mystic CT

On Wednesday, our St. Andrew Preschool spent the morning at Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center in Mystic. As a group, the kids had the opportunity to pet turtles and a snake and to meet an owl. We enjoyed a walk around the grounds and pond where we also saw birds, turtles basking in the sun, various fauna and signs of spring. Farther away, we took a walk near the bird sanctuary, too. We returned to visit the indoor exhibits that included the taxidermy showcase of birds (donated by the Bill Memoral Library in Groton by the way!), hawks, owls, and foxes to name a few. Kids enjoyed the Night in the Meadow room. A darkened room with sounds and animals spotlighted on the walls throughout the presentation.

I’ve been to 2 fun birthday parties (for ages 5/6 and ages 3/4) at the Nature Center. One in the main building, held downstairs among the showcased animals. The other was held in the separate preschool building with attached playground area. It was just a short walk across the parking lot from the main building. Both experiences were fun and educational. The kids were introduced to the turtles, snakes, frog, and owl. There was a fun craft and nature scavenger hunt as we walked the grounds. The staff was enthusiastic, friendly and great with the kids. I highly recommend holding a birthday party there!

Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center
109 Pequotsepos Rd
Mystic, CT 06355
(860) 536-1216

Help! DMR-E85H reads “Please Wait”

By 2005, TIVO was all the rave. I was reluctant to pay the subscription fees since we watch so little TV anyway. Out of curiousity, I researched to learn that I can get the same functionality through the purchase of a particular Panasonic DVD recorder. The basic idea is that you are recording a show to the hard drive for later playback. The addition of the TVGuide feature “reads” the programming guide from your cable company which can be used to schedule your recordings.

The model we found on eBay was the Panasonic DMR-E85H with a 120GB hard drive (~20 hours of recording time), TVGuide functionality (to schedule recordings), and a combination VHS player (great for transferring over VHS to DVD). So, we justified the purchase because of the many uses it offered.

Over the next 3 years, this gadget helped us to efficiently watch TV, allowing us to skip through commercials, enabling us to view exactly what we wanted and when we wanted, and build a library of quality shows for our kids that they could watch as we allowed them. Notably, we enjoyed the 2006 Torino Olympics on our time zone, selected Noggin music library, Signing Times library (a sign language show that is no longer on PBS), and transferring of VHS memories to DVD.

About a year ago, we decided to transfer my childhood BETA (predecessor to VHS) tapes that we wanted to distribute via DVD to the family. One day I powered it on to find it just froze in a “Please Wait” state. Repeated attempts were the same result. We learned that the fix would cost $130 from Panasonic Support. After delaying, I finally Googled “DMR-E85H Please Wait” to find a forum where others experienced the same symptoms. One user, RandyChev provides steps and photos on how to fix it!Here are my photos after learning from the forum:
This is the circuit board revealed after removing the hard drive.

I identified the leaking and bulging capacitors C1270 and c1271

I removed the circuit board (for better handling) by separating the power from the hard drive, removing the screw from the AC socket, and unplugging the silver zig-zag cable.

I used the soldering tool to melt the existing joints at the back of the circuit board. I suppose the proper way would have been to use a wire to wick away the melted joint, but hey, this was my first time. I wiggled the burnt capacitors out although doing this might have damaged the board. I replaced the 2 capacitors, keeping in mind the short end was Negative. And Tada! Here are the 2 new capacitors (1000uF vs. the original 680 uF) on their sides.

I plugged in the machine and “Voila”! It was working again. As the commercial goes… Soldering Kit $8, 2 Capacitors $3, Repairing a Broken DVR to Save $120… Priceless

Spring Break in Southeastern CT

So as this Spring Break comes to a close, I just want to say what a beautiful week (activities and weather-wise) this has been! The kids and I kept busy and enjoyed ourselves with play dates and park visits. This area has great selection of kid-friendly places! Here are just a few we visited during break…

Stay and Play, LLC in Old Saybrook
175-2 Elm Street Old Saybrook, CT 06475 (860)395-4446
This is an indoor Open-Play facility that features a huge playscape, a cafe (sandwiches, beverages, and healthy snacks), a school bus cafe, an enclosed area for crawlers, ample and comfortable adult seating, a large open play area, and an educational toys/games store. They are open everyday from 9:30a-5:00p and admission (crawlers to age 6) is $5. Roger and Colleen always have a welcoming smile
*GPS 175-2 Research Parkway for best results

The Children’s Museum in Niantic
409 Main Street Niantic, CT 06357 (860)691-1111
This museum has 2 sides (creative play and science). The areas are well thought-out and include: Egyptian Pyramid with sandbox for artifact digging, Tugboat with 2nd level lookout, Mexican Restaurant, Weather news station studio (the broadcast is televised to the front entrance foyer), a large “Stuffee” character whose chest unzips to reveal major organs, interactive lights shapes sensory wall, and miniature pipe organ to name a few. There is also an enclosed playspace for crawlers. I must note that the creative side areas are compartmentalized making it a challenge to keep an eye on your children. Also, the seating for adults is few. Admission is $6 for children 1+ and adults.

Tercentennial Legacy Park in Groton (beside Poquonnock Plains Park)
Route 1 between Dairy Queen and Grasso Tech.
This is an all-inclusive park for all ages, built to celebrate the 300th year anniversary of Groton. It features a variety of swingset styles, many unique offerings such as a There is a covered gazebo in the center that gives parents a good view of the play areas. Additional bench and picnic table seating has been added to the perimeter of the park. One area that could use improvement (or replacement) is the corner sandbox which is left exposed and uncovered as the playground is not a gated area.
This park is located immediately beside the Poquonnock Plains Track. In fact, the track loops around the perimeter of the play area. The track is stroller and bike friendly, too.

Sutton Park in Groton (beside the Grasso Tech entrance)
When the Tercentennial Park is busy (as it was this Spring Break week) and for a change of venue, we ventured across Route 1 to Sutton Park. There is ample bench seating, a view of the skateboard park (my son loves to watch them ride), a playscape, swings, and covered pavilion (great for cookouts and picnics).
There are several other parks that we frequently visit including our very own Washington Park in Groton, the Mystic Rotary Park near the Mystic Drawbridge. Other parks to consider are New London’s Toby May Field and Westerly’s Rotary Park near the Airport.

You might ask about other kid-friendly places like the Mystic Aquarium, the Mystic Seaport, Denison Pequotsepos. Yes, great places indeed, all to be saved for future blogs…

Service on the Sound Fundraiser featuring Richard Farmer

St. Andrew Presbyterian in Groton, along with St. Luke Lutheran in Gales Ferry, is sponsoring a home repair service project for one week in July. Aptly named Service on the Sound, we will repair (at ‘no-cost’) 70 to 80 homes in our area. These repairs include interior/exterior painting, porch/deck repair and replacement, stairs repair and replacement, weatherization, and wheelchair ramp repair and replacement.

About 400 youth participants (teams of 5 youth and at least 1 adult supervisor) have already signed up to participate in this Group Workcamp Foundation event during July20-24, 2009. The recipients of the free home repair are selected based on need and the event is funded by local donations, sponsorships from local businesses, and fundraisers.

One such fundraiser is taking place this Saturday May 23th 7pm, at Union Baptist Church in Mystic. The event features International Speaker and Gifted Musician, Richard Farmer. Tickets are $10 and all proceeds from this concert will go toward purchasing materials to repair the homes this summer.

Butterfly Pavilion

A recent preschool field trip introduced us to the Butterfly Pavilion in Norwich. It was a 4 day (May 7-10) exhibiton and fundraiser sponsored by Chelsea Gardens. Only in its second year of showing, the event seemed to garner increased attendance. Tucked quietly beside Comfort Suites immediately off Rt 2 Exit 27 in Norwich, it is a very unassuming facade with plenty of parking.

We made our walk along a beautifully landscaped path of trees, shrubs, plants, and flowers (all for sale as part of the fundraiser). We were lead to the entrance of a large mesh tent whose greeter carefully (but quickly) raised a panel to let us all in. There we were standing amongst hundreds of Monarch butterflies, some sipping nectar from flowers and others flying freely among us. The inside of the tent was adorned with various potted flowers and fauna, making for a pretty backdrop. Four clear boxes showed the Monarchs in their egg and larva stages, while the branches of a mini-tree displayed a dozen or so in the chrysalis stage.

It was fascinating for the preschoolers, as well as the adults to interact with so many of these delicate creatures. Children eagerly dipped their hands in a sponge soaked in sugar-water transforming them into attractive landing spots for the butterflies. I couldn’t take enough photos! It was such a wonderful visit. We look forward to the event next year.

‘Tis the Season… Tag Sale Season!

Call it Yankee Thriftiness or New England Frugality, but I just love tag sales (AKA garage sales, yard sales, flea markets). I can’t think of a better way for a resourceful individual to decorate or outfit a home with necessities, uncover a hidden treasure, discover a hard-to-find vintage item, or take a small risk on a never used, brand-new item (yes, you’ll find these too!) for fraction of its retail.

I’ve found various items including a $15 guitar in great condition (I’ve always wanted to learn) hidden in a ratty case with rope for a handle. Or, how about the vintage “Snurfer” (early-model snowboard) that Sam found in an estate sale for 50 cents! To my kids’ delight, we once found a huge, gently used train table for $4 merely because we were the only buyers (late in the day) that could fit it in our vehicle. Many of the items in our home (whether Tag Sale, eBay, or local Craigslist finds) have stories that would make for interesting blog entries. Well… maybe I’m the only one who would find them funny and memorable.

So with that, this week (for me) marks the start of Tag Sale Season with the upcoming Child and Family Agency of Southern CT Annual Sale. This 4-day Tag Sale extravaganza is celebrating its 55th year. Here you will find the Grasso Tech foyer, gymnasium, and stage filled with household goods, furniture, clothing/accessories, books, linens, jewelry, tools, sporting goods, and toys.

It’s simply a great selection spread over 5000 square feet of gymnasium space. And when you are ready to pay, there is ample space and staff to check-out quickly. The event takes place from Thursday, April 16th through Sunday April 18th with plenty of parking. As always, it is held at the Grasso Tech located at 189 Fort Hill Road in Groton. Buy a Bargain. Help a Child.

Thursday, April 16 1pm to 5pm *buyers pay an additional 25% Early Bird Premium
Friday, April 17 9am to 6pm
Saturday, April 18 9am to 5pm *prices are now 50% off!
Sunday, April 19 9am to Noon *most items are now $5 a bag!

Additionally, on April 17-19 the Poquonnock Bridge Baptist Church (just down the road on the corner of South Rd and Fort Hill) is also holding a Tag and Bake Sale from 9am-2pm. Stop by on your way to or from Grasso Tech.

‘Tis the season! May you find what you’re looking for. Then again, may you find that unexpected treasure that you weren’t necessarily looking for!

“…so, do you have any pictures of the kids?”

Asked in the usual manner, little did I know that this question would lead to the start of an Etsy store. At the time, Max was a few months old and Rilla was turning 2. Typically, they would have been with me in tow. But that day, I was just running a quick (but glorious) errand alone. In reflection, I was just happy to be out after having showered and brushed my teeth to boot!
We were able to do some catching up, but in response to her question, I did not have anything to offer. I did follow-up with her later via email, but it was that initial question which started my search for the perfect brag book.

I found all sorts: bulky, plastic, wallet inserts, and mainly page-style. What I wanted was something personal, huge in storage but slim in design, and fun to show off. I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for. So after mixing and matching features of various albums, I ultimately designed and made one myself.

When asked the question, “…any photos of the kids?” or “…and how are your folks?” or “… so what are your sisters up to?” I would spread out the accordion-style brag book holding 12 photos and chuckle, “Well, you asked so…”

I mailed filled albums to grandparents and relatives as a photo memento of the kids. I gave empty ones as gifts. I received a lot of positive feedback and comments that I should sell them.

Fast forward to today with junesgallery.com A very small etsy shop where I sell the albums and have expanded into all occasion postcards. I’m looking to expand with other styles of brag books, so if you have any ideas…

I continue to “sport” a most recently filled accordion brag book in my purse. In fact, it’s the 6th one of my collection. The others are stored in a photo carousel where they are shown-off when I want to reflect from the very beginning.

Have you ever considered…

home schooling? This was the question asked by our friend who was visiting us one afternoon in the summer of 2008. She observed that Rilla was about Kindergarten age (she was turning 5 in a couple months) and was curious to know if we had even heard of such a thing. At this time, we had already decided that she was going to repeat the 4’s class of preschool, because of her “late” birthday. She was enrolled for the fall, but this question had planted the seed in our minds.

Our friend was currently homeschooling 3 of her in Virginia. After having “done the research”, she had decided that Classical Conversations (founded in Virginia 15 years ago by Leigh Bortins) was a good fit. She went on to describe the academic interests of her kids, how enthusiastic they are of learning, the flexibility of their family schedule, the increased socialization among peers of various ages and from different backgrounds, the support group of CC, and generally how pleased she was. By this point, she had been homeschooling for 4 years and was currently the Director of a chapter of Classical Conversations.

It was eye-opening to hear of her experience. Although we had heard of homeschooling, we had not yet been given much insight to one family’s daily schedule and lifestyle . Some time ago, we found the blog of one family who was traveling abroad with their middle-school aged children. They were homeschooling them and traveling the world weeks at a time. Imagine that – exposure to foreign cultures, ideas, landscapes, experiences with your family and learning as you travel the world?! It seemed exciting and unusual to us. But, if we were to have this type of life experience (actually it seemed more like a unique lifestyle) how could we set ourselves up to make this happen? Between a chance encounter with a family’s blog and an enlightening conversation with a friend did our journey begin…

The following summer 2009, we attended an Informational Meeting at the “local” CC chapter in Hamden, CT. Actually, it is the only one in CT, even one of the first in New England! We met several wonderful, kind, like-minded and like-valued families. We considered that homeschooling could be a grand experiment for us. What could happen in one year’s trial? I mean, it’s not like I’d have to teach Rilla rocket science, nor would she be missing out if we didn’t enroll her into the school system. Besides, Max was continuing his final year of preschool 3 days a week which would guarantee one-on-one time to teach Rilla. This circumstance would afford a year’s time to transition into home schooling. And from there, we’d take it one year at a time.