Lebanese Festival - June 1-3

Last weekend we enjoyed the Lebanese Festival. I love to go because I enjoy the food, music, and dancing. Sorry, I was stuck on taking pictures of my kids and my friend's kids, so you won't see dancing pictures. However, I can tell you, like always it is exciting. They didn't have cabbage rolls when I was there this year (a little bit of sadness on my part). Of course, I can't say if I was just too late getting there or if they just decided not to make them this year (hoping it's the former).

Cultural events are always fun in my book. I get to escape to another world so to speak and it is a great learning/teaching opportunity for the kids. Sure, they have the bounce house and obstacle course. Sure they have cotton candy, snow cones, and face painting - but they also open the kids' eyes to other cultures. I am a travel fanatic (even though I have been grounded since having children) - this is my opportunity to share what I love with my kids.

Festival in the Park - May 25 and 26

Okay, so the Festival in the Park runs longer than two days, but I can only really tell you about my experience. For the first time, I went to the Friday night concert - which I was excited about because it was the Gin Blossoms. I remember this band from back in the day - I am not going to date myself, but let's just say I do remember them from the early 90s. I wasn't much into music back then - I could tell you if I liked a song, but could not tell you the song title or the band. However, I enjoyed sitting at the concert listening to this band again.

It did make me feel old to watch all the teenagers running around in extremely skimpy outfits. I don't think that I am much of a prude, but definitely not things I would want my kids running around in (much less what I would wear at that age). The cool thing about the concerts is that they are extremely family friendly - kids 6 and under get in for free. Depending on the bands playing next year, I will probably bring the kids with me.

Saturday, I headed to the Festival to check out the family fun. Not only do they have tons of family friendly events (including the beloved Fireman's Foam). I love wandering through the tents looking at all the items people are selling. Sometimes I wish I had a lot more money than I did - it would be nice to support these local ventures. I love the jewelry that people create, my kids love the crazy creatures. There is no end to the gifts and artifacts you will find.

Not to mention the performances. There are all sorts of exhibits and talents that you will see. From Pro- BMX bikes to artists to sand sculptures. Many children love the little petting zoo - with the alpacas, bunnies, ponies and more.

Memorial Day Weekend is an important, special weekend. This Festival brings out everyone - we even met some people who drove in from Richmond for the concert. If you haven't checked out this Festival yet, put it on your calendar for next year. I already know that it is on mine.

Local Colors Festival - Saturday, May 19, 2012

It has been a while since I have posted about any of the fun things that we have done in Roanoke. We went to the St. Patrick's Day Parade, Easter Egg Hunts all over Roanoke, and the Strawberry Festival. I feel horrible that I did not post about the fun and excitement we discovered during these events. This past weekend, however, we went to the Local Colors Festival. This is one of those festivals that I am a big fan of. I love to travel and with little ones, this is the closest I am going to get to go to another country for a while. Plus, I get to share this experience with the kids.

We enjoyed the parade of countries at the beginning of the festival. I even gave in and purchased (for $1.00 each) two passports so the kids could collect stamps from each country that we visited. They even had it set up so the kids could get free passport photos taken to put in their passports. I loved the countries that we stopped at where the people would share some of their culture with the kids before they earned their stamp.

Not only did we get to learn about other countries, but we could buy food from those countries too. We tried Thai food last year. The kids kept it simple and American with hot dogs. I decided Germany's Bratwurst sounded delicious and it was. I wanted to head over to France after lunch had a chance to digest and get a crepe, but by 3:00 the line was too long and I was more impatient than the kids.

They had a Kids Zone too, with a bounce house, free popcorn, face painting and our favorite caricature lady.

As usual, the kids had fun and so did I. We all got to see and do things that we enjoyed. Next weekend is Festival in the Park, which starts on Thursday and runs through Monday.

32nd Annual MDA Car Show - March 3, 2012

It has been an extremely busy last couple of weeks as I finished prepping for Consignment Sales. As a quick aside before I start talking about the car show, two wonderful week long consignment sales started yesterday (March 3rd). I love Lauren's Friends & Alex over at the CMT Building. I always find a season's worth of clothes for 2 kids for around $200.00. There is also Back-on-the-Rack at Tanglewood Mall. This also allows me to find great buys for the upcoming season for my kids. I took the kids with me to LFA on Saturday and actually let them pick out their clothes for the first time. They did really well - we only had to veto a few things, but they know what they will wear. I am going to hit up Back-on-the-Rack - but I probably won't make it there until Tuesday or Wednesday because life has a way of happening.

Okay, so my shameless plug that everyone with kids should check out those sales. Yesterday afternoon we took the boys to the MDA Car Show. We have gone to this for the past two or three years. The husband actually puts together model cars - it's a bit of a hobby - and he thinks about putting his cars in the show. He hasn't done it yet, but he loves to see what other people have been up to with the building. He has started building little models with the kids (I like the $1 wooden models from the craft store) with the kids and they are most likely going to share his love in building models. We spent a lot of time in that room alone.

There were also two rooms full of cars. This is an event that draws the entire Roanoke Valley. Well it feels that way because it is pretty crowded. My kids really focused on which cars had trophies this year. This was new this year, but it allowed the husband to tell them stories about the cars he used to drive growing up.

I had to throw this picture in - I have never seen a Corvette that was marked for Farm Use. Only I would appreciate the irony of that.

There are all sorts of vendors at the Car Show (it wouldn't be any type of show if there weren't a few people trying to sell something). The kids got stuck at the 3D television. They weren't even wearing the glasses - they just sat there watching Alice in Wonderland - the Johnny Depp version. I stayed with the kids while the husband checked out the rest of the cars. And yes, the movie was much better once I had the 3D glasses on and got to see the teacups come flying at my head.

The MDA Car Show is still going on today, in case you missed it yesterday. I highly recommend that if you appreciate classics, you check this out.

Looking for Something to do in Roanoke this weekend

Free Fridays at The History Museum of Western Virginia

Starting October 14, 2011

• Location: History Museum of Western Virginia
• Address: 128 Campbell Avenue SE, Roanoke, VA 24011
• Venue: History Museum of Western Virginia
• Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Friday

We are pleased to offer Free Fridays at the History Museum. Free Fridays will be every Friday and include FREE ADMISSION from 10 a.m.- 7p.m.. Special events from 4-7 p.m. are coming soon. Stay tuned for further information!

 

Blake Shelton

February 18, 2012

• Location: Roanoke Civic Center
• Address: 710 Williamson Road, Roanoke, VA 24016
• Venue: Roanoke Civic Center
• Visit Website

 The Roanoke Civic Center is proud to welcome Blake Shelton and special guests: Justin Moore and Dia Frampton (from NBC's The Voice)  Blake Shelton is one of the "most versatile of contemporary country singers" (The New York Times). The country superstar's single "God Gave Me You" recently broke the Top 10 and is his fastest rising single to date. The emotionally powerful single is off his new album Red River Blue.

 

These are just a few things going on this weekend. I believe the Star City Comedy group is back at Corned Beef on Saturday night too. You never know what you will find to do n Roanoke. It's always interesting though...

This Weekend in Roanoke - Feb 11-12

Saturday, February 11:

• Carnevale: A Masked Musical Ball, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra - 7:00 pm
• J. Anthony Brown with George Willborn "A Valentine's to Remember" - 7:30pm
• Train Lovers Day - 10 am to 5 pm
• K92's Danny and Zack's Bitter Mixxer - 8pm
• Liz Barnes - 9pm
• Log Home Show
• Pace Bros Organ Trio - 9pm
• The Big Payback: A Tribute to James Brown - 10pm
• The Pine Room Pub Presents Hoppie Vaughan - 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• The Regency Room Presents The James Pace Little Big Band - 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
• Opening: A Valentine's Celebration at The Hotel Roanoke - All Day

Sunday, February 12:

• David Mayfield Parade - 7:30pm
• Log Home Show
• The 2011 Virginia Step Show - 8pm
• Closing: The Emancipation of Alabaster McGill

So this list is all the events going on downtown today and tomorrow. I am not single, so I won't be hitting up the Bitter Mixxer tonight. But the Mom that I am is tempted to head over to the Transportation Museum for Train Lovers Day. Sounds like fun for only $5.00 per person (ages 3 and under free). There are even going to be free train rides today! I suggest grabbing the kids and checking it out. As always the weekend is full of a little something for everyone.

Don't forget today is Spectacular Saturday - in case you have not checked out the Taubman Art Museum yet.

I think that we should definitely venture downtown and check it all out. Whatever you plan to do - HAVE FUN! Guess it is time for us to get this day started.

Tons of Fun at Tanglewood Mall

This is our third year attending the Tons of Fun event. For the kids, there is no better free event that I can think of. I will preface this with, TONS of people attend this.Think upwards of 3,000 people between 10:00am and 4:00pm. So, if you are not a crowded event kind of person, stay away. If you are a person who loves to watch their kids have fun, this is for you. I don't think we have ever done the same thing twice either.

Last year, the kids actually rode on some of the rides - like a little train. This year, they didn't really care to do that. We checked out all the people dressed in costumes, like the peacock above. The kids really wanted to jump around in the bouncy jungle.

The boys had spent all week talking about getting their faces painted. Both were set on getting race cars until we actually were getting their faces painted. My youngest talked all big and bad about getting a tiger done on his face...except that he was hit by the ULTIMATE shy bug. He wouldn't look at anyone, let alone talk to them. So, he stuck with the original plan of getting the race car done. Now my oldest had his entire face done and I am now having trouble getting the color off. He has a bit of a red tint to his face - kind of funny if you ask me. Then again, we are just getting ready for bath time so it will probably come off the rest of the way in the tub.

Something new for us this year were the glitter tattoos. Of course what could be bad about a bunch of glitter? Except that it gets everywhere... Both the boys went for the stars, even though there was this cool looking lightning bolt.

The other thing we decided to try this year was getting the kids' caricature done. Ron King, the caricature artist, did a great job. I can't deny that...but the line was so LONG. It was frustrating to have to wait while one person had 4 done! Regardless, I am glad we waited. Part of me wishes the Husband came with us so the kids could have done some of the other things while I waited in line. Goodwill was right there near the Caricatures making snakes out of ties. I would have loved for the kids to do that. The problem was, by the time they got their caricature done, they were ready to leave. I can't blame them though - we were there for 4 hours...

The best part of Tons of Fun - it's FREE! Several of the people had tip jars out - which is reasonable considering the GREAT job everyone did! However, if you are on a tight budget, this is a great event. It usually happens the first weekend in February.

Kids Helping Kids Fun Day - Saturday, February 25, 2012

Sounds like fun doesn't it? This might be something that I will be doing this weekend. Are you trying to come up with something fun for your kids? Not only will your kids have fun, but you can teach them a little bit about giving back to others. Children's Miracle Network is a good cause.

"Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future."

-John Fitzgerald Kennedy-

Around Downtown

Art in the Center in the Square Parking Garage

These ads painted on buildings are works of art too

This is the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Bridge - Great place to watch trains

You can see Hotel Roanoke in the distance

The Roanoke Times Building

Virginia Museum of Transportation

Our Saturday Family Time continued after we left the Taubman Museum of Art. We walked through downtown, even though it was a little wet, to the Virginia Museum of Transportation. This museum has become a favorite for my family. The kids love to be around those big old trains - althought I must admit that we skipped the railyard today.

Jupiter Missile

We spent a lot of time looking at the Cars and the model train set. I love to watch my kids when they are exploring the world around them. Their reactions are the best and at times, I can feel the excitement as they are discovering how the world works.

Hours of Operation:

Monday-Saturday:

10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Sunday:

1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Admission Rates:

• $8.00 adults
• $7.00 seniors (age 60+)
• $6.00 children (ages 3-11)

Members and Kids under 3 visit for free! Group rates are available.

There is going to be a Train Lovers Day on Saturday, February 11th. The kids and I will probably make an appearance. It will depend on what else is going on that weekend. Also, there isn't much out there yet by way of information - so I will be keeping my eyes open on this one.

Taubman Art Museum

 

It was a rainy day today, so we decided to enjoy the things that you can do inside. Our first stop this morning was the Taubman Museum of Art. I love Spectacular Saturdays - it's free to go and the kids can sit there for hours with the arts & crafts alone. 

Arts and Crafts

 We actually stayed downstairs for about 30 minutes. They had plenty of paper available and the kids and I were having so much fun with the stencils. They also had these markers that make dots...as you can see from the picture above, this was a hit with us. I would love to find those somewhere - and I forgot to look when I was at the craft store.



The stairs up to the exhibits.

 After a while, we headed upstairs to check out the exhibits. I have been looking forward to checking out the "In the Moment: Light, Vision, and Memory" exhibition. It is celebrating photography in the 125th year of the Roanoke Times. It is amazing how history is caught on film - and we get to look back at it. I often wonder what it was truly like at that particular moment in time. I wonder if 100 years from now people will be doing the same thing with our lives. I was impressed with how well the boys behaved throughout the museum.


Gallery Hours

Closed Mondays
Tuesday - Saturday: 10am - 5pm
Sunday: Noon - 5pm
Open and free all day Saturday and first Fridays from 5pm - 8pm

Gallery Admission

Friends of the Taubman are always FREE!
General admission for ages 14 to 64: $7
Visitors 65 and over: $6
Children 5-13: $3.75
Children 4 and under are free
Groups of 10 or more: $2 off each admission feeGroups of 10 or more with tour guide pay general admission fees. To schedule a guided tour, call 540.342.5760.




What To Do This Weekend

The husband isn't working this weekend, which gives us an entire weekend to spend doing things as a family. Now, I am having a difficult time narrowing down what I would like us to do. Since tomorrow is Saturday, we could always go to Spectacular Saturdays at the Taubman Art Museum. I would love to check out the "In the Moment: Light, Vision, and Memory." That is going on from 10am until 5pm tomorrow.

Another option is to take the kids to the Mill Mountain Zoo. It has been a long time - my youngest was in a stroller the last time we went - so I think we are due for a trip to the zoo. It was not my intent to make that rhyme, but I like the way it sounds now.

The third option for us would be to head over to the Transportation Museum. The kids love the trains and it's a great "free" day for us since we already paid for the membership (and we have already gotten our money's worth).

There are other things that we can do as a family in Roanoke. However, I am trying to come up with something that is fun and free for us this weekend.

Review: The Kroger/Valleydale Kids Winter Carnival

The original plan was to bring the whole family to check out the carnival, but this didn't happen. My youngest isn't interested in this sort of event yet and the husband was tired. So my oldest and I had a Mommy-Son day, which was absolutely wonderful.

This was one huge slide.



The man guessing the birth month made my son upset. The cotton candy made it better though.

 There were a ton of ticket options, which if I had more children may have made sense to purchase. However, I purchased the 24 tickets for $20.00. My son rode on the Carousel and loved the animal choices. He then took a trip down the slide. He was a little slow climbing up the stairs, but the height made him a little nervous. Once he was up there though - he had the biggest smile on his face going down the slide (this was the ride he went on twice). The Dragon Wagon was his other favorite ride. He told me that it didn't give him butterflies, but it did give him a huge smile. He also enjoyed the teacups.

There is only one more chance to check this fun out. It's totally geared towards kids, but it is enough to make a parent smile watching their child/children have the time of their lives. You can find the information below. Check out http://www.colerides.com/ for the coloring page for a free ride.

Kroger/Valleydale Kids Winter Carnival

Salem Civic Center, Salem, VA

Monday, January 16, 12:00pm-6:00pm

Free Admission

Ride Tickets $1.00 each or 24 for $20.00

Most rides are 3 tickets each

Color a picture for 1 FREE Ride!!
(Limit 1 free ride per child per day) 

Adult Fun: The Snuggie Bar Crawl, Saturday, January 14, 2012

The Snuggie Bar Crawl has been taking the world by a storm since its inception. Last year, Roanoke joined in the craze and hosted its first Snuggie Bar Crawl. It's back again this year, starting at 3pm this coming Saturday. I may not make it this year, although we'll see how Saturday goes - but it was quite the event last year. I went with a friend last year and wound up making a dozen new friends and acquaintances by the end of the night. When I am out and about town, I run into these Snuggie friends and it's so much fun catching up.

Part of the fun of this event is dressing up the Snuggie. You can make a Snuggie into just about anything that you want - It's a blanket with arms afterall. Some people turned their Snuggies into makeshift dresses, while some turned it into a character, like the Cheshire Cat.

There is a bit of fun involved, but there is also a Charity aspect to this bar crawl. You are encouraged to bring a canned good for the local Food Bank.

The Route:

3pm-4pm Blues BBQ
4pm-5pm The Quarter
5pm-6pm 202 Market
6pm-7pm Cornerstone
7pm-8pm Martins
8pm-9pm Corned Beef and Company

Each restaurant will have their own food & drink specials

So, if you are looking for a great afternoon into late night of fun - check this out.

Upcoming Event: Kroger Valleydale Kid's Winter Carnival January 12-16, 2012

Okay, I have never been to the Kid's Winter Carnival, but I think this is a good time to check it out. I think my kids are old enough to actually have a little fun at something like this.

Kroger Valleydale Kid's Winter Carnival

When: Jan 12 – 16, 2012

Where: Salem Civic Center Arena (map)

Description: Thursday, January 12 ~ 6-9 PM Friday, January 13 ~ 6-9 PM Saturday, January 14 ~ 10 AM-9 PM Sunday, January 16 ~ NOON-6 PM Monday, January 17 ~ NOON-6 PM Free Admission Ride Tickets are $1 each or 24 tickets for $20; each ride requires 3 - 4 tickets

 

I don't know if we will try to beat the crowds and go on Thursday or not. I definitely plan on taking a bunch of pictures so you can see exactly what this Carnival is all about. I might even come up with some money so the kids can check out some of the rides. Most likely I will do what I call a quick drive-by. This basically means that we'll wander through it (much like the Salem Fair). If the kids express an interest in any rides at that point, I will assess the cost value. Boring for the kids, but there is no need to go into debt checking out all the awesome events this year.

It's A New Year!

Well, now that we are back to the month of January, it's a great opportunity to see all that Roanoke has to offer all year round. I am excited to think about all the great experiences we will have this year. I am eager to explore those museums around us, the mountains, and all the events that are in downtown. I am also going to be looking for things to do that are close to Roanoke. When I say close, I mean within a 30 to 45 min radius. Now this could change because if I come across something completely amazing I am going to share it. Did you know it's only 2.5 hours from the North Carolina Zoo from here? The kids and I had a wonderful day at the zoo last week. My oldest even found out what happens when you touch a cactus.

Keep your eyes open. I am going to start researching events and fun this evening. We'll see what I can come up with to share with you. For an adult day out, stay tuned for the Snuggie Bar Crawl. This will be taking place on the 14th of this month. It starts at about 3pm so there is a lot of fun. It also combines with the Food Bank, so bring your canned goods.