Austin. Mom. Blog. » fun

Fall Fun Festival at Old Settlers Park

Dianna — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 01:39:30 +0000

October is filled with fun events. I love this time of year. It’s the beginning of all the holidays and nice cool weather. The one event I will definitely take my four year old to is the Fall Fun Festival in Old Settlers Park located in Round Rock, Texas. It’s on Thursday, October 28th from 9 a.m. to 11:30. We have attended this event for three years in a row. My six year old has outgrown the event since it’s geared toward preschoolers and toddlers. Fortunately Andrew (my six year old) will be in school and won’t realize he’s missing out. It’s a free event that includes treat bags, games, a hay ride, a chance to see a fire truck up close, and refreshments. They encourage the children to come in costume. It’s also encouraged to bring a canned item to donate to the Round Rock Serving Center. I’m a little sad that this will be my last year of getting to participate in the event. My little boy is growing up. I will just have to treasure it.

Hairy Man Festival

Dianna — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 01:28:18 +0000

What a crazy name for a festival! The Hairy Man Festival is held every year in Round Rock rain or shine. I know that first hand since last year we went while it was raining. It was still fun, but I would have rather been without the rain. I’m hoping this year it’s not a muggy, rainy, and very muddy experience. The festival included performances by local schools, food booths, and a lot of games. The entry fee is two perishable items or $2 each person. The festival also includes a contest for the hairiest man. Fortunately, we never stick around for that. But hey, maybe that’s fun for some people. We can’t wait to go this Saturday, September 25th from 11 to 6. We like to go right when it opens at 11 so we aren’t fighting too many lines or crowds. My oldest son, Andrew enjoys the cake walk the most. Collin, my youngest enjoys the train ride. I hope they are both there this year. Either way, we will be there.

My Boys on the Train Ride Last Year

A Game Finding Toys in a Haystack

Hoppin Hippo in Hutto, Texas

Dianna — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 18:14:04 +0000

Wow! I am sorry it has been so… long since I have posted anything. I thought I would start off with Hoppin Hippo since it was a fun and clean place to visit. I was really impressed with the whole facility. The first thing to keep in mind is that both parent and child must have socks. I was not aware of that when I went. Hoppin Hippo has socks you are able to purchase for $2.oo. The whole wearing socks thing is a great idea. It sounds a little harsh, but I think it might prevent people from getting any fungus or nasty disease. Overall the facility was clean and inviting for kids to play. When my boys first walked in they immediately went to the wooden clubhouse, climbed the stairs, and put on a costume. There were buckets full of costumes the children were able to play with. After running freely like they were the actual character both boys went into an inflatable giraffe. It was the kind of inflatable that you enter through one side, crawl through, and then end up on the other end. The giraffe was their favorite. Next they jumped on a bouncy house and went down the slide attached. Hoppin Hippo also had a large playscape with a ball pit, another inflatable next to it, and a small plastic playscape in the middle of the facility. I’m hoping the pictures I post will give it more justice. Hoppin Hippo’s website states that it’s recommended for ages 0-7. I believe that’s the perfect age group for this place. A child over 7 would probably think it would be too kiddie. Since my two sons are 4 and 6, it was perfect. We’re trying to make some time to visit again, but our summer keeps getting shorter. We will definitely try one day.

The Clubhouse

The Inflatable Giraffe

Large Playscape

Bouncy House with Slide

Vacation

Dianna — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 03:36:51 +0000

We have been on vacation and still are on vacation. I have been so exhausted that I usually just fall asleep instead of making time to write. My eyes are closing as I write this. As soon as I recuperate, I can’t wait to share all of our adventures.

Deutschen Pfest in Pflugerville

Dianna — Fri, 14 May 2010 19:11:57 +0000

There’s an annual festival in Pflugerville called the Deutschen Pfest this weekend. We plan to go if the weather permits. We went last year and the boys had a lot of fun. My youngest son Collin loved the train ride and Andrew (my oldest) liked the face painting the most. The petting zoo (which I hope they’re having) is always a big hit. For the first time we will participate in the Children’s Parade. We will walk with other families on Main Street in our wagon. I’m really hoping the weather will clear out overnight. Rain or shine, the festival will still go on. I’m just not sure if I want to take the boys in rain. We will just have to wait and see how this Texas weather pans out.

Inflatable Wonderland in Lakeline Mall

Dianna — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:51:46 +0000

Since I love to shop people usually think I’m heading to the Lakeline Mall to do that, but for the past year it’s either to visit Build-a-Bear or go to Inflatable Wonderland. We often go to Inflatable Wonderland on a Tuesday or Thursday. Their prices are half price. That makes the price $5.50. I think it’s totally worth it. Considering the boys ages I wouldn’t pay full price. I believe after a good two hours they are done. That’s what makes the half price days worth it. Inflatable Wonderland consists of several inflatables with age limits on each of them. Adults are not allowed to play on the inflatables with their children. That makes it a little hard for parents that have small children. Fortunately there is a small designated area for toddlers. They have some toys and large blocks laid out. For some reason my four year old loves the toddler section. He really isn’t allowed in this area because of his age, but likes to sneak over when he has the chance. I’m not sure exactly how many inflatables they have, but I know at the least they have eight. It definitely keeps the boys running to and from each one. They also have a snack bar with reasonable prices with a variety of snacks. It includes hot dogs, a variety of popsicles, chips, drinks, and slushes (my boys favorite). They probably offer more, but that’s all that comes to mind. One of my favorite things about Inflatable Wonderland is their washing station. I love the fact that they have several sinks, soap, and towels in an open area to get your hands clean. They even leave out step stools for the kids that can’t reach. I’m that mom that always carries hand sanitizer wherever we go. It’s nice to not have to carry it here. We always have fun here and try to go when we can.

Spring Break Vacation

Dianna — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 01:24:24 +0000

Well, it’s only four weeks until Spring Break vacation and we still have no plans. Time is going by fast and we need to make some. Believe it or not, I actually had the nerve to call my travel agent to see if we could get on a Disney cruise during spring break. Everything, and I mean everything was booked. I guess when the time is right, we will go on the Disney cruise. We’re looking into going to Houston and purchasing the city pass. It’s a discounted pass that allows you to go to six different attractions. It’s $39 for adults and $29 for kids. The main attractions that interest me are the NASA’s Johnson Space Center and the Children’s Museum. I thought it might be fun and not so far to travel. I would also like to stay one night in Galveston since it’s so close to Houston. These are just some ideas and I will post soon what we have decided and then comment later on our experience. Wish me luck!

Not Feeling Well

Dianna — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:05:08 +0000

We have been out a lot, but for the past few days I have been ill. As soon as I feel better I will post as much as I can. One thing to quickly mention is that we went to the Austin Children’s Museum. My boys always enjoy it and love when we take them. On Wednesdays from 5 to 8, it is entry by donation. The only downfall is parking. Once you finally find the parking space, it’s fun from that point on. It’s a nice family place that our family really enjoys.

Tokyo Steakhouse

Dianna — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:53:28 +0000

Recently we ate at Tokyo Steakhouse in Round Rock. It was not only fun, but the food was also good. I can’t say it’s out of this world delicious, but it was good and the show was excellent. We went for dinner and the prices ranged anywhere between $20 to $30 a meal. It adds up for a family of four. I honestly would recommend everyone to try it at least once. It’s a fun dining experience. First you order your food. The soup comes out first and then the salad. After you finish those courses, the chef comes out to prepare your food. You have the option to sit at the grill or sit at a table to not see a show. I believe the best part is the show. There are eight seats surrounding the grill to see the chef cook your food. After the chef cooks your food, he then serves it and tries to shoot food in each of the guests mouths. I’m not sure if every chef does that, but each time they have with us. Our chef had us entertained the whole time. Our oldest son Andrew claims this is now his favorite restaurant. Lastly, we get served ice cream. That definitely puts icing on the cake for my boys. Tokyo Steakhouse has lunch specials so we might try that next time. With it being Andrew’s favorite restaurant, I know we will be back.

Gingerbread Houses

Dianna — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:40:58 +0000

I thought it would be fun to make gingerbread items with the boys. I picked out a house for my five year old and a train for my three year old. The first part was pretty easy. We just iced the sides together and let it dry. The next part was the tricky part. We had to decorate our creations with candy. It was easy for my five year old to resist the candy, but not my three year old. From every angle he was popping a candy in his mouth. It was fun, but beware on the candy.

Family Dinner

Dianna — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:43:39 +0000

My husband attempted to make barbecue chicken for the first time. It was delicious. At the last minute I decided to invite my family over. I have two brothers and a sister. Both brothers are married and my little sister is only 16. My mom, sister, brothers, and one sister-in-law came. My dad had to work and the other sister-in-law had to attend a college class. I was happy that we had a good turn out. Usually everyone is too busy to come over. If possible, I believe it is so important to surround yourself with loved ones. My two boys loved having them over. I honestly can say I didn’t hear one whine or cry out of the boys while they were over. Don’t you just love those times? Overall, it was fun and I can’t wait until the next family dinner.

Theater Movie For 75 Cents

Dianna — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:23:07 +0000

Our family went to see “G Force” today at the discount movie theatre in Round Rock. It was a cute movie and worth the seventy-five cents we each paid. On Mondays all movies are seventy-five cents for three or more. On other days it is a little higher. As an adult and as a kid I enjoyed going to the movies, so I’m hoping my boys like the experience too. We go on Mondays for the discount. I figure if my three year old doesn’t sit still through the whole movie it’s o.k. It’s not a huge loss. He’s been doing pretty well. The last fifteen to twenty minutes it gets a little disturbing. At this point my son and I usually head to the back of the theatre so others can watch. As a parent, I look for reasonable and fun things for my boys to do and hope this information might be helpful for another parent.

Fall Events in Round Rock on October 24th

Dianna — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:08:04 +0000

There are two Halloween events in Round Rock on October 24th that we might go to. They are both free which is a big plus. One event is being held at Skyridge Plaza from 10 to 6. The address is 2000 S. IH 35, exit 251 in case anyone wants to check it out. Also, there is an event at Round Rock Gardens located on Sam Bass Road from 4 to 7. Both events look inviting. If anyone has been to either one I would love some feedback. If not, I will let everyone know which one we went to and if we enjoyed it. Considering the times, we might check them both out. As a mom, I love the opportunity to have my boys outdooors and try to let them experience as much as time and energy will allow.