Austin. Mom. Blog. » round rock

Interstate Lanes in Round Rock: Closed

Dianna — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:17:08 +0000

I write this posting on a sad note. Interstate Lanes in Round Rock, Texas has closed. This past summer we visited the bowling alley at least twice a month. I wanted to make sure to post this information to the site since I had wrote an article in 2010 about the bowling alley. It will always be remembered as the first place we took our two sons bowling for the first time.

Sky Ridge Plaza Pumpkin Fest

Dianna — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 17:23:33 +0000

We are definitely checking out the Sky Ridge Plaza Pumpkin Fest in Round Rock tomorrow. I just confirmed the plans. The festival will still take place if it rains. There will be tents set up. This will be our third year to participate in the event. The event is totally free. The link I provided will give more detail on what will be there. http://www.skyridgeplaza.com/pumpkinfest2010.html

I confirmed that the costume contest will take place at 5:00 p.m. and will be judged by three categories. They will be judged by the most scariest, cutest, and most original. The festival is from 12 to 9. I’m sure it will be as much fun as it has been in the past.

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

Rock ‘N River Family Aquatic Center

Dianna — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:20:41 +0000

Sunday afternoon we visited Rock ‘N River Family Aquatic Center in Round Rock, Texas. A friend of ours threw her daughter a birthday party there. The party allowed our friend to reserve three shaded tables. Rock ‘N River is like a miniature water park. It includes water slides, a lazy river, and a water playground. Our two sons loved it. When we left they stated it was their favorite place to go swimming. It was a little too crowded, but we managed. We want to go again, but I’m hoping to go during the week next time to see if there’s less people. We were allowed to bring in our own food and drinks. The Center does have a concession stand that includes mostly soda and chips. The soda was $1.50 each and the chips were .75 each. There is also a snow cone stand. The prices for a small, medium, and large were $2.50, $3.50, and $4.50. A small snow cone was perfect for each of our boys. One thing to keep in mind about Rock ‘N River Family Aquatic Center is that it does not allow you to bring in floats. They provide life jackets and you are able to use them without a fee. We all had a blast and can’t wait to go again.

Interstate Lanes in Round Rock

Dianna — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:02:39 +0000

I’m not sure how we got the information about “free bowling,” but today we tried it out. Interstate Lanes in Round Rock is offering a free game of bowling for kids ranging from pre-k to 12th grade. The kids get one free game each day from May 15, 2010 until August 31,2010. The shoe rental is not included. The fee is $1.50. This offer was totally worth the drive for us since our two boys only last one game. On Interstate Lanes’ website there is a summer fun card that must be printed out to bring for the free game. We had no problem using the print out copy of the card. Mondays are discount days so this might be a routine on Mondays for the summer. We all had a delightful time and look forward to going again.

Movies in the Park

Dianna — Sat, 29 May 2010 14:24:25 +0000

We have never got to experience a movie in the park yet, but plan to on Friday, June 4th. In Round Rock at Old Settlers Park there will be a showing of “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.” Activities start at 7:30, but the movie will start at dark. According to the Round Rock website there will be a concession stand. The movie and parking are free. I do not know how much the snacks at the stand will be. I will definitely write about how our experience was.

Mother’s Day

Dianna — Wed, 12 May 2010 03:12:47 +0000

I’m hoping every mom had a great Mother’s Day. I certainly did. My two sons covered me with cards, hugs, and kisses throughout the whole day. With the boys getting older they have a better understanding of what holidays are about and it is truly special to see it through their eyes. We relaxed for the first part of the day, but from 2 to 4 my oldest son (Andrew) and I got to enjoy a Mother’s Day Workshop at Young Chef’s Academy in Round Rock. My youngest son Collin is very active and I didn’t foresee him sitting through a two hour class. Once the workshop was over my predictions were absolutely true. Fortunately Collin had a great time with his uncle and aunt while Andrew and I cooked sweet potato bread, truffles, and strawberries dipped in white chocolate. Young Chef’s Academy went out of their way to make us moms feel special. When we first arrived they made each mom a large construction paper hat with a flower to attach. Afterwards we went into their cooking class rooms and made delicious sweets. Not only was it fun, but we got to eat everything we made. To my surprise the academy had a small plant pot to decorate for our dipped strawberries. It was a unique keepsake. I’m hoping to do the workshop again next year with the whole family. After the workshop we celebrated with my mom’s family and we always have a great time with them, so the day ended in pure bliss. I’m truly blessed to have such a wonderful family and treasure being a mom.

Pump It Up

Dianna — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 03:30:14 +0000

This morning I had the opportunity to take my youngest son Collin to Pump It Up in Round Rock, Texas. It’s a place that has inflatables. I always thought this was a place that only parties were held, but I was wrong. They have a time frame that has open play time. The time frame was 9:30 to 11:00. The cost is $6.38. That includes the tax. I think it was worth it. During the open play time they have one room that is open to use and consists of four inflatables. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but for the amount of time you are there it’s plenty. I was impressed on how clean everything was and how I was able to keep a good eye on Collin. Since this was our first time there, I’m not sure on how busy it gets, but this morning there were only four of us parents there. It was nice to not have a crowd and have the kids fighting their way through. We will definitely like to go again.

Chuck-e-Cheese vs Chuck-e-Cheese

Dianna — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:06:39 +0000

In the past week our family has been to two Chuck-e-Cheese locations. We went to the one located in Round Rock and the one located on North Mopac in Austin. By far, we enjoyed the one on North Mopac a lot better. We visit the Chuck-e-Cheese in Round Rock a lot more since it is closer to our home. After visiting the location on North Mopac, we will try to visit their location more. Each time we have visited Round Rock, there are broken games. On North Mopac there was not one machine broken. Also, we have to continue to get staff to check out why the tickets aren’t dispensing or why a machine took our coins. That wasn’t the case at the North Mopac location. The whole time we were at North Mopac, we saw an employee checking the machines and walking around to make sure everything was in order. Overall, we had a pleasant and fun experience at the North Mopac location a whole lot more than the Round Rock location. We won’t stop going to the Round Rock Chuck-e-Cheese, but we definitely prefer the North Mopac Chuck-e-Cheese.

Jungle Java

Dianna — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 02:58:17 +0000

Today both my boys were invited to a party at Jungle Java in Round Rock, Texas. I need to start off with saying that my sons had a great time. However, if we weren’t invited to the party, there would be no way I would take my kids there on a Saturday. It was pure craziness. I’m the kind of parent that likes to be able to see my kids while they are playing. There were certain points I couldn’t even tell who my kid was. Overcrowded would be the best word to describe the place. In my opinion, Jungle Java is a huge playscape with different obstacles to overcome. They have several slides, a zip line, a small basketball area, and different levels to go up and explore. Jungle Java also has a menu with a variety of items. It’s not your typical chips and a coke. They have items from a muffin to coffee. We have been there before this party and had a much better experience. We went when it wasn’t crowded. I would recommend going there at least once to get your feel for it. I would just try to go during the week on an unbusy day.

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.

Skyridge Plaza Festival

Dianna — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 02:39:10 +0000

Today we decided to check out the event at Skyridge Plaza in Round Rock. I’m not a fan of crowds or lines so we went at 10:00 when it started. That was the perfect time to go. That first hour the crowds and lines were minimal. Everything was free except for the pony rides for $5.00. It was a fairly small event, but perfect for my three year old and five year old. We lasted two hours and that was perfect. The activites included a petting zoo, face painting, balloons, inflatables, and a cake walk in which the prizes were pretty generous considering it was a free event. We would definitely go again next year.

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.