Bayville Park & Taste Unlimited

Although I grew up not far from this park, I had no idea it was there. I was given the suggestion by a friend to check it out. It's close to shore drive and tucked back into the trees. There are picnic tables, tennis courts, walking trails, a dog park, a horseshoe pit, basketball court, softball field, volleyball courts, a disc golf course, bathrooms and a playground. 

My favorite things about this park- the shade and the spongy floor. The park itself is a dream for kids who like to climb. There is a mini rock climbing wall in addition to the typical playground items. There were lots of dogs in the dog park and lots of kids at the park.

Afterwards we went to Taste. If you've never been, it's part grocery store and part deli. We stopped for a midmorning bite of Gelato which was delicious. There is outdoor seating with room for kids to run around.

Fall Wish List

It's that time again! Online window shopping! Here are some of my current fall favorites for being a toddler mama!

• 1- Perfect for hot lunches. R is going to school five days a week now (crying!) so I want to send him with some hot lunches to switch it up! 
• 2- to become the favorite classroom parent, send these in! They are not on the school supply list, but are some of the most useful things in the classroom. Plus, with these your kids wont get as sick this year! 
• 3- For easy lunch packing! These have awesome reviews and everyone says they don't leak. They also fit a whole sandwich in the big part. 
• 4- A light windbreaker 
• 5- I've heard so many good things about this! There is even a facebook group that supports you while you go through each step. 
• 6- Sweat wicking, which R needs! 

1.This is my birthday wish! I'm super ready for this! It has great reviews even from people with dogs and kids! 

2. Summer may be over, but I'm ready for nights sitting in the backyard under these lights. 

3. How cute is this Halloween wreath!? 

4. Ahhhh- I love this shirt! It's right up my alley! 

5. OH! and these are not on the list for ME, but I want them for my classroom! 

That's it! What's on your fall favorites list?! 

Bennett's Creek Park

The storm may be coming, but we had to get out of the house! So we headed to Bennett's Creek Park. The 57 acre park has three boat ramps, covered shelters, disc golf, a stake park, tennis courts, restrooms and a nature trail. The trail is 1.5 miles and has been known to be visited by songbirds, reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals. On the larger playground there was this climbing feature that R loved. It scared the heck out of me, but he loved climbing up it.

We stayed on the playgrounds. There were a few families there playing and it was a warm day. The playground is made up of three sections. Two playgrounds, one for older kids, and one for younger kiddos. The third part is made up of swings, both baby swings and regular ones.

The clouds came rolling in, and we could feel the rain on its way, so we left abruptly and had one last stop to make... Coldstone! When in doubt, have ice cream! 

A Taste of Suffolk

The taste of Suffolk festival is a yearly event in downtown Suffolk where they line the streets with tastes of local restaurants. For the twelfth year Main Street was blocked off from Finney Avenue to Washington Street. This year there were representations from twenty local places, tons of vendors, live music, a car show, and lots of things for kids to do.

We found free parking a block away and followed the flow of people. Childrens' activities included puppet making, bubble art, story time, carnival style games, and several bounce houses. There were two stages with music, one with a band and another with a DJ.

Along the street were lots of stations with local eateries. We tried snow cones, strawberry wontons and cheese curds among other things. Our favorite stand (with the cheese curds) had several kinds of sauces and toppings. They were handing out samples of tater tots that were delish too. There was also a beer garden with several local craft brews. 

We had fun, and it introduced us to several new places. I also liked the area a lot, and I'd love to come back sometime when we can poke around some of the stores. 

On a Boy and His Pups

Our household is full of dog hair, and while we get annoyed with it, I'm so glad it's there. The house I grew up in sits on a cul-de-sac and almost every house has a dog. Without fail these dogs would generally end up in our back yard where my dad worked on projects. One neighbor swore that my dad lined his pockets with bacon grease. (Which is even funnier because we are Jewish.) Dogs were always around, and when a little black pup was found in our neighborhood she immediately became ours. Eventually, she stuck to my dad like glue, and when he died she started on a downward incline which ended recently with us having to put her down. While I'm heartbroken, what amazes me is that while Shanna was the leader of the neighborhood pack, a real boss bitch, with a high and mighty attitude, even she grew to tolerate and love R. Regularly he asked me to Facetime her at night and he would scream "Nene" looking for her whenever he saw my mom.

In our house our two dogs, Zora and Reggie, bring so much joy to R too. He often calls them to his room when he wakes up in the morning. When he watches t.v. he is often perched up on the couch in the small of Reggie's back. He loves giving them treats, petting them, and giving them hugs every morning. 

These dogs have taught him so much! He has learned the word gentle and how to use a gentle touch. He has learned to throw a ball. An ongoing battle, but he is learning patience when he tells Reggie to drop the ball and then has to wait. He learns responsibility when he brushes or feeds Zora. If you know me, you know how obsessed with dogs I am, and I truly believe that they are the best and most selfless creatures on this Earth, but now I'm even more amazed at all the things they can teach us. Shanna taught me undeniable loyalty and strength until the very end.

He is still looking for "Nene", which is heartbreaking for us. And while we will forever miss her, my mom does plan on getting another dog. The heartache is terrible when they go, but the lessons they teach us and the love they give us is so worth any price we have to pay.