Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Free Bowling?!?!

Yes! You can sign your kids up and get free bowling all summer long.
Here are the details:
Sign up at www.kidsbowlfree.com/pinstrikestn
Your child(ren) up to age 15 will get 2 free games a day until August 31.
The bowling alley is: Pin Strikes, 6241 Perimeter Dr, Chattanooga

If you don't have your own bowling shoes you will need to rent them. But on Tuesdays that is only $2.  On Wednesdays shoe rentals are $3. All other days shoe rental is $4.49 or you can buy a summer shoe rental pass for $14.99.

There are different prices depending on the day and time if you want to bowl along with your kids. But on Tuesdays games are just $2 and Wednesdays games are $.99. Or you can just watch your kids bowl!

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Swim Lessons at the Dalton Parks & Rec Center

This is the 5th year we have done swimming lessons at the Dalton Rec Center. And they finally have it together! We've been disappointed in the past and had to talk to managers about the young lifeguard/teachers' flirting and not teaching. But this year, they are really great! They actually have an adult supervisor who is there watching them (yay!) and the teachers are good this year. Summer is my favorite teacher. And the lifeguards are well trained.
You can't beat the price: $40 per child for 2 weeks. Each lesson is 50-55 minutes long. That's only $2 a lesson! The classes are small - the most I've seen in a class is 5 and there are 2 teachers per class except for the upper class where the kids already know how to swim.
There are 2 more sessions this summer: Jun 16-27 and July 4-18.
You can register and pay online at mydprd.com or going to the Rec Center.



Tuesday, June 10, 2014

City of Cohutta Fourth of July Celebration!!


The City of Cohutta is going to have a 4th of July celebration this year including a fireworks show! There will be food and activities for the whole family!
I have been recruited to head up the children's activities and I'll have more information soon.
I'm fairly certain this will all be free....but don't quote me just yet!
This will be good ol' fashion small-town fun!

Cohutta Elementary School Library Now Open for Summer!

Cohutta Elementary School's Library is now open for Summer!
Located at 254 Wolfe Street in Cohutta
Hours are from 10am -1pm, Tue-Wed-Thu.
If your child is registered in the Whitfield County School District (doesn't matter the school) your child can check out 2 books at a time.
If you are an adult, you may check out 2 adult books at a time (they've brought some adult books into the school)
Parents must stay with their child (not a drop off service)

Here is the activity schedule:

June 10 - Register
June 11 - Science/Art @ 11am
June 12 - Storytime @ 11am

June 17 - Science/Art @ 11am
June 18 - Little Red Barn @ 11am (Petting Zoo!)
June 19 - Storytime @ 11am

June 24 - Science/Art @ 11am
June 25 - Starlab @ 10am in the Gym (this is sooooooooo awesome! Don't miss it!)
June 26 - Storytime @11am

July 1-3 Closed

July 8 - Reptile Wrangler @ 4pm (The library will be open from 3-6pm on this day ONLY)
July 9 - Science/Art @ 11am
July 10 - Storytime @ 11am

July 15 - Storytime @ 11am
July 16 - Science/Art @ 11am
July 17 - Mad Scientist Party @ 11am

Potato Hill

 


Here is a short hike that is located in Whitfield county. It's a fairly new hike. It's located on Reed Road just north of the Poplar Springs intersection. It's not hard to find. There is one covered picnic table at the bottom but no water or bathrooms.

The sign said "Potato Hill Trail 600 yards." Not bad, right? WRONG! I don't know if it was 600 yards, but it felt like a mile! Why? Because it is ALL UPHILL! Switchback after switchback. And just when you think you can't do another switchback, there are like 10 more! Don't go if you have heart problems!
That said, we were at the top in 20 minutes.
And at the top there was, well, not much! We like hiking for the views or getting to something awesome like a waterfall. We looked around a bit and it was cool to see the earthworks that had been dug out during the civil war and to think of soldiers hanging out there at the top. But the kids didn't really get it.
The kids had no problem hiking this trail. They have boundless energy. But I had to take many breaks to catch my breath. The trail might start getting a bit overgrown during the summer if someone doesn't take care of it. But it looks like someone should be. It's all shade - even the top. But don't hike after a rain. The trail is dirt and will get slick.

I'd suggest waiting until late fall or winter to hike this trail. All the leaves will be gone and I suspect a gorgeous view awaits those who hike then!




 

Sunday, June 8, 2014

Free Family Night at Creative Discovery Museum


Thursday, June 12 is Free Family Night at the Creative Discovery Museum. It reopens at 5:30pm and stays open until 8:00. Free for all to enjoy! The CDM does this every 2nd Thursday of the month so if you miss this month you can go in July or August or any other month!

5:30pm
 Free Family NightFree Family Night
WhenThu, June 12, 5:30pm – 8:00pm
WhereMuseum Wide (map)
DescriptionMark your calendar! Tonight is the night to join us for free family fun. Make a splash in RiverPlay! Create a masterpiece in Arts Alley! Dig the dinos in Excavation Station! Bring the family and enjoy art lessons, science demos, a drawing for a free membership, guests from other organizations such as Project Ready for School and much much more! Free Family Night is the second Thursday of most months. Sponsored in part by the Tennessee Valley Parent Magazine and News Channel 9.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Booth Western Museum

Last summer I wanted to introduce my kids to art. I love art and culture. This museum is a very good introduction!
First of all admission is $10. BUT kids 12 and under are FREE! So to take my 4 kids and myself it would only be $10. That's not bad.
I was also surprised at how much my kids enjoyed this museum! I'm sure it didn't hurt that there were a lot of horses and cowboys and Native Americans.
I did talk with my children beforehand about the importance of NOT TOUCHING anything. They did well with this, but I did have to watch my then 4 year old like a hawk.

To make it kid-friendly the museum offers some fun things for kids:
Saddlebags: carry around a saddlebag filled with activities your child can do while in the museum - FREE (but be warned: I guarantee the parent will be the one carrying the bag within a few minutes!) The actual bag is returned to the entrance desk along with the clipboard. Everything else your child can keep.
Sagebrush Ranch: An interactive area where kids CAN touch things! It's not huge, but it kept my kids' attention for about 30 min. Get into a stage coach, dress up like a cowboy, etc.
Audio Tours for Kids: $2 - we didn't try this, but it's only $2!

The museum isn't huge like the Smithsonian or the National Gallery. So it is very doable in about 2 hours.
The elevators are pretty awesome too.

My oldest (any myself) really enjoyed the Presidential Gallery. Each president had "fun facts" about him. And they were fun facts! I had to read them all they were so interesting!
The museum is in Cartersville off exit 288. The address is 501 Museum Drive, Cartersville, GA.
boothmuseum.org

If you want to make it a "Museum Day" the Tellus Science Museum is only 5 miles north on I-75. It's expensive however. But fun for a morning or afternoon.
tellusmuseum.org




Monday, June 2, 2014

I LOVE Free!

I absolutely love free! Especially when donuts are concerned! I have a feeling it will be crowded, but if you have lots of kids like me, you'll be saving some money!
This offer is only good on JUNE 6 which is THIS FRIDAY!

Menu for Free Lunch in Whitfield County

I got my hands on the menu for the free lunches in Whitfield Co (this does not include Dalton City proper).

Breakfast (yes! breakfast too!) at 8:30 M-Sat - Only at North Whitfield Middle and the Career Academy
Meat filled biscuit with choice of meat
Yogurt w/ muffin or breakfast bun
Cereal w/ cheesestick
Fresh fruit and juice
Milk

Lunch at NWMS:
Mon: Cheesy breadsticks or Spaghetti
Tue: Chicken Tenders or Steak Strips
Wed: BBQ Sandwich w/ French Fries or Chicken Fajita Nachos
Thu: Meat loaf or Chicken Casserole
Fri: Pizza or Chicken Sandwich
They also have PB&J Sandwiches. But I'm not sure if that is everyday.

Lunch at other locations:
Mon: Corn dog, Cheese sticks w/ Cheez Its, or PB&J
Tue: Hamburger, Hot Dog, Deli Sandwich on Hoagie, or PB&J
Wed: Pizza or Yogurt w/ graham crackers
Thu: Burrito, PB&J, or Hoagie w/ ham and cheese
Fri: Chicken Sandwich, Peanut Butter cup w graham crackers, or PB&J

Those are the entrees. They always have some sort of veggie, fruit, and milk. And then other things like chips, juice bars, beans, salad, etc.

I don't know about other neighborhoods, but in my neighborhood, you can get door to door service! Yes, they have someone (a very sweet someone) who drives through the neighborhood and knocks on all the doors of houses she knows has children. How great is that?

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Free Lunch begins tomorrow!

If you have a child in school you probably already know about the free lunches available to all children 18 years and younger this summer. If your kids are not in school yet, you might not know about it.
It begins June 2 and goes until July 31.
And kids get FREE lunch.
It's amazing.
Figuring out exactly what time lunch will be there is tricky.
Lunch is provided sometime between 11:15am-12:40pm Monday - Friday. Usually lunch will be at a certain spot for about 20-30 min before the lunch providers have to move on to another location.
Last year North Whitfield Middle served a hot lunch in their cafeteria from 11am-1pm. I'm assuming that is happening again.
When I get a menu I will post it for you to see.
To find out more info, or get an estimate of what time lunch will be served at your favorite spot, call 706-876-3679 or 706-259-9537. If no one answers, leave a message. They are really good about calling you back!
Here are the locations:
  • Antioch Baptist Church
  • Bay Street Trailer Park
  • Bear Creek Subdivision
  • Bonnie Grove Subdivision
  • Cedar Ridge Trailer Park
  • Coahulla Creek High
  • Cohutta Elementary **And  the CES library will be open T/W/Th from 10am-1pm starting June 10!
  • Cricket Trailer Park
  • Dawnville Elementary
  • Eastbrook Trailer Park
  • Eastside Elementary
  • Gillespie Drive
  • Hill Road Apartments
  • Hill Top Trailer Park
  • Manis Grocery, Cohutta
  • Margaret Circle
  • Mount Vernon United Baptist Church (Westside)
  • Mountain View Subdivision (Cleveland Hwy)
  • New Haven United Methodist Church (South 41)
  • New Life Baptist Church
  • North Whitfield Middle School  ** a hot lunch served from 11-1 (and it's air conditioned! and there are bathrooms!)
  • Nueva Vida Christian (1499 Riverbend Road)
  • Pleasant Grove Elementary
  • Ridley Trailer Park
  • Riverbend Trailer Park
  • Roberts Circle Trailer Park
  • Southeast High School
  • Stanley St., Eastside Area
  • Stinnett Trailer Park
  • Tunnel Hill United Methodist Church  ** this isn't a hot lunch, but it is inside if you want some A/C
  • Valley Baptist Church
  • Valley Point Park (at the school)
  • Varnell City Pavilion  ** This is at the Pavilion which is a nice place to eat lunch and it has bathrooms
  • Whispering Pines Trailer Park
  • Whitfield Career Academy
Dalton City is also doing the same thing.
With Dalton City, bring a bag (grocery bag or something) to carry your food to where you sit. You won't be able to juggle all that food. Whitfield county locations provide bags.
Also with Dalton City, they were REALLY strict about the kids having to eat lunch on-site. This is to prevent families from "free-lunch hopping."
I could not find a flier or info on Dalton's locations. I know of 3 spots: Rec Center, Community Center, and the Gazebo by the Courthouse. 

Saturday, May 31, 2014

More Summer Fun

Discount Movies at Carmike in Dalton
Every Thursday at 10am starting June 5!
All seats are $4 ($4?! That's still $20 if I take all 4 kids!) Yes, but the price also includes a small popcorn and small drink so everyone is happy!
 

Also this summer you can go to Downtown Dalton and enjoy some fun and a free movie:

Costco

Costco?!
Yes, Costco.
I suggest going when samples are amply available (usually after 11am to early afternoon). But that's not the reason I am posting about Costco. I love it because of all the free recyclables you can find!
Let your kids pick out some funny shaped boxes. Let them create a castle with them. Paint them. Turn them into stuffed animal furniture! Whatever you want. Last time we went we found these big cardboard panels. They are usually between layers of toilet paper and paper towels.
One of my kids turned it into a huge treasure map:
He did it in pencil so you can't really see all the detail. But it did take up a whole afternoon!
It would be fun to finger paint on something that big too!

The Jump Park - Chattanooga

No, this is NOT budget friendly at all. And I have not been able to find any discounts or coupons anywhere. But the kids do love it.
It costs $12 an hour or $20 for 2 hours. We only needed 1 hour before the kids were tired and really, really sweaty!
I did not have to pay for myself but was able to hang out in the jumping area. Kids under 6 have a special area just for them and they pay less than the amount above.




http://thejumppark.com/

Make sure you sign a waiver online and bring a print out of it before you come! (They have 2 computers there for you to fill out the waiver but it's a lot faster if you have it done already) (Also the parent of the child has to fill it out - not just any parent. So if you are bringing other kids, plan ahead!)

You have to either jump barefoot or have grip socks ($4 at The Jump Park)

It is really busy on Fridays-Sundays. It is dead on Mondays or any other weekday. You can reserve a spot by paying ahead of time online.

Coolidge Park

It has been a couple years since we ventured over to Coolidge Park. But it's a great low-cost adventure! The only cost is parking (2 hours for $1.50) and the carousel ($1 per person).


 We go to Coolidge Park to cool off in the fountain. It gets crowded so we always like to come in the mornings and bring a picnic lunch. We usually just eat there at the fountain.



After eating and water play we would get dried off and changed in the bathrooms that are right there and open for public use.
Then we'd head to the carousel (which is right there) and take a spin for $1 each.
If you want to make a day of it, pay some more parking walk up to Frazier Ave and explore some of the stores or eateries. Our favorites:
Clumpies Ice Cream
Sweet CeCes (frozen yogurt - you add toppings)
GiGis Cupcakes
Julie Darling Donuts (LOVE this place!)
Good Dog (Wed night is family night - I believe kids eat free!)

Glen Falls Hike

Another hike! This one we did last year when my youngest had just turned 4. It was quite do-able with 1 parent and 4 kids. It is only 1/2 mile one way. Then you trek back the same way. The only thing I did not like about this trail: you go down FIRST. So the hike back to the car is UPHILL.

There was plenty of water in the creek when we hiked in April. I thought it would be fun to go when it's dry so the kids could play on the rocks without me nervous someone would fall in.
There is also a spot near the end that is a little (and I mean 8 foot) long cave that you have to walk through. It's a bit of a tight squeeze but I made it fine.
 


There is no bathroom facility nor picnic area and no drinking water. But this is not in the middle of the wilderness so you wouldn't have to go far to find some food.
Directions:
Head up Signal Mountain on Ochs Highway (I think you'll be heading south)
The trailhead is a pull-off from that highway on your LEFT. You might miss it if you aren't looking. There's enough room for 3-4 cars on the pull-off.


Keown Falls Hike

I took my 4 kids (ALONE!) on this hike earlier in the year. We really enjoyed it.
Keown Falls in Walker County, GA - Free (no park fee)
This is a 1.8 mile loop. Unfortunately, it had rained earlier in the week and we tried and tried to figure out where the trail continued on from the falls. Thinking back, I know where it is, but it was too muddy to go that way at the time.

This trail is also at our upper limit in difficulty as a family. Mainly because of my then 4-year old. It is up a mountain and there are some spots that if you trip you will be tumbling down for awhile. But it wasn't too scary.

Also, at the time, there must have been a recent forest fire as a lot of the trees were scorched. But the trail is well-kept and all fallen trees had been cut away from the trail.

Beautiful views too!

Above you can see the trail. That was about as scary as it gets. The trail does go over a tiny trickle of a creek (which was bigger because of the rain) and the kids thought that was great!

You begin the trail by following 1 path. After just a few minutes it forks. It is the same trail (loop). We opted to go right. It wasn't too tough to get to the falls. Actually, that's a lie! I'm not a great hiker. There was one spot that we could not, for the life of us, find where the trail went up the mountain! We ended at the creek and looked everywhere! Finally, we decided to head back. And that's when we saw the trail leading UP the mountain. It was hidden behind a big boulder.
We made it to the falls:


Once at the falls you can climb a whole bunch of rock stairs to a look-out point. There is another trail heading off at the top of those stairs, but that is another trail and not part of the loop.

As you can see above, the lookout "deck" was the place to rest. It was a lot of stairs.

Go back down the stairs and under the waterfall. That is where the trail picks back up and will loop you back around to where you started. Like I said before, when we went the rain had made it not look like a trail.

Other info:
Vault bathroom available at trailhead (still a hole in the ground!)
Lots of picnic tables at the trailhead. I cannot remember if there were grills.
I don't believe there was water available.
Going after a recent rain would ensure water at the falls.

Directions:
From Chattanooga Road, turn south onto highway 201 (I think this is also called Lafayette Rd)
Follow it for 11 miles (it will end there)
Take a left (onto GA 136 E)
And then a quick right onto Pocket Road. Go 5 miles and then turn onto Forest Service Road 702 (it is marked). Follow it all the way down and you are there!




The Folk Art Project

Holy Cow! What a fun little place!
 
I heard about this little gem in the Georgia magazine that is sent to us by our power company. It is a 2 acre park that has a whole bunch of buildings made out of pebbles (and glass, sea shells, etc). I believe there are over 60. Some are small (fairies would like in them!) and some are big (like the one pictured above). My boys really enjoyed exploring this mini kingdom. 

My favorite was the Cathedral of Notre Dame
The park is fairly small. My kids (all boys mind you!) were done exploring after about 30 minutes. But it is beautifully kept with lots of flowers, trees, and shrubs.  There are 2 picnic tables and a small gazebo. We happened to bring a picnic so we stayed almost 1-1/2 hours. There are no garbage cans so be prepared to take your garbage with you. The park is also mostly in shade which is lovely! That being said, there are a lot of bugs since the little park is located on a pond. None of us got bit by anything, but there were ample bugs, including dragonflies!
One thing my kids noticed before me that made it that much more magical:
The rooms were sometimes occupied by dancing princes and princesses or a stagecoach or a regal dinner session. It was fun to peak into all the windows!

How to get there:
Take exit 312 off of I-75. Head west on Highway 53 for almost exactly 4 miles. Don't turn right or left (There is a cross street right before you get there that might confuse you, just keep on straight!)
On the right you will see the Seventh-day Adventist Church:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Calhoun+Seventh-day+Adventist+Church/@34.463002,-84.982466,2a,90y,90t/data=!3m5!1e2!3m3!1s-Wl5-Qi4FPVY%2FUswgykJJyXI%2FAAAAAAAAaac%2Fh0wdMj9M6eo!2e4!3e12!4m5!1m2!2m1!1sseventh-day+adventist+church+near+Calhoun,+GA!3m1!1s0x0:0x5cfb489e3929e9c7!6m1!1e1

Turn INTO their parking lot. Head to the back of the parking lot where there will be a gravel driveway. Follow that driveway (only 50 feet or so) and park. There is only room for about 4 cars. If it's full, park in the church lot.

The park is FREE. There is a place to put donations if you wish. Enter at your own risk sign is there. I take it mean you could stumble and get hurt. Or get stuck in the mud if you get too close to the pond. Or even cut yourself on some glass or shell. All three of those things happened to one of the kids we were with! :)

It is a long trek from Dalton/Cohutta. But there are a lot of restaurants if you want to eat out. It is also the same exit as the Outlet Mall. Or you can visit Payne Farm and Produce
https://www.facebook.com/paynefarmandproduce
Right now they have U-pick strawberries for $1.75/lb. I go there every year! I don't know how long they will have strawberries though. Just check their facebook page.

I saw this in the church parking lot and it gave me a laugh:



The "Water Stairs"

We have been doing this for years. Between the Tennessee Aquarium and Market Street (the east side of the aquarium) lies the Trail of Tears Memorial. This is a long cement staircase and during the summer months river water is pumped down the stairs making a fun place for kids to play and cool off.
At the bottom of the stairs the water gathers in a shallow pool under Riverfront Parkway.
You can also play in the water features in between the two aquarium buildings.
By around noon, the water features get crowded. We usually show up around 10am and bring a picnic lunch. The kids are then ready to leave when the crowds show up.
We like to park on Riverfront Parkway since it is only $1.50 for 2 hours.
I also suggest bringing water toys like pool noodles, balls, water guns, buckets, etc.
As a warning: this is river water. It is not chlorinated. Don't let your kids drink it! It also sometimes stinks.
 
If you are not up for bringing a picnic, there are tons of places to eat within a block:
TGIFridays
Cheeburger Cheeburger
Mellow Mushroom
Buffalo Wild Wings
Chilis
Ben & Jerry's
 

$1 Movies every Wednesday at Regal Hamilton Place 8

The Regal Theater by Hamilton Place Mall shows older movies (usually not yet out on DVD). Normal ticket prices are $3.75. But on Wednesdays, every movie is only $1!  Even we can afford that. Concession prices are still high like other theaters, but I still have money in my pocket after buying 5 tickets to splurge for some popcorn!
Here's the link to showtimes.
http://www.regmovies.com/theatres/theatre-folder/Regal-Hamilton-Place-8-1541

Right now the G-PG movies playing are:
Rio 2
Muppets Most Wanted
Mr. Peabody & Sherman
The Lego Movie

The theater fills up on Wednesdays during the summer! Plan to be there at least 15 minutes before showtime unless you like sitting in the front row!