Sunday, December 2, 2018

New Year's Resolution-- Challenge Met!


This all started as a New Year's Resolution. I mean I love doing things, and I love doing things with my son, but on a educator budget sometimes fun is not always an option. So I created fun activities at home for us-- but I knew in a city this big there had to be many fun opportunities for a family to enjoy themselves on a budget. So I explored the city with my son in tow and Google in my hand and found hundreds of events that helped him pique his interest in Science and Space-- and gave me a scrapbook full of memories.

 After living in Chicago for almost 5 years, I remember waking up one day and seeing sheets of white dust cover the lawn outside of my apartment and thinking: "Oh. Yeah. It does snow here." I had spent the previous seasons enjoying the sun, the cool air of the Summer and the beautiful Fall so much so that I truly forgot that snow was a possibility.

I highly doubt that we will get enough snow here to cover the roads for longer than an hour, but who knows?? The point is that I want to get lost in this Season like I got lost in the Fall and Summer of Chicago. I want to spend time with my son enjoying ourselves to the point that I forget that I have a full time job or other obligations. The purpose of this Holy Season is to know that we have been blessed with a Gift, and hopefully share that love with others through time, appreciation-- and yes gifts.

Now that the cheesy stuff is over, here are some great ideas for you and your family to spend time together creating cheesy loving memories.

Thank you so much for your support this year. If one person spent more time with their kids, and one event got one extra visitor from my blog-- it was all worth it! Merry Christmas Y'all, See you in 2019!


Lights

-- And last but not least-- your own neigborhood! Get in your car with blankets and hot cocoa and drive around the area and see what cool neighborhood lights you can catch for the price of a few gallons of gas. 

Camera

       Santa will be at Glazed over Ceramics on December 8th and 9th for unlimited photos and a chance to decorate a ceramic plate with your hand print and his!

       Old tried and true- Chick Fil A’s monthly family event will feature old St. Nick and lots of arts and crafts at their Bellaire and Highway 6 location on December 10th and Frosty the Snowman will be at their Mason location in Katy on December 11th. 

       Holiday Characters galore will be at Second Baptist Church’s West campus for their annual Christmas Play that is put on totally for free and open to the public. Come early to their Saturday showing and for a few $10 you can get a buffet style pancake breakfast and first choice at seats for the show. 

      Santa will be at Brazos Valley Credit Union for free photos and crafts, but don’t forget your camera or phone! The event will be on December 15th from 8 am -11 am at the Katy Admin Community Room-- follow me on instagram for more information @urbankidinthecity

       Looking for some Kwanzaa fun-- head over to Texas Southern on December 8th for their family fest. This event is complete with food, crafts, games and giveaways. Plus another opportunity for you to see Old St. Nick! This event is on December 8th from 12:30 to 2:30 pm at the University Museum. 



Action


      Want to try something different? Head over to the Chelsea Market for a fun cheap game of Yuletide Bingo! You’ll want to bring your horseshoe or lucky rabbit’s foot—because there will be prizes!!

Will you have kids and family in town and looking for something to do with them during the Holiday break- Try the Peter Pan Play put on by Houston House on the Prairie. This family friendly show is super interactive and lots of fun. Get their early for free activities before the show

 Want to get in the Christmas Spirit with a little jazz music or classic Christmas carols—try these shows, and watch all of your grinch-ly bones turn to joy!





Sunday, November 18, 2018

So...is it Christmas yet?!?!

 I am so thankful for Thanksgiving; it gives us the time ( literally a week off! #teacherlife) to process all of the things we should be grateful for. In a country, and a time like this-- we need it!! So before I get to my December Around the Town Schedule. I want to pause and say thank you for some of the things that I am grateful for.

1. I am grateful for my son's school being open on Monday and Tuesday, and my school being closed. I'm about to partaayy!! Just joking. Ill probably stay in my pajamas all day and watch Hallmark movies and drink some tea-- but that's the same right?

2. I am thankful for support. Support in friends, family, church groups, co workers, strangers at AT&T store that help you find the cheapest phone-- even if it is not at the AT&T store.

3. I am thankful for my job. It is a God given gift to have the ability to work and the means to do so-- and teachers aren't millionaires, but I'm glad for what I have.

4. Last but not least I am thankful for my son. Having a child is hard. But its the good kind of hard. Like training for a triathlon-- you have good days and bad days with your training. Some days you hurt and some days you feel like you are running with the wind. But you have a goal and a mark in front of you that makes you push harder and makes you get up when you cry and try again. Thank you son for being my inspiration, and thank you to my Heavenly Father for giving him to me.

Now that we got the mushy stuff out of the way-- let's get ready for Christmas!!! Here are some of the fun things that are happening in December-- I'd love to see you there! Follow me on Instagram @urbankidinthecity and tag me in a post if you make it to one of the events.

Week 1

December 1st and 2nd-
Breakfast with Santa at Blue Triangle. This event is sponsored my the Houston Pan Hellenic Council and is a free event for kids up to age 12 to get a free gift, healthy breakfast and some fun! I will be volunteering with my sorority and I can't wait to see you there.

Home Depot's Monthly Craft will be held on December 1st and Ill be there with my little guy making a sled with a reindeer.

Katy Festival 



Home Plate for the Holidays

Photo Cred.



Week 2


December 7th, 8 and 9th

Pajama Story time at Barnes and Noble- Polar Express? Check. Hot cocoa and snacks? Check.  Pajamas? Double Check! Come read a Holiday Classic with the Barnes and Noble team on Friday at 7 pm-- check your nearest Barnes and Nobles for other times and location.


Houston Moms Blog Doughnuts with Santa- sorry this event is all sold out, but it's an annual event so we will see you next year :)

Houston's First Baptist Church Christmas Event- For tickets check here.


For $25, you can paint a ceramic dish with your little one's hand print and Santa's as well. There will be snacks and unlimited photo opportunities. Check out their site for more information

Week 3

December 10th - Chick Fil A is hosting pictures with Santa with free face painting and balloon art!

December 15th - Had enough of Santa-- me neither! Check him out at Bass Pro throughout the month of December.

Week 4

December 17
How to Catch an Elf at Katy Budget Books- Books and Arts and Crafts are my jam, so throw in a little Holiday fun and I'm all over it! For more info on this STEM based Read Aloud go here.

December 22nd
Sign Time for kids at Westchase Library at 10:00 am. I often wish I had a secret language to share with my closest friends whenever I needed to say something important and totally private like-- what are you going to wear to the NYE party. So in an attempt to make that happen, I am learning Sign Language and teaching my son too! Want t learn- check out info here.


Holiday Lights - If you purchase tickets to this event online or in person, make sure to mention "Rhosebuds" so that a portion of your tickets goes to empowering young girls to support their community!



Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Better Late Than Never!

Hey Friends!

Sorry I'm a little late on this month's post, but I just turned 25 ( wink, wink) and I was celebrating the good times!

This season is so full with so many events for families to do that are free to low cost. Some of the ones I will mention will be in December, because they require an advance registration or they may fill up fast. For example, last year Houston Mom's Blog hosted a Breakfast with Santa event with an amazing swag bag, and it sold it in a matter of minutes. Lucky for you they are still on sale and you can purchase them here. The cost is $35, but it includes photo with Santa, a kid friendly swag bag, breakfast and lots of fun activities.

If that's above your price range, no worries there are LOTS of free Santa Photo ops like this one-- Free Santa Pics at Bass Pro from November 10th- December 24th You will need to arrive early and receive a pass that tells you when to come back and take the picture—usually within about 1 hour.  Don’t worry there are lots of fun crafts to do while you wait. Also, the one in Katy is in the mall-- make sure to buy me something to say thanks :)

If your a Special Needs Mom, aka Rock star, you might one to check out Caring Santa in support of Autism Speaks.  They have put on various times for you and your special need kids to get to meet Santa in a loving and safe place!

Chick Fil A locations near you will be hosting various events for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can check out their events by looking up the location nearest you on Facebook or stopping in the store and checking out their message board like this one <-------



Or the Cows on Canvas at the Chick Fil A in Humble or KSBJ Brown Bag free concert at Chick Fil A Memorial and Dairy Ashford on Nov 16 at 6:30.


There is a really cool Polar Express ride about 2 hours away from Texas. It's not the cheapest, so I won't really go into it, but feel free to google it if you're interested. I will mention that Barnes and Noble has a Polar Express Story time complete with crafts and cocoa and a really special reading of the classic story-- and this one is totally free.

The Grinch Family Party on Nov 10th, movie tickets and crafts at Alamo Drafthouse is another event to get you in the Holiday spirit. For a great price you and your little ones can watch a movie and play some games with new friends.

La Centerra Tree Lighting November 16th at Grand Vision Center is an annual event that gets pretty crowded, so make sure to get there early. 

Speaking of the Grinch, if you are not really in the Christmas spirit check these fun events out with your family:
  • Toddler Tuesday, Writers Workshop and free music lessons at Discovery Green all month long.
  • I am King Michael Jackson Experience at Miller outdoor Theater on Nov 16th with featured guest MJ pro performer. 
  • Houston Center for Contemporary Craft has monthly crafts, this month its a bracelet making class-- go here for more information. 
  • Home Depot has an extra 'Building Class' for kids going on this month on November 24th. This is at any Home Depot near you, but since this is during Thanksgiving Break it might get full quick-- so get there early!


Happy Thanksgiving and see you in December!


Tuesday, October 2, 2018

October in the City! (Follow me @urbankidinthecity)



First of all, if you are not following me on Instagram-- Why in the Hot Cheetos not?!?!  

I post live videos, photos, and frequent promotions from great events around the city. So follow me @urbankidinthecity

Now that we have all the formalities out of the way, WELCOME TO FALL! In Houston, we know that this really means nothing and that it's gonna be 900 degrees instead of 1,000 degrees. But who cares? Bring on your Pumpkin Spice and leggings/sweater combo and pretend like the leaves are brown!!

Here are some really cool Fall events happening in Houston, but remember the up to the minute fun happens on Instagram so follow me @urbankidinthecity!

Houston Public Library has the following events going on this month for various ages:

  • -          Guitar Class for Beginners at the Alief Hennington Library
  • -          Pajama Story time at the Robinson Westchase Library
  •        All Houston Public Libraries have Citizenship classes, ESL classes for adults and Bilingual story time. Check out their site for locations and times.
  •       October 31st for kids 11-15th the Library is hosting their annual Scream In, geared towards older kids. They will be able to participate in crafts, games and food!

Speaking of books, lots of little bookstores (and big ones!) have free or cheap book readings and author signings:

  • -          Blue Willow Books in West Houston has Houston Author Joy Sewing reading her children’s book Ava and the Prince on October 6, at 3:00pm Where:  Blue Willow Bookshop, 14532 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX  77079
  • -          Katy Budget Books will be hosting a “Open Mic” for Scary Stories that are kid friendly on October 30th at 6:30 pm. They will also be holding a bedtime Science experiment with candy (WAHOO!!). Their STEM Story time is called Candy Science and for a small fee you get the STEM based chapter book and all the materials to make the candy themed experiment
  •       Barnes and Noble host a Saturday morning Read Aloud for kids with crafts and discounted coupons for their cafĂ© area all starting at 11:00 am.

Curious George at MATCH Downtown,
next up is Mr. Poppers' Penguins!
If you’re into Arts and Crafts the next 3 months will be heaven for you. Why not get started at Michael's with their weekly Arts and Crafts. For a small fee you can make pumpkin crafts or decorate cookies. Check it out here, and put in your zip code for the location nearest you. 

Home Depot’s monthly class will be held October 6th and there is no registration required. You show up at your nearest Home Depot from 9 am – 11 am and you and your kiddo will make a fire boat (that actually floats!) in honor of National Fire Safety Month.











Friendly note from your neighborhood teacher: Take time to talk to your kids about the importance of safety drills of all kinds—including fire drills. If they hear it from you, they will be likely to listen to their teachers in case of an emergency---

Now back to your regular scheduled programming. Fall is time for Festivals and here are a list of some festivals happening this month around Houston
Fort Bend Discovery Center


       Halloween Events

  •       The Children’s Museum is a great option if you already have plans for Halloween, or if you just don’t want to leave the house that night. They have hands on educational activities (teacher certified, by me!), like the one in the picture to the right-- that way you don't feel too bad when they have so much fun on a school night!

  • -          This Pumpkin Patch is open every night in October. October 27th  they will also host a Trunk or Treat, which might be a safer option for your kids to snag free candy http://www.fcckaty.com/pumpkin-patch/


You can also check out Bass Pro Shops for free Halloween events this month:

Or how about some Church Fun!?

FCC Katy has a free Pumpkin Patch and a Trunk or Treat Event happening throughout October, check out more info here.

Victory Church has a County Fair themed event happening on October 31st. More information can be found on their Facebook Page.


Saturday, September 1, 2018

It's September so...the year is basically over, right?




I have a Fall birthday, the Holidays are coming, and so is cooler weather. There are many reasons to enjoy this wonderful season and hopefully some of the events below can be added to your list.

Feeding the fish at Bass Pro in Katy
Also, I know we are in Houston so Fall will either last 32 minutes, or just won't happen-- but I'm okay with that! Ill have my boots and leggings ready, so I can enjoy those 32 minutes properly :)

Image result for fall memes

Speaking of enjoying, if you are ready for Holidays to begin, don't rush too fast-- take a look at these wonderful family friendly events that are happening in September!
  • If you are looking for something to do on Labor Day the Houston Zoo is open for Chill Out at the Zoo until 8pm, so avoid the crowds and the sun and come late! Remember if your family receives state assistance, you may be eligible for a discounted ticket for all member in your group. 
  • · Houston Restaurant Week is a great way for you to try some fancy schmancy restaurants for cheap--- I found this link ( from Houstons Mom's Blog)with Restaurants that are kid friendly   HMB’s curated list of family-friendly option

  • Remember that you can always go to the Houston Public Library and check out their flip kits to receive a pass for 4 to the Childrens Discovery Center and Children's Museums. These flipkits are amazing ways to enhance literacy and numeracy skills with your young learners-- and their FREE with a library card!  Here’s a list of what going on in September:

  • If you are near the Katy area on September 8th stop by their Craft Show for a look at homemade and one of a kind goods. Great way to get started on Christmas shopping early, and admission is free for the whole family. 

  • Igbo Lessons for Kids + Stem follow me @urbankidinthecity for more information
    If you've never been to Blessington Farms, you need to pack up your bags and stop reading this blog and GO NOW! It's Amazing-- the things you dreamt about doing as a kid...well for me.. They have hay rides, jumbo slides ( for all ages-- yes adults to!), food, face painting, berry and pumpkin picking and so much more. I went a few years ago with my son, and he still remembers every detail!  


  • Chick Fil A has great chicken, but they also have great family events. This month they are sponsoring a painting with Mommy (I'm sure dads are invited too) for free. They are also having a Pajama Party at the Higway 6 and Bellaire location. You do need to sign up, and if this location is not in your area-- all Chick Fil A's have family nights. So find the one nearest you and sign up for their events. 

  • I am REALLY looking forward to this event. STEM is everything know, and my son is obsessed with Science-- I can't wait to take him to Idea Labs for their STEM and Coding session for kids-- if you don't know what Coding is you need to bring your kids here #takeitfromateacher  AND it's only $15 for a 2 hour session with a take home activity. Here's the link:  Open Lab at Idea Lab Kid


The next two events are for Mental Health/Breast Cancer Awarness, but are open for all kids and families. 

  • If you want your child to learn about healthy self defense techniques or if you are a cancer survivor, or deal with mental health issues then these events are for you. So often we forget to take care of our whole self. These are events that allow you to do that in a safe, family friendly and fun way
                                           Family Fun Day for Breast Cancer Awarness


Bass Pro Labor Day Family Event 
Last but not least, Houston Playhouse on the Praire puts on a wonderful performance each month at Prohibition Theater. The show is very interactive and family friendly. By family friendly I mean there's cupcakes and arts and crafts before the show, and mimosas for the big people during the show. Kids get called up to participate in the show and also get a chance to meet the cast after the performance is over. This month they are showing Peter Pan, so bring your Tinkerbells and Lost Boys and enjoy the show. 



Something for the teachers and homeschool mommies:
Katy Budget Books Monthly Event
Katy Budget books offers monthly STEM and Author events for your kids. They also have DEEPLY discounted used books in good shape to help you build your classroom library!




Monday, July 30, 2018

Back to School time doesn't mean the fun has to end!


The Houston’s Black Business Expo is having their annual event and it will be great. This event is open to all families of all backgrounds who are open to supporting the growth and success of small businesses in the city of Houston.


A lot of my events are targeted to younger kids, but this month I wanted to expand a bit and share some events that are specifically for teenagers. Here you will find 5 events that offer:
-          Mentoring
-          Free Health Screens
-          Backpacks and School Supplies
-          Free food!
All of these Back to School Events are free and I found them doing a quick search on Eventbrite, so check them out and find the one closest to you!





UIU Youth Mentoring Event- If your kids are interested in learning more about their culture then check out this mentoring event for kids 13-18. Click on the picture to sign up on Eventbrite!



For kids of all ages the Mayor’s Office sponsors a yearly event to help underprivileged families get the support they need to get back in step for the school year. You must preregister to attend the event: http://www.houstontx.gov/btsf/



I know most parents are ready for that big yellow bus to come swinging around the corner like a chariot from Heaven bringing sweet glory—but if you’re not ready to let go of the fun moments you have had with your kiddos, I’ve got you covered. Sometimes we think that when school starts we are back to the hustle and grind of life, but remember kids need mental breaks as much as we do.  If you try to make the breaks consistent and even allow them to earn the fun happenings around our city it will give you and your kids something to look forward to.  Here’s what the lovely city of Houston has to look forward to in August:

Every Saturday at Discovery Green the City of Houston and the Houston Arts Alliance sponsor free Writing Workshops for kids. Class sizes are limited so get there as close to 10 as possible. Click here for more information. https://houstonlibrary.org/location/hpl-express-discovery-green

The Houston Public Library (Alief Location) also has free beginner guitar classes for teens and tweens. Check out this link for exact times, and other events at the Houston Public Library


Astros Game and Astros Buddies Parade 
By August, we pray that the mosquitioes and the heat will be gone! Which means we can enjoy some of the outdoor events that our friends up North talk about. Like the Bellaire Nature Conservatory has a Tree ID walk, Bird Survey and Nature Storytime that happen on the weekends or in the late afternoon during the week. https://naturediscoverycenter.org/events-calendar/

Children ages 10 and older can enjoy free admission to the Holocaust Museum every Sunday during the month of August. If you have younger kids, you may want to think twice about bringing them due to the sensitivity of the museum.

If you are in the Sugar Land Area, try visiting the Sugar Land Farmers Market to get some fresh snacks for your weekly lunch menu on August 25th from 9 am to 1pm. The Market is located at Imperial Recreation Center (Parking Lot)
234 Matlage Way Sugar Land, TX 77498

The Fort Bend Discovery Center ( Children’s Museum) is hosting a sensory friendly hour on August 16th. The Museum will be less crowded and there will be people on hand to discuss how to identify Autism at its early stages.

On August 11th PJ Mask and the Crew will be at the Children’s Museum and you will be able to see them with your admission ticket. Remember that you can get free tickets to the Musuem by using the Houston Public Library Flip Kits at home with your kids.



Last but not least-- try celebrating instead of dreading back to school by going to the Back to School Splash Bash 

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Free Fun to Finish off the Summer!

If you're a teacher, I'm sure you are dodging the dreaded return to school question like a ball in gym class--but parents...But Parents!  Parents were ready to drop their kids off the day after the last day of school!

Houston Museum of Natural Science
We used our HPL discount passes!
Either way, here are some ways to enjoy the last days of Summer with your kiddos!

First of all frequently check Groupon for discounted tickets to fun events. This is a year long tip, but they have quite a few discounts going for museums, games, and even amusement parks.
Zoo Tickets are 25% off

35% off tickets to Track 21 which has Go Karts, Laser Tag and Miniature Golf
20% off entrance to the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
12.50 Tickets to Glowzone in Katy





Beginner MS Word at HPL Southwest
WE LOVE THE LIBRARY!  There are events for all age groups. My son saw bunnies, scientists, and a Magic Show all for free! I was also able to get my dad to visit a few times to learn skills that are relevant to today's world for older adults.

We were able to get free tickets to the Dynamo game, Astros game-- and tickets to the Museum for only $8!!


Here's the link to the Houston Public Library Events,the Fort Bend Public Library Events, and the Cy Fair Area Library Events.

  • Meet Houston Poet and Slick Rick on July 28th by registering here for Hip Hop for Literacy. Here are some of my favorites:
  • Even if you didn't participate in the Summer Reading Challenge ( and it's not too late to join!) you can still attend the Summer Reading Block Parties. The Alief Hennigton Library will be hosting an African Themed event on July 28th.
  • If you love Harry Potter-- and who doesn't? You might want to celebrate at First Colony Branch Library as they have a trivia contest complete with cosplay and snacks.
  • Want to learn your own magic tricks, check out this event for tween and teens at the Spring Branch Memorial Library.
I don't think we think a lot about where our food comes from anymore, or maybe you do and now you're a vegetarian. Either way, the farmer's market is a great place for you to find fresh food for meat and non meat eaters alike. Westchase District Farmer's Market is hosting a Barnyard Petting Zoo on July 19 at 3 pm. Your kids will get a chance to pet, feed and take pictures with farm animals. You will also receive some shopping money for the kids to practice learning about spending!

Majestkids Playland is  bringing on the very youngest superheroes for your young superheroes. Join them Wednesday July 18 at 10 am to meet the PJ Masks Crew. You can come early and let them play a little before the show. That way they will be SUPER tired when you leave #protip

If you are also a  fur mom, you'll love this event. The Houston World Series of Dog Shows brings all breeds together for healthy fun ( humans take note!) If you are interested in seeing the exhibits, shows, and vendors  check here for more info

Once the sun goes down, just a little it's nice to get outside for some cool air fun. NO-- I'm kidding its 200 degrees at 7 oclock. But with an ice cold water and sunscreen it might only feel like 150 degrees. Either way try Julydoscope at Discovery Green for a science themed festival complete with a movie screening of a space short film called CineSpace. 

If you still haven't seen it, Pinkalicious has a few shows left for the season at Main Street Theater. I love this place, because your kids get to experience a 'real show' that's tailored just for them! You'll enjoy yourself too! Express Theater offers free outdoor shows that are also geared for the entire family. This years shows are New Clown in Town and Freedom Train.  The Company on Stage in Southwest Houston is running a children's series of performances. This Summer they are featuring the Princess and the Pea- - here's the link to purchase tickets, and at only $7 its pretty much a steal!

If you're in the area check out Rock the Row Concert Series where Motown, Pop and Funk cover bands perform popular songs on the scenic Lake Woodlands every Thursday at 7 pm.

Board Games are kind of retro and unique now that we have all been zombified by our phones and tablets. But take an evening and unplug by going to Barnes and Nobles Book stores for their board games and prizes nights. Don't play too hard-- remember you have to go home with these people!

I hope you find at least one thing on the list to do this month. I read somewhere that we only get 18 summers to enjoy with our kids. Makes you think really hard about what you spend your time doing!

See you in August!

 


Mid Summer Fun List

Online Websites That offer FREE and paid resources for kids: ·        Activity Hero ·        Varsity Tutors Houston Public Library a...