Have you ever been to an aviary before?  I’ve been eye-balling The Aviary at my local Six Flags since last year, but haven’t been able to  get over there at feeding time {3:30 PM}.  That’s why I was so excited this past weekend when we were sitting at the jungle gym and they opened the doors to The Aviary!

When I realized it was feeding time, I immediately grabbed my phone and ran to get in line. Little Man and Daddy didn’t want to leave the jungle gym, so I was on my own, but to be honest, I kind of liked it that way. I got to focus on just the birds, instead of worrying about what  the boys were doing.

As you enter The Aviary, you’re offered some nectar to feed the birds {$2 for about a Tbs. of nectar}. I had to buy some, of course.

Then you enter the main room where the birds are and hold your hand out, with the nectar, and wait for a bird to come to you.  I quickly learned that this part takes patience. Per the trainer, the birds get lazy knowing they’re going to get fed and will sometimes sit on the rope and wait for you to come to them. She advised us not to go to them {an instruction many people ignored} and to let the birds come to you.  This is where the waiting part comes in…

After watching the birds line up on the ropes in front of me for what seemed like forever {it was actually only a couple minutes}, I finally got a bird to come to me and that’s when I completely started geeking out!  I was ridiculously excited about holding and feeding a bird that I couldn’t stop smiling the entire time.

My excitement multiplied 10-fold when a second bird flew to my arm and TRIED to get some nectar. I say TRY because the first bird totally didn’t like the second bird showing up; as you can see from the picture below.

“Back up off my kool-aid!”

As fun as Six Flags is, I do have to say that The Aviary has been, by far, my favorite area of the amusement park

Do you have a favorite area of your local amusement park?  Is it something your kids enjoy doing with you, or is it a tranquil area for Mom?

Gabrielle

Gabrielle

As many of you know, I’m pregnant with my second child, a girl, and due in June. With only about 3 months left before baby K gets here, “nesting” is beginning to set in and I have a feeling that Spring Fever is doing the same. I’ve had the overwhelming urge to clean and reorganize my entire house, spending most of my days setting up the nursery, cleaning out the closets, and switching winter items out for spring/summer ones.

The big thing that’s been helping me get organized is a checklist. I have a serious case of “Pregnancy Brain” going on and often get distracted from the project I’m working on and then don’t get back to it until days later. A checklist helps me get back on track and focus on the project at hand.

One thing I’ve been thoroughly amazed by is the amount of DVDs and CDs we’ve accumulated over the years!  I swear, I thought we went completely digital back in 2010, but I guess that doesn’t mean we got rid of the discs we accumulated before then. What gets me is that we have most of the CDs and movies in our digital library and have no real use for the discs anymore. I think I need to start a box of DVDs, CDs, and games to sell on musicMagpie. Then I can clean out my music, movie, and game collection and get PAID to do so!

Clothes are another thing I’ll be purging from the house as I complete my spring cleaning checklist. I bet I could fill a separate box for each member of the family with the clothes and shoes we have that don’t fit or get worn! Luckily, I know a donation spot that would love to take our gently used clothes and shoes.

So, who else has started their spring cleaning?  Are you using a checklist to keep you on track?

Gabrielle

With Six Flags opening in 2 weeks {May 16}, I have already begun planning our trips there and preparing the survival kit.  Along with snacks and spare clothes, I’ve also made sure to include a few things that are directly related to making sure my little booger butt stays safe at the amusement park.

Whether it’s Disney Land or Six Flags, there’s one thing you can always count on – it’s going to be crowded! The possibility of getting separated from your little one{s} in such a large area is high and with a few small steps, you can help get yourself reunited with your little one quickly if they do wonder off.

1. Camera - You can use the camera on your mobile phone, or bring a small digital camera that fits in your pocket, but make sure you bring along something with the ability to snap photos. Before entering the park, take a picture of all of your children so that you can have a record of exactly what they are wearing and look like on the day you visit the park. This way, if any of your children are separated from your party, you will have an up-to-date picture of what your child looks like on the day of your visit.  This will greatly help officials find your child if they wonder off.
2. Wear Bright Colors - If there’s one thing that scares me the most about being in largely crowded areas with Little Man, it’s not being able to see him in an instant. Dressing your little one in bright colors {or tie-dye} can help you quickly identify your child {or children} when they are playing in a crowd of children. Coordinating shirts among the whole family can be fun and make for memorable photos
3. Identification – Every child should carry something that shows officials how to contact you if your child is found wondering around the park. You should take your daily activities into account when deciding what method of ID you give to your child. For instance, if you’re planning to play in the water at all, a water soluble method, such as writing your name and number on your child’s body, isn’t the smartest choice. My favorite way to display my contact information on Little Man is with 411 bracelets.  They stay right there on your child’s arm until you get home from the park and display all of your vital information, including name and phone number. You can also pin a piece of paper with your contact information on it to your child’s clothing.
4. Discuss a Meet-up Location – Upon entering the park, discuss with your little one an area or location that you will meet them if you are separated from each other. You should also point out what officials working at the park wear so your child is aware who they should go to if they are separated from your party.

Gabrielle