Free STEM Fair

There's a free Science, Technology, Engineering and Math fair at the University of Maryland on April 6. The fair is for kids in third through eighth grade and will include hands-on interactive activities and demonstrations in engineering, robotics, physics and forensic science.

According to the sponsoring group, students will:

•  LEARN about college majors and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
• MEET future and current engineers, scientists, and STEM professors
• BE INSPIRED byDr. Jeanette Epps, NASA Astronaut and University of Maryland graduate, as she shares her journey from being a student, like you, to being an astronaut.

A free lunch is included with the conference, which requires advanced registration. The fair is sponsored by the The Center for Minorities in Science and Engineering (CMSE). Find all the details here: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=flgsamiab&oeidk=a07e71z6q6t622580fe

Checking In

Haven't posted in a while.  Sorry.

Life's been busy busy busy.

Hope everyone out and about is well.  Will update the calendar with cool mentions this week.

To start, FYI, if you have a daughter between the ages of 8-12, she can enter Maryland's Governor for a Day essay contest.  All the details on the contest are online at http://www.governor.maryland.gov/blog/?p=8441.

Catch you later.

-Hyattsville Mom

Review: Wreck-it-Ralph

If you're looking for a wonderful film the entire family can enjoy, Wreck-it-Ralph is the movie  for you.

I was so pleased after seeing Wreck-it-Ralph, I applauded. It was tha good. Especially in the wake of that horrible non-family friendly Brave, which Disney put out earlier this year.

If you recall my Brave review, I was terribly disappointed in the film due to it's lack of family friendliness. It billed itself as a family film, then scared the pants off of kids and promised them it was OK to poison their mothers, so long as they felt bad about it later. Well, Wreck-it-Ralph is no such mess.

This is a film that knows who it is and what it wants to be from scene one and does it well.  Ralph is the villain in a video game, and all he wants is to be loved and included. Yet, when the game players go home and all the other characters play and celebrate with each other, they don't include Ralph. In fact, Ralph lives in a garbage pile.

Wanting to feel part of the group, Ralph attends a party being hosted by the game's hero, Fix-it-Felix. There, the townspeople are mean to Ralph, and say he can't be included because he hasn't won a medal.
Certain he can win one,  Ralph heads to another game, Hero's Duty, to win this medal.

Ralph accomplishes his goal, but accidentally launches himself and a giant insect from Hero's Duty into the racing game, Sugar Rush. There, Ralph meets Vanellope von Schweetz, an outsider in her game as well.
Vanellope has a glitch that causes her to blink out occasionally and the mayor of Sugar Rush won't let her race.

Ralph and Vanellope bond. As the movie goes on, the two form a great friendship, and he helps them both prove that outsiders can fit in. A subplot brings Fix-it-Felix and a character from Hero's Duty into
Sugar Rush to help find Ralph and the rogue insect.

It's a great film and pretty family friendly. It's charming, funny, spirit-lifting and just plain good. The only areas of potential concern for parents of small children are the insects from Hero's duty, which is a pretty intense game that involves blasting the insects (as always, I encourage you to visit www.kids-in-mind.com and check out their listing of every incidence of violence, bad language, etc in films. It's a great way to determine if a film is right for  your children)

That's it for today.

-Hyattsville Mom

Weekend Fun

There's lots to do in the area, this weekend.

First and foremost, we fall back this weekend, so don't forget to wind your clocks back an hour. Instead of being 8 am when you awaken Sunday, it will be 7 am.

If you have active children, there are a couple of great FREE events for you. First up is a lacrosse clinic for children ages 7-15. It's at the Tucker Road Athletic Complex, 1770 Tucker Rd. in Ft. Washington. At the clinic, which runs from 1-3 pm, will go over the basics of lacrosse, including stick handling, passing and shooting.  Pre-registration is recommended. Call 301-446-6800 or go online to https://smartlink.pgparks.com/POSweb/POSItemDetails.aspx?POSItemKey=12775. From 6-7 pm, the Sports & Learning Complex is hosting a free gymnastics workshop. This is a self-guided workshop, for children who are walking up to 12 years old. Parents must supervise children. For more information, contact the Sports & Learning Complex, 8001 Sheriff Road in Landover, 301-583-2400.

Are your children budding artists? Well, on Sunday, check out Art a la Carte at the American Art Museum. Kids can do hands-on art projects for FREE. More information is online here. Also, if you're into model rockets, there will be a launch at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt.

As always, have a safe weekend. All items mentioned here can be found on our calendar page.

-Hyattsville Mom
(p.s. I apologize. I'm Google is having a problem that's preventing me from posting images).

Happy Halloween!

Pep-o-lantern

It's All Hallow's Eve and I've been busy carving a pepper!

We were traveling over the weekend--to New Hampshire and back in a day due to Sandy. Then, we were housebound due to Sandy. So, the pumpkin thing didn't so much happen. But when my daughter pointed out that my red pepper looked like a pumpkin, I decided to carve a face into it.

Unfortunately, the neighbors won't be seeing it pep-o-lantern because he (or she--it's hard to tell with peppers) was eaten during lunch. However, I post this picture as a remembrance of the beautiful pep-o-lantern she (or he) was.

Do be safe trick or treating tonight. The biggest threat to children on Halloween is getting hit by cars, so wear reflective clothing and stay away from traffic.

I'll be updating the calendar this week, so stay tuned.

-Hyattsville Mom

Gee, I'm really old!

My kids and I watched the Frankenweenie trailer the other day. It's a new Tim Burton film coming out next month.

Upon completing the trailer, my son, who is eight, tells me: "I don't want to see that. It's in black-and-white. It was probably made in the '70s"

Wow! He knows I was born in the '70s, so I guess he assumes that was a long, long, long time ago (perhaps even a galaxy far, far away). But, really, black-and-white movies? Gone with the Wind and the Wizard of Oz were made in 1939 and they had color!

Maybe, it's a sign I ought to teach him about the history of film. Starting with when that lovely innovation of color appeared (not the '70s!).

As a side note, I forgot to add to yesterday's post this cool event in DC at the National Building Museum. It's free and for kids ages 4-12. They get to build and create. Details are here: http://www.nbm.org/families-kids/festivals/big-build.html.

Fun Fall Activities!

Photo by Jean-Pol GRANDMONT

Happy Thursday, folks. I haven't posted in a while, but I do update my Twitter and Facebook feeds on a regular basis, so be sure to follow, as I'll post any deals/discounts I hear about, as well as interesting research (like BPAs link with obesity).


In anticipation of the weekend, I'm posting a few events that you might enjoy this weekend or in the near future.


Hyattsville Arts Festival
Sept. 22, 11 am - 5 pm. Check out what the Hyattsville arts district has to offer with exciting displays and live demonstrations. More information is available at the website
http://hyattsvillecdc.org/hyattsvilleartsfestival/.

Fall Pretty Cupcake event
Pretty Girl Cupcakery will have its "Fall Pretty" promotion on from 10am - 6pm. During the event, Pretty Girl Cupcakery will reveal new fall flavors like Maple, Apple Cinnamon, Sweet Potato, Pumpkin Spice, and S'mores! They will be available in mini sizes (many at only 99 cents) so that you can enjoy more!  For more information about the "Fall Pretty" promotion, contact Pretty Girl Cupcakery at 301-699-2010
or visit http://www.yelp.com/events/hyattsville-fall-pretty-at-the-pretty-girl-cupcakery-hyattsville-arts-festival.

National Book Festival
Sept. 22-23
During this two day celebration on the National Mall, brings famous authors into town for book signings and readings. For more details and a complete schedule, visit: http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/

Free Museum Day
Sept. 29. Get free admission to a host of museums around the nation. While we're used to museums being free in this area, several museums with admission costs are waiving them for free museum day. You need to reserve tickets in advance, though. To find out which area museums are participating and reserve tickets, go to http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday. 

Ghost Stories
Oct. 20, 11 am. Ghost Stories with Judy Cook is a performance that includes ghost stories, poetry, pictures and songs performed by Cook. It is $5 at the Montpelier Arts Center., 9652 Muirkirk Rd. in Laurel. For more information, call 301-377-7800

Flea Market
Oct. 21, 7 am- Until at the  Bladensburg Spa Church, 4105 54th St. in Bladensburg. Come hunt for shoes, toys and clothes. For more information, contact Shenue Ross, 240-595-9151 or Marilyn Thorpe,
301-617-0882.

Spooktacular Pumpkin Carving Workshop
Oct. 27, 11 am - 2 pm. At this FREE drop-in event, kids of all ages can come in and carve a pumpkin. Tools and pumpkins will be provided. It takes place at the Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Ave. For more information, call the exchange, 301-277-2863.

Holiday Cookbook
Nov. 17, 10:30 am - 1:30 pm. At this FREE drop-in event, you can take your favorite family recipes and turn them into a beautiful cookbook. You bring the recipes and the Brentwood Arts Exchange will provide the rest. The Brentwood Arts Exchange is located at 3901 Rhode Island Ave. For more information, call the exchange, 301-277-2863.

Simple Solutions

One of the things I think it's important to teach kids is to solve their own problems and go for simple solutions. 

Take this conversation I had with my daughter the other day, just 5 minutes before we were supposed to leave for school:

Her: Mom, I can't find any pants I like to wear.

Me: Wear pants you don't like. We have to go to school!

Two good things come from this conversation. One, I've shown her a simple solution. And two, given the face she made when I gave her the answer, I'm guessing she won't be coming to me for pants solutions in the future. She'll learn to become her own problem solver, because I'm sure she'll come up with a more satisfying solution herself (even it's the same solution as mine; it's always more satisfying when you'r responsible for the idea).

That's it for today. Take care.

Research Wednesday: Gratitude Makes for Happier Kids!

I recently came across some research from California State University that made me think about ways to make my kids more grateful.

The fascinating 4-year study found that teens who were grateful were less likely to be depressed or delinquent. The study started when the kids were 10 and went through age 14.  Kids didn't have to start off grateful. They just had to become grateful over the course of the
study to recognize benefits.

“They experienced many of the same improvements in well-being. Moreover, they showed slight reductions overall in delinquency, such as alcohol and drug use, cheating on exams, skipping school, detention and administrative discipline,” said Giacomo Bono, a CSU psychology professor and lead author of the study. “For instance, the top 10 percent of those who developed the most gratitude showed 9 percent less delinquency than the bottom 10 percent in gratitude growth.”

The study found that children who were grateful were15 percent more satisfied with their life overall (at home, at school, with their neighborhood, with their friends and with themselves); and 17 percent more happy and more hopeful about their lives.

To me, this is great news. I just have to figure out how to instill gratefulness in my children, because that is the one area where I feel they struggle. They seem to just expect things to happen and not be that happy for them. I'd like them to be more grateful. I hope it starts with setting a more grateful example, which I am definitely going to strive to do.

The study author, Bono, added: "These findings suggest that gratitude may be strongly linked with life-skills such as cooperation, purpose, creativity and persistence and, as such, gratitude is vital resource that parents, teachers and others who work with young people should help youth build up as they grow up. More gratitude may be precisely what our society needs to raise a generation that is ready to make a difference in the world.”

I totally agree.  More details of the study are online here:
http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2012/08/health-benefits.aspx

Anyone out there got tips for raising grateful kids?

Book Tuesday: Foxy & Egg

My daughter found this little gem at the library a couple of weeks ago.

It's a darling picture book that helps kids learn that we can't always assume things.

The book follows "conniving" Foxy (a fox), who finds a spotted egg on her doorstep. Foxy invites Egg in for a bite to eat and plots to fatten Egg up and eat him for breakfast. Egg is polite and seemingly clueless, as he eats Foxy's food, does some exercise to get in shape and even agrees to stay the night and join Foxy for breakfast.

Foxy dreams of eating the egg, debating whether to boil,  fry or poach it. When she awakens, Foxy checks on Egg and finds he's grown enormous overnight. All that fattening up, apparently worked, Foxy deduces eggcitedly. Just then, the egg cracks open and reveals -- an alligator! Yes, boys and girls, alligators lay eggs, too. And Mr. Gator has some plans for breakfast, Foxy plans, if you get my drift.

It's a really fun book because of it's surprising ending. And it gives you an opportunity to talk with your kids about all the different types of animals that lay eggs: chickens, ducks, platypuses, alligators, spiders. I would definitely recommend. It's written and illustrated by Alex T. Smith.

That's it for today.

-Hyattsville Mom

Happy Labor Day!

Enjoy this day that celebrates labor by resting!

Mini-Golf, Festivals highlight Labor Day Weekend Fun!

A Mini Golf hole at the Building Museum

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

There's lots of fun stuff on tap for this weekend.

First up is the Greenbelt Labor Day Festival. Go on carnival rides, eat wonderful carnival food like funnel cakes, and watch local talent at this annual festival. If you hurry, you can still get a half-priced voucher for the all-you-can-ride wrist ban. The vouchers are sold through noon today. The festival admission is FREE.

This weekend is the last chance to catch a couple of Building Museum Exhibits.  Both the Indoor Mini-Golf and Lego Architecture exhibits are at the museum only through Labor Day.  Each exhibit has an entrance fee.

There will be a FREE TASTING of West African food at Chima Restaurant Monday at 11 am. The tasting is just down the road from the Labor Day festival, at 10631 Greenbelt Rd.

Also, the Maryland Renaissance Festival is Going on this weekend. This annual event features folks dressed up in costumes from long ago. See jousting, taste authentic Renaissance Food and enjoy plays. The festival is in Annapolis and will be going on weekends through October.

That's it for me.  Have a good one.

-Hyattsville Mom

Avoidance Parenting

Run for the hills! It's a tough question.

I know we as parents our kids expect us to know things. And generally, society expects us  to raise them without messing them up too badly (everyone needs a little therapy, right?).

And I try, but I must admit, I am in the total avoidance parenting mode. Avoid at all costs the things I have no interest  in explaining to a 5 and an 8 year old. The most recent example, we were listening to the radio and along came an ad for a play at a local theater. I hear the announcer say, THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, so, of course, I immediately turn the station and hope nobody heard it. I really have no interest in explaining to my children what a whorehouse is. Because of course, that's the question they'll ask if they hear
it.

My husband also suffers from this. Last year, there was a widely publicized case of a transvestite being attacked in a restaurant. We were listening to a news station that mentioned it, and my son, probably 6 at the time, asks, "what's a transvestite."  My husband doesn't miss a beat. He says, "I don't know." So, my son, of course asks me. And if Daddy doesn't want to deal with it, I sure don't. So, I say, "I don't know." My husband then goes. "They have a lot of new fangled words that pop up. I'm sure we'll look it up at some point." 

Parenting by avoidance. And he didn't ask again. While I know we could've sat down and figured out age appropriate ways to answer these questions, I didn't want to. I have enough on my plate without dealing with things little kids really don't need to know about. All I can say, is I'm glad I was not a parent during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Oral Sex, the blue dress. It would've been hard to get by with avoidance parenting then.

And even still, you can't always do it. We were listening to WTOP in the car, and they did a story about a man who stapled another man's mouth shut, and my daughter goes, "Mommy, I don't want my mouth stapled shut." Well, neither do I.  So, that one we had to discuss. I probably ought to invest in a Barney CD or something, huh?

Sadly, I know it will have to end sometime. We can't let kids face middle school and teen years and all the choices they'll have to make uninformed about things. But, for right now, I must say, I enjoy turning the station and getting  lucky so I don't have to explain what
a whore house is?

So, any topics you're avoiding with the young'uns?

-Hyattsville Mom

Half-Price Ride vouchers & Free Museums

A Smithsonian Museum

Happy Hump Day!  I hope you don't have those middle-of-the-week blues. The weekend is just a couple of days away, and you need to be prepared! 

My kids have been back in school for a week and a half now, but it still doesn't feel like we've built a routine. We've had all sorts of little things pop up that are not going to be on our schedule for the rest of the semester. 

So, in the spirit of helping you prepare for the weekend. Just a reminder that the Greenbelt Labor Day Festival is coming up this weekend. If you--or your children--want to do the carnival rides for half price, be sure to stop by the Greenbelt Coop to pick up a $12 voucher for an all-you-can-ride wrist ban valid on Saturday or Sunday. Vouchers are on sale until Noon Friday. Don't wait, because wrist bans cost $25 once the festival starts. The Coop is located at 121 Center Way Dr. in Greenbelt.

Also, you can get free tickets to local museums on Sept. 29 through Museum Day!, a program of the Smithsonian.  To sign up for free tickets, go to the website: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/.  Tickets need to be ordered in advance. Participating museums include favorites like the Newseum, National Building Museum and Chesapeake Children's Museum. A complete list is on the website. You get 2 tickets per e-mail address, so families will need a few house members to pitch in and get enough tickets.

That's it for me, today.

-Hyattsville Mom

Movie Review: Thunderstruck

If you're a Kevin Durant fan, Thunderstruck is the movie for you!

If not, then you may want to wait 'til this one hits DVD.

Thunderstruck is, essentially, a big ad for Kevin Durant, the star forward of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team.

In the film, KD (as he is also known) plays his wonderful, great basketball playing self. Taylor Gray stars as Brian Newall, the klutzy kid, who despite hours of practice can never shoot a basketball in the hoop. KD and Brian meet when Brian gets picked for the half-time show's half-court ball toss. Make a basket from half court and you win $20K. Brian, of course, flubs it big time, but KD signs his ball and Brian walks away with the star's powers.

Well, KD hits a slump and Brian becomes the star of his team.  Even though KD practices relentlessly, he is unable to improve his game. Brian, doing nothing, plays wonderfully, and is so popular as the star of the team that he forgets about his best friend and alienates his girlfriend. 

KD's agent, Alan, figures out what happened, and tries to get the powers switched back. But, will they figure it out in time for KD to help his team make the playoffs? Well, I'm sure you've seen enough of these type of movies to figure out the answer. 

The film is fairly likable for what it is. KD comes off as a nice guy, though a bit stiff acting. This is fine because he's playing himself and we know his talent lies at the hoop, not as an actor. The film is only 98 minutes, but at times--in the middle, when Brian is becoming a superstar--like it's dragging.

For parents out there who see messages in every movie, there is one that you might not like in this one. It's the message that irked my husband a lot:  hard work is meaningless. Neither KD nor Brian improved their game with hard work. Both were utter failures when trying to improve Brian's game with hard work. And that just doesn't seem fair.

Thunderstruck hits theaters today.

 Next week, I'll have a Friday roundup and updated calendar. It's been a hectic week with the start of school.

Have a great weekend!

-Hyattsville Mom

Book Tuesday: Library Lion

Bonjour! Hope your first week of school is getting off to a good start. Ours is going well so far, which is good. We were worried there would be a bit of anxiety over the new teachers, but so far, kids are adjusting well. Fingers crossed for more.

As to the book, I thought I'd mention one of our favorite children's books, Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen.

This is is a wonderful book that tells the story of a lion who loves to come to the library. But, when he roars, he scares the customers, so the head librarian tells the lion that he must not roar or he will have to leave the library. The lion, who loves the library storytimes and padding around, then becomes a quiet, helpful lion. However, when disaster strikes, the lion has to make a choice about how to help.

It's a very sweet book, with wonderfully endearing illustrations by Kevin Hawkes. If you haven't seen this book before, check it out. It really is lovely.


-Hyattsville Mom

Winning Monday!

To pull a page out of Charlie Sheen's book, today is all about WINNING!

Yes, we're having a winning day, all around. First up, I want to thank all the entrants for our first competition. The winner of the free personalized book is Jenna Bishop. Yay! Again, thanks to everyone who entered.

Next up on our winning Monday is free food. Who doesn't love free food? I know I do. There's a new Roti opening in College Park (8150 Baltimore Ave.) on Wednesday. And as a preview, they are offering food to folks on Tuesday. You have to pick a time and sign up in advance. All the details are here: http://events.roti.com/collegeparkevent/default.asp.

That's it for today. I have to get my kids back to school. Another WINNING prospect.

-Hyattsville Mom

Review: The Odd Life of Timothy Green

The Odd Life of Timothy Green opens in theaters today and offers as it's premise the tearjerker tale of a childless couple whose box of wishes buried in the garden grow into a real life boy. It tries to be heartfelt and touching and a triumph in belief that the little guy can change things, but unfortunately falls short of the mark.

The movie feels like a modern day Pinochio retold by Jodi Piccoult. While Picoult had nothing to do with the film (it is the brainchild of Ahmet Zappa [yes, that Zappa! Son of musician Frank Zappa]).

The movie cast is helmed by Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton, who play Jim and Cindy Green. The couple learns from their doctor they will never be able to conceive a child. To put the notion of a blood-related child to rest, they write down all the wonderful things they envision for their child, put them in a box and bury it in the garden. Later that evening, after a mysterious storm, Timothy shows up calling Jim and Cindy Mom and Dad.

This movie has heartwarming and funny elements. Timothy's honesty--drawing a picture of his Mom's boss, including her mustache. Timothy encouraging his parents to create a pen out of leaves, and the two working together to capture their dream of creation. 

While the film has some wonderful moments, these parts don't combine to make it a great film. For some reason, they just don't gel in the end. Part of that reason may be Garner, who I typically adore as an actress (I was a huge Alias fan, and have generally liked her movies). But, in this film, she seems stiff and nonmaternal, which is not exactly what you'd expect of someone who desperately wanted a child, and now being given one, seems a little too shocked to embrace it. And while shock may be the true nature of what a person who suddenly gets a child from the garden would feel, it wears thin if that's all you get in a film.

Overall, the movie is fine to see if you're in need of something to do (definitely matinee and bargain pricing only, though).  If you're thinking of this as a flick to take the whole family to, it's probably not for those under 8. It's a little long, and tends to meander from scene to scene, without a lot of excitement. So, not a real attention holder for the young kids.

That's it for today. And don't forget our contest. There is still time to enter.

-Hyattsville Mom

Win a Free Personalized Children's Book

Image courtesy of First Time Books!

It's contest time.  I do hope you like contests! :)

Open all this week, our contest is for a free personalized Zoo Adventure children's book from First Time Books.  

What is a personalized book? Well, basically, you get to insert whatever name you want as a character in the book. This is great for kids because they love it when the book is about them (wait, I love that, too. Maybe I'm a kid at heart; or just really immature).

The book our winner will receive details the journey of two young'uns at the zoo. You can personalize the name of both children in the book, and watch as they visit dolphins, zebras, lions and more. To see the Zoo Adventures book, go to http://www.firsttimebooks.com/ftbooks/UserContentStart.aspx?category=25.

Now, how do you win this fabulous prize for your kids, your niece, nephew, or even you (if you want a book about your own adventures)? It's very simple. Two steps. That's it!

1.  Like our Facebook Page
2.  Email me (hyattsvillemom@gmail.com) your name and e-mail address, with ZOO ADVENTURES in the subject line.

That's it. Do I know how to make it simple or what? Yeah, that's me, the simpleton! (OK, maybe not exactly the best way to express the simpleness of it all, but you get my drift.)

If you want a bonus entry, follow me on Twitter @hyattsvillemom, too.  A bonus entry simply means I'll stick your name in the kitty twice, doubling your chances (OK, wait, the math part of my brain is telling me that won't double your chances), increasing your odds of winning.  One thing: if your twitter handle is something that does not relate to your name (like @coolgirl), indicate what your handle is when you send the prize entry e-mail, so I can be sure to properly credit you.

The contest ends Sunday, Aug. 19 at 11:59 pm. I will randomly select a winner Monday morning.

That's it for today. Have a good one. And Good luck!

-Hyattsville Mom

Fair, Free Music, Step Afrika Highlight Weekend Activities!

Happy Weekend!

Looking for fun things to do this weekend? Lots up, I tell you.

First, I'll start with a couple of things that require venturing out of county, in the event you're up for a little driving or subwaying (spell check is telling me subwaying is not a word; well it should be!). First up, the Arlington County Fair is in town. It started yesterday and runs through Sunday Aug. 12. My favorite thing about the Arlington County fair, and the reason I always mention it is it's FREE. So, you can walk around, see the sites, buy an elephant ear (my favorite; I'm a midwestern girl and we're elephant ear people) or a funnel cake, or check out the free entertainment. They have piglet racing (always fun to watch), basketball trick performances by the Harlem Wizards and outdoor movies (the Muppets on Friday; and Hunger Games on Saturday). A kids court features free inflatables to bounce in and free face painting. There's also an indoor exhibit hall, where companies give out fun trinkets (my kids got some cool games with magnetic balls one year). So, it's worth venturing out of county, if you ask me. Unfortunately, the rides are very expensive, and they never seem to offer bracelet discounts (I guess you can't have everything). More information on the fair is at the website: http://arlingtoncountyfair.us/

.

Next up, if you like Live Music and food truck vendors, you'll love Truckeroo. This fun event takes place in DC on Friday, Aug. 10. For more information, visit their site: http://www.truckeroodc.com. On Sunday, the National Building Museum is starting it's Sunday concert series at 2 pm in the Great Hall. This is a FREE event and will feature Step Afrika!, the nation's leading step troupe. Learn more on their website: http://www.nbm.org/programs-lectures/series/summer-concerts.html. 

Now, if you want to stay closer to home this weekend, there's always FREE  music Friday night at the Montpelier Mansion. The music starts at 7:30 pm and will feature Caribbean, Reggae, Calypso and Soca music. If you love train and carousel rides, check out Fantastic Fridays at Watkins Park, where you can get unlimited rides from 5:30 to 8:30 for just $5 per person.

On Saturday, there is FREE swim for 6-12 year olds at PG County Parks pools, after 4 pm. Call your closest pool for their closing times. On Saturday morning, there's a baseball clinic sponsored by the Washington Nationals in Bowie from 9 am to noon at the Baysox stadium. You can call  301-446-6800 for more information. At 10:30, is a FREE nature program at the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge in Laurel. It's for 5-7 year olds.

On Sunday, you can learn archery from the Parks & Recs department. Lessons are held at the Adelphi Manor archery range, and only cost $5 for county residents. If you want more to do or more information on the events listed in this post, please check out our calendar.

Hope you have a great weekend.

-Hyattsville Mom

p.s. I'll be back on Monday with a contest.