Thursday, January 27, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
The Three Hits of X-Mas Part Three: Going Godzilla for Quadrilla
About three weeks before Christmas I took Jackson to my favorite toy store to see if we were missing anything he might like. By the end of the visit I was pretty sure I was going to need a tranquilizer dart gun when it was time to make our exit. At The Dancing Bear my son encountered his favorite marble run ever. Quadrilla!! Jack is the proud owner of a few plastic marble runs that he had gotten hours and hour of entertainment building and watching, tearing down and building again. A Quadrilla marble run however is the major league of marble runs.
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| Jack's Red Rider BB Gun for 2010 |
Manufactured by Manhattan Toys Quadrilla is a toy that I imagine will be in the family for generations to come. It's sturdy construction and multiple assembly options completely justifies the rather expensive price tag that comes along with it.
Initially the 105 piece Twist set we selected can seem daunting to construct, especially when a hyped up 3 ½ year old bouncing on your back and screaming for you to hurry up. After a few attempts however it becomes quite easy, even enjoyable for Mom or Dad to put together. After a few dozen times you begin to see the educational value of the toy.
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| Every Configuration Brings The Same Smile |
For lack of a better term Jackson's engineering imagination began to take hold in a way I had never seen before. If I placed one of the color coded pieces in the wrong place, he would be there to point it out. When something isn't quite right he follows the marbles very closely and helps adjust the imperfection.
This toy is without a doubt a 10 out of 10. One of the best investments we have made for our child thus far, swing by your local toy store to check one out.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
The Travelin Tots on MLK Day.
So we were not very observant of MLK and stayed in today. The kids are probably a little young to get it so I don't feel that bad.
But I did take some time to think about great men and great movements in our history. And that lead me to think of little men and little movements in our history.
The best man I have ever know is of course is my father. He would shrink away from that thought, but he has overcome a lot in his life to provide a great one for me and my bro.
I am reminded of a story he told me when he went to Vietnam. Larry was drafted and sent to Ft. McClellan in Alabama for Basic Training in 67'. Larry had grown up poor in Mt. Rainier and quite frankly had grown up towards the tail end of segregation in the D.C. area. While he was not a renaissance man, for the most part he and the black kids got along, but never really hung out.
One day, towards the end of Boot Camp, when the soldier's started getting weekend passes to hang out in town, Larry noticed that a couple of the Black soldiers he had become acquainted with weren't using their passes. My dad, noticeably shy, approached the guys and asked them to come with him to a movie. They hesitated, but reluctantly agreed to tag along.
My father did not understand their trepidation until he got to the ticket booth to buy the tickets.
"Your friends are gonna have to go around back" The man said through the glass.
"Why?" my father asked.
"Well, the coloreds have to go 'round back and sit in the balcony with the other colored's" The man said indigently.
Larry never protested anything, he was far too humble to think he could affect change. He knew his limits, but these men were being drafted to fight a war for their country, and as they trained for it they were being refused the common courtesy other citizens were offered. He did not scream, fight, picket, dodge the draft or have a sit in. All he could do was do was what he could do.
He took his money back and said undramatically "If they can't walk in with me, then I 'm not going in either" and they walked home.
He changed nothing, the movie still played, the "colored's" still sat in the balcony, and justice was in no way served. But they did not have his money. And because enough people, black and white took their money back and walked away like he did that night, my father's grand children live in a world where legalized segregation is a way of life they could never imagine.
I hope to teach my children that they may not be able to change the world, but they can walk away from what is wrong like their Paw-Paw, and sometimes if enough people join them, the wrong will end.
But I did take some time to think about great men and great movements in our history. And that lead me to think of little men and little movements in our history.
The best man I have ever know is of course is my father. He would shrink away from that thought, but he has overcome a lot in his life to provide a great one for me and my bro.
I am reminded of a story he told me when he went to Vietnam. Larry was drafted and sent to Ft. McClellan in Alabama for Basic Training in 67'. Larry had grown up poor in Mt. Rainier and quite frankly had grown up towards the tail end of segregation in the D.C. area. While he was not a renaissance man, for the most part he and the black kids got along, but never really hung out.
One day, towards the end of Boot Camp, when the soldier's started getting weekend passes to hang out in town, Larry noticed that a couple of the Black soldiers he had become acquainted with weren't using their passes. My dad, noticeably shy, approached the guys and asked them to come with him to a movie. They hesitated, but reluctantly agreed to tag along.
My father did not understand their trepidation until he got to the ticket booth to buy the tickets.
"Your friends are gonna have to go around back" The man said through the glass.
"Why?" my father asked.
"Well, the coloreds have to go 'round back and sit in the balcony with the other colored's" The man said indigently.
Larry never protested anything, he was far too humble to think he could affect change. He knew his limits, but these men were being drafted to fight a war for their country, and as they trained for it they were being refused the common courtesy other citizens were offered. He did not scream, fight, picket, dodge the draft or have a sit in. All he could do was do was what he could do.
He took his money back and said undramatically "If they can't walk in with me, then I 'm not going in either" and they walked home.
He changed nothing, the movie still played, the "colored's" still sat in the balcony, and justice was in no way served. But they did not have his money. And because enough people, black and white took their money back and walked away like he did that night, my father's grand children live in a world where legalized segregation is a way of life they could never imagine.
I hope to teach my children that they may not be able to change the world, but they can walk away from what is wrong like their Paw-Paw, and sometimes if enough people join them, the wrong will end.
Friday, January 14, 2011
The UTZ Potato Chip Factory
For us and parents through out the land potty training our boy has been a total nightmare, um adventure. So when he started to turn the corner we decided to reward him with a better than average potty treat.
One of the tools we used to get him interested in even sitting on the toilet was our laptop and YouTube. For hours a day Jack and I sat and watched uploads of railroad crossings and episodes of How It's Made. You know, like the end of Mister Rogers where he showed us of a video of where things came from. Jack and I can tell you how pencils are made, crayons, gold chains, ATV's, Modulated homes etc...etc.
Sometimes during the most mundane moments, such as me eating potato chips in front of the boy our best idea are given to us. “How are potato chips made?” Jack asked enthusiastically. Light Bulb! “Would you like to see how they are made..up close” I asked “Yes!!” Jack replied as he gasped. So we made a potty chart, and when he gave us five #2's we would go to see how potato chips are made.
This trip really depended on locale, we are located less than an hour from Hanover Pa, home of UTZ potato chips and Snyders Pretzels. Ultimately I chose UTZ's b/c you have to schedule a tour at Snyders and UTZ had a self guided gallery tour, that was free of charge.
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| A very unassuming entrance adds an element of authenticity. |
The facility itself can be a little hard to find in Hanover, a classic blue collar Pennsylvania town with spectacular Victorian style houses at the city center with it's major manufacturing facilities dotted on the out skirts. One wrong turn and you will find yourself heading into farm country and you'll know you've headed the wrong way. (I got lost).
The facility is straight forward and small. In fact they have only two dedicated parking spaces for the tour itself. The entrance has a small display of the original potato slicer the Utz's used to make chips in their summer home back in 1921. On the 2nd floor there is another small display that showcases the history of the Utz Chip and the products they make. There is no one to greet you, they are not kidding when they say “Self Guided”.
The tour leads you to the observation gallery where you see the Potato chip process from the raw unpeeled potato to the warehouse the chips are stored for shipping. To an adult no big deal. But to our boy it was amazing. He stood for the 1st few minutes wide eyed as he watched the workers sort the potato's put them on the conveyor belt, into the slicer, on to the fryer, up the tiny elevators, under the flavor sorter and into the different bags. He liked it so much he went back and forth to watch the process a couple of times. After about 15 minutes he had had enough and wanted to go back to the car. On the way out you can pick up a free sample of regular Utz chips. And home we went. A nice half day trip, no stress. If I could some it up in one word, it would be Authentic.
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| Jackson Enjoying His Free Sample |
Now before you say it to yourself let me offer that this may not be the most exciting idea for a day trip. But you would be surprised at how rewarding it was to see his face watching things happen. And this is a great trip to spark your child's curiosity.
If you live in the D.C. Area I wouldn't suggest you make the trip just for the tour. But you can easily combine it with a trip to Gettysburg National Battlefield or the outlet mall nearby. For those of you that have a Mommies group, you can schedule a tour with Snyders for the same day to get more bang for your buck.
For others that are further away, what do they make near you? Is there a product you have always enjoyed? Most likely they offer some sort of tour, and it's just as likely that the offer it for free.
These tours are a great way to connect your children with your local history and culture without putting a dent in the wallet. So look around with them, see what you find with them, and explore with them.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The Three Hits Of X-Mas Part Two: A Classic Fail Redesigned
As I mentioned in the previous post the wife and I picked up Jack's stocking stuffer's at the Dancing Bear in Downtown Frederick Md. They pretty much have every nostalgic toy you could imagine, from A Barrel of Monkey's to Pick Up Sticks. Most of these toys can be connected to a childhood memory. Christmas, Easter, or a friends birthday party perhaps.
One toy immediately caught my eye and brought back memories of great disappointment and frustration, The Plastic Army Parachute-man. If you are a female reading this and have no idea of what I am talking about then I can understand. Any male however will remember vividly the excitement of getting one of these toys. It consists of exactly what it sounds like, a green or red figure tied to several strings and a flimsy sheet of plastic that was supposed to represent a “parachute”.
Oh sweet youth did us boys ever imagine the imminent invasion of our neighbors yards with our airborne regiments. All we had to do was fold the action figure according to the precise and very complicated instructions, throw him in the air with all our might and jump for joy as he floated harmlessly to the ground so he can wreak havoc upon the enemy.
Of course our hope were quickly dashed shortly after we tossed our soldier into the air and he promptly suffered a chute' malfunction and G.I. Joe fell to the earth like a stone. Mission failed. Evil lives another day. And no matter how much we tried we could never prevent the dang thing from getting tangled up and failing over and over.
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| Old Design with Soon to Be K.I.A action figures |
Not quite knowing why, I picked up this knick knack for Jack's stocking. Thinking that he would probably not even notice it, or would lose interest in it as I did. Never did I expect to find that some genius had redesigned this horribly flawed toy and turned in into a gem.
Almost every toss into the air resulted in full deployment and a safe landing for our hero red plastic soldier. The major difference in the design is the elimination of strings, and the use of a fishnet material to attach the soldier to the the chute'. The plastic parachute has been replaced by a nylon fabric, which allows for a more flexible deployment, and nixes the need for overcomplicated folding before the toss.
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| New Design on and Old Toy Brings Our Boy a Lot of Joy |
Okay I admit it, I probably love this more than my son, but that's the advantage of being a dad, you get to play with neat toys again. Heck, you even get to see a bad toy's evolution into something fun and enjoyable. Believe it or not I got 8 successful deployments out of ten on the first play session. All of which had Jack jumping and shouting with glee.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The Three Hits of X-Mas Part One
Christmas has come and gone, and odds are some of the presents you got for your children have made their way to the closet or have broken by now. The next few posts will highlight Jackson's favorite x-mas presents of 2010. If you're still looking to spend some of that Christmas money you might even want to consider them for your home.
One theme Becky and I have been sticking to with our children is buying toys that spark imagination and creativity. Products that allow the child to dictate the outcome as opposed to assign roles and endings. So far we have succeeded in doing just that. Just don't ask me how poorly the ideal of limiting television has gone.
The best toy store in the area hands down is the Dancing Bear. If you are looking for flashy, splashy electronics, or the latest PS3 game then by all means go somewhere else. This establishment prides itself on carrying products that inspire imagination the old fashioned way, No Batteries Necessary. The wife and I went here to find cute stocking stuffer's and left with Two of Jack's favorite toys and an idea for another that had sold out there.
A construction toy named Dado wound up being a big hit and a great stocking stuffer. It was one of those toys that got tossed to the side during the chaos of unwrapping presents but with some encouragement and demonstration the child can't seem to get enough.
The blocks consist of several 4X4 flat squares with 4 slits cut in each side. It seems to help my child understand abstract concepts of construction, while demanding that he stick to the simple laws of physic's. Plus he thinks they are neato. For a stocking stuffer this has provided him with hours of fun already and we are only a little over one week post Christmas.
All in all I rate this toy a solid 9 out of 10.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The Traveling Tots: Only a Few Days Left For Xmas Myrth.
The Traveling Tots: Only a Few Days Left For Xmas Myrth.: "Only a few days to go until Christmas Day and if you have you stuff together than you have most of your shopping done, and are making plans..."
A Year of the Travelin' Tots
When I sat down to consider the adventures we had been on this year I thought it had been a slow year for the Travelin' Tots. As the events of the year transpired in my head I noticed that it was one of the busiest and best yet.
As to be expected it was a year of profound loss and one of great gain. A year of slaying demons, and a year of moving forward and improving ourselves.
We were greeted the year with a sudden loss in our family. On february 11th we said goodbye to our beloved Golden Retriever Elvis. He was the story of us. The “test” we gave ourselves before tying the knot. And while the loss was like a punch in the gut to the both of us two days later the universe would give us a reason to rejoice.
On February 13th our daughter Brooke was born. The real adventure was getting to the hospital in the Blizzard of 09' only to be turned around b/c of a false alarm.
The Traveln Tots were complete. The year would be peppered with small day trips, outings to the library and our Jackson showing Brooke the ways of the world. Our adventure had begun.
One trip I took by myself was to say goodbye to my Grandmother Pearl. What can I say? I turned 18, I blinked then I was 30 and I had seen my Maw Maw once a year, by then time I realized it, her mind had begun to wander and she had moved a few hours away. As I sat there by her bedside I promised that I would cherish her memory and try not to let it happen with the next generation. In fact it may have been her yearly subsciption to National Geographic that lit the travel fuse under my bum. When I left I leaned down to kiss her cheek and said “I love you Maw Maw”. She looked up at me, and I could tell that even if she wasn't quite sure who I was, she knew I meant it. A few weeks later she was gone.
As with every year in this life god gave us and took from us. In the end every year is a part of the journey whether you fly to Japan or stay home and laugh at your 3.5 your old while he shows you how to dance.
So here's to another great year. Let it be safe. Let it help us grow. Let it find us happy.
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