Be a Member of The X Factor’s Live Audience, 5/24 for FREE

By admin | Published: May 18, 2012

Soooo The X Factor is coming to Austin…there’s that.

The show is touring the country in search of the next star and Austin is their first stop! You have the chance to be part of the live studio audience, for FREE. The show will be hitting Austin Thursday, May 24 and Friday the 25th at 1 & 6 p.m. at the Frank Erwin Center. All you have to do is sign up and they will email you when the tickets are released. So sign up now, RIGHT NOW, so you don’t miss the chance to watch as people take their best shot to not have Simon Cowell make fun of them. Good luck.


Guest judges for this season are the always fantastic, hot-mess-of-a-pop-star, but ceaselessly interesting, Britney Spears, and singer/actress Demi Lovato. These two brave souls will be joining Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid to judge this season’s next batch of stars.

You only have four chances to see this in Austin. Miss traffic and a super long line by signing up for the 1 p.m. show. This will be fun for everyone. Get your family out to hear some music, root for people you may or may not know and take part in this rare and unique opportunity to celebrate our city’s talent.

 

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Splash Day, 5/19 at YMCA

By admin | Published: May 17, 2012

Hooray, summer is almost here! Although in Austin, summer usually comes earlier than June. It’s sure to be hot this weekend so cool off at one of the four participating YMCA branches celebrating Splash Day! The East Communities, Hays Communities, Southwest and Northwest Family YMCAs will kick off summer this Saturday, May 19, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Splash Day will have family swimming, swim lesson evaluations, water safety information and a variety of water sports and games. All for FREE! Get those kiddos some sunscreen and floaties and head to your closest participating YMCA and get your summer started right!

See you there!

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Your Kids Will Eat Broccoli…Oh Yes, They Will

By admin | Published: May 16, 2012

We have told you about Spatula Dad before, and we’re about to do it again because he’s a cool dude doing a cool thing.

Spatula Dad, Stephen Ames, is an Austinite trying to live the Austin dream. He quit his job at a major telecommunications office after over a decade of office life and decided to pursue a career in the culinary arts. His style is kid-friendly and life-friendly, meaning you don’t have to be top notch in the kitchen to pull these off. Plus, your kids can join in, that’s the point!

Last night, my family and I tried the charred broccoli recipe. Ames told me this is probably his easiest and quickest recipe but it’s probably the one he’s gotten the most feedback from. Now, here’s mine: we loved it! My 6-year-old said it’s his new favorite way to eat broccoli, and we all agreed. Check out Spatula Dad’s website for new videos and sign up to receive updates when a new video appears.

In honor of Spatula Dad’s dedication to your kids eating healthy and helping you out in the kitchen, we will be doing a weekly post with new recipes to try.

Wednesday is in the middle of the week, where you’re either feeling worn down or super energetic, it never seems to be in between. Either way, it’s going to be a good day to soak in some ideas from others. So keep an eye out each Wednesday for some family dishes you and your family can try out!

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Play in the Street at Viva Streets!

By admin | Published: May 15, 2012

Ever had a longing to play Frisbee in the street? Or maybe bust out a hula hoop troupe in the middle of 6th street? Well congratulations, because this weekend it’s totally going down!

Viva Streets will be taking over 6th Street this Sunday, May 20 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Well, actually, YOU will be taking over 6th Street. This event is all about you doing whateva the eff ya wanna do in the streets of Austin. Think BIG. Frisbees, rock climbing, Zumba, running, yoga, playing tag or doing cartwheels. You have all week to think of rando things to do so start picking your brain now. Better yet, pick your kid’s brain, they’re probably bursting at the skull-seam with things they’ve wanted to do in the street since, like, forever ago.

This event is modeled after something that started in Colombia in the 70s. Since then, it has hit the Estados Unidos and held successful interpretations in Ft. Worth, El Paso and San Antonio. The initiative of the project is to get outside, get active and get healthy. Viva Streets is pet-friendly and encourages you and your fam to come out.

See you there!

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SHE: Bike/Spoke/Love, Austin Premiere This Weekend

By admin | Published: May 14, 2012

In honor of National Bicycle Month and National Bike to Work Week, The Mexican American Cultural Center will be showcasing the Austin premiere of the acclaimed spoken word bicycle play, “She: Bike/Spoke/Love.”

The play is about a 20-something named Esa who is in love. With her bicycle. Not really, but it plays a major role in all of Esa’s relationships.  It is the love of her bicycle that allows her to break away from the burden that is family, and authority in general, all while exploring her own true path.  Her relationship with her bicycle spurs her into a mode of empowerment that she uses to stir the relationship she has with her mother. In turn, her mother jumps on her bike in a final attempt to reconnect. “And then there’s the boyfriend…” according to the website.

The production uses lyrical prose poetry, spinning bicycle wheels, humor, live DJ mixing and spanglish dialogue to convey this timely piece. Performances are FREE, family-friendly and will be on the open air plaza near the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail at the Mexican American Cultural Center. Bring a blanket and watch some cool people tell a cool story. Performances will be Friday, May 18 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 19 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

See you there!

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Day of The Green Kid, (it’s better than it sounds)

By admin | Published: April 27, 2012


Who doesn’t want to teach their kids to take care of our environment? The Magellan International School was honored with the Green Ribbon School Award last year and is dedicated to instilling green initiatives in our kids. The school is hosting the annual Día del Niño Verde, a celebration of sorts, that will feature all sorts of interesting activities that will help to teach your kids (and you) the importance of recycling. This is all happening Saturday, April 28, from 10 – 3 at The Magellan International School and is free, free, free!

Día del Niño Verde will have a POP-UP ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND made out of recycled, reusable items. Seriously? I have a hunch parents are going to dig this just as much as their kids will. The playground will encourage kids to create their own gems out of items that would normally be thrown out. There will also be bilingual workshops, children’s arts & crafts, student performances in the “talent corner” and some local healthy food vendors. Green Gate Farms will be selling earth-friendly products and fresh produce too.

In addition to all of these awesome activities, Día del Niño Verde will also host an electronic waste drive via Little Miss Recycle. Throwing out electronics is a horrible thing to do…so don’t. Bring old computers, phones, cables, printers, etc., drop them off and feel better knowing that you did a great thing.

Hope to see you there!

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Get a Taste Of India at Mela, 4/28

By admin | Published: April 27, 2012


This Saturday, Apr. 28 from noon to 5 p.m., the Radha Madhav Dham Temple will be celebrating spring by inviting everyone to come out for a taste of India. Mela is the Sanskrit word for “meeting” or “gathering” or, as is the case here, a Fair. And a pretty awesome one if you ask us. You didn’t…but we’re telling you anyways.

What’s so awesome about it? Everything. This fair will have Indian food aplenty. Dosas will abound. You can also sip some chai and go for a camel ride. Maybe not at the same time though. Indian sweets will be served as well, such as mango lassis, a smoothie made of mango.

After you fill up on cultural deliciousness, you can head on over to the petting zoo, or perhaps get all sorts of decked out in Mehndi body art and Henna. You could peruse the bazaar next, a colorful market with beautiful patterned fabrics, shawls and kurtas; the traditional Indian garb that resembles a long shirt and was once used as pajamas before some awesome person decided to just wear it all the time. While you shop your kids can play some games and win some prizes, or maybe watch some juggling. If you feel like taking it easy and just taking it all in, there will be tram rides and walking tours of the beautiful property that resides in Hill Country. 

This is not only a place to have fun with your babes,
it will also be a learning experience. Traditional authentic Indian dances will be performed (inside the temple) and Swami Nikhilanand will be leading some interactive lectures called: “hinduism: Myth vs. Fact” and “Being Good & Finding God.” He will also shed some light on meditation and kirtan, the practice of chanting and mantras.

See? Everything sounds awesome, right? Right. See you there!

 

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Lemonade Day!

By admin | Published: April 26, 2012

Growing up, I went to private school and made excellent grades. I excelled in academics and aced every class. Now that I’m an “adult” I realize that I kind of got screwed. I feel like my parents didn’t teach me enough real-life skills. I don’t understand stocks, or any kind of investing for that matter. Mortgages, interest rates, MIP, (my incredibly low) credit score (eek!)…all of these terms (and a multitude of others) are just now making sense to me.

As parents, we owe it to our kids to teach them something valuable. This world is nuts, and in order to succeed our kids need to be educated beyond who the first president was and that BS story about Columbus.

"I'm gonna be more successful than Oprah! Thanks Lemonade Day!"

Lemonade Day is exactly what it sounds like. A day of lemonade stands headed by middle-schoolers, and it’s gaining national attention. The program started in Houston in 2007 when a little girl asked if she could open a lemonade stand in order to raise enough money to buy a pet turtle. Her father, Michael Holthouse, encouraged her to make a plan and set a goal. Holthouse realized through mentoring his daughter and teaching her his entrepreneurial skills, that there was a need for children all over the country to learn such skills. Voila! Lemonade Day was born.

Now, Lemonade Day is in over 31 cities in America and Canada with over 120,000 kids participating. When you register for Lemonade Day, your child will receive “a backpack with an Entrepreneur Workbook and Caring Adult Guide that teaches them the 14 lessons of Lemonade Day including how to set goals, develop a business plan, secure an investor, create a product, make a profit, and give back to the community.” Whatever level of success each child reaches, they are encouraged to spend some, save some and give some back. Such good lessons, I’m seriously impressed.

Lemonade Day is the first Sunday in May, so don’t be surprised on May 6 when you see stands pop up all over the city. It’s mission is to “help today’s youth become the business leaders, social advocates, community volunteers and forward-thinking citizens of tomorrow.”

 

 

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Feist Can Tell You How To Get To Sesame Street

By admin | Published: April 26, 2012

In honor of tonight’s sold out show at Stubb’s, here is the video of Feist singing “1234″ on Sesame Street.

What a friggin’ doll. Hope you have tickets or mad stealth-mode skills, it’s going to be a great show!

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Go Outside!

By admin | Published: April 19, 2012

Everyone likes to talk about the weather, so let’s do it. IT’S AMAZING RIGHT NOW! So take those kids outside. In honor of TV-Turnoff Week, here are some simple and fun things to do with your little ones.

We are so fortunate to live in a city that is dedicated to preserving it’s natural beauty. Any time you’re feeling stuck on what to do, or are low on funds there is always the Greenbelt. My little man and I went Tuesday and had a blast! Here’s what we did…


Making rock towers shows nature you appreciate it. Or that’s what some kid told us while we were there. Needless to say we were on it! We could have done this all day, look at all those rocks! While you are balancing and searching you could teach your child all about the different reasons people stack rocks. For instance, hikers use it to mark trails as well as promote environmentalism.

With all those extra rocks lying around we decided to make dinosaur-esque skeletons out of them. This was probably my son’s favorite thing we did, he’s a wee bit obsessed with the dinosaurs. The passion for old bones is shared by just about every other boy his age so it’s an instant way to attract some other little kids and get a group project going. Here is our Brachiosaurus, we were pretty proud of it.


We also had fun looking for rocks that resembled other shapes. We lucked out with this pretty-close-to-perfect heart shaped stone. We’re totally going to paint it. While you’re doing this you might also luck out and find a fossil or two, or maybe a shell. And as you well know, shells make great necklaces.

 

On top of all this rocking out (yeah, I went there) we also tried to catch tadpoles and minnows but those suckers are fast! Looking for bugs and plants is always fun and makes your kids smart. So turn off that tele and make some memories!

“Making it Murky” – splashing around like crazy
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