Rock'It Lanes on a rainy Saturday

Our family decided to try a bowling alley in the area that our son (and I) have never visited before- Rock'It Lanes. We have heard of plenty of parties, gatherings, and events advertized there so we thought we would try it out on a rainy Saturday.

Well, there was hardly anyone there it seemed in the very dimly lit (I thought for children and day time) large mass of a building. I say large because it includes skating, bowling, an arcade, a bar, and a Cici's Pizza connected to it. A good sign was that someone was vaccuming the carpet when we came in- a good sign that they are clean(er).

 

Rock'It Lanes

513 Richard Jackson Blvd, Panama City, Florida

http://www.rockitlanes.com/

 

A quick view of the inside. From this picture it is hard to tell how dim it was. I was suprised! The good news is that the games were mostly clean and up to date.

 

 

 

Of course my 3 1/2 year old enjoyed the arcade part until the family arrived. The bowling experience for this area was great for a  younger child. The bowling alley AUTOMATICALLY raised the  gutter guards when  the screen came to our son's name. He loved that and so did we- convenient for parents of young children who want to enjoy hitting the bowling pins.

 

AND, the all important facilities. The bathroom was clean (I enjoyed that stainless walls) and there WAS a changing table in the large stall. This is SO important for our growing family. Can you believe some places do not have them?

 

 

 

 

The family pros:

-So, considering the area, this is probabley the best place to bowl and to take kids of all ages.

- the facilities were kept well

- automatic gutter guards for the smallest bowler

-an option for a rainy day to keep the kids active

 

Cons:

- if you choose to bring kids of several age groups (and they choose different activities), I would reccomend they have a cell phone

- not many kids around (maybe it was the day?) my child was disappopinted that there were a handful of kids to run around with

- not many healthy food options (but what was I expecting?)

 

 

 Jessica

 

 



 

 

Camp Helen State Park, Panama City Beach, Florida

So, May 5 we decided to visit Camp Helen State Park. (http://www.floridastateparks.org/camphelen/default.cfm) It was a beautfiul Saturday and we just had to be somewhere outside. The park is very low key and we enjoyed the serenity. The park has a history of once functioning as a resort for an Alabama textile company which explains a few buildings on the walk. THe most notable assets of the park are the beach and the fishing areas.

Here is the brief on what we learned:
1. Prepare for a WALK to the beach
2. The WALK to the beach is NOT recommended for small children. My 3 year-old was exhausted from the 6/10 of a mile walk in the sugary sand AND I am 5 months pregnant and on orders to "take it easy" meaning no running or strenuous activity. Luckily on our way back in a ranger picked us up. A stroller would not make it to the beach in the dense sand.
3. Did I say that the walk to the beach isn't suitable for small children?
4. Go fishing next time! We learned that this is a great location to fish-we watched others.
5. There are not many people on the beach. The Park Ranger told us that it is never busy because people are weary of the walk. Red flag for the little ones, again!



Here are a few snapshots from our adventure.

And our walk begins

Lake view

Looking for gators in the lake!

Sugary white dunes

Camp Helen Beach

Camp Helen Beach

The water was perfect!

Hubby enjoying the emerald waters

Our son had the run of the beach and loved it

A little bird watching

One of the cabins

                                                                            Jessica

Frank Brown Park, Panama City Beach, Florida

We took a little trip on Saturday, January 7 to Under the Palms Playground at Frank Brown Park to check out the place. We are also looking for a location in the area for a upcomming birthday party! The link to the park's website is http://www.playballinparadise.com/

So here is the skinny on Frank Brown Park:

The park is great in January. HOWEVER, any park in Florida WITHOUT shade like this one feels like the surface of the sun in the summer. Steer clear unless you are there for the water park (which we will have to check out then) or for a  Softball Tournament (apparently several are hosted there).

There are a few gaping holes in the rubber which need to be seen to, BUT I do like that the play area does have rubber.

Bring a bike if your kids has one- or a skate board/skooter. There were several kids who were riding trails and my little one wished he had his bike.

The play area is great for even smaller ones, but A HUGE CON: bathrooms. There is not a bathroom near the play area. So, we either walked to the aquatic center or go to the huge building about 1/4 miles away. A huge CON for a mommy with a little one.

Under the Palms Playground

A view of the play area.

We loved the swings!!

A view...

The sandbox seemed to be a hit.

Our Excursion to St. Andrew's State Park

We decided to venture out to St. Andrew's St. Park in nearby Panama City Beach, Florida. It was a ideal sun shiney day in December- what better time to check out a park in the winter?

We had a load of fun. But were certainly tired. We hope our little one came away with a fun outdoor experience in the park. All in all the park was a welcoming winter spot. Hiking this time of year in Florida is best in St. Andrew's. Summers are just too hot- I want to be near or on some body of water. The highlight, of course, is the pristine beaches. But we had a fun time looking for shells without the heat and being in the water- and the walk on the beach is great.

Here are a few of my recommendations for visiting in St. Andrew's State Park:
1) Bring a change of clothes. We were soaked from walking on the beach.
2) Bring a bag to put the dirty clothes in
3) If you are planning on collecting shells, bring a zip-lock type bag to put them in. It is eaiser to carry, and less messy than putting them in a jacket pocket.
4) Wear tennis shoes
5) Snack. Little ones can't live without snacks. And if your planning a day in the winter, a picnic is best. The camp stores looked like a ghost town
6) If you plan to go on a trail or leisure walk- the area, remember, is sandy- so an all-terrain stroller is ideal.
7) Dress in layers. It's Florida. We have crazy weather here.

St. Andrew's State Park entrance. It wouldn't be Florida without palm trees!

First things first: our little one was very eager to ride his new BIKE in the park. So, that is just what we did. There are several areas (like the camp area) where we biked and had a view of the bay. The other areas of the park are wooded and provide an opportunity to find deer roaming the park.

Then off to JETTY BEACH. As we approached, Jetty Beach, this was the view. Breathtaking. I know.

And we walked out on the wooded walkway. It is a fun spot for the little ones to run. There was a sort of camp store behind us- but it was a ghost town on this December day.

It was a RED FLAG day meaning that the waves were too rough. Don't worry, we didn't plan on swimming on the cold December water though it made for a windy adventure on the beach.

THE JETTIES and a view of the gulf.

One of our favorites things to do is to find shells to skip on the water.

The park has a ton of SEA SHELLS- the best sea shell hunting area we've found yet. Cam found a a shell to add to our collection.

Smiles on the beach.

People fishing off the jetties.

Yes, there were guys skim boarding.

And ther was the OTHER PIER. This is where, as the sign says, boats and kayaks can be rented. We decided not to this windy December day. We opted to watch the fishermen and the PELICANS.

Guys casting their nets.

 Nearby the smaller pier, there was an Old Cracker Turpintine Still. Our little one was a interested in it. But, we went for a walk and the nature walk behind it. He enjoyed running through the woods much more.

Playground Near the Turpintine Still. Much needed.

On our way out, we ran into a group of DEER grazing by the road. My son was amazed at this apparent commen place in the park.

     Jessica

What to do for New Year's?

So, we have a family and we want to include our little one in our New Year's festivities- a dilemma. What to do? What to do? Do we go to Countdown Seaside? This seems like the most appealing option that we have for our family-so I think we are going to see what the event is all about.

And then what to do New Year's day? Should we venture out to a local park? I am thinking yes. Which one should we try? The jury it out on that one. Eden Gardens State Park seems appealing. Her is the link for the park information: http://www.floridastateparks.org/edengardens/default.cfm

Reviews to come on Countdown Seaside and Eden Gardens. In the meantime, we are visitng St. Andrew's State Park in Panama City Beach, Fl- update will come tomorrow.

     Jessica

Pier Park Christmas Parade

Our family decided Saturday that we would venture out to the Pier Park Christmas Parade. It was cold, but not unbearable for our little one. We wrapped a blanket around him in his stroller and he was good to go!

We arrived only minutes before the start of the parade, parked in a nearby restaurant's parking lot, and scurried over to the front of Dillard's east doors. And we waited. And waited. And finally- the Parade! Despite the wait, we could not have chosen a better spot! No crowd and we could see everything close. The down side, all of the candy was gone by the time the parade came to us (is that really all that bad?). There were a few major gaps- perhaps it should have been better timed. Our tot became a little impatient. So did we.

Local Girl Scouts

Surfside Middle School Band

The ever-popular Chick-Fil-A cow.

Beach Mosquito Patrol

Ron Jon's Surf Shop group

Beach Fireman

Beach Fire Truck

Santa came to town atop a fire truck. Our little one was amused! But he was difficult to see- from the picture only a glimpse of a white glove can be seen. Wish he would have been it more light.

So, if you are in town, or a local, it was a fun parade to watch- while shopping. Santa is always a plus.

Jessica

Mamma Friendly Launch

Mamma Friendly? Oh, yes! I have long refused to join the blogosphere and blog about my life, triumphs, and challenges. In short, I am a more private person. I am not one to put all of the details out there. HOWEVER, I am a very opinionated person. Two experiences with my young son led me to begin this blog:

1. I was less than impressed with the mountain of effort that it required to go through two sets of doors and the maneuverability and shopability of the mall whose marketing on every door is targeted to Mothers.

2. A visit to a pediatrician’s office. My son and I, like everyone else, found ourselves in the pediatrician’s office for those frequent first two years of well visits. We were less than impressed with the availability of entertainments and the atmosphere. Was it supposed to be a place for CHILDREN? There was a clear lack planning for the clients, the children!

So, here I am. I find myself creating a blog for mothers and families alike in Northwest Florida providing a raw critique of places, spaces, shops and activities.

Jessica